Family Churches

I've always had a special affinity for churches. Particularly old country churches. I attended college in a very rural mountain area. One of my favorite past-times was to drive around and photograph old churches. Of course, I didn't have the foresight at the time to actually write down where these churches were exactly or their names, so I'm left with a pile of pictures of beautiful churches I can't identify. Live and learn. 

Nowadays, I focus on churches affiliated with my family. I've started to build a page on this blog about my family churches. I plan to add to it as I learn more about these churches.

I am also touched by churches not related to my family. Naturally, we are all in awe of the large cathedrals and fancy well-off churches, but I'm drawn to smaller churches. Those with small but devoted congregations who really don't care that they didn't grow up to be a big red-brick church with a huge parking lot and impressive silver alter ornaments. In the spirit of full disclosure, I'll admit I regularly attend a mega-church in Raleigh, NC with an annual budget equal to that of small countries. I love it but it doesn't touch me like a small country church with a budget of about $17 a week might.

The Mystery of Faith
Ben Long, 1977
St. Mary's Church, West Jefferson, NC

Speaking of being touched, are you familiar with the Ben Long Fresco Trail in western NC? As smitten as I am with my small family churches, I can imagine the devotion and love it took Ben Long to paint magnificent frescos (painting on wet plaster so the art becomes part of the wall). I've spent long periods of time in these churches soaking up the spirit and significance of this beautiful art form. 

With or without beautiful art, churches play a significant role in my family's history...and in my own history. Another story for another day.

Ethel DAVIS ALLEN, 1906 - 1965

My maternal grandmother, Ethel DAVIS ALLEN, was quite the pickle I'm told. A scrappy little woman, she had no filter, and would tell you just how it was going to be. No matter who you were. 

She was the 9th of 12 children born to Sidney and Cordelia DAVIS. She was very close to her family and her sisters were her best friends. However, I hear she was tough, tough, tough on her children and expected them to tow the line. Of course, that could have something to do with my very headstrong mother. I'm sure she was the teenager from hell. Just like me, I'll admit.

Ethel Davis Allen and husband
Vada Atlas Allen

Ethel and her husband, Vada Atlas ALLEN, had three daughters; Ann Gladys, Grace Elizabeth, and Mary Joyce. I've heard they had a set of twins who died at birth before my mother was born in 1929. However, I can't find any documentation of that. But then, they lived far out in the country and things were sometimes handled a little differently there and "off the grid".






I'm fortunate to have a number of great pictures of Grandma Ethel. 

This picture was taken probably around 1916. I think she looks a lot like me at that age, but perhaps I'm flattering myself. 

I love the detail of her dress - the embroideries at the waist. And note that ring on her right hand. Looks a lot like a wedding band. I'd love to know the story behind that! 

This is a picture of Ethel with a suitor, Luther Lowery.  He looks at her so lovingly. In this picture, she looks a lot like her youngest daughter, Mary Joyce.  She seems a  little indifferent, but I love the way his right foot is touching her foot. I think he was in love. Ethel...maybe not so much. 

This is a picture of "the sisters". 

Mary Davis Allen,1899 - 1875 
Ethel Davis Allen, 1906 - 1965
Cora Davis Finch, 1903 - 1991
Meona Davis, 1988 - 1964

Missing sister: Ovie Davis Lowery, 1914 - 2006

Another great picture of the sisters. From left to right:

Meona, Ovie, Ethel, Mary, Cora

Vada Atlas ALLEN, 1905 - 1964

Atlas Allen and best friend, circa 1925

My maternal grandfather, Vada Atlas ALLEN, was a gentle giant. He died in 1964 when I was just 6 years old, but I remember him clearly. A tall lanky man, he carried me on his shoulders, perched me on his lap, and perhaps best of all...took me to Mrs. Carter's candy store in the Caraleigh neighborhood of Raleigh, NC every chance he got. 

He was well loved by his family. A devoted family man, I've been told a number of stories about his rather colorful past and how he worked to provide for his family. 

Clearly, he loved pets. He is pictured here with man's best friend, probably a hunting dog. He also had the sweetest little chihuahua named "Tiny". He loved Tiny and took her everywhere! When I was born, my parents and I were gifted with Tiny's puppy, "Peanuts". Peanuts passed away when I was in high school, but there could not have been a better cared for pooch.

