Digging Up Your Family

Malcolm G McMillan and the Answer to a Mystery. Almost.

So, the other day my mother reposted photos from the Scottish Genealogy Facebook page of Kilmory Chapel near Ardnamurchan, in Argyll.

(Source)

She was pondering if “our” McMillans may have been part of this particular MacMillan family.

So, just like last time when she mentioned the McMillans, I decided to just do a quick little search.  And I was able to somewhat solve a mystery! 

(just remember, kids: never give up!  You WILL eventually find something of interest!)

Let’s step back a handful of years ago. 

I wrote a post about Malcolm G McMillan and Minerva Worsham back in 2011.  At the time I had their marriage date and location (January 19, 1831 in Maury County, Tennessee).  However, I couldn’t figure out their parents.  I had narrowed Minerva’s possible folks down to Daniel Worsham and wife Liddy Hardeman.  And I had also narrowed Malcolm’s possible father down to Alexander McMillan.  At least one of those is correct!

In 1850, Alexander McMillan and his wife Sarah are found living in Maury County, Tennessee with son Archibald and daughter-in-law (?) Lovely Jane Agnes McMillan.  But who is Sarah?  What was her maiden name?  It didn’t take long for me to come across a transcription of the will of Malcolm Gilchrist (1744-1821) in Maury County, Tennessee.  Unfortunately, the name of the person who posted it is “Private”, but the information concerning the will came from Mrs. Nelda Stephenson (I had contact with her through email, lovely woman!).  The will reads, in part (the full transcription can be read here):

WILL OF MALCOLM GILCHRIST, SR (1744-1822) Maury County, Tennessee:

Recorded Sept 24 1824

In the name of God, Amen.

I, MALCOLM GILCHRIST, SR, of Maury County in the State of Tennessee, being of sound mind and disposing memory, also of usual good health; but being aware of the uncertainty of human life and being desirous of disposing of all my worldly substances with which it has pleased God to help me, do, make and ordain, publish and declare. This is my last will and testament, hereby revoking all other heretofore made, published, or declared by me at anytime or place whatsoever…

…ITEM 5th I will and bequeath to my daughter, SARAH MCMILLAN, one hundred acres of land beginning at the beginning corner of the original survey on which I live for another thousand acres to run West and South to Duncan Gilchrist's North boundary lines so as to include one hundred acres and the improvement where she now lives, also one Negro girl slave named Phillis which I gave her when she was married, to her and her heirs forever…

…ITEM 12th: I give and bequeath to my nephew, MALCOLM GILCHRIST MCMILLAN, son of Sarah McMillan, one Negro boy slave named Dock to him and his heirs forever…

Now, I am not sure if the designation of “nephew” for Malcolm Gilchrist McMillan was a transcription error, or if it was error in the writing of the will (there are several Malcolm Gilchrists, one or two are actually nephews).  However, I now know that Sarah Martha Gilchrist married Alexander McMillan (still on the lookout for the marriage date).  And that their son is Malcolm Gilchrist McMillan who married Minerva Worsham.

To further cement that Sarah Martha Gilchrist married Alexander McMillan are two news article transcriptions.  According to the 1850 US Mortality Schedule, Alexander McMillan died in January 1850 of old age.  Appearing in The Maury Express, Vol. I, No. 27, Wednesday, July 4, 1860:

ORDER OF PUBLICATION—CIRCUIT COURT RULES. E. SKAW and wife and others vs A.J. McMillan and other.  In this cause it appears that INCHABOD CARTER and wife, MARTHA J., ALEXANDER J. McMILLAN, DAVID B. McMILLAN, ELIZA P. McMILLAN, AUGUS A. McMILLAN and MALCOLM McMILLAN, defendants in said petition to sell Land are non-residents of the State of Tennessee.  SAMUEL P. McGAW. CLERK CIRCUIT COURT, M.C.

