Digging Up Your Family

Smith. John B Smith.

Back on July 8, 1876, on page four, the Spirit of the South newspaper (Rockingham, North Carolina) printed a small and humorous article that had been in several newspapers across the country:

Thirty years ago, a young man entered the city of New York in an almost penniless condition, and without a single acquaintance in the great wilderness of houses.  To-day, his name is known wherever humanity dwells.  It is spoken in every hamlet, is heard in every city, and is as familiar to the worker in the mines as his brother in the mills, and where language is known and ideas expressed, the name of this penniless, unknown and uncouth lad of thirty years ago is uttered.  It was John Smith.

Many genealogists have had the pleasure of tracking down a John Smith at some point, and I’m sure there are many who have a John Smith as their brick wall.  And for years (decades) in my husband’s family, John B Smith has been a brick wall.  Until two months ago.

I honestly cannot for the life of me figure out how I found John B.  Up until December no one was sure where he was buried, where he had died, when he had died, etc.  I wrote about him back in July of 2012 and now I can give further info on him!!!!

While I can’t remember how I came across it, my first discovery was John B’s place of burial and headstone!  (click here to go to his memorial on Find a Grave)

According to his headstone in Mount Olivet United Methodist Church Cemetery in Hunts Mill, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, John B Smith was born in 1822 in Brunswick County, North Carolina to parents William and Henrietta Smith.  John B died on November 2, 1898 in Chesterfield County, South Carolina.

BUT, I had to check to make sure that was really him, right?  A quick search, and some speed-reading convinced me I had found the elusive John B Smith, husband of Harriet Grant, father of nine children (possibly ten, but one needs confirmation).

According to the Estate Records, Cases 638-757, 1865-1927; Chesterfield County, South Carolina Wills and Probate Records (1670-1980) on Ancestry:

John B Smith, case #640

…The undersigned respectfully shows to this court

That John B Smith died intestate at his home in said county and state on the 2nd Nov 1898 having a small personal estate of about the value of Fifty-five dollars… (5 Nov 1898)

Guardian Bond papers found in John B’s estate file mention the names of Daniel Labon Grant, Annie Jane Grant, and Loyal (actually Lowell) Tate Grant, the children of Henry Harrison Grant and Sarah Thomas.  Henry was the son of Jeremiah Grant and grandson of Malachi Grant.  As far as is known, Harriet Grant is the daughter of Malachi (I just need something as absolute to prove it to myself).  Also mentioned in the Guardian Bond are DB (Daniel Baity-sp?) and Flora A Grant.  DB happens to also be a son of Jeremiah Grant.

I can’t pretend to know why those guardian papers were in John B Smith’s estate file, as his name does not appear on any of them.  There is mention of claims to Jeremiah Grant’s estate in regards to the children, so I did go through his papers to see if John B’s name appears anywhere.  No luck.

ANYWAY, if the Grants appearing in John B Smith’s estate papers isn’t proof enough, considering he married a Grant who is related to those Grants, then I don’t know how else to convince a person.  And let’s not forget to mention the estate of John B’s brother-in-law. 

Moving back to John B’s parents, William and Henrietta Smith.  After I had posted found information on the John B Smith Descendants Facebook page, another Smith descendant took off with finding more information.  Isabelle posted:

Looks like William Smith was born c. 1789 and Henrietta was born c. 1795 bith in NC. The 1860 census shows them in North West District, Brunswick Co. William Smith b 1843 and Martha J. Wallace b 1844 are listed in the same house.

An Update on John B. Smith's parents and siblings:

As far as I've been able to find out so far, William and Henrietta Smith had the following children:

1) Christina Smith (born circa 1815)
- married Henry Wallace
2) Ann E. Smith (born circa 1820)
3) John B. Smith (1822- 2 Nov 1898)
- married Harriet Grant
4) Robert Smith (born circa 1829)
5) Elizabeth Ann Smith (Nov 1830 - 23 Apr 1914)
- married William Rothwell Skipper (10 Feb 1827 - 27 Nov 1910)
6) Morris (Mores/Moore) Smith (born circa 1833)
7) Joseph Smith (born circa 1835)
8) Martha Ann Smith (1838- 1 Feb 1918)
- married Joseph Champion (born circa 1832)

Tracing the boys and the eldest daughter is proving difficult, but I did find further information on Elizabeth Ann Smith Skipper and Martha Ann Smith Champion.

