One of my Talented Cleveland County Cousins

Birthday cake by Debbie Bridges.

Debbie Wilson Bridges is known for her famous cakes, and I finally had an opportunity to savor one.  Oh soooo good.  Debbie is my second cousin, once removed. (Debbie's grandfather and my father were first cousins, so Shelva, Debbie's mother and I are second cousins, and that makes Debbie my second cousin, once removed, if I remember the genealogy correctly.) 

Dan and I were planning a trip to Cleveland County to coincide with my friend, Peggy Rhyne's birthday, so I asked Debbie to make a birthday cake for PJ, and while she was at it, to make another one for Dan and me to bring home. 

Both cakes were a delicious, moist pound cake with chocolate fudge frosting.

Pound cake frosted with chocolate fudge frosting.

Peggy Rhyne enjoyed her cake and later shared it with some of our former classmates at a luncheon.  Rave reviews from all!!!!!

Peggy is happy with her cake.

Peggy's birthday cake. 

The cake that Dan and I brought home was frosted with chocolate fudge frosting and topped with pecans.  It was half gone before we even got home with it, with a little help from friends and family.

Only half of our cake left when we got home. 

A wonder if Debbie made her own wedding cake????

Debbie and Eddie enjoying their wedding cake a few years ago.

When the cakes were delivered, Debbie sent along a beautiful crocheted doily for me.  Not only can she bake, but she creates lovely crocheted things.  The doily has found a new home on the little round side table in our dining room. 

This intricate crocheted doily is perfect on this little round table.

Isn't this lovely? 

Debbie the cakes were beautiful and delicious and the doily is exquisite.  Thank you O Talented Cousin of Mine!

The Hawkins Reunion (Part One): The People

A photo displayed in 2013 of the Hawkins Reunion of 2007.

Dan and I had so much fun at the Hawkins Reunion in Cleveland County this past weekend that I will need TWO posts to cover it.  It would be too long for one post.  The Reunion was the 24th such reunion for descendants of Preston Hawkins. Jerry Scruggs and Shelva Jean Hawkins Wilson, grandchildren of Preston and organizers of the Reunion, invited me and my sister Martha to this because our grandmother, Dora Hawkins Greene, was a sister of Preston.  Jerry's mother and Shelva Jean's father were first cousins to my father, hence my sister and I are second cousins to Jerry and Shelva.  I reconnected with a number of my second cousins and met for the first time a number of second cousins, once removed.

The Reunion was hosted by Bill and Shelva Jean Hawkins Wilson at their home and farm in Cleveland County, near Shelby, NC.

Shelva Jean Hawkins Wilson.

 The Wilsons have four lovely daughter: Donna, Denise, Deedee, and Debbie.  (Donna said that when they were young they were often referred to as the four D's.)  Denise was not at the reunion this year, but the other three D's were there to help. 

Donna.

Debbie with her Mom.

Deedee (Photo by Donna Wilson.)

There must have been fifty or more in attendance from the elders to the youngsters. 

The elders: Clockwise from left to right Dan Livingstone (my husband), L.R. Hawkins and Jimmy Hawkins (my second cousins.)

The youngsters: Cheyenne (left) and Savannah Carpenter, grandchildren of Eddie and Debbie Wilson Bridges.

Jerry, Shelva Jean, Martha, and  I share the same great grandfather, J.B. Hawkins (the white- bearded gentleman in the photo below.)

Hawkins family photo circa late 1800's.  J.B. Hawkins, white bearded man.  My grandmother (left of J.B.) and Preston Hawkins directly behind my grandmother. 

 My father inherited a pocket watch from J. B. Hawkins, I inherited it from Dad, and now I have given it to my younger son Patrick.  I took the watch with me to the Reunion for others to see.

Our great grandfather Hawkins' pocket watch.

Second cousin, Jimmy Hawkins, with Great Grandfather Hawkins' pocket watch.

Dan Livingstone and Jerry Scruggs.

Jerry Scruggs and my sister, Martha Greene Cabaniss.

It's an inspiration to see such a close-knit family that reunites each year.

