Sunday, April 27, 2014

Ahnentafel #10 Warren David Hendricks and #11 Lucinda Jane Gooch

According to his own account, Warren David Hendricks was born 8 Sep 1854 to George Washington Hendricks and Jane (Jenny) Keith, in Pickens County, SC.  His mother died a few years later after the birth of his younger brother James and his life became rather peripatetic at that point. The family lived in Alabama as well as various places in Georgia, before finally reaching Lumpkin County, which is where he married Lucinda Jane Gooch.

Lucinda Jane Gooch was born 19 Mar 1857 in Lumpkin County, Georgia to James Gooch and  Elvira Grizzle.   They had moved to Union County by the time she was 13 and she married Warren when she was 16, on 27 March 1873.  The ceremony was performed by Warren's cousin (by marriage) George Whitmore, who was a J.P. 

The young couple almost immediately settled in the Gaddistown area of Union County, where they raised a very large family.  Warren was primarily a farmer, Jane was a midwife, mother, and homemaker.   For the first 20 years of their marriage, Warren's brother James lived next door to them, before moving down to Madison County.  James was married to Jane's sister Eliza.   The brothers must have been close, since they named their first sons after each other. They also lived quite close to Jane's parents as well as her brothers William and Madison. Tax records indicate that they owned 260 acres of land.

In 1880 Warren and Jane first appear in the census as a family, with their two oldest children Lucy Ann and John James.  Also in the household was a 14-year old orphan Elizabeth Rider.  Her relationship to the family is not known but Warren and Jane did later take in at least one other orphaned child whom they raised. 

In March 1890 Warren was arrested for making whiskey, although he was not charged with selling it.  He was released when one of the witnesses (who worked for him) changed his testimony.   Family tradition maintains that he did in fact make whiskey.  A few months later, the Atlanta Constitution wrote a short piece about him in their section "Dahlonega Nuggets":  'Mr. Warren Hendricks, One of Union County's most prosperous farmers, was in Dahlonega some days ago.  Mr. Hendricks is worth about two thousand dollars and made it by hard licks.  He never wore a store coat or store pants in his life, but wears clothing manufactured by the "folks at home."  Instead of furnishing his little boys with a bicycle and ((unreadable)) pair of shoes, he gives them a long pair of home-made pants, suspenders knit by his girls, tenders them a hoe and puts them in the cornfield barefooted, with instructions to cut the weeds so as to let the corn grow, is why he prospers.'

By the 1900 census, Jane and Warren's two oldest children were married, with 7 more still at home, the youngest being 4.   An additional 4 children had not survived.   Her daughter Mattie always claimed that Jane was an excellent midwife, but that she had great difficulty with her own pregnancies and was often bedridden for them.

In 1903, Warren was appointed as the road commissioner for the Gaddistown district, along with two other men.  About the same time, he was also made a jury commissioner, a position he remained in until his death.

By 1910, several more of the children had married and left home, but 5 were still living with Warren and Jane as they ran the farm.  About 1915 they fostered Evelyn Ingle from Copper Hill, Tennessee.  She was about 4 at the time.  To date, we have not discovered why she was sent to a family in Union County, Georgia.  Her father had died and her 4 brothers were also fostered, separately.  She was apparently very fond of Warren and Jane, naming two of her children after them, including her first son.

In 1920, Warren and Jane show daughters Mattie, Maude and Evelyn still at home.  Mattie and Maude were both teachers.  This census entry is not totally accurate since Mattie was also listed on the census in Emanuel county, where she was working. Since the census was taken in January, its possible that she was still home for the holidays when the census taker came by.   Maude was at home but left to marry a few months later.   The fact that Mattie and Maude were both teachers is a reflection of the importance that the family apparently attributed to education.  At least 3 of the daughters (Viana, Mattie and Maude) and one of their sons (Luther) had attended North Georgia Agricultural college in Dahlonega.

