Ancestry Search

Ancestral Weather Events - the Eiland Plantation

2009-03-07T11:28:00.011-06:00

Your ancestry search can make you look at today's events in a different light. Whenever a hurricane of significant strength begins to makes it way towards the Texas coast, I am reminded of my seventh great grandfather, Richard Eiland. Richard settled in North Carolina in the early 1700's but I sometimes wonder if he knew what he was doing. As you can see on the map below, Richard chose land very near the North Carolina coastline. Not just the coastline but the area of North Carolina that sticks out into the Atlantic Ocean, just waiting for a hurricane to demolish it.

Here's a closer look. The plantation was just south of the Virginia line.

Here it is blown up a little more. It doesn't look so bad here and maybe by being on the inner coastline along the bay, he was a bit shielded from any major devastation. But note that the main road through this area, Highway 615, is known as the Marsh Causeway. Not too encouraging.

I was able to do a little research on North Carolina hurricanes but the data only went back to the 1850's. There were a few significant storms during that decade as there were every decade since so I can only assume that the same was probably true during the early 1700's. The family endured for several years there, then headed for Georgia and this time they opted for land a little farther in.

Ancestry Search for Charlie Richard McCollum

2009-03-07T11:26:00.009-06:00

Charlie McCollum was the son of Newman Theodore McCollum and Susan Caroline Nichols of Fayette County, Alabama. He was born November 19, 1854 and died January 27, 1940. He's buried in Lockney, Floyd County, Texas.

This is Charlie with his second wife, Martha Merriwether. I am told that they and their dog traveled around the country in this vehicle that had been transformed into a motorhome of sorts. Apparently, Charlie had foresight...

and a better back than I do. It looks like he had a lot more patience for sleeping in cramped quarters than I ever dreamed of. Surely, at that age, he had to have had a backache every morning. I don't know how they did it.

This photo was taken on one of their extended vacations. I have wondered for years about where it was taken. They appear to be dressed for cooler weather. They are standing on stone steps and there are cone shaped structures in the background. There is also a pond of some kind directly behind them. Maybe a spring of some kind?

If anyone can identify the locality of this photo, I would really appreciate it. I'm thinking Arizona or something.

Ancestral Homesite - Fort Hollingsworth

2009-03-07T11:23:00.008-06:00

I recently introduced readers to my ancestor, Jacob Hollingsworth, in my post entitled "Disproving a 'Proven' Lineage". While doing some internet research on Jacob I ran across some articles about the home he built upon his arrival in Georgia circa 1792 called Fort Hollingsworth. It is listed on theNational Register of Historic Places.

Soon after he arrrived, Jacob discovered that the land granted to him by the State of Georgia was actually in Indian Territory. Jacob built the fort for the protection of his family and others nearby. The issue was settled about 1796 when the Cherokee Nation ceded a four mile strip of land to the U.S. and the fort became a log home.

A complete history of the structure can be found at www.forthollingsworth-whitehouse.com. This site has many photos and purchases can be made to help support the maintenance of the old fort. Although privately owned, the fort is operated by a non-profit organization called Friends of the Fort. It is opened to the public once each May and again at Christmas.

This photo is found on the Banks County Chamber of Commerce website.

The following was written in 1997 by Bonnie Hollingsworth (whose husband is a descendant of Jacob) and appears on the Roadside Georgia website. She does a wonderful job of bringing this old fort to life and since I have never been there I could never begin to describe it.

A Step Through the Door of History

A drive down Wynn Lake Road, from Hollingsworth Community in N. Georgia, will take you to Fort Hollingsworth now commonly referred to as the White House. The two became one just before the Civil War, about 1860. Fort Hollingsworth was built circa 1792/1793, by Jacob Hollingsworth and appears on a 1793 map of the area. Around 1860, the fort was purchased by the White family, who built an addition to the fort, to make it into a typical farmhouse of that era. Mr. White recognized both the quality of the workmanship in the fort, and the historical significance of it, and refused to let it be altered or destroyed. A window was added, badly needed for family living conditions.

Helen D. Thomas put together a short documentary of Fort Hollingsworth and can be viewed here. Be sure to listen to the audio as well.

This will definitely be on my list of places to visit on my next ancestry "road" search.

Family Reunions Reveal Interesting Stories

2009-03-01T20:21:00.008-06:00

I was once asked if our family history had anyone who was "known" for doing something at an unusual age. I immediately thought of my husband's great grandfather, William William Womack. Yes, you read that right.

