K-K-K-Katy - Annie Lorena Capps Hunt

Mama was a storyteller and on hot summer evenings she entertained me and my cousins with tales of her childhood and her family.  We did not know that we learning the story of who we are and where we came from, we just enjoyed hearing Mama's stories.  Some were sad and some were funny and she even had a few a ghost tales to share.

Mama told many stories about her maternal grandparents, Felix and Lorena Hunt.  She called them Little Grandpa and Little Grandma.  They were both small people and the names fit them.  Little Grandpa was a kind and good man and his grandchildren all had good memories of him.  Little Grandpa died before most of her grandchildren were born.  Mama was only seven when her grandmother passed away from tuberculosis.  They were living in a house at 1815 Long Avenue in East Nashville, at the edge of Shelby Park.  During her growing up years Mama and her parents and siblings often shared a house with the Hunt grandparents and with Grandpa Hunt, after Little Grandma died.

Annie Lorena Capps was born on June 20, 1868, daughter of John Walker Capps and Margaret Louisa Sharpe Capps.  She was a pretty girl with dark hair and eyes so dark, they sometimes appeared to be black. 

Annie Lorena Capps Hunt

I only have a few photos of her, and just this one of her as a girl.  She was so cute, maybe a bit of tomboy.  Her hat was possibly inspired by Annie Oakley, who would have been very popular at the time. While she was a child, Annie Lorena lived with her family on the south side of the Cumberland, in a house on North Market Street (now 2nd Ave. N.), near Broad Street.  In the early 1880's the family crossed to the north side of the Cumberland to East Nashville.  Annie Lorena was just a week past her 18th birthday when she was married to Felix Zollicoffer Hunt, on June 28, 1886.  At the time they were married Annie Lorena and her parents were living at 620 Shelby Ave. Coincidentally, a few years later, Alex Steele purchased the house at 620 Shelby and his son Wilmoth Steele was born there.  In 1915 Wilmoth Steele would marry Minnie Hunt, daughter of Annie Lorena Capps Hunt. Felix and Annie Lorena moved a lot.  I don't think there is a street in East Nashville that they did not live or near. 

Little Grandpa loved to sing and even belonged to a barber shop quartet.  In 1918 the song, "K-K-K-Katy" was a big hit and one of Little Grandpa's favorites.  He began to call Little Grandma Katie. 

K-K-K-Katy, beautiful Katy
You're the only g-g-g-girl that I adore.
When the m-moon shines, over the mountain.
I'll be waiting at your k-k-k-kitchen door.

Little Grandpa adapted the lyrics to suit himself, but it was close to the original.  Mama remembered Little Grandpa singing K-K-K-Katy, long after his wife had passed away.  One granddaughter was named Katie, in honor of Little Grandma's nickname.

Lola Mae Steele Oeser and Shelby Avenue

This is a story about my Mama, Lola Mae Steele Oeser, and a story about an old house that was lost to urban renewal.  Mama grew up in East Nashville and moved to Northeast Nashville after she married Daddy.  Except for a few years spent in Inglewood, she never lived more than three miles from the place she was born.   Our East Nashville roots run deep.  William Sanders Hunt, Mama's great-grandfather was living in Edgefield as early as 1855, long before it came to be known as East Nashville.  He was the first generation of the family in East Nashville.  My sister's granddaughter is the seventh generation to live in East Nashville.  Most of our family stories are centered in East Nashville and this one is no different.

Lola Mae Steele Oeser, 1919-1983,

The spot where the Exxon station sits, on the southwest corner of Shelby Avenue, near the Titan's Stadium, has a special meaning to our family.  Anytime we would drive past with Mama in the car, she would point to an empty graveled lot, west of the station and say, "That's where I was born."  I have to confess, being young and occupied with other things, I didn't ask questions or think about it much.  