In 1930, Warren is still apparently farming, despite now being 76.  Foster daughter Evelyn is still with them, as well as their daughter-in-law Ellen Jones Hendrix Seabolt.  Ellen's first husband was their son Joseph.  In 1920, he had been serving as the mayor of McCaysville, GA when he intervened in an incident with a drunken man, who shot him in the head.   Ellen later married James Seabolt but by 1930 was listed as widowed again.

In 1940, Jane and Warren are living at the same place but he is no longer listed as a farmer.  All the children are now gone, but they do have a 15-year old maid in the house.  Both Jane and Warren are listed as having done 4 years of school.  Warren died on 28 August 1940 and Jane followed him on 25 May 1942.  Both of them are buried at Mount Pleasant #2 (the Hill Church) in Suches.

Jane and Warren had the following known children:

     -- Mary LucyAnne Hendrix, born 29 September 1875, died 29 April 1956.  She married Anderson Asberry McDougald and lived her entire life in Union County.
     -- James John Washington Hendrix, born12 Dec 1877, died 17 Mar 1954.  He was named after Warren's father Washington and his two brothers James and John.  He married Vinnie Gurley and eventually settled in Morgan County, GA.
    --  Joseph Benjamin Hendrix, born 18 Mar 1881, died 25 April 1920 while serving as mayor of McCaysville, GA.  Married Ellen Jones.
    -- Allen Luther Hendrix, born 16 Feb 1884, died 11 Mar 1959 in Gwinnett County, GA.  He became a preacher, and met and married his wife Cora Blanche Clyde while serving in Holt County, Nebraska. 
   --  Vianna Hendrix, born 22 May 1885, died 19 Sep 1947.   She married William Carl Gurley.
   --  Elvira Hendrix, born 23 Sep 1889, died 20 Aug 1968 in Monroe County, GA.  She married John Richard Bearden.
   -- William Arthur, born 20 Jan 1891, died February 1976 in Hall County, GA.  He lived much of his working life in Franklin County, Ohio, but returned to Georgia after his wife died.  He married Gilla May Sparks of Fannin County.
   -- Mattie Irene Hendrix, 13 June 1893 - 12 April 1975, Married Charles Gordon Garner
   --  Maude June Hendrix, born 21 Oct 1895, died 4 Aug 1967 in Atlanta.  She married Edward Lee Floyd, who had been one of the instructors at NGC when she and Mattie were there.
   --Alice Evelyn Ingle, born 7 Oct 1911, died 24 Dec 2007 in Haywood County, NC.  Married James Thomason and then Dennis Ammons.

Warren and Jane with their descendents, taken about 1938.


Friday, April 25, 2014

Friend of Friends Friday - Crawford County, Georgia, part 1

I just learned of the "Friend of Friends Friday" daily prompt and, since I'm going through Crawford county probate records right now, it seems a good time to post some of these.  Since all of the original records are available for free on familysearch.org, I'm only putting in the link.  If down the road, the links don't work, these are from the Georgia, Probate Records, 1742-1990, Crawford County, Inventories and appraisements 1833-1913. I have occasionally shortened the description of the estate but the remainder of the text is as it is written on the page or as close as I can get.

Page 4, Image 9 :  Return of the sale of the negro man named Prince, belonging to Jesse Mills, dec'd.
Cash recd of John Andrews for Prince - $400.00.  Submitted by Bryan Bateman.  4 April 1833

Abel Daniel's accounting of the estate of his wards Berry and Elmyra Sullivan, for the year 1832.
Cash for the hire of Nelson - $70.75
"        "    "      "    "  Abraham - $40.00
"        "    "      "    "  Bid (or Bice) - $41.25
"        "    "      "    "  Peggy - $7.50

Page 8, Image 11:  An account between Caroline E. Jones, minor heir of William H. Jones decd and James S. Jones guardian.
Hire of Daniel - $50.00
Hire of Dave - $54.50
Hire of Henry - $55.00
Hire of Washington - $34.00
Hire of Stephen - $10.00
Hire of Phebe and three children - $20.00
Hire of Sally - $40.00
Hire of Melinda - $40.00
Hire of Epsey - $42.00

