Recently I was going through my "Tishomingo County Mississippi History and Families" book, looking for information on the Gurley family, when something jumped out at me.

I found an entry for Mary Gurley Bostick that said she was born on Sept. 7, 1875, that her mother (not named) died when she was 14, and she took on the responsibility of caring for her father and 5 brothers.

Wait a minute, I thought. This sounds like it might connect with Tabitha C. Loveless Gurley, who died in 1890. The 1880 Tishomingo County, MS census listed 4 surviving sons of Tabitha and J.M. Gurley: Jeremiah J., John W., James W., and Walter. Could this be the same family?

Well, I believe it is. The 1900 Itawamba County, MS census shows James W. Gurley, born Nov. 1872 (matches the 1880 census record), living with his wife Savannah, son Elmar (or Elmer), father Joseph M., stepmother Sallie F., and brother Charley.

Mary Caroline Gurley Bostick died December 22, 1980, making her an incredible 105 years old at the time of her death. She is also listed in the Social Security Death Index, so it would be easy to get her record to see if her parents are listed as Tabitha C. Loveless and Joseph Martin Gurley. (A possible match for James W. Gurley is also in the SSDI; he died in 1966)

Mary C. Gurley and A. E. Bostick were married September 30, 1894 in Tishomingo County, MS. A. E. (Alonzo Eratus, according to his 1955 obituary) was a well-known physician in Tishomingo County.

James W. Gurley married A. E. Bostick's sister, Savannah (Vannah) Bostick September 13, 1896 in Itawamba County, MS.

Source for these marriages: http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Farm/7874/marriage/marria...

Mary Gurley and A. E. Bostick had the following children:

1. Mary Lillian Bostick (1895 - 1996), not married
2. Tulon E. Bostick (1898 - 1975), married Grace Timbes
3. Bernice Gurley Bostick (1900 - 1973), not married

All of the above are buried in Oak Grove Cemetery, Iuka, MS.

According to A. E. Bostick's obituary, he did have grandchildren. I would love to be in contact with any descendants of this line, the Bosticks or the Gurleys.

Melissa Jones
melissa@satmel.com

Source: Tishomingo County, Mississippi, Historical and Genealogical Society. "Tishomingo County Mississippi Cemeteries". Humboldt, Tennessee: Rose Publishing Company, 1997, p. 215.

Oak Grove Cemetery, Iuka, Tishomingo County, Mississippi

Bostick, Dr. E. A.
10/19/1870 to 10/16/1955

Bostick, Mary C. Gurley
09/07/1875 to 12/22/1980

Bostick, Bernice Gurley
03/06/1900 to 06/30/1973

Bostick, Mary L.
06/22/1895 to 08/16/1996

Bostick, Tulon E.
04/17/1898 to 12/26/1975

Bostick, Grace T.
02/05/1901 to 07/29/1994

1-James Loveless-b.june22,1796 in N.C. d. May5,1851
+Theodosia Manning-b.July14,1804 d.-Feb.1870 of typhoid
11 children-Quinton James,John W.,Malinda,Nancy E Benjamin,Joshua,George W.,William P.,Frances J.,Tabitha C.
And Joseph B.
2- Daughter, Tabitha b-March 13,1844 d-August 5,1890
+ Joseph Martin Gurley b-Oct.22,1838 d-Jan.18,1903
10 Children-Sarah Alice,Ann L., Jerimiah J.,Xualar Jane,
John W.,James W.,Mary C.,Joseph Warren,and My ggf-Charles M.
3-Charles Manning Gurley b.June 15,1882 d-Feb.20,1959
+ Pearlie Lee Summers b-Sept.21,1885 d-Nov.10,1969
2 children- Edward Noel b-1907 d-Nov.11, 1971
+Jessie Sheffield b-1910 d-
(my grandfather) Charles Lowell b-Dec.8,1914 d-July 2,1949
+Dorothy Loden b-Feb.14,1914
(my dad) 1 son-Charles Elbert b-Sept.7,1934

1-Joseph Martin Gurley b-oct.22,1838 d-Jan.18,1903
+Tabitha C. Loveless b-March 13,1844 d-Aug.5,1890
children-Sarah alice,Ann Louvenia,Jermiah j.,Xualar Jane
John W.,James Whitfield,Joseph Warren,Walter,Charles M.&
2-Mary C.Gurley B-Sept.7,1875 d-Dec.22,1980
+ Alonzo Erastus Bostick b-Oct.19,1870 d-Oct.16,1955
3-Mary Lillian Bostick b-Jun22,1895 d-Aug.16,1996
3-Bernice Gurley Bostick b-Mar.6,1900 d-Jun 30,1973
3-Tulan Eurastus Bostick b-Apr.17,1898 d-Dec.26,1975
+Grace Timbes b-Feb.5,1901 d-July 29,1994
Mary C. Gurley Bostick was my great-great aunt.They lived in a beautiful old house full of gorgeous antiques,crystal,
and silver in Iuka,Ms. Sharon Gurley Hudson

James Loveless (1796-1851)

married first, Tabitha, and had
Milton, Quinton James, Martha?, John Wesley, Malinda, Nancy E, Joshua M., J.F.?, and Benjamin R.;

married second, Theodosia Manning, and had
George Washington, William P., Frances Jane,Tabitha C., and Joseph Bailey

Thanks for carrying the line down from Tabitha C.