George Plummer Yancey

Notes:

George Plummer Yancey and Mary Elizabeth Crusselle
1874-1948

George Plummer Yancey, son of Simeon Plummer Yancey and Martha Elizabeth
Thurman, was born January 10, 1874 near the town of Forest Park in
Clayton County, Georgia. He married Mary Elizabeth Crusselle on October
7, 1894 at Nellie Dodd Methodist Church. Mary was born November 19, 1874
in Atlanta, Georgia. She was the daughter of Thomas A. Crusselle and
Lavinia Jenkins. It is interesting to note that George and Mary were born
five years before Edison's first successful experiments in lighting, yet
it would be this new technology that would provide for the family's
income. George was employed by Georgia Power Company for over forty years.

In 1896, Mary gave birth to the first of eight children. Esther Yancey
was born August 20, 1896. Two years later, Albert Ryeland Yancey was born
on April 27, 1898. As a new century came, so did their third child.
Walter Simeon Yancey was born December 2, 1900. Victor Yancey, born 1904
and Marvin Roland Yancey, born 1905, both died young. George Plummer Jr.
(October 12, 1907), Horace Vance (September 12, 1909), and Mary Ruth
(August 2, 1914) completed the family. Mary Crusselle was a short, round,
little lady with a perpetual smile. She loved to laugh; however, she was
not opposed to an occasional stern speech when the children (or
grandchildren) played too close to her flower beds.

George and Mary lived at 1024 Fair Street (now Memorial Drive) where it
intersects with Stovall Street in Atlanta, Georgia. The house sat high on
a hill with a rock wall and several steps leading up from the street.
Joseph A. Crusselle (Mary's brother) lived next door. Albert Ryeland
Yancey would later live across the street. The house was large and had
tall ceilings and a kitchen with a wood stove. Mary used to love to have
all the children and grandchildren over for a big meal. At Christmas, the
dining room table had to be extended and put at an angle in order to
maximize seating. The adults would eat first and then the grandchildren
would finish off what was left. Christmas presents for the grandchildren
would consist of a shiny apple wrapped in a big, white handkerchief.

Grandchildren played a big part in their lives during the 1930's and
1940's. They would often spend time on the porch with their grandchildren
and George would play "count cars." East bound cars would belong to him
and West bound cars would belong to the kids. In the house they kept
several canaries which the grandchildren liked to feed. Dash, the family
dog, was also a big hit. However, the biggest thrill of all was a ride in
Grandpa's 1937 Ford. After riding for a while, they would stop at a gas
station or store. He would announce, "a nickel around" and each child
would receive five cents with which to buy anything they wanted.

George and Mary housed a black man named Raymond. Raymond was one of
twelve children belonging to parents who were totally destitute. He was
mildly mentally handicapped and uneducated. Because they could not care
for him, Raymond was given to the Yanceys by his parents. Raymond was not
a slave, but he was of slave descent. He lived behind the main house, in
a room attached to the woodshed. He did not receive pay, but in exchange
for food and shelter, he worked in the yard, helped clean the house,
chopped wood and did other odd jobs.

During the years of World War II, George developed rheumatoid arthritis.
As his condition worsened he almost lost total use of his hands. During
the last year of his life, his four (living) sons would take turns
staying with their father every fourth night. George Plummer Yancey died
August 23, 1948. He is buried at West View Cemetery in southwest Atlanta.

His obituary reads as follows:

"Funeral services were held Wednesday, August 25 at 3 O'clock at Martha
Brown Memorial Methodist Church with the remains placed in state at 2:00.
Rev. B.W. Hancock officiated. Internment was at West View in the charge
of Atlanta Lodge No. 59, F.& A.M (Free and Accepted Masons.) The
pallbearers were: Mr. Albert R. Yancey, Walter S. Yancey, George P.
Yancey Jr., Horace V. Yancey, E.B. Gooch, and W.A. Wells."

After her father's death, Ruth (who never married) lived with her mother
and they later moved into a small house at the corner of Delaware Avenue
and Confederate Avenue in Atlanta. Mary would live there until her death.
Mary was bed-ridden for her last few years and required total care. A
hired attendant cared for her during the day. Ruth worked and cared for
her mother at night. Mary Elizabeth Crusselle Yancey died July 10, 1970.
She is buried next to her husband.

George married Mary Elizabeth Crusselle on 7 Oct 1894 in Nellie Dodd Methodist Church. Mary was born on 19 Nov 1874 in Atlanta, Fulton County, GA; died on 10 Jul 1970 in Atlanta, Fulton County, GA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Walter Simeon Yancey
2. Marvin Roland Yancey was born on 11 Sep 1905; died on 31 Mar 1907 in South Bend Cemetery, Fulton County, Ga..
3. Victor Yancey was born on 27 Aug 1904; died on 3 Oct 1904 in South Bend Cemetery, Fulton County, Ga..
4. Esther Yancey was born on 20 Aug 1896 in Atlanta, Fulton County, GA; died after 1971 in Dekalb County, GA.
5. Albert Ryeland Yancey was born on 27 Apr 1898 in Atlanta, Fulton County, GA; died on 29 Jan 1959 in Atlanta, Fulton County, GA.
6. Jr. George Plummer Yancey
7. Mary Ruth Yancey
8. Horace Vance Yancey

