|
a.
|
Note: Obituary information from the Columbus Ledger and Enquirer, March 22, 1928, reads: "Mrs. Thomas McCollister, 77, died at her home, 924 Fourth Street, Phenix City at 11:50 o'clock yesterday morning of pneumonia. Mrs. McCollister had made Phenix City her home for the past forty years and she made many friends who learn of her death with regret. Mrs. McCollister, who was Mrs. Fannie Peterson married Mr. McCollister thirty-two years ago in Columbus. Her husband died one year and one week ago. She was a member of the Central Baptist Church of Phenix City. She had no children of her own. Surviving her are four step-sons, J. R. McCollister of Birmingham and W. T. McCollister, George McCollister, and Albert McCollister of Phenix City; a step-daughter Mrs. J. C. Raiford of Phenix City; several nieces and nephews, including Judge G. P. Butler of Opelika; Mrs. Thomas Jamerson of LaFayette, Ala. and a half-sister Mrs. Thomas Neighbors of Laforia?, Texas. Funeral services will be held at Central Baptist Church at 3:00 o'clock this afternoon. Dr. J. J. Justice will conduct the services and interment will be in Linwood Cemetery. Mrs. McCollister was formally from Opelika, Ala."
------------------------------------------ NOTE: The following is a transcription of Fannie McCollister's will transcribed by Lanny Gamble from a copy of the original document. I am a great step-grandson of Fannie McCollister. ------------------------------------------- Sworn to and subscribed before me on this May 14th 1928.
E.A. Burke, Special Judge of Probate Made May 14, 1928. E.A. Burke, Judge of Probate
Recorded in Will Record E. page 309.
G. P. Butler, Judge of Probate August 21. 1928...........................................
THE STATE OF ALABAMA LEE COUNTY. PROBATE COURT
In the matter of the Estate of .................................Deceased. Present, Hon. E. A. Burke, Spec. Judge of Probate
Before me, E. A. Burke Spec. Judge of Probate, in and for said County, personally appeared in open Court J. C. Aldridge who, having been by me first duly sworn and examined did depose and say on oath, that he is a subscribing witness to the instrument of writing now shown to him and which purports to be the last will and testament of Mrs. Fannie McCollister, deceased, late an inhabitant of this County, that said Mrs. Fannie McCollister signed and executed said instrument on the day the same bears date, and declared the same to her last will and testament, and that affiant set his signature thereto on the day the same bears date as a subscribing witness to the same in the presence of said J. C. Aldridge, and that such other witness subscribed his name as a witness in his presence and in the presence of said Mrs. Fannie McCollister. That said Mrs. Fannie McCollister was of sound mind and disposing memory, and in the opinion of the deponent fully capable of making her will at the time the same was so made as aforesaid. Affiant further states that said Mrs. Fannie McCollister on the day of the said date of said will of the full age of twenty one years and upwards. J. C. Aldridge(LS)
Sworn to and subscribed before me this May 14th 1928.
E. A. Burke Special Judge of Probate
Made may 24th, 1928. E. A. Burke Judge of Probate
Recorded in Will Record E. page 310. August 21, 1928. G. P. Butler, Judge of Probate .................................................. ______________________ State of Alabama Lee County
Know all men by these presents, that I, Fannie McCollister, of Phenix City, Alabama, realizing the uncertainty of life and the certainty of death, do hereby make and declare this my last will and testament, hereby revoking any and all other wills heretofore made by me at any time.
First, I direct that all my just debts and funeral expenses be paid as soon as after my death as can conveniently be done, and that my body be given a decent Christian burial.
Second, I will and desire that my executors hereinafter named, cause to be placed over my grave a slab or tombstone, the same to cost no more than $500.00.
Third, I give and bequeath to Mrs. Susie Neighbors of Goodwater, Alabama, the sum of $100.00.
Fourth, I give and bequeath to Ralph Raiford of Phenix City, Alabama, the sum of $300.00.
