Workday Wednesday - Jasper Jackson "Jack" Spurlock SS-5

Sometimes it seems like all my ancestors were farmers, but the records tell me differently. Some of the occupations I've found: shoemaker, milliner, wheelwright, mine worker, preacher, and sawmill owner. My dad was a sheet metal worker; I have several photos of him at work. I will be using the "Workday Wednesday" theme for sharing photos, stories, and records related to my ancestors' work lives. If you like, join me in posting on your own blog, or as a comment here, how your ancestors spent "Workday Wednesday!"


My father, Jasper Jackson "Jack" Spurlock, applied for a Social Security number on 24 November 1936; here is a copy of his application:

He noted his address as 129 Harbor Street in Houston, Texas. This was my grandmother's home; even though my dad was working, it appears that he may not have been able to provide a separate home yet for his wife and baby daughter.

I need to do some research about Houston Compress Company for which he was working in 1936.

The best thing about this document is that it has my dad's signature on it; I have only a few samples of his handwriting!

[Source: Jasper Jackson Spurlock, SS no. 454-03-1265, 24 Nov 1936, Application for Account Number (Form SS-5), Social Security Administration, Baltimore, Maryland.]

© 2011 Denise Spurlock

On This Day: August 1

1720: Phillip Sheppard, one of my maternal 6^th great-grandfathers, son of David and Sarah (Vickers) Sheppard, was born probably in Cumberland County, New Jersey.¹ He died January 5, 1797, and is buried at the Old Cohansey Baptist Church Cemetery in Sheppards Mill, Cumberland County, New Jersey.²

1728: John Justice and Mary Moore, two of my maternal 6^th great-grandparents, married at Scituate, Plymouth County, Massachusetts. John and Mary had eight children: Mary, John, Simeon, Thomas, Elce, Elizabeth, William (my ancestor), and Ezra.³

¹Rev. Darrell and Sallyann Joiner (carver@ime.net), Cary Family History.

²Thomas Shourds, History and Genealogy of Fenwick's Colony, New Jersey (Bridgeton, New Jersey: George F. Nixon, 1876), 202.

³Thomas Harold Justice, First Justice Families of Eastern Kentucky (http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~kyfloyd/familyfiles/justice_history_update.htm : accessed 12 Feb 2010).

© 2011 Denise Spurlock

Amanuensis Monday - Inventory of the Estate of Thomas Cook 1819

On his TransylvanianDutch blog, John Newmark defines an amanuensis as “a person employed to write out what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another.” For more information about this daily blogging prompt, see John’s post Amanuensis – Why?.

I have amassed quite a collection of scans of handwritten documents related to my ancestors—primarily marriage records, deeds, and wills. As I have been transcribing these documents, it occurred to me that most of these documents were not actually written by my ancestors, but rather dictated to someone else, and then transcribed by a clerk into official records.

Last week I posted the will of Thomas Cook, one of my maternal 4th great-grandfathers. This week I have transcribed the inventory of his estate which was presented to the court in Wilkes County, North Carolina, in the May Term 1819 by his executors R. Martin and Randolph Mabery. Here are my thoughts regarding the contents of his estate, followed by an image of the document and the transcription.

Thomas Cook was a landowner. He owned horses, cattle, and other farm animals, farming implements and tools. It appears that he, or others in the household, engaged in brewing and weaving. He was a slaveowner as were others of his time and place. He was literate: he owned seven books and a family Bible. At first I thought he was musically-inclined as a tin trumpet is listed on the inventory; however, I have learned it's more likely the tin trumpet was a hearing aid!

There were a number of items listed in the inventory with which I was not familiar. In addition to the term "tin trumpet" noted above, here are some (but not all) of the other terms I had to look up:

• Hogshead (a cask or barrel holding 60 to 140 gallons of liquid)
• Piggin (a wooden pail with a handle formed by continuing one of the staves above the rim)
• Spider (an iron frying pan with legs to hold it above the coals in the fire)
• Steelyards (a portable scale) 

[These definitions are from A to ZAX: A Comprehensive Dictionary for Genealogists & Historians by Baebara Jean Evans.]

The executors of the estate noted at the bottom of the inventory that the property listed was for the use of Thomas Cook's widow and family to live on.

[Transcript]

An Inventory of the Estate of Thomas Cook Deceased.   

