When we see a simple document of a family living in a particular place at a particular time, in can sometimes be reasoned that they lived a resolute existence, that they were a common people in a simple time.




The Times-Argus
Selma, Alabama27 Oct 1876, Fri  •  Page 3

I recently completed a post on Asa Henson. Well, completed is not the word. That bulky, haunted thing that refused to be published. The "ghost in the machine" that cause me to keep losing everything I had added past the last word of the current post, well, number actually "1876". I tried 4 times to publish that thing and my computer refused. So I cleaned up the computer, deleted a large numbers of files, etc and that didn't work. I tried to publish it on my phone. That didn't work.

That's when I figured out that there must be something within the post that would not allow me to publish. Some map, document or clipping that I had added for illustration, or just a break in words, was just too much for the poor thing to hold. So I chopped it up like a plastic surgeon on a 40 year old Kardashian. After a time away, I discovered that somehow, someway, the blasted thing had published itself. Perhaps the computer kept "trying" and after I had chop-suey'd the thing into an erract text-laden thing that it has became, and finally succeeded. But that doesn't explain why it refused to save everything after '1876'.

But I'm done with it. I'm not touching it. It's out there in the stratosphere in it's current state and that is how it will remain. This post is an attempt to see if it is haunted by the ghost of Gazzain Harwell.



1876 was the year that Asa Henson died. September 14, 1876, to be exact. He was born on September 5, 1799 in Montgomery County, North Carolina, so he had just celebrated his 77th birthday when his spirit and body parted. I believe him to have been born in that part of Montgomery County that became Stanly County in 1841, along the Rocky River, near where the border of Anson and Union Counties meet on the other side. As a young man, he relocated to Perry County, Alabama along with a great deal of other families from the same area of "Upper Anson". In 1823, he married there a young widow who was in Anson County, alone with her two little girls, in the 1820 census. Land records tell us her families property straddled the Anson and Union County border. There was a family of Hinson/Hensons that had settled just across that border in what is now Stanly County, and I believe old Asa was related to that family.






Seventy-seven was a good old age to reach in the 19th century with its many maladies and primitive medical treatment. Few people made it that far. But Asa didn't die of natural causes. He was murdered.


The Weekly Advertiser
Montgomery, Alabama25 Oct 1876, Wed  •  Page 3

Asa had moved more in his life, from Perry to Sumter to Choctaw to Clarke Counties in the same general area of  West-Central Alabama. He'd had two sons with his first wife, Penelope, and when she died, he in his 50's, had married a petite, pretty young girl named Emeline Elkins who was but 17 years old. Three daughters were born into the marriage, but it was not a happy one. Emeline wanted out and by 30, she was free and moved to Louisiana to live near her oldest brother. Asa remarried to a twice widowed lady more his own age, only 18 years his junior, named Elizabeth.

Where the counties Asa Henson lived in were in connection with each other in Alabama.

The newspapers do not report what Asa Henson was doing in Leake County, Mississippi. Perhaps he was there on business, or visiting family, as some Hensons did live there. Relation or not, unknown. His last known residence was, however, Clarke County, Alabama, and that's where his widow, Elizabeth, was buried in 1892.

Name:	Elizabeth Henson
Birth Date:	26 May 1818
Death Date:	7 Feb 1892
Death Place:	Clarke County, Alabama, United States of America
Cemetery:	Stave Creek Baptist Church Cemetery
Burial or Cremation Place:	Clarke County, Alabama, United States of America
Has Bio?:	N
URL:	https://www.findagrave.com/mem...

Stave Creek Baptist Church still exists and is still an active church. They do not have Asa listed as being buried there, but his stone may no longer exist or be legible. It's unknown where he was buried.




Clarion-Ledger
Jackson, Mississippi17 Oct 1876, Tue  •  Page 3


There seemed to be no doubt among the authorities who had killed Asa Henson, and a reward was put out for his capture. Many newspapers reported the murder and the reward for the killer, and all told pretty much the same story. What they didn't tell was why Harwell had shot Henson. Did he chase he down? Did he know him or not? Was it a vendetta? Was it a robbery? What they did tell was that Harwell was from Choctaw County, Alabama where Asa Henson had lived before following his son John W. Henson to Clarke County. They also said he was 26, in 1876, meaning he was born about 1850.





The above map shows the location of Leake County in Mississipi. It's not a border county with Choctaw County, Alabama, but pretty much due northwest from there. Modern maps say they're a two hour drive from each other, 104 miles give or take. A day's travel back then, or perhaps there was a train.

But there was only one person who fit the description of the G. W. Harwell born around 1850 who was from Choctaw County, Alabama.

Name:	Washington Harwell
Gender:	Male
Marriage Date:	18 Oct 1843
Marriage Place:	Sumter, Alabama, USA
Spouse:	Rachel Abney

Washington Harwell had married his bride, Rachel Abney, from South Carolina in Sumter County, Alabama, in 1843. By 1850, they had relocated their young family to neighboring Choctaw County. At that time the family consisted of oldest son Thomas Benton, listed only as Benton, age 6, and daughters Vashti, 5 and Ophelia 2. Rachel was probably expecting their 4th child, a son with the unusual name of "Gazzain", that I discovered was an uncommon, but existant, surname, perhaps in one of their family trees. Probably the Abney line from what I can gather.

Name:	W Harwell
Age:	48
Birth Year:	abt 1812
Gender:	Male
Birth Place:	Alabama
Home in 1860:	Northern Division, Choctaw, Alabama
Post Office:	Butler
Dwelling Number:	97
Family Number:	98
Occupation:	Panter
Real Estate Value:	6000
Personal Estate Value:	6500
Household Members:	Name Age W Harwell 48 R Harwell 33 Benton Harwell 14 Vashti Harwell 13 G Harwell 10 Amzie Harwell 7

By 1860, their fifth and last child, a son named Amzie, had joined them and Ophelia was no where to be found, probably dying as a child.

Then comes the Civil War. Washington, with a given age of 52, joins the Alabama Volunteer Infantry as a Private under Joshua Morse in March of 1861. By May of that year, he musters in Memphis, Tennessee. A year later, he is entered into the hospital there with pnuemonia on March 16,  1862. A week later, he dies of chronic diarreha and in 1864, his widow Rachel makes claim to his pay due.

Oldest son, Thomas Benton Harwell also served in the War, entering at a later date, probably near the very end. He was also an Infantryman and was captured at "Taylors Ford", in what state, I could not find. I also could not find if he was conscripted, volunteered, or hired on as a substitute. What I do know is that we was taken as a Prisoner of War to Point Lookout, Maryland. There, in 1865, he signed an Oath of Allegiance and was released in July 1865 at New Bern, North Carolina, where a good number of prisoner exchanges on both sides took place. From there, he disappears. Did he die attempting to make it home? Did he relocate altogether? All I know is that his military papers state he was released alive and then he is not more and does not show back up with his family or to his homeland.

The 45th Massachusetts Infantry in New Bern. Civilwartalk.com

In 1870, Rachel is living with her 2 youngest sons, Gazzain and Amzie, two houses from her married daughter, Vashtie, now Mrs. Jesse Kelly, in Butler.

Name:	Rachel Harwell
Age in 1870:	50
Birth Year:	abt 1820
Birthplace:	Alabama
Dwelling Number:	377
Home in 1870:	Township 15, Choctaw, Alabama
Race:	White
Gender:	Female
Post Office:	Butler
Occupation:	Keeping House
Cannot Read:	Y
Cannot Write:	Y
Disability Condition:	Y
Personal Estate Value:	200
Real Estate Value:	500
Inferred Children:	Gazzain Harwell Amzi Harwell
Household Members:	Name Age Rachel Harwell 50 Gazzain Harwell 19 Amzi Harwell 14

And this is the last we see or hear of Gazzain W Harwell. He changes his name, most likely, and disappears into the wild wild west, most likely.

The only one of Washington and Rachel's children to have descendants, that I know of, Vashit, moves with her husband Jesse to Texas, whether out of shame or economic reasons, I don't know.

Name:	Rachel Harwell
Age:	68
Birth Date:	Abt 1812
Birthplace:	South Carolina
Home in 1880:	Precinct 4, Sabine, Texas, USA
House Number:	72
Dwelling Number:	80
Race:	White
Gender:	Female
Relation to Head of House:	Mother
Marital status:	Widowed
Father's Birthplace:	South Carolina
Mother's Birthplace:	North Carolina
Occupation:	Keeps House
Cannot Read:	Yes
Cannot Write:	Yes
Neighbors:	View others on page
Household Members:	Name Age Amozie Harwell 24 Rachel Harwell 68

Rachel and Amzie follow and are found in Sabine in Gregg County in 1880. Amzie is found in the 1880 agricultural schedule, and that is the last I can find of him. He may have died in Texas, sometime before 1900. There is no record of him ever having married. His mother, on the other hand, died that year. Her body was returned to Choctaw County where she was buried in the Harwell Family Cemetery in the unincorparated community of Bladen Springs.

Name:	Rachel Harwell
Birth Date:	7 Jul 1811
Death Date:	1880
Cemetery:	Harwell Family Cemetery
Burial or Cremation Place:	Bladon Springs, Choctaw County, Alabama, United States of America
Has Bio?:	Y
Father:	Nathaniel Abney
Mother:	Eleanor E. Abney

Hers is one of only two graves recorded there, although there are many presently unmarked ones. The other is that of Amanda Huber Harwell, wife of Washington's brother, Ransom, who died in 1869.

Bladen Springs

Bladen Springs, once a typical mineral springs resort around the turn of the 19th/20th centuries, is now an Alabama State Park. The above link is some information on the area from RuralSWAlabama.com. The Harwell property sat of Sea Warrior Creek.

While trying to find any report in the papers that G. W. Harwell had ever been caught, tried or killed, I came across the below articles, which I thought, at first, may have been him. Turns out it wasn't. But they were related. And the story of James H. Harwell is even more interesting than that of the bad-footed, scrawny, scraggily bearded killer of Asa Henson.




Birmingham Iron Age
Birmingham, Alabama12 Jan 1881, Wed  •  Page 3

One thing I have learned in tracking those kinfolk who migrated away from here is, we are the West.

While 'tracking the killer of Asa Henson, one G. W. Harwell, I came across a series of newspaper articles that tell a story on their on. All connected, and with these, I begin a tale that will be a series of several posts.




Russell Register
Seale, Alabama17 Jan 1878, Thu  •  Page 1
The above appears like a suicide note. But keep reading....

It continued:

And the sad saga continues....


The following had preceded all of the above letters.
A rather different picture was emerging.




And now, for the Coroners report:



It seems the rumour of the death of James Harwell had been greatly exagerated. He had gotten by with murder. Literally.



The Opelika Observer
Opelika, Alabama10 Jan 1878, Thu  •  Page 3
The unknown man in this earlier article, was the one and only Fred Saxon Foster, or whomever he really was, the corpse who had "mailed" all these letters clearing Mr. James Harwell of numerous misdeeds before he so conveniently killed himself, or supposedly so. 


The Opelika Observer
Opelika, Alabama10 Jan 1878, Thu  •  Page 3
James Reese Harwell lacked for nothing. He came from one of the best families in the town of Opelika, Lee County, Alabama. Among his closest relatives were ministers, businessmen and politicians. He had no reason to go astray. Born in June of 1850, the same year as his second cousin, Gazzain Washington Harwell, from 1876 to 1881, James Harwell was more than a scamp. He was a killer. 

The Opelika Times
Opelika, Alabama10 Jun 1876, Sat  •  Page 3In 1876, they described him as a "wayward boy". At this point, however, he had only broken in the store of Mr. W. F. Greene. He had been sent to West Point, ran away and was arrested in Atlanta. 
Birmingham Iron Age
Birmingham, Alabama12 Jan 1881, Wed  •  Page 3A few years later, they were describing him differently. He had killed the poor Fred Saxon Foster, or whomever the poor vagabond was, in 1878 and would go on to kill again. 

The Opelika Observer
Opelika, Alabama10 Jan 1878, Thu  •  Page 3
It took years to catch him. He had changed his name to Lane, taking on the identity of a deceased Colonel, or Revenue officer.

Choctaw County News
Butler, Alabama14 Sep 1881, Wed  •  Page 2He tried to rape a girl in Montgomery, Alabama and there he met his fate. 






The Opelika Observer
Opelika, Alabama20 Jan 1881, Thu  •  Page 3




The Opelika Times
Opelika, Alabama02 Sep 1881, Fri  •  Page 3
The Revenue Officer was NOT a Revenue Officer.


Birmingham Iron Age
Birmingham, Alabama03 Nov 1881, Thu  •  Page 3



The killers of James Harwell were found not guilty, of course.




The Weekly Advertiser
Montgomery, Alabama26 Aug 1884, Tue  •  Page 1


But who was James Harwell, and how was he related to Gazzain Harwell, of the same age and times, killer of Asa Henson. The answers were certainly a surprise. 

There's two stereotypes of Preachers Kids. First the perfect angels, who follow in their forebearers footsteps and become deacons of the Word. Then there are the rebellious types, the pure demons, as told, from which coined the old saying, "Ministers Sons are Sons of Guns".

Pfarrerskinder c 1847 by Johann Peter Hasanclever

A hundred times over the years, I've heard, and probably, you have too, the words and tune of an old folksong called "Ole Dan Tucker", without giving it much thought.



Old Dan Tucker was a fine old man
Washed his face in a fryin' pan
Combed his hair with a wagon wheel
Died with a toothache in his heel.

Get out the way for old Dan Tucker
It's too late to get his supper
Supper's over and dinner's cookin'
Old Dan Tucker just stands there lookin'



The above is the chorus of the old song with many versions, that has been sung in a dozen different ways over the decades. I've sung it, myself, so long ago, I don't remember where I heard it, and never gave thought to the fact that Old Dan Tucker was based on a real man, or in the least, that I would come across him in my genealogical diversions.

A Roadsign in Elbert County, Georgia designating the Grave and Homesite of Daniel Tucker.

Daniel Tucker, the man, was a Methodist minister, born on Valentine's Day in 1740, in Viginia, and died in 1818, in Georgia. He was a Patriot, having served as a Captain in the Revolutionary War. Settling along the Savannah River in Elbert County, Georgia, he would became a Planter, and a kindly one by reputation, owning slaves and ministering to them at the same time. He bought a ferry that was already in existence on the Savannah River and operated it for many years, ferrying people between South Carolina and Georgia. It is believed his slaves invented the old folk song that carried his name into infamy.


So, how did I come upon Dan Tucker and what has he to do with my Alabama research?





I was directed to look into Daniel Tucker by the Find-A-Grave Memorial for one Civil War veteran named William Coke Tucker. Coke Tucker was born September 27, 1825 in a little town called Dixie in Newton County, Georgia. He died in April of 1906, in Talahassee, Elmore County, Alabama.





On his memorial, it states two very important facts: first that he was the grandson of "Old Dan Tucker", and second, that he died while visiting the Harwell family.


Newton County, Georgia, I observed, must have been a hive, or point of destination for the Methodists. A member of my family tree, Charlotte Howell, daughter of my 4th Great Grandmother, Sarah Winfield Howell Davis, married Levi Stancill, a Methodist Episcopal Minister, a relocated from the Rocky River area on the Stanly/Anson County, North Carolina border, to Newton County, Georgia.





After a little research, I discovered that it had, as missions were established as early as the 1820's as the ever steady invasion of the American settlers into the Creek nation took place, and that Emory College was establishe in the town of Oxford in 1837, just a few years after the establishment of the 'Georgia Methodist Conference Manual Labor School', which wasn't anything like it sounded that it was.


Daniel Tucker was married while in Virginia, still, to a lady named Francis Epps, one very Virginian name, for anyone who has ever researched in Virginia. Together, they raised a very large family, from all reports, not quite researching the Duggar scale, but giving them a run for their money. Among these offspring was one Epps Tucker, born in March of 1778, in Dinwiddie County, Virginia.

The Will of Daniel Tucker

Epps was one of the "Good" Preachers Kids, following in his father's footsteps and becoming a Methodist minister.

In his book, "Democratic Methodism in America: A Topical Survey of the Methodists", Lyman Edwyn Davis mentions Epps Tucker.

"The Georgia Conference was organized in 1830 and there was therefore very early in the field. The first Annual Conference met at Newton Campgrounds 22 July 1830. Rev. Epps Tucker was elected President and General Harrison Jones, Secretary."

He was also brought up a few times in the book "Autobiography of the Reverend Joseph Travis, A. M. A Member of  the Memphis Annual Conference". Edited by Thomas Osmond Summers.

"The following brethren located:- Alda Christian, Epps Tucker, James Hunter, Thomas Heathcock, Charles Fisher, Samuel Harrison, and John Henning. Reddick Pierce recieved a superannuated relation to the Conference. I think that none who at this time were located are now on earth. 

Bishop Asbury ordained the Deacons and Bishop McKendree the Elders."

And from there came the name of Epps Tucker's firstborn son, McKendree, for Bishop William McKendree.  He was again mentioned being located in 1819, with an incredibly large territory to cover. Also listed was a James B. Turner, and I wondered then if there was a connection my ancestor, James Turner.

Epps liked naming sons for Bishops, as his youngest son and next-to the youngest child, was named for Bishop Thomas Coke (1747-1814), a Welshman, the first Methodist Bishop and called the Father of Methodist Missions.




Like most itenerant ministers, Epps moved around quite a bit, but he was, like his father, also a Planter and not typical of the impoverished Baptist preachers from a family line of mine.

He first shows up in the census records in 1810. A brief timeline-

1810 - Charlotte, Virginia
1806- Marries 1st wife Francis, Maiden Name Unknown, in South Carolina. (Some have speculated that her name was McKendree, since their firstborn son was named this. I feel that he was named, instead, for the Bishop McKendree, whom Epps revered, unless, of course, he married the Bishops daughter.
1818- Francis Tucker dies on May 1818 in Elberton, Elbert County, Georgia, where Old Dan Tucker lived.
1819 - He marries Martha Permelia Jones is Edgefield District, South Carolina.
1820- Elbert County, Georgia
1830- Newton County, Georgia
1840- Chambers County, Alabama. (Remember this place, it comes into play later).
1850- Chambers County, Alabama
1851- Martha Jones Tucker died between the date of the 1850 census -Nov 9, 1850 and January 1852.
1852- Marries at age 73 on January 27, his last wife, Elizabeth H. Patrick, probably a widow.
1860- Rough and Ready, Chambers County, Alabama
1863- Dies on September 8,  in Lee County, Alabama. Is returned to Newton County, Georgia for burial, in the Rakestraw Cemetery.

