Our Family
 Genealogy Pages

Mary Virginia Hill "Jennie" FRENSLEY

Mary Virginia Hill "Jennie" FRENSLEY[1]

Female 1863 - 1946  (82 years)

Personal Information    |    Media    |    Notes    |    Sources    |    All    |    PDF

  • Name Mary Virginia Hill "Jennie" FRENSLEY 
    Nickname Jennie 
    Born 27 Mar 1863  Davidson County, Tennessee Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Female 
    _UID C9EC7534A05B44ECAB72EC5BD5930FD73B92 
    Died 1 Jan 1946  Nashville, Davidson County, Tennessee Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Person ID I27484  Carney Wehofer Feb 2024 Genealogy
    Last Modified 22 Mar 2012 

    Father Thomas Osborn FRENSLEY,   b. 4 Mar 1824, Tennessee Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 19 Dec 1881, Nashville, Davidson County, Tennessee Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 57 years) 
    Mother Talitha Janet Jane FRENCH,   b. 9 Aug 1825,   d. 22 May 1897, Nashville, Davidson County, Tennessee Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 71 years) 
    Married 11 Nov 1857  Davidson County, Tennessee Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Family ID F12127  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Photos
    Virginia Hill Frensley.jpg
    Virginia Hill Frensley.jpg
    Virginia Hill Frensley

  • Notes 
    • Text Document made in 1940 of Mary Virginia Hill Frensley on file.

      PICTURE ON FILE. COPY OF DIARY ON FILE. BIRTH:ON WHITE'S CREEK ROAD. SUMMARY FROM VIRGINIA'S DIARY: WHEN I WAS ABOUT 5 YEARS OLD, WE MOVED TO TOWN (EDGEFIELD). THE OLDEST BOY GOT A JOB IN SUTHERLAND'S SAW MILL LOCATED ON THE RIVER BANK JUST NORTH OF WOODLAND ST. BRIDGE. THE YOUNGER DRAKE BOY GOT ODD JOBS AND LATER A JOB WITH THE L. & N. R.R. ADDIE WENT TO WORK WITH A NOTED DRESSMAKER. TOMMY HAD ATTENDED SCHOOL IN THE COUNTRY AND IN TOWN. HE WAS NEVER A BOOKISH LAD, HE WANTED TO WORK AND HELP HIS MOTHER, HE WAS NEVER LAZY. HE WORKED IN A BAKERY, GROCERY, GRIST MILL, LUMBER YARD. WHEN HE WAS ABOUT 15 HE HE WENT TO MONTGOMERY BELL SCHOOL FOR A SHORT TIME. THAT WAS HIS LAST SCHOOLING. I STARTED MY EDUCATION IN THE SCHOOL OF MRS. JACKSON B. WHITE, WHERE I SPENT 2 SESSIONS. I HAD LEARNED THE ALPHABET AND COULD READ PARROT FASHION MCGUFFEY'S FIRST READER FROM HAVING HEARD TOMMY READ. I STUDIED WEBSTER'S BLUEBACK SPELLING BOOK, AND LEARNED TO WRITE. I THEN WENT TO THE EDGEFIELD FEMALE ACADEMY ON THE CORNER OF WOODLAND AND 7TH. ST. I REMAINED THERE 2 YEARS ADVANCING LABORIOUSLY, WORKING HARD, BUT NEVER QUITE SUCCEEDING IN GETTING THE COVETED PINK TICKET REPOAR. WHEN I WAS ELEVEN, I ENTERED THE MAIN ST. SCHOOL IN THE 5TH GRADE, AND HERE I REMAINED UNTIL I GRADUATED. MY TEACHER WAS MRS. LIZZIE MILLER (OF BLESSED MEMORY). HOW I LOVED HER. SHE WAS THE PASSION OF MY CHILD HEART. SHE RECOGNIZED MY LONGINGS AND ASPIRATIONS AND BY SOME INTUITION, SHE DISCOVERED MY MODEST ABILITIES AND ENCOURAGED ME TO "HITCH MY WAGON TO A STAR". TIME WENT ON, AND I GRADUATED MAGNA CUM LAUDE, AS VALEDICTORIAN OF MY CLASS JUNE 1879. I BEGAN TEACHING AT SEARIGHT SCHOOL IN NORTH EDGEFIELD IN SEPT. 1879. THIS BEGAN 57 YEARS OF TEACHING FROM ABC'S AT SEARIGHT TO THE 12TH GRADE SENIORS AT HUME-FOGG.(AT THIS POINT VIRGINIA NAMES ALL THE SCHOOLS WHERE SHE TAUGHT AND THE ASSOCIATE TEACHERS AND PRINCIPALS). CONCLUSION:WHATEVER ABILITY I HAVE TO EXPRESS MYSELF IN WRITING, I OWE TO SARAH A. WHITE WHO TAUGHT ME IN THE 7TH AND 8TH GRADES. SHE DID EVERYTHING SHE COULD TO ENCOURAGE AND PUSH ME ALONG. I MUST OWE THE LOVE OF POETRY TO MY LITTLE MOTHER. SHE WAS ALWAYS CLIPPING POEMS FROM THE FEW PAPERS WE COULD AFFORD TO GET. I REMEMBER SHE HAD A VOLUME OF POEMS WRITTEN BY AMERICAN WOMEN POETS. I WISH I HAD IT NOW

  • Sources 
    1. [SAuth] Jim Carney, compiled by James H Carney [(E-ADDRESS), & MAILING ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE], Buderim, Queensland 4556 AUSTRALIA.