Sympathy Saturday

    Sympathy Saturday will be where I share the obituaries and my condolences for members of my family tree who passed recently.  When you get to be a certain age, you begin to read the obituaries every day.  As the days go by, you read about more and more of your friends and family members who have died.  You compare their age to your own and get a jolt. "That could have been me." 

    For genealogists, checking obituaries and visiting cemeteries is as normal as breathing. I learn so much from an obituary, i.e., maiden names, parents' names; children's' and grandchildren's' names, funeral and burial locations, sometimes even a cause of death.  I want to learn these things not for any purpose but to put it on the family tree for future generations to see and learn about the family that went before them. I admit, most of these relatives I have never met, but I think it is important to share that they were here on this Earth, and they were important.

    So I am signed up with at least three funerals homes from Swainsboro, Vidalia, and Wrightsville to get daily notices of obituaries sent to my email.  Every day, I peruse them and with the help of the family tree, figure out who is related to me and add any new information to the tree. Some weeks there are several, and some weeks there are none. This week there are two who actually passed away a few months ago as I got behind on email for while. So I may be doubling up for a several weeks.

    Please join me in offering condolences to their families and holding them in the light.

Brenda Cheryl Galbreath Foss

August 17, 1951 - June 22, 2026

Mrs. Cheryl Galbreath Foss, age 74, of Ailey, died Monday, June 22, 2026, at the Community Hospice House in Vidalia following an extended illness. She was a native of the Sharpespur Community in Montgomery County and was a 1969 graduate of Montgomery County High School. She moved to Augusta where she lived for several years, and returned to Montgomery County, living in Ailey for the past forty years. Cheryl was a homemaker and a member of New Corinth Baptist Church. She enjoyed canoeing and white water rafting with her husband and family.

She is preceded in death by her husband, Robert Allen “Bob” Foss; parents, Samuel Lawton “S.L.” Galbreath and Doris “Dot” Tapley Galbreath; and two brothers, Duane Galbreath and Terry L. “Lucy” Galbreath. 

Mrs. Foss is survived by one sister, Kim Galbreath Corley and husband Jim of Sharpespur; one stepson, Christopher Foss of Texas; one brother, Dennis Thornton and wife Lisa of Vidalia; and several nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Per her request, a private graveside funeral service was held on Wednesday morning, June 24th, 2026, at 10:00 at Galbreath Cemetery with Pastor Reece Mincey officiating.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations are suggested to the Community Hospice Foundation, PO Box 2277, Vidalia, GA 30475.

Ronald V. Hall Funeral Home of Vidalia is in charge of arrangements.

Deborah Darlene 'Debbie' Tapley Stogner Arceneaux

December 23, 1952 - July 03, 2026

A celebration of life for Deborah "Debbie" Darlene Arceneaux, 73, of Saint Joseph, LA will be held at Calvary Baptist Church in Vidalia on Saturday, July 18, 2026 at 11AM. The family will receive friends at the church on Saturday from 10AM until service time at 11am.

Debbie was born on Tuesday, December 23, 1952 in Ringold, GA and passed away on Friday, July 3, 2026 at her residence surrounded by loved ones. Debbie was a woman of unwavering faith whose love for the Lord guided every step of her life. A strong and resilient Christian, she faced life's journey with courage, grace, and peace. When her time came, she was ready to meet her Savior, trusting completely in His promises. Debbie found joy in traveling, always looking forward to new adventures, whether near or far. At home, she loved working in her yard, tending her beautiful gardens, sewing thoughtful creations, and preparing delicious meals that brought family and friends together. She had a wonderful sense of humor and a personality that could brighten any room. Her infectious smile, quick wit, and joyful spirit made everyone around her laugh and feel welcome. Debbie never met a stranger, and those who knew her couldn't help but love her kind heart. Above all, she cherished her husband, delighting in every opportunity to spend time by his side. Her love, laughter, faith, and gentle spirit will forever remain in the hearts of all who were blessed to know her. She will be deeply missed.

She is reunited with her parents, Francis Doyle Hazel Tapley and Andrew Doyle Tapley; and husband, Jimmy Stogner.

Those left behind to cherish Debbie's memories are her husband, Mike Arceneaux; brother, Danny Tapley & Sallie; sons, Eric Stogner and Jerimiah Stogner; grandchildren, Taylor Stogner and Kenley Stogner; and a host of nieces, nephews, family, and friends.

To leave an online condolence for the family please visit www.youngsfh.com.

Friday's Faces from the Past

 

Helen Charlene Ello Tapley

b. 04 May 1932 in St. Louis, Missouri, USA
d. 06 Dec 2022 in Troy, Lincoln, Missouri, USA

Married

Oliver Eugene Tapley

in 1947 in Arkansas

Treasure Chest Thursday

 

I bought this display plate at a thrift store many years ago.  It's a beautiful "poem" or saying, but I'm not a knick-knack kind of person.  I mean, I have them but they are either heirlooms or gifts. So there was a particular reason I purchased this plate.  

