Well, hello, hello Ms. Mary Elizabeth Hill!!!  I am so tickled to meet you--THANK you for writing!  :-)

On Monday, May 26, 2003, at 01:00 PM, Jerry Hill wrote:

Hello!  Were your Gwins living in Wilsonville, Ala.  Shelby Co. years ago? 

YES!

I remember my Mother mentioning Mr. Sut Gwin. 

William Sutton Gwin, whom everyone called "Sutton" or "Sut", was my daddy's grandpa!

She was Ethel Smith, Tinney of Wilsonville.  They lived just across the highway from the Gwins. 

Do you know the address, or can you give me directions to the place on a map?  I'm going there in July and have NO IDEA where to start looking.  Your e.mail is a light in the darkness for me!    I do know that Grandpa Sut and Grandma Ida are buried there, and I've been there to see their graves and have pictures, but I'd love to know much more:  What did he do?  Where did they live?

Actually I do know quite a bit, all of which is located at my page for them at:

http://www.zianet.com/jmcdgwin/GwinWmSutton.htm

I would like to tell you how much I enjoyed reading your nice piece here.  I am making me a copy to place in my notebook holding the record of my paternal grandfather William T. Tinney of Wilsonville.  He resided in the area behind the Wilsonville Baptist Church.  His property joined the church property.

Does this mean that my g-grandpa Sut lived near the church, too?
 
I would love to hear from you.

And I can hardly WAIT to hear from you again!   :-)

Mary Elizabeth Hill

Best to you,
In Jesus,
John

Ms. Mary,
I cannot thank  you enough for sending me all this great information and pictures!  Now I must know two things more:  (1) Do you still live in Wilsonville, and if so, may i come and visit you this summer?  and (2) are you able to send me the scan of that old Gwin home with the people on the front porch you do not know?  I have pictures of some of Sut's family, and if you are able to send it, I may be able to identify some of them!
Oh, this is so exciting!  Thanks again!
John

On Monday, May 26, 2003, at 02:30 PM, Jerry Hill wrote:

From: "Jerry Hill" <Mary_E_Hill@msn.com>
Date: Mon May 26, 2003  02:30:04 PM US/Mountain
To: "John Gwin" <jmcdgwin@zianet.com>
Subject: Re: Memorial Day

So nice to hear from you again.  Now let me see what I do remember about the Gwins from my parents.  I have been sitting here reading all your wonderful work .  I saw the name Self.  A Self family lived next door to my grand parents William T. Tinney and wife Martha Jane Mashburn, Tinney.  The Tinney family cem. is located next to the Wilsonville City Cem.  When you enter the cemetery through the  brick entrance way you will see my Tinney cemetery area.  About one-half acre maybe.   The Selfs lived next to the Tinneys who were on the right.  The Daniels lived on the left of the Self home.  The Daniel home and the Self home are no longer there.

 

A Gwin family lived at the corner of McGowan Ferry Rd (now called McGowan Rd) and Highway #25.  Entrance to cem. there is just across the highway. 

The front entrance you need to drive on the road leading out of the city towards Fourmile community.  Pap's first home after moving from Fayetteville was just across the highway.  I will send you some pictures of what I have.  (This old beautiful home is now gone.  A tornado damaged the roof area and the young whippersnapper who owned the propeerty had it torn down. 

My mother,  Ethel Smith was 6 years old when they moved to Wilsonville.  Pa sold his #1 home there and bought home #2--I would suspect from the Self familey?   I have a picture of that home that was in family pictures.  There are several on the front porch area.  I do not know who they are. (I will send you a copy by E-mail.)  I  remember when the home looked like that [above].  My Grandmother Louisa E. Lowery died there soon after living there in 1910.  The children were young and wanted to not live there any longer. 

Next Papa bought the Jessie Taylor homeplace across the Southern railroad there in town.  Drive down Hebb Rd. about one-half mile.  The home sits off the road.  There was a nice long driveway to the street.  Had nice oak trees lining the sides.  The Taylor home was large.  I do not know but I would suspect it was in need of a new roof?  At that time Papa removed the nice two bedrooms on the left and turned the area into porch area that  he also let exstend to the front door area.   Papa fixed an upstairs bedroom for the boys room.  Oh,  I have wonderful memories of the Smith home and the Tinney home.

     Let me stop writing and see what kind of pictures are still on my moniter that I can send you now. Wilsonville is a small town.  But we are full of history.  Genealogy is my hobby so I may can tell you a bit about the place.  I lost my husband to Parkinson disease Marych 29, 2002.  We waited upon him here at our residence.  I have two sons only John Stanley lives at Gardendale, Ala.  Jerry Rand lives here next to me.  All my Tinneys are dead except me.  The Smiths are all dead with exception of Herbert.  He lives in Birmingham, Ala.
 
I will enjoy trying to help you.
 
Love always.    Mary Elizabeth Tinney, Hill