W. W., as the family refers to him, has a bit of a reputation when it comes to matters of age, as if the name wasn't enough. Now I admit that I have not taken the time to thoroughly document this man’s life so what I am about to share is a compilation from several sources, mainly other researchers. There are some discrepancies.

W. W. was born January 15, 1846 (some say 1839) in or near Bienville Parish, Louisiana. He was the son of Robert and Wrizopa (Southern) Womack, pictured below.

W. W. first married Ruth Adams in 1867 when she was 19. They had six children:

Zelia Elizabeth Womack, born July 30, 1868 (married Thomas Lonzo Wiltcher)
George A. Womack, born July 14, 1871
Richard L. Womack, born June 14, 1873
Newport Womack, born September 20, 1876
Lewis Womack, born 1878
Fannie Womack, born May 25, 1879 (married William Bridges)

Per an online transcription, only the first 4 children were listed in the 1880 census for Winn Parish, LA. Ruth died about 1885. Here is where it gets unusual.

Three years later, when W. W. was 42 years old (some say he was 49), he married a second (some say third) wife, Sallie Smith, who was 16 years old, a difference of 26 years! Sallie was born July 24, 1872 in Union County, Arkansas. They married on December 9, 1888 in Claiborne Parish, Louisiana. It is rumored that W. W. spent some time in Arkansas due to a brush with the law in Louisiana but I can't confirm that.

W. W. and Sallie had thirteen children:

Whitton Womack, born September 25, 1889, died 1901
John William Womack, born June 25, 1892
Jesse Franklin Womack, born November 23, 1893
Claude Earnest Womack, born March 6, 1895
Loney Womack, born August 20, 1896 (married Ralph Alford)
Andrew Van Buren Womack, born January 27, 1898
Gilbert Womack, born October 20, 1899
Shug Womack, born August 7, 1901
Lige Womack, born January 1, 1903
Amey Womack, born March 13, 1905 (married Lemuel Hunter)
Lanis L. Womack, born November 27, 1906
Alice Womack, born March 20, 1908, died 1909
Horace Womack, born September 15, 1909

Below is a photo of W. W. and Sallie taken between July 1909, when Alice died, and September 1909 when she gave birth to their last child, Horace. Do you think she ever wore anything other than maternity dresses?

When Horace was born, Sallie was 37 years old and W. W. was 63 years old (some say 70 - either way, it's unbelievable). W. W. died May 25, 1925 in Louisiana. Sallie died July 12, 1951 in Jackson Parish, Louisiana.

There is a photo hanging on the wall in our house which shows twelve of W. W.’s sons. It was taken May 26, 1925, the day after their father died. They are, left to right, George, Richard, Newport, John, Jesse, Claude, Andrew, Gilbert, Shug, Lige, Lanis and Horace. Sallie's sons (the last nine in the photo) certainly favored her.

A Sallie Womack Reunion is held every year in July at the VFW Hall in Jonesboro, Louisiana. A family reunion is an excellent opportunity to exchange stories about out ancestry.

Identifying Old Photos of Possible Ancestors

2009-03-01T20:07:00.008-06:00

Sometimes genealogists find photos in the family collection which cannot be identified.

I wish I could tell you the occasion. Wedding? Reunion? Holiday? Funeral?

This photograph was taken at a McCollum Family Gathering of unknown date and place. I can only identify three of the people shown: seated on the far left is Charlie McCollum, standing fourth from the right is his second wife, Martha Merriwether McCollum and seated in front on the far right is a son of one them - I just don't know which son. So if anyone can help me identify whose home provided the setting for this family occasion, I would really appreciate it. The McCollum family first lived in Putnam, Callahan County, Texas and most of them eventually moved to Lockney, Floyd County, Texas. If I knew when it was taken, it would pretty much clear up the locality. Wouldn't it be great if the home was still standing?

The identity of the people in the photo below has been debated among our family. My dad believes it is Mack and Mary Cannon Duke while I believe it is Tom Adams (Mary's step-father) and his first wife, name unknown.

Searching for your ancestry can sometimes be frustrating and it helps to publish photos on the Internet in order to find other family members who can clear the muddy waters.

Ada Hadley Alvord, Searching for Ancestry with Photos

2009-02-28T20:43:00.014-06:00

Searching for family history clues can be as easy as searching through your grandmother's old photos. My great grandfather's only sibling was a younger sister named Ada Caladonia Hadley. She was born July 30, 1869 near Cleburne in Johnson County, Texas. The family moved to Callahan County a few years later where their father, Thomas B. Hadley, would become a prominent citizen and county sheriff in the late 1890's.

