I would like to have the opinion of those of you who have ties to Coffee County. I am forming a group, the Coffee County Living History Association, and would love to eventually obtain property here for a "pioneer village" such as exists in Murfreesboro (Cannonsburg) and at the fairgrounds in Lebanon, and at many other locations throughout the state. Such a site could be utilized for Revolutionary War, War of 1812, Civil War, etc... re-enactments, and our local artisans could dress in period clothing showing how things were made years ago, and how folks lived "back in the day". We've got a lot of folks who raise sheep, llamas, etc.. and card their own wool and make fabrics, others who do black-smithing, and I feel this is something that would be of immeasurable value in teaching our kids about history and it could also bring a lot of tourism into the county. I'd like to know how you feel about such a possibility, and what your ideas are about how to accomplish this as a reality. Thank you, Willie Smith Hillsboro ----------------------------------------------------------- My Civil War and Genealogy Home Page: http://web.infoave.net/~wolfman Descendants of William B. and Eleanor Rice on CD-ROM http://web.infoave.net/~wolfman/wbrice.htm My Portrait Album at Camp Chase Gazette! http://www.campchase.com/WillSmith.htm

Oops! Loretta's last name is Kelldorf. I must be having a senior moment. However, I do appreciate the info she sent. Virginia Greene

In my quest for old land plat maps, Loretta Kelling replied with the following information. I appreciate the info and especially that she is including "plat" in the index. It will surely be helpful to many people. Virginia Greene I appreciate your post regarding the old land plats. I am sure one reason > > for it was that everything was described by metes and bounds instead of by > > surveys. There is a old book of all the plats done by the district surveyor > > Elzy Keeling.The book is in the Coffee Co. Library in Manchester and another > > in the State Library and Archives in Nashville. The limitation of it is > > that it shows every plat as an individual plat and you have no idea how it > > actually laid in the county relative to neighbors and their plats. The > > relevance of your difficulty to me is that I am in the process of indexing a > > book of Chancery Court Minutes from 1857-1860 for Bedford County. This book > > has not previously been indexed and the task is difficult. However, > > whenever I have come across plats in the records, I had decided to index the > > word plat and give the family name of the family whose land was being > > divided as that is usually the case when a plat appears in those minute > > books. After a petition to divide the land, sometimes referred to as > > Exparte petition, the land was divided among heirs. Sometimes a plat > > showing how the land was divided will appear in the minute books which is > > helpful if the land then was passed to a son in law witha different name. > > Your difficulty in locating plats confirms my decision to list the plats in > > the index. Thank you. > > > > Loretta

I always worry what effect the different ways of better showing the words on the old tombstones will have in the future. That said, one thing I have seen tried and that really works well is this - Children's sidewalk chalk. Lightly rub the broad side of the chalk over the words. You'll be amazed at how readable the words are. If the words are at all readable, that will work. I don't know whether to recommend that method or any of the other methods that have crossed the message list, but there it is in case that is the ONLY way you can read the tombstone. I don't know if the chalk method will compromise the stone in the future. If it will, maybe you could bring a gallon or two of water and pour it over the tombstone to wash away the chalk, as a good rain storm probably would. Lee Anne

June 6, 1836 Thomas J. Odell is recorded in Davidson Co. Court as the guardian of Mary Ann and Helen Sturdivant, minor orphans. Does anyone have a record of marriages for Mary Ann and Helen Sturdivant? Would they have married using the maiden name of Odell or of Sturdivant? Lee Anne

Try using shaving cream and a squegee (like you use on a window). You cover the lettering and then use the squegee and wipe it off. The shaving cream will last long enough to take a picture and then it evaporates. -----Original Message----- From: TNCOFFEE-D-request@rootsweb.com Sent: May 27, 2004 10:12 PM To: TNCOFFEE-D@rootsweb.com Subject: TNCOFFEE-D Digest V04 #38

