In the last two posts of this series (Part 1 and Part 2), we identified the parents of Roy S. Teague of Rabun County, Georgia. Today, we will continue working on the Teague family by first summarizing what we know of William Stephen Teague, Roy’s father, and then trying to determine the identities of Stephen’s parents.
I have included information in this summary from several sources not discussed previously in detail, namely Teague burials at the Head of Tennessee Baptist Church in Dillard, GA, where Stephen was buried; newspaper articles and obituaries; and early death certificates, which are available online from about 1917 through 1930 at the Georgia Virtual Vault. Since we have already discussed Stephen’s general movements, those will not be discussed again. Please bear in mind that I have not fully tracked down each of the children named. Also, I have not included all the information I have gathered thus far, first because this is a summary of the relationships, and secondly because many of these items have already been discussed.
William Stephen Teague was born December 1869,1 probably in Rabun Co., GA, and died 15 November 1945 in Valley District, Rabun County.2 He married first to Sarah Angeline “Lina” Hamby on 17 November 1895.3 He married second to (or lived as man and wife with) Pearl L. Freeman, daughter of Albert P. Freeman and Martha “Mattie” [–?–], who was born April 1888 in Fannin or Union Co., GA, and died 2 April 1927 in Rabun Gap, Rabun County.4
Stephen and Lina had the following children:
- Louie Teague born 5 February 1897 in Clayton, Rabun County, and died 23 February 1982 in Clayton.5
- Alvin “Grady” Teague born 24 August 1898 in Georgia.6
- Roy S. Teague born 8 May 1900 in Georgia and died 7 June 1969 in Clayton, Rabun County.7 He married Hattie C. James, daughter of Warren Clint James and Jenettie Beck, on 15 June 1924 in Rabun County.8
- Faye Teague born 1 April 1903 and died 17 December 1987. She married C. C. Barron.9
- Reba Teague born about 1911 in Georgia and died 24 October 1983 in Habersham County, Georgia. She married C. F. Sullivan.10
- Lucy Teague born 9 November 1915 and died 26 January 1975. She married an unknown Ramey.11
Stephen and Pearlie had the following known children:
- Melvin Teague born 26 February 1905 in Tennessee and died 2 September 1979 in Canton, Haywood County, North Carolina.12
- [Infant] Teague born between 1906 and 1907 and died before 1910.13
- Ulyus G. Teague born 18 December 1908 in Tennessee and died 4 August 1988. He married Gladys H. [–?–].14
- Edgar W. Teague born in 1919 in Georgia and died February 1951 in Rabun County. He married a daughter of John Talley.15
- Carrie May Teague born 16 May 1922 in Rabun County and died 21 March 1924 in Rabun Gap, Rabun County.16
- [Infant] Teague born and died 8 July 1925 in Rabun Gap, Rabun County.17
- Clifford E. Teague born about 1927 in Georgia.18
We have already found a huge clue as to Stephen’s parentage from his enumeration in the 1920 US census, Rabun County, with J. J. Teague and J. G. Teague, enumerated as Stephen’s father and brother respectively.19 A search through issues of The Clayton Tribune around the time of Stephen’s death yielded no obituary, and death certificates for that time period are not an option for reasons discussed previously. While at the Head of Tennessee Baptist Church Cemetery, where Stephen and several children and grandchildren are buried, I found the stones of James J. Teague, born 31 July 1848 and died 13 June 1922, and Elizabeth Teague, born 16 March 1836 and died 1 July 1917, erected very near to the main body of Teague burials. Could these be Stephen’s parents?
Since we already know that Stephen was enumerated as head of household in 1900 and 1910 and not with his parents or siblings, the next logical step is to try to find this family in the 1880 US census.
A first look at the information imparted here shows a good match between what we already know about Stephen and this record: the birth dates and places for Stephen are similar to information already known; his father in this record, James J. Teague, roughly matches in age and name to his father from the 1920 US census, J. J. Teague; and one of his brothers from this record is named James and was born in about 1876, a rough match to Stephen’s brother from 1920.20
There are a couple of other interesting things to note. First, the family enumerated just before the Teagues included Angeline Hamby, age 6, most likely Stephen’s future wife. The remainder of the Hamby family, including Lina’s parents, were enumerated on a previous page, but we will save that for a future post.