Elizabeth and William Skipper were parents to:

James Tucker Skipper (b 1853)
Rebecca Jane Skipper (1855-1929)
- married Noah Wellington Alford
William Albert Skipper (b 1857)
Sarah Jane Skipper (26 Mar 1859 - 26 Jul 1945)
- married Nathaniel Byrd
John William Skipper (1862 - 22 Jul 1879)
Isadora Skipper (1868 - Jun 1958)
- married William Franklin Alford
Charles Henry Skipper (28 Feb 1870 - 29 Jul 1926)
Rosa Lee Skipper (1875 - 21 Jan 1914)
- married (?) Potter

Martha and Joseph Champion were parents to:

Henrietta Champion (b 1855)
Humphrey Isaac Champion (15 Oct 1857 - 13 Jun 1934)
- married Ida Malpass (22 Nov 1872 - 15 Apr 1911)
- Six (6) children
Alice Catherine Champion (b 1859)
- married David James Byrd
Joseph Howard Champion (b 1863)
- married Martha Harris
- at least Two (2) children
Martha Jane Champion (1865 - 12 Sep 1938)
- married S. C. Griffin
Ellen Henrietta Champion (11 Apr 1867 - 24 May 1927)
- married Emmet Eli Parker (28 Mar 1870 - 23 Sep 1950)
- at least Three (3) children
Atlas Grandy Champion (10 Sep 1870 - 2 Jun 1962)
- married Mary Catherine Wood (4 Feb 1877 - 30 Jul 1947)
- Eight (8) children

Isabelle and I have spoken twice about all of this, and we both agreed that we need more valid sources.  However this is a start and hopefully it will help us go back further.

Because now the Smith brick wall is William Smith.

William Glenn Cathey’s Obituary

I have been staring at this obituary for a bit now, and finally decided to pull up some information that my Cathey cousin, Tracey, had sent to me. I finally figured some stuff out, but it definitely left me with an important question.

The first problem I came across a few years ago is what I found in Reflections From Our Past: a Pictorial History of Houston County, Tennessee (2001), page 257:

William Glenn Cathey was born 1857 in Stewart County, died July 6, 1906, in Houston County, Tennessee, and is buried in the Nolan Cemetery, Hurricane Creek Mills, Tennessee.  He married Mary Elizabeth Summers in 1888 in Houston County.  William Glenn and Lizzie had five children:

Riley Leonard, Acra Archie, George Arlee, Katie, Ludie Mae, and Willie Richard. (that is obviously six children)

Written down in Lizzie’s book (that was hand-copied by her daughter Maggie) is that William Glenn was born June 12, 1851.  We know it wasn’t that early, so I’m wondering if she made a mistake. Or it may have been misread (I sure wish we could find the original!).  She also writes that William Glenn died on June 6, 1906 in Humphreys County. Which makes total sense due to the date of the obituary.

Now, before I go any further, I also want to point out that Lizzie’s records and the 1900 census state that she and William Glenn were married in August 1888 in Houston County.  As I have posted before, they were married August 26, 1889 in Houston County.  And what is more interesting is that her oldest son Riley Leonard was born October 19, 1889 – nearly two months after their wedding.  So keeping that in mind, from the June 8, 1906 edition of The Tennessean (Nashville), page 6:

WAVERLY, Tenn., June 7.-(Special.)- William Cathey, of Big Hurricane Creek, died last evening, aged 45 years. His wife and five children survive him.

So, this tells us that he did actually die on June 6, not July 6, and that he was 45 years old, placing him born in or around 1861.  This also helps to confirm that the overgrown and hidden Nolan Cemetery on Hurricane Creek is the burial place of William Glenn (click here).

The most oft posted picture of the family shows Acra, Arlee, Lizzie, William Glenn, Katie, Ludie, and baby Willie.  Willie was born in August of 1905. And Acra had said that his father died of pneumonia.  The fact that William Glenn is standing apart, and looking quite gaunt, from the family leads me to believe he was quite ill when it was taken, so very shortly before his death.  The photograph does not show Riley, however.  Which leads to this question now:

Did Riley Cathey die?  There are family stories that Riley a) ran away from home, never to be heard of again, and b) died during WWI. 

A Riley Cathey (Cathers?) is found living and working for a family in Gibson County in 1910.  He is the same age as Riley, but disappears after that census. And looking through (what is left of) WWI draft registration cards and records show no Riley and/or Leonard Cathey. 

