Sunday's Stories, 52 Ancestor Weeks, Week #52, Charles Henry Darden, The Lost Son

Copyright 2014, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

This is week 52 of my participation Amy Johnson Crow's, once a week challenge to blog about one ancestor a week, tell their story, biography, a photograph, an outline of a research problem — anything that focuses on that one ancestor. More about the challenge can be found at her Blog, No Story Too Small.

This is my last week of participation in this meme.  For this post, I choose, one of the Darden clan.  I have written about them several times here on Reflections.  William A. Darden, was week # 24 of this meme, a gift of research done by a Find A Grave volunteer.  If you use the search facility at the top left of Reflections you will find a number of other Darden clan members I have written about.

Charles Henry Darden was born April 8, 1845, most likely in Isle of Wight County, Virginia to Charles Henry Darden and his first wife Nancy Seeds.  This birth is recorded in a Bible Record, as far as I know the Bible is currently owned by the Suffolk Nansemond Historical Society.  Below is a digitally edited, transcribed and typed representation of some of the entries.  I have removed data that did not relate to Charles Henry Darden born 1845.  I did include some data on deaths of two Charles Henry Dardens.  See more discussion on those little issues, below - -

It is my guess this was Charles' (the father) Bible and that both his wives made entries into it.  I have never seen the original, so, that is speculation at best.  Some of that speculation takes into account the spellings of names of the children from both marriages.  The names of the children born to Nancy Seeds are, in part, spelled phonetically.  The names of the children born to Martha Stephenson are spelled in a manner we would consider today to be "correct".  It is my guess that Nancy had little schooling, Martha was much more educated.

Anyway, back to Charles Henry born 1845, per that Bible record.

Charles is not found on census records in Virginia, not even on the 1850 census when he would have been about 5 years old.   He could have been visiting relatives, possibly some grandparents?  Or it is possible he simply was not listed, just missed in the census enumeration?

Note that in the typed Bible transcription there are death dates for two men named Charles Henry Darden.  One in 1878 and one in 1877.  I did a number of searches of the 1878 death records in Isle of Wight records and could not locate a death record.  The Darden bible record states one of these Darden men died in 1878, but I cannot substantiate that date.

Charles the father died in 1877.  I have his death record (which neglects to name parents, but does state "consort" Martha A. Darden, who is his second wife) and I have this photo of his headstone.  You will note the headstone is inscribed as 1878, seems even his son could not get the dates right.   You can refer to the Virginia Death Index at Family Search, where it shows the 1877 date.  And, nope, the day of death on the death records and on the headstone do not agree either.

Even with all the errors surrounding the death date of Charles the father, at least there IS a death record.  I have searched for Charles the son dying in 1878 in Isle of Wight time and time again.  No record has been found.  Now, it is entirely possible that Charles the son was not living in Isle of Wight at the time of his death.  One other brother, Osceola (Oceolia\Oceola) had left Virginia by this time.  Osceola was married in Hinds County Mississippi in 1872.

In fact, Charles the father, had a brother, Alfred T. Darden that had moved to Hinds County Mississippi by 1850. Yes, I have researched Hinds County.  Now, Alfred seems to have gone off to war and died.  Mary, his wife is a widow by the 1870 census.  That Alfred story is quite something, yes, I have posted it, the final post is here, with links to other posts.

So, in my looking around in Hinds County and researching Alfred, I find some interesting tidbits.

H. C. Darden, age 15, born Virginia, is found on the 1860 U. S. Census of Edwards Station Post Office, Hinds County, Mississippi, living in the household of A. T. Darden.  This A. T. is Alfred T. Darden, and is Charles Henry Darden's (born 1845) uncle.  (Question, is H.C. really Charles Henry?  Age is appropriate to match that given in the Bible record. Birthplace matches well.)