Next, note that two step-children were enumerated in this family, possibly Elizabeth’s children by a previous marriage. Both of these children, Mary F. and Andrew Simms, were born in South Carolina (as was their father), whereas all the other children (Serepta, Stephen, Savannah, Sarah, James, and Thomas) were born in Georgia. James and Elizabeth were enumerated as both having been born in Georgia. Elizabeth’s father and mother were born in South Carolina and North Carolina, while James’ father and mother were born in North Carolina and Georgia, respectively for each set.
Searches through three counties in three states (Rabun Co., GA, Macon Co., NC, and Oconee Co., SC) failed to yield an enumeration for this family in the 1900 US census, and we already have at least part of the family’s 1920 enumeration. In 1870, the family was enumerated in Rabun County in Clayton (to be fair, everyone was enumerated in Clayton in that year).21
It is important to remember that while federal censuses taken before 1880 can contain very important information, the one thing they do not do is give relationships. Many relationships are implied from earlier population schedules, but they are not explicitly stated, and therefore should not be used as the sole proof of familial connections if at all possible. So, for instance, we cannot say that the child Sidney, age 2 born in Georgia, who was enumerated with this Teague family in 1870, is a child of James and Elizabeth. In fact, it is just as possible that he was enumerated with that family for another reason, especially considering the close age gap between Serepta and Stephen (given here as William S., further cementing our placement of him with this family) and the fact that Sidney was listed out of age order from the other children. *Are there other records we could draw from in order to determine Sidney’s exact relationship to this family, given that he was not enumerated with them in later censuses?* The remaining children (Mary, Andrew, Serepta, and William S.) we know belong to James and Elizabeth, in one way or another, from our look at the 1880 and 1920 US censuses.
A couple of other items: Note that Elizabeth’s birth place is given here as South Carolina, in contrast to the 1880 US census, which lists her birth place as Georgia. There are several reasons why the two enumerations contradict one another, and so we must find other evidence of her place of birth or find a way to resolve the conflict. Also, James and Elizabeth were enumerated just two doors away from William and Licena Teage, who were of an age to be James’ parents. *We should note this on our to-do list as a possibility for further investigation.*
Finally, this family’s enumeration in the 1910 US census. I could not obtain a good copy to share, and so I shall summarize the information. James J. Teague, possibly age 60, born in Georgia, headed a household consisting of his wife, Elizabeth (age 74, born in Georgia) and son, James (possibly age 34, born in Georgia). They were again enumerated in the Moccasin District. James the elder was a farmer by occupation, and James the younger a farm laborer.22
Interestingly enough, the family enumerated just previous to James and Elizabeth in 1910 was that of John McCoy and wife, Savannah, who was 38 years old, the same age as James and Elizabeth’s daughter, Savannah, as enumerated in the 1880 US census. The family enumerated just after James and Elizabeth was that of Andy Hamby and wife. Logen Hamby and his wife Zonia were enumerated on the other side of Andy Hamby, Logan being one of the children enumerated in the same household as Stephen’s wife Lina in 1880.
In our next post, we will attempt to track down and identify each of James and Elizabeth’s children before extending the lineage backwards.
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Footnotes:
1. Stephen Tege household, 1900 U. S. census, Rabun County, Georgia, population schedule, Moccasin Militia District No. 1014, ED 118, SD 39, sheet 6A, dwelling 90, family 90; National Archives micropublication T623, roll 118.
2. William Steve Teague entry, Vital Statistics Index A Rabun County: 6th page, T section; Probate Court, Clayton, Georgia.
3. Lina’s full name comes from her son Louie’s obituary: Louie Teague obituary, The Clayton Tribune, 4 March 1982, Volume 82, Number 9, page A-8, column 2. Marriage data: Marriages Book E, 1895 – 1921, Rabun County: page 10; Probate Court, Clayton, Georgia.
4. Pearl’s birth information and part of the information on her parents was taken from this family’s 1900 US census enumeration in Sugar Creek, Fannin Co., GA, for which I do not (at this time) have an exact citation. Information on her death comes from her death certificate. Mrs. Pearlie Teague death certificate, number 9312, Georgia State Board of Health, Atlanta, Georgia; Georgia Death Certificates 1917 – 1927 database, Georgia’s Virtual Vault, online http://cdm.sos.state.ga.us/cdm4/gadeaths.php.