Ada married Frank L. Alvord, son of Joshua Alvord and Lucy Leavenworth, on December 27, 1888 in Callahan County. They had 4 children:

Ruby Ree Alvord, 1889-1890
Mabel Alvord, born May 24, 1892
Frank Hadley Alvord, 1894-1900
Boyce Edwin Alvord, born March 22, 1901

Ada and Frank lived on a ranch in Shackleford County, just north of Callahan County. Thomas Hadley owned land there as well. These photos were taken probably in the early 1950's while my mother's family was on a vacation in the area.

This is Aunt Ada with my grandmother, Melba Hadley Eiland, and her brother, Edwin Hadley.

This is Aunt Ada's house.

And this is the bunkhouse. I would really love to find out if either structure is still standing.

Ada Hadley Alvord died May 16, 1960 in Callahan County, Texas and is buried in Ross Cemetery in Baird near her parents and brother. I do not know the whereabouts of her surviving children.

I was not going to post this photo because it was so blurry but I got to thinking that someone might recognize the two people to the left. I do not know who they are so I suppose they may be one or both of Aunt Ada's children.

Frank(?), Mabel(?), Aunt Ada Alvord, Edwin Hadley, Melba Hadley Eiland, and Lucille Hadley (Uncle Edwin's wife).

Persuade family members to dig out the old photographs. Searching through these can jog the memories, bringing out stories and clues to your ancestry.

Confederate or Yankee? Family History Skeletons

2009-02-27T09:33:00.003-06:00

Sometimes when we search for our ancestry, we find little skeltons in the closet.

My great great grandfather, James Eiland, always sticks in my mind as one of my more interesting ancestors. He was the son of Frances Marion Eiland and Elmina Jones. Born in Alabama on 23 August 1840, James was the third of possibly eight children. James and his older brother, Absalom, both served in the 29th Alabama Infantry during the Civil War. James was captured by Union forces as Sherman marched toward Atlanta. I can only assume as a measure of self-preservation, James accepted an enlistment in the Union Navy and was stationed aboard the USS Susquehanna until the end of the war, becoming my "galvanized Yankee" ancestor.

When he returned to Alabama, he married Rebecca Hayes on 11 June 1865. Their children were: William, John, Enoch, James, Basil, Arthur, Ed and Anna Rebecca. He died of a spider bite in 1908 in San Angelo, Texas.

When searching your ancestry, be willing to embrace all the information you find, even the stories that may not set well with other family members.

Disproving a "Proven" Lineage

2009-02-27T09:32:00.003-06:00

Or ...How to Make Enemies in North Carolina.

Early in 2000 I was working on a set of supplemental papers for DAR. For non-genealogists, that means I was trying to prove descent from an American patriot other than the one I "used" to join DAR. I based my research on a set of papers submitted and approved in 1992 for an ancestor named Jacob Hollingsworth. My lineage tied into Generation 6 of the other member's lineage, although through a different spouse. According to the application papers:

Jacob Hollingsworth, the patriot, was born c. 1741 in Chester County, PA and died c. 1823 in Franklin County, GA. He was married to Mary Brooks.
Their son, Samuel, was born c. 1770 in NC and died May 15, 1815 in Franklin County, GA. He was married to Mary Barner.
Their son, John, was born September 3, 1792 in Franklin County, GA and died November 30, 1880 at Ford's Mountain, AL. He married Matilda White. (I am descended from his second wife, Zilpha Galloway, who was not mentioned in these papers.)
"Descendants of Valentine Hollingsworth" was cited as a source although some dates were a bit off. Another member's papers were also cited.
His service was proven by an Application for Pension dated November 5, 1838 found in the Pennsylvania Archives.

Now as I began to complete my papers for this ancestor I noticed that some things did not quite add up. If Jacob died in 1823 in Georgia, how did he file for a pension in 1838? Perhaps his widow filed? Better check it out, so I ordered a copy of the pension papers.

When the papers arrived I discovered that they were filed by the veteran in 1838 while he was living in Chilton, Anderson County, TN. In fact, the Jacob who filed for a pension in 1838 was rejected because he did not have an actual discharge paper. He claimed it was signed by George Washington himself but had been lost at some point along with his wallet. So his service was still questionable and the 1992 application should not have been accepted to begin with. Regardless of that oversight, this was clearly not the Jacob Hollingsworth that had already died in Georgia in 1823. Further research in The Hollingsworth Register (October 1965, Volume I, No. 3, page 112-113) revealed that the Jacob living in Tennessee was the son of Jacob and Elizabeth (Chandler) Hollingsworth. Our Jacob in Georgia, according to the Descendants of Valentine Hollingsworth was the son of Samuel and Barbara (Shewin) Hollingsworth. One name, two men. At this point, neither qualifies as a DAR Patriot. (This reminds me of a lecture I once attended entitled "Hugh Montgomery: Two Men with the Same Name, or One Man with a Fast Horse" by Jo White Linn.)

