Today was the family history equivalent of striking gold and hitting the lottery on the same day - I had a massive breakthrough on one of my nagging brick walls, William Allman. I was also able to stop by the National Archives and view the combined Civil War pension file of Joseph Jones and Harvey Bales, husbands of Pearl Cox Bales Newman (discussed in last week's post, Warranty Deeds and a Third Marriage). These are huge finds on their own, and to occur on the same day was pretty spectacular (as one can see, I'm excited).
I'll have a full post (and then some) on William, but this find connects me (and several other distant cousins researching the family) with a member of the First Families of Ohio and a distant Allman/Allmon ancestor born in Maryland in 1746. We owe a huge debt to Jennie Jean Barnes and Patricia Flint for their research on the Allman/Allmon lines, and to FamilySearch for posting this fantastic volume set to be freely available online via the FamilySearch Library. Thank you!
As for the Joseph Jones pension file, there's so much in it that it re-writes the story of my third-great-grandfather's amazing life. This file was two inches thick and probably 300 pages. There were more than a few jaw-droppers, and I'm in the process of uploading photos from today's review. I'm probably going to need to go back and look at it again when I have more time (today was just supposed to be a lunch break). It certainly calls into question what I previously thought was his prisoner of war service, or I've uncovered a buried family secret. Stay tuned...
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Henry Davis, 1781-1855
My 5th-great-grandfather Henry Davis was born in Greene County, Pennsylvania on 20 September 1781. He married Rachel Pollock in Ohio (most likely Guernsey County) on 12 March 1807.
According to the account of son James Davis in the Past and Present of Vermilion County, Illinois, Henry Davis served in the War of 1812. I don't yet have a service record for Henry, but he did acquire a land patent in Guernsey County in 1812. At the age of 31, on 19 November 1812, Henry Davis obtained a land patent for the southwest corner of section 6, of township 9, in range 10 in Guernsey County, Ohio. The land patent shows that Henry was living in Muskingum County, Ohio at the time.
Henry Davis received an additional land patent for Guernsey County, Ohio on 6 July 1819 (source, Bureau of Land Management records, http://www.glorecords.blm.gov/details/patent/default.aspx?accession=0046-037&docClass=CV&sid=pkc2sb1n.zbk#patentDetailsTabIndex=0).
Guernsey County is located in the eastern corner of Ohio, along the road to West Virginia and far western Pennsylvania. The map excerpt below dated 1818 (source, Alabama Department of Archives and History, http://alabamamaps.ua.edu/historicalmaps/us_states/ohio/index_Before1875.html), provides some context for the area where the Davises resided.
Henry and Rachel Pollock Davis had at least the following children:
1. Azariah Davis - 1808-1857
2. Samuel Davis - born 29 Jul 1809
3. William Davis - born 25 Jan 1811, died 23 Jan 1895 in Vermilion County, Illinois
4. Jane Davis - born 15 May 1813
5. Abraham Davis - born 19 Jul 1815
6. Joseph Davis - born 25 Aug 1817
7. Henry Davis - born 25 Sep 1819
8. Martha Davis - born 27 Mar 1822, died Aug 1892 in Hardin County, Iowa
9. John Davis - born 28 May 1825, died 25 Dec 1898 in Texas
10. James Hayes Davis - born 21 Jan 1828, died 11 Dec 1918
According to the documents passed to me by Robert P. Jones (see copies below), Henry and Rachel moved to Vermilion County and built a 14 room home, which they operated for a time as the Buckhorn Inn.
A
prairie schooner was a covered wagon (see The
Prairie Schooner Got Them There, American Heritage Magazine, 1962, Volume
13, Issue 2, http://www.americanheritage.com/content/prairie-schooner-got-them-there).
Henry and Rachel donated the land for the Davis Cemetery, which still operates in Vance Township, Vermilion County. It looks from the Google Map below that the original Davis land & home may still be there. I'd be very interested in information from other Davis descendants who may find this page.
As with other posts, I hope to update this with further information on Henry Davis. If you're descended from Henry and Rachel and are interested in sharing information, please let me know.
According to the account of son James Davis in the Past and Present of Vermilion County, Illinois, Henry Davis served in the War of 1812. I don't yet have a service record for Henry, but he did acquire a land patent in Guernsey County in 1812. At the age of 31, on 19 November 1812, Henry Davis obtained a land patent for the southwest corner of section 6, of township 9, in range 10 in Guernsey County, Ohio. The land patent shows that Henry was living in Muskingum County, Ohio at the time.
Henry Davis received an additional land patent for Guernsey County, Ohio on 6 July 1819 (source, Bureau of Land Management records, http://www.glorecords.blm.gov/details/patent/default.aspx?accession=0046-037&docClass=CV&sid=pkc2sb1n.zbk#patentDetailsTabIndex=0).
Guernsey County is located in the eastern corner of Ohio, along the road to West Virginia and far western Pennsylvania. The map excerpt below dated 1818 (source, Alabama Department of Archives and History, http://alabamamaps.ua.edu/historicalmaps/us_states/ohio/index_Before1875.html), provides some context for the area where the Davises resided.
