All posts by Julia Hogston

Christian, Family Historian, Wife, Mom, Grandma

Another Day

 

You look at me with weary saddened eyes,
What is this surprise?
What is this to mean?
Why would this happen now?
I don’t understand why God would allow?

I look back at you with the same weary saddened eyes.
And the same questions arise.
I can’t tell you what it means,
Nor can I tell why now
Or if God actually allowed.

I can give you a list of suppositions,
That would run for pages unbroken.
Some of them right some of them wrong.
Well this isn’t quite fair!
Why would it happen to this pair!

The only answer that I can give that is sure,
comes from Gods Holy word.
Taken a bit out of context but it still rings true.
“…for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good,
and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.”
No one is exempt from the trials of life,
Nor is anyone exempt from blessings.

So as my eyes clear,
and my heart again grows strong.
I choose to see blessing in the wreckage .
To see the glimmers of hope that lay on the horizon
And thank God for yet another day.

JKH July 2011

 

Texas Ann Spann and George Washington Stacey

Texas Ann (Spann) and George Washington Stacey

Descendant, Jimmy Spann writes:
These folks are my Great Grandparents, also my Grandmother.
Folks in the picture are George Washington Stacey,
Texas Ann Spann (sitting) Young girl behind man
is Mamie Dallas Stacey, girl behind lady is Ludie Lee Stacey
(my grandmother) and the boy in the
lady’s lap is William McKinnely Stacey.”

1.  GEORGE WASHINGTON STACEY  was born 1854 in Jackson County,TN, and died 1936 in Dickson County,  TN. He married (1) ELIZABETH CHAFFIN March 22, 1875.   He married (2) TEXAS ANN SPANN February 06, 1884  in Dickson County,  TN, daughter of ANDREW SPANN and PATIENCE JONES. She was born 1872 in Dickson County,  TN, and died 1923 in Dickson County,  TN.

More About GEORGE WASHINGTON STACEY: Burial: Jim Sensing Cemetery, Dickson County, TN
More  About TEXAS ANN SPANN: Burial: Jim Sensing Cemetery Dickson County,  TN

 2.  LUDIE LEE STACEY  was born September 11, 1894 in Dickson County,  TN, and died September 10, 1934  in Dickson County,  TN.  She married WILLIAM ARMSTRONG (COOP) SPANN 1911 in Dickson County,  TN, son of WILLIAM SPANN and LIDDIA GAFFORD.   He was born June 16, 1894 in Dickson County,  TN,  and died June 18, 1976 in Dickson County,  TN

More About LUDIE LEE STACEY: Burial: Jackson Chapel Cemetery, Dickson County,  TN
More About WILLIAM ARMSTRONG (COOP) SPANN: Burial: Jackson Chapel Cemetery, Dickson County,  TN

3.  ROBERT LEON (LEAKY) SPANN  was born June 15, 1919 in Dickson County,  TN and died July 22, 2001.  He married (1) MABLE EDNA SPANN 1939 in Dickson County,  TN,  daughter of JAMES SPANN and INEZ WALTON.  She was born November 22, 1921 in Dickson County,  TN, and died November 11, 1991 in Dickson County,  TN.  He married (2) THELMA REBECCA WOODS 1960 in Davidson Co, TN. 

More About ROBERT LEON (LEAKY) SPANN: Burial: Jackson Chapel Cemetery,  Dickson County,  TN
More About MABLE EDNA SPANN: Burial: Jackson Chapel Cemetery, Dickson County,  TN

4. This would be me  JAMES WILLIAM (Jimmy) SPANN

 

 © James William Spann

Treasures in Letters

Do you have any old  letters laying around your house?  Have you read them? No, I mean have you really read them!

I was given a copy of a letter that was written by my second great grandmother (Ellen Smith Kaye) to her brother and sister (I think they were her brother and sister in law). The letter was conveying to the family the trials she has faced since the death of her husband. For many  years I focused only on grandpa’s demise. I put it away and didn’t think of it for a long while.

While I was working on trying to figure out who her parents were, family story said that her parents died of the smallpox when she was little, I went back to the letters to see what I can find if anything and happily I  found the following:

“I was glad you received my Dear Husbands likeness safe  you ask me for mine  I am sorry I do not have it   the last one I got taken was last winter along with Byron to send to a much loved cousin at the cape of good hope who has now joined around the throne those who had gone before him to Wellcome his arrival at the heavenely[sic] mansions   he was commander in one of her Magestys Mail steamers to the cape  he & his noble crew and also the vessel was lost in an awfull storm at Table Bay on the 17 of May  he had addressed the Sabbath school children of the scotish presbytreian church on the voyage of life on the Sabbath previous  the next Sabbath he was interred in the burying ground close to the church where he had so faithfully admonished the children………. it was with them I lived when at home so that I have felt their removal very keenly”

In this small piece of letter there is a lot of hidden, okay so it smacks you in the face ;-), information.

My next thought was, well If I can’t find Grandma Ellen’s parents using her, maybe I can find her parents using this cousin. So, I did a search on Table Bay and May 17 1865 and I found Captain David Smith and his ship the RMS Athens. In following searches and help from new cousin, Davids great grandson to be exact. I found his parents. We believe that her father may have been a David also, but this I have not been able to prove. I am not finding an Ellen with a father of David. In saying all that, I must show what I do have and and what was shared with me.

Capt. David C. Smith
Capt. David C. Smith RMS Athens

 

Besides this lovely picture, I was sent a letter this young man wrote to his Uncle, his marriage information and copy of his masters certificate. Now that is what I call putting flesh on the bones.

Sometimes if you open up that back door to your research, using extended family members in an attempt to find your direct ancestors, you just might find a treasure and new family.

I would also recommend re-reading your  files, letters and newspaper clippings on a regular basis! You never know what treasure will pop up at you when you least expect it.

Happy Hunting!

Whole

Whole

I have a place in my soul that needs to be filled.
A place that longs for something of which I am unsure.
Shall I fill it with parties and fun?
Drugs and strong drink?
Oh wait those I have tried, they are great in the moment,
but they only leave me with loneliness and pain.

Should I fill it with good works.
Doing deeds of all kinds to help others.
Wait this is great but I still feel empty..
what does it take to fill this hole in my soul?

The puzzle piece is of an odd shape.
It takes the form of a cross.
I wear one daily. Isn’t it pretty!
Wait the hole is still there!
I need to fill this void without delay.

Friend I tell you today
The only way to fill the void
Is to form a relationship with the Lord.
Jesus is the natural and perfect fit for the hole.
He is the perfect shape and size.

His love will fill the dark and lonely places.
Reach out to Him accept his gift,
Believe He is indeed the Son of God.
The one how saves by His grace.
Ask for forgiveness
There will be no more empty place.
For You are now whole.
~Julia K. Hogston 2011