Gilley Hill Day in southern Cannon Co., is this Sunday ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Gilley Hill Day is an annual event held at the Gilley Hill Church & Cemetery, in Southern Cannon Co. The event was started many years ago as a day to clean up the cemetery of about 900 graves, to decorate the grave sites, and as a time to honor the memory of dead ancestors, friends & family, buried there. In later years it has also become a reunion of people who moved away to different parts of the country and who come back to this area to visit old home places and discover "cousins" that they never knew existed. People from as far away as California, Texas & Michigan regularly show up, with Family Tree notebooks and cameras in hand. If your family tree has roots in southern Cannon Co., or northern Coffee Co, and contains surnames like Barnes, Bryant, Brown, Bush, Cauthorn, Cawthorn, Carter, Duke, Espy, Farless, Gilley, Holt, Lewis, Parker, Reed, Sadler, Stac(e)y, Simmons, Sissom, Spry, Underwood, Vasser, Williams, and several others, chances are good that you have a "cousin" or two buried there. AND, chances are good that you might discover a previously unknown cousin, visiting there, next Sunday. The event is always held on the last Sunday in May. This year, it will be held on May 29 & 30, with the main (informal) activities, the "gospel singing" and the shared "Dinner on the Ground", being held on Sunday, the 30th. If you are planning to spend some time there, I would suggest a lawn chair and maybe something to drink. The Church has been redone and now has indoor plumbing, air conditioning, and clean restrooms. Things us city folks have taken for granted :^) The Gilley Hill / Hollow Springs area is down in the country, but not too difficult to find. The beautiful hillsides and valleys will be in full bloom and well worth the drive. The nearest motels & chain restaurants are in Murfreesboro (about 20 miles) and Manchester (about 15 miles), both located along Interstate Hwy. 24. McMinnville is another larger town about 20 miles to the east. If you are not familiar with the area, Manchester might be your best bet. From I-24 in Manchester, take exit 110 and continue North on Hwy 53, toward Woodbury for 12 miles. Shortly after you cross the Cannon Co. line, look for the Midway Church of Christ & Cemetery. Turn left at the church and continue West for about 3 miles. The road will turn sharply to the right at Hollow Springs. Continue past the curve about 1/2 mile, then turn left on to the Dickens Hill Road. The Church and Cemetery will be about 3 1/2 miles & on the left. This is a warm & friendly country, so just ask anyone, if you should lose your way. :^) Hope to see you there this year. Jess Lewis

I have one caveat for doing this... it may compromise the longevity of the tombstone itself. ----- Original Message ----- From: Jennifer Riddle To: KHarrison Sent: Tuesday, May 25, 2004 12:16 PM Subject: Re: [TNCOFFEE] How to read a difficult tombstone We have found a tombstone can be cleaned with bleach & water & will really clean it so a picture can be taken clear & good. Cost is so cheap & use a tire brush like cleaning wheels with. Jennifer ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ This message scanned for viruses by CoreComm

Could someone please provide a good address for contacting the Coffee County Historical Society? I have tried both e-mail and snail mail without success. Rebecca Morris

Sent to one of the lists I am on ...thought I would share. ------------------------------------------------ Subject: To read a difficult tombstone > Just a tip...(and how to do it) on how to read a very very difficult tombstone that has weathered and is barely readable...NOTE: this only works well on some tombstones! > =========================== > > In windows xp > open the picture (windows picture and fax viewer) > click on the icon on the bottom far right next to the question mark > (when I hover over this button it says "closes this program and opens the image for editing Ctrl + E) > A little window will appear that says "Choose the program you want to use to open this file" > choose paint > choose okay > [this will open the picture in paint....you can also go to paint and open the program *usually under accessories* and choose the file open feature choosing the picture from your hard drive] > > go to "image" > then choose "Invert colors" > click "FILE" > then "SAVE AS" > and rename your picture or it will overwrite your original picture > > now you can go back to the viewer and view it close up or stay in paint and look at it. > > ========================================= > Windows 98 or other > go to start menu > all programs > accesssories > paint > (open this program) > choose "File" > then "Open" > and go find your picture on your hard drive > load image > then click IMAGE > then INVERT CoLORS > then FILE=Save as > and rename your picture something different! > ============================================= > > Now you have a whole new look at your picture..(Sometimes it helps and sometimes it doesn't) > > This works especially well also if the tombstone has been chalked or is wet. > > > > >

Hi, I have received several messages that the address at the BLM for state research on old maps does not work. It was given out at a genie workshop. Try putting http:// in front of the address I sent and see if you can get in that way. I think the presenter perhaps assumed we would know to add http:// in front of the address. If not, go to http://www.glorecords.blm.gov/ to get to the main screen. Virginia Greene

I finally got an answer, actually several and they all jive, about whether or not a TN county has any really OLD plat maps that show who owned what parcel of land. The answer is a disappointing NO. They only started making plat maps in the late 1960's. I needed one for the 1840's. However, you can go to the BLM (Bureau of Land Management) website and try the resource list for the states that were either the original 13 colonies or the state-land states - Maine, VT, KY, TN, WV, TX, Hawaii. The URL is <www.glorecords.blm.gov/visitor/stateresearch.asp>. There are things to be found there but they will not replace a plat map like I was looking for. Good luck. Virginia Greene

Researching my husband's family - William James Dursey TAYLOR (aka James D. TAYLOR) born 18 Oct 1869 in TN - his father could have been named William J. TAYLOR and mother's maiden name could have been THORP. He married Emma Lou LANCASTER December 25, 1890 in Manchester, Coffee Co, TN - either or both could have lived in the Stone Fort area. Emma was born 12 Apr 1874 in TN. Her father was John J. LANCASTER born Feb 1846 in GA and her mother was Mary Ann HODGES born 1853 in Tattnall Co., GA. I believe that these families lived at various times in White, Smith, Coffee, and Giles Counties in TN. I have limited info on LANCASTER & HODGES families, but am totally lost on the TAYLOR & THORP families. Thanks, Sondra Taylor