After Mama died, in 1983, all of the questions I should have asked about the past, came at me.  I found a copy of Mama's birth certificate among her papers and noted that she was born at 227 Shelby Avenue which fit with the place she had pointed out.  Within a few years of her passing I was researching in earnest at Metro Nashville Archives, for any family information I could find.  I looked in city directories to see who lived at that address over the years and made notes.  I found a photo at the archives made during construction of the Shelby Avenue Bridge that had Shelby Avenue and East Nashville in the background. I zoomed in on that area and did a high res scan and could see several houses on Shelby.  

Shelby Avenue, 1910.  House on extreme right is the Harvey Campbell home, 227 Shelby Avenue.

That is about as far as it went, until one day, while looking at Marty Evan's Historic Nashville website, I found a photo of an old house on Shelby Avenue.  When I compared Marty's images to my scan, the houses matched.  Marty had titled the photos as "Guzze House Shelby Avenue."  I began my search for the original owner of the house, with the Guzzi family.  Going backward through deeds and other records it was finally determined that the builder of the house was a man named Harvey Campbell.

227 Shelby Avenue, circa 1961, image from Marty Evans, Historic Nashville.

Mr. Campbell, born in New York in 1812, came to Nashville in the late 1840's with his wife Mary, and four young children, Charlotte, Charles, Alonzo C. and Maria. A fifth child, Sarah was born in Nashville in 1853.  Campbell was a retail merchant and for many years had a store on the Nashville Public Square and another in Edgefield.  He sold dry goods, household furnishing and groceries. 

Harvey Campbell had purchased many lots and constructed houses that he would rent to Edgefield residents.   At one point he had more than twenty houses for rent.

Nashville Union and American, December 28, 1871

Nashville Union and American, June 4, 1872

He was also the proprietor of the Edgefield House, near the Woodland Street Bridge and advertised his rental properties in local newspapers.  

Nashville Union and American, May 11, 1873

Edgefield House, Creighton Collection, Metro Archives

 He sold his store on the public square to his son Charles.  Campbell became involved in the political affairs of Edgefield and was involved from the beginning in the incorporation of Edgefield as a city.  Campbell served on the first board of aldermen for Edgefield.  He was also involved in the political side of Davidson County, serving as a magistrate in the County and Chancery Courts.

Nashville Union and American, December 24, 1868

In the 1860's he purchased lot 43 of Shelby's second addition to Edgefield.  He already owned several adjacent lots and decided to build a house for himself on Shelby Avenue. . The house that Campbell built, was Second Empire style, popular in the U. S. from 1860 through 1880, though not common in the South. With a mansard roof topping the single tower and porch, this house looked different than most of the neighboring structures in East Nashville.   

Nashville Union and American, October 15, 1869

When Harvey and Mary Campbell moved into the new house in 1871, their sons, Alonzo and Charles, and daughter Charlotte had left home.  Charles, along with at partner, had taken over his father's store on the public square.  Alonzo became an engineer and chemist.  Charlotte married John H. Hunt and lived with her family at 233 Shelby Avenue.  Maria married attorney Malchi Bryan in 1873 and moved to Kentucky.  Sarah married W. Matt Brown, Jr. son of a former Nashville mayor.  By 1880 Mary had died.  Harvey's son Alonzo and his family and Harvey's daughter Sarah and her husband were living in the house, with Harvey.   

Harvey Campbell died in 1887 and the house passed to his grandson William H. Hunt and later to William's sister, Mamie Hunt.  The Hunt's did not live in the house but kept it as an investment, renting the house to others.  In 1917 the house was sold to Judge Malachi Thomas Bryan.  He had been married to Harvey Campbell's daughter Maria and was now a widower. Bryan was also the brother of Nora Bryan, who married Alonzo C. Campbell.

During the time that Bryan owned the house it continued to be a rental property.  Nashville directories list the families that lived in the house in those years.  In 1919 Felix and Lorena Hunt moved in, sharing the house with another tenant.  Felix Hunt lived in the house until 1921. Their daughter Minnie Hunt Steele, was my grandmother.  Apparently Minnie and her husband Wilmoth Steele were living in the house, with her parents, on August 23, 1919, the date on which Mama was born. By the time the 1920 Nashville directory was published, Wilmoth and Minnie (and Mama) were living on Howerton Avenue, north of Main Street.

