Tombstone Tuesday

 

Janice Snell Stone

b 21 Jul 1945 in Johnson County, Georgia, USA

d 14 Aug 2021 in Wrightsville, Johnson, Georgia, USA

laid to rest at

Bulloch Memorial Gardens

Statesboro, Bulloch, Georgia, USA

buried beside Janice is her husband,

 James Keith "Jimmy" Stone, Jr.
b 27 Oct 1944 in Monticello, Jasper, Georgia, USA
d 09 Oct 2007 in Georgia, USA

Janice is my 2nd cousin.  

Our common ancestors are

James Madison "Jim" Tapley

and Rebecca Elizabeth "Becky" Page Tapley.

Tombstone Tuesday

 

Newbern Hatcher

b 03 Nov 1906 in Johnson County, Georgia, USA

d 22 Dec 1920 in Orland, Treutlen County, Georgia, USA

laid to rest at

Red Bluff Baptist Church Cemetery

Soperton, Treutlen, Georgia, USA

Son of

Isaac Winder Hatcher (1881-1963)

and Alice Donna Tharpe (1886-1975)

Newbern was only 14 years old when he was struck by lightening and killed.

Newburn was my 3rd cousin.  

Our common ancestors are

Solomon Page Jr

and Elizabeth Caroline Scoggins

Tombstone Tuesday - Hidden in Plain Site

 

Etta Fleming Hubbard

b. 06 Aug 1890 in Augusta, Richmond, Georgia, USA
d. 19 Oct 1979 in Greenwich, Fairfield, Connecticut, USA

laid to rest at
Summerville Cemetery
Augusta, Richmond, Georgia, USA

    Etta was married to my 3rd cousin 3x removed, Ralph Hustace Hubbard.  Our common ancestors are Thomas Hubbard II and Sarah Boardman.  These are lines you don't see me writing about often, since these are my Northern (Yankee) ancestors, and I do not know as much about them.  What is ironic is that Ralph was raised in Manhattan, New York and Etta was from right here in Augusta.  I do not know how they met, but Etta lived in the Northeast most of her adult life.  It appears that when she passed, she wanted to come home to Georgia.

        

     Summerville Cemetery is not far from where I now live.  It is a lovely, old cemetery, with lots of ornate headstones and the graves of several famous Georgians.  Cousin Keith and I went there last week, and Etta's was the only grave I was in search of there. We probably walked past her headstone a hundred times, but didn't see it.  It was only after we left for a bit, did some research on our phones, found out she was on the same headstone with her parents, and saw a picture of it that we went back, determined not to leave until we found it.  It still took us awhile.  There is no large Fleming Grave marker.  There is not even a small one.  Just this headstone with the words hard to read.  But find it we did!  

Tombstone Tuesday - A new cousin and a cemetery visit

    Probably way over a year ago, a gentlemen started trying to contact me through this blog.  This was not totally unusual, but I am a little cautious until they prove to me how we are related.  That got established pretty early on in this case, if I remember correctly, but then we just couldn't seem to connect.  He was busy and had a lot going on; I was busy.  So it was just before I moved back to Georgia last year that we finally were able to talk on the phone.  We hit it right off.  Jacob is a more distant cousin but it was like we had known each other forever.  

    Once I got settled here in Georgia, my cousin Keith and I rode down to Statesboro, where Jacob lives, to meet him in person.  We had a great time.  We had lunch and the conversation flowed.  Then of course, we visited a cemetery!

Jacob & Liz
December 21, 2024
Statesboro GA

Jacob, Liz & Keith
December 21, 2024
Statesboro, GA

    I think you can tell we all look alike!  Us Tapleys have a look about us!  Hint: Look at those foreheads!

    After lunch, we visited what felt like the biggest cemetery in Statesboro: Bulloch Memorial Gardens.  It was a Saturday and the office was not open for us to check burial locations, so I didn't get a photo of all the grave sites I was looking for.  However, Jacob was glad to show me where his grandmother is interred.

