Saturday, November 13, 2010

Atlanta Universalists of 1895 part 2

As we continue to look at the Universalists in Atlanta, Georgia in around December of 1895. These are the people in the pews. So that we we ask "Who were these Universalists?", we'll know....
first lines are from the Jan 1895 article, next are my research.

Mr and Mrs. W.S. Cottington, natives of Alabama, had been members of 2nd Baptist of Atlanta, converted to Universalism after hearing Rev Q. H. Shinn.
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William S. Cottingham (1850-1903) born in Talbotton, Georgia, moved to Atlanta in the 1880s. A dairyman and farmer in Atlanta (he had some of the first Jersey cows in the Atlanta area), he became a traveling salesman in the early 1900s.
Narcissa Cottingham (1853-c1909) Born in Alabama, married in 1873, Her daughter Mary was a school teacher, with years of piano training. Daughter Elizabeth married William "Park" Felker in 1906. Rev Ellenwood of the Universalist Church officiating.
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Mr and Mrs. Alexander Beck, were also former members of 2nd Baptist, they converted by reading Universalist literature sent by the post office mission.
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Alexander Beck (1849 - 1908), moved to Atlanta in the 1870s, he apparently liked to say that his occupation was "traveler", which indeed he was. Very frequent traveler. Five months before his death, he took his son, Henry. to Denver Colorado, where they hoped they could recover his health. In business there he was successful, but not in health. The funeral was in the Universalist Church, of which he was called a "loyal and consistent member." Funeral led by Rev Ellenwood.

Cora Beck (1851-1938), daughter of Rev Warren, who was pastor of the First Baptist Church in Atlanta. She had ten children, of which four of the first five died in infancy. She was president of the local Universalist Woman's Mission Circle in 1908 and 1910. She was elected to the board of the Georgia Universalist Convention in October 1908. President of the Industrial Arts League in 1911.

Henry O. Beck (1888-1911), son of the above, in bad health for awhile, was a member of the church for "several years" prior to he death.
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From Joillet Illinois, Mrs. H.A. Harwood, Bertha Harwood,Mrs. A. L. Blackman, Spencer.
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They was an active Universalist Church in Joilet.
Helen A. Harwood (1830-1914) moved to Atlanta in the mid-late 1880s, with her daughters after the death of her husband. Active in the social scene of Atlanta.

Alma L. Blackman (1855-1932) widow when she moved to Atlanta with her mother and sister and son. Became an art teacher, advertised frequently.

Bertha H. Harwood (1866-1949)Born in Illinois. Extremely active in the Atlanta social scene - was President and co-founder of the Atlanta Musical Association, 1908-1911, created to encourage opera in Atlanta, and show surport ot the idea of performances on Sunday. Active in the Daughters of the American Revolution.. Married an Arrowood in 1912 -believed by some to be Milton Arrowood. They did leave Atlanta right about this time. It also looks plausible that they were divorced in Florida in 1941. We do know that some of her music related notes. files, and correspondence are in an archives in Atlanta.

Spencer E, Blackman (c1884-1906) died of typhoid fever. He had been living since c1900 in Jacksonville, Florida, and had worked for the fire department.

update 14 Nov 2010: Bertha Harwood did indeed marry Milton "Wallace" Arrowood (1983-). The marriage was performed by Rev Ellenwood of the Universalist Church in 1912. They left Atlanta for Florida and then Wilmette, Illinois, sometime around 1915. One child. They separated circa 1927, while living in Greenwich, Connecticut. He was infamous for being the first Annapolis graduate to desert from the U.S. Navy (in 1905), after his request for resignation was rejected. He deserted because he had discovered that the Navy allowed non-Christian sailors on board their ships.
I mention this mainly because of the connection with Universalists in 1912.
She was 15 years older than he, and had shaved off 23 years off her age by the 1920s, thus making positive identification more difficult.

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