When Malachi Thomas Bryan died in 1923, the house was sold out of the family for the first time.  The purchaser defaulted on the mortgage, and the executors, reclaimed and, sold the house to Mrs. Lena Guzzi in 1928.  The house remained in the Guzzi family until 1961 when it was sold to the Nashville housing authority and was soon after demolished.

227 Shelby Avenue, 2014, Google

Heaton (Eaton) Family Davidson County, Tenn.

Will book 2:13

Will of Amos Heaton

Wife Elizabeth

Daughter Prudence Ewry

Son Robert

Son Enoch

Son Thomas

Daughter Sally Heaton

Daughter Elizabeth Cain

Daughter Polly Heaton

It has been reported tha Amos Heaton named a daughter “Fanny” in his will.  The actual text is “Also I give & bequeath unto my wife Elizabeth four negros named Matt & Jack & fanny & Clary during her natural life time & then to be divided in the following Manner.  I give and bequeath to my son Enoch Matt & to my son Thomas Jack & Clary to my daughter Sally & Fanny to be at the disposal of my wife Elizabeth”

Will book 3:33

Will of Elisabeth Heaton

Son Enoch Heaton

Son Thomas Heaton

Thomas’s wife Polly Heaton

Daughter Prudence

Daughter Polly

Daughter Elisebeth

Daughter Sally

Son Robert

Son Robert, Executor

Written may 18, 1805

Witnesses Drury Felts and Jacob Boling

Will Book 4:308

Sale of Amos Eaton, Enoch Heaton, Administrator

Recorded Sept 2, 1814, sale was on May 20 1814.

Will Book 13:9

January 5, 1844

Inventory Robert Heaton  taken Dec. 5, 1843

George E. Sanderson, Administrator.

Will Book 15:534

Will of Thomas Heaton Rec. August 2, 1853

Filed in Randolph Co., Ark. Sept. 29, 1852

Son Amos Heaton, Executor

Will Book 18:263

Amos Heaton decd. Administrator Settlement

March 20, 1860 Thomas Stogner, Admin.

Some Northeast Nashville Families

Searight

George Searight  - A native of Ireland, born in Werren Point on 25 Nov. 1831, immigrated to U.S. in 1884 landing at New Orleans, being then 13 years old.  Naturalized May 1853,  source- Davidson County, Tennessee NATURALIZATIN RECORDS 1803-1906, Abstracted by Mary Sue Smith, 1997, page 209

George married 1^st Mrs. Fannie M. Wilson Lauderdale Co. AL November 23, 1859

George married 2^nd Mary Turner in Davidson Co., 18 Jan 1876

1850 Lauderdale County Alabama Census

Seawright, George 19 born in Ireland, living in household of  Turner Foster.

1860 Davidson County  Tennessee Census

Seawright, George 28 born in Ireland

Seawright, Fanny 26 born in Alabama

Seawright, Anne Wilson  age 7 born in Alabama

1870 Davidson County  Tennessee Census

Seawright, George, 38, born in Ireland

Seawright, Fannie, 36, born in Alabama

Seawright, Annie, age 17, born in Alabama

Seawright, Lucy, age 7, born in Alabama

Seawright, Frank age 5, born in Alabama

Seawright, Wilson, age 1, born in Tennessee

1880 Davidson County  Tennessee Census

Searight, George,  age 48,  born Ireland, wholesale grocer

Searight, Mary,  age 37, born Alabama

Searight, Susan,   age 17, born Tennessee

Searight, Frank,   age 15, born Tennessee

Searight, Wilson,  age 11, born Tennessee

Searight, George Turner.  age 3, born Tennessee

Searight, Henry Brown,  age 1, born Tennessee

In 1900 George Searight born Nov 1831 and wife Mary born Aug 1847 are living in Sumner County and his occupation is farmer.   Children Fauntleroy Nov 1883 aged 16 and Carrie Louise Aug 1886 aged 11.  George and Mary have been married for 23 years had 5 children, 4 are living.

