Leola Judson (Hawthorne) Vann (1867-1945) Biography

I have been having fun (and that’s what it’s all about), incorporating my timeline facts from my Ancestry tree into ChatGPT to write quick and brief biographies for my family members that I manage on Find a Grave. Yes, I double-check what ChatGPT writes to ensure there aren’t mistakes or hallucinations.

   This morning, I also uploaded an image of her obituary and asked ChatGPT to incorporate it into the bio (I wasn’t sure this was possible). Yes, it did! What I was looking for, besides a few extra facts, was who survived her and where they were living at the time.

   I currently manage 209 memorials, and I can’t wait to start making bios for each of them! I am doing this because, hopefully, Find a Grave will be around for decades to come, and both close and extended family will see this as helpful in their research and understanding of the family dynamics. ~ J. Paul Hawthorne.

Leola Judson (Hawthorne) Vann: A. B. Canada Collection

Leola Judson (Hawthorne) Vann
(12 February 1867 – 24 January 1945)

Leola Judson Hawthorne was born on 12 February 1867 in Greenville, Butler County, Alabama, to Adoniram Judson Hawthorne (1834–1877) and Clara Elizabeth Amelia Ford (1835–1908). She was one of eight children, part of a large family whose lives were deeply intertwined with the history of Greenville.

Her siblings were:

• Ida Alice Hawthorne (1858–1912)
• Alexander Travis Hawthorne (1860–1926)
• Sara Ann Hawthorne (1862–1914)
• Robert Lee Hawthorne Sr (1864-1950)
• Emma Edna Hawthorne (1869–1949)
• Etta Mae Hawthorne (1873–1899)
• Ford Judson Hawthorne (1877–1932)

 

Leola’s early childhood was spent in Greenville, where she grew up alongside these brothers and sisters. She was ten years old when her father died in August 1877, leaving her mother to raise the younger children.

In 1887, at the age of 20, Leola married Asa Hunter Vann (1867–1948) in Greenville. They had four children: Fred Lee Vann (1887–1972), Clarence Eugene Vann (1890–1972), Perry Leslie Vann (1898–1991), and Edith Mae Vann (1900–1993).

A gentle and quiet woman by nature, Leola found her greatest joy in her home and its duties. She was described as a faithful and devoted wife and mother, whose love for Greenville never wavered.

Leola lived to see her children and grandchildren thrive. Surviving her at the time of her death were her husband Asa; three sons—Fred and Perry of Greenville, and Clarence of Chicago; her daughter Edith, known as Mrs. Melvin Weldon, of Montgomery; a sister, Emma Edna Hawthorne Lewis of Attapulgus, Georgia; a brother, R. L. Hawthorne of Camden; one grandson, William H. Weldon of Great Lakes, Illinois; and two granddaughters, Mrs. Emmett Rodgers of Montgomery and Valerie Vann of Greenville.

Leola passed away peacefully on 24 January 1945 in Greenville after a long illness. Funeral services were held from her home, led by Rev. Andrew Turnipseed and Rev. Joseph Avery, with burial in Magnolia Cemetery under the direction of Dunklin-Johnson. Her funeral was attended by many from near and far, a testament to her lasting impact on the community.

She was remembered not only as a devoted wife and mother but also as a woman whose life reflected a steadfast commitment to family, faith, and the town she called home for nearly eight decades.

Written from facts provided by J. Paul Hawthorne (great-grandnephew), her obituary, and help from AI by ChatGPT on 15 August 2025.

Obituary from the Greenville Advocate

Photo by J. Paul Hawthorne

Photo by J. Paul Hawthorne

Obituary source citation:

"Mrs. Hunter Vann Claimed By Death," Greenville [AL] Greenville Advocate, Thursday, 1 February 1945, page 6, column 4, Leola Judson Vann death notice; imaged, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com : accessed 15 August 2025).

Will of William Mitchell of Mobile, Alabama 1820 Part IV – Coda

  In this final installment of the Will of William Mitchell, I will give some family connections and context. 

1815 Map of Mobile

First, here is a chart of my direct connection to William Mitchell:

Chart from RootsMagic software

   William is my paternal fifth great-grandfather. My grandfather only knew his grandmother, Clara (Ford) Hawthorne, and first mentioned her name during an interview I conducted with him around 1978. To uncover our family's earlier connections, I had to reconstruct the lineage through genealogical research.

   In the FamilySearch family tree, William is recorded as Guillermo Mitchell. This is because when he first arrived in Mobile about 1793, it was under Spanish rule, and the Spanish equivalent of William is Guillermo.

