William Yancey

Other Events and Attributes:

• Residence: 1900, Edgewood, Fulton, Georgia, USA

James married Lula Bennett [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Simeon Plummer Yancey and Martha Elizabeth Thurman
1852-1929

Simeon Plummer Yancey, son of James Yancey and Penelope Griffin, was born
January 6, 1852. At that time they lived in Fayette County, Georgia. In
1859, Clayton County was formed and annexed this area from portions of
Fayette and Henry Counties. Their home would have been near Rough &
Ready, Georgia. This area would later become known as Forest Park. Simeon
was the youngest of ten children. He was too young to serve in the Civil
War but several of his brothers did. Brothers Alexander and John lost
their lives during the conflict. He was only eighteen years old when his
mother died. Five years later his father died and Simeon was named the
Administrator of his estate. At the age of twenty-five, he had lost both
parents, three brothers and a sister.

He married Martha Elizabeth Thurman on December 14, 1871. They were
married in the residence of her parents, Benjamin Thurman and Nancy
Caroline Jones. Martha was one of twelve children. She had a twin sister
named Mary Jane who died at about seven months of age.

Simeon and Martha lived at 38 Stovall Street in Atlanta. He worked for
Phoenix Planing Mill for nearly forty years. He and Martha had six
children. Their fifth child and only daughter, Nancy Penelope Yancey,
died August 20, 1888 after living only eight months.

Martha Elizabeth Thurman Yancey died October 11, 1921. Had she lived
another two months she and her husband would have celebrated their 50th
wedding anniversary. She was buried at South Bend Cemetery, Fulton
County, Georgia. As Simeon's health failed he required care from his
children. His last days were spent in the home of his son, Newton
Marshall Yancey, at 252 Stovall Street in Atlanta, Georgia. He died on
his 77th birthday, January 6, 1929, and is buried next to his wife.

The children of Simeon Plummer Yancey and Martha Elizabeth Thurman were:

Edward Benjamin Yancey married Ida Cornelia Fair
George Plummer Yancey married Mary Elizabeth Crusselle
James Walter Yancey married Lula Bennett Yancey
Newton Marshall Yancey married Annie Lee Daggett
Nancy Penelope Yancey died young
Karl Vance Yancey married (1) Carrie Ware (2) Eula Woodlif

Simeon married Martha Elizabeth Thurman on 14 Dec 1871 in Residence of Benjamin Thurman, Fulton County, GA. Martha was born on 24 Aug 1851 in Atlanta, Fulton County, GA; died on 11 Oct 1921 in Fulton County, GA; was buried in South Bend Cemetery, Fulton County, GA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

James Yancey and Penelope Griffin
1807-1875

James Yancey, son of Robert Yancey Jr. and Agnes Wilkinson, was born June
20, 1807 in Clarksville, Virginia. Some family sources record his middle
name as Robert. However, apparently he never used this name in any of the
legal documents or land deeds known to exist. He married Penelope Griffin
on March 6, 1828, in Mecklenburg County, Virginia. Penelope was the
daughter of Francis Griffin and Susan ________. Penelope was born July
21, 1807 in Virginia. James and Penelope came from Clarksville, Virginia
to Georgia before 1830. They were enumerated in the 1830 DeKalb County
census; however, no township was listed. It is believed that about 1833
they settled near Rough & Ready, Georgia. Rough & Ready was a stage coach
stop and tavern located between what is now Forest Park and Hapeville.
The settlement was near the border of Henry and Fayette Counties. In
1850, James and Penelope were recorded on the Fayette County census. In
1859, the area was annexed and Clayton County was formed. In 1860, they
were counted with the residents of Clayton County.

James and Penelope had 10 children - six boys and four girls. At least
three of their sons served in the Civil War. Marshall Orel Yancey, born
December 16, 1828 served in the Cavalry. Alexander Franklin Yancey, died
January 14, 1863 from a wound he received in the Battle of
Fredericksburg. John Yancey, born March 31, 1842, served in "The Clayton
Sharp Shooters" also known as Company E, Georgia Regiment. In a letter
written to John by his sister, we read...

"John you say them Yankees were going to drive you all away from there
but I hope you all will be brave men and not let them run
you away. John you must be brave and never run because I don't
want to never hear of you getting shot in the back."

Susan Yancey
[About 1861]

Southern women were not much different from the women of Sparta. These
Greek women reportedly told their men to either return from battle
wearing their swords or come back on them.

John was not shot in the back. He was shot in the left shoulder. While
traveling in a troop train near Williamsburg, Virginia, John was sitting
in the open door of a freight car. He had been warned by his comrades
that he was in an exposed position just as he was shot by a Yankee
sniper. This account is recorded in the family Bible of Simeon Plummer
Yancey. However, Confederate records indicate John Yancey "died from
disease". I am more inclined to believe the facts as recorded in the
family Bible. Thousands of men died of typhoid fever and officers tended
to lump the deaths together. John may have died of complications from the
wound. Typhoid fever or pneumonia may have ended what the Yankee bullet
started. John was nineteen years old.

James Yancey must have been very proud of his Southern heritage. In the
inventory of his estate, pictures of Robert E. Lee and Andrew Jackson
were listed as assets and valued at two dollars. In order to better
appreciate the worth assigned to these items, it should be noted that 200
feet of lumber was valued at two dollars and fifty cents.

Penelope Griffin Yancey died October 22, 1870. She raised a large family
and, although she only lived to be sixty-three, she saw four of her
children die. James Yancey died March 13, 1875. He was sixty-seven years
old. James and Penelope are buried in the Old Elam Cemetery. It is
located on Elam Church Road, near the intersection of Watts Road, in
Forest Park, Georgia.

The children of James Yancey and Penelope Griffin Yancey were:

Marshall Orel Yancey married (1) Theresa Bishop-Goewy
(2) Martha Yarbrough
Washington Beverly Yancey b. June 22, 1830 d. September 15, 1853
James Andrus Yancey married Rebecca Dalrimple
Alexander Franklin Yancey married Sally Beavers
Plonean Elizabeth Yancey married William Hardiman Ford
Scerinie Catherine Yancey b. November 29, 1839 d. October 23, 1866
John Yancey never married
Susan Agnes Yancey never married?
Penelope Yancey married Elijah Swinney
Simeon Plummer Yancey married Martha Elizabeth Thurman

James married Penelope Griffin on 6 Mar 1828 in Mecklenburg County, VA. Penelope was born on 21 Jul 1807 in Virginia, USA; died on 22 Oct 1870 in Old Elam Cemetery, Forest Park, GA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]