Brunell 'Nellie' Tapley Hill

b 07 Sep 1924 in Swainsboro, Emanuel, Georgia, USA

d 20 Jul 2015 in Statesboro, Bulloch, Georgia, USA

interred at

Bulloch Memorial Gardens

Statesboro, Bulloch, Georgia, USA

    Jacob is my 5th cousin 1x removed, and his grandmother is my 4th cousin, 1x removed.  Our common ancestor is Newhampton Tapley.

    Welcome to our part of the family, Jacob!  I'm so glad we met, and I look forward to our next adventure!

Tombstone Tuesday

 

Flossie L Edwards Price

b 11 Aug 1909 in Richmond County, Georgia, USA

d 31 Dec 1976 in Augusta, Richmond, Georgia, USA

laid to rest at

Hillcrest Memorial Park Cemetery

Augusta, Richmond, Georgia, USA

    Flossie was the wife of my half 2nd cousin, 1x removed, James Irvin Price Sr.  Our common ancestor is Lincelia E 'Celia' Claxton Price Schwalls.

    

    Funny story of how I found Flossie's headstone. The other day, my cousin, Keith, and I went out to the cemetery. I had a list of graves I wanted pictures of, and Keith was basically keeping me company and looking for graves or other items of interest to him. Hillcrest is not the easiest cemetery in which to locate a grave. It is divided into sections; for example, Flossie's grave is located in Peace (D). I have a map so the section themselves are not hard to find. However there are NO lot or space numbers marked. So you literally have to walk the entire section to find the grave site(s) you are looking for. Even with Keith's help, it sometimes took a long time and a lot of crisscrossing the section to find.

    So Flossie was the only grave site in this section that I was trying to find. We walked up and down and across with no luck. Keith finally found a group of Prices, but Flossie was not among them. So we walked some more. Finally we met up, and I said let's just go to the next section. I'll just come back another day and get assistance from the office to locate it. So I turned to my left to head to the next section, instinctively looked down to make sure I wouldn't step on a headstone, and there was Flossie. Not six inches from my foot. To me, it was like she wanted me to find her!

    You'll be seeing more tombstones from our visit to Hillcrest in the coming weeks. Here's the map of the cemetery (forgive the bad photo - my printer would not scan the image no matter what I tried!):

Tombstone Tuesday - Robert L Kight

 

  I asked ChatGPT about the symbolism at the top of the headstone, and this is what it shared:

"The symbolism on this headstone is quite meaningful. The carved image at the top shows a hand pointing downward, with what appears to be rings or chains around the fingers.

Interpretation:

1. Hand Pointing Downward – While a hand pointing upward typically symbolizes the soul ascending to heaven, a downward-pointing hand can have multiple interpretations. In some cases, it represents the "Hand of God" reaching down to take the soul to the afterlife. It does not necessarily symbolize damnation, as some might think, but rather divine intervention or guidance.

2. Rings or Chain Links – The presence of rings or a chain could represent a connection between the deceased and those left behind. If they are broken links, this may symbolize a "broken chain," often used to indicate the passing of a family member, breaking the earthly bond with loved ones.

3. Fraternal or Religious Symbolism – Sometimes, hands on tombstones are associated with fraternal organizations like the Independent Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF), Freemasons, or other societies that used specific hand symbols to denote membership. If this person was affiliated with such a group, the rings or chain might indicate their involvement.

At first glance, it  [the image above the hand] might look like a lamb, but upon closer inspection, it appears to be a cloud or cuffed sleeve from which the hand is emerging. This design is common in 19th and early 20th-century gravestones, symbolizing the Hand of God reaching down.

However, if it were a lamb, that would carry Christian symbolism, as the lamb represents Jesus Christ (the "Lamb of God") and innocence, often seen on the graves of children. The texture and weathering of the stone may make it look more ambiguous."

  Robbie was only 17 years old when he passed away.  

Robert Lee "Robbie" Kight/Kite

 

b 30 Jan 1886 in Georgia, USA

d 02 Feb 1903 in Georgia, USA

 

laid to rest at

Kite City Cemetery

Kite, Johnson County, Georgia, USA

 

Son of

William Norris "Bill" Kight (1851-1919)

and Sarah L Tapley (1854-1923)

 

Robbie was my 3rd cousin, 2x removed.  