Page 16, Image 15 Susan Prosser in a/c with Henry Tarver her guardian for .. 1832.
By hire of her negro woman Jinney - $20.00
 "      "   "     "      "     girl Aley - $10.00

Page 17, Image 15  An account of the hiring of the negroes belonging to James Louisa and Ruth Prosser orphan children of Jesse Prosser decd for 1832
One negro fellow George by Luke Robinson for $65.00
One negro girl ?Thizly? by Martin Patten - $50.00
One negro girl Molly by Wm. Robinson - $25.00

Page 24, Image 19:  Inventory and appraisement of the estate of Richard Bullock, decd, Dec 16, 1833.
Harry a negro man valued at $500
Rachael a woman and her child Hosea $500
Lacey a girl - $450
Tracy a girl - $350
Faithey a girl - $200
Daniel a boy - $200

Page 27, Image 20
From the estate inventory of Chesley B. Marshall, made Jan 13, 1834.
1 negro man Billy - $200
1 negro man Davy - $250

Page 28, Image 21
John Ricks return for 1833 for the orphans of Redmon B. Mason [Susanah and Arthur].
By hire of a negro man Abram to William Exium - $75
"      "     "       "        "    Philip to R. S. Anderson - $35
"      "     "   "  "     woman and five children to Wm Faircloth - $40

Page 36, Image 25
James Jones, guardian, for minor Caroline  E. Jones, 1833
Hire of Negro boy Dave - $70
    "   "      "       "    Henry - $65
     "   "      "       "   Washington - $40
    "   "      "       "   Stephen - $22
    "   "      "     girl Sally - $50
    "   "      "       "   Epsey - $50
    "   "      "       "   Malinda & child - $30
    "   "      "       "   Phebe & three children $10

(continuation on page 37)
 Cash for sale of negro boy Daniel  $400, record 4 Feb 1834

Page 38, image 26
Inventory, appraisement and distribution of estate of Jesse Mills, dec'd. 5 March 1834:

Alexander Mills drew Hagar a negro woman appraised at $375
Susanah Mills drew Joseph a negro boy appraised at $500
Isaac Mills drew Wiggins a negro boy appraised at $325
Nancy Mills drew Michael a negro boy appraised at $400
Moses Mills drew Frank a negro boy appraised at $475

Elenor Mills drew Rency and John a negro girl and boy appraised at $450
Elisha Mills drew Joshua a negro boy appraised at $400
Martha Mills drew Fanny and Sampson a negro girl and boy appraised at $375
Green Lee Mills drew Prince a negro boy appraised at $480 [which would appear to contradict the first entry above where Prince was sold]

Page 39, image 26 
Estate of James M. Williams, appraisal done Feb 1834
One negro man Allen $600
One negro boy George $550
One negro woman Carolina $450
One negro woman Aggy and child Henry $500
One negro boy Nelson $300
One negro boy Pomfrey $550
One negro girl Mary $175

 Page 49, image 31
Appraisement of the estate of William Northern, April 1834
Cyrus a man - $625
Mariah and five children Chana, Mima, Lewis, Bob and Lucretia - $1600
Mary and four children Sally, Joseph, Evelina and Carolina - $1080

Monday, April 21, 2014

Sarah Blanch and Middle Names

I am a middle namer and so are many of the other people in my family.  Nonetheless, I sometimes forget to take that into account when hunting for relatives, particularly since middle namers will sometimes appear in records by the name they use and sometimes by their first name.   This was brought home recently as I was going through some Crawford county deeds.  In one instance, property was sold to Martha Hatcher and Blanch Perry, daughters of Mark Perry.  I had Mark with two daughters but they were Martha and Sarah (from the 1880 census).  Other records with the land had Blanch as S. Blanch Perry, which of course started me looking at Mark's daughter Sarah.  Taking the leap that Sarah Perry, on the census as Mark's daughter, and the Blanch/S. Blanch Perry in this record were the same, I started looking at records for Blanch.  A few years after the land record, Blanch Perry married Ezekiel Atwater.  Looking further in the census, in 1900 Ezekiel and Blanch Atwater had a son Perry.  In 1910, the parents in the family are Ezekiel and Sally Atwater (Sally of course being Sarah), and her tombstone from 1918 has Blanch P. Atwater.  In this case, the use of the middle name makes good sense, since her mother was also Sarah and this would have served to differentiate them.  

