Thursday, August 20, 2015

Finding Mary Howell

Nearly as soon as I posted about the death of Lemuel Howell and wondering what happened to his wife and child, I found his wife Mary.

The Death of Lem Howell and the Disappearance of his Family
She had been in my notes all along.


I had looked through the marriage records of Montgomery County looking for Howells when I was researching the family of James Howell and Sarah Moore Howell.


The Hough Connection Part II: The Family of James and Sarah Moore Howell




I had came across this marriage record for John Ussery and Mary Howell and looked into that family, but descendants had seemed to agree among themselves that her last name was not Howell, even though the marriage license clearly said "Howell".


Montgomery County, NC marriage records:

John Ussery    Mary Howell   22 November 1862   Thomas Haltom , JS Spencer witness


To top that off, John Ussery was a near neighbor in 1850 and 1860 to the Howell family. I had thought it too much of a coincidence, and that part is not resolved, but I had found Mary Howell.

NameMary Williams
Age6
Birth Yearabt 1844
BirthplaceNorth Carolina
Home in 1850Montgomery, North Carolina
GenderFemale
Family Number35
Household Members
NameAge
John Williams Amos52
Amy Williams45
Eliza Williams13
Mary Williams6
Henry Williams3
Harriet Williams21


Mary Williams turned out to be the daughter of Wheelwright John Amos Williams and his wife Amy Morland Williams. I had made an earlier statement that Montgomery County was chock full of  Williams, and indeed, that was where Mary Williams Howell was born.

Judging from the near neighbors, Mary Williams grew up in a town, perhaps Lawrenceville or Mt. Gilead, according to the names. Her folks lived near Nathaniel Lilly and several other Lilly's, descendants of Edmund, and early mover and shaker. Other names were pertinent to both Montgomery and Stanly County history, like Calvin Wooley, Auley McAuley, and Levi Stacy.

Professions in the neighborhood included Blacksmith: Malcolm D. Matheson, Merchants: David Pemberton, C. J. Cochran, Martin McPherson and Alex Zachary,  Tailor: A. R. Warner, Retailers: Stephen Bunnel and Charles Campbell   , Clock and Watch Repairman  George W. Hillard

and other professionals suggesting a town setting. Other neighbors were John M. Lilly, Sr, Enoch Davis and his family, who were from Maryland and not related to my Davis family, and John and William Mills, who had many Stanly County descendants.

She was a very young teenager when she married Lemuel Howell in 1860, in time to appear in the 1860 census with him, his youngest uncle, Richard and his grandmother, Martha, living next to his parents, John Randle and Elizabeth Nash Howell.


NameMary Howell
Age19
Birth Yearabt 1841
GenderFemale
Home in 1860Stanly, North Carolina
Post OfficeAlbemarle
Family Number902
Household Members
NameAge
Lam Howell30
Mary Howell19
Richd Howell43
Martha Howell78


Very shortly after their marriage, Lemuel would volunteer for engagement in the Civil War, in 1861. He was in Company H, 14th Regiment and enlisted in Albemarle on May 5, 186. He mustered in about a month later in Garysburg. His military career was short-lived, as he died of disease on August 17, 1861, at Camp Ellis, Suffolk, Virginia, just two months later. 

A Union field hospital during the Battle of Savage Station, June 1862


Both sides in the war suffered greatly from diseases that thrived in the poor, dirty conditions with close contact and poor nutrition adding to the distress. More soldiers died of small pox, thyphoid fever, "chronic diarrhea", measles, and other contagious maladies, than did from wounds. The heath and physical conditions of the troops fed into this disaster, as most suffered exhaustion, stress and malnutrition. 

Name:Pvt Lemuel M Howell
Birth Date:1831
Birth Place:North Carolina, USA
Death Date:17 Aug 1861

Suffolk City, Virginia, USA

Mary Howell filed a claim for a widows pension in May of 1862. By the end of the year, however, she had remarried to John Ussery, becoming his third wife. This was not uncommon, for a young widow to marry a much older man, as the times and era left little opportunity for women to support themselves, they had to marry or attached themselves to a man for survival. If not a husband, a father, brother, uncle or even lover. Many men who survived the war found themselves supporting two or more families. 

Mary Howell and John Ussery had three children. But what of the child mentioned in the Obituary published on Lemuel Howell in the Fayetteville Observer?



