In Search of 2nd Great Aunt Sarah Parrott

Noah Tyre Parrott and wife, Mary Nichols had a daughter named Sarah. Sarah "Sallie" M. Parrott. Sarah was sister to Robert Samuel Parrott, Sr., born July 28, 1852. Robert Samuel was my Great grandfather.

Sarah was born October 05, 1853. She married Francis Marion Lynn on February 26, 1878. I have info on at least six children that were born to this couple, and lived to adulthood.

Sarah and husband, Francis are buried alongside one another in the country near Filbert, South Carolina, at Kings Mountain Chapel Cemetery. A peaceful area near peach orchards.

We struck out yesterday afternoon in search of her. We were not disappointed. It was hazy and humid. Very hot, almost too hot, to be rambling in a cemetery, but we went ahead anyway. I just wanted to find her! The ride in the country was nice, with the air moving in an open car the day was tolerable, but when the car stopped, the air hung over your head like a wet tarp. Hot and heavy. Just as sticky as okra freshly cut, yes, that kind of day. Grin.

We ventured into the side yard near the church and parked and got out. There was a fellow cutting the grass. He was kind enough to stop his work and venture over to speak to us. He was Mr. Richard Alexander, grounds caretaker and member of the church. We spoke and he directed us straight to the Lynn's and the Parrott's buried there in the cemetery behind the church.

Not far from Sarah Parrott Lynn and her husband, there is another family member buried.

Andrew Jackson Parrott and his wife, Nancy Ella Jeffreys. Andrew Jackson was born the son of Curtis McKenzie Parrott and Mary Lavinia Jackson. Andrew Jackson's parents are both buried at Woodside Cemetery in Clover, South Carolina. Curtis McKenzie Parrott was a brother of Sarah Parrott Lynn and my Robert Samuel Parrott. So, Andrew Jackson was Sarah and Robert Samuel's nephew. He was also my first cousin, twice-removed.

We were invited inside to look at the church sanctuary and I was so excited at getting to see it. Mr. Alexander was most gracious to allow us access. We have searched quite a few cemeteries and this was the FIRST invitation to see the sanctuary that we have had, but this was one sanctuary that I needed to see !

The stained glass windows were beautiful in the streaming sunlight and I just had to take pictures.

As I went around the sanctuary snapping pictures, I noticed that most of the beautiful panes were in honor or memory, of someone. I made my way around to the back, ever hopeful, but not really expecting anything, and there it was.

A stained glass panel that was dedicated, in memory of my 2nd Great Aunt Sarah and her husband Francis. My heart skipped a beat! I could not believe it.

There is a protective covering over the windows to prevent damage, that does not allow you to see the full beauty of these panes from the outside of the church, let alone the details of the glass. There is just no way, without being inside, that I would have seen this stained glass panel dedicated to my family. It was just fate that kind, Mr. Alexander, was there when we got there, allowing us inside to look.

It had to be another case where there was an 'unseen' angel taking care of the details.

I have had so many wonderful things like this to just 'happen', while I was out looking.

Thank you, kind angel on my shoulder. It was ever so much appreciated!

Russ walked alongside me to the car when we were leaving, and said.."I can't get over it. "

"Someone wanted you to see inside that church and see that window." I smiled and said, "I know", nodding my head in agreement.

I am just tickled I have my angels.

I wish I could have talked with the lady and learned more about who she was. She could tell me so much about my 2nd great grands and what they were like.

I wished that so much, but I am content to have walked where she once walked today.

I am content to touch my fingertips to her engraved name and whisper a 'hello' to her.

Lady that lived long before me.

Keep sending me an angel to guide my way, back to the past. I am one happy girl, today.

William J. Parrott ~ Civil War Soldier Killed In Action

Birth:
1843 ~ York County, South Carolina, USA

Death:
Jul. 27, 1864 ~ Petersburg, Petersburg City, Virginia, USA

William J. Parrott, a private in the 17th SC Infantry Regiment, Evans Tramp Brigade, Company E, Indian Land Tigers of York County, SC, was killed in action on July 28, 1864, in Petersburg , Virginia.

William was a brother to our Robert Samuel Parrott, a Great Grand Uncle to me.

"Supplement to Confederate Veterans Enrollment Book of York, County, S.C. - 1902"William Parrott b. ca. 1843, son of Noah Tyree McKinsey & Mary (Nichols)

William's final resting place is not yet known.

Parrotts Laid to Rest in Beth Shiloh Cemetery ~

Mary Adeline Parrott

married Franklin Hill Youngblood on

December 19, 1867.

Mary Adeline was the daughter of

Noah Tyre McKinsey Parrott and

Mary Nichols.

Mary Adeline was a sister to Robert Samuel Parrott.

Robert Samuel was my Great grandfather.

~

Mary Nichols Parrott, my 2nd Great grandmother, shares a marker with her grand daughter, Addie Harvey.

Cocker Machine Shop Gastonia~

This was the Cocker Machine Ball Team, Circa 1940, Gastonia, NC.



Cocker Machine Ad from the Gastonia Directory. Grandpa Wilburn L. Parrott worked there.

