Notes
Note N1
Index
From Birmingham news obituary
YESTER, VINCENT BERNARD, born May 5,1915 died early thursday morningFebruary 5 1998. Vincent Yester was a lifelong resident of B'ham and was employed at Hardie-Tyries Manufacturing Co.and then E Phil Harris Engineering Co. He was active with the Alabama Organ Society and participated in many projects maintaining the Mighty Wurlitzer. Vincent was an avid Radio Amateur Operator and a mmember of the Alabama Army Military affilate Radio System (MARS) I addition, Mr. Yester served as a volunteer with the American Red Cross and participated in the visitation program of the Alqabama Heart Institute.
Vincent was a longtime member of Saint Barnabas Catholic Church and was active in building maintaining and providing service on many committiees and assisted instarting two boy Scout Troops at the church. Vincent is survived by Gertrude Mikul Yester, his wife of 56 yearsand two sons, Michael V. and Marion J Yester. The proud grandfather of four grandchildren, Steven M.,Alan C., Katie M.,and Joseph M. Yester
He is survived also by two brothers William L. and Marion F. Yester all of Birmingham and onesistr Bernadine Seay Rich of B'ham Burial at Elmwood cemetery.
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Note N2
Index
From Eugene E. Ingram:
Uncle Joe lived in Alton, Alabama. He farmed and also worked at the Alton Brickyard in the early 1900's as a waterboy.
The company had a "yoke" for him to hang over his shoulders which held a water bucket on either side.
He carried water for the workers to drink. This brick plant went out of business around 1920.
[Franklins.FTW]
From Eugene E. Ingram:
Uncle Joe lived in Alton, Alabama. He farmed and also worked at the Alton Brickyard in the early 1900's as a waterboy. The company had a "yoke" for him to hang over his shoulders which held a water bucket on either side. He carried water for the workers to drink. This brick plant went out of business around 1920.
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Jefferson Co Deed Book 805/194-5: 6 April 1915: SE corner of SW 1/4 of SW 1/4 of Sec 3 T17 R1W
Grantor: J H Frankln & wife Epsie Franklin
Grantee: J. W. Alverson
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1870 Census: Cedar Grove, AL June 1870 Jefferson
"J. H. Franklin 14 MW at home 800 100 Ala Cannot write"
Notes
Note N3
Index
Notes for EPSIE ANN UNKNOWN:
1910 Census: Epsie had 10 children, 8 living at time of census
Notes
Note N4
Index
1900 Census: Paralee had 5 children, 3 living
Notes
Note N5
Index
[Franklins.FTW]
Ludie Franklin had 3 husbands - (from Ann Little)
Notes
Note N6
Index
[Franklins.FTW]
From Meredith Jones: (originally submitted as a class project) [with changes by cfm]
As a small boy, Lee Benjamin Ingram accompanied his father to Mississippi and worked on a farm. After returning from Mississippi, he hauled mining timber for his father in the coal mines at Sayre, Alabama. Around 1900 when he was about 14 years old, he worked as a floor sweeper at Avondale Cotton Mills. Later he worked with his older brother Will, who owned a blacksmith shop where they built wagons. After Lee married, he and his wife moved to Gate City, Alabama, where he worked in a grocery store. Then he established his own blacksmith shop in Lewisberg, Alabama. Later he and his family moved to Alton where he worked in the Alton Brickyard.
After a short while there, he was employed by the Stephenson Brick Company in Lovick, Alabama. He also worked from time to time in their other plants at Cordova, Holt, and Decatur. At the brick company, he made $150 a month [as a steam shovel operator and mechanic]. He had to work overtime a lot, for which he didn't receive a cent because there was no organized labor at that time. However, the 150 dollars a month was pretty good money at that time and it was needed for the growing family.... About a year after Al was born the family moved under the mountain. This house had electricity and running water.
Lee was an inventor and a very intelligent person, but had no more than three or four years of formal schooling. He invented and patented a carstop for railroad and mining cars but never did get to use it because the brick company who was going to help finance its production did not[]. The company knew that if Lee were successful in selling it, he would make a lot of money and might quit working for them. Also a railroad company got a copy of the patent and marketed it themselves even though it was against the law.
He sent [the patent] to the U.S. Patent Office
. When the letter notifying him that the patent had been accepted, it was [kept] by Wallace Stephenson, the owner of the Stephenson Brick Co. He had gotten it because it was sent to the brick company... Stephenson found it and locked it up in the company's vault [and did not tell Lee it had been granted- cfm]. It stayed there for twenty years. Lee thought that the Patent Office had not accepted it the whole time. The patent was found by a bookkeeper from Decatur, Alabama, who was employed by Stephenson Brick, who knew Lee and gave it to him...
During World War II, Lee worked for Vulcan Rivet and Bolt Company. He redesigned a machine for them which increased their output production greatly. For his effort they awarded him a measly 25 dollar war bond. Lee was constantly working on inventions. He made toys for his children and handy things for the house. He designed and built a motorized brush that would clean the soles of your shoes before you entered the house. At one time he thought he had invented a "perpetual motion" machine.
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From Margaret Ingram Fox:
Lee also worked at Reggens Store in Gate City (a suburb of Birmingham) before he stated working for the Old Frisco Railroad Shop. L. L. Stephenson, an Englishman, owned this brick company from about 1900 on. In later years it was owned by his grandson, "Pistol". The brick plant was demolished in 1975.-Margaret Ingram]
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From Alvin Ingram:
During the depression years, Lee never had to pay rent for the brick house in Lovick where the family lived. The house was owned by the Stephenson Brick Company. Even when the company was not in production during the depression, the Stephensons allowed the families who had been working for the company previously to continue residence in his houses.
For about 4 months while he worked at Alton, Lee had no horse and had to walk to work -- a distance of about 4 miles, and over two mountains. Once when it had been raining heavily, and the mountainsides were very wet and slippery, Lee said he took one step forward and slid two back. He became so frustrated, in the cold and dark, that he just stood there and asked himself what he should do. Very soon after, he bought a horse and buggy from his brother in law, Lewis Franklin.
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From Carolyn Moering (Linka):
The application for the "Friction Chock for Cars" was filed February 25, 1922. Lee assigned one half of the patent to J. W. Stephenson. The Patent was granted on Oct. 14, 1924 as # 1,511,813.
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1900 Census give Lee's birthdate as May 1885, age 15 at time of census.
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From Hershel: (while visiting the New Hope Cemetery)
Your Grandpa (L.B. Ingram) rented a horse and buggy in Gate City (up off Oporto Road today) from Jenkins Rental place, and drove Dera to New Hope Church when he was courting her. The road went behind the cemetery.
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