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Stembridge Stock #1
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Henry Hansell Stembridge, Jr.
I’ve been researching some of the history of the Stembridges’ in Waynesboro, since I live in Waynesboro! One of the ones that I’ve read about was Henry Hansell Stembridge, Jr. He traces back on Thomas Baker Stembridge’s line, and that makes us (distant) cousins! Our common ancestor would have been William Stembridge born in 1792 in Baldwin County.
I have been in touch with Henry Hansell’s daughter Jane Stembridge who shared more details about her dad. She said that he grew up in Waynesboro. His dad, Henry Hansell Stembridge Sr , or Dr Stembridge as he was known, was a pharmacist in Waynesboro, and lived where the Pizza Hut is now located on 11th street. Henry Hansell Sr was a charter member of St. Michaels Episcopal Church. Henry Hansell Jr. was influenced by his uncle, Rev. Barney Foreman, of Beech Island, who was a Baptist Minister.
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the Stembridge Farm, Baldwin Co. Georgia
This past weekend, my older brother Ed and I drove over to the ol’ property with my Dad. He didn’t remember going out there, which made it all the more reason to go!
He used his camera to take a few photos;
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Greywater Gardening
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Hunting Days
October 2008: Dylan and I have been involved with archery for the past 3 years. We have really enjoyed the competition, and fun that goes along with it. Actually, Dylan does the competition, I coach.
This is the first year we have ever gone hunting with our bows. There’s actually a lot to it, for newbies like us. We had to make sure our bows were in good shape, get some broadheads, which are the arrow tips used for hunting, and learn all about tree stands. Good for me, my Dad gave me a tree stand that he had gotten to do some limbing; but because of his bad knee had to give that up. Dylan and I both quickly ot aqquainted to putting on safety harnesses, and climbing in a tree, then pulling our bow up with us using a rope.
After the 2nd or 3rd time, we began to realize some patterns for the deer. There are places they seem to concentrate in, and trails they use. The trick is finding the best place to put a stand, and getting in position a couplee hours before sunset, or an hour before sunrise, then quietly waiting…
We have found that they start wondeing out just after sunset before it gets pitch dark. So far we haven’t had a good shot; but we will continue, even into the rifle season. Dylan’s mama wants us to get that freezer filled up!
Total Eclipse in Georgia!
Tonight we watched a total eclipse, at about 10pm eastern standard time. There’s a good article by the citizen.com below on the eclipse. Enjoy learning!
View the Total Lunar Eclipse of Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2008
Mon, 02/18/2008 – 9:52am
Georgians will have an opportunity, clouds allowing, to see a total eclipse of the Moon on Wednesday night, Feb. 20. The next total lunar eclipse visible from Georgia won’t occur until December 2010. For this month’s eclipse, members of the Flint River Astronomy Club will have their telescopes and binoculars set up for free views by the public. The site will be in front of the club’s usual meeting place, the Stuckey Building on the Griffin campus, University of Georgia, at 1109 Experiment Street. Telescopes will be set up at 8 p.m. to view the Moon, Saturn, and various stars, and the eclipse begins at 8:43 p.m.
Warm clothing is advised to enjoy this event. If you have a scope or binoculars, feel free to bring them.
Usually one or two lunar eclipses occur each year, although some are only partial eclipses. A lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes through the Earth’s shadow, which can only occur at full Moon. A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Earth and Sun, which can only occur at new Moon. Eclipses occur in pairs, about two weeks apart, either a lunar eclipse followed by solar, or a solar eclipse followed by lunar. This month, a solar eclipse occurred February 7th, but was only visible in the Southern Hemisphere.
Partial eclipse begins at 8:43 p.m., when the Moon begins entering Earth’s shadow, and totality, the point at which the Moon is completely within Earth’s shadow, begins at 10:01 p.m., and lasts until 10:51 p.m. The eclipse ends about midnight.
During totality, no direct sunlight shines on the Moon, but Earth’s atmosphere reflects some sunlight onto it. The result is that the Moon gets very dim, but never dark enough to be invisible.
