Finding Your Folks: Readers write about Brown, Summers, Wood families


		Friday, Nov. 12, 2004

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Genealogy: Finding Your Folks

Readers write about Brown, Summers,
Wood families

By Judy Fowler Kilgore
Genealogy Columnist

Judy Fowler Kilgore is the religion editor and genealogy columnist for The Citizen. She regrets that time does not permit her to do personal family research for others.
She may be reached at jkilgore@thecitizennews.com or jodiek444@aol.com.

Those of you who have sent e-mails inquiring about the archived genealogy columns on the Internet will be happy to know that they are now back on The Citizen’s Web site. Our new Web master is redoing the site and the columns were temporarily unavailable.

From the e-mails I received, it’s evident many of you read the online version of The Citizen. In the words of the old TV commercial, “I appreciate your support.” As you will see later in the column, one response this week was from a column written in 2002. I hope you will continue to help me add more and more information on metro Atlanta families to our site. And I’m grateful that you use our Web site as a research tool.

One local event coming up this weekend is worth mentioning for those who are connected to the family of Benjamin Brown, Revolutionary Soldier. I received a news release from Lewie Dunn of the Fayette County Historical Society about the placing of a marker on his grave in Peachtree City this Saturday. Lewie writes:

“The grave of Revolutionary War soldier Pvt. Benjamin Brown will be marked on Saturday, Nov. 13, 2004 at 11 a.m. at the Brown Cemetery on Dividend Drive next to Talbot State Bank [313 Dividend Dr.] in Peachtree City.

“Pvt. Brown served in Capt. Benjamin Bailey’s Company of Col. Archibald Lytle’s Third North Carolina Regiment of the Continental Line. He enlisted Sept. 17, 1782 for 18 months. His unit was part of the North Carolina Brigade, an element of the Southern Department.

“Pvt. Brown served near the end of the Revolutionary War and later moved from North Carolina to eastern Georgia and later to Fayette County. Pvt. Brown is buried in his family cemetery located on Dividend Dr. in Peachtree City.

“The Marquis de la Fayette Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution will be hosting this marking. Members of Pvt. Brown’s family as well as the general public are invited to attend the ceremony.

“Members of the Sons, Daughters, and Children of the American Revolution and other veterans groups from around the State of Georgia will be laying wreaths at his grave during the ceremony.

“For more information contact the Chapter’s President Dr. Douglas Stansberry at 770-460-1556 or at Douglass1@peoplepc.com.”

I appreciate Lewie’s bringing this item of interest to our attention and I hope those who are related to the Brown family will attend the ceremony.

Another e-mail received this week involved the Cates and Summers families which have been the topic of several articles here. Rebecca Wilbanks Day writes:

“I noticed in your article that you said you thought that maybe some of the Cates children moved to Gwinnett County, Georgia. I have George Henry Summers in Gwinnett County, and I was wondering if you knew any connection between the Summers in Coweta County and the Summers in Gwinnett County.

“Thanks, Rebecca Wilbanks Day (DixieChick30016@aol.com.)”

Rebecca, I’m not related to those families and, personally, have little information. Seems like I do remember that the Coweta Summers came here from Newberry Dist., S.C. If your Summers also hailed from Newberry, there is a good chance they are connected. I also know several of my allied families from Newberry migrated to Gwinnett, namely Boyds and Corbins. However, our expert on the Cates and Summers families has been Ken Arnold and, if anyone would know, he would. You may write to Ken at Karnold2@bellsouth.net, or Ken can answer through this column. I would welcome letters from any who might want to contribute to an answer for Rebecca.

Another e-mail concerned the Wood family of Tennessee who migrated to Georgia and Arkansas. Larry Howard of Maine writes:

“I recently read your article on ‘Wood family cousins splinter in all directions,’ Friday, April 26, 2002, regarding the descendents of the Rev. Richard Wood. I believe his son Richard Jr., moved to Washington Co., Ark. abt 1840, and he and Mary Wood are buried in the Brewster-Simpson cemetery on Cove Creek Road, just south of Prairie Grove, Ark. Information in Sevier Co. (Tenn.) indicates Richard Jr. may also have been a Baptist minister (although I haven't found any information yet to prove it) but I have proven Richard Jr.’s son (also a Richard), was a Baptist minister in Washington Co., Ark. Richard (Jr.) and Mary Wood's daughter, Mary Wood, married Joseph Green Reed (my 2-Grandparents).

“I would love to learn more information on this family. I visited the site where Rev. Richard Wood was reinterred after the cemetery had to be moved to make way for the lake (just East of Sevierville, Tenn.).

“Hope to hear. Best regards, Larry G. Howard (lghoward1@verizon.net), 52 Government Street., Kittery, ME 03904, 207-451-9276.”

Larry, I hit a dead end on that family with the Rev. Wood and was not able to go any farther back than that. In fact, I have not proved beyond a doubt that Richard was the father of my Joel Wood who died in Carroll County, although all evidence points to it being a fact. I do believe I have an article from a book on Baptist ministers in Tennessee which mentions that Richard Jr. was, indeed, a minister like his father. Since this is my personal family, I will contact you privately for more discussion. I also would welcome input from others who may be connected or related to this Wood family.

I welcome all letters and e-mails about genealogy and info on south metro Atlanta families. Send them to The Citizen, Drawer 1719, Fayetteville, GA 30214; e-mail jkilgore@thecitizennews.com or jodiek444@aol.com. Any letters and/or e-mails I receive are subject to being used in the column.

Until next week, happy hunting!

Previous Columns

2004

2003

2001-2002

Genealogy: Finding Your Folks

Readers write about Brown, Summers, Wood families

Readers write about Brown, Summers,
Wood families