Southern Graves

Carrie Zona Penland was born in April 1895 at Gilmer County, Georgia to Thomas Young Penland (1850-1941) and Huldy Corline Orr (1859-1902). She was a sister of Georgia State Representative Samuel Oscar Penland (1882-1961) and wife of East Ellijay merchant Fred A. Reece (1893-1942). Carrie and Fred were married in Gilmer County on 19 December 1916. The couple had four children: Margaret, Ruby, Fred, and Frances. On a Sunday in mid-February 1924, a couple months before her 29th birthday, Carrie committed suicide. Atlanta Constitution  (Georgia) 20 February 1924 Mrs. Carrie Reece Mother of Four Ends Own Life Ellijay, Ga., February 19. -- (Special.) -- Following funeral services Monday for Mrs. Carrie Reece, who committed suicide at her home at East Ellijay Sunday, the husband and four children began the work of rebuilding the shattered home. Mental disorder on account of a religious obsession is said to have been responsible for the act. The children said that the mother came into the...

I'm usually not a big fan of Old English lettering on gravestones, but in this instance, it seems quite apropos. Lucile Huey was born 26 October 1911 in Georgia to Lena Varn and L. M. Huey. She was a graduate of the Wesleyan (Macon, GA) and Cincinnati conservatories of music. Per a portion of her epitaph, it seems Lucile was a gifted classical music singer - Like a velvet note in a flood of tone, Her rich contralto voice Floated into the Choir Invisible. When Lucile was 22 years of age, she married Georgia Tech graduate William Edward Vinson (1908-1982). He was connected with the Ford Motor Company plant in Atlanta, and the young couple made that city their home. Lucile and William had been married about 13 months when she made a fatal decision to drink carbolic acid on a summer morning in July 1935. Lucile died that same evening at the Georgia Baptist Hospital . Her death certificate deemed the "injury" a suicide. Butler Herald  (Georgia) 11 July 1935 Poison Dose Proves ...

When conducting any kind of historical research, coming across a suicide always gives me pause. Even though it's not always a conscious act, I know I'm taking a brief moment to mourn the loss. A loss I don't pretend to understand. With the recent passing of Robin Williams, I'm reminded that those who seem to "have it all" sometimes are wrestling with demons unseen. © 2008 S. Lincecum In 1922, two days after his 63rd birthday, Dr. Henry Macon Holtzclaw, Jr. took his own life. Why? Heaven only knows. Following from 22 January 1922 edition, Macon Daily Telegraph (Georgia) -- via GenealogyBank : DR. HOLTZCLAW, PERRY, SUICIDES Prominent Physician Shoots Self in Head With Pistol. REASON FOR DEED UNKNOWN Found in Bed Dying By Brother; Funeral Will Be Held Today. PERRY, Ga., Jan. 21. -- Dr. Henry M. Holtzclaw, 63, prominent citizen of Houston county, died tonight at 8:30 o'clock from a bullet wound in the right temple, it being self inflicted b...

Virginia at Kefauver Hearing. Photo from FindAGrave. Recently I watched a television show on the Biography Channel about Women of the Mob. One segment was all about Virginia Hill (1916-1966). I was intrigued from the start when I learned she was born in Alabama and moved to Marietta, Georgia at a young age. Virginia was a beautiful Georgia peach who craved fame and fortune. Described as sharp-tongued and sassy, she left home and moved to Chicago to work as a dancer at the World's Fair. While there, she began to work for the Chicago Syndicate as a courier. Though she denied involvement, it is reported that she once bought a home for her family back in Marietta with $11,000 in cash. Virginia Hill home in Marietta today. Photo from Marietta Daily Journal . Virginia eventually moved to Los Angeles and became entangled in a relationship with Bugsy Siegel. Some years later, about 1951, Virginia was subpoenaed to testify at the Kefauver Hearings . A few years after th...

Arthur O. Biffle Son of G. K. & M. C. Biffle Dec 12, 1875 July 20, 1914 How desolate our home, bereft of thee. The Constitution (Atlanta, Georgia) Wednesday, 22 July 1914: " FARMER EATS DINNER AND THEN KILLS SELF Lawrenceville, Ga., July 21 -- (Special) -- Arthur Biffle, aged 35, who lived near Snellville, shot himself with a single barrel shotgun Monday afternoon at 2 o'clock. Biffle was despondent over his ill health, having suffered for years, and had stated that he would not live out the year 1914. He lived by himself and was a painter. After he had eaten his dinner at noon he sat down by a tree and pulled the trigger of the shotgun with a wire. The load of No. 6 shot tore out his right lung. A justice of the peace held an inquest and the verdict was suicide." Arthur was one of ten children born to G. and Mary C. Biffle.  He rests in Snellville Historical Cemetery at Gwinnett County, Georgia.

George Wiley Hopkins, a Confederate veteran of Company E, 7th Georgia Volunteers, was born 25 November 1839 to George Hopkins and Elizabeth Turner. According to his death certificate, George committed "suicide (pistol shot)" just over 80 years later on 31 December 1919. When I read this, I was a little surprised at the feeling of sadness that came over me. It was a bit stronger than basic human compassion. I wonder what caused George to take such a drastic measure. Given his age, was he terminally ill? I don't know the details, but I sure am curious. Louisa (1839-1931), George's wife, lived without him for about a dozen years. They rest side by side in Shadowlawn Cemetery at Lawrenceville, Gwinnett County, Georgia.

On Sunday, 12 September 2010, more than one million records were indexed by over fourteen thousand volunteers for FamilySearch. That's pretty amazing. While I was indexing this morning, I came across a sad story. It was the about the death of Charles E. Stevenson. Charles Stevenson was born 14 February 1900 in Washington, DC to William and Emily Stevenson. At some point in young adulthood he joined the United States military. By the time of his death on 22 June 1930 in Los Angeles, California, Charles was occupied as a musician. On his death certificate, Charles's death was described as Carbon Monoxide Poison, Suicide. More details were found on his body removal and burial permit. His death there was described as violent... "Carbon monoxide poisoning - Suicidal - Automobile motor operating with tube connected to muffler and placed into car." I wonder if his parents were alive at the time of his death, as the informant for his biographical information was t...