Sunday's Obituary: Victoria Breeden

Sunday’s Obituary is a daily prompt at Geneabloggers asking us to post obituaries along with other information about that person.

Mrs. Breeden

Of Shenandoah

Dies at Capital

SHENANDOAH, May 2 – Mrs. Victoria Jollett Breeden, 66, former resident of Shenandoah, died this morning at her home in Washington following an attack of asthma.

Mrs. Breeden was a daughter of the late James Franklin and Lucy Ann Jollett and was born in Greene County. She spent the greater part of her married life in Shenandoah. She was a member of the United Brethren Church.

Besides her husband, Decatuer Breeden, she is survived by four sisters, Mrs. W. B. Davis, of Harrisonburg; Mrs. A. J. Coleman, and Mrs. W. J. Sullivan, of Shenandoah; and Mrs. Sallie Clift of Washington.

Funeral services will be held Thursday afternoon at three o’clock from the Shenandoah United Brethren Church. Services will be conducted by the Rev. P. W. Fisher.

And from The Page News and Courier: 4 May 1944 page 4 col. 5

Mrs. Victoria Elizabeth [Jollett] Breeden, 66, wife of Decatur B. Breeden died suddenly at her home in Washington, D. C. early Tuesday morning, May 2.  Mrs. Breeden had been a sufferer from asthma for years, but been in her usual health until a few hours before her death.

Mrs. Breeden was the youngest daughter of the late James Franklin and Lucy Shifflett Jollette, and was born at Nortonsville, Greene County on March 19,1878.

She was married to D. B. Breeden on Dec. 24, 1901 and spent most of her married life in Shenandoah.  Her husband is a former N. W. [Norfolk & Western Railroad] engineer.  They moved from Shenandoah to Waynesboro, VA, and from there to Washington, D.C. where he is employed in government work.  She is survived by her husband and the following sisters:  Mrs. A. J. (Emma) Coleman, Shenandoah; Mrs. W. B. (Mary) Davis, Harrisonburg, Mrs. Geo. F. (Sallie) Clift, Washington, D. C. and Mrs. W. J. (Laura) Sullivan of Shenandoah.

One daughter died in infancy.  The following members of the family are deceased: Mrs. James (Leanna) Knight, of Albemarle County, B. L. Jollette of Stanardsville, William Isaac Jollette of Greene County, U. F. Jollette of Baltimore, Md. and one half brother Henry Jollette, of Harriston, VA.

Mrs. Breeden was a devout member of the U. B. Church and possessed an amiable disposition which had endeared her to the hearts of many.  The news of her death was received in Shenandoah with genuine regret and sorrow.

The funeral will be held from the U. B. Church this afternoon at 3 p.m. with the Rev. P. W. Fischer in charge.  Burial will be in the U. B. Cemetery.

Wendy

© 2016, Wendy Mathias.  All rights reserved.

Wordless Wednesday: Victoria and Decatur

Wordless Wednesday is a daily prompt at Geneabloggers that asks family historians to create a post in which the main focus is a photograph or image.

Victoria Jollett and Dectur Breeden 

Wendy

© 2016, Wendy Mathias.  All rights reserved.

Tombstone Tuesday: Victoria Breeden

Tombstone Tuesday is a daily prompt at Geneabloggers that asks bloggers to include an image of a gravestone of one or more ancestors along with a brief description of the image or the ancestor.

 

Tombstone of Victoria Jollett Breeden
Coverstone Cemetery

Victoria Elizabeth Jollett Breeden is buried in the Coverstone Cemetery alongside her daughter Aleta Mae who died before she reached her first birthday.

According to Find A Grave, Decatur Breeden is buried in Coverstone Cemetery; however, his obituary says Cedar Hill in Prince Georges, Maryland. The latter location is more likely since Decatur had remarried and his second wife is buried there.

Wendy

© 2016, Wendy Mathias.  All rights reserved.

James Franklin Jollett's Kids: Victoria Breeden

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.

Victoria Jollett

Daughter #6 and child #7 of James Franklin Jollett and Lucy Ann Shiflett was Victoria Elizabeth, lovingly known throughout her life as simply “Vic.” She was born on the family farm in the Monroe District of Greene County, Virginia on the 19^th of March 1878. Like the other Jollett children, she attended school and learned to read and write.