John H. Darden, age 24, born Virginia is found on the 1870 U. S. Census of Boton Post Office, Hinds County, Mississippi in the household of Mary S. Darden, age 44, born Virginia.  Mary is listed as head of household, with the following:  Charles E. Darden, age 19, born Mississippi; William M., age 15, born Mississippi; George S., age 12, born Mississippi; Henry A., age 10, born Mississippi.   (I have no explanation for John H., it sure seems there is some kind of name change here.  Or, am I grasping at straws?)

In the 1880 U. S. Census, Boltons Depot, Hinds County, Mississippi, John Darden is in the household of Mary S. Darden.  John is now 35 years of age, shows birthplace of Virginia, and is listed as nephew of Mary S. Darden, she is the head of household.  (This is the census that made my little researching heart go pitter patter.  This John, whom seems to be the same John as is enumerated in the 1870 census, is named as nephew in this the 1880 census.  Sadly, it seems John does not survive to the 1900 census.)

In 1899 we find a will recorded in Hinds County, Mississippi for a John Henry Darden, Will Book 2, page 470 (Mississippi Archives film # 9786).  It reads:

     "I, John Henry Darden of Hinds County, Mississippi, of sound mind and memory make this my last will.  I give devise and bequeath all my estate and property , real and personal as follows:  Mary S. Darden, her life, John E. Darden, Alleymay Darden, John B. Darden, Bessie T. Darden, India Buffington One Dollar Isabella Cheers One Dollar.  I appoint as the executor of this my will G. T. Darden of Hinds County, Mississippi, without Bond.

     In witness whereof I have signed published and declared this instrument as my will in said county this February of 21st 1899.

     [I note, some of this is very hard to read, and may have been transcribed in error.]

     J. H. Darden

State of Mississippi, County of Hinds

The said John Henry Darden in the County of Hinds, Mississippi on the day of Feb. 21st, 1899 signed the foregoing instrument and published and declared the same in his presense and in the presense of each other on said date have hereunder written our names as subscribing witnesses thereof.

     W. W. Farr

     W. T. Carsley

     N. Henry

This will was proven on November 16, 1899 in Hinds County, Mississippi.

I have not discovered where this John Henry Darden was buried.  I have not discovered if there is any obituary or death notice published for this John Henry Darden.

Last night in a research binge I found this index at FamilySearch.org with the images of the compiled record at Fold3:

H C Darden

Mississippi, Civil War Service Records of Confederate Soldiers

Name: H C Darden

Event Type: Military Service

Event Year: 1861

Age (Original): 20

Military Unit Note: Eighth Infantry, Co-F

Affiliate Publication Title: Compiled Service Records of Confederate Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the State of Mississippi , Affiliate Publication Number: M269 , Affiliate Film Number: 169

I originally copied only page page of the 24, which happens to be the last page.

It seems this H. C Darden enrolled and mustered between June 1 and 8th of 1861 at Raleigh, Mississippi. He was shown as a Private, it was recorded he was 20 years old. In reviewing the compiled cards today while writing this post, I discovered at least one of the compiled service cards stated he traveled 56 miles to enroll.  I downloaded that card as well.  See, 56 miles.  Another card in the set indicated he had subsistence furnished by himself for 3 days.  

(I'll have to fess up, I don't remember ever seeing a reference to miles traveled before in complied service cards. Stopped me short and sent me off on another research tangent.)

The Alfred T. Darden family, lived near Bolton Mississippi.  I mapped it.  From Bolton to Raleigh Mississippi is 66 miles.

Yes, the thought that maybe I want it too much has crossed my mind.

Want list for Charles Henry Darden, the lost son:  1850 census enumeration.  Connect or disprove any connection between Charles Henry and the H.C. Darden found on the 1860 census in Hinds County Mississippi and in this compiled service record.  Something to prove or disprove that John H./ John Henry Darden is the same as H. C. Darden, or Charles Henry Darden.  (Yes, I know, it stretches the logical researching mind.) Obituary and burial place for the John Henry that died about 1899 and left a will.

