The Flight of the Hummingbird Moth

Early this spring, we added a couple of tiny flowers to our garden, simply out of curiosity. They grew into bushes of a substantial size, and to the delight of our grandchildren, have certainly lived up to their name, "Butterfly Bushes". On any afternoon in August, we would find them covered in an array of colorful butterflies, predominately Eastern Tiger Swallowtails and the Red Spotted Purple Admirals. Bumble Bees are also very fond of them and I've seen several, but the above little imitator was a new one on me. At first, I wasn't quite sure what he was. He was buzzy and quick, like a hummingbird, but it was still quite evident he was an insect. 

I discovered that what he was is a Hummingbird Moth, they come in a variety of colors and patterns and behave quite beelike, but are, indeed, moths. And like the subjects of this post, they were not what they at first appeared to be.

Name:	Henry Ward
Gender:	Male
Age:	17
Birth Year:	abt 1833
Birthplace:	North Carolina
Home in 1850:	Montgomery, North Carolina, USA
Occupation:	Laborer
Industry:	Industry not reported
Line Number:	5
Dwelling Number:	531
Family Number:	533
Household Members:	Name Age Thomas Ward 72 Susan Ward 56 Mary Ward 38 Fereby Ward 26 Reuben Ward 24 Sarah Ward 22 Henry Ward 17 Susan Ward 16 Margaret Ward 14 Thomas S Ward 11 Elizabeth Ward 7

The story begins as most of my most recent have, in the pine forests of Eastern Montgomery County, North Carolina, with a 17 year old laborer named Henry Ward. He's living in the home of his parents, Thomas and Susan Ward, with their large and widespread family. 

The Wards seem to have had a long and steady foothold in Montgomery County, with the very first census, 1790, showing both a Thomas and a Phillip Ward. This would not have been Thomas, the father of Henry Ward, as he would have only been 12 years old. The 1790 Thomas is noted as a Senior, though, and there's not a Junior listed as a head of household, so he could have been either the father or uncle of Thomas born about 1778, I have not dug that deep. 

Henry's family does show up in 1830, however, in East Pee Dee and in 1840 in West Pee Dee. Thomas had obtained a land grant in 1838 for 138 acres on Ward Creek in Montgomery County. With a creek named for them, it seems to suggest the family had been in that spot for some time.

Wards Creek in Montgomery County, North Carolina lies north of the little whistlestop town of Star, and west of the even smaller community of Ether.

Name:	Elizabeth Brewer
Gender:	Female
Age:	15
Birth Year:	abt 1835
Birthplace:	North Carolina
Home in 1850:	Montgomery, North Carolina, USA
Line Number:	27
Dwelling Number:	465
Family Number:	467
Household Members:	Name Age Micajah Brewer 46 Rebecca Brewer 46 Fanny Brewer 23 Jerry Brewer 19 Elizabeth Brewer 15 Noah Brewer 13 Ann E Brewer 12 Louisa Brewer 12 Robert Brewer 9 Darcus Brewer 6

Also living in the same part of the county was another teenager in an equally large family, Elizabeth Brewer, known as "Lizzie", age 15, daughter of Micajah and Rebecca Brewer.

Name:	Elizabeth Brewer
Gender:	Female
Bond date:	20 Mar 1855
Bond Place:	Montgomery, North Carolina, USA
Spouse:	Henry Ward
Spouse Gender:	Male
Event Type:	Bond

Five years later, the couple were married, on March 20, 1855, by Calvin J. Cochran. In commonly quick succession, two daughters were born into the marriage, Mary Jane Ward, the next year in 1856 and Susan Minerva Ward on April 10, 1859. But tragedy was soon to strike.


In October of 1859, Eli and Reuben Ward, brothers of Henry, were appointed Co-Executors of his estate. Henry, only about 26 years old, had died. The good penmanship shown in his brothers signatures show the Ward brothers to have been well-educated, in script, at least.

The estate of Henry Ward was fairly typical of a young yeoman farmer in the Carolina Piedmont in of the middle 1800's. He had a fair amount of livestock, and a collection of the typical farm implements, and his own tract of land.

Lizzie Brewer Ward, now a young widow with two little girls, a toddler and a newborn, was to recieve a dower of a portion of that tract of land. Sheriff Sanders nominated a "jury of good and lawful men", to determine what her dower would be and named that task were James G. Allen, David Allen, Martin Hunsucker, Zach Burroughs, Joseph Hogan, E. C. Martin, A. P. Leach, E. Leach, James Callicutt, James R. Allen, D. W. Hurley and Dempsey Cagle.

They set aside a 33 acre portion of the property for the dower, that bordered a road, of what name I can't decipher. (Note: I have been informed by someone from around Ether that the road was called "Suggs Road" and is now part of Hwy 220.
Further in the estate files, it states that Henry was 'seized or possessed' of a tract of land of about 100 acres adjoining the properties of John Hussey and Henry Freeman, this written in a much clearer penmanship than the preceding pages. This page stated that Elizabeth Ward's dower was to include the dwelling house, 'commonly called the Mansion House', and included the adjacent farm buildings and outhouses.

