Sources for Hattie and William Bridges

 In the beginning of my research, I had to find books, census records, websites, libraries, archives, courthouses, cemeteries, interviews, etc.  Research has come a long way, and now I benefit from having a DNA bank. 

I'm very proud that I learned how to do research and documentation the correct way. 

Sources Report:  Harriet Ann Springfield

 
1850 United States Federal Census.  “Harriet Springfield.”  (Murray, Georgia, 1850).              Roll: M432_78; Page: 265A; Image: 538.  <Ancestry.com>  accessed April 2013.
 
1860 United States Federal Census.  “Harriet Johnson.” (Murray, Georgia, 1860).  
Georgia Militia District 972, Roll: M653_132; Page: 41; Image: 41; Family History Library Film: 803132.  <Ancestry. Com>  accessed April 2013.
 
1870 United States Federal Census.  “Harriet Bridges.”  (Militia District 872, Whitfield,
Georgia, 1870).  Roll: M593_183; Page: 160A; Image: 324; Family History Library Film: 545682.  <Ancestry.com>   accessed April 2013.
 
1880 United States Federal Census.  “Harriet Bridges.”  (Dalton, Whitfield,
Georgi,1880). Roll: 171; Family History Film: 1254171; Page: 82B; Enumeration District: 195; Image: 0674.  <Ancestry.com>  accessed April 2013.
 
1900 United States Federal Census.  “Hattie M Bridges.”  (Justice Precinct 8, Collin,
Texas, 1900).   Roll: 1621; Page: 17B; Enumeration District: 0023; FHL microfilm: 1241621.  <Ancestry.com>   accessed April 2013.
 
1910 United States Federal Census.   “Hattie A Bridges.”  (Justice Precinct 4, Jones,
Texas, 1910).  Roll: T624_1569; Page: 8B; Enumeration District: 0140; FHL microfilm: 1375582. <Ancestry.com>  accessed April 2013.
 
Chaney, Charles Claude.  “Aaron Springfield and Descendants.”  15 Jan 2012.
http://www.thegagenweb.com/gawhitfield/bios/springfield/springfield.htm  accessed April 2013.
 
Georgia, Marriage Records From Select Counties, 1828-1978 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2013.
 
Harris, Linda L.  “Card-Kenfield-Ludlow-Harris Connection.”  Rootsweb. 2 March 2007. 
http://worldconnect.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=llh&id=I17471  accessed April 2013. 
 
Joyce Howard Ellis and Ann Pollard, SPRINGFIELD FAMILY 1739-2001, volume two,
Baltimore, MD: Gateway Press, Inc., 2001, page 1237.  Whitfield County GA GenWeb Project. 2010-Present.  Feb 2011.  http://www.thegagenweb.com/gawhitfield/bios/springfield/springfield.htm  accessed April 2013.
 

 

 

My History Sheet of William and Harriet Bridges

 I recorded this information in 2016 with the information that I had then. It has grown substantially since then with the use of DNA. 

 History Sheet for Harriet Ann Springfield

(Those who knew her well called her Hattie.)

 
Compiled by Nancy Quillin Long
Date: March 24, 2013 (updated March 2016)
 
Sources: 
http://www.thegagenweb.com/gawhitfield/bios/springfield/springfield.htm
Charles C Chaney cites the following sources
1. Census. 1860. Murray. GA, Page 41. Dwelling: 275. Family: 271.
2. Allen, Johnnie F. Informant.
3. Census. 1850. Murray. GA, Page 265. Dwelling: 1626. Family: 1626.
4. Vital Records Index-North America, Marriage record of W. L. Bridges & H. A. Springfield.     Family History Library Number 339861. The date is recorded as 2 January 1870.
5. Census. 1860. Murray. GA, Page 41. Dwelling: 275. Family: 271.
6. Census. 1870. Whitfield County, Georgia, Page 160. Dwelling: 375. Family: 371.
7. Whitfield-Murray Counties, GA, Marriage Books, Whitfield County Marriages, Book B (1), shows her name as W. A. Springfield. Z. D. Clark, minister. The date is recorded as 30 Dec 1869.
8. Jr Edward E. Van Schick, SOME GEORGIA COUNTY RECORDS; Greenville, SC: Southern
      Historical Press, Inc, 1997, Volume 6.
http://worldconnect.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=llh&id=I17471
Website by Linda L Harris
 
I had already found Harriet Springfield and William Lewis Bridges in the Censuses.  These two websites confirmed my research.
 