I have a muddled theory about why Osceola left Virginia and moved to Mississippi, having to do with his step mother.  From all the research I have done on this clan it seems there were some issues between Charles' first family/children with Nancy Seeds and his second family/children with Martha Stephenson.  Why a small child as young as Charles born in 1845 would have been involved in a move to Mississippi boggles my mind, it confuses me, but, something tells me or wants me to believe that Charles born 1845 did indeed go to Mississippi with his uncle Alfred T and his brother Osceola.

Yes, maybe I want it just way too much.  Maybe I just need a few hours of time travel.

The 52 Ancestors Week meme has indeed been interesting.  Thank you to  Amy Johnson Crow.  She is sponsoring, 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: 2015 Edition, if you happen to be interested.  My participation in the 2015 version is being contemplated, I am "Reflecting" about it, while sitting on the "Fence".

* Additional source data can be obtained by contacting me, see the right hand column for a yahoo email address.

** 52 Ancestors Weeks Button courtesy of Amy Johnson Crow.

*** I use many resources to research, FamilySearch.org is a free site.  Ancestry.com is a pay site for which I pay, no discounts, etc.  Fold3, is another site I subscribe to and pay for. None of these sites have asked me to review them, or use them.  See my Disclaimers page for further details.

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Sunday's Stories, 52 Ancestor Weeks, Week # 24, William A. Darden

Copyright 2014, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

This is week 24 of my participation Amy Johnson Crow's, once a week challenge to blog about one ancestor a week, tell their story, biography, a photograph, an outline of a research problem — anything that focuses on that one ancestor. More about the challenge can be found at her Blog, No Story Too Small.

This post is as much about wonderful volunteers, great researchers, those that share, and the story after the story, as it is about William A. Darden.

Just last week this is ALL I knew about William:

William "Bill" Anslum Darden, son of Charles Henry Darden  and Nancy Seeds, was born on Dec 9, 1842 in probably Isle of Wight County, Virginia, died _____-_____-_____ in __________, __________, __________, __________, and was buried _____-_____-_____ in __________, __________, __________, __________. 

General Notes: 

Per P. R.: William lived in Suffolk, was wealthy until the crash. He had a family. There is a Frank Darden in Suffolk. Not known if related to William or not.

As of Fall 2006, no record of William, other than census reports while living with his father, 1850 and 1860, has been found. There are 3 William A. Dardens who served in the Civil War from the South, one in Company D, 3rd Virginia Infantry, and 2 from Georgia units.

Lots of blanks.  Some hints.  Not much else.  For some reason, possibly because at the time I made those notes I did not have digital online copies of Compiled Records available, I never followed through on the hints about possible Civil War service.  William appears with his father in the 1850 and 1860 census, and thereafter was never found on census again.  It is obvious from the notes I never found William on census enumerations, believe me, if I had found him on any census after 1860, I would have noted same.  William was a brick wall.  I put aside my search for William, going on to other ancestors, other shiny stuff to chase.

Then came the email.  Email from a volunteer at Find A Grave.  He told me where William was buried.  This great researcher, the wonderful volunteer, had researched a 18 year old William A. Darden, a Civil War Confederate who had died in Richmond at the Chimborazo Hospital and was buried at the Oakwood Cemetery, Richmond, Virginia. During his research, this researcher, and Find A Grave volunteer, Mike B., located the Compiled Service Records of Confederate Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the State of Virginia, published by NARA for the Third Infantry.  The file contained family names and information and relationships! This kind volunteer then searched around on Find A Grave and found William's family, and contacted the memorial caretaker for his family, and that memorial caretaker, by golly, was yours truly.

After seeing what this volunteer posted to William's Find A Grave memorial I was off and surfing.  William's war record/file was a little family history gold mine (well, to me it was).  I spent the first part of the day downloading the 23 pages of William's file from Fold3 and and the rest of the day "shiny things" binge surfing.  