He was the father of  8 children:

1808-1884 Rev. McKendree Tucker
1810-1836 Eppes Tucker, Jr.
1814-1887 Robert Fletcher Tucker (named for John William Fletcher (1729-1785) English Divine whom John Wesley had chosen to succeed him to lead the Methodist Movement upon his death.
1818-1899 Daniel J Tucker (named for Grandfather).
1821-1877 Martha Francis Tucker
1823-1869 Ermeline Tucker
1825-1906 Coke Tucker
1827-1900 Permelia Tucker

Coke Tucker


William Coke Tucker was born in Newton County, Georgia and there married Sarah Rakestraw on October 25, 1848. He moved with his father to Chambers County, Alabama and first shows up in the census there in the 1850 census. I've found many articles on Coke Tucker from his love for family, his talents for oration, his fondness for growing Texas pecans and Georgia Sweet Potatoes and his multiple Civic duties, including several dives in politics as a State Representative, among other duties, (he was a Republican), and his part in the formation of Lee County from Chambers in 1853.

Sarah Rakestraw Tucker as a young woman.

A number of Sarah Rakestraw Tucker's color-thirsty descendants have her labeled as a "Cherokee Grandmother", while a number of photos of her exist, her having lived until 1905, and in these, she looks like the average Caucasian lady of her day, albeit a brunette. The name Rakestraw is a bit uncommon, and a 'word' name, that people assume some Native Americans took on. Actually, it derives from an English nickname for a scavenger, meaning to rake straw. The German version being Rockstroh. Her progenitor, John Rakestraw (1761-1821), hailed from Halifax County, Virginia and died in Edgecomb County, North Carolina. He was not Cherokee.

Sarah Rakestraw Tucker in her latter years

The Tuckers remained in Rough and Ready, Chambers County, Alabama, until the Civil War. Like his Grandfather, Ol Dan, Coke became a soldier. He served in and survived the War, on the Confederate side, being of course, located where he was.

Coke Tucker
Rank at enlistment:	Private
State Served:	Alabama
Service Record:	Enlisted in Company F, Alabama 45th Infantry Regiment.
Sources:	Index to Compiled Confederate Military Service Records

By 1870, he had relocated to Opelika, Lee County, Alabama, and this is where the Tuckers and Harwell unite.


The Opelika Times
Opelika, Alabama31 Oct 1884, Fri  •  Page 3


My last post, "For Those Disposed To Go Astray", I simply followed the newspaper reports of a murderous, arsonist, theiving Outlaw, named James Reese Harwell, who between 1876 and 1881, went on a crime spree all over Alabama and outward to Atlanta, Georgia and who all knows where else he caused dismay. He was killed in 1881, while caught in the act of trying to chloroform, or an attempted rape, of a respected lady in Montgomery.


For Those Disposed To Go Astray

But James Reese Harwell was not a single man.

Coke and Sarah Rakestraw Tucker were the parents of 9 children:

1850 Ellen America
1852 Martha B "Mattie"
1853 Mittle Lavonia
1854 Walter Scott
1859 John Augusta
1863 Nelly Belle
1866 Pompey Coke
1868 Robert Eppes
1871 Daisy Darlina


Their second daughter, Mattie, married John Reese Harwell, and had 3 children by him.

Name:	J R Harwell
Age in 1870:	19
Birth Year:	abt 1851
Birthplace:	Alabama
Home in 1870:	Opelika, Lee, Alabama
Race:	White
Gender:	Male
Post Office:	Opelika
Occupation:	Making Brick
Inferred Spouse:	M Harwell
Household Members:	Name Age P Tucker 6 E Tucker 4 J R Harwell 19 M Harwell 17 A Tucker 32 H Tucker 48 B Jones 10 C Tucker 46 S Tucker 37 M Tucker 15 W Tucker 12 J Tucker 10 N Tucker 8

In the 1870 census, James Reese Harwell was the 19 year old employeed at 'Making Brick' , with his 15 year old wife, Mattie, in the home of her parents, Coke and Sarah, "C and S" Tucker.

Name:	J. R. Harwell
Gender:	Male
Marriage Date:	14 Nov 1869
Marriage Place:	Lee,Alabama
Spouse:	Mattie Tucker

The terribly young couple had just married in November of 1869. Ten years later, during the height of his criminal outrage, Mattie and her two daughters were found living with her parents.

Name:	N. B. Harwell [M. B. Harwell]  [Mattie B. Tucker]
Age:	25
Birth Date:	Abt 1855
Birthplace:	Alabama
Home in 1880:	Opelika, Lee, Alabama, USA
Street:	4th
House Number:	40
Dwelling Number:	18
Race:	White
Gender:	Female
Relation to Head of House:	Daughter
Marital status:	Widowed
Father's name:	Coke Tucker
Father's Birthplace:	Georgia
Mother's name:	Sarah Tucker
Mother's Birthplace:	Georgia
Neighbors:	View others on page
Household Members:	Name Age Coke Tucker 55 Sarah Tucker 49 Mitty Tucker 23 John Tucker 21 Nelly Tucker 17 Coke Tucker 14 Eppes Tucker 12 Daisey Tucker 7 N. B. Harwell 25 Lilian Harwell 9 Irene Harwell 4

Her only son, John Wesley Harwell, was not to be found that year. He may have been off at a boarding school somewhere, or God Forbid, out with his father. I hope the former.


After the shame her husband brought upon not only his, but her family as well, Mattie and her children seem to have moved to Florida, because that is where they all ended up. On Coke Tucker's Find-a - Grave memorial, stating he died in Florida while "visiting the Harwells", these are the Harwells he was visiting, his grandchildren.









John Wesley Harwell, the only son of Mattie Tucker Harwell, lived a long and productive life. He seems to have taken after Coke Tucker by his calm nature and relationship with the earth.

So, who was James Reese Harwell, really, the notorious husband of Mattie Tucker? Why, he was a Preacker's Kid!


Rev. Samuel G. Harwell

While Epps Tucker and his son Coke Tucker, were the "good" kind of Preachers kids, James Reese Harwell was just the opposite. He epitomized the rebelious, hellion, demonic type, drinking, gambling, makng 'sport' that would envolve into robbing, stealing, rape and even murder. What crime did he not committ?

But he was not typical of the other children of Rev. Samuel G. Harwell.

Samuel Harwell was born January 17, 1808. Like Coke Tucker, he was born in Georgia, and also like Coke Tucker, he ended up in Opelika, Lee County, Alabama. If those similarities were not enough, Sam Harwell was also spun from a long line of Methodist ministers, the difference being, unlike Coke, he was himself a Methodist Minister.

In the "Alabama Official  and Statistical Register"by the Alabama Department of Archives and History, a short biography is give on one William Thomas Andrews.

"William Thomas Andrews of Opelika, representative in the Legislature in 1915 from Lee County, was born February 26, 1867 at Oakbowery, Chambers, Alabama, is the son of  William Andrews and Mary (Harwell) Andrew, the former a native of Middledgeville, Oglethorp County, Georgia, who removed to Oakbowery in 1836, at which place he resided. 

He is the grandson of Mark S and Mary (Smith) Andrews of Georgia and Alabama and Rev. Samuel and Emma (Slaughter) Harwell of Opelika. The Andrews family is of Scotch stock. The Rev. Samuel Harwell was an intenerant Methodist preacher, a member of the North Georgia Conference and served as many as 28 different churches at one time. He remained in Opelika Alabama late in life."

Rev. Samuel Harwell originated in Hancock County, Georgia and married his lifelong wife, Emily Frances Slaughter on February 12, 1833, in Baldwin County, Georgia. Emily was the daughter of  John Asbury Slaughter.

The Harwells were the parents of 10 children:

1834-1911 MaryAnn Fletcher Harwell. She married William Anthony Andrews and was mother of Representative W. T. Andrews, above. They raised their family in Oakbowery, Chambers County.

1836-1863 Samuel Watson Harwell. He married Mary Baker Dodson and they had two children: Misses Mattie and Willie K. Harwell. Samuel enlisted in the Civil War and died in service at Ft. Delaware, Pea Patch Island, Delaware.

1839-1902 John Wesley Harwell. He also enlisted in the Civil War and survived. He relocated to Kissimmee, Osceola, Florida where he was a Justice of the Peace. No wife or children.

1842-1912 William Sanford Harwell. Married Laura I Brown and they had two children. He also enlisted in the Civil War and made it home. Sanford also relocated to Kissimmee, Osceola, Florida and was a Lumberman and Real Esated Agent.

John Wesley Harwell (the second(, son of James Reese Harwell and Mattie Tucker, was said to have lived in Tallassee, Elmore County, Alabama before removing to Florida. He told his children he moved there because he had two uncles there. J. W. and Sanford were those two uncles.

1845-1909 Anderson Oliver Harwell, Merchant. Oliver was the dominant child. He was very successful and remained in Alabama, primarily in Lee and Chambers Counties. He married Mary J Kerr and raised 12 children. He died in Talladega.

1847-1871 Emily Frances "Emma" Harwell. Married George Dawson and had 2 children. Died young.

1850-1881 James Reese Harwell. Married Mattie B. Tucker and had 3 children. "Sporting Man", Gambler, Criminal and Fugitive. Killed in Montgomery County, Alabama in 1881 while attempting to "Chloraform" a young lady.

1853-1854 Eugene Summerfield Harwell. Died as an infant. Buried at Rosewood Cemetery with his parents.

1856- ?  Julia America Harwell. Last seen in the 1880 census. Not buried in the same cemetery as her parents.

1859 = 1880 George Foster Pierce Harwell. Died as a young man in Opelika, Lee County, Alabama.





The Will of Rev. Samuel Harwell

The will of Samuel Harwell was probated on February 13, 1878 and is 20 pages long. The executor was his dominant son, Anderson Oliver Harwell. The first page says it all, naming the widow and all of the surviving children, and the children of his deceased children who had them, in place of their parents, the survivor of the 2 daughters of Samuel Watson Harwell, who perished in the War, and of his daughter Emma Harwell Dodson, who died in childbirth.

"To the Honorable Wilson Williams .....that Samuel Harwell who was at the time of his death an inhabitant of this county, departed this life at his home near Opelika on or about the first day of January 1878.."

Heirs lister were:
Widow, Emily F Harwell and the rest"
"Mary A Andrews wife of William A Andrews - resides in Chambers County, Alabama
John W Harwell - Lee County
William S Harwell - Lee County 
A O Harwelll - your petitioner
James R Harwell - Residence unknown
Julia A Harwell - Lee County - over 21
George P Harwell - Lee County - under 21
Willie K Harwell - daughter of Samuel W Harwell deceased son, under 21
Emma E Dawson - Walter E Dawson - minor children of Emma F. Dawson deceased. "

In another part of the estate papers it names minor heirs this way:

Julia America Harwell
George Pierce Harwell
Emma Eugene Dawson
Walter Emett Dawson





The Harwell Family Tree and 'Old One Hundred'. 
Upon researching Rev Samuel Harwell, I was introduced to a spectacular Methodist Minister called "Old One Hundred". He acheived this nickname by preaching at more than 100 Camp Meetings in Georgia, Alabama and the Carolinas. 
Now, a few family trees out there had Rev. Samuel Harwell who married Emily F. Singletary as the son of Old One Hundred. And indeed, he was born in Hancock County, Georgia where the esteemed evangelist spent some of his settled years, but after a little more timely and exact detective work, I agree with a smaller group, that this Samuel Harwell was, instead, the son of Anderson H. Harwell Sr (1769-1850) and wife Mary Reese Harwell (1780-1838). That said, Rev. Jackson Harwell was the son of an older Samuel Harwell and wife, Mariah Jackson, out of Virginia. Old One Hundred was married 3 times, to Martha "Patsy" Fretwell (see there is Fretwell connection again), then to a Martha Ann Thweatt, and lastly to Rhoda Watts. He had a son named Samuel, but not this Samuel. It took one step more up to make a huge discovery. I saw that Old Hundred also had a son named Vines. The name Vines took me back to Choctaw County, Alabama, and my post concerning Asa Henson, and his murderer, Gazzian Harwell. Gazzain was the son of Washington Harwell and related to a Vines Harwell. But not the same one. So, finally, I began to build a Harwell family tree. 
 It began with an original Samuel Harwell. He had a son named "Little Samuel" Harwell that was born about 1710 and died in 1779, who married Abigail Ann Jackson. Their son Samuel Harwell was born about 1733 in Dinwiddie County, Virginia and he also married a Jackson, Mariah. This was the Samuel who was the father of Old One Hundred.
Samuel III and Mariah had the following children:1761 Milly1764 Ransom - father of Washington Harwell - GF of Gazzain Harwell1766 Mason1769 Anderson - father of Rev. Samuel Harwell - GF of James Reese Harwell1770 Nancy1773 Jackson - Old One Hundred1775 Vines1778 Samuel1780 PollySeveral facts became clear. Rev. Jackson Harwell had a father, grandfather, great grandfather, son, brother and numerous nephews named Samuel Harwell. He was not Rev. Samuel Harwell of Opelika, Alabama's father, he was his Uncle. Jackson also had a son, Rev. Vines Harwell and two grandsons, Rev. Sterling and Rev. Richard Harwell, who also became respected Methodist Ministers. The Ghost of Gazzain HarwellThe father of Gazzain Harwell was Washington Harwell and Wash was the son of Ransom Harwell. Ransom was the older brother of Anderson and Jackson. This made the two murderous Harwell's second cousins. What was it in the Harwell lines that made some of its men devout orators and espouters of the Word of the Lord, and others evil-minded killers? Could it just have been the two-sided coin of being a preachers kid? 
The obituary in The Southern Christian Advocate was one of the most decorous and adulatory that I have ever read. Read it below. 
 SOUTHERN CHRISTIAN ADVOCATE, issue of September 3, 1852:
JACKSON HARWELL, the venerable subject of this brief memoir, closed his earthly career at his residence in Newton Co., Ga., June 19, after having stood "a bright and shining light" in the church for nearly half a century. He was born in Virginia in 1773, and at about 19 years of age removed to Hancock co., Ga. In August 1802, he found "the pearl of great price," and with that simplicity of purpose, ardor of devotion, which so signally characterized his long and useful life, he entered vigorously, and at once, upon the discharge of Christian duty. Amid the struggles and deprivations of revolutionary times, his opportunities for mental improvement were exceedingly limited. When, however, the claims of conscience required "the morning and evening sacrifice," he was found upon his knees, in the midst of his little domestic circle, with the "Lord's Prayer" upon his lips, as his best and only offering, until his industry and experience supplied him with some other forms of supplication. With an earnest determination to be useful, he learned to sing the usual church melodies of the day, and first plied his religious counsel, as class leader, to the blacks. His rational zeal and unaffected piety, soon won for him the office of class leader among the whites, where, for more than half a life-time, he continued to start a happy influence upon the several communities with which he associated. His soul loved to mingle in the strife, when the mighty weapons of Christian warfare were striking down "the strongholds of sin and Satan." Hence in the glorious by-gone days, when Zion pitched her tents in the wilderness, and her sons and daughters came from afar to worship God; when the forest resounded for days and nights together with the prayers of the suppliant, and the shouts of the redeemed, bro. Harwell was there, armed with all the panoply of the Gospel - "full of power and of the Holy Ghost." A more useful man, in proportion to his talents which he wielded, rarely ever entered a camp meeting altar. With a soul full of fire, a happy smile upon his face, and the tear of love in his eye, he moved among the mourning throng like a ministering angel, tendering his varied and cheering counsels, and pouring out his heartwarm prayers. In his long career he attended 260 camp meetings, and when he had numbered his first "one hundred," a facetious friend and neighbor gave him the good-natured sobriquet of "Old Hundred," to which he pleasantly submitted, and by which he was familiarly known to the day of his death.

With an honest endeavor to benefit the bodies as well as the souls of men, he had made himself acquainted with many simple, but useful, remedies which he often employed successfully in the treatment of troublesome disease. Bro. Harwell's religion was never characterized by acerbity or severity. His was not a sour, but a smiling godliness. Christianity was, with him, emphatically a "religion of love." His sweet temper, guileless manners, and earnest simplicity of address, won him the esteem and confidence of all who knew him - young and old - white and black - titles and untitled! Happy in the lovely combination of so many Christian virtues, sustained by a strong, clear and unfaltering faith, no wonder that our honored patriarch, when about to be gathered to the resting place of his fathers, "departed in peace." And no wonder that his progeny of children and grandchildren, now following in the wake of his godly example, took a tearful, but a soul cheering adieu of their octogenarian sire, as he left the world triumphant in the promise of a glorious resurrection.

       "They saw, in death, his eye-lids close,
       Calmly, as to a night's repose;
       Like flowers at setting sun."

Venerable servant of God, the heavenly smile that so often played upon thy sunburnt cheek in the house of prayer, yet lingers upon the memory of the writer. As it shown when - a stripling in years but in earnest for heaven - he was looking to thee, and to other lights of the church to illumine his path, and cheer him amid the perils and toils of his early discipleship. But thy work is done, and thy reward is on high. - A. Means

Benjamin Holmes was a single man, yet his Will and his Estate records connected much in the way of his neices and nephews.




I first came across Benjamin Holmes in an Anson County, North Carolina, land deed. Book Y Page 35. In this quitclaim deed, Benjamin Holmes, Moses Holmes, Solomon Lee, David Lee and Asa Henson, all for 'love and affection', which was the common terminology used when property was being transferred as a gift, to their 'friend and relative', Abner Proctor. There was the usual legalese e about heirs and therefores and oak stumps before more pertinent information came about, the fact that the transfer was of the interest in the property that had came to them as part of the share of the property that John Holmes and his wife Nancy had recieved as their portion in the division of the lands of Nancy's father, Ira Proctor. Now, Abner Proctor was also the son of Ira Proctor. The deed also said that the 5 men first mentioned were all citizens of Perry County, Alabama.

To summarize, this deed basically said that Nancy Proctor Holmes and her husband John had recieved her share of the property of her father, Ira Proctor. This deed was in 1831 and Ira Proctor had died about 1809. John and Nancy Proctor Holmes were also, now apparently deceased. The 5 men were their heirs. Benjamin and Moses were obviously their sons. And Solomon Lee, David Lee and Asa Henson, due to the fact that at the time men inherited property 'in right of' their wives, were their son-in-laws. And certainly, Solomon Lee had married a Martha Holmes and David Lee had married a Haran Holmes. Asa Henson however, had married Penny Proctor. Penny Proctor had been in the 1820 census with two small girls in Anson County, NC, but had married Asa Henson in Perry County, Alabama in 1823. She had been a widow. Therefore, it appears she was Penny Holmes Proctor Henson.

