Ms. Davis's transcription of this Bible erroneously shows M.E. (i.e., Mary Elizabeth) Conner as having married W.T. Brown, but this marriage was with her younger sister W. E(lnorah) Conner. In the 28 Jul 1881 Hawkinsville Dispatch, the following appears: "Obituary: Elnorah Brown, wife of W.T. Brown, and daughter of William D. and Lucinda Conner, was born February 2, 1859, and died of pneumonia June 30, 1881. In July 1874, she was converted and joined the Church under the preaching of Rev. R.J. Corley...She was an obedient child, a kind and loving sister, affectionate wife and tender mother....her sister Elmira."
Mollie died from typhoid fever in July 1900, shortly after the census was completed. From The Hawkinsville Dispatch, July 26, 1900: "Mrs. Mary Newmans, wife of Mr. Abe Newmans, died at her home about 8 miles below town on Tuesday night of last week from typhoid fever, leaving a husband and four children to mourn her death. The deceased was a sister of J.W. Conner, of this place. She was a good woman and much beloved by a large circle of friends and acquaintances."
- William Arthur Newman, b. 10 July 1874; m. Susan Ann Scaff
- James W. Newman, b. Jan 1875; m. Flora Beckham, Abbie McDuffie, Aline Hatcher
- Wesley Newman, b. ca 1878; d. 5 Dec 1882
- Fanny Newman, b. unknown; d. 14 May 1891
- Wiley Newman, b. unknown; d. 14 May 1891
- Lucius Newman, b. unknown; d. 14 May 1891
- John Newman, b. 6 Oct 1889
- Mary Louise Newman, b. 27 Jun 1892; m. Fritz Fleda Brogdon
As reported in The Hawkinsville Dispatch, 28 Dec 1882: "Little Wesley, son of Mr. and Mrs. A.W. Newman, died of hemorragic (sic) fever on the 5th of this month. 'Whirley,' as he was called, was about 4 years old...His uncle J.W.C., December 1882."
Fanny, Wiley and Lucius drowned on 14 May 1891 when the family's wagon went into Big House Creek (or Jelks Mill Pond, depending on the source). Mollie was driving because Abe was too intoxicated, and he caused the accident when he jerked the reins from her hands at a critical moment. He probably was as irresponsible and blameful as the news report painted him, but the tone of the piece suggests the reporter was aiming more for dramatic effect than objectivity (the more things change....). A condensed version of the tale made it into papers as far away as South Dakota. The children were reported to be 3, 7 and 9, but which age goes with which child is not known.
Jim (James W) Newman and family were living in Wilcox County at the time of the 1910 census, 433rd Militia District, Bowen's Mill: Jim, 29 (this is an error as Jim was 5 in the 1880 census), Farmer; Aline (Hatcher) Newman, 16; Emma Hatcher, 38, mother-in-law; brothers-in-law Reuben, 14 and Lewis R., 9; and sisters-in-law Maria, 12; Emmie, 7; and Lilian, 6. Jim is farming and Reuben works on the farm. Jim apparently suffered some form of alcohol-induced dementia in later life and died 18 August 1948 at Milledgeville, where he had been sent 4 days before. Jim was 73 and a widower at the time of his death.
John Newman, 22, is also in the 1910 Wilcox County census, living on and working his own farm in 1177th Militia District, Ryals Mill. I have no further information on him.