The color of the Moon during an eclipse varies from year to year, and depends mostly on how much dust is in the atmosphere around the world. Large amounts of dust from volcanic eruptions or forest fires can cause the Moon to be a distinct reddish color. More common is a dull orange color.
The planet Saturn will be seen near the Moon, in the constellation Leo. Now is a good opportunity to view this fascinating planet through a telescope. The tilt of the rings is slowly diminishing so that in September 2009, we will be viewing the rings edge-on, and they will be nearly invisible from Earth.
Mars will also be high in the sky on Wednesday, in the constellation Taurus. It appears very small, but dark features should be just visible through the telescope.
For more information and directions, go to www.flintriverastronomy.org, or call the club’s president, Curt Cole, evenings at 770.946.3405. Information about eclipses can be found at http://sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/. Click on “Mr. eclipse.”
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Brrrrr!
January in the south is hit and miss with the cold weather, especially when you get a little further south. Moving here from metro Atlanta, we were surprised that the brief cold snaps were followed by warm days, sometimes going up in the 70s! Global warming….? I think it’s more of geographical location. Quite nice actually. We heat mostly by wood using a wood stove, and on some of those warmer days, you can actually go out and cut and split, and get things in order for th next “snap”
Narcissus Flowers blooming all around gives us a sign that Spring, is just around the corner! Walmart reinforces this with all the gardening stuff out as well… What’s the weather like where you are? When I see flowers like the one pictured here, it just amazes me that God created them, and cares for them, as well as those who follow Him!
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Merry Christmas from Waynesboro!
from our humble abode in the deep south, we would like to wish you a Merry Christmas. I’m sure everyone has great memories of relatives living in far away lands, and the looong drives there. As a child growing up in Athens, we used to make the drive to Hapeville to visit my Mom’s parents, and later my Dad’s Mom, Bonnie Stembridge. So many distant, yet very warm memories. I recently have been working on some old film footage that my brother Ed loaned me. It brings back so many memories. Here’s a clip of my Dad Roger E. stembridge pulling myself, and brothers Ed and James around on his old Sears Craftsman tractor (which still runs!) It even has an old rototiller attachment that my brother Mike recently took back to Atlanta, and sandblasted and painted it, and got it running again! My dad was pretty amazed, it hadn’t run for years. My brother Mike has a gift with mechanical things!
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Happy Thanksgiving!
Hope everyone has had a wonderful Thanksgiving. At home in Waynesboro, we had 4 families over to celebrate, and enjoy time together. There was a wonderful meal as well!We are all so thankful to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who gives us a reason to live! We are so excited about this great time of the year where we continue to teach our children what Christmas is really all about.
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Visitors
This evening, we had a couple of visitors walk down our street, to our home. They had visited once before. These young men were “elders” from the Church of Latter Day Saints, commonly known as Mormons. We had a nice visit, and they asked a little about our summer, and we were able to share the story of what had brought us to Waynesboro, and how God had called us into a different direction… Continue reading
just whar is Waynesboro?
We live in what many folks refer to as “rural Georgia” but don’t let that fool ya! We are blessed beyond measure even in the small towns in Georgia.
Our town is referred to as the “Bird Dog Capitol of the World”; but then again, so is Union City, Alabama… I guess there are a number of bird dogs in our town, in fact we own a lab/weimaraner mix named Zoe.
Here’s a link for Union City Alabama’s website…
and the City of Waynesboro‘s website,
Check it out!
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2005 Homeschool memories

Homeschooling in Waynesboro, Georgia
Oh to be 5 at the beach!


Our recent trip to Tybee Island, just past Savannah, GA.
Dylan met some students from Savannah College of Art and Design doing a sandcastle workshop… and taught them a thing or two!