Many thanks to all who replied to my question about the book. I will send in my order while I still have time. Arline

Actually, this is a good time to get your order in for the Coffee County Heritage Book. The current price of the book is good until June 1 at which time it will go up $11.00 for both a mailed copy and one picked up in Manchester. Publication is scheduled for late fall of 2004. We will only print a limited number so only those who have prepaid will be guaranteed a copy. To see the brochure and print a copy of the order blank visit our website at http://www.coffeecountyheritage.homestead.com/brochureinfo.html This website also gives pricing details. Sherryl Roberts >From: "Arline Sudberry" <asudberry@worldnet.att.net> >To: TNCOFFEE-L@rootsweb.com >Subject: [TNCOFFEE] Coffee County History Book >Date: Sat, 8 May 2004 16:18:29 -0500 > >I've just joined this mail list and I have a question. >What is the status of the history book? Is it too late to order one? >Arline > > > >==== TNCOFFEE Mailing List ==== >To subscribe to or unsubscribe from the Coffee Co. list, send mail to.. >TNCOFFEE-L-request@rootsweb.com ,with subscribe or unsubscribe >in the subject line. NOTHING ELSE. > >============================== >Gain access to over two billion names including the new Immigration >Collection with an Ancestry.com free trial. Click to learn more. >http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=4930&sourceid=1237 > _________________________________________________________________ Is your PC infected? Get a FREE online computer virus scan from McAfee® Security. http://clinic.mcafee.com/clinic/ibuy/campaign.asp?cid=3963

I've just joined this mail list and I have a question. What is the status of the history book? Is it too late to order one? Arline

I know her husband's name was Jackie Hughes of NC We know her 1st child was born 1868 and her name is Viola Ollie Hughes Somesay she was born in TN. We know she had one more child by Jackie Hughes, His name is Thomas Now the other brother is William Henry Hughes (Thomas) son of Diggs Thomas however he went by Hughes. We know he called his stepfather Sam Hughes. We just know that Jackie, Jackson, Samuel, Sam are common names of that time period. If anyone has any information. Would appreicate it and any help.

Hello All, The following was just sent to me.....I am VERY sorry if I sent out misinformation or caused any confusion!! I felt I rec'd the info from a reliable source.....so you will have to check it out for yourselves. I was just trying to be helpful.....I might best leave well enough alone from now on : ) Kathy --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- CLARIFICATION - please help correct this misunderstanding if you saw this on other lists. The WorldConnect at RootsWeb, is NOT the same as the one at Ancestry.com (although it's basically the same idea)http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com/ You may have seen this note earlier and it applies ONLY to Ancestry.com system. It is my understanding that this system was also in place when it first began, although I've not participated in it, so am not sure. ========= From someone who contacted Ancestry=== Additionally, Ancestry has attempted to take the family trees and remove the duplications They are NOT selling our information, however. They are selling access to a super SEARCH engine. Rootsweb and Ancestry's trees will remain the same, with free access as usual. I asked what was the difference in the regular search engine (from Ancestry's home page) which pulls up all their references on their databases and the answer wasn't clear ... it wasn't her, it was me ... I couldn't grasp the concept of what she was saying. You all are aware, I am sure, that Ancestry now owns Rootsweb (which would include all the Gen Web sites and message boards), Genforum, and Family Treemaker, giving them access to all kinds of information. Can you imagine a search engine that would pick up hits from all these sources? Now THAT would be worth paying for!

Subject: Ancestry to begin charging for One World Tree This has been sent out and so I am passing it on to you. Kathy > If you have submitted a family tree to Ancestry.com's OneWorldTree site, you > need to be aware of a change about to be implemented by Ancestry. > > Family Trees uploaded to the OneWorldTree site, which have been free > heretofore, will be moved into a subscription data base. After approximately May 21st > this data base will no longer be accessible for free. Ancestry will be begin > offering OneWorldTree Preview at $49.95 for 14 months for access to these > donated trees. > > If you'd prefer that your information not be sold, there is a link below > which will take you to a set of instructions on opting out by deleting your tree. > > Go first here: http://www.ancestry.com/search/rectype/trees/owt/ > When you arrive at the page - look for the link toward the top "What's a > preview?" > Read the information and then click on "View our checklist" (which appears on > #3). > On the page is a statement that says "If for any reason you do not want your > tree to be part of the new OneWorldTree service, you must delete it from the > Ancestry World Tree database by tentatively May 21, 2004." > Click on the link "Deleting a tree you submitted" > The resulting page gives instructions on how to delete your tree. > > Feel free to pass this along to other lists.

Contemporary maps of all 95 Tennessee Counties are at... http://www.tdot.state.tn.us/Maps/county/default.htm for anyone who might need one. Printable, PDF files & very detailed. Jess Lewis KR4OJ