RamonaCreel.com

They say “it’s the nuts that make a family tree worth shaking.” If that’s true, I have one of the most worthwhile bits of arboreal genealogy currently planted in the terra firma! However, mah-sweetie’s-and-my own personal reproductive practices have effectively tourniquetted this particular vein of our tribal bloodline (as I atone for a centuries-long arterial spray of hereditary overpopulation). The following online accounting (paired with a healthy dose of ancestral snarkiness) is pretty much the only fruit coming from these loins — so please enjoy my meager contributions to what I’ve affectionately dubbed “Da Tree.”

Mother Nature’s Fault, Or Society’s?

Spending time amid kith and kin, I’m fascinated to see which traits I must have inherited at birth, versus those that clearly rubbed off from later-life interactions. Said experience is both eye-opening and more-than-just-a-little-bit frightening — it’s also proof-positive that (despite my favorite childhood adoption fantasies) I am legitimately sprung from the Creel-Lacy-May-Mount womb. All I can say is, god help me!

The whole fam-damily shares a collective propensity for over-analysis, a strong sarcastic streak, a talent for finding bargains, and a tendency toward addictive behavior. Not a one of us can hold a tan to save our lives. We sport a strange sense of humor that outsiders never seem to get. We’re all pretty seriously directionally-impaired. And everyone except me sucks ginormous donkey phalli (I’m talking hard-enough-to-cause-penile-hematoma) when it comes to healthy domestic boundaries.

Seriously. The family motto should be, “Tough love? Was ist das?”

(Well, only if we had more German broth mixed into our congenital stock — brimming with Scots-Irish-whiskey as we are, I guess it should really be, “Tough love? Yer bum’s oot the windae. Up yer arse wi’ it!”)

I was also gifted (or in some cases cursed) with a trait from each of my closest relatives. Momma’s wrinkledy hands and daddy’s big ole flappy feet, Ricky’s fuck-you ‘tude, the interesting word usements Patsy structures, Linda’s control-freakiness — Lizzie Ruth’s flaming follicular pigmentation, Justin’s bipolar mood swings, and the Lacy-girl nose. (Thank you so very flipping much, Herrell and Odessa!)

In other ways I couldn’t be more different from these people, were I genetically-mutated from an alien cell sample in a petri dish. I’m agnostic-to-the-core and progressive-as-hell (bumping endless philosophical heads with the rest of them alt-right-red-state-southern-baptist-wingnuts), the only intentionally childfree one in the bunch, materially minimalistic (raised by hoardy-types), a full-time wanderluster surrounded by folks who act like travel causes spontaneous combustion. I’m figuratively-in-terms-of-paternity-but-literally-in-the-hair-color-and-sore-thumb-sense this group’s official red-headed stepchild — however considering both my personal proclivities and the brood into which I was hatched, I’m fine holding the title of Family Weirdo!

Are You Kin? Bless Yore Heart…

At least I come from a “colorful” history. (I believe that’s the polite euphemism for, “Damn girl, y’all screwed up!”) We’ve tracked down ten generations of clanspeeps. And to be sure, ye olde pedigree includes a few pilgrims, a politician or two, couple war heroes — but then again, that’s a tad less impressive when you see the heaping helping of drunks, deadbeats, and degenerates they stand alongside.

(Like my brother, pictured here in I believe it was 1974 — stoned-right-the-hell-out-of-his-gourd during our JC Penney portrait sitting. Nice anniversary gift for the parents, right?)

We’ve got weirdities in every direction. You’ll find inbreeding cousins, ties to a Declaration-signer and our country’s first president, a town-founder, sow attacks and death-by-pine-needle, murders and suicides, Dickensian abandonment-in-an-orphanage and a marriage that links my red-headed heiney directly to the cherokee nation. (Of course you’d never know from looking at me — apparently them irish genes decided to beat the ever loving shit out of anything native-american they caught trying to take a toehold!) Not to mention the fact that it’s a damned prolific lineage — one great-great-great-great grandfather impregnated two wives with 26 offspring. Holy crap!

And I don’t even want to know what kind of crack these people were smoking when they named their kids. An idiotic level of nomenclatural repetition (generation after generation calling their sproglodytes “Richard” or “William” or “Thomas” — as well as multiple sibs all bearing the same frigging moniker) might lead one to think that my antecedents had no imagination. But we’ve also got Narcissus and Trezbant, Warmly and Absalom, Sofrony and Izora — with a few Andrew Jacksons, Daniel Websters, and George Washingtons thrown in for good measure. (Thank goodness there are no Nathan Bedford Forrests — knowing these confederate-flag-waving fools, I wouldn’t have been the least bit surprised.)

I’m Eccentric? Wait ‘Til You Meet The Fam!

I’m from the south. We don’t hide our dysfunction. We park its butt in a chair on the front porch, serve it a cocktail (possibly sweet tea if it’s currently on the wagon between rehab-tours-of-duty) — invite the whole crew over, then spend the better part of a Sunday afternoon reminiscing and blessing hearts.

My immediate tribe is a walking, talking Tennessee Williams play. Start with half our relatives not speaking to the rest at any given moment, add an unhealthy dose of beyond-the-grave grudge-holding, toss in a handful of delusion/denial, mix with a cup of resentment toward anyone who chooses to live or think a little differently than the norm — bake at 450 degrees inside a smoldering passive-aggression, then top with a fair sprinkling of flash-paper violence thrown in for excitement. Yummers!

Insanity doesn’t run in this family. It walks through very slowly and deliberately, developing deep personal relationships with each and every one of us. Our kind wears “hot mess” like a badge of honor — and boy howdy, do my forebears have a lot to be proud of! We’ve produced ancestors all across the spectrum, from slightly-left-of-center, to pathologically-embarrassing-in-public, to full-on-shithouse-rat status.

(And EVERYONE gets bumped up a notch when the sauce starts flowing!)

Just look at these photos I stole from my mother’s picture albums (hover over the thumbnail to view a full-size version of each) — some of them are totally deranged! Especially those old-timey ones, where even the babies have that “I-will-cut-you-and-then-drop-a-poo-bomb-in-my-huggies” glint in their eyes.

 

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So that’s my best attempt at a comprehensive derivation. But this “tombstones-and-census-polls” thing doesn’t exactly give me an intellectual boner (nor does it help that I have zero patience with the inaccuracies and disorganization that pepper most user-driven genealogy websites) — so those of you clantastic house members with more researchy inclinations, please let me know if I got anything wrong.

Last In Line — And I’m Okay With That

I’ve always been the black-sheep, the redheaded (literally) step child — and thus, my family  relationships have always been topsy-turvy. Over the years, I’ve learned to hold my chosen tribe in higher regard than those thrust upon me through an accident of biology. I very much subscribe to the original wording of that old “blood is thicker than water” proverb (back when “blood of the covenant” was seen as more viscous than “water of the womb,” placing a far greater premium on those with whom you share values than dna) — but not-so-much post-word-twist (when communal-vag-squirtage became the end-all-be-all litmus test for loyalty).

Fortunately, this progenitorial nonsense has introduced me to a whole planetful of extended seconds and thirds and once-or-twice-removeds. Along the way, I’ve connected with a pile of broad-minded, socio-politically-awesome cohorts of an epithelial/erythrocytic nature — so proud to have claimed these crazy fuckers and now call them mine! One of our favorite things to do as mah-sweetie-and-I travel the globe is meet up with distant kinfolk — so if anyone wants a reunion, holler and we’ll party!

(And I’m sorry if my suggesting that your great-great-grand-uncle looked like he might go all “bad seed” on somebody’s ass upset you. But it’s true, you know — he looks like a tiny serial killer.

With that haircut. And those short pants.)

Richard’s Side — Creel/Creele Family Genealogy

I got Creel blood (the hematological equivalent of demons) from my father’s paternal side running all through me — ALL through me! (Sorry, but when you visit RamonaLand, you’re gonna have to deal with me yanking obscure movie quotes out of my butt. Can’t help it. It’s hereditary. Blame Richard.)

Fly-Fishing And Sheepslaughter

Folks who sell genealogical paraphernalia in those twee little tourist shops tell me this fish-baskety moniker hails from a mutt-mix of bog-trotting-haggis-snorting-lime-sucking ancestors. And while my dna reading largely agrees, less-profit-driven historians have suggested that all Creels are actually descended from the wandering gallic sperm of one Robert De Criol.