It is interesting that there is a book about the Springfields. 
Joyce Howard Ellis and Ann Pollard, SPRINGFIELD FAMILY 1739-2001. Captain Thomas Springfield, his wife, Laodicea "Dicey" Langston including His Parents and Siblings And Their Descendants (Baltimore, MD: Gateway Press, Inc., 2001), volume two.
 
Harriet Ann Springfield was born on 9 Oct 1845 in Murray County, Georgia, to Aaron Springfield and Emaline Rollins Springfield.  Her father, Aaron, died when she was 2 years old so her mother moved back to her parent’s home, also in Murray Co, where they are found in the 1850 census.  There were 3 daughters and Harriet was the middle daughter.  So, in 1850 Harriet, her mother, and her sisters, were living with grandparents, George and Elizabeth Rollins. 
 
Her mother, Emaline, remarried a man named Ransom Johnson who had served as a private in the 34^th Regiment of the Georgia infantry Company A in the Civil War.  Harriet was found in 1860 at the age of 15 living with her mother, Emaline, and Ransom Johnson in the Militia District 972 in Murray Co, Georgia, in the Rock Creek area.  Harriet’s oldest sister had moved away so Harriet is the oldest child, followed by her blood sister, Dorcas Elizabeth, and now there were 4 step-siblings as well.  This was a blended family. Harriet was listed as Harriet Johnson.
 
Harriet married William Lewis Bridges when she was 24 years old on 30 Dec 1869 in Whitfield Co., GA.  Prior to their marriage, William had served in the Georgia infantry so in the 1870 census they were living in the Militia District 872 in Whitfield Co. GA.  The first of 12 children was born in 1871, the last in 1890.  Unfortunately, there was a daughter born in 1872 who lived only a year and a son born in 1873 who died when he was 2 months old.  My descendent, Mattie Bell, was the 6^th child born, but due to the deaths of 2 children, she was the 4^th child listed in the 1870 census.   Mattie’s older brother Hugh had already married Nancy Jane “Janey” Jones and they were living nearby. 
 
In 1880, Harriet and William were living on a farm in Dalton, Whitfield Co., Ga, with 5 young children. Also living with them was a 13-year-old black male name Caasar Rodgers.  The census has him listed as a servant/laborer who can not read or write.
 
By 1900, Harriet and William had moved to Colin Co Texas and still had 6 children living with them, ranging in ages from 24 to 10.   They were living on a farm that was rented and all of the children were listed as farm laborers and indicated that their 24 year old daughter Mary had not been employed in 10 months.  My Mattie Bell had married Martin Harmon Jones and they were renting the farm next to Harriet and William. 
 
Harriet and William had moved to Jones Co Texas by 1910.  They only had their youngest daughter, Lucy age 19, living with them.  Their son George Ezra and his wife Minnie Ola were living on a nearby rented farm.  It appears that William was paying a mortgage to own his farm.  Other children living in Jones Co were Mary Daisy Dwiggins, James Henry Bridges, Bessie May Sims and Carrie Fay Lyles.  It appears that many of them settled in and around Jones and Collin counties, with a few moving eventually to Foard and Taylor counties.
 
The very next year, Harriet died on 25 Jan 1911 at age 65 and William died the following month on 14 Feb 1911 at age 68.  They are both buried in the Stith Cemetery in Jones Co Texas. Their gravestone is quite large.  Below their names is engraved: "They died as they lived trusting God."
                                                                                                                                                                                    

History Sheet of William L and Hattie A Bridges

 

Taken from the Find-a-Grave website

Created by Sherry Hoffman

Maintained by David M ? (I wonder if he wrote this information?)