5. Louie Teague obituary, The Clayton Tribune, 4 March 1982, Volume 82, Number 9, page A-8, column 2.
6. Ancestry.com; World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 [database on-line], Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc., 2005; United States, Selective Service System, World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918, Washington, D.C.: NARA micropublication M1509.
7. Roy Teague tombstone, Pickett Cemetery, Clayton, Georgia; photographed by Richard Hopkins and Dawn Watson, 5 July 2010. Roy S. Teague obituary, The Clayton Tribune, Clayton, Georgia, 12 June 1969, page 1, column 6.
8. Rabun County Marriage Record F 1921 – 1932: 102; Probate Court, Clayton, Georgia. Mrs. Hattie James Watkins obituary, The Clayton Tribune, 21 April 1983, volume 86, number 16, page A-14, 3rd column.
9. C. C. and Faye T. Barron tombstone, Pickett Cemetery, Clayton, Georgia; photographed by Richard Hopkins and Dawn Watson, 5 July 2010.
10. Lina Teague household, 1920 U. S. census, Rabun County, Georgia, population schedule, Clayton District 587, Warwoman Road, ED 151, SD 9, sheet 2B, dwelling 33, family 33; National Archives micropublication T625, roll 270. Reba Sullivan obituary, The Clayton Tribune, 27 October 1983, Vol. 86, No. 42, p. A-6, Obituary section.
11. Lucy Teague tombstone, Tiger Cemetery, Tiger, Georgia; photographed 27 September 2010 by Dawn Watson.
12. Ancestry.com; North Carolina Death Collection, 1908 – 2004 [database on-line], Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc., 2005.
13. This child implied by Pearl’s information on total number of children birthed and total number of children living in the 1910 US census. Steve Teague household, 1910 US census, Polk County, Tennessee, population schedule, 5th District, ED 150, SD 3, sheet 11B, dwelling 347, family 353; Ancestry.com, 1910 United States Federal Census [database on-line], Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc., 2006; NARA micropublication T624, roll 1515.
14. Ulyus G. and Gladys H. Teague tombstone, Head of Tennessee Baptist Church Cemetery, Dillard, Georgia; photographed 3 August 2010 by Dawn Watson and Caleb Watson.
15. Teague tombstone, Head of Tennessee Baptist Church Cemetery, Dillard, Georgia; photographed 3 August 2010 by Dawn Watson and Caleb Watson. “Eight People Lose Lives in Fire Early Saturday at Dillard,” The Clayton Tribune, 8 February 1951, Vol. 54, No. 6, front page, 6th column.
16. Carrie May Teague death certificate, number 9399, Georgia State Board of Health, Atlanta, Georgia; Georgia Death Certificates 1917 – 1927 database, Georgia’s Virtual Vault, online http://cdm.sos.state.ga.us/cdm4/gadeaths.php.
17. No Name Teague death certificate, number 20944, Georgia State Board of Health, Atlanta, Georgia; Georgia Death Certificates 1917 – 1927 database, Georgia’s Virtual Vault, online http://cdm.sos.state.ga.us/cdm4/gadeaths.php.
18. William S. Teague household, 1930 US census, Rabun County, Georgia, population schedule, Tennessee Valley, ED 121-6, SD 5, sheet 2B, dwelling 28, family 29; NARA micropublication T626, roll 381.
19. W. S. Teague household, 1920 US census, Rabun County, Georgia, population schedule, Tennessee Valley District 556, ED 150, SD 9, sheet 6A, dwelling 71, family 71; NARA micropublication T625, roll 270.
20. James J. Teague household, 1880 US census, Rabun County, Georgia, population schedule, Moccasin District 1014, ED 171, SD 1, sheet 28, dwelling 235, family 244; NARA micropublication T9, roll 162.
21. James Teage household, 1870 US census, Rabun County, Georgia, population schedule, Clayton P. O., page 12, dwelling 86, family 89; NARA micropublication M593, roll 171.
22. James J. Teague household, 1910 US census, Rabun County Georgia, population schedule, Moccasin, ED [illegible], SD 43[?], sheet 6A, dwelling 87, family 87; NARA micropublication T624, roll 209.
Digging in the Roots 