(I wouldn’t be surprised. Plop a randy frenchman with a thick accent and a mouth full of camembert down amid a gaggle of gorgeous irishwomen — he’s bound to end up with a few misspelled redheaded offspring!)

Other questionable nomenclatural origins aside, this ancient norman honorific apparently also accompanied a pile of raping/pillaging northumberland marauders to the british isles when they got all conquesty in 1066.

And if my peeps are represented on a tapestry, you know they’re dead fucking center of the chaos — hair flaming, swords flying, causing a lotta trouble!

If you’re reading this, I assume you’re kinfolk (or just so flipping bored at work, any available interwebz rabbit hole looks like a viable escape hatch). But do you know what our name actually means? My fave response is the grossly-overused-but-never-not-hilarious “total lunatic.” Only slightly less awesome is being asked if I fly fish — seriously? If you’ve seen the damage I can do myself with a shampoo bottle, you know I should never be allowed to fling sharp pointy pieces of metal around in the air!

A less-popular-but-still-literal translation has me answering to Ramona Spinningbobbin, Ramona Turfcart, Ramona Oatrock, or Ramona Sheepslaughter (not likely — ‘cept that last one). I prefer more personality-apropos derivations, like Ramona Head-Over-Heels-Clumsy-With-Excitement (there’s a reason my momma didn’t name me “Grace”) and Ramona Temporary-Aberration (which really oughta be “Ramona Permanent Freakitude”). It also makes me snicker to know that our most common linguistic permutations are “cruel,” “curl,” and “girl” — it’s like the word itself was just waiting for me to burst into existence!

Is Minic A Bhris Béal Duine A Shrón

To be fair, we’ve never made carrying this name easy. Just ask mah sweetie — who “creeled” a container-o-rocks on his back until I ceremonially relieved him of said bachelorhood-burden during our wedding-of-the-century.

(Isn’t he just the best? Everybody should have someone love them enough to risk a hernia proving matrimonial devotion — and damn, but those Clan MacDuff highlanders know how to make the groom earn that sweet nuptial-night snatch!)

Plus, a super-cool crest! That charming helmet-minus-top-of-the-head-with-brains-floating-outside-its-skull marks my primogenitors as both cerebral and war-like — nothing about that has changed very much in the modern era (the Creel hive-mind fairly overfloweth with useless knowledge, and you DEFINITELY don’t want to piss us off). The colors are a lovely blend of irish green and scots yellow. And ye olde clan motto translates as “I linger not for blows” — I’m guessing a goodly smack to a predecessor’s cranium knocked something irreparably loose, and the rest of us decided not hang around waiting for whoever engaged in said clockage to finish the job. (We may not be the best compatriots to have next to you in battle!)

A not-so-famous historian once said, “The defining characteristic of all Creels is their seemingly never-ceasing movement.” Who knows what the hell we’re running from (besides the devil — that’s a no-brainer), but clearly I’m not the first in this bloodline with itchy feet. Give us a minute and we’ll spread like an orthographically-challenged virus! We’ve got crumpet-stuffer “Cryles” and “Creeles.” (Spelling didn’t settle down until my great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great grandfather was born.) Our more shamrocky relations were first seen in County McCreeley (which in gaelic as “McRaghailaigh” has way too fucking many letters — thank god we weren’t welsh). We gots us a lovely little mexican settlement nestled near Copper Canyon, a township in North Dakota, a plural version in West Virginia — and we also call dibs on a scotch-whiskey-soaked fishing village near Dumfries. Break out the Laphroaig!

My folk are a glorious franken-mix of penny-pinching teuchters and drunken celts, with some dry brit humor and froggy ‘tude thrown in for good measure — the best of all stereotypes, blended into one! (And a valid genetic excuse having my interests scattered all over the freaking board!)

 

• John Cryle (b. 1600 / d. unknown in England)

– baptised at Spofforth All Saints in Yorkshire

Descendants Of John Cryle (Creele)

• wife Margarett Good (b. / d. unknown)

– parents were unknown
– married at St Sepulchre in Holborn, London

• son John (b. 1658 in England / d. May 18, 1720 in Northumberland, VA)
• son Charles (b.1666 in England / d. unknown in Richmond, VA)

Descendants Of John Creele

– was a planter — purchased 60 acres of land in VA on September 21, 1693

• wife Elizabeth Anne Wilson (b. 1660 in England / d. May 1727 in Richmond, VA)

– parents were unknown

• son John Creel (b. 1678 in Richmond, VA / d. unknown in Hagerstown, MD)
• son George (b. 1680 / d. April 23, 1727 in Richmond, VA)
• son Charles Thomas (b. 1682 / d. April 23, 1727 in Northumberland, VA)
• son Thomas (b. 1685 / d. April 23, 1727 in Richmond, VA)

Descendants Of Charles Thomas Creel

• wife Elizabeth Harrison (b. October 20, 1690 / d. May 1727 in Northumberland, VA)

– parents were Benjamin Harrison III and Elizabeth Burwell

• son Absalom (b. 1706 in Richmond, VA / d. 1769 in Amelia, VA)
• son Thomas (b. 1708 in Richmond, VA / d. 1789 in Pittsylvania, VA)
• son William (b. April 17, 1712 in Richmond, VA / d. April 23, 1757 in Prince William, VA)
• son Charles (b. December 5, 1715 in Northumberland, VA / d. 1790 in Robeson, NC)

– on 1778 American Revolution muster roll for 8th Virginia Regimental Command

• daughter Mary Ann (b. October 4, 1717  / d. 1790 in Northumberland, VA)
• son Harrison (b. 1719 in Richmond, VA / d. 1790 in Dobbs Co, VA)
• daughter Hannah (b.February 17, 1721 in Northumberland, VA / d. unknown)
• son John (b. February 28, 1723 in Northumberland, VA / d. 1793 in Culpeper, VA)

– on 1777 American Revolution muster roll for 12th Virginia Regimental Command

• son Warmly (b. 1727 / d. unknown)

Descendants Of William Creel

• first wife Alice Dodson (b. 1711 / d. 1740 in Richmond, VA)

– parents were Thomas Dodson and Mary Durham

• daughter Sarah (b. 1730 in Richmond, VA / d. July 3, 1803)
• son John (b. February 28, 1732 in Richmond, VA / d. 1787 in  Pittsylvania, VA)
• son Mathew (b. 1734 in Richmond, VA / d. unknown)
• unnamed son (b. 1738 in Richmond, VA / d. unknown)
• son William (b. 1740 in Richmond, VA / d. 1827 in Prince William, VA)

– son’s wife Mary Ball was 5th cousin of George Washington’s mother

• second wife Anne (b. / d. unknown)

– parents were unknown

• son George (b. unknown / d. 1832 in GA)
• daughter Lucy (b. / d. unknown)

Descendants Of John Creel

– first pastor of the Birch Creek Mill Baptist Church in Pittsylvania County
– a “most amiable man universally loved by all descriptions of people”
– accidentally killed by a falling log while helping in the raising of a house
– his church is still around, the oldest in continuous operation in the area

• wife Rhoda “Rosannah” Dodson (b. 1744 in Fauquier, VA / d. 1821 in Pittsylvania, VA)

– parents were Rev. Thomas Jesse Dodson II and Elizabeth Good Rose

• son John Jr. (b. 1758 in Pittsylvania, VA / d. 1820 in Jasper GA)
• son Thomas (b. 1760 in Pittsylvania VA / d. August 7, 1840 in Green, GA)

– served as a Private in the 1st Virginia State Regiment during the Revolutionary War

• daughter Molly “Mary” (b. February 12, 1764 in Prince William, VA / d. unknown)
• daughter Alice (b. August 11, 1765 in Prince William, VA / d. 1793)
• son Micajah (b. 1771 in Prince William, VA / d. 1825 in Maury, TN)
• son John (b. 1773 in Prince William, VA / d. 1836 in Washington Co, IL)
• son Elijah (b. 1775 in Pittsylvania, VA / d. December 20, 1844 in Hart Co, KY)
• son William (b. 1775 in Pittsylvania, VA / d. after 1844 in Davidson, TN)

– 1814 served as Captain of a Tennessee militia company in the War of 1812

• daughter Rhoda (b. 1779 in Pittsylvania, VA / d. 1803)

Descendants Of Thomas Creel

• wife Harriett Phoebe Dodson (b. April 24, 1763 in Fauquier, VA / d. 1826 in Allen Co, KY)