Name:	Benjamin Holmes
Age:	45
Birth Year:	abt 1805
Birthplace:	North Carolina
Home in 1850:	Barrons, Perry, Alabama, USA
Gender:	Male
Family Number:	31
Household Members:	Name Age Benjamin Holmes 45 John C Jones 24

As for Ben, I first find him in 1850 census in Barron's, Perry County, Alabama. It says he has a young employee,named John C Jones, who works for him as an Overseer. Ben Holmes was a slave owner.
My question about Ben was, he's 45 here. Certainly he was old enough to appear as head of his own household in 1840 or even 1830. Where was he?

I found no Benjamin Holmes in the 1840 census to have made any sense to have been him. He must have been counted in someone else's household.






There were 4 Holmes living in Perry County in 1840, maybe 5. There's a Jesse Hone. Looks more like a Horne to me than Holmes.

There's a female led household of "M" Holmes with a woman in her 80's, two females in their 30's and a boy between 10 and 14.

There's a Samuel Holmes, who is a man in his 30's.

There's an A. Holmes which includes a man in his 50's, a woman in her 30's and 6 children.

And there's a John Holmes, with a man in his 60's, a female in her 40's, a male in his 20's and two girls 15 to 19.

In the 1830 census of Perry County, there's only a John and a James. John's in his 50's, but in the home of James, is a male in his 60's and a woman in the same age group.

There is no 1820 census for Perry. It was just being settled.







Back in Anson County, in the 1820 census, there's only a James Holmes, Jr. and Theophilus Holmes.

The "Jr." indicates an older James Holmes in the same area, but not nessessarily a father and son. Could be an Uncle and nephew, a Grandfather and Grandson, or no relation at all. I do know that James Holmes Jr., remained in Anson County and left a will there. And I do know that Theophilus Holmes also married a daughter of Ira Proctor, Mary, while John had married Nancy.

Going back another decade, there was only James, and I am pretty sure that this had to be James Sr. and James Jr. would have been too young.

Moving forward, in 1830, while there were 4 Holmes in Perry County, the Holmes in Anson had blossomed.

James (Jr) and Theophilus were still there. James was no longer noted as "Jr". There was also the additon of a Joel, an Absolom and an Abraham Jr. Where was Abraham, Sr?

Another jump into 1840 shows a migration, as there is only James, the one who remains and leaves a will.

Name:	Theophilas Hormer
Home in 1840 (City, County, State):	Perry, Alabama
Free White Persons - Males - Under 5:	1
Free White Persons - Males - 5 thru 9:	3
Free White Persons - Males - 50 thru 59:	1
Free White Persons - Females - 5 thru 9:	1
Free White Persons - Females - 10 thru 14:	1
Free White Persons - Females - 15 thru 19:	1
Free White Persons - Females - 30 thru 39:	1
Persons Employed in Agriculture:	1
Free White Persons - Under 20:	7
Free White Persons - 20 thru 49:	1
Total Free White Persons:	9
Total All Persons - Free White, Free Colored, Slaves:	9

That's when I discovered that there was indeed, a fifth Holmes in Perry County in 1840. Theophilus had moved his family down there and the Anson County land records verify it as he sells Anson land while living in Perry. His name had just recorded incorrectly by a transcriber and he came up "Horner".

Remember, Theophilus was Benjamin's double-uncle. Two brothers, John and Offie, as Theophilus was sometimes seen, had married two sisters, Mary and Nancy, or Nanny.





I haven't quite wrapped my head around the Holmes family, yet. I know that the property of James Holmes Jr adjoined that of Ira Proctor. I'm fairly certain that John, James Jr and Theophilus were brothers and sons of James Sr...beyond that, I need clarification. Descendants have them coming from a Revolutionary War soldier in Iredell County who seems to have stayed there. The facts seem incongruent to me. I believe there were two entirely different James Holmes and the Anson County Holmes' were a different group.

But back to Ben.

Name:	Benjamin Holmes
Land Office:	Cahaba
Document Number:	16395
Total Acres:	80.2
Signature:	Yes
Canceled Document:	No
Issue Date:	14 Oct 1835
Mineral Rights Reserved:	No
Metes and Bounds:	No
Statutory Reference:	3 Stat. 566
Multiple Warantee Names:	No
Act or Treaty:	April 24, 1820
Multiple Patentee Names:	No
Entry Classification:	Sale-Cash Entries
Land Description:	1 E½SW ST STEPHENS No 19N 7E 19

Now, Benjamin Holmes had recieved his land patten in Perry County in 1835, and recall, the 1831 land deed in Anson County stated that he was from Perry County. That quitclaim deed also pretty much implied that his parents were already deceased as it was passing down to the next generation, so the John Holmes in the 1840 census was not the father of Benjamin Holmes. This doesn't mean that the one ten years prior, in 1830, when there was only John and James, was not. So where was Ben, and Moses for that matter?

Name:	Benj Holms
Age:	60
Birth Year:	abt 1800
Gender:	Male
Birth Place:	North Carolina
Home in 1860:	Scotts, Perry , Alabama
Post Office:	Marion
Dwelling Number:	512
Family Number:	512
Occupation:	Farmer
Real Estate Value:	1500
Personal Estate Value:	30000
Household Members:	Name Age Benj Holms 60 John Dulin 40

He's still in Perry in 1860 and now has a John Dulin working for him. The area he lived in was called "Scotts". Also in Scotts were his brother, Moses, his wife, Belinda and their daughter, Mary.

Name:	Moses Holmes
Age:	60
Birth Year:	abt 1800
Gender:	Male
Birth Place:	North Carolina
Home in 1860:	Scotts, Perry , Alabama
Post Office:	Marion
Dwelling Number:	504
Family Number:	504
Occupation:	Farmer
Real Estate Value:	22400
Personal Estate Value:	30000
Household Members:	Name Age Moses Holmes 60 Belinda Holmes 39 Mary Holmes 10 William Brit 35

Other Holmes in Perry County were a 62 year old Sarah Holmes living in Woodville with a 72 year old Abbie Pierce, a 54 year old Sam Holmes and a 70 year old Addison or Madison Holmes with his family, all living very near each other.

There were also two young ladies, an "M" Holmes, 15 and an H or A Holmes 14, living in Marion, attending what looks like a school for young women, with a large number of other girls aged 12 to 18.

Female Seminary Building in Marion

Benjamin Holmes died in 1863. His will was straight-forward. He owned a great deal of property, farm implements and live stock. He made his nephew, James Lee, also seen as Jame 'Lea', his executor. The other detail are no so interesting and bare no purpose for my post.

It's in his estate records were things get interesting and provide crucial genealogical information.





There were actually two lawsuits in this folder, John Chapman vs James Lee, excutor of Benjamin Holmes, Decd. and George Seigler vs James Lee, executor of Benjamin Holmes, decd.

There were several repeat pages of similar form to that above, like an outer husk and the following inside pages.  A different set for each individual. And written on them were Fi Fa or Levy lee Fi Fa.

A Writ of Fieri Facias, or Fi Fa for short, is a court order commanding  the Sheriff to collect a judgement by either getting  the money or to levy and sell sufficient property of the person or persons named in the document to take care of the monies due. To levy means to seize or attach property by judicial order, then to convert that property into money.

One page read "To Any Sheriff of the State of Alabama, Greeting....You are hereby  commanded , the of the Goods and Chattels, Lands or tenements of James Lee, if found in your County, you cause to be made the sum of Ninety-one dollars  and 9/100 cents.......8th term of our Probate Court A. D. 1868 recovered against  him as the Executor of Benjamin Holmes, deceased for the use of James C. Chapman. Also, the sum of $1.00....FI FA.


These papers repeated themselves for John Chapman, James C. Chapman, George Chapman, Martha Chapman, David Chapman, William Chapman and W. H. Sanders, executor of the estate of Elizabeth Sanders, deceased. 

Also listed in the suit was Martha Roberts and husband John Roberts, Mourning Allen and husband Gray Allen, John W. Henson and Richard H. Lee. Those were all a little different. For instance, they recieved $409.90 instead of the $91.09 that the Chapmans and Sanders recieved.

And it would read, "Gray Allen as Grantee for his wife Mourning". 

And there was one more individual listed in this group that recieved a little bigger piece of the pie, William Henson.

I was first introduced to the Chapman's in the estate file of Benjamin Holmes. The one thing I knew about them was that some way, some how, they were related to him.

Antebellum era family

Benjamin Holmes had died a bachelor, a left his considerable estate to his nephew, James Lee, oldest son of his sister, Haran Holmes Lee and her husband David. The name of Haran, or more particualarly, Haran Elizabeth was an odd one passed down through the Holmes family, and those that married into it. There must have been a matriarch Haran somewhere up the Holmes family tree.

A few years later, two lawsuits insued, from other persons claiming to be heirs of Benjamin Holmes as well, and these relatives were awarded monies claimed from James Lee, the executor. The names of these suits were "John Chapman vs James Lee"  and "George Siegler ve James Lee".  

The relatives of Benjamin Holmes who recieved awards in these suits, included in his estate file were:

George Siegler
James C Chapman
John Chapman
George Chapman
Martha Chapman
David Chapman
William Chapman
W H Sanders executor of Elizabeth Sanders
Martha Roberts and husband John Roberts
Mourning Allen and husband Gray Allen
Richard H Lee
John W. Henson
William Henson


Two things I already knew from this list. One, that Richard H. Lee was the brother of James Lee, and thus Ben Holmes by virtue of his sister, Haran Holmes Lee.

The other was that Martha Proctor Roberts, Mourning Proctor Allen, John W. Henson and William D. Henson, were all children of his sister, Penelope Holmes Proctor Henson. The rest were strangers to me.

The Holmes had several dealings with the Chapman family. When brother Moses Holmes died, just one year before Ben, he had left a widow and young daughter, Mary E. Holmes. His widow, Belinda had married Jesse Holloway Lide after his death. She had began as guardian of her daughter Mary, and also as guardian of Mary's inheritance, as Mary was still a minor.



After Belinda Evans Holmes Lide was removed as guardian of her own daughter, due to the fact that she was married, one of those archaeic antebellum laws that would confound us today, a John Haywood Chapman replaced her as guardian of Mary E. Holmes.




At first glance, I thought that this must have been one of the Chapmans mentioned in the Benjamin Holmes estate files. But it wasn't.  To jump ahead a minute, the John H. Chapman mentioned in the estate files of  Ben Holmes was the son a William Chapman. He was born in 1858. He would have not been old enough to serve as a Guardian of Mary E. Holmes.

Remember, Moses died in 1862 and Benjamin followed in 1863. The Civil War was raging during those years. The court systems were awry. Most of the workings of them just ... stopped.

It took until nearly the end of the decade for civilization and order to break its way back in through the chaos and disorder that the War had caused. In fact, it's not completely foreign to wonder if the deaths of the Holmes brothers may have arisen from some facet of the War.

George Caleb Bingham painted Order No. 11 after the Civil War to protest the treatment of Missourians by Federal troops evacuating and looting four counties (George Caleb Bingham/Cincinnati Art Museum/The Edwin and Virginia Irwin Memorial/The Bridgeman Art Library International).

Both armies and the Home Guard, and various gangs of deserters, from both factions,  would raid the stores and properties of private citizens. It was no secret that they would harrass, in particular, old men of position and substance and take any thing of value and confiscate animals and property "for the war effort".  Many a family had to hide their food and valueables... and their men.




Ben Holmes even comes up in the estate papers of his brother, Moses, as he survived him by a year.


At any rate, I found the who this list of Chapmans were, James C., George, John, Martha, David and William.

Name:	Wm Chapman
Age:	42
Birth Year:	abt 1808
Birthplace:	South Carolina
Home in 1850:	Polecat, Perry, Alabama, USA
Gender:	Male
Family Number:	30
Household Members:	Name Age Wm Chapman 42 Ester Chapman 39 James Chapman 14 Martha Chapman 12 George Chapman 10 Abner Chapman 8 David Chapman 6 Huan Chapman 4 Joseph Chapman 2 Eli Chapman 1

They were the children of William and Esther (or Easter) Chapman, shown above in the 1850 census. These were the older children of William and Esther, James C., Martha, George, Abner, David, Haran, not Huan, that was a transcription error, Joseph and Eli. Notice some of them were not mentioned in the suit. That does not mean that all of them were deceased by then. But some were. And there is that Holmes inherited rare name again, Haran!

Name:	Esther Chapman
Age:	47
Birth Year:	abt 1813
Gender:	Female
Birth Place:	North Carolina
Home in 1860:	Pole Cat, Perry, Alabama
Post Office:	Morgan Spring
Dwelling Number:	268
Family Number:	268
Occupation:	Domestic
Real Estate Value:	2500
Personal Estate Value:	9500
Married Within Year:	Yes
Cannot Read, Write:	Y
Household Members:	Name Age Esther Chapman 47 M E Chapman 22 David M Chapman 18 Eli Chapman 12 Robt B Chapman 9 Wm H Chapman 6 S E Chapman 5 J H Chapman 2

Ten years later, in 1860, William had passed away. This is Esther with some of her children, notice several more had been born since the 1850 census. The 22 year old "M. E. " was Martha. David and Eli were still living at home. Robert B, William H., S. E. (Susan) and John Haywood Chapman had been born. So, no, he would not become the Guardian of Mary E. Holmes, who was actually 8 years older.

This guy would:





The Marion Commonwealth
Marion, Alabama06 May 1880, Thu  •  Page 2

He even ran for State Senator in 1872. John H. Chapman had some influence and status. That does not mean that the Holmes relationship to the Chapman family was through the Chapman lines. It doesn't discount it either.





Looking closer at William Chapman and his wife, Esther, I discovered that they were married in Perry County, Alabama in 1833.  'Easter' was a Seigler or Seagler before marriage. And one George Seagler was their bondsman.

George Seigler was also mentioned in the Benjamin Holmes estate papers as an heir. 

Another clue I had as to how the Chapmans may have been related to Ben Holmes was the amount of money they were awarded in the suit. $91 and 9/100. Or $91.09. Very specific amount. As opposed to say, the children of Penny Holmes Proctor Henson, whom all recieved $409.90. I'm no expert, but this tells me that the Chapmans may have been one generation down from the rest. That while these were the nieces as nephews of Ben, maybe the Chapmans were the Great-neices and nephews. This is just speculation on my part. I'm still grasping at straws here.

George Seigler, on his part, had recieved approximatley the same part as Richard H. Lee and the children of Penelope, people whom I knew were nieces and nephews. I will be back to the Chapmans in a minute, but who was George Seigler? One little side note, I have to add, that George Chapman, son of William and Esther, was fully named George Seigler Chapman, so there's that.

Name:	George Seagler
Land Office:	Cahaba
Document Number:	16444
Total Acres:	40.09
Signature:	Yes
Canceled Document:	No
Issue Date:	14 Oct 1835
Mineral Rights Reserved:	No
Metes and Bounds:	No
Statutory Reference:	3 Stat. 566
Multiple Warantee Names:	No
Act or Treaty:	April 24, 1820
Multiple Patentee Names:	No
Entry Classification:	Sale-Cash Entries
Land Description:	1 SWSW ST STEPHENS N

George Seiglers patent in Perry County is dated October 14, 1835. The same as that of Benjamin Holmes.

Name:	George Seagler
Home in 1840 (City, County, State):	Perry, Alabama
Free White Persons - Males - 20 thru 29:	1
Free White Persons - Females - Under 5:	1
Free White Persons - Females - 15 thru 19:	1
Slaves - Females - Under 10:	2
Slaves - Females - 36 thru 54:	1
Persons Employed in Agriculture:	1
Free White Persons - Under 20:	2
Free White Persons - 20 thru 49:	1
Total Free White Persons:	3
Total Slaves:	3
Total All Persons - Free White, Free Colored, Slaves:	6

He first shows up in the 1840 census in Perry County. At this time he is newly married and his first daughter, Eliza Ann, has been born.

Name:	George Seagler
Gender:	Male
Marriage Date:	16 May 1838
Marriage Place:	Perry, Alabama, USA
Spouse:	Ann J Holly

He had  married Anna Jane Jolly, daughter of Pinkney Holly and Margaret Susan Brown Holly, on May 16, 1838

Name:	George Sigler [George Seagler]
Age:	46
Birth Year:	abt 1814
Gender:	Male
Birth Place:	North Carolina
Home in 1860:	Beat 12, Anderson, Texas
Post Office:	Parkersville
Dwelling Number:	614
Family Number:	612
Occupation:	Farmer
Real Estate Value:	1600
Personal Estate Value:	2500
Household Members:	Name Age George Sigler 46 A J Sigler 39 W P Sigler 17 Emily Sigler 15 J J Sigler 11 Richard Sigler 9 M J Sigler 7 Margaret Sigler 5 M M Sigler 3 Edward Sigler 1 J A Holly 41

In the 1850 census, he's in Perry County, but by 1857, George has moved his family to Tennesee Colony, Anderson County, Texas. In the above census record, all of the children have been born, and the oldest, Eliza Ann, is not seen because she had already married the prior year, (1859), to John C. Kendrick, but they are also living in Texas.

In March of 1861, George shows up on a Muster Roll for the " Southern Rights Guards" for Tennesee Colony, Texas. He's listed on the tax rolls there from 1857 to 1864. Somewhere between there and 1870, he passes away. His widow survives him, showing up in the census records of Anderson County through 1880. Interestingly enough, in the 1880 census, John H. Chapman, the youngest child of William Chapman and Esther Seigler Chapman is living with her and her youngest son, Edward Harper Seigler.

But he is not the only one.

In 1860, just under the listing for George Seagler and his family in Anderson County, Texas, we find these three:

Name:	J M Chapman
Age:	25
Birth Year:	abt 1835
Gender:	Male
Birth Place:	Alabama
Home in 1860:	Beat 12, Anderson, Texas
Post Office:	Parkersville
Dwelling Number:	615
Family Number:	613
Occupation:	Farmer
Real Estate Value:	450
Personal Estate Value:	450
Household Members:	Name Age J M Chapman 25 N E Chapman 22 G S Chapman 23

They happen to be James M. Chapman, the oldest of William Chapman and Esther Seigler Chapmans family, his wife Nancy E. Woolverton Chapman, and his brother, George Seigler Chapman.

George Seigler Chapman (sitting) with Pete, Dewey and Leta Faye. Shared to ancestry.com by Carla Chapman

In fact, George S. Chapman takes custody of James and Nancy's surving son, Sam Dave, after the parents and brother Georgie all pass away, and settles in Colorado County, Texas, along with his brother David Chapman.

Name:	George S. Chapman
Birth Date:	23 Dec 1837
Death Date:	6 Jun 1906
Cemetery:	Osage
Burial Place:	Colorado, Texas, USA
Notes:	Son of William and Esther (Seagler) Chapman
URL:	http://library.columbustexas.n...

