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Genealogy: Finding Your Folks

The amazing family of Robert Franklin Harper, Part 2

By Judy Fowler Kilgore

Before we continue this most interesting story, I need to correct some information from last week.

After much research last week, Mary (Harper) discovered that the Missouri Jones who was the daughter of F.P. and Margaret Jones was not the same one who married our Robert Franklin Harper, as was stated last week. We discovered this literally minutes after the pages had gone to press and we were unable to change it.

You would think that with a name like “Missouri,” this lady would not be too hard to track, despite having the last name of Jones.

However, Mary says she has found evidence to support the fact that the Missouri Jones who was the daughter of F.P. and Margaret Jones married Wyatt Wesley and is buried in Woolsey.

In the History of Fayette County, published in 1977, a paragraph on page 241 lists the family of Frances P. and Jane Hubbard Jones. Although the wording and punctuation leave much to the imagination, down toward the bottom is listed, “Missouri m Wyart (sic) Allen Wesley 12ch.” This appears to be the same M.A. Jones who married W.A. Wesley on 8 Dec. 1881 (Fayette County marriage records) and the same “Mrs.” W.A. Wesley who is buried beside him in the Woolsey cemetery (Fayette County cemeteries book, p. 243). Margarette J. Hubbard Jones, wife of F.P. Jones, also is buried in the Woolsey cemetery.

Since the marriage of Robert Franklin Harper and Missouri Jones was so short-lived and produced only two children, there appears to be an air of mystery surrounding this relationship. There are definitely two marriage records for Missouri Jones — one as stated above to Wyatt Wesley (actually the female’s name is given as M.A. Jones) and another on 12 June 1884 to our Robert Franklin Harper. If Missouri Jones and Wyatt Wesley married in 1881 and had 12 children, they could hardly have accomplished that in three years so, obviously, this earlier Missouri was not our Missouri Jones. We will continue research on this situation and would welcome comments from any who may have the answer to our puzzle.

Now, getting back to the amazing family of Mr. Harper and his 21 children, Mary has written a little bit about each of them. If space restrictions get us again this week, I’ll continue and conclude the story next week.

Of the family, Mary writes:

“The children of Robert Franklin and his first wife, Martha Ann (Hoffman) Harper, were:

“(1) Maude Uriah Harper born 25 July 1874, died 19 Feb. 1961. She married William Lee McCullars on 15 Dec. 1892. They had three children: Nancy Alice who married Archie McEachern, Willie Claude, died young, and Mattie Lora who married George Dewey Parker. The McCullars are buried at Bethany.

“(2) Mary Ann Harper born 16 Aug. 1875, died 6 Sep. 1961. She married Zachary Paul Ellington on 12 Dec. 1895. They had two children: Ralph who married Annie Kate Stephens and Edwin who married Alura Aline Walker. The Ellingtons and Edwin and his wife are buried at Bethany.

“(3) John Franklin Harper born 3 March 1877, died 17 Dec. 1961. He married Jessie Estelle Walker on 2 Dec. 1900. They had seven children: Robert Claud Harper m. Jessie Hardy, Gilbert Hoffman Harper m. Evie Whitlock, Minnie Mae Harper m. Glen Smith, Mattie Estelle Harper m. Howard Smith, Maudie Bina Harper m. Clyde White, Mary Udelle Harper m. Marvin Stephens, and Cora Lee Harper m. Edward McHugh. John and Jessie Harper are buried at Bethany.

“(4) Nancy Alice Harper born 25 Sep. 1878, died 22 Oct. 1955. She married Dr. John Elbert Lester on 8 Dec. 1897. They had three children: Flora Beatrice, Verna Irene, and James Howard Lester. The Lesters lived in Marietta and are buried there.

“(5) James Emanuel Harper born 4 March 1880, died 16 Nov. 1946. He married Celestia Ethel Davis in 1906. They had six children: Mattie Florene, Lester Elmer, Vannah Ethel, James Davis, Thomas Franklin, and Mary Uriah Harper. Jim and Celestia Harper are buried at Bethany.

“(6) Hattie Elizabeth Harper born 5 Oct 1881, died 23 Dec. 1939. She married George Clarke Spence. They had no children. They are buried at Bethany Cemetery.

“(7) Martha Adeline Harper born 2 Dec. 1883, died 1 Jan. 1949. She married Virgil Drennen Baker, Sr. on 23 Dec. 1909. They had one child Virgil Drennen Baker Jr.

“The Bakers are buried at Bethany Cemetery.

“The children of Robert Franklin and his second wife, Missouri (Jones) Harper, were:

“(8) William Ernest Harper born 5 Jan. 1886, died 1955. He married Mary A. Lyons. They had no children.

“(9) Rufus Eugene Harper born 2 Oct. 1887, died 3 Nov. 1944. He married (1) Sara Oma Lester and had one son, Rufus Eugene, Jr.; he married (2) Ruby M. Bookout on 4 Jan. 1916. They had two children, Robert Howard and Louis Gordon Harper. Rufus and Ruby Harper are buried at Bethany.”

Mary's research shows that Robert Franklin Harper had more children with his third wife, Cora Bell Gable, than any other (12), the first born when he was 41 and the last when he was 66.

We will conclude the stories of the final 12 children next week. Many thanks again to Mary Harper for her hard work and excellent research on these Harpers, most of whom are buried at historic Bethany church.

I welcome all letters and e-mails about genealogy and info on south metro Atlanta families. Send them to The Citizen, P.O. 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!