Friday Funny

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This is sooo me!  😁

Happy Friday!

Treasure Chest Thursday

     As I have shared on this blog, my maternal grandparents, Charles Morgan Tapley (1907-1973) and Ethel Irene Ranney Tapley (1913-1973) passed away the same day in November 1973.  (You can read about this here.)  I was only 6 years old.  I don't remember a whole lot about the time leading up to the funeral or the funeral itself.  I know a lot of people came to the house in Swainsboro, which is where my grandparents lived.  There were some I had never met, which seemed to have stayed in my memory the most vividly.  There were some I knew well.  And there was my Uncle Hugh.  He was my father's brother, and he was my favorite uncle.  I don't remember his arrival from Florida.  He was just suddenly there late in the evening.  The next day, he went to the flower shop to order flowers for the funeral, and for whatever reason, he took me with him.  I like to think that he could see I was overwhelmed with all the activity and people at the house.  I don't know for sure.  

    He made his selection for flowers, and I don't know if I was looking at this little flower bouquet in a wicker basket or not, but he bought it for me.  Please understand that this was so out of character for my Uncle Hugh.  He was notoriously tight with his money - it's a family joke that he squeaked when he walked.   So looking back, to me it meant that he saw a little girl's pain and loneliness (and of course I was his favorite niece) and wanted to give me something to hold on to in the coming days. 

    Little did he know that I have now held onto it for 53 years.  It has its own place of honor in my corner curio cabinet with all of my other precious family treasures.  When I look at it, I am reminded of the love between an uncle and a niece and the thoughtfulness that came out of that love.

    It may not be much to look at now, but it means the world to me.  Thank you, Uncle Hugh.

Wedding Wednesday

 

Newspapers.com, The Montgomery Advertiser, Montgomery, Alabama,
Sunday July 24, 1960, Page 38

Reba Joyce McGhee

1940-2023

and

Richard Larry Ahlgren

1936-2005

married

July 16, 1960

Montgomery, Montgomery, Alabama, USA

Miss McGhee, Airman Ahlgren Exchange Vows

Miss Reba Joyce McGhee became the bride of Airman Richard Ahlgren, of San Diego, Calif., presently stationed at Sage at Gunter AFB, July 16 in the Chisholm Methodist Church.

The bride is the daughter of Mrs. L. B. McCormack, of Montgomery, and the groom is the son of Mrs. Ellen Livingston, of San Diego, Calif.

The Rev. Roy Gambler performed the double ring ceremony and nuptial music was presented by Miss Telsie Ellis, organist and Miss Joyce Robinson, soloist.

Given in marriage by her brother-in-law, E. E. Moore, of Montgomery, the bride wore a waltz length gown of white lace over silk taffeta. Her elbow length veil of illusion, fell from a tiara encrusted in pearls. She carried a bouquet of white carnations.

Mrs. E. E. Moore, sister of the bride, was matron of honor and only attendant. She wore a dress of pastel yellow chiffon over taffeta with a Juliet cap trimmed with a circular illusion veil. She carried a bouquet of white and orchid carnations.

Airman Jessie Dale, of Gunter, was best man. Ushers were Airman Jim Ingram and Airman John McFaddin, also of Gunter.

For the wedding trip to the mountains the bride changed to a yellow linen sheath with bone accessories.

The couple is residing in Montgomery. - Transcription provided by Google Gemini.

Tuesday Timeline

Time Line for the life of James Alonzo “Lon” Tapley

(1866-1919)

