Sherod

 

During my investigation of the family of Elijah C. Townsend of Anson County, North Carolina, who migrated south and west after the Civil War, leaving his daughter, Henrietta Rose Townsend, with her mother's family and then willing his estate to her two young daughters upon his death in Texas, I was left with an unanswered question. Did Elijah's father, Sherwood, (also seen as Sherod) die, leaving his bride, Elizabeth Covington Townsend, a widow, or did he also escape west, an act that his son. Elijah woud emulate?

Elijah's story can be found in this post: Two Little Girls .

Sherod's story begins here. 

In the early deeds of Anson County, North Carolina I discovered this transaction in Book 13, and Page 554, titled;

Elijah Covington to Susan and Belinda Townsend

"This Indenture made this (day excepted) day of August AD 1851 Between Elijah Covington of the first part and Susan and Belinda Townsend of the other part all of the County of Anson and State of North Carolina."

To understand the deed, and its pertinence to the story, first one needs to know who the people mentioned in the deed are and how they related to each other. Elijah Covington (1794-1859), was the father of Elizabeth Covington Townsend and father-in-las of Sherwood Townsend. 'Belinda' Townsend was actually Malinda Townsend Williams (1824-1886) and Susan her sister, daughters of David Townsend and sisters of Sherwood Townsend. Malinda is seen with an "M" in all her other records. There wasn't a "Belinda". 

"Witnesseth that whereas by virtue of a deed of Trust to me executed by Sherwood recorded December 4th, 1843 conveying his undivided interest in the lands of David Townsend, dec'd lying and being in the county aforesaid, and being thereby authorized to sell the said Sherwood Townsends interest in the Lands of the said David Townsend after.....public sale to highest bidder'

David Townsend, father of Sherwood, Susan and Malinda, passed away in July of 1843. On December 4th, 1843, Sherwood had signed his interest in his inheritance of his father's land to his father-in-law, Elijah Covington and Elijah was authorized to sell it. For more context, by 1850, there was no sign of Sherwood or his wife, Elizabeth, in Anson County. The couple had four sons, Elijah C., obviously named for his maternal grandfather, was the eldest, born in 1838.  There was also William Hampton born about 1841, James S. b 1841 and Benjamin, born in 1845. All four fought in the Civil War, only Elijah and William came back alive. Both are mentioned in their Grandfather Elijah Covington's property settlement in lieu of their mother, Elizabeth, who was deceased. It is assumed Elizabeth died shortly after the birth of Benjamin. The boys were raised afterwards by Elijah Covington and his wife, Hannah, his second wife and not Sherwood's mother. As the grandparents grew older, the younger boys stayed with other of their mother's family, her siblings, and especially her single brother, Benjamin Covington. 

The deed goes on to reiterate that Elijah Covington, through the rights endowed to him in the deed of trust, had the right to sell the land and that it was purchased by Sherod's young sisters for $90. Malinda would marry afterwards, but Susan would not, and their shared lands would be split again.

But what about Sherwood? We know of Sherwood from his father's estate records, but don't know the year of his birth from anywhere in Anson County. Elizabeth Covington was the oldest child of Elijah C. Covington and wife, Margaret Bailey. Their second born child was James Melton Covington, who was born in 1817. Serena was third, followed by Elijah Jr., Benjamin D., Margaret, Emmaline, William T., Risdon B., Ann Adeline, Abijah Andrew, John W. and Nancy Hooker Covington. By second wife Hannah Hooker, were born sons Lemeul Hardy and Gaston J. Covington. Elizabeth's year of birth is estimated at 1815, placing two years between she and her brother James, which was average. 

Sherwood and Elizabeth would have four known sons, Elijah C. Townsend, the oldest, was born in 1838 or 1839. This would have placed Elizabeth in her early 20's at his birth. He was followed by James S, William H.and Benjamin F. Benjamin is listed in the census records as 5 in 1850, 15 in 1860 and 18 when he enlisted in the Confederate army in 1863, all giving him a year of birth of 1845. So, Elizabeth was alive at least until his birth. She passed away before 1850, however, all else points to her decease shortly after the birth of Benjamin. So why did Sherwood sign a Deed of Trust over to his father-in-law in 1843, before the birth of all of his children?

