Thirty Fathers in Thirty Days: Tillman Helms Jr.

 

Several years ago, while recovering from one ailment or accident or another, I was needing one particular deed involving one particular Helms, that should have been remotely accessible through the online website of the Union County Register of Deeds. Their website was down, as often was, and I was unable to drive. Not all counties offer online access to historic deeds, and among the ones who do, their systems are fragile. I was not able to make the drive, at that time, which was only about an hour away. 

Now, when speaking to employees of county registrars, or clerks of court, or the history corner of a library, or museum, it's like one of those boxes of chocolates that Forrest Gumps' Momma referenced. They have access to everything there. Some have loads of time on their hands in their sleepy little coves.Others, in growing metroplexes, do not. Some are as friendly as your best friends' Grandma who wants to feed everybody. Others are just there for a paycheck and do not want to be bothered. On this particular day, I had the fantastic luck of getting one of the latter.

The clerk sounded like a young girl, maybe someone just out of college, if that. I needed someone to email one particular deed to me. I had seen it before, couldn't find my copy, and unable to access it online. Their fault with that last part. If they could not email it, at least find it and read me one sentence from it. So, I asked the clerk to find it. 

"I don't see it, " she quickly answered. I spelled the first name. 

"Nope, not here." So, I asked her to look under the surname, Helms, hoping by scanning the list, she might see something that looked similar to the first name I had mentioned. 

"I don't have any Helms."

"You don't have any Helms!", I exclaimed, quite loudly in fact. Shocked at that answer, I asked, "Have I reached the Union County Register of Deeds?" Thinking I must have called the wrong number.

She answered with an affirmative. 

"In North Carolina?!?"

"Yes."

"Ma'am," I replied, "If you are in Union County, and you can't find a Helms in the deeds at the Register of Deeds, you are NOT in Union County, North Carolina."

My reason for recounting that little scenario was to express the fact that Helms in Union County are as common as fleas on a cow's back. 

 

Sardis Church. Court Minutes 1774–1800, Genealogies 1774–1800, Court Records 17

Tillman Helm Jr. was my 5th Great Grandfather. As such, his father, Tillman Sr., was my 6th. I will mention both, but my focus will be on Tillman Helms Jr. 

The surname Helms, also seen in the older records as Helems, is Teutonic in origin, and arrived to the British Isles with the Goths. Simply put, it means Helmet, or someone who wore a Helmet. 

Tillman Helms Sr. and his brother George, arrived to North Carolina from Bucks County, Pennsylvania, a common way station for immigrants heading south. It's unknown where they arrived from prior to that, some say they came by way of New Jersey. They were most likely related to other Helms who were also in the area early on, Jonathan and Thomas, as they were some of the pioneers to what was Anson County and would include what is now Richmond, Montgomery, Anson, Union and Mecklenburg Counties. 

The first record of them is when George Helms was issued 100 acres of land on October 11, 1749. The property was in Anson County on the North Side of the Pee Dee and on the East Side of Little River, mentioned on the bank of the river and along John Ashley's line, Land Patent Book 10 Page 346. Little River is not in current Anson County, but in Montgomery and Richmond. Montgomery split from Anson in 1779, as did Richmond. They would later relocate to a part of Anson that would become Union.

Below is a list of grants entered by Tillman Helms. This is not all the same Tillman Helms. 

The elder Tillman died between 1800 and 1805. Tillman Jr. died in 1825. The ones in "Union" County in 1844 and 1852 had to be a son or grandson, as Union County didn't exist while Jr. and Sr. were living. Tillman Helms Jr., born between 1755 and 1760, was definitely born in Anson County, but not necessarily in what we now call Anson. The 1762 Grant was the first one for Tillman, Sr., on the east side of Little River, near his older brother. Anything before 1780 should be considered that of Tillman Sr. The 1783 Anson Grant, on the southwest side of the Pee Dee River on Reedy Branch, I believe is the first for Jr, but I could be wrong. 

Reedy Branch is located in current Union County near Marshville. The December 10th, 1818, Grant was most definitely Tillman Jr. It was registered in Mecklenburg County, which had been established in 1762, but it was in the part of Mecklenburg that would become Union County, which was formed in 1842 from the western half of Anson and the eastern part of Mecklenbug.

The grant, shown above, was on Richardson Creek. Richardson Creek runs south of the Rocky River and crosses from Anson into Union. The grant was for 200 acres. Recorded in Mecklenburg County in Book 133 Page 167, it mentions hitting "Burris's corner", to Isaac Helms, Daniel Barnes' line. Daniel Ritch and Isaac Helms, chain carriers.

Sarah M. Myers compiled a book called " George and Tillman Helms 1720 -1900 History and Genealogy of the Helms Family Pioneers of Anson and Mecklenburg Counties Five Generations".

It is mostly a list of descendants, however, it includes a few interesting points. For one, she states that the family  became so numerous, they founded a town, called Helmsville, from the descendants of the family of Tillman Sr., in conjunction with his brother(s) George and Jonathan. She also points out that "The fact that gold and silver mines are mentioned in some land records might explanin why there was much wheeling and dealing in land before George and Tilllman Helms finally settled on Richardson Creek, and its tributaries, in what is now Union County, North Carolina. In 1762. Mecklenburg County was formed from Anson Co. with Richardson Creek being the dividing line between the two counties which resulted in some Helms families being divided by a county line." 

Richardson Creek is not the dividing line, as you can see below

The map above, from 1911, shows the town of Helmsville to be a little south of Monroe, sitting right on Richardsons Creek. 

The county was formed in 1842 from parts of Anson County and Mecklenburg County. Its name was a compromise between Whigs, who wanted to name the new county for Henry Clay, and Democrats, who wanted to name it for Andrew Jackson. The Helms, Starnes, McRorie, and Belk families were prominent in the town as well as Monroe and Charlotte. Most of these families came from Goose Creek Township. Eventually, the state would come to acquire a Clay County and a Jackson County, too

Wikipedia reports that "The Helms, Starnes, McRorie and Belk families were prominent in the town." 

I descend from both Helms and Starnes and there were Belks who married into my Davis family line. McRorie is the only name not hanging somewhere in my family tree.

It was said that George Helms had bought the land where Monroe, or part of it, now sits and Tillman settled about a mile and a half northeast. Ms. Myers said in her book, titled above, that when George sold his old planation, his nephew, Tillman Jr., bought it and divided that piece of property up between two of his sons, Andrew and Wiley. 

Another account of the same story, written by R. C. Griffin, was published in The Monroe Journal, on August 12, 1949. His is a little more detailed, revealing that they lived on Bearskin Creek and that George had settled on what was then called Gold Mine Road.