Rhyne's Cemetery ~ In Search of Barbara Hoyle Rhyne

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Peter "Heyl" Hoyle was the German pioneer to this area that built the Historic Hoyle house in Gaston County, that I have mentioned before. He is my 6th great grandfather through my Mother's side of the family.

Peter had a son named Michael that married Catherina Margaretha Dellinger. She is buried alongside of Michael in the family plot not far from where I live. I wrote about finding her in the Samuel Best Cemetery in the middle of a soy bean field.

She and Michael had at least eleven children that lived until adulthood. One of those was a daughter named Barbara "Barbery" Hoyle. Barbery, as she was called, married Michael Rhyne. The Rhyne family was a prominent Dallas area family.

I had a lady to stop here at the house one day and ask about a cemetery that was located on the road that I live on. I asked her who she was looking for and Russ said to the lady, "Now if you are looking for a cemetery, this is the gal to talk to", and he motioned toward me.

I thought instantly, OH, GOODIE! ...another QUEST!

So I searched and found a notation about a 'Rhyne' cemetery. Sure enough, just right up the road..It was like someone rang a bell , DING! and I was off in a flash.

We talked to a lady that lived in a small apartment, and according to my info, the cemetery was in the trees behind her property. She said she had heard that there was a cemetery back there, in the brambles but had never been back there, herself.

You just have to stop and wonder about those people that do NOT go into the dark, unknown woods, with all the spiders, ticks, and vermin, hiding in every nook and cranny, just waiting to get you. I mean what in the world are they thinking?

There are souls back there, buried in sacred ground , just waiting to be discovered again! Grin.

Not many people are quite as excited about doing something like that as I am, apparently. Russ goes just to keep me in check , well I am excited, and to just generally watch over me, I am sure.

One trip into the woods landed me with quick swelling lips. lots of itching, and some sort of allergic reaction, not so good at the time. After a quick trip to the emergency room, I was all better. Never saw whatever it was that got me. Probably just as well that I never saw it. ;-)

We made our way into the undergrowth and there were young sprouts of poison ivy, just everywhere. Yikes! and of course, I had on sandals. But I inched my way and carefully placed each foot fall and made my way in.

People clear the land, well meaning, I am sure, but that just lets the weeds and such take over, in the woods. The gate was located on the other side from where we were, of course. The gate opened onto an open field. If you were to drive past , you would never dream a cemetery was in there. The woods have grown in around the area, high and tall, and the vines have pulled down a lot of the markers.

The earth is claiming the stones, one by one, as it's own, and pulling them under, and out of sight. Many will be lost before too long. The periwinkle grows thick and verdant in the shadows beneath the old trees. Cool and dark, with dapples of sunshine falling on the fallen tombstones.

Barbery Hoyle Rhyne rests here in the cool grass. She rests, alongside her beloved husband, Michael. Her son, Jacob Miles Rhyne is also buried here. His date of birth was October 4, 1793. Barbery was 33 at the time of his birth.

I stopped and wondered about this lady. Living during the time she did, she must have been tough. I imagined what their home must have been like, wondered were it once stood, somewhere close by.

Now, here I am, living just up the road, just a scant distance from where she is buried. She is my 4th Great Grand Aunt through my mother , and she is my 1st cousin, 6 times removed, from Dad's side. She was Dad's 1st Cousin, 5 times removed, the same kinship for you, if you are family, and from his generation. Imagine what this lady saw in her lifetime.

Barbery's sister Catherine, married George Huffstetler, and their daughter Mary Anne Huffstetler, married a McCarter in South Carolina and she became my 3rd Great Grandmother.

Imagine my surprise when my tree search doubled back on it's self! You have to remember that there were only so many pioneer families and eventually through the generations, they were bound to intermarry.

So in retrospect, I was elated to locate Catherina Margaretha Dellinger Hoyle in the soybean field, when I thought she was just my 5th Great Grand Aunt, but imagine how exciting when I realized she was also my 5th Great Grand Mother!

How many people have been allowed to experience that wonderful moment, finding the ancestor's grave so close by, resting and waiting, all that time?

I feel my angel guided me that day, for sure.

I ran into a fellow at a local old fashioned 'drive- in' for old cars, not long ago. Our conversation led from one thing to another and suddenly he said, " I have seen your car at cemeteries before." I said, "Well, most likely you have."

He smiled and said, "I am doing the same, researching my family tree." The course of conversation took a sudden turn, and no longer did it involve Russ and "four barrel carburetors and fuel injections."

Russ just smiled and we were off in a totally different direction. This burly, balding man standing beside his rebuilt '50 Chevy, had the biggest smile on his face.

He told me of his finds, high atop of mountains. He told me how he stumbled into locating a grave, many before him, had not been able to find. He had a faraway gleam in his eye, when he spoke of his search and his ancestry. "Rewarding and heartfelt" were words that he used in his descriptions.

I felt a instant kindred spirit and he did , too.

We are out there, everywhere, us semi-crazy people that are searching for people long gone. Who they were, and how they lived, and loved.

We are really serious about it, folks.
So, " just don*t get me started", Russ advises, or we will be there all night, talking about it.

Big Grin. Be forewarned: You may bump into this graveyard rabbit anywhere, anytime.