Summary of Pertinent Data

Summary of Pertinent Data in Pension Records in the National Archives.
Veteran's Name: Givens, John W.
Case No.: C2563232

Parents: Not mentioned

Births: On February 17, 1836, in "Mackalburg" (Also given as Mecklenburg) County, North Carolina.

Marriage: The Veteran married Nancy Ann Amanda McGill on January 13, 1859 in Escambia County, Florida. In 1903, she was 64 years of age and died shortly thereafter, but the date of her death is not given. On December 24, 1907, the verteran married Alice Fralish in Blue Springs, Alabama. In 1908, she was 35 years of age. (From Bible, Amanda died Aug. 22, 1907).

Children: Laura Ann, born Oct. 26, 1859 (Deaths from Bible), Nov. 23, 1910;
John H. born March 17, 1862; James A. born January 19, 1867, died June 30, 1922; William S. born August 25, 1869, died Sept 19, 1907; Joseph H. born February 28, 1872, died July 26, 1907; Henry T. born September 29, 1874; Green B. born May 18, 1879, died Nov 19, 1904; Gerald Elisha, born April 20, 1862, died April 9, 1907.

In 1898, Henry T. Givens was living in Laurel Hill, (in Walton County at that time), and in 1902, Joseph H. Givens was living in that place.

Other Family: Amanda M. Givens, 13 years of age in 1903 and residing in Laurel Hill, Florida at that date. Relationship to veteran not given. (This was his granddaughter).

Residence: In 1907 the veteran stated that since leaving the service in 1864, he has resided in Baldwin County, Alabama, Escambia County, Florida, Covington County, Alabama, and Walton County, Florida, (now Okaloosa County). The Pension File indicates that he [John W. Givens, the veteran], was residing in Muscogee, Escambia County, Florida in 1893, in Baldwin County, Alabama in 1895, and in Laurel Hill, Walton County, Florida from 1896 until his death. In 1908 his widow was living in Laurel Hill.

Death: The veteran died on August 4, (Also given ?) 1903.

Service: Private, Company B, 1st Regiment, Florida Volunteer Cavalry, Civil War. In an affidavit executed by the veteran on July 2, 1896, he stated that "he has never served in the Confederate States Army."

Pension: The veterans claim for pension was allowed.

Note: Dates of death of dependants was taken from Bible records. This further information also came from Bible:

Laura Givens married H.N. Sowell March 19, 1874 and their children are Gerald Edward Sowell, born July 31, 1877 (never married) and John Hezekiah Sowell, born Aug 22, 1879.

[This may be incomplete as photocopy looked as if content was continued on another page, which I haven't located at this date].

Baldwin County Alabama Research

Givens, Gussie S., b. 25 Jan 1906, d. 08 May 1956, bur. TA
Whistler Cemetery, Whistler, Mobile Co., AL (Interment.net)

Amanda Elizabeth Givens (wife of Samuel T. Taylor) Dec 14, 1847 Washington Co, FL Mar 05, 1928 Choctaw County, AL
Cindy Shambley cindydiane@webtv.net

John M. Givens April 09, 1846 Washington Co, FL Aug 31, 1924 Choctaw County, AL Cindy Shambley cindydiane@webtv.net
(rootsweb.com/~alchocta/death.html)

Givens, Andrew J., b. 6 Apr 1871, d. 19 Nov 1935, Sec D 80
Givens, Delaine A., b. 25 May 1874, d. 25 Jun 1951, m. 7 Jun 1891, w/o William R. Givens, Sec D 80
Givens, Joseph Harvel, b. 10 Feb 1832, d. 24 Feb 1914, Creek Indian, Sec D 80
Givens, William R., b. 24 Feb 1870, d. 14 Jul 1951, m. 7 Jun 1891, h/o Delaine A. Givens, Sec D 80
Givens, Wilma, b. 1914, d. 1914, Sec D 80
Givens, Jr., Lonnie M., b. 26 Nov 1933, d. 5 Sep 1953, Fla. EN3 US Navy, Sec D 80
(interment. net--Fl Bay Co., Millville Cemetery)

John Hezekiah Givens

Somehow I have temporarily misplaced my Heritage Book of Okaloosa County! However, I find that I was at one point extracting Givens info from it, pages 224 and 364. Don't think I ever finished, but here are some of the notes I took:

John Hezekiah Givens, also known, I believe, as "Bud", received a homestead grant in Laurel Hill. This according to Dr. Mark Givens Weatherly, his grandson. Bud Givens was into the sawmill business and was a prominent business man and financier, who in 1900, founded the Falco Land & Lumber Company near Florala. Some 15,000 acres of timberland were involved. There were Branch Mills in Munson and Blackmon/Blackman. Obie Weatherly ran both mills. This industry embraced both Walton and Santa Rosa County areas (Okaloosa not having been formed as a county at that time). Bud Givens was part Creek Indian and the Yellow River Railroad was another of his interests.

It is believed that the Givens migrated from Scotland to Orange County, Virginia, to North Carolina, to Alabama (Bay Minette). The turpentine and lumber industry were an integral part of their livelihoods.

John Hezekiah (Bud) married Marguerite (or Maggie) Chance of Milton. Listed as children are Lilla Mae, b. 1892, Daisy, Gladys, Johnny (ie), Val, and James. Obie Lee Weatherly married Lilla Mae Givens in 1911 in Tallahassee, Leon County, Florida. Their children were Mabel, b. 1911, Maurice, Maudie (John), John Max Weatherly (of Laurel Hill), and Mark. This from page 363 and 364 of the Heritage Book.

