Discovering Our Dear Ancestors

Do you ever think about your ancestry past? If not, you should take the chance to do so! I recently just did some research on my great-grandfather, Harold Clement McGee, on my mother's side of the family. He is also known by the name "Trigger", but I'm not sure on the background of how that came about. My great-grandmother helped me understand the person he was back then by talking with me throughout my spring break.

When he was 18, first going into the Navy in WWII.

I never had the chance to meet my great-grandfather. He was born March 13, 1925, in Oxford NC, and he died January 24, 1981, in Greenville, SC. I have heard many stories of him throughout the years, but now I know more than I ever have! He was a genuinely good person and cared for others more than himself. 

A picture of when he volunteered at the Hejaz
Shrine Temple

My great-grandmother explained to me that he was in the US Navy during World War II for 3 years, as a Boatswain's mate (2nd class), volunteered for the Hejaz Shrine Temple, and worked in the textile industry for the rest of his years outside of the military.

During his time at the Hejaz Shrine Temple, he was a charter member of Hejaz Air Squadron, which was one of the largest units there at the time. The unit put on air shows and had parades with miniature planes in them!

His pilot license!

Not only was he a part of the Hejaz unit, he even had a pilot's license! It is super cool to me how someone in my family knew how to fly a plane! 

Also, my grandmother explained to me that he worked in the textile industry and took me to one of the mills that he used to work at, in my hometown, Greenville, SC. 

This used to be the old mill in Greenville, but it has been
changed to International Textile Group.

One of the old pictures of him in this same building, to the left

"He was an outside person and he loved his work. He was an outgoing person. He wasn't strict strict with the children, but he was stricter than me," a quote from my great-grandmother, Maude McGee, when I asked her to describe what kind of person he was.

My great-grandfather was happily married to my great-grandmother for 32 years. He died on January 24, 1981, of a heart attack. My great-grandmother also told me that he chose where he wanted to be buried before he died. He is buried at Graceland West Cemetery and Mausoleum, in Greenville, SC.

His grave marker at the cemetery.

He chose to be buried here because he knew of some people who were selling land to people at the cemetery. His grave marker is a flush headstone marker with a cross on the bottom along with his ranking in the Navy in WWII.

I chose to use him for this project because I thought that he was someone I hear about a lot in the family, and I wanted to get to understand more about him! I am glad that I did choose him for the project because I know more about him and more of who he was!

He will be remembered by our family by his achievements, such as being in the Navy, work, and so on. I believe he was a great person from what I hear from my family. I am glad I understand him more than before and I will be able to talk to my future family about him!

The Mysterious Grave Marker on CofC Campus!

Located right outside of the Robert Scott Small
building, lies this die on socket grave marker.

When walking on a college campus, one would not think to see a tombstone. Not just see it, but that says there is someone buried near it.

 At College of Charleston, there is a grave marker that states that Andrew Jackson's mother, Elizabeth Jackson, is buried near the Robert Scott Small Building in Cougar Mall! Why is it on the College of Charleston campus? That's the question that has yet to be answered.

At the College of Charleston campus, there are many people who pass the grave marker, faculty, students, and tourists. This may be one of the main reasons why it is here on campus. The placing of it seems kind of strange, but people will read it to see what it's all about. Even people may look up more details on it to see if she is actually buried by the grave marker.

Andrew Jackson never knew exactly where is mother was buried. She died near Charleston from cholera in 1781 because she tried to aid to Patriot prisoners of war that were held on the ships in the Charleston Harbor. Andrew Jackson asked James H. Witherspoon to give him some information on his mother's death location and how she died. His response to him was:
"Your Mother was buried in the suburbs of Charleston, about one mile from what was then called the Governor's Gate, which is in and about the forks of the Meeting and Kingstree Roads."

Andrew Jackson was never able to find where she was buried, but there are monuments that are dedicated to her and one of them includes the one here on campus. This is likely to be the most close to where she was actually buried, but there is no proof of it being here on campus as the tombstone says so. 

    

Here is another memorial for Elizabeth Jackson,
located at Old Wazaw Presbyterian Church Cemetery.

There still is no definite reason as to why there is a "memorial" for Elizabeth Jackson on the College of Charleston campus. I believe that it was because of the history of Charleston, and adding it to our campus made it more interesting for anyone who passes by it. It is probably believed that she is buried by the place that it is, but if someone is interested enough, they will do some research on it!

The other memorial dedicated to her in Charleston, SC.

Works cited:

https://www.postandcourier.com/columnists/behre-column-this-history-is-a-mystery/article_f0a6388f-dac2-5f25-ab58-2246049e150d.html

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/10225235/elizabeth-jackson

http://www.strangehistory.org/cms/index.php/popular/93-elizabeth-hutchinson-jackson-the-missing-matron

http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM4HNV_Elizabeth_Hutchinson_Jackson_Charleston_South_Carolina