The Monroe Journal Monroe, North Carolina • Tue, Jul 11, 1911Page 3

In the July 11, 1911 editon of The Monroe Journal,  the above article was published. 

It was entitled "Two Big Families" and gave bried histories of the Helms and Richardson families

I've chosen a few paragraphs to highlight below.

The person recanting the history was a Mr. McNeeley.

The former settler whom Tillman purchased land from was a Scotman named John McCoy.

He listed the children of George and Tillman Helms and revealed the fact that there was intermarriage between Helms cousins. This was not uncommon. Tillman and George both had a son named John. While Tillman's son was referred to as "Whitehead" John, his cousin was called "Blackhead" John, to differentiate between the two of them. I would tale a guess this meant Tillman's son ws a blonde while George's son was a brunette.

The above is a complete list of the children of Tillman Senior. As you can see, there was much intermarriage between the Helms and the Presley/Preslar family. Out of ten children of Tillman Sr. and his wife, Rachel, five married Presley's. Population was not great in those days and neighbors married neighbors. Andreas Preslar/Presly Sr. was a German Palantine immigrant who settled around the same area as the Helms family.

Tillman Jr. married Elizabeth Presley, daughter of  Thomas Presley and wife, Sarah Culpepper. Below is a list of their children and whom they married. 

Susannah married John Helms

Richard married Mary Helms

Sarah married George Helms, Jr.

Elizabeth married Tillman Helms, Jr.

Thomas Presley Jr. married his cousin, Jennea or Jane Preslar. Some families settled with one spelling, some another, while the spelling would flip flop back and forth in records for the same individual.

Thomas Presley remarried after the death of his wife Sarah, and had four more daughters. Two married Pool's, one a Thomas and his youngest daughter, Jensie, was still single at the time of his Will, so it is unknown if she married.

Name	Tilman Hellums
Home in 1800 (City, County, State)	Salisbury, Mecklenburg, North Carolina
Free White Persons - Males - Under 10	1
Free White Persons - Males -10 thru 15	2
Free White Persons - Males - 26 thru 44	1
Free White Persons - Females - Under 10	2
Free White Persons - Females - 10 thru 15	1
Free White Persons - Females - 26 thru 44	1
Number of Household Members Under 16	6
Number of Household Members Over 25	2
Number of Household Members	8

Tillman Jr. is enumerated in the 1800 census of Mecklenburg County. He was in the part that became Union. Salisbury indicated the Court they would attend if business was needed. Among his neighbors were Hargetts and Matthews, and many other Helms. Helmsville. He heads a family of eight.

Name	Tilghman Helms
Residence Date	6 Aug 1810
Residence Place	Capt Legetts, Mecklenburg, North Carolina, USA
Free White Persons - Males - Under 10	1
Free White Persons - Males - 16 thru 25	2
Free White Persons - Males - 45 and over	1
Free White Persons - Females - Under 10	2
Free White Persons - Females - 10 thru 15	2
Free White Persons - Females - 16 thru 25	1
Free White Persons - Females - 45 and over	1
Number of Household Members Under 16	5
Number of Household Members Over 25	2
Number of Household Members	10

In 1810, the neighborhood is seen to be diversifying. There are still alot of Helms and Hargetts, but Blounts and Chaneys, Moose and Matthews have joined the mix. His family size has increased to 10

Name	Tillman Helms
Enumeration Date	7 Aug 1820
Home in 1820 (City, County, State)	Mecklenburg, North Carolina, USA
Free White Persons - Males - 16 thru 18	1
Free White Persons - Males - 16 thru 25	2
Free White Persons - Males - 45 and over	1
Free White Persons - Females - 10 thru 15	1
Free White Persons - Females - 16 thru 25	2
Free White Persons - Females - 45 and over	1
Number of Persons - Engaged in Agriculture	3
Free White Persons - Under 16	1
Free White Persons - Over 25	2
Total Free White Persons	7
Total All Persons - White, Slaves, Colored, Other	7

In 1820, his last, his family size has now decreased to seven, as his older children are flying the nest. We now have many Crowells, Hooks, Williams, Walkers, Coburns, Lemmonds, Pyron, Stewart, Freeman , Forsyth and Broom families. This is his last census.

Tillman and Elizabeth's daughter, Rebecca, born about 1795, will marry Samuel Ramsey, the son of Starkey "Stark" Ramsey, who lived along the Rocky River in the Burnsville area of Anson County.

The Court records found in Mecklenburg County, after 1790, we can safely assume referred to Tillman Jr. 

 The abovementioned 115 acres had been transferred to his son Wylie.

Tillman stood witness and posted bond to several transactions in Mecklenburg County, none really telling. Above he swore witness to the last Will and Testament of neighbor, James Chaney.

In 1804, he testified to the signatures on a deed from James Ritchie to Richard Preslar

The family of Tillman Helms, Jr. and Elizabeth Presley Helms was:

Burwell Helms (1785 -1871) a most prolific Helms, married Elizabeth Helms.

Andrew T. Helms (1776-1860) removed to Butler County, Alabama. Married Elizabeth Stancil.

Agnes Henrietta Helms (1787-unknown) married David Moose

Holly Helms (1791-1851) Married  Helton Milton Presley

Allen Helms (1793-1871) removed to Talbot and Harris County, Georgia, Married Anna Ritch.

Annie Isabel (1795-1811) Married Wiley Chaney.

Rebecca Helms (1797-1870) Married Samuel Ramsey.

Mary Delilah Helms (1801-1853) married Asa Traywick.

Wiley Helms (1804 - 1880) Married Martha Crowell.

Polk Mountain, Union County, North Carolina. The southernmost mountain in the Uwharrie Range. 

30 Fathers in 30 Days: Jarvis Wingfield

When Peter Winfield of Mecklenburg County, Virginia, arrived to the Rocky River area of Anson County in 1782, along with a caravan of friends and relatives, he brought with him the genetics of his grandfather, Jarvis Wingfield. In the same manner, Jarvis Wingfield carried the genes of his maternal grandfather, Jarvis Dix, whom he was named after. Peter was my fifth Great Grandfather, his father, Edward, my sixth, making Jarvis Wingfield my seventh Great Grandfather, and his Grandfather, Jarvis Dix, my 9th. The first name of Jarvis's mother was unknown, we only know her as the daughter of Jarvis Hix, who married William Wingfield. 

