Re this post: Posting information on a Givens Will

Will of Maggie Chance Givens: Notes


Please find this information (posted in 2011, originally) at this alternate web site:   https://pegmarie.wordpress.com/2011/05/08/will-of-maggie-chance-givens-notes/

 Who was Maggie Chance?
She was married in about 1890 to John Hezekiah "Bud" Givens.  John Hezekiah was the son of John Witherspoon Givens, and the grandson of Robert Givens and Sarah "Sally" Stewart.
Maggie was, to the best of my knowledge the mother of Lila Mae Givens, Daisy Givens, Val Wright Givens, Gladys Givens, Johnie Givens and Jamems Monroe Givens.  This family lived in Laurel Hill in what is now Okaloosa County.
Some of Maggie's grandchildren includes: the Weatherly kids, Frances and Florence Givens, George Williamson, and maybe some more children that I haven't found yet!
Her siblings were Charles and Annie Chance.  Her father was James M. Chance who died in 1919 in Florala, Alabama.  Her mother, Mary Elizabeth Barrow, is buried in Okaloosa County.

Robert F Givens: biography, pictures and information - Footnote.com

Robert F Givens: biography, pictures and information - Footnote.com: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

Footnote folks have created a page for this individual, using the Social Security Death Index.  Don't know who or where this particular individual fits in, but since he's from Foley, someone out there knows him and the likelihood of him fitting in with our family is pretty good, (Baldwin County Lines).

Update: Footnote.com is now called Fold3.com and access is free throughout this month (June) in keeping with the spirit of the War of 1812 Bi-Centennial celebration.

1910 Census Walton County, the widow Givens with children

Summary of 1910 Census for Lud Givens, my grandfather.
Recorded from image at Ancestry.com

Data:

District 115, page 7A
Laurel Hill and DeFuniak Springs
Walton County, Florida

Family No. 100:

Mother: Malissa Givens; age 42, widowed, had ten children, five of whom are living; born in Florida; Malissa's father born in Germany, her mother born in Alabama.  She is farming for a living.
Dau: Mandy (Amanda); age 20; born in Florida, father born in Alabama, mother born in Florida. Son: Edward; age 19; born in Alabama, father born in Alabama, mother born in Florida (Washigton County).
Son: Ludd.; age 16; born in Alabama, father born in Alabama, mother born in Florida.
Dau: Minnie; age 15; born in Alabama; father born in Alabama, mother born in Florida.

Neighbors on either side:
Eliza Merritt, female widow, living with daughter, Willie and her husband, Felix Eclson.
Decatur Cutts and wife Mary.

Genealogy Essays: Estimating Dates

Genealogy Essays: Estimating Dates: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

Untangling the Web

I have wondered, many times, how I could connect my Givens ancestors with the folks who contact me and tell me of their Givens' connections.  Ancestry's Family Trees certainly is helpful in finding the links, but I suppose that a graphic representation would also be helpful.  I have only dabbled in that area, producing some preliminary charts. 

I haven't seen or yet conceptualized a chart that includes both the different family branches and the different researchers working on those family lines.

If I had such a chart at my disposal, I'd connect Mary Alice B. to Sarah Elizabeth Givens, the daughter of Joseph Harvel/Harvey Givens.  Sarah married Henry Merit/Merritt Cooper.  One of their sons is Mary's grandfather.  I'd imagine that she is also working on the Cooper line.  By the way, Mary connected with me through MyHeritage, one of many websites that I've put my genealogy on.

Does anyone have pictures of this line?  I'll have to look into finding some on the Internet or at Ancestry!

World War I Civilian Draft Registration

In 1917 and 1918, approximately 24 million men registered for the draft in the United.States.  The men that were required to register were born between Sept 11, 1872 to Sept 12, 1900.  Read more about the registration cards that were generated at during this time period (Genealogy Branches.com).

There are a few places where you might look for these records:

• Travel to Salt Lake City and visit the Family History Library.  The records have been microfilmed and you can view them there at the library, or you can order the microfilm at your nearby Family History Center for about $5.50 (cheaper than traveling to Utah, for those of us living in the south).
• Access the information at the National Archives or at a regional center of NARA.
• Visit a public library that has a subscription to Ancestry.com.  The registration cards have been digitized and are available at Ancestry through a subscription to its database.  You can also subscribe to this resource online if you have access to the Internet.  The images can be printed, saved to your hard drive, or you can extract the information from them using a blank form (download at Ancestry).  

Because the local draft boards in various locations were utilized for this selective service project, you may discover if the information gathered, even though they were basically just filling in the blanks of the form/card.  The type of information you can expect to find may include:

1. A given name, along with the middle name and a surname.
2. Permanent home address.
3. Age by years.
4. Date of birth.
5. White? (Race/ethnicity)
6. Negro?
7. Oriental?
8. Indian, Citizen?
9. Indian, Non-Citizen?
10. Native Born?
11. Naturalized?
12. Citizen by Father's Naturalization before Registrant's Majority?
13. Alien-Declarant?
14. Alien- Non -declarant?
15. If not citizen of the U.S., of what nation are you a citizen or subject?_____________________
16. Present Occupation
17. Employer's Name
18. Place of Employment or Business (Address)

Nearest relative, name and address.
Registrant's signature and affirmation.


All of this information is on the front side of the card.  On the back side of the card, the Registrar's Report is given.  First, is a description of Registrant, including Height, Build, Color of Eyes, and Color of Hair.  The registrar states whether the registrant is physically disqualified.  Has person lost arm, leg, hand, eye, etc.


The registrar verifies and affirms that this information is true and that the registrant did read or had read to him all of the questions and has signed or made his mark.