Four Hundred and forty acres of Land._One Negroe Woman Named
Virgin about 60 years old._One Negroe Man Named Benjamin
about 30 Years old to be sold._One Negroe Man Named Charles a
bout 30 years old._One Negroe Woman Named Hulda about 22
years old._One Negroe Girl Child Named Kiziah about one year old._
Three Head of Horse creatures._One Year old colt._Four cows._Three
yearlings._Two Young Calves._Twenty one Grown Hogs._Twenty
three small Hogs._Ten Sheep._Six lambs._Four Beds & furniture
with their Bedsteads & Chords._One Table._One Chest._One Small
Trunk._Seven Chairs._One Cupboard and some crockery ware._Three
pewter Dishes._Eight pewter plates._One small Bason._A part of a
case of Knives and folks._Sex metal Spoons._One Mans Saddle.
One old Womans Saddle._One Bridle._One smoothe Gun, Shot bag
and Horn._Two cotten Wheels._One linen Wheel._One Reel._Four
glass Bottles._One tin Trumpet._One pair of candle moulds._One
small looking glass._One Iron shovel._One pot brammil._One flat Iron
One family Bible._Seven Books._Two water pails._Two piggins._
Three tin pans._Three pots._Two Ovens._One Spider._One Skillet._
Four pair pot Hooks._Two plows._Two pair of Chain braces._Two
collars and Haims._Four Hoes._One Mattock._One sproutting Hoe
Three Axes._One cross cut saw._One Hand saw._One Iron Wedge._
One frow._Two Augurs._Two small cags._Fourteen Hogsheads._
Three Geese._One Loom and geers._One cutting Knife and Box._
One Coopers Adze._One Hammer._One pair of Steelyards.
N.B. the above property is for the use of the decd. Wi-
dow and family to live on.

                                                                     R. Martin                 )
                                                                     Randolph Mabery   ) Exrs.
North Carolina)
Wilkes County) May Term 1819.

The above Inventory was
Return’d on oath by the Executors.

                                         Test
                                         R. Martin. Clk.

 
[Source: Wilkes, North Carolina, Wills, 3: 199, Thomas Cook, deceased; FHL microfilm 393,950, Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah.]

© 2011 Denise Spurlock

Wordless Wednesday - Mother and Sons

Melissa (Blue) Snider (1848-1922), widow of Joseph Snider (c1837-1910), and her six sons:
David, Oscar, Jesse, Howard, Forest and Ellison (placement in photo unknown).
Date - Probably between 1910 and 1920
Location - Probably Union County, Ohio
Original photo in possession of Denise Spurlock.

© 2011 Denise Spurlock

Saturday Night Genealogy Fun – Where I’m From

Randy Seaver of Genea-Musings offered the following Saturday Night Genealogy Fun challenge last weekend:
 
1) Write a poem about "Where I'm From" using the template found at the website http://www.swva.net/fred1st/wif.htm

2) Tell us about it in a blog post of your own, in a comment to this blog post, or in a Google Plus or Facebook note.

I know it's Tuesday, but I was with my son's family at the Kern River over the weekend. In addition, poetry has never been my strong suit; even though I knew I would struggle with this challenge, I wanted to do it. So here's "where I'm from"!

I am from the land of sunshine, from Hostess berry pies and Dr. Pepper.

I am from the typical suburban tract house with two dogs and a cat and a doughboy swimming pool in the backyard. 

I am from a magical, green clearing in the Alaskan woods, from the fragrance of Mama’s roses. 

I am from Mayflower passengers and German immigrants, from those who worked with their hands and those who farmed lands, from Spurlocks and Martindales, Sniders and Yawmans. 

I am from book readers and music lovers, from seamstresses and shoemakers. 

From “while you’re up” and “oh, what a beautiful morning.” 

I am from “go to Sunday school” Christianity and now a believer in nature and all things good and beautiful. 

I’m from the Golden State, by way of Texas and Louisiana, Minnesota and Kansas, from sea to shining sea, and from across the Atlantic.

I’m from creamed tuna on toast, lemon meringue pie and divinity. 

From Myrtle and Bea who, when they laughed, laughed all over, and from Ambrose and Jack whose reserve made them a mystery. 

I am from too few treasures saved and so have become the memorykeeper.

© 2011 Denise Spurlock

Tombstone Tuesday AND Tuesday’s Tip – Two Posts in One!

First, for Tombstone Tuesday, I am posting pictures of the front and back of the tombstone memorializing my parents, Jasper Jackson and Beaulah Belle (Yawman) Spurlock, located in Lone Grove Cemetery, Lone Grove, Carter County, Oklahoma.

Now for Tuesday’s Tip: Don’t accept what you find engraved on a tombstone as your only proof for a genealogical fact. You could be lead astray!

My father is the only person buried in the grave pictured above. My mother died in Bakersfield, Kern County, California; at her request, her body was donated to the University of Southern California for medical research purposes. My siblings and I chose to have a new marker made for my dad’s grave to remember my mom as well.

You might surmise from the listing on the back of the marker that my parents had six children, but they did not. Jane was my father’s daughter from his first marriage to Mattie Lee McBride. Deanna, Arny and Tony are my mother’s children from her first marriage to Archie Sherrell. Jenny and I are the only two children born of my parents’ union.

