Macon store ledger, 1835-1837

Years ago my great-uncle stumbled across this store ledger and thought it was interesting so he kept it.  He passed it to his niece, my aunt, and she gave it to me.  These are the names that appear in the ledger and any other pertinent comments.  If someone wanted, I could detail the account of their ancestor.

 Written on the cover:  John E. Jeffers Macon Georgia   Account book

Note:  NFN = No first name.

Dates given as in this book.  Some noted account brought forward (ABF), so they were a customer with accounts in the previous ledger.  Some also note ACF - Account carried forward.  Sometimes later in this ledger but generally in the next one.  

G. A. Winn  18th May 1837

Thomas Wimberly  Dec 1835-Jun 36

James Hollingsworth    Oct 36 (ABF) - Aug 37 (ACF)

Thomas Flint  Dec 35 (ABF) - Jul 36 (ACF)

Jas. H Hardaway  Dec 35 (ABF) - Jul 36 (ACF)

Jordan Odom  Dec 35 (ABF) - Feb 36.  Then 1 entry dated Jan 38 "By Norton Reid"

C. Crawford Nov 36

J. C. Winn  Oct 36 - Jan 37

F. Simms:  2 entries Oct 36, Jul 37

NFN Morgan Jul-Aug 36 (ACF)

James R. Bennett Dec 36 - Jan 37 (ACF)

James Jordan Jan - Mar 36 (ACF)

Joseph Gainer Dec 35-Oct 36

Joseph Hollomon Nov 36-Jan 37

Henry Hill Jul 36 (one purchase by "Mrs. Hill")

C. Vaughn Nov 36 (ABF) - Jan 37 (ACF)

M. Bartlet Jan 36- Aug 37 (ACF)

Joseph Bennett Dec 35 (ABF) - Aug 36 (ACF)

C. A. Higgans Dec 35 - Oct 36

NFN Okeef  Jan 36 (ABF) - Jul 36 (ACF)

Cade Rogers Feb 36 (ABF) One purchase, then notation "Dead"

Mrs. Merchant Apr 36- Feb 37 (ACF)

NFN Goddard Apr 36

NFN Beasley Apr-Oct 36

Joseph Lee   May-Jun 36 (Note at end dated 20 Sep 1844, paid in full)

John Merchant  Feb-Jul 36

J. D. Winn Jan-Nov 37

F. Ellis Dec 36- Jul 37

Judge Holt Nov 36 (one purchase only)

John Philpots Dec 35 - May 36 (ACF)

Humphreys & Moore Jan 36- Jan 37

J. Holsendoff Jan-Sep 36

Rich'd Clinton Jan 36 (ABF)  (note: Jan 37 - interest

Levi Mullens May 36 - Mar 37  (two entries noted as "charged to A. F. Sherwood)

H. G Ross Dec 35 - Jan 37 (ACF)

Toliver Willcox Jun 35  Dec 36 (ACF)

William Pitts Jan-May 35

Abraham Tyner Jan 36- Apr 37 Note at end:  Setted D.G. Hodgkins

Horace Humphreys Jan 36 (ABF) - Jun 37 (ACF)

David Evans Jan (ABF) - Mar (ACF) 1836

Cato Rose Jan - Dec 36  Nov 4 (prob 37) paid in full.

Williamson Glover Jan 36 (ABF) - nov 36

Thos. Red JAn - Apr 36

Maria Shaw Jan-Dec 36 (ACF)

Jacob J. Bracewell Jan/Feb 36

NFN  Almon Jan 36 (then note Dead)

Susan Smith Jan 36 (1 pr shoes)

NFN Stovall May 36 - Sep 37

Jonathan Wilder Jan 36 - Oct 37 (ACF)  Note "recd of W. Coleman)

D. Dalmeter Jan-Dec 36

C. Vaughan  Jan 37 (ABF) -jun 37 (ACF)

NFN Cumby: Jan 36 (also Mrs. Cumby) - Oct 36

NFN Merrit  Jan 36 Note at end "Charged to Bob Blanchett"