Fifth, I give and bequeath to Frances Raiford, Thomas Raiford, J. C. Raiford, and Virginia Raiford, each the sum of $50.00.
Sixth, I give and bequeath to Mary Raiford, my stepdaughter, the sum of $100.00.
Seventh, I give and bequeath to Mrs. H. C. Peterson of Opelika, Alabama, the sum of $100.00.
Eighth, I give and bequeath to Bettie McCollister, the daughter of Albert McCollister of Phenix City, Alabama, the sum of $50.00.
Ninth, I give and bequeath to Stewart McCollister, Edith McCollister and Bill McCollister, being the children of George McCollister of Phenix City, Alabama, the sum of $50.00 each.
Tenth, I give and bequeath to Mrs. E. F. Jackson of Opelika, Alabama, the sum of $50.00.
Eleventh, I give and bequeath to Mrs. Thelma Latham, Miss Cornelia McCollister, and Miss Willie McCollister of Atlanta, Ga., the sum of $50.00 each.
Twelfth, I give and bequeath to Mrs. Lottie Erwin of Columbia, S.C., the sum of $50.00.
Thirteenth, I give and bequeath to the descendents of Nancy Harriet Butler that may be living at my death, the sum of $100.00 each, except that it is my desire that the portion that J. B. Butler would have received under this paragraph be paid to his widow, Mrs. Clara Butler.
Fourteenth, I give and bequeath to the descendents of W. Y. Peterson, that may be living at my death, the sum of $100.00 each.
Fifteenth, I give and bequeath to the descendents of B. G. Peterson, that may be living at my death, the sum of $100.00 each.
Sixteenth, I give and bequeath to the descendents of Mrs. Adeline Adams, that may be living at my death, the sum of $100.00 each.
Seventeenth, it is my will and desire that the amounts bequeathed under paragraphs Thirteen, Fourteen, Fifteen, and Sixteen, be determined as follows: There shall be paid to the children of the said Nancy Harriet Butler, W. Y. Peterson, B. G. Peterson, and Mrs. Adeline Adams, the sum of $100.00 each; and should any of said children be dead then there share shall be divided among their heirs the said sum of $100.00, per stirpes (sic).
Eighteenth, All the residue of my estate both real and personal I give and bequeath unto G. P. Butler of Opelika, Ala., or in the event he should die before I do, then to his heirs.
Nineteenth, I nominate constitute and appoint G. P. Butler of Opelika and Jones Raiford of Phenix City, Alabama, or the survivors of them, executors of this my last will and testament, and hereby exempt them from giving bond as such or from making return of their acts and doings as such executors and all expenses which they may incur in the performance of their duties. I also delegate and give to them full authority to sell, transfer, assign, hypothecate or encumber any property which I may leave leave (sic) in order to carry out the terms of this will. And they are to be the sole judges of the necessity for such sale, assignment, transfer, hypothecation or encumbrance. I further give unto my executors hereinabove named to the sole right and power to determine and it is my intention that they shall be the sole arbiters of the relationship of any persons claiming under paragraphs Thirteenth, Fourteenth, Fifteenth, and Sixteenth, of this will. Any decision made by them shall be final and shall not be reported to any Court or Probate or like jurisdiction.
In witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal and publish and declare this to be my last will and testament, on this the 11th day of February, A.D. 1928.
Fannie McCollister L.S. ________________________________ The forgoing was signed, sealed, published and declared by the above named Fannie McCollister, as and for her last will and testament, in the presence of us, who in her presence, and at her request, and in the presence of each other, have hereunto set our hands as witnesses on the day and date above named.
H. D. McGraw L.S. J. C. Aldridge L. S. Filed this 5 day of April, 1928. E. A. Burke Special Judge of Probate.
Recorded in Will Rec, E. page 311. August 21, 1928. G. P. Butler Judge of Probate. _________________________________ State of Alabama, Lee County, I, G. P. Butler, Judge of Probate in and for said County in said State, do hereby certify that the within instrument of writing has this day in the Probate Court of Lee County, Ala., been duly proven to be the last will and testament of Mrs. Fannie McCollister, deceased, and that said will, together with the proof thereof has been recorded in book of Wills, Vol., E. at page 311. Witness my hand this 14 day of May 1928.