Perhaps you know of a unintentionally deceptive tombstone in your own family. If you do, make a record of it so that future descendants will not be mislead.

© 2011 Denise Spurlock

Amanuensis Monday - Will of Thomas Cook 1819

On his TransylvanianDutch blog, John Newmark defines an amanuensis as “a person employed to write out what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another.” For more information about this daily blogging prompt, see John’s post Amanuensis – Why?

I have amassed quite a collection of scans of handwritten documents related to my ancestors—primarily marriage records, deeds, and wills. As I have been transcribing these documents, it occurred to me that most of these documents were not actually written by my ancestors, but rather dictated to someone else, and then transcribed by a clerk into official records.

This week I am presenting the 1819 will of Thomas Cook of Wilkes County, North Carolina, one of my maternal 4^th great-grandfathers. Thomas identified 17 children by name in his will! Only the five youngest children, those of his second (perhaps third) wife Charlotte, were to benefit from his estate; he said the others had already received their shares. It is probably the longest will I have encountered in my research to date.

 Will of Thomas Cook

 

May Term       )           In the Name of God Amen._I Thomas Cook of

1819           )           the County of Wilkes in the State of North Carolina.

being old and afflicted in body, but being of sound and dispo-

sing mind and Memory, do here think proper to make my last

Will and Testament in manner and form following.. In the

first place I Recommend my Soul to God who gave to be disposed

of at his pleasure, and my Body after Death to be Buried in the

[?] form of entering the Remains of Deceased :Persons in this

Country._ First I give and Bequeath unto Joshua Martin Cook

whom I claim and consider to be my own Son begotten upon the

Body of Charloote Cook whom I consider to be my Wife. and with

whom I have lived as such for a Number of Years; the said Char-
loote Cook have been Married or commonly Reputed to have
bedn Married to one George Anderson previous to my Intermar-
riage with the said Charloote. (to wit.) One Negroe Man Named
Charles, & one Negroe girl Child named Kisiah._Secondly
I give and bequeath unto Calvin Jones Cook whom I claim
and consider to be my own Son begotten upon the Body of Char-
loote Cook whom I consider to be my Wife and with whom I
have lived as such for a Number of Years, the said Charloote hav-
ing been Maried or commonly Reputed to have been Married to
One George Anderson, previous to my Intermarriage with the
said Charloote, (to wit.) one Negroe Woman named Virgin &
one Negro Woman Named Hulda._Thirdly it is my Will
and desire that all my Lands that I now own in Wilkes Coun
-ty & ceded to my and to which I have title in fee or otherwise
Being about four Hundred and foorty acres; shall be equally div
ed between my two Sons Joshua Martin Cook and Calvin Jon [unreadable]
Cook Heretofore named as above, when the Youngest of my sa [unreadable]
Sons shall arrive at the full age of twenty one Years, which sai [unreadable]
Division shall be made by my Executors herein after Named [unreadable]
which said Division it is my Will shall be so made that the
Lands shall be Equal or as nearly equal in value as it  is po[unreadable]
ble to be made: It is my Will that Charloote Cook whom I clai[unreadable]
to be my Wife heretofore Married to George Anderson, shall ha[unreadable]
hold said Negroes and hold, occupy and enjoy my said Lands bef[unreadable]
mentioned and Described during the Minority of my said Sons Jos[unreadable]
-a Martin Cook and Calvin Jones Cook; and should my Wife Ch[unreadable]
loote Cook die before my said Sons Joshua Martin Cook & Calvi[unreadable]
Jones Cook arrive at the age of twenty one Years, then the sai[unreadable]
Lands before described to be Rented by my Executors for the ben[unreadable]
-fit of my said Sons, and should either of my said Sons Joshua
Martin Cook or Calvin Jones Cook decease before they arrive [unreadable]
the age of twenty one years; it is my Will that the Survivin[unreadable]
Brother have all the said Lands mentioned heretofore in this Will
Fourthly, I give and Bequeath unto Charloote Cook, Sin[unreadable]
Cook and Henna Ritte Cook whom I claim and consider to b[unreadable]
my own Daughters begotten upon the Body of Charloote Coo[unreadable]
whom I claim and consider to be my wife and with whom I ha[unreadable]
lived as such for a Number of Years. the said Charloote havin[unreadable]
been Married or commonly Refuted to have been Married to on[unreadable]
George Anderson previous to my Intermarriage with th[unreadable]
said Charloote. (to wit.) One feather Bed and furniture each; it
is my Will that my three Daughters above named, Charloote
Cook, Sina Cook and Henna Ritte Cook each of them Receive
their Bed and furniture when the said Daughters above menti[unreadable]
oned arrive at the full age of eighteen Years.