Henry and Rachel Pollock Davis had at least the following children:
1. Azariah Davis - 1808-1857
2. Samuel Davis - born 29 Jul 1809
3. William Davis - born 25 Jan 1811, died 23 Jan 1895 in Vermilion County, Illinois
4. Jane Davis - born 15 May 1813
5. Abraham Davis - born 19 Jul 1815
6. Joseph Davis - born 25 Aug 1817
7. Henry Davis - born 25 Sep 1819
8. Martha Davis - born 27 Mar 1822, died Aug 1892 in Hardin County, Iowa
9. John Davis - born 28 May 1825, died 25 Dec 1898 in Texas
10. James Hayes Davis - born 21 Jan 1828, died 11 Dec 1918
According to the documents passed to me by Robert P. Jones (see copies below), Henry and Rachel moved to Vermilion County and built a 14 room home, which they operated for a time as the Buckhorn Inn.
I have
included an excerpt from a posting by Dorothea Clymer (West Virginia Gen Web,
16 July 2006, http://www.wvgenweb.org/hardy/twoschooners.htm), describing the journey of the Carrier family from Hardy County, West
Virginia (where Davis and Van Meter families once resided) to Vermillion
County, Illinois in the early 1850s. While this family is not as far as I know
related to ours, it gives a description of what it was like for these families
to journey to Vermillion County from the Shenandoah. The following is a first
hand account from John Wesley Carrier:
“When I was ten years old my parents loaded the family and household
goods in a prairie schooner and started the slow tedious trip to Illinois. For
seven long weeks the old schooner creaked, moaned and groaned over the pikes
through mud, swamps and rivers. There were no bridges.”
Henry and Rachel donated the land for the Davis Cemetery, which still operates in Vance Township, Vermilion County. It looks from the Google Map below that the original Davis land & home may still be there. I'd be very interested in information from other Davis descendants who may find this page.
Davis Cemetery via Google Maps, Fairmount, Illinois |
Photo Source: Ancestry.com Tree |
Tombstone Tuesday - Henry D.L. & Cordelia Lambert
Back in February I wrote about 3rd great-grandfather Henry Donham Lee Lambert. Below is a photo of his tombstone via Findagrave, from Luther Cemetery in Luther, Oklahoma County, Oklahoma.
Henry is buried near his second wife, Cordelia Herman Lambert. A photo of her headstone is below.
I'm descended from Henry's first wife, Sarah Brown. But Cordelia has an interesting story - born in 'Prussia', immigrated to the US at a young age, married to Samuel Hensley at the age of 15 years old. Samuel died in the Civil War, leaving Cordelia with three young daughters to care for in Shelby County, Illinois.
After Sarah passed sometime before 1875, Cordelia and Henry Lambert were married. By 1880 they had moved west to Kansas, before settling in Oklahoma around the turn of the century. They were pioneers, early settlers in Oklahoma County. I think of the scene from 'Far and Away' when I think of them, participating in the land rush. I'd love to come across an obituary for either of them.
Photo source: Findagrave.com |
Photo source: Findagrave.com |
After Sarah passed sometime before 1875, Cordelia and Henry Lambert were married. By 1880 they had moved west to Kansas, before settling in Oklahoma around the turn of the century. They were pioneers, early settlers in Oklahoma County. I think of the scene from 'Far and Away' when I think of them, participating in the land rush. I'd love to come across an obituary for either of them.
Monday, October 29, 2012
Azariah Davis, 1808-1857
Due to Hurricane Sandy, I'm able to operate from home today (and probably tomorrow). In this update, I return to the Davis family in Vermilion County, Illinois. Back in April I wrote about Emily Rachel Davis, my 3rd-great-grandmother from the Oyler-Allman side of my Dad's family. Her parents were Azariah Davis and Jane Connor, but this post is primarily on Azariah.
Azariah Davis was the son of Henry Davis and Rachel Pollock. He was born on 3 January 1808 in Ohio. Azariah is also the grandson of an earlier Azariah Davis (1756-1830), who served in the Revolutionary War from Pennsylvania. I'll have much more on this Azariah in a future post.
Wives and Children
Azariah and Jane were married on 12 January 1832 in Ohio. They had the following children:
1. John H. Davis - born 1832
2. Samuel Davis - born 1834
3. Eli P. Davis - born 1836
4. Levi Davis (Eli and Levi were twins) - born 1836
5. Mary Ruth Davis - born 10 July 1838, died 11 Dec 1908
6. Emily Rachel Davis - born 18 Apr 1840, died 2 Aug 1924
7. Joseph Davis - born 1842
Jane Connor Davis died on 15 April 1842 in Vermilion County. Azariah married Hettie Redman (or Redmond) on 3 January 1843, and they had the following children:
1. Elias Davis - born 1843, died 5 Mar 1865
2. Sarah Davis - born 1846
3. Theodore Davis - born 1848
4. Azariah Davis - born 1857
Census Records
Azariah appears in the 1840 US Census in Vermilion County.
Azariah and Hettie Davis appear in the 1850 US Census in Vermilion County, Illinois, living near several Davis families.
After Azariah passed away on 7 March 1857, Hettie remarried. She married James W. Howard on 20 September 1859 in Vermilion County. James and Hettie moved to Iowa, but it appears that Hettie returned to Vermilion County, where she passed away on 7 October 1884.
Other Sources
Azariah and several of his Davis siblings appear in a bio for younger brother James Davis in the 1903 book, The Past and Present of Vermilion County, Illinois (see Archive.org). This is a great record because of the references to earlier members of the Davis family.
Land Patent Record
Azariah Davis was issued a land patent in Vermilion County, Illinois on 16 March 1837.
I think Azariah arrived in Vermilion County sometime between 1832-1836. I'll have much more on the Davis family in an upcoming post.
Azariah Davis was the son of Henry Davis and Rachel Pollock. He was born on 3 January 1808 in Ohio. Azariah is also the grandson of an earlier Azariah Davis (1756-1830), who served in the Revolutionary War from Pennsylvania. I'll have much more on this Azariah in a future post.
