Reece Family Afterthoughts (Part 7 in Reece Family Series)

To Bobby Josiah Queen, current citizen of Union County and a person vitally interested in family roots, thank you for the volume of information you sent me on the Reece families in Union County.

This entry, at least temporarily, will wrap up my articles on the Reece family. Enough remains, untouched, from what Bobby sent, that could make a good-sized book. I was not surprised at how, from the earliest Reece settlers to Union County through marriages, many prominent last names show the relationship of this family to subsequent generations.

And so it is, in general. We “live and move and have our being.” Each generation leaves its mark, a circle in time, some work, some monument of service, some contribution to add to the corpus of knowledge or achievement. Or, alas, if we lack motivation and desire to contribute in a worthwhile manner to the good of all, our record can mar as well as help.

We can aspire to do as Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882) wrote in his great poem, “A Psalm of Life”:

“Lives of great men all remind us
We can make our lives sublime,
And departing, leave behind us
Footprints on the sands of time.”

I was interested, for example, in seeing how Bobby Josiah Queen himself lay in the line of Reece descendants. He got his second name from his grandfather, Eli Josiah Reece (04.02.1878), son of Quiller Frank and Elizabeth Clarica Adelia Logan Reece. Eli Josiah Reece was the sixth of sixteen children born to Quiller and Eliza. And Quller Frank, as you recall, was a son of William “Billy” Reece and Mary Daniel Reece. Uncle Billy Reece mined gold from the creekbed of Helton Falls Creek and hauled it to the Dahlonega Mint for processing.

Bobby’s mother was Nora Elizabeth Reece (11.08.1907) a daughter of Eli Joseph Reece. To them were born four children, Carl Winford Queen, Durwood Norris Queen, Bobby Josiah Queen, and Frances Louella Queen. I won’t attempt to trace the marriages and descendants of these Reece kin. Bobby Josiah Queen followed in the footsteps of several of his ancestors and gave patriotic service in the U. S. Marines and the Coast Guard. He married Carmela Rinaldi. He chose to return to his beloved Union County after his service years.

And looking through the many names of Reece descendants, I noted with great interest that my high school classmate, Elbert Dennis Wilson, now of Michigan, is also a descendant of Eli Josiah Reece and Sallie Lou Ella Stephens Reece. Elbert’s mother was Mary Eliza Reece (11.20.1901), daughter of Eli Josiah. Mary Eliza married Abraham Lincoln Wilson and Elbert was their fourth of nine children. Isn’t it strange that as high school students we hardly gave a thought to our genealogy? Then we did not know, somehow, that grandparents and great grandparents were important to our history. We failed to sit at their feet, hear their stories, and record them while these noble people were alive and could enlighten us on who begat whom and what they did in the hills and valleys of Union County.

Going back to William “Billy” Reece and his wife Mary Daniel Reece, I note that their daughter, Margaret Louise Reece (08.16.1856 – 06.20.1941) married John Spiva (04.22.1851 – 11.28.1933). To this couple were born Mary Jane, Eliza, Minty Caroline, Henry W., Emma, Frank, Jewell W., Gardner C., Josiah H., and Guy Cook Spiva. This family link opened up another avenue of genealogical lines back to the original Reece settlers in Union County. These, too, would make another book, and my friend, Geraldine Spiva Elmore has done much to preserve the Spiva legacy in her research and writings. Thank you, Geraldine.

This brief overview only partially covers the links and names going back to “Billy” Reece and his children. But last, and not least, I want to pay tribute to the last-born of Quiller Frank and Elizabeth Logan Reece’s children, Alice Elizabeth Louise Reece (01.23.1893), who married Olin Hayes. Her great niece, Esther Minerva Clouse Cunningham (daughter of Nellie Caroline Reece and Zeb Clouse) wrote of her great aunt Alice Hayes:

“I remember Aunt Alice Reece Hayes. She was my grandfather’s youngest sibling. She stayed at home and took care of her parents (Quiller Frank and Elizabeth) until they died. She married late in life and never had any children. I think she felt her responsibility to keep her parents’ family united. When my grandma “Roxie” (Roxie Potts Reece, wife of William Drury Reece, firstborn son of Quiller Frank) was sick and dying, Aunt Alice and her husband, Olin Hayes, came. I brought them to my house to spend the night because my Aunt Kate was caring for her parents.” And so went this testimony of Esther Cunningham, who remembered her Great Aunt Alice as a “keeper of the family history.”