I haven't mentioned the wonderful food---most of it prepared by Jerry with help from Shelva Jean and the D's---nor the fun and games enjoyed by all.  The Hawkins Reunion (Part Two): The Food will be the topic of my next blog.  Stay tuned. 

Cousins, Near and Far

My first cousin once removed, Robin Stice from Virginia and first cousin twice removed, Elizabeth Stice from West Palm Beach, my sister Martha Cabaniss from Bostic, and I from Raleigh visited our second cousins, Jimmy, Shelva and Jerry and second cousin once removed, Donna, in Cleveland County recently. Donna is the family genealogist (I hope I have these relationships described accurately) and Jimmy and Jerry know a lot about the military history of our family on the Hawkins side.

My Cleveland County Cousins (l. to r.: Jimmy Hawkins, Donna Wilson, Shelva Wilson, Jerry Scruggs.)

Hawkins Family Photo (Photo courtesy of Jerry Scruggs.)

Jerry had a family photo of the James B. Hawkins family.  JB was my great grandfather, my grandmother's father. In the photo above, my great grandfather is the gentleman with the white beard, James B. Hawkins.  The woman beside him holding the baby is my Grandmother Greene, Dora Hawkins Greene, JB's daughter. She is holding my Aunt Edith.  Dora's husband, my Grandfather Greene, is the handsome man with the black mustache in the middle of the back row.  My Grandfather Greene had a white mustache when I was a child, and once as a teenager I asked my grandmother if the mustache didn't "tickle" with a kiss. She replied "The blackberries are sweeter when you have to go through the briars to get them." *

This has just whetted my appetite for learning more about our family history.  I have enough hobbies though without taking on genealogy.  Well, I can at least dabble in it.  And I can rely on my Cleveland County cousins as a source for a wealth of information. 

*I've been married for 24 years to a man with a mustache and a beard---my grandmother was right.

Grandpa Jim Hawkins

My Greatgrandfather (front right with white beard), my grandmother (front left) and my grandfather (back right)

Since I've been here in Cleveland County for the last few days, I've discovered the Broad River Genealogical Society and their resources.  In one of the Cleveland County Heritage books, Volume II, I found a photograph of my Greatgrandfather James Bryant Hawkins (my paternal Grandmother's father) and his family.  The photo in the book was not very good, and my scan turned out even worse, but still you can kind of see what they were like.

Grandpa Jim was born in 1835 and served in the Civil War including the battle of Gettysburg and was wounded in the arm.  He returned home from the War and married Mary Lytton.  They had six children, including my grandmother, Dora Eliza (born 1871).  When Dora was three years old her mother died, but James married two more times.  By the time the above photo was taken his third wife had died.  Dora married my grandfather, James Lane Greene and they had eight children including my father Henry Erman Greene.

My grandfather was ten years older than Grandma, and he was her teacher in school.  She said that he once brought her an apple to school. Usually the students took apples to the teacher, not vice versa.

Dan has been interested in genealogy since I've known him, and he has traced his ancestry all the way back to Scotland.  Perhaps I'll spend a little more time tracing mine now that I've found the local Genealogical Society.  That's all I need---another project.

Broad River Genealogical Society in Shelby, NC

I Have a Great, Great Nephew

My sister up in Cleveland County recently became a great grandmother, and I was wondering what that makes me (other than old).  So I googled it and according to Wikipedia, that makes me a great great aunt.  And this cute little great grandson of my sister is my great great nephew. 

Baby Cason, one week old with a head full of beautiful black hair.  (Photo courtesy of Ally).

It's hard enough for me to realize that my niece is now a grandmother, but it's even harder to fathom that my sister is a great grandmother and I am a great great aunt.

My sister, Martha, Great Grandma to Cason. (Photo courtesy of Kelly.)

 

Grandmother, Kelly, with Cason. (Photo courtesy of Kelly.)

So now my sister is not only grand, but she is great.  And the new baby is not only grand, but great and doubly great. My niece is grand. And now I am doubly great!!!!  Don't you just love genealogy?

Cason at two weeks old. (Photo courtesy of Kelly.)