Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Tombstone Tuesday

Update on My Investigation into Cousin Nunna’s Death



Several weeks ago, I discovered that the death of my 3rd cousin twice removed (my maternal grandmother’s first cousin), Nunna Pierce Jackson, was ruled a homicide. (Refer to Murder in the Family for information on Cousin Nunna.) I set out to determine exactly what happened. What were the events that lead to Cousin Nunna being murdered? Sadly, as of today I must say that I’ve not discovered any other details surrounding her death.

My first steps were to 1) contact the Walton Tribune and 2) contact the Monroe – Walton County Public Library. The Walton Tribune was unable to assist and directed me toward the library, which of course I had already contacted. Sadly, the library did not have copies of the Walton Tribune from the time period in question.

This past week, I contacted both the Monroe Police Department and the Walton County Sheriff’s Department for assistance and am awaiting a reply. I’m hopeful they can provide assistance.

In the meantime, after setting up a memorial for Cousin Nunna on FindAGrave then submitting a photo request, I was able to obtain a picture of Cousin Nunna’s tombstone as well as updated images that better display the current state of Sheats Family Cemetery, which is the final resting place for Cousin Nunna, her sister Moode Pierce, and my great grandfather Cornelius Pierce.


Nunna Pierce Jackson
1898- 1929
Daughter of Great Grand Uncle Lon(nie) Pierce



Picture obtained via photo request at FindAGrave.com and is posted at http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSmid=47152179&GRid=51051421.


Saturday, April 10, 2010

Surname Saturday - Pierce

Pierce

It occurred to me that while I’ve been working on my Pierce line for awhile now (see my recent Monday Madness posts) I’ve never discussed the surname.

My Pierce lineage is as follows:

1. Mavis Jones

2. Ovella Hosch

3. Mary Magdalene Pierce, born abt. 27 June 1890. Based on documentation to date, grandmom most likely was born in Clarke County, GA, although she spent the majority if not all of her formative years in Monroe, Walton, GA. Died 18 March 1966, Shelby, Cleveland, NC.

4. Cornelius Pierce, born abt. 10 March 1865, White Plains, Greene County, GA. Died 14 May 1910, Monroe, Walton, GA. Interred in Sheats Cemetery, in the Good Hope area of Walton County, GA

5. Jasper Pierce and Jane Pierce,

Jasper was born about 1850, in White Plains, GA. Date of death is unknown at this time.

Jane was born about 1844, in White Plains, GA. Date of death is unknown at this time.

From About.com, comes the following on the Pierce surname:

Definition: Adapted from the given name Piers (a derivation of Peter, which means "rock") and usually meaning "son or descendant of Piers or Peter."

Surname Origin: English, Welsh

Alternate Surname Spellings: PEARCE, PEARSE, PEARSON, PIERS, PIRS, PYRS, PEERS

According to World Names Profiler, the top country for the Pierce surname is the good old USA at 550.01 FPM, with Mississippi being the top state and Chicago, IL being the top US city with the surname.


Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Carnival of African-American Genealogy, 2nd edition - Grandma’s Hand

My last Visit with Little Grandmother
Mary Magdalene Pierce Hosch

Date and location unknown
From the personal collection of the owner of this Blog

Surprisingly, the theme for the second edition of the Carnival of African-American Genealogy has been a tough one for me. It’s not that I never knew my grandmothers but that I really didn’t get an opportunity to know them.


My maternal grandmother died when I was 5 and the only true remembrance I seem to have of my Little Grandmother, which is what I’ve always called her due to her small stature, was visiting her in the hospital right before her death. When she died, I didn’t even have a grasp, yet, on the concept of death. At her funeral I remember asking my mother why is everyone crying. Mom explained that everyone was sad because grandmom was gone, which caused me to ask my next question, “how come I’m not crying?”

Even though my last visit with my Little Grandmother should have been a sad time, I don’t seem to remember it that way. It will always be etched permanently in my brain as a joyous occasion in my young life. As the years have rolled by, it’s a memory that I treasure and one that I decided to talk about.