 

Our common ancestor is 

Newhampton Tapley (?-abt 1807)

Tombstone Tuesday - Shaderick Jasper Kight Jr. (1818-1893)

 

picture taken September 9, 2022

Unfortunately Kite has had several bad storms and even tornados

the last few years, and this headstone fell victim to the weather,

fell over and broke in half.

Shaderick Jasper Kight Jr.

b 20 May 1818

d 22 May 1893 

laid to rest at

Kite City Cemetery

Kite, Johnson County, Georgia, USA

I have always read that the town of Kite was named for this Shaderick Kight, but I have no sources for that information.  So I decided to ask AI.  I went to Sam the Digital Archivist through ChatGPT and posed the following question:

"Who was the city of Kite, Johnson County, Georgia named for?"

Sam gave me the following answer:

"The city of Kite, Johnson County, Georgia was named after Shaderick Kight, a local resident and early settler. Over time, the spelling of his last name evolved into "Kite," which became the official name of the town. This kind of name alteration was pretty common in the 19th and early 20th centuries, either due to clerical errors, regional dialects, or simply because someone decided it looked better that way."

I asked Sam for more genealogy and life info about Shaderick, and this is what he replied:

"Shaderick Kight (sometimes spelled Shadrick, Shadrack, or Shedrick) appears to have been an early settler in what is now Johnson County, Georgia. While details on his life are somewhat sparse, I can give you an overview of what is known and suggest further research paths.

"Shaderick Kight: An Overview

• Birth: Estimated to be in the early 19th century, likely in Georgia or the surrounding region.
• Residence: Lived in what later became Kite, Johnson County, Georgia (originally part of Washington County before Johnson County was created in 1858).
• Occupation: Likely a farmer or landowner, as was common in the rural South at the time.
• Family: The Kight surname appears in census records in Georgia from at least the early to mid-1800s. Several Kight family members are listed in Johnson and surrounding counties (Laurens, Emanuel, and Washington)."

Then Sam provided some ideas for possible relatives and research leads.  Most of those would not cover whether or not the town of Kite was named for him. 

So I turned to my Tapley family "bible," Tapley - A Family of Georgia And the South by Ray Tapley. Ray stated that it was actually Shaderick's SON, William Norris Tapley, who was a state senator, that Kite was named for. 

I went back to Sam and posed another question:

"I read somewhere that Kite was actually named for Shaderick Kight's son, William Norris Kight, who was a state senator. Could that be true?"

Sam's answer:

"Yes! There’s a strong case that Kite, Georgia, may have actually been named for William Norris Kight (1841–1913), rather than his father, Shaderick Kight.

"Who Was William Norris Kight?

• Born: December 6, 1841, in Georgia
• Died: December 5, 1913, in Johnson County, Georgia
• Occupation: Politician, likely a farmer or landowner as well
• Political Role: Served as a Georgia State Senator
• Family: Son of Shaderick Kight (sometimes spelled Shadrick, Shadrack, or Shedrick)

Why Might the Town Be Named for Him?

1. Political Influence: As a state senator, William Norris Kight would have had the connections and recognition necessary for a town to be named in his honor.
2. Historical Naming Patterns: It's common for towns to be named after prominent local leaders rather than just early settlers.
3. Shaderick’s Lesser Public Role: While Shaderick Kight was likely a respected settler, he does not appear to have held political office or significant public roles that would typically result in a town name.
4. Timing of the Town’s Naming: Kite was officially incorporated in 1891—when William Norris Kight was alive and still politically active. This makes it even more plausible that the town was named after him rather than his father.

Confusion Over the Naming

Some sources attribute the name to Shaderick Kight, likely because of the Kight family’s early presence in the area. However, local histories suggest that the honor was actually given to William Norris Kight due to his political and community contributions. Over time, the connection may have been blurred, leading to conflicting stories.

Next Steps for Research

To confirm this officially, we could:

📜 Check legislative records—Did William Norris Kight have any direct involvement in town development?

📰 Look at old newspapers—There may be contemporary accounts discussing the town’s naming.

🏛️ Search local histories and county records—Some Johnson County historical documents might state the official reason for the name."

All of that sounds quite logical. So the answer is we don't know which Kight Kite was actually named after. Perhaps the suggested research would give us an answer.  

