Cocke Co. TNGenWeb
Mode, Dover, Burgess, Taylor, Worex Connections


Submitted by Joe Mode
Updated January 2009


We must first step back to McDowell County, North Carolina in order to trace the Modes into East Tennessee. We will start with whom we all have descended from, Mary Jane Dover Mode Dover? who was born ca. July 1848 in or near McDowell Co. NC. She died on 26 Oct. 1908 in Newport, Tennessee of consumption or TB according to Brown Funeral Home records. Mary Jane is buried at Clay Creek Baptist Church in Bybee according to Lawrence Burgess of Newport. She has no known stone. We do not know the parents of Mary (Jane) Mode. She is said to be of Cherokee Descent, having long, black hair, as did several of her daughters. I have spoken to many members of the MODE, DOVER, BURGESS, TAYLOR, WOREX, and related families who have generally given the same testimony to the fact that someone in the family was Indian. As far as I know the Cherokee portion of our heritage begins with Mary Jane Mode. The characteristics of black hair, high cheek bones, brown eyes and dark complexions is evident in many members of our clan, namely Lou Dover Burgess, Mary Magdalene Dover Taylor, Lea Dover Burgess, Aunt Wilma Mode Massey and kids Tommy and Carole Massey. It was not until I placed a query on a McDowell County forum that I had someone respond to my questions regarding the Modes and Dovers. This response, after nearly twenty years of searching, came from Jim Padgett of McDowell County, North Carolina.

"In answer to your mail, I'll have to do this by memory. Mary Jane Dover Mode Dover was born in McDowell Co. ca. 1848. She was the daughter of William Dover and Margaret Padgett Dover. Mary Jane Dover married John Mode the first time. After he died she married her stepbrother, Augustus (Gus) Dover. Thus, she became Mary Jane Dover Mode Dover. I can't find a marriage certificate on Mary Jane and Gus, but I do know who Mary's parents were. Margaret Padgett was my G.G.Grandfather's daughter and he was not Cherokee, nor was his wife, Susan Ricketts. Although, all the Padgetts have coal black hair and were dark-skinned, even to this day. Margaret Padgett had a son before she married William Dover. He was James Augustus Padgett who was killed at Seven Pines, Virginia during the War of Southern Independence."

In a later letter he stated that, "William Dover came from S.C. and his wife Margaret Padgett from N.C. Margaret's parents were Lemeul Augustus Padgett and Susan Ricketts. The Padgetts were all dark skinned with black hair."

These letters date from December of 1999. After many attempts to contact Jim Padgett, who had always been very good to respond to my queries, I found out that he had died. This seems consistent with the ole Mode luck. Regarding his material, said material seems consistent with things I have heard or have researched. I had heard that Mary Jane had married a John Mode and that he had died. Jim's material seems to at least back up the fact that Mary Jane must have been associated with a Mode in order to have given birth to our Great Grandfather John Thomas Mode. If she were a Dover this fact might explain why we cannot find her within a Mode family in the 1850, 1860, or 1870 census records. My dad, Bill Mode, said he recalls family members saying that Mary Jane was not married when John Thomas Mode was born.

What Jim Padgett's material does not explain is why John Thomas Mode is not within the William and Margaret Padgett Dover family in the 1870 McDowell County, North Carolina census. Mary Jane and Augustus are found within their parent's household in 1870. There is also an age discrepancy that does not quite fit the bill. Mary Jane should be older than Augustus in the census records but she is not. Jim Padgett's material, though, is the first such material that has ever been presented to me which identifies Mary Jane Mode, John Mode, and Augustus C. Dover being together or related in some way. In other words, the existence of these individuals has never been acknowledged by anyone other than Jim Padgett and I tend to believe that his research is pretty accurate, but I still want more proof. This research may be what I have been looking for which knocks down that brick wall that I have been up against for so long.

Mary Jane Mode married or lived with Augustus C. Dover in McDowell Co. NC beginning around 1871. I have not found a marriage record for them. They left McDowell Co. around 1887, according to Cocke Co. tax lists, and moved to the Newport/Bybee Tennessee area. The following is how this family appeared in the 1900 Cocke Co. Census.