The lineage from Jacob of Georgia was correct but the service was disproved and my supplemental was in jeopardy, not to mention the original membership papers of another member. I was on thin ice but all I had to do was find proof of service for the correct Jacob - if it existed.

Both Jacobs, descendants of Valentine Hollingsworth, were born into a Quaker family and as members in good standing, were not allowed to bear arms against an enemy soldier or take oaths of any kind. So this gives weight to a belief that no service, military or otherwise, may be found for our Jacob. Granted, some descendants took up arms and were disowned by the church but others did not.

The Tennessee Jacob arrived there via South Carolina. Our Jacob arrived in Georgia by way of North Carolina. He was found on the Randolph County, NC Tax List of 1779 as evidenced by The North Carolinian, June 1956, Volume II, No. 6, page 182. Everyone who paid a tax was required to take the Oath of Allegiance, something a Quaker could not do. Jacob refused, indicating that he was still a practicing Quaker and therefore, never served in the miltary or in public office. To back this up, no pension applications bearing his name have been discovered. Furthermore, Jacob received no bounty land for service. So not only has the service been disproved but the other member's entire application has been disqualified unless we can find proof that Jacob gave aid in the form of money or goods. Should I report my findings to DAR?

I agonized over this for some time. I had visions of death threats from the other member and her chapter. In the end, I could not let the incorrect information linger on for eternity, unchecked by future applicants. I wrote a letter and presented my findings to the Corrections Genealogist at the DAR National Headquarters. It took one year to get a response but they agreed with me and the ancestor was removed from the Patriot Index. I assume they found no proof of material aid either. Hopefully they were able to assist the other member in searching for another ancestor to support her membership.

Ancestral Fantasies - Daniel Boone

2009-02-27T09:30:00.004-06:00

I've had the desire to search for my ancestry since I was very young. When I was a little girl, my favorite books were juvenile biographies of female historical figures like Abigail Adams, Nancy Hanks and Rebecca Boone (one that I especially enjoyed). I was totally in awe of Daniel Boone, at least the Fess Parker version and when I realized that the Boones actually had about a dozen children and not just the two that were depicted on the TV show, I would fantasize about discovering I was one of their long lost great-great grandchildren. Of course, that didn't turn out to be the case but I did find out that I was very distantly related by marriage to a similar American icon. Well, he never had his own TV show that I know of but he was portrayed in one or two movies.

Now follow me if you can - my great great grandfather was James Eiland of Bibb County, Alabama. His grandfather, Enoch Eiland, is believed by most researchers (myself not included, but that's another post) to be the son of Absalom Eiland. Absalom had another son named Asa Absalom Eiland. Asa married a lady named Virginia Moffett, daughter of Henry and Margaret Moffett. Virginia's sister, Nancy Moffett, married Temple Lea. Temple and Nancy Moffett Lea had a daughter named Margaret Moffett Lea, who was the third and last wife of General Sam Houston. So that means that James Eiland's great Uncle Asa Eiland was also the uncle of Sam Houston's wife, Margaret.

(Note: Another source lists Virginia's father as Gabriel Moffett.)

Now I have not verified this particular lineage but maybe I'll keep it handy for bragging purposes. Not everyone finds a famous person while searching their ancestry but you won't know if one exists unless you buckle down and do the work. Happy hunting!

Hollingsworth Pension - Goldmine of Family History

2009-02-27T09:28:00.004-06:00

Pension records are excellent sources to use in ancestry searches. Several years ago I ordered a copy of the "War of 1812 - Claim of Widow for Service Pension" papers for my fourth great grandmother, Zilpha (Galloway) Hollingsworth.

This is my umbilical line, i.e. my mother's mother's mother's.....well, you get the picture. Another term used is matrilineal. Some say this line has the most validity because of the physical birth event and at the same time, it is the hardest to research because the surname changes with each generation.

Anyway, through this single document I was able to get almost a complete picture of the life of my fourth great grandfather, John Hollingsworth, born September 3, 1792. He was born and raised at Fort Hollingsworth in Franklin (now Banks) County, Georgia which I wrote about just a couple of days ago.

