Headrick Family Tree

The Headrick family tree has been a project of nearly twenty-five years of research. Over the years, the Southern Muse archives has collected quite a few photos, marriage licenses, death certificates, and photos of tombstones. These are all grist to the genealogist's mill! I have written up various brief stories about the family and printed reports; but, I haven't yet done the complete, all-inclusive book of Headricks. I have uploaded some of my Headrick photos, marriage licenses, and other documents, though. That might make it a little easier for the next generation. Scanning is slow, so I still have a long way to go ~ but this is a start...

Photos and Documents: Headrick Family of Murray County, Georgia

ABOVE: Alice Headrick Burns and Drusilla Headrick Grigsby

Tuesday, The Day I Was Ambushed by Civil War Soldiers...

Dalton, Georgia. Tuesday morning, I unlocked the door of the archives and was startled out of my wits by an ugly, hairy, bearded guy who had taken up residence on our elegant French Provincial sofa. His friend was a cold, angry-looking blond. Although my life didn't flash before my eyes, many thoughts flashed through my brain in quick succession. My initial fear was that I was late for work and people were waiting. Before I even had time to think, "No, wait ~ I'm early," it occurred to me that the door had been locked, the alarm set. "How did they get past the dead-bolt?" I wondered frantically ~ as an even weirder thought struck me: "These guys look dead." As Huck Finn said, "It most give me the fantods."

I recovered my wits to realize that Marvin had brought over two very real-looking dummies for the upcoming Civil War display. The Civil War soldiers ~ two mannikins ~ were dressed in woolen coats and hats, 1860's fashion, which should have tipped me off at once, but I was not prepared for the sight of them, sprawled out as they were, in the parlor just inside the front door.

Since that initial reaction of mine, they've given me a turn more than once as I've walked by or glanced through the window, forgetting their presence. They look quite at odds with our frilly lace curtains. They've given some visitors to the archives a turn as well. I'll be glad when we get them into the lobby and have them displayed properly ~ though I suspect that even then, I'll be scared many more times as I stroll into the room, distracted by morning routine...

(Crown Gardens and Archives is the headquarters for Whitfield-Murray Historical Society.)

Old Rome Road and a question...

I never know what questions will come into the archives. Today's question was about Old Rome Road, a short local road outside of Dalton, in Whitfield County, Georgia. The researcher said that her mother remembered it as the main road. She wanted to know if Rome Road was the old name for Highway 41. It's difficult to find road names on the 1908 map ~ if there are any. Community names are there, and I think some of the smaller roads have names. The caller said that this had been the main road going through Five Springs years ago.

Even though I haven't located a "Rome Road" on an old map yet, it occurred to me that road names follow a pattern. Here, most road names that have a town name in them are main roads that lead to the town. Five Springs Road leads to Five Springs Community. Cleveland Highway (Highway 71) leads to Cleveland (Tennessee). In Chatsworth, part of US Route 76 is called "Dalton Highway" (leading to Dalton); in Dalton, the same thoroughfare is called "Chatsworth Highway" (main highway leading to Chatsworth). Parts of "old Highway 411" or "Old Dug Gap Road" still exist. It makes sense, then, that the main road leading South out of Dalton would have been called "Rome Road" or "Rome Highway."

To test this theory, I searched the 'Net and found that Sugar Valley and Calhoun have roads called "Old Rome-Dalton Road." Rome, Georgia, has an "Old Dalton Road." This seems to support the idea that the main highway (now 41) was probably called locally, "Old Rome Road," and a segment of it still bears the name. I can't be sure of it, and would like to find it so designated on an old map. I'm going to recheck the 1908 map (road names aren't always apparent on it, though every other landmark is well marked). If anyone has information on this, we would appreciate it!

Mr. Carter: Undertaker in Dalton, Georgia

For the researcher looking for Mr. Carter...

A researcher came by the Crown Gardens and Archives today seeking information on Mr. Carter, a former undertaker and furniture maker in Dalton, Georgia. He was known for having owned or run West Hill Cemetery in Dalton. It got kind of busy at the archives and the researcher left without leaving us any contact information. I've found the first names ~ I believe they were Albert and Charles, possibly a father-and-son pair. (I don't have the source available at home, so please contact us to get the complete source information and to make sure I have the information right.) Sorry about that. It's unusual that we had so many visitors and calls at one time!