Doctor Ball Feb 36 (ABF) - Apr 36

Thos Red Apr 36 - Jul 36

Seban (Leban?) Jones Jan - May 36  THen Dead

Wm. Blanchett jan 36 - Apr 36 ACF

Thos. Lamar Jan 36 (2 entries) Jan 38 1 entry

David Evans Mar 36 (ABF) - May 36

NFN Williams (at Foster & Earls)  Feb 36

M. R Glenn May-Dec 36 ACF

NFN Loyd Sep 35 - Aug 37.  Note By cash charged to Blanchett

Hamilton V. Hays Jul 36, Apr 37

John C Johnson Jul 36 (rum 31 jul 25)

H. Bronson Feb - Apr 36

NFN Birdsong Feb-Nov 36

Bob Blanchett  Feb - Oct 36 ACF

James Jordan  Mar 36 ABF = Jun 36 ACF

David F. Willson MAr 36 Sep 36  ACF

NFN Taylor Jul 36 - Jan 38 ACF

Angus McCallum Mar 36 - Jul 36 ACF

NFN Watts Mar 36, Apr 37

H. M. Whitehead Apr 36

General R. A. Beal  Mar 36

R. Smith Jul 36 Oct 36

Alex Richards Mar 36 Nov 36  Note Balanced by order in favour W. Soloman

NFN Stanley Jul 36 - Apr 37

Angus McCallum Aug 36 ABF - Nov 36 ACF

Thos Flint Apr 36 ABF Jun 36 ACF

L. P. Hoskins Apr 37? ABF - Jan 39

Gillis Powell Jul- Oct ?36?

Robert Smith Oct ? ABF

Clab Vaughan  Jun 37 (ABF) Aug 37 ACF

James Jordan Jun 36 - ABF  Oct 36 ACF

John O'Keeffe Jul 36 ABF Nov ACF

Col Lamar Apr 36 (1 entry)

B. Gardner Jul-Sep 36

NFN Hodgkins Jul-Dec 36

Wm. Blanchett  Apr 36 - nov 36

D. C. Hodgkins Mar 36 ABF jul 36 ACF

NFN Dyer Jun - Oct 36

NFN Butts Aug 36

D. C. Hodgkins Jul 36 - Jan 38 ACF

Thos Flint Jun 36 ABF  nov 36 ACF

Joseph Willson Jul 36

Wm. Danniel Sep 36 Mar 38

Mustian & Mott Jul 36 Dec 36

J. C. F. Clarke Aug 36 Jun 37

Wm. B. Parker Sep 36Jan 37

Alex'r McGregor Jul - Nov 36

Jones & Dickinson Jun-oct36

James Jordan Oct 36 ABF Dec 36 ACF

Martin Hall Jul 36 Nov 36

L Sewell Jan 37 Mar 38  (note To acct J. Philpotts)

Richard Lee Jun - Nov 36

A. R. Ralston Sep 36 jan 37  (note Settled with Jas Hollingsworth)

John O'keeffe Nov 36 ABF Feb 37 (note stating: by tuition for children), may 38

Angus McCallum ABF Jn 37

AF Sherwood Mar 36 ABF Aug 36 ACF

Thos Flint Nov 36 - Aug 37

H. G. Ross Jan 37 Sep 37 ACF

NFN Cumby Dec 36 - May 37  (note mentions Miss Mary Cumby)

John Philpots Apr 37 ABF - Aug 37  (recd by this amount of Thos Hardiman) ACF

Martin Hall may -Dec 36 

Toliver Willcox Dec 36 ABF  Aug 37

James Jordan Jan 37 ABF - oct 37

Joseph Gainer Apr 37, Mar 38

H. Humphreys Jun ABF Oct

Bob Blanchett Oct-Dec 36 (ABF)

M R Glen Jan 37 ABF Mar 37

thos Red Dec 36 Jun 37

B Williams (Vineville) May 37 Jan 38

Doct'r Jamerson Dec 36 - Aug 38

T Hine Aug/sep 37

James Hardaway Jul 36 oct 37 ACF

James R. Bennett ABF Jun ? ACF

William Blanset Jan 37 - Jan 38  (Incudes notes that purchases are for Wm Danniel,   Also says "assume for Loyd" and "for Cumby".  