Wives and Children
Azariah and Jane were married on 12 January 1832 in Ohio. They had the following children:
1. John H. Davis - born 1832
2. Samuel Davis - born 1834
3. Eli P. Davis - born 1836
4. Levi Davis (Eli and Levi were twins) - born 1836
5. Mary Ruth Davis - born 10 July 1838, died 11 Dec 1908
6. Emily Rachel Davis - born 18 Apr 1840, died 2 Aug 1924
7. Joseph Davis - born 1842
Jane Connor Davis died on 15 April 1842 in Vermilion County. Azariah married Hettie Redman (or Redmond) on 3 January 1843, and they had the following children:
1. Elias Davis - born 1843, died 5 Mar 1865
2. Sarah Davis - born 1846
3. Theodore Davis - born 1848
4. Azariah Davis - born 1857
Census Records
Azariah appears in the 1840 US Census in Vermilion County.
Azariah and Hettie Davis appear in the 1850 US Census in Vermilion County, Illinois, living near several Davis families.
After Azariah passed away on 7 March 1857, Hettie remarried. She married James W. Howard on 20 September 1859 in Vermilion County. James and Hettie moved to Iowa, but it appears that Hettie returned to Vermilion County, where she passed away on 7 October 1884.
Other Sources
Azariah and several of his Davis siblings appear in a bio for younger brother James Davis in the 1903 book, The Past and Present of Vermilion County, Illinois (see Archive.org). This is a great record because of the references to earlier members of the Davis family.
Land Patent Record
Azariah Davis was issued a land patent in Vermilion County, Illinois on 16 March 1837.
I think Azariah arrived in Vermilion County sometime between 1832-1836. I'll have much more on the Davis family in an upcoming post.
Mappy Monday - Taylors Bend
The map below shows Taylors Bend, Jefferson County, Tennessee (via Satelliteviews.net and Google Maps). This is a point of land cut by the French Broad River, and it is land originally owned by Parmenas Taylor.
The land was also across from an island acquired by my 5th or 6th great-grandfather Thomas Jones (both named Thomas, I'm not sure which one bought the land), and directly across from Cocke County, Tennessee (which makes up the south bank of the French Broad River at this point in the bend). White Pine is directly north of Taylors Bend.
I have an inquiry into the McClung Historical Collection in Knoxville on some potential sources for further information about Taylors Bend and this section of the French Broad River. I am hoping this may help provide some sources for the Joneses who where in this part of Jefferson County when Tennessee was formed.
I've featured this corner of Jefferson County & northern Cocke County in previous posts. See Mappy Monday - Douglas Lake & the French Broad River from February.
The land was also across from an island acquired by my 5th or 6th great-grandfather Thomas Jones (both named Thomas, I'm not sure which one bought the land), and directly across from Cocke County, Tennessee (which makes up the south bank of the French Broad River at this point in the bend). White Pine is directly north of Taylors Bend.
I have an inquiry into the McClung Historical Collection in Knoxville on some potential sources for further information about Taylors Bend and this section of the French Broad River. I am hoping this may help provide some sources for the Joneses who where in this part of Jefferson County when Tennessee was formed.
I've featured this corner of Jefferson County & northern Cocke County in previous posts. See Mappy Monday - Douglas Lake & the French Broad River from February.
Saturday, October 27, 2012
Where does the time go?
Seven years ago this weekend we welcomed our daughter into the world. It's hard to believe how fast the time goes by. Back then we were given extra time in the hospital because the bridge was closed for the Marine Corps Marathon. The marathon is being run again tomorrow. Today she ran in the kids' fun run.
Happy Birthday!
Happy Birthday!
Going home - Oct 2005 |
Santa Monica Beach - Oct 2006 |
National Gallery of Art - July 2012 |
Friday, October 26, 2012
Friday Photo - Rainy Day at Wabash College
Last Friday I went back to Wabash College for the first time in probably 8 years, to give a lunch talk about the Internet and my primary field to interested students and faculty. It was great to go back, see the campus and speak in a room in Baxter Hall where I had classes.
Below is a view toward the Allen Fieldhouse and Athletic Complex on the left side, with the back side of Sparks Center on the right. This is a walk I probably made hundreds of times in 4 years toward the pool, but the view is a little different than I remember. The pool is certainly much nicer now. Light drizzle during the day was about typical for this time of year, and it added to the fall look.
Below is a view toward the Allen Fieldhouse and Athletic Complex on the left side, with the back side of Sparks Center on the right. This is a walk I probably made hundreds of times in 4 years toward the pool, but the view is a little different than I remember. The pool is certainly much nicer now. Light drizzle during the day was about typical for this time of year, and it added to the fall look.
Photo by Patrick Jones - Wabash College, October 2012 |
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Those Places Thursday - White Pine
Yesterday's post on warranty deeds involving Joseph Jones showed many of the land deeds involved lots in White Pine, Tennessee. This is a small town located near the border of Jefferson and Hamblen Counties, not far from a bend in the French Broad River where an earlier Jones ancestor acquired land in 1807.
1899 Deed
Joseph Jones and wife to Henry Wigington, registered July 21, 1899. In consideration of 17 33/100 seventeen and 33/100 dollars to us in hand paid by Henry Wigington the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, we Cordie Jones and Joseph Jones her husband hath bargained, sold and consigned and transferred and doth by these presents hereby bargain, sell and convey and transfer, unto the said Henry Wigington his heirs and assigns in fee, the following described lot of land, lying in the 12th Civil District of Jefferson County State of Tennessee, adjoining lands of Henry Wigington, Cordie Jones and others.