Name	Elija Covington
Gender	Male
Marital Status	Married
Estimated Birth Year	abt 1794
Birth Place	North Carolina, USA
Age	65
Death Date	Sep 1859
Cause of Death	Typhoid Fever
Census year	1860
Census Place	Anson, North Carolina, USA
Line	12

Elijah C. Covington died of Thyphoid Fever in 1859. The grandsons he had custody of were either old enough to be on their own at that time, or were living with other family members. Fifteen year old Benjamin was living with the newly married Daniel and Margaret Covington Gatewood, his aunt and her husband.

Name	William Townsend
Age	19
Birth Year	abt 1841
Gender	Male
Race	White
Birth Place	North Carolina
Home in 1860	Smiths, Anson, North Carolina
Post Office	Wadesboro
Dwelling Number	875
Family Number	838
Personal Estate Value	600

Household members

Name	Age
Benjamin Covington	35
Risden Covington	26
James Townsend	21
William Townsend	19
Lavinia Covington	35
Benjamin Covington	5

James and William were living with their uncles Benjamin and Risden. Risden had married and began his own family by then. Elijah was 21 and working as a Farm Laborer for the Winfree family. 

But back to Sherwood, again, we know he was alive in 1843, when he assigned the Deed of Trust to Elijah Covington. He was necessarily alive in 1845, for the birth of his son, Benjamin, but he was at least alive 9 to 10 months prior to that. 

Sherwood or Sherod Townsend was the son of David and Tabitha Thomas Townsend.  David signed his Will on July 15, 1816. It was proved in July Sessions of Court in 1843. One of his two executors, Benjamin Williams, would go on to marry his youngest daughter, Malinda, afterwards.  Sherwood had siblings Naomi, Solomon R., David Jr., Richmond, Gilbert, Alice Charity, Hampton or Hamilton (seen both ways), and of course, Susannah (Susan) and Malinda (Belinda). Sherod (Sherwood) is thought to have been the youngest son. All of these siblings were born and mentioned in the Will, so before July 15, 1816, even though Malinda is shown in records with a birth year several years younger. She was young enough to have given birth to a child in 1864. One thing I've discovered while doing genealogy, women have been lying about their age for a very long time. 

Above is from a paragraph on David in a Townsend family history. 

David last shows up in census records in 1820, as a father of 12, he and his wife both over 45. He was also a slave owner, with one adult female and four chldren in his home. He had two sons under 10, one of them would have been Sherwood. 

Name	David Townend
Enumeration Date	7 Aug 1820
Home in 1820 (City, County, State)	Mays, Anson, North Carolina, USA
Free White Persons - Males - Under 10	2
Free White Persons - Males - 10 thru 15	1
Free White Persons - Males - 16 thru 18	1
Free White Persons - Males - 16 thru 25	3
Free White Persons - Males - 45 and over	1
Free White Persons - Females - Under 10	1
Free White Persons - Females - 10 thru 15	2
Free White Persons - Females - 16 thru 25	1
Free White Persons - Females - 45 and over	1
Slaves - Males - Under 14	3
Slaves - Females - Under 14	1
Slaves - Females - 26 thru 44	1
Number of Persons - Engaged in Agriculture	6
Free White Persons - Under 16	6
Free White Persons - Over 25	2
Total Free White Persons	12
Total Slaves	5
Total All Persons - White, Slaves, Colored, Other	17

By 1830, only son Solomon R. Townsend, who will later be found in Richmond County, NC, is found in Anson. Where was Sherwood at this time? Who could he have been living with? 

Name	Solomon Townsend
Home in 1830 (City, County, State)	Anson, North Carolina
Free White Persons - Males - Under 5	1
Free White Persons - Males - 30 thru 39	1
Free White Persons - Females - 15 thru 19	1
Slaves - Males - Under 10	1
Slaves - Males - 10 thru 23	1
Slaves - Females - Under 10	2
Slaves - Females - 10 thru 23	1
Free White Persons - Under 20	2
Free White Persons - 20 thru 49	1
Total Free White Persons	3
Total Slaves	5
Total - All Persons (Free White, Slaves, Free Colored)	8

Solomon, in his thirties appears to have had a wife still in her teens and a young son. He, like his father, was also a slave holder, having a total of 5 persons in his household enslaved. These seem to have been the same five people his father listed a decade earlier. 

