Genealogical Abstracts from Will Book C and Miscellanea

1914 – 1927

Madison County, Tennessee

 

By Jonathan K. T. Smith

Copyright, Jonathan K. T. Smith, 1998

 

(Transcribed for TNGenWeb by Betty Finley)

 

 

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(Page 62)

 

CHILD ADOPTION RECORDS

Previous to 1953 child adoption procedures were carried out in the Madison County Court; since that time the Chancery Court has almost exclusively processed the adoptions, whose clerk has those records, while a few have been carried out in the circuit court, whose clerk has those records.  The minutes of the county court are quite brief procedures having been much simpler formerly.

 

MADISON COUNTY, TENNESSEE COUNTY COURT MINUTE BOOK 29

 

133. November 9, 1912. L. Rubenstein petitioned the county court to adopt Henry Ursery who had been in the Rubenstein’s care since September 1911, the child being then 2 ˝ years old. Approved. Child’s legal name: Henry Rubenstein.

 

449-450. February 28, 1914. Robert and Emma Keeling, man and wife, petitioned the county court to adopt Jennie Bell Bird, "now" about 4 months old. The child's mother, Mrs.  Florie Bird, died shortly before the Keelings took the girl into their home.  She left a husband Allen Bird and two children, Russell Bird, age 5 and Topsy Victoria Bird, age 3. The father agreed to this adoption plan. Approved.  Child's legal name: Jennie Bird Keeling.

 

517-518. June 13, 1914. A. J. and Mary A. Lamb, man and wife, petitioned the county court to adopt F. G. Bills, a male child aged 5 years, taken into their home about 6 weeks previously; placed there by Salvation Army. Mrs. Lena Bills, the child's mother, agreed to this adoption plan.  Her husband, Seba Bills, had deserted her. Child's legal name: George Lamb.

 

325-327. July 7, 1914. Howard Allen and wife, Edith, petitioned the county court to adopt James/Jimmie, a young child whom they had placed with them from the Porter Home in Memphis, Tenn. in June 1914. Approved.  Child's legal name: James Howard Allen.

 

MADISON COUNTY, TENNESSEE COUNTY COURT MINUTE BOOK 30

 

25. March 3, 1915. Mary A. Cartright petitioned the county court to adopt Lucile E. Blakemore, age about 14 years, whom she had raised for about 10 years; the mother was deceased; location of father was unknown. Approved. Child's legal name: Lucile E. Cartright.

 

125-126. July 2l, 1915. J. L. Fletcher and wife of Jackson, he aged about 59 years, an employee of the Mobile and Ohio Railroad; they had one child of their own, "now" married. The Fletchers petitioned the county court to adopt Otis Bills, age 9 years, an abandoned child left in the care of Volunteers of America. Approved. Child's legal name: Otis Fletcher.

 

225. October 30, 1915. Upon hearing the pleadings and testimony before the county court it appeared that Harrison Hart had fathered two children, twins, born to Fannie Hopper, unmarried, in Madison County in March 1915 and he was ordered to pay child support for them.

 

383-384. June 5, 1916. A. B. Wharton petitioned the county court to adopt Hortense Forrest, Ruby Ingram and James Otis as his children; he was aged 58 years and his wife 45 years; they were childless. The girls had been in their care several years; the boy had been in their care since January 1916. Approved. The last names of these children were changed to Wharton.

 

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413. July 24, 1916. Will Ellis was shot and killed in Haleyville, Alabama, May 25, 1916 and his wife,  Eleanor,  petitioned the county court to be his (and her) children's guardian which was approved.  Their names were Archie and Clint Ellis.

 

471. October l8, 1916. Mary Bridgeman petitioned the county court to adopt Terry and Alice Robertson, twins, aged about 6 years; their mother, an unmarried woman,  had died. Approved.

 

493-494. November 17, 1916. Jasper J. Trussell and his wife petitioned the county court to adopt Sherman E. Brazil, age 1 year, a ward of the Tennessee Children's Home Society. Approved. Child's legal name: Jasper Jack Trussell.

 

MADISON COUNTY, TENNESSEE COUNTY COURT MINUTE BOOK 31

 

57-58. August 27, 19l7. Eveline Pyles, widow, 44 years old, in a petition explained that her son, Ivy Pyles, was then about 19 years old and she had a granddaughter, Navanna Douglas, age 6 years, whose father had deserted her and her mother 4 years previously. The child's mother had since married Will Hill and they had been driven from their house in East St. Louis, Mo. by a mob about 6 weeks ago. She

wished to adopt Navanna Douglass. Approved.             .

 

69-70. September 20, 1917. Mrs. Annie. Joyner petitioned the county court to adopt an orphan child, age about 5 years, placed in her care when the child was aged about 4 days old. Approved. Child's name: Bernice Annetta Joyner.

 

70-72. September 24, 1917. Rudolf Ludwig Lemke and his wife petitioned the county court to adopt Cevelin Cheatham Smith, an orphan infant, a ward of the Tennessee Children's Home Society. Approved. Child's legal name: Irvin Lester Lemke.

 

77-79. October 15, 1917. Joe J. Joyner and his wife petitioned the county court to adopt Harold Lee Jones, age 10 months old, ward of the Tennessee Children's Home Society. Approved. Child's legal name:  James Edwin Joyner.

 

107-110. December 10, 1917. Herbert L. Bradley and wife petitioned the county court to adopt Mildred Hyde, l year old, a ward of the Tennessee Children's Home Society. Approved. Child's legal name:  Mary Francis Bradley.

 

112-113. December 17, 1917. J. H. Jenne, 69 years old, postmaster at Hatchie, Madison Co., Tenn., petitioned the county court to adopt Florence Cross, age 8 years, whose parents were deceased. Child's uncle, Sid Cross of Kenton, Tenn. was perhaps her nearest relative. Approved.  Child's legal name: Florence Jenne.

 

115-116. December 24, 1917. Charles Brannon and Mrs. Elizabeth Cooksey, in a petition before the county court declared that he, Charles Brannon, was born in Craighead Co., Ark., son of Edward and Minnie Brannon; when he was 3 weeks old his father deserted him and his mother was sick and destitute. Her mother, Elizabeth Cooksey, took the mother and child into her home; the mother died and Charles was raised by his grandmother and he wanted to have his name changed legally to Charles Cooksey which was approved.

 

 

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234-235. July 31, 19l8. O. F. Moore, married with one child of his own, petitioned the county court to adopt Johnny Hall, age 3 years, 9 months old; he was deserted by his father in December 1917 and his mother "placed" him with the Volunteers of America in May 1918. Approved. Child's legal name: John Wilber Moore.

 

291-292. October 16, 1918. J. L. and M. E. Fletcher, man and wife, petitioned the county court to adopt Sidney Jones, about 6 years old, he being the only child of their daughter, Mrs. Willie Jones, who died October 14, 1918, having been divorced from her husband, the child's father, W. H.  Jones. Approved.

 

358. February 3, 1919. From the pleadings and evidences presented in the county court it appeared that Will Boon was the father of an illegi­timate child, Virgie May, born March 11, 1918 and he was ordered to pay child support for this child.

 

470-471. September 16, 1919. W. L. and Bessie Holloway, man and wife, petitioned the county court to adopt Ruby Aleen Leslie, about 1 year old, a child of Nettie Leslie who had placed the child with them. Approved. Child's legal name: Ruby Aleen Holloway.

 

484-486. October 13, 1919. Edward Barnes died in Madison County, intestate, in October 1895 leaving a tract of land in old Civil District 4; his widow had remarried and was "now" Mrs.  Lizzie Henry. Their children who had an interest in his real property: John E. Barnes; Mary, widow of Dock Williamson; Elizabeth, wife of T. L. Morris; James Barnes, dec. who left a daughter, Mrs. Emma Barnes, wife of John Ing; Henry Barnes who had died leaving chi1dren: Earnest Barnes, Mollie Barnes, Pearl, wife of Milton Attaway. Martha Barnes, wife of Milton Acree, both deceased, who left children Egbert C. Acree and George B. Acree. Morgan Barnes; M. Buck Barnes; Edward S. Barnes; Isaac G. Barnes.

 

508-509. November l5, 1919. Sie Witherspoon, married with 3 children of his own, petitioned the county court to adopt Tebertha Clifton who had lived with his family for about 7 years, since she was a few months old. Approved. Chi1d's legal name: Tebertha Clifton Witherspoon.

 

MADISON COUNTY, TENNESSEE COUNTY COURT MINUTE BOOK 33

 

35-37. September 4, 1920. J. A. and Mary Louise Carmack, man and wife, petitioned the county court to adopt Hazel Harris, age 3 years, ward of the Tenne­ssee Children's Home Society. Approved. Chi1d's legal name: Esther Louise Carmack.

 

37. September 3, 1920. Joseph R. Vowell petitioned the county court to have his name changed to Joseph R. Richie; his father's name was Bob Vowell and his mother's name was Odar Richie Vowell. His parents were divorced and he wished to assume his mother's maiden name. Approved.

 

139-140. March 16, 1921. S. J. McDaniel, in a petition to the county court, declared that he was married to Mrs. Katie McDanie1, November 16, 1920, and he wished to adopt her child, Leon Davis, by a former marriage, a child "now" 3 years old. Approved. Child's legal name: Leon McDaniel.

