25Dollie in an undated photograph.1 I've colorized and enhanced the image; use the slider to see the image in its more original appearance, or see the raw scan. I have one other photo of 25Dollie.
25Dollie Oxley
Key Facts
Snapshot:father died when she was young
Parents:50Robert Oxley
51Minerva Blount
Born:circa December 1869
probably Pulaski County, Georgia
Died:21 July 1939
Bibb County, Georgia
Buried:in an unmarked grave in the Smith family cemetery, Houston County, Georgia
Cemetery coordinates: N32.5839 W83.6622

25Dollie in an undated photograph.1 I've colorized and enhanced the image; use the slider to see the image in its more original appearance, or see the raw scan. I have one other photo of 25Dollie.


25Dollie in an undated photograph,1 edited from its original appearance; see the raw scan. I have one other photo of 25Dollie.

As explained below, 25Dollie Oxley was born circa December 1869 probably in Pulaski County, Georgia to parents 50Robert Oxley and 51Minerva Blount.

Problem: Resolved
When was 25Dollie born?

Estimating 25Dollie's year of birth is somewhat challenging, since later records show inconsistent ages for her. Estimates range from as early as circa 18672 to as late as 1875.3

However, the 1870 census is the most reliable record since it was recorded soon after 25Dollie's birth. It shows her age as 8 months.4

Officially, the 1870 census is supposed to reflect people's ages as they were on June 1st. Therefore, one could estimate that she was born circa October 1869.

Unofficially, however, the data often actually reflects people's ages at the time the census-taker physically visited their house. The Oxley household was visited on August 2nd, so one could estimate that 25Dollie was born circa December 1869.

Problem: Resolved
Where was 25Dollie born?

Although 25Dollie's death certificate states that she was born in Houston County, Georgia,3 records show that her parents were living in Pulaski County in 18675 and 1870.4 Therefore, they were probably in Pulaski when 25Dollie was born circa late 1869.

Problem: Resolved
Who were 25Dollie's parents?

25Dollie's death certificate states that her mother is 51Minerva Blount,3 and it's corroborated by the 1880 census.6

Her death certificate also states that her father is William Henry Oxley, but this claim is doubtful in light of other evidence: (1) Since 51Minerva is 25Dollie's mother, and since 51Minerva was married to 50Robert Oxley,7 one would expect that 50Robert was 25Dollie's father, especially since 25Dollie was born relatively soon (about 2.5 years) after the marriage. (2) The 1870 census shows 25Dollie living in 50Robert's (and 51Minerva's) household.4

Earlier censuses strongly suggest that William Henry Oxley was actually 50Robert's younger brother.8,9 Since 50Robert died when 25Dollie was quite young, one could guess that some other family member (namely, William Henry Oxley) may have taken on a "father figure" role, so much so that he was reported as the actual father on 25Dollie's death certificate.

The 1870 census shows 25Dollie as an infant in her parents' household in Pulaski County, Georgia.4



1870: 25Dollie's family in Pulaski County. Full page: 105 and 106.4

By 1880 her father had died. The widow 51Minerva had moved her family to Houston County, where she was working as a cook.6


1880: 25Dollie's family in the Fort Valley district, Houston County, Georgia. Full page.6

25Dollie married 24Thomas Smith on 15 November 1891.10 For more information about their marriage, their lives together, etc., see his profile since that information won't be repeated here.

25Dollie's granddaughter Joyce Sweat briefly mentioned her during an interview in 2016:11

Joyce: And Granny Collins, if she was there, and I had a short dress on, that was too short. I had to get something else [laughter]

[redacted, 3]
To protect my privacy and security, the names of certain close relatives have been redacted.

This individual is my mother (ahnentafel #3).

: So Granny Smith took up for you, and Granny Collins got on to you.

Joyce: She [i.e., Granny Collins] went to church. She wouldn't cook on Sunday. That was work on Sunday.

[3]
To protect my privacy and security, the names of certain close relatives have been redacted.

This individual is my mother (ahnentafel #3).

: Which one took up for you now?

Joyce: Granny Smith

In summer 1939 25Dollie wrote letters to her son 12Henry I. Smith. I have copies of two of the letters (provided to me by 12Henry's son Henry Lamon Smith), which you can read here:
    Letter dated 26 June 1939
    Letter dated 5 July 1939: page 1, page 2

25Dollie died of pellagra at 4:05 AM on 21 July 1939 at the Macon Hospital (now better known as the Medical Center Navicent Health) in Macon, Georgia.3 Her obituary12 and death certificate3 are copied below.