The oldest child of Mary Howell was named Elizabeth Virginia Ussery. Could she have been a Howell in all actuality. To look at this possibility, I need to do a timeline of events in the life of Mary Williams around this time. 

May 9, 1860  Marriage of Lemuel M. Howell and Mary Williams 

May 5, 1861 Lem Howell enlists in the army. 

August 17, 1861 Lemuel Howell dies in Suffolk, Virginia

May 12, 1862 Mary Howell appoints Richard A. Anderson as her agent and attorney to make a claim as the widow of Lemuel M. Howell, to collect what is due to him by the Confederate States of America. 

November 22, 1862 Mary Williams Howell marries John W. Lewis Ussery. 

December 16, 1862 Elizabeth Virginia Ussery is born. 
Image result for conception calculator
Using a modern conception calculator, designed to calculate the approximate date a child is concieved, Elizabeth Virginia would have been concieved around March 20 - 24 in 1862. Lemuel Howell had been deceased 7 months at that time. However, it is clear that Mary was 8 months pregnant during her marriage to John Ussery. 

The child of Lemuel Howell was probably born sometime in 1861 before his death in August. He or she could have passed away as an infant or may have been given to a relative to raise as their own. 


John W. Lewis Ussery was born about 1802 near Mt. Gilead, Montgomery County, NC, the son of James Blackwell Ussery and Sarah Chambers Ussery. I have not personally researched this family, but according to available research, Mary was his third wife. 

His first wife is said to have been Sarah, with which he had about 5 children. His third wife was named Nancy Elmore and she was still during  in the 1860 census, when the couple is seen living with John's daughter Annis and her children, George Washington Ussery, Sarah and Ellen. 
NameJohn Upsey
Age60
Birth Yearabt 1800
GenderMale
Home in 1860Zion, Montgomery, North Carolina
Post OfficeZion
Family Number888
Household Members
NameAge
Colen McRae50
John Upsey60
Anna Upsey32
George W Upsey12
Sary A Upsey9
Ellen Upsey7
Nancy Upsey52
John and Mary had 3 children, Elizabeth Virginia, John Henry and Mary "Bett". John passed away about 1868, and Mary was again widowed, and shows up alone with her children by the 1870 census, living in Mt. Gilead. 

NameMary Usery
Age in 187018
Birth Yearabt 1852
BirthplaceNorth Carolina
Home in 1870Mount Gilead, Montgomery, North Carolina
RaceWhite
GenderFemale
Post OfficeMount Gilead
Household Members
NameAge
Mary Usery18
Eliza Usery8
James Usery6
Mary Usery2
The transcriptionist gives the wrong age for Mary in this census. She was 28. Still a young widow, Mary forges on. 

NameMary Hall
Age35
Birth Yearabt 1845
BirthplaceNorth Carolina
Home in 1880Mount Gilead, Montgomery, North Carolina
RaceWhite
GenderFemale
Relation to Head of HouseWife
Marital StatusMarried
Spouse's NameCalvin Hall
Father's BirthplaceNorth Carolina
Mother's BirthplaceNorth Carolina
OccupationHousekeeping
Household Members
NameAge
Calvin Hall35
Mary Hall35
Eliza Hall20
James Hall15
Bet Hall12
On January 13, 1871, she married Calvin Hall. 
Calvin Hall was more Mary's age and was probably financially secure, as the family had 3 servants in 1880. Mary even had a housekeeper. Her three children are seen as "Hall", but were actually Ussery's. I have not found the names of any children she and Calvin had together.
Image result for mt gilead nc
Mary's oldest daughter Elizabeth, married Benjamin Mauldin. In 1900, Mary Hall is listed as living with them as Mother-in-law of Head of Household, Benjamin. In this census, it says that she was the mother of 7 children with 2 living. Mary Bet had passed away and the two living were James Henry Ussery and Elizabeth. With her Howell child, that accounts for 4 of the 7. That leaves 3 children she may have had with Calvin between 1871 and 1900 that probably passed away as small children. 

I have not located the grave of Mary C. Williams Howell Ussery Hall. She passed away about 1905 in Mt. Gilead. She was survived by her two children and grandchildren. 

