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SAMPLE STORIES Use these articles to guide you in preparing your own stories!
The only exception to the count each word rule is abbreviations: up to and including 4 letters/numbers or less = 1 word. 5 letters numbers or more = 2 words (punctuation does not affect this). GEORGE WASHINGTON SHAFFER John Shaffer b. 1811 VA married Mary Rebecca Williams bef. 1839. She was born ca 1816 also in VA. Her parents were James C. Williams b. 1798 VA and Sarah b. 1796 VA. These two families were in Lawrence County, TN after 1847. The 1850 Lawrence County census lists: John Chaffer 39 VA, Rebecca Chaffer 34 VA, James C. Chaffer 11 VA, Sarah Chaffer, 10 VA, George Chaffer 7 VA, Eliza A. Chaffer 5 VA, Margaret Chaffer 3 VA. John Shaffer and the oldest son, James C. are missing in the 1860 Lawrence County census. By 1870, George W. Shaffer was head of household with just his mother, Rebecca Williams Shaffer. George Washington Shaffer was born Sept. 9, 1844, died Oct. 23, 1925. He married Margaret Minerva Kelly born Sept. 22, 1951, died Dec. 30, 1924, on Nov. 30, 1870. She was the daughter of Thomas E. Kelly and Carrie Ann Crews. George and Margaret’s children were 1) Annie b. Sept. 12, 1871 m. Henry Moore; 2) Thomas F. b. Nov. 8, 1872 m. Ella Gooch; 3) Mary b. Jan 7, 1874 d. in infancy; 4) Rebecca “Becky” b. Dec. 9, 1874 m. Dan McGee; 5) Frances “Fannie” b. Sept. 17, 1877 m. G.W. McGee; 6) Martha “Mattie” b. Jan. 13, 1880 m. Robert Gallaher; 7) William S. “Will” b. Jan. 31, 1882 m. 1. Emma Dial, 2. Clara Garner; 8) Emma b. Apr. 3, 1884 m. Ed Price; 9) Walter B. b. Jan. 1, 1887 d. in infancy; 10) John W. b. Feb. 8, 1888 m. Mattie Dial; 11) Minnie b. Oct. 9, 1890 m. Clarence Kelly. Having joined the Union Army, the 14th Iowa Infantry on March 23, 1862, George W. was mustered out on March 23, 1865, three years from the date he and his best friend, Sam Todd walked to Pickwick Landing, Harding County, TN, just in time for the battle at Shiloh. After the war, in 1867, Sam Todd married George’s sister, Margaret. In 1890, George first applied for his pension, and in 1906, he reapplied, but due to several mixups, he did not receive a pension until 1915, when he was about seventy. The Shaffer farm contained about 540 acres and was located just beyond Sims Ridge, in the western part of the county. In the 1911-12 school year, the children of Mattie and Bob Gallaher, Becky and Dan McGee, Annie and Henry More and Tom and Ella Shaffer made up most of the students attending Sims Ridge school. George W. was a staunch Methodist and served on the district Methodist board. A granddaughter, Mary Margaret Augustin, had his worn Bible that had all of his study markings and family pages filled in with his handwriting. When he passed away, his obituary contained a poem, “When a good man dies.” He was buried in the Sims Ridge Cemetery along with his wife, Margaret Minerva, his mother, Mary Rebecca 
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and several of his children and their spouses. (497 words)
Submitted by Lila McGee Gobbell, 3115 Waynesboro Hwy.,
Lawrenceburg, TN 38464. Sources: census records,
pension papers, obituary, cemetery records. THE JENNINGS FAMILY William C. Jennings, born 19 Oct. 1813 in NC/ SC, died 6 Dec. 1898, lived in Cobb Co., Carroll Co. and Haralson Co., GA. William’s first wife, Mary, was born 17 Oct. 1817 in NC, and died 23 May 1875. Children: John P., Rachel, Mary Jane, Willie Ann, Margaret Amanda, and Martha. William married second to Mary Van Hook Walton 28 Nov. 1875, born 14 Oct. 1831, died 14 Apr. 1901. William C. and his wives are buried in Pleasant Hill Cemetery in Haralson Co., GA. 
