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Descendants of
Thomas Theodore Howard & Eliza Brinson
of
Screven and Emanuel County, Georgia

This information has been compiled by Elizabeth Nash. I am the daughter of Dora Belle Howard and John Hogan Murray. The information has been gathered from my aunts and uncles, cousins, photos and many documents, especially the Howard Family Bible which is in my possession, over a period of many years. I will be adding more information and photos soon. Feel free to e-mail comments, questions, information or constructive criticism. Corrections and more information will be gratefully accepted.

Generation No. 1

1. Thomas Theodore Howard was born April 09, 1872 in Screven County, Ga, and died November 08, 1939 in Emanuel County, Ga. He married Eliza Brinson August 02, 1895 in Elam Church, Emanuel County, GA, daughter of Jason J. Brinson and Lucinda Rushton. The Howard Family Bible shows that T.T. Howard of Butts, GA married Eliza Brinson of Butts, GA on August 2, 1895 at Elam Church by Bud Arond. Witness were Joe Sparks and Olla Sparks. Joe Sparks was first cousin to Eliza. Eliza was born April 12, 1877 in Screven County, Ga, and died September 27, 1935 in Augusta, Ga. They were tenant farmers until 1925 when they moved to Augusta, GA where they lived until Eliza's death in 1935. I found them on the 1900 Screven County census living in Militia District #5. The census lists:

Thomas Howard, age 28, DOB Apr, 1872, married 5 yrs., occupation, farmer. Wife Eliza, age 26, DOB Apr 1876. Neither could read or write. The children are Johnny, age 3, DOB Nov 1897; Mattie, age 2, DOB May 1898 and Jason, age 2 mos., DOB Oct 1899.

Thomas was living with his son, William Jason Howard, when he died of a stroke. He was carried to Augusta to be buried with his wife, Eliza, in Westview Cemetery, Augusta, GA. He was a very honest, hardworking man. A gentle, soft spoken person who could not bear to hurt anything or anyone. He was very sensitive and caring. His children have told of how he spoke so slowly that they got very restless when he was saying the blessing at dinner. Eliza Brinson is said to have been fiery to match her red hair.

Notes for Thomas Theodore Howard:

 The 1880 Screven County census shows Thomas living in the household of John H. Wilson as an adopted son and farm laborer.:

Dwelling #294 Family #299

  Nothing is known about Thomas' birth or parents. I was told by two of his daughters, Eliza and Dora, that he was an orphan and was raised by an "Uncle Bud" around DoubleHeads Baptist Church in Screven County. I recently found a Bud John Howard, age 21 on the 1880 Screven County census. There is a John Wesley and wife Martha buried in Doubleheads Baptist Church Cemetery. He was born This may well have been our Uncle Bud. The household consisted of Bud John Howard, age 21, farmer; Charity Zeigler, age 76 and Sallie Robert, age 18. No relationships are listed. Charity was Charity Howard who married Solomon Zeigler. The previous household is George M. Zeigler, son of Charity and Solomon, and his family. Levy Howard, age 20 is listed as a boarder with the Zeigler family. I found documentation that Levy Howard, son of Charity Howard chose George Zeigler as his guardian. Who is this Charity Howard?

Thomas told his sons that he was beaten so badly, he ran away at an early age. He had scars on his back where he was beaten. Thomas evidently was an orphan as he said to his family and was raised by John Wilson at least for a while. This John Wilson could have been who beat him and he ran away from him. Could be that his "Uncle Bud" John Howard took him in and raised him from that time? He did travel to find work as a young man, and told his sons that he traveled to and from Georgia by hitchhiking, riding trains and sleeping in cemeteries at night. He knew that no one would bother him in a cemetery. There is further family tradition that Thomas was illegitimate. This could explain why he was treated so badly. Based on these findings, I have concluded that Bud John Howard is the "Uncle Bud" who raised Thomas Theodore Howard. Evidently he took him from the Wilson family sometime after T.T. was 9 years old.  There was certainly a connection since "Bud" married Martha Wilson.

Deborah Williams, a great-granddaughter of T.T. Howard states  "According to my mother (Bobbie Jean Howard), her grandfather was supposed to have been adopted, along with a brother, when he was a small boy by a Mr. Green. She said the story was that Mr. Green only wanted two field hands and did not treat them very well. Uncle William said he had a sister and they were raised in Screven County near Double Head Church on the Ogeechee River by Uncle Bud."

Based on all of the information, I have concluded that John "Bud" Howard is the "Uncle Bud" who raised T.T. I am still checking to find who Mr. Green was. I am also trying to find out who the brother and sister were. Recently, thanks to Juanita Howard Hames, I have a picture of "Uncle Bud" and his wife. Go to the Photo Album to see family pictures.

After his marriage to Eliza Brinson in 1895, he was a tenant farmer in Emanuel County. The family moved to Augusta, Ga in 1925. I believe it was 1925 because his daughter, my mother, Dora said that she was 7 years old when they moved to Augusta. She was born in 1918. According to a newspaper write up when Robbie Howard died, they did move in 1925 from Brown's settlement, Emanuel County, Georgia. Robbie also told the story that when the family moved to Augusta, the boys went to work at the cotton mills and gave their paychecks to their mother. When Nathan announced that he was going to marry Nell Posey, Eliza gave her blessing to the marriage, but told Nathan that he still had to give her his paycheck. He did.

Notes for Eliza Brinson:

Eliza is the daughter of Jason J. Brinson and Lucinda Rushton.   She had very red hair and a temper to match. She had 12 children and raised 11 to be grown. Her death certificate states that the information as to her name and place of birth was given by her husband Thomas T. Howard. Her name is listed as Elizabeth Brinson Howard and her birthplace is Emanuel County, (she was actually born in Screven County) Georgia. The cause of death is heart disease, hypertensive, hypertension, artericsclerosis and pyelitis. At the time of her death, they lived at 718 Moore Avenue, Augusta, GA.

Children of Thomas Theodore Howard and Eliza Brinson are:

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Children of Thomas and Eliza

Jason Brinson and Lucinda Rushton

Memorial to Dora Belle Howard

  Howard Family Photo Album