FamilySearch tree

   According to an article by Lynne S. April and Eugenia W. Parker titled "Laurendine," published in the Deep South Genealogical Quarterly (Vol. 34, No. 4, November 1997, p. 168), Marie Anne Dufais (also spelled Dufay or Dufelli) did not marry William Mitchell. Instead, she married Francisco David, whose surname their daughter, Marie Theresa, adopted.

   This revelation leads to many unanswered questions. The search for these answers may never be known.

   William Mitchell is most likely buried in Church Street Cemetery in Mobile, as the city's oldest cemetery, Campo Santo, ceased burials in 1813. Documents I have uncovered indicate that the Executor of his Will paid for services and the construction of his raised grave, which included bricks and a metal cross. However, I have not yet been able to determine its exact location.

 

Church Street Grave Yard, Mobile, Alabama

   On a trip to Mobile in October 2010, I visited the grave of William Mitchell's daughter, Marie (Mary) Theresa (Mitchell) Laurendine. She is also listed on Find a Grave HERE. 

Mary Theresa (Mitchell) Laurendine

 

  Conclusion

   Much more research is needed on this branch of my family tree and to learn about this time period of French, Spanish, and American history. As for the descendants of William Mitchell, there must be thousands throughout the Gulf Coast and elsewhere. 

Will of William Mitchell of Mobile, Alabama 1820 Part III - Analysis

  In my previous two posts I showed the Will of William Mitchell and my transcription of it. Today, I will analyze this information because it is quiet the quandary to read and make since of all the relationships. 

   I started to do this and make charts to help me, but after hearing Nicole Dyer's webinar "From Research to Writing: AI Tools for Genealogists" via Legacy Family Tree Webinars, I decided to take a chance and uploaded the entire written transcription into ChatGPT. I kid you not, within two seconds I got back an analysis that blew me away! So, instead of my lack of professional writing, I am going to post it below.

Portrait of a free woman of color

   This will, written by William Mitchell in 1820 with a codicil added in 1822, provides a detailed and complex distribution of his property, with an emphasis on his relationships with several people he identifies as his children, as well as others he cared for. Below is an analysis of the relationships and provisions in the will:

Key Individuals and Relationships:

1. Margueritte (sometimes called Rosette):
• A free Black woman living in Mitchell's household in Mobile.
• Described as a key beneficiary of Mitchell's will.
• Given significant property, including slaves and real estate, for her lifetime.
2. Children of Margueritte:
• Margueritte (younger):
• Acknowledged by Mitchell as his biological daughter with the elder Margueritte.
• Inherits property, slaves, and shares other assets.
• Auguste (commonly called Jim):
• Acknowledged by Mitchell as his biological son with the elder Margueritte.
• Inherits property, slaves, and shares other assets.
3. Other Acknowledged Children of William Mitchell:
• Zeno:
• A mulatto man and shoemaker in Mobile.
• Acknowledged as Mitchell's son with the free mulattress Margueritte Lucien (now deceased).
• Margueritte (living in New Orleans):
• Another daughter by Margueritte Lucien, distinct from the younger Margueritte.
• Therese Lorandine:
• A daughter by Marie Defily (also deceased), now married to Edward Lorandine.
• Described as being treated equally with Zeno and the other legatees.
4. Other Notable Figures:
• Louis Dolive and Joseph Krebs:
• Named executors of the will.
• Slaves Mentioned:
• Henriette, Charlotte, Phillis, Nannette, Rosalie, Jeane, and Joe are all distributed among the beneficiaries with specific terms of ownership and inheritance.

Main Provisions:

1. Property to Margueritte (Elder):
• A house and lot in Mobile with household furniture for her lifetime.
• Slaves Henriette, Charlotte, and Jeane.
• Recognized as the guardian for her children (younger Margueritte and Auguste) until they reach adulthood or marry.
2. Slaves and Property to Younger Margueritte and Auguste:
• Slaves Nannette and Rosalie, respectively.
• Equal shares of the house and lot after their mother’s death, provided they leave descendants.
• In case of their deaths without issue, provisions are made for redistribution of their shares to other heirs or their mother.
3. Provisions for Zeno, New Orleans Margueritte, and Therese Lorandine:
• The remainder of Mitchell's property (land, slaves, and livestock) is divided equally among these three individuals.
4. Freedom for the Slave Philip:
• Philip is to be freed upon Mitchell's death if legally possible; otherwise, he is given to the elder Margueritte.
5. Codicil Additions:
• Additional provisions for Margueritte (elder), including a slave (Joe) and half of any crops at the time of Mitchell's death.
• Ensures the hogs at the plantation are recognized as Margueritte’s property.

