Digging Up Your Family

Obedience Ryan Will, Jackson County, Georgia 1838

A few weeks ago I was roaming around the local antique store, and I happened across a binder full of documents from different counties in Georgia. The very first record was an "original" copy of the will of Obedience Ryan in Jackson County, Georgia, dated 1838.

John Nance and Archabald Moon

Letters

Testamentory

Georgia

Jackson County

I Obedience Ryan of the State & County aforesaid being in a Low State of Health but Sound and perfect in mind & memory and Knowing that it is appointed to all ones to Die Do make this my Last Will and Testament to Wit

1st In obedience to the Last Will & Testament of my Late husband Phillip Ryan Sr. Decd. I Request that my negroes will REmain on the Plantation upon Which I now Live During their Lives under the Superintendance of John Nance & Archabald Moon and for the net proceeds of their Labour to be applied to the use of my Daughter Elizabeth Hall and in Case of her Death to the use of my Son Whitehead Ryan I further wish that if my son Whitehead Ryan desires it he shall be supported by the Labour of Said negroes and then the Proceeds to be applied a abov directed

2nd for the use of the Said negroes I Give all my Plantation one Sorrel mare my Interest in a Cart & Oxen belonging to Phillip Ryan and myself together with a flax wheel & Loom my present Stock of hogs & two milk Cows

3rd I Give to Sarah Dyer thirty five Dollars being a ballance of fifty Dollars Left her by the will of her Grand father

4th to my Grandson Westley Nance I Give Twenty Dollars

5th to my Grand Daughter Susan Lampkin I Give all my Household furniture and my Bed and also Such Tract or Tracts of Land as may be Drawn by me in the Contemplated Land Lotteries to her and her heirs also one Cow & Calf

6th to my Grandson Lewis Lampkin a horse & Saddle and a Good Suit of Cloaths to be Given him on becoming Eighteen years of age

7th I Request one bed may be Left in the house Whare I now Reside for the use of my Son Whitehead Ryan

8th I Request that a certain Tract of Land Drawn by Phillip Ryan and Lying in the 20th Dist Early County be Sold by Whitehead Ryan and the Proceeds to be Equally Divided between himself and his Sister Elizabeth Hall

9th I Request that all my horses & Cattle which are not otherwise Disposed of be Sold and the money applied to the payment of my Debts & to the use of my Daughter Elizabeth Hall

10th I Desire that the Tract of Land upon which I now Live be after the Death of my negroes be Divided between John Nance and Archabald Moon

11th I hereby appoint John Nance and Archabald Moon Executors of this my Last Will and Testament  In Witness Wharras I have here unto Set my hand and Seal this 8th Day May 1832

Obedience Ryan

In presence of

John Park

Samuel Hancock

Sml Smith

January 8th 1835 I do this Day Revoke or Recall What I have Done as Respects Giving my Grandson Lewis Lampikin a horse & Saddle and Suit of Cloaths as he has Left me I therefore have changed my motion

Obedience Ryan

Assigned in the presents of

SM Smith

Lewis J Sharp

Ann Smith

Georgia

Jackson County

Personally Came into Open Court Sml Smith Lewis J Sharp & Ann Smith on oath Saith that they Saw Obedience Ryan Sign the Within Will and that they Signed the Same as Witnesses and that they believe that she was at the time of Sound Mind and Disposing Memory Sworn to in open Court 3rd Day of Septr 1838

Sml. Smith

Lewis J Sharp

Ann Smith

John G Pittman C.C.O.

Recorded 4th of Septr. 1838

John G Pittman C.C.O.

Copy

Elizabeth McPeak Obituary

Knowing I need to do more work on my Brewer and McPeak families, I decided to start several weeks ago by searching for the death date of my 4th great-grandmother Elizabeth McPeak. She was the wife of William Brewer, and mother to my 3rd great-grandmother Frances Elizabeth Brewer, wife of Joseph M Bondurant.

I found her obituary!

From the Courier-Journal (Louisville, Kentucky), December 21, 1893:

After a Long Life.

Paducah, Ky., Dec. 20. – (Special.) --

Mrs. Elizabeth Brewer died to-night at the age of eighty-five years. She leaves three children, Mrs. J.K. Bondurant, of this city; Mrs. Bettie Bondurant, of Memphis and Mr. Mark Brewer, of this county.

