#liveoakfl

Continuing to document the strength and resilience of my ancestors. #theshouldersistandon #farnell #liveoakfl #liveoakflorida #eufaulaalabama https://www.instagram.com/p/By1VYVdp73H/?igshid=1jzp842pukhse

#genealogyphotoaday is one of my oldest family possessions, my grandmother’s (Lela Virginia Farnell Williams)book on the life of Queen Victoria. It was one of her prized possessions. As the entry says, it was given to her by her mother, Sallie (Jacobs) Farnell. This was actually written in the back of the book. On the front inside cover she recorded family births and deaths (see additional pictures). When she died, other family members kept up the tradition for a while. The tradition was also kept in a bible she was given by my grandfather (William “Willie” G. Williams) which I also have. #africanamericangenealogy #liveoakfl #jerseycitynj #farnell #williams #lifeofqueenvictoria https://www.instagram.com/p/BwI7N4rg_0C/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=16uwdagcydxhs

#genealogyphotoaday for today is the number “4.” Four cousins. We had never all been together before. We are all descended from Randel and Sallie Jacobs Farnell of Live Oak, Suwannee County, Florida. L-R: me (Margo Williams), Dena Majett, Dreana Ashton, and Turquoise Williams, my daughter. My daughter and I descend from Randel and Sallie’s daughter, Lela Virginia Farnell Williams (my paternal-grandmother) Dena and Dreana (who are first cousins of each other) each descend from Lela’s brother, William F. Farnell (their great grandfather). We were celebrating Dena’s son’s engagement. #cousinlove💕 #cousins #cousinsforlife #liveoakfl #liveoakfla #liveoakflorida #africanamericangenealogy #familyhistory https://www.instagram.com/p/BvqBr8Mg9r9/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1stn09ef81xpa

#genealogyphotoaday is the number 2. Jessie Williams, called “Missy,” and her sister, Iva Mae Williams, called “Babe,” were the two youngest siblings of my grandfather, William G. Williams. They were born in Live Oak, Suwannee County, Florida. They were inseparable. They often lived with each other even when married. They died a year apart almost to the day. Aunt Babe died on 22 Feb 1953 and Aunt Missy died on 23 Feb 1954, in New York City. #sisterlove👭 #liveoakfl #liveoakflorida #liveoakfla #genealogyphotoadaymarchchallenge #genealogy #famiyhistory #gpad_feature #sisters https://www.instagram.com/p/Bvkl5onAHhp/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1kwbcdnxh1e3y

#genealogyphotoaday letter “W” for my grandfather, William Gainer Williams. He was born in Live Oak, Suwannee County, Florida, in 1869. He was the oldest of 8 children. He attended what became Edward Waters College, which was founded in Live Oak, then moved to Jacksonville. He worked for the railroad his entire adult life, especially the New York Central RR. He married my grandmother, Lela Virginia Farnell, in 1893, in Live Oak. Their first two children (Lute Odette & Charleton Joshua Sr. ) were born there before they moved to the NY/NJ area about 1899 (he had a son, Willard Leroy Williams from a previous relationship). In NYC they had William Jr. Who only lived a little over a year. They then moved to Jersey City, NJ where my father Herbert Randell, was born. He was their youngest. William Sr. Died in NYC in 1953. He is buried with his wife Lela, and daughter, “Lutie” in New York Bay Cemetery, Jersey City, NJ. #africanamericangenealogy #liveoakfl #liveoakflorida #liveoakfla #edwardwaterscollege #nycentralrr #jerseycity https://www.instagram.com/p/BvXPg9wgTaG/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1w6fiyepnp48i

This sale notice appeared in the Georgia Messenger in Nov 1828. Elisha Farnell had died intestate (no will) in Spring 1823, in Pulaski County, Georgia. William, his eldest son, was appointed estate administrator, but he was not a very good one. He was eventually replaced as administrator. He had won a land lottery in Houston County and thus had land and other property, including slaves, there. Despite this sale notice, Maria was still with his family at the close of the Civil War. By that time they lived in Columbia County, Florida. Maria was found only one time after 1865 in the 1870 census with her husband, Frank Green. Since she would have been about 60 years of age, it is assumed she died after that, possibly around 1876, because the following year, her son, Randel Farnell, moved his family, including my grandmother, Lela, to neighboring Suwannee County, FL (Live Oak) where his wife’s (Sallie Jacobs Farnell) family lived. #slavesale #slavery #africanamericangenealogy #houstoncountyga #liveoakfl #blackhistory #womenshistory #slavewomen https://www.instagram.com/p/BvW5K49gAUN/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1786zjjqpilcv

“Q” is for McQueen Farnell, daughter of William F Farnell and Lousanna Hale. William or “Will” was my grandmother’s brother. McQueen, or simply “Queen” was born in Live Oak, Suwannee County, Florida in 1909. However, she lived most of her adult life in Jacksonville, Duval County, Florida. She was a favorite cousin of my aunt Lutie, my father’s sister. She always spent time with McQueen when making her annual visits to Florida from New Jersey. I never got to meet McQueen but from all I know, she and Aunt Lutie were kindred spirits, they loved life. McQueen married and had 3 children with her husband. After their divorce she had a long term relationship that included one son. McQueen died in Jacksonville in 1995. #genealogyphotoaday #liveoakflorida #liveoakfl #liveoakfla #africanamericangenealogy https://www.instagram.com/p/BvI0HkEgroc/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=171a9skjop3lw

“Old friends, heroes, lifetimes. Don’t let a single memory fade away.” Wanee Round 3 tonight 🍑 #wanee #waneefestival #sosmp #spiritofthesuwannee #liveoak #liveoakfl #merrywanee #whyworrywhenyoucanwanee #widespreadpanic #wsp #wsmfp #heroes