A Really Nice Story

Haskell  B. James

 Son of A.B. and Lucinda James

Nov 20, 1907

Dec. 26 1907

My friend Norman (the ancestor researcher) in Oklahoma read about my Mom's brother who died when he was 1 month and 6 days old on The James Scroll and sent me the following picture. I just love that he did that.

Finshing Pictures and Info on Thelma (Mom) Before Moving on to Grandparents Albert and Lucinda

Mom was an advid horseback rider. Here she is getting  ready to descend into the Grand Canyon May 28,1941

Mom and Dad - Handsome, Handsome People



Unfortunately there is no date on this Atlana Journal and Constitution Article







The house Denni and I came to when we were born (1942 for Denni and 1944 for me)  to 1955  14 East Shadowlawn Ave, Atlanta, GA When I was 11 we moved to Moores Mill Rd in Atlanta



Frequent riders - Mom and Leila





Mom and the Rock



This was Denni's and My Idea (Probably Denni's) But We Asked Mom If We Could Do It and She Said Yes. We Were Very Excited. They were married in 1934 so this would have been in 1959. I was 15 and Denni 17.




 

I found this in the archives of the Atlanta Journal and Constitution. It costs $6.00 but is well worth it since I have never seen this.

Since it is hard to read and if blown up more it goes off the page, here is the verbiage:

July 17, 1934 The Atlanta Constitution

The marriage of Miss Thelma Roxanna James and Howard Vincent Reed was solemnized July 14 at the Rock Spring Presbyterian church with the Rev. Richard T. Gillespie officiating. The church was decorated with palms and baskets of pink gladiolus, interspersed with seven-branched candelabra.

The wedding music was rendered by Mrs. Louise McCutcheon, who sang "O, Promise Me" and "I Love Thee." "I Love You Truly" was played during the ceremony.

The ushers were C.G. Mosley and Thomas Hill. Miss Leila James, sister of the bride, was maid of honor. She was becomingly gowned in a green mousseline de soie and wore a picture hat in natural shade. Her flowers were yellow roses and pink and white garden flowers.

The bride entered the church with her brother, H.W. James, by whom she was given in marriage. They were met at the altar by the bridegroom and the best man, John Hartken.

The bride's titian loveliness was enhanced by a flowing gown of mousseline de soie in peach shade and a brown picture (hat?) was made of horsehair. Brown accessories completed her costume, and her bouquet was of talisman roses and valley lilies.

The couple left on a two-week tour of the New England states and Canada. They will stop for a short visit with the bride's parents. Mr. and Mrs. Albert D. James, of Washington, D.C. and on the return from their wedding trip will make their home in Atlanta.

Mr. and Mrs. Reed will be at home at 203 Thirteenth Street, N.E. after August 1. Mr. Reed is connected with the Atlanta branch of Knight Brothers Paper Company.

Wedding of Thelma James and Howard Vincent Reed

1920 and 1930 Census for Thelma James

1920 United States Federal Census record for Thelma James

Name: Thelma James
Age: 10
Birth Year: abt 1910
Birthplace: Oklahoma
Home in 1920: East Berlin, Worcester, Maryland
Race: White
Gender: Female
Relation to Head of House: Daughter
Marital Status: Single
Father's Name: Albert D James
Father's Birthplace: Oklahoma
Mother's Name: Lucinda J James
Mother's Birthplace: Oklahoma
Able to Read: Yes
Able to Write: Yes

They lived on a farm which they owned but there was a mortgage on it. Alfred lists his occupation as farmer. He was 43 and Lucinda was 39.

There were 7 children living in the household. Mom was in the middle with Calvin 17, Mildred 15, and Eileen 13, being older and Paul 8, Howard 6, and Albert Jr. 2 years 11 months.

Aunt Cherry (Cherokee) 21 and Aunt Opal 20 were no longer shown as living in the home.

So somewhere between 1910 and 1920 the family had moved to Maryland.


1930 Population Schedule Census Washington City (DC)

Eileen is line 22, Albert - Eileen's husband (Albert E. Price) is line 21, and Mom (Thelma) is line 23.
Eileen is my mother's sister and where I got my middle name.
They were renting a house or apartment for $40.00 a month at 1404 Park Road which must have been an apartment given the number of residences at this address.
Mom was 21 years old, Eileen was 24, and Albert was 32.
Eileen and Albert had been married for 6 years in 1930.
Albert was a golf pro, Eileen a salesgirl, and Mom a stenographer.
He served in the first World War.
Mom and Eileen listed themselves as white.
They did have a radio, could all read, and none of them had attended school since Sept. 1, 1929 and they were all working.

Death of a Brother and a Little Mystery

In going through old pictures and documents of my Moms, I found a telegram and newspaper clipping about her brother Howard who died at age 25. I never heard Mom say how he died or anything about him. In a previous post, I listed Mom's 13 brothers and sisters and, of  course, he was one I never knew.

