James Ryeland Yancey

Family/Spouse: Mary Anne Jansen. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Richard Ryeland Yancey
2. Melanie Elaine Yancey
3. Mary Colleen Yancey

Albert married Iris Myrtice Wilson. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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]

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]