Wedding Wednesday: Solomon Harris and Ardenia Jackson

After all that research in Alabama, I had to take a breather, but I’m easing back into organizing and writing things up. If you read my last post, you know that the greatest find of my trip was actual living family members, but I also found some pretty neat documents. Here’s one of them:

This is the marriage record for my paternal great-great-grandparents, Solomon Harris and Ardenia Jackson (written here as Adelia).  They are the parents of my dad’s mom’s mom, Beatrice Harris. If their names sound familiar, it’s because last August I posted that a basic record about their marriage had been placed online at FamilySearch.org. Well, I used that information on my trip to find their marriage application, license and return at the Montgomery County Probate Office in Alabama. That’s what you see above.

After I visited the Probate Court, I spent some time at the Alabama Department of Archives and History, also in Montgomery, and something told me to look up marriage records there, too. Thank goodness for that feeling, because look what they had that the Probate Office didn't!

This beautiful baby right here is a copy of the certificate that apparently would have been given directly to the couple to take to their pastor of choice, who would sign and return it to them upon completing the ceremony. They would then have taken it back to the courthouse to be officially registered.

Solomon and Ardenia were married on the 3^rd of December in 1914. While the first record above states Solomon was 21 and Ardenia was 18 when they married, other records that state that both Solomon and Ardenia were born in the summer of 1897, making them each actually just 17. The ceremony took place in Madison Park, in Montgomery, AL and was conducted by a Reverend P.J Minefield. According to the marriage license application (in the first document above), Ardenia was Baptist, while Solomon has no religion listed, so it’s likely Rev. Minefield was a Baptist minister. However, I haven’t yet been able to find anything on him.

Something did come up when I looked up Madison Park in Montgomery County, Alabama: the History page for the Madison Park Community Reunion. If this is in fact the Madison Park where they were married, then they celebrated their union in a town that had been founded about 30 years earlier by former slaves in order to “have a future for themselves and their families.” According to the website,

 “They worked their own land; built houses, established a school and houses of worship…. [T]he community established farms and produces row crops and table vegetables. They built grist mills, saw mills, two syrup mills, a cotton gin, grocery stores, a park and a gravel pit. The community for all practical purposes was a self-sufficient community.”

You can read more here.

This was a place designed so that African Americans, so recently out of slavery and facing hostility and abuse from a region not willing to give up the racism or economics of slavery, could feel safe and make their own way in the world. I don’t know if Solomon and Ardenia actually lived in this community or had some other tie that led them to be married there, or if this is even the same Madison Park (though I couldn’t find any others) but if they did live there, how cool! (And yes, I sent the group an email to see if I can find anything more!)

Solomon and Ardenia brought two daughters into the world together, Beatrice in 1915 and Lillian in 1917. In fact, another of my cool finds from the trip to Alabama were Beatrice and Lillian’s listings in the Montgomery County Register of Births. (This was a real case of serendipity, because there are only 2 registers and 10 years worth of birth records available at the Probate Office, 1908-1912 and 1913-1917. I found 4 people!)

Here’s Beatrice:

(Left Side)

(Right Side)

And here’s Lillian:

(Left Side)

(Right Side)

Among other things, these records tell us that this was the first marriage for both Ardenia and Solomon, that they are living in Beat 18 of Montgomery County in 1915, and that both are working as farm laborers in 1915 and 1917. But by 1918, Solomon is working for the Winter Loeb Grocery Company, and it looks like they are living in the city of Montgomery itself, instead of on the farmland surrounding it. This may have been due to a devastating infestation of boll weevils that hit Alabama's cotton crops starting in 1892 and covering the entire state by 1916. Crops were destroyed year after year, farmers were forced to sell land, and sharecroppers and tenant farmers were pushed off or left the land in search of better opportunities. But through that challenge, or whatever caused them to move, Solomon and Ardenia were still together.

Solomon Harris' World War I Draft Registration Card, 1918

Unfortunately, this is the last record that I have been able to find for Solomon. We know from Ardenia’s obituary that Solomon passes away before her, and we know that by 1930 Ardenia and her teenage daughters are living together in Jefferson County, where Ardenia makes her living operating a boarding house. Finally, we know that she remarries in 1935 and moves north to Kewanee, Illinois in the 1940s. I can’t find anyone in this family in the 1920 census, so that gap between 1918 and 1930 unfortunately can’t be filled right now.

But at least we're able to capture a few snapshots of their life together - their union, hard work, children, change. Perhaps with time, luck, and more research, we'll be able to flesh this out further.

