Daughter of John Franklin Byrd and Mary Ann (Annie) Woolard Byrd of Jackson, Tennessee. John Franklin Byrd was born in Jackson County, Alabama.
The land in Jackson County, Alabama, was given up to the American government or sold after The War of Northern Aggression and some time after the War, Grandpa removed his family to Mississippi. He did not go on The Trail of Tears. One parcel of land belonging to Grandpa Byrd had even been a Land Grant from the President Zachary Taylor, as proven by a Certificate signed by the President.
Our Mother, Opal Florence Anderson is the daughter of Evalena "Lena" Byrd and Covus Randolph Anderson. Mother at age 93 could still sing the song she remembers Grandad Anderson often sang to Granny, "Sweet Evalina" (though Granny's name is spelled slightly differently). She recently (January 2014) sang it for my sister Gay and me. Following is a small portion of that song as it seems Grandad sang this portion only --because at the end the original song, the love-struck boy didn't marry his Evalena; Grandad Anderson did!
"Way down in the meadow, where the lily first blows,
Where the wind from the mountain ne'er ruffles the rose
Lived fond Evalina, the sweet little dove,
The pride of the valley, the girl that I Love.
Chorus: Sweet Evalina, Dear Evalina,
My Love for thee shall never, never die. (Repeat)
She's fair as a rose, like a lamb she is meek,
And she never was known to put paint on her cheek;
In the most graceful curls hangs her raven-black hair,
And she never requires perfumery there.
Chorus: Sweet Evalina, Dear Evalina, My Love for thee shall never, never die. Sweet Evalina, Dear Evalina, My Love for thee shall never, never die."
(Words and melody composed by Mrs. A. Susan Parkhurst - 1860)
[Information and song provided by Granddaughter Nancy Opal Yankie, daughter of Opal Florence Anderson Yankie, Daughter of Covus and Evalena Byrd Anderson.]
The land in Jackson County, Alabama, was given up to the American government or sold after The War of Northern Aggression and some time after the War, Grandpa removed his family to Mississippi. He did not go on The Trail of Tears. One parcel of land belonging to Grandpa Byrd had even been a Land Grant from the President Zachary Taylor, as proven by a Certificate signed by the President.
Our Mother, Opal Florence Anderson is the daughter of Evalena "Lena" Byrd and Covus Randolph Anderson. Mother at age 93 could still sing the song she remembers Grandad Anderson often sang to Granny, "Sweet Evalina" (though Granny's name is spelled slightly differently). She recently (January 2014) sang it for my sister Gay and me. Following is a small portion of that song as it seems Grandad sang this portion only --because at the end the original song, the love-struck boy didn't marry his Evalena; Grandad Anderson did!
"Way down in the meadow, where the lily first blows,
Where the wind from the mountain ne'er ruffles the rose
Lived fond Evalina, the sweet little dove,
The pride of the valley, the girl that I Love.
Chorus: Sweet Evalina, Dear Evalina,
My Love for thee shall never, never die. (Repeat)
She's fair as a rose, like a lamb she is meek,
And she never was known to put paint on her cheek;
In the most graceful curls hangs her raven-black hair,
And she never requires perfumery there.
Chorus: Sweet Evalina, Dear Evalina, My Love for thee shall never, never die. Sweet Evalina, Dear Evalina, My Love for thee shall never, never die."
(Words and melody composed by Mrs. A. Susan Parkhurst - 1860)
[Information and song provided by Granddaughter Nancy Opal Yankie, daughter of Opal Florence Anderson Yankie, Daughter of Covus and Evalena Byrd Anderson.]
Daughter of John Franklin Byrd and Mary Ann (Annie) Woolard Byrd of Jackson, Tennessee. John Franklin Byrd was born in Jackson County, Alabama.
The land in Jackson County, Alabama, was given up to the American government or sold after The War of Northern Aggression and some time after the War, Grandpa removed his family to Mississippi. He did not go on The Trail of Tears. One parcel of land belonging to Grandpa Byrd had even been a Land Grant from the President Zachary Taylor, as proven by a Certificate signed by the President.
Our Mother, Opal Florence Anderson is the daughter of Evalena "Lena" Byrd and Covus Randolph Anderson. Mother at age 93 could still sing the song she remembers Grandad Anderson often sang to Granny, "Sweet Evalina" (though Granny's name is spelled slightly differently). She recently (January 2014) sang it for my sister Gay and me. Following is a small portion of that song as it seems Grandad sang this portion only --because at the end the original song, the love-struck boy didn't marry his Evalena; Grandad Anderson did!
"Way down in the meadow, where the lily first blows,
Where the wind from the mountain ne'er ruffles the rose
Lived fond Evalina, the sweet little dove,
The pride of the valley, the girl that I Love.
Chorus: Sweet Evalina, Dear Evalina,
My Love for thee shall never, never die. (Repeat)
She's fair as a rose, like a lamb she is meek,
And she never was known to put paint on her cheek;
In the most graceful curls hangs her raven-black hair,
And she never requires perfumery there.
Chorus: Sweet Evalina, Dear Evalina, My Love for thee shall never, never die. Sweet Evalina, Dear Evalina, My Love for thee shall never, never die."
(Words and melody composed by Mrs. A. Susan Parkhurst - 1860)
[Information and song provided by Granddaughter Nancy Opal Yankie, daughter of Opal Florence Anderson Yankie, Daughter of Covus and Evalena Byrd Anderson.]
The land in Jackson County, Alabama, was given up to the American government or sold after The War of Northern Aggression and some time after the War, Grandpa removed his family to Mississippi. He did not go on The Trail of Tears. One parcel of land belonging to Grandpa Byrd had even been a Land Grant from the President Zachary Taylor, as proven by a Certificate signed by the President.
Our Mother, Opal Florence Anderson is the daughter of Evalena "Lena" Byrd and Covus Randolph Anderson. Mother at age 93 could still sing the song she remembers Grandad Anderson often sang to Granny, "Sweet Evalina" (though Granny's name is spelled slightly differently). She recently (January 2014) sang it for my sister Gay and me. Following is a small portion of that song as it seems Grandad sang this portion only --because at the end the original song, the love-struck boy didn't marry his Evalena; Grandad Anderson did!
"Way down in the meadow, where the lily first blows,
Where the wind from the mountain ne'er ruffles the rose
Lived fond Evalina, the sweet little dove,
The pride of the valley, the girl that I Love.
Chorus: Sweet Evalina, Dear Evalina,
My Love for thee shall never, never die. (Repeat)
She's fair as a rose, like a lamb she is meek,
And she never was known to put paint on her cheek;
In the most graceful curls hangs her raven-black hair,
And she never requires perfumery there.
Chorus: Sweet Evalina, Dear Evalina, My Love for thee shall never, never die. Sweet Evalina, Dear Evalina, My Love for thee shall never, never die."
(Words and melody composed by Mrs. A. Susan Parkhurst - 1860)
[Information and song provided by Granddaughter Nancy Opal Yankie, daughter of Opal Florence Anderson Yankie, Daughter of Covus and Evalena Byrd Anderson.]
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