The in The Maury Press, Vol. I, No. 37, Wednesday, September 12, 1860:

PUBLIC SALE ON THE PREMISES—EBENEZER SHAW and wife and others vs A.J. McMillan and others.  AUGUST TERM RULING, MAURY COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT.  Will sell, on premises, on Friday, 12th October, 1860, being the late residence of ALEXANDER and SARAH McMillen, near the town of Columbia, a parcel of land, One Hundred Acres, adjoining the lands of SAMUEL GRIFFITH, BOWN, LINDSEY, MORSE, DR. JORDAN, SETLE R. KETELL and others.  Also at the same time, I will sell to the highest bidder, and old Negro woman named PHILLIS.  SAM’L P. McGAW, clerk. 

PHILLIS!

There is a lot written about the Gilchrist family, but those are posts for other days (I will say, though, that “my” Gilchrist family appear to have come over from the Kintyre Peninsula at Argyll, Scotland).  Right now, I want to get to something exciting!

(please note, information below is simply a working theory right now, so don’t hold me to it!  Yet!)

In 1871, Spencer DeMumbrie married his third (known) wife Effee Jane Gilchrist.  The question has always been “Who is Effee Jane Gilchrist and where did she come from?” (that’s two questions, but anyway…).

The above Sarah Martha Gilchrist McMillan had a brother by the name of Duncan Gilchrist.  If this name sounds familiar, it should.  Back in 2012, I wrote about Duncan briefly:

Oh, and I am still on the lookout for Effee Jane Gilchrist’s family.  I think I may have narrowed it down to a 3-year-old Effa Gilchrist living in the Duncan and Effa Gilchrist household (they would have been her grandparents, I think) in 1850 in District 1, Decatur County, Tennessee.  The birth year is off by 5 years compared to the 1870 census, but the state of birth is the same and it’s the closest I have been able to find.  I would love some insight into this from someone who has researched the Duncan Gilchrist family.

Although the birth years may be off, I am at least 99.5% certain that three-year old Effa Gilchrist is Effee Jane Gilchrist.  If we ASSUME that the Caroline Gilchrist listed three lines above little Effa is her mother, and if we ASSUME that Caroline is a widow of a Duncan Gilchrist son (only assumptions can be made at this point, really…) then:

Effee Jane Gilchrist is the second cousin of Cornelia Ann McMillan, Spencer DeMumbrie’s second (known) wife!

Now, to find the documentation to support my theory!

Spencer DeMumbrie and Ellen Watson

I found something today that I haven’t heard before, nor have I run across it in my research…so I’m not really sure if anyone else has discovered it.  It definitely leads to further research, that’s for sure.

Ok, so I don’t have a marriage date for Spencer DeMumbrie and Cornelia Ann McMillen/McMillan.  I’m not sure if they married in Tennessee or Mississippi.  I thought at first it was probably Tennessee, in Shelby County, since that’s where Cornelia was living when the 1850 census was enumerated.  But then, of course, if Spencer was living in Mississippi when they married then it may have been there, since her parents are found on the 1860 census in the same county as Spencer and Cornelia. 

The easiest place to start looking is Shelby County, Tennessee since it’s online.  So I start searching, not knowing exactly what year to look for, just knowing they married sometime in the 1850s.  To my surprise I did find a marriage record for Spencer.  Even more surprising the marriage was not to Cornelia.

On December 7, 1848 Spencer DeMumbrie married a woman named Ellen Watson in Shelby County, Tennessee.  And whose name appears on the marriage record, I assume as bondsman?  One MG McMillen/McMillan, Cornelia Ann McMillen/McMillan’s father.

Ok, so that’s pretty strange.  I never knew anything about Spencer having been married prior to Cornelia.  This means that Spencer was married (at least) three times:  Ellen Watson in 1848, Cornelia Ann McMillen/McMillan sometime in the 1850s and Effie Jane Gilchrist in 1871.