Maybe Riley wasn’t really a Cathey?  Could he have been the child of another man?  Lizzie, a few years after William Glenn’s death had a daughter Maggie out of wedlock, but she did marry William Green Smith (Maggie’s father… I guess? Maggie was born February 28, 1910 and Bill Green married Lizzie on August 6, 1911).  Perhaps there is a possibility that Riley found out and ran away, disowning his family?

Or, and this is based on the obituary, is it possible that Riley died in Arkansas, on the way back to Tennessee from Arkansas, or when they return to Tennessee? 

One find always leads to more questions.

Jerome E Richards’ Obituary

I have been working on identifying men in a photograph with Jerome E Richards, and I discovered I may have to turn to newspapers for possible identification (the photo is from a convention).  Along the way I remembered that Newspapers.com has offered an upgrade from their basic subscription to a subscription that offers papers that are still under copyright.  And within those papers I found Jerome’s obituary.

Some things of note:

1. According to the obituary Jerome died of dropsy.  According to his death certificate he died of cirrhosis of the liver. After some research I discovered that the cirrhosis could have caused dropsy, in which case you’d think that the death certificate would have said “Cause of Death was as follows: Dropsy. Contributory: Cirrhosis of Liver.”

2. A new way to spell DeMumbrie/Demonbruen! (spoiler: Demurry”")

3.  I don’t know if the three initials for Jerome, Jr or wrong or not.  Lucky for me, I have someone I can ask!

4.  I can’t help but wonder if Jerome, Sr and Jerome, Jr actually had the middle name of Edmund/Edmond, and not Edward.  On Jerome, Sr’s death certificate, Jerome, Jr provided the information.  He said Jerome, Sr’s father was Edward Richards, yet we already know it was Edmond/Edmund.  Just a thought.

Read away!

From August 15, 1922 issue of The Tennessean (Nashville, Tennessee).

PROMINENT SHELBY CO. MAN DIES AT MEMPHIS

Jerome Edwards Richards Is Victim of Dropsy’s Ravages.

(Special to the The Tennessean.)

MEMPHIS, Tenn., Aug. 14. – Surrounded by his immediate family, Jerome Edward Richards, poll tax collector, and one of Shelby County’s most prominent political figures, died at 1:50 o’clock this morning at this residence, 493 Lucy avenue. Dropsy was the contributing cause.

Mr. Richards had lived in Memphis 40 years and each of these were milestones will marked with usefulness.

He was born in Crittenden County, Ark., February 24, 1858. He was former chief of police here and served as criminal court clerk for 1902 until 1914. He was appointed poll tax collector in 1919.

At the outbreak of the World War Mr. Richards attempted to get into service, but on account of his age the government would not take him, so he went to Nashville and offered his services in the construction of the Old Hickory powder plant.

Mr. Richards married Miss Minnie Demurry at the Central Baptist church and they have four children, Judge J. E. R. Richards, and Bluford Richards, Clegg D. Richards and Mrs. J. Paul Stalls, all residing in Memphis.

John Wilson and Jerome E Richards

I love when I find new articles about my ancestors!  This one concerns the death of a “bad guy” and my 2nd great-grandfather Jerome E Richards.

From the May 26, 1911 issue of The Tennessean (Nashville, Tennessee), p. 6:

In the Hour of Need.

John, alias “Punch,” Wilson died in Memphis the other day – died in the county poorhouse, to be exact.  Tuberculosis carried him off.  “Punch” was one of the bad men of Memphis.  He had committed more crimes than one.  But when he approached the great divide but one dread possessed him: he feared to lie in Potter’s field.  The friends of other days had deserted him, all but a few.  They knew where he was; they knew his end was approaching.  As the shadows began to lengthen about Wilson’s bedside, the great dread of a pauper’s grave grew stronger and stronger; and as a last resort he told those about him to inform Jerome Richards when death came.  Richards was not a personal friend, he was not an associate – but “Punch” knew his man.  When the Pale Horseman called and Wilson was dead Jerome Richards was told.  Then the big heart of the ex-police chief and present criminal court clerk was touched.  He ordered that Wilson have a decent burial, and he told the undertakers to see to it and send him the bill.

“I never admired the character of ‘Punch’ Wilson,” said Mr. Richards, “but death settles all earthly scores and makes us all equal.  If he can fix it all right with his Maker at the judgment, I am satisfied.  Death wipes out everything so far as I am concerned, and my only hope is that he may know that his last request was complied with.”

No man who knows expected Jerome Richards to do otherwise or say less.  Possibly he is not a saint; but his heart overflows with the milk of human kindness, and, after all, that is the true Christian spirit.

Below are the death records for John “Punch” Wilson (click to enlarge).

