Another obit that just has to connect back to Old Edgefield Dist. I have 5 Avery/Avory Blands in my files, but earlier than this. And my g-grandmother, Hulda Rauton Coursey, remarried to a John L. Wilkinson sometime after the death of my G-grandfather, Charles Franklin Coursey in 1932 and her death in 1848. [The spelling is different, but that happens a lot. Thought they might be connected, somehow] So I'm curious. Figure somewhere a Bland daughter md. a Wilkerson son and carried the Avery Bland down thru that family as well, but I have never worked the Wilkerson line. Does anyone know if the A. B. Wilkerson of the obit connects back to the Edgefield Bland family. [Which connects to one of my daughter in laws families somehow... I didn't try to look that all up tonight. Billie Jones ---------------------------------------------------- The following obit was published in the State Paper, Columbia, Richland Co, SC on April 17, 2007 Avery "A.B." Bland Wilkerson Sr. WEST COLUMBIA - Services for Avery "A.B." Bland Wilkerson, Sr., 74, of West Columbia, will be held at 4 p.m., Tuesday, April 17,2007 at Platt Springs United Methodist Church. Officiating will be Rev. Paul Cheezem and Dr. Thorn Jones, interment will follow in Celestial Memorial Gardens. Serving as pallbearers will be Ronnie Carter, Steve Carter, Roy Cleveland, Chip Owen, Mike Casey, Larry Gamble, Jacob Smith, and Mark Wangley. Memorials may be made to Platt Springs United Methodist Church, 3215 Platt Springs Road, West Columbia, SC 29170 or American Cancer Society, 128 Stonemark Lane, Columbia, SC 29210. Thompson Funeral Home of Lexington will be handling the arrangements. Mr. Wilkerson passed away on Sunday, April 15, 2007. Born in Johnston, he was the son of the late Roy White Wilkerson and Sadie Irene Franklin. He was a member of Platt Springs United Methodist Church. Mr. Wilkerson was a veteran of the Army National Guard. He retired from his business, Colorsep Graphics, but continued to work part-time at Velvetex. He coached both little league and pony league baseball and took a pony league team to the World Series. He was an avid hunter and enjoyed being involved in his grandchildren's activities. He was a loving husband, father and grandfather; he will be dearly missed by all who knew him. Surviving are his wife, of 54 years, "Griff' Wilkerson of West Columbia; sons, Avery Wilkerson and wife, Kim of Cayce; Jacob R. Wilkerson and wife, Cindy of Springdale; grandchildren, Avery Bland Wilkerson, lll and wife, Katie; Allen Nathaniel Wilkerson, Anna Irene Wilkerson, and Addie Caroline Wilkerson; sisters, Frances Smith of Johnston, Ceile Kempson of Prosperity, brother, Roy "Bubba" Wilkerson of Johnston. www.thompsonsfuneral.com ---------------------------------------------- Any comments on the connections back to the Avery Blands of one of these lines? {starting with wife to give the Bland connection} All not proven on these folks, as I have not researched them all in depth. I can send more info. on any of them by request that will include notes and sources, and speculations. ------------------------------ 1 Mary Johnson b: Abt. 1804 d: Sep 24, 1839 in Edgefield Co, SC Burial: Bland Family Cem #2, EdgefieldCo., SC .. +Avory Bland, Sr. b: Oct 27, 1792 in Edgefield Co, SC d: Feb 08, 1857 in Edgefield Co, SC Burial: Bland Family Cem #2, EdgefieldCo., SC Father: Presley BLAND Mother: Martha BARRINGTON ------------------------------------ All of my others are connected in this line, brother to Elbert Bland who died Sep 20, 1863, Chickamauga, GA (CSA) Descendants of Johnson Avery 'John' Bland, parents unknown to me. *1 Johnson Avery 'John' Bland b: Abt. 1822 in SC d: 1884 Burial: Bland Fam. Cem, #1, Edgefield Co, SC .. +Sarah 'Sally A' Watson b: Abt. 1834 in SC m: May 08, 1851 in Edgefield Co, SC d: 1882 Burial: Bland Fam. Cem, #1, Edgefield Co, SC ..... 2 Alice Bland b: Abt. 1852 in SC d: 1896 Burial: Bland Fam. Cem, #1, Edgefield Co, SC ......... +James Furman Mobley m: Dec 19, 1872 ............ 3 Edwin Mobley b: Abt. 1875 ............ 3 Bland Mobley b: Abt. 1877 ............ 3 Furman Mobley b: Abt. 1879 ..... 2 Arthur S. Bland b: Abt. 1854 in SC d: 1888 Burial: Bland Fam. Cem, #1, Edgefield Co, SC ......... +Mamie [Bolton] Burial: Bland Fam. Cem, #1, Edgefield Co, SC *... 2 Avary Bland b: Jan 25, 1857 in SC d: Jul 17, 1901 Burial: Mt. of Olives Cem, Johnston, Edgefield Co, SC ......... +Ella Wright b: Mar 05, 1866 in SC d: Feb 28, 1926 Burial: Mt. of Olives Cem, Johnston, Edgefield Co, SC *.......... 3 Avery Bland b: Aug 19, 1889 in SC d: Aug 02, 1963 ................ +Martha Edwards Watson b: Dec 26, 1893 m: Abt. 1916 d: Oct 09, 1989 .................... 4 Rachel Bland b: Abt. 1920 in SC .................... 4 Rebecca Bland b: Abt. 1925 in SC *.................. 4 Avery Bland, Jr. b: Jan 26, 1929 d: Mar 09, 1997 Burial: Sunset Gardens Mem. Park, Edgefield, SC ........................ +Betty Derrick b: Jan 19, 1930 ............ 3 Julian Pickens Bland b: Jun 05, 1891 in SC d: Mar 24, 1961 ............ 3 Elberta Bland b: Dec 31, 1894 in SC d: Nov 20, 1977 Burial: Mt. of Olives Cem, Johnston, Edgefield Co, SC ................ +William Wallace Turner, Sr. b: Mar 12, 1896 d: May 03, 1957 Burial: Mt. of Olives Cem, Johnston, Edgefield Co, SC ..... 2 Elbert W. Bland b: Sep 16, 1858 in SC d: Nov 25, 1894 Burial: Mt. of Olives cem, Johnston, Edgefield Co, SC ..... 2 Kate Bland b: Abt. 1860 in SC ..... 2 ?[Rebecca Elberta Bland] b: Bet. 1861 - 1862 in SC d: Bet. 1861 - 1870 Burial: Bland Fam. Cem, #1, Edgefield Co, SC ..... 2 Stanford/Sandford Bland b: Abt. 1863 ..... 2 John Bland b: Abt. 1865 ..... 2 (Rosa) Emma Bland b: Abt. 1866 Burial: Bland Fam. Cem, #1, Edgefield Co, SC ..... 2 Walter Bland b: Abt. 1871