Name	S C Townsend
Home in 1840 (City, County, State)	Anson, North Carolina
Free White Persons - Males - Under 5	2
Free White Persons - Males - 20 thru 29	1
Free White Persons - Females - 20 thru 29	1
Free Colored Persons - Females - 24 thru 35	1
Slaves - Females - Under 10	1
Persons Employed in Agriculture	4
No. White Persons over 20 Who Cannot Read and Write	2
Free White Persons - Under 20	2
Free White Persons - 20 thru 49	2
Total Free White Persons	4
Total Free Colored Persons	1
Total Slaves	1
Total All Persons - Free White, Free Colored, Slaves	6

Sherwood C. Townsend shows up 10 years later in 1840. He is in his 20's, as is Elizabeth. He has two sons under five, which would have been Elijah and James. A free female of color lives in his household, a young woman, between 24 and 35. An enslaved little girl, a child under ten, lives with them as well. I wonder who they were?

In this version, one can see he is living near Benjamin Williams, one of his father's executors, and a "Matilda" Townsend. I now believe this was Malinda Townsend. Bailey's, a family name, also lives near him, and Rueben and William Hildreth. This helps place the general area in which they lived.

We know by 1850, Elizabeth is deceased and her sons are either working as teens or living with her family.

Where is Sherod? There is a theory circulating online

Name	Sherod Tawnsend
Gender	Male
Race	White
Age	26
Birth Year	abt 1824
Birthplace	North Carolina
Home in 1850	Peach Creek, Gonzales, Texas, USA
Line Number	37
Dwelling Number	17
Family Number	17
Inferred Spouse	Martha Tawnsend

Household members

Name	Age
Sherod Tawnsend	26
Martha Tawnsend	19
Arabella S Tawnsend	7

Sherod Townsend from North Carolina, is living in Peach Creek, Gonzalez County, Texas. This is a lowland, flat, but green area, not so different from his North Carolina home, except minus the rolling hills.

He's living with Martha, 19, and Arabella, 7. Right off the bat, it appears that Martha is too young to have been Arabella's mother, and correctly so, because it appears that at the time of the 1850 census, Sherod and Martha had been married less than a year.

Name	Martha A. Stevens
Gender	Female
Marriage Date	12 Sep 1849
Marriage Place	Carroll, Mississippi, USA
Spouse	Tounsend Townsend

They married on September 12, 1849 in Carroll County, Mississippi. The documents of Martha's future children would show that she was indeed Martha A. Stevens. The actual document also says "Sherwood Townsend" not Townsend Townsend. 

Name	Sherod Tawnsend
Residence Date	1850
Residence Place	Peach Creek, Gonzales, Texas, USA
Number of Enslaved People	1
Role	Slave Owner
All Enslaved People	All Enslaved People Name Sherod Tawnsend

The 1850 census also indicates that Sherwood Townsend had one enslaved person in his home. Was this the child from the 1840 census now grown?

Name	Sherod Townsend
Event Year	1851
Event Place	Dewitt County, Texas, United States
FHL Film Number	002282170

Just one year later, he is taxed in DeWitt County, Texas, which borders Gonzalez.

Name	S Townsend
Age	36
Birth Year	abt 1824
Gender	Male
Race	White
Birth Place	North Carolina
Home in 1860	Division, Hill, Texas
Post Office	Greenwades Mills
Dwelling Number	216
Family Number	203
Occupation	Credit Man
Personal Estate Value	600
Inferred Spouse	Martha Townsend
Inferred Child	Sherad H Townsend; Susan Townsend; Frances Townsend; Theadore Townsend

Household members

Name	Age
S Townsend	36
Martha Townsend	27
Sherad H Townsend	7
Susan Townsend	5
Frances Townsend
Theadore Townsend	1

By 1860, the family had added four more children, Sherod H. 7, Susan 5, Frances 3, and Theodore, 1. There is no more Arabella, possibly the girl was a victime to any number of maladies that struck children at that time. Sherod is working as a "Credit Man", or a lendor, or someone who investigated credit-worthiness for a lender. In an area under high-growth, this was a valued white collar career. 

Hill County is shown above in the white area. While not bordering Gonzalez, it was not too far west of it. 

Always on the move, 'Sherwood' was enumerated for taxes in Bosque County, Texas in 1868. There are no War records for Sherod or Sherwood Townsend, despite the fact the the Civil War had raged in between these two dates.

