Histories Mysteries Part I - SC State Hospital for the Insane

I knew getting into researching my genealogy, there may be some surprises. When I was younger and first started this, I found a footnote of a Cherokee ancestor named Miss Smothers. I have still been searching for her, with very little results.

Yesterday, I came across some things I had never seen before. If you know my family, you know we're all a little crazy...lol... but finding bonafide records of it was shocking! Now, I will admit, while it's likely this is my relative - I have not verified it 100%. I would like to make a trip down to the archives building in Columbia and see his patient files. The dates/ages approximately match, so it might be! This would make him my 4x great grandfather. The father of Ella Jane Eddins who married Samuel Murphy, who bore Theodore who married Helen, who bore Jerry Sr - the patriarch of my family and my grandfather.

Line 74 of the 1900 census for Richland County (Columbia Township) at the State Hospital for the Insane lists a John W. Eddins as a patient. Listed as born in 1860, a 40 year old married man, somewhat lines up with my relative who I have listed as born about November 1857. Now, I know these records are not 100% accurate. I can tell this by every single birth month, as well as father and mothers birthplace being listed as unknown. Surely, a room of 50 adults, someone knew their birth month - or the place their father/mother was born. I hope to dig further into this mystery soon!

Four Generations of Murphy Men

My brothers son makes 4 living generations of Murphy men. I have known 5 generations, with my great-grandfather Theodore passing in the mid 1990's when I was a child.

This photo is several years old now, with Hunter having TWO little sisters now. My grandfather has since lost his sight. My father's dark hair has now changed to salt-and-pepper. 

Theodore Samuel Murphy married Helen Louise Clack on August 17th 1940. If they would have lived, tomorrow would be their 77th wedding anniversary. My grandfather, "Papa," was the middle child. Even with the deaths of all 3 sisters, who I had never met, he is still the middle child of the living brothers. The oldest, Ronald "Ronnie," was conceived just a month after the marriage of his parents. There was also a set of twin girls, Linda Faye and Sandra Kaye Murphy.

So many memories, so little time...

I have not been on this blog since January of this year. The summer is drawing to and end, and the crisp fall air will be here soon. My paternal grandmother, Jeanette, has been dead since August 8th 2006, and this time of year I find myself missing her more and more. It's funny, I started this genealogy project - aside from the history assignment in school - because I found my paternal grandfather's information (Papa), and now I wish I could go back and see my grandma Jeanette again.

Top - Grandma & I, cir. 1995; Top right - Grandma, her mom Great Grandma MawMaw aka Jettie Bell, and then my Great Aunt Doris Brazell "MawMaw with her only daughters" (date unknown); Bottom left - Grandma & I - with part of my maternal Grandma'a face cut off Phyllis Branham. I was probably 4-5 in this photo; Bottom right - Grandma and my little brother Justin when he was a baby - probably around 1992.

It's funny, seeing the photo of Justin and Grandma reminds me how much she would have loved those babies.

I went searching for pics of the kids, as a comparison. Instead I found the "whole" (I use that word sparingly) photo of my Grandma Jeanette, me in the middle, and my maternal Grandma Phyllis on the right. As a kid, just getting into 'keepsaking' I can remember cutting this photo so it would fit in my scrapbook. Now I know not to do that! :)

I also found the 'whole' photo [below] of me, Grandma, my step-sister Ashley and my new-born baby half-sister Blair. This was taken January 1995. Hard to believe she is 22 now! Hard to believe wind-suits like the one my grandma is wearing were once the style...lol

Below is my nephew Nolan (Blair's baby), my dad Wayne (Jeanette's oldest son) and my niece Hailey (Justin's daughter). We often joke that Hailey is a look-alike of my grandma Jeanette! Photo cir 2016.

More recent of Hailey and my dad. She kind of looks like her mother here!

Another photo below - it's Hailey's brother, Hunter - he is my brother's oldest and has those Murphy genes too!

 

Hunter with his dad (my brother) Justin - these are a few years old now. 

My dad and step-mom with all the grandkids - Jeanette sure would have enjoyed them! From left to right is Hunter, my dad Wyane, Hailey on his lap (Justin's kids) then Kelley, my step-mom, Nolan (Blair's kid) on her lap, and then Trey and Kylie (Ashley's kids).

I am the only one left with no kids - although not by choice! Maybe I will throw in my cat Wendy for the next blog! LOL