Another document appears in the sheath, from the January Term of the Court of Pleas and Quarters for 1860, and in this one, Elizabeth Ward must sue her infant daughters for her dower and the supplies to support them. She's also awarded a year's allowance. After that, she is on her own.

Name:	Micajah Brewer
Age:	60
Birth Year:	abt 1800
Gender:	Male
Birth Place:	North Carolina
Home in 1860:	Diffies, Montgomery, North Carolina
Dwelling Number:	324
Family Number:	324
Occupation:	Farmer
Personal Estate Value:	75
Cannot Read, Write:	Y
Household Members:	Name Age Micajah Brewer 60 Rebecca Brewer 60 Famer Brewer 31 Terry Brewer 29 Elizabeth Brewer 27 Ann Brewer 21 Louisa Brewer 21 Robert Brewer 18 Dorcas Brewer 16 Christian Brewer 6 Polly Brewer 4 Deborah Brewer 4 Jane Ward 4 Susan Ward 1

Despite having been awarded "the Mansion House', 33 acres of land and a year's allowance, on June 17th of that year when the census taker came around, Elizabeth was found living with her parents, siblings, nieces and nephews and her two little daughters, Jane and Susan. While Jane and Susan are listed as Wards, Elizabeth is counted among the Brewers as if she were never married.

Name:	Elizabeth Breuer [Elizabeth Brewer]
Age in 1870:	34
Birth Year:	abt 1836
Birthplace:	North Carolina
Dwelling Number:	72
Home in 1870:	Hill, Montgomery, North Carolina
Race:	White
Gender:	Female
Post Office:	Aumans Hill
Occupation:	At Home
Cannot Write:	Y
Household Members:	Name Age Mazer Breuer 28 Rebecca Breuer 66 Phany Breuer 45 Terry Breuer 40 Elizabeth Breuer 34 Aklinger Breuer 28 Louiza Breuer 28 Darcus Breuer 23

But the packet does not end there and neither does the story. In 1870, Elizabeth is still in residence with her parents. That "Mazer Breuer" is really Micajah Brewer , and the age in the original document is not 28, but 68. Just really bad handwriting there. Living with Micajah and Rebecca are their large group of daughters, Fanny (Phany), Terry (another Terry), Elizabeth, Anneliza (Aklinger), Louisa and Dorcas (Darcus). But where are the grandchildren?  It's possible that they were nearby, or in the home and just not counted, but at any rate, the girls are not to be found in 1870.

Name:	Cager Brewer
Age:	78
Birth Date:	Abt 1802
Birthplace:	North Carolina
Home in 1880:	Hollingsworth, Montgomery, North Carolina, USA
Dwelling Number:	44
Race:	White
Gender:	Male
Relation to Head of House:	Self (Head)
Marital status:	Married
Spouse's Name:	Becca Brewer
Father's Birthplace:	North Carolina
Mother's Birthplace:	North Carolina
Occupation:	Farming
Cannot Read:	Yes
Cannot Write:	Yes
Neighbors:
Household Members:	Name Age Cager Brewer 78 Becca Brewer 75 Tissy Brewer 47 Louisa Brewer 55 Robbt Harrison 15

Not to be found in 1880, is Elizabeth, although her parents, now in their 70's, are still living. Elizabeth would have been about 47 by then, and unless she remarried, a possibility that I've not yet found proof of,  it appears she may have been deceased by this date. To note, living nearby are Jerry McQueen and his first wife, Clarice.










As for the girls, Mary Jane is not living in Hollingsworth, with or near her grandparents, but in Hill Township, instead, with  her Aunt Dorcas and her cousin, Annette. Annette, by the way, was her double first cousin, as Annette's father was Reuben Ward, Mary Jane's uncle on her father's side.

Name:	Mary J. Ward
Age:	23
Birth Date:	Abt 1857
Birthplace:	North Carolina
Home in 1880:	Hill, Montgomery, North Carolina, USA
Dwelling Number:	26
Race:	White
Gender:	Female
Relation to Head of House:	Niece
Marital status:	Single
Father's Birthplace:	North Carolina
Mother's Birthplace:	North Carolina
Cannot Read:	Yes
Cannot Write:	Yes
Neighbors:
Household Members:	Name Age Darcas Brewer 35 Annette Brewer 10 Mary J. Ward 23

Now 23 years old, Mary Jane would soon begin a long-term relationship, which would be in violation not only of social norms of the times, but also against the law, but one which also appears to be 'not that uncommon', in this isolated area of Montgomery County.


Between 1883, when her oldest daughter, Alice is born and 1894, Mary Jane Ward maintains an illicit and adulterous relationship with Jerry McQueen and together they have 5 children:

1883 Alice
1887 Lillie
1891 Rebecca
1892 Ollie and
1894 James Elldridge

Although Clarice McCaskill McQueen died about 1894, and Jerry remarried in 1895, it was not to Jane, but instead to a widow from a neighboring county named Mariah Jones Morrison.