Thursday, April 17, 2014

The Mystery of Gussie and Julia Lewis

In the Crawford County records at the Georgia State Archives, there is a petition from Zach Lewis to commit Gussie and Julia Lewis to the state asylum as "idiots", dated 23 August 1899.   To do this, the three nearest adult relatives have to sign the petition, which in this case was Zach Lewis and his siblings Mrs. Lizzie Gordon and Joe Lewis.  Zach was the son of Zachariah Lewis, Sr, and his wife Torvesa Nelson.  Lizzie and Joe were his half-siblings, children of Zachariah Lewis Sr and his wife Mary Montcrief.

Zachariah, Sr cannot be the person who brought the petition because he died in 1897.  He was married at least 3 times (possibly 4) and had at least 15 children.   Gussie (male) and Julia, however, do not appear anywhere in that list of children.  They could, of course, have been born after the 1880 census. In that case, though, they would have had to be the children of Sarah Moncreif Lewis who was still alive in 1899.  In that scenario, she would have almost certainly been considered one of the 3 closest adult relatives.  It also seems unlikely that they are Zach's children for the same reason, that in this case their mother would have been one of the three "nearest adult relatives", certainly closer than an aunt or uncle.   So if they were born before 1880, they should have been in that census and if after 1880, their mother should have been included in the paperwork. 

Another oddity (adding to the confusion about their ages)  is that they were committed in August 1899 but do not appear in the 1900 census, either in Crawford County or at the State Asylum at Milledgeville.

As part of the process of commitment, a special jury had to be convened, with at least one medical doctor.  The members of the jury in this case were J.E.L. Johnson MD,  M.P. Riviere, S.J.Spillers, N.P. Spillers, J.H. Irby, E.L. Culverhouse, W.B. Spain, T.J. Stewart, H.C. McAfee, C. F. Hollis, Johnathan Wilder, and J.S. Stephens.   They did find that Gussie and Julia were "idiots" and should be confined in the asylum. 

Wednesday, April 16, 2014

Thomas Cates' Estate

In a continued effort to learn more about Thomas Cates and his circle of family and friends, I took a look at his estate records and particularly the sales of his property after his death. 

Not unexpectedly, the most prominent purchaser was his wife, Nancy Cates.   She bought a bedstead and furniture; a pine chest, table and stool; table furniture; a coffee mill; one lot of books; two spinning wheels; a club ax; a barrel and tub; a pot and pot hooks; 3 sitting chairs; and a keg.

His son, Turner Cates, was more restrained, just purchasing a tea kettle; a rod and chair; a hatchet (can't read the first word describing it); a man's saddle; and a sorrel horse.

Mary Dies is the only woman besides Nancy to appear on the list of purchasers.  Considering that it was unusual for women outside the immediate family to come to these sales and the type of things that she bought, it is likely that she is connected to the family but how is not known.  In the 1840 census, as Mary Dyes, she is two entries away from Turner and 3 from Thomas, she is aged 30-39 and has 3 young girls (age 5-9)  in the house, indicating she is probably a widower.  She is also probably the woman who in 1844 married Wiley Cates, whose connection to Thomas has also not been established but is probably not a son.    Mary purchased a bed & cot, 2 sitting chairs & frame.

V. Nichols, based on his location, is probably Vincent/Vinson Nichols, married to Eliza McCook. He has an odd 1840 census entry, where his listing includes 125 scholars.  Either he was running a school or the census taker got something wrong.  He was a prominent person in the county and, among other things, donated the land for Old Bethel U.M. Church.  He was also the JP involved with the estate.  He purchased a clock, which must have been a very nice one since it was one of the most expensive items on the inventory at $8.   He also purchased a side-saddle.

Isaac Mills was probably not a near neighbor (per the 1840 census) but he was one of the two men to sign as security on the admin bond.  (The other was Joseph Wilder).  He was married to Elizabeth Dun, or possibly Dies.  He purchased an augur and a hand saw.

