Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Children of James M. & Bettie Senter Dulaney

James M. Dulaney and his wife, Mary Elizabeth Senter, had nine children. One son, William, died of croup at the age of four, but the other eight children all lived to adulthood. We've determined that the above photograph is of the Dulaney siblings, and some of their spouses, but I'm not sure about some of the women pictured. On the front row is Thomas Aron Dulaney, known as Bunt due to an accident with an axe in which he cut off his thumb, and his wife Alice Moxley who is seated in the middle.

The three men standing on the back row are brothers John Alfred, James Robert and Daniel Dove Dulaney. Although I can't identify the women exactly, except for Alice Moxley Dulaney, I have some pretty good guesses. The first woman on the back row, left, is likely Willie Lee Woodard, standing next to her husband John A. Dulaney. She favors other photos we have of Willie with John. I think that the woman seated on the right is Sula Brown, wife of Dove, but I can't be sure. She also favors another photograph we have of Dove and Sula. The woman standing in the middle of the back row is likely Mary Ophelia Brown, wife of James Robert Dulaney. Ophelia and Sula were sisters, daughters of Andrew Lafayette Brown and Talitha "Cumi" Stephens.

Another possibility is that one of the pictured women is Mattie Alvaretta Dulaney who was married to Dock M. Brown. Dock was an uncle to Sula and Ophelia Brown who married Mattie's brothers. Mattie was the only daughter still living when this picture was taken. Her sisters Mary Elizabeth and Rhoda Ann died in 1924 and 1925 respectively. Mary Elizabeth was married to James Green "Tobe" Brown. Tobe was Dock's brother. Are you confused? Seems like every time we discuss the Dulaneys, we get confused! If it is not Browns, it's Wilemons, Senters, or Robinsons that are giving us trouble! Let's muddy it up some more..... Rhoda Dulaney married Selby T. Brown.... another Brown! But Selby does not appear to be connected to the other Browns that intermarried with these Dulaney siblings, at least not closely connected.

Some researchers have said that five Brown siblings married five Dulaney siblings, but that is not quite right. Almost though. We have two brothers, Dock and Tobe, marrying two sisters, Mary Elizabeth and Mattie. And we have two brothers, children of Dock and Tobe's brother Andrew Lafayette, marrying two sisters, Sula and Ophelia.

We know that this photograph was taken after 1925, the year when Rhoda Dulaney Brown died. That is because the newspaper at the time of her death indicated that her brother, James Robert Dulaney, came back home from Texas for the first time in twenty years when she took ill and died in February of that year. Therefore, Rhoda and Mary Elizabeth were deceased at the time this picture was made. Another sibling, Richard Nathaniel "Dick" Dulaney, is not pictured here. He died in 1927, and it is likely that this picture was taken after his death. By the way, Dick Dulaney was married to Alice Moxley's sister, Mattie.

It is interesting how just a few months ago we didn't know who these people were in the photograph with Tom and Alice Dulaney, however, the receipt of additional information and photographs have enabled us to identify most, if not all, of those pictured.

Thank you Cousin Rita for restoring this photograph.

1 comment:

Don Dulaney said...

Mona, I am not supposed to be confused, However I am! LoL. I am glad this picture mystery is finally solved. Just another piece of the puzzle. I agree totally with the lady sitting being Sula, wife of Dove. And I also agree that The first lady standing is Willie Lee Woodward ( who by the way I had not even considered) Great detective work (HAT TIP). The only the I question is Mary Ophelia, the reason being James Robert having his arm around his brother and not his wife. However that does not mean its so. Great Post. Don Dulaney