So wait, he married Ellen in 1848 and then married Cornelia within 10 years?  Yes, because the next document I found concerned Spencer dealing with Ellen's estate…within six months of their marriage.  Yup, that’s right, Ellen was deceased by June of 1849.  I’m not certain when exactly she died, or how…or even where she is buried…but I found the entire situation odd.  Dealing with her estate stretched out for several years, with Spencer paying off the last of her debts, as far as I can tell, in October of 1852.  (note:  pages from the settlement of the estate will be posted at a later date)

So who is Ellen Watson?  Where did she come from?  Is she related to the McMillen/McMillan family?  How did she die?  Where is she buried?

Another interesting little tidbit I found:  Spencer appears on the 1850 census in both Davidson County, Tennessee (with his grandmother) and in Shelby County, Tennessee living with a Lewis family.  My mother said it is probably when he was working on the river.

I still don’t have a marriage record for Spencer and Cornelia.

I Have An Overactive Imagination

So, I have been searching and searching for what possibly could have happened to (John) Spencer DeMumbrie and his second wife Effee Jane Gilchrist.  And as usual I am coming up empty handed.  The thought is that Spencer may be buried in Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee somewhere.  Or maybe he is buried in Cheatham County, Tennessee on the land that his father Jean Baptiste Demonbreun and grandmother Elizabeth Bennett Durrat (or whatever her actual married surname was) is buried (and possibly his grandfather Timothy Demonbreun, but no one actually knows where that guy is buried, either). 

This isn’t a life post for Spencer, but there is some background information.

Facts about (John) Spencer DeMumbrie:

• He was born in 1821 in Nashville, Tennessee
• He lived in Nashville, Tennessee in 1850 with his brother and grandmother (who, by the way, was listed as being 105 years of age….just wait until I do a post on her!)
• Spencer married Cornelia Ann McMillan sometime between 1850 and 1858
• They had daughter Minnie in 1858
• 1860 living in Tunica, Tunica County, Mississippi
• 1870 Cornelia had died
• 1870 Jane Gilchrist shows up on the census with Spencer and Minnie
• 1872 Spencer marries Effee Jane Gilchrist (I still have not figured out where this woman came from)
• Spencer and Effee Jane are never heard from again
• Minnie marries Jerome E Richards, Sr in 1878 in Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee

Ok, so those are some facts.  Some other facts that I have that my aunt had written down that I have not been able to find the records for are:

• Apparently in 1872 Spencer put some land into a trust fund for Minnie.  The records were supposedly done in Shelby County, Tennessee.  I am still searching for these records.  My aunt wrote that Spencer’s handwriting was so shaky it is presumed that he was either very sick or dying.
• My aunt also wrote that Minnie and Jerome sold the land in the trust fund to M.S. Leatherman in 1902.  As of the time she wrote this down (I’m guessing about 10-12 years ago) the Leatherman family still owned the land.  It was in Commerce Landing, Mississippi.  (which, just for S&G I looked up Commerce Landing, Mississippi and it’s Tunica alright, just as I suspected.  What made it amusing to me is that Google Maps has the marker sitting in the Mississippi River, rather than at least on shore…you know, like a landing).

So those are the facts as I know them, short and sweet.

Now for some speculations concerning Minnie:

• Minnie went to a private girls school in Memphis
• Minnie went to finishing school in Memphis
• Minnie lived with relatives of some sort in Memphis

 

Now, are you ready for my theory about what happened to Spencer?  Get your tissues and chocolate ice cream ready, because this is going to be a love story to end all love stories (not really).

disclaimer:  so what you are about to read below…really, I just came up with this, so I have no verification that it is true, and it probably isn’t.  a complete figment of my imagination.  just sit back and enjoy the story