1900 SOUNDEX, COCKE CO., TN, DISTRICT 5
Gus Dover, 45 (Aug 1854), Farmer, NC, Rented 53 acres
Jane Dover, 51 (July 1848), NC, NC, NC
Lien, Lou, Leah?, 15 (Oct 1884), NC, NC, NC, Lou Dover Burgess Smith
Minnie, 13 (Feb 1887), TN, NC, NC
Deleitha, 10 (Oct 1884), TN, NC, NC
Andrew Leadford, 16 (Mar 1884), TN, TN, TN, Servant

Gus married 30 years. Jane married 20 years. Mother of 9, 7 living. Could not read or write, but can speak English.

Gus/A.C. Dover and John Mode are found first in the 1889-90 Cocke Co., TN, Tax lists in Dist. # 5.

This is the same family in the 1880 McDowell Co., NC Census, Household # 423, Page 384, Marion Township.
Augustus Dover, 27, Farmer
Mary J., 30, Wife, My second great grandmother, Mary Jane Dover Mode Dover?
William F., 9, This may be Frank Dover.
Mary M., 6, Mary Magdalene Taylor
Joseph M., 4, Joe Mills Dover
Ida B., 1, Ida or Ada Dover, who had Down's Syndrome.
John T., 11, My great grandfather, John Thomas Mode, son of Mary Jane Mode.
Margaret, 54, Mother
David, 21, Brother
Harriet D., 11, Niece

The Dover family in the 1870 McDowell Co., North Carolina census. Household # 69, page 10, Higgins Township.
Margaret Dover, 48
Susan, 25
Augustus, 18
Jane, 16
David, 14
Clarisa, 12
Harriett, 2

William Dover, the father, may have died between 1860 and 1870.
Said to have served in the Civil War with Co. B, 22nd North Carolina Confederate Inf.
Sarah Dover married Summa/Summie Mode in McDowell Co. NC.

The Dover family in the 1860 McDowell Co., North Carolina census. Page 658, Marion Township.
William Dover, 36
Margaret, 36
William, 16
John, 12
Matilda, 10
Augustus, 8
Jane, 5
Sarah, 2
David, 4/12

This may be the same William Dover in 1850 Buncombe Co, North Carolina census.
William C. Dover, 24
Harriet C., 21
Orra C., 1

The Dover family may have come out of South Carolina.
The following is a compiled list of various census records involving DOVER/BURGESS FAMILIES. Some of the families are known to be related, others I have not identified.
1910 Cocke Co., TN, 6th Civil Dist., ED. 46 1900 Cocke Co., TN, 6th Civil Dist., ED. 163
John Burnell, 55
Harriet, 52
Eliza Dover, 32, Dau/Wife of Frank Dover
Maudy Dover, 13, grandson
Estell Dover, 11, granddaughter
Eddie May Dover, 5, granddaughter
Frank Dover, 38, TN, TN, TN, Farm Laborer
Liza (Burrell), 20
Maud, 3
Estell, 1
(Frank apparently died between 1900 and 1910.)

1910 Cocke Co., TN, District 7 1900 Cocke Co., TN
William Burgess, 50
Eliza, 48
Ella, 16
Bruce, 14
Roy, 10
Julia B., 7
Lavella, 5
Mary (Marietta), 27, Daughter/ w/o Joe Mills Dover
Jesse Dover, 6, nephew
Mary Dover, 4, niece
John T. Mode, Sept. 1868, 31, NC, (son of Mary J. Dover)
Nancy Mode, June 1875, TN
Cora Holt, Jan. 1894, TN, (d/o Andy Holt)
Joseph W. Mode, March 1899, (grandfather)

1899 - 1900 Tax List for Cocke Co., TN, District 5 1899 - 1900 Tax List for Cocke Co., TN, District 6
Bob Dover and Mills Dover listed.
J.L. Dover listed in District 12 for 1899 - 1900
Mills Dover listed. (Joe Mills Dover)

Cocke Co., TN, 1900 District 5
Robert Dover, 25, May 1875, NC (I do not know who Robert's parents are.)
Thula, 30, April 1870, TN
Etter, 1, May 1899, TN
Cora Nolin, 5, May 1895, TN
(Robert (Bob) and Thula were also the parents of Author Dover,
who died at the age of 13 in 1917 in Cocke Co. TN.)