This page out of a steno book was found in my maternal grandmother's things long before I saw the plate.  It is written in her handwriting.  I don't know what significance this held for her, but obviously she cared enough to write it out. 

Of course when I saw the plate, I instantly recognized the saying and had to buy it.  It sits in a place of honor in my heirloom glass cabinet.  

Ethel Irene Ranney Tapley
1913-1973

Wedding Wednesday

 

Newspapers.com, The Miami Herald, Miami, Florida,
Sunday, January 20, 1952, Page 56

"Period Gown Of Blush Satin Worn By Miss Geiger To Altar

Blush pink satin fashioned the period gown Miss Betty Ruth Geiger wore for her marriage Saturday to Alfred Harrison Powell, Jr. The ceremony was solemnized at 4 p.m. in St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Miami Beach, by Msgr. William Barry.

The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Roy A. Bryan, 7458 SW 52nd ave. Her father gave her in marriage. Her dress was made with fitted bodice with wing collar, full skirt that ended in a cathedral train. Her four-tiered illusion veil fell from a satin cloche, and she carried pale pink carnations.

IN PEACOCK BLUE

Mrs. Walker G. Thorsby was her sister’s matron of honor. She is the former Jackie Geiger. She wore a bouffant gown of peacock blue satin and net with matching cloche and gloves. Miss Evelyn Ballantyne and Miss Ardeth Dinger, as bridesmaids wore identical gowns. All carried white pompon chrysanthemums.

Richard Powell was his brother’s best man. They are the sons of Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Harrison Powell, Sr., 3714 Royal Palm ave., Miami Beach. Robert H. Powell, another brother; Robert Payton, Kenneth Wright and Dwight Collar, Sigma Chi fraternity brothers of the bridegroom, served as ushers.

A reception followed in the club room at the church.

The couple will live in Biscayne Gardens.

The bridegroom is employed by Cameron and Barkley Co. He is a graduate of the University of Miami, served in the Navy in the Pacific during World War II.

Caption under photo: MRS. A. H. POWELL, JR. — LeMan Photo"

Transcription provided by Google Gemini.

Betty Ruth Geiger
1931-2007

and

Alfred Harrison Powell, Jr.
1927-2007

were married

January 19, 1952
in Miami Beach, Dade County, Florida, USA
St. Patrick's Catholic Church

Military Monday

 

Lee Wade "Buddy" Willis
1941-2004

U.S. Army

Black Sheep Sunday - Part 4 (1935-1939) of From small town Georgia boy to notorious Texas (and beyond!) con man

 This post is the 4th in a series of posts about the life of Elridge Solomon Price, Sr.  You can find the other installments here:  Part 1,  Part 2, and Part 3.

Of course, Elridge started out 1935 with a bang.  We would expect nothing less.  His troubles with the federal government regarding income tax evasion continue.  I know one thing for sure, the feds do not play about taxes.  They will come after you, and they won't give up.  They may settle for less money, but they will get something out of you if you owe taxes.  So in this case, the government is continuing to come after Elridge for not paying his taxes and/or filing yearly income tax returns.

In August 1934, Elridge was released on a $2,000 bond set by a federal judge in Dallas in his case for failing to file an income tax return for 1932.  His attorney argued that the case should be dismissed since Elridge had no income in 1932 and thus shouldn't be required to file an income tax return for that year.  The judge disagreed, but did agree to lower Elridge's bond $5,000 to $2,000 since Elridge could not come up with the higher amount.  He was supposed to appear back in court on September 8 to address his attorney's petition to dismiss the case.  

Now Elridge had other stuff going on in September of 1934 also.  He was a fugitive at that point in the Dallas County jail for being a "fugitive" from California and his state charges there.  That judge released him on his own recognizance.  

There was no more word on either of these cases until February 1935:

Newspapers.com, Martinez News-Gazette, Martinez, California,
Tuesday, February 12, 1935, Page 8

A couple of weeks later, we find that Elridge has once again failed to appear to face charges:

Newspapers.com, Fort Worth Star Telegram, Fort Worth, Texas,
Tuesday, February 26, 1935, Page 8

Newspapers.com, The Wichita Eagle, Wichita, Kansas,
Saturday, March 2, 1935, Page 5

Now the entire country is looking for Elridge.

Newspapers.com, The Tampa Tribune, Tampa, Florida,
Tuesday, March 12, 1935, Page 9.

Six months later, Elridge is found...

Newspapers.com, The Seattle Star, Seattle, Washington,
Tuesday, August 20, 1935, Page 4

So evidently, in 1934, Elridge was also charged with failing to file an income tax return in 1933.  He had a court date of October 1, 1934 on that, but I can find nothing in the newspapers about it. So this pursuit and charges have to do with  both 1932 and 1933 taxes.  I just wanted to clarify that.

Newspapers.com, The Seattle Star, Seattle, Washington,
Friday, September 20, 1935, Page 3

Newspapers.com, The Longview Daily News, Longview, Texas,
Tuesday, September 24, 1935, Page 6

Newspapers.com, Fort Worth Star-Telegraph, Fort Worth, Texas,
Saturday, September 28, 1935, Page 1

Elridge must have been one smooth talker.  He had the best luck I have ever seen.