I think that after Cornelia died (which according to my aunt happened in 1868, but I can’t find that information either…I think it’s written in a family bible somewhere?) Spencer was so heartbroken and just didn’t know what to do with himself.  He began selling off his land (again, my aunt wrote that down, but I haven’t tried to find those records yet), perhaps the section containing her roses and her garden gnomes, all because the sight of them was a painful reminder of the great love that he had lost.  After a few years of mourning he sent Minnie to boarding school so that she could learn to be a proper young lady.  But Spencer was so lonely, and he had a young (and I do mean young) woman living in his home (I’m still not sure why Effee Jane lived with him…there is nothing listed in “Occupation” and I haven’t figured out yet how, if at all, she might be related to Cornelia-which I’m thinking she might be…like a niece or something).  He figured the logical thing to do would be to marry her.  So in December of 1871 he married Effee Jane Gilchrist.  Minnie was upset, refused to return for the wedding, deciding to stay in Memphis over Winter break with mysterious relatives.

And life went on.  Minnie saw her father only when he traveled to Memphis to see her (because, you know, she didn’t want to see Effee Jane).  On one trip to visit Minnie in 1872, not even a year after marrying his young wife, Spencer decided that since he had sold off most of his land it might be in his best interest to put the most valuable of the land he had left in Minnie’s name.  By now he had discovered that Effee Jane was nothing more than gold-digger after his land and money.  He suspected that she may have been poisoning him since their wedding night, spiking his cognac with…well, he didn’t know what with, but was pretty sure it was happening (this accounts for his shaky handwriting, by the way…maybe).

Through the years that he was married to Effee Jane (um…almost 6 years at this point) he kept her at arms length, pouring his own cognac, preparing his own peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, until he could figure out what to do to get out of the marriage (if he followed in the Demonbruen religious views then he was Catholic and wouldn’t have divorced her…I think it was the religion that caused Spencer’s grandfather to have two children three months apart by two different women-not the affair, but because his wife couldn’t divorce him even though…you know what?  that’s another story for another post).

Then…

The Yellow Fever Epidemic hit.  And it hit hard.  Spencer went first.  Effee was quite pleased that she was suddenly (she thought) the owner of all of the DeMumbrie riches (in Tunica, at least).  Refusing to spend any money on Spencer after his death, she dug a hole out on what was left of the plantation and buried him there.  What she didn’t know was that the fever clung to his skin, seeped out of every pore of his poor, lifeless body. Within days, however, she realized…realized that death was coming for her.  Realized that her greediness, her attempts at murder…had brought bad juju.  The fever killed her.

By the time Minnie’s grandmother Minerva returned from a trip to Maury County, Tennessee (where I think her family settled) both Spencer and Effee Jane had been dead for months.  The county officials, believing that the entire family had succumbed to the Yellow Fever sold off the DeMumbrie plantation to the highest bidder (like, they did this really quick).  Minerva, distraught (and wringing her hands), collapsed attempting walk to the Richards’ plantation.  Jerome Richards (Minnie’s future husband) was returning from the burial of his own family members (I have not yet found where his father and brothers died, or when) and came upon Minerva’s body.  He hurriedly made attempts to revive her, breathing a sigh of relief as she opened her eyes.

“Minnie…Minnie…”

And Jerome knew that meant Minnie had not yet learned the fate of her father (which I don’t know how Minerva knew Minnie had not yet learned about it since Minerva herself had just found out).

That very night Jerome and Minerva hopped a riverboat to Memphis.  Once there Minerva was unable to get the words out.  Minnie stood, probably with her hand on her hip, looking back and forth between them.  Jerome clasped her hand (the one not on her hip) in both of his…and whispered the fate of her father.  Minnie turned white.  Her eyes rolled to the back of her head and she fainted (I think she had a fainting couch behind her at the time).  Minerva sat across the room crying.

After a few tense moments Minnie came to.  She lay on the fainting couch, clutching the hanky Jerome handed her, crying, sobbing.  Jerome felt the emptiness Minnie was feeling.  He felt the need to do something, anything.  And as he kneeled on the floor, his hand aching from Minnie’s fingernails digging into his palm’s flesh, he  proposed.