Also in 1868, Sherold took an Oath as Sheriff. This may have been the reason he did not get swept up in the War.

Name	Sherod Townsend
Age in 1870	47
Birth Date	abt 1823
Birthplace	North Carolina
Dwelling Number	16
Home in 1870	Precinct 4, Hill, Texas
Race	White
Gender	Male
Post Office	Hillsboro
Occupation	House Carpenter
Male Citizen Over 21	Yes
Inferred Spouse	Martha Townsend
Inferred Children	Hensley Townsend; Louisa Townsend; Frances Townsend; Eudora Townsend; James Townsend; John Townsend; Alick Townsend

Household members

Name	Age
Sherod Townsend	47
Martha Townsend	38
Hensley Townsend	17
Louisa Townsend	15
Frances Townsend	13
Eudora Townsend	11
James Townsend	9
John Townsend	7
Alick Townsend	3

By 1870, three more children had joined the family, James, John and Alick. 'Hensely' is the age Sherod H. would be, Louisa the same age as Susan, Frances, then 3, now 13, didn't change, and Theodore is now Eudora. As Theodore in 1860 was a one year old female, Theodore was always Eudora. Sherod is now a House Carpenter, and still on the move.

Next up is Hamilton County, that borders Bosque, where he was Sheriff in the 1860's.

Name	Sherod Townsend
Age	56
Birth Date	Abt 1824
Birthplace	North Carolina
Home in 1880	Precint 4, Hamilton, Texas, USA
Dwelling Number	134
Race	White
Gender	Male
Relation to Head of House	Self (Head)
Marital Status	Married
Spouse's Name	Martha A. Townsend
Father's Birthplace	North Carolina
Mother's Birthplace	North Carolina
Occupation	Farmer
Neighbors	View others on page

Household members

Name	Age
Sherod Townsend	56
Martha A. Townsend	48
James Townsend	18
John H. Townsend	14
Martha J. Townsend	7
Emily Townsend	24
Louisa Andrews	24
Martha J. Andrews	2
Jefferson Andrews	1

He and Martha's last and final child, Martha Jr., has been born. Emily is a daughter-in-law and Louisa is their daughter, Susan Louisa Townsend Andrews and her two children.

Sherod Townsend died on August 12, 1890 in Bosque County, Texas. He was buried in Hamilton County, Texas. Martha outlived him by nearly three decades, joining him in rest in 1919.

They were the parents of: Sherod Hensley Townsend, Susan Louisa T. Gilbreath, Frances Melissa Thompson, Eudora Townsend, James Eli Townsend, John Henry Townsend, William Alexander Townsend, Thomas Green Townsend, and Martha Jane Anderson. Some of their children died as minors. Thomas never appeared in  census, but is noted in the cemetery.

James Eli Townsend

These North Carolina Townsends became part of the Texas milieu. Was this the same Sherod? Was Arabella the daughter of Elizabeth Covington Townsend? She was two years older than Benjamin, the youngest son. If so, why did he take his daughter and leave his sons? Perhaps one day, DNA can solve this mystery.

West of the Sunrise

Oftentimes, old records can't be taken at face value. Possibilities and probabilities are just that. 

The Drury Allen Family Cemetery is ancient to say the least. Located northeast of the relic of the town of Burnsville, south of the Rocky River, and west of Cribs Creek, the old, abandoned collection of crumbling fieldstones and one modern monument to the Virginia pioneer by Allen descendants, sits quietly in a wooded lot, surrounded by verdant meadows and softly rolling hills in the Anson County, NC countryside. Many of the graves hold unknown Allen family members, but among the few that are preserved are that of Drury Allen Sr., who was born in Lunenburg County, Virginia and moved with many others of the massive Allen family to an area along the Rocky River in the years after the Revolutionary War. He died in 1823 in Anson County, NC, and was buried on the Allen Plantation in this cemetery that still grasps for existence. His wife, Elenor Jarrett Allen (1750-1845), is also buried there, along with son John Allen, (1788-1857). Among the crooked rows of bent and chipped stones and sunken tombs is the grave of  'Elviny' Ramsey, who holds the key to a Ramsey mystery that, once you sit down and pull it apart and look at objectively, was not a mystery at all. 