William Givens: Search in the Social Security Death Index returned 16 matches. The one that interested me, however, was living in Florala at the time of his death. Actually, his residence location is somewhere between Florala and Andalusia. His birth date matched the one I have for William Edward Givens, who changed his name some time after his father, (Wm. Edw. Givens), died. The senior fellow was the brother of my grandfather, Richard Ludlow Givens. I discovered that the junior W.E. Givens grew up as Quinton Virl Givens.

GenealogyBuff.com - genealogy data for the GIVENS surname

Sometimes, I think the best way to gather information is to take a big net and try to scoop up as many folks with the last name, Givens, as I can--then look through them to see if there is anything familiar. Generally, I believe that it is a good idea to join a messageboard for the surname and place that you are researching--leaving tracks so that others can find you.

The professional way to research, I've been told, is to start with what you know and go backwards. What do you think?

Ancestry.com - Editor's Note

A great resource for Givens genealogy? Check it out.GenealogyBuff.com - genealogy data for the GIVENS surname

Ancestry.com - 1930 United States Federal Census

Ancestry.com - 1920 United States Federal Census

Chancery Records of Okaloosa County, FL, Book #8, page 588, shows a divorce matter for Murl Givens and a Robert W. Givens. The final decree date is 26 June 1950.

On a death certificate for Samuel Edward Givens, who died 8 March 1947 at the age of 4days, 12 hours, is listed as the father, Robert W. Givens and mother, Murl Riley. The death of an infant is a sore trial that tests the bonds of matrimony, as much as, if not more than other problems and challenges.

Andrew Givin, age 22 from SC appears in the 1880 Census of Escambia, FL. Will try to get more info on this, but just wondered if it is a Givens person!

Okaloosa News Journal Item, dated 8 August, 1919: "Ed Givens, who has been in France for something over a year, passed through here Wednesday en route to his home at Laurel Hill."

Does anyone know who this refers to?

Be sure and read the archives, here, at this blog. It will give a little more background on who I am, where and what I'm researching and what loose ends I am trying to tie up.

I am really excited about the proposed reunion in DeFuniak Springs, FL on October 18th, 2003. Thanks, Foye, for setting that up for us; we look forward to hearing the details. Now, I wonder if it wouldn't be a good idea for each of us to tell how we're related to the Givens Family. Or what our interest is in the Givens Family. Kind of introduce ourselves to each other. I can give a brief rundown on each of the ones I've invited but I'm sure that a more accurate description could be given by the persons involved in this blog.

There is one person who I would like to introduce that doesn't have e-mail. Her name is Christine Clary Givens and she just called me from her home near Florala, yesterday. Christine is the widow of William Edward Givens, b. 1925, and William Edward is the son of William Edward Givens, born 1891 in Muscogee (AL, I believe)! William Edward, Senior was the brother of my grandfather, Richard Lud (Ludlow?) Givens. When W.E. Givens, Senior died, his son changed his name to William Edw. to honor his father. William Edward, Jr. was actually born and raised as Virl Quinton Givens. Anyway, Christine is a wonderful lady and when I went to visit her in February, we traveled to the nearby Red Oak Cemetery where Bertha Mae Leonard Givens, wife of W.E. Givens, Sr., is buried. We also went to lunch in Andalusia and visited the house where Rose Emma Henley Givens raised her family after the death of her husband, James Alexander Givens. I am in touch with Carl Palmer who now owns that house and is in the process of renovating it. We hope that he will keep us in the loop as to his progress (or lack thereof) and come to the reunion in October to share with us what he has discovered about the Givens family of that time and place.

Now, as to my own origins and connection to the Givens Family. My mother was the daughter of Alice Settles, who eventually did marry Richard Lud Givens, (when my mom was about eight years old). My grandmother Alice married several people, but it was my mother's story that she loved Lud Givens long before she was able to marry him. At the very least, my mother, Opal, considered Lud to be her father and they had a very close relationship. Like all families they had their share of trials. Before I was born, my mother and her husband, Dewey Winters, had a little boy named James Richard Winters. They called him "Pelo". When he was about two he got run over by his granddaddy, Lud Givens. Pelo had run out after his grandpa as Lud was backing up the truck and gotten caught under the wheels. My grandfather, Lud, never got over the death of this little grandson.

What's your story? Richard Lud Givens was the son of William Sherman Givens who was the son of John Witherspoon Givens. How are you connected?

A Givens Family Reunion is tentatively set for October 18th, in DeFuniak Springs, FL. In particular, the families and descendants of John Witherspoon Givens and/or Robert Givens, "Old Bob", are invited to watch for more information coming soon. Please pass the word to others and respond if you are interested in participating. E-Mail Margaret as soon as possible.

Friends and family of the Givens in the counties of Okaloosa, Covington, Baldwin, Escambia, and other counties in the Southeastern U.S. are welcome to post to this board.

1918-1921 Baldwin marriages references the Givens-Ard connection and the Givens-Jernigan connection.

Would like to know, also, ancestry of these Givens mentioned in the 1913-1917 Marriages of Baldwin County, AL.

1922-29 Baldwin Marriages: Wilcox-Givens?

1930-1938 marriages in Baldwin Co.: Phillips/Givens

Vernon Givens married Mary Ard: See 1944-45 Marriages Baldwin Co., AL.

1906 Marriages for Baldwin County, AL mention a Mrs. Ollie Givens.

Also reference the 1900 Census for Baldwin County and please report in if you have knowledge of Ollie Givens, etc.

Does anyone know who these Givens are that are mentioned in the online database for Marriages of Baldwin County, AL, 1907-1912?