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the “Original” LINE
I realize that all roots trace back to the seed of Abraham; and ultimately
to the God of Abraham, Issac and Jacob.I understand there are many groups that use genealogy information for some very odd purposes. I hope the information on these pages will be helpful; but moreso, hope that you seek the truth in all things!If you are more interested in the ultimate original line, please visit Billy Graham’s website, or contact me directly!DeColores, and Blessings, David W. Stembridge
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Bridport, Dorset, England
picture from FreeFoto.com
Bridport, an Anglo-Saxon town made famous by its rope making is the largest town in West Dorset. Such was the fame of Bridport rope that those who ended their days on the gallows were said to have been ‘stabbed by a Bridport dagger’. The town is still Britain’s main source for twine.
The town grew up round the rope industry, which developed during the Middle Ages following King John’s request that the townsfolk make ‘night and day as many ropes for ships both large and small and as many cables as you can.’ Hemp and flax were grown locally and its long, straight alleys were once `rope walks where twine and rope were laid in long rope walks extending from the backs of houses as part of a cottage industry.
Bridport and the nearby harbour at West Bay, also dating from the 14th century, reached their peak of prosperity in the 18th and 19th century, corresponding with Britain’s sea power in the age of sail. Many of the houses which can be seen in South Street today were built during this period.
For more than 700 years Bridport has been at the forefront of net-making technology and among a number of local firms, the Bridport-Gundry group is today a world leader in the production of specialist textiles and nets. Bridport made nets are used by fishing fleets all over the world. Bridport-Gundry also make a whole range of other nets, including the arrester nets used by the Space Shuttle, equipment used by leading international airlines and those used at the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships
In the town centre a wide range of independent shops, including a number of Antique shops, are complemented by branches of national chains and supermarkets and there is a popular twice-weekly street market on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Historically interesting buildings include the Medieval parish church and chantry, the Tudor museum, and the Georgian town hall. The main streets have recently been remodeled and plans are in hand for a major development at West Bay and a light railway is proposed to link the “Bridport Harbour” with the main town.
Situated on the banks of the river, on the southern edge of the town is Britain’s only thatched brewery, Palmers of Bridport. Over two hundred years old, the brewery is very much the traditional, family-run business. The Palmer family took over the brewery in about its fiftieth year, and have been building up the business ever since. But the emphasis has always been on tradition – not only in their attitude towards the brewing process, but also towards their employees and the local community.
First impressions of the brewery, apart from the thatched roof on some of the older buildings, are of its well organized and beautifully functional equipment – lots of lovely Victorian brewing equipment and even a proper copper (they’re usually stainless steel these days). The brewery has always made the most of the river on whose banks it lies. In the past, the beer was transported to its destination by boat, though nowadays the river there is no longer navigable. Power for the brewery has been drawn from the river by means of a water wheel. That is, until a few years ago when the wheel’s huge cast iron shaft broke under the force of the river’s flow. Plans are afoot however to restore it to its former glory.
Here are some LINKs for Bridport, Dorset England:
Crewkerne, Somerset, England
I received the recent note from Chris Ward – a cousin in Australia, and did a little digging on Crewkerne, and found the following (below) from 1850. There are quite a few Stembridges mentioned.
G’day David,
I don’t recall getting the message from Peter Hammett!! I haven’t established the STEMBRIDGE roots back in Bridport although undoubtedly they originated in Crewkerne in Somerset. I did find some reference to some old research done in the United States in the 1950s which suggested there were only two brothers but it was too difficult for me to pursue the story from this side of the world. I have recently seen a note that Kindness BREEDLOVE was born ca 1767 and died ca 1808 and married William STEMBRIDGE Jr. on January 22, 1785.
Chris
HUNT & CO.S 1850 DIRECTORY & TOPOGRAPHY OF THE TOWN OF CREWKERNE. in all places, where there are objects worthy of detail or observation, there should be a short printed Directory, for the use of the stranger. Dr.Johnson.