– parents were Joshua Dodson and Ruth Rose

• daughter Nancy (b. July 24, 1785 in Surry, NC / d. August 7, 1840 in Case, GA)
• son John (b. April 23, 1788 in Jasper, GA / d. March 29, 1833 in Newton, GA)
• daughter Mary Elizabeth (b. 1790 in Surry, NC / d. March 29, 1833 in Bibb, AL)
• son Joshua (b. 1792 in Surry, NC / d. September 20, 1838 in Bibb, AL)
• son Elijah (b. 1795 in Greene, GA / d. 1856 in Williamson, KY)
• daughter Lorna (b. 1800 in Greene, GA / d. unknown)
• son William (b. 1802 in Newton, GA / d. 1880 in Oakman, AL)
• daughter Phoebe (b. September 10, 1804 in Greene, GA / d. July 4, 1869 in Bibb, AL)

Descendants Of John Creel

• wife Mary “Polly” Belcher (b. 1794 in GA / d. 1852)

– parents were Matthew Belcher and Alcey
– in 1850, was “visiting her people” when she tired of riding in the wagon
– while walking behind, slipped on pine needles
– fell, broke her hip, and was never able to walk again

• son Thomas (b. November 15, 1811 in Oglethorpe, GA / d. May 22, 1878 in Bibb, AL)
• daughter Nancy (b. January 10, 1813 in Oglethorpe, GA / d. March 27, 1833 in Bibb, AL)
• son William (b. March 22, 1814 in Oglethorpe, GA / d. May 31, 1888 in Carroll, GA)
• son George D. (b. October 16, 1815 in Oglethorpe, GA / d. October 6, 1897 in Walker, AL)

– served as a Private in the CSA 27th Regiment, Georgia Infantry, Company E

• son Green B. (b. December 31, 1816 in Oglethorpe, GA / d. November 27, 1830 in Carroll, GA)
• daughter Rebecca (b. April 19, 1818 in Oglethorpe, GA / d. unknown)

– married her cousin George Creel

• daughter Elizabeth (b. May 18, 1819 in Oglethorpe, GA / d. unknown)
• son Jasper Creel (b. October 9, 1820 in Oglethorpe, GA / d. unknown)

– married his first cousin Ann Hughes

• daughter Phebe (b. February 22, 1822 in Oglethorpe, GA / d. April 30, 1881 in Grimes, TX)
• son Joshua (b. October 9, 1823 in Oglethorpe, GA / d. unknown)
• daughter Martha A. (b. December 12, 1824 in Oglethorpe, GA / d. December 16, 1902)
• son Elijah (b. February 4, 1826 in Oglethorpe, GA / d. January 1903 in Nagogdoches, TX)

– served in the CSA 20th regiment, Mississippi Infantry

• son Jonathan (b. October 26, 1827 / d. January 1858 in Bibb, AL)

– married his first cousin Elizabeth Creel

• son Newton (b. March 4, 1829 / d. June 28, 1878 in Jefferson Co, AL)

– served in the CSA 20th regiment, Alabama infantry

• son Matthew Morgan (b. February 4, 1831 / d. March 9, 1908 in Jefferson Co, AL)

– served in the CSA Camp Of Instruction in Talladega, AL

• daughter Alcey J. (b. February 4, 1831 / d. in infancy)

– Matthew Morgan and Alcey were fraternal twins

• son Joel D. (b. January 9, 1833 / d. November 1864)

– served in the CSA Camp Of Instruction in Talladega — died in service

Descendants Of George D. Creel

• wife Harriet Belcher (b. August 25th, 1810 / d. November 3, 1875 in Clayton, GA)

– parents were William Belcher and unknown

• son Hampton T. (b. 1835 in Jasper, GA / d. October 8, 1862 in Sharpsburg, MD)

– served in Clayton County’s “Estes Guards” — wounded in the Battle Of Atlanta
– served in the Army Of N. Virginia 44th Regiment, Georgia Infantry, Company D
– enlisted on March 4, 1862 and was elected 2nd Lieutenant on July 2, 1862
– wounded at Sharpsburg on September 17, 1862 and died

• daughter Narcissus (b. 1838 in GA / d. unknown)
• daughter Dorothy E. (b. 1839 in Clayton, GA / d. unknown)
• son Dorsey (b. 1839 in Clayton, GA / d. unknown)
• son Truston (b. 1840 in Clayton, GA / d. 1863)
• son Trezbant (b. 1841 in GA / d. 1863)

– served in CSA, unit unknown — died in service

• daughter Sofrony S. (b. 1842 in Newton, GA / d. unknown)
• son William L. (b. 1842 in Newton, GA / d. unknown)
• daughter Margaret Mahala (b. December 13, 1843 in GA / d. June 5, 1937 in Carroll, GA)
• son George Daniel (b. July 10, 1845 in Newton, GA / d. April 2, 1925 in Mandeville, GA)

– served in the CSA, unit unknown

• son Elisha S. (b. 1847 in Newton, GA / d. February 13, 1920 in Mandeville, GA)

– too young to serve in the CSA
– was recruited to burn Atlanta before Sherman could get there to plunder it
– captured by Union troops then later released
– went on to Washington D.C. as secretary to Joe Starnes

• son Joseph H. (b. November 10, 1850 in Newton, GA / d. January 26, 1941 in Boaz, AL)
• son J.A. (b. November 10, 1850 in Newton, GA / d. 1860)

– J.A. and Joseph were identical twins
– J.A. was killed by an old sow and Joseph got a scar on his upper lip
– always wore a mustache to cover it

• son Andrew Jackson (b. December 25, 1852 in Clayton, GA / d. April 18, 1916 in College Park, MD)
• son Joshua (b. 1852 in Clayton, GA / d. April 16, 1916 in College Park, MD)

Descendants Of Hampton T. Creel

• first wife Martha Ann Walden (b. 1831 / d. October 7, 1852 in Jasper, GA)

– parents were unknown

• second wife Mary Wallis (b. unknown / d. unknown)

– parents were unknown

• son William Hampton (b. April 7, 1854 in Fayette, GA / d. September 4, 1890 in Boaz, AL)

– died of typhoid fever

• daughter Julia (b. 1856 in Fayette, GA / d. unknown)
• son Joseph J. (b. 1859 in Fayette, GA / d. unknown)

Descendants Of William Hampton Creel

• wife Martha Alamedia Chappell (b. December 31, 1857 in GA / d. November 17, 1910 in Boaz, AL)

– parents were William Chappell and Mary McCullum
– only one picture ever taken of Martha, shot while she was sick and bed-ridden
– family carried her out to the yard in a rocking chair for the photo

• daughter Ophelia (b. December 29, 1875 in Cleburne, GA / d. March 17, 1965 in  Morgan, AL)
• daughter Izora (b. February 21, 1877 in Cleburne, GA / d. June 14, 1951)
• son Felix Arthur (b. December 1878 in Cleburne, AL / d. 1919 in Ranger, TX)

– broke a window and was afraid he would get in trouble, so he went west
– was gone for several years without communicating with anyone in the family
– on his way home when he got sick and died of typhoid fever
– wife Minnie put his 6 children in an orphanage — Baby Felix Jr. died there in 1921
– she later took the boys (James Earl, Richmond, and Wheeler) back with her
– it’s said she did it so they could work in the fields for her
– left the girls (Izora and Lillie Laura) at the orphanage

• son Walter William (b. April 10, 1880 in Fayetteville, GA / d. August 19, 1956 in Boaz, AL)

– was a farmer and owned 4 farms in the Boaz area
– he and Bonnie also owned and operated the Creel Mercantile Store
– he served 4 terms as mayor of Boaz

• son Charles “Charlie” Hampton (b. June 30, 1882 in Boaz, AL / d. November 22, 1967 in Cullman, AL)
• son Elisha E. (b. November 27, 1883 in Boaz, AL / d. November 28, 1968 in Hale, AL)
• son Thomas Asbury (b. November 11, 1887 in Boaz, AL / d. October 26, 1970 in Jasper, AL)
• son George Washington (b. February 14, 1891 in Boaz, AL / d. January 22, 1981 in Boaz, AL)

Descendants Of Walter William Creel

• wife Bonnie Cornelius Hazel (b. February 3, 1884 / d. November 17, 1965 in Boaz, AL)

– parents were Samuel Hazel and Nora Crump

• son Covan Benson (b. September 12, 1903 in Boaz, AL / d. June 3, 1981 in Jefferson Co, AL)
• son Claude William (b. June 9, 1905 in Boaz, AL / d. August 5, 1977 in Nashville, TN)
• son Justin Cornelius (b. April 4, 1906 in Boaz, AL / d. June 19, 1939 in Jefferson Co, AL)

– Justin committed suicide and his 12-year-old son found the body

• son Eugene Howard (b. January 29, 1910 in Boaz, AL / d. June 17, 1970 in Las Vegas, NV)
• daughter Faynelle (b. April 23, 1914 in Boaz, AL / d. June 2, 1952 in Pulaski, TN)

•  

Richard’s Side — Mount/Mont Family Genealogy

I was delivered from down off the Mount on my father’s maternal side, just like a pair of stone-flipping tablets — albeit much less biblically and minus the 40 days/nights in a cloud, false-idol worship, or massacre of 3,000 levites. (I’m irreligious ‘cuz I don’t believe the stories, not ‘cuz I don’t know them!)