Another child Paul was born 1888 and died 1898  ancestry world tree

Scales

Grace Cora Hillman was born 16 Jul 1858 in Empire Iron Works, Trigg, Kentucky, USA, daughter of  Daniel Hillman and Grace Marable Hillman.   Grace married David Campbell Scales October 14, 1880 in Trigg County KY.  Grace and David Scales were parents to  Anne Hillman Scales, Elsworth P. Scales and Daniel Hillman Scales. The family lived on Berry Street in North Edgefield.in the former home of Reverend John Berry McFerrin.  This antebellum home had originally been the residence of Hardy Wilkerson Bryan and his wife Margaret McGavock Bryan.  Grace Scales died in Nashville, TN, Nov. 4 1836 and is next to her husband buried in Mt. Olivet Cemetery.  Daughter Anne Hillman Scales was born in 1883 and died 1958.  She  married Andrew Bell Benedict, Jr.   He was born in 1885 and died  in1953.  He was a banker and served as President of Ward –Belmont.  Their son Andrew B. Bendict, III became chairman of the board of the First American Bank of Nashville and was a trustee of Vanderbilt University.  Their daughter, Grace married Dr. Thomas Fite Paine Jr., and was the mother of Anne Scales Paine, Tennessean staff writer .

See this webs site for more information on  Anne Scales Benedict.

http://www.library.vanderbilt.edu/speccol/benedicta_bio.shtml

Louis C. Lischy died February 19, 1894 and is buried in Springhill Cemetery.  The name was spelled Lischy and not Lischey as the street is spelled.

Joel W. Carter Sr. died June 12, 1936 aged 92 and is buried at Mt. Olivet Cemetery. He was born in Alabama.

Joel W. Carter, Jr. died May 24, 1939, aged 62 and is buried at Mt. Olivet Cemetery. 

Timothy Demonbreun, Last Will and Testmant, 1827

When Timothy Demonbreun, Sr. wrote his will in 1823 he named his surviving children in this order; daughter Agnes Doza; daughter Julia Johnson; son Timothy Demumbrun, Jr.; illegitimate son John Batteaste/Baptiste Demumbrun; illegitimate daughter Polly Demumbrun; illegitimate son William  Demumbrun. At the time Timothy Demonbreun, Sr. wrote his will, his youngest child John Batteaste Demonbreun born in 1792 or 1793 according to his War of 1812 Pension file was about 30 years old. An interesting find from the John Batteaste pension file is that he did not know until he was an adult that Timothy was his father. He stated that he thought his step-father Joseph Durat/Duraque was his father. It is also stated in the pension file that he was born few months before the March 1793 marriage of his mother Elizabeth Bennett and Joseph Durat. 

Davidson Co., Will book 9, pp. 94-96.

Timothy Demonbrun Decd.Will Recorded March 19, 1827

The many days of my existance and my bodily infirmities warn me that I have not long to live. In anticipation of my departure I leave the following as my Last will and Testament. In the first place I appoint my friend Joseph T. Elliston Esqr of Davidson County my executor...

...to my daughter Agnes Doza and such child or children that she may have living at the time of my death by Mr. Doza in equal shares, the mother and the children the sum of five hundred dollars hereby directing my executor to pay this legacy into the hands of the mother Mrs. Doza, which shall forever acquit him against any claim of the children who may have an interest in this devise.

...to my daughter Julia Johnson one thousand dollars in cash and hereby declare that the receipt of Mrs. Johnson single or married shall acquit my executor forever against the demand of every other person whatever. I also give and bequeath to my said daughter Julia Johnson two hundred and ninety acres of land part of the tract on which my son Timothy Demonbrun now lives in Davidson County to be laid off and allotted to her by my executor having due regard to Quality but in such a ways as not to interfere with the plantation of my son Timothy in any way...I give and bequeath to the three oldest sons of my daughter Julia Johnson now living to each of them the sum of one hundred dollars to be paid by my executor into the hands of their mother or any guardian properly appointed unless they be of age for their use...

