Sentimental Sunday - The Colemans

This week marks the back-to-back anniversaries of the deaths of several members of my Coleman relatives. Reba and Minnie were my maternal grandfather's cousins. Their mothers were sisters: Mary Frances Jollett Davis and Emma Jollett Coleman.

12^th – Reba Coleman Morris

Reba Hildred Coleman Morris
(29 July 1896 - 12 Jan 1994)

13^th – Reba’s older sister Minnie Coleman Maiden

Minnie Virginia Coleman Maiden
(31 May 1888 - 13 Jan 1981)

14^th – Reba’s baby boy Maxon Morris

Maxon Coleman Morris
29 Nov 1914 - 14 Jan 1915)

Wendy

© 2021, Wendy Mathias. All rights reserved.

Sepia Saturday: One Thing Leads to Another

Sepia Saturday challenges bloggers to share family history through old photographs.

This week Sepia Saturday’s challenge is to focus on a small detail in an old photograph. The photo in the header of Jollett Etc. is a favorite because so many family members are gathered at the annual Jollett Reunion and because most faces are clear enough to identify them. I thought I knew almost everyone until Sepia Saturday made me take a closer look.

Like this baby. Who is it? And who is holding it?

And here’s another baby. Who could it be?

Using my handy dandy Family Treemaker, I searched for people born in 1921 (since 1921 was the date written below the photo in the family photo album). To cover all possibilities, I also looked in 1920. I quickly discounted the 1920 babies because they were clearly older than these appear in 1921; furthermore, there should have been some two and three-year old siblings in the photo too. The best candidate for the baby on the back row is Janice Monger who might have been held by her grandmother Sallie Jollett Clift. There is a resemblance between this woman and her sister Mary Frances Jollett Davis, my great-grandmother. However, in no photo of Sallie that I have ever seen was her hair this light; besides, she parted her hair on the other side. So maybe not Sallie and Janice after all.

I turned my attention to the other woman with child. She looks much like Sadie Lam Jollett, wife of my great granduncle Ulysses Jollett. Her only grandchild was Andrew Jollett Steppe, born in 1923. Hmm.

4 generations
seated: Emma Jollett Coleman, James Franklin Jollett,
 Virginia Maiden
standing: Minnie Coleman Maiden 

So there is the possibility that the photo was taken in 1923 because Minnie Coleman Maiden and her daughter Virginia were in a photo dated 1923 wearing the same dresses and sporting the same hair style. Undoubtedly the picture was taken at this particular reunion, and someone dated one photo incorrectly, whether it was 1921 or 1923.

 

So what is it – 1921 or 1923? I see my grandfather but no grandmother, so that is one argument for 1921. In 1923, barring stomach flu, Grandma would have been at the reunion.

 

Grandfather Orvin Davis
and his sister Velma Davis

Also Virginia Maiden would have been 10 in 1921 and 12 in 1923. She looks more like a 10-year old here. Another argument for 1921.

Which then makes me notice my grandaunt Velma. In 1921, she was 13. Hmm, she does NOT look 13 (good grief, she looks 31). If the photo is from 1923, she looks the part of a 15-year old, for that time period anyway. Why did everyone look older back then? No Mary Kay?

My attention then went to all those old people hoping one of them at least would have been dead before 1923 to clinch the deal. Wait – who was this ol’ gal sitting next to my 2X great-grandfather James Franklin Jollett? 

James Franklin Jollett and Diannah Coleman

It was not his wife Eliza Jane. For years I did not pay attention to her, assuming that man and wife would be sitting together, but there is Eliza standing behind her.

 

Eliza Jane standing
Diannah sitting

Could it be Eliza Jane’s mother Diannah Shiflett Coleman? Some time ago I was given this photo of Eliza Jane, her mother and brother.

The Colemans
photo courtesy Elaine Via

While Diannah’s face looks softer in this very-worn photo than in the reunion photo, that is the same dress and apron. Note the collar and cuffs. Eliza’s dress is the same too. Those pickets are from the Jolletts’ fence hidden by all the people in the header photo. And look – there is Eliza Jane’s brother at the reunion too.

John Coleman

But fortunately for them – and UNfortunately for me – they were all living in 1923.

2 in front: Leanna Jollett Knight
and Clementine Shiflett Morris
3 in the back unknown

There is another old woman that I had not previously identified although she seemed familiar somehow. It turns out to be Clementine Morris, sister of James Franklin Jollett’s first wife Lucy Ann. Clem must have been wearing her “reunion dress” because it looks like the same one she wore to the Morris Reunion.

Clementine and George Austin Morris,
James Franklin Jollett, Ambrose Vernon

 Clem was still alive and kicking in 1923 too.

So after all that, I still don’t know if this was 1921 or 1923. And who are those babies?

Please take a closer look at Sepia Saturday.

Wendy

© 2017, Wendy Mathias.  All rights reserved.

James Franklin Jollett's Kids: Emma Coleman

As part of my “Genealogy Do-Over” efforts AND to force myself to get crackin’ on my James Franklin Jollett book, Jollett Reunion, I will be researching and writing brief biographies of James Franklin, his wives, and his children.

In February 1863, a second child was born to James Franklin Jollett and Lucy Ann Shiflett, a baby girl. Oddly enough, they gave her James Franklin’s middle name: Emma Franklin Jollett.

Like all the Jollett children, Emma attended school and learned to read and write. If she had any aspirations beyond being a housewife and mother, they were not realized. At the age of 17, she married Andrew Jackson “Jack” Coleman on November 26, 1880, in their home county of Greene. That is where they made their home for a few years before a job opportunity with the railroad lured them to the town of Shenandoah in Page County, Virginia, just across the mountain.