So some of the Givens names that I found at Ancestry.com in the database for WWI Civilian Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 were:

• Henry Thomas Givens, born 29 Sep 1874, is White, and registered in Okaloosa County, Florida.
• John Homer Givens, born 31 Mar 1884, White, registered in Okaloosa County, Florida.
• Richard Lud Givens, born 14 Feb 1894, White, born in Alabama, registered in Okaloosa County, Florida
• William Edward Givens, born 3 Feb 1891, White, born in Florida, registered in Okaloosa County, Florida.

I also ordered the microfilm for Okaloosa registrations so I could browse through and pick out other names that I was interested in.  This is a gem of a resource and reading the description of the registrant's appearance is almost as good as having a photo!

Mish Mash Research

I found Nancy Emma Jane Givens, (b. 13 Sep 1864) as "Emmer J." in the 1880 U.S. Census of Baldwin County, Alabama, living with her family, Joseph Givens and Mary S., her mother.  In my notes for her, I have:
"Pine Barren Baptist Church Cemetery, Escambia, Fl is burial place."
Possible death date: 13 Mar 1917.
Of Atmore, AL at the time of her father's death in 1914."
----------------------------
This Emma was age 15 in the 1880 census.  Another Emma, was born in 1856, instead of 1865 (or 1864 in this case).  My Emma is surely the one who married Aden A. Fleming, because my dad did an interview with Minnie Crabtree of Pensacola, back in 1964.  Now, who Minnie Crabtree is to the family, I have no idea!  I think, perhaps, she is Minnie Lee Givens, who first married James Wm. Steele?
-----------------------------
Who is Eliza Barker that married Alexander Givens 17 May 1847 in Mobile County, I wonder?
---------------------------------------------
Also found John Starling m. Martha Givens in Henry Co. Alabama in 1870. Mmmmmm....

Rose Givens' House

When Alex Givens (James Alexander Givens) passed away in Bradley, Alabama, on June 21, 1921, he left behind, his widow and nine children. I'm not sure of the exact circumstances of his death (I'm lagging behind in my research and documentation), but at some point, Mrs. Givens and her family settled in this large home in the city of Andalusia, Alabama. Mrs. Carl Palmer and her husband are the current owners of this house; they have completed many of the renovation projects in their efforts toward historical restoration. Most interesting though, is their hard work in documenting the family during the period of their residence in this home. They have completed much, if not all of the historical restoration, by now, I'm sure. A shout-out to them for their efforts, "Thank You".

Question: Where is Alex Givens buried?
Answer: Almarante Cemetery, Laurel Hill, Okaloosa Co., Florida

Question: How did he die?

Question: How did Rose Givens come to live in this house with her family?

Givens Family Bible

 

Torn Bible page scan 2
Content:
McGill were_________Jan 13th 1859.
Manda McGill was born July 24th, 1839.

Givens Bible

 

Scan 1: Torn page from Family Bible.

Upper right corner:
Date: 1859
Content below:
John H. Givens was born March 17th, 1862
James Alexander (sp. alescander?), was born January 20, 1867
William Sherman Givens was born August 25th, 1869

The Funeral Directory - Writing an Obituary

The Funeral Directory - Writing an Obituary

Revolutionary Pension

Samuel Givens is listed as a Revolutionary pensioner in North Carolina newspaper, May 1, 1846.

Samuel Givens, Revolutionary Soldier

: "GIVEN"

meck2001.jpg (JPEG Image, 2479x3100 pixels) - Scaled (15%)

meck2001.jpg (JPEG Image, 2479x3100 pixels) - Scaled (15%)

A map of Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, where it is believed that John Witherspoon Givens was born in 1836.

The Kollmetz relative

Finally, we come to the relative/descendent who, in the 1970's, sent my father so much Kolmetz information and some of the pictures previously posted. This is Hans-Werner Kollmetz, born 19 of September, 1925. Thank you, Hans! 

Heinrich Andreas Kollmetz

The parents of Friedrich Kollmetz are standing in the foreground of this photo. Don't know who the other fellow is.
ON the left is Heinrich Andreas Kollmetz and on the right is Dothea Margaretha Marie (nee Moller). Now, we know where I got my name! [Margaret Marie]. 

Masonic Brethren in Washington County Florida

Friedrick (Frederick) Nicholas Kolmetz stands in the center with the tall fellow on his right being Mr. Sellers. I am related to "Fritz" Kolmetz through the Givens line. Alice Malissa Kolmetz was my great grandmother. She married William Sherman Givens. Their son, Richard Lud Givens was my grandfather (maternal). 

Back to Germany

The ancestral home of Friedrich Nicholas Kolmetz, who emigrated to America (Vernon, Washington, Florida) is to be found in Burg Auf Fehmarn. On this street is the house of Hinrich Kolmetz. No Kollmetz family members are living on the island anymore, though. 

Cleveland Public Library - Obituary File

Cleveland Public Library - Obituary File

When I checked this link, I found 29 matches for Givens! While they are most likely from an entirely different line than my Givens, it's possible if you went back far enough, we might share a common ancestor.

Givens in Escambia County Florida 1870

The 1870 Escambia Census is now online! Thanks to West Florida Genealogical Society volunteers and the hard work of project manager, Jerry Merritt, this is a wonderful way to locate relatives that were in Escambia County in 1870. Thanks also to web page master, Ginny Deagan. The link I have provided will take you to the index, but at the top of the page is a link to the census itself. Here are the Givens I have culled from the index:

• Amanda
• Charlotte
• Christina
• Henry
• Homer
• James A.
• John H.
• John W.
• Joseph
• Laura A.
• Louis
• Louis
• Maria
• Maria
• Mary J.
• Olive
• Ophelia
• William
• William
• William S.