1866 Age 0	Birth	23 August Mississippi, USA
1868  Age 1	Birth of Sister	Ida Tapley was born on 07 April. Jackson, Hinds, Mississippi, USA
1870 Age 3	Census	Hinds County, Mississippi, USA Residence Post Office: Clinton
1874 Age 7	Birth of Sister	Fannie Lee Tapley was born on 26 July Mississippi, USA
1877 Age 10	Birth of Sister	Mary Jo Tapley was born 11 May. Mississippi, USA
1880 Age 13	Census	Liberty Grove, Hinds, Mississippi, USA
1891 Age 25	Marriage	Lon married Lida Chapman on 21 November Raymond, Hinds, Mississippi, USA
1893 Age 26	Historical Event	Women’s Suffrage in New Zealand. In 1893, New Zealand became the first country to give women the right to vote.
1894 Age 27	Death of Sister	Mary Jo Tapley passed away on 20 July Jackson, Hinds, Mississippi, USA
1894 Age 28	Birth of 1st Child	Durwood Vivian Tapley, a son, was born on 12 November in Jackson, Hinds, Mississippi, USA
1896 Age 29	Birth of 2nd Child	Robert Deland Tapley was born 17 Mar in Jackson, Hinds, Mississippi, USA
1898 Age 31	Historical Event	Spanish-American War.  The Spanish-American War was fought between 25 Apr - 12 Aug 1898. Revolts in Cuba against the Spanish had been closely watched by the Americans for some time and with the sinking of the battleship Maine in Havana harbor, the war broke out between Spain and the U.S.  The war was primarily fought in Cuba, the Caribbean, and the Pacific. The Treaty of Paris was signed in August 1898 in which the U.S. gained temporary control of Cuba and colonial authority over Puerto Rico, Guam and the Philippines for a payment of $20 million to the Spanish.
1899 Age 32	Death of Father	John Tapley passed away 20 Aug. Jackson, Hinds, Mississippi, USA
1900	Census	Hinds County, Mississippi, USA
1901 Age 35	Historical Event	William McKinley Assassination.  President William McKinley was shot twice on 06 Sep in Buffalo, New York by Leon Czolgosz, an  anarchist. The President was attending the Pan American Exposition. Initially McKinley seemed to be healing from his wounds but took a turn for the worse and died on 14 Sep. He was succeeded in the Presidency by his  Vice President, Theodore Rosevelt.
1902 Age 35	Death of Child	Infant Tapley passed way 26 Jan.
1903 Age 37	Historical Event	Wright Brothers First Flight. On 17 Sep in Kitty Hawk, Dare, North Carolina, USA, Brothers Orville and Wilbur Wright are generally credited with inventing and building the world’s first airplane which they flew successfully.
1907 Age 40	Criminal Offense	On 17 May, Lon shot and killed H.W. Taylor, a Chemist, in Jackson, Hinds, Mississippi, USA
1908 Age 42	Historical Event	Ford Model T Manufactured. Between 17 Sep 1908 - 1927 in Detroit Michigan, The Ford Model T was the first automobile mass produced on assembly lines with completely interchangeable parts. It was the automobile that opened up travel to the common middle-class. The innovation of the assembly line was revolutionary.
1909 Age 42	Death of Wife	Lida Chapman passed away on 04 July. Jackson, Hinds, Mississippi, USA
1911 Age 45	Marriage	Lon married Fannie Carroll on 15 Oct. Utica, Hinds, Mississippi, USA
1912 Age 45	Historical Event	RMS Titanic Disaster. Built in Belfast, Ireland, the RMS Titanic was the largest passenger steam ship of the time. The ship was built using the most modern technology and was largely thought of as unsinkable. The Titanic left on its maiden voyage on 10 April. On the night of 14 April, shortly before midnight, the Titanic hit an iceberg; it sank a short 2 hours and 40 minutes later. 1,517 of the 2,223 people on board were killed, due to the lack of lifeboats available, making the sinking of the Titanic one of the deadliest peacetime maritime disasters in history.
1914 Age 47	Historical Event	World War I took place between 28 Jun 1914 - 11 Nov 1918 in Europe and was a conflict involving most of the world’s powers. The beginning of the war was sparked by the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria Hungary. The world quickly formed into alliances, The Allied Powers (United Kingdom, France, The Russian Empire, and later the U.S.) fought against the Central Powers (The German Empire, The Austro-Hungarian Empire, The Ottoman Empire and the Kingdom of Bulgaria). Over 70 million military personnel fought in the war including 60 million Europeans. More than 15 million people were killed, making WWI one of the deadliest conflicts in history.
1914 Age 48	Death of Sister	Fannie Lee Tapley passed away 02 September Jackson, Hinds, Mississippi, USA
1914 Age 48	Birth of Child	Frances Tapley, a daughter, was born on 12 November in Jackson, Hinds, Mississippi, USA
1919 Age 52	Death	James Alonzo “Lon” Tapley died on 05 January in Jackson, Hinds, Mississippi, USA at his home at 503 Fortification Street.

As you know from my Thriller Thursday post about Lon, he is my 2nd cousin, 3x removed. You can read that post here.

Amanuensis AND Marriage Monday

 

Adam Tapley and Anne Brannen
Marriage Bond
February 16, 1786
Johnston County, North Carolina, USA

    "We Adam Tapley & William Hobbs are held and firm bound unto Richard Caswell Esq Governor & or his successor in office in the sum of Five hundred Pounds Current money to which payment well and truly to be made we bind ourselves our heirs Exors and admrs jointly and severally firmly by these presents sealed with our seals and dated this 16th day of Febry 1786

    The Condition of the above obligation is such that whereas the above bound Adam Tapley hath on the Day and Date of these presents obtained a licence for a marriage to be celebrated between him and Anne Brannan  Now if there doth not hereafter appear any just cause to obstruct the said marriage then the above obligation to be void else remain in full force and virtue

Signed Sealed and                                                        Adam Tapley (Seal)
Deliverd in presence of                                              

                                                                                        William Hobbs (Seal)"

   

     - Transcribed by Google Gemini who offered the following insights:

    This document is a North Carolina marriage bond.

    In colonial and early American legal practice, a marriage bond served as a financial guarantee posted by the prospective groom and a surety/co-signer to the state governor. It legally certified that there was no lawful impediment - such as an existing marriage or close kinship - preventing the marriage between Adam Tapley and the bride, Anne Brannen.