201-202. Ju1y 23, 1921. Kelly Smythe and wife petitioned the county court to adopt Charles Jackson Tubbs, 18 months old, whose mother died about February 20, 1920 leaving a husband, Lucius F. Tubbs and this child; the mother died leaving 6 children; she died when Charles J. was about 5-6 weeks old; the father agreed to this adoption plan. Approved. Child's legal name: Char1es Jackson Smythe.

 

 

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 204-205. July 29, 192l. C. S. Combs and wife, Eunice E. Combs, a childless couple, petitioned the county court to adopt Jerry Scott who was born about 2 months previously in the headquarters of the Volunteers of America, Jackson, where his mother placed him. Approved. Child's legal name: Jerry Combs.

 

22l-222. September 7, 192l. Joe J. Joyner and wife, Zora, petitioned the county court to adopt Luther Virgil,  illegitimate,  about 7 months old, son of Jennie Warren. Child's legal name: Virgil Joyner. This decree was vacated as the petitioners claimed that Zora Joyner was not physically able to give this child proper attention, September 14, 1921.  However, on March 17, 1922 the Joyners again petitioned for the adoption of this child and were so allowed. Child's legal name: John Louis Joyner.

 

320-322. April 6, l922. C1arence M. Akin and wife, Rosa1yn H. Akin, petitioned the county court to adopt Violet Webb,  infant ward of the Tennessee Children's Horne Society. Approved. Child's legal name: Jean Clarice Akin.

 

421-423. September 26, 1922. George C. and Willie Farrer Marner petitioned the county court to adopt Alice Thelma, a ward of the Tennessee Children's Home Society. Approved. Child's legal name: Annie Farrer Marner.

 

565-566. June 28, 1923. Thomas B. and Maude M. Hurst, man and wife, petitioned the county court to adopt James Flowers, born September 28, 1920, a ward of the Tennessee Children's Home Society. Approved. Child's legal name: James Thomas Hurst.

 

585-586. August 3, 1923. Marshall Maxwell and wife, Katie Bell Maxwell, petitioned the county court to adopt Alice Louise Washington, about 4 years old, an illegitimate daughter of Flossie Washington who died July 12, 1923, who had given this child to her own father, Henry Mainus, who agreed to this adoption p1an. Approved. Child's legal name: Alice Louise Maxwell.

 

586-587. August 1923. Nolan and Nellie Goodrum petitioned the county court to adopt Edward Washington, about 2 years old, an illegitimate child of Flossie Washington who died July l2, 1923, who had given this child to her own father, Henry Mainus, who agreed to this adoption plan. Approved. Child's legal name: Edward Goodrum.

 

MADISON COUNTY, TENNESSEE COUNTY COURT MINUTE BOOK 34

 

211-212. February 2, 1925. R. F. and Maude Gilliam petitioned the county court to adopt Harold Dodds, about 3 weeks old; the mother had given him up for adoption. Approved. Child's legal name: Malcolm Gilliam.

 

218-219. February l6, 1925. Louis and Mary Baker, man and wife, petitioned the county court to adopt Dorothy, 19 months old, ward of the Tennessee Children's Home Society. Approved. Child's legal name: Mary Eleanor Baker.

 

224. February 20, 1925. Thad Rose Scott and wife, Annie Elizabeth Scott, petitioned the county court to adopt Terrell Keith Miller, about 8 months old, a ward of the Volunteers of America. Approved. Child's legal name: Terrell Keith Scott.

 

239-240. March 2l, 1925. Ora Williamson petitioned the county court to adopt Roy Harris, "now" 23 years old, married with one child; his mother, Josie Harris, who died about 18 years before, was a sister to Ora Williamson, who with her husband, J. B. Williamson, had raised the boy. Her husband had died recently. Roy identified with the Williamson name and joined his aunt in the petition. His legal name: Roy Williamson.

 

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363. January 30, 1926.Harrison Walker and wife petitioned the county court to adopt Lillie Avon DeBerry, 5 years old, whose mother had died and the father had deserted her. Approved.

288-289. July 3, l925.Petition of Mrs.Helen Hodgson and Mr.and Mrs. C.D.Lacy to the county court. Mrs.Hodgson was the mother of Charline Hodgson, 8 years old and Fred Hodgson, Jr., age 7 years. The Hodgsons had been divorced November 28, 1923. The petition states that the father, Fred Hodgson, Sr. saw little of the children and did not lend to their support. Mrs. Hodgson agreed with her sister and brother-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. C. D. Lacy, for the latter couple to adopt these children. Approved. Page 399.August 26, 1925.As the father of these children, Fred Hodgson, Sr. contested this adoption plan the court ordered that Mrs.Helen Hodgson, the mother, be given complete custody of the children, disallowing the Lacy adoption, with the father having visitation rights "at all rea­sonable times.

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The End of Will Book C