Golden Wedding and the Golden Coins

The Evening Leader, Staunton, Virginia

Wednesday, November 15, 1922

   Mr. and Mrs. J. W. White celebrated their golden wedding anniversary at their home near Mt. Solon on Nov. 14, with their children and many other relatives present. The occasion was a delightful one, and a real old Virginia dinner was served to the large company assembled to greet Mr. and Mrs. White. Yellow chrysanthemums were used in profusion for house and table decorations. Many beautiful presents were received.

   Mr. and Mrs. White have six children, 40 grandchildren, and ten great grandchildren.

   Present at the golden wedding were Mrs. Clara Brown and two sons, White Throne, Va.; Mr. and Mrs. A. S. White and four children, White Throne; Mr. and Mrs. Clyde Clemmer and nine children, of near Staunton; Mr. and Mrs. B. B. White and daughter, Staunton; Mr. Ernest White, at home; Mr. Walter Sandy, a son-in-law, and two children, Mt. Solon; Mrs. I. S. Brown, Abilene, Texas; Miss Leila Brown, Waynesboro; Mrs. G. C McClain, Greenville; Mr. and Mrs. John Props, Mt. Solon; Mr. and Mrs. James Props, Mt. Solon; and the Rev. Mr. Harris.

The honorees, Mr. and Mrs. J. W. White, were my 2^nd Great Grandparents Mary (aka Mollie) Agnes Brown and John William White. I introduced my readers to Great Grandfather in post JOHN WILL WHITE, Father, Grandfather, GreatGrandfather – 52 Ancestors. It’s Good to See you, Grandma Mollie features Great Grandmother.

Mollie Agnes Brown married John William White near Waynesboro, Virginia Nov. 14, 1872. They lived in the Middle River District, Augusta County, VA with their children—Clara Louise, James William, Arthur Stuart, Ella Virginia, Olive Leora, Bernard Brown and Ernest Boyd White.

So who are these folks that spent an enjoyable Sunday at the Great Grandparents’ place?

The first five guests listed above were the White siblings who celebrated their parents’ golden wedding anniversary along with children and spouses. Olive Leora (White) Sandy died in 1919 but widower Walter Sandy attended the party.

                                                                                                                        

Mrs. I. S. Brown from Abilene, Texas was Lou Brown--the wife of Great Grandmother’s brother, Isaac Stuart Brown. The family called him Uncle Ike and they traveled from Abilene to be at the golden wedding. Uncle Ike left Augusta County for Texas years before. His Virginia family called him their millionaire uncle because he became wealthy in the sheep and cattle business. While remembering Uncle Ike in the Clemmer History, Uncle Casper Garber wrote “On the occasion of Grandfather and Grandmother White’s 50^th anniversary, he and his wife came back, and the family remembers that he left them some gold coins for the occasion.”

Miss Leila Brown and Mrs. G. C. McClain were sisters and nieces of Grandma Mollie. Leila and Alma’s father, Henry Weed Brown, passed a few months earlier leaving Uncle Ike and Grandma Mollie the surviving Brown siblings.

I don’t know of any connection to Mr. and Mrs. John Props nor Mr. and Mrs. James Props. Perhaps they were neighbors.

Clergyman Rev. Mr. Harris completed the Evening Leader’s guest list.

Ignace Henri Jean Fantin-Latour

It’s Good to See you, Grandma Mollie

After writing about 2^nd Great Grandmother Mollie Brown in March of last year, I closed my post saying “P. S. Dear Family and Friends, I would love to see a photo of Mollie. Please share photos and stories!”

I got my wish early one September morning thanks to Kelly Zuber. Kelly shared this picture of Great Grandmother Mollie and Grandfather John Will White in her Zuber family tree online at Ancestry.com.

Great Grandma Mollie and Grandfather lived to celebrate their 60^th wedding anniversary November 14, 1932.

Here’s a repeat of my March 2015 blog post.

The Brown’s Welcomed a July Baby, 1854, Augusta Co., VA

James Alexander Brown and Mary A. Zimmerman (aka Carpenter) welcomed a summer baby July 27, 1854. Mary Agnes Brown was born in Augusta County, Virginia at Lyndhurst (south of Waynesboro).

2^nd Great Grandmother Mary Agnes, known as Mollie, grew up in the South River District in a home that had belonged to her Zimmerman Grandfather. During the Civil War Mollie’s father died Sept. 27, 1864, when she was just ten years old. I don’t believe her father served with the Union or Confederate Army. After the father had died, Mollie’s mother and two younger brothers remained on the Zimmerman place.

Mollie married John William White near Waynesboro, Virginia Nov. 14, 1872. By June 25, 1880, Mollie and John William were living in the Middle River District along with three children—Clara Louise, James William, and Arthur Stuart White. My Great Grandmother, Ella Virginia, was their fourth child born Oct. 10, 1881, followed by Olive Leora, Bernard Brown and Ernest Boyd White.

