Willam Dudley Achord was born in 1870 in Sparta, Georgia to William R Achord, 23, and his first wife, Catherine Kirkley, 26. He joined sister Ida Achord, age 2 years. His father worked in a cotton mill.
William became an expert and innovative apiarist or beekeeper. His name was well known among fellow apiarists in the Southern U.S and possibly throughout North America in the 1920's and 1930's by developing methods to safely transport live bees across great distances (e.g., across the US and into Canada), something which had eluded men in this industry until then. From humble beginnings, as the saying goes, came a man who pursued a relatively obscure vocation and contributed significantly to it becoming specialty industry that continues today.
I received William's Obituary (The Republican-Courier, Findlay, Ohio -24 Sep 1947) on 27 Oct 2020 which allowed me to validate some of the information included herein.
1880
By 1880, William's family had moved from Georgia to Langley, South Carolina and was living with William's grandmother, Mary Achord, widow, age 52. Also living in this household are 5 other of Mary's (mostly) grown children as well as a niece and a 15 year old Black female servant born in SC. All of the Achord's show born Georgia as well as their parents.
-- Mary Achord, 52, widow, b GA, also her parents
--Jane Achord, 34, daughter, single
-- Wm Achord, 33, son, married
-- Georgia Achord, 25, daughter, single
-- Anna Achord, 23, daughter, single
-- Margie Achord, 19, daughter, single
-- James Achord, 17, son, single
-- Ida Achord, 12, granddaughter, single
-- Dudley Achord, 10, grandson, single (This is William Dudley Achord)
-- Lucy Leverett, 20, niece, single
-- Charlcie Glover, 15, servant/cook (Black)
What is compelling about this 1880 Census is that the majority of the family members worked in a cotton mill, including William (called Dudley in this Census), at age 10. Most likely his father, William, 33, also worked in the cotton mill, but that is unclear on the Census record. What appears for him in the Occupation column is "son"; possibly the Enumerator simply erred in repeating the relationship (son) to Head of Household (his mother). The oldest daughter, Jane, is recorded as a dressmaker and daughter Georgia shows no occupation but is noted in the Sick column as having Bronchitis; I suspect Georgia would also be working in the cotton mill if she were well. These younger women would be William Dudley's aunts and James would be his uncle. Ida, 12, is his sister.
The question from this Census for me is: where is Dudley's mother? His father, William, is listed as married, not widowed. But there is no Catherine in the household. Perhaps she has died and the married designation for William Dudley's father is in error. I've looked for a grave for Catherine Achord and did not find one. That could be a reason for his move to SC.
1900
There is now a long 20 year gap in Census records. By 1900 William Dudley is 30 years old. I found him in Wewahitchka, Calhoun County, Florida. This is the same area his future wife, Edith Rickard, lives in with her parents (their "winter home").
William is 30, single, and working as an apiarist with a partner, Robert L Tucker, 32, also an apiarist. Clearly William made a significant change in his occupation from working in a cotton mill. From reviewing the website for the City of Wewahitchka, there is a reference to a movie made in 1997 called Ulee's Gold about beekeepers who have "harvested world-famous Tupelo Honey from the swamps of the Apalachicola River Basin". So this explains why William came to Wewahitchka, but I still wonder how he became interested in beekeeping!
In any event, living in the same town is how William met Edith Rickard. I still can't locate a marriage record, but am sure they were legally married given her father was a lawyer! Most likely the marriage occurred in 1901.
Life with Edith
By 1910, William and Edith have had 4 children, 1 of whom, Ruth, died in 1903 at 9 months of age in Hilton, Georgia according to her grave marker. This location suggests the family was living in Georgia in 1903, but I've found no records to substantiate that. Please see Edith's memorial regarding the children.
Locations where his 2nd, 3rd, and 4th children were born suggest where William and his family were living prior to 1910. The 2 older, Otis and Mary, are recorded in most Census records as born in Ohio (Otis in all records, Mary in most). My guess is this would have been in Findlay, Hancock County where Edith's parents had their main home. I don't believe I've found any records for William for the period between 1900 and 1910. It's possible the couple lived at the Dalkeith home of Edith's father, especially since it appears to be a winter home for Edith's parents. This does seem likely now that I've learned more about William's career in beekeeping.