Mrs. JK Bondurant is Mary Jane Brewer, married to James Knox Polk Bondurant.

Mrs. Bettie Bondurant is Frances Elizabeth Brewer, married to Joseph M Bondurant. She also went by the name Fanny/Fannie.

Mr. Mark Brewer is James M Brewer, who I have as going by the name “Mac”.

Giacomo Pera Family

I have finally been able to pull Giacomo Pera’s family together, and I am so excited about it!

The information that I have includes all seven children that were claimed by Maria Pera. I want to thank everyone who helped me with this information!

Giacomo Pera was born on September 10, 1943 in Piana Crixia, Savona, Liguria, Italy. His parent’s names are Pietro Pera and Rosa Panzone. I am still looking for more information for them, and feel certain that I will find it!

Angelia Maria Chiarlone was born on April 11, 1845 in Piana Crixia, Savona, Liguria, Italy. Her parent’s names are Stefano Chiarlone, son of Antonio Chiarlone, and Maria Delpiazzo, daughter of Francesco Delpiazzo. I will be researching these parents, too.

The children of Giacomo (Jacob) and Maria (Mary):

-Pietro Antonio Pera, born April 19, 1868 in Piana Crixia, Savona, Liguria, Italy. I am still unsure when and where he died.

-Vittorio Steffano Pietro Pera, born March 23, 1871 in Piana Crixia, Savona, Liguria, Italy. This is my 2nd great-grandfather, Steven Victor Para. He died April 13, 1942 in Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tennessee.

-Antonio Mario Pera, born September 26, 1874 in Piana Crixia, Savona, Liguria, Italy. I am unsure when and where he died.

-Giuseppe Pera, born February 27, 1877 in Borgata Molina, Torino, Piedmonte, Italy (although his birth was recorded in Piana Crixia, Savona, Liguria, Italy. CLICK HERE for previous post). This is Joseph Para. He died April 25, 1958 in Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee.

-Peter G Para, born April 4, 1882 in Tennessee (exact location unknown, could be Memphis). He died in October of 1867 in Olive Branch, De Soto County, Mississippi

-Rose Lena Para, born September 17, 1883 in Tennessee (exact location unknown, again could be Memphis). She died September 15, 1908 in Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee.

-Mamie Para, born in April 1889 in Tennessee (probably Memphis, as this is close to the family first appearing in the city directories). She died October 3, 1969 in Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee.

I was able to find the information from a cousin named Marlo when she began linking the Pera/Chiarlone marriage.If you feel like trying to find your Italian ancestors, click on this link: http://antenati.san.beniculturali.it/

More Para Family Information! UPDATE!

Update below record.

I have spent so long trying to find out where my Para family immigrated from in Italy, and I finally found them! It was through a birth record of a previously unknown child.

In the 1900 US census, Mary Para claimed that she had SEVEN children, with only FIVE still living.

Those five would be Steven, Joseph, Peter, Rose, and Mamie.

Who are the other two?

Well, I managed to find the birth record for a sixth child, with a confirmation of Mary/Maria’s surname: Chiarlone.

AND now I know Para was actually Pera prior. Which literally translates into Pear. It reminds me of the apples apples and oranges quote from “My Big Fat Greek Wedding”.

I have attempted to translate the actual handwriting, and my buddy Sarah in Italy has also attempted, but the handwriting is a little to stretchy to read well (at least to us!).

The information I was able to get from this document:

Giuseppe Pera was born on February 27, 1877 in Piana Crixia, Savona, Italy to parents Giacomo Pera and Maria Chiarlone.

Or maybe he was born in Borgata Molino, Torino, Italy.