Minnie was furious!  How dare he propose to her on a day of such sorrow!  How dare he even think that this was appropriate!  But Minerva, who had been sitting in the corner sniffling softly to herself, so softly that Jerome and Minnie had forgotten she was there, concluded that the marriage was the best idea for such a mournful time.  That without marrying Jerome there would be nowhere for Minnie to go.  Yes, yes…they must be married.  And right away.

Jerome scraped up the $1250 it cost for the marriage bond (I think he just happened to have it in his wallet).  And the two were married on January 21, 1878.

The couple, and Minerva, returned to Tunica, but after several years the pain of seeing her father’s plantation, now owned by another family, was too much for her broken heart.  The small family moved to Memphis.

And it was there that they lived out the rest of their lives.

And Spencer is now under a casino.

last disclaimer:  remember, none of that is true…nor will it win any literary awards.

Malcolm McMillen and Minerva Worsham

If I have tracked down this couple correctly then this is my relationship to Malcolm McMillen and Minerva Worsham:

Me

Virginia Marie Stalls (mom)

James Paul Stalls, Jr (granddaddy)

Minnie Virginia Richards (g-grandmother)

Minnie DeMumbrie (2nd g-grandmother)

Cornelia Ann McMillen (3rd g-grandmother)

Malcolm McMillen/Minerva Worsham (4th g-grandparents)

 

I searched and searched and searched (and searched some more!) and I *think* I have found Cornelia A McMillen's parents.  I haven’t been able to trace them back to any particular McMillen or Worsham families, so anyone out there in internetland, feel free to help!  (and, of course, when I find information I will post it)

 

(note: after searching around on the internet I discovered that Cornelia A McMillan is probably actually McMillen.  unless all of the records are wrong, in which case I apologize.  the only place I have found it as McMillan is in my Granddaddy’s baby book and the 1860 census.  that baby book also has Caroline McQueen as Carolyn, but all records I have found are Caroline.)

 

On January 19, 1831 Malcolm McMillen and Minerva Worsham married in Maury County, Tennessee.

 

Within about two years after their marriage their daughter Cornelia was born.  However, it is not until 1850 that she shows up by name on a census with them.  This is because up until 1850 only head of household was named on the US Federal Population Census, though there are some states that conducted their own census reports that listed other family members.

 

In 1840 the family is found in Tipton County, Tennessee.  Head of household is Malcolm, listed as M.G. McMillon.  Everyone in the household:

2 males between 20 and 29 years of age

1 male between 30 and 39 years of age

1 female between 5 and 9 years of age

1 female between 20 and 29 years of age

1 female between 60 and 69 years of age

1 male slave under 10 years of age

1 male slave between 10 and 23 years of age

1 female slave between 10 and 23 years of age

I’m guessing that one of the males between 20 and 29 years of age and the female between 20 and 29 years of age are Malcolm and Minerva.  The female between 5 and 9 years of age would be Cornelia.  I’m not sure who the others are, though.

 

In 1850 the family is found on the census living in District 14, Shelby County, Tennessee.  They are listed as:

M.C. McMillen, age 41 years, born in Tennessee

Manerva McMillen, age 40 years, born in North Carolina

Cornelia McMillen, age 18 years, born in Tennessee Also living with the family is a man by the name of William P Day, age 24 years.  Not a single person living in the household has an occupation listed.  In fact, under occupation for Malcolm (M.C.) it actually says “none”.  This is also the very first time we get to see in which state they told the enumerator they were born.

 

The 1860 census has the whole family moved to Mississippi.  While Cornelia had married (John) Spencer DeMumbrie and was living in Tunica, Tunica County, Mississippi, her parents weren’t that far from her.  Malcolm and Minerva are shown living in Austin, Tunica County, Mississippi.  They are listed as:

M.G. McMillan, age 50 years, a farmer, born in North Carolina

M.H. McMillan, age 50 years, born in Virginia So the place of birth changed for both of them. 

