Local families traveled to see family history

On Dec. 28, Mary Calhoun, Ginny Calhoun, and Nancy McMath Young of Ellaville went down to Calhoun, Early, and Baker counties in South Georgia to visit family cemeteries and homes. These family members are descendants of the late Vice President of the United States John C. Calhoun.
They went to Arlington where they visited the city cemetery and the graves of the late Dr. William McCall Calhoun, his parents’ and grandparents’ graves, and more family graves.
They went to Baker County to the Calhoun Riley Cemetery which is behind Christ Methodist Church out in the country. The land for the church and cemetery was given by Nancy M. Young’s great-great-grandfather, James Wright Calhoun, in the mid 1800s. The late Heys and Ruby Riley McMath, former Americus residents, are buried there. Along with them are their son Riley McMath and his first wife Josephine Smith McMath. Ruby McMath’s mother was Sarah Calhoun before marrying George Riley.
After leaving the Calhoun-Riley Cemetery, they returned to Arlington and visited and took pictures of old family homes that are related to Mary and Ginny, on the other side of the family. They visited the old Johnson home and plantation which is on Nancy’s mother’s side of the family.
Cemeteries have a lot of history in them. Everyone should have family lineages. It tells where your family came from when they came to America. The countries we come from are Ireland, Scotland, and England, in the beginning of America. These lines will get you into National Society of Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR) and the United Daughters of Confederate (UDC). Men can join Sons of American Revolution (SAR) and Sons of Confederate Veterans (SCV).
What a good time and exciting time it is to get your family and look for more ancestors from near and far. I’ve visited these special places all my life.

Happy New Year to all

I wish each and every one of you a Happy New Year! I’m wishing everyone a safe, healthy, and special New Year in 2017. Keep God in your hearts and always love others and yourselves and everything should be just fine. — Nancy McMath Young

Christmas Day at Jimmy Phillips’ home

On Christmas Day, Jimmy and Marianne Phillips hosted a large family Christmas dinner with all family members from here attending. They served a delicious dinner and the children received gifts. There were 13 present: Margaret Gooding, Kevin and Anne Marie DeVane, Maggie and Mary Kate Streetman, and T.J. DeVane, Tommy and Susan DeVane, Dan and Kerri DeVane, Michael Dixon of Americus, and hosts Jimmy and Marianne Phillips.

Former resident comes home for New Year’s visit

On Dec. 30, the former Jane Godding Lehman and her husband Larry came home for a week with her mother Margaret Godding and sister Marianne and Jimmy Phillips and other family members. Jane and Larry live in Fredericksburg, Virginia. They will be home with her mother for a week.

Schley County elected officials take oath of office

On Dec. 22, Schley County Probate Judge Mitzi Way swore all re-elected officers and the newly elected officers into office at a special ceremony.
The included newly re-elected officers for the Schley County Board of Education are Rodney Wall, LeAndra Royal Lumpkin, and Clifton Aldridge Sr. The Schley County Superintendent Adam Hathaway was present during the swearing in.
Also sworn in that day were Schley County Superior Court Clerk Kathy Royal, Schley County Tax Commissioner Pam Register, and newly elected Schley County Commissioners Brian Belcher and Bill McClellon.