Now, what I have learned and know about William:

William was born on December 1842 in Isle of Wight County, Virginia to Charles Henry Darden and his (first) wife, Nancy (nee Seeds) Darden.  He appears on the 1850 and 1860 U.S. Census enumerations with his father Charles, in Isle of Wight County, Virginia.  In 1850 his mother, Nancy is enumerated.  By 1860, Nancy disappears (another brick wall ancestor) and the "mother" of the clan appears to be Martha, who indeed is Charles Henry Darden's second wife.

On July 29, 1861, William A. Darden signed up to serve the Confederate Army at Fort Boykin's, Isle of Wight County, Virginia.  It is noted he had to travel 12 miles from his home to enroll.

(Side notes:  At this point in my research/writing I was referring to the 23 images I had downloaded from Fold3.  I was contemplating which images I might share here on Reflections.  As I studied more, I became more confused.  It was late, I figured I was semi-brain numb/dead, so decided to leave it till morning hoping it would be less confusing.  I figured wrong.  So, I typed up partial summaries of what I found on those cards, here it is.  No wonder I was confused.  The dates for enlistment do not match up, there are two.  The dates for death do not match up, there are four dates, one obviously a transcription error as it matches the date William was hospitalized.  He was a private and a sergeant and then possibly, a private again?

William A. Darden, Pvt. Enrolled July 29, 1861, dated Aug 31, 1861

William A. Darden, Pvt, Enlisted July 29, 1861, dated Oct. 31, 1861

Wm. A. Darden, 2d Sgt, Enlisted July 21, 1861, dated not dated, but covers May & June 1862 Company Muster Roll.

William A. Darden, 2d Sgt, Enlisted July 21, 1861, not dated, covers Aug 31 to Dec 31 1862, remarks Died Dec 2, 1862

W. A. Darden, no rank stated, Register of Claims of Deceased Officers..... , Filed July 1, 1863

W. A. Darden, Pvt, Register of Claims of Officers...killed in battle, or died...., Deceased Dec 2, 1862, dated May 4, 1863

W. A. Darden, no rank stated, Register containing record of Property of Deceased..., Date of Death Nov 3, 1862

Wm A. Darden, Sgt, Register of Officers...killed in battle..., Died Dec 2, 1862, dated Sept. 28, 1863.

W. A. Darden, Register of Chimborzao Hospital, admitted Nov 23, 1862, died Dec 3, 1862, no date.

W. A. Darden, Pvt, Register of Medical Director’s Office Richmond VA, admitted Nov 23, 1862, Died Dec. 4, 1862, not dated.

W. Darden, Pvt., Report of Sick & Wounded, Date of Death Dec 3, 1862, dated month Dec 1862

All of the above were in the form of Compiled Service cards.

Below found as part of the record, written on notebook type paper:

W. A. Darden, Sergt, dated Sept 28, 1863

Next document appears to be the reverse of the one above:

Wm A. Darden, Sergt, Enlisted July 21, 1861, Died Dec 2, 1862, dated Oct. 31, 1863

Thus ends this summary, back to my story.)

So, William enlisted either July 21, or July 29th, 1861.  He served as a Private and/or a Sergeant (in the documents transcribed below, he is referred to as a Second Sergeant). On November 23, 1862 (November 3 on one form) he was admitted to the Chimborazo Hospital with pneumonia.  On Dec, 2, 3 or 4th, he died there at the hospital and was laid to rest at the Oakwood Cemetery, Richmond, Virginia.  (His Find A Grave memorial is here.)

The papers filed surrounding the death and settlement of his accounts with the Confederate Army became my focus of attention.  Truthfully, in the first 13 pages of the downloaded file, there is little that convinces me that this William A. Darden, aka Wm. A. Darden, aka, W. A. Darden is the William A. Darden, son of Charles Henry and Nancy Seeds Darden, whom I seek.

Page 14 to page 23 proved to be the pot of genie gold.  Here are four of those pages.  The first two are transcribed as one, to the best of my ability (hint to my dear readers, if you see an error, please let me know in the comments, a gal needs all the help she can get.  Thanks.)