Dirt Clods And Unicorns

Our toponymic surname arises from the old-english munt and old-french mont — again with the norman-conquesty stuff. The thing is, none of the Mounts I know are especially equestrian. And I’m unaware of any strange erotic predilections or requiring-of-assistive-device sexual dysfunctions that would have led to such nomenclature. So before you state the obvious — yes, this branch of my tribal tree is named after a gigantic clump of dirt.

What can I say — you take the low road, I’ll take the high road, and I’ll get to Haggistani way-the-freak afore ye. (And that means more Laphroig for me!)

My posse proudly represents a land filled with beautiful countrysides, homey pubs, kick-ass tv, and impenetrable accents — these fools are the reason I possess a fondness for bagpipe music, Eccleston-forward Doctor Who, beans-on-toast-with-fried-tomato-but-sans-the-black-pudding, Eurythmics, curling, oatcakes, distinguished-Red-October-rather-than-greasy-stand-too-close-and-catch-a-social-disease-007-era Sean Connery, and canned vegetarian haggis.

(Made with lentils. No really, it’s pretty tasty — I serve it with neeps, tatties, and mustard-whiskey sauce.)

Our motto “pruder et constanter” means “pride and constant” — which is quite possibly the strangest combination of a noun and an adjective the western world has ever seen. I could get on board with “constant pride,” or “proud constancy.” But even once you straighten out the abysmally-fucked-up grammar, it’s still weird. (Especially when you remember that said slogan was meant to be a frigging war cry!) I know we kilty-types don’t actually speak the queen’s english. But you’d think that (linguistically clever as we think we are, and considering how much we enjoy the fine art of verbal masturbation), my clan could’ve come up with something a bit more threatening — and a tad less illiterate.

Must be some bizarre mathematical analogy, designed to confuse and confound our enemies.

Yeah. I’m sure that’s it.

Better Tae Bust Oot Than Rust Oot

The greatest hereditary gift given me by the tartan crew is my fiery crimson hair. (Only 2% of the world’s population is redheaded — that makes us the genetic equivalent of unicorns. And yes, we do poop rainbow ice cream.)

Everything about the ginger existence is superior to what you “normal” people experience. Our urine was thought poisonous, our blood believed capable of converting copper into gold. We were burned as witches and staked as vampires in the old country — which you have to admit is sexy as hell.

We claim the most sardonic writer (Mark Twain). The hottest cartoon character (Jessica Rabbit). The most committed martyrs (Joan d’Arc and Galileo). The most tortured artists (a tie between VanGogh and Sylvia Plath). The most musically-inspirational would-be-assassin (Squeaky Fromme). The best disney princess. The coolest wizards. The most interesting prince. The funniest comedians. We have Pippi Longstocking, Judas Iscariot, and Chuck NORRIS, for fuck’s sake! We’re so awesome, there are even people out there that become obsessed with us, overtaken by a redhead fetish — the condition is called rutiluphilia.

No contest. We win.

Another thing I inherited from them damned caber-tossers was a terrible memory. Seriously — I have to meet someone 27 times before I can recall their name, and even then it’s hit-or-miss. (I once blanked while introducing friends I’d known for more than a decade!) But the folks in plaid have a word for the brain-fart that causes such embarrassment. “Tartle” — the awkward moment that occurs as you rummage around in the recesses of your mind, searching for some clue about who the hell that other person is.

My favorite thistle-arsed cousins have extended the concept of “thrift” into their language — with some wonderfully concise scottishisms that each sum up a complex concept in a single word. “Nashgab” is talking trash about someone behind their back. “Turadh” indicates a break in the clouds between showers. “Camhanaich” describes early-morning twiglight. “Beflum” means to deceive through insincere flattery. “Faodail” is a lucky find. “Splang” represents the sparkling light that you see on the surface of choppy water. “Fouter” means a fiddly, tiresome job of work — simultaneously mind-numbing and detailed. “Wheesht” is what you holler at children when you want them to shut the hell up. “Chebs” is a woman baring her breasts. “Skelp” describes smacking someone upside the head for being dumb or annoying. And “bonailie” is that last parting drink before you head out the door at the end of a party. Perfecto!

Brevity — a skill I much appreciate, even if I have no intention of ever practicing it myself.

(And don’t ask me to pronounce any of that mess, either!)

 

• Harry Mount (b. 1540 in Kent, England / d. unknown)

– lived in the village of Boughton Aluph

Descendants Of Harry Mount

• wife unknown (b. / d. unknown)

• son Gregory Mount (b. 1559 in Kent, England / d. August 12, 1625 in Folkestone, England)

Descendants Of Gregory Mount

• wife Tonisyre Blackgoorne (b. April 12, 1562 / d. July 7, 1599 in Kent, England)

– were married October 16, 1587 in Godmersham, England

• son John (b. 1588 in Kent, England / d. unknown)
• son Richard (b. December 1, 1588 in Kent, England / d. January 24, 1693 in Kennington, England)
  
• son George (b. January 1589 in Kent, England / d. unknown)
• son Laurence (b. 1594 in Kent, England / d. unknown)
• son Gregory Jr. (b. 1597 in Kent, England / d. unknown)

Descendants Of Richard Mount

• wife Joan Owre (b. 1590 in Kent, England / d. September 29, 1631 in Boughton, England)

– parents were unknown

• daughter Dorithie (b. January 1611 in Kent, England / d. unknown)
• son Thomas (b. February 1612 in Kent, England / d. unknown)
• daughter Priscilla (b. July 1619 in Kent, England / d. unknown)
• son John (b. February 1621 in Kent, England / d. unknown)

• George Mount (b. March 18, 1626 in Boughton, England / d. August 31, 1705 in Monmouth, NJ)

– baptized in the nonconformist parish Boughton Aluph in Kent
– believed to have arrived at Salem, MA in 1650
– joined a Baptist Colony in RI, rather than be branded a nonbeliever by the puritans
– purchased land from natives at the end of the English-Dutch War in 1664
– among the original founders of Middletown, NJ and town overseer
– awarded home lot #10 and outlot #18 in December 1667
– deputy to the first General Assembly, held at Portland Point in 1668 and 1669
– was a journeyman blacksmith, a valuable occupation to the colony
– a “constituent member” of the Middletown Baptist Church, the first in NJ
– purchased joint tracts of land in West Jersey at Cohancey with his father-in-law

• son Daniel (b. May 1631 in Boughton, England / d. unknown)

Descendants Of George Mount

• wife Katherine Borden (b. 1635 in Sussex, England / d. 1705 in Middletown, NJ)

– parents were Benjamin Borden and No-Name Morgett

• son Matthias (b. August 1650 in Providence, RI / d. 1695 in Middletown, NJ)

• Richard Mount (b. 1655 in Providence, RI / d. January 23, 1735 in Cranbury, NJ)

– received 185 acres of land from his father on April 13, 1698
– it’s believed that this gift cut him off as an heir-at-law
– moved to Cranbury, NJ in 1711 after an argument with the Elders of the Baptist Church
– was a practicing Presbyterian from that day forward

• daughter Katherine (b. 1663 in Providence, RI / d. 1702 in Cranbury, NJ)
• son Thomas (b. 1665 in Providence, RI / 1676 in Middletown, NJ)

Descendants Of Richard Mount

• first wife Rebecca Wall (b. 1656 in Gravesend, NY / d. 1723 in Cranbury, NJ)

– parents were Walter Wall and Annetje Rachel Cox
– father emigrated from Baverstock in Wiltshire, England around 1635
– mother followed some time before 1648