Google Translate tells me (to a certain point):

The year eighteen hundred seventy-seven, this day four of March in the morning hours and ten minutes, in the Municipal House.
Ahead of me Destefanis Stefano ? elderly
Officer of the Civil State of the City Piana Crixia pel ? prevented appeared Pera James of thirty-two years old farmer domiciled in Piana Crixia, who said to me that or AM Nine and minutes, of the Twenty-seven of the last month February, in the house in a Borgata Molino at ?, by Chiarlone Maria ? wife housewife with him
He was born to cohabiting Masculine sex child he introduces me, and that by the names of Joseph.
To the above and this act were present as witnesses () Peter, aged thirty-two, owner, and ? Angel of twenty-five years, the owner, both residing in this municipality bed hereby to read he () the year and with me ? ? holy THE STATEMENT ?…

UPDATE:

My mom’s friend Lisa, who lives in the Province of Florence, translated the birth record for me:

“

In YEAR 1877 , on march 4 at the 10 o'clock a.m.in the town hall .
Before me Destefani Antonio senior councilor,
Registrar the town of Piana Crixia
Appeared Pera Giacomo of 32 years , Farmer, domiciled in Piana Crixia, who stated that at 9 o' clock a.m. of February 27 in the house in Borgata Molino , from Chiarlone Maria his wife , housewife and cohabitant
Is born a baby male named Giuseppe
During this act were present Leagro Pietro, of years 32, owner, Borio Angelo ,of years 25 , owner, both residents in this town
Read this note to all present and that signed with me except the registrant that signed with a cross.”

I cannot thank her enough!

The red question marks are what I couldn’t make out, and it continues after the last one.

I am actually hoping someone can help me translate this document. Otherwise, I will keep working on it (it seems that at different size, certain words become easier to read).

Now to find child number SEVEN!

Confederate Veterans' Reunion 1901

Many times over the years I have come across newspaper articles about the 1901 Confederate Veteran’s Reunion held in Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee. My 2nd great-grandfather Jerome E Richards was the chief of police in Memphis during that time, which is why I’ve read about it so much.

Back in May of 2015 my mother and I went to visit Richards cousins in Tennessee. Surprisingly, they had a photograph of some of the detectives that were there. I had started to work on a list of the others, however, I lost in in the genealogy pit in my house. I recently came across it again and realized I have never finished because some of the men I was unable to find.

I hope by posting what I have I can not only share, but maybe others will have more information on those pictured!

DETECTIVES ON DUTY

DURING

CONFEDERATE VETERANS' REUNION, MEMPHIS, MAY 28-30, 1901.

1. PW McGuire
2. PJ Donovan
3. E Buttinghaus - Emil Buttinghaus, detective
4. JE Richards, Jr - Jerome E "Eddie" Richards, Jr, son of Chief Jerome E Richards
5. WJ Hendricks - or Hendrick. I found him listed as a patrolman
6. Martin Kelly - http://historic-memphis.com/memphis-historic/portraits/portraits.html#K
7. PE Horan - Patrick E Horan, special police
8. CL Sanderson
9. AL Chamblin - detective in East St Louis 1905, justice of the peace in Ferguson, Missouri in 1912
10. JF Alexander - was found as a deputy in Memphis in 1900 in a newspaper article
11. WE Irwin - detective from Nashville, Tennessee
12. Ed Flynn
13. JP Mahon - James P Mahon, patrolman
14. Ike Wolf - Isaac Wolff, detective, I believe he was born in France
15. MF Crawley - Matt F Crawley, I found him as a detective at Palace Hotel in San Francisco in 1917
16. WS Lawless - Walter S Lawless, detective
17. Al Ray - Alton G Ray, Fort Worth, Texas detective, San Antonio Express
18. CW McCarthy - detective from Chicago, Illinois
19. RH Kirwin
20. John Sexton - detective from Louisville, Kentucky
21. SB Humble - detective from Columbus, Ohio
22. Ed Kehoe - I believe he was born in Ireland
23. GW Bryant
24. RB Stubbs - Robert B Stubbs, detective, New Orleans, Louisiana
25. JT Barry
26. Chief Richards - Jerome E Richards, my 2nd great-grandfather
27. JD McGrath
28. MJ Conway - in 1899 I was able to find him listed as a Pinkerton Detective
29. JF Fogerty - Nashville, Tennessee detective

Back in May of 2015 my mother and I went to visit Richards cousins in Tennessee. Surprisingly, they had a photograph of some of the detectives that were there. I had started to work on a list of the others, however, I lost in in the genealogy pit in my house. I recently came across it again and realized I have never finished because some of the men I was unable to find.

I hope by posting what I have I can not only share, but maybe others will have more information on those pictured!