Do you know something I don't about Solomon and Ardenia? Please share!

Wedding Wednesday: Beatrice Harris to Steve Evans (aka Theodore Johnson)

Today’s post is inspired by the Wedding Wednesday genealogy blog prompt over at Geneabloggers.

Two Wednesdays ago, I posted the marriage record for my great-grandmother Beatrice Harris to her second husband, Raymond Montgomery West. This week, I’m focusing on her marriage to her first husband, Steve Evans. This is the man from whom I am descended, through their daughter, my grandmother.

If you knew my great-grandfather, or even if you just read the headline of this post, you might be thinking, Steve Evans? Who’s that? That’s what I was thinking, too, when I came across this marriage record several years ago:

Now, actually, my grandmother had given me something to go on already. She said that her father had changed his name to Evans because he’d gotten into some kind of trouble in Alabama. So, okay, he changed to Evans, this guy was an Evans, maybe we’re on the right track, but we’re looking for an absolute yes, here.

I let it go for a while, while I focused on other things. Frankly, I try not to pester my Grandma about genealogy things – she’s a busy lady and I don’t want to “wear out my welcome.” Sometimes I go hard and then need to give people a break!

But, I did eventually ask her one day, saying that I’d found this record – what did she make of it. Insert face-palm, because why didn’t I just ask her sooner?? "Yep," she said, "that’s my dad!" Me: "Where’d the Steve come from?" Her: "He changed his whole name! I told you what happened, right?" Turns out that the trouble he got into may have involved someone losing their life, necessitating him changing his whole name to stay out of trouble.

Let me be clear: This was a black man in 1930s Alabama we’re talking about. We don’t know the circumstances. We don’t know what, or if anything, actually happened. There is no judgment here, only a shred of memory and a willing listener/researcher. And it is a story I plan on researching. If I find anything, you’ll know! But it will be in the vein of information, not judgment.

Theodore Johnson, my father's mother's father.

Okay, so back to this record! My grandmother confirms that Steve Evans is indeed Theodore Johnson, or, I guess, that Theodore Johnson, was in fact, at one point in time, Steve Evans. So, what does this marriage record tell us? Most importantly, that Steve/Theodore and Beatrice were married on August 15, 1933 by Reverend C.W. Steward (or Stewart) in Birmingham, Alabama.

Interestingly, there are some inconsistencies on this document. For example, it says that Steve/Theodore is 22 years old and Beatrice is 21. But, if Beatrice was born in April of 1915, she was actually only 18 when the marriage took place. I’m pretty sure she was of a legal age to marry, so why the incorrect info? Other documents give Theodore’s birth year as 1914 or 1915, so why is he listed as 22? My guess is that at 18, he was considered underage and perhaps did not want to ask his parents for permission to marry. Maybe inflating both of their ages just made things easier?

In any case, according to available records, Steve/Theodore and Beatrice began building a family together even before they married in 1933 – five of her children born between 1931 and 1940 carry his name. And during this period the family moved – in at least 2 stages – from Jefferson County, Alabama to Powhatan Point in Belmont County, Ohio (along the Ohio River), essentially from one coal mining community to another. (In fact, it's likely they met in the coal mining town Beatrice was living in in 1930.) It was probably a tough life, and – perhaps because of this, or perhaps for other reasons – Beatrice and Theodore faced challenges in their relationship that, as we know, eventually led to their divorce sometime prior to 1947.

With help from family - and especially her sister, Lillian - Beatrice endured, even when times were hard. And we know that Steve, who was definitely Theodore Johnson by 1937, when he filled out an application to receive a Social Security Number, went on as well. He moved to West Virginia, where he continued to work in coal mining, was a member of Zion Temple AME Zion Church, and lived to the age of 71, before passing on October 26, 1986.

I have MANY questions about the life of Steve Evans / Theodore Johnson and it’s going to take a lot of sleuthing to find answers. Here’s one tidbit that I’m excited about: Remember I wrote above that Steve and Beatrice probably met in the coal mining town of Majestic, where we know she was living in 1930? The reason I believe this is the case is because, just a few pages away from Beatrice and her family in the 1930 census, there’s this:

That’s a 16-year-old Steve Evans, Jr living with a woman named Janie Mae Baker, with another teenager in the household named Henry Evans. Stay tuned for additional posts where I continue to piece together the story of Steve Evans/Theodore Johnson!