    In many historical marriage bonds, a relative, close neighbor, or local landowner acted as a surety alongside the groom to guarantee the legitimacy of the marriage, though the exact familial or social relationship between Adam Tapley and William Hobbs is unknown at this time.  

    I was going to switch things up this week and do a Marriage Monday post, but I got the bonus of also having a marriage bond transcribed.  

Church Sunday

 

   

     The following article is from The Wrightsville Headlight, Wrightsville, Georgia, Thursday, May 8, 1958, the Centennial Edition.  It was written by a Committee of Oaky Grove Church.

Oaky Grove History Dates Way Back to 1820 and Wee Log Church

    "Oaky Grove Church, located in Johnson County 10 miles east of Wrightsville [and 8.7 miles northwest of Kite] just off Highway 319 was organized in August, 1818 under the name of "Gum Log" by Elders Benjamin Manning and Jordan Smith.  Charter members were Bros. Hardy Johnson, Lewis St. John, Samson Powell, James Johnson, Michael Lighter, Ely Yates, Isaac Norris, John Taylor, Joseph Brantley, Thomas Fennell, Abner Sandford, Allen White and Sisters Milly Johnson, Rebecca Swain, Catherine Yates, Charlotte Johnson, Dorcos Johnson, Patience Powell, Susannah Davis and Lucy St. John.

    Log Church Built

    In May, 1920, the church agreed to the report of the committee 'to build the new meeting house below the public road on the north side of the Ohoopee River. The house to be built of  "hewed logs" size 22 X 30 feet.'

    About this time the monthly meeting was changed from the first to the fourth Sunday in each month. Services are held on the second and fourth Sundays now [1958].

    The church was identified with the Hepzibah Association until 1929. Division over the mission question about 1830 led to the organization of 'The United Baptist Conference.' This name was changed to Canoochee Baptist Association the same year.

    Church Name Changed

    In 1831 the name Gum Log was changed to Oaky Grove. In 1847 the association was divided into two bodies, upper and lower Canoochee.  Oaky Grove allied with the upper Canoochee. 

    In July, 1847, Brother Lanier Powell tendered a deed to a certain parcel of land on which to build a new church house. It was accepted and a larger church was built.

    In the contention over the question of churches continuing to accept baptisms from the Missionary Baptist Churches, in 1866 Oaky Grove, Sardis, Providence, and Philadelphia withdrew from the association and according to best information, organized the Ohoopee Association in 1867.

    Oaky Grove continued with that body until 1885, during which time quite a number of churches were added to the Ohoopee Association, but on account of some disorders a dissatisfaction arose and Oaky Grove, Sardis, Providence, Reedy Springs, Swift Creek (now Oak Ridge) and Piney Grove organized the 'New Union Association.'

    Records show that an effort was being made from about 1872 to reunite Oaky Grove Church with the upper Canoochee Assn. In 1879 a committee appointed by upper Canoochee Assn. made investigations and reported Oaky Grove an orthodox and orderly church. Having been received into the upper Canoochee Assn. in 1895, she has remained there until now [1958].** 

  

    The present church building was built in 1903. The present membership numbers about 200 active and inactive members [1958]. *

    * Current membership numbers are unavailable.

    ** Oaky Grove Church is now an independent/local fellowship and is not associated with the Upper Canoochee Primitive Baptist Association.

    Oaky Grove Pastors

    Pastors serving this church during the years were Elders:

        Benjamin Manning, 1818

        Jordan Smith, 1823

        Isaac Norris, 1839

        David Lamb 1860

        William Norris, 1862

        Edward Riner, 1877

        Henry Meeks, 1885;

        Joel Anderson to Meeks, 1890

        Elders J. N. Smith with Henry Meeks, 1891

        Henry Meeks, 1892

        W. J. Brown to assist Elder Meeks, 1896

        Meeks and Brown, 1899

        Meeks, 1900

        Henry Meeks and Joseph Kersey, 1910

        W. A. Lamb, 1912

        T. E. Silkes, 1915

        W. A. Lamb, 1916

        W. B. Screws, 1924

        W. H. Crouse, 1932

        S. M. Claxton, 1937;

        A. L. Brannen, Jr., 1949

        Elder Eugene Price and the Present Pastor, Elder Maurice Riner [1958]

        

        [The current pastor is Dr. Tom Akins, 1997-now.]

    Preachers ordained were Isaac Norris, Joseph Brantley, William Norris, J. P. Steptoe."

    There are 164 members of my family, especially the Tapleys, buried at Oaky Grove Church.  I believe the reason is proximity.  Oaky Grove is on the same road on which my great-great-grandfather's (Samuel Page Jr, 1800-1860) land was located.  This land became Tapley land after my great-grandmother, Becky Page Tapley, 1844-1924 married my great-grandfather, Jim Tapley, 1847-1912 .  

    Here are are a few family tombstones located at Oaky Grove: