Block 41. A Stitch in Time

by Terry Thornton
email: hillcountrymonroecounty@gmail.com

A stitch in time. . . Block 41 of the circa 1931 Friendship Quilt in the Museum of the Itawamba County Historical Society

ARMSTRONG, Graves, Block 41

Graves Armstrong was the son of James Madison Armstrong 1824 - 1900 and Rachel Paulina Riley Armstrong 1841 - 1930.

The 1880 census of Lee County shows that Graves Armstrong's parents were in District 1: the farming family consisted of James, 56, wife Rachel, 38, sons James, 29, Willie, 18, Charley, 16, Albert, 13, and Paul, 8, and daughters Mary, 23 and Sallie, 5.

The 1900 census of Richmond in Lee County lists the family as James, 76, Rachel, 48, Paul, 28, Sarah 24, and Graves Armstrong, 17.

Graves Armstrong 1882 - 1909 married Katie Inez Armstrong 1885 - 1931.

BOURLAND, Reba, Block 31

Reba Mary Dilworth Bourland 1896 - 1973, was the daughter of Benjamin W. Dilworth and Alice Kirkpatrick Dilworth. Reba Mary Dilworth Bourland had daughters Mary and Martha.

SHEFFIELD, J.E., Block 41

John E. Sheffield, husband of Willie, is listed on the 1910 census of Fawn Grove. Then he was 25 years old, a farmer; his wife Willie was 25 and they had a daughter Onida, age 4. The census image indicates that they lived on Tupelo-Mantachie Road.

The 1920 census shows the John Sheffield family within the Mantachie Precinct. John was then 37, Willie 34, daughters Onida 13 and Evelyn 5, and son Carlton Sheffield made up the family.

By 1930, John Sheffield was a merchant on Main Street, Fulton. The 1930 census included the following: John Sheffield, 46, wife Willie, 37, son Carlton, 19, and daughter Evelyne, 16.

SHEFFIELD, Willie, Block 41

According to IHS member Joe Sheffield, this is Mrs. John Sheffield.

Willie Sheffield was the wife of John E. Sheffield. On the 1910 census they were enumerated as farmers in the Fawn Grove community on Tupelo-Mantachie Road. Then John Sheffield was 25 years old, Willie was listed as 25, and daughter Onida was 4 years.

In the 1920 Mantachie census, Willie Sheffield, 34, is listed as the wife of John Sheffield, 37, along with daughters Onida, 13, Evelyn, 5, and son Carlton, 8.

On the 1930 Fulton census, the family is shown on Main Street where John Sheffield, 46, was a merchant. Willie, 37, son Carlton, 19, and daughter Evelyne, 16, were included in the household.

Her husband, John E. Sheffield, is also named on Block 41.

WADDLE, Yancy, Block 41

Yancy Waddle is listed on the 1910 census of Mantachie as a 1 year old. He was enumerated with his parents T.A. Waddle, 54, farmer, and Dora 43, sisters Ethel, 20, Mannie, 18, L.L., 17, and Benny, 12, and brothers Leton, 6 and Claron, 4.

Yansie Waddle was on the 1920 census of Oak Grove. His father's household then consisted of Lonnie Waddle, 65, Sarah Waddle, 53, Leaton, 16, Clarion, 13, and Yansie, 10.

If you have additional information about any of the names on this quilt square, please post a comment below. Your help is needed to "write" the story of this almost eighty-year old quilt.

A stitch in time . . . The 2010 Friendship-Memory Quilt

Have your names and the names of your family recorded on the 2010 Friendship-Memory Quilt of the Itawamba Historical Society. For a donation of $10 per name you can embroider names on the quilt (or have the names embroidered on the quilt by volunteers). Before the quilt will be raffled to some lucky winner this Spring, all of the names will be transcribed from the quilt and recorded in the archives of the Historical Society.

Be a part of history in the making --- subscribe to the 2010 Friendship-Memory Quilt by contacting the Itawamba Historical Society, PO Box 7, Mantachie, MS 38855, telephone 662-282-7664, or by visiting the Society's office at the corner of Church Street and Museum Drive in Mantachie.

The Itawamba Historical Society receives no governmental assistance and operates Bonds House Museum and the Gaither Spradling Library entirely from membership dues and donations. Your generosity and assistance in the 2010 Friendship-Memory Quilt project is most appreciated.

Membership in the Society is not required to participate in the quilt project --- but visitors and new members are always welcomed.

SOURCES:

Family information from Memories from Itawamba County: A Friendship Quilt circa 1931 --- A Stitch in Time by Terry Thornton with assistance from Members of the Itawamba Historical Society, Itawamba Settlers, Quarterly Journal of the Itawamba County, Mississippi, History and Genealogy. Winter 2009, Pages 143-61.

Square from 1931 Friendship Quilt photographed by Terry Thornton, September 3, 2009, Bond's House Museum, Itawamba Historical Society, Mantachie, Mississippi.

Block 31. A Stitch in Time

by Terry Thornton
email: hillcountrymonroecounty@gmail.com

A stitch in time. . . Block 31 of the circa 1931 Friendship Quilt in the Museum of the Itawamba County Historical Society

BEARD, D.H., Block 31

This is most likely David H. Beard, cobbler and owner of the Fulton Shoe Shop on North Gaither Street. David H. Beard 1884 - 1971 and wife Pearl Beard 1893 - 1925 and children moved to Fulton about 1924 at which time he opened a cobbler shop. In 1930 he is listed as a widower and a cobbler in Fulton; later he remarried Mittie Burch 1906 - 2000. The Beards are buried in White Church Cemetery.

There is a wonderful cover picture of cobbler David Beard and story in the Spring 2006 Itawamba Settlers, the quarterly journal of the Itawamba Historical Society.

That no other Beard name appears with D.H. Beard on Block 31 probably indicates that the quilt was made prior to his remarriage.

The 1920 census from Tishomingo County 3rd District lists David H. Beard, age 35, farmer, wife Pearly D., 26, sons Lester L.K., 12, and J.B., 5, and daughters Olle M., 10, and Lela M., 7, along with David Beard's mother, 69 year-old Sarah A. Beard.

The 1930 census for Itawamba County, Beat 5, Bankhead Highway # 78, lists David Beard, 45, cobbler of shoes and harness, daughter Lela M., 18, and sons J.B., 16, and Junior, 6.

BOND, Loyd, Block 31. The surname is usually spelled BONDS.

In 1930, Lloyd Bonds is listed as the 12 year-old son of William A. and Stella Bonds of East Pine Street, Amory, Monroe County where his father was employed as a purchasing agent for a lumber mill.

Lloyd is listed as one year and eleven months old on the 1920 census when his family was living in the Boyd's Precinct, Monroe County. His father, William A. Bonds, was the manager of a farm on Bigbee-Cotton Gin Road. William A., 40, wife Stella, 40, sons Hollis, 13, Milton, 11, and Lloyd, 1, comprised the Bonds household of 1920.

On the earlier 1910 census of Mantachie, W. A. Bonds and family were enumerated as living on the Cotton Gin-Marietta Road in Itawamba County.

See additional information at Stella Bonds, Sybil Bonds, and W.A. Bonds at Block 4, 12, and 15.

BOURLAND, Reba, Block 31

Reba Mary Dilworth Bourland 1896 - 1973, was the daughter of Benjamin W. Dilworth and Alice Kirkpatrick Dilworth. Reba Mary Dilworth Bourland had daughters Mary and Martha.

Reba Mary Dilworth Bourland was the wife of William Chester Bourland of Itawamba County. Mr. Bourland was the Postmaster of Fulton Post Office about 1950. She is the mother of Mary and Martha Bourland.

Reba Bourland was born July 31, 1896 and died December 1973. Her last residence was in Fulton according to the SSI Death Index.

See additional information at W.C. Bourland, Block 36.

POWELL, Mr., Block 31

According to IHS Librarian Marilyn Leary, this is probably Rupert Powell. On the 1920 census of Fulton, Rupert Powell, age 23, is listed with wife Effie C. Powell.

On the 1930 census, Rupert Powell, 33, a resident of Beat 5, is listed as having the occupation of "Census Enumerator." In Mr. Powell's household were wife Effie C., 34, daughter Gladys O., 4, and son James R., 2.

POWELL, Mrs., Block 31

According to IHS Librarian Marilyn Leary, this is probably Mrs. Rubert Powell. On the 1920 census of Fulton, the wife of Rubert is identified as Effie C.Powell.

See information at Mr. Powell above.

SHEFFIELD, Ezell, Block 31

Ezell "Zeke" Sheffield was the father of IHS member Joe Sheffield.

Ezell Sheffield is also known as William Ezell "Zeke" Sheffield. Born 1895 in Itawamba, Zeke was the son of Early Jasper Sheffield and Nancy Lorena Wood Sheffield. He died 1972 and is buried in Lee Memorial, Tupelo, Lee County, Mississippi. He was the husband of Ruth Alice Boren Sheffield.

The 1930 census of Mantachie, Fulton-Guntown Road, lists the household of cotton ginner William E. Sheffield, 35, to include wife Ruth A., 25, and son Joe P., 4 months.

See additional information at Mrs. Z. Sheffield and at Mrs. Ruth Sheffield at Blocks 09 and 40.

WREN, T.E., Block 31

Thomas E. Wren is identified as a barber owning his own shop in Fulton on the 1920 census. Then he was 28 years old and his household consisted of wife Louise J., 26, son Nathan, 7, and daughter Ruby M., 5.

Tom E., Wren, 38, widower, is listed as a barber on the Fulton census of 1930. Included in his household on Mattox Street were daughter Ruby M, 15, and sons John H., 17, James M, 9, Thomas E, 6, and C.T., 11 months.

Thanks to IHS member Joe Sheffield for help with the transcription of this block.

If you have additional information about any of the names on this quilt square, please post a comment below. Your help is needed to "write" the story of this almost eighty-year old quilt.

A stitch in time . . . The 2010 Friendship-Memory Quilt

Be a part of the 2010 Friendship-Memory Quilt project sponsored by the Itawamba Historical Society. Subscribe to the quilt by making donations to the Society and having your family names embroidered on the quilt or volunteer to help by appliquéing, piecing, or quilting. Contact the Society at 662-282-7664 for details.

SOURCES:

Family information from Memories from Itawamba County: A Friendship Quilt circa 1931 --- A Stitch in Time by Terry Thornton with assistance from Members of the Itawamba Historical Society, Itawamba Settlers, Quarterly Journal of the Itawamba County, Mississippi, History and Genealogy. Winter 2009, Pages 143-61.

Square from 1931 Friendship Quilt photographed by Terry Thornton, September 3, 2009, Bond's House Museum, Itawamba Historical Society, Mantachie, Mississippi.