• daughter Sarah (b. 1687 / d. 1769 in Middletown, NJ)
• son John (b. 1691 in Upper Freehold, NJ / d. March 29, 1772 in Halifax, VA)
• daughter Ann (b. 1695 in Middletown, NJ / d. March 29, 1765 in Upper Freehold, NJ)

• George Mount (b. 1695 in Middletown, NJ / d. May 15, 1769 in Lower Freehold, NJ)

– was a Constable for Piscataqua, NJ
– served as a defendant and plaintiff in law suits in 1715, 1716, and 1718

• son Humphrey (b. 1699 in Middletown, NJ / d. August 20, 1761 in Cranbury, NJ)

– listed as a Private in the American Revolution muster rolls

• son Richard (b. 1700 in Midlothian, NJ / d. July 22, 1777 in Upper Freehold, NJ)
• son Matthias III (b. July 1706 in Middlettown, NJ / d. April 7, 1971 in Cranbury, NJ)

• second wife unknown

– parents were unknown

• daughter Rebecca (b. 1721 in Middletown, NJ / d. unknown in Upper Freehold, NJ)
• son John (b. 1723 in Middletown, NJ / d. September 27, 1779)

Descendants Of George Mount

• wife Sarah Vaughn (b. 1699 in Upper Freehold, NJ / d. 1746 in Lunenberg, VA)

– parents were unknown

• daughter Francis (b. 1715 in Upper Freehold, NJ / d. 1718)
• son Thomas (b. 1716 in Upper Freehold, NJ / d. unknown)
• daughter Hannah (b. 1717 / d. 1787 in Upper Freehold, NJ)
• daughter Rebecca (b. 1718 in Upper Freehold, NJ / d. unknown)
• daughter Francis (b. 1719 in Monmouth, NJ / d. unknown)
• son John (b. 1720 in Cranburg, NJ / d. 1790 in Halifax, VA)
• daughter Hannah (b. 1736 in Monmouth, NJ / d. 1793 in Middletown, NJ)
• daughter Mary (b. 1744 in Birmingham, NJ / d. 1787)

Descendants Of John Mount

• first wife Susannah Lee (b. 1723 in Middlesex, NJ / d. unknown)

– parents were unknown

• son John Mount (b. 1729 / d. May 11, 1804 in Piscataway NJ)

• second wife Susannah Matthews (b. 1719 in Middlesex, VA / d. 1803 in Halifax, VA)

– parents were unknown

• son Humphrey (b. 1734 in NJ / d. unknown)
• son John (b. 1734 in NJ / d. 1798)
• son William (b. 1739 in NJ / d. 1812)
• son David (b. 1741 in NJ / d. unknown)
• daughter No-Name (b. 1748 in Lunenberg, VA / d. unknown)
• son John (b. 1748 in Lunenberg, VA / d. 1820 in Sevier, TN)
• son Thomas (b. 1740 in Lunenberg, VA / d. December 11, 1834 in Rockingham, NC)

– served in New Jersey during the Revolutionary War

• Matthias Mount (b. January 1750 in Lunenberg, VA / d. December 11, 1834 in Rockingham, NC)
  

– fought in the War of 1812
– listed as a “lucky drawer” in the 1827 Georgia land lottery
– listed in muster rolls of the North Carolina militia

• son John (b. 1752 in Lunenberg, VA / d. 1795 in Jefferson, TN)
• son Richard (b. 1758 in Lunenberg, VA / d. unknown)

– served in the Commonwealth Of Massachusetts during the Revolutionary War

• son William (b. 1761 in Lunenberg, VA / d. April 24, 1824 in Clinton, OH)
• son Thomas (b. 1766 in Lunenberg, VA / d. unknown)

Descendants Of Matthias Mount

• wife Priscilla “Sillie” Pickney (b. February 5, 1757 in VA / d. December 24, 1817 in Rockingham, NC)

– parents were unknown

• daughter Asley (b. / d. unknown)
• daughter Nancy (b. / d. unknown)
• son William (b. 1778 in Rockingham, NC / d. 1850 in Cainesville, TN)
• son Richard (b. September 2, 1789 in Rockingham, NC / d. December 16, 1870 in Cainesville, TN)
• son Matthias (b. 1792 in Rockingham, NC / d. April 10, 1877 in Glenwood, AL)
• son John (b. 1794 in Rockingham, NC / d. 1889 in Pana, IL)

Descendants Of Matthias Mount

• wife Mary King (b. October 14, 1797 in Rockingham, NC / d. September 11, 1883 in Glenwood, AL)

– parents were Nehemiah King and Ann Director Williams

• daughter Sarah (b. January 4, 1816 in Jones Co, GA / d. 1911)
• son John H. (b. April 10, 1817 in Jones Co, GA / d. November 26, 1879 in Glenwood, AL)
• son William Pinckney (b. July 3, 1819 in Jones Co, GA / d. January 7, 1892 in Glenwood, AL)

– served as a Private in Company C of the CSA 46th Alabama Infantry

• daughter Elisabeth (b. November 1822 in Jones Co, GA / d. January 2, 1899 in Glenwood, AL)
• daughter Susana (b. April 20, 1827 in Jones Co, GA / d. February 29, 1894 in Glenwood, AL)

Descendants Of William Pinckney Mount

• wife Caroline Albritton (b. November 6, 1822 / d. January 24, 1892 in Glenwood, AL)

– parents were unknown

• • daughter Susannah (b. July 1821 in Jones Co, GA / d. unknown)
  • daughter Elizabeth (b. November 6, 1822 in Jones Co, GA / d. January 2, 1899)
  • daughter Mary (b. May 25, 1824 in Jones Co, GA / d. January 2, 1899)
  • son Thomas J. (b. February 21, 1826 in Jones Co, GA / d. April 20, 1873 in Glenwood, AL)
  • daughter Susannah (b. April 20, 1827 in Jones Co, GA / d. February 28, 1894)
  • daughter Nancy (b. August 7, 1828 in Jones Co, GA / d. unknown)
  • daughter Julianna (b. November 25, 1829 in Jones Co, GA / d. unknown)
  • daughter Matilda (b. 1831 in Jones Co, GA / d. unknown)
  • son James M. (b. November 15, 1832 in Jones Co, GA / d. 1892)
  • son George W. (b. September 19, 1834 in Jones Co, GA / d. 1880)
  • daughter Alsey (b. 1836 in Jones Co, GA / d. unknown)
  • son Andrew (b. 1838 in Jones Co, GA / d. unknown)
  • son Levi Franklin (b. December 17, 1839 in Jones Co, GA / d. December 11, 1920)
  • James Pinkney Mount (b. October 22, 1843 in Jones Co, GA / d. March 20, 1882)
    

– double headstone epitaph “Faithful to their trust even unto death.”

• son Thomas Matthias (b. January 1848 in Jones Co, GA / d. 1910)
• son William F. (b. 1849 in Jones Co, GA / d. unknown)
• son Dennis Levi (b. 1852 in Jones Co, GA / d. January 28, 1883 in Glenwood, AL)

– granddaughter Grace Beatrice and husband died in car accident
– was riding with Selma-To-Montgomery march protestor

• daughter Sarah M. (b. 1854 in Jones Co, GA / d. January 5, 1936)
• daughter Henrietta (b. 1860 in Jones Co, GA / d. unknown)

• second wife Mary Sanders (b. unknown / d. 1862)

– parents were unknown

• third wife Elizabeth Weathersbee (b. August 3, 1838 / d. January 11, 1923)

– parents were unknown

• son Andrew Jackson (b. April 7, 1861 in Jones Co, GA / d. February 2, 1884)
• son Stephen Albritton (b. September 24, 1865 in Jones Co, GA / d. April 7, 1942)

– great-grandson Robert Eric held prisoner in a WWII German hospital

• daughter Cordelia (b. February 21, 1870 in Jones Co, GA / d. December 10, 1917)
• son Daniel Webster (b. September 7, 1875  in Jones Co, GA / d. February 19, 1923)

– killed by a Central Of Georgia railway train

• daughter Ada (b. 1877  in Jones Co, GA / d. unknown)
• son David Harris (b. December 23, 1879 in Jones Co, GA / d. March 13, 1959)
• daughter Nancy Winnie (b. October 17, 1880 in Jones Co, GA / d. October 17, 1942)

Descendants Of James Pinkney Mount

• wife Ruth Ann Milton (b. January 14, 1845 / d. March 10, 1930)