Allen Cemetery photo taken by Rick Philemon from Find-A-Grave

John Allen, son of Drury, was born around 1788 and first appears in the 1820 census of Anson County in the area called 'Staton'. The Staton family was known to live in the northern part of the county around Burnsville.

Name	John Allen
Enumeration Date	7 Aug 1820
Home in 1820 (City, County, State)	Staton, Anson, North Carolina, USA
Free White Persons - Males - 16 thru 25	1
Free White Persons - Males - 45 and over	1
Free White Persons - Females - 16 thru 25	1
Foreigners not Naturalized	1
Free White Persons - Over 25	1
Total Free White Persons	3
Total All Persons - White, Slaves, Colored, Other	3

He was the head of a family of 3 people, one man over 45, one man between 16 and 25 and a female of the same age. Oddly, John would have been 32, so which one he was is indetectable.

Name	John Allen
Home in 1830 (City, County, State)	Anson, North Carolina
Free White Persons - Males - Under 5	1 Drury
Free White Persons - Males - 40 thru 49	1 John
Free White Persons - Females - Under 5	1 Frances
Free White Persons - Females - 5 thru 9	Nelly &  Polly jr.
Free White Persons - Females - 10 thru 14	2 Nancy, Sarah
Free White Persons - Females - 15 thru 19	2 Elizabeth, Judith
Free White Persons - Females - 40 thru 49	1 Polly
Free White Persons - Under 20	8
Free White Persons - 20 thru 49	2
Total Free White Persons	10
Total - All Persons (Free White, Slaves, Free Colored)	10

In 10 years, his household had increased to that of 10 people. John's wife was named Mary and called Polly. Her surname is also given as Allen before and after marriage. I've not studied the Allen family, or this branch of it close enough to give an opinion as to the validity of that. I am a descendant of Mark Allen of Allenton in near the forks of the Pee Dee and Rocky Rivers. He was living near Robert Allen, William Broadway and George Turner.

John and Polly became the parents of a wealth of daughters. It appears not all of them lived to grow up, even though they have seven daughters showing here in 1820.

Name	John Allen
Home in 1840 (City, County, State)	Anson, North Carolina
Free White Persons - Males - 10 thru 14	1 James
Free White Persons - Males - 15 thru 19	2 Drury
Free White Persons - Males - 40 thru 49	1 John
Free White Persons - Females - Under 5	2 Unknown
Free White Persons - Females - 5 thru 9	1 Elvina
Free White Persons - Females - 10 thru 14	1 Nelly
Free White Persons - Females - 30 thru 39	1
Slaves - Males - 10 thru 23	1
Persons Employed in Agriculture	4
No. White Persons over 20 Who Cannot Read and Write	2
Free White Persons - Under 20	7
Free White Persons - 20 thru 49	2
Total Free White Persons	9
Total Slaves	1
Total All Persons - Free White, Free Colored, Slaves	10

In 1840, his household stands at 10, but the dynamics have changed. Some of his older children are on their own and he has added another son, James. He also has among his household an enslaved young man, between 10 and 23 years old, something he had not done until this point.

John's last census will be the 1850 one, and in this one, we get to see the full view of his current household. John and wife Mary are both 58. Very few of their daughters have married. Still in the home are Sarah,37, Elizabeth, 35, Milly 32, Judith 30, Fanny 28, and Elvina 23. All, except possibly the youngest would be considered "Old Maids" by then. The next three households are those of his married children, probably living on John's property. Lucinda, 22, married James Mills. Drury, his oldest son married Rowena    . Daughter Nancy, 32, married Thomas Avitt.

John would pass away on March 26, 1857. He was buried in his father's family cemetery. He left no will, but there exists a probate file on the dispersion of his property, with James Broadway as his administrator, dated May of 1857. Most of the property was retained, or purchased by, his widow, Mary, his three sons, Drury, Robert H. and James Allen, his son-in-laws, his many single daughters and a few neighbors.. My 4th Great Uncle, John E. Davis, and his father-in-law, Uriah Staton, also helped with the division as they were among the neighboring citizens of Burnsville.

A few odd land records survived documenting the further division of the property, although some were obviously missing. There were so many Allens, many of them with the same first names, in Anson, Stanly, Union and Montgomery Counties, that John is sometimes seen as "John of Cribbs Creek". This may have occured after the death of his father by means of a particular deed from Anson County, found in Book X Page 449, dated December 29th, 1830, between Elenor Allen, mother of John and widow of Drury Sr., and John of Cribs Creek. 