Jane's younger sister, Susan Minerva Ward took things one step further. Susan not only took up with a McQueen, she married him. This was Jerry McQueen's younger brother, Jacob F. "Jake" McQueen.

Susan and Jake would have 7 children:

1884 Lillie
1887 Ethel
1888 Chester
1891 Lola
1894 Vina
1894 Jacob "Bud" McQueen, Jr.
1898 Barney

This would make the children of Jane and the children of Susan double first cousins, which carry the same amount of DNA as silbings.



The scandal revolving around the Ward sisters was the fact that while Susan and Jane Ward were obviously of 100 percent European decent, or white, the father's of their children were not. Not only that, but in order to maintain a relationship with the brothers that these sisters loved, they gave up their whiteness and claimed to be black, which they were not.










Jerry McQueen and his brother Jacob were two of the sons of Alexander "Sandy" McQueen, who had migrated to America as a toddler, from Scotland and a woman named Linda or Lindy, who had been his slave. Sandy McQueen had a total of 12 children among 3 enslaved women, which was recorded in a family bible by his youngest son with his legal (and white) wife, Neil McQueen. Neil recorded the exact birthdates of all of his siblings, both white and mixed, half of which were born after emancipation. It was a most unusual and mindboggling occurance.


So Jerry and Jake McQueen were half Scottish and half African (or less), as their mother, Lindy, is also listed as a mulatto, or of mixed race. The children of the combined unions of the Ward sisters and the McQueen brothers would have been 75 percent white and 25 percent (or less) black and would, as adults, take diverging paths.

State of North Carolina, County of Montgomery, Spring Term of Court, 1896

Susanna McQueen 

 VS 

 A Leach, Linsy Freeman, J . M. Freeman and G. N. Scarboro

Susanna McQueen above named plaintiff being duly sworn deposes and says :

I    That on or about the 1st day of August, 1860 Henry Ward died intestate leaving  a tract of land in Hill Township Montgomery County.

II    That Susanna McQueen and Jane Ward are the only heirs at law of Henry Ward.

III   That on or about the 31st day of March 1880 Susanna McQueen and Jacob McQueen , her husband, executed a deed to A. Leach for thier interest in said tract of land excepting the widow's dower, which deed is attached.

IV    That aforesaid deed was executed by the Plaintiff Susanna McQueen  while she was a minor under the age of 21 years old and she did not sign said deed willingly, only to satisfy a demand by the grantee, that  she would have to go to jail if deed was not signed .

V   Therefore the Plaintiff prays that aforesiad deed be declared void, and that  she recieves the sum of $50, damages, together with all fees in this action.

Douglass and Dixon, Attorney for the Plaintiff

13 June 1896

A B McCaskilll

This claim was followed by a copy of the actual deed tha was dated March 30, 1880 wherein Jacob McQueen and wife Susanna McQueen sold to Angus Leach for $25, their interest in the "undivided half in a tract of land adjoining John Freeman, Linsy Hussy and others being the tract of land were Jacoob McQueen and wife live containing  about 110 acrees beimg the land which descended to the heirs of Henry Ward."

This paragraph was followed by the usual section wherein Susanna McQueen had been interviewed separately and apart from her husband to ensure she was not being coerced into signing the document, as the inheritance was hers, and his only by reference of his marriage to her.

The next page was a recap of the separate interview with Susanna Ward McQueen wherein she had stated that she had signed of her on freewill.

This was followed by the decision of the judge that the suit be dismissed and that the defendants, Angus Leach, Lewis Freeman and G. N. Scarboro and wife, Lillie to recover their costs in this action  and Susanna was declared a pauper, unable to give securities. this proceeding was ruled over by  Judge Thomas J. Shaw. 

The next term of court, held in the fall of 1896, painted a different picture for Susannah.

'G. N. Scarboro aknowledge themselves (sic) indebited to the plaintiff in the above action the sun of $200 to be void on condition that he pays said defendant all such sum as he may be adjudged to pay for costs in asid action."  

signed by 

G. N. Scarboro 

D. B. Batten

Several of the pages in the action seem to contradict each other, others bring to the forefront pages from decades before. The Freemans answered next.

J M Freeman and Lewis Freeman in a statement acknowledged I and II to true, but did not have sufficient knowledge to state whether or not III and IV were  true or not , therefore the plaintiff needs proof of the same.

The last paragraph in this page is very telling. There's a 'must read between the lines' moment that reveals their disdain and dismissal of Susanna Ward McQueen and her claims to property.

V  "....That they deny that the deed in the fifth order.......is void but that it is a valid deed executed by a SINGLE woman .....these defendants (request) that it be discharged and they recover reasonable costs expended in this action.   Allen Jordan D. A. "

The Freemans were basically saying that Susannah Wards selling of  interest in her fathers' land was a legitimate deed, however, and although her husband, Jacob McQueen, had signed the deed and was named within the deed, that it was a deed put forth by a single woman, not a married one, because they did not acknowledge her marriage or her husbands right to any land inherited by her. 