The Wingfield/Winkfield/Winfield family is one of my most researched families, as I found them absolutely fascinating. There was also material to research, so I didn't become frustrated beating my head against a brick wall, thanks to the Wingfield Society, a group formed to preserve and search for all things Wingfield. I've even attended one yearly meeting, when it was held within a reasonable driving distance. I therefore have folders upon folders, and notebooks, filled with Wingfield/Winfield information. I have two fat folders on Jarvis alone. I promise to keep this brief, or as brief as I can make it. God be with my children after I die who have to sort through this stuff and don't let them toss it aside. I hope I have one who becomes interested in their genealogy when they get older. 

The first ancestor in this line to touch ground was William, but we must first travel back to Suffolk, England.

The Wingfield Family stems from a Saxon family that are found in Suffolk, England, prior to the Norman Conquest of 1066. They were from the start an Upper Middle Class family. Several were knights and there were two known to be Knights of the Garter.

Wingfield Castle still stands in the Parrish of Wingfield in Sussex, England. It's story began in 1384 when a man named Michael de la Pole "obtained the Kings’s leave to crenelate his masum mannem Wyngefeld ” and enclose all the land belonging to the estate".

 Michael had fallen in love with a lady named Katherine de Wingfield, the daughter and heiress of Sir John de Wingfield, a favorite courtier of Edward of Woodstock, son of King Edward III, known through history as "The Black Prince". Contrary to modern film depiction, he was not black. His nickname derived from two factors, his fierceness and lack of mercy in battle during the Hundred Years War, and the darkness of his armor. Yet, the castle was founded on a love story. 

There is little known about William, himself, other than he was born about 1636-1640 in England, migrated to Virginia. He married the daughter of Jarvis Hix. Her given name is unknown. Some sites or researchers use the generic name of Mary. Given she lived in a time and place where 90 percent of all girls were named either Mary, Elizabeth, Ann, Jane or Sarah, there's a good chance she was a Mary. About a 50/50 chance. Those are pretty good odds. If you've ever read ships records, like I have, you'll notice that Mary was as common a given name in England as M******d is now. Forgive me a bit of cheekiness.

William died a young man, before November 6, 1667, in Charles City, Virginia. While the Wingfield family had a hand in the founding of  Jamestown, William Wingfield, the Patriarch of my branch, didn't arrive until settlement had safely and successfully been established as growth had spread up the James River. A map drawn by Augustine Herrman showed Charles City overtaking both sides of the river. At present, it's only an incorporated burg with a few hundred people and a deep well, and wealth, of history. Unfortunately for us, Charles City County, is a burned County. He had a Will, as it was mentioned in court records. Dr. John Coggan and John Howell ordered it to be proved on November 7th. That is how we know he died sometime shorty before that date. After William died, his young widow remarried to a man named William Dobson. Dobson, with the consent of his wife, gave guardianship of her two sons with William Wingfield, Robert and Jarvis, to her father, Jarvis Dix. "for as long as the law provides." This arrangement, which leads me to loose a little respect for Generic Mary, was registered in court in February, 1678. I realize things were very different back then. Women had few rights and fewer choices. Children who lost their fathers were considered orphans. Although, it was not the same thing as a woman 'ditching the kids for a dude', today, the fact that William Dobson did not want to take custody of the children, as happened with most stepfamilies, is telling and sad. Thank God for (their) Grandpa Jarvis.

Jarvis was the younger of the two boys, although he was his grandfather's namesake. Older brother Robert would later be associated with properties that had originally been the land of Jarvis Dix. The elder Jarvis had been born around 1616, and had arrived in the colony by about 1636.

Although the Will of William Winfield did not survive, the few recorded terms of Court did. Found in Alexandria, Virginia was the Charles City order book for 1676-1679, and found inside were a few valuable references. 

"Ordered that Dr. John Coggan and John Howell appear at next court to prove the Will of William Winkfield (another variation of the name), dec'd and that William Dobson be summoned to give security for the estate of the orphans" 7 November 1677. County of Charles City 1676-1679 page 229.

Dr. John Coggin was a large landowner in Charles City County and one of the only Physicians in Virginia during those early years. John Howell had first patented land in Henrico County and in 1637 he patented 212 acres on the south side of the Appomattox River in Bristol Parrish. His property adjoined that of Captain Epps, Cason, and Nathaniel Tatum. Jarvis Winfields land would also border Captain Francis Epps and Nathaniel Tatum. There were much intermarriage and other connections between the families. 

Then later, "William Dobson with consent of his wife, gives his two stepsons, Jarvis and Robert Winkfield to their grandfather, Jarvis Dix, for as long as the law provides and at the expiration of their time, to give them whatever the court considers convenient." November 16, 1677.

"The above deed was exhibited in court and registered Feb 4 1678, William Archer, clerk" Page 262.

These prove the parentage of Jarvis Wingfield and his brother Robert, and the timeline shows that they were born in Viginia Colony, in America. 

 

Javis's stepfather, William Dobson, had been imported by Captain James Sturdivant/Studivant. There would become a generations long connection between the Wingfield's and their associated branches, and the Sturdivant's. There were several marriages between the Wynne, Wingfield and Sturdivant families. 

Charles City is situated between the James and Chickahominy Rivers and was one of the shires established from the outgrowth of Jamestown in 1634. Jarvis Dix has obtained a land patent in Charles City County, along the James River around 1682, adjoining Williams and Barkers. Land grants show that the Sturdivant family lived in the part of Charles City that would become Prince George County about 1702, on Bull Hill Creek, (it began as City Creek). This is the same area that Jarvis Dix, Robert and Jarvis Wingfield, and the Wynne Family lived.

Jarvis Dix had married Mary Tatum, daughter of Nathaniel Tatum and his wife, Anne Godfrey Tatum, my 10th Great Grandparents. 

Unlike his son-in-law, records of the existence of Jarvis Dix exist on two continents. He was baptized in London in 1616,  as "Jarvise Dick" with his father being named as Robert Dicke (Dix) and his mother, Tabitha Pickman (Pittman). 

Name	Jervis Dick
Arrival Year	1637
Arrival Place	Virginia
Primary Immigrant	Dick, Jervis

His name appears on a list of those being transported, found at the Virginia State Library, and reported in a book called Cavaliers and Pioneers: A Calendar of Virginia Land Grants, by Nell M. Nugent

He was summoned to court with Nataniel 'Tatem", which proved his status as son-in-law. Land he leased from Edward Hill Sr was sold to Col. John Gilliam, his neighbor.

In 1679, Jarvis Hix was freed from paying levies due to reaching the age of 63. Jarvis and his wife had at least two daughters, Jerusha and Miss Dix Wingfield Dobson. There are no sons noted, which may be why he took in his grandsons.