According to Zilpha, who was questioned on March 14, 1881, John Hollingsworth enlisted at Franklin County, Georgia on November 15, 1814 for a six month term. He served in the Georgia militia under Col. Booth in the War of 1812. John was honorably discharged at Fort Hawkins, Georgia on May 10, 1815. He received two bounty land warrants for his service. He was described as 6 feet tall with blue eyes, a fair complexion and dark hair. John was first married to Matilda White who died August 25, 1825. He then married Zilpha Galloway on October 11, 1827 in Fayette County, Alabama. He died there on November 30, 1880.

Zilpha kept a journal and in it she recorded the births, deaths and marriages of her entire family. John and his first wife, Matilda White, had six children. Although Zilpha was most likely not present at their births, she did raise them after her marriage to John in 1827. The oldest was only 10 years old. I am sure she carefully recorded their birthdates as well the birthdates of her own children. She wrote about Matilda's children as if they were her own:

Samuel, born September 7, 1817
Thomas, born September 30, 1818
Jeptha, born May 28, 1820
Phoebe, born January 9, 1822
Mary, born November 8, 1823
Matilda, born August 25, 1825, the same day her mother died.

John and Zilpha had fifteen children:

Sarah, born July 17, 1828
Jane, born December 24, 1829
Hannah, born February 9, 1831
Jacob, born June 5, 1832
Greenberry, born November 13, 1833
Frances, born March 1, 1835
Zilpha, born April 27, 1836
John, born November 15, 1837
Henry, born August 30, 1840
James, born August 11, 1843
Wiley, born June 27, 1845
Martha, born October 19, 1846
Benjamin, born September 22, 1848
Franklin, born October 29, 1852
Marion, born January 23, 1855

Zilpha also kept meticulous records of loans she made and news about others in the community. She died April 15, 1894. She and John are buried in Hollingsworth Cemetery on Ford's Mountain in Fayette County, Alabama.

Pension records, available online and through the National Archives, are excellent sources for your ancestry search.

Unusual Ancestral Discoveries at the Courthouse

2009-02-27T09:26:00.003-06:00

Not too long after I started my ancestry search I was re-introduced to the county courthouse practice of "returning the marriage license" once it has been properly recorded in the appropriate book. Apparently there is no statute of limitations on when such certificate may be claimed by someone and I have been the lucky individual on more than one occasion.

The first surprise was after I had requested a copy of the marriage record for my great grandparents, Rush Hadley and Dezzie McCollum, married on February 10, 1895 in Putnam, Callahan County, Texas. I didn't receive a copy of the marriage record but instead received the original marriage certificate and a nice letter from the county clerk explaining what she had sent and why. To say I was shocked was an understatement. It was the standard pre-printed form that had been completed by the minister who presided over the event.

Not too much later, I requested from Montgomery County, Texas the marriage records of:

Joshua Hadley and Joyce Floyd, dated November 22, 1840
D. P. Hadley and Mary Bogges, dated April 18, 1844

Once again I was amazed when I opened the envelope and found the original certificates rather than copies of the marriage records. These certificates were very special in that they were handwritten and issued by the Republic of Texas 160 years ago. Their condition is marginal so I refrain from scanning them into the computer. The ink has begun to seep through (maybe it always did?) and would make a scan hard to read anyway.

I'd like to thank my Hadley ancestors for being so lax about retrieving their legal documents from the courthouse clerk. I understand this was a common occurrence at the time with marriage records. I guess that one's marriage record was not nearly as important as one's land record but for Pete's sake, you would think that they could have been claimed in the same office at the same time.

Truth and Fiction Among Eiland Genealogies

2009-02-27T09:25:00.002-06:00

One of the biggest challenges I have come upon while searching for my ancestry is sorting out truth from fiction. There is a widely accepted version of the Eiland ancestry which I find full of holes. But try telling someone that.

Several people, assuming they read this post title, will be chomping at the bit to email me with the news that Absolam Eiland (Eilands, Island) is the father of Enoch Eiland. If you are one of them, I challenge you to also email me the PROOF in accordance with genealogical standards.

In the meantime, I will present to you a few reasons why I believe that Absolam Eiland is NOT the father of Enoch Eiland. First let's look at some widely accepted facts about the two men.