By 1910 the family is living in Greenwood, Bullock County, Alabama. They likely made the move in late 1908 or 1909 after their last child, Catherine, was born as her records consistently show she was born in Florida.
William continues to work as an apiarist. Now that I've reviewed several newspaper articles, it appears it was in Bullock County that William gained experience and developed his expertise with bees and honey-making. This enabled him and others who learned from him to greatly expand the distribution of live bees to locations hundreds of miles from his bee farm. One article (Union Springs Herald (Union Springs, Alabama), 11 March 1920, extolling William's landmark shipment of live bees by airplane from his bee farm to northern Canada, stated it was William's development of a special cage for the bees that allowed them to arrive at distant locations safely. This article noted William had 26 bee farms within a 40 mile radius, employed 5 men, and raised 50 to 100 Italian queen bees daily for 7 to 8 months each year. He shipped about 1500 "swarms" of bees each year to locations throughout the US "by express or parcel post".
Sometime between 1910 and late 1919, William has moved his family to a new home in Alabama. They are now in Pike Road, Montgomery County where he continues his work as an apiarist. He and Edith have had no additional children, but the household includes a nephew, Frank E Pullen, 17, b GA, also his parents; and M M Richard, 73, his mother-in law (Mary Matilda Rickard). The latter is undoubtedly with them as her husband (Edith's father), Byron Rickard, died in 1911.
The 1920 Census was taken in early Jan. By the end of March, his wife, Edith, has died. She was 4 days shy of her 40th birthday. I have sent for her Death Certificate which I hope will show cause of death since she was so young.
Life After Edith's Death
Edith's death undoubtedly caused many changes to all members of the household. By 1930 William had moved to Findlay, Ohio but was still working with bees. He called himself a Beekeeper Proprietor in the Apiary industry in the 1930 Census. Hi son, Otis, is recorded as Asst Manager/Proprietor, Apiary, so he is assisting his father in the growing business. It would seem he had his bee farms in Findlay, but maybe they were still in Alabama, not sure.
A Feb 1931 article in The Montgomery Advertiser (Montgomery, Alabama), reports on an annual convention of beekeepers held at the Jefferson Davis Hotel. The President of the Southern Beekeeper's Association spoke about William's prominent role in advancing the beekeeping industry. He noted William's 1924 achievement of shipping "the first package of bees" some distance (within Ohio), devising a "special cage, proper kind of feed" and the feed container. This means the bees were shipped "live" and the achievement was reported as being replicated by beekeepers throughout the south and made Montgomery, Alabama "at the center of the Package Bee Business in the South".
It was actually earlier, in March 1920, however, that I found an article in The Monroe Journal (Claiborne, Alabama) that seems even more revolutionary regarding the bee industry. That short article noted he had shipped "$1600 worth of bees form his apiary at Fitzpatrick to northern Canada by airplane", evidently an innovation to ensure the bees arrived alive and well. A more lengthy article in March 1920 about the same subject provides background on William's beekeeping career including that he started in 1900.
Perhaps the most significant change for William was his remarriage in 1922. He married Blanche A Newton in Cuyahoga County (Cleveland), Ohio that 7th of September. William was 52 and Blanche 48. The marriage record notes his residence as Montgomery, Alabama while hers is Cleveland. It also documents his Occupation as "Retired" which seems odd since the 1930 Census shows him still working. This record is also where I found his mother's birth name.
In 1940, William is living still in Findlay, Ohio. The Enumerator appears to have erred in recording is given name as Warren D Achord. And his wife is called Margaret A (accuracy was clearly not this Enumerator's strong suit). Living with them are the two younger and unmarried children of William and Edith: Otis, 36; and Catherine, 32. Here, William is called Salesman, Honey.
Per William's obituary, Blanche died 11 Oct 1945. They are buried together in Maple Grove Cemetery.
William died in 1947 but I didn't find him in the Ohio Death Index; his obituary, however, stated he died at the Findlay Hospital. He was buried 25 Feb 1947 (this date on memorial when it was transferred to me).