– parents were William M. Milton and Laucretia Weathersby

• son Arthur F. (b. unknown in Jones Co, GA / d. unknown)
• daughter Mary “Willie” Willsberth (b. May 23, 1866 in Jones Co, GA / d. December 3, 1948 in AL)
• daughter Palmira B. (b. September 7, 1868 in Glenwood, AL / d. July 30, 1870)
• son William P. (b. February 25, 1871 in Glenwood, AL / d. September 14, 1887)
• daughter Florence Idell (b. June 6, 1873 in Glenwood, AL / d. March 10, 1947)
• son George A. (b. November 23, 1875 in Glenwood, AL / d. December 18, 1936 in Covington Co, AL)
• son Clements “Clemmie” Lewis (b. September 5, 1879 in Glenwood, AL / d. October 25, 1905 in AL)

– stabbed in the heart and killed by Jess Conners
– murdered in Rich Gilchrist’s store in downtown Brantley
– Conners thought Clements reported him for illegally making whiskey

• daughter Martha (b. 1880 in Glenwood, AL / d. unknown)
• son Martin Lamar (b. November 24, 1881 in Glenwood, AL / d. May 24, 1956)
• son Cecil (b. unknown in Glenwood, AL)

Descendants Of Martin Lamar Mount

• first wife Lemma Adams (b. October 25, 1880 / d. December 12, 1912)

– parents were unknown

• daughter Gladys Lee (b. December 25, 1901 in AL / d. March 16, 1934)

– husband James Watson (b. June 14, 1901 / d. July 6, 1979)
– son James Lamar (b. November 24, 1922)
– son Lloyd Truman (b. December 12, 1924)

• son James Lamar (b. November 4, 1902 in AL / d. October 21, 1903)

• son Cyrus (b. May 25, 1904 in AL / d. September 1, 1966)

– wife Ruth Pendleton (b. October 7, 1907 / d. March 13, 2006)
– daughter Martzelle (b. 1923)

• daughter Elizabeth “Lizzie” Ruth Mount (b. January 5, 1906 in AL / d. April 10, 1988 in Naples, FL)
• son Clyde Hurbert (b. November 4, 1909 in AL / d. December 14, 2002)

– wife Etrula Noel (b. March 27, 1913 / d. June 6, 2003)
– daughter Barbara Jean (b. November 28, 1935)
– son Clyde “Sonny” Jr. (b. October 24, 1939 / d. January 1, 2009)

• daughter Blanche Estelle (b. August 25, 1907 in AL / d. April 12, 2001 in FL)

– was a debutante
– sweetheart of Sigma Alpha Epsilon while attending Sneed Seminary
– husband George Drake (b. Feb 10, 1910 / d. Jul 1, 1986)
– son Harry Lamar Drake (b. / d. unknown)

• second wife Sara Davis (b. January 1, 1888 in AL / d. May 3, 1958)

– parents were unknown

• son Fred Davis (b. November 18, 1923 in AL / d. April 9, 1984 in Orlando, FL)

Descendants Of Justin Cornelius Creel & Elizabeth “Lizzie” Ruth Mount

• daughter Jacqueline L. (b. November 15, 1925 in OH / d. July 20, 1993 in Hollywood, FL)

– husband Robert C. Hammock (b. 1927 / d. November 10, 1977 in FL)

• son Richard Justin (b. April 28, 1927 in OH / d. September 6, 1997 in Naples, FL)

Pearl’s Side — Lacy/Lacey Family Genealogy

I’m descended from the Laceys on my mother’s paternal side. Momma-n-em always spelled it “Lacy” — but apparently somewhere before my grandfather became a reality, the powers that be changed our familial orthography. (Hopefully because of clerical error, rather than a distant relation’s illiteracy.)

Cider And Foreskin

Ye olde moniker originally referred to a town called Lassy on the froggy-not-foggy (see what I did?) side of the channel. I can’t even tell you how much I love the romans for naming this spot after the word “lascius.” (Latin for “lascivious, playful, unbridled, insolent” — these people knew me before I was even born!)

In 1170, our nonmenclature traveled with the anglo-norman “strongbownians” as they invaded the land of taters and guinness. Some claim “Strongbow” De Clare’s sexy sobriquet came via some serious wartime-arrow-flinging abilities — but keep in mind that his eponymous cider’s sibling beverage is named “woodpecker.” Sounds like mad bedroom-dagger skillz to me. (Just sayin’.)

And so the l-word came to represent a small chunk of the emerald isle overtaken by my bumpy-schnozzed tribe. (I can recognize a distant cousin from a mile-and-a-half away by her distinctive profile — that “Lacy-hump” every female relative sports on her face is EXACTLY what happens when you fuck an aquiline nose up with leprechaun genetics.)

And it ain’t just along nasal passages that these two cultures play badly together — translate the old-irish pronunciation of “from Lassy” into old-french and you get “De Leis,” which literally reads as “the buttock.”

(No wonder we like to drink and kill people.)

And since the discussion has turned toward body parts, here’s a random weird-ass bit of trivia (apropos of absolutely NOTHING) that I discovered while falling down one especially interesting/disturbing genealogical-research-rabbit-hole. Did you know that if you want to grossly insult a frenchman, you should call him a “clouf-booter”? Apparently in doing so, you’re suggesting that he’s the type of guy who would steal the fasteners off a lady’s clothes and hide them under his foreskin (like you do) — then after a couple weeks of not washing, leap out of the bushes to fling smegma-buttons at passing women.

So many questions! First off, “clouf-booten” is german for “cloud boot” — did the whole thing spring from some ancient franco-prussian feud? If so, you’d think that handing their country over to the nazis after like 30 seconds of resistance would have made up for any earlier hygieno-sexual offenses in La République. Second, how much flipping planning goes into an enterprise like this? If you’re putting that much thought into your assault activities and not actually collecting skulls in the process, you’re wasting a tremendous stalking talent. I’m also just super-impressed with the level of creativity. This is flat-out the strangest-most-inexplicable-requiring-of-patience-and-lacking-in-genital-sanitation way I could possibly envision one human being harassing another — and I’ve got a pretty colorful imagination, so that’s saying a lot!

(I love a good educational diversion, ‘specially one with an off-da-charts “what the fuck??” factor like that. You are welcome.)

Avoir Une Araignée Au Plafond

Anyway, back to the normans and their invasion. The resulting forced-ethnic-meld created a rather zesty breed of francia-occidentalis-aristocrat-cum-drunken-celtic-warrior that has served my folk well for centuries.

“Determined tenacity” (otherwise known as “stubborn-bull-headedness”) is one of my defining characteristics. If I want it, I bleeding well make it happen — and if I want it BAD, I have a glass in hand while marching forth. Turns out I get that honestly from my alcoholically-assertive ancestors!

Our gallic-gaelic peeps found themselves partial to County Limerick and County Meath (prolly because their leaders granted the Lacys lands — ain’t nobody in my family EVER gonna turn down free shit). However, we also have legitimate domestic dibs on another part of shamrockville, thanks to a native “O Laithsea” clan from County Wexford. (I am non-nonplussed to find the celtic genus of this particular tree-branch spelled “O Flaithgheasa.” Seriously — what is wrong with these bog-trotting bastards that they need so damned many letters??) Either way, said derivation means “regal bearing.” You may kneel.

Lacys have stayed pretty busy over the years. We helped impose the magna carta on King John. Trim Castle (the largest norman construction in Ireland) was ours — until we got our trouble-making arses banished to Scotland. Like all micks, we’ve taken a lot of crap from english eejits. Makes me wonder why I’m such a frigging anglophile now. (Seems I just can’t resist those dash cunning brits — with their questionable cuisine, milky tea, dry humor, and outstanding televisual entertainment. Damn them.)

But we don’t do well sitting still anyway, so the “Flight Of The Wild Geese” was a great excuse for spreading our seed across europe. And when the potato famine hit, passenger manifests were clogged with Lacys — they got-the-hell-out-of-dodge to form titular towns in Washington, South Dakota, Texas, New Jersey, Missouri, and god-knows-where-else.

The motto on our crest translates as “honors enhanced by desserts” — which I read as “dinner’s better if you eat the sweet stuff first.” We’re a people who appreciate both sugary treats and being rewarded for our efforts. (It’s true that I can stay happy all day with a smidge of praise and a whole lotta chocolate!)