Heron Elizabeth Chapman marries Robert Jacob Allen, and at first they settle in Kaufman County, Texas, where a daughter, Helen, is buried who died at 16. Her younger brother, William Henry Chapman followed them there.

Name:	Haran Allen
Age:	37
Birth Date:	Abt 1843
Birthplace:	Alabama
Home in 1880:	Precinct 6, Kaufman, Texas, USA
Street:	52
Dwelling Number:	365
Race:	White
Gender:	Female
Relation to Head of House:	Wife
Marital status:	Married
Spouse's name:	Robert Allen
Father's Birthplace:	Tennessee
Mother's Birthplace:	North Carolina
Occupation:	Keeping House
Neighbors:	View others on page
Household Members:	Name Age Robert Allen 51 Haran Allen 37 Fanny Allen 14 Helen Allen 8 Robert Allen 2

The Allens and William Henry Chapman all then remove to Oklahoma. Haran died there in 1920 and William Henry in 1811.

Name:	Haran E Allen
Birth Date:	1 Sep 1842
Death Date:	20 Jan 1920
Cemetery:	Rattan Cemetery
Burial or Cremation Place:	Rattan, Pushmataha County, Oklahoma, United States of America

Abner Chapman, one of the middle sons, was living with James Lee in 1860, and working as a Farm Manager.

Name:	Abner Chapman
Age:	20
Birth Year:	abt 1840
Gender:	Male
Birth Place:	Alabama
Home in 1860:	Scotts, Perry, Alabama
Post Office:	Uniontown
Dwelling Number:	554
Family Number:	554
Occupation:	Manager
Household Members:	Name Age Jas Lea 36 Abner Chapman 20

Abner was killed in the Civil War. Nearly all of the Chapman boys served in the Civil War, except for the youngest ones.



Let's compare.

Esther Seigler Chapman was born in North Carolina in 1811.
George Seigler was born in North Carolina in 1814.

Esther Seigler married William Chapman in 1833 in Perry County, Alabama.
George Seigler was the bondsman.

George Seigler marries in Perry County, Alabama in 1838. He had patented land there in 1835.

Esther's most of Esther's children follow George Seigler to Texas. At least 3 of them live with his family for awhile.

Esther names one of her sons, George Seigler Chapman.

I would say there is a close relationship between George and Esther. With only 3 years difference in age, my best guess would be that they were siblings.




The community in Texas where George Seagler and the Chapman children of Esther Seagler Chapman and husband, William moved to was known as "Tennesee Colony".


Tennesee Colony

The Handbook of Texas decribes Tennesee Colony as a settlement formed about the time George Seagler arrived by settlers from Alabama and Tennesee, thus the name. It also names Seaglers as one of the founding families. I raced to that first census of the place, all 7 pages, hoping to find more Seaglers possibly related George and possibly giving me some answers, but all I found was George and his family, and the sons of Esther and William Chapman.


The search continues. If I had to take my best guess, I would guess that George and Esther were siblings and that their mother was a Holmes, a sister of Penny, Haran, Martha, Moses and Benjamin. If their mother was 20 years older than Esther, that would give her a birth year of 1791. Penny was born in 1793, so it was definately a possibility. As women in that time married very young at times, this possible mother may have been as young as 15 to 17 when Esther, the oldest of the two, was born. And I would bet they were born in Anson County.

Were there any Seaglers in Anson County during that time?

In my last few posts, I've been looking at the heirs of one Benjamin Holmes, son of John Holmes and wife, Nancy Proctor Holmes. Ben was a single man, born in Anson County,  North Carolina between 1800 and 1805, and died in Perry County, Alabama in 1863. So far, I believe, I have discovered that he had one brother, Moses Holmes and 3 sisters, that I know of: Haran Holmes Lee (David), Martha Holmes Lee (Solomon) and Penelope 'Penny' Holmes Proctor Henson (Asa).

In his will, he left to his estate to one nephew in particular, an unmarried (at the time) man named James Lee (or Lea), son of his sister Haran. Others who felt this unjust gathered together in a lawsuit, or two, and claimed to be heirs of Benjamin Holmes, with rights to inheritance.  Some of the names I recognized as nieces and nephews of Ben Holmes. Others, I had no idea who they were. In this latter category was one George Seigler, and several folks with the last name Chapman.

The Chapmans, I discovered, were the children of one William Chapman and his wife Esther Seigler. The couple had married in Perry County, Alabama in 1833, with George Seigler as bondsman. George was born in 1814 in North Carolina. Esther was born in 1811 in North Carolina. When George would move to Texas in about 1857, some of Esther's sons went with him and lived right next to him. William Chapman died in 1859 and Esther, probably about 1862. I believe George and Esther to be siblings.

So there is some background to the beginning of this post.

Perry County, Alabama

While looking at the Proctors, Holmes, Hensons, Allens,  Lees and my Turners, all roads led back to Anson County, North Carolina. Or near Anson, the Henson/Hinsons actually led back to neighboring Montgomery or possibly the part of Montgomery that later became Stanly County.

So my next question was, did the Seiglers also lead back to Anson County?

Anson County, North Carolina

One thing I had learned about the name Seigler was that it had more incarnations than most surnames. Seagler, Seigler, Sigler, Sigley....the combinations were endless.

But did I find them in Anson County? Yes, I did. They were not there long, and there were not that many of them. That does not mean they were any easier to figure out.

A Mathew Segler left a will dated May 30, 1808 and probated in October of that same year, in Anson County, NC. In that will, he names his wife, Angelica or Angelico. He names two sons, John and Mathew, Jr., and 4 daughters, Elizabeth, Anna, Becky and Hannah.

He also adds this excerpt, "I also make and ordain my worthy and trusty friends, John Broadway and George Segler Executors to this, my last will and testament."

Two facts arise from this, one, this is definately not the George Seigler in Alabama, born in 1814. He's not been born yet. Second, Mathew and George are probably related, even though he was called 'friend' in this document. I've seen several wills in like manner, where a relative is called friend.

But, there were Seglers in Anson County, and one was named George. He was also not the son of Mathew.

Oddly though, it was after the death of Mathew Seigler that I find the first land transaction involving George.




It appears Mathew Seigler's stay in Anson County was not long. The only deed in Anson County involving Mathew, precisely, was dated January 5, 1808. He purchased from 'Merrady Allen', 144 acres on both sides of  Cribs Creek for $250, and another tract, adjoining the previous one that adjoined the properties of Thomas Preslar and Arthur Davis. Witnesses to this transaction were John Lee and John Broadway. As Thomas Preslar and John Broadway are both ancestors of mine, and the John Lee family intermarried with my Davis line, this puts the Seiglers right in this same spot that a lot of my dna came from.

Mathew must have gotten sick or mortally injured shortly after arriving in Anson County, as he wrote his will in May, which was later proved in October, all of in 1808.

By his will, I know that George Seigler was not a son of Mathew Seigler, but more like a contemporary of his. My bets would be on being a brother. I have no proof of the exact relationship, but there was one. George was named an executor of Mathew's will, they bought land at the same place at the same time.


April 15, 1808 Book R Page 157 Humphrey Yarborough of Stewart County, Tennessee sold to George Sigley of Anson County for $425 100 acres on Rocky River at the mouth of Lanes Creek, begining at the mouth of the creek and running to a spring branch and then up the branch to the spring near a road, joins the Still House branch and joins (Carriker). This was part of a grant had by Humphrey Yarborough. Witnesses were Ambrose Yarborough, Archibald Ezell and Willie Boykin.

Mathew would write his will a month later. His will was proven in Oct.

Over a year later, in December, 1809 George would but another tract. Dec. 296, 1809 William Harrison of Anson to George Seagler of Anson, for $210 a 150 acres tract bordering William Travers, Davis Yarborough, on the Lightwood Knot branch, borders Isaac Baker and crosses Cribs Creek. Book O Page 74. Witnesses were John Broadway and B. A. Lanier.

The next year, June 9, 1810 George Sigley of Anson to Amon Yarborough of Anson for $425, 100 acres on Rocky River at the mouth of Lanes Creek, joins the Stillhouse Branch and Carriker, part of a grant to Humphrey Yarborough. Witnesses were John Broadway and Jacob Williams.

George sold to Amon Yarborough the exact same tract he had bought from Humphrey Yarborough two years prior.

Stewart County, Tennessee, where another Anson County Exodus took place to.

1810 was a census year. Mathew had died 2 years prior, so we find his wife and family still in Anson County.

Name:	Angeline Seaglar [Angelico Segler]
Home in 1810 (City, County, State):	Anson, North Carolina
Free White Persons - Males - Under 10:	1 Unknown.
Free White Persons - Males - 10 thru 15:	1 Mathew Jr.
Free White Persons - Males - 26 thru 44 :	1 Probably son John as he was old enough to witness his father's will in 1808.
Free White Persons - Females - Under 10:	2 Elizabeth and Hannah
Free White Persons - Females - 10 thru 15:	1 Rebecca
Free White Persons - Females - 16 thru 25:	1 Anna
Free White Persons - Females - 26 thru 44:	1 Angelica
Number of Household Members Under 16:	5
Number of Household Members Over 25:	2
Number of Household Members:	8

She is shown in a household of  8 people. The 4 daughters mentioned in Mathew's will match up with 4 girls in the census. But there is an extra male. John signed as a witness to his father's will in 1808, so it would be hard for me to believe he was the male between 10 and 15. But Mathew Jr. survived until the 1850's and his birth year is given as 1807, putting him as the male under 10.  Or was there a baby boy after Mathew's death and John the 20 year old male and Mathew the 10 to 15? Or did John witness his father's will at 12 or 13 years of age and the adult male perhaps a hired hand?

Name:	Geo Seaglar
Home in 1810 (City, County, State):	Anson, North Carolina
Free White Persons - Males - 16 thru 25:	1 Son? William?
Free White Persons - Males - 45 and over:	1 George
Free White Persons - Females - 10 thru 15:	1 Daughter?
Free White Persons - Females - 16 thru 25:	1 Daughter?
Free White Persons - Females - 45 and over :	1 Wife?
Number of Household Members Under 16:	1
Number of Household Members Over 25:	2
Number of Household Members:	5

I found George Seigler in the 1810 census living near Johnathan Yarborough and Drury Allen. He appears to be a man over 45 with a wife of the same age. There were 3 teenaged children living in the home, one under 15.

Name:	George Srigley
Home in 1820 (City, County, State):	Staton, Anson, North Carolina
Enumeration Date:	August 7, 1820
Free White Persons - Males - Under 10:	1 Could this be George b 1814?
Free White Persons - Males - 45 and over:	1 George
Free White Persons - Females - Under 10:	1 Could this be Esther?
Free White Persons - Females - 16 thru 25:	1 New wife or youngest daughter from the 1810 census
Number of Persons - Engaged in Agriculture:	1
Free White Persons - Under 16:	2
Free White Persons - Over 25:	1
Total Free White Persons:	4
Total All Persons - White, Slaves, Colored, Other:	4

By 1820, the older woman in George's household was gone. A young woman between 16 and 25 was there instead and two younger children, under 10, had been born. The younger woman could possibly be the youngest daughter, aged 10 to 15 in the 1810 census. But my theory is a little different. I believe the older 3 children were adults and married by then, or possibly deceased. I believe George married a young wife and she was the young woman between 16 and 25, born between 1796 and 1804. I believe this young woman was a daughter of John Holmes and Nancy Proctor Holmes and a sister of Benjamin Holmes, Moses Holmes, Haran Holmes Lee, Martha Holmes Lee and Penny Holmes Proctor Henson. I believe these two children are the George Seigler and Esther Seigler Chapman who are found in Perry County, Alabama and who were heirs of Benjamin Holmes.

But who and where were the older children of George?

Name:	Angelica Seighy
Home in 1820 (City, County, State):	Staton, Anson, North Carolina
Enumeration Date:	August 7, 1820
Free White Persons - Males - 10 thru 15:	1 Mathew
Free White Persons - Females - 16 thru 25:	2 Two youngest daughters.
Free White Persons - Females - 45 and over :	1 Angelica
Number of Persons - Engaged in Agriculture:	1
Free White Persons - Under 16:	1
Free White Persons - Over 25:	1
Total Free White Persons:	4
Total All Persons - White, Slaves, Colored, Other:	4

The surname of Seigler takes on yet another configuration, but this is Angelica Seigler and her family. It appears her two youngest daughters are still at home and also, her youngest son, Matthew, but where is John?

Descendants of John Seigler, or descendants of A John Seigler who have hooked their horse to the Mathew Seigler wagon, have him marrying a Nancy Jones in Burke County, North Carolina on May 10, 1817 with James Morrow as a the bondsman and a J. Erwin as a witness. Now, I personally descend from the Burke County Erwins. Patrtiots and Planters, one of them had a lovely daughter, known forever as such, by her nickname, "Pretty Polly", who married an intenerant, very well respected Minister, Rev. John McKamie Wilson, who ended up in Mecklenburg County, and whose daughter married an attorney from Cabarras County, etc. etc. and their dna ended up in my paternal grandmother. So, it's not out of the way to think John Seigler may have wandered up to the foothills to find a wife. Perhaps, somehow, they actally knew each other. I've seen as unlikely, even further back. And I have no reason to challenge this theory.

1826

Two things happened in 1826. The first was of no major significance, except that it mentions George Seagler as still being in Anson County. On December 26 of that year, Governor H. G. Burton of Raleigh, NC issued a patent to Green R. Dunn, Grant 2799 for $10 per 100 acres granted, 150 acres  on Cribs Creek, bordering John Tye and George Seagler.

The second was pretty important. At the beginning of that year, on January 4,  John Seagler and "Angelicho" Seagler (or Seagley), sold to Jaspar Turner (a guy whom I thought was my ancestor and I recently discovered was not, setting me off on this entire adventure), for $250 two adjoining tracts, the 150 acres on both sides of Cribs Creek and crosses the creek twice and joins Thomas Preslars' line and Arthur Davis's property. This was the same property and the same neighbors that Mathew Seagler bought from Merrady Allen in 1808. It was witnessed, again, by John Lee and John Broadaway.

1830

According to descendants of John, this is when John, Angelica and family moved to Newton County, Georgia. And from the research of several families lately, I've seen several migrations to Georgia, and to Newton County, in particular, before these individuals ended up in Alabama.

Name:	John Hagler [John Seagler]  [John Seagle]
Home in 1830 (City, County, State):	Newton, Georgia
Free White Persons - Males - Under 5:	1
Free White Persons - Males - 5 thru 9:	1
Free White Persons - Males - 30 thru 39:	1 John
Free White Persons - Females - 5 thru 9:	1
Free White Persons - Females - 30 thru 39:	1 Nancy/wife of John
Free White Persons - Females - 50 thru 59:	1 Angelica?
Free White Persons - Under 20:	3
Free White Persons - 20 thru 49:	2
Total Free White Persons:	6
Total - All Persons (Free White, Slaves, Free Colored):	6

The woman in her 50's would make sense to be Angelica. John appears to have a wife and 3 children.

Name:	George Leglar [George Siglar]
Home in 1830 (City, County, State):	Anson, North Carolina
Free White Persons - Males - 5 thru 9:	1
Free White Persons - Males - 50 thru 59:	1
Free White Persons - Under 20:	1
Total Free White Persons:	2
Total - All Persons (Free White, Slaves, Free Colored):	2

As for George, he was still in Anson County. He's between 50 and 60 years of age here. Does that match up with the other census records? This would give him a birth year in the 1770's. In 1820, he was over 45, which would mean a year of birth of 1775, at the youngest. In 1810, he was in the same age group, so he must have been 60, or right at it. He has a small boy living in his home, and no older children.





The above is an excerpt from the 1830 census of Anson County. Notice that in this order is:
James Austin
George Seigler
David Gurley
James Holmes
Theophilus Holmes
James Allen

I know Theophilus Holmes is in Perry County, Alabama by 1840 and he married Mary Proctor. This James Holmes, I believe, is the one who remained in Anson County. Another James Holmes removed to Perry County, Alabama before this. I will explore this more in a closer study of the Holmes family.
As of now, Mr. Gurley has no significance to me but the gentleman on the other side of George Seigler, James Austin will have, in a minute.

Remember my theory is that George Seigler's second (and much younger) wife was a Holmes.

This last deed in Anson County involving George Seigler was found in Book Z Page 271. George "Sigley" for the sum of $600 paid by James Dunn sold property on Cribbs Creek that adjoined William Travers line, Davis Yarborough's line, Lightwood Knot Branch, Isaac Baker's line, and  crossed Cribs Creek again. This was the same land he had purchased from William Harrison in 1809 found in Book O Page 74. The original deed was written in 1825, but it wasn't proven  until December 4th, 1836 when it was  proven in open court on the testimony of M. W. Mask, who had witnessed the original deed in 1825, and was ordered to be recorded.

The very next deed following the sale from George Seigler to James Dunn was one from John Beard to Lazarus Turner, both members of my family tree. Lazarus Turner, the brother of Axom Turner, whose whole move to Alabama precipitated this entire Alabama adventure I've been on. And John Beard, a member of my Winfield Family Tree, a son of Michael Beard and wife Margaret Zevely Beard, of Rowan, who married Annabell Morrison, a daughter of Ancena Winfield and her first husband, James Morrison. Ancena was a daughter of Peter Winfield and Charlotte Freeman Winfield, who migrated from Mecklenburg County, Viriginia in the 1780's and a sister of my 4th Great Grandmother, Sarah Elizabeth Winfield Howell Davis.





But before I get to far removed, I need to go back to that 1830 census, where George Seigler is living right next to James Austin and near James and Theophilus Holmes.

The last deed for the Seigler/Seagley family in Anson County came the very next year, 1831, and it didn't involve Mathew or George.

January 8, 1831 Book Y Page 102: William Seagley & Susannah Seagley (both of Anson) to Wyatt Nance. This couple sold 100 acres for $150, which began at James Austin's corner near his spring branch. It was signed by William and Susannah and the witnesses were Berry Austin and John Rushing. John Broadway, an ancestor of mine seen several times throughout this involved in the Seagler deeds, and Thomas Griffen "Esquires", meaning both of them had obtained this status, were ordered to obtain a dower renouncement of Sussanah Seagley, and she gave it to both John Broadway, Justice of the Peace, and Thomas Griffen, Justice of the Peace. The deed itself was proved in court in 1832 by oath of witness, Berry Austin.

William Seagley or Seagler appears in no other place, either in the deeds, or in the census records of Anson County, which tells me he was probably a dash in someone's household. This land connected to James Austin's. James Austin lived next to George Seigler. That is pretty much all of the clues we have for who William may have been. I've found no record of a marriage between a William Seagler and Susannah. So many records were lost over the years due to fires, sloppy record keeping and other means of loss.