In the book, "Historical Southern Families IV", Chapter "Winfield-Pettypool" of Sussex, Virginia, that in Prince George County in 1702 and 1704, that Robert Wingfield was holding 107 acres and Jarvis 100 acres.

In 1695, Jarvis married Hannah Wynne, supposedly the daughter of Col. Thomas Wynne and Agnes Stith. There was another Hannah Wynne who married a Malone, and they were not the same person, therefore, they are easily confused. 

 Deed, 3 November 1701,Wingfield, Jarvis, For real property in that part of Charles City County, Virginia, which later became Prince George County, Virginia, from Thomas Busby  to Jarvis Wingfield. 

A second deed to Jarvis Wingfield from Thomas Busby was recorded the same day. By 1723, Jarvis and family had removed to Surry County, Virginia. Surry was founded in 1652 by the Virginia Company from a portion of James City County that lay south of the James River.

Surry County, Virginia

Deed Book 7, p. 490, 17 Dec 1723   “Jarvis Winfield and wife, Hannah Winfield, to Stephen Housman.100 acres on south side of Joseph's Swamp and bounded by John Doby Sr., Nathaniel Tatum Sr., and Thomas Busby. Wit: Robert Wynne, Richard Huson, Thomas Wynne. Rec. 18 Dec 1723.” Among the neighbors were Thomas Busby, Nathaniel Tatum and Thomas Wynne. This would have had to have been a younger Nathaniel Tatum, perhaps an Uncle or a Cousin.

In the Albemarle Parrish Register it was reported by William Winfield (his oldest son),In Sussex County, Virginia, that "Gervas Winfield aged 87, died March 24, 1756".  Sussex County had been carved from the southwestern half of  Surry County, two years earlier, in 1754,  the part south of the Blackwater River.

The most telling record we have of Jarvis Wingfield is his probate file.

In a Chancery Court Suit titled Wingfield Vs Wingfield dated 1757, the children of Jarvis Winfield battled it out for a fair division of property in Sussex County. The Lawsuit in its' entirety can be found at the link below.

Lawsuit link (http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/sussex/court/wingccs.txt)

From the lawsuit we get the following information on the heirs of Jarvis Wingfield and wife, Hannah. The younger Wingfield children were suing their oldest brother, William, and their mother, Hannah.

 

 “John Wingfield, John Barlow and Mary his wife, Thomas Dixon and Judith his wife, Richard Huson and Elizabeth his wife, Thomas Wynne and Martha his wife, Joel Wingfield, Joshua Wingfield, Martha Wingfield, and Peter Wingfield by Mary Wingfield their mother and protector, which said Joshua, Martha and Peter are infants under the age of twenty one years and children of Edward Wingfield deceased and which said Edward Wingfield was and the said John Wingfield, Mary Barlow, Judith Dixon, Elizabeth Huson and Martha Wynne are the children of Gervas Wingfield late of this county deceased. That the said Gervas Wingfield being in his life time and at the time of his decease possessed a considerable personal estate consisting of sundry valuable slaves and other things departed this life on or about the 24th day of March one thousand seven hundred and fifty six Intestate leaving Hannah Wingfield his widow and relict and William Wingfield his oldest son and heir at law."

In a later paragraph:

"In the year of our lord One thousand seven hundred & fifty six Administration of the estate of the said Jarvis Wingfield was committed to the said Wm. Wingfield who whereupon conceiving himself to have authority to do so, did of his own accord assign to the said Hannah Wingfield slaves as her third part-.that the said slaves are more than the said Hannah's full and equal third part of the slaves whereof the said Jervis died possessed, and that by the above recited Clause of the Act of Assembly the said William had no power to do so. "

There would be more suits to follow in 1757, in Dixon vs Wingfield, a disagreement over a slave was heard. Thomas Wynne and his wife, Martha Wingfield Wynne testified. It was a cousin marriage, not rare.

Family disputes over property, money and objects have divided families for generations. Hannah Wynne Wingfield would later even sue her grandson, Joshua Wingfield, son of Edward, for trespass. 

In this suit, we see that Edward Winfield had died young leaving minor children: Joel, Joshua, Martha, and Peter. Peter is my direct ancestor who would first settle in Mecklenburg County, Virginia, on Taylors Creek, and then later remove to North Carolina and settle along the Rocky River, primarily in Anson County, but as he lived on or near the River, there was property on both sides. Later records include another daughter for Edward, Hannah. It seems Edward predeceased the lawsuit by a brief period,  and Mary may have been expecting.

The children of Jarvis Wingfield and Hannah Wynne Wingfield were:

• William Wingfield (1694-1770)  married Sarah Harris
• Edward Wingfield (1695- 1755) married Mary Harris
• Martha Wingfield (1696 - 1759) married Thomas Wynne
• John Wingfield (1698-1771) married Anne Eustace Buckner
• Mary Wingfield (1700-1756) married John Barlow
• Elizabeth Wingfield (1700-1770) married Richard Huson
• Judith Wingfield (1707-1772) married Thomas Dixon
  

 I was so chuffed to see that my 6th Great Grandmother, Mary Harris Wingfield, seems to have stuck up strongly for her children and kept guardianship of them, being called "their mother and protector".

Another fact that has always intrigued is the fact that it was recorded that Edward Wingfield had paid "667 pounds of tobacco for Elizabeth Davis". Who was she? His granddaughter, Sarah would marry into a Mecklenburg County, Virginia Davis family after moving to the Rocky River.

Children of Edward Wingfield and Mary Harris Wingfield were:

• Joel Winfield (30 Dec 1731-1777)  Wife Unknown. At least two daughters, Martha and Mary.
• Martha Winfield (1736) Married William Faison
  
• Joshua Wingfield (1739-1818) Married 1st Jemima Freeman 2nd Rebecca Thrower Carloss.
• Hannah 1744 - ? ) Married Matthew Godwin
• Peter (1746-1802) Married Charlotte Freeman

And they removed to Anson County, North Carolina and settled along the Rocky River in the area that now covers

The Pembrokes

When one thinks of the word "Pembroke", what comes to mind depends on where you are from . If you live in the UK, you probably envision a grandiose castle, surrounded by a picturesque village in the County of Pembrokeshire, in Wales.

If you live in Virginia, you probably think of a historic little town in the Appalacian Mountains, known for it's waterfalls.

If you live in North Carolina, you probably think of the home of UNC Pembroke, a town in the heart of Native American Lumbee Territory.

If you live in Florida, you might bring to mind Pembroke Pines, a resort town in the Everglades. 

This story is about none of those. Instead its about a group of related women who lived in 19th century Tennessee.

