Trudy Mae Croft

Other Events and Attributes:

• Name: Thelma Mae Croft

Family/Spouse: Living. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: Living. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Living

Living + Hattie Mae Johns. Hattie (daughter of Enoch Jefferson Johns and Martha Elizabeth Yearby) was born on 24 May 1897 in Chipley, Washington, Florida, USA; died on 3 Jan 1916 in Washington, Florida, USA; was buried in Hard Labor Creek Cemetery, Washington, Florida, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Race: White

Notes:

From "The Biography of Enoch Jefferson Johns" as told to his grandson, Marion Johns, on 26 Dec 1942:
"I was born on Sunday, Oct 30, 1859, in Washington County, Fla."

"All of the children by the second marriage (to my mother, Elizabeth Nichols) were born near Holmes Valley, a very fertile section for farming, located about five miles east of Vernon (FL). I cannot remember my father very well, and learned more about him from my relatives and friends who knew him well. He was conscripted into a homeguard company for duty during the Civil War and was taken away from us in 1865. I was only between five and six years old at the time. I remember asking my mother why she was crying and her telling me that my father was leaving and the he would never return to us. Her prediction came true as we never saw him again.

My mother was left alone with no means of support other than what she and her children could earn by working on the farms of other people. My father left us plenty but much of it was stolen by deserters from the Civil War. Our hogs and beeves were slaughtered and eaten by them. They took the bee hives from near the house and on some occasions we could see them in the moonlight as they picked out a hive rich in honey and carried it into the woods. My grandmother gave me a pair of oxen which were killed by deserters. The most unfortunate part about it was that some of the deserters were our own kinfolks.

My mother would work all day in the fields for one gallon of meal. As soon as the children would get large enough, they would go with her to work in the fields and the largest of us were paid only 10 cents a day.

There were no public schools at this time and the only schooling I got was a few days when there was no work in the fields for us. I studied hard what time I was in school and learned to read a little.

I was twelve years old and small for my age at the time of my mother's death. My brothers and sisters and I lived alone until our house was destroyed my fire. We moved our things, what we had left, into and old vacant house but were driven out by the owner. Then we put our things under a tree and it was there one of my sisters died. We went back to our old place and hired my uncle to build us a house on our old place. We built a temporary shelter to live under while our house was being built, and under this shelter another of my sisters got sick and died.

My (step-sister) Mary...took my youngest brother to her home and this left my brother Davis and I all alone. We were both sick and Aunt Jane Taylor took us to her home. When I was able to work, I went to work at anything I could get. I left my aunt and worked for Green Harell three years. Leaving Harrell, I worked for widow Jenny Pippins for one month. Leaving her, I worked for a man named Javis Wood for two years.

After this I worked for W. J. Yearby for two years, one for wages, one for part of the crop. Then I worked next for Zyphia Taylor one year. Then I decided to build a home of my own. I told a friend of mine, Colonel Horn, about my idea...(and) said I would work for him if he would show me some public land that was open for settlement.

I came out to my place in August of 1885, bringing a yoke of steers weighing about 300 lbs. apiece. I had everything with me I possessed on the wagon except a hog that followed behind the wagon. After completing the little house, I lived alone for three years...(and) worked for other people on their farms. I also helped build the L&N and BC Railroads. I was one of the first settlers and helped other settlers build homes on their homesteads.

I was married to Martha Elizabeth Yearby, daughter of W. J. Yearby, on the 5th day of April, 1888. We continued to live in (my log cabin home) and two girls were born: Lois Etta, and Malissie Lee and one son: Curtis. Then I started building the house that I am now living in. Four other children were born: Hattie Mae, Beth, Carlos and Arvie.

In March after my oldest son was born in October, my wife was taken helpless with rheumatism. I had to do all the work including cooking and washing and waiting on my helpless wife, for all of my children were small. I had to carry her everywhere; nursing her at nights and many times without getting any sleep at all.

One of the first things I did when I homesteaded was to set out a lot of fruit trees and a scuppernong vine which is still bearing at the age of 56 years.

...Our living condition improved some...and we bought an organ and hired a teacher to teach the older children to play it which brightened our home life a lot. I still look back with happy thoughts of the family at night after a hard day's work gathering around the organ and singing until bed times.

In the Winter of 1911, all of my family except myself had measles. It made my wife very sick and she never really recovered from them. In early Spring of 1912 she and my oldest son were summoned to Vernon as witnesses in a murder case. My wife was so anxious to return to her children (that she) took all night to make the trip (home) in horse and buggy. (Two days later) she was taken speechless and I called a doctor (who) couldn't do anything for her. She died the following Monday morning about daylight.

In April, 1923 I married Miss Lovie Padgett, observing the same date, April 5th of my first marriage.

In conclusion, I would like to say that the following (quote) expresses my philosophy of life: "Hold fast to your friends and consider them your most sacred assets for friendship is all that makes life worth living."

Enoch married Martha Elizabeth Yearby on 5 Apr 1888. Martha (daughter of William James Yearby and Bethanna Wilkes) was born on 15 Sep 1865 in Florida, USA; died on 25 Mar 1912 in Florida, USA; was buried in Hard Labor Creek Cemetery, Washington, Florida, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Residence: 1870, Washington, Florida, USA
• Residence: 1880, Orange Hill and Vernon, Washington, Florida, USA

Other Events and Attributes:

• Residence: Washington, Florida, USA
• Residence: Washington, Florida, USA
• Residence: 16 Oct 1850, Division 3, Holmes, Florida, USA; Age: 23
• Residence: 1860, Holmes, Florida, USA
• Military: 29 Jan 1863, Florida, USA
• Military: 29 Jan 1863, Florida, USA
• Residence: 1870, Washington, Florida, USA
• Residence: 1880, Orange Hill and Vernon, Washington, Florida, USA
• Residence: 1900, Davis Mills, Washington, Florida, USA
• Residence: 15 Apr 1910, Duncan, Washington, Florida, USA

William married Bethanna Wilkes on 12 Feb 1850 in Holmes, Florida, USA. Bethanna (daughter of James Wilkes and Sarah Martin) was born on 29 Mar 1833 in Florida, USA; died on 30 Jan 1915 in Washington, Florida, USA; was buried in Hard Labor Creek Cemetery, Washington, Florida, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Name: Bethanna Yearby
• Residence: 16 Oct 1850, Division 3, Holmes, Florida, USA; Age: 19
• Residence: 1860, Holmes, Florida, USA
• Residence: 1870, Washington, Florida, USA
• Residence: 1880, Orange Hill and Vernon, Washington, Florida, USA
• Residence: 1900, Davis Mills, Washington, Florida, USA