Next is a copy of  Elizabeth Wards petition for a years allowance from 1859, wherein Archibald A. Leach, Justice of the Peace, James Allen, Martin Hunsucker and David Allen were appointed comissioners to lay off a goods and monies for her survival. 

This is followed by another numbered page, this one of the testimony of an angry George N Scarboro, who along with his wife, Lillie, was ordered in a previous term of court to pay Susan McQueen $200.

But first, I wondered who exactly was George N. Scarboro?

Name:	Geo N Scarboro
Gender:	Male
Race:	White
Age:	33
Birth Year:	abt 1860
Marriage Date:	22 Feb 1893
Marriage Place:	Montgomery, North Carolina, USA
Spouse:	Lillie Leach
Spouse Gender:	Female
Spouse Race:	White
Spouse Age:	21
Event Type:	Marriage

George Nelson Scarboro was a Railroad Agent, born in 1861, who had married Lillie Leach, the daughter of Angus Leach and Deborah Hunsucker Leach.

Name:	Lilly Leach Scarborough [Lilly Leach Leach]
Gender:	Female
Race:	White
Age:	92
Birth Date:	1 Dec 1871
Birth Place:	montg, North Carolina, United States
Residence Place:	Star, Montg, North Carolina
Death Date:	19 Apr 1964
Death Place:	Star, Montgomery, North Carolina, USA
Father:	Angus Leach
Mother:	Deborah Bursuker
Spouse:	G N Scarborugh
	Search for Lilly Leach Scarborough in North Carolina Wills & Probates collection

He had acquired the property that had previously belonged to Henry Ward through his marriage to Lillie, whose father, Angus Leach, had paid the McQueens $25 for the interest in Susannah's share of the undivided property. It must be remembered that of the total property, there remained Jane's share and also, the widow, Elizabeths dower of 33 acres, that was not included ifn Susannah's interest. 

This depostiion began: "George N. Scarboro, one of the above named plaintiffs".

And listed by numeral, answers to Susannahs claim. I have recouped her claim in highlight, followed by Mr. Scarboros reply to remind the reader what he is answering to.

I    That on or about the 1st day of August, 1860 Henry Ward died intestate leaving  a tract of land in Hill Township Montgomery County.

-Susanna

That it is admitted that Henry Ward died intestate, but when  and where the defindant has not sufficient knowledge....as to the other facts alledged in the complaint - they are denied. 

I    That Susanna McQueen and Jane Ward are the only heirs at law of Henry Ward.

Not sufficient knowledge to say.

NoII Not sufficient knowledge.

III   That on or about the 31st day of March 1880 Susanna McQueen and Jacob McQueen , her husband, executed a deed to A. Leach for thier interest in said tract of land excepting the widow's dower, which deed is attached.

III Facts as alledged are denied.....that the deed attached is specifically denied....denied that on  the said 31st day of March 1880 she was a married woman or had any legal husband to join with her in the execution of the deed.

George Nelson Scarboro is now repeating the claims of the Freemans that Susannah was not legally married. She had married Jacob McQueen, obviously, however, the defendants in this case did not consider the marriage legal, due to the ethinicity of Jacob McQueen. Scarboro, in his added statement that she didn't have a legal husband, insinuates Jacob existed, but that the union was not acknowledged under law, or by hissegment of the  community.

IV    That aforesaid deed was executed by the Plaintiff Susanna McQueen  while she was a minor under the age of 21 years old and she did not sign said deed willingly, only to satisfy a demand by the grantee, that  she would have to go to jail if deed was not signed .

IV. Denied

V   Therefore the Plaintiff prays that aforesiad deed be declared void, and that  she recieves the sum of $50, damages, together with all fees in this action.

V. That according to the facts as alledged in the comoplaint plaintiff is not entitled to recover.....it is admitted that the defendants have been in possession ot the lands referred to sinde 1880....banned by the statute of limitations. 

In Summary, G. N. Scarboro is now claiming that Henry Ward died, but he don't know when or where and that he does not know if Jane and Susannah were his only heirs. He denies that Susannah has any rights to the property because he feels she signed the documents willingly and that she is not legally married . He also disregards her claims to the property because his wife's family had been living on it since 1880 and that the statute of limitaions had ran out. 

A look at where these parties were in 1880 shows Jacob McQueen on page 2 of Hill Township working for a 40 year old Deborah Leach.

Name:	Jacob Mack
Age:	12
Birth Date:	Abt 1868
Birthplace:	North Carolina
Home in 1880:	Hill, Montgomery, North Carolina, USA
Dwelling Number:	20
Race:	Black
Gender:	Male
Marital status:	Single
Father's Birthplace:	North Carolina
Mother's Birthplace:	North Carolina
Occupation:	Works On Farm
Cannot Read:	Yes
Cannot Write:	Yes
Neighbors:
Household Members:	Name Age Jacob Mack 12

In the actual document, he is Jacob McQueen, not Mack and his birth year, incorrectly transcribed, is given as 1860, not 1868. His actual birth year, as given in the McQueen Family Bible, was 1859, so he was 21, not 12.