I came upon the Pembrokes while researching the family of Alfred Lee, who I believe could possibly be the brother of my ancestor, Calvin Lee. There were a couple of individuals who included the persons of one James Samuel Leigh and Nancy Jane Leigh Boner, as children of Alfred Lee.

Name	Alfred Loe
Residence Date	1840
Home in 1840 (City, County, State)	Marshall, Tennessee
Free White Persons - Males - Under 5	1 William
Free White Persons - Males - 15 thru 19	1 John
Free White Persons - Males - 40 thru 49	1 Alfred
Free White Persons - Males - 70 thru 79	1 Grandpa William
Free White Persons - Females - Under 5	1
Free White Persons - Females - 5 thru 9	1
Free White Persons - Females - 10 thru 14	2
Free White Persons - Females - 20 thru 29	1 Nancy Morris Lee
Persons Employed in Agriculture	2
No. White Persons over 20 Who Cannot Read and Write	1
Free White Persons - Under 20	6
Free White Persons - 20 thru 49	2
Total Free White Persons	9
Total All Persons - Free White, Free Colored, Slaves	9

I beleive their theory began with the 1840 census, when Alfred Lee's name wasn't exactly spelled "Alfred Lee". Marshall County, Tennessee, was where both the Lee, and the Leighs were found at the same time in the middle 1800's. In this record, Alfred would be the man in his 40's. His first wife, Nancy Culpepper, has died by then and he has married his second wife, Nancy Morris, who fits in with the female in her 20's. John Culpepper Lee, born in 1823, would have been 17, fitting nicely into the male 15 to 19 spot, and William, the oldest child with Nancy Morris, born in 1837, would have been about 3, and fit in the boy under 5.

Name	Alfred Lee
Home in 1830 (City, County, State)	West Side Pee Dee River, Montgomery, North Carolina
Free White Persons - Males - 5 thru 9	2  John & Unknowh (possibly James?)
Free White Persons - Males - 30 thru 39	1 Alfred Lee
Free White Persons - Females - Under 5	2 Lucinda & Unknown?
Free White Persons - Females - 5 thru 9	1 Millie
Free White Persons - Females - 20 thru 29	1 Nancy Culpepper Lee
Free White Persons - Under 20	5
Free White Persons - 20 thru 49	2
Total Free White Persons	7
Total - All Persons (Free White, Slaves, Free Colored)	7

Going back a decade, Alfred, in Montgomery County, NC, is shown with two sons, ages 5-9, one which would have been John, and the other unknown. and one daughter 5 to 9, which fits Millie, and two under five, one of which would have been Lucinda, and the other unknown. So Alfred had one son and one daughter, unknown and unnamed. The ages of these two children do indeed fit the ages of  James Samuel and Nancy Jane Leigh. So their theory  is feasible.

 While still in Montgomery County, North Carolina, in the part which became Stanly, we find Alfred Lee, living next to my known ancestor, Rev. Samuel P Morton and several other Morton families, whom I believe were his Uncle and cousins, as I know his father died when he was 19 and Sammy had to raise his younger siblings, whom I've documented. At this time, they lived on David's Creek, so this is the area Alfred Lee must have been in. His father, William was living in a different spot, but not very far away. This is the area Calvin Lee appears in after they move on. 

In 1832, William and  Alfred sell their properties together and by 1836, they are showing up in Madison County, Tennesee. Then by 1840, they were in Marshall County, Tennesee.

By 1850, Alfred's older children were married, John to Tennessee Hayes and Millie to Yandle Clark. While John was still in Marshall County, Millie had moved to Rutherford County, Tennessee. Alfred, his wife, Nancy, and their younger children, with his older daughter, Lucinda, are living in household number 199 in Marshall County, TN. 

1850 is the first census that we find James S. Leigh, and the Pembrokes. In the above clip, a newlywed James Lee/ Lay/ Leigh is found with his bride, Pembroke Jones, in Household Number 710. Above them is a Smith family, and then there is another Pembroke,  or "Pimbrook". She is two years old and there is a James H. above her, age 4 and a Nancy below her, age 1. These are the children of  James H. Boner and his wife, Nancy Jane Leigh Boner, who are shown on the previous with their oldest daughter, Sarah, and overflowed onto the next page, with the younger three, in Household 708. So Nancy Leigh, who named her daughter Pembroke, and James Leigh, who married a lady with the unusual moniker of Pembroke, lived very close to each other. I have no doubts that these two were probably siblings, and little Pembroke named for her cool new aunt, but were they the children of Alfred Lee?

They fit the ages of the missing son and daughter, and they were in the same place at the same time. It's certainly feasible, and I believe they have a valid theory, but I have found no proof. Not yet. I would need more collaborating evidence to conclude it. Not dimissing its validity, the spelling variance kind of throws me off, although Lee and Leigh sound exactly the same.

This post is about the Pembrokes, however, who stem from these two families. There were three; Pembroke Jones Leigh, the first, who married James Samuel Leigh; her daughter, Pembroke Leigh Wheeler and Pembroke Boner Warren, the daughter of  Nancy Leigh Boner, and probably niece and cousin to the other two. As Nancy and her family deserves their own closer examination, this post will only cover the family of James S. Leigh, his wife and daughter Pembroke. 

James Samuel Leigh married Pembroke Jones on December 22, 1842, in Wilson County, Tennessee.  when he was about 23 and she was only 15. There are two documents proving this, the marriage document, seen above, and the Marriage Register. Neither give us the names of the parents of Pembroke Jones, and there was no shortage of Jones's in either Wilson or Marshall County, Tennesee. There were no shortage of Jones's anywhere.

To their credit, Pembroke would not have any children until she was older, in her 20's, unless she had lost some that we know nothing about. Her later records would indicate she had lost one unknown child.

By 1860, the growing family had judiciously relocated from Marshall County, Tennessee to the town of La Vergne, in Rutherford County. Several of the children of Alfred Lee would settle in Rutherford, and neighboring Davidson County, where the growing town of Nashville lay. La Vergne was a town along the Stone River and recieved its name from an early French settler. 

In LaVergne, James set up as a laborer among the local farms and busy village. He ws 43 and Pembroke was 32, and the family now included 3 children, Sarah, 5, John J., 3, and James S. Jr., 1. The name Pembroke was seen as spelled correctly, or as "Pimbrook", phoenetically, or even as two words, "Pim Brooke", so sometimes she was seen by the initials "P. B.". Leigh was seen in as many variations, too. 