Elizabeth Virginia Ussery Mauldin was born December 16, 1862 in Mt. Gilead and died on January 4, 1934 near Cheek's Creek in Montgomery County. She married Benjamin Rufus Mauldin on May 4, 1884 at the age of 21. She and B. R. Mauldin had 8 children:

1885 Mary Wilma

1887 Lilly Bertha

1889 Josephine

1892 Benjamin F. 

1895 Sallie

1897 David Dosten

1900 Morrison or Marenson

1907 Ivey Thomas


Image result for mt gilead nc

James Henry Ussery was born May 8, 1865. He married Martha Ann Andrews on December 23, 1886.

James and Martha had 8 children:

1887 Benjamin

1889 Lillie Mae

1891 Annie

1895 Edna Pearl

1896 Nora Lee

1898 Elizabeth Cordelia

1902  Robert "Bertie"

1905 Mollie

1909 Martha Rilla




Tuesday, August 18, 2015

The Death of Lem Howell and Disappearance of his family.

Lemuel M. Howell was the son of John Randle Howell and Elizabeth "Betsy" Nash Howell. He was born about 1828 and appears in two census records.

Image result for suffolk va


In 1850, he appears as a young man in his early 20's still living at home with his family.


Name:Lemuel Howell
Age:22
Birth Year:abt 1828
Birthplace:North Carolina
Home in 1850:Centre, Stanly, North Carolina, USA
Gender:Male
Family Number:85
Household Members:
NameAge
John R Howell45
Elizabeth Howell4
Lemuel Howell22
Mary Howell20
Griffin Howell14
Catharine Howell12
Margaret Howell9
James Howell6
Turzy Howell3
Temantha Howell0
Martha Howell66




In 1860, he married a young woman named Mary Williams. The wedding was performed by I. W. Smith, JP.


Name:Lemuel Howell
Gender:Male
Marriage Date:9 May 1860
Marriage Place:Stanly, North Carolina, USA
Spouse:Mary Williams
Spouse Gender:Female
Event Type:Marriage


In the 1860 census, Lem,  or "Lam", is listed right next to his parents in the roll, with his young wife Mary, his unmarried uncle, Richard and his grandmother, Martha.

Name:Lam Howell
Age:30
Birth Year:abt 1830
Gender:Male
Home in 1860:Stanly, North Carolina
Post Office:Albemarle
Family Number:902
Value of Real Estate:View image
Household Members:
NameAge
Lam Howell30
Mary Howell19
Richd Howell43
Martha Howell78
Image result for suffolk va


Lemuel M. Howell was a volunteer soldier when the War between the States broke out. He was  enlisted in Co H. 14th Infantry Regiment by R. A. Anderson.


Name:Lemuel M Howell
Residence:Stanly County, North Carolina, North Carolina
Occupation:Farmer
Age at Enlistment:30
Enlistment Date:5 May 1861
Rank at enlistment:Private
Enlistment Place:Stanly County, North Carolina
State Served:North Carolina
Survived the War?:No
Service Record:Enlisted in Company H, North Carolina 14th Infantry Regiment on 05 May 1861.Mustered out on 17 Aug 1861 at Camp Ellis, Fairfax County, VA.
Birth Date:abt 1831
Sources:North Carolina Troops 1861-65, A Roster


Lemuel Howell did not live long after enlisting. He died of disease in 1861.

Name:Pvt Lemuel M Howell
Birth Date:1831
Birth Place:North Carolina, USA
Death Date:17 Aug 1861
Death Place:Suffolk City, Virginia, USA
Cemetery:
Has Bio?:Y
URL:http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-..


In 1862, his widow Mary, applied for a pension. J Underwood and J. W. Smith. stood as witnesses.


Application of Mary Williams Howell



A short obituary appeared in the Fayetteville Semi-Weekly Observer.


Fayetteville Semi-Weekly Observer 
(Fayetteville, North Carolina)
19 Aug 1861, Mon • Page 3


Lemuel M. Howell's life was short. Stanly County lost many of her young men in this horrible war. But we are left with many questions after this brief obituary.

Who was Mary Williams Howell? Who were her parents? She should appear in the 1850 census. The 1860 census has her being 19 years old, born about 1831. The obituary mentions that the couple had a child. Who was this child? He or she would have been born in 1860-1862. What happened to Mary after she filed for the pension in 1862? She was a young widow. Did she remarry? Did she stay in the area or migrate with her mother-in-law Elizabeth to Mississippi?

I post this in hopes that someone can put two and two together and say, "Hey, this might be my Mary". There were a few Williams in Stanly County and a large number in Montgomery. Somewhere out there, Mary Williams Howell ? and her child are waiting to be "found".