This Week in the Family History: March 15–21

Feature: John T. Bennett

110 Years Ago: If you believe the date on his headstone, John T. Bennett died 15 March 1910.¹ I don’t believe it, but I don’t know when John died. He lived in Morgan County and likely died there.² He was buried in Welcome Baptist Church Cemetery in neighboring Cullman County, Alabama.³

John was listed in the 1910 U.S. census taken 15 April 1910 in the household of his grandson, Warren J. Hester. Also living in that household were John’s twin daughters Mary (Warren’s mother) and Martha and Mary’s son Lem.⁴ If he was alive then, he didn’t die a month earlier.

John shares a headstone with his daughter, Mary (“Mollie”). His daughter, Martha (“Mattie”), who was Mollie’s twin, shares a headstone with Mollie’s son Lem. The headstones are side-by-side and identical, except for the engraving. They appear to be the same “age” (see photos below). It is likely the headstones weren’t placed until after Mattie died in 1952.⁵

Alabama began issuing death certificates in 1908. I haven’t found one for John, but I have Mollie’s and Mattie’s. And their dates of death are incorrect on the headstones. Mollie died 15 March 1933, not 10 August 1932 as it says on her headstone.⁶ Note that Mollie’s actual month and day of death is the death date on the headstone for John. The error on Mattie’s headstone is only off by a day, but it’s still incorrect. She died 26 January 1952, not on the 27th.⁷ I don’t yet have a copy of Lem’s (L. Z. Hester) death certificate but the index shows he died 7 June 1935, which also doesn’t match the headstone date of 1 June 1930.⁸

Considering John’s listing in the 1910 census and the other errors on those stones, it’s almost certain John did not die on 15 March 1910. (*2nd Great-grandfather, McCauley)

March 15

87 Years Ago: Mary Bennett Hester died 15 March 1933 in Joppa, Morgan County, Alabama. She was buried in Welcome Baptist Church Cemetery in neighboring Cullman County. Mollie was the daughter of John T. Bennett and Martha Gamble. (*2nd Great-aunt, McCauley)

90 Years Ago: James W. Hankins died 15 March 1930 in Providence, Webster County, Kentucky. He was buried in Grapevine Cemetery, Hopkins County, Kentucky. Jim was the son of Albert Elvie Hankins and Isabella Jane Goodloe. (*2nd Great-uncle, Hankins)

207 Years Ago: William Washington Lanier was born 15 March 1813 in Jasper County, Georgia. He was the son of James Lanier and Polly Y. Smith. (*2nd Great-grandfather, McCauley)

March 16

7 Years Ago: William Homer Lucas died 16 March 2013 in Melbourne, Brevard County, Florida. He was buried in Pleasant Hill Cemetery, Greenville, Muhlenberg County, Kentucky. Bob was the son of Jason Gordon Lucas and Icy Vernon McCauley. (*1st Cousin, McCauley)

97 Years Ago: James Bailey Hankins entered the Pacific Branch of the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers on 16 March 1923 for treatment of tuberculosis. The home, known as Sawtelle, was located in Los Angeles County, California. Jimmy recovered and was released a little over a year later on 20 March 1924. He was the son of Thomas Leander Hankins and Samantha Angeline Petty. (*Great-uncle, Hankins)

206 Years Ago: David Gamble married Anna Finney 16 March 1814 in Laurensville, Laurens County, South Carolina. David was the son of John Gamble and Sarah Ewing. Anna was the daughter of John Finney and Agnes Munford. (*3rd Great-grandparents, McCauley)

March 17

52 Years Ago: Emma Jane Owens Taylor died 17 March 1968 in Mt. Vernon, Rockcastle County, Kentucky. She was buried in Elmwood Cemetery in Mt. Vernon. Emma Jane was the daughter of Madison Crawford Owens and Cecilia Owens and the widow of John Cook Taylor. (*Great-grandmother, Taylor)

March 18

106 Years Ago: Henrietta Krueger was born 18 March 1914 in Mt. Vernon, Rockcastle County, Kentucky. She was the daughter of August Krueger and Susan Krueger. (*Half 1st Cousin, once removed, Taylor)

March 19

118 Years Ago: John William Lanier died 19 March 1902 in Aberdeen, Monroe County, Mississippi. He was buried in Cedar Grove Cemetery in Grubb Springs in Monroe County. Will was the son of Joseph Smith Lanier and Nancy Jane Bennett. (*Great-uncle, McCauley)

March 21

100 Years Ago: Madison Crawford Owens died 21 March 1920 in Freedom, Rockcastle County, Kentucky. He was buried in Roberts/Old Freedom Cemetery. Matt was the son of Alfred Owens and Rebecca Mullins. (*2nd Great-grandfather, Taylor)

103 Years Ago: William Robert Taylor married Nellie Frances Ready 21 March 1917 in Leavenworth County, Kansas. Bill was the son of John Cook Taylor and Margaret Frances Warren. (*Half Great-uncle, Taylor)

 

*Each person’s relationship to me and the surname of the grandparent through which the relationship falls are in parentheses at the end of each item. Please email me for additional information. Additional sources available upon request.

Sources