 

UPDATE!

I found a picture of John “Punch” Wilson in the December 16, 1908 issue of The Tennessean (Nashville), p 6:

John Richards 1738

I’m pretty thrilled over this find!  It is a mention of my earliest Richards in Jones County, North Carolina.

From the December 20, 1790 edition of The Encyclopedian Instructor (Edenton, North Carolina), page 3:

I state to correct certain patents, or grants in the described, where there have been errors by the surveyor or in making the returns, or by the secretary issuing the same.…for making conformable to the plan the second course of a tract of land lying in Jones county, formerly Craven, granted by patent to John Richards, bearing date the 24th day of November, 1738, containing 300 acres on both sides of Trent river.

Can you hear me squealing with excitement!?

Possible Cause of Death?

The death of Spencer DeMumbrie will probably always be a mystery, however that will not stop me from searching for how and where he died (as well as the location he was buried, even though I suspect that is under the Mississippi River by now).

Yesterday I was conducting some random searches, when I came across this little blurb.  From October 19, 1877 edition of The Times-Picayune (New Orleans, Louisiana), page 2:

The little town of Austin, Tunica county, as been nearly swept away by a tornado.

I can’t help but wonder if maybe Spencer died in the tornado.  I know from the 1870 census that he lived in the Austin district of Tunica County, Mississippi.  As far as I know, had he lived to 1880, he would have been in the same location.

I just have to keep searching!

Photography History FREE Course

I’m not sure if many people know this, but I have another blog that is specifically geared toward find the rightful homes for lost and found photographs.  The link is at the top of this page, however you can also access it here: The Georgia Anna Project.

I started the photo project after noticing how many people sold  photos specifically marketed toward scrapbookers and crafters, rather than attempt to find the families that would treasure the photographs.  I have suggested this, and received harsh words from sellers.

Anyway, one issue with some of the much older photographs is attempting to date them.  Every now and then I come across one that is labeled with a full name, location, and date the photograph was made, however it is not often enough.  Sometimes just knowing what type of photograph it is, along with possible clues from a  photographer, are somewhat helpful.

Today is the first day of a five week class presented by the University of Edinburgh, as an introduction to a new exhibit from National Museum of Scotland by the same name: Photography, a Victorian Sensation.                      You can click the photograph to go to the class

The course itself is hosted on Coursera, and best of all?  It’s FREE! 

The short description found on Coursera:

Explore the Victorian craze for photography, examine its history, from the earliest images in 1839 and how it has influenced the way we capture and share images today as photography moved from being a niche concern of the few, to one of the most important cultural forms of the modern world.

If you are interested in the course, feel free to sign up and start learning!

https://www.coursera.org/course/vicphoto

More Genealogy Research in the Good Old Days

Back in September I posted a clipping I found in the Atlanta Constitution from 1915 that was one of the earliest ways people conducted genealogy research.  Here’s another clipping!

From The Atlanta Constitution (Atlanta, Georgia), 10 October 1915, page 2F:

GENEALOGICAL

Conducted by Mrs. Walter S. Wilson, No. 221 E. Jones Street, Savannah, Ga. [please be aware that this address is over 100 years old and do not write to it!]

Correspondents will please: 1. Write plainly, especially names.  2. Give dates of approximate dates, localities or clew to the state in which ancestors lived.  3. Write queries on separate slip from letter, or one side of paper, and inclose stamp for each query.  4. Give full name and address, which will not be published unless so desired.

Bowen-M’Donald.

Information is desired concerning the family of Captain Jack Bowen, of Kershaw, S. C. His daughter, Ann Rebecca, married Angus McDonald first, and secondly Robert Reese Player.

Player-Mets (Metts) Myers.

Information is also desired concerning the Player, Myers and Metz families.  The daughter of Robert Player married O. V. Metz, grandson of Christopher Metz, and son of William Metz and wife, Mary Myers.

Mathews.

Would liketo get in communication with person who was given the Mathews coat-of-arms by Dr. James C. Mathews.

Jesse Miller.

Information of importance for the correspondent who sent in query several months ago concerning Jesse Miller, of Lancaster, S. C.  Write to assistant editor.

John and Mollie Ray

Note: I have tagged the Ellis Family as a category for this post, as Mollie’s maiden name was Ellis.  I have not yet found if she is related to the Ellis family that married into the Frazer family.  If not I will add a special category for her family name. 