20-25 October 2020: Draft
29 October 2020: Update re location of death and date of birth per his obituary recd 27 Oct
Vicki Edwards
Los Angeles
Descendant of William's wife's paternal grandparents (Orange & Martha Jane Rickard)
William became an expert and innovative apiarist or beekeeper. His name was well known among fellow apiarists in the Southern U.S and possibly throughout North America in the 1920's and 1930's by developing methods to safely transport live bees across great distances (e.g., across the US and into Canada), something which had eluded men in this industry until then. From humble beginnings, as the saying goes, came a man who pursued a relatively obscure vocation and contributed significantly to it becoming specialty industry that continues today.
I received William's Obituary (The Republican-Courier, Findlay, Ohio -24 Sep 1947) on 27 Oct 2020 which allowed me to validate some of the information included herein.
1880
By 1880, William's family had moved from Georgia to Langley, South Carolina and was living with William's grandmother, Mary Achord, widow, age 52. Also living in this household are 5 other of Mary's (mostly) grown children as well as a niece and a 15 year old Black female servant born in SC. All of the Achord's show born Georgia as well as their parents.
-- Mary Achord, 52, widow, b GA, also her parents
--Jane Achord, 34, daughter, single
-- Wm Achord, 33, son, married
-- Georgia Achord, 25, daughter, single
-- Anna Achord, 23, daughter, single
-- Margie Achord, 19, daughter, single
-- James Achord, 17, son, single
-- Ida Achord, 12, granddaughter, single
-- Dudley Achord, 10, grandson, single (This is William Dudley Achord)
-- Lucy Leverett, 20, niece, single
-- Charlcie Glover, 15, servant/cook (Black)
What is compelling about this 1880 Census is that the majority of the family members worked in a cotton mill, including William (called Dudley in this Census), at age 10. Most likely his father, William, 33, also worked in the cotton mill, but that is unclear on the Census record. What appears for him in the Occupation column is "son"; possibly the Enumerator simply erred in repeating the relationship (son) to Head of Household (his mother). The oldest daughter, Jane, is recorded as a dressmaker and daughter Georgia shows no occupation but is noted in the Sick column as having Bronchitis; I suspect Georgia would also be working in the cotton mill if she were well. These younger women would be William Dudley's aunts and James would be his uncle. Ida, 12, is his sister.
The question from this Census for me is: where is Dudley's mother? His father, William, is listed as married, not widowed. But there is no Catherine in the household. Perhaps she has died and the married designation for William Dudley's father is in error. I've looked for a grave for Catherine Achord and did not find one. That could be a reason for his move to SC.
1900
There is now a long 20 year gap in Census records. By 1900 William Dudley is 30 years old. I found him in Wewahitchka, Calhoun County, Florida. This is the same area his future wife, Edith Rickard, lives in with her parents (their "winter home").
William is 30, single, and working as an apiarist with a partner, Robert L Tucker, 32, also an apiarist. Clearly William made a significant change in his occupation from working in a cotton mill. From reviewing the website for the City of Wewahitchka, there is a reference to a movie made in 1997 called Ulee's Gold about beekeepers who have "harvested world-famous Tupelo Honey from the swamps of the Apalachicola River Basin". So this explains why William came to Wewahitchka, but I still wonder how he became interested in beekeeping!
In any event, living in the same town is how William met Edith Rickard. I still can't locate a marriage record, but am sure they were legally married given her father was a lawyer! Most likely the marriage occurred in 1901.
Life with Edith
By 1910, William and Edith have had 4 children, 1 of whom, Ruth, died in 1903 at 9 months of age in Hilton, Georgia according to her grave marker. This location suggests the family was living in Georgia in 1903, but I've found no records to substantiate that. Please see Edith's memorial regarding the children.
Locations where his 2nd, 3rd, and 4th children were born suggest where William and his family were living prior to 1910. The 2 older, Otis and Mary, are recorded in most Census records as born in Ohio (Otis in all records, Mary in most). My guess is this would have been in Findlay, Hancock County where Edith's parents had their main home. I don't believe I've found any records for William for the period between 1900 and 1910. It's possible the couple lived at the Dalkeith home of Edith's father, especially since it appears to be a winter home for Edith's parents. This does seem likely now that I've learned more about William's career in beekeeping.