Another interesting thing about this deed is the focus on Susannah. Women didn't come into play very often in these documents. There is no record of the purchase of this property, just the sale. This tells me that the couple probably inherited it. And with the focus on Susannah, it was probably her share of an estate of her father, or another relative. It's even possible that she may have been an Austin herself, as James and Deberry "Berry" Austin, who were brothers, are both mentioned in the deed. I'd have to research the Autins for that, and I'm just not that curious right now.

But who was William? He wasn't the son of Mathew, as Mathew left a will. So he was probably the son of George, an older son. He may have even already moved away from Anson County, but returned to marry Susannah. This was not unheard of, in fact, the family story on David Lee, who migrated to Perry County, Alabama with his family in its earliest years, returned to Anson County to marry Haran Holmes and take her back to Alabama. It was their son, James Lee, to whom Benjamin Holmes left his estate to, which caused his brother and cousins to file a lawsuit for their share as heirs in kind to James Lee. Heirs that included a George Seigler and the children of an Esther Seigler Chapman. Heirs that make no sense, unless, their mother was a Holmes and a sister of this Ben, and of Haran Holmes Lee.

The Seiglers were in Perry County by the early 1830's, when Esther married William Chapman in 1833, and George was witness, and then George married a local girl, Anna Jane Holley, in 1838.
Was this older Anson County George Seigler their father? He lived near James and Theophilus, whom I believe were brothers to John Holmes, father of Haran, Ben, Moses, Penelope and Martha and possibly, the unknown Miss Holmes who became the younger, second wife of George Seigler, Sr. in Anson County.

1840

The older George Seagler doesn't appear in the census records anymore, however the widow of his believed son, William, does.

Name:	Susan Seglar
Home in 1840 (City, County, State):	Anson, North Carolina
Free White Persons - Females - 15 thru 19:	2
Free White Persons - Females - 40 thru 49:	1
No. White Persons over 20 Who Cannot Read and Write:	1
Free White Persons - Under 20:	2
Free White Persons - 20 thru 49:	1
Total Free White Persons:	3
Total All Persons - Free White, Free Colored, Slaves:	3

But what about the family of Mathew Seigler? Where did they end up, and could anything in their travels help with the mystery surrounding George?

The fate and futures of the daughters of Mathew Seigler, I have no idea of. They most likely married, if they survived to, but whom they married and where they lived, I do not know.





Newton County, Georgia

John, the oldest son, raised his family in Newton County, Georgia and died there, leaving a will in 1835. He had a son named Mathew and a daughter named Angelica, so the naming pattern persisted and corrobarated the fact, that this was indeed, the correct John. His younger brother, Mathew was also in Newton County, Georgia in 1830, but left there, with his mother, who shows up with him in Alabama in 1850, where she passes away that year.

Those are another post, as well as the descendants of William Seagler and his wife, Susannah. She was not an Austin, and I discovered who she was. Their oldest son, George Washington Seigler, married in Montgomery County, North Carolina, and lived there for a little while, before migrating to Mississippi. The daughters were another story entirely, and became part of the fabric of Union County, North Carolina. In fact, they were in what is now Union County all the while, and that fact connects to the story of the Holmes family.

Lancaster District, South Carolina

Name:	Matthew Sigley
Home in 1800 (City, County, State):	Lancaster District, South Carolina
Free White Persons - Males -10 thru 15:	1
Free White Persons - Males - 16 thru 25:	1
Free White Persons - Males - 26 thru 44:	1
Free White Persons - Females - 10 thru 15:	1
Free White Persons - Females - 45 and over:	1
Number of Household Members Under 16:	2
Number of Household Members Over 25:	2
Number of Household Members:	5

Excerpt from the Will of John Seagler of Newton County, Georgia

A coffee cup emblazoned with the image of The King...of Rock and Roll - my mother's teenaged heart throb. A cane with a worn handle and aged patina passed from a grandparent to a parent who then used it themselves a few brief decades later, delicate dishwear passed from one generation to another. The topper from a 1965 wedding cake. Mementos of lives lived, items used and treasured. That's all we have left.

Jacob Gurley from Johnston County,
North Carolina obtained his first grant in Anson County in March of 1799. It was for 100 acres on "Littel Watre Branch". He obtained 2 more that year, both in December, just days apart for property on the North Side of Richardson's Creek. As the years passed, he would obtain 3 more, another on the North Side of Richardson's Creek in 1807, "on the Flag Branch with the Green Pond", in 1812, and the last tract bordering his own line and "Austins Corner."

Richardson's Creek today, near its intersection with Salem Creek

A portion of the Anson County 1830 census showing George Seagler, James Austin, David Gurley, James and Theophilus Holmes.

Name:	Geo Seaglar
Home in 1810 (City, County, State):	Anson, North Carolina
Free White Persons - Males - 16 thru 25:	1 William ?
Free White Persons - Males - 45 and over:	1 George
Free White Persons - Females - 10 thru 15:	1 Daughter 2
Free White Persons - Females - 16 thru 25:	1 Daughter 1
Free White Persons - Females - 45 and over :	1 First wife
Number of Household Members Under 16:	1
Number of Household Members Over 25:	2
Number of Household Members:	5

Name

Susan Seglar

Home in 1840 (City, County, State)

Anson, North Carolina

Free White Persons - Females - 15 thru 19

2

Free White Persons - Females - 40 thru 49

1 Susannah

No. White Persons over 20 Who Cannot Read and Write

1

Free White Persons - Under 20

2

Free White Persons - 20 thru 49

1

Total Free White Persons

3

Total All Persons - Free White, Free Colored, Slaves

3

Name:	Geo W Seglar
Home in 1840 (City, County, State):	Anson, North Carolina
Free White Persons - Males - 20 thru 29:	1
Free White Persons - Females - 20 thru 29:	1
Persons Employed in Agriculture:	1
No. White Persons over 20 Who Cannot Read and Write:	2
Free White Persons - 20 thru 49:	2
Total Free White Persons:	2
Total All Persons - Free White, Free Colored, Slaves:	2

Name:	George Leglar [George Siglar]
Home in 1830 (City, County, State):	Anson, North Carolina
Free White Persons - Males - 5 thru 9:	1
Free White Persons - Males - 50 thru 59:	1
Free White Persons - Under 20:	1
Total Free White Persons:	2
Total - All Persons (Free White, Slaves, Free Colored):	2

Name:	Unity Whitley
Age:	54
Birth Year:	abt 1796
Birthplace:	North Carolina
Home in 1850:	Division 12, Cass, Georgia, USA
Gender:	Female
Family Number:	80
Household Members:	Name Age Stephen Whitley 68 Unity Whitley 54 Lucinda Whitley 2

Name:	George W Sigley
Age:	27
Birth Year:	abt 1823
Birthplace:	North Carolina
Home in 1850:	Montgomery, North Carolina, USA
Gender:	Male
Family Number:	52
Household Members:	Name Age George W Sigley 27 Mitty Sigley 28 Sarah A Sigley 7 Adaline Sigley 5 Elizabeth J Sigley 4 Eliza Sigley 3 Bachariah Sigley 1

Topographic map for Richland Creek.

Name:	Susan Segle
Age:	60
Birth Year:	abt 1800
Gender:	Female
Birth Place:	North Carolina
Home in 1860:	Union, North Carolina
Post Office:	Monroe
Dwelling Number:	789
Family Number:	789
Occupation:	Domestic
Personal Estate Value:	50
Household Members:	Name Age Susan Segle 60 Catharine Segle 28 Thomas Segle 15

Name:	Walter Sigley
Age:	36
Birth Year:	abt 1824
Gender:	Male
Home in 1860:	Zion, Montgomery, North Carolina
Post Office:	Swift Island
Dwelling Number:	853
Family Number:	853
Occupation:	Farmer
Real Estate Value:	350
Personal Estate Value:	250
Household Members:	Name Age Walter Sigley 36 Milly H Sigley 36 Sarah A Sigley 20 Eliza Sigley 15 Techery F Sigley 11 George W Sigley 9 Henry L Sigley 6

Tombstone of Elizabeth Jane Seigler Warner

Name:	Pvt Thomas Siegley
Birth Date:	1843
Birth Place:	Anson County, North Carolina, United States of America
Death Date:	15 Sep 1862
Death Place:	United States of America
Cemetery:	Oakdale Cemetery
Burial or Cremation Place:	Wilmington, New Hanover County, North Carolina, United States of America

Name:	Patsey Crook
Age in 1870:	30
Birth Year:	abt 1840
Birthplace:	North Carolina
Dwelling Number:	168
Home in 1870:	Monroe, Union, North Carolina
Race:	White
Gender:	Female
Post Office:	Monroe
Occupation:	Keeping House
Cannot Read:	Y
Cannot Write:	Y
Inferred Children:	Alice Crook Jefferson Crook John Crook
Household Members:	Name Age Patsey Crook 30 Alice Crook 13 Jefferson Crook 6 John Crook 2

Name: Martha Siegler Age: 37 Birth Date: Abt 1843 Birthplace: North Carolina Home in 1880: Monroe, Union, North Carolina, USA Dwelling Number: 753 Race: White Gender: Female Relation to Head of House: Self (Head) Marital status: Widowed Father's Birthplace: North Carolina Mother's Birthplace: North Carolina Occupation: Farming Cannot Read: Yes Cannot Write: Yes Neighbors: View others on page Household Members: Name Age Martha Siegler 37 Jefferson Siegler 14 Sallie Siegler 10 Frank Siegler 4 Alice J. Crook 22

Name:	Barrett Broom [Burrell Broom]
Age in 1870:	80
Birth Year:	abt 1790
Birthplace:	North Carolina
Dwelling Number:	526
Home in 1870:	Monroe, Union, North Carolina
Race:	White
Gender:	Male
Post Office:	Monroe
Occupation:	Farmer
Cannot Write:	Y
Male Citizen over 21:	Y
Personal Estate Value:	350
Real Estate Value:	800
Household Members:	Name Age Barrett Broom 80 Sophronia Seagly 19 Mary Seagly 18 Amanda Seagly Francis M Broom 19

Name:	Zeda H Seigler
Gender:	Female
Race:	White
Marriage Date:	1871
Marriage Place:	Union, North Carolina, USA
Spouse:	Ambrose Wilson Helms
Spouse Gender:	Male
Spouse Race:	White
Event Type:	Marriage

The Will of Jacob Gurley

In researching my Turner roots, I discovered that my 3rd Great Grandfather, George Washington Turner, had achieved his surname through his mother's line, not his fathers. As of this moment, we have no idea who his father was, so I have been researching his mothers roots. We are, after all, still Turners, just not down the paternal line.

George Washington Turner, my 3rd Great Grandfather

After blogging about my Turner research,  I was contacted by another who had been researching the same branch of  Turners, a distant cousin of mine. She got me in contact with some other distant cousins I had never met, who actually still lived on property that had been in the family for quite some time. She told me there was an old homeplace down the road, and in the homeplace, portraits of George W. Turner, his wife Wincy Elizabeth Morton Turner, and a Family Bible. I made contact with my unknown family, who are now treasured family, and wrote about this discovery in The Treasure Chest.

And if only to make this adventure more of a blessing, my cousin who lived on the old family lands, and who co-owns the original lands of G. W. Turner near the church where G. W.  is buried, with his siblings, agreed to take a Y-DNA test for me through Family Tree DNA. He is a direct male line to George W. Turner. This test goes from father to son for generations. While it will most likely not nail down the exact father of George W. Turner, we hope that it will give us a clue as to the family line of his father by identifying a predominance of a certain surname in the pool of closest genetic matches.









The reason for this post is that I recently recieved an email from Family Tree DNA stating that they had recieved the test. Now is the waiting game until it is processed, which should take a number of weeks. It all depends on how many people recieved the tests for Christmas and sent them off at once to be processed.

So there, but that is not all. I have a prediction.

George Washington Turner, was by all accounts, a good man. He was loved by his maternal grandfather, James Turner, who died in 1843, and made accommodations for the boy in his will. So he inherited his mothers share of his grandfather's farm when his mother, Mary, passed away. He married well, to the daughter of a well-respected minister, Rev. Sammy Parsons Morton, who had helped establish several Baptist Churches within a multi-county area. George W. Turner, himself, was instrumental in establishing Red Hill Church, near where he lived, and served in several capacities there. He and Wincy raised a large family, and amongst them was one of his younger sons, William Alexander Turner, whose daughter, Penny, became my Great Grandmother, living into my own lifetime. I remember her.



One of George's Uncles's, the oldest, Axom Turner, had served in the War of 1812. As a result, he recieved an alottment of land in Alabama, and with what I've discovered was a large flow of young settlers from Anson and surrounding counties to Alabama in the 1820's, he relocated there. A descendant of Axom Turner has participated in a Turner DNA study. And this study can tell us the origins of our ancestor, James Turner.  I will get into that test later, but one thing to note is that it follows the path of the family that I believe is the family of Jame's wife Susannah. In fact, I had suspected who she was from my research, before I discovered in the family bible that James's wife was indeed named Susannah. The individual whom I suspected she might be, was named Susannah.

But the one thing I do NOT expect to find is the surname of George Washington Turner to be Turner.

But I do have a possibility in mind. This post is to put my suspicions out there, before the test results arrive, to test my theory.

While researching the Alabama Turners, I discovered the family of a neighbor, Hull Threadgill, was quite involved with the Alabama Turners, and had migrated to Alabama as well. His son, William Hull Threadgill married the youngest daughter of Axom Turner, Charlotte. Molly, the daughter of Hull Threadgills daughter Jane Threadgill Creps, became the second wife of Axom's son, William P. Turner. So, you see there was some intermarriage, after the fact, of moving to Alabama.

After the Civil War, all of the remnants of these two families packed up and moved to Porter Springs, Texas, and settled there. While I was looking into all of this, I discovered the name of a Charles Frederick Threadgill, who also had Anson County roots, and who lived among the children of Axom Turner and migrated when they did.

While exploring the family trees in which he dwelled to find his exact origins, I made an interesting discovery. I was related to these folks. The first one I opened stated that the person to whom the tree belonged was not a genetic match to me, but I matched with 3 of the trees she managed. The person who managed the tree had married into the family, but I matched actual descendants of C. F. Threadgill. I had to explore more of the family trees. Now, not everyone who has a family tree has taken a dna test, of course. And among those who have, at this distance, is not going to match all distant relatives. But some will. I found a significant number of matches among the descendants of Charles F. Threadgill. The amount of dna shared is not much, and it ranges from 4th to 8th cousins in distance.





For months now, I have been exploring how I could have a common ancestry with these folks who left the area I live in nearly 200 years ago!!!   

The only common link I can find is that their ancestor, Joshua Hull Threadgill, owned property that joined that of my ancestor, James Turner. Most of the intermarriage between these Threadgill folks who left Anson, were with people who were not from Anson. Unlike the Turners, who seemed to write home for brides. But there are missing links in my family tree. The father of G. W. Turner is one of those unknowns.

And now for my prediction. I am going to predict that he was a Threadgill. And I will go one step further. After much research, I am going to predict that his first name was Thomas, the son of one of Hull Threadgills sons who died young, and his two sons were raised in Alabama with their Uncle.

Time will tell if I am right or wrong.

Arthur Lee Hudson, Jr.

Obituary

- Obituary from Huff Funeral Home, East Bend, North Carolina.

Arthur Lee Hudson was born nearly 90 years ago just south of Badin, North Carolina in the shadow of the Uwharrie Mountains and the range which bordered the west side of the Pee Dee River. His father, Arthur Lee Hudson, was a farmer and owned a large tract that ran from Highway 740 to Morrown Mountain Road. A. L. as he was known was  career Air Force. He first married a Canandian, Helen Mandy, from Langley, British Columbia. Her parents, Iwan Mandiburr (Anglicized to William Mandy) and Nellie Kendrat, were immigrants from the Ukraine. A. L. and Helen raised their 4 children all over the world, Korea, Japan, New Mexico, Hawaii and Colorado were a few of the places. Son Allan was born on Guam. He provided the only grandchild, a daughter, Kayla, who has 2 children of her own now. A. L. and Helen divorced and both remarried. Helen is still living. His second wife, Edna, preceded him in death.

Arthur Lee Hudson, Sr.

Arthur Lee Hudson, Sr. was born on November 26, 1899, near Norwood, NC and died September 3, 1968, in Albemarle, NC. He was the son of Henry Marshall Hudson and Sallie West Hudson. He married in 1924 to Lottie Lucille Austin, daughter of Robert Lee Austin and Mary Alice Miller Austin.

The couple would raise their two sons and two daughters in the shadow of Morrow Mountain and it's siblings along the Mountain Creek Valley. Arthur Lee Jr. was the first born in 1930, Alice in 1935, Jimmy in 1940 and Linda in 1943.

Henry Marshall Hudson was the son of James Hudson and Mary Adeline Carpenter and the grandson of Elijah S. Hudson and Camilla C. Lee. Elijah Hudson was one of the sons of Old Joshua Hudson of Ugly Creek near Norwood, NC who lived nearly 100 years and had over 20 children by three wives.

His wife Sallie West was the daughter of Charles West and granddaughter of Hampton RhodesWest. Her family leads back to the Wests of Anson County, NC.

A. L.'s legacy is left to my grandchildren in lineage only. He left a lifetime of painful memories to his children, met his only granddaugher a handful of times, and never met either of his very young great grandchildren. Totally opposite of his own father, Arthur Lee Hudson, Sr. who, from all accounts was a warm, salt of the earth farmer, who loved his family immensly and left wonderful memories in the minds of his grandchildren. Thus is the course of families.

I have a lot of irons in the fire, when it comes to genealogy, and indeed, life in general. My most recent pursuit involves my Turner family and its connections in Anson County and abroad. Recent developments in DNA have made me want to step back and give it some air. A recent Y-DNA test result is going to take a lot of work on my part to figure out. And a lot of time.

Add to that a recent fairly close DNA match that makes no sense and I can't quite pin down. I'm working on that too.

But as far as my blogging, I'm going back to the discs, the court records of Old Stanly County. There are tales in there that need to be uncovered and told. Stories that can shine light, perhaps for someone else, on strange and unexpected DNA discoveries.

In particular, being a woman, I'm drawn to the stories that involve women. Women who lived in a time much different than out own. Women who had less power and control of their own lives than we do today. Why did they do what they did? Who were they? And what was their fate.

I came across one such woman in the Stanly County Court of Equity, September Session, 1855.

There I found the case of  Andrew Troutman vs Catherine Troutman. 