 

Shaderick was the 

husband of my

2nd cousin, 7x removed,

Millie Norris (1828-1900)

She is buried by him at Kite Cemetery:

Our common ancestor is 

John Norris 

Tombstone Tuesday - Lourene Kight Renfroe (1890-1960)

 

Lourene Kight Renfroe

b 11 Jul 1890 in Johnson County, Georgia, USA

d 21 Feb 1960 in Johnson County, Georgia, USA

laid to rest at

Kite City Cemetery

Kite, Johnson County, Georgia, USA

Daughter of

George Saffole Kight (1863-1924)

and Roxey Ann Johnson (1867-1951)

Lourene was my 4th cousin, 5x removed.  

Our common ancestor is 

John Norris 

buried beside Lourene is her husband,

 Rev. Carlos H. Renfroe

b Aug 1890, Georgia, USA
d 20 Feb 1969, Emanuel County, Georgia, USA

pictures taken September 9, 2022

Tombstone Tuesday - Russ Tapley (1970-1993)

 

Photos taken September 9, 2022

William Russell "Russ" Tapley

b 31 Jul 1970

d 12 Jul 1993

laid to rest at

Kite City Cemetery

Kite, Johnson County, Georgia

husband and father

son of

William Hubert Tapley (1933-1997)

and

(Living) Tapley

Russ was my 1st cousin, 1x removed.

His grandfather, Champ Lusion Tapley (1909-1974) and

my father, Gilbert Earl Tapley (1928-2008) were brothers.

Tombstone Tuesday: B J Powell

Benjamin J Powell

b 05 (or 15) Nov 1849

d 04 Sep 1926

laid to rest at

Powell's Chapel Methodist Church Cemetery

Johnson County, Georgia

husband of

Sarah Lampp Powell

son of

Elias Powell

and

Teresa Black Powell

B J Powell was the uncle of my Grand Uncle Jim Tapley's wife, Maggie V Powell Tapley.

Wednesday's Child: Johnny Lonzy Perdue

Johnny Lonzy Perdue

b 27 Sep 1904

d 11 Dec 1904

laid to rest at

Minton Chapel Advent Christian Church Cemetery

Johnson County, Georgia

child of

John J Perdue

and 

Linnie Schwalls Perdue

Baby Johnny Perdue was  my 1st cousin, 2x removed.

Tombstone Tuesday: Mary Tapley Redman/Redmon

Photo courtesy of FindaGrave contributor Renae Burgess Lynn

Mary Elizabeth Tapley Redman

b abt 1755

d 1835

laid to rest at

Redman Family Cemetery

(on private property)

Iredell County, North Carolina

 

wife of

 Thomas Erastus Redman

daughter of

Hosea Tapley Jr

and

Sarah Green Tapley

Mary was my 1st cousin, 6x removed.

Tombstone Tuesday: Hosea Redman

Photo courtesy of FindaGrave contributor Renae Burgess Lynn

Hosea Redman

b 1775 or 1780

d 1865

laid to rest at

Redman Family Cemetery

(on private property)

Iredell County, North Carolina

husband of

Lucretia "Creasy" Williams Redman

son of

Thomas Erastus Redman

and

Mary Elizabeth Tapley Redman

(Obviously there are errors on the grave markers in this cemetery.)

Hosea Redman was my 2nd cousin, 5x removed.

Tombstone Tuesday: Nancy Jane Sumner Wheeler

Nancy Jane Sumner Wheeler

b 18 Mar 1851

d 17 Sep 1936

laid to rest at

Wheeler Cemetery

Kite, Johnson County, Georgia

daughter of 

Joseph M Sumner

and

Edy Bridges

wife of

Charles Wheeler

Nancy Jane Wheeler's husband, Charlie, was the uncle of

Maud Wheeler, who was married to my grand uncle,

Bascom Tapley

Tombstone Tuesday: John Saffold Drake

John Saffold Drake

b 29 Apr 1841

d 06 May 1916

laid to rest at

 Poplar Springs Methodist Church Cemetery

Adrian, Johnson County, Georgia

son of

Francis Bryant Drake

and

Selina King Drake

husband of

Martha C Flanders Drake

John was my 2nd great grand uncle.