Billey Danniel Jan 37 ABF

James R. Bennett Jul 37 ABF - Jan 38 ACF

Williams & Bradley  Feb 1837

A. H Foster May/Aug 37

G. P. Wagner Mar/Aug 37

Willis Hews jan 37 Dec 37

A. Fisk Mar 37 Aug 37 ACF

John Bassett ?35 - Jun 37

John Merchant Aug 37 Sep 37

A. Fisk Aug / ABF

Wheeler & Townsend Jun 37

John Philpots May 36 ABF - apr 37

Wm Seymore MAr - Aug 36

John Baley Apr 37 Jan 38

Mariah Shaw Dec 35 Mar 37

R H. Harding Jan 36 Dec 37

NFN Loyd Nov 37 ABF Jul 39

J Holzendorf Sep 36 ABF nov 37

V. Manard Jul 37 Nov 37

The last few pages just have single purchases, not on account: 

R. Bassett

"Timmy"

Mrs Rutherford

R. Brim

Mr. Rose

Sip Holzendorf

Mrs humphreys

D. F Rupert

Shem Holzendorf

Mrs. Rutherford

J. M. Birdine

Mrs. Humphreys

Carver & Jewett

A.Jones

Ike Hollingsworth

Mr. Low

Mrs. McGreggor

Alex Foster

McGintys Ruben

Mallory

Expense acct  (cash received of)

Mar 39:   C Felps, B. Atkinson, Hodgkins,

Apr 39: Larking, B. Adams, F. Davis, Wiley Harris, A. Raney, T Willcox, B. Lodge, Hamilton Fort & c, W. Wade, E. B. Tracey, Joseph Bennett, Bob, Curry, J. Phelps, Robbin, Gus Hatley, Robert Davey,

A. Ernest (rent), Champion, Felps, R. Davey, H. Campbell,

 Cash paid Mrs. Andrews for A. Ernest

May 39;  D. Clark, T. Self,  A. T. Sherwood, T. Rupell, Jepson, Robert Davey, Wiley Harris, Watts, McDonald, Mark Moon,

Jun 39: Wm Smith, Jarvis,

Jul 39 Gus Atley, Wm Respass, J.R. Bennett, W. Wagner, Jepson, Wm Rap, D. Brown

   pd J. Holley,  Wm Hughs

Receipt in book from John Jeffries to D. C. Hodgkins

Wm  Potts to John Jeffers

Ahnentafel #14 James Edward Wade and #15 Carrie Horne

James Edward (Ed) Wade was born on 19 January 1870 in Houston County (now Peach County), GA.   He was the oldest of the 14 children of Moses Thomas Wade and Irene Moore.  Fort Valley is right on the Crawford-Houston border and as a result, he grew up living variously in Houston and Crawford Counties, appearing with his parents in Houston County in 1870 and 1880.  In 1870, he is 4 months old.  In 1880 he was not listed as attending school at the time, but neither is anyone else on that page, so the census taker may just not have noted it.  His name has led to some speculation in the family.  His next youngest brother (William Thomas) is named after their paternal grandfather and father, the third brother (Robert Lee) is named after the general and the 5th brother (John Henderson) is named after his maternal grandfather and has his paternal grandfather's middle name.  The fourth son is another whose name origin (George H.) is unknown.  Some family stories indicate that James Edward was named after an officer his father served under in the Civil War, but this has not been verified.

Carrie Frances Horne was born on 23 January 1880 in Crawford County Georgia to Washington William Buchanan Horne and Mary Ann Morris.  She was the youngest child and only surviving daughter.   She lived her entire life in Crawford County, where she appears with her parents in the 1880 census.   Her father was committed to the State asylum the month before she was born and died there just before her 5th birthday, so she was essentially raised just by her mother.  Without their father's income, the family was extremely poor, just scraping by.

Ed and Carrie were married by a Justice of the Peace in Crawford County on 14 February 1897, shortly after her 17th birthday.  Ed was 27.  Throughout their married life, they farmed in Crawford County. 