 

• Joseph A. Lacey (b. 1838 in GA / d. unknown in AL)

– conflicting accounts of US birth and immigration through the Port Of Mobile

Descendants Of Joseph A. Lacey

• first wife Susan Oliver (b. 1859 in VA / d. unknown)

– parents were unknown

• son John Isom (b. December 9, 1877 / d. November 5, 1945 in Jefferson Co, AL)
• daughter Julia Ella (b. February 23, 1885 / d. March 22, 1967 in Jefferson Co, AL)

• second wife Susan Cureton (b. June 17, 1844 in GA / d. October 23, 1895 in AL)

– parents were Lewis Franklin Cureton and Josephine McQueen

• son Olen (b. August 31, 1882 in AL / d. September 1, 1931 in Johnson City, TN)

– served with the United States military in the Philippine Insurrection

• son William Lewis (b. 1891 / d. October 7, 1957 in Jefferson Co, AL)

• third wife? (b. / d. unknown)

– parents were unknown

• daughter Evelyn? (b. / d. unknown)
• daughter Lorraine? (b. / d. unknown)
• daughter Ethel? (b. / d. unknown)
• daughter Birdie? (b. / d. unknown)
• daughter Maybelle? (b. / d. unknown)
• son Leon? (b. / d. unknown)
• daughter Margaret? (b. / d. unknown)
• son Billy? (b. / d. unknown)
• son Eugene? (b. / d. unknown)

Descendants Of John Isom Lacey

• first wife Lizzie Alley (b. 1878 / d. 1908 in Jefferson Co, AL)

– parents were William Franklin Alley and unknown
– father served as a private in the CSA 43rd regiment, Alabama Infantry

• son George Dewey (b. August 6, 1898 / d. October 21, 1963 in Baltimore City, MD)

– son Robert was captured by the Japanese during WWII
– after he was liberated, he came home a bit “changed”
– when he caught a fish, he would snatch it off the hook and eat it whole
– did not know any foreign languages, but could sing operas in perfect Italian

• son Herrell Grey (b. August 26, 1899 / d. January 12, 1963 in Longview, TX)

• second wife Mattie Louella Phillips (b. June 22, 1886 / d. January 18, 1959 in Jefferson Co, AL)

– parents were William L. Phillips and Susan Duckworth

• daughter Thelma Margaurette (b. April 17, 1910 / d. September 17, 1997 in Florence, AL)
• son Lewis (b. 1912 / d. December 31, 1913 in Jefferson County, AL)
• son Cleo Sample (b. January 31, 1915 / d. December 28, 1963 in Jefferson Co, AL)
• son Johnnie Graham (b. June 13, 1917 / d. January 30, 1981 in Jefferson Co, AL)

– was aboard the USS California at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1942

• daughter Clara Bea (b. July 20, 1919 / d. January 25, 1994 in Florence, AL)

Pearl’s Side — May/Maye Family Genealogy

I’m a May (my clan dropped the “e” really early in our history) on my mother’s maternal side. Those who poke around mormon research libraries tell me that the name dates back to an early saxon-norman-irish emigration. Yes friends, it’s true — I’m 100% mutt. (I am also Jack’s complete lack of surprise.)

Leopard Heads And Tax Season

Turns out, I could’ve picked said moniker up anywhere from L’Hexagone to the land of the Angles to Éire. (Just call me Limey McFroggerton!)

I almost don’t know what to do with a pedigree that’s one part gallic, two parts british isles. I mean how the fuck do you even BEGIN to reconcile the subtle gastronomic delights of coquilles saint-jacques, confit de canard, navarin d’agneau, soupe de poisson à la rouille — with folks who eat taters at every meal, think of pork blood as a breakfast food, and drink warm lager? Sigh.

May is an ancient appellation, sprung forth from the latin word “maius” — generally bestowed upon an individual with some tangible connection to the third month on the roman calendar (back when their year started in March). Annual festivities included sacrifice of a pregnant sow to the god of fire, prostitutes dancing naked and fighting in mock gladiator combat, drinking parties, foot-washing, sounding of the war trumpets, suffocation by erotically charged flowers, and exorcising malevolent spirits of the dead.

(All-over-the-board-with-a-healthy-dose-of-boozy-violent-pervy-creepy-shit — my kind of peeps!)

And here’s an odd aside (something at which I excel). How do you think romans numbered the days of their months? Sequentially from first to last, or maybe something solar/lunar — like everybody else on the planet? Nope. Their temporal reckoning involved counting backward from three illogically-fixed points, around which all observances and holidays were organized — calends (first of the next month), nones (six days post-calends in May/Oct/Jul/Mar but four days after in other months), and ides (eight days later).

To figure the current date, you determined when calends (first of the next month) would fall, then tallied the number of days left in the current month plus two — so April 22 is the “tenth of the calends of May,” ‘cuz ya gots eight days left in April. What the hell?? Why would you employ such a ridiculous-convoluted-and-you-seriously-expect-me-to-do-calculus-every-time-I-want-to-know-the-damned-date system?

(I’m sure this methodology made more sense when it was tied to actual moon-phases, but the whole thing lost all meaning once celestial-orb-shiftage was tossed out in favor of a fixed calendar. Giant coaching object lesson — shit changes, and what served you well in the past may NOT be all that useful today!)

Aaaaaand Bob’s Your Uncle

I digress. Let’s move from toga-wearing hedonists to my progenitors’ arrival in england with the Conquest of 1066 (still checking tapestries for a familiar-looking she-warrior with a head full of fire) — and see how that ties to the possible seasonality of our epithet.

It’s possible that one of my forebears was born or baptized/converted in a flowery part of spring. (god help me if it’s the latter!) In the U.K., a temporally-specific eponym might also be festival-driven. (Can’t you just see me wearing a ruffledy bonnet with holes cut in the top for my poofs — skipping be-ribboned, multiply-pierced, and tattooed around a pole in the middle of a frigging cow-pasture?)

Or it could have been when our feudal obligations were due. (I’d love nothing more than to be named for tax season, but one of my earliest kin was Lord Of The Manor Of Faunt in Sussex — so I’m pretty sure we were the ones milking every penny from those pesky peasants.)

Or some goody-goody ancestor was given a pollyanna-meets-sunnybrook-farm sobriquet that got passed down through the ages — okay by me, so long as I can be snarkily anglo-optimistic (saying everything is “harbor light” or telling folks “keep your pecker up”) while repping our lineage.

Then there’s also the old-french derivation “mai,” meaning “better” (which I love, ‘cuz we are). But regardless of from whence we come nomenclaturally, we didn’t stay in one place long — no wonder I love travel so much. Many Mays fled County Carlow in the late 18th century, buying steamship tickets for the promised land when famine hit — they then spread out to a cape in New Jersey, a village on the Isle Of Man, townships in Minnesota and Queensland, and bumpkinvilles in Indiana and Oklahoma.

The family motto translates as “strong and faithful,” which I interpret to mean “’til the final body falls at the bitter frigging end.” (No surprise to anyone who’s seen my stubborn streak in action.) Yet the colors on ye olde crest provide an odd mix of symbolism — silver for security, red denoting a dealer’s choice of military fortitude or magnanimity or martyrdom, and gold signifying generosity-cum-intellectual-elevation. No wonder I have such schizoid interests and bipolar mood swings, with that mixture in my bloodstream!

Top it all off with a “leopard’s head proper,” indicating agility and strength — we’re good to have around when the feces hits the proverbial oscillating cooling device. (I fight with the fury of a caged wombat. At least during kickboxing class and tabletop-role-playing.) It also suggests stealthy movement through shadow worlds, so watch your back all the way into the afterlife if you get on the wrong side of my tribe!

