Celia Cartrette in 1910

Genealogy is a perfect subject for those of you who loved the book "Who Moved My Cheese?" That book, by Spencer Johnson, discussed how to view change in your life. Even the most unexpected of changes, according to the author, should be viewed as a blessing, not a curse. With genealogy, just when you think you have the last of the information that is available, along comes new information, and you realize that your cheese has moved! While these revelations are always exciting, they can make you take a second look at what you thought you knew.

After what I thought was my final posting on Luke and Celia Cartrette, I did something that I often do as I am writing these postings - I checked some of the web-sites that I use to see if I could find any new information. To my surprise, there was! One of our Internet cousins, Marion, had posted additional information on both Luke and Celia. After I wrote to her, she provided even more. Marion has discovered Luke's parents, two additional census records, and almost certainly has identified Celia's parents. I'll cover this new information in the next few posts.

In 1910, Celia lived with her son and his family. They were enumerated along with the residents of “Fair Bluff and Whiteville Road” on 2 May 1910. The family name is now spelled Cartrett. Celia (who’s name appears here as Sele J) is 77 years old (implying a birth year of about 1833). According to the record, Celia cannot read or write, but it does not record the reason (such as illness, loss of sight, or the lack of the skills). Also in the home are her son, Addi P (35), his first wife Victoria (32), and their children: Troy (12), Lether (a daughter, 10), Mines (a son, 6), Mary E. (4), Tiny (a baby daughter about 6 months old). Addi is a carpenter. Every member of the household was born in North Carolina.


Above: The census entry for Celia's residence in 1910.