According to her death certificate, 25Dollie is buried in the Smith family cemetery in Houston County, Georgia.3 Unfortunately, the exact location of her grave is no longer marked, although there are several nameless tombstones in the cemetery. The cemetery is at coordinates N32.5839 W83.6622.

Sources Cited:

1: Copy of a photograph labeled "Dollie Ann Oxley Smith," provided to me by 24Thomas' grandson Lamon Smith on 14 September 2011. Again, this is a copy; I did not see the original photograph and don't know whether it still exists. The image depicted above has been cropped and color-adjusted; to see the raw, unedited scan, go here.

2: 1910 U.S. Federal Census (Population Schedule). Militia district 500, Houston County, Georgia. Enumeration district 39, sheet 8A, dwelling 122, family 122, Thomas J. Smith household. NARA microfilm publication T624, roll 195. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9RVP-KSX?i=14&cc=1727033&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AML24-9RK>.

3: Bibb County, Georgia death certificate 15436 for Dollie Oxley Smith, who died 21 July 1939

4: 1870 U.S. Federal Census (Population Schedule). Pulaski County, Georgia. Pages 105-106, dwelling 891, family 891, Robert Oxley household. NARA microfilm publication M593, roll 170. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-DT7H-MH?i=4&cc=1438024&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AMC3L-MSS> et seq.

5: Georgia's 1867-1868 Voter Registration Oath Books. Volume 81 (Pulaski County Book 2), page 244, entry 485, Robert Oxley. Ancestry.com ("Georgia, Returns of Qualified Voters and Reconstruction Oath Books, 1867-1869," Oath Book, Pulaski, election district 14, image 799 of 1038). Although I copied the image from Ancestry.com, it's also on FamilySearch (<https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS9C-TCXF>) and on Georgia Archives microfilm 296/34.

6: 1880 U.S. Federal Census (Population Schedule). Fort Valley (militia district 528), Houston County, Georgia. Enumeration district 29, page 52, dwelling 211, family 211, Minerva Oxley household. NARA microfilm publication T9, roll 152. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9YBH-XZD?cc=1417683&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AM8G4-DJP>.

7: Pulaski County, Georgia. Marriage book 1856-1869, page 279, marriage of Robert Oxley and Manervy Blount, dated 4 April 1867. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GPPD-XQ6?cc=1927197&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AFWCD-76G>.

8: 1850 U.S. Federal Census (Population Schedule). Division 93, Wilkinson County, Georgia. Page 381A, dwelling 646, family 646, Kinion Oxley household. NARA microfilm publication M432, roll 87. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-63KW-9PT?cc=1401638&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AMZY6-FKV>., accessed 22 April 2020.

9: 1860 U.S. Federal Census (Population Schedule). Griffins District, Wilkinson County, Georgia. Page 965, dwelling 730, family 732, Kenan Oxley household. NARA microfilm publication M653, roll 141. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9YBT-8F4?i=11&cc=1473181&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AMZM4-5K6>.

10: Houston County, Georgia. Marriage book D (1875-1898), page 329, marriage of Thomas J. Smith and Dollie Oxley, dated 15 November 1891. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSW8-QJSL?cc=2748952&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AQL8J-7RBL>.

11:
An interview at the home of 6
[6]
To protect my privacy and security, the names of certain close relatives have been redacted.

This individual is my maternal grandfather (ahnentafel #6).

(159 Fox Hill Rd SW, Milledgeville, Georgia; coordinates N33.038169 W83.293170) on 30 October 2016. I recorded the interview and later transcribed selected segments. There were six people participating in the discussion:
[6]
To protect my privacy and security, the names of certain close relatives have been redacted.

This individual is my maternal grandfather (ahnentafel #6).

, his wife
[redacted, 6w]
To protect my privacy and security, the names of certain close relatives have been redacted.

This individual is the wife of maternal grandfather. The first letter of her first name is F.

,
[3]
To protect my privacy and security, the names of certain close relatives have been redacted.

This individual is my mother (ahnentafel #3).

, 1Bryant Knight and his wife
[redacted, W]
To protect my privacy and security, the names of certain close relatives have been redacted.

This individual is my wife.

, and Joyce Sweat (sister of
[6]
To protect my privacy and security, the names of certain close relatives have been redacted.

This individual is my maternal grandfather (ahnentafel #6).

).

12: "Bailey to Conduct Smith Rites Today," The Macon Telegraph (Macon, Georgia), 22 July 1939, page 7, column 6, bottom of the page