Is a parish and market town in the hundred of its name, which is derived from a Saxon word, signifying the Cottage on the Cross, it is 10 miles S.W. by S. from Ilchester and 132 W.S.W. from London.; within these last few years it is considerably improved, a handsome building, Stuckeys bank, a National School, and other new houses have been added, and more are in progress. It is a compact, well-built place, reposing in a valley, sheltered on all sides by verdant and richly cultivated hills; from these eminences the varied prospects that meet the eye are delightful and beautiful in the extreme; on Rana Hill, westward of Crewkerne, there formerly stood an ancient chapel, which contained the bones of St. Ranus; and at Haselbury, a celebrated recluse, named Wulfric, led a life of penance and great abstinence, inhabiting a small cave, and clothing himself in a raiment of finely wrought iron; he was visited by many distinguished personages of that time, amongst whom were Henry I. and Stephen. The church, which is cruciform, is of great beauty, its fine gothic proportions, with its elaborately wrought window-frames, and a handsome tower rising from the centre are beautifully detailed, part of the building is surrounded by lofty trees which add considerably to its effect;the living is a perpetual curacy in the gift of the Dean and Chapter of Winchester; there are also chapels for Baptists and Wesleyans. A grammar-school is established here which is very ably conducted; the manufactures are principally girth web, hemp and tow spinning, and rope and twine making,which are carried on to a considerably extent, and employ a great number of hands, a literary and scientific institution has lately been established here with apparent benefit and success; The market-days are Saturdays, and there are great Spring markets for sheep, lambs, &c. in April and May; a fair is held annually on the first of September. In the neighbourhood of the town is Hinton House, the seat of the Earl Poulett, and near the church were formerly the remains of an abbey, but they have been lately removed and a modern building is now erected on its site. At the census taken in 1841, the population of Crewkerne amounted to 4414.
Post-office, East street. Post Master, John Budge. Letters are delivered daily, from London, Bristol, Birmingham, and the north, at 8 a.m. From Bridport, Beaminster and the East at 9 a.m. From Bridport and Beaminster, at 5 30 p.m.
Despatches for Bridport and Beaminster at 7 a.m.; for Bridport, Beaminster, and the east at 4 30 p.m., and for London, Bristol, Birmingham, and the north at 5 20 p.m. Box closes for Bridport, Beaminster, and the east at 4 20 p.m., and for London, Bristol, Birmingham, and the North at 4 40 p.m., but letters may be posted by affixing an additional stamp until within 5 minutes of the despatches.
Money Orders are granted and paid daily ( Sundays excepted ) from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Nobility, Gentry, & Clergy.
Ayre Rev. Joseph Watson, Parsonage Auctioneers and Appraisers. Patch John, Abbey street Bakers. Fry Thomas, West street Banks. Stuckeys Banking Company, Sheep market street; manager, Loveridge Chas. Warre; Basket Makers. Holt Henry, North street Beer Retailers. Collard James, West street Blacksmiths. Blake Chas. Wm. East street Booksellers, Bookbinders, Stationers, & Printers. Clark Thos, Fred. Sheep market street Boot & Shoe Makers. Bishop George, Church street Brewers & Maltsters. Budge Edwd. & Standfield William Thos. & Co. Hermitage Brewery Cabinet Makers. Bishop Eli, Sheep market street Carpenters. Bishop John, Gouldsbrook terrace Chemists and Druggists. Galpin Walter, Market place Chimney Sweepers. Hunt John, Hermitage street China, Glass, &c. Dealers. Jefferies Christiana, Market place Coopers. Bartlett William, Tower hill Curriers. Adam John, Goulds square Fire & Life Assurance Agents. Atlas ( F.&L.) Templeman and Son, Church street |
Flax and Tow Spinners.
