Finding Your Folks: A Tidwell tidbit and upcoming events

Except for tying up a loose end on a Tidwell family member, I’m going to forego a specific family story this time and tell you about two upcoming events in our area which some may be interested in attending (including me).

Both the LDS Family History Center in Newnan and the National Archives in Morrow are having events of interest to genealogists within the next few weeks. I will give you the details in a minute, but first the tidbit.

You will remember a couple of weeks ago we discussed James A. Tidwell, son of Nancy Byram and John J. Tidwell, who signed a voucher on 27 Jan. 1860 to receive his $100 inheritance from his grandfather Byram’s estate.

James signed his name “James A.J. Tidwell,” a peculiar name he appears to have used for the rest of his life. Lucky for us ... it made him easy to track.

I found James later that same year still living at home in Meriwether County with his father, John J. Tidwell, his stepmother, Martha Westmoreland Tidwell, and half-siblings, Ann Mariah, William and Nancy.

When the Civil War broke out, according to records, James A.J. Tidwell enlisted as a private on March 4, 1862 with Company F, 41st Georgia Infantry Regiment (Howard Infantry) in Meriwether County and was appointed 1st Sergeant July 15, 1862. He was captured, but the date and place are not known. He was paroled March 30, 1863 and was appointed 1st Lieutenant and Ensign on June 15, 1864.

I have not been able to find a marriage record for James but by 1870 he was married and living in the Line Creek District of Spalding county with his wife, Elizabeth. This district is very near Meriwether, Coweta, Fayette and Pike counties. Succeeding censuses do not show any children and Elizabeth is gone from the home by 1900. Cemetery records show she died 28 Oct. 1896.James died 23 Feb. 1915 and is buried at County Line Christian Church beside Elizabeth and among his Westmoreland step-relatives, many of whom were charter members of that church. County Line is just inside the Fayette County line.

As I have said before, I don’t like to leave anyone “hanging” if I can help it and, since I had found that information on James, thought I would share it with you.

Now, for the other two topics.

The National Archives in Morrow (5780 Jonesboro Road, next to Clayton State and the Georgia Archives), will pay special tribute to our nation's troops — past and present — in a special ceremony Friday, Nov. 10, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The ceremony is part of a nationwide effort by the National Archives to honor veterans and their families at all NARA facilities throughout the country.

The National Archives holds both individual service records and unit records stretching from the American Revolution to the Gulf War, covering all branches of the military service.

The program will feature workshops on military resources from 9 to 11 a.m. Topics include military holdings in the National Archives, online resources, and assistance to veterans in the use of the NARA e-VetRecs electronic system for ordering military records from the Military Personnel Records Center in St. Louis.

From 11 a.m. until noon there will be a formal veterans' recognition ceremony. The keynote address will be given by Col. Leroy C. Bryant, Staff Judge Advocate, First U.S. Army, Ft. Gillem. Music will be provided by Clayton State University music students Daniel Sims of Atlanta, Brandon Odom of McDonough, and Emily Sanders of Fayetteville.

Following the recognition ceremony, a light lunch will be served.

The event is free and open to the public, but reservations are required.

Register by e-mail at morrow.resources@nara.gov or by calling the Southeast Region at 770-968-2100.

The other event involves the LDS Family History Center in Newnan which will feature Dr. Randall S. Gooden, assistant professor of History at Clayton State University, and circuit rider archivist for the Georgia Archives, as guest speaker at an open house Nov. 18.

The open house, “Diggin for your Roots II,”, will run from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the LDS Church’s Newnan Building, 821 Old Atlanta Hwy., Newnan, just south of the Newnan Country Club off U.S. Hwy. 29.

Gooden, a member of the LDS Church’s Fayette County-based Whitewater Ward, will speak on creating a family archives. In addition to Gooden’s presentation, the open house will also feature a presentation by Italian genealogist Jennifer Petrino and mini family history classes on Civil War records, computers, microfilms and how to get them, how to get started, Poland and ancient records, and records from Scotland.

“Diggin for Your Roots II” is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served. For further information, call (770) 254-9857.

Both of those sound like very interesting and educational genealogical events. I haven’t been to the Newnan FHC in quite a few years and I have yet to visit the new National Archives since they moved from East Point. You just might see me there.

Stories about your ancestors who lived in the south metro Atlanta area are most welcome. Send them to The Citizen, P.O. Drawer 1719, Fayetteville, GA 30214, or e-mail jkilgore@thecitizen.com or JodieK444@aol.com.

Until next week, happy hunting!