Name:	Angus Leach
Age:	45
Birth Date:	Abt 1835
Birthplace:	North Carolina
Home in 1880:	Hill, Montgomery, North Carolina, USA
Dwelling Number:	2
Race:	White
Gender:	Male
Relation to Head of House:	Self (Head)
Marital status:	Married
Spouse's Name:	Deborah Leach
Father's Birthplace:	Scotland
Mother's Birthplace:	North Carolina
Occupation:	Gen. Retail Mer.
Neighbors:
Household Members:	Name Age Angus Leach 45 Deborah Leach 30 Lilly Leach 8 Frank Leach 6 Earnest Leach 1

Angus Leach and his daughrter, Lilly are listed on page 1 in Hill, and heis a General Merchandise Retailer.

Continuing along, many of the Freemans, including J. M., are listed on page 2, Doras Brewster, an aunt of Mary Jane Ward and Susannah, is listed on page 3, with Mary Jane in her home, Lindsey Hussey is on page 4, along with John, Lewis and Linzy T. Freeman. Reuben Ward and Eli Ward, brothers of Henry Ward, are on page 5, with Mathew Ward, Eli's son, on page 6. 

In the April Session of court 1898, we find the case of Jane Ward and Ssan McQueen vs George N and Lillie Scarbobo.

"Agreed by the parties that the defendants in fee of the lands described in the complaint ....sum to be paid to Attorney.  

Jane Ward and Susan McQueen being duly sworn says  ' that they are unable to give surities or make the deposit required by law and sue as paupers.

And again, a numbered statement:

I) Do not have sufficient knowledge...

II) ....since it is admitted said widow is dead, the are advised and believe that her dower is treated as alledged, ceased with her death... 

III  Admitted

IV) Defendants are in fact the owers in fee and possession of the property in Hill Township Montgomery County adjoining Lewis Freeman, J.M. Freeman, and others known as the Lindzy T. Freeman lands bounded by stake on the side of the road in Rueben Wards line to J. M. Freemans line to A. Leach and others of 50 acrs more or less. 

V) ...don't know what property  they refer to ...been in possession of current property where they live for 7 years. 

Attached as proof of claims by the Ward sisters was the following document from  1866.

Court of Pleas and Quarters Session Oct 1866

Petition of Mary J Ward and Susan Ward by their Guradian Elizabeth Ward (their mother)

Henry Ward died intestate sometime in the year 1859 leaving his widow Elizabeth Ward and Mary J and  Susan M Ward his only descendants. After his death Reuben Ward obtained letters of administration.....amount (of the estate settlement) morethan sufficient to pay debts and funeral expenses.....plea for settlement and to pay your petitioners their distribution. 

A. P. Leach appointed  commisioner.Mary Jane and Susan Minerva Ward lawful distributees.

Reuben Ward Admin in Commisioners report.

Excepts allowance to administrator, two) bills for taxes paid, 3) Allowance of Commistioner.

After an accounting was given, a disbursement of $36.05 was left for the family.

Other documents attrached were a Guardian bond dated March 2, 1871 and singed by Elizabeth Ward, Micajah Brewer, her father and Larkinn Brewer, her brother, for $100 and an order that the proceeds be put in trust for the girls until they arrived at full age. Elizabeth was appointed Guardian of her daughters.

A second bond was attached signed by Eliazath Ward, A. A. McCaskell and Martin Clgle for $100 dated July 3rd, 1866.

And there is no more of a final resolution to the case.

In the 1900 census, Jane Ward is 40 and living in Hollingsworth Township. She is single. 

Name:	Jane Ward
Age:	40
Birth Date:	Oct 1859
Birthplace:	North Carolina, USA
Home in 1900:	Hollingsworth, Montgomery, North Carolina
Sheet Number:	10
Number of Dwelling in Order of Visitation:	183
Family Number:	184
Race:	White
Gender:	Female
Relation to Head of House:	Head
Marital status:	Single
Father's Birthplace:	Virginia, USA
Mother's Birthplace:	Virginia, USA
Mother: Number of Living Children:	5
Mother: How Many Children:	5
Occupation:	Farmer
Months Not Employed:	0
Attended School:	1
Can Read:	No
Can Write:	No
Can Speak English:	Yes
House Owned or Rented:	Rent
Farm or House:	F
Neighbors:
Household Members:	Name Age Jane Ward 40 Alice Ward 15 Willie Ward 13 Arley Ward 9 James Ward 6

It tells us that Jane Ward is the head of a household and that she has had one year of education. She is listed as white, and the mother of 5 children, with all of them living. Four of her children are living with her and her daughter, Rebecca,  is living with her father, Jerry McQueen. The children living with Jane are listed as white and the daughter livng with Jerry is listed as mulatto. 

Jerry McQueen has remarried to his second wife, Mariah Jones Morriosn, however, in 1908, he is added to  a lawsuit by D. D Burton against Jane Ward (incorrectly named Ann in the newspaper), over the tract of land Jane had inherited from the estate of her father, Henry Ward. 