State of Virginia
Isle of Wight County to wit}

On this 5th day of January 1863, personally appeared before me, the subscriber, a justice of the peace, in and for the county aforesaid, C. H. Darden, who being sworn according to law, deposes and says, that he the said C. H. Darden is the father of W. A. Darden, second sergent Co J 3rd Va Vols, who died of sickness in the City of Richmond, at the Chimborazo Hospital, 1st Devision, Ward 4, on the Second (2) day of December in the year of our Lord Eighteen hundred and sixty two (1862) - - that the said Sergeant W. A. Darden was second Sergent of Capt. O. G.Delk's Co J 3 Va Vols commanded by Col. Mayo, in the service of the Confederate States in the present war with the United States, that the said Sergent W. A. Darden entered service at Fort Boykin in Isle of Wight County, and State of Virginia, on or about the 1st day of August 1862, and died at Richmond, in the Chimborazo Hospital, 1st Devision, Ward 14 on or about the 2nd day of December 1862 of sickness leaving neither wife, nor children.  That the said C. H. Darden makes this deposition for the purpose of obtaining from the Government of the Confederate States whatever may have been due the said Second sergent W. A. Darden Co J 3 Va Vol. at the time of his death for pay, bounty, or other allowances for his services as second sergent Co J 3 Va Vols as aforesaid.

C. H. Darden

Witness
W. W. Joyner

Sworn to and subscribed to before me

S. Juinius Wilson, J. P. }

And on the same day and year aforesaid, also appeared before me a justice of the peace as afroesaid William (crossed off) W. Joyner who is well known to me, and whom I hereby certify to be a person of veracity and credibility, who having been by me only sworn, says on oath that he the said William W. Joyner is well acquainted with C. H. Darden, the claimant, and also well knew for years W. A. Darden the deceased soldier herein mentioned and that the statement made under oath by the said C. H. Darden, the clainant as to relationship to the said deceased soldier is true and correst in every particular to the best of his knowledge and belief and that the said Wm. W. Joyner is wholly disinterested

C. H. Darden
W.W. Joyner
Sworn to and subscribed before me

S Junius Wilson J. P.

Below, C. H. Darden appoints Richard S. Thomas as his representative:

Know all men by these presents:  That I  C. H. Darden of the County of Isle of Wight and State of Virginia do hereby nominate and appoint Richard S. Thomas my lawful agent and attorney for me and in my name and for my own proper re**** benefit to collect from the Confederate Government all arrears of pay bounty or other allowances due my son W A. Darden, 2 Sgt Co J 3 Va Vols. deceased on account of his services as a soldier in the Confederate army as aforesaid, and to receipt for the same.  Given in ? my hand and seal this 6th day of April 1863

C H Darden

Sworn to and subscribed to before me.

S Junius Wilson    JP. for Said County.

The following document, transcribed to the best of my ability:

The Confederate States, 
To C. H. Darden Father
of W. A. Darden, deceased,
late Sergeant of Capt. Delk's Co. (J), 3rd Reg't Va Vols.  

For pay of said deceased from May 1st, 1862 to which time he was last paid to December 2nd, 1862 the date of his Death inclusive
7 months and 2 days at $17. per momth                 $120.13
Commutation for 3rd Siese (?) Months Clothing          25.00
Bounty                                                                50.00
Due                                                                       $195.13

As per Quarterly Returns of Jos. Mays Jr. Col. Commandant of Regiment

Payable to Richard L. Thomas atty, Richmond Va.

Treasury Department
Second Auditor's Office
November 14th, 1863
E.T. Blamine Clerk

Controller's Office, 
Nov 23, 1863
P. (?) M. Nelsery Clerk

Totally thrilled with the solid proof that this William A. Darden was in fact the son of Charles Henry Darden and his first wife Nancy Seeds Darden, I turned my attention to researching the cemetery itself.  Find A Grave volunteer Mike B indicated there may not be a headstone for William.  I checked the Nationwide Gravesite Locator on line.  I did not find his name listed.  I snooped around a bit, and did not find any regulation that disallowed Confederate soldiers from the program.  I did find this interesting information on Eligibility for a Headstone or Marker, which states:

"For Veterans that served prior to World War I, a grave is considered marked when a headstone/marker displays the decedent's name only, or if the name was historically documented in a related document, such as by a number that is inscribed on a grave block and is recorded in a burial ledger."