Blount Co., TN, 1880 District 17 Cocke Co., TN 1920
David A. Dover, 53, NC
Mary, 42, NC
Mary J., 16, NC
Mikeal A.L., 13, TN
David C., 10, TN
Linik T.?, 7, TN
Margaret, 5, TN
John J., 2, TN
James T., 20, son, GA
Lucinda J., 20, dau. in law, NC
Robert Dover, 49, NC (Do not know how Robert or David tie into our lines.)
Mary E., 39
Virgi, 20
Ida/Ira, 17
Benet, 13
Willie, 13
Kate, 11
Marjorie, 9
Bedula?, 6
Iella?, 4 5/12
Burnett, 8/12

Cocke Co., TN 1920 Cocke Co., TN 1920
Estel Dover, 20, TN    
Verlin, 16
Olimae, 2
Elizabeth, 2/3
Eddie, 16, niece
(Eddie is listed with also Jonney Burl also.
She married Hoyle D. Taylor.  
Danny Dover said Estel Dover died
of moonshine poisoning.)
Son of Frank Dover, who is
brother to Lou, Joe Mills, Mary
Magdalene, Lea, and Ada Dover.                  
 1/2 to John Thomas Mode.
Ina Mae Dover, 14, TN
Jessie Dover, 16, TN
(Listed with their mother, Mary Fox.
They are the children of Joe Mills.)

Cocke Co., TN 1920 Loudon Co., TN 1920
Ada Dover, 29, TN
Listed with Chester Holt (his aunt)
(Ada is the daughter of Augustus C. and Mary Jane
Dover. Ada had Down's Syndrome. Sister to Lou,
Mary M., Lea, Joe Mils and Frank Dover.
1/2 sister to John Thomas Mode.)
C.F. Dover, 27, TN
Sophie?, 28
Jakiny?, 8
Earl, 5

Monroe Co., TN 1920 Cocke Co., TN 1910
John Thomas Mode, 52, NC, NC, NC
Nancy Belle Green, 42, TN
Joseph Wheeler, 20, Cocke Co.
Thomas/Andrew, 18
Pearl, 15
Hattie Louise, 13
Mildred, 10
Robert Lee (Bob), 6
Elmer, 4 7/12
(John Thomas is the son of Mary Jane Mode? Dover,
who married Augustus C. Dover.
Nancy Belle Green Holt Mode is the daughter of Wade
and Fannie Malissa Arms Green of Cocke Co.)
Rufus Burgess, 28
Lula (Dover), 26, NC, NC, NC
Lawrence, 7
Marietta, 4
Rob E., 5/12
Adee Dover, 21, sister-in-law, TN, NC, NC



jtandnancymodefamily.jpg
The John Thomas and Nancy Belle Green Holt Mode Family
(click on image for larger view, 168k)


joeandmarguritemodefamily.jpg
The Joseph Wheeler and Margurite Sliger Mode Family
(click on image for larger view, 88k)


Cocke Co., TN 1900, 5th Civil Dist., page 61-A Cocke Co., TN 1910, 3rd Civil Dist.
William Taylor, 30, May 1870, TN, VA, VA
Mary M. (Dover), 27, Jan 1873, NC, NC, NC
Ebbin, 7, June 1892, TN
Eula, 4, Sept. 1895, TN
Hobart, 2, Jan. 1898, TN
Agusta, 6/12, Dec. 1899, TN (Son)
William Taylor, 40
Mary (Dover), 37 (4 children, 2 living
Ebine, 17
Eula 14