In the same year, 1900, Susan Ward McQueen is also living in Hollingsworth Township. Unlike her full sister, Susan is listed as black. In reality, Susan was 100 percent of European heritage. Her children were of 25 percnt or less African heritage. 

Name:	Susan Mcqueen
Age:	38
Birth Date:	Apr 1862
Birthplace:	North Carolina, USA
Home in 1900:	Hollingsworth, Montgomery, North Carolina
Sheet Number:	7
Number of Dwelling in Order of Visitation:	114
Family Number:	114
Race:	Black
Gender:	Female
Relation to Head of House:	Head
Marital status:	Widowed
Father's Birthplace:	North Carolina, USA
Mother's Birthplace:	North Carolina, USA
Mother: Number of Living Children:	7
Mother: How Many Children:	8
Occupation:	Day Laborer
Months Not Employed:	0
Can Read:	No
Can Write:	No
Can Speak English:	Yes
House Owned or Rented:	Rent
Farm or House:	H
Neighbors:
Household Members:	Name Age Susan Mcqueen 38 Lillie C Mcqueen 16 Chester L Mcqueen 11 Lola Mcqueen 8 Vina E Mcqueen 7 Jacob B Mcqueen 7 Barney Mcqueen 4 Joseph Sims 14

She is said to have had had 8 children , with 7 of them living. They are all living with her except for her oldest daughter, Della. Unlike her sister Jane, Susan can not read or write. She is working as a Day Laborer, as well as her two oldest children, Lillie and Chester, and her 14 year old boarder, Joseph Sims. She is listed as a widow, meaning Jacob McQueen had died. As their youngest son, Barney , was born in 1895, Jacob must have died between 1895 and 1900. 

Name:	Della Evans
Age:	21
Birth Date:	May 1879
Birthplace:	North Carolina, USA
Home in 1900:	Hollingsworth, Montgomery, North Carolina
Sheet Number:	7
Number of Dwelling in Order of Visitation:	113
Family Number:	114
Race:	Black
Gender:	Female
Relation to Head of House:	Wife
Marital status:	Married
Spouse's Name:	Daniel Evans
Marriage Year:	1899
Years Married:	1
Father's Birthplace:	North Carolina, USA
Mother's Birthplace:	North Carolina, USA
Mother: Number of Living Children:	0
Mother: How Many Children:	0
Can Read:	No
Can Write:	No
Can Speak English:	Yes
Farm or House:	H
Neighbors:
Household Members:	Name Age Daniel Evans 21 Della Evans 21

Della is a newlywed, livnig in  Hollingsworth Township like her mother.

Name:	Lulla McQueen
Gender:	Female
Race:	Col
Age:	20
Birth Year:	abt 1879
Marriage Date:	Mar 1899
Marriage Place:	Montgomery, North Carolina, USA
Father:	Jacob McQueen
Mother:	Susan McQueen
Spouse:	Daniel Evins
Spouse Gender:	Male
Spouse Race:	Col
Spouse Age:	21
Spouse Father:	Mack Evans
Spouse Mother:	Tamer Evans
Event Type:	Marriage

She married Daniel Evans the year prior , in 1899. Della's marriage certificate states that her father is deceased and her mother living.

CLIPPED FROM

The Montgomerian
Troy, North Carolina
18 Jun 1908, Thu  •  Page 2

In 1908, Mary Ann is taken to court over her land, in conjunction with Jerry McQueen. He must have been working it. Between then and 1910, Jerry McQueen and his wife, Mariah, move to Florida. a few of Jane's daughters go with them.

Name:	Jane Ward
Age in 1910:	48
Birth Year:	abt 1862
Birthplace:	North Carolina
Home in 1910:	Biscoe, Montgomery, North Carolina
Race:	Mulatto
Gender:	Male
Relation to Head of House:	Head
Marital status:	Single
Father's Birthplace:	North Carolina
Mother's Birthplace:	North Carolina
Native Tongue:	English
Occupation:	Laborer
Industry:	Farm
Employer, Employee or Other:	Wage Earner
Home Owned or Rented:	Rent
Farm or House:	House
Able to Read:	Yes
Able to Write:	Yes
Number of Children Born:	6
Number of Children Living:	5
Out of Work:	N
Number of weeks out of work:	0
Neighbors:
Household Members:	Name Age Jane Ward 48 Ollie Ward 19 James Ward 18

1910 finds Jane still in Montgomery County with her two youngest sons.  They are working as laborers and she is renting a house in Biscoe.