Thomas Striplin appears to have been a neighbor.  He purchased a frying pan & streaker, a cow, and a yearling.

Nimrod Lewis, was I believe Thomas' son in law.  He purchased one set of plow gear, a tub of plows and sundries, a cowhide, a bay filly, and 4 head of geese.

John Hancock, a neighbor, purchased a set of plow gear and a halter chain.  John was one of the men who inventoried the estate.

John Perry, not a neighbor but closely associated with John Hancock and Nimrod Lewis, so possibly with the Cates as well.   He purchased a tub of plows and sundries, as well as 2 swingletrees (used for beating flax) and a bridle.  John as also one of the men who did the inventory.

B. Surtivant, not further identified, purchased a reel.

?Saml? Vining bought a pair of cart hubs.

Larry or Lamy Dies (unidentifed, not in the 1840 census) purchased 1 small trunk.

Not accounted for in the sale were the two young slaves listed in the inventory of his estate.   They were Laurah, age 8, valued at $300 and Grace, age 5, valued at $275.  In the 1840 census, Thomas Cates showed 3 slaves, who were the two young girls as well as a female in her 20s, possibly their mother.  The older slave was not listed as part of the estate so presumably had died or been sold by that time. 


Tuesday, April 8, 2014

Philip Mathews Revolutionary War Pension application



Declaration

In order to obtain the benefits of the act of Congress passed June 7th 1832 ---
 State of Georgia
 Crawford County

On this the thirteenth day of January eighteen hundred and forty five personally appears in open Court before the Justices of the Inferior Court of said County now sitting Phillip Mathews a resident of Crawford County State of Georgia aged about eighty three years, who being duly sworn according to Law, does on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of an act of Congress passed June 7th 1832.  That he entered the Service as a drafted Militia man in the United States Service and served as here in stated, that he entered the Service under Captain William Robb, Colonel John Pierson Command the regisment in the South Carolina militia from Fairfield District he thinks in the month of May seventeen hundred and eighty one (1781) for a three months term and served out his time faithfully and was discharged about the first of August that year but that he received no written discharge.  That he again entered the Service Seventeen hundred and eighty two for a three months tour as a drafted militia man, under Captain William Hughs and Commanded by Colonel John Perrson.  He served a tour of three months and was discharged but received no written discharge.  That he resided in the State of South Carolina Fairfield district when he entered the service that he marched from his residence to Orangburg Court house about eighty miles distance, the first Tour and was stationed there during the Tour but was ordered on a number of expeditions in teh surrounding country during this time.  The Second tour he was marched from his residence to a place called the four holes or the four hole Bridge about the distance of eighty miles where he was stationed and remained during the three months except for occasional expeditions in the surrounding country; that he has no documentary evidence by which to prove the above narrated service but can prove these by one living witness to wit, one Thomas Nelson now residing in the county of Pike in the State of Georgia and whose testimony he begs leave herewith to submit.  

Interrogatories propounded by the Court

1st Question.  Where and in what year were you born?  (over)

Page 2
1st Answer.  I was borned in Buckingham  County in the State of Virginia and to the best of my recollection in the year 1760.

2nd Q.  Have you any record of your age.  If yea where is it

2nd A.  I recollect having seen a record of my age but it has long since been lost or destroyed.

3rd Q.  Where were you living when called in to Service?  Where have you been living since the revolutonary war?  And where do you now live?

3rd A.  I was living in Fairfield District South Carolina when I was called into the service each time.  I lived in Fairfield District South Carolina until about the year 1824 at which time I moved to Crawford County Georgia where I have lived up to the present time.

4th Q.  How were you called in to the service, were you drafted?  Did volunteer or were you a substitute and if a substitute for whom,

4th A.  I was drafted each time and did not volunteer or substitute.

5th Q.  State some of the names of the regular officers were were with the regular troops when you served such Continental and militia regiments as you can recollect and the general circumstances of your services?