It is interesting to read in this notification that 2 names are listed together grouped by the minister's name. Howard's minister's name was Peter Marshall. I knew there was a very famous book and movie named  A Man Called Peter. Peter Marshall's widow went on to write her husband's biography, A Man Called Peter (1951), which was later made into an Oscar-nominated film of the same title. It was a wonderful book. In looking up the info about him, I found he preached in Atlanta and Covington, GA.

To add to the intrigue here is the telegram sent to Mom and Dad that advises Howard is in critical condition. It was in 1942 during the war, but it was sent from Cornelia, Ga. - not a war zone.

So I have to leave the question unanswered. Did the famous Peter Marshall preside over the funeral of my Uncle Howard James and why did he die at 25 years old?

One of the biggest problems with ancestry research is how easy it is to follow a side trail that makes you lose sight of your goals. This will take hours to track down. I leave it to later or someone else. I would rather think that the incredible individual known as A Man Called Peter officiated at the service of my Uncle Howard.

I'm Anxious To Get Started Again

April of 2009 was my last post to this blog. How quickly the time has gone by. I laid Ancestry.com, all research, the addiction, and The James Scroll aside to take a break. I didn't realize it would be this long before I dove back in, but I am very excited to be starting again.

I was absolutely amazed when I opened The James Scrolls at the number of "hits"  (almost 21,000) and all the comments, which have been so wonderful for me. To each of you who took the time to read the posts and make comments, I offer a very heartfelt thanks. The information you gave and the validation in your comments left me soaring. When I first started this research, I knew I was part Cherokee, but I had no idea I would be able to trace so many Cherokee ancestors and have so many well-known ones in my line. It stupefied me, but in a wonderful way. I got carried away and posted some of the amazing Cherokees I learned about and was related to.

This time I want to start with my mother Thelma Roxanna James Reed to honor her and then try to post about and get to know her parents and grandparents and their ancestors who may not be as fascinating as Moytoy or Dragging Canoe, but hopefully will let me, my children,granchildren and future generations know more about our more recent relatives. As always, whoever might read these posts and can add to or correct any errors, please don't hesitate to comment.

So Thelma Roxanna James Reed, born December 8, 1908, in Ottawa, Miami, Oklahoma, the sixth child of Lucinda Miller James, and Albert Blunt James.
In June of 1965 she applied`for a delayed birth certificate because  there was not one on file in Oklahoma.
On this birth cerificate her color or race is listed as White and Indian. Both her parents were also born in Oklahoma.

              The Thirteenth Census of the United States 1910 - Indian Population


                  

Information Extracted As Follows:

Oklahoma

Ottawa County
Narcissa Township
May 9 , 1910


Name: Thelma James
Age in 1910: 1year 5 month
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1909 (The census estimates instead of asking) Mom was 1 5/12  born in 1908
Birthplace: Oklahoma
Relation to Head of House: Daughter
Home in 1910: Narcissa, Ottawa, Oklahoma

Marital Status: Single
Race: Indian (Native American)
Gender: Female

Father's Name: Albert James, Head of Household, Male,  Indian, 32, Born in Oklahoma, His Father was  born in Missouri, His Mother born in Kansas, Farmer, General Farm, Could both read and write,Owned home, Free of Mortgage
 
Mother's Name: Lucinda James Female, Indian, 29, Born in Oklahoma, Her mothers Birth Place: Arkansas, Her Father was born in Tennessee

Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members: Name Age
Albert James 32
Lucinda James 29
Cherokee James 10
Opal James 9
Calvin James 7
Mildred James 6
Eilleen James 4
Thelma James 1 5/12

Mark Evans 19  (Note: I imagine this is a farm hand)

Both parents and children listed themselves as 1/8 Indian and 7/8 White.

End of Census Information

There are 6 children on this Census. There were a total of 14 kids as follows.

Cherokee Marie James 1899 – 1995 (Cherry)

Opal Irene James 1900 – 1961

Calvin Dridge James 1902 – 1929

Mildred Drucella James 1903 – 1998 (Mill)

Eileen Allana James 1906 – 1981

Haskell Blunt James 1907 – 1907

Thelma Roxanna James 1908 – 1998

Paul Andrew James 1911 – 1991

Leila Stough James 1913 – 1984

Howard Woodrew James 1914 – 1942

Albert Blunt Jr. James 1917 – 1925

Virginia May James 1918 – 1980 (Jean)

Lorenzo Lee James 1920 – 2003 (Tiny)

William Penn James 1923 – 1947


There were 6 children older than Mom and 7 younger. I knew 7 of them but not William Penn who died in 1947, Albert Blunt Jr. who died in 1925, Howard who died in 1942, Haskell who died in infancy and Calvin who in 1920 was convicted with 2 other men of killing a Coast Guard patrol while smuggling rum into the US and was executed.


The death certificate of Calvin Dridge James 1902-1929 showing he was electrocuted in prison at the Western State Penitentiary in PA in January of 1929.