E. A. Burke Special Judge of Probate --------------------------------------------------------- LINWOOD AND RIVERVIEW CEMETERY PLOT INFORMATION: Unreadable markers have led to some speculation regarding the names of those intered in Lot 100 at Linwood. Thomas McCollister is buried in Lot 100 in the Old Section at Linwood Cemetery, Columbus, GA. He is buried with the following known relatives: Nancy Fletcher, 1st wife; Carrie Frances Favors, 2nd wife; Fannie Peterson, 3rd wife; Mary Martin, sister and wife of (1st) Thomas Summersgill & (2nd) W. R. Martin; Mary E. McCollister, daughter ; Jones Clarence Raiford, husband of Mary E.; George R. McCollister, son; a Mrs. Catherine (Unknown), sister of Thomas; Little W. L. McCollister; Little Edward; and 7 unknown children slabs and 1 unknown adult slab.
COMMENTARY: Available information points to the following identities: "Mrs. Catherine" was Thomas' youngest sister, born 13 August 1847 in Carroll Co., Ga and died Apr 11, 1888 in Columbus or Phenix City, AL. The identity of her spouse, if any, is not know at this time.
"Little W. L. McCollister's" identity has not been determined at this time. We do know that a child was born 22 October 1883 and died 22 May 1893. Perhaps "Little W. L." is one to the children mentioned in the Riverview Cemetery Records listed below.
"Little Edward" has been identified as Edward Summersgill, Thomas' nephew and the son of Thomas and Mary McCollister Summersgill. An inscription on an oblisk in this cemetery section reads, "Edward Summersgill, son of Thomas and Mary Summersgill." "Our Little Edwin. Born Apr. 22, 1859, Died May 22, 1863."
Records on file at Linwood and Riverview Cemeteries in Columbus, Ga. show that Thomas McCollister and Nancy Fletcher had children to die in infancy or early age. They were: 1. "Child of Thomas McCollister, age 3 months" was buried at Linwood Cemetery on June 8, 1869. 2. "Child of Thomas McCollister, age 3 years" was buried at Linwood Cemetery on June 28, 1869. These records indicate that individuals named above were buried in lot 100 of the OC (Old Cemetery) section; Thomas McCollister's lot.
A 3 1/2 year old child named Henry McCollister was buried at Linwood Cemetery on October 10, 1875. Burial lot was not given. At this time it is not known if this was a child of Thomas and Nancy McCollister. A child of "W. R. McCollister, age 6 weeks" was buried in the OC section of Linwood on January 1, 1880. The identify of "W. R. McCollister" is not known at this time.
A child named "Edward F. McCollister" was buried there on May 3, 1899. An obituary in the Columbus Enquirer on 4 May 1899 identifies Edward F. McCollister as Edward Fletcher McCollister, the 11 month old son of Mr. and Mrs. W. T. McCollister. W. T. was a son of Thomas and Nancy Fletcher McCollister.
A Mrs. "Annie Willie M. McCollister" was buried there on September 20, 1943 or 1945. The record shows she died in an automobile accident in Los Angeles, CA. No further identity at this time.
SPECULATION: It seems plausable that Thomas Summersgill, death date of 8 August 1865, husband of Mary McCollister, Thomas' sister, may be buried in Lot 100. This premise is based on the following facts: (1) Thomas McCollister or someone in the McCollister family was in possession of burial plots in Linwood Cemetery, Lot 100, as early as 1863 when "Little Edward Summersgill" was buried there. (2) Mary McCollister Summersgill Martin is buried in Lot 100, and (3) No other burial location has been found at this time for Thomas Summersgill.
The above information may indicate the identity of some of those buried under the 7 unreadable child slabs and one adult slab in Thomas' plot.
|
