LETTERS
Hi Sherri,
Thank you so much for the information that you brought to our attention (Joe's & mine). He had helped so much in locating John & Cecelia's line after they left NC. I have done some checking since I received a letter from Joe recently and I agree with you. I compared the family census of both men for all the years of their marriages thru John's death. It veryfied your family tradition. We did not have any one on our net work, but Kathreen. It is good to have several people so that more information can be received.
I have already corrected my data base. I will correct the name, too. I would like to have any other information and pictures as soon as possible. I am working hard to edit the new book. I want to shortly get it to the publisher. Joe & I are self publishing this time. We will have more control over the look of the book and for corrections as well.
Do not mail the original picture, but a good copy. If you want it back send a self addressed envolope. Also, do you have a good short story about your ancestors. I would like that as well. go back into the 1800's if possible. I need permission to use these things in the book. Example:
I give Janet Webb & Joe Plemons permission to use the written & photo materials in their book on the Plemons/Plemmons family that I have sent to them. your name & date
I will forward a copy of this to Joe. Janet
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In a letter from KATHREEN PLEMONS HORTON to JOE PLEMONS:
George Lafayette PLEMONS was born 30 Jan 1861 in Gilmer County, GA. He was the son of Harriet Catherine WHISENANT and Samuel N. PLEMONS who were born in NC.
Not much is known of George's early life as his father died during the
Civil War and his mother remarried and then died between 1870 - 1880. In 1870, George was living with his grandparents, Mary and George WHISENANT. George's father, Samuel, was first married to Hannah SUMNER and they had five children: John Henry, Dicey, William Merkerson, Sarah Catherine, and Solomon Andrew. After Hannah died, Samuel married Harriet WHISENANT and they had four children: Martha J., George Lafayette, Savannah (or Susannah) M., and Jelina (or Caroline) E. (At times it is difficult to read the hand writing of the census taker.)
George Lafayette married Catherine R. WHISENANT on 28 Aug 1881 in Whitfield County, GA by J. C. WILSON, Justice of Peace. (Recorded in Whitfield County, GA Marriage Book "A", p.351). They had four children: William Caldwell, Christopher Columbus, George Henry and Rebecca Charity. Catherine died after 1888 and George married Pauline A. WHISENANT, Catherine's sister. They did not have any children as she died within the first year of marriage.
Catherine and Pauline were the daughters of Rebecca and Henry WHISENANT. Other children in the WHISENANT family were: David, Alex, Mary A., Elizabeth, Christopher Columbus, Barbara Elizabeth, Nancy, and James. The WHISENANTS are from NC. It is possible that George WHISENANT, father of Harriet WHISENANT and Henry WHISENANT, father of Catherine and Pauline WHISENANT were brothers as they were both from NC.
On 5 Feb 1893, George Lafayette PLEMONS married Martha Josephine BROOKS in Whitfield County, GA. By W. M. LOWRY, Justice of Peace. (Recorded in Whitfield County, GA Marriage Book "I" p.631). Martha was living with her aunt, Sarah Weaver WHISENANT. Sarah Weaver was first married to Christopher Columbus WHISENANT who was a brother of George's first two wives, Catherine and Pauline WHISENANT. Sarah's second marriage was to a GOSSETT. Sarah and Martha were very close and frequently visited each other.
Martha Josephine BROOKS was born 19 Apr 1860 in Gilmer County, GA. Her parents were Mary Synthia WEAVER and William BROOKS who was a carpenter. William BROOKS was assumed drowned in the Conasauga River on the way to work as his capsized boat was found but not his body. This was a few months before Martha was born. Martha's mother died when she was about three years old. She was taken to Bradley County, TN where she was raised by WEAVER relatives. (Told by Callie PLEMONS ROSS to her daughter Helen ROSS BISH). She first lived with her Uncle, Samuel G. WEAVER, who had moved from Gilmer County to Bradley County.
The 1860 Gilmer County, GA census showed Cindy and Martha, who was one month old, living with Cindy's mother, Martha C. WEAVER, who was a widow. Also, there were four other children living with her. They were: Samuel G., Nathaniel F., Thomas R., and Sarah E. The WEAVER children were born in SC, but Martha C. and her husband were born in NC. Martha WEAVER and Cindy BROOKS were listed as washerwomen.