The obits were placed by Bambi Lynn Waltrip Bush

History Sheet for William Lewis and Hattie Bridges

 

William Lewis Bridges was born August 29, 1842, in South Carolina. His parents appear to be Jonathan Bridges and Mary Hulda McDonald. The family migrated from South Carolina to western Murray County, Georgia (which later became Whitfield County) around 1845.

 

William enlisted in Company D, 60th Georgia Infantry Regiment (the Whitfield Volunteers) on September 19, 1861. Based on available records, it appears he served for the duration of the war.

William married Mary E Lanham on February 3, 1867, in Whitfield County, Georgia. Their son Charles William Bridges was born December 6, 1867. Mary died of breast cancer on June 6, 1869.

William married Harriet Ann "Hattie" Springfield on January 2, 1870. Harriet was the daughter of Aaron Springfield and Emaline Rollins Springfield. She married William Lewis Bridges on January 2, 1870 in Whitefield County, Georgia. 

In 1871, the family decided to move to Texas, traveling by covered wagon. They had only made it to Alabama, when one of the horses in their team died. They decided to stay in Alabama until they could secure another one. While in Alabama, Hattie gave birth to Hugh Springfield Bridges on June 2, 1871. William went to work for a railroad to raise money for a new horse, but the railroad went bankrupt before he was ever paid so they returned to Georgia near their relatives.

 

While in Georgia, the following eleven children were born:

Little Sister Bridges 26 Aug 1872

John Franklin Bridges 11 Sep 1873

Emma Levanna Bridges 8 Sep 1874

Mary Daisy Bridges 2 May 1876

Mattie Bell Bridges 5 May 1878

Ida Jane Bridges 26 Nov 1879

James Henry "Jim" Bridges 12 Jan 1882

George Ezra Bridges 29 Oct 1883

Bessie May Bridges 18 Jan 1886

Carrie Faye Bridges 25 Oct 1887

Lucy Wright Bridges 3 May 1890

 

Little Sister and John Franklin died as infants. In about 1894, William, Hattie, and seven of their remaining ten children moved to Texas, settling initially on a farm in Grayson County. In 1902 William and Hattie moved to Jones County, northwest of Abilene , where they purchased land and farmed near the town of Stith.

 

Hattie died on January 25, 1911 near Stith. William died just three weeks later also near Stith.

William L and Hattie BRIDGES Family portrait

 This portrait was sent to me in 2011 by a cousin, Stacy White, who descends from Osa Bridges, son of Hugh Bridges (1871-1956) and Nancy Jane Jones (1879-1966). 

Hugh Springfield Bridges is Mattie Bell Bridges brother.

Nancy Jane Jones is Martin Harmon Jones' sister.

These are the double cousins that I have already posted about on my blog.

LABELED 

William Lewis Bridges 1844-1911 Group Sheet

 

Bridges Family History - Where I Started

As I build this blog, I realize how much family history I have learned in the last 8 years. I thought that with the incorrect "E" on the death certificate that this may be a dead end. But with the use of DNA and another cousin, Stacy White of Dallas, we have been able to substantiate more of our tree. Below is what I wrote in 2016. There will be much more to come. We have "CRACKED" the code 😊

Bridges Family History

 

Unfortunately, I have never been able to "crack the code" on William L. Bridges.  Mattie Bell Bridges, his daughter,  is my link to this family and I knew her as a small child which gave me confidence as I began my research. Records and letters were sent to Lucy Jones Day by Dorothy Autry, Burwell Jones' daughter, and so much was known about all the Bridges' 12 children.  I felt confident that Mattie's father's name was William " L" as I found a hand written marriage document from 1870 and a newspaper article in the Abilene Reporter about a family reunion given by his daughter Lucy Ford dated October 1945, all of which reflects his name as William "L" Bridges.  However, Lucy Day states on Mattie Bell Bridges' death certificate that her father was William "E" Bridges, but I believe that is in error.  And still...others have followed him as William "M" Bridges.   By taking away a middle name, there are MANY William Bridges in documents in the same location during the same time period, including censuses and military listings.  During that period of time, documents do not state other family members which makes it difficult to establish a link.  William's history is given on the History Sheet of Harriet Ann Springfield.  It appears that they were well-to-do upstanding people.

