The Piedmont Historical Society
Smith Bible Record

Forward

(Note - If you wish to print this report the PDF version is here: PDF File )

At the end of 2009 I contacted Ms.Belinda Martin and Ms. Carole McMichael regarding some Bible pages from the Poole family that were on Ancestry.com.  Both were gracious in their response.  Carole took the lead and explained that the pages were from a ledger that was in the possession of her cousin.  She sent me scanned images from the ledger for inclusion in the quarterly published by the Piedmont Historical Society.

 What follows in this document:

• An explanation of the documents by Carole McMichael.

• Upper South Carolina Genealogy & History, February 2010, Volume XXIV, No.1, Page 1,2,7

• The images from the ledger. (Note: these images have been reduced in resolution for display on the web.

 Ted Zajac, Jr.
18 Feb 2010
Elyria, Ohio

***

A Genealogy Treasure Shared

Like so many genealogy hobbyists, I had all but given up on the many unsolved mysteries of my Spartanburg families long ago. I could never prove that my third great grandmother, Katherine F. Poole Bogan was the daughter of George W. Poole and Agnes Stone of Spartanburg. I had dozens of clues pointing in that direction, but no documentation. Katherine had married before the 1850 census and was not listed in her parent’s household. The positive documentation or “proof” seemed to evade my every effort for over fifteen years.

I continued sharing what I did know with others on line who are in our family line, trading information freely for all to learn and “grow” their tree. In my opinion, that’s what genealogy is all about – freely sharing our treasures that help build a true and accurate history of our mutual heritage. Then one day, it happened! A lady in California who had had her deceased mother’s possessions in storage in her basement decided to clean the basement and go through those few “things” that belonged to her mother. She discovered a ledger of accounting belonging to a Captain Robert C. Poole and inside the ledger were several loose pages that appeared to be Family Records from a Bible. The California lady knew her mother’s maiden name was Adkins and graciously, took the time to go on line to find someone researching her mother’s maiden name…”Adkins”. She found Cousin Cody Adkins with whom I have been emailing over the last few years, sharing what information I had on his great great grandmother’s family parents, the Bogans. The California lady contacted Cody by email and offered to send him the ledger and all of its contents. Her mother, Eunice, was the daughter of William Adkins, son of Margaret Bogan Adkins, daughter of MY KATHERINE F. POOLE BOGAN. Small world and full of cousins!

Inside the ledger were the pages from the George Poole Family Bible which gave the marriage date of George W. Poole of Spartanburg and his wife Agnes Stone Poole and listed all their children which included MY KATHERINE FRANCES POOLE BOGAN. There was my precious long sought “proof”. Katherine Frances (I had always wondered what the “F” stood for) was born to George and Agnes on _____________1828. These few little pages have solved dozens of mysteries for me. Now, the pieces of the puzzle are fitting together. It goes something like this….

George Poole of Spartanburg migrated to Benton County, Alabama in late 1849 where his family is listed on the census in Peaks Hill Township where his daughter, Katherine F. Poole Bogan and her family are living. The family of Nathan Pettit of Spartanburg and Fenety Kirby White and her family also of Spartanburg were living in this same township in 1850. Three of George Poole’s daughters married sons of Nathan Pettit and one married into the Gore family also of Spartanburg. When George’s wife died, he married the widow, Fenety Kirby White (a neighbor in both Spartanburg and in Benton County, AL) and by 1870, they have moved to Calhoun County, Mississippi. Several of George and Agnes’ children have moved on to Arkansas (Sevier, Scott and Little River Counties). His daughter, Katherine in 1863 named her youngest daughter, “Fenety” perhaps in honor of her new step-mother and old friend in Spartanburg, Fenety Kirby White. George and Fenety (Kirby White) Poole took a trip in his later years to visit Arkansas to see his married children (documented by another cousin) and possibly left the “ledger” and it’s contents of Bible Family Records in the hands of his daughter, Katherine Poole Bogan, who was the second oldest child (the oldest daughter, Treacy, was on her death bed at the time). Katherine was widowed some time after that visit from her father and moved in with her daughter, Margaret Adkins who also was a widow with children on the 1900 census in Little River County, Arkansas. Katherine must have added a listing of her children’s dates of birth to continue the genealogy. When Katherine died, Margaret came to be in possession of the “ledger” and it’s contents. Years later when Margaret died, she was living with her oldest son, William Adkins, and the “ledger” was left in William’s hands. When William passes on, he has one daughter, Eunice Adkins to whom the precious “ledger” was given. Eunice spent her elderly years in the home of her daughter in California WHO IS THE CALIFORNIA LADY who uncovered the “ledger” among her mother’s belongings recently. A treasure of history of our family from the early 1820s was passed down to us in 2009 – many generations and 189 years later because of one caring California lady whom I have never met. I will always be grateful to her.