Vic and Decatur
(while this does not look like Decatur in other
pictures, the general face shape, ears, eyes,
and that bow tie argue that it is)

At age 23, Vic married her cousin’s son, Decatur Bainbridge Breeden. Decatur was the grandson of James Franklin’s sister Lydia Jollett Breeden. His brother John Wesley Breeden married Vic’s niece Minnie Sullivan, daughter of Vic’s sister Laura. To put it another way, Vic married her first cousin once removed, and her niece was also her sister-in-law.

In the early years of their marriage, Vic and Decatur lived on Second Street in Shenandoah, next door to Wes and Minnie Breeden and near her brother Ulysses Jollett and his wife Sadie. Decatur was a salesman for a department store.

Vic before 1944

By 1920, however, Decatur had become a conductor with the steam railroad, and he and Vic had purchased a home in a new part of town simply referred to as “North of Central.” They cared for his aging aunt Mary Breeden.

After 1935, the Breedens moved to Washington D.C. like so many of the family. There Decatur worked as an engineer in the shipyard.

Even though both Victoria and Decatur came from large families, they had only one child. However, sadly little Aleta Mae died in infancy.

Victoria Elizabeth JOLLETT (19 Mar 1878 Greene Co, VA – 2 May 1944 Washington D.C.) and Decatur Bainbridge BREEDEN (15 Sep 1877 Rockingham Co, VA – 27 Sep 1952 Washington D.C.) married 26 Dec 1901 Page Co, VA

1. Aleta Mae BREEDEN (24 Aug 1903 Shenandoah, VA – 20 Mar 1904 Shenandoah, VA)

 Wendy

© 2016, Wendy Mathias.  All rights reserved. 

Sunday's Obituary: James Franklin Jollett

James Franklin Jollett was my great-great grandfather.  I have heard that he was a sentimental man who would cry when you came to visit and cry when you left.  His granddaughter Vessie Jollett Steppe said he would hold the grandchildren on his lap, cut apple slices for them while teasing and playing with them.  Look at those little cheeks -- doesn't he look like a sweet man?

17 Nov. 1836 Greene Co, VA -
3 Jun. 1930 Augusta Co, VA

During the Civil War he was traveling by train delivering Union prisoners to a camp. One of the prisoners began to cry as they passed his home, and he said he'd do anything to see his family again. Grandpap Frank told the prisoner he was going to step outside to take a smoke. When he came back in, the prisoner was gone. Hmm. You don't suppose ....

Here is his obituary:

James Franklin Jollett of Harriston, Augusta County, a brother of the late Rev. John W. Jollett, of Jollett, this county [Page], and the father of Mrs. A. J. [Emma] Coleman, Mrs. W. J. [Laura] Sullivan, Mrs. D. B.[Victoria] Breeden, Mrs. Sallie Clift, and Mrs. W. B.[Mary] Davis, of Shenandoah, this county [Page], passed away at his home at 2 a.m., on Tuesday in his 94th year.  He had been in declining health for some time on account of the infirmities of age, but was confined to his bed for only a few days before the end, which came peacefully.

In previous years the News and Courier has reported a number of family gatherings held to celebrate successive birthdays of this remarkable old gentleman, who retained his faculties and his capacity to enjoy life far past the allotted time of man.  He was ninety-three years old last November.  Mr. Jollett was a man of marked Christian character, who drew constant joy and inspiration from his religion, and was a devout and useful member of the Brethren church during his long, useful life.  He was born in Greene county and during his earlier manhood moved to Augusta, where he operated his little farm near Harriston for many years, enjoying peace and contentment and the highest regard of his neighbors.  His first wife [Lucy Ann Shiflett Jollett] was from Greene county, the second wife [Eliza Coleman], now his widow, from Augusta.  All of his children are from the first union.  To the list of those at Shenandoah are to be added B. L. Jollett, of Greene County, U. S. Jollett, of Baltimore, and Mrs. Leanna Knight of Nortonsville, VA.  There was a general exodus of all the Shenandoah relationship to attend the funeral which was held from the Brethren church at Harriston and was attended by all of the children.

Source:  The Page News & Courier - edition of 6 June 1930 page 1, col. 2