Name:	Sudan A Mcqueen [Susan A Mcqueen]
Age in 1910:	46
Birth Year:	abt 1864
Birthplace:	North Carolina
Home in 1910:	Biscoe, Montgomery, North Carolina
Race:	Mulatto
Gender:	Female
Relation to Head of House:	Head
Father's Birthplace:	North Carolina
Mother's Birthplace:	North Carolina
Native Tongue:	English
Occupation:	Laborer
Industry:	Farm
Employer, Employee or Other:	Wage Earner
Home Owned or Rented:	Rent
Farm or House:	House
Able to Read:	No
Able to Write:	No
Out of Work:	N
Number of weeks out of work:	5
Neighbors:
Household Members:	Name Age Sudan A Mcqueen 46 Ethel Mcqueen 23 Lola Mcqueen 19 Jacob Mcqueen 16 Vinner Mcqueen 16 Barney Mcqueen 11 Lula Mcqueen 6 Buney Mcqueen 4 Crely Mcqueen 2

Susan is also living in Biscoe, renting a house, and working with 5 of her children and 3 grandchildren. Both sisters are listed as mulatto, by virtue of their children, although both of their parents, Henry Ward and Elizabeth Brewer, were completely white.

During the next decade, most of the children of Jane and Susan would marry and move on with their lives. As their mothers were sisters and their fathers were brothers, these cousins shared the same dna percentages as siblings.

1920 reveals little to no change in location for the sisters.

Name:	Jane M Ward
Age:	65
Birth Year:	abt 1855
Birthplace:	North Carolina
Home in 1920:	Biscoe, Montgomery, North Carolina
House Number:	X
Residence Date:	1920
Race:	Mulatto
Gender:	Female
Relation to Head of House:	Head
Marital status:	Single
Father's Birthplace:	North Carolina
Mother's Birthplace:	North Carolina
Able to Speak English:	Yes
Occupation:	Farm Laborer
Industry:	Working Out
Employment Field:	Wage or Salary
Home Owned or Rented:	Rented
Able to Write:	No
Neighbors:
Household Members:	Name Age Jane M Ward 65 Ollie L Ward 28 Ira Lewis 14

Jane is still living in Biscoe, with herson Ollie and grandson, Ira. She is now in her midsixities. They are all working as farm labor.

Name:	Susan Mc Queen [Susan Mcqueen]
Age:	61
Birth Year:	abt 1859
Birthplace:	North Carolina
Home in 1920:	Biscoe, Montgomery, North Carolina
House Number:	X
Residence Date:	1920
Race:	Mulatto
Gender:	Female
Relation to Head of House:	Head
Marital status:	Married
Father's Birthplace:	North Carolina
Mother's Birthplace:	North Carolina
Able to Speak English:	Yes
Occupation:	Farm Laborer
Industry:	Working Out
Employment Field:	Wage or Salary
Home Owned or Rented:	Rented
Able to Write:	No
Neighbors:
Household Members:	Name Age Susan Mc Queen 61 Lillian Mc Queen 36 Vennie E Mc Queen 26 Jacob Mc Queen 26 Bonnie Mc Queen 21

As for her sister, Susan, she is also living in Biscoe with four of her children. Now 61, Susan and her daughters are working as farm laborers, while her sons are working in a saw mill. Jacob Jr. is driving a team and Barney is a log cutter. Susan is widowed, Vina, or 'Vennie', is divorced and the rest are single. Neighobors include some of her husband Jacob's McQueen relatives and some of Susan's Brewer relatives.

 I wonder if they acknowleged or reocognized, the relationships.

1920 would be the last census for both sisters. Mary jane Ward died in 1928, according to the NC archives, exact date notgiven. I have not found a death certificate for her, or know where she was buried. She was about 72.

Name

Susie Ann Mc Queen

Gender

Female

Race

Colored

Age

64y 7m

Marital Status

Widowed

Occupation

Domestic

Birth Date

10 Apr 1859

Birth Place

Montgomery Co., N. C.

Death Date

10 Jan 1924

Death Place

Briscoe, Montgomery, North Carolina

Burial Date

11 Jan 1924

Cemetery

Macadonia Graveyard

Father

Henry Ward

Mother

Lizzie Brewer

Spouse

Jake Mc Queen

Reference ID

fn 828 cn 306

FHL Film Number

4216454

Her younger sisiter, Susan, however, did have a death ceritficate, giving her date of death as  January 9, 1924. She died of pnuemonia at the age of  64 after 3 days of suffering. Her date of birth is given as April 10, 1859, just months before her father died. She never knew him. 

Susan was buried at Macedonia Presbyterian Church, in the same cemetery as many of those in the nieghborhood she grew up in: Britts, McCaskills, Battens, McQueens, Lammonds, Martins, Dunns, Kellis, Yarboroughs, Smiths , Stewarts and Brewers, including her grandfather, Micajah Brewer. 

Macedonia Presbyterian Church near Candor, NC from Find-A -Grave.

From What I can acertain, the following are the children of Mary Jane Ward and Jerry McQueen and Susannah Minerva Ward and husband, Jacob McQueen:

                                   

Mary jane Ward 1856-1928.

Relationship with Jerry McQueen 1848-1915.

1) Alice Ward 9 April 1883 - 10 Jan 1972 Moore County. (All born in Montgomery County.)

    Married Thomas Person 1882-1964,  11 children: David, Mary Ruth, Sarah Agnes, Roy, Mary Adeline, Sylvan Caroline, Solomon, Cora, Saul, Maggie, Infant son.