You can read a summary of information on Oakwood on this Wikipedia page.

With permission of Mike B, and lots more thanks, I share, photos of the cemetery, the Civil War Monument:

The section where William A. Darden is interred, pictured below, used with permission of Mike B.  Note the small marker stones.  Remember, in my research I discovered that most graves are not marked with an individual stone with names inscribed.  There are usually 3 numbers per marker, no names.

As I had surfed around I came upon the site Restore Oakwood.  That site, on another page, provides this additional information about the markers used at Oakwood:

"In 1901, small 6 inch by 6 inch blocks were placed in the cemetery. Each block contained 3 numbers and no names. These blocks have remained in Oakwood ever since. In order for a person to determine who is buried at that spot, one must go to a central list at the cemetery."

After the research, I understand.  William is somewhere in those rows of 6 inch blocks, a number among three.

My search continued for several hours. I finally stumbled into the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division site.  I arrived via another web site to see the following photo.  My heart touched, my research stopped here, with this image, dated about 1865.

This is William's final resting place:

Your story has now been told William.  Thanks to several web sites and a volunteer that went beyond the call of "volunteerism" by contacting me personally to share what he had posted at Find A Grave.

Wish list for William A. Darden, simple, determine which number was assigned to him, and what other two numbers are inscribed on his 6 by 6 inch block.

Rest in Peace, William.

*  The 1865 photo of Oakwood Cemetery depicts, per the description provided by the Library of Congress:

Graves of Confederate soldiers in Oakwood Cemetery
Date Created/Published: 1865 Apr.
Medium: 1 negative : glass, stereograph, wet collodion ; 4 x 10 in.
Reproduction Number: LC-DIG-cwpb-00494 (digital file from original neg.)
Rights Advisory: No known restrictions on publication.
Call Number: LC-B815- 1020 [P&P]
Repository: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/pp.print
Notes:
Title from Civil War caption books.
Caption from negative sleeve: Richmond, Va., graves of Confederate soldiers in Hollywood Cemetery.
Miller, vol. 9, p. 283, Oakwood Cemetery, Richmond (per. M. Gorman 1/01).
Photographer: John Reekie.
File print in LOT 4162-C.
Originally identified as Hollywood Cemetery.

** Additional source data can be obtained by contacting me, see the right hand column for a yahoo email address.

*** 52 Ancestors Weeks Button courtesy of Amy Johnson Crow.

**** I use many resources to research, FamilySearch.org is a free site.  Ancestry.com is a pay site for which I pay, no discounts, etc.  Fold3 is a pay site for which I pay.  Find A Grave is a free site. None of these sites have asked me to review them, or use them.  See my Disclaimers page for further details.

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Sunday's Stories, 52 Ancestor Weeks, Week # 12, Leighton Norfleet Wright

Copyright 2014, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

This is week 12 of my participation Amy Johnson Crow's, once a week challenge to blog about one ancestor a week, tell their story, biography, a photograph, an outline of a research problem — anything that focuses on that one ancestor. More about the challenge can be found at her Blog, No Story Too Small.

Leighton Norfleet Wright was born on October 18, 1904 in Virginia.  His parents were Leighton A. (for Algeon I believe) Wright and Lucy N. Pierce Wright.  Leighton A. and Lucy were married at Isle of Wight County, Virginia in 1901 but, by the 1910 census were living in the Washington District, Norfolk County, Virginia.  No birth record for Leighton Norfleet has been found.

