Ask and You Shall Receive...Better Photo Found

On a recent blog post, I mentioned I was looking for a better copy of the photo of the students at Centerville School. Thankfully, I received a call from a distant cousin I did not know who had a much better copy. Joan (pronounced Jo Ann) lives in Bells, TN and when my family and I were there recently, we stopped by to get a copy of the photo. Joan also had some really great photos of some of my other ancestors from Haywood County so it was a great find. I am really thankful she gave me a call.

I marked a few of the people in the photo and listed their relationship to me.

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Children at Centerville School in Haywood County, TN around 1918

1. Leslie Fowler – In the 1920 census, Leslie is living in home of Louis M. Fowler and his wife Sarah Patterson Fowler, my third great grandparents. They were the parents of Ruby Fowler Lovelace who was the mother of my maternal grandfather, Guy Lovelace. Leslie was 11 in 1920. I am not certain who he was but he was possibly their grandson.
2. Robert Brantley – The son of Vivian Brantley and his wife Joseph Castellaw. “Viv” was the brother of Henry Preston Brantley, my second great grandfather.
3. Blanch Lovelace – the sister of my grandfather, Guy Lovelace.
4. Camillia Watridge – daughter of Champ Watridge (the guy with the peg leg)
5. Joe Watridge – son of Champ Watridge
6. Ovid Lovelace – brother of my grandfather, Guy Lovelace
7. Clara Brantley – Sister of my great grandfather, “Willie” Brantley
8. Guy Brantley – Brother of my great grandfather, “Willie” Brantley
9. Mabel Marbury – Sister of my great grandmother, Allie Marbury Brantley
10. Gladys Brantley – Sister of my great grandfather, “Willie” Brantley

Eva Pearl Lovelace and Edward Mansfield Patterson

Eva Pearl Lovelace, (b. Feb 1889 in Haywood County) who was Joan’s grandmother, was the sister of my great grandfather, Jim Lovelace. Eva married Edward Mansfield Patterson (b. Feb 1889 in Haywood County) on April 2, 1905 in Haywood County. Their children were Irene, Helen, Homer Edward, and Viola. They also had a son named Richard Hess who died at 18 months.

They lived and farmed near the home of Eva’s parents, Charles B. Lovelace and Nancy Jane Yelverton who were my second great grandparents.

Edward died in 1944 and Eva died on February 15, 1951 and was buried at Zion Cemetery.

Bill and Helen Patterson Cobb

Eva and Edward’s daughter, Helen, married Bill Cobb. To me, this photo really represents both the fashion and the style of homes in Haywood County during that day. Helen and my grandfather, Guy Lovelace were first cousins.

L to r: Rob Jacocks, Walter Borders, Arthur Jacocks,
Bill Cobb, Tom Watridge, Edd Patterson.
Boys are J.T., Solon and Russell Jacocks

The little boy who is first on the front row is J.T. Jacocks who was married to my grandmother’s sister, Cordilia Brantley Jacocks. Uncle J.T. and my grandfather, Guy Lovelace, were very close and I remember him very well and am still close to his and Aunt Cordilia's children. In later years Uncle J.T. and my grandfather worked together in a construction and home repair business there in Brownsville.

On the day of Uncle J.T.’s funeral, after he had died from injuries when a tornado hit his home, my grandfather sighed and said to me, “I buried my best friend today.”

I’ve always liked the letter my Aunt Cordilia wrote my grandmother in 1939 because it shows what was important to people of that time: Friends, family and work. You can read her letter on the Brantley page.

Al Cobb

Here is a photo that Joan had on which someone had written “Al Cobb” the back. I thought he sounded familiar and then I remembered the photo I received from my distant relative in Texas of Fletcher and Mary Castellaw. Their daughter, “Bina,” married an Al Cobb and he is pictured in that photo. I compared the two and discovered it was in fact the same Al Cobb.

Al was a son of Sim Cobb and was actually named Albert Lafayette and was also called "Bud Al."

According to Joe Cobb's book, "Al was remembered as handsome, witty and a good conversationalist." Al and Bina moved to Ennis, TX with Fletcher Castellaw in 1896. They had three children and shortly after the third child was born, Bina died and was burred in the Myrtle Cemetery. Al returned to Haywood County, TN by 1900 and later married Lenora "Nonie" Thomas and they had three children together. Al died of a heart attack in 1936 and he and his second wife are burred in the Holly Grove Baptist Church cemetery.

You can read more about the Lovelaces, Cobbs, Castellaws and others on HaywoodCountyLine.com.