John P. and Sarah Emmaline Wall
Jennings
John P., born 1 Dec. 1840, died 16 Dec. 1910, married Sarah Emmaline Wall 16 Dec. 1860, born 14 Feb. 1833, died 28 June 1915. Children: Mary Elizabeth, John William (Billie), Silas Oliver, Robert Newton, Simeon Carvin Jesse, Sarah Jane Rachel. All of this family, except Simeon, moved to Lawrence Co., TN in 1909. Robert Newton, born 12 Mar. 1870, died 28 Mar. 1928, married Allie Mary Hood 12 Sept. 1889, born 9 Mar. 1874, died 31 Jan. 1942. Children: John Grisham, Arlena Mary Emerline, Emily Iona, Zackie Dewitt, Albert Clinton, Oliver Shelnutt, Robert Luna, Charles Wesley, Arah Inez, Dana Melby, Mattie Lou, Emma Sue. Zackie Dewitt, born 3 July 1897, died 16 June 1931, married Mary Jane Pratt 25 April 1920, born 14 Sept. 1902, died 1996. Children: Mabel Kathleen, J.P., Delia Louise, Virginia Frances, Margaret Ellon, Lola Dewitt. Mabel Kathleen, born 13 May 1921, died 2 Aug. 2006, married James Henry Wallace Sudduth 2 April, 1938, born 15 Apr. 1921, died 28 June 1975. Children: James Wallace, Donna Kathleen and Judy Faye. Kathleen married Lawrence W. Niedergeses and they have two children: Donna Faye and Christopher. Donna has a son Branton Ramsey and Chris a daughter Nicole. Rachel born Apr. 1845, died 4 Oct. 1920, married W. Newton Bailey about 1863. Children: John R., Mary F., George, and Julia. They lived in Haralson Co., GA, and later in the Holly Pond area of Cullman Co., AL in 1900. Rachel and some of her descendants are buried in Duck River Cemetery in Cullman Co. Mary Jane, 1846/1849; married Riley S. Bailey Dec. 27, 1864, born 1832/1843. Both deceased by 1910. Children: Riley S., Mary J., Emma N., John W. and possibly Newton A. They lived in Coweta Co., GA, MS, then Cullman Co., AL. Willie Ann, born ca 1850, deceased by 1910, married G.H. Palmer June 26, 1870, born ca 1835, deceased by 1900. They lived in Carroll Co., GA, then Cullman Co., AL by 1900. Children: Duraler/ Duvaler, William Eassa, Lemuel, Legen/Ledger A., and Iula E. (male) |
Margaret Amanda, born Apr. 22, 1855, died May 30, 1921, married John Andrew Walton June 26, 1870, born Jan. 19, 1845, died July 19, 1887. Both are buried in Pleasant Hill South Cemetery in Haralson Co., GA. Children: Andrew Pierce and Austin Asberry. Martha, born Dec. 1855, married Marcus A. Fell Aug. 31, 1873, born Aug. of 1852 and both deceased by 1920. Children: William D., Mary Jane, Johney, Henry, Isabell. (499 words) Submitted by Kathy Niedergeses, 1905 Springer Rd., Lawrenceburg, TN, 38464. Sources: GA, AL, TN census records, marriage records and cemetery records. MILITARY GEORGE
WASHING SHAFFER 
On March 23, 1862, young George Washington Shaffer, and his best friend, Sam Todd, walked to Pittsburg Landing, Hardin County, TN, and joined the 14th Iowa Volunteer Infantry that had just moved there from Fort Donelson. On April 6th, 1862, Confederate forces under Gen. Albert S. Johnson launched a surprise attack on the Union encampment at Pittsburg Landing. 273 of the 14th Iowa were killed or wounded. George W. and Sam were both captured before the war was over, but were paroled or exchanged after a couple of months. He was mustered out on Apr. 23, 1865. (105 words) Sources: Civil War Pension Papers - 1906. CHURCHES, CLUBS AND
ORGANIZATIONS PLEASANT GARDEN CUMBERLAND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH Tradition states the Pleasant Garden Church was established in 1819 and built on four acres set aside by Newton Crosthwaite for a church and cemetery. It’s believed the name came from a Garden family member buried beneath a shade tree. Two previous log churches were replaced in 1890 by a frame church. The church was destroyed by arsons in 1992. Descendants of the families of Walker, Alexander, Gilliam, Howard, King, Cummings, Buie, Ratliff, Long, Foster, Crosthwaite, Vorhies, Kidd, Patterson, Chaffin, Washburn and others have been a part of Pleasant Garden Church. 
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