Cocke Co., TN 1920, Bybee Cocke Co., TN 1920, 6th Civil District
William M. Taylor, 50
Mary (Dover), 47
Eben Taylor, 27
Grace, 27, wife
Eben Lawley, son

Cocke Co., TN 1920, 6th Civil District Cocke Co., TN 1920, 3rd Dist., p. 59B, ED 15-16
Chester Holt, 32, TN, TN, TN
Eula (Taylor), 24, TN, TN, TN
Georgie, 5, (b. 18 Feb. 1915    d. 1995 Dandridge)
Paul, 3
Ada Dover, 29 (aunt, d/o Augustus and Jane Dover)
Chester Holt, 42 (married at 22 yrs, Canning Factory
Eula Taylor, 34 (married at 15 yrs)
Paul, 13
Living next door to Chester and Eula is her mother Mary Taylor,
age 56, and her grandson-in-law Fred Hartsell, age 20, and her
granddaughter, Georgie Holt Hartsell, age 15.

Cuyahoga Co., OH 1930, Ward 6, E.D. 18-726, p. 36b
Anderson Taylor, 28, TN, TN,TN, Chemical Co.
Grace, 27, TN, TN, TN
Eben, 12, TN, TN, TN
Warren, 9, TN, TN, TN
Jack, 1?
(I believe this is Eben Taylor, son of  William (Bill) and Mary Magdalene Dover Taylor. Don’t know why he is going by Anderson.)
W.W. I Draft Registration Card for Ebin Edgar Taylor shows him to be 24 years old, resident of Newport, Tenn. Born 14 June 1892, a natural born U.S. citizen, place of birth Bybee, Tenn, employer was Muoro? Tanning Co. in Newport, Tenn. Dependents were a wife and child, married, Caucasian, no military experience. Exemption: Yes, dependent family. Medium height, medium build, dark brown eyes, dark brown hair. Not bald. No physical disabilities. Dated 5 June 1917.


Knox Co., TN 1920 Bradley Co., TN 1900
Laura Dover, 35 Mary Dover, 60, NC

An APPRENTICE BOND between the employer, ANDREW ELLIS, his apprentice, WILLIAM PRESTON DOVER, who was 10 yrs/6months old and his mother JANE DOVER. Bond made on 12 Oct. 1875 in Cleveland Co. NC. (Not sure who this Jane Dover belongs to. May be Mary Jane Browning Dover.

