I am reading the book THIRTEEN MOONS by Charles Frazier (COLD MOUNTAIN). I have just started it. Near the beginning, which I just read, he, the first person, told of how his father died, he was crossing Pigeon River in a wagon and the whole rig flipped over, pinning him under water, where he drowned.
That reminded me of my ancestor Mary Polly Taylor Pullen (c1790 – bef 1850). She was married to Greenville Pullen, Sr. When the area north of the Chattahoochee River was opened to the white man Greenville Pullen had a land lottery tract of land in Cass County (now Bartow). Georgia. The family hitched up their oxen and traveled north from their home in Dekalb, Georgia. On the way, they came upon a baby sitting along side the road, they picked it up and it immediately became a Pullen child. He grew up with the Pullen children and was just another sibling of them, and also he was included in the will, like the rest.
I strayed off the subject. Anyway, while traveling to Cass County, they came upon a river, which was probably the Etowah River which while crossing they had a problem – this is what I wrote in my genealogy information about Mary Ann:
There is a family story that the Pullen traveled with two other families to Cass County in a covered wagon and while fording a river the Pullens' oxen became frightened and entangled. It was Mary Polly, not one of the men, who swam in the water to loosen their yoke in order to cross safely.
-Paul Pullen (in his Pullen book).
In today's times Mary Polly Taylor Pullen would probably be the one to fix the flat tire.
Not that it has anything to do with the Mary Polly and the Oxen in the river story, but interesting anyway: Mary Ann died before 1850. Greenville Pullen, Sr., moved to Whitefield County, Ga. (the Dalton area), and married the second time to Mary Ann Miller.
Mary Ann Miller was blind and noted so on the census. I am wondering if Greenville Pullen, Sr., was a very ugly man? And also, when, as all married couples do, when they had a very unpleasant conversation, did Greenville make raspberry’s faces in front of her or maybe made obscene gestures?
sounds like you've got some good reading, Ed. Make sure you check out those books I wrote about, especially the one about the Dog in the Night...It's a nice way to spend your time!
ReplyDeleteTAKE CARE!
Let us know how you like the Frazier book. If it is as good as Cold Mt., I want to read that too.
ReplyDeleteThe baby that they found in the road - did they ever know who it belonged to?
Bird,
ReplyDeleteWill do. But first the movie of the night in the museum.
Judy,
No, Greenville and Mary Polly Taylor Pullen never knew who they adopted. They named him and raised him. I was about to say "like a stray dog" but that isn't right. They raised him as their own child. He even got a share of the inheritance.
The book "Thirteen Moons" by Frazier is as good as "Cold Mountain" so far - if not better. Anna has already read "13 M" and she thought it was much better.
My version of the river story has them coming down the Broad River on a 'flatboat' with two other families, Tumlins and (I forget the other name) on the way to DeKalb county from North Carolina.
ReplyDeleteIt's been a while since I read all those stories.
Eddie,
ReplyDeleteI am related to the Pullen family through my Shugart lineage. My great grand uncle, Thomas Martin Shugart was married to Rebecca Pullen, daughter of James Taylor Pullen, 1824-1905, buried in Pleasant Hope Cemetery in Rome GA. Regarding James Father Greenville Pullen's first wife, Mary Polly Taylor. Research has led me to a grave in Dogwood Cemetery of Mary Polly Taylor 1895-1874. Is this Greenville's first wife? If so, your research indicates that Mary Polly died before 1850. I'm just curious as I was trying to find a marriage date of Greenville and his second wife, Mary Ann Miller. Let me know.
Thanks,
Clinton D. English
San Francisco, CA.
Is the Mary Polly Taylor-Pullen 1795-1874, who is buried in the Dogwood Valley Cemetery, Catoosa County, GA., the first wife of Greenville Pullen? I'm related to the Pullen's through the Pullen, Shugart lineage and my research has lead me to Mary Polly as his first wife, but this essay reads she died before 1850?
ReplyDeleteClinton D. English
San Francisco, CA.
Clilnton, From what I read I think Mary Polly Taylor Pullen died before 1850 and she was buried in or near Cartersville, Ga., then Greenville moved to Whitfield County where he married Mary Ann Miller in 1853. I think it is probably assummed Mary Polly died since Greenville married again. Maybe you have something. Thank you for your Pullen lineage.
ReplyDeleteI read your blog and found it interesting and pretty disgusted with mankind. I hardly trust anyone myself, but I think immediate family members are an exception. But, I don't hate, or even dislike any group that I can think of.
Clinton,
ReplyDeleteI have that Greenville Pullen, Sr married Mary Ann Miller, 19 June, 1853, in Murray County, Ga. I got this information our of MURRAY COUNTY GEORGIA MARRIAGE RECORDS BOOK I-VI, 1835-1905 by the Whitfield-Murray County Historical Society. And their point of reference is Book III, psge 3.