Joseph Bunyan Petty

Joseph Bunyan Petty was born on 20 April 1869, probably in Logan County, Kentucky.¹Sandra Granger to Linda McCauley, e-mail, 26 Jul 2009, “The Petty Family Tree”; privately held by McCauley; full birthdate. 1870 U.S. census, Logan Co., KY, population schedule, Keysburg Dist., p. 33, dwelling 185, family 185, John R. Petty; digital image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7163 : accessed 5 Nov 2009); from NARA microfilm M593, roll 483; family living in Logan County less than a year after Joseph’s birth, his birthplace listed as Kentucky. He was the sixth of John R. Petty and Margaret E. Thomas’s ten children.²1870 U.S. census, Logan Co., KY, pop. sch., Keysburg District, p. 33, dwell. 185, fam. 185, John R. Petty; lists five siblings older than Joseph. Joe was one of the five children who went to live with their aunt, Mary Thomas Echols and her family, in Forsyth County, Georgia, after Margaret died in 1876.³1880 U.S. census, Forsyth Co., GA, population schedule, Coal Mountain, enumeration district (ED) 78, p. 24, dwelling 240, family 240, J. M. Echols; digital image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/6742 : accessed 5 Nov 2009); from NARA microfilm T9, roll 147.

Joe married Fredonia Tyson, called Donnie, on 12 November 1893 in Cherokee County, Georgia.⁴“Georgia, U.S., Marriage Records from Select Counties, 1828-1978,” digital image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/4766 : accessed 20 Jan 2021), Petty-Tyson, 11 Nov 1893, Cherokee Co..; County Marriage Records 1828-1978, Georgia Archives, Morrow. Donnie was the daughter of Summerfield Francis Tyson and Mary Ann Tippens of Cherokee County. She was born there on 6 October 1878.⁵“U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936–2007,” database, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/60901 : accessed 3 Oct 2021), Donnie Tyson Anderson, SSN 259077811; from Social Security Applications and Claims, 1936–2007; Donnie married Joe Anderson. 1930 U.S. census, Gordon Co., GA, population schedule, Sonoraville, enumeration district (ED) 13, sheet 9B, dwelling 191, family 195, Joe S. Anderson; digital image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/6224 : accessed 9 Jul 2021); from NARA microfilm T626; Donnie and children A.Z., Wilson, and Doyle Petty living with Anderson.

In 1900, Joe and Donnie lived in Canton, Cherokee County, Georgia, with their three oldest children.⁶1900 U.S. census, Cherokee Co., GA, population schedule, Canton District, enumeration district (ED) 8, sheet 10B, dwelling 170, family 182, Joseph B. Petty; digital images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7602 : accessed 4 Sep 2013); citing NARA microfilm T623. John Wesley was born on 6 August 1894, Cora L. in June 1896, and Mamie in May 1897.⁷Sandra Granger to Linda McCauley, e-mail, 26 Jul 2009, “The Petty Family Tree;” John Wesley’s birthdate. 1900 U.S. census, Cherokee Co., GA, pop. sch., Canton District, ED 8, sheet 10B, dwell. 170, fam. 182, Joseph B. Petty; birth month and year for Cora and Mamie. By 1910, they had moved to Muhlenberg County, Kentucky, and lived in the community of North Boggess. Five more children were born since 1900, all in Georgia before the move to Kentucky.⁸1910 U.S. census, Muhlenberg Co., KY, population schedule, North Boggess, enumeration district (ED) 88, sheet 19A, dwelling 368, family 387,Joe P. Petty; digital image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7884 : accessed 4 Sep 2013); from NARA microfilm T624, roll 496. Joseph Earl was born on 1 July 1900 in Bartow County,⁹“U.S. World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917–1918,” digital image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/6482 : accessed 10 Oct 2021), Joseph Earl Petty, serial no. 20401, Bartow Co., GA; from U.S., World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918, M1509, NARA, Washington, D.C. Corrie Jean in 1902,¹⁰1910 U.S. census, Muhlenberg Co., KY, pop. sch., North Boggess, ED 88, sheet 19A, dwell. 368, fam. 387, Joe P. Petty. Jackson Buford on 17 June 1904 in Cherokee County,¹¹“U.S. World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917–1918,” digital image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/6482 : accessed 10 Oct 2021), Jack Buford Petty, serial no. 1153, Floyd Co., GA; from U.S., World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918, M1509, NARA, Washington, D.C. Clyde E. in 1908,¹²Find A Grave (https://www.findagrave.com : viewed 03 Sep 2021), memorial 65155639, for Clyde Petty, (Scott Cemetery, Plainville, Gordon Co., GA), digital image, 24 Jul 2011, by E. Jones. and Oscar Milton on 24 April 1908 in Gordon County.¹³“U.S. World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940–1947,” digital image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/2238 : accessed 3 Oct 2021), Oscar Milton Petty, serial no. 443; from Records of the Selective Service System, 1926–1975, Record Group 147, NARA, St Louis, Missouri.