My grandmother had been sick for some time. She knew long before she was ever diagnosed with cancer that something was wrong. I’m sure there were other times that she must have been in the hospital, although this last visit I had with her is the only one that I remember. I don’t remember the day of the week or the time of the visit just that mom said we were going to visit grandmom in the hospital. Even though some aspects of this memory are vague, I remember being excited about getting to see her. Living only one street over from my maternal grandparents and with a few of my older cousins babysitting me, I got to see grandmom almost daily, so obviously I was missing her.

When we got to the hospital, I remember I had to wait for grandmom to come down from her room, because children weren’t allowed to go up to the rooms. I thought grandmom would never arrive, but then there she was. I remember she looked frail and weak, but she also had the biggest smile for me as I was prancing up and down and I’m sure yelling grandma, grandma. Then she bent down and gave me a kiss in the usual spot that was reserved just for her. I was ecstatic. Our visit wasn’t long as I think the walk had zapped what little strength she had at that moment. I looked on with sadness as she slowly ventured back in the direction that would lead back to her room.

After the visit, mom and I went shopping for flowers. Yes, they were the plastic kind, but mom thought they would cheer grandmom up. At some point during the flower shopping expedition, I told mom I wanted my own set of flowers to give to grandmom. Mom must have said okay, because I picked out a small arrangement of pink flowers in a white vase to go along with mom’s big yellow arrangement. Afterwards, we returned to the hospital to deliver them. I don’t remember if mom took them up or if grandmom came back down but they were delivered.

On March 18, 1966, my sweet Little Grandmother said goodbye to this world. Somehow, mom managed to retrieve the flowers that she and I had given grandmom. For years, both arrangements were stored in our basement, and through the years, every time I came across them, which was often, I thought of my grandmother.

There are many days that I wish my grandmother was still here, that we had had more time together, etc, but I’m thankful for the five years Little Grandmother and I had.



Friday, April 2, 2010

Recognitions and Awards

This past week has been awesome, not in terms of finding my Ancestors but in terms of being recognized by my fellow geneabloggers.

First, Friday, a week ago, I was recognized by Genlighten in his Follow Friday Post. Once again, thank you for recognizing both of my blogs.

Yesterday and today, I received the Ancestor Approved award from Dionne of Finding Josephine. and Texicanwife of Mountain Genealogists.Thank you so much.

The recipient of the Ancestor Approved award lists ten things learned about their ancestors that have surprised, humbled, or enlightened. The recipient then passes the award to ten other bloggers that are doing their Ancestors proud.


Surprises

  • My recent discovery - that my maternal grandmother’s first cousin, Nuna Pierce Jackson, was shot and that her death was ruled a homicide

  • Discovering that my grand Uncle, Felton Pierce, never went overseas during WWI and that while he received a promotion during his time in the Army, he was only in the army for 6 months during WWI and was in one of the reserve units

Humbled By

  • My maternal Great Grandfather, Cornelius Pierce, living his American Dream in the midst of early Jim Crow Georgia. At the time of his death in 1910, he was in the process of buying, via mortgage, his own 65 acre farm.

  • My paternal Great Grandfather Peter Everett living the American Dream by progressing from farmer, to working in a saw mill, to entrepreneur by being a merchant

  • The births of the Hosch Ancestors recorded in the bible of their slave owner, Henry Hosch

  • The struggles of my Ancestors and their ability to survive the middle passage, chattel slavery, Jim Crow, deaths of one and sometimes both parents, flu epidemics, etc.

Thrilled

  • That I have marriage certificates for both sets of grandparents and 2 sets of my great grandparents

  • To have a picture of my maternal Great Grandfather’s, Cornelius Pierce tombstone as well as that of my grandmother’s first cousin, Mood Pierce

  • That I connected with second cousin once removed I. McFarland and her mom, descendents of my grand aunt, Mattie Henyard Martin, my grandmother’s half sister.

  • To connect with many of my Grand Uncle’s, Will Hosch, descendants via Facebook

In case you didn’t notice, I included some of my paternal ancestors in my ten things.

Passing it On

George at Geder.Genealogy

Gini at Ginisology

Felicia at My Nola Heritage and Our Family as a Whole

Darlene at My Colored Roots

Sara Beth at Lessons From My Ancestors

Ruth at Genealogy is Ruthless without Me

Valerie at Begin with Craft

Sandra at I Never Knew My Father

Jenna at Desperately Seeking Surnames

Kathleen at a3Genealogy