Mathews Thomas, and Mathews Thomas, jun. Popels Well Girth Web Maufacturers. Bird Robert, South street Grocers and Tea Dealers. Budge John, East street Grocery and Sundries Dealers in. Eyres James, East street Hair Cutters. Howe Samuel, Church street Inns and Public Houses. Antelope, North st. Gusney John Ironfounder. Hayward Giles ( and agricultural implement manufactr), East st Ironmongers. Ewens Wm. Sheepmarket street Linen and Woollen Drapers. Bicknell Wm.Cox, Market place Millers. Brice Charles, Dinnington mills Milliners and Dressmakers. March Elizabeth, North street Nursery and Seedsman. Chard James, Haselbury Painters. Howe Geo. (& gilder) Church st Plasterers and Tilers. Hillard Charles ( plasterer only) , East street Plumbers and Glaziers. Munford Jas. (& painter) South st Rope & Twine Manufacturers. England George, Haselbury Saddle and Harness Makers. Clarke Sealey, Crewkerne Sail and Cloth Manufacturers. Ford Isaac, West Chinnock Schools. Bull Charles, West street |
Solicitors.
Hussey John, Abbey house Stay Makers. Bull Ann, West street Stone Masons. Bull Humphrey, West street Straw Hat Makers. Gange Christiana, Hermitage st Surgeons. Bowdage Emanuel, Abbey street Tailors. Bicknell Wm. Cox, & Martin Charles (& general outfitters), Market place TurnersWood. March John, North street Watch & Clock Makers. Clarke Thos. Fredk. Sheepmarket street Wheelwrights. Collard James, West street Wine and Spirit Merchants. Galpin Walter, Market place Wire Sieve Makers. Paull Henry, South street Miscellaneous. Architect, Allen James Mountford, Crewkerne Law and Public Officers. Hussey John, clerk to the commissioners of the Crewkerne turnpike roads, Abbey house. Public Buildings, Offices, &c. Alms Houses,West street, for aged people of both sexes. coachesto Bridport.Royal Mail, from the George hotel, daily, at 4 30 p.m. waggonsto Bridport and Bristol.Ford & Co., from the Swan inn, Tues. Thurs. and Sat. at 9 a.m. |
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Stembridge Links
The following is a list of various Stembridge Links that I’ve found on the web. Found any not listed? (use contact me above)
United States STEMBRIDGES:
- Roger E. Stembridge’s web page (my Dad)
- Edward R. Stembridge’s family page (My older Brother, Ed – Illinois Stembridges)
- James R. Stembridge’s Homepage
- Michael S. Stembridge’s web page (My youngest BROTHER – Georgia Off Road)
- William F. Stembridge Jr.’s work page (My Uncle – DEMICO, Inc)
- John Stembridge’s (Professor of Mathematics, University of Michigan)
- W. Edd Stembridge’s home page
- K. Stembridge Norris (the Artist)
- Stembridge Genealogy (from James R. Stembridge)
- Christopher Stembridge’s web page
- Martin Stembridge’s Wedding Photography Page
- David Stembridge (Lecturer in England at Napier University)
- “Isle of Man” Stembridges’
- HELP us CONNECT with your link!
LINKS to STEMBRIDGE related:
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Clara Idella Stembridge 1874-1904
Photo of stained glass window at First United Methodist Church of Milledgeville, Ga.
photo coutesty my Dad, Roger E. Stembridge!
Home Again
Date: Sep 23, 2003
from: Dr. Roger Stembridge
“… Moore’s Funeral Home finally got Grandmother Clara Idella
Stembridge moved from the farm location to Memory Hill in
Milledgeville. Also little G. M. was moved although they said they could find nothing in his grave. Only part of a skull and part of a leg bone was all they found of Grandmother. Both were placed into a child’s vault and buried at the foot of Grandfather. Asbury Stembridge has slabs prepared to place over two plots. Grandmother at the foot of Grandfather and G. M at the foot of Grandmother Sarah. After Asbury has the slabs in place, we will plan a dedication service.”
Memory Hill Cemetary in 1897
Memory Hill Cemetary in 2001
Photos from Memory Hill Cemetary, Milledegeville, Georgia
Date: Mon, 17 Sep 2001
from: Dr. Roger Stembridge
“As everyone knows, our grandmother Clara was discovered to be buried in the J. E. Stembridge Cemetery off Ebony Lounge Road off Hwy 24 off Hwy 22 in Baldwin County. I have had two people to tell me they have been to the cemetery. One had promised to take me there but we could never seem to get together. The second one was there a few days ago and wrote very explicit directions how to fine the cemetery.