SOME FAMILY MARRIAGES
The following is a list of marriages between our associated families. Some of the marriages came out of the Cocke Co. marriage register, while individuals gave others to me during conversations over the phone. If a name is misspelled it is because I was not able to see the name in print, so it was written as it sounded. Some dates were not known to me at this time, but can be filled in as they are found. This list represents only the marriages that I have compiled.
NAME LOCATION DATE
William Dover and Margaret Padgett
William Dover was said to have been married twice.
North/South Carolina c. 1844
Augustus C. Dover and Mary Jane Mode McDowell, NC c. 1871
Lou Dover and Rufus F. Burgess (1st)  Nick Smith (2nd) Cocke Co., TN 3 May 1903 - J.T.Robinson, J.P.
Mary Magdalene Dover and Wm. Taylor Cocke Co., TN 31 Oct. 1894
Frank Dover and Liza Burrell Cocke Co., TN 17 March 1896
Joe Mils Dover (23) and Marietta Burgiss (18) Cocke Co., TN 31 Oct. 1902
Lena (Lea?) Dover and Hugh Burgess Cocke Co., TN 18 Nov. 1905 - Oscar O'Neil, J.P.
Nancy Belle Green and Andy Holt (Parents of Cora Ethel Holt b. 28 Jan. 1894) 9 Oct. 1892
Cora Ethel Holt and Nute Ward Cocke Co., TN 3 July 1915
John Thomas Mode and Nancy Belle Green Holt Mode Cocke Co., TN 11 Nov. 1898
Joe Wheeler Mode and Marguerite Aretta Sliger Blount Co., TN 19 April 1930
William Franklin Mode and Bettye Jean Davis Knox Co., TN 9 June 1956
William Joseph Mode and Patsy Ann Poore Knox Co., TN 17 Aug. 1985
Robert (Bob) Dover and Thula Holt Cocke Co., TN 26 Feb. 1897
Susan Dover (23) and Rufus Proctor (27)
Her parents: Wm. and Margeret Padgett Dover (deceased)
McDowell Co., NC
His parents: Marcus and Sallie Handcock Proctor
25 March 1873
Clarissa Dover (24) and Milas Hoover (58)
Her parents: Wm. and Margeret Padgett Dover (deceased)
McDowell Co., NC
His parents: Daniel Hoover
?
John Dover and Mary Mayes/Mays Cocke Co., TN     Bdsm. John E. Dover 29 Nov. 1911 - J.S. Padgett, J.P.
Van Dover and Eliza Burrell Cocke Co., TN   Frank and Liza Burrell? 17 March 1896
Ina Mae Dover and Dexter Manning Cocke Co., TN ?
Eula Taylor and Charley Holt Cocke Co., TN 25 Dec. 1910 - David T. Hicks, J.P.
Jessie Dover and Hattie/Sarah? Cocke Co., TN ?
Edith Worex and Jessie Ketner Cocke Co., TN ?
Mary Etter Burgess and ???? Worex Cocke Co., TN ?
Roy Burgess and Cynthia ???? Cocke Co., TN ?
Jetta Burgess and W. Inman Cocke Co., TN ?
Hattie May Burgess and ???? Spoon Cocke Co., TN ?
Will Burgess and Eliza Holt Cocke Co., TN ?
Louella Burgess and Dexter Manning Cocke Co., TN ?
Eddie Dover and Hoyle D. Taylor Cocke Co., TN ?
Fred Dover and Maxine Horton Cocke Co., TN ?


INFORMATION REGARDING DEATHS IN THE FAMILY
Most of this information came from various cemetery books, Browns Funeral Home, and the Tennessee Death Indexes. Again, this is only what I have collected and is in no way complete. I hope others will expand on this information. Unless stated otherwise, these deaths occurred in COCKE CO., TENNESSEE. The name variations, such as "BURGIS", is how they are shown in the death records.

Augustus C. Dover? Lawrence Burgess thinks Gus Dover died ca. 1910.
Mary (Jane) Mode Dover (58) died 26 Oct. 1908 of Consumption. Husband Gus Dover. Buried at Clay Creek Baptist.
Author Dover (13) died 1917. Son of Bob Dover and Thula Holt? Record only says "Holt."
Ina Mae Dover Manning (16) was born on 1 January 1906 and died on 18 February 1921. Daughter of Joe Mils and Mary Burges Dover. Sister of Jessie Dover.

NOTE: Ina Mae was said to have drowned while crossing the Pigeon River on her way to work at the canning factory. The river was swollen and her boat overturned. According to Linda Hux Daniels, her grandmother, Lou Ella Burgess was also in the same boat which overturned when Ina Mae drowned. Ina Mae Dover was the first wife of Dexter Manning.