DETECTIVES ON DUTY

DURING

CONFEDERATE VETERANS' REUNION, MEMPHIS, MAY 28-30, 1901.

1. PW McGuire
2. PJ Donovan
3. E Buttinghaus - Emil Buttinghaus, detective
4. JE Richards, Jr - Jerome E "Eddie" Richards, Jr, son of Chief Jerome E Richards
5. WJ Hendricks - or Hendrick. I found him listed as a patrolman
6. Martin Kelly - http://historic-memphis.com/memphis-historic/portraits/portraits.html#K
7. PE Horan - Patrick E Horan, special police
8. CL Sanderson
9. AL Chamblin - detective in East St Louis 1905, justice of the peace in Ferguson, Missouri in 1912
10. JF Alexander - was found as a deputy in Memphis in 1900 in a newspaper article
11. WE Irwin - detective from Nashville, Tennessee
12. Ed Flynn
13. JP Mahon - James P Mahon, patrolman
14. Ike Wolf - Isaac Wolff, detective, I believe he was born in France
15. MF Crawley - Matt F Crawley, I found him as a detective at Palace Hotel in San Francisco in 1917
16. WS Lawless - Walter S Lawless, detective
17. Al Ray - Alton G Ray, Fort Worth, Texas detective, San Antonio Express
18. CW McCarthy - detective from Chicago, Illinois
19. RH Kirwin
20. John Sexton - detective from Louisville, Kentucky
21. SB Humble - detective from Columbus, Ohio
22. Ed Kehoe - I believe he was born in Ireland
23. GW Bryant
24. RB Stubbs - Robert B Stubbs, detective, New Orleans, Louisiana
25. JT Barry
26. Chief Richards - Jerome E Richards, my 2nd great-grandfather
27. JD McGrath
28. MJ Conway - in 1899 I was able to find him listed as a Pinkerton Detective
29. JF Fogerty - Nashville, Tennessee detective

Back in May of 2015 my mother and I went to visit Richards cousins in Tennessee. Surprisingly, they had a photograph of some of the detectives that were there. I had started to work on a list of the others, however, I lost in in the genealogy pit in my house. I recently came across it again and realized I have never finished because some of the men I was unable to find.

I hope by posting what I have I can not only share, but maybe others will have more information on those pictured!

DETECTIVES ON DUTY

DURING

CONFEDERATE VETERANS' REUNION, MEMPHIS, MAY 28-30, 1901.

1. PW McGuire
2. PJ Donovan
3. E Buttinghaus - Emil Buttinghaus, detective
4. JE Richards, Jr - Jerome E "Eddie" Richards, Jr, son of Chief Jerome E Richards
5. WJ Hendricks - or Hendrick. I found him listed as a patrolman
6. Martin Kelly - http://historic-memphis.com/memphis-historic/portraits/portraits.html#K
7. PE Horan - Patrick E Horan, special police
8. CL Sanderson
9. AL Chamblin - detective in East St Louis 1905, justice of the peace in Ferguson, Missouri in 1912
10. JF Alexander - was found as a deputy in Memphis in 1900 in a newspaper article
11. WE Irwin - detective from Nashville, Tennessee
12. Ed Flynn
13. JP Mahon - James P Mahon, patrolman
14. Ike Wolf - Isaac Wolff, detective, I believe he was born in France
15. MF Crawley - Matt F Crawley, I found him as a detective at Palace Hotel in San Francisco in 1917
16. WS Lawless - Walter S Lawless, detective
17. Al Ray - Alton G Ray, Fort Worth, Texas detective, San Antonio Express
18. CW McCarthy - detective from Chicago, Illinois
19. RH Kirwin
20. John Sexton - detective from Louisville, Kentucky
21. SB Humble - detective from Columbus, Ohio
22. Ed Kehoe - I believe he was born in Ireland
23. GW Bryant
24. RB Stubbs - Robert B Stubbs, detective, New Orleans, Louisiana
25. JT Barry
26. Chief Richards - Jerome E Richards, my 2nd great-grandfather
27. JD McGrath
28. MJ Conway - in 1899 I was able to find him listed as a Pinkerton Detective
29. JF Fogerty - Nashville, Tennessee detective

Cemetery Repair!

A few weeks ago I was in the City Cemetery here in McDonough, Georgia looking for the headstone of Cornelia Tomlinson, as requested by a descendant. I walked all over the section and eventually found her.