 

• William May (b. May 3, 1764 in Essex, VA / d. March 4, 1844 in Polk, TN)

– served in the Crocheron Light Dragoons militia
– served in the Revolutionary War as part of several Virginia companies/regiments
– fought during the siege of Yorktown

Descendants Of William May

• wife Rhoda Atwater (b. February 3, 1765 in Henry, VA / d. 1850 in Dekalb Co, GA)

– parents were unknown

• daughter Orpah (b. May 6, 1784 in VA / d. unknown)
• son John (b. January 13, 1786 in VA / d. unknown)
• son Daniel (b. April 16, 1788 in VA / d. unknown)
• daughter Ruth (b. October 8, 1792 in VA / d. unknown)
• son William W. (b. August 24, 1794 in VA / d. August 9, 1844 in SC)
• daughter Mary Ann (b. February 8, 1795 in VA / d. unknown)
• son Asa (b. October 29, 1797 in VA / d. unknown)
• son James (b. April 29, 1800 in VA / d. unknown)

Descendants Of William W. May

• wife Mary Henley (b. July 25, 1801 in SC / d. April 6, 1879 in Jefferson Co, AL)

– parents unknown

• daughter Dorothea L. (b. April 24, 1820 in SC / d. 1880, Jefferson Co AL)
• son William H. May (b. May 3, 1833 in SC / d. December 23, 1907 in Jefferson Co, AL)

– was a Methodist minister
– in 1823, was granted permission to live as part of the Cherokee Nation
– his wife was a full-blooded Cherokee

• son Marion (b. 1836 in SC / d. unknown)
• son Benjamin Wofford (b. June 21, 1842 in SC / d. February 10, 1929 in Jefferson Co, AL)

– was a farmer and Methodist minister
– donated the land for the 30′ x 60′ M.E. Church South in Sandusky
– was a Corporal in the 28th Alabama Confederate Infantry, Company D
– epitaph “I have fought a good fight. I have finished my course. I have kept the faith.”

Descendants Of Benjamin Wofford May

• wife Mary Elizabeth Echols (b. November 25, 1843 / d. May 1, 1914 in AL)

– parents were John Jackson Echols and Sarah “Sally” Regan

• son George Washington (b. December 13, 1861 / d. April 1962 in Jefferson Co, AL)
• daughter Nancy Saphronia (b. February 25, 1866 / d. December 3, 1946 in Jefferson Co, AL)

– home at 1020 Ozark Court was restored and donated to Tannehill

• daughter Sarah Madora (b. July 31, 1868 / d. January 29, 1923 in Jefferson Co, AL)
• son James Alexander (b. July 5, 1871 / d. July 26, 1871 in Jefferson Co, AL)
• daughter Mary “Fannie” Frances (b. August 1, 1872 / d. August 23, 1893 in Jefferson Co, AL)
• son William Lucius (b. August 19, 1874 / d. June 10, 1948 in Jefferson Co, AL)

– received his diploma and practiced medicine in Sandusky
– also served as a Methodist minister

• son John Lee (b. May 16, 1876 / d. March 9, 1956 in Jefferson Co, AL)
• son Charley Wofford (b. February 6, 1879 / d. November 1, 1880 in Jefferson Co, AL)
• daughter Leona V. (b. February 20, 1881 / d. September 19, 1883 in Jefferson Co, AL)

Descendants Of John Lee May

• wife Mahala Cordelia Berry (b. July 31, 1879 / July 1, 1946 in Jefferson Co, AL)

– parents were Alfred Walter Berry and Nancy Catherine Crowley

• son Raymond (b. September 7, 1901 / d. October 21, 1902 in Jefferson Co, AL)
• son Herman Ernest (b. July 23, 1903 / d. April 24, 1976 in Jefferson Co, AL)

– wife Bertha Mae Simmons (b. 1910 in AL / d. unknown)
– son Ernest John D. (b. March 6, 1929 in AL)

• son Farris Lee (b. August 20, 1905 / d. January 14, 1959 in Jefferson Co, AL)
• daughter Odessa Kathleen (b. May 9, 1908 / d. August 16, 1957 in Jefferson Co, AL)
• daughter Wilma Mae (b. October 15, 1910 / d. October 7, 1911 in Jefferson Co, AL)
• daughter Dixie (b. July 7, 1912 / d. August 24, 1913 in Jefferson Co, AL)
• son twin boy #1 (b. / d. July 13, 1915 in Jefferson Co, AL)
• son twin boy #2 (b. / d. July 13, 1915 in Jefferson Co, AL)
• daughter Mary Louise (b. July 13, 1916 / d. November 4, 2011 in Jefferson Co, AL)

– husband Arthur Vernon Cash (b. August 15, 1918 / d. November 12, 1955 in AL)
– son Arthur “Pokie” Vernon Jr. (b. July 18, 1950 in AL)
– son Walter Lee (b. August 28, 1955 / d. December 13, 1955 in AL)

• son Johnnie D. (b. January 10, 1920 / d. October 8, 1975 in Jefferson Co, AL)
• son Jackie Ray (b. May 18, 1929 / d. July 26, 1989 in Jefferson Co, AL)

Descendants Of Odessa Kathleen May & Herrell Grey Lacy

– Herrell died in a house fire after passing out drunk with a lit cigarette in his hand

• daughter Mary Lee (b. August 13, 1928 / d. November 18, 2002 in Jefferson Co, AL)
• daughter Cordelia Ann (b. February 20, 1930 / d. June 13, 2000 in Jefferson Co, AL)

– husband Myles Revels Dease (b. December 18, 1921 / d. January 12, 2006 in TX)

• daughter Peggy June (b. June 12, 1931 / d. June 26, 2011 in Jefferson Co, AL)

– husband Horace Gates Miller (b. July 11, 1924 in MS / d. October 20, 2014 in AL)
– parents were Horace Miller and Rena Ivy

– daughter Margaret Ann (b. August 22, 1954 in Jefferson Co, AL)
– husband Ellie Glenn Willoughby (b. July 25, 1948 in AL)

– son Norman Ivy (b. December 28, 1957 in Jefferson Co, AL)
– wife Lisa Jo Blackwell (b. August 12, 1958 in AL)

• daughter Ramona Pearl (b. August 16, 1932 / d. June 6, 2010 in Jefferson Co, AL)
• son Raymond Earl (b. August 16, 1932 / d. November 7, 1965 in Jefferson Co, AL)

– Pearl and Earl were fraternal twins
– it was said in the family that “Earl had the P knocked out of him”
– came back from military service shell-shocked
– was beaten to death outside a bar

• daughter Dorothy Dean (b. May 14, 1935 in Jefferson Co, AL)

– husband James Rowland Mitchell (b.May 20, 1933 / d. June 15, 2001 in AL)
– was a US Army Corporal in the Korean War

– son James Edward (b. August 15, 1954 / d. June 12, 2012 in Jefferson Co, AL)
– son Jerry Linn (b. August 24, 1956 in Jefferson Co, AL)
– daughter Donna Louise (b. December 26, 1960 in Jefferson Co, AL)

• daughter Geraldine Ruth (b. Februrary 26, 1939 / d. August 5, 2011 in Jefferson Co, AL)

– husband Robert Earl Anderson (b. July 21, 1937 / d. March 14, 2006 in AL)

– son Robert Earl Jr. (b. November 15, 1953 / d. December 29, 2007 in Jefferson Co, AL)
– handful of his ashes are scattered in the Crimson Tide end zone

– son Carl Christian (b. September 30, 1955 in Jefferson Co, AL)
– son John Edward (b. February 11, 1957 in Jefferson Co, AL)
– daughter Melinda Kathleen (b. November 22, 1958 in Jefferson Co, AL)

– son Gerald Thomas (b. September 19, 1960 / d. July 10, 2012 in Jefferson Co, AL)
– struck by a car and knocked a few feet off the road into a ditch
– discovered 11 days later less than 1/4 mile from home

Descendants Of Ramona Pearl Lacy & Richard Justin Creel

• daughter Linda Gail (b. March 15, 1950 in Jefferson Co, AL)

– first husband Jack Bremen Gilbert (b. July 2, 1943 in AL)
– son Russell Warren (b. February 29, 1972 in AL)
– son Kenneth Wayne (b. July 23, 1973 in AL)
– second husband Jack Martin Hutto (b. December 17, 1955 in AL)
– step-daughter Susy (b. January 7, 1980 in AL)

• daughter Patricia Lou (b. October 12, 1951 in Jefferson Co, AL)

– ex-husband Verland Duncan (b. November 13, 1956 in AL)
– Patsy shot him in the ass through a closed door, but he lived
– son Andrew Jacob (b. August 7, 1976 in AL)

• son Richard Herrell Justin (b. August 3, 1954 in Jefferson Co, AL)

– goes by the nickname “Red Dog” (but if you want to really piss him off, call him Ricky-Richard-Herrell-Justin-Meanie-Dong-Dong-Cuckoo-Popsicle Creel)
– unknown number of unintentional progeny scattered across the south

• daughter Ramona Elizabeth (b. March 1, 1972 in Jefferson Co, AL)

Descendants Of Ramona Elizabeth Creel — NONE! (‘cuz we’re flipping childfree!)

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