Arnolds and Vollenweiders of Fayette and Coweta

Imagine, if you will, that you are a young man of about 18 or 20 in the mid to late 1860s. You are a member of a fairly well-to-do, educated family, your father is a college professor and you have been living on the campus of a university in Germany.

But for some strange reason, you and your brother decide to leave all that stability and security behind, take what belongings you can carry, stow away on a boat bound for America and start a new life in a new country where you have no skills and don't even speak the language.

Doesn't make much sense, does it? But that is exactly what William Carl Vollenweider did. He somehow lost track of his brother after he arrived in America but made his way to Brooks, Georgia, where he ended up behind a mule and a plow, working as a farm hand for Dr. Noah Gable.

The Vollenweider story is very well done by Paul Reid Vollenweider in the Fayette County history book. But, since it was done in the 1970s, more information has surfaced and more research has been done.

Paul gives young Vollenweider's name as "William Henry," which is what everyone in the family thought it was at that time. But, with the help of a German student in Dallas, Ga., and communication with a researcher in Germany, it has been learned that his name actually was "William Carl."

William worked on the farm for Dr. Gable until, as Paul says, a lady in neighboring Coweta county caught his eye. She was Lucinda Permelia Bowers, the daughter of Giles Bowers and Mary Morgan. William and "Lucindy" were married April 10, 1870, according to Paul's story in the Fayette history book. There is no record of the marriage in Fayette or Coweta County, however. We can only assume that Paul was in possession of a family Bible or other family records. Neither is there a record of William and Permelia in the 1870 census for Fayette or Coweta, so, unless they were just "missed," where they were that year is a mystery.

William and Lucinda had only three children, and only one would live to carry on the Vollenweider name. Lena Cornelia was born Oct. 6, 1871, William Charles was born Sept. 30, 1874, and Giles was born Oct. 11, 1878. Giles would die tragically in 1896 with typhoid fever, leaving only William Charles to carry on the family name.

Frances Arnold, wife of William Vollenweider's grandson, Giles Harris Arnold, tells me that William took his family back to Germany when Giles' mother was very young and that she had even attended school there for a while. He later returned to the United States and applied for his citizenship papers. When he returned, the family apparently settled in Coweta County as they are found living on Seavy Street in Senoia in the 1880 census.

Paul's story says that William worked for a licensed distillery in Coweta County and later worked as a landscape gardener for the Atlanta and West Point Railroad. In the 1880 census, his occupation is given as "laborer." Paul also says William became a homeowner in Moreland, where he died on Aug. 3, 1897. Lucinda is listed living with another family (unreadable but looks like "Hatten") in 1900. I could not find her in 1910. Lucinda died March 1, 1912, and she and William are buried in Moreland, Coweta County, along with their son, Giles.

William and Lucinda's only surviving son, William Charles, married Elizabeth Reid of LaGrange, Troup County, and lived in Coweta for a while. They are found in Coweta's First District (GMD 691) in 1910 with their children: Alfy J. (James Alpha), age 14; Willie J. (Willie Giles), age 11; Gracie O. (Grace Omega), age 9; Othel D. (David Othel), age 6; and Paul R. (Paul Reid), age 4.

William Charles abandoned the farm when farming began to decline and became a "traveling salesman" selling household items and remedies first from a horse-drawn wagon, and later from a Model-T Ford. The family operated a small farm in Woolsey and later a family store was opened in Fayetteville.

The family scattered as they grew up and the last Vollenweider left Fayette County in the 1930s. William Charles Vollenweider died in 1935 at the age of 61.

Lena Cornelia Vollenweider (daughter of William Carl and Lucinda Bowers Vollenweider) married James Robert Arnold Sept. 22, 1889 in Coweta County. The record may be found in Coweta marriage records. She and her husband remained in Coweta for a while and are found there in 1900 with their children: Leonard (William Leonard), age 9; Corry L. (Corrie Lee), age 8; Annie L. (Annie Leathy), age 5; Mary P. (Mary Pauline), age 2; and Lyman (Thomas Lyman), age 9 months. Frances (Arnold) gave me the names of additional Arnold children: Paul Eugene, James Clayton, Jesse Carl, Giles Harris, Ralph Pierce and an unnamed infant.

James Robert Arnold, Lena's husband, died 28 Oct. 1940 in Dooly County, Ga. Lena died Aug. 25, 1949.

My grateful thanks to Frances Hanson Arnold for sharing her family information with me. She has a lot more and would love to make contact with other family members. You may contact her at ArnoldF1916@aol.com.

Next week, I'll tell you a little more about the Bowers and the Morgans behind this family.

Send stories about your Atlanta area ancestors to The Citizen, Drawer 1719, Fayetteville, GA 30214; E-mail jkilgore@thecitizennews.com or jodiek444@aol.com.

Until next week, happy hunting!

(Judy regrets that time does not permit her to do personal research for others. She will willingly share research information on her own family lines, including collateral and allied lines.