2011 Meeting Programs

March 3rd Program Details
Featured Speaker: Ms. Sallyann Hobson.
Program Title: "A Tale of Two Murders - Uncovering Genealogical Information from an Old Court Case"

The Granville County Genealogical Society, 1746, Inc will hold its March 2011 meeting at the newly renovated Richard H. Thornton Library, Oxford, NC with Ms. Sallyann Hobson as the featured speaker.

Ms. Hobson was born in Newark, New Jersey and is the eldest daughter of Mrs. Ann DeMarino Marable and the late Mr. Edward Marable (an Oxford native).  Ms. Hobson is a retired medical graphic artist with 30 years of federal civilian service and 27 years of military service in the Hospital Corps, U. S. Navy Reserve.

After retirement, in 2007, Ms. Hobson settled in southern Granville County, N.C. and is presently a resident of Stem.  As a member of the Granville County Genealogical Society Board of Directors, Ms. Hobson has continued her genealogy research and interest in history of the region.

Having presented the first part of “A Tale of Two Murders” (The Granville County case) in February, Ms. Hobson will discuss the second, highly publicized and well documented murder trial of Mrs. Lucy Pollard in Lunenburg County, Virginia that took place in 1895.  In both cases Mr Solomon Marable was accused of committing the murders.  The story of the Virginia trial later became the basis for the the award winning book “A Murder in Virginia” by Suzanne Lebsock.

Ms. Hobson’s exploration into this notorious murder and the media frenzy surrounding the Virginia trial revealed possible links to her own family history.  Details about the time period relating to behaviors and practices at the end of the Reconstruction and the beginning of the Jim Crow period provided Ms. Hobson with a “backdrop” for understanding what her ancestors may have faced.  In addition, the records demonstrate the strong familial connections between Granville County, North Carolina and the  Southside of Virginia.

The March 3, 2011 meeting of the Granville County Genealogical Society will be held at 6:30 PM in the large conference room at the Richard H. Thornton Library on Main Street in Oxford.  Use the west side entrance to the library, adjacent to the parking lot.  Please remember that the meetings of the society are open and visitors are cordially invited to attend.

All GCGS meetings are open to the public and guests are cordially invited to attend.

 

---

Questions or comments send to: GCGS.office@gmail.com