Absolam Eiland (and his brothers)

Absolam was born about 1750 in Johnston County, North Carolina. He married Ann (Nancy) Daniel. Absolam died in 1814 in Jones County, Georgia. He and Nancy had at least seven children:

Elizabeth Eiland, married James Thompson
Nancy Eiland, married a Shaw, then a Wilson
Unknown daughter Eiland, married James Felts
James Eiland, born 1778, supposedly killed by indians in 1809 at age 31(?)
Asa Absolam Eiland, born 1780, married Virginia Moffett, died 1820, Perry Co., AL
Levi Daniel Eiland, born 1785, married Catherine Shaw, died 1872 in Covington Co., AL
Stephen Eiland, born August 1, 1788, married Mary Allen or Mary Ellen West, died 1853 in Russell Co., AL

Absolam and his presumed brothers, John and Isaiah Eiland, received bounty land grants in Georgia in 1784. Another possible brother, James, sold nearby land to Frances Trawick in 1797. This could be Absolam's son but he was only 19 at the time. I am still looking for a bounty land grant in the name of James Eiland.

Absolam witnessed a 1801 document referring to four minor children: Susan, Paty, Nancy and James Eiland. This indicates that a brother had recently died.

In 1809, Absolam and Enoch posted bond and/or appraised the estate of James Eiland. Orphans named were Asa, Patsy and Nancy. This James is usually thought to be Absolam's son. I have not seen the document but I don't think it declares a relationship.

The whereabouts of John Eiland after 1785 are unknown leading me to believe he is the brother who died in 1801, leaving minor children. Isaiah Eiland married Nancy (?) and died about 1811 - 1814.

In his will, Absolam Eiland left everything to "Nancy, my beloved wife". The document was witnessed by Stephen Eilands and Asa Eilands, who were also named co-administrators. No other relationships were specified in the will.

Enoch Eiland

Some lists of Absolam Eiland's children include Enoch, others do not. Earlier lists do not mention him. This should be big clue. Enoch was born 1782 in Georgia. He married Anna, possibly a daughter of either Frances or Jesse Traywick, and owned land adjacent to that of Absolam.

Enoch served as administrator of his uncle, Isaiah Eiland's estate. He requested to be removed from that responsibility in 1814 as he prepared to move to Alabama. Isaiah's widow, Nancy, took over as administrator.

The family moved to Alabama in between 1814 and 1819 when he sold the last of his land in Georgia. Many of the land documents he possessed were not recorded at the courthouse until 1819 even though the sales occurred years earlier.

Enoch died after 1850 in Pickens County, Alabama. He and Anna had several children that I will not name here.

Other Eiland Facts to be Considered

Absolam named Asa as his son in relevant land records. Absolam sold land to Stephen for a small fee of $5.00, indicating a close relationship. Absolam sold land to Enoch on more than one occasion, however, Enoch always paid market value for the land and was never referred to as Absolam's son.
Enoch was not named in Nancy's 1839 will. She gave property to James, Levi, Asa, Stephen, Elizabeth and Nancy as well as her son-in-law, James Felts. Apparently the daughter who married James Felts was deceased and it looks like Nancy and Absolam's son, James, was still alive past 1814 after all. Again, I have not seen the documents to back up what I have read. So the James who died in 1809 may have well been Absolam's brother.
Ruth Eiland died in 1844, naming a daughter, Susan, wife of Rhode L. Smith, in her will. This is probably the same Susan mentioned in the orphans' document in 1801. This means that Ruth was a widow in 1801 and most likely had been married to John Eiland who disappeared from records sometime after 1787. Absalom, Isaiah and James are all accounted for in 1801.
According to DAR records, John Eiland is buried in Baldwin County, Georgia, date unknown, on land belonging to James Simmons.

I honestly do not know who Enoch's father was. We know it was not Isaiah as that was his uncle. It probably was not Absolam who did not appear to treat Enoch as he did his known sons. But they did have a relationship of some kind.

That leaves John or James who died in 1801 and 1809 respectively leaving minor children. The children seem to be a bit young, even if they were teens, to be children of John and James. I assume these men were born between 1755 and 1760 roughly. Perhaps they were the offspring of a second marriage while Enoch was the offspring of an earlier marriage for either one.

Enoch's involvement with the estate of James in 1809 would make me lean in that direction for the time being. He would have been 27 at the time but as a son, would he have been permitted to appraise the estate? Maybe that is why Absolam is also named an appraiser. Also, John's apparent widow, Ruth, was alive until 1844 indicating she was somewhat younger than John and likely his second wife. If she were Enoch's mother or even step-mother, I do not see him leaving for Alabama without her.