Fifthly, It is my Will and desire that my said Wife Charloote
Cook before mentioned have all my Houshold and Kitchen fur
niture to hold and enjoy said furniture during the Minority of
my said Daughters and Sons before Mentioned and it is my Wi[unreadable]
and desire that when my Youngest Son Calvin Jones Cook
arrives at the age of twenty one Years that all of the above
mentioned Household and Kitchen furniture be equally divided
amongst Charloote Cook. Sina Cook. Henna Ritte Cook. Joshua
Martin Cook and Calvin Jones Cook; it is my Will and desire
that Charloote Cook whom I claim to be my Wife heretofore
Married to George Anderson shall have hold and enjoy all
my Stock consisting of Horses cattle, Hogs and Sheep and
also to have all my Plantation Utensils and tools and it is
my Will and desire that she the said Charloote Cook before
named keep in possession all the above Mentioned living Stock
and Plantation Utensils to have, hold and enjoy and to make
use of, for her the said Charlootes Support and for the support
and Schooling or Educating of my three Daughters and two
sons Namely Charloote Cook. Sina Cook. Henna Ritte Cook
Joshua Martin Cook and Calvin Jones Cook. . and when my
youngest Son Calvin Jones Cook arrives at the full age of
twenty one Yeras that all my living Stock be equally divi-
ded between my three Daughters and two Sons. (to wit.) Char-
loote Cook. Sina Cook. Henna Ritte Cook. Joshua Martin
Cook and Calvin Jones Cook._it is my Will and desire
that my Negroe Man Names Benjamin be sold and the Mo-
ney be Equally divided amongst my said three Daughters and
two Sons above Names as they the said Daughters and said Sons
arrive to the age of twenty one years. my wish is that the
Money that Negro Man Benjamin sells for be disposed of as
follows. (to wit.) when Charloote Cook arrives at the age of twenty
one Years to have her equal part of said Money and when Sina
Cook arrives at the age of twenty one Years to have her Equal part
of said Money. when Henna Ritte Cook arrives at the age
of twenty one Years to have an equal part of said Money. when
Joshua Martin Cook arrives at the age of twenty one years to
have an equal part of said money and when Calvin Jones Cook
arrives at the age of twenty one Years to have an equal part of
said Money: it is my Will and desire that all my Just Debts
be paid, and all the moneys that are owing to me to be collected and
to be disposed of as my Executors hereafter named thinks proper.
Sixthly, it is my Will and desire that all my Elder Children have
no part of my Estate Mentioned in this my last Will and Testame[unreadable]
the Elder Children alluded to, I now proceed to mention their nam[unreadable]
to wit., Elizabeth Jolley. Mary Marlow John Cook. Henry Cook. An[unreadable]
Martin. Martha Ellis. Lucey Milsaps. Thomas Cook. William
Cook. Allen Cook. Richard Coook and Amelia Burton._Be it Re_
membered that I have heretofore given unto two twelve Elder
Children last Mentioned what I conceive to be a Just and ful[unreadable]
Portion of my Estate._it is my Will and desire that if my Wife
Charloote Cook should Marry before my said Sons Joshua Mar[unreadable]
Cook and Calvin Jones Cook arrive at the age of twenty one yea[unreadable]
that the said Charloote is not to hold or have any part of my Esta[unreadable]
mentioned in this my last Will and Testament._And I do hereby
Authorise, Constitute and Appoint Randolph Mabery and Rober[unreadable]
Martin my Sole Executors of this my last Will and Testament.
and that I do hereby Revoke, Disannull and make Void all forms
Wills and Bequeaths whether Written or Nuncupative in the mo[unreadable]
positive and absolute Terms. and do declare and publish this an[unreadable]
this only to be my last Will and Testament by me made here
on Earth. In Testimoney whereof I have hereunto set my hand
Affixed my Seal the twenty fifth day of March.A.D.1819.
Sign’d, Sealed in                                                                  his
the presents of                                                        Thomas X Cook (seal)
W.W. Martin                                                                         mark
         his                      )
Hicks X Combs           )           North Carolina)
         mark                   )           Wilkes County.)         May Term 1819.
James Marlow.           )           The Execution the foregoing Will
                                                     was duly proven in open court by the oath
                                                     of William W. Martin, Hicks, Combs and
                                                     James Marlow, and Randolph Mabery
                                                     Robert Martin were duly qualified as Ex
                                                     ecutors to said Will.
                                                        Test
                                                               R. Martin. Clk.

[Source: Wilkes County, North Carolina, Wills, 3: 195, Thomas Cook; FHL microfilm 393,950.]

© 2011 Denise Spurlock