John Dover (72), born NC. Died 1920. Son of Wm. Dover of NC and his mother was also from NC.
Bonnie Cate Burgus (4) died 1918. Daughter of R.F. and Lou Dover Burgis.
Clifford Burgess, b. 1 Aug. 1907 d. 3 June 1935. Son of Hugh and Lena(Lea?) Burgess.  Family Cemetery.
Imogene Dover b. 11 May 1940 d. 14 May 1940. Daughter of Jessie and Hattie Dover.
Lou Dover Burgess Smith (57) died 22 Aug. 1941. Dau. of Gus Dover and Jane Mode. Sisters Mary Magdalene Taylor , Ada Dover. Children: Lawrence, Dewey, John, and Mary Etter. Sick 3 days. Greggs Chapel. Burgess Cemetery.
Thula Dover died Oct. 17 1908. Probably Thula Holt who married Robert(Bob) Dover.
Ada Dover (57) b. 30 Oct. 1889 Cocke Co. died 27 Feb. 1947. Dau. of Gus and Mary Jane Mode Dover. Buried at Greggs Chap. Sister of Mary M., Lou, Lea, Frank, and Mils Dover. Died at home of Wm. Worex.
Esti Hugh Dover (21) died 21 Aug. 1939. Born in TN. Son of Frank and Eliza Burrell Dover. Frank born in NC.
Mrs Mary Magdaline Dover Taylor (78) b.14 Jan. 1874, NC, died 8 April 1952. Dau. of Gus and  Mary Jane Mode Dover. Buried at Clay Creek Baptist Church. Pall-bearers: Ben Dover, Jesse Wood, Truman Nease.
Jessie L. Dover born on 27 Oct., 1903 and died? Record said "No Date."
Hattie Marie Dover b. 8 May 1914 d. 11 Sept. 1967.
Wm. Burgess b. Dec. 1858 d. 1918. Son of Joe Burgess who served during the Civil War.
Eliza Holt Burgess b. 27 July 1863 d. 1930. Wife of Wm. Burgess.
Liza (Burrell) Dover, 40, born Cocke Co., Father: John Burrell, Mother: Liza Burrell. Died 1918.
Joe Mills Dover apparently died between 1902 and 1910.

The following are children of Wm. and Eliza Holt Burgess.
Rufus Burgess died at the age of 35 of TB
Mary Burgess b. 21 Jan. 1883 d. 27 Oct. 1957. Union Cemetery.
Winnie Analine Burgess b. ca. 1885.
Hugh Burgess b. 1888 d. 1920.
George William Burgess b. 22 Sept 1889 d. 26 Mar. 1968.
Lillie Burgess b. 1892 d. 1944. Lived in Green Co.? Buried in Burgess Cemetery Cocke Co. Tennessee.
Ellie Burgess b. 1894 d. ? Buried at Burgess Cemetery.
Bruce Burgess b. 1898 d. 20 Mar. 1969. Lived in New Jersey? Buried in Burgess Cemetery.
Ollie Burgess died at birth?
Roy Burgess b. 5 Apr. 1900 d. 7 Aug. 1981. Buried in Union Cemetery Cocke Co. Tennessee.
Juney Burgess b. 13 June 1903
Louella Burgess b. 7 May 1905 d. 11 Oct. 1965.

John Thomas Mode b. 12 Sept. 1867, NC, died 29 Aug. 1936, Maryville, TN. Buried at Morganton Cem. in Greenback, TN. 1/2 Brother to Lou, Mary Magdaline, Lea, Frank, and Mils Dover. Mother was Mary J. Mode.

Nancy Belle Green Holt Mode b. 8 June 1875, Cocke Co., d. 8 June 1937, Knox Co. Wife of John T. Mode and daughter of Wade and Fanny Malissa Arms Green. Buried at Morganton Cem. in Greenback, TN.

Joseph Wheeler Mode b. 17 Mar. 1899 Cocke Co., d. 18 Feb. 1937, Knox Co. Buried at Lynhurst Cem. Son of John T. and Nancy  Belle Green Holt Mode.

Marguerite Aretta Sliger Mode Caldwell died 25 March 1998 at Hillcrest South in Knoxville. She was the daughter of William Edgar Sliger and Sarah Louise Cloninger. She is buried at Lynhurst Cemetery. The Sligers are the Sligers of Washington and McMinn County, Tenn. The Cloningers are from the Strawplains and New Market area of Knoxville. This is the same Cloninger clan as those found in Lincoln County, North Carolina.

