So I am thinking about what to write about and thought I would share some things I learned shortly after my grandmother died. Grandma had kept her mother's Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) paperwork and also her membership certficate for the Daughters of the Confederacy. This inspired me last year to do some research and learn more about my family and I learned some interesting things. I also have one of Grandma's rings that belonged to my Great-Great-Great Grandfater, Robert Luke Lamkin. He is the one who served at the end of the Civil War for Georgia and I have the documentation that he served - hence the Daughters of the Confederacy eligibility.
There are also two confirmed Patriots (those who served in the American Revolution) in my family and I have found two others that I believe are Patriots but I have not been able to prove those out. Her information is:
The National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution Volume 67
page 344
Mrs. Ethel Lamkin Davenport.
DAR ID Number: 66947
Born in Columbia County, Ga.
Wife of Joseph B. Davenport, Jr.
Descendant of Nathan Benton and of Samuel Magruder.
Daughter of Julian Berry Lamkin (b. 1849) and Mary T. Benton, his wife.
Granddaughter of Nelson M. Benton and Martha A. Wooding, his 2nd wife.
Gr-granddaughter of Nathan Benton and Susannah Crawford, his wife, m. 1796; John Edward Wooding (d. 1844) and Elizabeth Drane, his wife, m. 1811.
Gr-gr-granddaughter of Walter Drane and Alletha Magruder, his wife.
Gr-gr-gr-granddaughter of Ninian Beall Magruder and Rebecca Young, his wife.
Gr-gr-gr-gr-granddaughter of Samuel Magruder and Margaret Jackson, his wife.
Nathan Benton (1764-1826) was a member of the roth regiment, Continental troops of North Carolina, under Captain Jones. He was born in Orange County, N. C.; died in Columbia County, Ga.
Samuel Magruder (1708-86) was a member of the Committee of Observation. He was born in Prince Georges County; died in Montgomery County, Md.
What I also did last spring is go to North Augusta, SC and see where my Great Grandparents and Great-Great Grandparents are buried (top picture). My Grandmother died at the age of 98 1/2, her mother, Grandma Ethel, died one month shy of her 80th birthday in 1959, and her mother, Mary Talullah Benton Lamkin died in the early 1920's (I'll have to check the date and edit this) and she was in her 70's I believe. Grandma Ethel and her husband, Joseph Benjamin Davenport, Jr. (my Great Grandparents), along with two of my grandma's siblings are buried in a section along with my Great-Great Grandparents, Julian Berry Lamkin and Mary Talullah Benton Lamkin.
That day last April, mom and I also went to my Grandmother's childhood home in North Augusta. The original had burned when my Grandma was about 24 or so, but was rebuilt. The people that bought it a number of years ago converted it to a restaurant called "Davenport's" and mom showed me around Grandma Ethel's house. The front room was where my Grandma got married, and the other front room was Grandma Ethel's bedroom. Just a 2 minute drive from the house is the Savannah river and you cross into Augusta, GA. I finally understood why my Grandma loved Augusta, Georgia, and also wanted to go to the University of Georgia (which Grandma Ethel would not allow). Grandma wanted to go to UGA and become a Nurse, but Grandma Ethel would not permit that as it was not an 'appropriate' profession for a lady. Grandma went to Winthrop instead to become a teacher.
After visiting North Augusta, mom and I drove to Elizabeth Johnston's house just across from the Augusta National Golf Course. This is my Grandma's first cousin, and she had even more information on the Lamkin family than I had managed to pull together. We visited and she showed me all the stuff that she had and it was fascinating. She had a pair of glasses and their case framed and hanging on a wall. The glasses blonged to Aurelia Amanda Berry Lamkin - Robert Luke Lamkin's wife and also my Great-Great-Great Grandmother. Mom and I then drove out to Pollard's Corner (a crossroads in Columbia County outside of Augusta). This is where Robert Luke Lamkin and his parents, James M. Lamkin and Elizabeth Frazier Luke Lamkin, are buried in a family cemetary (bottom picture). These are my Great-Great-Great-Great Grandparents. Elizabeth Lamkin was pardoned by then President Andrew Johnson as she had been arrested and convicted for supporting Confederate soldiers during the war. A copy of the pardon is hanging in Elizabeth Johnson's house too detailing the pardon and signed by Andrew Johnson.
Turns out that the Lamkin family owned a large piece of what is now Columbia County, Georgia and Grandma sold her share in the late 1980's as she had to pay taxes on it and the lumber was susceptible to forest fire and thus devaluation of the property.
Grandma used to ride the train from Augusta to spend time at Grandma and Grandpa Lamkin's in the summer. Grandma talked about this on many occasions as she loved the Lamkins.
I also found some information on the Davenports as my Great-Grandfather's family has been in the country since around the 1600's.
3 comments:
Very cool, Mot - I'm really into history right now and trying to get Vicki to go with me on a vacation to visit several Revolutionary War hero gravesites - woo hoo.
I've found myself picking my mom and dad's respective brains as well for family history. Gives one a sense of where you come from, doesn't it? I especially like the personal stories. An uncle that liked black walnut pies. A grandfather that was good working with dynamite. My Scottish son has perhaps taken the family history thing to the extreme, but I applaud his spirit.
I enjoyed your information on the Lamkin family. I am from the Eubanks/Lamkin family. I have been trying to research who the father of James Lamkin Eubanks was. He was married to Elizabeth Hardin. All from Columbia, GA. Thanks again
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