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]

Notes:

Robert Yancey, Jr. and Agnes Wilkinson
About 1775-1853

Robert Yancey, son of the senior Robert Yancey and Philadelphia Jones
Griffin, was born about 1775 in Mecklenburg County, Virginia. He married
Agnes Wilkinson on October 10, 1796 in Mecklenburg County. Agnes was the
daughter of William Wilkinson and Sarah Franklin. To better place this
family in a historical timeline, their marriage would have occurred
during the closing years of George Washington's presidency. It would seem
that Robert and Agnes grew up in the years of the Revolutionary War. It
was also a time in which the population was on the move. Four of their
six children left Virginia to settle in other states. Sally and John
stayed in Virginia. Robert (son of Robert Jr.) and his brother James went
to Georgia, and Lewis settled in Mississippi. Herriett moved to North
Carolina after marrying her second cousin, Richard E. Yancey. Richard was
the son of Absalom Yancey and his wife (name unknown.)

Robert Yancey was a farmer. Most, if not all, of his sons followed in his
footsteps and seem to have farmed most of their lives. Several letters
written between the family members in the 1840s and 1850s have survived.

[Note: Some punctuation has been added to assist reader. Letters are not
corrected for spelling. The letters were usually addressed to one of the
brothers and then forwarded to the other. They were addressed to either
the Marthasville (Atlanta) or Rough & Ready (Forest Park) Post Office.]

To: Robert Yancey and James Yancey
DeKalb Co. GA
Marthasville
P.O.
January 3, 1846

"Dear Children I take the opportunity to write a few lines to you both...
to in form you all that we are all well at this time thanks be
to God for the same. hoping when these few lines reach your hands they
may find you all in the same state of health... Richard and Harriet
wishes to be remembered to you all. Herriets got five
children, three boys and two girls... it takes a great deal to bread
them... Luis is in a bad fix he is going under the docter... I want you
both to write to me how you all are and how you are makeing out.
Nothing more only remain your father and mother until death.

Robert Yancey and Agness his wife
I receive your letter that you rote 28 September [1845]"

Some of the letters dealt with the price of farm goods in the different
areas of the country in which they were living...

"...I will say something to you now about the times in this country.
every thing to eat is high here. [flower is worth 8 to 9 dol per bar]
corn is worth $5.00 per bar. and hard to git at that. people that has got
it dont like to sell it. wheat is worth $1.60 per bu. bacon from 16cts to
18cts per lb coffee and sugar is about the same. corn crops are sorry
then I ever saw them. wheat was very short. bugs are very numerous and we
have had a long dry spell..."

Richard E. Yancey
Harriett P. Yancey
Granville County NC
August this the 21 1856

Other letters dealt with the settling of Robert's estate.

"...I am very mutch troubled for the lack of my Father... I want you to
wright to mee how you are geting on in the world and tell Brother Robert
I want to hear from him. I want you to wright to mee when you expect to
go to Fathers and I want to go my self when you do.
John wrot to mee that he and Richard thought best to let the estate
stand until fall... Dear Mother she is destitute of a friend now. No
wone to console her nor provide for her... She is never out of my mind
and there fore it troubles mee. ...all I can do is to try and meet him in
a better world..."

Lewis B. Yancey
May the 14 1853

Apparently, Robert had at least a few slaves. One slave, named Starling,
was purchased from the estate by James and Robert. However, before he was
fully paid for, Starling died.

"...I was very sorry to here of the loss of your negro. It seems... you
have very bad luck... Mr Graves owes [you for work Starling did] a
little... I dont know exactly the amount yet but I going to find outt...
and after paying for his coffin and other little expences what is left I
will send it own to you. Starling has a suit of Kentucky jenes close here
and a sort of over coat and I want to know what I must do with them his
children has aked me for them and I told them I did not have any rite to
give them away without your concent... John says you are due the estate
seventy 1, 50 [$71.50] for Starling..."

Richard E. Yancey

"I seated myself to write to you once more... I wrote to you about the
death of Starling. he died the fourth Saterday in May. ...people think
now he died with the small pox for old Caty Cousin was sick with it and
died with it and Starling wint to see her and so did some of Kiah
Griffins family wint to see her but nobody didint know what kind of
deseas it was then untill after Starling died and then Kiahs whole family
and some of the free negros was taken with it and then the Drs prenounced
it the small pox... John F. Yancey wants to know which is going to setle
for Starling, you or Robert... he has not settle the istate yet..."

Richard E. Yancey
[About 1856]

Robert Yancey and Agnes Wilkinson were born, married, raised their
family, and died in Mecklenburg County, Virginia. Robert died April 16,
1853 and Agnes died the next year in 1854. The exact date of her death is
unknown.

Robert married Agnes Wilkinson on 11 Oct 1796 in Mecklenburg County, VA. Agnes was born about 1773 in Virginia, USA; died in Sep 1854 in Mecklenburg County, VA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]