John Franklin Petty

John Franklin Petty was twenty-two months old when his mother died in 1876.¹“U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917–1918,” digital image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/6482 : accessed 4 Sep 2013), John Franklin Petty, serial no. 4536, Saline Co., IL; from microfilm M1509, NARA, Washington, D.C; born 15 Sep 1874. “Kentucky, U.S., Death Records, 1852–1953,” digital image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/1222 : accessed 4 Sep 2013), 1876, M. E. Petty; from microfilm 994027–994058, KY Dept. for Libraries and Archives, Frankfort; Margaret died 28 July 1876. He was born on 15 September 1874 in Hopkins County, Kentucky, to John R. Petty and Margaret E. Thomas.²“Kentucky, U.S., Birth Records, 1847–1911,” digital image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/1213 : accessed 4 Sep 2013); 1874, Petty male child, father Jno Petty, Hopkins Co.; from Kentucky Birth, Marriage and Death Records (1852-1910), microfilm rolls #994027-994058, KY Dept. for Libraries and Archives, Frankfort. “U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917–1918,” John Franklin Petty, serial no. 4536, Saline Co., IL; same birth date as the Petty male child birth record from 1874 in Hopkins County. John was one of the five children who went to live with their aunt Mary Thomas Echols in Forsyth County, Georgia, after Margaret’s death.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. He returned to Hopkins County as a teenager to live with his sister Samantha.⁴“Brothers Reunited After 44 Years; Cobedn Relatives Celebrate,” undated clipping, ca. 1934, from unidentified newspaper (possibly in Harrisburg, IL), privately held by Steve Petty (great-grandson of John Franklin Petty), copy provided via email to Linda McCauley, Mt. Vernon, KY, 10 Mar 2012.

John married Elizabeth Jane Givens at her parents’ home in Hopkins County on 24 February 1897.⁵FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/search/film/007720820 : accessed 28 Jun 2021), digital film 007720820, image 150, Hopkins Co., KY, Marriages, Bonds 1896-1897: 270-271, Petty-Givens, 24 Feb 1897. Lizzie was born on 3 November 1878, probably in Hopkins County, where she and her parents lived in 1880.⁶Find A Grave, (https://www.findagrave.com : viewed 20 Oct 2021), memorial 173659846, for Elizabeth J. Givens Petty, (Sunset Lawn Cemetery, Harrisburg, Saline County, IL), digital image, 12 Jan 2021, by Mdeneal. 1880 U.S. census, Hopkins Co., KY, population schedule, Nebo, enumeration district (ED) 194, p. 37, dwelling 329, family 329, Jno L. Givens; digital image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/6742 : accessed 20 Oct 2021); from NARA microfilm T9, roll 420. Her parents were John Lewis Givens and Cecil L. Trigg.⁷1880 U.S. census, Hopkins Co., KY, pop. sch., Nebo, ED 194, p. 37, dwell. 329, fam. 329, Jno L. Givens; wife Cecil L. FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/search/film/007719749 : accessed 28 Oct 2021), digital film 007719749, image 215, Hopkins Co., KY, Marriages, Bonds 1896-1897: 250-251, Givens-Trigg, 18 Oct 1871; Cecil’s maiden name Trigg.

Their first child, Curtis Lyle, was born on 20 May 1898 in Princeton, Caldwell County, Kentucky.⁸“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), Curtis Lyle Petty, serial no. 927; from Records of the Selective Service System, 1926–1975, Record Group 147, NARA, St Louis, Missouri. John, Lizzie, and Curtis lived in Hopkins County in 1900 where John worked as a coal miner.⁹1900 U.S. census, Hopkins Co., KY, population schedule, Magisterial District #5, enumeration district (ED) 70, sheet 4B, dwelling 66, family 67, John F. Pettie; digital image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7602 : accessed 4 Sep 2013); from NARA microfilm T623.

