The Jefferson Search

I am still searching for Eros Gray Bailey's family obituaries.  I forgot to mention that I have an obituary for Eros Gray, but it only names his parents as Mr. and Mrs. Robert L. Bailey.  A couple of days ago I wrote about his brother Sylvester and yesterday I found an obituary for his sister Minnie which named their mother as Henrietta Jefferson.  Today I found an obituary for another sister Flossie.  Her full name is Flossie Lee Bailey Owen.  She departed this life on March 5, 1957. Here is part of her obituary.
Mrs. Flossie Lee Bailey Owen 64 wife of Henry W. Owen died at her home, Chatham, Route 2 at 8:00 a.m. today after a lengthy illness.
She was born in Pittsylvania County, November 6, 1892, a daughter of the late Robert L and Henrietta Jefferson Bailey.  Deceased was a member of Concord Methodist Church.
Survivors include her husband and the following children:  K.T. Owen, Plainsboro, N.J; Herman Owen, Princeton, N.J; Clifton Owen, Chatham, Route 2; Arthur Owen, Danville, Mrs Otis Parsons, Danville; Mrs. Boyd Hailey, Danville; Mrs. Julian Slayton, Danville; Mrs. Randill Moore, Chatham; and Elmo Owen, Chatham, Route 2.
Also left are three brothers and four sisters; Sylvester Bailey, Rice; Dave Bailey, Hurt; Eros Bailey, Gretna,;Mrs. M. C. Motley, Chatham, Route 6; Mrs. Oscar Bennett, Axton; Mrs. Minnie Giles, Chatham; Route 2 and Mrs. Melba Swope Richmond.

That makes three siblings that I have found: Sylvester Bailey, Minnie Giles and Flossie Owen.  I also know that Hettie Bailey another sister married Oscar Bennet.  And Hettie Ella married a Motley.  I believe Hettie Ella is the Ela or Louise, but I can't be certain.  And as for Melba Church.  That is a mystery.  There is a son called Melvin in the 1910 census.  I am thinking that this may be a mistake.  I just began the search so we shall see.

The Other Jefferson Family

Minnie Bailey Giles
Minnie Giles is one of Eros Gray Bailey's older sisters.  I found an obituary for her in the Danville, Bee.
Mrs. Giles, 69 Succumbs Today   April 20, 1964
Chatham    Mrs. Minnie Bailey Giles, 69, of Chatham Route 2, died this morning at 7:30 in Memorial Hospital in Danville where she was admitted yesterday.
A native of Pittsylvania County, Mrs Giles was born October 13, 1894, a daughter of the late Robert Lee Bailey and Henrietta Jefferson Bailey.  She was married to the late Jerry S. Giles, who died a number of years ago.
She was a member of Marion Baptist Church.
Survivors include five sons, Leland S. Giles of Newport News, Maynard P. Giles of Richmond, the Rev. Ray Giles of Greenville, NC, Billy L. Giles of Chatham Route 2 and Bobby D. Giles of Charlotte NC; four daughters Mrs. Verna Mitchell and Mrs Hazel Shepherd of Newport News, Mrs Anne Perry of Norfolk and Mrs. Helen Powell of Danville, two brother Eros Bailey of Hurt, Virginia and Syl Bailey of Rice; three sisters Mrs Hettie Ella Motley of Chatham, Mrs Hettie Bennet of Martinsville and Mrs. Melba Church of Richmond.

This obituary is fantastic for many reasons.  First it states that she is the sister of Eros Bailey of Hurt.  That is my grandfather and second, it states that her mother was Henrietta Jeffeson.  Finally a link that I can use for proof that Henrietta Jefferson is Eros Gray Bailey's mother.  I have a marriage license for Robert and Henrietta but no link to my grandfather.

Also a puzzler, there are two Hetties named as her sisters.  In the 1900 census there is one Hettie age 3 and there is a Luella age 9.  Could Luella be Mrs. Hettie Ella Motley? Could Hettie Bennett be the young daugher age 3.  Also there is a Melba Church.  Could she have been born after 1910?

If anyone has any information on the sisters, please write.  I would be very interested to find out any information you may have on my grandfather's family.

The Jefferson Search

As I mentioned before, I will be researching Eros Gray Bailey's siblings for clues about his life and family.  The oldest child was Sylvester Bailey according to the census records of 1900 and 1910.  In the 1900 census his age was 11.  That would mean that he was born in 1888 or 1889.  I found a World War II draft registration for Sylvester Bailey.  His full name is Sylvester Hazel Bailey.  His birthdate was November 3, 1888 and place of birth was Pittsylvania County, Virginia.  His residence in 1941 was Rice, Virginia.  He was married.  He did not name his wife except as Mrs. S.H. Bailey.

I found Sylvester Bailey in the Border Crossing from U. S. to Canada 1908 - 1935.  On August 31, 1933 he was in Fort Erie Ontario.  He Listed his name as Sylvester H. Bailey of Rice, Virginia, age 44, Married, Baptist, Wife-Christine Bailey.  He had 22.00 dollars on his person when he crossed the border.  I believe he was crossing the border for business.  tobacco curers.  He also named Employer as Melvin Horton Courtland.

In the 1930 census I found Sylvester Bailey living in Prince Edward County, Virginia.  His wife was Christine He had five children, Elsie B 13; Lawrence Bailey 11; Louise E 10; Raymond B 7; and Ela 4 1/2.

The Social Security Index has Sylvester Bailey departing this life in November, 1968. 

So to summarize my findings for Sylvester Bailey.

He was born in Pittsylvania County, Virginia to Robert L. Bailey and Henrietta Bailey on November 3, 1888.  He was still at home with his parents in 1910 at the age of 21.  Sometime between 1910 and 1916 he was married to Christine.  I do not have her maiden name.  I could not find a 1920 census.  However, in 1930, he is listed in the census as living in Prince Edward County Virginia as a farmer with Christine and five children. It also states that he was not a verteran.    In 1933, we see him traveling to Fort Erie Ontario for Tobacco business. 

In November, 1968, he dies and the Death Index has him still living in Prince Edward County, Virginia.

The Jefferson Search

I could not believe how time has flown by.  From now on I will be posting some information about this search as often as possible until it is over.
I ordered death certificates for my grandmother and grandfather and I was extremely disappointed in the results.
My grandmother Mae Crawley Bailey has her mother and her father listed as William Crawley and Margaret Bennett, but my grandfather Eros Gray Bailey's death certificate only listed his father Robert L. Bailey.  Does anyone know how to find a birth certificate for someone that was born before 1910 in Virginia.  The Bureau of Vital Statistics in Richmond, Virginia does not carry birth records before 1910.
As I mentioned before I found a census for 1910 for Eros Gray Bailey and 1930 for Eros Gray Bailey.
I also found a census for 1900 for Henrietta and Robert.
I will start with the 1900 census.
Robert Bailey               37
Henrietta Bailey            34
Sylvester Bailey            11
Luela Bailey                  9
Flossie Bailey                7
Minnie Bailey                 5
Hettie Bailey                  3
David E. Bailey              1

1910
Robert L. Bailey           47
Henrietta Bailey            44
Sylvester Bailey             21
Louisa Bailey                19
Mannie Bailey               15
Hettie Bailey                  13
David Bailey                  11
Eros Bailey                    9
Melvin Bailey                 3

Well there seems to be a few discrepancies.  I will have to find out if it is Luela or Louisa.  I am sure that they transcribed Mannie incorrectly.  It should be Minnie.  And where did Flossie go?

The next blog will be finding these people and correcting spelling.