Grandpa Allen had seen the harder side of life. Born to a poor tenant farmer, I imagine he hunted to provide for the family, but he also shared in the family business - moonshining. On the wrong side of the law, he spent some time at Caledonia Farms, a prison farm in north eastern North Carolina. There, he learned the more legal trade of repairing diesel engines.

At least in this case, I think we can say the State of North Carolina did the right thing and rehabilitated a man to provide him with the highly marketable skill of diesel mechanic.  This put Grandpa in high demand during World War II when the government would request his assistance in maintaining helicopter engines at Ft. Bragg, NC.

There is also a family story that Grandpa spent some time working in the coal mines in Grundy, Virginia where he was seriously injured in a mine explosion. He remained hospitalized in the Grundy area for nearly a year before returning to NC. Naturally, the great aunt who told me that story now doesn't recall that Grandpa ever worked in the coal mines. Such is the nature of genealogy.

Grandpa and Grandma (Ethel DAVIS) Allen was one of the first in either family to own their home when they bought a small house in Caraleigh, a working class neighborhood of Raleigh, NC. There was a large snowball bush on the side of the house where us kids would play hide and seek. My mother had a cutting of that bush in the yard where I grew up, and I had a cutting in my yard for 22 years until I bought into the "townhome lifestyle" where such things are considered crass. 

Atlas Allen funeral
Good Hope Baptist Church
October 1964

In the odd southern tradition of taking pictures at funerals (and particularly odd is the practice of photographing the body), you can see his family to the left, (left to right) middle daughter Grace Elizabeth (Lib) ALLEN LEE,  Grandma ALLEN, youngest daughter Mary Joyce ALLEN LUCAS and his oldest daughter, my mother Ann Gladys ALLEN STANCIL. 

Atlas and Ethel were married 38 years. They died 8 months apart when Ethel died in June 1965. I've discovered it is common for couples who have been together a long time to die close together. My parents died just 10 weeks apart and were married 45 years.

Vada Atlas ALLEN Funeral Card

James Medicus Davis

JM Davis Gravestone
Good Hope Baptist Church,
Youngsville, NC

My great grand uncle, James Medicus DAVIS, has one of the most colorful stories in my family history. And one of the saddest stories, too. 

He was born December of 1864 and died November 1932. He lived all his life in Granville County, NC. He did not marry, but that doesn't mean he didn't get around. He is reported to have two illegitimate children to show for his travels. 

Family lore has it that James Medicus' uncle Charlie DAVIS shot and killed his wife Alice while she held their newborn baby. Charlie was arrested and held in the Wake County jail. During a visit, Medicus mentioned that he had attended Alice's funeral. Charlie did not remember killing Alice and was distraught at the news of her death. That night, Charlie hung himself in his cell with a bed sheet. Med carried a lot of guilt for the rest of this life.

Family stories are great and give us clues to a family member's history. They can also send us on some wild goose chases. I haven't done so yet, but I'm planning to look for evidence of some truth in this story. However, my instincts tell me that I won't find much. Either because it's just not true or because documents, court records, etc no longer exist, etc. 

Which means we may never know, but wouldn't this make a great novel? Just when I think those DAVIS folks were just plain old farmers!

Eugene Narron ALLEN and Elizabeth RAY

Eugene Narron ALLEN and Elizabeth RAY were married on July 2, 1904 in Wake County, NC.  He was 24, she was 17.  He was called Bud and she Sissy by their families. Their first child, my grandfather Atlas ALLEN, was born 11 months later. 

Sissy continued having children on a fairly regular basis about every 2 or 3 years until her last child was born in 1928 for a total of 8 children. There would have likely been more children, but Sissy died in childbirth with Marvin Eugene ALLEN.

I imagine Bud and Sissy had a tough life. Both were from poor farming families. To make ends meet, Bud was quite active in the moonshine business, a common endeavor at the time in Wake and Granville County, NC. He served some time in jail and on a road crew - on a couple of occasions - leaving his wife at home with the children for long periods. When he wasn't in jail or running moonshine, Bud was a sharecropper farming cotton.

They lived in the New Light area of Wake County, NC which is in the far northern part of the county near the Granville County line.

They were married by WH CHAPPEL, Justice of the Peace at the home of Al WILSON. Al also served as a witness along with HF CHAPPEL and JW PERRY.