"Eleanor Allen and others to John Allen"

"Nelly Allen the widow of Drury Allen deceased and Julius Allen   Thomas Allen  Jeremiah Smith and Susanna his wife David Allen  Benjamin Allen Phillip Kiker and Nancy his wife John Edwards and Sarah his wife and William Allen" all sold their shares to a property on Cribs Creek that crossed Jonathans Branch and bordered the properties of Robert Allen and Darling Allen, brothers of Drury, if I am not mistaken, and that of the Brantleys, containing 236 acres, and witnessed by James Smith and George Turner, and signed by Nelly Allen, widow, and all of John's siblings and his sisters husbands, as was the tradition, or law, in those days; David, Benjamin, Julius, Thomas and William Allen, Nancy Allen Kiker and Phillip, Sarah Allen Edwards and John and Susannah Allen Smith and Jeremiah.

Three years later, Mary Allen Allen, widow of John, is shown in the 1860 census as Proprietress of the farm, with her two younger sons, Robert H. and William James. 25 and 20, respectively, helping her, and all of her single daughters, Sarah, 40, Elizabeth, 38, Nelly, 36, Fanny, 34 and Elvina, 30. Daughter Judith, named for Mary's mother, Judith Nance Allen, died young and her tombstone is partially still standing in her grandfather's family cemetery. This is a good spot to mention that John and Mary were cousins, which may partially explain all of the unmarried children. It was a very insular family.

In Anson County Deed Book 17, Page 262, the 11th of December 1869, Thomas Avitt and his wife, Nancy Allen Avitt, sells to her oldest brother, Drury, their properties in Anson County, including Nancy's share of her parents properties. Mary Allen Allen has now passed away, on April 15, 1869, and was buried with John.

Also in the interim between John's death in 1857 and Mary's in 1869, occurred the Civil War, which left no family unharmed, and had resultd in the deaths of both of the younger Allen sons.

Robert H. Allen had enlisted at age 31 on May 9, 1862 in Wadesoboro, as a Private in Company I, 43 Infantry. He was imprisoned in Petersburg, Virginia in April of 1865, having fought and surviving for 3 years, and died in prison on Hart's Island, New York, on June 12, 1865 of disease, so close to being released to go home.

James Allen, the youngest child, enlisted at the same time and in the same company as his brother, Robert. He was 26 at the time and was wounded in June of 1864 at Farmville, Virginia. He died of his wounds and is buried in Winchester, Virginia.

In Anson County, NC,  Deed Book 7, Page 696, on March 26, 1873, a deed is incorrectly headed, "Drury Edwards and wife to Sarah Allen, Fanny Allen and Elendar Allen". However, in the body of the document, it names Durwery Allen and wife Roena of Stanly County to Sarah Allen, Fanny Allen and Elendar Allen of Anson County, his share of the undivided interest of his (their) father's estate on Cribs Creek.

Drury had married Rowena (Roena) Baucom and they had four children together. He was shown in the 1860 census as a Miller and living in Stanly County, on the other side of the Rocky River. In 1870, he is still shown as a Miller, but in Anson County again. He passes away in 1877 and was buried at Rocky Mount Church in Anson. Rowena outlived him by several decades and died in 1900.

1870 is where the big confusion came in that prompted me to create a post to straighten it out. The above excerpt shows Drury Allen, Miller, with his wife, Roena and three of his children, one already married. A 12 year old named Jackson Ramsey is living with them. The next house seems to be a 15 year old girl named Charlotte Bennett living alone. After that is the household of 21 year old William R. Ramsey with Melvina, 34, Adam, 16, Sarah, 52, Nella, 48, and Frances, 47, all under the heading of Ramsey. 

Before anymore commentary, let's jump ahead another decade, to 1880.

In the above excerpt from the 1880 census for Burnsville, Anson County, NC, we see William Ramsey again, now age given as 35. The advantage of the 1880 is that now, relationship to head of household is given for the first time. We see Melvina again, now 46, still a good deal older than William and relationship is given as wife. A teenager named Marshall is given as brother. There's Sarah, 66 and Fanny, 57, both given as sister-in-laws. 

