First Settler's Descendant Mary Ellen Ivy

First Settler's Descendant dies 131 years after her great-grandfather built a cabin of hand-hewn logs here and became the first Atlanta settler to erect a house on his own land.

Those were the headlines in the Atlanta Constitution in November 1964.  Yes, in 1964.  So incredible to learn that a Georgia ancestor born in 1873 had lived into the 1960's...the years of my teens.  Also the years when I first became interested in my Family Tree with my Aunt Irene as mentor. 

Oh, how Irene would have loved to know that her 1st Cousin 2xRemoved was just a written letter with a 5cent stamp away.  Her lifelong research would have taken such a different turn in her knowledge about our Georgia Ancestors.  For Mary Ellen Ivy Anthony and her sister Rosamond Ivy lived their entire long lives near so many of our Direct Georgia Ancestors, including Irene's grandparents and great grandparents.

The reference in the Atlanta Constitution to Mary Ellen's great grandfather was in regard to her father's side of the family.  Some of that story is told in the post Cousin Lucy and Husband 'Sock' from Atlanta.  Lucy Pittman Ivy and Sock were Mary Ellen and Rosamond's parents.  Their mother, Lucy, is mine and Irene's family connection through 4xGreat Grandparents John Ichabod and Lucy Eunice Marshall Pittman.  At any rate Mary Ellen falls into this months August Ancestor Anecdote Cousin Challenge as my 2nd Cousin 3xRemoved, and her story as the great-granddaughter of an Atlanta, Georgia Pioneer is just one historically significant piece of her Genealogy.

The second of three sisters, Mary Ellen Ivy's birth in September 1873 coincided with the 'The Great Panic of 1873.  Already in a state of reconstruction from the Civil War, Atlanta along with the rest of the United States were thrown into the financial crisis which triggered a severe international economic depression that lasted until 1879.  Also known as the 'Great Depression' until the 1930's, and the 'Long Depression', the panic was caused by the fall in demand for silver internationally, which followed Germany's decision to abandon the silver standard in the wake of the Franco-Prussian war.  Wikipedia

The second born of the three girls, Mary Ellen was the third child born to Lucy and Socrates Ivy.  Her brother, Lyman was born in 1867...also a time of turmoil at the end of the Civil War, and sister Cora Asenath was born in 1869.   The family was completed with the birth of Rosamond Louise in 1876.  Their childhood would have been thought of as somewhat priviledged considering the difficult economic times.  Afterall, they were the descendants of Atlanta Founders on their father's side and grandchildren of a prominent Georgia Plantation Owner on their mother's side of the family.

Mary Ellen and her siblings were the great grandchildren of John Ichabod Pittman, an American Revolutionary soldier, Magistrate in Richmond County, Georgia, Land Barron of Historical Georgia landmarks including Pittman's Ferry and Pittman's Crossing on the Chattahooche River, as well as what was at one time the Pittman Plantation in Gwinnett County, Georgia.  Their mother Lucy was born and raised on the Plantation when her father Daniel J. Pittman became the head of the Pittman Family...documented on Tracks of My Georgia Ancestors as the Second Generation.

The Atlanta Constitution...November 16, 1964...Mrs. Mary Anthony Dies; First Settler's Descendant
Mrs. Mary Ellen Ivy Anthony, 93 died in a local hospital Monday, 131 years after her great-grandfather built a cabin of hand-hewn logs here and became the first Atlanta settler to erect a house on his own land.
Mrs. Anthony, who lived at 2479 Peachtree Road, NE, was the widow of Ernest Anthony. She was a member of Peachtree Presbyterian Church.
Hardy Ivy and his wife, Sarah Todd, pioneered in this area in 1833, 15 years before the city acquired it's present name. The small farm he bought for $225 centered on what is now a city block bounded by Courtland Street, NE, and Piedmont Avenue, NE.
Funeral services for Mrs. Anthony will be at 2:30 p.m. Thursday at Spring HIll. Dr. W.W. Williamson will officiate and burial will be in Westview Cemetery.
There are no immediate survivors...

Had we only known...Mary Ellen would most definitely have had many surviors...

her Cousins from Texas.

Photos from CollectInTexas Gal Collection. 

Intended as Period Photos only...not specific persons mentioned in this post.