Census Sunday: Beatrice Harris in the 1930 Census

Seeing my ancestors and relatives in historical documents is really exciting for me. They were there, then, doing something! They existed not just to me and my family, but in some way, to the world. I love uncovering the layers of their lives.

The very first document that I found on my paternal great-grandmother Beatrice Harris was the 1930 Census, also known as the Fifteenth Census of the United States: 1930 Population Schedule. Taken every 10 years and released to the public 72 years later, federal census records are a great way to track families and individuals over time. At their most basic, they tell us where people were living when, who they’re living with, where they’re from, and how old everyone is. Depending on the year, we can also learn what they do for a living, whether or not they can read or write, how many children they gave birth to, whether they are veterans (and in which war they fought), whether they own or rent their home, what they pay in rent, what they earned in the previous year, and more. Treasure trove of info.

Here’s a snippet from the page listing Beatrice in 1930.

So what did I learn?

Jefferson County, AL

First off, she’s living in the unincorporated town of Majestic, Alabama. Located in Jefferson County in north-central Alabama, Majestic was a coal town just north of Birmingham, which was a huge population center and major economic powerhouse in the South because of booming coal, steel and iron industries, supported by a thriving network of railroads.

Ardenia (Jackson) Harris and daughter Lillian

Beatrice is 16 years old and living with her mom, 33-year-old Ardenia Harris, and her 14 year-old sister Lillian. Ardenia – my grandmother’s grandmother – is married and has been since she was 16, but her husband (whom I would assume is still Solomon Harris, as they married in 1914) is apparently not in the household. Where’s Solomon? Ardenia’s obituary notes that he died before her – perhaps they were in Majestic because he worked in the coal mines and something happened to him while they were living in that community? She was remarried by 1935. Or perhaps he’s elsewhere in the community – while I’ve had no luck name-searching him in 1930, I’ll go back and browse page-by-page to see if he can be found that way.

In addition to the three women of the family, there’s also a baby in the house, Robert Johnson, listed as Ardenia’s grandson. He’s listed as only 4 months old! (While this census doesn’t specify, we know that this is Beatrice’s son, my grandmother’s oldest brother.) So that’s three generations in this one record!

But wait, there are other people in the household, as well!

Four boarders, men who rented rooms in the house and perhaps took meals cooked by Ardenia or her daughters, are living in the home. Given the absence of a husband, it seems this is how Ardenia was able to support her family and make ends meet. Well, hello there, entrepreneurship!

Census taker's notes on Ardenia's occupation and industry, 1930 Census.

There’s 44-year-old Will Austin, a widower from Florida, plus 20-year-old Lawrence Roy or Ray, 21-year-old Luzzill Ross or Rass, and 19-year-old Marshall Evans, all single and all from Alabama. All were coal miners. I wonder, was it fun and exciting for these teenage girls to live in the same building as these single men? Or was it scary and uncomfortable?

What else do we learn?

• Ardenia is renting their home in Majestic, for $6 a month. This would be about $85 in today’s money.
• Everyone in Beatrice’s family is listed as having been born in Alabama, as are all of their parents. In fact, the vast majority of folks in this community, black and white, were from Alabama.
• Neither Beatrice nor Lillian had a job (at least one that they told the census taker about), but neither had they been in school at any point between September 1, 1929 and April of 1930. However, both girls, as well as their mom Ardenia are listed as being able to read and write. 

Interestingly, this is the only Census record that I can find for Beatrice. Since she was born in 1915 and census records are available up to 1940, I should be able to find her both in 1920 and 1940. But I haven't. Yet. But this just makes me even more grateful that I was able to find her in this one - it's an interesting snapshot of what her life looked like as a teenager, and it's a jumping off point for a few stories I'm going to be exploring later on.

Do you know anything about the family's life in Majestic, AL? Or where Ardenia's husband is? Please share! 

Digging Into My Southern Roots

I’ve mentioned in a few previous posts that I’m currently taking a year away from work to chase a couple of my passions, namely travel and family history research. And you've probably seen sprinkled here and there recently a mention of the fact that I was moving to New Orleans. Well, I’m super excited that as of last week, I am officially in The Big Easy and will be making this my home for the next few months. And just as I was doing when I was back home in Philly, I’m taking advantage of geography in my quest for genealogical information.

Heretofore on this genealogical blogging journey, I’ve been focusing on my mom’s paternal lineage, particularly her father’s mother’s story. I’ll still be sharing stories related to Katherine Jane Sheppard/Shepherd’s life – there are lots to tell! But, while I’m down here, my plan is to dig into my southern roots and start telling some of those stories as well.