The White family was back in the South River District by 1900. Clara Louise had married Adolphus Marion Brown by this date. James William married Sally Wilkes Dec. 21, 1898 in Bedford County.  Although Arthur Stuart hadn’t yet married, he wasn’t living with his parents. Only the younger children remained at home.

Ella Virginia married James Clyde Clemmer June 7, 1905. Jan. 2, 1908 Arthur Stuart married Nettie Florence Sheltman in Buena Vista City, Virginia. Bernard Brown married a lady named Grace Alexander in 1911. Olive Leora was the next child to wed marrying Walter W. Sandy January 8, 1914. Ernest Boyd didn’t marry until after his parents’ death. His first wife was Mable Mahler. When Mable passed, he married her sister, Margaret.

In their later years, John William and Mollie White made their home in Staunton. Mollie died Nov. 24, 1932. The Staunton News-Leader published her obituary Saturday morning, November 26, 1932.

Transcript of obituary:

   Mrs. Mary Agnes White died early Thursday morning at her home on Straith street, after an illness of one day.

   She was born July 27, 1854, near Lyndhurst, a daughter of James and Mary Carpenter Brown, and spent practically all of her life in Augusta county.  Five years ago she moved to Staunton.

   Mrs. White is survived by her husband, J. W. White; four sons, J. W., Jr., Princeton, W. Va.; A. S., Whitehorn, Va.; B. B. and E. D., Staunton; two daughters, Mrs. Clara L. Brown, Princeton, W. Va.; Mrs. Ella V. Clemmer, Middletown, N.Y.; a brother, I. S. Brown, Abilene Tex.; forty-one grandchildren, and twenty-four great grandchildren.

   When a girl she joined Bethlehem Lutheran church, near Stuarts Draft.

   The funeral will be held from the home of Hamrick & Co. at eleven o 'clock this morning, conducted by the Rev. Dr. C.M. Teufel, of Christ Lutheran church.

   Burial will be in Bethlehem cemetery.

You might like these posts. Just click on the title below.

Matrilineal Monday: MARY ANN BROWN and Others, Plaintiffs Vs. MARY A. WHITE and Others, Defendants, Chancery Cause, Augusta Co., VA

TOMBSTONE TUESDAY: 2nd Great Grandparents John Wm. and Mary Ann White

 

JOHN WILL WHITE, Father, Grandfather, Great-Grandfather

TREASURE CHEST THURSDAY: John Will White's Death Certificate

MATRILINEAL MONDAY The Brown’s Welcomed a July Baby 1854 Augusta Co., VA

James Alexander Brown and Mary A. Zimmerman (aka Carpenter) welcomed a summer baby July 27, 1854. Mary Agnes Brown was born in Augusta County, Virginia at Lyndhurst (south of Waynesboro).

2^nd Great Grandmother Mary Agnes was nicknamed ‘Mollie’.  She was raised in the South River District in a home that had originally belonged to her Zimmerman Grandfather. During the Civil War Mollie’s father died Sept. 27, 1864 when she was just 10 years old. I don’t believe her father served with the Union or Confederate Army. After the father died, Mollie’s mother and two younger brothers remained on the Zimmerman place.

Mollie married John William White near Waynesboro, Virginia Nov. 14, 1872. By June 25, 1880, Mollie and John William were living in the Middle River District along with three children—Clara Louise, James William and Arthur Stuart White. My Great Grandmother, Ella Virginia, was their fourth child born Oct. 10, 1881 followed by Olive Leora, Bernard Brown and Ernest Boyd White.

The White family was back in the South River District by 1900. Clara Louise had married Adolphus Marion Brown by this date. James William married Sally Wilkes Dec. 21, 1898 in Bedford County.  Although Arthur Stuart hadn’t yet married he wasn’t living with his parents. Only the younger children remained at home.

Ella Virginia married James Clyde Clemmer June 7, 1905. Jan. 2, 1908 Arthur Stuart married Nettie Florence Sheltman in Buena Vista City, Virginia. Bernard Brown married a lady named Grace Alexander in 1911. Olive Leora was the next child to wed marrying Walter W. Sandy January 8, 1914. Ernest Boyd didn’t marry until after his parents’ death. His first wife was Mable Mahler. When Mable passed, he married her sister, Margaret.

In their later years John William and Mollie White made their home in Staunton. Mollie died Nov. 24, 1932. The Staunton News-Leader published her obituary Saturday morning, November 26, 1932.

Transcript of obituary:

   Mrs. Mary Agnes White died early Thursday morning at her home on Straith street, after an illness of one day.

   She was born July 27, 1854, near Lyndhurst, a daughter of James and Mary Carpenter Brown, and spent practically all of her life in Augusta county.  Five years ago she moved to Staunton.

   Mrs. White is survived by her husband, J. W. White; four sons, J. W., Jr., Princeton, W. Va.; A. S., Whitehorn, Va.; B. B. and E. D., Staunton; two daughters, Mrs. Clara L. Brown, Princeton, W. Va.; Mrs. Ella V. Clemmer, Middletown, N.Y.; a brother, I. S. Brown, Abilene Tex.; forty-one grandchildren, and twenty-four great grandchildren.