Andrew was suing his wife for divorce. It was granted. And 22 years later, this was her fate:

Name:	Catherine Troutman
Gender:	Female
Race:	White
Marital status:	Divorced
Estimated birth year:	abt 1817
Birth Place:	North Carolina, USA
Age:	62
Death Date:	Dec 1879
Cause of Death:	Syphilis
Census Year:	1880
Census Place:	Gold Hill, Rowan, North Carolina, USA
Enumeration District:	244
Line:	18

So Catherine died of Syphillis at the age of 62, a divorced woman, in Rowan County, NC in 1880. But that is just the top and bottom of the Oreo Cookie. Who was this lady and why was this her fate? What happened before and between and after. She was, after all, a daughter and a mother, besides a wife.


Andrew Troutman, Jr.  owned land on both sides of the Rowan/ Stanly County line.  He was the son of Andrew Troutman, Sr. and Elizabeth Beaver Troutman. His father lived along Little Buffalo Creek in Rowan County. They occupied this section of land where Rowan, Cabarrus and Stanly Counties all come together and the area was very rich in gold in those days. Andrew Troutman's parents had came from Burke County, Pennsylvania. The area had been settled by families that had been together for generations.

The above map shows the town of Gold Hill in the Upper-left hand corner, which is in Rowan County and the village of Misenheimer in the Lower-right hand corner which is in Stanly County. A fushia dot, a blue dot and a green dot follow the path of Long Creek, which begins in Rowan County near Gold Hill and travels the distance north to south through Stanly County until it reaches the Rocky River at the southernmost border of the county. Highway 52, which runs in the same general direction, was once part of the Salisbury to Fayetteville Wagon Road. It's present path traverses on and off the course of the original road, but still travels in the same general direction.


The big quarry-looking spot in the upper left quadrant of the map is Vulcan Materials, a supplier of building materials. It was not there, of course, during the days Andrew Troutman did, however, a mining area did that was purchased by Vulcan. The dots represent the general vicinity of Andrew Troutman's purchases of land.


It's a bit of a difficulty to separate which Andrew Trexler was involved in the land deeds in Rowan County, but knowing that Andrew Sr. lived on "Dutch Second Creek" and "Little Buffalo Creek", I believe most of the transacations involved Sr. up until about 1842. At this time, Andrew Jr. had married and began his family.

Andrew had came into the possession of valueable property. On December 20, 1842, in Rowan County, Book 30, Page 238 a transaction is recorded between Andrew Troutman on the one part and the company of George Culp, Archibald Huneycutt, James Huneycutt, Edmund Huneycutt, David Culp, Adam Eagle, and John Culp of the other part.

"Andrew Troutman in consideration of the seventh part of the metals found, if tolerable, did and if worth $25 per bushel, the sixth part found in land hereafter mentioned and used on behalf of said company - namely George Culp, Archibald Huneycutt, James Huneycutt, Edmund Huneycutt, David Culp, Adam Eagle and John Culp.....along the waters of Long Creek bordering John Troutman and Phillip Earnhardt".

The tract involved was 16 acres. Many landowners would release a portion of their properties for mining expeditions and purposes without giving up the land, in exchange for a portion of the proceeds, without having to do any of the work. Sounds like a good deal until you consider how to account for the proceeds.

On August 11, 1857, in Stanly County, Andrew bought a tract of land from Daniel Wagoner for $400.This deed was recorded in Book 5, Page 240 and was on Long Creek met the corner of John Wagoners land, bordered David Culps,ran with Gaute Sells line,met Peter Pecks corner and then ran with 'Haglers Old line".   Witnesses were Thomas C. Miller and Levi Trexler. These were and still are North Stanly and South Rowan family names. Very different from the family names found in the western part of the county and the southern part of the county.Strange how in one small county, family origins from different sections can be so variant.

Later deeds involved parental inheritance and hiws second wife. He must have decided to marry well.

In Book 13 Page 323 Stanly County dated February 1st, 1869 in a deed titled 'William E. Culp et al to J. L. Earnhardt", the parties of William E.Culp and wife, Andrew Troutman and wife, Ally Troutman, Jacob Simpson and wife Amanda and D. F. Culp sold 35 acres on Long Creek in Stanly County to Mr. Earnhardt. This might sound like such a small tract for this large group to be concerned with, but this was gold country. It was witnessed by John A. Miller and Samuel A. Culp and signed by W. E. Culp, Martha J. Culp, D. F. Culp, Jacob and Amanda Simpson and Andrew and Ally Troutman.

Ten years later, in Rowan County, on November 1, 1879, in Book 56, Page 422, I found this transaction between Andrew, his second wife Ally Sell Troutman, his mother, Elizabeth Troutman, and the North State Mining Company, " a Corporation credited under the laws of New York".  The Troutmans sold one undivided moiety in a 51 acre tract in Rowan County known as the Huneycutt Mine.

This was the tract involved in the 1842 deed with the Honeycutts and Culps. Not familiar with the term, 'Moiety', I looked it up to discover it was an 'undivided half share in land. The interest of a Tenant in Common.' The location of the property suggests this was land from an inheritance from Andrew Sr, who had passed away in 1857.

"Beginning in the middle channel of Little Buffalo Creek near Moreheads Mill".  It mentions an old corner rock in a field, a School House line, Cunningham's corner to a rock near a house on the Southside of the Concord Road to a 'Beach' tree marked with the letters "J. M."

The rocks, I'm sure, are long gone or long ignored, but I'm interested in the location of the Mill and the School House. Which School?

It was signed by Elizabeth, Andrew and Aley E. Troutman and F. H. Mauney, Justice of the Peace.

Four years later, in Stanly County, in Book 15, Page 160, is found an Indenture between Samuel Sell, Phillip Sell, Ally Troutman, Andrew Troutman, Eliza Cody, Daniel Cody, Dorothy Wiles, William Wiles, Mary Miller, F. H. Miller, Caroline Russell and Bennett Russell, all "Heirs at Law of  Corrighl Sell, deceased". I believe this was her father, as these are her siblings, but other records have her father as "Goright". Perhaps this was an original spelling and Goright the Anglicization of it.

Grace Lower Stone Lutheran Church in Rowan County, NC

So this gives me a general idea of who Andrew Troutman was and who is people were. As would be the people of his wives, as well, Andrew was a third generation of the Pennsylvania Dutch, aka the Germans, who had migrated from Pennsylvania and settled along Dutch Buffalo Creek and in the area of Gold Hill and Southwestern Rowan County, having built the stone churchs  known as  Grace Lower Stone Church, Organ Lutheran Church and Saint John's Lutheran Church near Mt. Pleasant.

Here is a good place to remind everyone that many very English sounding names are German in origin. The Millers mentioned above were originally Meullers. The Browns started out as Brauns. And the Troutmans began as Trautmann, which meant "trusted friend".

But what about Catherine? Her maiden name of Earnhardt was unmistakenly German in origin, so she too, was no doubt a product of these industriou people. In fact, on the marriage license of Andrew and Catherine, her name was spelled Aaronhardt, but was originally, "Ehrenheart", meaning honor and bravery.

Catherine was the third-born child of Jacob Earnhardt (1787-1877) and his first wife, Catherine "Catie" Harkey Earnhardt. In turn, he was the son of Johann Jurg Ehrenhardt Sr. from Munich, Bavaria, Germany, another of the Palatine immigrants. Jacob had 9 children by his wife Catie, who passed away in 1859. Not to be impeded, he would then, in 1862, marry a young 22 year old girl from a non-German family, Sarah Hill, who was 50 years his junior, and father two more daughters with her. Between his oldest and youngest children was a space of 51 years. Remarkable.




The Charlotte Democrat
Charlotte, North Carolina21 Jan 1862, Tue  •  Page 3


So Catherine Earnhardt Troutman grew up in a large family, and I am sure, helped provide childcare for the many younger siblings. The list of Jacob's children would be:

1813 Sarah
1815 John W.
1817 Catharine
1819 Henry
1819 Jacob Jr.
1821 Maria
1823 Moses
1827 Susanna
1829 Emmeline

by Catherine Harkey

1863 Laura Jane
1866 Eva Camilla Sophia

by Sarah Hill


Andrew Troutman and Catherine Earnhardt were married on January    , 1839 in Rowan County. John Troutman was bondsman, no doubt a relative of Andrew, and perhaps Catherine, too as her grandmother, Old Jacob's mother, was also a Troutman. There was quite a bit of endogamy in this group of Germans. For a few generations, they kept to their own.

Name:	Andrew Troutman
Gender:	Male
Spouse:	Catherine Aronheart
Spouse Gender:	Female
Bond date:	22 Jan 1839
Bond #:	000129979
Level Info:	North Carolina Marriage Bonds, 1741-1868
ImageNum:	000247
County:	Rowan
Record #:	02 437
Bondsman:	James Troutman
Witness:	John Giles

The 1840 census was the first one after Andrew and Catherine's marriage in 1839. It shows a newly wedded couple, without children yet, living among many other Troutmans, Earnhardts (or Arnhardts) and Millers.

Name:	Andrew Troutman
Home in 1840 (City, County, State):	Rowan, North Carolina
Free White Persons - Males - 20 thru 29:	1
Free White Persons - Females - 20 thru 29:	1
Persons Employed in Agriculture:	1
Free White Persons - 20 thru 49:	2
Total Free White Persons:	2
Total All Persons - Free White, Free Colored, Slaves:	2

1850 is the first that names all but Head of Household. In this one, the couple is together and all 3 of their known children have been born.

Name:	Catharine Troutman
Age:	29
Birth Year:	abt 1821
Birthplace:	North Carolina
Home in 1850:	Gold Hill, Rowan, North Carolina, USA
Gender:	Female
Family Number:	124
Household Members:	Name Age Andrew Troutman 34 Catharine Troutman 29 Rufus Troutman 8 Delia S Troutman 3 Elisabeth Troutman 0

This was the last census that the family would be together. To note, this was also the last census where Catharine's mother, also Catherine, would be alive.

Name:	Jacob Earnhart
Age:	63
Birth Year:	abt 1787
Birthplace:	North Carolina
Home in 1850:	Gold Hill, Rowan, North Carolina, USA
Gender:	Male
Family Number:	180
Household Members:	Name Age Jacob Earnhart 63 Catherine Earnhart 58 Chlotilda Earnhart 15

The 15 year old Clotilda in the household was not a daughter of Jacob and Catie, but a granddaughter. She was the firstborn of their oldest daughter, Sarah, who would later marry, but leave her out-of-wedlock child with her parents to raise. Clotilda has her own story and Catherine was not the only "black sheep" in her family tree.


The census counted Andrew and Catherine Troutman and their family in Gold Hill Township in Rowan County. However, owning property in both counties suggested their property straddled the county line between Gold Hill and Misenheimer. Their case was heard in Stanly County.



The court case was named "Andrew Troutman vs. Catherine Troutman", Petition for Divorce.

The year was 1855. The couple had been married for 16 years. Andrew was 39 and Catherine was 37. Their 3 children were Rufus, 14, Adelia 10 and Mary Elizabeth, 5.

"This case coming on to be heard upon the petition and finding of the Jury upon the issues submitted to them is declared by the court that Catherine Troutman did separate herself from her husband Andrew Troutman and live in an adulterous connection with John Bennett six months prior to the filing of the petition that Andrew Troutman did not recieved her into his congugal embraces after a knowledge of her infidelity and he has not been guilty of a similar offense. That Andrew and Catherine intermarried in the State of North Carolina, resided here three years previous to the bringing of this suit. It is accordingly ordered, decreed and adjudged by the court that  the marriage between Andrew and Catherine Troutman be divorced and that Andrew Troutman be divorced from the bonds of matrimony and with said Catherine and it is further ordered that Andrew Troutman pay the costs of this suit and that this decree be enrolled."




There were 4 issues brought before the jury to be verified.

1st: "Did Catherine Troutman separate herself from her husband Andrew Troutman and live in adultery with John Bennett 6 months prior to the filing of this petiton?

2nd: "Did Andrew Troutman recieve her into his conjugal embraces after knowledge of her infidelity?

3rd: "Has Andrew been guilty of a similar offense?

4th: "Were the parties intermarried in this state and did they reside here three years before filing this Petition?




A jury of 12 was chosen:

1. Tillman Carter              7. A. H. Hatley
2. Robert M. Wall             8. John J. Freeman
3. Henry T. Mann             9. Francis Biles
4. Alexander M. Dry      10. N. P. Efrid
5. Michael Fesperman    11. Solomon Sell
6. Charles Frick              12. William Sides

All citizens of Stanly County, most from the northern part of the county. The jury found in favor of the Plaintiff,  Andrew and the divorce was granted the first Monday in September, 1855.




But there is yet a mystery that remains unsolved. There was a third party involved in this suit. The question remains, Who was John Bennett?

I have been unable to find a John Bennett in either Rowan or Stanly County that could have lent himself to be the interloper mentioned in this suit during this decade. Bennett was an Anson County name.

I found a John Washington Bennett who was born about 1809 and died in 1858, who was buried in Wadesboro and a Dr. John H. Bennett who was born in 1813 and died in 1899, also buried in Wadesboro, and a John Bunyan Bennett, born in Anson County in 1818 and ended up living in what became Union County, who died in 1860. Could any of them have possibly made their way the 45 miles from Wadesboro  to Gold Hill and lived there for 6 months in the mid- 1850's in an adulterous relationship with Catherine Earnhardt Troutman?

I suppose one of them certainly could have, but there is no indications that any of them did.

This does not mean there were no Bennetts in Rowan County. In fact, there were 2, and in 1850, they lived just a few houses away on the census in 1850, from Andrew and Catherine in Gold Hill.

Name:	Amanda Bennett
Age:	38
Birth Year:	abt 1812
Birthplace:	North Carolina
Home in 1850:	Gold Hill, Rowan, North Carolina, USA
Race:	Mulatto
Gender:	Female
Family Number:	118
Household Members:	Name Age Doctor Bennett 24 Amanda Bennett 38 John H Spafford 15

Family Number 118 in Gold Hill was a 24 year old Carpenter named Doctor Bennett, a 38 year old woman named Amanda Bennett and a 15 year old laborer named John H. Stafford. In contrast, the Troutmans were family 124, just 6 households away.

The striking thing about these Bennetts were that they were designated as "M" under race for Mulatto, or "Brown People". Those who do not fit in as black or white. This label was given to Native Americans, people of mixed ancestry, or really, any "Free People of Color", meaning they were free people and were not white. Amanda may have been the mother of Doctor Bennett, while it is possible that she was 14 and had a child, as especially women of color sometimes began their families very early in life, especially, later census records show her as older.

Name:	Amanda Bennett
Age:	67
Birth Date:	Abt 1813
Birthplace:	North Carolina
Home in 1880:	Charlotte, Mecklenburg, North Carolina, USA
Dwelling Number:	153
Race:	Mulatto
Gender:	Female
Relation to Head of House:	Mother-in-law
Marital status:	Widowed
Father's Birthplace:	North Carolina
Mother's Birthplace:	North Carolina
Occupation:	Home
Cannot Write:	Yes
Neighbors:	View others on page
Household Members:	Name Age Squire Sims 45 Mary A. Sims 49 Amanda Bennett 67

Ten years later she would be in the town of Salisbury living with 2 young women and a littler girl, also labeled mulattos. Lastly, she is found in Charlotte, listed as a mother-in-law to a Squire Sims, meaning she was the mother of his wife, Mary A. Sims. All three are listed as mulattos, people of mixded ancestry. This is the last I can find of Amanda. Doctor Bennett only appears in this one census.

In 1855, Doctor Bennett was 29 and Catherine Troutman was 37. Is it concievable that she could have had an affair with the younger brown-skinned man? Of course it is. In fact, in that very era, 1855, in Stanly County, was another trial that made it to the state courts, that of " The State vs Harris Melton and Ann Bird".  

Henry Harrison Melton aka "Harris", was the son of Charlotte Melton, who was white, and an unidentified man, who was not. He was named, obviously, for another Henry Harrison Melton (also seen as Milton), who was a relative of Charlotte's and probably for an older relative in the family tree.

Harris Melton and Ann Bird were from Stanly County and had been married. They were charged with fornication because their marriage was not considered legal, as Ann was white and Harris had obviously darker coloration.

Name:	Haris Milton
Age:	26
Birth Year:	abt 1824
Birthplace:	North Carolina
Home in 1850:	Gold Hill, Rowan, North Carolina, USA
Gender:	Male
Family Number:	105
Household Members:	Name Age Ann Bird 28 Haris Milton 26

The couple was also found in Gold Hill in 1850. It had to obviously been a more open-minded place at the time. Various relatives and Gold Hill neighbors and Stanly County citizens were called to testify at the hearing, including the minister who married them.

At the end of the hearing, based on the testimony of individuals who knew the unnamed father of Charlotte Melton's children, who stated that they considered him "Indian" and that the had stated that he was of "Portugee" origins, or Portugeuse, a statement found in the oral histories of Melungeons, a people of mixed race who took refuge in the mountains of Appalachia.

Some people of Applacia: Complicated Roots


Harris Milton died on February 15, 1855 at age 33 years, 2 months and 14 days. He is buried in the Henry Marshall family cemetery in Albemarle, North Carolina, not far from Little Long Creek. The mystery surrounds what did Harris die of at such a young age and why did the wealthy and respected Mr. Marshall, Esquire have him buried in his family plot, marker and all?

It could have been a mining accident, of course, as they lived in Gold Hill and that is where Ann remained, but something tells me there was foul play afoot. Perhaps at the hands of vilgilantes.

As Doctor Bennett shows up no more, and perhaps his name could have been Doctor John Bennett, maybe even being named after an Anson County Dr. John. Perhaps, if he was the named Bennett in the Troutman divorce proceedings, he also fell victim to foul play by citizens of Gold Hill who would not have a man of mixed heritage with a white woman. But this is just a great deal of speculation on my part and the identity of John Bennett remains, as it began, a mystery.

Name:	Andrew Troutman
Gender:	Male
Spouse:	Alley Sell
Spouse Gender:	Female
Bond date:	23 Jul 1857
Bond #:	000129987
Marriage Date:	23 Jul 1857
Level Info:	North Carolina Marriage Bonds, 1741-1868
ImageNum:	007110
County:	Rowan
Record #:	02 437
Bondsman:	John Sell
Witness:	M L Holmes
Performed By:	M L Holmes, Justice of the Peace

About two years after the divorce cree, Andrew Troutman would remarry, this time to a girl named Alley Sell, twenty years his junior, on July 23, 1857. Andrew  and Alley wasted no time in starting their family and in 1858, their first daughter was born, Laura Josephine Troutman.

This was also the year that Andrew's mother would pass away, Elizabeth Beaver Troutman. She left a will and in it, she named not only Andrew, but his children, out of some obvious concern. Perhaps Andrew harbored doubt as to their paternity. Perhaps one in particular.