In my last post, I started writing about Omer Ellis Haynes “Buster” Ray.  I mentioned that he had been born on January 8, 1911 and that his mother Mollie had died nine days after his birth.  I have actually found some discrepancies by way of a photograph.  Now, I can only go by the actual records I find, and I don’t really know who wrote this information down that came with the picture (I’m guessing it’s possibly Buster’s second wife Edna).

Anyway, according to the Kentucky Birth Index, Buster was born on January 8, 1911 (certificate 4861).  All I have to go by for Mollie’s death is her headstone, which says she died on January 17, 1911.

I had written to my father’s second wife, Linda, asking if she happened to have any photos of Buster and Edna, the couple who adopted Roger (my father).  She said she would look, and then she mailed me a box of photographs!  And in the box was a photograph of John and Mollie, Buster’s parents, on what I can only assume was their wedding day, April 3, 1910 in McLean County, Kentucky.

I am posting the accompanying information below the picture.John & Mollie Ray

parents of Ellis Haynes Ray.

Mr. Ray died age 72

Mrs. Ray 1/20/11

Ellis Haynes Ray

Born 1/10/11

Died 2/23/81

So, you can see the difference in dates.  I will stick to the headstone and the birth record.

Here are some cropped areas of the photo for a better look!

 

 

Buster Ray: Part One

I have not actually looked at the Ray family on my tree in a while. I think because I was so interested in finding my paternal blood line, that I kind of forgot that the Ray/Collings line is still my blood line (well, the Collings, although I wouldn’t be surprised if the Ray line is as well). 

Buster Ray was born as Ellis Haynes Ray in McLean County Kentucky on (according to the Kentucky Birth Index) January 8, 1911 to parents John Wilson Ray and Mary Naomi “Mollie” Ellis.  Buster’s mother Mollie died nine days after his birth.  She is buried at Poplar Grove Cumberland Presbyterian Church Cemetery (apparently in the Primitive Baptist section) in Calhoun, McLean County, Kentucky.  I have yet to find a death record for her, but she at least has a headstone.

Thanks to Anita Austill for posting the picture of her headstone at Find A Grave!

In 1920, Buster is found living in Sacramento, McLean County, Kentucky with his father and grandmother.  They are listed as:

John W Ray, head of household, male, white, age 44 years, widowed, farmer

Margie Ray, mother to head of household, female, white, age 83 years, widowed

Omer Ray, son to head of household, male, white, age 8 years, attends school

I find it curious that his name changed from Ellis to Omer.  And it isn’t just on this census that he is listed as Omer.

In 1930, he is found living with the Abbing family in Evansville, Vanderburgh County, Indiana.  He is listed as Homer (the census enumerator may have misheard), but even more curious is that he is listed as the brother to the four decades older head of household.The household is listed as:

John T Abbing, head of household, male, white, age 62 years

Anna Abbing, wife to head of household, female, white, age 61 years

John B Abbing, son of head of household, male, white, age 24 years, secretary at an automobile factory

Sophia Abbing, daughter of head of household, female, white, age 18 years

Homer Ray, brother of head of household, male, white, age 19 years, laborer at a concrete company

The only thing I can figure that happened to have him listed as John’s brother (and possibly why his name is written as Homer instead of Omer) is that Anna may have given the enumerator the information.  And my guess is that since she was Germany, she may have said the Buster was a “boarder” and it was heard as “brother”.  HOWEVER, this is not the only place he is found with the name Homer.

Buster married Cecilia M Sophia Abbing on November 1, 1930 at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Evansville, Vanderburgh County, Indiana, two months to the day after the death of her mother.I wish I could see the actual paper!

Buster and Sophia appear in the Evansville City Directories together until 1943:

1931-Homer E and Sophia Ray, 103 E Eichel, Evansville (I’m not certain which side)

1933-Omer and Sophia Ray, 306 E Florida, Evansville (duplex, door on left) (Buster was listed as a laborer)

1936-Homer E and Sophia C Ray, 15 E Maryland, Evansville

1937-Homer and Sophia Ray, west side of Welworth Avenue, second on north side of E Walnut, Evansville (address is approximate)

1939-Homer and Sophia Ray, 309 5th Avenue, Evansville

1940-Ellis and Sophia Ray, 824 E Parkland Avenue, Evansville

1941-Ellis H and Sophia Ray, 824 E Parkland Avenue, Evansville

So, around 1940 is when he decided to start using his birth name, Ellis.  I’m not entirely sure what prompted the change, but it did come around the time of his divorce from Sophia.  I’m still looking for that record, as well as the record of marriage to his second wife, Edna Earl Collings.

To be continued…