By 1910 the family is living in Greenwood, Bullock County, Alabama. They likely made the move in late 1908 or 1909 after their last child, Catherine, was born as her records consistently show she was born in Florida.
William continues to work as an apiarist. Now that I've reviewed several newspaper articles, it appears it was in Bullock County that William gained experience and developed his expertise with bees and honey-making. This enabled him and others who learned from him to greatly expand the distribution of live bees to locations hundreds of miles from his bee farm. One article (Union Springs Herald (Union Springs, Alabama), 11 March 1920, extolling William's landmark shipment of live bees by airplane from his bee farm to northern Canada, stated it was William's development of a special cage for the bees that allowed them to arrive at distant locations safely. This article noted William had 26 bee farms within a 40 mile radius, employed 5 men, and raised 50 to 100 Italian queen bees daily for 7 to 8 months each year. He shipped about 1500 "swarms" of bees each year to locations throughout the US "by express or parcel post".
Sometime between 1910 and late 1919, William has moved his family to a new home in Alabama. They are now in Pike Road, Montgomery County where he continues his work as an apiarist. He and Edith have had no additional children, but the household includes a nephew, Frank E Pullen, 17, b GA, also his parents; and M M Richard, 73, his mother-in law (Mary Matilda Rickard). The latter is undoubtedly with them as her husband (Edith's father), Byron Rickard, died in 1911.
The 1920 Census was taken in early Jan. By the end of March, his wife, Edith, has died. She was 4 days shy of her 40th birthday. I have sent for her Death Certificate which I hope will show cause of death since she was so young.
Life After Edith's Death
Edith's death undoubtedly caused many changes to all members of the household. By 1930 William had moved to Findlay, Ohio but was still working with bees. He called himself a Beekeeper Proprietor in the Apiary industry in the 1930 Census. Hi son, Otis, is recorded as Asst Manager/Proprietor, Apiary, so he is assisting his father in the growing business. It would seem he had his bee farms in Findlay, but maybe they were still in Alabama, not sure.
A Feb 1931 article in The Montgomery Advertiser (Montgomery, Alabama), reports on an annual convention of beekeepers held at the Jefferson Davis Hotel. The President of the Southern Beekeeper's Association spoke about William's prominent role in advancing the beekeeping industry. He noted William's 1924 achievement of shipping "the first package of bees" some distance (within Ohio), devising a "special cage, proper kind of feed" and the feed container. This means the bees were shipped "live" and the achievement was reported as being replicated by beekeepers throughout the south and made Montgomery, Alabama "at the center of the Package Bee Business in the South".
It was actually earlier, in March 1920, however, that I found an article in The Monroe Journal (Claiborne, Alabama) that seems even more revolutionary regarding the bee industry. That short article noted he had shipped "$1600 worth of bees form his apiary at Fitzpatrick to northern Canada by airplane", evidently an innovation to ensure the bees arrived alive and well. A more lengthy article in March 1920 about the same subject provides background on William's beekeeping career including that he started in 1900.
Perhaps the most significant change for William was his remarriage in 1922. He married Blanche A Newton in Cuyahoga County (Cleveland), Ohio that 7th of September. William was 52 and Blanche 48. The marriage record notes his residence as Montgomery, Alabama while hers is Cleveland. It also documents his Occupation as "Retired" which seems odd since the 1930 Census shows him still working. This record is also where I found his mother's birth name.
In 1940, William is living still in Findlay, Ohio. The Enumerator appears to have erred in recording is given name as Warren D Achord. And his wife is called Margaret A (accuracy was clearly not this Enumerator's strong suit). Living with them are the two younger and unmarried children of William and Edith: Otis, 36; and Catherine, 32. Here, William is called Salesman, Honey.
Per William's obituary, Blanche died 11 Oct 1945. They are buried together in Maple Grove Cemetery.
William died in 1947 but I didn't find him in the Ohio Death Index; his obituary, however, stated he died at the Findlay Hospital. He was buried 25 Feb 1947 (this date on memorial when it was transferred to me).
20-25 October 2020: Draft
29 October 2020: Update re location of death and date of birth per his obituary recd 27 Oct
Vicki Edwards
Los Angeles
Descendant of William's wife's paternal grandparents (Orange & Martha Jane Rickard)
Willam Dudley Achord was born in 1870 in Sparta, Georgia to William R Achord, 23, and his first wife, Catherine Kirkley, 26. He joined sister Ida Achord, age 2 years. His father worked in a cotton mill.
William became an expert and innovative apiarist or beekeeper. His name was well known among fellow apiarists in the Southern U.S and possibly throughout North America in the 1920's and 1930's by developing methods to safely transport live bees across great distances (e.g., across the US and into Canada), something which had eluded men in this industry until then. From humble beginnings, as the saying goes, came a man who pursued a relatively obscure vocation and contributed significantly to it becoming specialty industry that continues today.
I received William's Obituary (The Republican-Courier, Findlay, Ohio -24 Sep 1947) on 27 Oct 2020 which allowed me to validate some of the information included herein.
1880
By 1880, William's family had moved from Georgia to Langley, South Carolina and was living with William's grandmother, Mary Achord, widow, age 52. Also living in this household are 5 other of Mary's (mostly) grown children as well as a niece and a 15 year old Black female servant born in SC. All of the Achord's show born Georgia as well as their parents.
-- Mary Achord, 52, widow, b GA, also her parents
--Jane Achord, 34, daughter, single
-- Wm Achord, 33, son, married
-- Georgia Achord, 25, daughter, single
-- Anna Achord, 23, daughter, single
-- Margie Achord, 19, daughter, single
-- James Achord, 17, son, single
-- Ida Achord, 12, granddaughter, single
-- Dudley Achord, 10, grandson, single (This is William Dudley Achord)
-- Lucy Leverett, 20, niece, single
-- Charlcie Glover, 15, servant/cook (Black)
What is compelling about this 1880 Census is that the majority of the family members worked in a cotton mill, including William (called Dudley in this Census), at age 10. Most likely his father, William, 33, also worked in the cotton mill, but that is unclear on the Census record. What appears for him in the Occupation column is "son"; possibly the Enumerator simply erred in repeating the relationship (son) to Head of Household (his mother). The oldest daughter, Jane, is recorded as a dressmaker and daughter Georgia shows no occupation but is noted in the Sick column as having Bronchitis; I suspect Georgia would also be working in the cotton mill if she were well. These younger women would be William Dudley's aunts and James would be his uncle. Ida, 12, is his sister.
The question from this Census for me is: where is Dudley's mother? His father, William, is listed as married, not widowed. But there is no Catherine in the household. Perhaps she has died and the married designation for William Dudley's father is in error. I've looked for a grave for Catherine Achord and did not find one. That could be a reason for his move to SC.
1900
There is now a long 20 year gap in Census records. By 1900 William Dudley is 30 years old. I found him in Wewahitchka, Calhoun County, Florida. This is the same area his future wife, Edith Rickard, lives in with her parents (their "winter home").
William is 30, single, and working as an apiarist with a partner, Robert L Tucker, 32, also an apiarist. Clearly William made a significant change in his occupation from working in a cotton mill. From reviewing the website for the City of Wewahitchka, there is a reference to a movie made in 1997 called Ulee's Gold about beekeepers who have "harvested world-famous Tupelo Honey from the swamps of the Apalachicola River Basin". So this explains why William came to Wewahitchka, but I still wonder how he became interested in beekeeping!
In any event, living in the same town is how William met Edith Rickard. I still can't locate a marriage record, but am sure they were legally married given her father was a lawyer! Most likely the marriage occurred in 1901.
Life with Edith
By 1910, William and Edith have had 4 children, 1 of whom, Ruth, died in 1903 at 9 months of age in Hilton, Georgia according to her grave marker. This location suggests the family was living in Georgia in 1903, but I've found no records to substantiate that. Please see Edith's memorial regarding the children.
Locations where his 2nd, 3rd, and 4th children were born suggest where William and his family were living prior to 1910. The 2 older, Otis and Mary, are recorded in most Census records as born in Ohio (Otis in all records, Mary in most). My guess is this would have been in Findlay, Hancock County where Edith's parents had their main home. I don't believe I've found any records for William for the period between 1900 and 1910. It's possible the couple lived at the Dalkeith home of Edith's father, especially since it appears to be a winter home for Edith's parents. This does seem likely now that I've learned more about William's career in beekeeping.
By 1910 the family is living in Greenwood, Bullock County, Alabama. They likely made the move in late 1908 or 1909 after their last child, Catherine, was born as her records consistently show she was born in Florida.
William continues to work as an apiarist. Now that I've reviewed several newspaper articles, it appears it was in Bullock County that William gained experience and developed his expertise with bees and honey-making. This enabled him and others who learned from him to greatly expand the distribution of live bees to locations hundreds of miles from his bee farm. One article (Union Springs Herald (Union Springs, Alabama), 11 March 1920, extolling William's landmark shipment of live bees by airplane from his bee farm to northern Canada, stated it was William's development of a special cage for the bees that allowed them to arrive at distant locations safely. This article noted William had 26 bee farms within a 40 mile radius, employed 5 men, and raised 50 to 100 Italian queen bees daily for 7 to 8 months each year. He shipped about 1500 "swarms" of bees each year to locations throughout the US "by express or parcel post".
Sometime between 1910 and late 1919, William has moved his family to a new home in Alabama. They are now in Pike Road, Montgomery County where he continues his work as an apiarist. He and Edith have had no additional children, but the household includes a nephew, Frank E Pullen, 17, b GA, also his parents; and M M Richard, 73, his mother-in law (Mary Matilda Rickard). The latter is undoubtedly with them as her husband (Edith's father), Byron Rickard, died in 1911.
The 1920 Census was taken in early Jan. By the end of March, his wife, Edith, has died. She was 4 days shy of her 40th birthday. I have sent for her Death Certificate which I hope will show cause of death since she was so young.
Life After Edith's Death
Edith's death undoubtedly caused many changes to all members of the household. By 1930 William had moved to Findlay, Ohio but was still working with bees. He called himself a Beekeeper Proprietor in the Apiary industry in the 1930 Census. Hi son, Otis, is recorded as Asst Manager/Proprietor, Apiary, so he is assisting his father in the growing business. It would seem he had his bee farms in Findlay, but maybe they were still in Alabama, not sure.
A Feb 1931 article in The Montgomery Advertiser (Montgomery, Alabama), reports on an annual convention of beekeepers held at the Jefferson Davis Hotel. The President of the Southern Beekeeper's Association spoke about William's prominent role in advancing the beekeeping industry. He noted William's 1924 achievement of shipping "the first package of bees" some distance (within Ohio), devising a "special cage, proper kind of feed" and the feed container. This means the bees were shipped "live" and the achievement was reported as being replicated by beekeepers throughout the south and made Montgomery, Alabama "at the center of the Package Bee Business in the South".
It was actually earlier, in March 1920, however, that I found an article in The Monroe Journal (Claiborne, Alabama) that seems even more revolutionary regarding the bee industry. That short article noted he had shipped "$1600 worth of bees form his apiary at Fitzpatrick to northern Canada by airplane", evidently an innovation to ensure the bees arrived alive and well. A more lengthy article in March 1920 about the same subject provides background on William's beekeeping career including that he started in 1900.
Perhaps the most significant change for William was his remarriage in 1922. He married Blanche A Newton in Cuyahoga County (Cleveland), Ohio that 7th of September. William was 52 and Blanche 48. The marriage record notes his residence as Montgomery, Alabama while hers is Cleveland. It also documents his Occupation as "Retired" which seems odd since the 1930 Census shows him still working. This record is also where I found his mother's birth name.
In 1940, William is living still in Findlay, Ohio. The Enumerator appears to have erred in recording is given name as Warren D Achord. And his wife is called Margaret A (accuracy was clearly not this Enumerator's strong suit). Living with them are the two younger and unmarried children of William and Edith: Otis, 36; and Catherine, 32. Here, William is called Salesman, Honey.
Per William's obituary, Blanche died 11 Oct 1945. They are buried together in Maple Grove Cemetery.
William died in 1947 but I didn't find him in the Ohio Death Index; his obituary, however, stated he died at the Findlay Hospital. He was buried 25 Feb 1947 (this date on memorial when it was transferred to me).
20-25 October 2020: Draft
29 October 2020: Update re location of death and date of birth per his obituary recd 27 Oct
Vicki Edwards
Los Angeles
Descendant of William's wife's paternal grandparents (Orange & Martha Jane Rickard)
William became an expert and innovative apiarist or beekeeper. His name was well known among fellow apiarists in the Southern U.S and possibly throughout North America in the 1920's and 1930's by developing methods to safely transport live bees across great distances (e.g., across the US and into Canada), something which had eluded men in this industry until then. From humble beginnings, as the saying goes, came a man who pursued a relatively obscure vocation and contributed significantly to it becoming specialty industry that continues today.
I received William's Obituary (The Republican-Courier, Findlay, Ohio -24 Sep 1947) on 27 Oct 2020 which allowed me to validate some of the information included herein.
1880
By 1880, William's family had moved from Georgia to Langley, South Carolina and was living with William's grandmother, Mary Achord, widow, age 52. Also living in this household are 5 other of Mary's (mostly) grown children as well as a niece and a 15 year old Black female servant born in SC. All of the Achord's show born Georgia as well as their parents.
-- Mary Achord, 52, widow, b GA, also her parents
--Jane Achord, 34, daughter, single
-- Wm Achord, 33, son, married
-- Georgia Achord, 25, daughter, single
-- Anna Achord, 23, daughter, single
-- Margie Achord, 19, daughter, single
-- James Achord, 17, son, single
-- Ida Achord, 12, granddaughter, single
-- Dudley Achord, 10, grandson, single (This is William Dudley Achord)
-- Lucy Leverett, 20, niece, single
-- Charlcie Glover, 15, servant/cook (Black)
What is compelling about this 1880 Census is that the majority of the family members worked in a cotton mill, including William (called Dudley in this Census), at age 10. Most likely his father, William, 33, also worked in the cotton mill, but that is unclear on the Census record. What appears for him in the Occupation column is "son"; possibly the Enumerator simply erred in repeating the relationship (son) to Head of Household (his mother). The oldest daughter, Jane, is recorded as a dressmaker and daughter Georgia shows no occupation but is noted in the Sick column as having Bronchitis; I suspect Georgia would also be working in the cotton mill if she were well. These younger women would be William Dudley's aunts and James would be his uncle. Ida, 12, is his sister.
The question from this Census for me is: where is Dudley's mother? His father, William, is listed as married, not widowed. But there is no Catherine in the household. Perhaps she has died and the married designation for William Dudley's father is in error. I've looked for a grave for Catherine Achord and did not find one. That could be a reason for his move to SC.
1900
There is now a long 20 year gap in Census records. By 1900 William Dudley is 30 years old. I found him in Wewahitchka, Calhoun County, Florida. This is the same area his future wife, Edith Rickard, lives in with her parents (their "winter home").
William is 30, single, and working as an apiarist with a partner, Robert L Tucker, 32, also an apiarist. Clearly William made a significant change in his occupation from working in a cotton mill. From reviewing the website for the City of Wewahitchka, there is a reference to a movie made in 1997 called Ulee's Gold about beekeepers who have "harvested world-famous Tupelo Honey from the swamps of the Apalachicola River Basin". So this explains why William came to Wewahitchka, but I still wonder how he became interested in beekeeping!
In any event, living in the same town is how William met Edith Rickard. I still can't locate a marriage record, but am sure they were legally married given her father was a lawyer! Most likely the marriage occurred in 1901.
Life with Edith
By 1910, William and Edith have had 4 children, 1 of whom, Ruth, died in 1903 at 9 months of age in Hilton, Georgia according to her grave marker. This location suggests the family was living in Georgia in 1903, but I've found no records to substantiate that. Please see Edith's memorial regarding the children.
Locations where his 2nd, 3rd, and 4th children were born suggest where William and his family were living prior to 1910. The 2 older, Otis and Mary, are recorded in most Census records as born in Ohio (Otis in all records, Mary in most). My guess is this would have been in Findlay, Hancock County where Edith's parents had their main home. I don't believe I've found any records for William for the period between 1900 and 1910. It's possible the couple lived at the Dalkeith home of Edith's father, especially since it appears to be a winter home for Edith's parents. This does seem likely now that I've learned more about William's career in beekeeping.
By 1910 the family is living in Greenwood, Bullock County, Alabama. They likely made the move in late 1908 or 1909 after their last child, Catherine, was born as her records consistently show she was born in Florida.
William continues to work as an apiarist. Now that I've reviewed several newspaper articles, it appears it was in Bullock County that William gained experience and developed his expertise with bees and honey-making. This enabled him and others who learned from him to greatly expand the distribution of live bees to locations hundreds of miles from his bee farm. One article (Union Springs Herald (Union Springs, Alabama), 11 March 1920, extolling William's landmark shipment of live bees by airplane from his bee farm to northern Canada, stated it was William's development of a special cage for the bees that allowed them to arrive at distant locations safely. This article noted William had 26 bee farms within a 40 mile radius, employed 5 men, and raised 50 to 100 Italian queen bees daily for 7 to 8 months each year. He shipped about 1500 "swarms" of bees each year to locations throughout the US "by express or parcel post".
Sometime between 1910 and late 1919, William has moved his family to a new home in Alabama. They are now in Pike Road, Montgomery County where he continues his work as an apiarist. He and Edith have had no additional children, but the household includes a nephew, Frank E Pullen, 17, b GA, also his parents; and M M Richard, 73, his mother-in law (Mary Matilda Rickard). The latter is undoubtedly with them as her husband (Edith's father), Byron Rickard, died in 1911.
The 1920 Census was taken in early Jan. By the end of March, his wife, Edith, has died. She was 4 days shy of her 40th birthday. I have sent for her Death Certificate which I hope will show cause of death since she was so young.
Life After Edith's Death
Edith's death undoubtedly caused many changes to all members of the household. By 1930 William had moved to Findlay, Ohio but was still working with bees. He called himself a Beekeeper Proprietor in the Apiary industry in the 1930 Census. Hi son, Otis, is recorded as Asst Manager/Proprietor, Apiary, so he is assisting his father in the growing business. It would seem he had his bee farms in Findlay, but maybe they were still in Alabama, not sure.
A Feb 1931 article in The Montgomery Advertiser (Montgomery, Alabama), reports on an annual convention of beekeepers held at the Jefferson Davis Hotel. The President of the Southern Beekeeper's Association spoke about William's prominent role in advancing the beekeeping industry. He noted William's 1924 achievement of shipping "the first package of bees" some distance (within Ohio), devising a "special cage, proper kind of feed" and the feed container. This means the bees were shipped "live" and the achievement was reported as being replicated by beekeepers throughout the south and made Montgomery, Alabama "at the center of the Package Bee Business in the South".
It was actually earlier, in March 1920, however, that I found an article in The Monroe Journal (Claiborne, Alabama) that seems even more revolutionary regarding the bee industry. That short article noted he had shipped "$1600 worth of bees form his apiary at Fitzpatrick to northern Canada by airplane", evidently an innovation to ensure the bees arrived alive and well. A more lengthy article in March 1920 about the same subject provides background on William's beekeeping career including that he started in 1900.
Perhaps the most significant change for William was his remarriage in 1922. He married Blanche A Newton in Cuyahoga County (Cleveland), Ohio that 7th of September. William was 52 and Blanche 48. The marriage record notes his residence as Montgomery, Alabama while hers is Cleveland. It also documents his Occupation as "Retired" which seems odd since the 1930 Census shows him still working. This record is also where I found his mother's birth name.
In 1940, William is living still in Findlay, Ohio. The Enumerator appears to have erred in recording is given name as Warren D Achord. And his wife is called Margaret A (accuracy was clearly not this Enumerator's strong suit). Living with them are the two younger and unmarried children of William and Edith: Otis, 36; and Catherine, 32. Here, William is called Salesman, Honey.
Per William's obituary, Blanche died 11 Oct 1945. They are buried together in Maple Grove Cemetery.
William died in 1947 but I didn't find him in the Ohio Death Index; his obituary, however, stated he died at the Findlay Hospital. He was buried 25 Feb 1947 (this date on memorial when it was transferred to me).
20-25 October 2020: Draft
29 October 2020: Update re location of death and date of birth per his obituary recd 27 Oct
Vicki Edwards
Los Angeles
Descendant of William's wife's paternal grandparents (Orange & Martha Jane Rickard)
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