...to my son Timothy Demumbrun the sum of one thousand dollars in cash....to my said son Timothy two hundred and ninety three acres of land in Davidson County including the farm and plantation on which he now lives.

...to my illegitimate son John Batteaste Demumbrun the sum of five hundred dollars...to his the said John b. one third part of a trract of 440 land for which I have a deed from Capt. Joshua Hadley...

...unto my illegitimate daughter Polly Demumbrun now married to (left blank) the sum of five hundred dollars and also the one third part of said 440 acre tract...

...to my illegitimate son William Demumbrun five hundred dollars and the remaining third part of said 440 acre tract...

...to my two sisters Catherine Demumbrun and Polly Demumbrun five hundred dollars each these two sisters if alive reside in the city or neighborhood of Montreal in Canada...

...I have hereto set my hand and seal Sept. 24th 1823.
Thimote demonBreun

Witnesses; M. Fly, Nelson Thornton, E. H. Foster

Probated Davidson county Court January Session 1827, proven by Nelson Thornton and Ephraim H. Foster and Micajah Fly.

Joseph T. Elliston, the executor named in said will,...qualified.

I tried posting the will scan from the will book but it is too small to read on the blog. 

George S. Allen, Last Will and Testament, 1853

This is a transcript of the will of George S. Allen, on file at Metropolitan Archives of Nashville and Davidson County, Tennessee. The transcript was prepared from the clerk’s copy in WB 16:204-06. The original will was then used for comparison and authentication. The only notable differences was in the signatures of the witnesses and the way in which the clerk interpreted them when he transcribed the will to the will book. (See below)

Davidson County, Tennessee
Will Book 16, pages 204‑206

George S. Allen Deceased Will Recorded Decr 22, 1853.