Their first son, Hiram Alvin Wade, was born on 18 July 1897 but sadly died at 8 months old.  By the 1900 census, they are living next door to Carrie's mother and brother, with their 8 month old second son Homer and have been married 3 years.  Carrie reports that she had had two children, of whom one was living.  They rent their farm and both of them can read and write.  For some reason, in this census Ed (as James) is also listed in his father's household, also in Crawford County, as the same age but single and working as a farm laborer.

The 1910 Crawford County census was badly water damaged and so far Ed and Carrie have not been found in the surviving portion.  It seems probable that they lost at least one child between Homer (1899) and Bessie (1905), but without the 1910 numbers, it is difficult to know.   By 1920, they owned a farm on the Macon-Columbus road.   Son Homer had left home already, but daughters Bessie, Viola, Lillie and Clyde, as well as son Louis were still at home.  Bessie, Viola and Louis were attending school, but Lillie and Clyde were still too young.  Their youngest child, James Edward Jr, was born a few months after the census was taken.

 The 1930 census is a mess as far as this family is concerned.  Ed (listed here as Edd) still owned the farm and Carrie is listed as a housekeeper.  Their ages are correct, but their ages at first marriage are given as 15 and 25, rather than 17 and 27.   Ed generally listed his father as born in North Carolina, even though it was probably Virginia and he does so here.   But Carrie generally correctly listed her parents as born in South Carolina and Alabama.  In this census, however, her father is listed as Alabama and her mother in Mississippi.   The oldest daughter Bessie is listed as Bessie Wade, widowed.  She shows a "first married" age of 16, but it is crossed out.  In fact at this point she was Bessie Griffin and divorced, back living with her parents.  She was 14 (and 9 months) when she married.  The youngest son is listed as John instead of James, but the other children are correct.  In this census, Clyde, 13,  and James, 9,  are the only two children in school.  Bessie's 7-year old son Leroy Griffin is also living with them and is also in school.

By 1940, the children had all left (or left again), except for James Jr.  Even though he's only 19, he is married to  Lillian, age 16, and they are living with Ed and Carrie.  Ed, Carrie and James are living in the same house they were in in 1935, which they own and which is worth $500.  Lillian, who was presumably not married in 1935, was living in Peach County at that time.  Ed claims to have finished 7th grade and Carrie 6th grade.  James and Lillian both did 2 years of high school.  Both Ed and James said they had worked 52 weeks the previous year even though both listed their income for that period as $0.  Both of them also worked the week of 24-30 March 1940, with Ed doing 40 hours and James 50, both of them on the farm. 

Ed died on 18 April 1946 and was buried in Macon Memorial Park, Macon, Georgia.  Carrie in turn died on 8 June 1960 and was buried next to him.

The children of Ed and Carrie Wade:
 

• Hiram Alvin Wade, 1897-1898
• Homer Leonard Wade, 1899-1964.  Married Gladys Pullen and lived most of his married life in Florida. 
• Bessie Florence Wade, 1905-1988.  Married 1) Alfonso Clay Griffin, 2) James Wesley Childers, 3) Unknown Smith and 4) Charles Dennard Wood.  
• Viola Elizabeth Wade , 1907-2000, married Frank Becham
• Ira Louis Wade, 1910-1977.  Married Thelma Ola Pope. 
• Lillie Maude Wade, 1913-1988.  Married Chester Payton somewhat late in life.  
• Caroline Clyde Wade, 1916-2006.  Married John Allen Green.  They eventually settled in Mount Pleasant, SC.  She was a nurse.   She claimed that she was originally named Carrie Clyde Wade, after her mother, but that she thought Caroline sounded better. 
• James Edward, Jr, 1921-1993.   He was married first to Lillian, then Matilda.  Neither of their surnames have been identified.

Freedmen's talk

From the loose Crawford County records at the Georgia Archives:

Notice:  Two coloured speakers will address the freedmen of Crawford County at Knoxville on Friday night 25th instant on the political ideas of the day.   This 18th September 1868.