To Bobby Josiah Queen, thank you for these and other great stories of the Reece Family in Union County. I leave this family saga now, not because the story is finished by any means, but because it is too large for inclusion in sketchy columns in a weekly newspaper. For those of you, like Alice Reece Hayes, who want to be “keepers of the family history,” learn your stories and record them. You will be glad you did. Much for posterity hangs in the balance of our finding and recording the stories. “Lives of great men (and women) all remind us” even now to catch a glimpse of the sublime in the lives of others who made a difference.

c 2010 by Ethelene Dyer Jones; published February 25, 2010 in The Union Sentinel, Blairsville, GA. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Reece Family in Union County, GA (part 4): Poet Byron Herbert Reece's Ancestors

The aim of the Byron Herbert Reece Society is to perpetuate and make known the poetry and prose of Union County’s accomplished poet and novelist, Byron Herbert Reece (1917-1958). He descended from a long line of Reeces in America, selected ones of whom are the subjects of this series on the Reece Family in Union and surrounding counties.

Byron Herbert Reece and his siblings were of the seventh generation of the known lineage of what we might call “the Reece clan.” Let’s take a look backward to see how the poet fits into this genealogical picture.

The first known ancestor of Poet Reece to come to America was William Reece, born about 1790 in Wales. He lived to the ripe age of ninety-nine, dying about 1898 in Iredell County, North Carolina. His wife was named Mary, maiden name unknown. William Reece of Wales had a brother who was an ordained minister, a preacher in the Presbyterian Church. His name was Rev. David Reece. This Rev. David Reece was pastor of the church at Cardigen, Wales.

A son of this Rev. David Reece, also named David, came to America and eventually settled at Sugar Creek near Charlottesville, North Carolina. This David, nephew of William Reece, poet Byron Herbert Reece’s ancestor, signed the Declaration of Independence when it was presented in Charlottesville for approval by the colonists there. David Reece and five of his sons served in the American Revolution. Surely William Reece must have felt pride in his nephew and the nephew’s sons for their patriotism during America’s War for Independence.

But now back to William Reece and his wife, Mary, first generation of Poet Reece’s direct line in America. William and Mary had a son named Valentine. They may have had other children, but Valentine is the one through whom we trace the poet’s lineage.

Valentine Reece was born in 1750 in North Carolina. Certainly we can remember his unusual name, since February 14 is our famous St. Valentine’s Day. For some reason, Valentine Reece had the nickname “Fella.” Maybe “Fella” was easier to say than Valentine. Records indicate that Christina Harmon and Valentine Reece were married in Pennsylvania in 1769. They settled in Watauga County, North Carolina. There they were members of the Tree Forks Baptist Church, and from that church’s record information was found about Christine and Valentine Reece’s nine children, listed as follows: John (1770), Jacob (1772-1851), Valentine (1774), Hannah (1776), Mary (1778), Elizabeth (1786), Isaac (1788), Anthony (1790), and Daniel (1792). Valentine and Christina moved to Trade, Tennessee at Roan Creek, Carter County. It is said that they had extensive properties there and “an abundance of the luxuries of life.” In Valentine’s will, he appointed sons John and Jacob as executors, and stated that his wife Christine and son Daniel (youngest) were to have fifty acres of land at Cove Creek and one “sugar camp.” The rest of Valentine’s property was to be divided equally among the remainder of his children. Valentine’s generosity to his children gave them a good start with property.

Through Valentine and Christina Harmon Reece’s second child, Jacob (1772-1851), we trace the lineage of poet Byron Herbert Reece. Jacob Reece married Susannah (called Hannah) Silvers about 1791, either in North Carolina or Tennessee. Hannah Silvers was born in 1788 in Carter County, New York. In 1807 this couple lived in Pendleton District, South Carolina. Their six children were Permilla (1809) a daughter; John (1809), Josiah (1815), Quiller Rose (1817), William M. “Billy” (1818-1905) and James Marion, Sr. (1820-1871). Hanna Silvers Reece died in 1825 at age 47. Jacob Reece settled in Gilmer County, Georgia, buying 120 acres of land there in 1836. On February 14, 1849, Jacob Reece sold this same acreage to his daughter, Permilla Reece Sandall. In the 1850 census of Gilmer County, Jacob was 81 and in the household with him were his daughter Permilla Sandall and two grandchildren, William Sandall, age 13, and Martha Sandall, age 12. Jacob Reece died in Gilmer County, Georgia in 1851 at age 79.