Bounded as follows: Beginning on a rock in a road leading from White Pine to Morristown; set in Owens line a short distance from Robt. Tindler Smith Shop, thence with Owens line and said road, westwardly 12 poles and 14 feet to a [Oust vax?] tree, thence in South direction a direct line 29 poles to across a corner with Steiners, thence with said Henry Wigington line 29 poles in a North direction to the beginning containing one acre and 25 poles more or less to have and to hold onto the said Henry Wigington his heirs and assigns forever. The aforesaid bargainers doth hereby covenant that we are seized and possessed of said lands and have a right to convey it and we warrant the title against all persons whomsoever, hereby relinquishing all claims to dower right of dower and homestead therein.
In witness whereof, we hereunto set our hands this the 10th day of April 1899
Cordie Jones (seal)
Joseph Jones (seal)
State of Tennessee}
Jefferson County }
Before me J. H. Hensley a notary public in and for said county personally appeared the within named bargainer, Cordie Jones and her husband Joseph Jones with whom I am personally acquainted, and who acknowledged that they executed the within deed for the purposes therein contained and Cordie Jones wife of the said Joseph Jones having personally appeared before me privately and apart from her said husband, the said Cordie Jones acknowledged that she executed the foregoing deed freely, voluntarily and understandingly without constraint or compulsion from her said husband and for the purposes therein expressed. Witness my hand and seal of office at White Pine this 15 day of July 1899.
J. H. Hensley, Notary Public
Reed for Record July 21, 1899 at 2 Oclock P.M.
F. J. Strange
Register
by W.C. Lyle, Dep.
--
This deed, and another transfer between Cordie and Joseph Jones with John F. Saville, are interesting in that Cordie largely handled these transfers on her own.
White Pine appears to have suffered a major fire on 2 April 1905. Joseph and Cordie would have been living in town then.
This YouTube video by singer/songwriter Rick Burden is for his song 'White Pine'. The video is a series of photos from White Pine, Tennessee.
Satellite view from Google Maps |
Joseph Jones and wife to Henry Wigington, registered July 21, 1899. In consideration of 17 33/100 seventeen and 33/100 dollars to us in hand paid by Henry Wigington the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, we Cordie Jones and Joseph Jones her husband hath bargained, sold and consigned and transferred and doth by these presents hereby bargain, sell and convey and transfer, unto the said Henry Wigington his heirs and assigns in fee, the following described lot of land, lying in the 12th Civil District of Jefferson County State of Tennessee, adjoining lands of Henry Wigington, Cordie Jones and others.
Bounded as follows: Beginning on a rock in a road leading from White Pine to Morristown; set in Owens line a short distance from Robt. Tindler Smith Shop, thence with Owens line and said road, westwardly 12 poles and 14 feet to a [Oust vax?] tree, thence in South direction a direct line 29 poles to across a corner with Steiners, thence with said Henry Wigington line 29 poles in a North direction to the beginning containing one acre and 25 poles more or less to have and to hold onto the said Henry Wigington his heirs and assigns forever. The aforesaid bargainers doth hereby covenant that we are seized and possessed of said lands and have a right to convey it and we warrant the title against all persons whomsoever, hereby relinquishing all claims to dower right of dower and homestead therein.
In witness whereof, we hereunto set our hands this the 10th day of April 1899
Cordie Jones (seal)
Joseph Jones (seal)
State of Tennessee}
Jefferson County }
Before me J. H. Hensley a notary public in and for said county personally appeared the within named bargainer, Cordie Jones and her husband Joseph Jones with whom I am personally acquainted, and who acknowledged that they executed the within deed for the purposes therein contained and Cordie Jones wife of the said Joseph Jones having personally appeared before me privately and apart from her said husband, the said Cordie Jones acknowledged that she executed the foregoing deed freely, voluntarily and understandingly without constraint or compulsion from her said husband and for the purposes therein expressed. Witness my hand and seal of office at White Pine this 15 day of July 1899.
J. H. Hensley, Notary Public
Reed for Record July 21, 1899 at 2 Oclock P.M.
F. J. Strange
Register
by W.C. Lyle, Dep.
--
This deed, and another transfer between Cordie and Joseph Jones with John F. Saville, are interesting in that Cordie largely handled these transfers on her own.
White Pine appears to have suffered a major fire on 2 April 1905. Joseph and Cordie would have been living in town then.
This YouTube video by singer/songwriter Rick Burden is for his song 'White Pine'. The video is a series of photos from White Pine, Tennessee.
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Warranty Deeds and a Third Marriage
While I was on the road, the Jefferson County, Tennessee Archives sent a set of copies of warranty deeds and index records which provides further information on my third-great-grandfather Joseph Thomas Jones' late years in Tennessee, and uncovered a surprise third marriage. These span the period from the mid 1870s before Joseph departed for Boone and Montgomery County, Indiana through his return to Tennessee and later years between 1897-1910.
As noted in February and in July, Joseph Thomas Jones was born in Jefferson County, Tennessee in April 1837 and died there on 21 January 1910. From the deed records, it looks like Joseph Jones maintained some property in Tennessee after his siblings and children moved to Central Indiana.
On 1 December 1897, Joseph married his second wife, Martha Cordelia "Cordie" Hart, daughter of Floyd and Mary Hart. The couple were married in Jefferson County, and they bought and sold land in the area around White Pine, Tennessee. I'll have more on the transcriptions of the deeds below in a future post.
