Granbery Map

When I visited the Granbery's former land, Rattle and Snap, I had no previous knowledge of how close their church was to their plantation.  St Johns Church was not only where the Polks worshiped and help built, it is also where the Polks of Maury County and the Granbery's are buried.
Here is a map I made from Google Maps that give you a since of how close and small the town of Mt Pleasant is.

Rattle and Snap Map

Secret Love Codes

Grace Gull was called to Western States Mission in Denver, Colorado. At this time Grace's divorce from Harry Granbery was pending, she had a 22 month old daughter and engaged to a man named Roland Heeder. On the mission Grace would frequently guest the home of the Whitaker family with the other missionaries in the area. Here, she met and fell in love with the son, Berlin. Grace became torn and confused. With a daughter and fiance at home, while serving a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Grace was lost emotionally in the mission field. As her love for Berlin grew, the Whitaker family did not welcome her into their home.

She writes in her mission Journal:

17 May 1923

Though she tells me to give you up, I cant and will not. Her life is almost spent, I am just beginning mine and hope it is with you.

As her and Berlin's love began to grow they created a secret language to communicate to each other. To this day no one knows how to break the lovers code.

Within five month of the May 1923 journal entry Grace had passed away. Berlin and Grace were sealed in 1967 along with Grace's daughter, Derelys. 

Grace Gull, Missionary Journal: 5.
Derelys Anthony, "Mama," Mama and Me, 1-2.

Visiting St Johns Church and Cemetery

This weekend I had the amazing blessing to come visit were the Granbery's lived most of their lives, Mt Pleasant, Maury County, Tennessee. We started our tour at the cemetery where the Granbery's are buried. As we walked up the church we were greeted by Dawson Gray, a member of the churches board, who told us the history of the Church.

In the video Dawson explained the creation of the church and all the trials it went through to keep it alive today. He also explained that this church had a tradition of being mixed, slaves and owners worshiped together side by side.

Right behind the main church was my great great grandfather along with his family.  The head stones are perfectly visible and eligible. The care taker of the cemetery keeps the place looking pristine and welcoming.

The Granberys are buried right next to the Polk family of Tennessee and the Brown family. Every headstone is more magnificent then the next.

Mystery of the Ages

Following the Washington long shooting Harry went missing in the census accounts, until He met and married Grace Gull of Payson, Utah. According to the Marriage License, Harry P Granbery married Grace Gull in Beaverhead, Montana on 2 February 1920.

In the record it states that Harry was 31 years old and grace was 21. If this was true, Grace would have had to be born in 1899, but following documentation says differently.

The first census that Grace is found in is not until 1910, where it states she is about 8 years old. There are no census records for Grace Gull before this time.  Even on Graces grave stone it states that the birth year was 1902. Which would make Grace 17 (turning 18)  at the time of her marriage.

The same mystery appeared with Harry.

The only proof of Harry Granbery's age is in the census records of 1880 and his grave stone.

In the 1880 Federal Census, seen in the previous blog post, it stated that Harry was 5 months old. Meaning he would have been born in 1979. According to his grave stone Harry was born at the end of 1878.

If Harry was born 1878 or 1879 Harry would have married Grace at the age of 41 years old, not 31 as the marriage license states.

According to family tradition, Grace and Harry lied about their ages to make it seem like they were closer to age. According to the records this could make this tradition true.

Beaverhead, Montana, Marriage License, 2096, Grace Gull Henry Pointer Granbery, 2 February 1920; Susan Anthony's Home, Provo, Utah, Utah, United States.

Ancestry, "1910 US Federal Census," digital image, Ancestry, Ancestry (Ancestry.com : viewed online 23 December 2014), Grace Gull; 91

Find A Grave, Find A Grave, digital image (Findagrave.com : viewed online 4 February 2015), Harry Pointer Granbery.