Their son Emmett Lee gave his birthdate and place as 22 April 1910, Louisville, Kentucky, when he registered for the World War II draft.¹⁴“U.S. World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940–1947,” digital image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/2238 : accessed 3 Oct 2021), Emmett Lee Petty, serial no. 3135; from Records of the Selective Service System, 1926–1975, Record Group 147, NARA, St Louis, Missouri. He was not listed with the family in the 1910 census in Muhlenberg County, but the census date of 15 April would have precluded him being counted.¹⁵1910 U.S. census, Muhlenberg Co., KY, pop. sch., North Boggess, ED 88, sheet 19A, dwell. 368, fam. 387, Joe P. Petty. “1910 Census Instructions to Enumerators,” United States Census Bureau, last modified 8 Oct 2021 (https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/technical-documentation/questionnaires/1910/1910-instructions.html : accessed 20 Oct 2021). Emmett’s birthplace was listed as Georgia in the 1920 census.¹⁶1920 U.S. census, Cobb Co., GA, population schedule, Militia District 851, enumeration district (ED) 10, sheet 6B, dwelling 112, family 113, Joe B. Petty; digital image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/6061 : accessed 4 Sep 2013); from NARA microfilm T625, roll 234. If Emmett was born in Louisville, the family lived in Muhlenberg County less than three weeks later.¹⁷1910 U.S. census, Muhlenberg Co., KY, pop. sch., North Boggess, ED 88, sheet 19A, dwell. 368, fam. 387, Joe P. Petty.

They were back in Georgia before the last four children were born and apparently moved back and forth between Gordon and Bartow counties. Grace Mae, who was born about 1912, was probably born in one of those two counties.¹⁸FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/search/film/004179254 : accessed 4 Oct 2021), digital film 004179254, image 507, Gordon Co., GA, death certificate no. 4873 (1924), Grasie Mae Pettey; from box 60, folders 12-23, Georgia Archives, Morrow; age 12 in 1924, born in Georgia. A. Z. was born on 6 August 1915 in Gordon County.¹⁹FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/search/film/004577393 : accessed 4 Oct 2021), digital film 004577393, image 523, Hall Co., GA, death certificate no. 10168 (1940), A. Z. Petty; from Georgia Archives, Morrow. Wilson was born in Bartow County on 8 May 1916.²⁰“U.S. World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940–1947,” digital image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/2238 : accessed 3 Oct 2021), Bill Petty, serial no. 251; from Records of the Selective Service System, 1926–1975, Record Group 147, NARA, St Louis, Missouri; Donnie Petty listed as mother. They were still living in Bartow County in 1920 and their youngest child, Doyle Asberry, was born there on 1 July 1920.²¹1920 U.S. census, Cobb Co., GA, pop. sch., Militia District 851, ED 10, sheet 6B, dwell. 112, fam. 113, Joe B. Petty. “U.S. World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940–1947,” digital image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/2238 : accessed 3 Oct 2021), Doyle Asberry Petty, serial no. S-3; from Records of the Selective Service System, 1926–1975, Record Group 147, NARA, St Louis, Missouri. They moved back to Gordon County between 1920 and 1924 when Grace died at their home there on 15 February 1924.²²FamilySearch, digital film 004179254, image 507, Gordon Co., GA, death certificate no. 4873 (1924), Grasie Mae Pettey.

When they returned to Georgia, Joe became a farmer.²³1920 U.S. census, Cobb Co., GA, pop. sch., Militia District 851, ED 10, sheet 6B, dwell. 112, fam. 113, Joe B. Petty. He had worked as a coal miner prior to that.²⁴1900 U.S. census, Cherokee Co., GA, pop. sch., Canton District, ED 8, sheet 10B, dwell. 170, fam. 182, Joseph B. Petty. 1910 U.S. census, Muhlenberg Co., KY, pop. sch., North Boggess, ED 88, sheet 19A, dwell. 368, fam. 387, Joe P. Petty. Joe and Donnie divorced after 1920, and she married Joe Anderson before 15 April 1930.²⁵1930 U.S. census, Gordon Co., GA, pop. sch., Sonoraville, ED 13, sheet 9B, dwell. 191, fam. 195, Joe S. Anderson.

Joe died of hypertensive heart disease on 10 April 1937 in Atlanta, Fulton County, Georgia.²⁶“Georgia, U.S., Deaths Index, 1914-1940,” digital image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/2562 : accessed 20 Jun 2021), death certificate no. 1735 (1937), Joe Petty; from Georgia Department of Health and Vital Statistics, Atlanta. Donnie died on 22 November 1941 in Calhoun, Gordon County, Georgia.²⁷“Mrs. F. D. Petty, 63, Dies Here Saturday,” Calhoun (GA) Times, 27 Nov 1941; digital image, Digital Library of Georgia (https://dlg.usg.edu/collection/dlg_gco : accessed 3 Oct 2021.) They are buried together in Scott Cemetery in Plainville, Gordon County, Georgia.²⁸Find A Grave, (https://www.findagrave.com : viewed ), memorial 65155641, for Joe B. Petty and memorial 65155642, (Scott Cemetery, Plainville, Gordon Co., GA), digital image, 24 Jul 2011, by E. Jones; double headstone.

Cite this page: Linda F. McCauley, "Joseph Bunyan Petty," Documenting the Details, 1 Nov 2021 (https://documentingthedetails.com/jbpetty : accessed [enter current date]).

Written by: Linda F. McCauley
Copyright © 2021 Linda F. McCauley. All rights reserved.

Photo courtesy of Joseph and Fredonia’s great-granddaughter Miranda. 

My Connection: John R. Petty and Margaret E. Thomas (2nd great-grandparents) > Samantha Angeline Petty (great-grandmother) > Verda Waller Hankins (grandmother) > David Hankins McCauley (father)