52 Ancestors 2021: Week 7: Unusual Source

 For this week's topic, I can talk about two somewhat unusual sources that I've gathered information from over the years.

The first -- several years ago, probably around 2008 or 2009, I joined a Yahoo Group called "Gibson Genealogy." With time, Yahoo Groups closed down, and a lot of them migrated over to Facebook, which of course by then, I had migrated over there as well. 

Through this group, over the years, I've had the pleasure of connecting with several cousins that are descendants of either Joel Gibson (my 6x Grandfather) or his reported parents -- John Gibson & Mary Duncan (still not 100% sure of them as his parents.) 

To this day, I'm still close friends with several I've met in the group, and the group is still rather active over on Facebook. In fact, in 2019, I was contacted by a 5th cousin 1x removed who is a journalist in Washington D.C. She found me through the Gibson Genealogy group and wanted me to be her tour guide while she came to Henderson, Kentucky, to see where her Mother's side of the family was from (the Gibson's.) 

I've learned several bits of information from the group and I'm glad there's so many Gibson's who are interested in their genealogy. 

The second unusual source -- years ago, in about 2007 or 2008, I was first starting out here on Ancestry and was replying on the old "message boards" to topics concerning my Dad's side of the family -- Mefford, Bastin, Turner, Knight, etc. 

A woman started e-mailing me, and then even postal mailing me, after we figured out we were related. My 3x Grandfather, Phylander Turner, had fathered a child before his marriage to my 3x Grandmother... I would have never known about this child, had it not been for Rosemary Rivette Lentz. 

Rosemary was the great-Granddaughter of Phylander Turner and Louiza Mae Tinsley. Their child was born in 1878 and in the 1880 census, Louiza and her family live next door to Phylander's father, step-mother, and siblings. Their daughter was named Rosetta Mae "Rosa" Tinsley, taking her Mom's maiden name... but according to Rosemary, Phylander made provisions for this child in forms of some type of "child support" back then. 

In 1881, Louiza Tinsley passes away young, at the age of 23  or 24 years old. According to Rosemary, Phylander and Louiza might have been married... but no marriage record has been found. I believe what Rosemary told me was the marriage wasn't suitable. I don't know if it was the Turner's didn't think the Tinsley's were good enough or vice versa... but it was an ill-fated match. 

In any case, Phylander married my 3x Grandmother, Lucy Frances Knight, on January 16th, 1879, and my 2x Grandmother, Emma Lillie Turner was born November 23rd, 1879. 

Rosa Tinsley went on to marry Alonzo Annes on January 1st, 1898. Then their daughter, Minnie Marie Annes, was born August 21st, 1923. She married Earl Ivan Rivette -- and  they were the parents of my dear, late cousin Rosemary (Rivette) Lentz. 

I actually had no idea Rosemary or "Ro" as she went by on Find-a-Grave had passed away for years. I had wondered why the correspondence stopped.. then in 2017, I checked her Find-a-Grave profile and it said, "this contributor has passed away," so I went to the memorial that was created for her and left a flower. 

She was a treasure trove of information for me when it come to Phylander Turner and I'll always be grateful to her. She sent me a couple old photographs and documents, too. She really was a wonderfully kind person and had such a passion for cemeteries and genealogy. 

If you're ever on Find-a-Grave and have a second... leave her memorial a flower, if you will. 

Rosemary Rivette-Lentz