My maternal grandmother, Elnora Mae Cooper

 

Genealogical Serendipity: Marriage in the Morning

I absolutely believe in genealogical serendipity. Every now and then, that thing you’ve been looking for, that record you wanted, or maybe even something that hadn’t even crossed your mind in a while – it’ll just pop up in front of you! I think it’s because – and I truly believe this – our ancestors want to be found.

Well this morning, I woke up and, like I do every day, started tooling around on the interwebs, visiting some of my favorite sites. At least once a week, I check out Dick Eastman’s super useful blog, Eastman’s Online Genealogy Newsletter, for the news, notes and updates he is always posting. So today, as I’m scrolling through, I come across an announcement about the newest updates to FamilySearch.org’s collections. Top of the list: Alabama County Marriages 1809 – 1950.

Well, hey, I know my paternal roots are in Alabama, let me just go check this out. Cool, calm, and collected. Used to being disappointed.

Family Preserves: Beatrice (Harris) Johnson / West

My first serious foray into family history research was a cookbook called Family Preserves that I put together for my high school senior project. I reached out to members of my family on both sides and picked their brains about their family trees, their favorite or signature recipes, and the people, places and stories in their lives that these recipes conjured up.

I knew some of the details of my ancestry on both sides already, but this was the first time I had specifically invited folks to tell me what they knew, and really the first time I witnessed the power of remembering and sharing, and felt the excitement of recording and preserving.

Every now and then, I think I’ll use this space to pull out a story or a recipe from Family Preserves, to keep the chain of sharing alive. I know a lot more than I did back then, so let's think of these as both a trip down memory lane and a jumping off point for more conversation.

Here’s how I introduced my great grandmother Beatrice (Harris) Johnson / West. Have pity on my writing - I was 17!

 

Great Grandma Beatrice was born Beatrice Harris on April 14, 1915 in Montgomery, Alabama. She was the eldest of two children, both girls – her sister Lillian was born almost exactly 2 years later, in April of 1917. Their parents were Ardenia Harris (maiden name possibly Jackson) and, according to records, Solomon Harris, both born in 1897.

Great Grandma Beatrice's story will take quite a few posts to tell (and that's without all the other stories I'm sure my family has to share!), but here's a quick and dirty sketch:

1918 - The family is still living in Montgomery, Alabama, where dad Solomon works for a grocer.

1930 - The family - minus Solomon, so far as I can tell - is living in Majestic, Alabama, an unincoporated coal mining town not too far from Birmingham. Mom Ardenia runs a boarding house, which becomes significant later on.

My Great Grandmother Beatrice, date unknown.

Between 1930 and 1940 - Both Beatrice and Lillian start families, and mom Ardenia remarries.

By 1940 - Beatrice and husband Theodore Johnson move north and east to another mining town, Powhatan Point, Ohio, but two of Beatrice's children are still with Beatrice's mom Ardenia in Alabama, at least when the 1940 census is taken. Sister Lillian is still in Alabama, in the same town as their mom, but she'll soon move north and slightly west, to Kewanee, IL.

1947 - Beatrice marries Raymond Montgomery West. They are living in Yorkville, OH, about 26 miles north of Powhatan Point along the Ohio River.

1947 -1971 - Beatrice and Ray continue to grow and raise the family, and see the children start their own families. Beatrice is active in her church.

1971 - Husband Ray West passes away.

1986 - Former husband Theodore Johnson passes away.

1987 - Beatrice's children hold the first Harris/Johnson/West Family Reunion.

1991 - Beatrice passes away in Ohio at 76 years old.

I'll be fleshing this timeline out in future posts - Beatrice was a person, not a list of dates, after all - and I'm looking forward to talking with relatives and learning more about her. She lived through several wars and the Civil Rights Movement, participated in the Great Migration, and raised 10 kids (including the woman who raised my father). She was born before Alaska and Hawaii became states, was 4 when Prohibition started, 5 when women got the right to vote and was 12 when Charles Lindbergh flew across the Atlantic and the first movie with sound was released.  Polaroid cameras and atomic bombs were developed during her lifetime. So was prepackaged sliced bread. Malcolm X, Martin Luther King and John Lennon were all born and killed during her lifetime. And yet all of these things were probably only swirling in the background as she was a daughter, a sister, a mother, a wife, a parishioner, and a community member. She had her own stories to tell, and priorities.

Family, I hope you'll also share what you know - pictures, documents, stories - so we can share (and preserve!) an even better understanding of who she was and how she shaped our family with generations to come!