Name	James Leigh
Age in 1870	55
Birth Date	abt 1815
Birthplace	Tennessee
Dwelling Number	154
Home in 1870	District 3, Davidson, Tennessee
Race	White
Gender	Male
Post Office	Nashville
Occupation	Farmer
Cannot Read	Yes
Cannot Write	Yes
Male Citizen Over 21	Yes
Personal Estate Value	200
Real Estate Value	800
Inferred Spouse	Pembroke Leigh
Inferred Children	Saro Leigh; John Leigh; Pembrok Leigh

Household members

Name	Age
James Leigh	55
Pembroke Leigh	47
Saro Leigh	15
John Leigh	13
Pembrok Leigh	7

Finally, the family would purchase property and settle in Davidson County, District 2. Now they were the parents of 4 children and the youngest daughter, Pembroke Jr., had been born. James Jr. was missing in this count, he may have been at school or just missed. 

James was a veteran of the Indian Wars and served as a private in the Cherokee War. He may have recieved a pension or land bounty. 

The Leigh family cemetery was established on the land that James Leigh Sr. purchased and settled upon in Davidson County. It is now a part of Greater Nashville, in a subdivison along the Hobson Pike, on a pennisula in the J Percy Priest Reservoir.

Name	John J Leigh
Birth Date	12 Dec 1856
Birth Place	Tennessee, United States of America
Death Date	7 May 1875
Cemetery	Leigh Cemetery
Burial or Cremation Place	Davidson County, Tennessee, United States of America
Has Bio?	N
Father	James S Leigh

The first member of the family to grace the ground in this small cemetery was that of oldest son and second child, John J Leigh. John was just entering a tremorous adulthood. He passed away at 18, just before the Christmas holiday on December 12, 1875. What ailment took the young man down as he was just beginning the adult journey, or was it a work accident, as there were few safety precautions? We can't know, but what a melancholy time it must have beeen. 

1880

Life has changed dramatically now for the family of Pembroke Jones Leigh. 

Name	James Liegh
Age	64
Birth Date	Abt 1816
Birthplace	Tennessee
Home in 1880	District 2, Davidson, Tennessee, USA
Dwelling Number	134
Race	White
Gender	Male
Relation to Head of House	Self (Head)
Marital Status	Married
Spouse's Name	Pembroth Liegh
Father's Birthplace	Tennessee
Mother's Birthplace	Virginia
Occupation	Farmer
Cannot Read	Y
Cannot Write	Y
Neighbors	View others on page

Household members

Name	Age
James Liegh	64
Pembroth Liegh	53
James Liegh	20

She is shown in the home with her husband and younger son, James Jr., in District Two, Davidson County, Tennessee, now 53 years old, her husband 64. They are in Household no. 143. Where were the daughters?

Sarah had married a guy named Charlie Wheeler on Christmas Eve, 1873, in Nashville. The Wheelers were a numerous family in Davidson County, especially in District Five. Around 1877, they had a daughter whom they named Cate, probably short for Catherine. 

In the 1880 census, the young namesake of her mother, Pembroke Leigh, was also married, despite being only 16 years old.

Pimmy, as she was called had married a man twice her age named Joseph Cummings,  a house carpenter from Tennessee. They lived in District 5, while her sister Sarah, lived in District 2.

The census was taken during the 25th and 26th of June, after which the Leigh family suffered a tragic series of events. 

Name	James S Leigh
Birth Date	25 Dec 1816
Death Date	21 Jul 1880
Cemetery	Leigh Cemetery
Burial or Cremation Place	Davidson County, Tennessee, United States of America
Has Bio?	Y
Children	John J Leigh

Just a month later, on the 21st of July, 1880, James Samuel Leigh Sr. passed away at the age of 64. He joined his son, John J. Leigh in the family cemetery. The earth was barely turned when the cemetery recieved a third resident.

Name	Sarah Elizabeth Wheeler
Birth Date	12 Dec 1851
Death Date	17 Aug 1880
Cemetery	Leigh Cemetery
Burial or Cremation Place	Davidson County, Tennessee, United States of America
Has Bio?	N

Sarah Elizabeth Leigh Wheeler , only 28, passed away on August 17. 1880 and joined her father and brother in the loamy Tennesee ground along the old Stones River. There are no records of the cause of death for the Leigh family at this time, but going back to the census taken a few weeks prior, there may have been a hidden clue.

In the census of the young Wheeler family, Sarah, her husband Charley, and their daughter, Cate, it was seen that Charley was suffering from Thyphoid Fever. Thyphoid was rampant among citizens who dwelled near water. The fate of little Cate is unknown, but there are no more records of her that I can find. She may have passed away and been buried with her mother, or she may have married and changed her name and moved away, as many did, but if so, that fact remains unknown. 

The estate of James S. Lay, Sr. was probated on December 8, 1882 and was quite quotidian.  His wife, Pembrook was executrix, and there was nothing untypical or informative about it. But something distinctive did happen the very next year. 

The Tennessean Sat, Nov 05, 1881 ·Page 4

On November 5, 1881, the Nashville Newpaper, The Tennessean, reported that Charles J. Wheeler had married Pembroke Leigh, during the previous week. Some folks have this records attached to her mother, who was a widow, but that was bather. First, Pembroke Sr. was much older and Charley and Pembroke would have children, several in fact, and Pembroke Sr. remained single, well, you'll see. Wasn't Pembroke, herself, married? And if she, too, were a recent widow, wouldn't she go by her married name of Cummings?

But what about Mr. Cummings, the carpenter? Well he hadn't expired, at least not yet. So the marriage between Joe Cummings and Pembroke Leigh must have been anulled or disolved, despite no record of it. In 1881, he was still very much alive. However, almost exactly 8 years later, Joe Cummings did pass on to the next realm of existence, his remains found under a tree. About 44 years old, it appears he died of heart disease, or perhaps a heart attack, while looking for work. 

But Charley Wheeler was no catch. A tenebrous character, he came with an obnubilate past. Deep in debt and shady in habit, Charley was hauled to court twice the year he married Pimmy, once for Breach of Trust and again for larceny. He was a thief, a derelict and a drunkard. Luckily for her family, Pembroke Jr. was stalwart,  clever and resourceful.

On February 3, 1891, a full decade after their marriage, Pembroke gave birth to her first known child, Weakley Charley Wheeler, perhaps because her husband was in prison during most of the '80's. 

 She began filing for divorce in 1894. 

March 3, 1894, Nashville, Tennessee,  P. W. Wheeler vs. C. J. Wheeler was continued

. Then on March 24, 1894, a motion to dismiss was heard. Had they made amends?

On December 18, 1894, a second child, Lillie Belle Wheeler was born, and in 1895, a third, Ethel. Also in 1895, Charley recieved a pardon from the Governor. 

