Fulton County GaArchives Photo person.....Huff, Nellie P. Spivey 1878-1935 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Jeanette Martin martinjj@planttel.net November 17, 2004, 8:53 pm Source: Huff, Nellie Spivey Photo can be seen at: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/fulton/photos/gph1457huffnell.jpg Image file size: 6.5 Kb The Atlanta Constitution Atlanta, Georgia July 10, 1894 NELLIE WAS A BRIDE But Her Parents Did Not Know It Untill Told by the Constitution THEN THERE WAS A SCENE An Anonymous Letter Led to the Disclosure of Nellie's Deceit - Her Parents were surprised. An anonymous note received by the Atlanta Constitution office yesterday afternoon furnished the clue to a youthful romance. The note stated that Miss Nellie Spivey, age eleven, and Mr Bob Huff, age fourteen, had been secretly married on Sunday night at the residence of Rev. A.N. Lee, on Bush street. The note stated that the girl bride lived on Curran street. An investigation by a representative of The Constitution disclosed an interesting state of affairs. Mr Spivey's residence is on Curran street, just beyond the city limits, and when the reported called, Mr and Mrs Spivey were contendedly sitting on the front porch. Mr. Spivey was asked if his daughter, Miss Nellie, had married recently. "Oh, no!" he replied in astonishment, "she's only fifteen years old - too young to think of marriage." He was told about the anonymous note. "That must be a joke," said Mr Spivey, "Nellie has not been away from the house for a week, except to go to church. She has had no opportunity to marry." The father then called Miss Nellie to speak for herself. The young lady made her appearance presently, although it took considerable urging on the part of her parents before she would come into the parlor. She is an attractive looking young lady and does not appear to be more than thirteen years old, although, in answer to a query, she gave her age as fifteen. She was asked if she was married Sunday. "I don't know," she timidly replied. "Don't deceive us," said her mother, "tell the truth. Did you marry Bob Huff last night?" "Well", said Miss Nellie, "If you want to know, I did marry Bob last night. I had no intention of telling anything but the truth." she continued with some spirit. "Why didn't you tel us about it?" asked her mother, in astonishment. "Well, I tried to tell you today that I had changed my name, but you wouldn't believe me." replied the young lady. To say that the yound lady's parents were amazed would be putting it mildly. Miss Nellie told an interesting story about the marriage. "I am fifteen years old," said she, "and my husband is eighteen. We have known each other about a year. Sometime ago we became engaged, and last week Bob asked me if I would marry him on Saturday. I told him I would if he would keep it a secret for three or four months. He promised to do so and we expected to marry Saturday, but we had some trouble about getting the license and could not get them until Sunday. I think the trouble was on account of his being so young. Anyway, he got them Sunday and came out about half-past 2 and told me that he had the license and that he had arranged with Mr Lee, on Bush street, to marry us. Last night Bob came out here, and at 8 o'clock, Papa told us we had better go to church at the tent on North avenue and take my cousin, Miss May McIntyre, with us. We didn't stop at the tent but went on to Mr Lee's. Here we waited a while, as Bob expected one of his friends to come with a young lady, but we got tired and got Mr Lee to marry us. We told him we wanted to keep it a secret for three months and asked him to say nothing about the marriage. We came home right away and I haven't seen Bob since. The young lady was asked if she was not afraid of her parent's anger. "Oh! They would have been just as angry if we had told them before the marriage," she airily replied, "so it is just as well we waited until after the marriage. They will get over it." "Am I glad?" she went on, "of course I am. If I had not expected to be glad I would not have married him." They young lady told her story in a charming manner. She enterpressed it with many smiles and blushes, and indeed seemed to think that whole affair the greatest joke of her life. Mr Spivey said he had nothing to say about the marriage. Just then the young man came walking down the street and Mr Spivey said: "That's Huff coming down the street." Huff is a beardless youth, seemingly very timid and modest. He is employed by the Southern Furniture Company and lives with his brother on Mills street. The young husband said he had intended to keep the matter a secret to please his wife, although he had no objection, to the marriage being made known to the public. ---------------------------------- Nellie Spivey Huff was a Seamstress, and many of the wealthy women in Atlanta came to have their layettes made by her. One had her to make two of everything, and when she came to pick them up, she told Nellie one was for the baby Nellie was expecting! This child was Nellie Janet Huff. --------- We have her church bulletin about her death. ---------- Who is Mrs. Fanny M.Ray, Burial: April 1, 1924. Age 79 when died. She was "Aunt Fanny" to Nellie Janet Huff Martin , but I don't know how she links up. Her husband, J. G. Ray, Burial: July 20, 1896.Age 48. Both are buried in Oakland Cemetery Atlanta, GA in same Lot # 325 with Mrs. J.R. Huff (Nellie Spivey) who was buried March 20, 1935 when age 57. The 3rd lot from corner of Memorial Dr. & Blvd. ---------- Reason Bob Huff not buried beside her is that when they opened the grave found someone else buried there. (Could this have been Fanny's 1st husband. The one she married when 15 yrs old and went to Chattanooga on the train to bring his body home during the Civil War as had been passed down by word of mouth?) She must have been born about 1845 for she would have been 15 in 1860 or early 1861.` ----- Nellie Spivey married when 15 yrs old. By the age of 21 she was raising five children. 2 of her own and 3 siblings. Walter was 9 when the mother died. ---------- 1880 Fulton Co.Ga census, Vol 10, ED#101, Shet 18, #1: Spivey, William, white, male, age 25, Fulton Co. GA, address: 27 Corput St, Atlanta, Ga. Spivey, Missouri, wife, age 25, b. Ga Spivey, Nellie, dau, age 2, b. Ga. ------------ Death Certificate of Nellie Spivey Huff: Mrs J.R.Huff, 755 Jett St., Atlanta, GA [James Robert] DOB: May 17,1878 DOD: March 18, 1935 Cause of Death: Cancer Uterus Father: W.B. Spivey b GA [William Benjamin] Mother: Missouri Spivey b. GA [Missouri E. LONG] Info given by: H. W. Huff living at 965 Hall Place, Atlanta, Ga on March 18, 1935. [Horace William Huff] Burial: Oakland Cem. Atlanta, GA on 3-20-1935 Westside Funeral Home, 902 Bankhead Ave NW, Atlanta, GA File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/fulton/photos/gph1457huffnell.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/gafiles/ File size: 7.3 Kb