Deeds Involving Joseph Jones
Grantees - Joseph and Mary C. Jones
Grantor - William S. Biddle
Record Vol. 12, Page 156
Date of Instrument - 23 Feb 1876
Date of Filing - 23 Sept 1876
Location - 26 acres, District 12, Long Creek
Grantee- Joseph Jones
Grantor - Jno. H. Jolly
Record Vol. 14, Page 74
Date of Instrument - 4 Nov 1876 (70 acres)
Date of Filing - 24 May 1881 (20 acres).
Location - District 10
Grantees - Joseph and Mary C. Jones
Grantor - J. F. Carter
Record Vol. 18, Page 489
Date of Instrument - 4 Mar 1878 (70 acres)
Date of Filing - 2 Mar 1889 (20 acres)
Location - District 10
Grantee - Cordie and Joseph Jones
Grantor - Henry Wigington
Record Vol. 27, Page 240
Date of Instrument - 15 Apr 1899
Date of Filing - 21 Jul 1899 (1 acre)
Location - District 12, White Pine-Morristown Road
Grantees - Cordie and Joseph Jones
Grantor - J. F. Saville
Record Vol. 32, Page 115
Date of Instrument - 18 Aug 1903
Date of Filing - 2 Sept 1903
Location - Lot, Church Street, White Pine, Tennessee
Grantees - Cordie and Joseph Jones
Grantor - J. F. Saville
Record Vol. 32, Page 71
Date of Instrument - Aug 1903
Date of Filing - 25 Aug 1903 (25 acres)
Location - District 12, White Pine
Grantees - Cordie and Joseph Jones
Grantor - Annie B. Bradley
Record Vol. 39, Page 488
Date of Instrument - 9 Mar 1906 Date of Filing - 29 Mar 1909
Location - Lot, Main Street, White Pine
Grantee - Joseph Jones
Grantor - E. T. Rice
Record Vol. 36, Page 173
Date of Instrument - 30 Mar 1906
Date of Filing - 3 Nov 1906 (3 acres)
Location - East of White Pine
A Third Marriage
The deed index also uncovered something unexpected. After Cordie Hart Jones passed away on 28 December 1906, Joseph remarried in neighboring Hamblen County. On 4 July 1907, Joseph (age 70) married Pearl Cox, who was only 19, although the marriage record notes she was 22 (she was born on 1 November 1887 according to her Find-A-Grave entry).
After Joseph died, Pearl appears as a widow in the 1910 US Census (taken 11 May 1910).
Pearl executed a transfer deed in 1911 for three acres in White Pine.
Grantee - Joseph, Pearl Jones (Transfer Deed)
Grantor - Pearl Jones
Record Vol. 43, Page 113
Date of Instrument - 4 Feb 1911
Date of Filing - 6 Feb 1911 (3 acres)
Location - District 3, Main Street, White Pine
After the closure of the estate, Pearl married widower Harvey Bales in Jefferson County. Bales signed a marriage license on 10 April 1911. Interestingly, like Joseph Jones, Harvey Bales was much older than Pearl. He was a Civil War veteran, born on 27 May 1844 in Greene County.
After Harvey Bales passed away, Pearl married her third husband, widower William Lafayette Newman, on 8 July 1929 in Hamblen County.
Pearl is buried with William Newman in Hopewell Cemetery, Dandridge, Jefferson County, Tennessee. She passed on 26 October 1956.
One More Thing
On a hunch, I checked on Fold3 for a pension file on Harvey Bales, with the thought that maybe Pearl filed a widow's pension. Notice the name on the bottom of the card - Joseph Jones. I haven't yet looked up this file.
As noted in February and in July, Joseph Thomas Jones was born in Jefferson County, Tennessee in April 1837 and died there on 21 January 1910. From the deed records, it looks like Joseph Jones maintained some property in Tennessee after his siblings and children moved to Central Indiana.
On 1 December 1897, Joseph married his second wife, Martha Cordelia "Cordie" Hart, daughter of Floyd and Mary Hart. The couple were married in Jefferson County, and they bought and sold land in the area around White Pine, Tennessee. I'll have more on the transcriptions of the deeds below in a future post.
Deeds Involving Joseph Jones
Grantees - Joseph and Mary C. Jones
Grantor - William S. Biddle
Record Vol. 12, Page 156
Date of Instrument - 23 Feb 1876
Date of Filing - 23 Sept 1876
Location - 26 acres, District 12, Long Creek
Grantee- Joseph Jones
Grantor - Jno. H. Jolly
Record Vol. 14, Page 74
Date of Instrument - 4 Nov 1876 (70 acres)
Date of Filing - 24 May 1881 (20 acres).