Know that in those days, Union County, Georgia and Gilmer County, Georgia were adjacent, before other counties were formed from portions of these two counties. So Jacob and his family did not live far from Union, although listed in the census as dwelling within Gilmer.

Jacob and Hannah’s second child, John Reece, born in 1809, married Mary Anderson, born in 1813. This John Reece was the fourth generation of William Reece’s family in America. John and Mary Anderson Reece had ten children: Jefferson (1831), Martha (1834), Elizabeth (1836), John (1838), Elisha Carroll (1842), Johnson Willborn (1844), James (1845), Burton (1847), Simpson (1815-1914) and Margaret A. (1853).

John and Mary Anderson Reece’s ninth child, Simpson (1815-1914), was in the fifth generation from William Reece. Their ninth child, Simpson, was the grandfather of poet Byron Herbert Reece. Simpson Reece married Emmaline (called Emily) Sampson on March 27, 1879 in Union County, Georgia. Mr. A. B. Queen, Justice of the Peace, performed their marriage ceremony. Emmaline was born in 1852 and died in 1936 at age 84. Emmaline Sampson Reece’s lineage will, of necessity, have to be a pursuit of a later time. Simpson was born in 1850 and died in 1914 at age 64. Both Simpson and his beloved wife were interred at the Duncan Cemetery, Union County, Georgia.

Records show that Simpson and Emmaline Reece had only one child, Juan Reece (first name pronounced Jew-Ann). Juan Reece, who married Emma Lance, was the father of poet Byron Herbert Reece. Here’s the summary of the poet’s ancestry by numbered generations from the first one of his Reece line in America:

(1) William Reece (wife Mary)
(2) Valentine (“Fella”) Reece, wife Christina Harmon Reece
(3) Jacob Reece, wife Susannah (“Hannah”) Silvers Reece
(4) John Reece, wife Mary Anderson Reece
(5) Simpson Reece, wife Emmaline Sampson Reece
(6) Juan Reece, wife Emma Lance Reece
(7) Byron Herbert Reece (1917-1954), poet and novelist, did not marry, no offspring.

Next week, we will look more closely at the home into which poet Reece was born, that of sixth generation Juan Reece and Emma Lance Reece.

c 2010 by Ethelene Dyer Jones; published Feb. 4, 2010 in The Union Sentinel, Blairsville, GA. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Brown Families Among Union County's First Settlers

Of the 147 heads of households recorded in Union County’s first census in 1834, two were Brown families, David Brown with three males and two females and Milton Brown with five males and six females. Of the 903 population recorded at that time, sixteen had the surname Brown.

Both David and Milton Brown continued to live in Union, for they were recorded in the 1840 census as well. Some of Milton’s children had already left home to go out on their own, for his household had only 3 males and two females in 1840. David Brown’s family, on the other hand, had increased, for registered in his household in 1840 were four males and four females. It was interesting to note that by 1840, the Brown households had increased from the two in 1834 to eleven, and total Brown population from sixteen to sixty-three. Besides David and Milton’s households, other heads-of-households in Union in 1840 were Harmon (5), Romulus A. (6), John (6), William A. (5), Macky (12), Joel R. (6), William C. (2), John (4), and William (4). According to the scattering of the census, these eleven Brown families were located in several districts of Union.

