52 Ancestors - BIRTHDAYS: Party With the Olivers

What 80-year-old man gets invited to a 4-year old’s birthday party? That was what I wanted to know when I stumbled upon this item in the personals column.

from Harrisonburg Daily News Record 21 Nov 1916

I had other questions as well, mainly who were Mr. & Mrs. Charley Oliver, and were they related to my 2X great-grandfather James Franklin Jollett? Maybe they were related to his wife, Eliza Jane Coleman.

Once I slowed down and paid attention to the names of the other guests, the invitation made more sense. I recognized S. V. Shiflett. He was son of James Franklin’s sister Lucretia Jollett Shiflett.

The birthday girl was little Margaret Oliver, the one and only daughter of Charley Oliver and Annie Florence Hott. Annie was a daughter of Margaret Johnson and her second husband George Peter Hott. He died not long after Annie was born. Margaret married a third time, and then a fourth time – to Sell Shiflett making him Annie’s step-father and step-grandfather to Margaret Oliver, the birthday girl. That makes James Franklin Jollett her step-great granduncle.

Sell and Maggie
photo courtesy Susan Huffman

I wonder what was on the menu and what lovely presents Margaret received.

And what about her later life? Margaret’s name appeared over 300 times in the personals column of the Harrisonburg Daily News Record between 1935 and 1969. Here is what the articles reveal:

•  Margaret never married but the fellas apparently missed out on a good cook. In 1935 she took first place at the Rockingham County Fair for Best Quince Preserves, Best Peach Preserves, and second place for Best Damson Preserves.
• Margaret and her mother visited people in hospitals in nearby cities. They also vacationed together or with relatives going to places like Pennsylvania, Colonial Beach, and Richmond.
• Margaret was active in the Methodist Church, often hosting her Sunday School class social events. She also chaired a conference for the Methodist Women. For several years she was in charge of Christmas Baskets for the needy.
• The Olivers entertained family and friends. They were also frequent guests at other parties and weddings. Margaret hosted a bridal shower for a friend and sometimes served the cake at the weddings of her cousins, nieces, and friends.
• As the consummate hostess, Margaret was able to surprise her mother with a birthday party.

from Daily News Record
15 Mar 1957

Margaret’s death certificate shows that she had been an employee at Madison College (now James Madison University – GO DUKES!), but in what capacity I do not know. Perhaps she had been a secretary, a cafeteria worker, or even a dorm mother. 

Margaret died in 1969, 10 years after her father and 10 years before her mother. Just as they were always together in life, they are together in death.

from Findagrave
Mt Olivet Cemetery, McGaheysville, VA

Amy Johnson Crow continues to challenge genealogy bloggers and non-bloggers alike to think about our ancestors and share a story or photo about them. The challenge is “52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks.”

Wendy

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