Note that while this date could be read as either 1848 or 1868, it is only in 1868 that Sep 25th falls on a Friday.

Not cancer after all?

My family never talked much about Great-uncle Edgar Becham and I did not in fact know he existed until the census records.  On being asked, Aunt Louise talked about his widow and the fact that he died "young" of cancer.  The Georgia Death index gave me 1936 for his death, making him 28 or 29 when he died.  With the recent addition of Georgia death certificates 1930-1938 on familysearch.org, I finally looked him up.   According to his death certificate, he died on 29 Sep 1936 in Macon at the Oglethorpe infirmary where he had been treated for a week.  The official cause of death was listed as extensive ulcerative colitis, cause undetermined, with alcoholism as a contributing factor.  An autopsy had apparently been done to verify that cause.  He was listed as married but without his wife named and the informant was his brother Frank.  He was buried in Roberta City cemetery although he does not have a tombstone there. 

The alcoholism part certainly explains the family (Methodist and Primitive Baptist) reluctance to talk about him and possibly even the fact that they never gave him a tombstone, although that could have also been because he died during the depression.  The ulcerative colitis of unknown origin is even more interesting since his niece, Gladys, had major but undiagnosed stomach problems throughout her life and his great niece has been diagnosed with a condition that matches this description exactly.  The cause for hers is also unknown but it looks now like it may have been an unlucky draw in the gene pool. 

Ahnentafel #12 Franklin Lafayette Becham and #13 Sarah Lodelia Mathews

Franklin Lafayette (Fate) Becham was born in September 1871 in Crawford County, Georgia to Washington Becham and Ann Catherine Perry.   He was generally called Fate (short for Lafayette) but occasionally appears in the records as Frank.  He lived his entire life in the county and appears with his parents in the 1880 census. 

Sarah Lodelia (Delia) Mathews was born 26 February 1870 in Brooks County,  Georgia to Thomas Franklin Mathews and Susan Catherine Peterman.  The family had moved back to Crawford County, GA by the time she was 10, since she appears there in the 1880 census.  She is with her parents in both the 1870 and 1880 censuses.

Fate and Delia married on 22 December 1895 in Crawford County, Georgia, where he followed in his father's footsteps as a farmer and potter.  Fate's pottery has developed some reknown in Georgia and in fact an example of it is in the Smithsonian American Art Museum.  

 

This photo is of his great-great-

Granddaughter looking at the jug in the Smithsonian. It is the one on the far right.










 In 1900, Frank and Lodelia are renting a farm near Roberta, with their two oldest children Frank and Washington (generally known as W.P.).   This particular census is the first one I ever looked up as a genealogist, back when the only way to find one was at the Archives.  The magic of seeing my grandfather as a young child hooked me totally and I've never looked back.   In this one, they duly note that they've been married 5 years, and have had two children, both of whom were living.

In 1910, they are still on the farm, but the family is now up to 6 children, 5 boys and 1 girl.  Another child has apparently died since Delia states that she has had 7 children but 6 were living.  Their youngest child, another boy Walker, was born two months after this census was taking.   By 1920 they own their farm, although they do have a mortgage on it.  In this census, Frank and his 3 oldest sons were all listed as house carpenters.  The youngest 3 boys were in school and daughter Lucile was married.

About this time, Frank was apparently very involved with the Methodist church, since this is when he had the photo taken of himself and his sons, in the church group. Delia had been noted joining Old Bethel Methodist church in 1897. Fate may have already been a member there since that is where his father is buried. 

By 1930, all the children had left home except W.P., who continued to live there until his death in 1974.   Their son Frank was widowed by this time and had returned home with 4 of his 5 children.  The baby, Sarah, was living with her aunt Lucile.   Fate was listed as a farmer and W.P. was described as a laborer on his father's farm.  Frank was still working as a carpenter.   Fate owned the farm but no value was given for it.

In 1931, Fate and his son Frank went to a family reunion hosted by his sister Ophelia (Mrs. J.W.) Thomason, in Dry Branch GA, celebrating his brother-in-law's 71st birthday.  Also from Roberta were Fate's sisters Mrs Bill (Addie) Smith and Mrs. Virginia Smith.