Location - District 10
Grantees - Joseph and Mary C. Jones
Grantor - J. F. Carter
Record Vol. 18, Page 489
Date of Instrument - 4 Mar 1878 (70 acres)
Date of Filing - 2 Mar 1889 (20 acres)
Location - District 10
Grantee - Cordie and Joseph Jones
Grantor - Henry Wigington
Record Vol. 27, Page 240
Date of Instrument - 15 Apr 1899
Date of Filing - 21 Jul 1899 (1 acre)
Location - District 12, White Pine-Morristown Road
Grantees - Cordie and Joseph Jones
Grantor - J. F. Saville
Record Vol. 32, Page 115
Date of Instrument - 18 Aug 1903
Date of Filing - 2 Sept 1903
Location - Lot, Church Street, White Pine, Tennessee
Grantees - Cordie and Joseph Jones
Grantor - J. F. Saville
Record Vol. 32, Page 71
Date of Instrument - Aug 1903
Date of Filing - 25 Aug 1903 (25 acres)
Location - District 12, White Pine
Grantees - Cordie and Joseph Jones
Grantor - Annie B. Bradley
Record Vol. 39, Page 488
Date of Instrument - 9 Mar 1906 Date of Filing - 29 Mar 1909
Location - Lot, Main Street, White Pine
Grantee - Joseph Jones
Grantor - E. T. Rice
Record Vol. 36, Page 173
Date of Instrument - 30 Mar 1906
Date of Filing - 3 Nov 1906 (3 acres)
Location - East of White Pine
A Third Marriage
The deed index also uncovered something unexpected. After Cordie Hart Jones passed away on 28 December 1906, Joseph remarried in neighboring Hamblen County. On 4 July 1907, Joseph (age 70) married Pearl Cox, who was only 19, although the marriage record notes she was 22 (she was born on 1 November 1887 according to her Find-A-Grave entry).
Source: Tennessee State Marriages, 1780-2002 |
After Joseph died, Pearl appears as a widow in the 1910 US Census (taken 11 May 1910).
Pearl executed a transfer deed in 1911 for three acres in White Pine.
Grantee - Joseph, Pearl Jones (Transfer Deed)
Grantor - Pearl Jones
Record Vol. 43, Page 113
Date of Instrument - 4 Feb 1911
Date of Filing - 6 Feb 1911 (3 acres)
Location - District 3, Main Street, White Pine
After the closure of the estate, Pearl married widower Harvey Bales in Jefferson County. Bales signed a marriage license on 10 April 1911. Interestingly, like Joseph Jones, Harvey Bales was much older than Pearl. He was a Civil War veteran, born on 27 May 1844 in Greene County.
After Harvey Bales passed away, Pearl married her third husband, widower William Lafayette Newman, on 8 July 1929 in Hamblen County.
Pearl is buried with William Newman in Hopewell Cemetery, Dandridge, Jefferson County, Tennessee. She passed on 26 October 1956.
One More Thing
On a hunch, I checked on Fold3 for a pension file on Harvey Bales, with the thought that maybe Pearl filed a widow's pension. Notice the name on the bottom of the card - Joseph Jones. I haven't yet looked up this file.
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Armstrong Land Found
In February I wrote about the farm and tile factory of my 3rd-great-grandfather, David Armstrong. His land was located in Jefferson Township, Boone County, Indiana, along the border with Montgomery County. Last Friday I gave a talk at Wabash College, and on the way out of town, I drove over to Jefferson Township. Armed with Google Maps and a satellite photo, I had a pretty good idea where the land was located. After a bit of driving on some gravel roads, I found it.
The land looked like it had been freshly plowed. There was a house on the opposite side, but it looked like fairly new construction so I didn't take a picture. I'm reasonably sure this was the land where David Armstrong's farm was located in the 1870s.
The land looked like it had been freshly plowed. There was a house on the opposite side, but it looked like fairly new construction so I didn't take a picture. I'm reasonably sure this was the land where David Armstrong's farm was located in the 1870s.
Photo by Patrick Jones - Armstrong farm, October 2012 |
Travel Tuesday - Return Trip
It feels like I've been on the road for most of October. My travel has been Atlanta to Toronto to Detroit to Indianapolis, and driving around Central Indiana. Today it's back to Detroit to DC. In between, I was able to talk to students at Wabash and IU School of Law, see the old Armstrong farm land outside of Crawfordsville, Indiana, and sneak in a little research at the Crawfordsville District Public Library. I'm bringing back a great set of old photos from my great grandmother Elizabeth Lois Whitley. This has been a very good trip but I'm ready to be home.
I have some new information on the Vail family from research in Montgomery County, so I'll have a post this week bringing some of that research current.
I also have a story on the pieces of a Moon rock that my Gumpy received when he had a cleaning gig at NASA in Houston during the Apollo era.
That's all for now. Another travel day coming up.
I have some new information on the Vail family from research in Montgomery County, so I'll have a post this week bringing some of that research current.
I also have a story on the pieces of a Moon rock that my Gumpy received when he had a cleaning gig at NASA in Houston during the Apollo era.
That's all for now. Another travel day coming up.
Thursday, October 11, 2012
AncestryDNA Connection
In July I wrote about my AncestryDNA results, showing a previously unknown 14% Eastern European percentage. I still do not know exactly how that fits, but I have a sense that there are some answers lurking on my Grandma Lois' side of the tree.
Her mother, my second-great-grandmother, Elizabeth Hayden Matthews, was the daughter of Martha Jane Free and William Matthews. I know a little about the Matthews family, and that they came to Kentucky from Smith County, Tennessee. I know much less about the Free family. I have a sense that my Eastern European connection maybe found there. This could also be from an earlier branch along the Matthews line.
My speculation is because I know through AncestryDNA's Member Match feature that a distant cousin I've previously corresponded with appeared in the relationship match as 95%, and we share common ancestors in William Matthews and Martha Jane Free (my third-great-grandparents). Her Eastern European percentage is 28%, and I think William and Martha Jane are her great-grandparents. I've reached out to her for more information, so we'll see.
William Matthews was born on 2 August 1836 in Smith County, Tennessee. He was the son of Allen Matthews and Sarah Davis. Allen appears to be the son of Wiley Mathews (born about 1786 in North Carolina, died in Tishomingo County, Mississippi) and Sarah Freeze. I have further research to do on this line.