Newspapers.com, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth, Texas,
Saturday, December 28, 1935, Page 10

Now let's talk about Elridge's family for a moment.  Obviously, he and Edith are back together.  I have lost count of how many times she filed for divorce.  I have no doubt that Elridge was abusive in addition to being a manipulator with a smooth tongue.  She had children with him.  He had money.  It was  probably easier and possibly safer for her to stay than to leave.  So she went with him to Alaska when he fled.  Their last child, a daughter, was born there. She followed him back to Texas when he was extradited. She never seemed to be far away.  It had to have been a hard life - moving around constantly, trying to stay a step ahead of the law. Living in motel rooms at times. It must have been even harder on the children, though. Elridge's granddaughter tells me that her mother never spoke of any of this.  Were they trained to "not air the family's dirty laundry" or did they really not know what was going on?  

The daughter that was born in Valdez, Alaska was born on September 8, 1935.  That is in the middle between the date they located Elridge and when they extradited him back to the United States.  There is no mention of where he was in that month, so I assumed he was in jail.  That would mean he missed his daughter's birth, which I guess wasn't unusual during that time in history.  However, it makes me wonder when did he first meet her?  When did he first get to hold her?  Did Edith take her to the jail to meet her father?  

Moving on... Elridge's luck continues into 1936...

Newspapers.com, Martinez News-Gazette, Martinez, California,
Friday, January 10, 1936, Page 8

Things were quiet after he left jail the end of January.  It seems he continued on with business as usual.

Newspapers.com, The Marshall News Messenger, Marshall, Texas,
Friday, May 29, 1936, Page 2

All was quiet again for over a year.  However, it appears there was a lot of items like the above going on involving widows.  

Newspapers.com, The Dallas Journal, Dallas, Texas,
Friday, September 10, 1937, Page 13

Again there is a period of calm, and then Elridge hits the news again.

Newspapers.com, San Angelo Morning Times, San Angelo, Texas,
Wednesday, February 1, 1939, Page 5

Newspapers.com, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth, Texas,
Friday, February 3, 1939, Page 2

Newspapers.com, The Houston Post, Houston, Texas,
Sunday, February 5, 1939, Page 10

And that's all folks for this installment.  The rest of 1939 was quiet.  No resolution to the damage case.  Stay tuned for 1940 as it was a busy year for Elridge and his family.

Saturday Night Genealogy Fun - An Unusual Newspaper Article About Your Ancestors

 From Randy (my cousin) over at Genea-Musings:

it's Saturday Night - 

time for more Genealogy Fun!!!

Your mission, should you decide to accept it, is to:

1)  Have you found an unusual, chilling, amazing, or fascinating newspaper article about your ancestors?

2)  If so, please share the article and what you learned about your ancestor(s) from the article. Provide a source citation too!

3) Please share your post or information as a comment or in your own blog post!

(Thank you to Lisa S. Gorrell for this SNGF idea.)

Here's mine:

To be honest, when I read the prompt for this week, I burst out laughing.  Not because it is not a good prompt, but because I post so many crazy news articles on this blog that I had no idea where to begin! If you read this blog, you know I tend to write about the scoundrels, black sheep, crimes, and losses in my family tree. So I have seen some crazy stuff in newspapers.  

So the news article I decided to use is none of those things.  It is unusual and fascinating (and crazy) to say the least.  Especially to those of us who knew this ancestor.  

My maternal grandfather, Charles Morgan Tapley (1907-1973) was married one time before he married my grandmother.  His first wife was Gladys Ruth Van Cleave (1909-1987).  They had two children together, a baby who did not survive, and my Aunt Evelyn (1932-2022). (Mom and I sure wish she was still here because she may very well have been to shed some light on this news article.)  Charles and Gladys married in 1928 in Los Angeles, California.  They divorced sometime between 1932-1939; I have been unable so far to find the exact date. Charles married my grandmother, Ethel, in December 1939, so I know he and Gladys were divorced before then.  

Anyway, here's the news article:

Newspapers.com, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth, Texas,
Saturday, 28 Aug 1937, Page 5, Downloaded on July 21, 2020

Mom and I are just confused.  We have so many questions and no answers. I have never heard of a Love "Quadrangle."  Why did this story go national?  Were Charles and Gladys still together at this time?  The articles states, "...Austin had roomed in the house of Mrs. Gladys Tapley and that Austin's wife lived for a time under the same roof with Mrs. Tapley's husband."  What does that even mean?  Were they boarders?  Friends? Acquaintances?  We have no idea.  

What I am fairly certain of is that my grandfather, Charles, had to have been mortified.  He was a Christian man; a minister even.  For him to have this circulating all over the country; maybe even to a newspaper back home in Georgia and having to appear in court and testify in front of a courtroom of people would have been embarrassing for anyone.  But for a good Southern gentlemen in 1937? Humiliating.

So unusual is an understatement.