 

Nancy Claire Quillin Long

5 March 2016

Mattie Bell Bridges Pedigree Chart

This morning, I found some additions to a Bridges family tree made by Stacy White. We have been in contact before, and she is the one who sent me the picture of the complete family of William Lewis Bridges, Mattie Bell's father. I am still working to connect and research Jonathan Bridges, but it looks promising at this time. Stacy is a cousin from the double cousins in the Bridges/Jones line. Hugh Springfield Bridges was her great grandfather. Hugh was a brother to my grandfather, J.C. Jones, which make us connected as well through the Jones family. (see post about double cousins)

Martin Frank Jones's DNA has now connected me even more in line with Jonathan Bridges and ?Mary? Mariah? Sarah? McDonald. I'm not willing on this date to commit to anything further back. Find a Grave has the same information, and I don't feel that there is any substantial information on the burial of Jonathan. Stacy has some great new information that I will be investigating, along with new DNA connections.

It's interesting that in the last few days, I have found several members of the Bridges family who have been located in institutions for the insane. I surely hate to say this, but at times, as a child I felt that Mattie was a little off. I know that she was demanding of my grandmother, and she was certainly a hypochondriac. She was often thinking that she was going to die, and I remember having to line up and got in to see her to say goodbye. Of course, I just thought that I was saying goodbye for that particular visit to Crowell.  But somehow it just never felt right. hummm...

Bridges Bible - Mattie Bell Bridges & Martin Harmon Jones

 My grandparents on my mother’s side were Joe Carroll Jones and Ava Ella McNair. They had 5 children, including my mother, Carolita Jones Quillin. Mother was most interested in helping me gather family information. Her brother, Martin Franklin Jones, was also interested in helping me throughout the years. There will be several Jones Family posts of the information gathered from them.

The following are recollections of Martin Frank Jones 2013

There is a copy of all the genealogy work that Edith Bridges gave Martin Frank in a big Bible.  He does not know where that Big Bible is….

The following was a sheet of paper in his Bible.  It appears to be an obituary for Mattie Bell Bridges Jones.  Dated June 1, 1971 (I’m not sure who wrote it)
 
"Mrs. M.H. Jones (Mattie B.) was born May 5, 1878, at Delton, Georgia.  She passed from this life at the age of 93 at Abilene, Texas May 31, 1971.  She was married to Martin Harmon Jones on June 28, 1896, at Whitewright, Texas.  Mrs. Jones was preceded in death by her husband and two sons, Hugh S. Jones and Wm. Albert Jones.  She is survived by two sons, J. Carroll Jones of Crowell and George T. Jones of Houston, Tx.  Three sisters:  Mrs. Fay Lyles of Savoy Tx; Mrs Ida Campbell of Roby, Tx; and Mrs. Lucy Ford of Merkel, Tx; 17 Grands, 36 great grands and 4 great-great-grands.
 
"People who knew Mrs. Jones knew her as a woman with many friends who loved people and loved to help them.
 
"Mrs. Jones moved to Foard County and the Thalia community in 1906 with her family.  She moved to Crowell in 1959.  She resided at the Shady Oak’s Lodge at Abilene, Tx from 1969 until her death.
 
"Mrs. Jones was a longtime Christian.  She belonged to the First Baptist Church at Crowell at the time of her departure.  She was among the most faithful members for many years at the First Baptist at Thalia before moving to Crowell."

Joe Carroll Jones and his mother, Mattie Bell Bridges Jones. On a Sunday before church.

Crowell, Texas. c. 1964

Bridges Reunion in Merkel, Texas 1945

BRIDGES FAMILY HOSTS REUNION

Merkel, Texas 

News article in The Abilene Reporter-News

Friday Morning, October 19, 1945, p.11

 The Article reads: 

MERKEL Oct 18 -- Mrs. Lucy Ford hosted a reunion of the sons and daughters of the late Mr. and Mrs. W. L. Bridges, the first time members of the family had been together in more than 15 years. Eight of the 9 sons and daughters present were H.S. Bridges of Rotan, Mrs. J. A. Collum of Lamesa, Mrs. Daisy Dwiggins of Merkel, Mrs. M. H. Jones of Thalia, Mrs. O. S. Campbell of Roby, J.H. Bridges of Lamesa, Mrs. Faye Lyles of Savoy and the hostess. 