Another distant cousin who appears to be a match on the Matthews line shows 26% Central European and 7% Eastern European, leading me to believe for now that the Eastern European link is on the Free side and not the Matthews side.
Martha Jane Free was born on 13 December 1843 in Russell County, Kentucky. Her parents were William Free (born about 1819) and Nancy Hayden Clark. I know more about Nancy's family, leading me to think the Eastern European link is with William Free's family. His origins are currently a brick wall. I have a lot more research to do on this side.
If you're reading this and connected to one of these families, I'd love to share and compare information.
Her mother, my second-great-grandmother, Elizabeth Hayden Matthews, was the daughter of Martha Jane Free and William Matthews. I know a little about the Matthews family, and that they came to Kentucky from Smith County, Tennessee. I know much less about the Free family. I have a sense that my Eastern European connection maybe found there. This could also be from an earlier branch along the Matthews line.
My speculation is because I know through AncestryDNA's Member Match feature that a distant cousin I've previously corresponded with appeared in the relationship match as 95%, and we share common ancestors in William Matthews and Martha Jane Free (my third-great-grandparents). Her Eastern European percentage is 28%, and I think William and Martha Jane are her great-grandparents. I've reached out to her for more information, so we'll see.
William Matthews was born on 2 August 1836 in Smith County, Tennessee. He was the son of Allen Matthews and Sarah Davis. Allen appears to be the son of Wiley Mathews (born about 1786 in North Carolina, died in Tishomingo County, Mississippi) and Sarah Freeze. I have further research to do on this line.
Another distant cousin who appears to be a match on the Matthews line shows 26% Central European and 7% Eastern European, leading me to believe for now that the Eastern European link is on the Free side and not the Matthews side.
Martha Jane Free was born on 13 December 1843 in Russell County, Kentucky. Her parents were William Free (born about 1819) and Nancy Hayden Clark. I know more about Nancy's family, leading me to think the Eastern European link is with William Free's family. His origins are currently a brick wall. I have a lot more research to do on this side.
If you're reading this and connected to one of these families, I'd love to share and compare information.
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Waiting on the Mail
I'll soon be in Toronto for meetings, so blogging will be slow. I've been waiting on some research queries to come back, and I'll have some cool things waiting on me when I return. A wonderful volunteer at the Jefferson County, Tennessee Archives is sending a set of deed record copies for my 3rd-great-grandfather Joseph Thomas Jones, from his later years in the county after returning from Indiana. She also found an 1855 deed for Elizabeth Thornhill Jones. I'm looking forward to seeing these.
I have a trip to Indiana coming up, talks at Wabash College and IU-Indianapolis School of Law, and a little bit of research in Montgomery County. I'm hoping to also bring back some old photos and other historical nuggets. Updates to follow later in the month.
Asana is working well for tracking research leads, and I'll have a post on how it's helping in an upcoming Tech Tuesday post after I return from the road.
I have a trip to Indiana coming up, talks at Wabash College and IU-Indianapolis School of Law, and a little bit of research in Montgomery County. I'm hoping to also bring back some old photos and other historical nuggets. Updates to follow later in the month.
Asana is working well for tracking research leads, and I'll have a post on how it's helping in an upcoming Tech Tuesday post after I return from the road.
Wordless Wednesday - Congress Street Tucson
Source: University of Arizona Special Collections |
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Tech Tuesday - Information Standards in the Family History Space
A few months ago I reached out to the organizers behind the Family
History Information Standards Organization (FHISO). They had
published a position paper/comment draft titled Why FHISO,
seeking input on a "proposed community-owned standards organization
serving genealogists worldwide". This was intriguing and right away I
saw a connection between my primary field of Internet security,
governance and policy with my family history interest.
After exchanging ideas on ways in which family historians might fit within FHISO's structure, it is clear that they have embraced the concept of using a multi-stakeholder model for information standards in the genealogy and family history community. Quick disclaimer - the views in this post and blog are in my individual capacity and do not represent an official position or views of my employer - end of disclaimer. The model being adopted by FHISO is close to my heart as it follows the model of community-driven collaboration in the coordination of the Internet's unique identifier systems. FHISO's approach is also along the lines of the Open Stand movement announced in August 2012, although FHISO's focus is specific to bringing together a diverse spectrum of entities to support open, international standards for the genealogy and family history communities.
Like the Internet unique identifier ecosystem, the family history community has its issues with handling Internationalization and character sets, dated information standards (GEDCOM) that are in need of modernization while balancing scalability, flexibility, security and privacy. These are big topics, but are better addressed through broad collaboration rather than through proprietary or government-driven approaches. This "self-governance" approach follows Internet principles of open, respectful collaboration for accessibility to historical data in a manner that is independent but inclusive of business and institutions, government expertise, the academic community and individual historians.
As more archives (national and local), libraries, and historical societies grapple with digitizing records, there is a need for uniform standards so that this data can be accessed and shared globally. I'm interested in seeing FHISO move into its next phases and begin to serve as a platform for multi-stakeholder engagement on information standards for the family history community.
After exchanging ideas on ways in which family historians might fit within FHISO's structure, it is clear that they have embraced the concept of using a multi-stakeholder model for information standards in the genealogy and family history community. Quick disclaimer - the views in this post and blog are in my individual capacity and do not represent an official position or views of my employer - end of disclaimer. The model being adopted by FHISO is close to my heart as it follows the model of community-driven collaboration in the coordination of the Internet's unique identifier systems. FHISO's approach is also along the lines of the Open Stand movement announced in August 2012, although FHISO's focus is specific to bringing together a diverse spectrum of entities to support open, international standards for the genealogy and family history communities.