In 1940, Fate, Delia and Washington are living on the farm they own, now valued at $4700.  Their son Henry lived next door.  Fate was listed as a brick mason laying brick, but not working and he had not worked the census week of 24-30 March 1940.  He had worked 10 weeks in 1939, for which he earned $50.

Fate died on 14 June 1958 age 86 and was buried in the Roberta City Cemetery.  His will left $300 to his wife with the remainder going to his son W.P. with the request that W.P. look after his mother.  The will added that this was just a request, not a stipulation, but W.P. did in fact look after his mother until her death.  Delia in turn died on 15 June 1965, age 95.  I was taken to see her a few weeks before she died and she was the only one of the great grandparents that I was aware of meeting.

Fate and Delia had the following children:

1.  Frank Jones Becham, 1897-1985, married 1) Ola Pauline Bryant and 2) Viola Elizabeth Wade.  
2.  Washington Perry (W.P.) Becham, 1899-1974, never married
3.  Henry Lafayette Becham, 1901-1989, married Edith Williamson.  Remained in Crawford County.
4.  Lucile Delia Becham, 1901-1994, married Robert Edward Hortman.
5.  James Alfred Becham, 1904-1971, married Cecile Laing while serving in the navy in California.  Eventually returned to Roberta after he and Cecile divorced.
6.  Edgar P. Becham, 1908-1936.  Married Verlin Hutto but died of cancer shortly after the marriage.
7.  Walker M. Becham, 1910-1987, married Gladys Johnston.

Fate and Delia Becham and some of their descendents, probably early 1950s.

Harriet, Anderson and other lost stories in the records

The Friend of Friends post that I did last Friday was particularly interesting to me because of the series of posts showing the changing fates of six slaves belonging to the estate (minor children) of Jonathon McClendon.  I presume there was an issue about how the estate was handled, since I can't think of any other reason that the annual accountings from 1825 to 1832 would appear in together in the Crawford county records of 1834, especially when they were originally recorded in Jasper County.   Three of the slaves were adults - Bill, Jenny and Milly.  Jenny had a daughter Harriet and eventually Milly had an unknown child.  Bill was originally the most valuable and could be hired out each year for the most money, but by 1832, when they were sold, the two women went for more.  In Milly's case this could be because her child was sold with her, but its also possible that Bill was simply getting old.   Milly was probably a teenager, since she is sometimes described as a girl and sometimes as a woman, as opposed to Jenny who is always called a woman.  There were also three children - Ben, Anderson and Harriet.   Ben grows up during these years, where he is first hired out for less than the women, but by 1829 is bringing in nearly as much as Bill and by 1832 is sold for more than any of the others.  Every year his hire increased significantly, as he got older.   Anderson must have been quite young when this first started, since he is hired for $1.   Old enough to do some work but not as productive as a man or even a teen.  Again, we watch him grow up and become more valuable, although not to the extent Ben does.  Based on the relative amounts received for hiring him out, the appearance is that he went from being a young boy to possibly a young teen.  There is no indication in the record as to who his mother was, either because he had already been separated from her or because he was not young enough when the records started to be listed with her.  It is possible that Jenny was his mother and he was old enough to be accounted for separately, that his mother was one of the two female slaves that went to the widow (Viny and Betsy), or that his mother was dead.  Harriet is definitely Jenny's daughter and is obviously quite young when these records started.   She is at first just grouped with her mother, then "hired" basically for the cost of keeping her.  She is definitely separated from her mother by 1829, when they are hired out to separate families and in 1832, when the slaves are sold, they both go permanently to different families.  Even assuming she was 7 or 8 when the records start (and she was probably much younger), this would have meant a permanent separation from her mother definitely by the time she was 15 and possibly as young as 10.  In fact, all 3 of the youngest named slaves were sold away from the adults they had grown up with, whether those adults were their parents or not.  The only child not to be sold separately was Milly's unnamed child, who was probably an infant since she/he had not been mentioned before.