However, in December of 1894, a pregnant Pembroke had filed again for divorce and the case was again on the docket.

The Tennessean

Nashville, Tennessee • Thu, Dec 13, 1894Page 8

It took a number of years before it was granted, but this time, it wasn't Pembroke filing against Charley.

Nashville Banner

Nashville, Tennessee • Wed, Feb 19, 1896Page 5

It was Charley filing again Pembroke. 

Pembroke's fourth child, Helen Irene Wheeler, was born on March 10, 1898, but by that time, Charley had left the state and married another woman. I will report no further on Charley, he was a character indeed, albeit a flawed one, deserving of his own tale. Yet, Irene was not Pembrokes last child.

1900

The widowed Pembroke Leigh, Sr., is now 73 years old . She is living with her only living son, James S. Leigh, Jr. She claims to have been the mother of 6 children, with two living. We only know the names of four. 

James S. Leigh Jr. married Fannie Johnson in 1883, in Alabama. He was back in Davidson County, Tennessee by 1885, according to a newspaper mention. By 1900, Jim and Fannie had grown a considerable family of 7children, James William, Bessie, Carrie Lee, Charles Hinton, Lillian, Corrine and Marcus. There would be two more, SalliAnna  in 1902 and Percy in 1904.

The divorced Pembroke Leigh, Jr. has retained her married name of Wheeler, and is living in District 3, Davidson County, working as a seamstress. Living with her are her four children, Weakley 9, Lilly 7, Ethel 5 and Irene (spelled Arien), aged 2. She has a 16 year old hired girl, Alice Nelson, helping out. Pembroke claims to have been the mother of 5 children with 4 living, so at some point, she had lost one, Wheeler or Cummings, unknown.

 

The family seem to have still been living along what is now the Reservoir. The next 10 years did not change much for the Leighs. 

Pembroke Leigh Wheeler, also called "Tuggie" or additionally "Pimmie Brook", gave birth to her youngest child, John Sanders Wheeler, also known as Johnny, on September 10, 1900. All of Pembroke's children claimed Charley Wheeler as their father, despite the fact that he had moved to another state and married someone else before the last two were born. There were pretty good train services in those days, so who knows?

James S. Leigh Jr and Fannie also completed their families in the early years of the new millenium, with Sallie Annia Gunn Leigh arriving in 1902 and Percy Parker Leigh arriving in 1904.

Jim had a minor brush with the law in 1909, when, after being chosen as a juror, he had arrived to the courthouse intoxicated. There was a whole big deal concerning his level of sobriety and statements he had supposedly made while under the influence that could have colored and influenced the trial. Other than that, he seems to have stayed on the right side of the law and was a good citizen and father.

1910

The 1910 census found Jim and Fannie living on Hamilton Church Road, which still exists is the same area of Davidson County that his father lived. He was, too, a farmer, and at 53, still had 4 children at home, Lillian, Corrine, and Sallie Anna Gunn, which was a very odd name for a daughter, unless there was a female ancestor whose maiden name was Gunn in her mother's line, perhaps. Little Percy Parker Leigh was 5.

Name	James Leigh
Age in 1910	53
Birth Date	1857
Birthplace	Tennessee
Home in 1910	Civil District 2, Davidson, Tennessee, USA
Sheet Number	1b
Street	Hamilton Church Road
Race	White
Gender	Male
Relation to Head of House	Head
Marital Status	Married
Father's Birthplace	Tennessee
Mother's Birthplace	Tennessee
Native Tongue	English
Occupation	Farmer
Industry	General Farm
Employer, Employee or Other	Own Account
Home Owned or Rented	Own
Home Free or Mortgaged	Free
Farm or House	Farm
Able to read	Y
Able to Write	Y
Enumeration District Number	0084
Years Married	27
Enumerated Year	1910
Neighbors	View others on page

Household members

Name	Age
James Leigh	53
Fannie Leigh	48
Percy Parker Leigh	5
Lilian Leigh	16
Corinne Leigh	13
Anna Gunn Leigh	8
P B Leigh	84

Pembroke Jones Leigh was exhibiting her longetivity by still living with her son at age 84, and helping to raise his large family. While her daughter-in-law had claimed to have been the mother of 11 children, with 9 living, five of them having started their own families, no notation was given for Pembroke for this year. These additions to the census questions in 1900 and 1910 were included to track infant mortality. We can assume for Pembroke, it had not changed since 1900, and we know she still had two surviving children.

Name	Tuggie Wheeler
Age in 1910	45
Birth Date	1865
Birthplace	Tennessee
Home in 1910	Civil District 2, Davidson, Tennessee, USA
Sheet Number	1a
Street	Four Corners Road
Race	White
Gender	Female
Relation to Head of House	Head
Marital Status	Widowed
Father's Birthplace	USA
Mother's Birthplace	Tennessee
Native Tongue	English
Occupation	Farmer
Industry	General Farm
Employer, Employee or Other	Own Account
Home Owned or Rented	Own
Home Free or Mortgaged	Free
Farm or House	Farm
Able to read	Y
Able to Write	Y
Enumeration District Number	0084
Number of Children Born	5
Number of Children Living	5
Enumerated Year	1910
Neighbors	View others on page

Household members

Name	Age
Tuggie Wheeler	45
Johnnie Wheeler	8
Lillie Wheeler	16
Ethel Wheeler	13
Irene Wheeler	11

As for Pembroke, Jr., she is seen in 1910 by her nickname "Tuggie". She's 45 and running a farm on Four Corners Road in District 2, Davidson County, which is still a neighborhood of Nashville, and considered part of Antioch.

Her daughters and youngest son are with her. She is claiming to be a widow in this census, although Charley is not dead, and if she, by chance, had married another Wheeler, and lost him in the interim of a decade, I've found no record of it or indication toward it. Perhaps she was speaking of the unfortunate Mr Cummings.

Name	Weakley Wheeler
Age in 1910	10
Birth Date	1892
Birthplace	Tennessee
Home in 1910	Nashville Ward 2, Davidson, Tennessee, USA
Sheet Number	7a
Street	18th Avenue North
Race	White
Gender	Male
Relation to Head of House	Boarder
Marital Status	Single
Father's Birthplace	Tennessee
Mother's Birthplace	Tennessee
Native Tongue	English
Occupation	Salesman
Industry	Grocery Store
Employer, Employee or Other	Wage Earner
Attended School	N
Able to read	Y
Able to Write	Y
Enumeration District Number	0018
Out of Work	N
Number of Weeks Out of Work	0
Enumerated Year	1910
Neighbors	View others on page

Household members

Name	Age
Lurhen G Bodily	28
Weakley Wheeler	10

Weakley, her oldest son, had taken on a job to help support the family. He was boarding with his employer. The age of 10 is incorrect, however, that is a transcription error. With a birthdate of  February 3, 1891, he was 19, and the actual handwritten document says "18".