This morning, I decided to try to find it. Following Glen’s
directions I walked right to it. I was awesome to see her grave and the grave of Little G. M. Stembridge (about a year and a half old).
Both graves are in poor condition with Little G. M.’s headstone broken and laying down. The slabs (I think concrete) over the graves are intact but have sheaved off and look terrible. Both are covered with rotted leaves and growth. There is a flower pot on Clara’s grave that Glen says was put there sometime during the past 15 years (the best he can remember when he last saw the grave before this time).”
Ebony Lounge Road is now subdivided and there are doublewide homes up and down the road, but the cemetery is a good ways from the Ebony Lounge Road behind the south side of the road. It looks like some surveying has taken place in recent months and some clearing done not too far from the cemetery.
If any of you are down at any time, I will be glad to take you out to see the site. Other than that, I will at some time make some effort to clean up the site and the headstones so that the inscriptions can be read. I could read most of the letters but I think a good cleaning will improve readability. One of the attached pictures is a close-up of Clara’s headstone. The other is an overall picture of her grave.
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Stembridge Orgins?
I have started by listing the 2 places that currently carry the Stembridge name. These are just locations.
GLAMORGANSHIRE County, southwest England
1870
STEMBRIDGE is a very small parish about three miles from Cowbridge. Acreage, 37. There are no places of worship.
Population in 1871, 7.
FARMERS
In Stembridge Parish
John Philip, Stembridge
from Maura Bennett who currently lives in Cowbridge, just a few miles from the farm:
“At the farm in 1881 was a Philip John aged 64, farmer of 140 acres, his wife Catherine and farm servants with Welsh surnames.”
Stembridge in the Parish of Llysworney
Transcript of name listing for Cowbridge, and neighbouring parishes from Commercial and Trade Directories, for the years:-
1880
(Slaters Directory)
Population
The Population of Stembridge was as follows, and a more detailed breakdown is below.
1841 – 7
1851 – 8
1861 – 10
1871 – 7
1881 – 7
1891 – 6
Population Statistics for Stembridge
Area, Houses and Population
Census Year | Area in Statute Acres | Houses | Population |
SOMERSET County, southern WALES
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Articles that include Stembridges
The Western Speller by John A. Stembridge
Stembridge’s “The Western Speller” appeared in 1854. This book was compiled by John A. Stembridge, who was born in Muhlenberg in 1813 and died in Greenville in 1872. He was the only son of William Stembridge. His wife was a daughter of Larkin N. Akers. Their son, William junior, died in early manhood. Their two daughters removed to Evansville, Indiana, about 1875, and were connected with the public schools of that city for more than thirty years. John A. Stembridge, like his father, was a schoolteacher.
“The Western Speller” was written in Greenville in 1852 and published in 1854 by J. W. Boswell, of Hebardsville, Henderson County. The printing was done by Hull & Brothers and the binding by Hull Brothers & Caril, of Louisville. The “Preface” and “Recommendations” are here quoted in full:
Preface.
We live in an age of improvement, and as there have been improvements made on almost all theories, the author of this work thought that there could be an improvement made on the Spelling Books that are published by various authors. He had two reasons for writing this Book. The first reason, he saw some defects in all the various spellers. The most important reason was his ill health–not being able, for the last three years and a half, to labor. He came to the conclusion to write a Spelling Book on a new plan, which he has done, hoping that a generous public would examine it, and give his book the preference, as he knows of no other tribunal that would judge more correctly. With these remarks he submits it to the same.
Greenville, Ky., August, 1852.
The Author.
Recommendations.