 

 

 

 

This absolutely, positively breaks my heart.

At first I was just angry at the city for allowing this to happen.

Second, I called around until I had a meeting with the mayor.

Then I had a meeting with the city administrator.

Now I have the go-ahead to start repairing the old section of the city cemetery, and will be researching and contacting as many descendants of the folk interred there as I can.

And that last part is kind of important. Apparently, a few years ago they were going to work on repairing the headstones. Some guy rode up and started yelling at them to get off his property. In the city cemetery. For someone that was buried. He didn’t want the stone fixed (it’s really mind-blowing, right?).

I will not only be charting the cemetery and doing repairs (with the help of a few people, and possibly some of the kids who like to destroy cemeteries –basically giving them a reason to stop and regret), but I will also be making headstones for two unknown people:

 

…as well as offer headstones for the people buried in the paupers section.

For more information on the two unidentified people, I found THIS LINK.

I will soon provide a donation link on Digging Up Your Family, as well as at The Georgia Anna Project, if anyone is interested in donating towards supplies needed for the memorial stones.

This doesn’t mean I will no longer be researching my family! It’s in my blood!

Records from the DAR

A few weeks ago I had ordered some records from the library of the DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution) about the McQueen family. These are those records (dun dun…for the Law & Order fans).

The first record is part of one I had already ordered and posted, but it didn’t have all of the information I had hoped to receive. This one does! The record gives me a birthday for Peter McQueen. Part of this records was already posted HERE, I will post it again:

Georgia DAR GRC report; s1 v473: Troup County records/compiled by Ethel Dallas Hill

TROUP COUNTY, GEORGIA

BIBLE RECORDS

MARRIAGE RECORDS

CEMETERY RECORDS

Compiled by Mrs. Ethel Dallas Hill, Lagrange, Georgia

Mrs Young Harris Yarbrough, State Regent

Mrs Eliot T Nottingham, State Chairman

GENEALOGICAL RECORDS COMMITTEE

GEORGIA SOCIETY

DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION

1949-1950

RECORDS FROM THE WOOD-MULLINS BIBLE

Marriages

Stephen Wood and Ann McQueen were married on Thursday the 2nd of March 1826

Virginia Wood and David Hill Mullins married June 7, 1853

John McQueen Mullins and Mary Griffith married January 3, 1911

Births

Stephen Wood was born 7th day of January 1792 in Lunenburg County, Virginia

Ann Wood was born September 22nd 1793

William Henry Wood born December 27, 1826 in Meriwether Co, Ga (note: Troup County, as Meriwether did not become a county until December 14, 1827)

Geo Washington Wood born April 11th, 1826 in Meriwether Co, Ga (note: Troup County, as Meriwether did not become a county until December 14, 1827)

James M Wood born January 14, 1830 in Meriwether Co, Ga

Mary Ann Wood born April 25th, 1832 in Meriwether Co, Ga

Virginia Wood was born July 31, 1833 in Meriwether Co, Ga

Deaths

James McQueen died December 7th, 1808 in Edgefield District, SC

Mary Ann McQueen, wife of James McQueen died on Friday, January 13th, 1804 in East Fla. In the Island of Fort Georgia.

Ann Wood died November 10th, 1834 in Meriwether County

Anna M Hardy, February 4, 1904

David Hill Mullins died January 29, 1919

Virginia Wood Mullins, September 11, 1938

RECORDS FROM THE WOOD-MULLINS BIBLE

Marriages

Mary Ann Wood and Patrick Henry Mullins married April 1853

Anna Mullins to ZT Hardy October 19, 1873

Henry Hill Mullins to Antoinette B Sledge, November 1880 and Lula Edmondson June 7, 1887

Births

Stephen W Mullins was born January 13th 1854

Anna Mullins was born June 28, 1854 in Meriwether County, Ga

Henry Hill Mullins May 5, 1859

Jas. M Mullins February 21, 1861

William Mullins June 13, 1865

Daniel Winston Mullins October 13, 1867 (note: all records have his name as David Winston Mullins, including his headstone)

John McQueen Mullins June 25, 1870

Peter McQueen was born September 14, 1795

Ann McQueen Wood September 22, 1793

Deaths

William H Wood, April 1868 in Greenville, Ala

George Washington Wood was mortally wounded at Battle of Gettysburg

Jas Wood died in Byhalia, Miss

Jas M Mullins September 20, 1862

William Mullins February 11, 1904

So now I have Peter’s birthdate. I just need his death date and where he was buried.