John and Lizzie’s only daughter, Lora, was born on 14 June 1901 and died on 22 September 1902.¹⁰Find A Grave (https://www.findagrave.com : viewed 1 Oct 2021), memorial 74959110, for Lora Petty, (Eaves Cemetery, Powderly, Muhlenberg County, KY), digital image, 15 Aug 2011, by Crystal G; marker inscribed dau of J. F. and L. J. Petty. They probably lived in Muhlenberg County then since Lora was buried in Eaves Cemetery at Powderly. They apparently moved to Illinois after Lora’s death. Their youngest son, Frank Givens, was born on 17 June 1903 in Marion, Williamson County, Illinois.¹¹“U.S. World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940–1947,” digital image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/2238 : accessed 2 Oct 2021), Frank Givens Petty, serial no. 85; from Records of the Selective Service System, Record Group 147, NARA, St Louis, Missouri.

By 1910, John, Lizzie, and the boys were back in Muhlenberg County and lived on Depot Street in Greenville. John continued working as a coal miner.¹²1910 U.S. census, Muhlenberg Co., KY, population schedule, Magisterial District #5, enumeration district (ED) 89, sheet 17B, dwelling 348, family 369, J. F. Petty; digital image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7884 : accessed 4 Sep 2013); from NARA microfilm T624, roll 496.

John and Lizzie next moved to Harrisburg, in Saline County, Illinois, where they lived for the rest of their lives. On 12 September 1918, they lived at 100 E. Walnut Street. John worked for O’Gara Coal Company as a miner.¹³“U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917–1918,” John Franklin Petty, serial no. 4536, Saline Co., IL. In 1920, their address was 306 N. Vine Street, but it is possible they had not moved.¹⁴1920 U.S. census, Saline Co., IL, population schedule, Harrisburg Ward 1, enumeration district (ED) 127, sheet 4A, dwelling 82, family 92, John F. Petty; digital image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/6061 : accessed 4 Sep 2013); from NARA microfilm T625, roll 395. 100 E. Walnut is on the corner of Walnut and Vine and Google Maps identifies both addresses as the same house.

In 1927, they lived at 200 E. Dayton Avenue. John had switched occupations from coal mining to sales.¹⁵Polk’s Harrisburg (IL) City Directory, 1927 (St. Louis, MO: R. L. Polk & Co.), p. 121, entry for J. F. and Eliz Petty; digital image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/2469 : accessed 2 Oct 2021) > IL > Harrisburg > 1927 > Harrisburg, IL, City Directory, 1927 > image 70. By 1930, they lived at 402 Ford Avenue, and John worked for an electrical supply company as a salesman.¹⁶1930 U.S. census, Saline Co., IL, population schedule, Harrisburg, enumeration district (ED) 83-13, sheet 6A, dwelling 136, family 139, John F. Petty; digital image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/6224 : accessed 4 Sep 2013); from NARA microfilm T626.

John’s brother Perry took a trip from Georgia to Madisonville, Kentucky, around 1934 to visit their sister Samantha. While in the area, he and Samantha also visited John in Harrisburg. According to an undated newspaper clipping saved by John’s family, it had been forty-four years since the brothers had seen each other. Using Samantha’s age noted in the article, forty-four years ago would have been about 1890.¹⁷“Brothers Reunited After 44 Years; Cobedn Relatives Celebrate,” undated clipping, ca. 1934, from unidentified newspaper.

John died on 30 June 1943 in Harrisburg.¹⁸Find A Grave, memorial 173659800, John Franklin Petty, gravestone photo by Mdeneal.”J. F. Petty Is Dead in Illinois at 68,” Atlanta (GA) Constitution, 2 Jul 1943, p 9, col 5; digital image, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com : accessed 3 Oct 2021; died at his home in Harrisburg. He was buried there in Sunset Lawn Cemetery.¹⁹Find A Grave, memorial 173659800, John Franklin Petty, gravestone photo by Mdeneal. Lizzie died in Harrisburg on 22 March 1967 and was buried beside John.²⁰Find A Grave, memorial 173659846, Elizabeth J. Givens Petty, gravestone photo by Mdeneal.