Emma and Jack are unusual in the family tree in that they recorded no infant deaths. All five children lived well into adulthood.

The Colemans late 1896 or early 1897
standing: Mattie, Minnie, John F.
seated: Jack holding Russell
and Emma holding Reba

April 1929
Mary Frances Jollett Davis,
Jack and Emma Coleman

The Colemans were apparently quite religious. According to family lore, Emma adhered to the Dunkard style of dress, wearing black or dark clothing in the winter and white or grey in summer. However, photos do not support the claim. Emma looks like everyone else in a variety of floral dresses which may or may not be Dunkard; however, she wore no prayer covering either.

Emma’s husband Jack was often called on to offer the prayer before a meal, particularly at the Jollett reunions. Supposedly he was rather long-winded when asking for the Lord’s blessings. The less devout members of the clan would call out, “Hurry up, Jack. The food is getting cold.”

Other details of Emma’s life are known perhaps to her few grandchildren. I know only that she and Jack raised intelligent and good-looking children. She died April 10, 1945 from a stroke and complications of diabetes.

Reba 

Mattie

Russell and Johnny 

Emma Franklin JOLLETT (1 Feb 1863 Greene Co, VA – 10 Apr 1945 Shenandoah, VA) and Andrew Jackson COLEMAN (29 Jul 1858 Greene Co, VA – 4 Oct 1947 Shenandoah, VA) married 26 Nov 1880 Greene Co, VA

1. Mattie A. COLEMAN (12 Mar 1882 Greene Co, VA – 10 Feb 1978 Shenandoah, VA) and Harry W. ESCUE (4 Oct 1871 Virginia – 7 Jan 1940 Shenandoah, VA) married 22 Dec 1924 Shenandoah, VA
2. John Franklin COLEMAN (9 Jul 1883 Greene Co, VA – 2 Aug 1949 Shenandoah, VA)
3. Minnie Virginia COLEMAN (31 May 1888 Shenandoah, VA – 13 Jan 1981 Arlington, VA) and Arthur L. MAIDEN (31 Aug 1886 Elkton, VA – 27 May 1988 Alexandria, VA) married 17 Feb 1906 Shenandoah, VA
4. Reba Hildred COLEMAN (29 Jul 1896 Shenandoah, VA – 12 Jan 1994 Chesapeake, VA) and James Mitchell MORRIS (9 Dec 1893 Rockingham Co, VA – 24 Nov 1958 Rockingham Co, VA)  married 2 Jan 1913
5. Russell Ulric COLEMAN (29 Jul 1896 Shenandoah, VA – Jul 1962) and Mary Evelyn FLUHRER (1906 Ohio - ) married 5 Jul 1923 Page Co, VA 

Wendy

© 2016, Wendy Mathias.  All rights reserved.

Funeral Card Friday: Velma Hilda Davis Woodring

Funeral Card Friday is a daily prompt at Geneabloggers that asks us to post images of memorial cards and stories about the person memorialized.

My great-aunt Velma Hilda Davis Woodring was my maternal grandfather’s youngest sister.  She was born in Shenandoah, Virginia, in 1908 and died of liver cancer in 1968 in Harrisonburg, Virginia. 
 
Her funeral card is very plain.  In fact, it seems rather homemade.  Here is the cover:

Inside the service is printed on a single piece of paper and attached to the cover with a single staple in the fold.

The 2 ministers who conducted the service are members of the family.  Forrest Racy was married to Velma’s cousin, Leota Sullivan.  Arthur Maiden was married to Velma’s and Leota’s cousin Minnie Coleman.  It must have been an especially emotional service for Arthur since he had married Velma and Woody in 1927 (read about that HERE).

 

The active pallbearers are a real mystery to me, but my cousin recognized some of the names.  James F. Logan, Jr. was a teacher at Waterman Elementary when Velma taught there, and  he was very loyal to her. James O'Donnell was the principal at Waterman and later was promoted to an admininstrator with the Harrisonburg school system.  Joseph Hiner was probably a teacher, but my cousin is not sure.  E.S. Ashby was an educator and a good friend of both Violetta and Velma. Joseph Ziler was a dear friend from Martinsburg. He, his wife, and daughter Mary Jo visited with Velma quite often. My cousin thinks Joe was the principal at the school where Velma taught in Martinsburg, West Virginia.

Wedding Wednesday and Treasure Chest Thursday: Velma Davis and Woody Woodring

Wedding Wednesday is a daily prompt at Geneabloggers that invites us to share wedding photos and announcements of our ancestors’ weddings.  Treasure Chest Thursday is a prompt focusing on family heirlooms. 

Velma Hilda Davis (1908-1968) and Arthur Henry Woodring (1904-1951)

Velma and Woody (you can read more about him HERE) married January 15, 1927, in the parlor of the home built by her father, my great grandfather, Walter B. Davis.  This house is still in the family, so it’s fun to compare how the house looks then and now.
 

Their wedding book was probably a gift from the minister, Arthur Maiden.  Arthur was married to Velma’s cousin, Minnie Coleman.

When I spied this photo of wedding gifts in Velma’s scrapbook, my jaw dropped.  Look carefully at the pitcher in front of the picture on the sideboard, and the tea set on the table. Click on the photo to enlarge it.

Now look at the next 2.  Look familiar?

These are among the treasures that have been passed down to me.  The purple pitcher (probably a chocolate pot, judging by the shape) is made of glass.  The original picture makes me think there should be glasses to go with it, but I don’t have them.  The tea set is lusterware from Japan. The photo here makes the blue look much more intense than it really is.  Lusterware was the latest trend in wedding gifts at that time, somewhat like a precursor of fondu sets and rice cookers, I guess.