Those Places Thursday: Second Street in Columbia, Mississippi

I think this is a neat photo from the past.  It is estimated the photo was taken in 1939.  Second Street was busy with patrons tending to business.  Although the street decor has changed through the years, Second Street remains one of the busiest areas in Columbia.  At present, the Columbian-Progress newspaper company, First Southern Bank, Columbia Cleaners, a funeral home, and attorney's offices are just some of the local businesses which occupy the buildings.  

(Not So) Wordless Wednesday: Family Photos, Preston Jefferson Stogner & Family

Children of Preston J. & Vella Duncan Stogner:
Clyde, Felder, Eddie Rae & J.P..

Children of Preston J. & Vella Duncan Stogner:
Alton, Felder, Clyde & Eddie Rea, c. 1988

Preston J. Stogner with sisters Evie, Delhia & Stella Mae

Delhia (standing), Vella & Preston

A big Thank You to Artherine Mullins Stogner for contributing these family photos!

New Blog Created!

After some debate, I decided to create a blog specifically for research on my husband's family.  I find the story of his ancestors very intriguing and full of history.  I would like to invite you all to come visit and browse the site.  It is brand new so there is much work to be done, but eventually it will come to life!

Come visit me at:  Fiddles & Folklore: Our Acadian-French Heritage and tell me what you think, I would appreciate your input!

Tombstone Tuesday: Floyd & Audrey Seal Stogner

Photo credit:  Bill Sullivan

FLOYD STOGNER

APR. 21, 1916

JUNE 18, 1969

AUDREY S. STOGNER

AUG. 28, 1919

MAR. 29, 2008

Carson Springs Baptist Church Cemetery

Walthall County, Mississippi

Memorial listed on Find A Grave

Maintained by Bill Sullivan

Click here for link

Lewis Edward Stogner, 1897-1988, Marion County MS

Lewis Edward Stogner

Lewis Edward Stogner, my paternal grandfather, and the son of Thomas Edward Stogner and Susan Cordelia McCain, was born 26 March 1897 in Marion County, Mississippi. He is listed in the household with his parents on the 1910 and 1920 federal census records of Marion County.

On 01 February 1918, Lewis married Julia A. McKenzie, the daughter of William O. and Lulu McKenzie.  Julia was born about 1902.  The  marriage between Lewis and his young bride was brief, yet from their union a son was born- Ansel Stogner, on 01 December 1918.  By 1920, Lewis and Julia were both in the households of their respective parents.  During that era, divorce was not commonplace and generally unacceptable in societal opinions.  Those reasons could explain why Julia is listed as "widowed" on the 1920 census and Lewis was listed as "single".  Julia would later become the wife of Stanley Weaver.

I happened to find the record of Lewis' first marriage by accident while searching court records for the marriage of he and my grandmother, Iva Louetta Peak.  Further exploration through the marriage books that same day also revealed that Iva had been married before as well- to Willie Furr. I later discovered that they had a daughter together, Annie.  Until then, I had no knowledge of their previous marriages or the fact that  they had other children.  Those matters were left to past history and unspoken of in front of me. By the time I was born, the children from their first marriages were adults and I don't recall ever meeting them, or even hearing a discussion about them.  Lewis' first wife Julia is also listed on his WWI draft registration card, which was dated 05 June 1918.

WWI Draft Registration Card for
Lewis Edward Stogner

Lewis married Iva Louetta Peak, the daughter of Simpson Peak and Lizzie Miller on 07 June 1926 in Marion County, Mississippi.  She was born 14 October 1905 in Marion County.  

Marriage record for Lewis Stogner and
Iva Peak, Marion County, MS, Book 17

By 1930, Lewis and his second wife, Iva, was settled into marriage and resided in Beat 3, Marion County, Mississippi.  Iva's daughter, Annie, was then six years old and resided with them.  In addition, Lewis and Iva had a child together- a daughter, Velma.  

