Sunday, September 22, 2013

Email from Laura Chrylser O., April 8, 2003:  Re: William Robert Givens and his wife, Delaney (Lanie) Barfield Givens.  

Delaney's grandfather, Renson Rabun was Laura's 3rd great grandfather.  Laura was inquiring about I obtained the birth date that I had, (1879); She had found the 1880 Emanuel County, Georgia Census, when Delaney's age was 6 years old (Birth Date would have been about 1874, in that case).  In the 1920 Bay County, FL Census, her age is 45 years (birth date would be about 1875).  

Various other questions were broached and I confess that I don't have any memory of how this all came down.  I see that I still don't have the mother of Delaney Barfield listed.  I guess I'd better get busy!


Thanks to the BCGS for indexing so many of the Bay County Records!


I am trying to pick up the bits and pieces of my genealogy journey with the Givens Family.  Bear with me, as these are not organized, but are randomly put together from past e-mails and conversations.

  • Email from Mary Lou C., 14 May 2001: She is getting ready to take a trip to Germany to pursue the Kolmetz ancestry.  She asks me if I have any pictures of William Sherman Givens or his family.  [I don't think I had those at that point].  She also mentions that there is a Kolmetz reunion on the second Saturday of August, for which she will send more details later.
  • August 1, 2001: E-mail from Sandi M.--She reminds me that "Diamond G" is the brand that "Old Bob" aka Robert or James Robert Givens used for his timber as they floated them down the river.  Her mother, Joyce, will send me a book about the Givens, for $25.  In the book is a list of all the places where the Givens lived, including Laurel Hill, Florida.  There is a page on the Octoberfest, also.
  • Email from Suzanne R.: Suzanne states her relationship to the Givens and at that time her grandmother is still living, (23 Jun 2003).  Suzanne's maternal grandmother is Eva Dell Cutts, whose mother is Mary Louise Givens.  Mary Louise was the daughter of William Sherman Givens, son of John Witherspoon.
  • From Claudia Brown, via email, 8 August, 2003:  Claudia Taylor Brown is the daughter of Angelyn Givens Taylor and Robert Perkins TaylorAngelyn was the 4th child born to Rose Emma Givens and Alexander (Alex) Givens.  Alex was the 2nd son of John Witherspoon Givens.  John, known as Bud, was the first son.  These two left home early to form their own business of naval store products and timber.  Alex and Rose (nee' Henley) Givens had 9 children, (6 girls and 3 boys).  None of the 9 are still living but many of Rose's grandchildren and great-grandchildren are still alive and kicking!  Claudia is 73 years old at this writing and has been married to husband Reese Brown (age 74) for 52 years.  Both went to Auburn, 1/2 century ago!  Claudia wrote the book "Patriarch of the Diamond G" about her uncle, Robert Givens, the 7th child of Rose Givens.  This book can be found at the Baker Block Museum and includes many family stories plus family photographs and a genealogy table.
 William E. Givens, son of William Sherman Givens
William E. Givens born 1891 and died 1950, is buried with his wife Bertha Mae Leonard
Red Oaks Cemetery, Covington County, Alabama.