We have examined the spelling book compiled by Mr. John A. Stembridge, and consider it a valuable book. It contains a great variety of the most useful words, disposed in such order as will much facilitate the learner’s progress in spelling and pronunciation. A large number of proper and Geographical names are appended. We think it an elementary book worthy of the attention of parents and Teachers.
Greenville, Ky., August, 1852.
Rev. John Donaldson, Principal Greenville Presbyterial Academy, Ky.
S. P. Love, Teacher Common Schools, Greenville, Ky.
B. E. Pittman, Common School Commissioner, Greenville, Ky.
Chas. F. Wing, Clerk Muhlenberg Circuit Court.
Wm. H. C. Wing, Clerk County Court.
A. C. DeWitt, See. Louisville Annual Con. M. E. C. South.
W. H. Yost.
Jonathan Short.
Joseph Ricketts.
Jesse H. Reno, P. J.
Edward Rumsey.
Thu, 8 Nov 2001
Hello there
I haven’t found a kinship between the Webbs and Stembridges, yet, other than as neighbors. It has been in just the last few days that I discovered my relation to the Webbs in Crawford County. In response to a query I posted on the Wood Co., TX list I was contacted by a descendant of the Nichols family from Crawford Co. She gave me a lead and after researching census records
I found my family–Burtis Webb–there. When I contacted her about my finding asking for more information she sent me a wonderful excerpt from the 1932 Dallas Morning News.
Diana Ware(The following article, written by W. S. Adair, was copied from the Dallas Morning News for Sunday, December 11, 1932. It appeared under the title “Early Days in Texas”)”We had the real thing of hard times in the South for several years after the war,” said J. W. Bryant, 1320 Grigsby Avenue. “The war left practically all the Southern states in the condition General Sherman boasted of having left the Shenandoah Valley — so forlorn of vegetation and animal life that a crow flying over it had to take its rations with it. The fence rails had all been burned at Federal campfires, the fields were grown up with sassafras bushes, farm animals and tools and implements had been destroyed, neither garden nor field seeds were to be had, and worst of all, there was nothing in the way of money but the worthless Confederate bills which flooded the land. That was the condition of things in our neighborhood in Georgia, and our locality was a fair sample of what the people was up against in every other part of the once almost fairyland of Dixie. Still the people somehow managed to live, but they gradually gave it up, and as each head of a family abandoned hope, he gathered up what few belongings he had, and set out for Texas, where he was assured there was at least plenty to eat. We stuck it out until 1872, in December of that year my father, W. H. Bryant, and some of our neighbors met, canvassed the situation and decided that they could not make matters worse by any sort of move. A few weeks later a party made up of our family and the families of Daniel Nichols, Ben Nichols, Sam Bundrick, Burtis Webb, Henry Stembridge and William Chapman, assembled at the railroad station, went through a tearful parting from relatives and life-long friends and boarded an emigrant car for New Orleans. Emigrant cars, built especially for hauling the poor people of the South to Texas, were equipped with all the inconveniences of the day, and always so crowded as to aggravate to the limit their numerous other horrifying drawbacks. Each family brought along in a basket, food for the journey, and they ate and slept on the hard plank seats of the cars, which, you may well believe, were not in the best sanitary condition after a few days out. At New Orleans we transferred to the steamer Economist, bound for Shreveport. The Red River had more sandbars than water in it and we were seventeen days rounding our way to our destination. At Shreveport our party separated, to go to friends or relatives, who had preceded them to Texas, and most of them I have never seen since. Our family, consisting of father and mother and six of us children, traveled by rail as far as Longview, then the end of the railroad. From there we went to the home of Joe Webb, an old schoolmate of father’s, in Wood County, near the present site of the town of Hawkins. In the oldest fields of East Texas the stumps had rotted and mingled with the soil, but there were still extensive tracts of woods in both Wood and Upshur Counties and plenty of game. Father, who was an old deer hunter, killed a deer every day while we remained with Mr. Webb. One day he killed two and brought them both to the house on his shoulders. We finally settled near old Starrville, sixteen miles northeast of Tyler. The International-Great Northern