Sorting out truth from fiction and documenting all sources of information is a necessary step to a quality ancestry search project.

Newspapers Yield Results in Searching for Ancestors

2009-02-27T09:23:00.003-06:00

While conducting an ancestry search at my local library, I ran across a publication that listed transcriptions of some articles of interest found among the newspapers published in Crockett, Texas between 1853 and 1896.

The complete title is Houston County Collection Volume I, Crockett Newspapers, 1853 - 1896, published by Bebe Beasley Ulrich.

According to Ms. Ulrich, in Volume 1, Number 2, published February 7, 1890 under the section "Local News - Nevel's Prairie" appears this announcement:

Mrs. Rebecca Chapman, of McClellan [sic] County is visiting relatives on the prairie. She lived near Old Randolph for 35 years, moving away from there in 1865. Her old friends will be glad to know that she is still sprightly and bids fair to live a good while yet...

While there are not many words printed, it speaks volumes to this researcher. From three sentences I either learned or confirmed that Rebecca Chapman, my fourth great grandmother:

came to Houston County, Texas about 1830
moved to McLennan County, Texas between 1865 and 1890
was still alive and in good health in 1890.

I already knew that she and her husband, Robert Chapman arrived in Texas shortly after they married in 1836 and settled in Houston County. So the writer was a little off on that one. I have never been able to determine much beyond the 1860 census when Rebecca appeared as a widow with several children in Houston County. I have never found their graves and I have never found Rebecca on a subsequent census report. After reading this article, I did locate a Rebecca Chapman in McLennan County but some details leave doubts as to the whether or not it is her. One daughter, Martha Frances Chapman Smith, did move to that area by 1880 so I am still hopeful that it is her.

Even the earliest newspapers carried snippets of community news items that may prove essential to your ancestry search.

Littleton Smith Pension Ap Aids in Ancestry Search

2009-02-27T09:20:00.004-06:00

When confronted with a brick wall during your ancestry search, sometimes it pays to reread documents that were collected years earlier. I recently pulled out the Confederate Pension Application of Widow M. F. Smith of McLennan County, Texas.

Background: Martha Francis Chapman was born 28 August 1837 in Houston County, Texas to Robert D. Chapman and his wife, Rebecca Hodges. Robert D. Chapman is one of my DRT (Daughters of the Republic of Texas) proven ancestors. Martha married Littleton Smith in 1857. The 1860 census lists Littleton as "Leticia" Smith along with Martha and their two oldest girls. In 1850 he had been listed alone in nearby Rusk County, age 18 and born in South Carolina.

Now there were some Littleton Smith's in South Carolina but they are pretty well documented and don't fit the criteria for my Littleton but I keep them in mind. Smith is a hard name to research so you tend to keep other Smiths in mind but you can't know for sure if they are related. No other Smiths appeared to have moved with Littleton between 1850 and 1860. Other researchers have left information with the LDS church listing him as Robert Lilton Smith. In 1870 he is enumerated as Lewis Smith but with the correct family members. In 1880 he is listed in McLennan County, Texas as L. Smith, a horse breeder, with the same family. So that pretty much sums up the brick wall on my Smith line.

I spent a little time earlier in the day on Ancestry.com today to see if anything had popped up on my Smith line. I noticed a couple of other Littleton Smiths I didn't remember seeing before but nothing really stuck out.

But back to the pension application - Martha is named as the widow of L. S. Smith throughout the document but in one place that I had apparently not been able to decipher earlier, he is named as Littleton Spivy Smith. It's hard to read the handwriting but this time it made total sense because Littleton Spivey Smith was one of those individuals I noticed on Ancestry today.

Well, it turned out that my Littleton Spivy Smith (born ca 1832 in SC) is not the same Littleton Spivey Smith (born 1819 in GA) that is in Ancestry. I could find nothing to help me but I am one step closer than I was yesterday and that made my day.

I hope this helps you with your ancestry search!

Hadley Family History Clues in Land Records

2009-02-27T09:17:00.004-06:00

Ancestry searches are often made easier when you learn about related areas of study. This land record is copied from images made from the microfilm holdings at the Montgomery County (Texas) Library. The microfilm contains typewritten transcriptions of the original handwritten documents and consequently may have errors. Bear in mind that this is an example of an English transcription of a pre-1836 Mexican (Spanish) document filed in a Texas courthouse after the establishment of the Republic of Texas.

Vol.D.p.66

Josuah Hadley. Deed from Govt.