History of Mattie Bell Bridges Jones

 

Interview with Carolita Jones Quillin

March 1, 2003

Done by Nancy Quillin Long

 

 
Background History
Mattie Bell Bridges Jones

 

Mattie Bell was a short, pudgy lady with a round belly.  She wore her hair pulled back into a bun.  Mattie had lots of vanity and was meticulous in her dress.  She liked new things. 

 

Mattie was a sickly woman, but she did not look sickly.  Carolita always thought her to be a hypochondriac.  Mattie would take to the bed for weeks having others care for her.  She was very demanding of others, and Carolita remembers Granddaddy getting off the tractor to come in to give her her pills.  Carolita remembers all of Mattie’s children being called to her bedside, thinking that she was dying.  The grandchildren were made to stand outside, and they could hear her carrying on.  

 

Martin Harmon would do lots of the cooking and household chores and Mattie would pack her bags and leave for 2-3 weeks at a time to go visit her sisters.

 

Mattie Bell was very demanding of Ava as well.  For most of Ava and Jo Carroll’s married life, Mattie and Martin Harmon lived in their back door.  Ava would take care of them daily.

 

Mattie Bell was highly thought of and very religious (not spiritual).  She would always be with her church friends and most of them were gossips.  She was a “loper.”  Carolita remembers her getting up very early, putting on her bonnet, and making the neighborhood rounds.  She would then come in through the back door of Carolita’s house croaking, “Lazy, lazy, lazy,” if no one was up yet.  Mattie Bell would always say, “I just don’t know what to think of these young people.  They’re just going to the dogs.”  She tended to hoard things and would dole it out later.  For example, if she had fresh fruit, she would finally offer it to the grandchildren when it was nearly ruined.

Mattie Bell Jones Death Certificate

 Daughter Lucy Day gave the name of Mattie's father incorrectly. 

It should be William L Bridges. 

Memory Lane 3

 This is a continuation of my trip back home in 1990. Daddy carried me all around the area so that I could take pictures of the places where my closest ancestors lived and worked. Many of these places were nearly in a ruined state. I would imagine that they have continued to fall to a state of dilapidation by this date in 2023.

The Jones Family Plot  now looks much different with the passing of other precious family members, including my mother, Carolita (Jones) Quillin. 

Mattie Bell "Bridges" Jones Death Certificate

The death certificate of Mattie Bell Jones is found in Taylor County, Texas. Mattie Bell had always lived next door to my grandfather, J.C. Jones. My grandmother, Ava "McNair" Jones had always taken care of Mattie Bell. During the last year of Mattie's life, her daughter Lucy, moved her to a nursing home in Abilene, Texas, where Mattie died in 1971. Therefore, the informant is Lucy Day. She gave the names of Mattie's parents as William E. Bridges and Harriet A Springfield.  This has caused me some complications in my research, as MOST all family trees have the father as William L. Bridges. Could Lucy have made an error...most likely. Could the registrar have made an error...maybe. I feel, though, that Mattie's father should have been listed as William L. Bridges. 

Mattie Bell Bridges 1880 Census

 Mattie Bell "Bridges" Jones at age 2 is found in the 1880 U.S. Census, line 9-15. She is listed with her parents, William and Harriet Bridges. They are living in Whitfield County, Georgia. 

Family Group Sheet for Martin Harmon and Mattie Bell Jones

 

Sources for Mattie Bell Bridges Jones

 1880 United States Federal Census. “Mattie Bell Bridges.”  (Dalton, Whitfield, Georgia,

1880) Roll: 171; Family History Film: 1254171; Page:82B; Enumeration District:195; Image: 0674. <Ancestry.com> accessed 6 April 2013.