The first known property purchase that George and Martha made in Catoosa County, GA was from Mrs S. L. HALE on 10 Nov 1897 when they purchased 58 acres in the 28th district, 3rd section, lot #138 which was about three miles north of Ringgold on U.S. Highway 41. They paid $100.00 for this property. On 17 Nov 1906 they purchased 160 acres in the same area from J.P. PATTY for $600.00. Through The Years George bought and sold other properties in Ringgold and in the county.
George and Martha and his four children settled in a two-story frame house on the farm property where he raised vegetables and strawberries for sale. George and Martha's four children, Callie, Murphy, Floyd and Jake were born there.
In the 1910 census of Catoosa County, George's sister, Katie PLEMONS DUPREE, was living with him. George's son Floyd lived with him until 1926 and helped him with the farm work. In 1926 George sold 99 acres of his land to his son, George. Then on 12 Oct 1926 he sold other properties and moved to Ringgold where he and Martha lived until they died. George died 25 Apr 1931, and Martha died 5 Oct 1931. They both are buried in the Anderson Cemetery, Ringgold, GA.
Since George died intestate, his son-in-law, John YOUNG, petitioned to be the administrator of his property. John YOUNG was appointed administrator 6 Jul 1931 by the state of GA. And was dismissed of his duties 9 Nov 1933 as he had discharged all of his duties. Also, John YOUNG, George H. PLEMONS, and R.L. MAGILL made bond in Jul 1931 to handle the estate.
Martha and George were members of the First Baptist Church of Ringgold, and George served as a deacon. George was a member of the I.O.O.F. Lodge for 50 years. In 1978, PLEMONS ESTATE was developed on approximately 99 acres which was purchased by his son, George, and passed down to his heirs.
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And this letter came via email from the internet!
Good evening to all who might have an interest in a member of the Plemmons of Spring Creek, NC family - although it's a stretch. My name is Bruce Laxton Plemmons, son of Dan Lewis, and Mary Emma Plemmons, both of the Asheville, NC area, until 1930, or there abouts. Dad was born at Marshall, NC, in 1908, and mom was born in Rutherforton, NC in 1909. An older sister, Anne Elizabeth, was born in Asheville in 1931, and I was born in Hazel Park, Michigan (a Detroit suburb), in 1938, the first of my family born outside of North Carolina. A misplaced yankee. I have always felt as though I belonged in the South. I had a younger brother, Dan Jr, who expired at age 40 in 1986, and a younger sister, MaryJane (Dorr), who lives in coldwater, MI, near the Michigan-Indiana border.
Three kids were born of my marriage to Madeline, Debbie 1960, Nancy 1965, and Scott 1968. All are grown, graduated with various degrees, and with families of there own. We have been blessed with 5 wonderful grandchildren. We retired in the month of my 60th birthday, September 1998, and have found the new life to be quite busy, and eventful.
It turns out that I am a second cousin to Janet Webb's husband, Francis, who is the son of Bertha (Plemmons) Webb, the youngest sister of my grandfather, Laxton Mallie Plemmons, who was the son of the prolific Joseph Miller Plemmons. The family lived and expanded from the Spring Creek area, where I visited as a youngster before age 5, and again at age 11, then once again at age 20, when Pop Plemmons died and was buried at a cemetary at Spring Creek. Most of my family knowledge comes from my father, who informed that there once were 5 brothers who emigrated from Northern Ireland, settled in the mountains of North Carolina, and departed from there to all points of the growing nation. I'm not so certain that all of dads history is correct, but that's what he told me. We (us kids) were never really close to our Southern relatives due to the great distance between us, but that never dimmed the family ties, as we always felt spiritually close to our people.
I once asked Pop Plemmons, "Pop, where is yonder?" and he replied be telling me "Yonder is up the hill and over that holler." He retired after many years at Southern Bell, and he used to sit on his front porch every morning awaiting the mailman, who asked why he still got up early everyday when he didn't have to. He replied that he just wanted to sit on the porch every morning so he could see what he had been missing all the years he had been working.