Legal and Social Context:

• The will reflects the complex dynamics of race, slavery, and inheritance in antebellum Alabama. Mitchell acknowledges multiple children born out of relationships with women of African descent and provides them with property and rights unusual for the period.
• By naming free and enslaved individuals as significant beneficiaries, the will challenges the typical norms of the time regarding the treatment of enslaved people and mixed-race descendants.

This document not only distributes William Mitchell's property but also reveals intricate familial relationships and societal tensions, providing a glimpse into the lived experiences of both free and enslaved individuals in the antebellum South.

 

Analyzed by ChatGPT 04/09/2025

Prompt: “You’re an expert genealogist. Describe this will and the relationships in it”.

Plaçage

   This is a new term that I just learned from reading my friend, Kathleen Brandt's blog post "Researching The American Black Irish, by Blood". This made even more since now! 

    "Plaçage" refers to a historical social practice in French and Spanish slave colonies, particularly in New Orleans, where white men entered into extralegal relationships with women of African, Native American, or mixed-race descent, known as "placées," often providing them with a home and income. "

"Plaçage allowed white men to have relationships with women of color while circumventing legal restrictions and providing a degree of social status and economic support for the women. "

Source: Google Search Labs | AI

Wikipedia has a great article about it HERE.

The conclusion of this four part series on the Will of William Mitchell is next. Stay tuned...

Will of William Mitchell of Mobile, Alabama 1820 Part II - Original

 ...Continuation from my previous post here.

   After finding the clerk’s handwritten transcription of William Mitchell’s Will on Ancestry, I did some extra digging and discovered the original Will—a rare find! This provided clearer details on names, certain words, and, most importantly, punctuation. My transcription in the previous post reflects this.

ORIGINAL WILL IMAGES

SOURCE

"Alabama, Wills and Probate Records, 1753-1999," indexed database with record images, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com: accessed 6 March 2025), "Mitchel > Original Will Records, Pigeon Hole No 400, Files 1-263, 1813-1957," images 412-416 of 1311, will of William Mitchell, 1820, of Mobile, written 6 March 1820, with codicil written 13 March 1822.

In my next post I will analyze the document. Stay tuned...

Will of William Mitchell of Mobile, Alabama 1820 Part I

   This is the will of my paternal 5th great-grandfather, William Mitchell. Though I know little about his life, this document and a few other records provide glimpses into his story. Born around 1765, he moved to the city during the Spanish occupation, around 1795, when the region was known as "Spanish West Florida."

“Sunset, Evening, Dusk image” Image by Michael Gravois from Pixabay

WILL TRANSCRIPTION

In the name of God; Amen; I William Mitchel of the County of Mobile, and State of Alabama, being in sound, and perfect mind, and memory, (blessed be God) do on this sixth day of March in the year of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred, and twenty, make, and publish this my last Will and Testament, in the manner following: that is to say

   First, I give, and bequethe unto the free negroe-woman Margarette sometimes called Rosette, now living at my house in the City of Mobile, a female-slave named Henriette now about twenty two years of age, to be her absolute property for and during her natural life; I also give and bequeathe to the said Margueritte, another female slave named Charlotte, in like manner during it’s natural life, but after her death, to become, with their increase, the property of the daughter of the said Margueritte called also Margueritte, and whom I acknowledge to be my daughter; But should the said last mentioned Margueritte die before her mother leaving no children, then the said negroe woman Henriette and Charlotte shall belong to her brother the mulattoe boy named Auguste, though he is commonly called Jim, a son of the said negroe woman Margueritte, and whom I also acknowledge to be my son. But should both my said children Margueritte, and Auguste die before their mother, leaving no issue; then and in that case, the above mentioned negroe-woman Margueritte shall possess the said slaves Henriette, and Charlotte absolutely, and may dispose of them by Will, or otherwise; and if she should not dispose of them as above-mentioned, then, they shall be divided like other property herein-after mentioned.

   Item, I give, and bequeath unto Auguste the son of my before-mentioned daughter Margueritte, a negroe girl named Phillis. It is, moreover, my will, and desire that should my before-mentioned daughter Margueritte die before her mother, and leave children, they, or such child, or children as she may leave, shall stand in her place, and if she die before her mother without children, and her brother Auguste die before his mother, and leave children, they, or such child, or children as he may leave, shall stand in his place.