1930 Federal Census, Marion County, Mississippi, Beat 3

Lewis and Iva remained together until her death on 24 September 1980.  By then, they had been married 54 years.  During the early years of their marriage, they had five children together- sons Hollis, Jewel, Charles and Shelby and daughter Velma.

Lewis married again several months after the death of Iva.  He married Helen Garnett, nee McGeehee.  I don't have the document proving the date of their marriage as of yet.  In the year of 1986 or 1987, Lewis suffered a cardiovascular stroke which left him debilitated.  Until that time, he had enjoyed good health, even as he aged.  After the stroke, he resided in a local nursing home until his death on 20 December 1988 at the Methodist Hospital of Marion County, now known as Marion General Hospital.   The death record shows Lewis died from acute cardiac arrest secondary to a history of arteriosclerotic heart disease.  He was 91 years old at the time of his death.  The informant on his death record incorrectly stated that Lewis' mother's maiden name was Turnage.  Though there are Turnages related to the family, Cordelia's maiden name was proved as McCain.  Lewis was buried next to Iva in Foxworth Cemetery, Marion County, Mississippi.

Death Certificate- Lewis Stogner

The children of Lewis Edward Stogner and Iva Louetta Peak:
i.   Velma Jean Stogner, married Carley Aaron Smith
ii.   Hollis Stogner, married Juanita Graves
iii.  Jewel Mason Stogner, married Doris Louise Foster
iv.  Charles Laverne Stogner, married (1) Lula Sue Simmons (2) Nelda Duncan (3) Dorothy Brady
v.  Shelby Ray Stogner, married Hilda Jean Foster

See also:


Tombstones:  Lewis Edward & Iva Peak Stogner
Family Socials: Children of Thomas Edward & Susan Cordelia McCain Stogner
Blog Post:  Celebrating Grandpa Stogner's 82nd Birthday
Blog Post:  Personal Thoughts- Feeling a Sense of Loss

Sunday's Obituary: Velma Stogner Smith

Funeral services were held May 23, 2007, at 11 a.m. at North Columbia Church of God for Velma Smith, age 78, of Columbia, who died May 21 at her residence.  Interment was in the Foxworth Cemetery.  Visitation was held May 22 from 5-9 p.m. at North Columbia Church of God.

She was born February 4, 1928 to Lewis and Ivy Peak Stogner.  She was a homemaker and a member of North Columbia Church of God.  She was preceded in death by her husband, Carley Smith; her parents; one sister, Annie May Bryant; and one brother, Hollis Stogner.

Survivors include one son, Elvis Smith and wife Loretta of Foxworth; four daughters, Rita Smith of Columbia, Anita Kay Stringer and husband Wayne of Columbia, Kathy Ratcliff and husband Joe of Brookhaven, and Vickie Smith of Columbia; three brothers, Shelby, Jewell and Charles Stogner, all of Columbia; 7 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren.  Riverwood Family Funeral Service was in charge of arrangements.

Sharing Memories 2012 (Week 14): To Move or Not To Move

After Mom and Dad settled into married life and their own apartment, Granny decided to move to Louisiana. I'm not sure of the circumstances which brought her to Louisiana but I believe she went with another friend of hers. Because Mom missed her own mother so dearly and Dad was working full time yet still struggling to make ends meet, they were convinced to move to Louisiana. Granny knew a friend that was willing to help Dad obtain a job making a larger salary... and better benefits, which would be helpful while raising all of us children.

At first Dad was hesitant about the move. He liked their somewhat simple life in their small town. He was uneasy about moving to a suburb of New Orleans. There were things to consider such as heavy traffic which meant a longer commute to and from work, crowded housing, and of course higher crime rates (although the crime rates then were much lower than they are now). However, after a bit of persuasion (by Mom, of course), he decided he would at least try life in the city for a while. He could always move back if things didn't work out.

In late 1963, Mom and Dad packed all of their belongings and us kids and moved south... to Westwego, Louisiana.