Leighton lived such a short life, only 13 years, 9 months and 4 days according to his death certificate.  He is found enumerated on the 1910 U. S. Census of Washington District, Norfolk County, Virginia with his parents, a extraction of the census enumeration follows:

Leighton A. Wright, age 30, married for 8 years, born Virginia, both parents born Virginia, agent, insurance; Lucy, age 29, married for 8 years, 2 children, both of whom survive, born Virginia, both parents born Virginia; Evelyn O., daughter, age 7, born Virginia; Leighton W., son, age 5, born Virginia.

Leighton's death certificate shows that he died by drowning in the Eastern Branch of the Elizabeth River while "bathing".  I note that his mother's maiden name is recorded in error on the death certificate and we do not find Leighton buried at the Riverside cemetery.  It is possible he was buried there, however, we find a headstone for Leighton in a plot owned by his mother at Cedar Hill Cemetery, Suffolk, Suffolk City, Virginia. Plot: Section X as recorded by Find A Grave, or BLOCK V, LOT 26 as recorded by Ms. Bruce Saunders, compiler, Cedar Hill Cemetery Records, Nansemond County, Virginia (found at Nansemond County GenWeb).

I began to wonder as I wrote this post, how warm was at the end July of 1918 when Leighton died?  He was swimming, or "bathing" as it were.  I snooped around a bit and found that http://www.wunderground.com/ only had records posted back to 1948 for this area of Virginia.  I did find this factoid tho:

"The hottest temperature ever officially recorded in the Norfolk-Virginia Beach area is 105 degrees, which has occurred on three different dates. The first time it was 105 degrees was on August 7, 1918."  Source. 

Leighton died just 2 weeks before this record heat day, had the heat wave already begun?  Maybe future research will reveal that for me.

I also wondered where the Eastern Branch of the Elizabeth River might run. This Wikipedia page tells us, "The river flows from east to west, starting in Virginia Beach."  

I then took the address of 741 Reservoir Avenue from the death certificate, that being the address of the residence of the deceased and thought I would give Google Maps a swing at that.  Well, I have a hit, the address is represented by the Red "A".    And, look how close the Eastern Branch of the Elizabeth River is.  By using the scale on the map and a rough measurement, it appears that 741 Reservoir is a little less than 1/2 mile from the river.  

I have no idea of knowing for sure without some more research, but, I think this makes some sense now.  The Wright family did not live that far from the river and a cooling off place with summer temps and high humidity. We can pretty quickly come to the hypothesis that Leighton went to the river in the heat of the day and somehow, sadly, he drowned.  Sounds good, for now, until I can hopefully can discover more.

Leighton has a headstone at Cedar Hill Cemetery, Suffolk, Suffolk City, Virginia.  (Photo courtesy of and used by permission of Steve Poole.)  

"Leighton Norfleet Son of Leighton A. and Lucy Pierce Wright, 1904 - 1918, Suffer Little Children to Come Unto Me and Forbid Them Not, For of Such is the Kingdom of Heaven."

Leighton's Find A Grave Memorial is here.

From the records at the Cedar Hill cemetery site at Rootsweb.com we learn that Leighton's parents are both buried in the same plot.  By visiting his Find A Grave memorial, you can find links to his parent's memorials as well.

Wish list for Leighton:  a photo of this young man, taken too soon.  Newspaper accounts of his death or obituary.  Possible verification that he is in truth buried at Cedar Hill.

My interest in the Wright clan stems from the heritage of Lucy N. Pierce Wright, Leighton's mother.  Lucy is my first cousin, three times removed via our common Darden ancestor, Charles Henry Darden.





* Additional source data can be obtained by contacting me, see the right hand column for a yahoo email address.

** 52 Ancestors Weeks Button courtesy of Amy Johnson Crow.

*** I use many resources to research, FamilySearch.org is a free site.  Ancestry.com is a pay site for which I pay, no discounts, etc.  None of these sites have asked me to review them, or use them.  See my Disclaimers page for further details.

**** Map courtesy of GoogleMaps.  The usual disclaimers apply.  I use the service, they have not asked me to review their service.

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