It looks like this introduction is becoming more of a novel, so I'll stop here, and finish by saying that this verbiage is at the request of Michael Plemons, who is working on this web site, and he hopes that others will avail themselves of it to write a little about there life and times. I hope so too. I'm certain that I have many relatives out there who can tell me more about my heritage than I can tell about theirs. Lets hear from you all (or should that be spelled - Ya'll).
Bruce L. Plemmons
Westland, Michigan
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TO: Bob Martin - Oglesby, TX
Hello Bob,
I think that I messed up with the Spring issue of "Branches" that I sent out. I put on the bottom of the picture that you sent me that it was from Don Plemons from Grand Saline and left your name off.
What happened, I had copied the picture to the newsletter when you sent it and then I lost your letter. I thought that it had come from Don and wrote his name as being the one who sent it. Later I found your letter and realized what I had done.
I apologize for the mistake and I will add my apology to you in the Summer issue. When someone goes to the trouble like you did to send me something, I sure want to get the credit right when I use it.
I guess you can tell that I am not a professional newsletter writer, and I often get things messed up. Joe Plemons (up in Maryland) and I have started sending the rough newsletter back and forth to let each other correct it before it is finally printed. But Joe didn't know where I got the "Dicey and Children" picture, so he couldn't catch my mistake.
I hope things are going okay with you and your family. I am sure glad that Spring has finally arrived and things are starting to green up. We have had a fairly warm Winter and are short on rainfall for the year. It seems like the weather is changing from what it was when I was young.
Your distant kin - Warren
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CALVIN DORRIS writes:I was wondering if you can forward this to the person that sent you the picture that you have on the front of the Spring 2000 issue of "BRANCHES". (Calvin would like a copy of it)
And also if I can make a query on finding anyone who has a picture of Joseph and Dicy's son JOHN C. PLEMONS and his wife KISIAH HACKNEY PLEMONS. I would very much like to get a copy of this picture if there is one in existence. John died in 1897, so he wasn't around when that picture was taken.
(ANYONE OUT THERE THAT CAN HELP CALVIN IN HIS QUEST?)
According to Dicy Katherine Chastain Plemons widow pension file, she states that her husbands full name was JOSEPH TUMMELSTON PLEMONS not Tomlinson, like everybody else has it.
Also request that anyone that is going to write a book that includes this line that they send a draft of Joseph Tummelston Plemons and Dicy and their descendants to Claude Westerfield or myself so we can make sure the information is correct.
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This is an exchange of letters between Joe Plemons and CONSTANCE PLYMEN HAMMETT
Hello Joe,
I am interested to know if in your family names you have any Plemon, Plyman, Plyming, or Plymen's from Cornwall or Devon. I have all of the above spelling in my family tree . Most of our christening/marriages were in St Clement, Cornwall, Cuby with Tregony, Cornwall and Stoke Damerel, Devon. Looking forward to hearing from you. - CONSTANCE
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Hi Constance:
There are several of us PLEMMONS and PLEMONS that have done considerable research into the family. We have made postive connections between the one "M" and the two "MM" spellings. We have been able to trace them back to North Carolina in the mid 1700s (Burke-Buncombe County area). So far we have not been able to find out positively where the PLEMMONS/PLEMONS came from, or when they arrived in the US. There is speculation that PLEMONS were originally of Flemish origin and when they moved to Ireland they were called FLEMING. Later the name became PLEMONS. I want to emphasize (speculation) since we have no proof. We would like very much to make a determination as to where PLEMONS came from.
There is also a family line PLEMON. According to a book published by one of their family members they are French Canadian. Also according to the book LEVI OLIVER PLEMON was born in Canada and migrated down to New York and on over to Wisconsin. The book also indicates that census records of this LEVI OLIVER PLEMON shows that his father was born in France. We have not been able to connect this PLEMON family to our PLEMMONS/PLEMONS.
I am very interested in exploring the possibility that we might be able to make a connection between our families. You say that you have all of these names in your family = PLEMON, PLYMAN, PLYMING, PLYMEN'S from Cornwall or Devon England. When did your family enter the US and where did they settle? How did the name PLEMON come into your line? Was it a variation of one of the others?
What time frame in Cornwall or Devon did these names appear? I am full of questions and excited at the potential. How did you become aware of me? JOE
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Joe,
Thanks for your e-mail. It is exciting to think that the more contact we have with our separate spellings we just might come across the vital missing links.
