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Showing posts from January, 2012

Tombstone Tuesday: Sidney Bryant Hester and Mott Hester

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Sidney Bryant Hester (1865--1966) Mott Hester (1867--1947) 2nd great grand aunt and uncle Sidney Bryant Hester's sister, Jonas, was the mother of my great grandfather Frank L. Bryant Bayview Cemetery  Morehead City, NC

Amanuensis Monday: The Whitney/Harrison Family Bible--Part two

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Here's the next section of the Whitney/Harrison Family Bible. Last Monday, I featured the first part of the bible in the post titled:   Amanuensis Monday: The Whitney/Harrison Family Bible --Part one.   Page 12 George Keho died Dec 24, 1929 Julia Whitney baby born 1929 or 30 William Arthur Harrison  born Jan 29, 1934 Page 13 Sarah J Whitney died  Sep 12 1937 at 1:26 o'clock Carrie E. Harrison died  Aug 1st 1939 at 4:30 o'clock Bobby Harrison born  July 28 1939 at Good Shepard Hospital Page 14 of the bible I am choosing to keep private at this time. This page does document the death of my 2nd great grandmother Mary Williams Harrison who died Dec 28, 1943 at 11 o'clock. The death of her grandson Rudolph H. Harrison is noted on this page as well. It says that he died April 15--19, 1966 in New York City. Page 15 John T. Harrison Sr. (father) Died June 22, 1974 Buried June 26, 1974 (Greenwood Cemetery) 83 years w

Those Places Thursday: Cemetery At Mt Olive AME Zion Church

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On Sunday January 15, 2012,  I made a visit to an old African American cemetery located behind Mt Olive AME Zion Church to pay my respects to some of my ancestors. Last year a researcher friend from the New Bern area made the trek to this cemetery and sent pictures to me for which I am forever grateful for. Since I was in North Carolina for my Aunt Rosa's funeral, I made sure I took some time out to visit this special place. This land where this cemetery is located was I believe mentioned in my 3rd great grandfather Mortimer Mitchells deed for his land. In his deed it describes his land as "a certain parcel of  land situate in the and bounded and described as follows lying on the North West side of the meeting house branch beginning where the main road (crosses) said branch thence down the branch to the great branch and with the great branch to the said Vine A Tolsons Corner to a marked bay. Thence the said Tolsons live to the main road thence with said to the beginning. In

Wordless Wednesday: My Great Grandparents --John Harrison and Carrie Whitney Harrison

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John T Harrison Sr. and Carrie Whitney Harrison My Great Grandparents.  New Bern, NC. On Sunday January 15, 2012, I had a lovely visit with my Aunt Carrie of New Bern, another of my grandfather Lemuel Harrison's siblings.  Apparently, I had met her before when I was a child but just couldn't remember for the life of me, what she looked like. Thanks to her I have a copy of this beautiful picture. Thanks Aunt Carrie!

Amanuensis Monday: The Whitney/Harrison Family Bible--Part one

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The cover of the Whitney/Harrison Family Bible I tried on this recent trip to Morehead City and New Bern to pack in as much as possible to my visit and luckily I was able to connect with my mother's father's side of the family. Two of my grandfather Lemuel Richard Harrison's siblings are still alive. Amazing right. There was such a broad span of ages since there was a total of 13 children. My Uncle Bobby, the youngest of the siblings has the family bible and shared it with me during our visit. What a blessing he is. Glad to have had a chance to know him. I hear when he laughs my grandfather Lemuel, which I love because it keeps his memory and spirit alive for me. My grandfather died back on December 28, 1987. It has been awhile since I have heard his voice but when I hear Uncle Bobby, although not the same...the cadence and his laugh bring me right back to grandpa. Love it! So my Uncle Bobby, lives in Morehead City now and I am ever so grateful for having a chanc

So Thankful For My Recent Trip to New Bern and Morehead City--Part two.

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Some more reasons to be thankful for my recent trip to North Carolina. Here are pictures of my great grandparents Frank and Ophelia Bryant when they were a little older. The pictures were in the living room of my Aunt Rosa and Uncle Nat's house. So many wonderful pictures I got a chance to look at this past week. Here are three of them. The third picture is of my Aunt Eloise Bryant Grigsby when she was a young  lady. Amazing how much she looks like her mother Ophelia. Frank Bryant Ophelia Jones Bryant Eloise Bryant Grigsby

So Thankful For My Recent Trip To New Bern and Morehead City--Part one.

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The word thankful to me can not fully describe how grateful I am for having the experience I just came back from on Tuesday. To catch everyone up with where I am now, I had two deaths in the family last week an uncle and an aunt. My Uncle Vincent Harrison, I did not get to know so well as a child because he was quite a bit older than me. He was my mother's half brother. My Grand Aunt Rosa however, was a different story. She took care of me during the day while my parents worked up until I went into kindergarten. We seemed to be always be over at Aunt Rosa's house whether it was for the holidays or family cook outs or whatever. She was a special lady. If you were on her good side she would show you the kindest heart and the best cooking you would ever taste in your life. If you were on her bad side, well...I would have to say I'm sorry for you because she would put you in your place. The lady had a terrific sense of humor and the prettiest smile. I will miss her. Rosa B

Wordless Wednesday: Aunt Rosa's Funeral Program

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Missing you, but you're always in my heart Aunt Rosa.

Been Gone Four Days And Yet It Feels Like Two Weeks.

I wanted to say thank you to everyone for their thoughts and prayers during this tough time. I just returned from Morehead City, NC this evening. It has been only 4 days but it feels like two weeks to me. The Homegoing  Service for my Aunt Rosa Sanders was absolutely beautiful and I feel absolutely blessed to have had the opportunity to have gone. I have to say my head is swirling with all the family stories and information I learned about this past weekend. It was a lot to take in, so my brain is a bit tired. Going to get some rest tonight and begin fresh in the morning.

Rest in Peace-- Vincent Harrison and Rosa Bryant Sanders

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This week has been a hard week for my family. Two of our loved ones have passed within 48 hours of each other. First, my uncle, Vincent Harrison on Sunday and the other my grand aunt Rosa Bryant Sanders yesterday. I will be away from my blog for a couple days as a result. Vincent  A. Harrison January 27, 1959--January 8, 2012 Rosa Bryant Sanders September 17, 1925--January 10, 2012

Three Generations of Murrell Men.

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My Dad, Brother, and Grandpa, Harold O. Murrell. About 1968 I think. Grandpa was still in great shape!  I learned later that he used to box for extra money when he worked in the Venezuela oil fields. It shows.

My Grandpa, Harold Murrell--Part three

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Ah-Ha. Just got off the phone with dad for clarification of the story of my grandfather's journey from Venezuela to the U. S. When my grandfather and a buddy of his arrived at the port to leave he initially wanted to go to Canada. There wasn't going to be another ship headed to Canada for another two weeks. The boat for the U. S. was due to leave and so that is the one he boarded. He had had enough of Venezuela and just wanted to get out. I have some more research to do about the history of the oil industry in Venezuela now. Just what I need, more research to do. LOL!  Just kidding. That's what I live for. Anyway Grandpa arrived in the U.S  on September 29, 1927. I could not find him listed on the 1930 census anywhere but I do have that wallet that I posted a picture of in  My Paternal Grandfather, Harold Murrell--Part one . In that wallet there was an address listed  2394 7th Ave, NY, NY.  I compared this to the address I found on the 1930 census for my grandmother. At t

Wordless Wednesday: Pictures of My Grandpa --Harold Murrell

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Harold O. Murrell A man on a mission! Back Row 2nd from left, Harold O. Murrell. He served in the National Guard.