 

Sometime between 1860 and 1870 Malcolm died, most likely in Tunica County, Mississippi.  Cornelia had also died within the same time frame.  By 1870 Spencer DeMumbrie had moved with his daughter to Austin, Tunica County, Mississippi and Minerva is living with him, most likely to help raise his and Cornelia’s daughter Minnie.  In the household are:

S. DeMumbrie, age 49 years, a planter, born in Tennessee (this is Spencer)

Clara DeMumbrie, age 13 years, born in Mississippi (this is Minnie)

Jane Gilcris, age 19 years, born in Tennessee (this is Spencer’s future 2nd wife listed as Effee Jane Gilchrist on the marriage record)

Mary McMillen, age 62 years, housekeeper, born in North Carolina (this is Minerva)

Ellen Johnson, age 60, born in South Carolina (I don’t have a clue who this is) Again, the place of birth changed.

 

By 1880 Minnie had married Jerome Richards.  Spencer had married Effee Jane Gilchrist and disappeared off the face of the planet (at least until I find where they went).  Minerva is found on that census living with Minnie and her family in District 1 and 2, Tunica County, Mississippi.  Living in the household are:

J.E. Richards (Jerome), age 24 years, a farmer, born in Arkansas, both parents born in Tennessee (this last bit of information is, of course, wrong)

C.A. Richards (Minnie), age 21 years, wife, keeping house, born in Mississippi, father born in North Carolina (wrong), mother born in Tennessee (wrong)

J.E. Richards Jr (Jerome Jr), age 2 years, son, born in Mississippi, father born in Arkansas, mother born in Mississippi

M.H. McMillen (Minerva), age 70 years, grandmother (to Minnie), at home, born in Tennessee, both parents born in Virginia (not yet sure) The other people found living in the household are boarders: J.A. Matthews, Ellis Sholley and Barbary Shipp.  Once again, the place of birth has changed for Minerva.

 

There is no census for 1890, of course.  Jerome and Minnie are found living with their family in Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee by 1900 and Minerva is not living with them.  I feel it’s safe to assume that she died sometime between the 1880 census and the 1900 census, especially since I can’t find her on any 1900 census (unless she was nice and spry and remarried).

 

So, now I just need to find the families of Malcolm and Minerva.  I also have a feeling that Effee Jane Gilchrist is somehow tied into either the McMillens, the Worshams or both.

Effee Jane Gilchrist

I have so many different scenarios in my head for who Effee Jane Gilchrist is and what became of her and Spencer DeMumbrie, but I will keep them in my head instead of sharing them (since most are hilariously macabre and totally uncalled for).

Who is Effee Jane Gilchrist?  She kind of appeared out of nowhere.  The only census I can find her on is the 1870 census enumerated in Tunica, Mississippi, listed as Jane Gilcris.  She is living with Spencer DeMumbrie, his 13 year old daughter Minnie (listed as Clara), Spencer’s mother-in-law Mary McMillan (listed as McMillen-her daughter, Spencer’s wife, had passed away sometime between 1860 and 1870) and some random woman named Ellen Johnson (I will figure out who she is someday).  I want to say that it is possible that Effee Jane, at the time, was a nanny or governess for Minnie, but it doesn’t list an occupation for her.  She was 19 years old, 30 years younger than Spencer and 6 years older than Minnie.

The next, and last, documentation of Effee Jane Gilchrist is her marriage record to Spencer DeMumbrie.  They married in Tunica, Mississippi on December 27, 1871.

Security for the bond was put up by JN Neblett.  What is his relationship to Effee Jane Gilchrist and Spencer DeMumbrie?

I cannot find Spencer or Effee Jane on any census after.  On RootsWeb my aunt said that she saw somewhere that Spencer put his land into a trust fund for his daughter in 1872.  But that still doesn’t tell us where Spencer and Effee Jane went.  Did they have any children?  Where did they die?  When did they die?  Where are they buried?  Where did Effee Jane come from (yes, I know…Tennessee, but who did she come from?)?  Why can I not find her anywhere? 

Do you have the answers?