I, citizen Miguel Arciniega, Commissioner appointed by the Supreme Government of this State, for the division and occupation of land and the execution of titles to the new colonists, in the colonization enterprise of Empresarios Estevan F. Austin out of the ten litoral leagues of the coast. Whereas Joshua Hadley has been received as a colonist in the colonization enterprise contracted by the government of the State of Coahuila & Texas by Empresario Stephen F. Austin on the fourth of June 1825, as appears on folio 1451 of this book of records and the said Joshua Hadley having proved that he is married and finding in his person the requirements provided by the law of colonization of this State of March 24, 1825, in conformity with the said law and the instructions which govern me, dated September 4, 1827, and additional Article dated April 25, of the past year 1830, and in the name of the State I give, grant and confirm in real and personal possession one league of land unto the said Joshua Hadley which land has been surveyed by Surveyor Horatio Chrisman appointed previously for the purpose under the following situation and bounds situated adjoining a league of land surveyed by Surveyor Horation Chrisman for John S. Plak and beginning the measure of the survey at a land mark erected on the north line of the league of said Blake 2000 varas from the north east corner of said league from which a land mark a white oak bears south 71° west 6 varas distant, and another white oak bears south 53-1/2° east 21 varas distant, a line was run from said land mark north 70° east and following the said boundry of Black 2000 varas to his north east corner and on the same course 3000 varas more to another land mark for which a white oak bears north 57° west 31 varas distant, and another north 9° east 30 varas distant and thence north 20° west five thousand varas to another land mark from which a white oak bears north 50° east 5-1/3 varas distant and another black jack bears south 52-1/3° east 9-2/3 varas distant and thence south 70° west five thousand varas, to a white oak the north west corner from which a white oak bears south 53° east 6 varas distant, and another bears north 10° east 9-1/2 varas distant, and thence south 20° east five thousand varas to the point of beginning, and comprising one league of land in area, two twenty fifths part of the said land belongs to the arable class and twenty three twenty fifths part to pasture which serves as classification for the price which should be paid to the State for it, according to Article 22 of said law, under the penalties therein established, he being warned that within one year he must erect permanent monument at every corner of the land and that he must settle upon and cultivate it in conformity with the provisions of the law. Therefore exercising the functions given me by the law proper and subsequent instructions I execute the present instrument and order a copy taken of it and delivered to the petitioner that he may possess and enjoy the land, he his children, heirs and successors or who from him or them may have claim or right.

Given in the town of San Felipe de Austin on the 7 day of the month of May 1831, which I sign with the witnesses of assistance in conformity with the law.

Miguel Arciniega

Of assistance. Robert Taylor, Jr. C.C. GIvens

This accords with the original title which is recorded in these archives whence it is taken for the party on the day of the date hereof in the form required by law to which I refer and sign with witnesses of assistance.

Given in the town of San Felipe de Austin, on the 7 day of the month of May 1831.

Migl Arciniega

Of assistance Robert S. Taylor, Jr. C.C. Givens

2 labores arable land $5

23 " pasture land 120 27.60

(total) $32.60

Received July 24, 1838. from Joshah Hadley

Thirty two 60/100 in full for all fees due the Govt. E. Collard, Recr.

Public Money, County Montgomery

Republic of Texas

Montgomery County

Before me Gwyn Morrison, Clerk & Recorder of the county aforesaid, personally came Chas. B. Stewart and William W. Shepherd who being duly sworn saith that they are acquainted with the signature of Migl Arciniega from having frequently seen him write and that they verily believe the signature of Miguel Arciniega to the foregoing deed to be his true and genuine signature.

Sworn and subscribed before me, this the 25 July 1838.

Chs. B. Stewart

W.W. Shepherd.

Gwyn Morrison, Clerk & Recorder.

Filed for record the 24

Recorded the 28 July 1838

Ferdinand Kessler, Deputy Recorder.

I had to use a magnifying glass to read parts of this document. Even then, the primitive typewriter made it difficult to distinguish between the 3's and 5's sometimes.

This is an excellent example of the metes and bounds system used to survey land in early Texas, using varas as a measure of distance rather than chains or feet. One vara equals roughly 40 inches but that may be arguable.

What it all boils down to is that Stephen F. Austin made it possible for Joshua Hadley to pay $27.60 for roughly 4400 acres of land in Texas in 1831. It just boggles my mind sometimes.

I also find it interesting that in 1831 Joshua promised to pay $27.60 to the Mexican government but instead paid that sum to the Republic of Texas in 1838. No wonder Mexico was upset.

I hope this short lesson in early Texas land records helps you with your ancestry search.