   Item, I give, and bequeath unto the said free negroe woman Margueritte the house, and lot where I now reside situate at the cooner of Conseption and _[blank]_ streets opposite the lot whereon Honoré Colin now resides and adjoining a lot formerly belonging to Mr. John Trouillet, together with all the house hold furniture belonging to said house to be held and enjoyed by her during her natural life; and, after her death, the said lot, house, and house hold furniture shall be the property of her children above-named Margueritte, and Auguste (commonly called Jim as before mentioned) And should both of them die without issue before their mother; then it is my will, and desire that the said property shall be disposed of as directed in the former article with relation to the slaves Heriette and Charlotte.

   Item, I give, and bequeath to my said daughter Marguerette, a negroe-girl named Nannette, and to my son Auguste (commonly called Jim) I give a negroe-girl named Rosalie with their respective increase, the said slaves are to remain in the possesion of the negroe-woman Margueritte mother of the said Margueritte, and Auguste until they become of age, or be married, and I hereby declare her their guardian. And should either of my before-mentioned children die without issue, then the property hereby bequeathed to them, shall go to the survivor, and should both of them, die; before they are of age and without issue; then it shall be disposed of as directed in the first article.

     Item, I give, and bequeath to the said negroe-woman Margueritte, a negroe girl named Jeane the child of Charlotte herein before given to said Margueritte, to be held by her in like manner as her mother.

   Item, It is my will and desire that my negroe slave named Philip, be free at the time of my decease, if permitted by law, but if not, then I give and bequeath him to his mother the free negroe-woman Margueritte herein before mentioned.

   Item, the rest and residue of my property both real and personal; that is to say my land, slaves, horses, cattle, not including the cattle owned by the before-mentioned free negroe Margueritte, and which have her brand, or such as she may own at the time of my death. I give, and bequeath to a mulattoe man named Zeno whom I acknowledge to be my son, a shoe maker by trade, and now living in Mobile, to a mulattoe woman named Margueritte who I acknowledge to be my daughter, now, lives in New Orleans, and who is not the same Margueritte herein before mentioned; and to Therese Lorandine who passes for my daughter the two first being children I had by the free mulattres named Margueritte Lucien, now deceased, and the last, to wit, a child Therese Lorendine a child I had by Marie Defily[?] afterwards, Madam Cadet[?], (also now deceased) and which said Therese is now the wife of Edward Lorendine, but who as I hereby declare is to have no preference, of pre-emienence, or advantage whatever, over the other legatees although a white woman. And the said Zeno, and Margueritte children of mine by Margueritte Lucien the free mulattress and Therese (daughter of Marie Defihy) shall severally hold forever the property hereby bequeathed equally to be divided share, and share alike, respectively between, and amongst them. And the property herein before bequeathed jointly to my children Margueritte, and Auguste, (commonly called Jim) the children of the negroe-woman Margueritte) shall, also, in like manner, be held severally between them; that is to say the real property shall be equally divided between them the said Margueritte and Auguste, share, and share alike when ever they shall agreably to the here intent and meaning of this will, become entitled thereto.

   And I, hereby, make, and ordain my worthy friends Louis Dolive and Joseph Krebs executors of this my last Will and Testament, and I pray them to cause the same to be duly executed, and I invest them with full power to prevent any distribution, sale, or waste, of the property bequeathed to the negroe-woman Margueritte during her life, and reserved for her children afterwards; And should she die before they are of age, I request my said executors to take care of the said property for the benefit of the said Margueritte and August her children. I hereby revoke all other wills by me hereto made, and declare the same to be null, and void. I moreover,  declare that I have no money whatever laid up, as seems to be commonly believed, and that I have no more than is sufficient for ordinary purposes.

Signed, sealed, published and declared

by the said William Mitchel, as his last Will                             William Mitchell (seal)   

and Testament, in the presence of us, who were

present at the time of the signing, and sealing

thereof.

Saml Acre

Francis Girard

Francis Girard Juner

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Codicil – 13 March 1822]   

Whereas I have made, and duly the above writing, my last Will and Testament, bearing date the sixth day of March in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty; Now I do hereby declare this present writing to be a Codicil to this my last Will, and direct the same to be taken as a part thereof; And I do hereby, give, and bequeath to Margueritte the same negroe-woman who is mentioned in my Will to which this is a Codicil, a negroe-man named Joe also all the house-hold-furniture of every description of which I may die possesed whether the same be in the house in Mobile, or at the plantation, or elsewhere. And if there should at my decease a crop either growing, or gathered, I give and bequeath one half thereof to the said Margueritte, and to her two children mentioned my will above written, and the other half thereof I desire to be equally divided between and among the other Legatees above named in my said Will. I declare that all the hogs of every description which are at the plantation, are, now, the rightful property of the free-negroe woman Margueritte sometimes called Rosette above mentioned, that having no claim whatever thereto, it is my Will, and desire that she the said Margueritte, be not disturbed or, in any wise, molested in the possesion or enjoyment of the said hogs.