Then came a surprise. An examination of the 1850 census revealed that the Brown population had taken a decided growth spurt in the decade. The number of households with a Brown listed had increased to twenty-seven but only twenty-one of these were Brown households, for six of the Browns enumerated were living in the household of persons not bearing the Brown surname. These were Elliott Brown, age 23, in the home of Joseph (age 25, b. SC) and Martha Stephens (age 17, b. SC). Franklin Brown (age 23, b. NC) in the home of J. E. Purkins (age 38, b. NC) and Elizabeth Purkins (age 25, b. NC). Mr. Purkins owned 18 slaves. Caroline Brown (age 19, b. NC) lived in the home of Benjamin and Racy Ledford. Mary Brown (age 16, b. NC) lived in the home of Lewis and Sally Queen. She was helping Sally Queen take care of her six little children ranging from age twelve to six months. James Brown (age 19, born TN) was in the home of Hugh and Adaline Lee (ages 25 and 23, both born in NC). Terrell Brown (age 8, b. SC) was in the home of Mourning Brookshire (age 67, b. NC), with David Brookshire (16, SC) and Milly Brookshire (13, SC). Supposition is that Terrell, David and Milly may have been grandchildren of Mourning Brookshire.

Browns noted as heads of households in the 1850 census were Harmon Brown (35, b. SC), his wife, Sarah (later listed by her nickname Sally—age 31, NC) and six children, ages 10 to 9 months: John, Alfred, George, Elisha, Jackson and Smith Loransey.

Susan Brown (age 64, NC) was evidently a widow with two children still at home, John (age 21, b. KY) and Elizabeth (age 18, b. KY).

Jacob Brown (age 52, b. NC) headed a household with his wife Elizabeth (age 44, b. VA) and children Francis (age 25, b. NC), Jane (age 20), Thomas (age 13) and Lazarus (age 12)—with the last three children born in SC.

G. W. Brown (age 40, b. NC) had a wife named Nancy (age 36, b. TN) and eight children at home: Elizabeth (16, b. NC) Thomas (14, b. TN), the next four were born in NC: Patton (12), Peliner (10), Amanda (8), Frances (7); and the last two, Matilda (4) and Martha (3 months) had been born in Georgia.

Mary Brown (age 45, b. NC) headed a household with four children still at home, all born in NC: Smith (18), John (16), Josephus (12) and Sarah (10).

John Brown (68, b. NC) and his wife, Sally (60, b. NC) had in the house with them a person listed as Betsy Miller (22, b. NC).

James Brown (34, b. NC) and his wife Anner (35, b. NC) had four children who had been born in NC, namely Mary Ann (11), Henry (8), Martha (7), and Jesse (5); and little Sarah Jane (3) and John (1) had been born since they arrived in Georgia.

Continuing with listings of 1850 Brown households in Union we find John, Jr. (age 24, born in NC) with his wife Sary (age 27, b. NC) and two small children both born in Georgia: Susannah, 6 and Burton, 2).

Next door is John Brown, Sr. (53, b. NC), his wife, Tempey (57, b. NC) and children James (19, NC) and Margaret (17, NC).

Another household has John M. (40, NC) as its head, making this four in 1840 with John as the head of household. His wife was named Sarah (39, b. NC) and children James (17), William (16), Andrew (14), Willson (12) and Jane (9), all born in NC, and John (2) born since the family arrived in Georgia.

Nathaniel Brown headed a small household. He was 26, born in NC, with his wife, Mary Ann (18, b. NC) and their 11-month old child William. Living in their household was James Gallion (17, b. NC). Could he have been a brother to Mary Ann?

By 1850, Milton Brown was 54, we learn that he was born in NC, as was his wife, Kissiah, age 52, and their very large family of children numbering nine still at home were all listed as having been born in NC. However, this may be a mistake on the part of the census taker, for Milton Brown had been in Union both for the 1834 and the 1840 censuses. Their children listed were John (30), Mary (20), Sally (19), Enos (18), Betsey (14), Adington (13), William (11), Ephraim (8) and Martha (5).

The last of the Brown households noted in 1850 was headed by R. A. (Romulus A. of the 1840 census, age 37, b. SC) and his wife Elizabeth (38, b. NC) with the elder two of their children born in NC: Leander 17 and Catharine, 15. The other five children had been born since the family moved to Georgia: Caroline (12), Hazeltine (10), Lovina (8), Jane (5) and Avaline (3).

Readers who have Brown family ties may be able to link back to some of these early households of Union settlers. Next week we will look at some Brown marriages before 1850 and how the name Brown was linked through wedlock to other early settlers.

c 2009 by Ethelene Dyer Jones; published Oct. 29, 2009 in The Union Sentinel, Blairsville, GA. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved