Harriett Elizabeth (Waldrop) Bush
CULLMAN – Believe it or not, even though she was a life-long citizen of Georgia, this little lady has a lot of grandchildren right here in Cullman County. Harriet Elizabeth Waldrop was born on October 15, 1843 in Henry, Georgia. Her parents were Thomas Greer Waldrop and Sarah Abbel Tomme, also of Georgia. At the ripe old age of 17, she married the love of her life, Mr. Abraham Posey Bush on July 28, 1861 and together they had a house full of children.
According to one of her great grandsons, Herman Reid of Good Hope, Harriet loved the taste of tobacco and was known to smoke it from a pipe.
“Grandma Bush was known to grow her own small crop of tobacco,” said Reid with a smile. “She would dry her own leaves, crumble them up, put them into her corn cob pipe and then smoke it. She never inhaled the smoke, but she liked the taste of the tobacco. When she died at the age of 94 years old, the family blamed it on the tobacco, the tobacco finally did it.”
At 94 years of age, Grandma Bush passed away at her home in Waco, Georgia on August 24, 1937. At the time of her death, she had 27 grandchildren, 46 great grandchildren and five great, great grandchildren. I wonder what the count is today in the year 2014… I’m proud to say that I’m one of the lucky ones around town to call her my great, great, great grandmother.
The following obituary was found in a Bremen, Georgia area newspaper on or about August 26, 1937. It sums up her life very nicely and makes me wish I had known her.
Obituary of Mrs. Bush, Harriett
Mrs. Harriet Bush: A Pioneer Citizen Paid Final Tribute
Mrs. Harriet E. Bush, 94 years old, died at her home in the Bush Mill Community last Tuesday night following an illness of several weeks. She was a pioneer citizen of Haralson County and had resided on the same place for 72 years and in the same house for the past 64 years.
Mrs. Bush was a woman loved by all who knew her and she had a wide acquaintance and many called her friend and sought her advice and council.
On last October 15th Mrs. Bush celebrated her 93rd birthday and was surrounded by her children and a number of relatives and friends. Her death will occasion universal sorrow among those who knew and loved her.
Funeral Services were conducted at the Waco Baptist church last Wednesday by Rev. W. O. Cook and burial was in the Waco Cemetery. Hoyt Kenney was in charge.
Surviving the deceased were Mrs. J. H. Mitchell of Fosterville, TN, Mrs. T.C. Rabun of Bremen, W.C. Bush of Buchanan, and Mrs. M.T. Jarrel of Bremen. She is also survived by 27 grandchildren, 46 great grandchildren, and 5 great great grandchildren.