Railroad bad been completed to Tyler the year before and the Tyler Tap, a line from Tyler to Big Sandy, also was in operation. Tyler was a flourishing town of 5,000 or 6,000 population and even dreamed of becoming the jobbing center of all north and northeast Texas. Starrville, older than Tyler, had never had a population of more than a few hundred and was already going down in favor of Tyler. The site for Starrville had been donated by Joshua Starr, an early settler, who made the donation with the stipulation that if the place tolerated a saloon the land was to revert to him or his heirs. The result was that Starrville was the only town in the country where a man could not get a drink. When the Cotton Belt Railroad came along and built a station at Winona, four miles away, and got a post office, Starrville died a natural death. We were not long in discovering that we had not left all the hardships of life in Georgia. East Texas was reeking with malaria and it was quite the custom for everyone to throw a chill every other day. It is the peculiarity of their malady for the victim to think while he is wrestling with a chill that he cannot possibly survive it, and to feel the very next day that he never was in better case in his life. I never heard of anyone dying while doing a chill. On the contrary, that is the time when all of one’s energies are up, trying to throw off the poison, and life is at its height. But in time the people became largely immune against malaria, as they did against smallpox and yellow fever. The first year we were in Smith County father borrowed corn to go to mill with and paid it back in kind when his crop matured in the fall. Cotton was the chief crop in East Texas in those days, with a little corn, wheat and oats mostly for home use. The cattle, horses, and hogs looked out for themselves on the open range. The oak woods were full of wild hogs and almost every settler had a claim on them just as he had on the deer and bears and every man with the necessary energy had a full smokehouse. The canebrakes along the rivers and creeks afforded ample winter pasture for grazing animals. Before the public school system was established we had only private schools, and every teacher was his own textbook board and he taught all the grades himself and in one room. The advantage of this was that everyone in the room got to hear all the recitations and that bright pupils in the lower grades made the higher ones by anticipation. Going to school in those days was not what it seems to me to be now. It was a matter of amusement and entertainment and something of a fad and dress affair. The pupil was required to put in seven or eight hours at hard study. When he set out in the morning he dreaded what the day had in store for him as much as if he were going to pick cotton or chop wood, and that was why he looked so serious and why I still have in my mind’s eye such vivid portraits of my teachers at Starrville, Professor George Birdwell and Professor Gathwright. I moved to Hill County in 1892, lived there seven years and came to Dallas in 1899. I have been a member of the Dallas police force twenty-six years, with the rank of sergeant thirteen years.- – – – – – – – – – – End of quote – – – – – – – – – – -47
Lillie Ruby (descendant of Nichols family–yes, all those Nichols in Crawford are kin to me——at least all I know of.)
(Ben Nichols was the son of James Nichols. Daniel Nichols was the son of Vincent Nichols and a nephew of Ben Nichols)
Posted in Genealogy
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Stembridge Mill
a collection of photographs
the above photographs of Stembridge Mill were taken in July 2004 by Ms. Margaret Mounce, who is the Assistant to Property Manager at the Montacute House in South Somerset which is owned by the National Trust (which owns the Stembridge Mill as well!)
Photo from The Donald W. Muggeridge Collection of Mill Photographs Date of Photograph: 23/07/38
Stembridge Mill – the last remaining thatched windmill in England.
Dating from 1822 and in use until 1910, the mill is prominently situated overlooking the Somerset Levels.
Photo (left) Credit: National Trust Photographic Library/Andy Williams
Photo Right from here:
STEMBRIDGE TOWER MILL
High Ham(TA10 9DJ),Somerset
Tel:01458 250818
WINDMILL
This is Stembridge Mill at High Ham, Somerset, England. (Since I took this photograph, the sails have been painted black.)
Photo by Jeremy Palmer
Photo by Tony Howell
photo by Mark Berry
Postcard and drawing from Windmill World
This is just a collection of images found throughout the internet; I have tried to credit each image properly; please contact me if I need to update, or remove any photograph.