West Georgia Beacon, September 23, 1998
| A Lone Oak (and Culpepper Family)
Legend |
 |
Eleanor Willingham, left, was
presented a community service award recently for her efforts to preserve the history of a
small town. At 90, she is writing "A Complete History of Lone Oak."
Culpepper Connections Note: Eleanor has also been a tireless
Culpepper family historian and was a major contributor to Lew Griffin in his genealogy
record of the George Washington Culpepper line recently published as one of the sections
of the "Culpepper Chronicles" |
| See separate article on Eleanor in
Culpepper Connections 90-Plus Section |
Mrs. Eleanor Culpepper Willingham, of Lone Oak was recently awarded the 1998 Award for
Community Service from the General Daniel Newnan Chapter of the National Society of the
Daughters of the American Revolution.
Mrs. Willingham was honored for her "tireless devotion of her time to community
service and historic preservation in the mall community of Lone Oak, Georgia." said
Rosalind Edmondson, chapter librarian.
Born in 1908, Mrs. Willingham is a descendant of some of the earliest settlers in Lone
Oak. Over the years, she has collected and preserved not only family papers, but historic
documents, pictures and artifacts of the community. Included are late 19th century deeds
for the two-room schoolhouse that served the community until 1945, the town charter, and
the cage that served as the Lone Oak Post Office.
That Post Office has long-since closed, but Mrs. Willingham keeps on going with
uncommon exuberance for a woman who is 90 years old.
She was also instrumental in preserving the school building which now serves as a
community center and museum of Lone Oak history.
Mrs. Willingham is church historian, and is the custodian of the cemetery for Allen-Lee
Memorial United Methodist Church. She is also an author, who in 1987, published an
illustrated and indexed history of the church, and was able to then use the money earned
from the book’s sales to help fund special church projects.
The History of Allen-Lee Memorial United Methodist Church, 1844-1985, is available from
Mrs. Willingham, Route 1, Box 170, Grantville, GA 30220 for $20 for hardcover and $15 for
soft cover.
While many would have retired to enjoy the fruit of their labor, Mrs. Willingham
insists that there is work still to be done. She assists people from all over the United
States, who are descended from old Lone Oak families, with their genealogy research.
"I have always loved history," she said. "My parents helped me by having
books around and reading to me as a young child. I just grew up in it!"
Mrs. Willingham’s latest project is to develop a complete history of Lone Oak.
"I hope to have it published soon," she said.
Last Revised: 18 Nov 2001