Never give up! . You never know from where the information you need may come. It may be hidden in someone’s attic or locked away in a closet; a treasure of genealogical history yet to be discovered. Then, magically, someone with a caring heart like our California lady, reaches out to place it in the hands of a family member who, in turn, is gracious enough to share it with others like my cousin Cody shared with me. Let’s continue to share our old treasures with each other so that they will become new treasures for our future generations. Want to share? Email me at cmcmik1111 at aol.com.

***

OBITUARY OF COL. ROBERT COLEMAN POOLE

Source:  Carolina Spartan, issue of Wednesday April 5, 1882, p. 2, col. 5

Colonel Robert C. Poole

   The name of Colonel Poole has been a household word in this county [Spartanburg County, SC] for nearly fifty years.  He was born May 13th 1802, and died March 23d, 1882.  He lacked only a few days of reaching his four score years.  His ancestors came from England and first settled in Virginia, from  which place his father came to this State.  For awhile he lived in Union county, in the neighborhood of Asbury Chapel, and may have been living there at the time of the birth of Colonel Poole.  He then settled in this county at Pacolet Springs, where his son, Robert, grew to manhood.  His wife was a Coleman. From whom Colonel received his middle name.  His public career began when he was quite young.  When quite young he was made captain of his beat company, and rose in rank until he was colonel of his regiment.  Very few persons can remember the time when he was called “Captain,” so far back in our history does it date.  In 1820, at the age of 18, he joined the Church, and for many years he held the office of Deacon.  In 1834 he was elected sheriff of the county, and from that time until the until latter part of 1868, he held some office of trust and honor in the county.

   He served as sheriff several terms, and he was tax collector so long that our citizens did not feel right unless he received their tax.  He was also Ordinary a term or two.  During the 34 years he held office he was never charged with unofficial conduct, and his records were always ready for examination.  He moved to this place when he was elected sheriff, and lived in the jail for a time.  Soon after this he built a house a little below where the Opera House now stands, and then he built the “Mansion House,” on the opposite side of the street.  For years this was the leading hotel of the place.  After this he built several other houses in the county, among which may mentioned Dr. Austin’s Captain Choice’s, and the hotel at Pacolet Springs.  He married Miss Sibby Turner, a native of this county, and they raised ten children, six of whom are now living.  His wife, who survives him, was 80 years old last Saturday. Colonel Poole was noted for his liberality and industry.  Thousands of people in this county have received favors at his hands.  He did not know how to deny a friend who appealed to him for help. Then he never seemed to grow tired of work.  He knew nothing of office hours.  If a friend wished him to attend to official business at night, or before breakfast, he would do it cheerfully.  In the last years of his life he was never satisfied unless he had work of some sort to do, and this spring he would go out into the garden and sit and dig up the ground preparing for vegetables.  He retained mental powers until a few days before his death.  This passed away an old citizen who for many years was the most popular man in the county.

*   *   *

OBITUARY OF MRS. ROBERT COLEMAN POOLE

Source:  Carolina Spartan, issue of Wednesday October 15, 1884, p. 3, col. 1      

Mrs. Sibby Poole, widow of Col. R. C. Poole, died last Sunday morning at the residence of Mr. J. G. Brown, her son-in-law.  She was a daughter of Henry Turner and was in her 83d year. She buried at Bethlehem church Monday.

*   *   *

MARRIAGE NOTICE OF G. W. POOLE AND MRS. FENITA WHITE

Source:  Carolina Spartan, issue of Thursday March 21, 1861, p. 3, col. 1                              

   Married, on Sunday Morning, 10 o’clock, 3d instant, Robt W. Draper, Mr. Geo. W. Poole to widow Fenita White, of Calhoun County, Ala., formerly of Spartanburg, South Carolina.   

*   *   *

 End of Report