I George S Allen being of sound mind and memory do make and publish this my last Will and Testament hereby revoking and making null and void all former Wills and Testaments by me made. First, I direct that my funeral expenses and all my debts be paid as soon after my death as possible, out of the first moneys that may come into the hands of my executors. Secondly, I give and bequeath to my wife Pharaby Allen the premises, on which I now live including all the cleared land in said place, full access to and the liberty of using the timber on the timbered land adjoining the same which property and premises she is to have for and during her natural life. I also give to my said wife all my household and kitchen furniture exclusive of my rifle gun also two horses to be by her chosen out of my stock, also two ploughs and two pair of gears, and two sows and pigs or shotes as the case may be, also two cows and calves, all of which she is to choose for herself, also my cart and yoke of oxen with the yoke, also all my fowls, the before mentioned personal property I give to my said wife Pharaba Allen during her natural life and afterwards to be disposed of as hereafter directed. For the support of my said wife for one year after my death I give her the following allowance to be paid in to her by my executors as soon as possible after my death to wit, one thousand pounds of pork or its equivalent in bacon, fifty barrels of corn, one hundred pounds of sugar fifty pounds of coffee one hundred dollars in cash, I also give to my wife Pharaba Allen during her natural life my negro boy Dick, and also my ferry boat. Thirdly, I give and bequeath to my son, Washington all the entire bodies of land on which I now life and all the adjoining tracts thereto comprising several different tracts of different sizes given to my wife and in no wise to disturb her in the enjoyments of what is above given to her in said premises during her life, I do hereby except one piece of land of eighty four acres of school land taken rep by me lying west of where I now live and embracing a portion of the second and third hollows below me. I also give to my son the said G. W. Allen my rifle gun, also one horse colt of my mare Sely the said. G. W. whether he has a guardian or not is to have access to the timber in the above land as he may think proper after my death, so as not to conflict with his mothers rights. Fourthly, I give to my son Felix A Allen in trust and as trustee for my daughter Polley Hooper, one hundred and fifty dollars in cash to be her exclusive property free from the control or use of either her husband or creditors which money is to be paid by my executor Felix A Allen into the same hands of the said Polley Hooper on her personal application to him as soon as the moneys in his hands will admit of it. I also hereby direct that all I hereafter leave to her or may fall to her to be in trust in the hands of the said F A Allen as above directed. Fifthly, I give to my son Felix A Allen in trust and as trustee for my daughter Elizabeth Gower three hundred and fifty dollars in cash to be her exclusive property free from the control or use of either her husband or creditors which money is to be paid by my executor Felix A Allen into the hands of the said Elizabeth Gower on her personal application to him as soon as the moneys in his hand will admit, I also direct that all I hereafter leave to her or may fall to her to be in trust in the hands of said F A Allen as above directed. Sixthly, I give to my son Felix A Allen in trust and as trustee for my daughter Anna Hows four hundred dollars in cash to be her exclusive property free from the control or use of either her husband or creditors, which money to be paid by my executor F A Allen into the hands of the said Anna Hows on her personal application to him, as soon as the money in his hands will admit of it, I also hereby direct that all I hereafter leave to her or may fall to her to be in trust in the hands of said FA Allen as above directed. Seventhly, I give to the said F A Allen in trust and as trustee for my daughter Thurza Work and for no other purpose two tracts of land in the forks of Pond Creek being the same on which J N. Gower now lives, said tracts of land are through said trustee given to said Thurza Work as her sole and exclusive property and in no case to be subject to the debts of her husband, Said Thurza Work has a right to sell or convey said land at any time she shall think proper, and said F A Allen is required on application by said Thurza Work to guarantee and assign his title as trustee for her, I also hereby direct that all I hereafter leave to her or may fall to her to be in trust in the hands of F A Allen as above directed, Eighthly, I have given to my son James R. Allen and E C Allen my two tracts of land one of which I bought of Arnold Russell and the other being a one hundred acre tract on the hills each of which have deeds which will show explicitly each ones portion and division in said lands, I also give to them eighty four acres lying between Doziers and William Sheltons, which land was granted to me by the State of Tennessee, Ninthly, I have already given to my son Barnabas M Allen a negro boy named Hew as his part of the first division of my will for which I have his receipt, Tenthly, I have already given to my sons F A Allen and A M Allen a tract of land on the north side of Cumberland River for which they have deeds and have given their notes. A M Allens note three hundred dollars and F A Allen three hundred and fifty dollars which is the balance over their parts in the first division of my estate. Eleventhly, I have given Robert H Allen my son Four hundred dollars for which I hold his receipt being in full of his share of the first division of my estate, Twelfth, I direct that my negro boy Aaron be sold and all other property not otherwise expressly dispersed of in this will by my executors or executor as shortly after my death as may be convenient, on a credit of twelve months, the above constitutes the first division of my estate, the following constitutes the second division of my estate that is to say the balance or proceeds of the sales of the property directed to be sold including the money I may die possessed of and what may be due my estate otherwise first satisfying the several gifts in this will be equally divided between my wife Pharaba and all my children except Thurza Work who is to have no more until each of the rest have received one hundred dollars and then she will come in for her preportionable part, The third division constitutes all the property I have given to my wife Pharaba her lifetime to be sold after death by my executors or executor on a credit of twelve months and to be divided between all my children as aforesaid, I hereby nominate and appoint my two sons F A Allen and Elbert C Allen my executors or executor as the case may be both or either of them is my wish to execute this my last Will and Testament, after giving bond and approved security, for the faithful performance of the same, witness my hand and seal, this 23rd day of September 1847.
George S Allen (seal)

Witnesses
Wm Shelton,
W G Shelton.

State of Tennessee Davidson County Court August term 1853

A paper writing purpoting to be the last Will and Testament of George S Allen deceased was produced in open court for probate and proved thus, W G Shelton one of the subscribing witnesses thereto being duly sworn ____ and says that he became such in the presence of said George S Allen deceased and at his request and in the presence of William Shelton and that he verily believes that he was of sound and disposing mind and memory and that William Shelton is now dead. Ordered that said paper writing be admitted to record as such last Will and Testament of the same George S Allen, Decd.

(The witnesses names above are as they are given on the original will. The clerk in his transcription to the will book listed the witnesses in this manner:
William Shelton, Wi Shelton)