BATES : JOHNSON : SMITH : STEPNEY : TURK : Genealogy Query


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Date Posted:

25-Sep-2005

Surname(s):

BATES : JOHNSON : SMITH : STEPNEY : TURK

Query Text:

I am trying to trace my family tree on my mother's side. Her maiden name was BATES. Her people came from Mobile, Alabama, so I am trying to obtain information about the following Alabama based ancesters in order to complete this book and discover my own heritage at the same time: Her father was Robert BATES Sr. (b. 17 Aug 1901-d. 20 Oct 1973)Her mother was Alma SMITH, (b. approx 1904-d.30 Oct 1967) They were both born in Mobile, Alabama. They both died in Cleveland. Alma's father is named Allen Theodore SMITH. Her mother died in childbirth. Robert and Alma were married on 9 Jan 1919 in Mobile and their two sons were born there: Robert Jr. (b. 1921) and Allen (b.1924). The family moved to Cleveland, Ohio sometime between 1924 and 1929. My mother, Irmalee, was born in Cleveland in 1921. Robert still lives in Cleveland to this day. Allen moved to California sometime during the 1950s, and has not been heard from since that time. Robert Sr's oldest sister is Irma TURK b.26 Feb 1897. She was a lifelong resident of Mobile. She worked as an elevator operator and rode floats in the Mobile Mardi Gras each year. Her married name was Turk, but there were also other husbands named Connor and possibly Austin. Irma died on 16 Jul 1990 at age 93. She was my great-aunt and my mother was named for her. Another sister, Mabel SIMS b.either 1900 or between 1903 and 1905. Her married name was Sims. Her husband's name was Buck. She lived in Baldwin, Michigan and had a farm there as recent as the 1970s. She died in 1997 in Michigan at somewhere between age 97 and age 93. A brother Sidney b. between 1903 and 1907. He never married, had died in the early to mid 1970s, and was a lifelong Alabama resident. My great-grandfather was Robert Joseph BATES but he preferred to go by "Joe". He was born 26 June 1873 in Mobile. He married a Louisa or "Lula" WILLIAMS on 25 March 1895 in Mobile. According to the 1910 census she gave birth 8 times but had six living children, but family member say she actually had ten children. They separated in the 1920 when she moved to Cleveland. My great-great grandfather was an Alexander BATES, born approximate 1834. My great-great grandmother was Georgiana JOHNSON. (b.1842) They married 22 Mar 1866 in Mobile. Alexander and Georgiana had three children: Albert (b. 1867), Abram (b.1869), Alexander Jr (b. 1871) and my greatgrandfather Robert Joseph (b. 1873). Georgiana show a 2d marriage to a Sidney STEPNEY (b.1850). All children except the eldest are listed as stepchildren on the 1880 census. I am also looking for information regarding Georgiana's mother, a Jane JOHNSON whose place of birth is listed as Virginia in the 1870 and 1880 census, and who shows a birth year of 1795, and a marriage year of 1820 in Virginia. One of the great family "myths" was that we had an ancestor who stowed away on a ship and landed in Mobile. He was supposed to be from the West Indies. Some family members say the Bahamas others say the Virgin Islands. Perhaps it may be the father of Alexander Bates, despite the fact he is listed as being born in Alabama on the 1870 Census? The family was listed as Black in most Censuses, but there may be some Creole and Mulatto in the family, too, according to my mother and great-aunt. If you are a family member, or were a friend, acquaintence or know of any descendents to these people I've mentioned, please e-mail me. Thank you.