 

1900 United States Federal Census. “Mattie Bell Jones.” (Justice Precinct 8,

Collin,Texas, 1900) Roll:1621; Page: 17A; Enumeration District: 0023; Family History Film: 1241621. <Ancestry.com> accessed 6 April 2013.

 

1910 United States Federal Census.  “Mattie Bell Jones.” (Justice Precinct 2, Foard,

Texas, 1910) Roll: T624_1551; Page: 8B; Enumeration District: 0110; Family History Film Microfilm: 1375564. <Ancestry.com> accessed 6 April 2013.

 

1920 United States Federal Census.  “Mattie Bell Jones.” (Justice Precinct 2, Foard,

Texas, 1920).  Roll: T625_1804; Page: 14B; Enumeration District: 88; Image: 74. <Ancestry.com> accessed 6 April 2013.

 

1930 United States Federal Census.  “Mattie Bell Jones.” ( Precinct 6, Foard, Texas,

1930). Roll: 2333; Page: 4A; Enumeration District: 8; Image: 135.0; FHL microfilm: 2342067. <Ancestry.com> accessed 6 April 2013.

 

1940 United States Federal Census.  “Mattie Bell Jones.” (Foard, Texas,

1940). Roll: T627_4033; Page: 1B; Enumeration District: 78-2. <Ancestry.com> accessed 6 April 2013.

 

Social security Death Indes.  “Mattie Bell Jones.”  (Texas: Social Security

Administration, 1965). <Ancestry.com> accessed 6 April 2013.

 

Texas Death Indes, 1903-2000.  “Mattie Jones.” (Texas: Texas Department of Health,

2006). <Ancestry.com> 6 April 2013.

 

Harris, Linda L. “Card-Kenfield-Ludlow-Harris Connection.”  Rootsweb’s World

Connect Project; 2 March 2007.  http://worldconnect.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=llh&id=I17472 .  accessed Feb 2013.

 

Interview. "Carolita Jones Quillin."  2003.

Mattie Bell (Bridges Jones) & Martin Harmon Jones Photos

 

The Making of Double Cousins

 

Martin Harmon Jones, Mattie Bell Bridges Jones, Hugh Springfield Bridges and Nancy Jane Jones Bridges. 

The lady on the right is Nancy Jane Jones Bridges -- Hugh's wife and Martin Harmon's sister.  Mattie Bell is Martin Harmon's wife and Hugh's sister.

My Direct Bridges Lineage

Mattie Belle Bridges (1878-1971)
        (mother of my grandfather, J.C. Jones)
            m. Martin Harmon Jones (1874-1850)

Mattie Belle's father:
William Lewis Bridges (1844-1911)
            m. Harriet Ann Springfield (1846-1911)

The following was written in 2016. Now in 2024, I feel 90% sure that William's middle name was LEWIS.

The Bridges line has been frustrating, as I know that the documents are there....if I could only understand the middle name.  See the note below that I created in 2016, when I decided to stop chasing this family connection. 

Bridges Family History

 

Unfortunately, I have never been able to "crack the code" on William L. Bridges.  Mattie Bell Bridges, his daughter,  is my link to this family and I knew her as a small child which gave me confidence as I began my research. Records and letters were sent to Lucy Jones Day by Dorothy Autry, Burwell Jones' daughter, and so much was known about all the Bridges' 12 children.  I felt confident that Mattie's father's name was William " L" as I found a hand written marriage document from 1870 and a newspaper article in the Abilene Reporter about a family reunion given by his daughter Lucy Ford dated October 1945, all of which reflects his name as William "L" Bridges.  However, Lucy Day states on Mattie Bell Bridges' death certificate that her father was William "E" Bridges, but I believe that is in error.  And still...others have followed him as William "M" Bridges.   By taking away a middle name, there are MANY William Bridges in documents in the same location during the same time period, including censuses and military listings.  During that period of time, documents do not state other family members which makes it difficult to establish a link.  William's history is given on the History Sheet of Harriet Ann Springfield.  It appears that they were well-to-do upstanding people.

 

Nancy Claire Quillin Long

5 March 2016