In her will, Elizabeth states, "Fifth, I give and bequeath to my son Andrew Troutman one eighth of my estate.
Sixth, I give and bequeath one eighth of my estate to the children of Andrew Troutman to be equally divided among them."

She did not do this for any of the other children of her children.

Later in the will, she singled out three of her granddaughters for a special bestowment, Charlotte Troutman, daughter of her son Solomon, Emaline Troutman, daughter of her son James Troutman and 'Addelia' Troutman, daughter of Andrew Troutman.

"Tenth, I bequeath to my granddaughter Addelia T. Troutman daughter of Andrew Troutman one bed quilt."

Name:	Andrew Troutman
Age:	45
Birth Year:	abt 1815
Gender:	Male
Birth Place:	North Carolina
Home in 1860:	Stanly, North Carolina
Post Office:	Albemarle
Dwelling Number:	502
Family Number:	504
Occupation:	Farmer
Real Estate Value:	300
Personal Estate Value:	250
Cannot Read, Write:	Y
Household Members:	Name Age Andrew Troutman 45 Ally Troutman 24 Delsey Y Troutman 14 Jesephine Troutman 2 Margaret Troutman 1/12

The 1860 census finds Andrew and Ally living in Stanly County, NC. With them is Andrew's 14 year old daughter, Adelia Tabitha Troutman, seen here as "Delsey". Also are the first two daughters of Ally and Andrew, two year old Laura Josephine and a newborn Margaret.

Name:	Catharine Earnhart
Age:	35
Birth Year:	abt 1825
Gender:	Female
Birth Place:	North Carolina
Home in 1860:	Salisbury, Rowan, North Carolina
Post Office:	Gold Hill
Dwelling Number:	765
Family Number:	700
Occupation:	Washer Woman
Personal Estate Value:	10
Cannot Read, Write:	Y

Washerwoman by Thomas Ryan 1958

In 1860, the disgraced Catherine is living in Gold Hill and is working as a Washerwoman. She's not far from her father Jacob, who is again living with a child of his oldest daughter Sarah, his grandson, Jesse Johnson.

Name:	Jacob Earnhart
Age:	71
Birth Year:	abt 1789
Gender:	Male
Birth Place:	North Carolina
Home in 1860:	Salisbury, Rowan, North Carolina
Post Office:	Gold Hill
Dwelling Number:	768
Family Number:	703
Occupation:	Farmer
Real Estate Value:	2650
Personal Estate Value:	2000
Cannot Read, Write:	Y
Household Members:	Name Age Jacob Earnhart 71 Jesse Johnston 14

Many of their neighbors are miners, as is her son, Rufus. Youngest daughter, Mary Elizabeth Troutman is not living with her father, Andrew.

Name:	Mary E Troutman
Age:	10
Birth Year:	abt 1850
Gender:	Female
Birth Place:	North Carolina
Home in 1860:	Salisbury, Rowan, North Carolina
Post Office:	Gold Hill
Dwelling Number:	438
Family Number:	424
Attended School:	Yes
Household Members:	Name Age John E Millar 32 Elizabeth Millar 32 Margaret Millar 1/12 Mary E Troutman 10

Instead, she is living with a young Miller family.

It troubled me that while his second daughter remained in his household at 14, Andrew Troutman had put his youngest child out at 10. I have a feeling he had a reason for that and possibly felt she was not his, but it was not the childs fault.

Mary Elizabeth disappears from records at this point. She may have died young, or she may have married. She may have even been under a different name, maybe Earnhardt, maybe even Bennett.

Rufus seems to have sided with his mother.

Name:	Rufus Troutman
Gender:	Male
Marriage Date:	14 Oct 1866
Marriage Place:	Rowan, North Carolina, USA
Spouse:	Adline Noah
Spouse Gender:	Female
Event Type:	Marriage

In 1866, he married Esther Adeline Noah.  His sister, Adelia, had beat him to the alter, in 1863 she married Milas Monroe Holshouser.

Name

Delia T Troutman

Gender

Female

Spouse

Miles M Holshouser

Spouse Gender

Male

Bond date

23 Nov 1863

Bond #

000126081

Level Info

North Carolina Marriage Bonds, 1741-1868

ImageNum

008067

County

Rowan

Record #

01 208

Bondsman

William Smithde

Witness

Obadiah Woodson

Household Members

Name

Miles M Holshouser

Name

Delia T Troutman

Clipping from the 1880 Mortality Schedule of Rowan County Showing Catherine's demise in December

1870

Name: Andrew Trentneam [Andrew Troutman]  Age in 1870: 56 Birth Year: abt 1814 Birthplace: North Carolina Dwelling Number: 9 Home in 1870: Ridenhour, Stanly, North Carolina Race: White Gender: Male Post Office: Albemarle Occupation: Farmer Male Citizen over 21: Y Personal Estate Value: 200 Real Estate Value: 300 Inferred Children: Alice Trentneam Adnan Trentneam Sarah P Trentneam James A Trentneam Household Members: Name Age Andrew Trentneam 56 Alice Trentneam 28 Adnan Trentneam 5 Sarah P Trentneam 3 James A Trentneam 4/12 Andrew and Ally, now seen as Alice, have had 3 more children, Adam, Sarah and James. The first two daughters, Laura and Margaret, died as children. Margaret is listed in the 1860 mortality schedules of Stanly County as passing away at aged 2.  In fact, of the 6 children they end up having together, only 2 lived to adulthood. They are living in Stanly County in the Ridenhour distrist, probably in the area near Matton's Grove Church. Name: Delia Holshouser Age in 1870: 23 Birth Year: abt 1847 Birthplace: North Carolina Dwelling Number: 173 Home in 1870: Morgan, Rowan, North Carolina Race: White Gender: Female Post Office: Gold Hill Occupation: Keeping House Inferred Spouse: Milas Holshouser Inferred Children: Mary Holshouser John A Holshouser Household Members: Name Age Milas Holshouser 27 Delia Holshouser 23 Mary Holshouser 4 John A Holshouser 3 Daughter Adelia is living in Rowan County in Morgan District and has had a couple of children. She dies as a  young mother in 1881. Name: Rufus Troutman Age in 1870: 28 Birth Year: abt 1842 Birthplace: North Carolina Dwelling Number: 23 Home in 1870: Gold Hill, Rowan, North Carolina Race: White Gender: Male Post Office: Gold Hill Occupation: Works At The Mine Male Citizen over 21: Y Inferred Spouse: Ester A Troutman Inferred Children: Florance A Troutman William F Troutman Georgia E Troutman Household Members: Name Age Rufus Troutman 28 Ester A Troutman 26 Florance A Troutman 8 William F Troutman 3 Georgia E Troutman 2/12 Catharine Troutman 49 Rufus remains in Gold Hill and is working for the mining industry. He lives in Gold Hill most of his life and then relocates his family to Concord, in nearby Cabbarus County, where he liveds out the remainder of his life, passing away in 1908 at the age of 67. He had been a POW during the Civil War. Rufus had a rough life, but as seen in her last census, above, Rufus took care of her mother in her last days. Below is the transcription from ancestry.com of the 1880 Mortality Schedule from Rowan County. Name: Catherine Troutman Gender: Female Race: White Marital status: Divorced Estimated birth year: abt 1817 Birth Place: North Carolina, USA Age: 62 Death Date: Dec 1879 Cause of Death: Syphilis Census Year: 1880 Census Place: Gold Hill, Rowan, North Carolina, USA Enumeration District: 244 Line: 18 Catherine had lived nearly another 10 years after the last census wherein she was living with her son. The schedule recorded that she was divorced and that she died of syphillis. Did she acquire that dreaded disease from the mysterious John Bennett? Or had she picked it up more recently. All I can tell is that for her indescretion, Catherine endured a sentence of a hard life for the rest of her years. And I have a feeling of compasion for a family found in the old court records of Stanly County, North Carolina.

At the moment, we - we as the human race, not one county, or one state or one country, but the entire world, are experiencing a phenomena that is effecting us all. A deadly virus is circulating, playing hopscotch with its victims, causing severe illness and death. Our most vunerable populations are affected the worse, the elderly, sick and afflicted, but it's claiming random healthy, young victims as well. The Covid 19, otherwise known as the Corona Virus, is, as is described in the Holy Bible, no respecter of persons.

Governments, local, state and federal, are attempting to slow and contain the spread of the Virus with curfews, stay-at- home orders, quarantines and shuttering businesses considered "non-essential" for the survival of the population. Large numbers are without work. Many people are desparate, others are scard, and some, the most dangerous indeed, could not care one way or another.

This may be the first time our generation has experienced this kind of clamping down, but it's not the first time our area or our country has experienced this severe and deadly of a pandemic. It happened in the late 19 - teens.



The following paragraph comes from the CDC.


The 1918 influenza pandemic was the most severe pandemic in recent history. It was caused by an H1N1 virus with genes of avian origin. Although there is not universal consensus regarding where the virus originated, it spread worldwide during 1918-1919.  In the United States, it was first identified in military personnel in spring 1918. It is estimated that about 500 million people or one-third of the world’s population became infected with this virus. The number of deaths was estimated to be at least 50 million worldwide with about 675,000 occurring in the United States.


https://www.cdc.gov/


Locally, I can recall my Grandma Thompson, who was born in 1899 and would have been 19 years old, telling me how people would see a farmer plowing his field and would walk far, far out to the edge of the pasture to avoid human contact.

The following poem was written about this era by a man from Waynesville, NC named Jesse Daniel Boone.


The Carolina Mountaineer and Waynesville Courier
Waynesville, North Carolina17 Oct 1918, Thu  •  Page 3
If that sounds familiar, then this should too. Human behavior has changed little if none, I'll go with none. Just as the home remedies and misinformation comes out of the woodwork, it did then as well.

The Charlotte Observer
Charlotte, North Carolina24 Oct 1918, Thu  •  Page 6How similar to this facebook post that has been circulating for the past couple of weeks. FYI this one is no more helpful than the one above and its remedies are as scientifically unproven, in other words....BOGUS.

From Facebook, 2020
Albemarle, in Stanly County, North Carolina had it's first victim to died of the Spanish Flu in October of 1918, James Harris, only 18 years old.

Winston-Salem Journal
Winston-Salem, North Carolina10 Oct 1918, Thu  •  Page 7A stroll through any old cemetery in the county will show a large number of deaths in the Spanish Flu era, particularly those of small children.

Before it disolved, the Spanish Flu had killed nearly 14,000 people in North Carolina.So far, there are only 5 confirmed individuals who have tested positive and no deaths. Neighboring Montgomery County, with 7 positives, experienced it's first death today, a young Sheriff's Deputy. Other surrounding areas, with larger Urban areas, have it much worse. Infected by the spreading amoeba that is Charlotte, Mecklenburg County has 444, Union 47 and Cabarrus 45. Rowan to the North is at 45.The worse is yet to come. There will, in coming weeks, be more reports of positive tests. There will be some deaths. What we do now will control how many and will save lives. We've been through this before, over 100 years ago.

In Honor of Mother's Day, I've decided on a series of brief posts featuring Mothers in my Family Tree.







Some of them, like my own mother and even my Grandmothers and Great Grandmothers, I know quite a bit about. Others, more distant, I know very little about, maybe not even their maiden names. Some, I don't know at, the nameless wife of a man, no more than a dash in an old census, or some unrecorded mother in a long line of unknown ancestors going back in time. I will only feature those I know at least a small bit about.

James and Patsy Palmer from the Palmer Family Collecton

Martha "Patsy" Atkins Palmer falls in the middle of those. She was born on December 20, 1874, in North Carolina. I do not know where in North Carolina she was born, or even who were parents were.
However, I do believe she had a close connection to the Rev. Arthur Freeman Atkins and also a close connection to my Davis line, whom her daughter would marry into. She was possibly his aunt.

The reasoning for this is that her son-in-law, Henry Davis, was the Grandson of Charlotte Freeman Winfield and the Winfield and Davis family both migrated to this area from Mecklenburg County, Viriginia. There, in Southside Virginia, both the Davis and Freeman families had intermarried with and interconnected with the Atkins family there. Charlotte Freeman Winfield was the daughter of Arthur Freeman, the first two components of the Rev. Arthur Freeman Atkins name, and possibly a namesake. While my instincts have told me this is not only a possibility, but a liklihood, I've found no proof, but the Rev. A. F. Freemans father, John, was born in Virginia.






In the February Session of the Court of Pleas and Quarters of Stanly County, 1849, Arthur F. Atkins, esq, David Kendall and James Palmer were ordered to settle the accounts of James F. Kirk as executor for Daniel Kirk, so there was a relationship between Atkins and James Palmer.

When she was 22 years old, Patsy married James Palmer. James was a constant and stable man. While his brothers were much more active in records, courts and general transactions, James remained a steadfast and unbeleagered presence. He and Patsy were known to be both dedicated Baptists, kindly and sober.

They owned a sizeable, sustainable farm, but were not wealthy. Neither were they poor. They owned slaves, but never more than a dozen. In the 1850 slave census he held 9 and in 1860, ten. They were a respected family, but not an influential one. James served his new county when it was formed, as a juror, but was not as highly involved as his son-in-laws.

Patsy and James would become the parents of 8 children, but half of them would die young and on 5 would live to adulthood. By the time James's estate was settled, only his son William P. Palmer was living and that year, 1879 would take not only his wife, but two of his surviving daughters.


The Palmers lived along the Old Salisbury Road, not only what we call it today, but what was known as the old Salisbury Road in deeds recorded in the 1860's.

It is said Patsy and James resided in a two story house that sat at the top of the hill where the old County Home once sat. Even the county home is gone now, but it still remained when I was a teenager in the 1970's and 1980's. A long circle drive led to it. Now a modern nursing home is situated at the bottom of the hill to where the County Home stood and to the south of it. Across the street is now the Lowder farm and was once known as Sping Lake Farms. That was once the property of James and Patsy Palmer and the front of their home would have overlooked it. Neighboring property belonged to David Kendall and Bailey Smith, who would become a son-in-law, and later, Latons and Rowlands.







Patsy's firstborn child was named Lucy and was born 2 years into her marriage on January 9, 1808. She had two more children, Mary in November of 1809 and William Pearson Palmer in 1811, before having to lay Lucy to rest on August 24 of 1814.

Mary, her second child, would grow up to marry Bailey Smith. They had at least one son, Edward P. Smith, who didn't live as long as his grandfather. The family is said to have moved to Mississippi and were lost track of. Mary Palmer Smith is the only child whose death is not recorded.

William Pearson Palmer, the only son, was also the longest lived. He passed away in 1881 at the age of 70, not matching the longetivity of his parents. He married twice, first to Hannah Bushrod Harris, who was the mother of most of his children and lastly to Pauline J. Motley, with whom he had one.

Patsy's 4th child was my direct ancestor, and her namesake, Martha. Born in 1815, she died on July 16, 1879 and her obituary was in the Southern Christian Advocate. Martha became the second wife of Henry Davis and inherited two stepsons. Together, they produced 9 more children.

The next  two children were daughters, who both died young, Elizabeth, who was born in 1817 and died in 1827 at the age of ten and Serlana, who was born March 31 1819 and died on March 16, 1823, just before her 4th birthday.

The seventh child, Sarah, died young, but did grow up to marry, to the volatile Richmond Davidson Gage Pickler. R. D. G.'s mother was a Jane Davis, who had left property to the brothers of Henry Davis, Martha Palmers husband, that he went to court about over the course of several years. The only reasonable explanation of this I can find is that Jane must have been a sister to their father, Job Davis, although I have no proof of this relationship, having not yet nailed down the parents, although the grandparents have been verified.

Sarah became a bride to R.D.G. Pickler on December 5, 1839 and the mother of 8 children, before passing away at the young age of 33 on August 2, 1854.

The youngest child was Margaret Tyson Palmer. She was born on April 8, 1834 when her mother was 49 years old. The 13 year age gap between Sarah and Margaret has led me to wonder if Margaret was not adopted in and her original name was Margaret Tyson. Perhaps she was an orphaned neighbors child, or perhaps even the child of an older daughter, who would have had to have been Mary or Martha. The middle name of Tyson throws me, because I've not found Tyson in the family line, although Patsy's mother may very well have been a Tyson. And Margaret could have very well been a menopause baby. The details are lost to time, or to me at any rate.

Margaret became the wife of Jonah Askew Love on January 3, 1842. They had 5 sons and she passed away on Februay 24, 1879.

Name:	Martha Palmer
Age:	76
Birth Year:	abt 1784
Gender:	Female
Home in 1860:	Stanly, North Carolina
Post Office:	Albemarle
Dwelling Number:	472
Family Number:	474
Household Members:	Name Age Janes Palmer 75 Martha Palmer 76

Above is James and Martha "Patsy" Palmer in the 1860 census. Listed above them is 75 year old Patsy Yates, listed as a pauper, with several people of different surnames and ages living in the household, which leads me to believe that the County Home was already in existence and possibly on the property of James and Patsy. Perhaps he established it, or at least the beginning of it. Above Patsy Yates is the Mann family, which I know lived on the other side of the Salisbury Road, going up the hill toward the ridge and the east side of Nelson Mountain. The road is now called Mann Road.

The next listing is that of Howell Parker, who had a son named Doctor Franklin. James and Patsy also had two grandsons named Doctor Franklin, Picker and Love. Now I am wondering, who was Doctor Franklin? He must have served the Kendall Valley area of Stanly County early in the century.


Patsy was widowed on May 21, 1873. James was 87. She followed him six years later, on July 18, 1879. She was the ripe old age of 94. Only their son outlived them. Having two daughters, Margaret in February and Martha in June, to predecease her, I wonder if there was a disease that may have gotten them all, or if it was just the saddness of losing her last two daughters in one year before her, that led Patsy to the light.

Kendalls Baptist Church from Find-a-Grave

Both Patsy and James were buried at Kendalls Baptist Church, as it is recorded, but their markers are lost to time and can't be found on Find-a-Grave.

I've often felt the influence, or the presence of Sarah Elizabeth Winfield Howell Davis, when reading her words, when walking about the old family lands, when in her home county of Mecklenburg County, Virginia, or just when thinking about her. As if, with a swish of her skirts and a gentle touch of her hand on my shoulder, she lets you know she is still with you, with all of her descendants, guiding, instructing and praying.







I recently participated in a discussion on "Cell Memory", or as I prefer to call it, "Genetic Memory", on a Facebook Genelogy Group. When one poster brought this to the forefront, the comments poured in. Several posters mentioned noticing small children or grandchildren of theirs "born knowing" things, talents, how to do things, fix things or one child with an affinity to France before a previously unbeknownist French ancestry was discovered by her mother. Others mentioned vivid dreams or visions of places they had never been, just  to either see a photo of the place, or to arrive in the place and experience a memory they should not have had. Or meeting people they felt a kinship to, before discovering they actually did share dna. It goes on.