I copied the parish of St Clement,Cornwall baptism from the Morman FHS some time back. I know my ggg grandfather was christenend here and so that was my interest. I also discovered a number of other families with the above spelling .
The earliest record I have for Plemon is Elizabeth c.167O father Sylvester Plemon Cornwall. I also had a researcher do a quick 2 hours search in Cornwall and the marriages with large gaps in years start in 1694 Ezekiel Plemen 26 June 1694 St Ewe.
There is also a Joseph Plemon married Avis Bonithon 11 April 1968 St Clement. Richard Plemon m Elizabeth Collett 26 Jul 1661. Thomas Plemon m Grace James 1 September 1776 St Clement.
George Monday Plemon c. 1781 mother Mary. I have in this latter group just picked out the four with the Plemon spelling . My ggg grandfather was c John Plemon 1785. His brother Francis in 1789 the spelling was Pleming (same minister). I have gathered that the spelling depended on how the clerk who entered the names interpreted the name. There was also a group in Devon and the spelling changes again to Pleman, Plimon (1564), Plemann (1678) Plyman 1684).
All very confusing. Having spent some years in England and traveling around Devon and Cornwall I know how difficult it is to understand some of the people so it is not surprising to know of the change in different areas. My relatives who where in their 8O's when I spoke to them said we (Plymen's) were of Saxon stock! Have you been in contact with the other Plyman's . Check their messenger board. I found it in ancestry .com. I really don't remember how I found you. I have been looking at different spellings in America and somewhere on my travels I came across you.
As I mentioned I did not think any (don't know why) came to the States and I have been very surprised how large a group is over here of Plyman's. I think I told you I was born in South Africa and that is where my family is still. Only three Plymen families are still living in England. and we all have John as our ancestor.
Hope I have been a little enlighting to you. If you think a copy of the marriages is helpful to broadening your search I will be very happy to snail mail a copy to you if you give me your address.
Please let me know if you come across any of my spelling . I feel some of the Plyman's must be connected. Cheers for now and good luck with your searching. Constance
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Hi Constance: Your ggg grandfather was John Plemon 1785. My ggg grandfather was John Plemons 1772 born in North Carolina, whose father was John Plemons 1750, whose father we think was Thomas Plemons that was on the tax rolls of North Carolina in 1759. I have not been in contact with other Plyman, Plymen names. I will check out the Plyman's message board on Ancestor.com. You were born in South Africa. Where do you reside now?
I was stationed with the US Army on a Royal Air Force Base in Caerwent, South Wales 1969 and 1970. Our children were 9, 10, and 11 years of age at that time. During a youth activity I encountered a lady (girl guide leader) that was a local resident whose name was Plemons (maybe it didn't have the s). I remember asking her how long her Plemons family had been there and her reply was "at least 200 years to my knowledge". This was prior to my getting really interested in family history. To my regret I didn't carry the conversation any further.
Check out this web page. http://www.public.usit.net/mplemons/
I am interested in any information you might be willing to send me concerning Plemon or variations of the name. If you have any old photos of any of them that are clear enough for me to reproduce and use in our Plemons newsletter that would be great. Of course It would help to identify the individual along with some information.
If you stumble across any record of one of them migrating to the US please share it with me. My address is: Joe Plemons 403 Blair Road Indian Head, Maryland 20640
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Hi Joe: Thanks for your reply. I will check into mplemons page. Just a quick note for you. I have come across Thomas Plemin m Margaret Odgers 6 April 1812 St Clement,Cornwall. Thomas Plemon m Grace James l September 1776 St Clement,Cornwall. I realize these dates are later than the ones you mention . I will send you the cornwall marriage list I have. Unfortunately I have no photographs of Plemons. When ggg grandfather married his name was recorded as Plymen,but his brother maintained the Pleming spelling and his childrens christening entries were also entered in the same name. Rather interesting. He was a bargeman. Shoemakers, bargeman, soldiers and coopers were the occupations mentioned. I was born in East London,South Africa where my grandfather settled when he returned after fighting in the boer war. I call Cape Town home though as I spent most of my life there and my sister is still living there. Will catch up with you later. Constance
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Read more on the exchange of information between Joe Plemons & CONSTANCE PLYMEN HAMMETTon the "JOE NOTES" page.