Candace has given me permission to share this info with you Teal researchers. Jane Candace Gravelle wrote: > Jane, > Thank you for sending all the interesting information about the Teal > families. > I have wondered if John Redding Teal (b. 1822 in NC or SC) who married > > Mahalia Hightower was a son of George Washington Teal? > > John R. Teal and Mahalia Hightower had two children that I know of; > Sarah Teal > born 1846 in GA and William Teal b. 1852 in GA. John R. Teal and > Mahalia Hightower were in Carroll County, Georgia in 1870 census which > shows: > (Carrollton Twp) > John R. Teal, age 49, Miller, born SC > Mahala S. Teal, age 43, born GA > > There is an interesting article in WFT Vol. 1 Tree 830 on a Sarah > Temperance Teal about her life growing up during the civil war, etc. and > it seems to fit the Sarah Teal who was a daughter of John Redding Teal > and Mahalia Hightower. > The person who submitted the info for this World Family Tree CD did not > know who Sarah Temperance Teal's parents were and I do not know who the > submitter of the info was. Here is what the article says: > > Notes excerpted from WFT Vol. 1 Tree 830 on Sarah Temperance Teal > > The following article is a copy of one that was received from Mrs. > Ruby Ferrell Hardy of Thomaston, Georgia to the submittor of WFT Vol. 1 > Tree > > >From the title of the article, it is probably from an article from one > of the cotton mills that were in operations in LaGrange, Georgia in the > early 1940's. > > LEAVES FROM > THE SHUTTLE ALBUM > > `GRANNY' BOGGS RECALLS CIVIL WAR TIMES > > To realize the blessings of the present day one has only to go over to > the Dunson community, and talk to "Granny" Boggs about wartime's-Civil > War times, for we endured no hardships or deprivations, in comparison, > during the World war, she says. And no one listening to her as she > relates the horrors of the 60's would dare dispute her assertion. > This story dates back to the time when Mrs. Boggs was a young girl, then > known as Sarah Teal, and with her mother and small brother went through > the horrors of the Civil War while her father was away fighting the > "Yankees." Not only Mr. Teal, but seven of his brothers enlisted and > saw actual service, only one of them being killed in battle, however. > Mrs. Teal with the help of Sarah, carded, spun and wove government > cloth, besides material for their own needs. The boy being too small to > work, the family burden fell on Mrs. Teal and Sarah. They caught every > day's work in the field that they could get, which helped to keep them > from starving. The only supplies they ever drew from the government was > one peck of salt and a pair of cards. Salt, then was a luxury. To > obtain it, dirt had to be raked up in old smokehouses, dripped, and the > water boiled down. White hickory ashes were used for soda; syrup was > made by boiling cane juice in a huge caldron, and was black and strong. > "But we were thankful to get it," said Granny, "and I think, lots of > times, about how little the present generation knows about hard times > and doing without things. But," she added with a twinkle in her eye, > "we wore a sight more clothes then they do now, in spite of the hard > times," A substitute for coffee was made of wheat, and if they got hold > of a small piece of bacon, it was used very sparingly. Cornbread, peas > and syrup were the main diet-seasoned with salt when they had it. > In the reconstruction days which followed, "Granny" relates even worse > experiences. They had left to them their household goods only. > Armstrong's army was encamped near their home for weeks, and consumed > everything they had but a few chickens, which they kept hidden in a dirt > room of the house. "The officers," she said, "gave strict orders that > no one was to enter our house or molest us in any way, and even if they > did eat our last hog, we felt thankful." > When her father returned to them at the close of the war he found them > sadly improvised. He worked for a peck of corn a day for a while, but > soon secured his place again as a miller, which occupation he filled for > more than 40 years in all. It took years of hard work to put the family > in comfortable circumstances again. Every commodity was scarce and high > for a long time. > Just before the close of the war, Mrs. Boggs was married. Her first > husband was Martin Spinks, a Confederate veteran. He only lived about > six years and left her with two little girls. Later, in the same little > weather-boarded three room cabin, with the stick and dirt chimney, which > was her home for more than 30 years, she was married to William Boggs. > Seven children were born to them. She was left a widow the second time > 26 years ago, still living in the old home county, where she remained > five years afterwards. About that time her youngest daughter married, > and "I broke up housekeeping," she said, "and went to live with my > children." > The "child" who has claimed most of her time is Mrs. P. W. Cantrell, of > Dunson, "the poorest one of all," to quote Mrs. Cantrell's own words, > but her big-hearted love for her mother out-weighs riches. All of the > "children" are devoted to "Granny," and the others would gladly share > their homes with her. They are all home owners save Mrs. Cantrell. One > son W. W. Boggs, is a prosperous farmer of Dublin, Texas, and his son is > an aviator, owning his own airplane. "He fell 1,000 feet at one time, > and came out with a broken shoulder and nose, for which he ought to be > thankful, and he's still flying," said Granny. The eldest daughter, > who is 63 years of age, lives near Heflin, Alabama. Another, Mrs. J. C. > Tatum, still lives in the old home county, near her mother's birthplace. > You may be sure "Granny's" visits there are great pleasures. > Temperance is "Granny's" middle name, and she advocates the cause > strongly. Her parents christened her Sarah Temperance Teal, and she's > proud of her name. At the age of 14 years she joined the Missionary > Baptist church, her membership still remaining at old Friendship Baptist > church in Campbell county. She goes to church at every opportunity, but > nothing could induce her to move her membership from he home church. > "The folks back there wouldn't hear to it," she says. Granny says she > can't talk and pray in public as she used to, but she loves her Bible, > and the above picture was made with it in her lap. We have a grudge at > the one who made the cut for leaving the Bible out. She has read the > Bible through, time after time-has literally worn out two-but is > deprived of reading much now, on account of not having glasses "to > suit." This dear old lady figured in a car wreck in April of last year. > Her glasses were broken, cutting her face badly. It took seven stitches > in one place and eight in another to mend the gashes. Her hip and arm > were also badly bruised, and she was shaken up to the extent that the > family despaired of her ever recovering. And now she doesn't think much > of automobiles, and still less of careless drivers "who run headlong > into folks." She asserts emphatically that she'd prefer an airplane > where "folks would not be so apt to run into you." > Granny says she's having the easiest time now she ever had in her life. > "The don't want me to thing, and want to wait only on me like I was a > baby, but I can't idle away all of my time. I've always been used to > work." And this dear old lady, whose grandfather had slaves to do every > bidding, is winding up a life of unstinted service. She helps with the > various household duties, and at the age of 83 years is remarkably > active. She can't read and sew as much as she would like, because of > not being able to get her eyes properly fitted, but the morning I > enjoyed such a pleasant hour in her company she was busily engaged > fringing a tablecloth. Nor did she waste any time. Industriousness is > second second nature with Granny Boggs, and idleness is punishment. > She is a dear soul--loved by all who know her and as she wonders "why > the good Lord spares me," I couldn't help but think of the mission she > has filled, and is till filling. May her remaining years be her > happiest, and truly her 29 grandchildren, 27 great-grandchildren and > several great-great-grandchildren rise up to call her blessed. > > The Mrs. P. W. Cantrell that is mentioned in the article is Sarah > Balzora Cantrell, wife of Park Wesley Cantrell. " > > Somewhere in my paper files I have the info on the marriage for John R. > Teal and Mahalia Hightower and also census info for them for 1860 but > can't find it at the moment. > > Candace