Could this explain my connection to Sarah, or is it a whisper of her actual presence, how I somehow "know" her, how I can feel her calm piety and her ladylike gracefulness?

Mecklenburg County, Virginia in orange

Sarah Elizabeth Winfield was born on February 2, 1773 in Mecklenburg County, Virgina. She was the youngest of the 4 children  of Peter Winfield and Charlotte Freeman Winfield and the granddaughter of Arthur Freeman and wife, Agnes Stokes Freeman and Edward Winfield and Mary Harris Winfield. Tried and True Olde Virginia stock.

She had one brother, Edward Winfield, Esquire, who would in turn, take over his father's plantaion along the Rocky River after their migration to North Carolina, and two older sisters, Jemima, named for Charlotte's oldest sister, who would marry Griffin Nash and Ancena, who would marry first, James Morrison and second Thomas Avett.

From records, it appears Peter Winfield probably made a trip down to purview and purchase the property and perhaps set up accommodations before bringing his family down. There are documents in both Mecklenburg, VA and Anson, NC that show the back and forth movement in the early 1780's.

The Winfields lived on Taylors Creek, near South Hill and the Brunswick County border

From the best estimate, the Winfields arrived to the area of the Great PeeDee, not far from it's fork with the Rocky River about 1784. They came with members of Charlottes Freeman family, Freemans, Stokes, along with some Ledbetters of no particular relation, just neighbors. Also in the party was the Robertson family and the connected younger generation of Winfields. Drury Robertson, Sr. appears to be Peter Winfields best friend. He came with his sons James and Drury, Jr., both who had married Peters nieces Mary Winfield and Martha Winfield.

Peter's brother, Captain Joshua Winfield had married Charlotte Freeman Winfields sister, Jemima Winfield. He remained in Virginia. When Jemima died, Joshua married a young widow, Rebecca Thrower Carloss. I mention that because among the younger genertaion of Winfield kin, included Joshua's children, his stepson, a Carloss and the children of Peter and Joshua's deceased brother, Joel.

Also in the group was Richard Manly or Meanly, who had married the youngest Freeman daughter, Keziah, sister to Charlotte and Jemima Freeman Winfield(s).

Several of the younger generation would, within a few decades, migrate to Marlboro County, South Carolina, the Roberston brothers among them, with the Carloss family,

Marlboro County, SC, just south of Anson

Nephew Joel Winfield would start and Ordinary and a Post Office at a place he named Winfieldsville. He held several county offices and would become the one to marry Sarah Winfield Howell, now a young widow, to her second husband, Job Davis. Winfieldsville would become Carlisle and eventually a name that would stick, Bennettsville.

Richard Meanly and his family would migrate in the other direction with several Anson families in tow, including Ropers, Randalls and Allens, to Tennessee.


But back to Sarah. Arriving in North Carolina about 1784, Sarah would have been 10 or 11 years old.

In the early 1790's, she married Richard Howell, thought to be about 3 years or so her elder. She would have been about 18 or 19 upon marriage.

The exact heritage and parentage of Richard Howell has not been proven. There were Howells in Anson decades before the Winfields arrived, dating back to the 1840's and 1850's. From a preponderance of circumstantial evidence, however, it is said that his line leads back to the Howells of New York and New Jersey and that he was a relation of Rednap Howell, who was known to have came to Anson, and was a brother to Richard Howell who was a Govenor of New Jersey during this time. These Howells were kin to Varina Howell, who married Jefferson Davis.

Varina Howell Davis

I believe Richards father was a James Howell, who was in the area, and there was a brother Paul, and they migrated to Tennesee, after the death of Richard Howell. Nearly certain, was that Jordan Howell the elder was his brother. Jordan was the executor of his estate and witnessed his will. Richard had a son named Jordan and Jordan had a son named Richard. And the two families would 'swim in the same pond', so to speak, associating together and with the same group of families, for generations. Richards mother is thought to have been a Jordan from Marlboro County, South Carolina, having came up the Great PeeDee from the Charleston area. Some Jordans settled in Montgomery County, that at that time, was a part of Anson.






Sarah and Richard would have 4 children:

1794 Peter- named for his maternal grandfather.
1796  Jordan- named for Jordan Howell, the elder, on his father's side of the family.
1799  John W. Howell - the W is thought to stand for Winfield
1801  Charlotte - the only daughter of Sarah and named for Sarah's mother, Charlotte Freeman Winfield.

1802 was a year of tremendous loss for Sarah. First, she would lose her beloved father Peter.
Later, she would become a widow with 4 small children. Peter would die first, as Richard Howell is mentioned in his will and in the following divisions of lands. It is unknown what they died from. Perhaps is was fate, perhaps a deadly disease was in the area. Thyphoid was rampant in the riverside plantaions and Peter owned land on both sides of the Rocky River.

Name:	Sarah Howell
Spouse:	Job Davis
Marriage Date:	1773-1865
Source:	Marriage and Death Notices, Southern Christian Advocate

Sarah would not remain a widow long. She was married in Marlboro County, South Carolina by her cousin Joel Winfield, to Job Davis.

Job Davis was born in the same year, in the same county as Sarah. He was just a few months younger, having arrived on April 10th, 1773 to her February second. Although I do not know, yet, exactly who Job Davis's parents were, circumstances, familial connections and dna have verified which set of Davis's he came from.

One set was from the southwest corner of Mecklenburg County. Certain unusual names reared their heads in the generations in that line of Davis's that do not appear in ours.

The other set of Davis's lived in both Mecklenburg and Brunswick, near their border and in the northeast corner of Mecklenburg, along the same creeks as the Winfields. Also in this area was the Floyd family. Job Davis gave a depostition for the widow of Josiah Floyd, so she could obtain a pension from her husbands Revolutionary War Service. In this depostition, we learn that Job arrived in the early 1790's with the Floyd Family to this area from Virginia, at the age of 19. He lived with them for a period of 18 months. Mary Tillman Floyd, the wife of Josiah Floyd, was the daughter of Roger Tillman and Rebecca Ann Davis. They would have 3 children, Henry, Ann and Mary
Mary is mentioned in the wills of both her father and her brother. After her fathe's death, Mary's mother would marry a James Taylor and have more children. James Taylor would become a guardian to someof the younger siblings of Rebecca Ann Davis Tillman Taylor, after the death of her parents, Henry Davis and Mary Marriott Davis. So would Captain Joshua Winfield, brother of Peter Winfield., to the youngest daughter, Silvia Davis, who would marry, Sterling Wright. Joshua Floyd's brother, Charles would marry into this Davis family.









The Floyds and the Winfields both lived along Taylors Creek that was located in both Mecklenburg and Brunswick, Virginia. So did several of the children of Henry Davis and Mary Marriott Davis. Josiah and Mary Tilllman Floyd named one of their sons Henry, for her grandfather and Marriott, for the maiden name of her grandmother.

Job and Sarah Davis would name thier firstborn son, in 1806 - Henry.
In 1808, they named their second son, James M. Davis. Some believe the M stood for Marshall, as Peter Winfield was a friend and close associate of James Marshall. Also, the father of Henry Davis of Virginia was James and the family line leads back to a Captain James Davis of Jamestown.

The third son of Job and Sarah, born in 1811, became the dominant son, after the fall of oldest son Henry. Edward Winfield Davis was obviously named for the grandfather, Edward Winfield, and brother, of Sarah.

The youngest child, yet another son, in 1815, was Marriott Freeman Davis, or M. F.. Freeman, of course was Charlotte's mother's maiden name. Could Marriott stood for Job's grandmother's maiden name?









All roads lead to my strong theory that Job and Sarah knew each other well and played along the same creeks while small chidlren in Mecklenburg.


When Peter Howell was only about 15 years old, his mother and stepfather deaded him a portion of the property that belonged to his father. As he grew older, Peter would purchase all of the land in Anson County that had once belonged to Richard Howell. Peter would remain a farmer and live in Anson County, while his mother and stepfather would maintain a large plantation on the side of the river that is now Stanly County.








On the above map, notice the area where Howell, Kendal and Woodson Roads vere east from the old Plank Road. This was the area where Richard Howell, and then Peter Howell, farmed. Midways, you will see Old Winfield Road. This road once led from Stanly into Anson and crossed the river at Winfield Ford and went through the part of the Winfeild Plantation that Peter left to his only son, Edward. The area that is Springer Roas and Concord Church Road is the area that marks the old Concord Church. This land was deeded to the church by Griffin Nash, husband of Jemima Winfield and marks their portion of  Peter Winfields property that was left to them.

To the far left of the photo, heading south into Anson from Stanly is Gaddys Ferry Road. Just over the bridge into Stanly, it intersects Old Davis Road. This crossing is not where the Davis Ford was, but the crossing of the Winfield Road was where the Winfield Ford, that later became known as the Davis Ford was. The 'boot' shape made by the Rocky River was the Davis lands and north of there.
Along Boone-Caudle Road, in the north of the photo, on the Stanly side, is where the Benjamin Franklin cemetery is found. He was the oldest grandson of Job and Sarah and the oldest son of their oldest son, Henry. This was where he lived. From that area to the River was the Davis plantation. This whole picture, plus more, was within the Winfield lands. Job and Sarah were not poor and were well-educated and part of the "Upper-Crust" of the PeeDee area Virginians.

This fact came to me in its most blatant form when I began researching Sarah's second and third sons, Jordan and John W. Howell. Both became merchants and businessmen and both relocated to the market town of Crosscreek, which would become Fayetteville.

An ad concerning only one of Jordan Howells' business adventures

Peter Howell, the oldest son, would marry Elizabeth "Betsy" Floyd, the daugther of Josiah and Mary Tillman Floyd, the family and, I believe, cousins, that Job Davis traveled to North Carolina with.

Jordan Howell, the second son would marry Hannah Handy, in Fayetteville, on January 20, 1820.

John W. Howell would marry Mrs Clarrissa Harlow Phelps, widow of Nathan Phelps, who was born in Harwinton, Connecticutt and married first in New York, and to John Howell, in Fayetteville, on December 18, 1821.

In researching Jordan and John, I discovered that a Job Davis owned property in Fayetteville. At first, I dismissed it, thinking it must be a different Job Davis, as Fayetteville is a good 2 hour drive from here, nearly, in this day and time. But then, when I discovered that he signed over property on Haymount, for love and affection, to his stepson, Jordan, I knew it was the same Job Davis.

Downtown Fayetteville in the late 1800's.

In fact, Job Davis owned property on the hill called Haymount and he also owned a townhouse, a brickhouse, on Hay Street in downtown Fayetteville.

One of the most fullfilling moments in my genealogical life occured several years ago, when I visited Fayetteville, searching for Haymount and searching for the area of the brickhouse mentioned in the deeds. I saw a Methodist Church, Hay Street Methodist, and this genetic dna thing drew me to it like a moth to a flame. I knew that the family was devout Methodist Episocopals.


 It was a weekday, but there was still a great deal of activity happening in and about the church. Hoping to discover the age of the church, I asked if they had a churh historian. Indeed they did and as luck would have it. A delightly delicate and beautiful aged lady appeared, not a day under 80 and a frail as a feather. She took me to an archives, and yes, the church was old, much older than I could have ever dreamed. Not only that, preserved in glass cases, were Sunday School attendance books that dated back to the 1820's and 1830's. She allowed me to photograph them while she turned pages with a gloved hand and to my delight, whom did I find in the pages, not only the Howell sons of Sarah, but Sarah herself and Job Davis.






After seeing a pattern of a few years, that they seemed to arrive in June, sometimes May, but more often June, and then were no longer in attendance in by late August, I questioned why that was, as Jordan, John and their families, were in attendance all through the years. The historian stated that it appeared they "summered" in Fayetteville, or at the time, Cross Creek. They may have began going there to purchase supplies for their ever growing plantation, a few days travel. After the boys moved there, Jordan to operate a retail business and merchantile and John to run a lumber company, where he grew very beloved and helped employee many a poor man who needed work, the couple summered to visit with the sons and grandchildren there.

Obituary for John W Howell in the Fayetteville Observer, 1853

By the time Job signed the Fayetteville property over to his stepsons, he was in his later 60's. I believe he did this as the trip to Cumberland County by horse and buggy, or by stagecoach, may have been more than his and Sarah's old bones could take any longer.

Upon the death of Jordan Howell, however, they took in his daughters, Charlotte and Clarrissa, while his son, Jordan Lafayette Howell, relocated to Columbia, Georgia, with his business partner Paris Tillinghast. Both girls married men from this area. Charlotte, the eldest, married Allen Newsome from the Newsome (defunct community displaced by the building of High Rock dam) community in Davidson County, just up river. Allen ran a store, plantation and Post Office in the town of Jackson Hill for awhile. He was not a good slave owner as recounted in books in a story of a runaway youngest. Charlotte outlived him and ended up removing to Gonzalez, Texas with a few of her chidlren and dying there. Her husband was highborn and wealthy, however, and kept her well.

Clarrissa married Jeremiah Broadaway from the Rocky River area of Anson. They had a large family and relocated to Pike County, Alabama. After Clarrisa's death, Jeremiah removed to Georgia to be near his brother-in-law, Jordan Lafayette Howell, and remarried there on the same day as one of his elder sons.

The comings and goings, marriages and deaths of this family, were all recorded in the newspapers of the time, for the most part, The Southern Christian Advocate  and The Fayetteville Observer. For that, I am thankful. The Argus, from Anson County and the Salisbury, NC newspapers, are also to be appreciated.

I wish I had a picture of Sarah, but I do not. I only have an old memory of a portrait, I believe was painted, that a cousin of my Grandfather had and I saw when I was little. In this portrait, Sarah was old and drawn and tiny, with her hair pulled back into a white napkin-looking lace-trimmed cap and a dark dress with a high collar. Job looked to have been a tall, thin man with dark hair. But that is not how I see her in my minds eye. I see her with wide skirts with crinolines and dresses consevatively buttoned up to the neck. Her hair pulled back and tucked neatly into a tight bun, a quiet smile upon her face.

Name:	Sarah Davis
Gender:	Female
Age:	76
Birth Year:	abt 1774
Birthplace:	Virginia
Home in 1850:	Ross, Stanly, North Carolina, USA
Line Number:	38
Dwelling Number:	789
Family Number:	794
Household Members:	Name Age Job Davis 77 Sarah Davis 76 Edwd W Davis 37

Sarah only appeared in one Stanly County census record. She is living with Job and their next to the youngest son, Edward Winfield Davis, who would become the second sheriff of Stanly County and marry late in life.

Sarah's only daughter, Charlotte Howell, would marry a Methodist Episcopal Minister named Levi Stancell and they would relocat to Newton County, Georgia, where Levi was originally from. She would have 10 children and die there in 1877.

Of her Davis sons, they all stayed in Stanly County and raised their families here.

Henry, the oldest, was a businessman, a preacher, a farmer, a politician, a judge and a Ranger. He was instrumental in his 20's and 30's with founding a number of Methodist Churches, some in other counties. He would become an alchoholic and grow in debt to this father and brothers, father-in-law, and others, forcing his brother, the dominant Davis, businessman Edward W. Davis, who was evermore like his Uncle Edward, for whom he was named, to have Henry declared unfit, so he could settle his debts and try to prevent his wife and children from becoming paupers.

Henry married twice, first to Reuben Kendalls daugther, Sarah, and second to James Palmers daughter, Martha. He had 2 sons by the first and 7 children by the second.

James M. Davis would marry Rowena Lee, daughter of John Lee of Anson. James would own property in both Stanly and Anson. He did not seek to get into polictics like Neddy (E.W.) or Henry. He farmed and eventually bought out a mill and a Gold Mine, with his brothers investments. He was a farmer and a businessman, and several of his daughters married well. Two married the wealthy Mauney brothers, Valentine and Ephraim, of Stanly and Rowan. Another married into the Mecklenburg County Belk family.

Edward Winfield Davis was a merchant, and investor, a politician, a mason, an attorney and lawman. A handsome man with light brown hair (or dark blonde) hair and a handlebar mustache, he married late in life, at 56, to an 18 year old girl from the Rocky River named Rebecca Hathcock. They had 3 children before his death and she would remarry to John T. Crump. That is why some Crumps are buried in the old Davis Graveyard.

Marriott (sometimes seen as Merritt) Freeman Davis, the youngest child of Sarah, took more after James. He married first to Elizabeth Turner, daughter of George Turner, of the Richardson Creek area of Anson near its juntion with the Rocky River. They had two children, Rebeth and Millard F. Davis. Elizabeth died at the young age of 20 and her baby daughter followed her to the grave 18 months later, leaving only Millard. Millard would grow up and move west to become a cowboy. I keep up with his descendants. Marriott would then marry the widow of his first cousin. Milton Winfield, a son of Edward Winfield, Sarah's daughter, had married Mary Ann Pickler. I believe the Picklers to be cousins of the Davis's throught their Matriarch, Jane Davis Pickler. Milton would die leaving Mary Ann and no children. She would marry M. F. Davis and remained childless.


Sarah would be widowed a second time when Job Davis passed away on November 8, 1852, at the age of 78.

She would join him in the Old Davis cemetery off of Old Davis Road, near the Rocky River and Cottonville community, just 4 years later, on July 10, 1856. The Southern Christian Advocate would publish the obituary of Sarah Elizabeth Winfield Howell Davis, my 4th Great Grandmother.

Below, I have copied from one of my other posts on Sarah.

http://www.jobschildren.com/2015/01/the-complimentary-obituary-of-sarah.html

There were some errors in the Obituary, as 1833 was not the year Job died. She did have 8 children, Jordan and John W. Howell predeceased her, and all were members of the church at that time, except my line, Henry, who had become a drunk and gambler.

The Southern Christian Advocate was a newspaper published in South Carolina in the 1800's, that was the official publication of the Methodist conferences in many of the Southern States.

The August 21, 1856 issue gave the following obituary for Grandma Sallie:

Mrs. Sarah Davis - formerly Winfield - was born in Meclenburg Co., (sic), Va., Feb. 7 ,1773 and died in Stanley (sic) Co., N.C. July 10, in the 83rd year of her age.  Joined the M. E. Church when 13 years old. About 1790 she married Richard Howell, and was left a widow in 1802. She married a second time in 1804, to Job Davis, and a second time was left a widow in 1833 (incorrect as Job passed away in 1852), mother of 8 children, two of whom have died in the faith, and the rest, but one, are members of the church. 


Rest in peace, Grandma Sallie, I will remember you this Mother's Day.