1920

The next decade had brought on a number of changes, not just in a changing America., but the younger generation of Leighs and Wheelers were growing up and starting their own lives. 

Name	Pernnia Leigh
Age	93
Birth Year	abt 1827
Birthplace	Tennessee
Home in 1920	Civil District 2, Davidson, Tennessee
Street	Lavergne
Residence Date	1920
Race	White
Gender	Female
Relation to Head of House	Mother
Marital Status	Widowed
Father's Birthplace	Tennessee
Mother's Birthplace	Tennessee
Able to Speak English	Yes
Able to read	Yes
Able to Write	Yes
Neighbors	View others on page

Household members

Name	Age
James Leigh	60
Fannie Leigh	58
Annia Leigh	18
Percy Leigh	16
Pernnia Leigh	93

One thing that had not changed, not yet, was that Pembroke Jones Leigh was still alive, breathing and living with her son at the age of 93. While life expectancy was still low and child mortality still high, certain anitquarins like Pembroke, holding tight to her senectitude and raising the bar.

The census, this time, was taken in January of that year and they were countedin the Port Leonard District of Davidson Couny, on La Vergne Road. Only Annia and Perc were still in thier father's home. And Pembroke, despite being incorrectlyrecorded as 'Pemnia', was certainly Pembroke.

The Will of Pembroke Jones Leigh, written as Pimbrook Leigh, had been written on March 9, 1911. It was probated on April 29, 1920, so Pembroke passed away after January 11th, and before April 29th. It is not known where she was buried . Most likely at the family cemetery, but her stone no longer exists, if it ever did. 

Pembroke Jones Leigh was born during James Monroe's presidency, our 4th President. She lived phenominally until the term of Woodrow Wilson, our 28th. Twenty-four Presidents, from the Monroe Doctrine to the 19th Amendment, allowing women to vote. From ox-carts to Model T's, from the Pony Express to the Telephone, Motion Pictures and indoor plumbing. What a life she led. While Pembrook Sr. probably did not vote, Pimbroke Jr. did. 

She had requested in her Will that her burial expenses be shared equally between her two children, as well as her land. She left a number of personal items to her daughter, including a bed, chairs, 'the clock that has been in the family for so long', rocking chairs, irons, goblets and the family Bible. She left a feather bed, pillows and a bedstead  to her granddaughter, Ethel, and requested no timber to be cut from her property until it was divided.

As for her daughter, Pembroke was living just two households away from James and her mother on La Vergne Road in 1920. I can only believe they all just stayed in that one spot James Sr. had settled in those many years ago. Only the times and the streets were changing around them.

Name	Mrs P R Wheeler
Age	58
Birth Year	abt 1862
Birthplace	Tennessee
Home in 1920	Civil District 2, Davidson, Tennessee
Street	Lavergne
House Number	Farm
Residence Date	1920
Race	White
Gender	Female
Relation to Head of House	Head
Marital Status	Widowed
Father's Birthplace	Tennessee
Mother's Birthplace	Tennessee
Able to Speak English	Yes
Occupation	Farmer
Industry	General Farm
Employment Field	Wage or Salary
Home Owned or Rented	Owned
Home Free or Mortgaged	Free
Able to read	Yes
Able to Write	Yes
Neighbors	View others on page

Household members

Name	Age
P R Wheeler	58
Meakley Wheeler	24
John Wheeler	18

For Pembroke Jr., her lot was owned and her two sons were helping her work it. 

Lillie had married John Walter Mullins and was living in Nashville with their two daughters.

Ethel Mable Wheeler had married Roy Sanders Waldron and had twin sons, Lee Roy and Lee Grant.

Helen Irene had married Clyde Eugene Austin and had a 3 year old daughter, they were living on Rose Street. All lived in Nashville.

1930

Life went on for the two surviving children of Pembroke Jones Leigh. Both were now past middle age and survival was the chore of the day, but they remained a close family, and that unity, I can imagine kept them strong through the years of the Great Depression.

James and Pembroke stayed close to each other and probably in support of each other. Above we see them living just a few houses away from each other and Pembroke, or P. B., living next to her son, Weakly, who has now married. 

James Jr. would love another six years, passing on December 15, 1936.

He left behind a wife and large family of children and grandkids. His sister, Pembroke would go on to prove she had inherited her mothers longetivity.

In 1935 and 1940, Pembroke lived in Couchville, Una Township, Davidson County, Tennessee, which I believe was the area she had lived in for most of her life. Living near her are her widowed sister-in-law, Fannie Leigh, and her nephew, James William Leigh, who appears to have inherited or purchased his father's property. The road they lived on was the La Vergne Road/ Old Hickory Boulevard, same as the cemetery. They lived on the land their father and grandfather had purchased all those years ago.

Pimmie is 77, but still living in her own house, with the aid of a housekeeper, Leola Smith, and her 14 year old daughter, Annie Smith. By 1950, she's not to be found, but is no longer living on the family farm near her Nephew, James W. Leigh. Neither is she living with any of her children. She may have already been in Smyrna, in Rutherford County, in a rest home, where she lived when she passed away. Thisis where her oldest son, Weakley had moved to.

Pembroke aka Pimmie Brook aka Tuggie Leigh Cummings Wheeler passed away on March 24, 1958. Her tombstone gives her birthdate as January 3, 1861.

She was born during the earliest rumbles of a not-yet-declared Civil War. She died two years before I was born in a very modern era of airplanes, television and soon-to-be space travel. Can you imagine what changes her eyes beheld?

Pimmie was given two obituaries, one in Muphreesboro.

Another in Smyrna. She was buried at the Maplewood  Cemetery, in Smyrna, Rutherford County, Tennessee. She was two years shy of 100. Several of her children would join her at Maplewood in years to come. They all outlived her and several had inherited her longetivity.

Lillie Wheeler Resha passed in 1968.

Johnny in 1970.

Helen Irene Wheeler Austin in 1987, soon followed by Ethel Mabel Waldron in 1989.

Oldest son, Weakley Charley Wheeler, first to arrive and last to leave , diedJune 19, 1990 at the age of 99.

None of them inherited the unusual moniker  of Pembroke, and with the passing of Pimmie LeighWheeler, the name was laid to rest.

A Pembroke Welsh Corgi