Like the Internet unique identifier ecosystem, the family history community has its issues with handling Internationalization and character sets, dated information standards (GEDCOM) that are in need of modernization while balancing scalability, flexibility, security and privacy. These are big topics, but are better addressed through broad collaboration rather than through proprietary or government-driven approaches. This "self-governance" approach follows Internet principles of open, respectful collaboration for accessibility to historical data in a manner that is independent but inclusive of business and institutions, government expertise, the academic community and individual historians.
As more archives (national and local), libraries, and historical societies grapple with digitizing records, there is a need for uniform standards so that this data can be accessed and shared globally. I'm interested in seeing FHISO move into its next phases and begin to serve as a platform for multi-stakeholder engagement on information standards for the family history community.
Sunday, October 7, 2012
Harrison County Land Records
My 3rd-great-grandfather David Detrick Lamon made at least two land purchases in Harrison County, Indiana. These are on file in the US General Land Office Records, 1796-1907. A copy of David's purchase of 40 acres from 1 May 1845 is below:
A second purchase of 40 acres was made on 15 January 1851.
David's father, Manuel Lamon, also made a land purchase in Harrison County. On 8 October 1834, Manuel bought 40 acres in Harrison County, Indiana. He appears in the 1830 US Census in Harrison County. I'll have more detail on Manuel and family this week. For now, a copy of his land record is below:
A second purchase of 40 acres was made on 15 January 1851.
David's father, Manuel Lamon, also made a land purchase in Harrison County. On 8 October 1834, Manuel bought 40 acres in Harrison County, Indiana. He appears in the 1830 US Census in Harrison County. I'll have more detail on Manuel and family this week. For now, a copy of his land record is below:
Friday, October 5, 2012
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Travel Tuesday - Toronto
In about a week I'll be in Toronto for our 45th International public meeting. I've been to Toronto twice before, last in August 2009. During the last meeting, we had an evening at the Skydome for a Toronto Blue Jays-Boston Red Sox game. I can't remember who won, but the highlight was being able to see the retractable roof open mid-game. I captured this on the photos below, and hope to get some better photos of Toronto during the meeting.
Photo by Patrick L Jones - Skydome roof closed, Aug 2009 |
Photo by Patrick L Jones - Skydome roof open, Aug 2009 |
Photo by Patrick L Jones - CN Tower |
Monday, October 1, 2012
Hispanic Heritage Month
As I learn about the history of my Granny's family from Mexico and Arizona, I have a greater appreciation of the contributions Hispanics have made in America. There is national recognition of this too, from 15 September to 15 October, this mid-month to mid-month period is Hispanic Heritage Month. A joint website of the Library of Congress, National Endowment of the Humanities, National Gallery of Art, National Park Service, Smithsonian Institution, US Holocaust Memorial Museum, and the US National Archives and Records Administration provides a large set of resources on various cultural events, photos and general information.
The National Archives has a collection of photos related to Hispanic Heritage Month on Flickr. I am fortunate to have my own, passed to me as a set of photos of my Granny's early days in Arizona from my Aunt Patty. The photo above was not captioned, I assume the girl is either one of my Granny's sisters or cousins.
Although not linked on the Hispanic Heritage Month, if you're in the DC area, the Dumbarton Oaks Research Library and Collection in Georgetown has a symposium on Friday and Saturday this week titled The Measure and Meaning of Time in the Americas. There is a cost associated with this symposium, but it does look like an interesting set of talks on "expressions and understandings of temporal existence in Mesoamerican and Andean worlds."
Earlier Posts
Here is a set of earlier posts on my Granny's family, my connection to our Hispanic heritage:
- Liga Protectora Latina
- Petition to Incorporate Glendale, Arizona
- Plutarco Vasquez Campuzano
- Manuela Portillo's Arrival in the US
- Friday Photo - A Conversation
- 1929 Visit to Nogales
- From the Land of the Fire Ants
- Vicente Plutarco Campuzano
- Those Places Thursday - Barrio Viejo
- Mappy Monday - Route of the Rio Sonora
- Another 1940 Census Find - Campuzano Family
- Vicente Jr in the 1st Arizona Infantry
- Isabel Portillo and Vicente Cruz
- A New Find in Tempe
- Workday Wednesday - A Barber in Tempe
- Sepia Saturday - Antonio Campuzano
- Wordless Wednesday - Cecilia Campuzano and Manuela Portillo
- Wordless Wednesday - Campuzano Siblings
Source: Patty Marple. |
Source - Patty Marple. Campuzano siblings or cousins, Tucson, Arizona |
Earlier Posts
Here is a set of earlier posts on my Granny's family, my connection to our Hispanic heritage:
- Liga Protectora Latina
- Petition to Incorporate Glendale, Arizona
- Plutarco Vasquez Campuzano
- Manuela Portillo's Arrival in the US
- Friday Photo - A Conversation
- 1929 Visit to Nogales
- From the Land of the Fire Ants
- Vicente Plutarco Campuzano
- Those Places Thursday - Barrio Viejo
- Mappy Monday - Route of the Rio Sonora
- Another 1940 Census Find - Campuzano Family
- Vicente Jr in the 1st Arizona Infantry
- Isabel Portillo and Vicente Cruz
- A New Find in Tempe
- Workday Wednesday - A Barber in Tempe
- Sepia Saturday - Antonio Campuzano
- Wordless Wednesday - Cecilia Campuzano and Manuela Portillo
- Wordless Wednesday - Campuzano Siblings