NOTES AND MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION
Lawrence Burgess, nephew to John Thomas Mode, said that he was born in Cocke Co., TN ca. 1905. He said that he had met his Grandfather Gus Dover and Granny Jane Dover when he was five or six years old. (1910-1911?) I asked if he knew where they died. He said that they were buried at Clay Creek Baptist Church in Bybee, TN. Lawrence's mother was Lou Dover, half sister to John Thomas Mode. Lawrence said that his mother had two brothers, Mils and Frank, plus another sister Lea. Lea married Hugh Burgess. Lawrence said that his Granny Dover (Mary Jane Mode Dover) was full-blooded Cherokee and thought that she was born in Cherokee, NC. Lawrence went on to say that all the Dover kids, Ada, Lou, Mary M., Lea, Frank, and Mils were dark skinned with black hair and black eyes. On 1 Sept. 1995 he said that his Granny Dover (Mary Jane Mode) was married twice, once to John Mode? who died, then to Augustus (Gus) C. Dover. He said that he thought that Mils and Frank Dover died ca. 1925. (They appear to have died between 1900 and 1910.)

Mae Dover, Bessie Manning, Louella Burgesss Ina Mae Manning Mae Dover and Mae Manning
Mae Dover, Bessie Manning, Louella Burgess Ina Mae Manning Mae Dover and Mae Manning
(click on any of these images for a larger view, 128k, 168k, and 88k)

During conversations on 11 June 2007 and 20 January 2009 with Ann Mode Reitman of Oregon the following information was gathered. Her grandparents were Summa/Summie Mode and Sarah Dover. Summie is pronounced like “Sunny,” she stated that Summie Mode had “dark blood” or black blood and it showed up in Summie and his kids, Arthur, Ebb, and Joe. They also had a half-brother named Robert (Bob) Mode who lived in Sutherlin, Oregon. Joe Mode was Ann’s dad. She said, “Grandpa Mode had a lot of Negro in him, had slaves, and a couple of wives.”  Summie’s first wife was Sarah Dover and a second wife was Emma. Emma is buried beside Summie and her stone says “Wife of Summie Mode.” Summie married Sarah Dover in McDowell County, N.C. Ann’s aunt on her mother’s side told her that there was some dark blood in the Mode family. One aunt, perhaps the same one, said to Ann on her deathbed “You do know that you have Negro blood in you?” Ann said that her Aunt Elma Anderson, a Swede, hated the Modes, perhaps because of the dark blood and some of her kin would not talk about the family.

Ann said, “All the Modes drank, Summie made liquor, had parties and furnished the liquor.” It was said of Summie, she said, that “If you didn’t get your liquor from Summie Mode, you didn’t get your liquor.” I believe she said he lived in or near Sutherlin, Oregon. Ann heard that Summie might have been chased out of North Carolina. He had a maid or housekeeper, she said, and he may have gotten her pregnant and may have moved because of this. Or, he had “left in the middle of the night.” According to Ann epilepsy runs on her side, saying that she found where her Uncle Ebb had ordered epilepsy medicine, that her brother, Les Mode, has a daughter who has epilepsy, and that someone’s daughter had drowned recently due to an epileptic fit while no one was around. She said that she had a big oval picture of Summie Mode and that he was “quite a good looking man,” and mentioned that many people on her side had “pug” noses. Summie died in 1933. At one time, she said, there was a town in Oregon called Modesville.

The 1900 Douglas County, Oregon census lists Summie as Brice S. Mode, 49, married 27 years, white, farmer, NC, NC, NC.
His wife in 1900 is listed as Sarah E. who is either 45 or 55. Shows she was born in 1855 in NC.
The 1910 Douglas County, Oregon census lists Summie as Brison S. Mode, 59, widowed, MULATO, farmer, NC, NC, NC.
The 1910 Census also shows an Emma J. Padgett, 45, housekeeper.

This information was gathered and compiled by William Joseph Mode, 2nd great grandson of Mary Jane Dover Mode Dover and great grandson of John Thomas Mode, half-brother to Mary Magdaline, Frank, Joe Mills, Lou, Lea, and Ada Dover. Much more can be gathered and compiled and much more needs to be found regarding the parentage of Mary J. Dover Mode Dover.


Last updated around January 2009.
Joe Mode can be reached at jmode@mindspring.com

Copyright belongs to the submitter and no information or photos may be used without prior permission from him.


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