The Ramsey family is in my family tree. I descend from Starkey Ramsey and so did William R. Ramsey. William Reuben Ramsey and his younger brothers Jackson Columbus Ramsey and Marshall Adam Ramsey were all three of the younger children of James and Obedience "Biddy" Ledbetter Ramsey, who also lived in the small Burnsville Township. In fact, below is the listing for their family in 1860.

James Ramsey was one of the younger sons of Stark Ramsey and brother to my third Great Grandfather Samuel Ramsey. 

Biddy isn't seen after 1860 and James served in the Civil War. Born about 1820, he was an older soldier. He was sick several times during his service and made it home on leave at least twice. It appears he may have made it back to Anson County after the war was over, but weak, ill, and suffering from rheumatism, passed away soon after the war. 

William R Ramsey would have been 20 in 1869, the year Elvina Allen inherited a little portion of land from her fathers considerable estate after the death of her mother, Mary. William seems to have been one of a number of young opportunists that I've seen from this era. There were 4 single Allen sisters after the death of Mary. We know Judith passed away already because of her tombstone. Elizabeth doesn't appear to have made it to 1870. That left Sarah, Frances, nicknamed Fanny, Eleanor, nicknamed Nelly or Nella and Elvina, whose name seems to have morphed into Melvina. 

William R Ramsey married the youngest of the single Allen sisters, Elvina aka Melvina, about 1869.  As he was born about 1849, and she about 1834, she was 15 years his senior. Still, he did his duty. In 1870, he was guardian of his little brother, Marshall Adam Ramsey, while Jackson worked for his brother-in-law, Drury. Jackson remained as a field hand helping Roena after Drurys death.

William also seems to have taken care of Melvina's older sisters. Sarah, Frances (Fanny), and Eleanor (Nelly), were not Ramseys, but Allens. Drury had transferred property to the three of them in 1873, but only Sarah and Fanny remained in 1880, so Eleanor must have died between 1873 and 1880.

Melvina Elvina Allen Ramsey, passed away, herself, on November 11, 1897. She was buried in the family plot with her parents and grandparents. Neither Sarah or Fanny appear to have to survived to see the new century, either. They, along with Nelly Allen, were probably buried in the family cemetery, too, but their graves are now unmarked.

William and Melvina had one child, Willie, born into her advancing age. We could not have known about him except for his tombstone, as he was born in 1880, after the census was taken. William R. Ramsey had joined Red Hill Baptist Church. The tombstone there in his family row declares Willie, born October 19,1880, and died October 22,1901, as the son of W. R. and Lucinda Ramsey, and certainly she raised him, but Willie would have had to have been Melvina's only child and was lost as he entered adulthood.

William R. Ramsey did remarry, to Lucinda Sykes about 1899.

The 1900 census tells us that they had been married for 1 year and the 1910, for 11.  The 1910 census shows that Lucinda gave William two daughters, Luzie and Hattie. The cemetery tells us they also had a son, Johnny Ray, born in 1900, who died as an infant. 

 

William R Ramsey died in 1914 of apoplexy at age 65. His widow remarried to Elijah Henry Chewning, who helped raise the two daughters. Lucinda lived until 1939. Luzie married Lonnie John Porter and lived until 1969. Hattie married her stepbrother, Charlie Chewning and lived until 1976.

Stark Ramsey only had one known daughter, Harriett, who married Jackson Trull of the New Salem community. The family trees who have Sarah, Frances and Nella as daughters of Stark and Lisha Ramsey are incorrect. They were the Allen sisters, sister-in -laws of William R. Ramsey, not his Aunt's.

Marcus P. Carter and the Estate of Joshua Carter

I love it that while looking into one mystery, I find info on another.
One of the most frustrating mysteries that has been vexing me of late is the origins of Marcus Princeton Carter.

I covered Marcus in my post: Marcus Princeton Carter.

I just know he is connected to other Stanly County Carters, but how?

While looking for info on another 'parentless' Stanly County Carter, I came across the name of Marcus in an unexpected but reasonable place, in the estate records of Joshua Carter. 

Now, I know estate records normally lend no proof of relationship or suggest any. However, after perusing dozens of estate records of families I was very familiar with, I've discovered that a large numbers of persons mentioned in estate records are usually family members, and if not, usually neighbors. But especially those persons of the same surname. While it does not 'name that relationship', it hints that you might be looking in the correct pumpkin patch.