And while we are on the subject of Peter, there is a record of him (one record, but on two pages) from Arkansas. This record places him as living in Marion County, Mississippi at the end of 1827:

Arkansas DAR GRC report; s1 v146: Arkansas genealogical records

DEED RECORDS

LAFAYETTE COUNTY

ARKANSAS

PRESENTED BY:

PRUDENCE HALL CHAPTER, 6=030=AR

ARKANSAS STATE SOCIETY

MRS JOHN H HARP, STATE REGENT

MRS HAPTON PUGH, STATE CHAIRMAN

GENEALOGICAL RECORDS COMMITTEE

PAGE NUMBER: 8

GRANTOR: Peter McQueen of Marion Co, Miss

GRANTEE: Morgan Cryer

ITEM TRANSFERRED: Negro boy, Jef

CONSIDERATION: $500

DATE OF DEED: December 31, 1827

PAGE NUMBER: 17

GRANTOR: Peter McQueen of Marion Co, Miss

GRANTEE: Morgan Cryer

ITEM TRANSFERRED: Negro boy, Jef

CONSIDERATION: $500

DATE OF DEED: December 31, 1827

“ITEM”. It makes me cringe to think about a person as an “item”.

J Para Headstone

I spent pretty much all day working on the John B Smith family (his parents in particular). When I got to the point where I knew I had to stop for the day, I decided to go back to another favorite to research: the Para family.

And I made an exciting discovery!  How I have missed this in the past year, I’m not sure.  However, I found Giacomo Para’s headstone on Fine A Grave! It was originally posted by Dale Schaefer (#47452604) on March 15, 2015. The headstone reads:

J Para

Sept ? 1844

June 12, 1926

At the bottom of the stone is a cross lying on it’s side. I am not altogether sure of what this signifies. It appears that many people have wondered and it seems that many of these are Catholic graves. Answers that I have found point to the sideways cross symbolizing Jesus carrying it. If anyone knows, let me know!

Giacomo P “Jacob” Para

born Sept ? 1844 in Italy

died June 12, 1926 in Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee

buried at Calvary Cemetery on Elvis Presley Boulevard

                                   Photo courtesy of Dale Schaefer

Finishing this post up, I just noticed that Dale transferred the memorial to me!

Using mtDNA to Break Down a Brick Wall

I can’t say that the brick wall that was broken is my brick wall necessarily, however it does include my ancestors. And therefore, my extended family.

Several years ago when I was researching Ezekiel Currey and Elizabeth Brownlee I came across a website that has a lot of Currey information (genealogies HERE and notes HERE).  It was through this website that I was able to get into contact with Imogene Bennett, an absolutely lovely woman with whom I speak with roughly twice per year.

Imogene has searched for so many years for evidence that Ezekiel and Elizabeth had a daughter named Jane who married a man named David Wood. Not having found any documentation to prove that Jane was a Currey, I mentioned that mtDNA could be used IF we could find a direct maternal descendant of Jane. Enter in Doug Wood and Michael Kenning.

Now, I don’t want to give the whole story away here.  Doug wrote a wonderful piece explaining everything, with charts and everything!

You can read more at his website Tangled Wood, and see a picture of the beautiful Imogene!

Collings Clan of Mclean County, Kentucky

I have this photo of the Collings family from Mclean county, Kentucky.  I have only been able to identify a few of them.  I hope someone can help!

Front seated (L-R):

1-Jerry Collings

2-Lela Howard Collings

3-Possibly Earl A Collings?

4-Mary Baker Howard

5-Unknown

6-Unknown

7-Unknown

Standing (L-R):

1-Felix Howard Collings

2-Unknown

3-Unknown

4-Tryon Howard Leet

5-Unknown

6-Unknown

 

Another photo I have shows a group outside of a church.  Nothing is labeled, but I pretty sure it was take somewhere in Mclean County, or surrounding counties.

Any insight is greatly appreciated!