   In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name and affixed my seal in presence of the witnesses whose names are under written, at the City of Mobile, this thirteenth day of March, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred, and twenty two.

                   Samuel Acre                                    William Mitchell (seal)

Witnesses    Francis Girard

                   Francis Girard Jun 

                                              1822

                                               Will

                                                of                                                400/125

                                       William Mitchell (decd)

                               Filed 14th May A.D. 1824

                               Hugh H. Rolston Clk

                               Recorded Book A page

                               96. to 102 -

WILL IMAGES

SOURCE

"Alabama, Wills and Probate Records, 1753-1999," indexed database with record images, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com: accessed 6 March 2025), "Mitchel > Court Records Will Book, Vol 1-2, 1813-1857," images 65-68 of 431, will of William Mitchell, 1820, of Mobile, written 6 March 1820, with codicil written 13 March 1822.

   The next post will will reveal what I also found on Ancestry.com... 

On the 125th. Anniversary of my Grandfather’s Birth - James Boardman Hawthorne

On the 125th. Anniversary of my Grandfather’s Birth - James Boardman Hawthorne 

On a cold Thursday, 12 days after the New Year, in 1899, my grandfather was born in Greenville, Alabama. His mother, Kathryn Ann (Albertson) Hawthorne, was the daughter of a Danish immigrant. His father, Alexander Travis Hawthorne, was the son of a Major in the Confederate Army during the Civil War. Boardman, as his family called him, was named after his father’s uncle, Rev. Dr. J. B. Hawthorne, a famous Baptist preacher in the South. 

Boardman with his mother Kathryn
Greenville, Alabama ca. 1900

Boardman's father, Alex Hawthorne

   When I asked him about his birth, he said that it was snowing, and the snow would blow into the house from the cracks in the shutters. His mother had to make sure he was covered up with blankets. Decades later, I researched old weather maps and news articles to see if this happened… and sure enough, it did!  The blizzard of 1899 started in February 1899 (a month after he was born) and covered all of Alabama and down into Florida.

Temperature map of the United States during the storm

   According to the 1900 US Federal Census, his father was a farmer, and his mother was at home with the children: Boardman 1, Etta Mae 4, and Travis 8. Another child who was born in 1889, named Ethel, did not survive past that year. 

  Boardman had many aunts, uncles, and cousins who lived in Greenville as a child, and more in nearby Camden. His Danish grandfather lived in Manhattan, New York at the time, and his 64-year-old grandmother, Clara (Ford) Hawthorne, was living in Greenville. 

Boardman's grandmother, Clara (Ford) Hawthorne

   My grandfather instilled love and compassion in his own family, which has been carried down through the generations. Boardman has 42 living descendants as of January 2024, with more on the way. 

Boardman with wife Myrtle and their children.

Boardman's legacy lives on...

World War I Gold Star Database at the Alabama Department of Archives and History

 The Alabama Department of Archives and History is the mecca for historical information and original documents in Alabama. There is such a wealth of information that I will be posting more deep links in the future. For now, I want to tell you about the World War I Gold Star Database found online there.

 The Gold Star files are a collection of biographical data collected from the family of deceased World War I soldiers from Alabama or who had been awarded distinguished service recognition. The original files were created during the 1920's by the ADAH. Today, they have been digitalized and are online at the ADAH website.

Alabama Department of Archives and History
Photo by the GeneaSpy

 They have a great search page which you can enter a lot of different information. Besides the popular surname search field, there is a county search field which I find very useful for finding friends or other family members that lived near your person of interest. After you find a person of interest to you, hopefully that person has a link to the right that will take you to a letter, picture, or if your lucky, a bioform (sometimes under "other info") which is a form that was filled out by a family member.

 As I browsed different names and clicked on them, I found one that struck my eye - Michael Assad Zataney of Jefferson County. I clicked on the "Other Info" and found someone filled out the "Biographical Memoranda". It is quite interesting and I will let you explore it for yourself. So, even if you didn't have any relatives that died in WWI, you might have a chance to find a friend or neighbor to your ancestor. 

 Happy hunting!

Sources:  http://archives.state.al.us/