5th A.  While we were stationed at Orangburge General Green General Winn and General Sumpter all visited our Camps.  I suppose for the purpose of inspecting our troops.  Colonel Lacys regiment or a part of it was there (of the militia) there were no continental troops with us as he now recollects while stationed at or near Orangeburg.  When General Green came he commanded or ordered a seige by strategem [one word] in such manner as to induce the enemy to believe that we were sufficiently strong to storm their fortress by mounting pieces of wood to which he intended should appear to the enemy as field pieces.  And in a short time the enemy surrendered the fortress and themselves as prisoners of war.  Some of the prisoners were paroled and the remainder marched to Camden as near as I can recollect.   (over)

page 3

6th Q.  Did you ever receive a regular discharge from the service?  If yea by whom was it granted?  And what has become of it?

6th A.  I never received a regular written discharge.  Our company received an oral discharge each tour and each time by relief taking our place.

7th Q.  State the name of several persons to whom you are known in your present and immediate neighborhood and who can testify as to your character for veracity and their belief of your services as a revolutionary soldier.

7th A.  I am known to Patrick M. Calhoun and Phillip J. Echols.

And he hereby relinquishes all and every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency in any state, Sworn to and subscribed;

[Signed] Thos C. Howard J I C [or JJC]                                  [Signed] Philip Mathews
[Signed]  Lewis F. Hicks J I C
[Signed] John B. Grace J I C

 We Patrick M. Calhoun a clergyman residing in the County of Crawford and State of Georgia and Phillip J. Echols, residing in the same County and State, hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Phillip Mathews who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration, that we believe him to be eighty four years old, that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood where lives, to have been a Revolutionary soldier and we concur in that opinion.  Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.

[Signed] Thos. C. Howard JIC               [Signed]  Patrick M. Calhoun M.G.
[Signed] Lewis F. Hicks JIC                   [Signed] Philip J. Echols
[Signed] John B. Grace JIC



Saturday, April 5, 2014

Patience Garner

Patience Garner was probably one of the daughters of Jacob Garner, in Washington County, Georgia, since she was closely associated with his other children.  Family lore has it that she married a Durden, but every record I have found for her still has her name as Garner, with no evidence that she ever married. 

Patience was one of Jacob's older children, born in 1770 while he was still in North Carolina (per her 1850 census entry).   The first public record found for her is her joining Bethlehem Baptist church on 16 July 1815, together with her neighbor Eliz.Cone.  She was one of the members of Bethlehem to move over to Sisters Baptist Church when it was founded in 1824 and then moved again to become a charter member of Union Baptist when it was formed in 1844. 

Patience had property of her own as evidenced by the 1836 tax digest, where she has 200 acres of property.  While more work needs to be done on this, it is possible that this reflects an inheritance from her father who disappears between the 1830 and 1840 censuses.  He had paid tax on 200 acres in Washington County through at least 1831, and for both of them the land was described as bounded by Long.   Her brothers Henry and John and several nephews also pay in 1836 tax records, but brothers Moses and Stephen were both listed as defaulters.   She also pays taxes in 1837 and 1838, although the acreage is not given.  However, when the online tax records resume in 1848, she is still paying on 200 acres.

In 1840, she appears as head of household in Washington County, Georgia.  The household contains three people:  A woman age 60-70 (presumably her) and two men age 50-60, probably her brothers Moses and Stephen, since they are all living together in 1850.  In 1850, the census lists the household as Moses, 63, farmer with property worth $700, born in SC; Stephen, 63, farmer born in SC, Patience, 80, born in NC and Nancy, 40, born in Georgia.   Patience continued to pay taxes on her 200-acre property through 1851.

In 1855, Nancy Garner, relationship still unknown, relinquished to William Garner (Patience's nephew) her rights in a piece of property formerly belonging to Patience Garner.  There is no description of the property, leading me to believe that this is part of an inheritance and not a purchase.  From this, her age, and the lack of any other records concerning her, I am tentatively assuming that Patience died between 1851 and 1855. 

In a family aside, looking at the possibility that Jacob left this property to Patience.  Her brother Henry also left his property to his only daughter Sally, also unmarried.