An example of this would be in the estate record of Job Davis, for whom this blog is named. I've so researched this family that I knew who each person mentioned in the papers was. Every Davis mentioned was the son or grandson of Job. And persons like Jeremiah Broadaway, who no one would devise as a relative, I knew was his hmmm, 'step-grandson-in-law'.  Two of Job's wife Sarah's sons by her first marriage, John W. and Jordan Howell, had migrated to Fayetteville, NC and settled there. After the death of Jordan, his daughters returned to Stanly County to live with their grandmother and step-grandfather, and met husbands who lived in this part of the state. Jeremiah Broadaway was one of those husbands and married Clarissa Ann Howell.

So, while I have discovered the name of Marcus Carter in the estate records of Joshua Carter, this by no means proves, mentions or suggests any relationship between Joshua Carter and Marcus P. Carter, but it could mean I need to search this pumpkin patch for more hints. I do believe that in the case of Marcus P. Carter, we have a case of what I call an "UnIdentified Dash".
Many times, descendants will start a family with only the children who show up in the 1850 census, while the 1840 and 1830 census show other, older "dashes" who could be children, possibly those who are grown up and on their own by 1850. If the parents die intestate and no land records indicate descendants, then there is nothing to tie these older, independent children to their parents.

I do believe this is what happened with our Marcus. I've poured over family trees and information on other Carters, and feel Marcus is just an unidentified dash in the 1840 and 1830 census of an established Carter family of early Stanly County. He did not fall from the sky.

And now for the estate record of Joshua Carter:

An Inventory of the personal property of Joshua Carter, deceased, which came into my hands as his Administrator-

-Account on David Crowell  .50
    "         on Peter Crowell    .50
    "        on Francis Locke    .52               total  1.52
 all desperate---

2 Head Cattle, 16 Head Hogs, 1 Rifle gun, 1 bed and furniture, 1 Wheel and Cards, 1 Loom,  2 Barrels, 1 bush. Salt, 1 Clock Reel, 1 paddock, 1 lot sundries, two mattocks, 5 axes, 1 shovel, 1 tub, 1 cutting knife, 1 lot ploughs, 1 single tee, 2 pots, 1 skillet, 1 oven, 1 cupboard, 1 lot Ware, 1 lot knives and forks, 1 pail, 1 piggin, 1 toilet, 1 chest, 1 weeding hoe, 1 pr. Hames and Traces, 1 pr Steelyards, 1 drawing knife, 1 adze, 2 planes, 1 croze cutter, 1 hand saw, 1 lot books, 5 chairs, 1 hammer and chizel, 1 lot Oats, 1 potatoe patch.
Note on MARCUS CARTER and James Parker                     17.43
"    Nathan Carter and Samuel Morton                                     3.85
"   John Morris and William Morris                                          1.65
"  Calvin Carter & James Parker                                               1.28 
"  Alex. Kirk & Samuel P. Morton                                            1.30
"  Josiah L. Carter and Nathan Carter                                   11.53
"   Nancy Carter and Nathan Carter                                         7.66 
" Benjamin New and Edmd. W. Lilly                                        1.27
"  James Parker, Sr.                                                                    1.87
"   Francis Locke                                                                          .55
"   Samuel S. Stone                                                                      .81 
"   Daniel Biles                                                                          1.00
"   Samuel P. Morton                                                                   .60
"  George C. Morton                                                                    .20
"  John A. Craven                                                                     23.62
                                                                           Travis Carter, Administrator
Returned to August Sessions 1842 & ordered to be recorded. 

Marcus Carter would have been a young man, just coming into himself and of age in 1842.

His note, in conjunction with James Parker, is the largest, with the exception of that of John A. Craven. Perhaps if I look into the relationships between Joshua Carter and the other Carter's mentioned in this document, I will discover a possible connection to Marcus.

James Parker is also mentioned on a note in conjunction with Calvin Carter. Then later, a James Parker Sr., to himself. I also want to know the connection to James Parker.

I have the advantage of knowing what individuals were businessmen in the community who had a financial interest in many local farmers and individuals. For instance, Samuel S. Stone, Daniel Biles, Edmund Lilly and Francis Locke. No relationship there, or not likely to be.

I also know my ancestor, Samuel P. Morton, was a minister.


So, finding Marcus Carter's name in a document involving other Carters is a big find. Proof of nothing, but hopefully a lead to something.