   When a girl she joined Bethlehem Lutheran church, near Stuarts Draft.

   The funeral will be held from the home of Hamrick & Co. at eleven o 'clock this morning, conducted by the Rev. Dr. C.M. Teufel, of Christ Lutheran church.

   Burial will be in Bethlehem cemetery.

You might like these posts. Just click on the title below.

Matrilineal Monday: MARY ANN BROWN and Others, Plaintiffs Vs. MARY A. WHITE and Others, Defendants, Chancery Cause, Augusta Co., VA

TOMBSTONE TUESDAY: 2nd Great Grandparents John Wm. and Mary Ann White

 

JOHN WILL WHITE, Father, Grandfather, Great Grandfather

 

TREASURE CHEST THURSDAY: John Will White's Death Certificate

 

P. S. Dear Family and Friends,

I would love to see a photo of Mollie. Please share photos and stories!

Thanks for stopping by.

   Barb

Matrilineal Monday: MARY ANN BROWN and Others, Plaintiffs Vs. MARY A. WHITE and Others, Defendants, Chancery Cause, Augusta Co., VA, 52 Ancestors

Staunton Spectator and Vindicator,

Staunton, Virginia

April 4, 1902 edition 

Mary Ann Brown and Mary A. White were cousins, daughters of sisters, and granddaughters of John Zimmerman, a German emigrant to Augusta County, Virginia. 

The named defendant, Mary A. White, is my 2^nd Great Grandmother born Mary Agnes Brown to James Alexander Brown and Mary A. Carpenter/Zimmerman. Mary Agnes would later become the wife of John William White. Her mother, Mary A. Carpenter, (also known as Zimmerman—Zimmerman is a German word meaning carpenter) was John Zimmerman and Elizabeth Weed’s daughter born May 15, 1819. The codefendants were 2^nd Great Grandmother’s brothers—Henry Weed Brown and Isaac Stuart Brown.

The named plaintiff, Mary Ann Brown, born Mary Ann White to James R. White and Louisa W. Carpenter/Zimmerman would marry Fulton W. Brown in Augusta County, Virginia. Her mother, Louisa W. Carpenter/Zimmerman was my 3^rd Great Aunt, also a daughter of John Zimmerman and Elizabeth Weed born July 3, 1816. Mary Ann (White) Brown’s siblings, John Clemens White, Martha Jane White, James Franklin White and Lucinda Catherine Douglas were the ‘other’ plaintiffs.

The Browns and White’s intermarried on a few occasions so I prepared the following relationship chart for the cousins to help understand the lineage.

Chancery Case 1907-043 revolves around 75 acres John Zimmerman owned in the South River District. In his will probated March 23, 1858, 4^th Great Grandfather John Zimmerman left his property and house to my 3^rd Great Grandmother, Mary Ann (Carpenter/Zimmerman) Brown “for life”. I was a little unnerved when I read John Zimmerman’s will and realized he explicitly stated he wanted to provide ‘a home not subject to the debts of her husband now or hereafter contracted nor subject to his control in any wise’. He appointed his friend John S. Ellis a trustee for Mary Ann during her lifetime. Oh dear, I imagine 3^rd Great Grandfather James A. Brown was not happy about that!

Grandfather Zimmerman also stipulated after Mary Ann’s death the tract of land was to be equally divided between her heirs and those of his other daughter, Louisa Miller. (When the will was probated, Louisa was married to her 2^nd husband, Daniel Miller.)

3^rd Great Grandmother lived on the land for many years. Her sister Louisa moved with her children to Coffey County, Kansas shortly after the Civil War. Aunt Louisa died in 1888 and 3^rd Great Grandmother passed in 1898.

By March 1902 it was time for the sisters’ children to get an equal share of the lands. It was determined that the land wasn’t able to be partitioned and Commissioner William Patrick deemed the lands would be sold at public auction. 

John W. White, Mary Agnes’ husband, offered to buy the lands for $800 which was considered a fair price February 6, 1907.

It seemed as though the Commissioner was receptive to the sale until J. J. Palmer appeared in open court and offered an advanced bill of $850 at which price ‘the land was knocked off to him’.

It had taken five years for the case to be finally heard and settled on October 10, 1907. Plaintiff Mary A. (White) Brown had died in the meantime (September 1902) and her share was divided between her children—Benjamin Brown, E. B. Brown, H. H. Brown, R. B. Brown and C. L. Brown.

Louisa’s other children, John C. White, James Franklin White, Martha J. White and Lucinda Catherine Douglas individually received $85.60.

2^nd Great Grandmother Mary Agnes White and her brothers, Henry Weed and Isaac Stuart Brown each got $85.63.

FUN FACT: Now if you’re up to more family fun and confusion, here’s a new fact:

2^nd Great Grandmother’s husband, James Alexander Brown and Fulton W. Brown, the husband of plaintiff Mary A. (White) Brown was half-brothers.

Source: Virginia Memory, Library of Virginia, Digital Collections, Chancery Records Index website www.virginiamemory.com/collections/chancery