2)Lillie Ward 5 Junec 1887 - 31 Jan 1974 in Moore County.

   Married Thomas Lee Coddell,  7 children:

Alice, Jerry Clarence, Lillie Inez, William Thomas, Hullen, Guye Tillman, Jerome Ward Coddell.

3) Rebecca Ward McQueen 19 may 1891 - 6 May 1943 Dauphin County, PA.

   Married 1st: William Lewis, 2 Children: 1904 - James Edgar Lewis, 1905 Ira James Lewis.

Married 2nd: HJohn Ingram: 2 children: 1907 Clayton Ingram, 1909 Thomas Ingram.

Married 3rd: Henry C. Ingram: 5 children:

1915 Nellie, 1917 John Frederick, 1925 Henry J., 1927 Helen Dorothy Ingram.

4) Ollie L. Ward 5 Dec 1893 - 22 April 1972, Moore County.

Unmarried, no children.

5) James Eldridge Ward 2 Jul 1894 - ?

   Married Isabella Robinson- One child; Sebastion.

Susanna Minerva Ward 10 April 1859 - 10jan 1924, Bisoce, Montgomery County, NC.

   Married Jacob F. "Jake" McQueen. 7 children:

1) Della McQueen 1879- 1951

   Married  Daniel  M. Evans, 4 chilrdren: 1904 Fleta, 1907 Floyd, 1910 Teed Jacob, 1917 Susan Evans Spencer.

2) Chelsea Luanna "Duck McQueen 11 July 1888 - 14 Aug 1973 Moore County, NC.

    Married Rufus D Simmons 11 children: 1903 Lola, 1908 Georgia, 1908 Beulah Mae,1910 Alice, 1912 Lucy Ruth, 1915 David, 1917 Olla, 1919 Annie,1921 Doyle, 1925 Lloyd, 1925 Monnie Mae.

3) Lola McQueen 1891- 9 Feb 1964.

     Married Robert Simmons 2 children: 1910 Creel McQueen, 1906 Bernice "Bernie" McQueen 1906 -1991 (from a previous relationship with a Mr.  Brown).

4) Vina E. 'Vennie' McQueen 1894 - ?

Married Fred Simmons

Notes on the Simmons Brothers: Rufus, Robert and Fred were sons of Joseph "Joe" Simmons and wife, Francis Byrd Simmons. They grew up in Wolfpit in Richmond County, NC. and moved later to Montgomery County, NC, where they met the McQueen sisters.  Fred Simmons ended up in Baltimore with the military. There's no sign of Fred after 1910 and no sign of Vina after 1920.

5) Jacob "Bud" McQueen, Jr. 19 June 1894 - 19 March 1932.

   Married Maggie Lenore Dunn 5 children: 1922 Jacob III, 1923 George, 1924 Thomas, 1926  Della Rachel, 1927  John Calvbert,.

6) Barney James McQueen 19 Aug 1898 - 5 June 1966 Candor, NC.

Married Lilly Harris, 4 children: 1914 Jessie, 1922 Ella Mae, 1926 Edward Earl Harris McQueen, 1929 James Roland McQueen.

7) Lillian Ethel McQueen  13 Sept 1899 - 10 Oct 1977 Starke County, Florida.

   Married Pate W. Goins - Divorced.

Married Barnie D. McRae: 1 son: Barnie Arthur McQueen (1913 -1941).

The love stories between the Ward sisters and the McQueen brothers was no less than epic.  And it was no less than love. Susan Ward married Jacob McQueen and together had 7 children over the course of 20 years, despite the legitimacy of their marriage being questioned and despite facing social ostracization by their neighbors and communities.

Mary Jane Ward did not marry Jerry McQueen, despite sharing a farm and having 5 chilren over the course of 11 years.  She acted as his mistress through two marriages of  Jerry to other women of his own ilk and skintone.

Both women gave up the class status and socially advantageous benefits of their European heritage and wore the lables of "colored" in their documentation and "mulatto' in the census - for love. The men risked no less than death by maintaining relationships with women outside of their ethnic group during a very intolerant time.

I chose to blog on the story of the Ward sisters because theirs was a bridge that had not been crossed. Ward family reseachers seemed to have listed Henry, his marriage, and his two daughters, but left them hanging like a dangling participal, as if they had disolved into the mist.

The actual descendants of  Jane and Susan Ward had only records of them from 1900 on, as if they had dropped from the sky as fully grown adults, never making the connection between the white Ward sisters, daughters of Henry Ward and Lizzie Brewer Ward, and their own Great Grandmothers.

As the Hemaris, or Hummingbird Moth,  with it's rapid wingbeat of up to 70 beats per seocond and its long tongue-like proboscis that it uses to reach nectaor deep inside a flower, poses as something, a hummingbird, that it is not, the Ward sisters posed as women of color to match their children and the men they loved.

Records attached to Henry Wards own probate papers show that the Ward sisters were his daughters and the same women that married the McQueen brothers.