Revelation in the Papers: The Estate of John C Starnes.

 

The estate papers of John C. Starnes, of Stanly and Cabarrus Counties, North Carolina is a thick bundle of papers that came in three parts. The first part is the list of personal property belonging to John C Starnes by the administrators of his estate, his brother Nathan Monroe Starnes (N. M. Starnes) and A. Eudy, of whose connection to the family I do not know.

The second part is the Final Settlement of the Estate of John C. Starnes and the setting off of a dower for his widow, Abigail D. Furr Starnes.

The the third part of the Estate papers concerns the lawsuit that the widow, Abigail D. Furr Starnes, filed against the heirs-at-law of the estate of her deceased husband, which turned out to be his surviving brothers and sisters and the children of two of his deceased sisters.

For me, the most amazing truth brought to light from these documents was the mention of a child. The child is not named in the documents and I had never seen a child listed in any of the censuses with John C Starnes and Abigail, that was thiers.

Abbie Stamer [Abbie Starnes]
Age in 1870:	21
Birth Year:	abt 1849
Birthplace:	North Carolina
Home in 1870:	Almond, Stanly, North Carolina
Race:	White
Gender:	Female
Post Office:	Albemarle
Value of real estate:	View image
Household Members:	Name Age John Stamer 27 Abbie Stamer 21 Adam Shoe

The 1870 census, the first one taken after their marriage lists a young Adam Shoe in their home. As an Archibald Shoe is also listed in the home of John's father when they were children, it is easy to guess that the Shoe's were perhaps the orphaned children of a neighbor or even a relative. Adam appears to be the son of a Tobias Shoe and Rilla Garmon Shoe who lived in Stanly County. As Tobias is shown dying in 1862, the likelihood he died in the Civil War, either in battle or of illness, is great.

Daniel Starnes
Age:	17
Birth Year:	abt 1863
Birthplace:	North Carolina
Home in 1880:	Almonds, Stanly, North Carolina
Race:	White
Gender:	Male
Marital Status:	Single
Father's Birthplace:	North Carolina
Mother's Birthplace:	North Carolina
Neighbors:	View others on page
Occupation:	Servant
Cannot read/write: Blind: Deaf and dumb: Otherwise disabled: Idiotic or insane:	View image
Household Members:	Name Age James Starnes 37 Abigail Starnes 32 Daniel Starnes 17

In 1880, a teenaged Daniel Starnes is living with the couple. He is not listed as a son, but a servant. He was probably a distant or not so distant relative.

Abigil A D Sternes
Age:	55
Birth Date:	Aug 1844
Birthplace:	North Carolina
Home in 1900:	Rocky River, Cabarrus, North Carolina
Race:	White
Gender:	Female
Relation to Head of House:	Wife
Marital Status:	Married
Spouse's Name:	Finch Sternes
Marriage Year:	1894
Years Married:	6
Father's Birthplace:	North Carolina
Mother's Birthplace:	North Carolina
Mother: number of living children:	0
Mother: How many children:	0
Occupation:	View on Image
Neighbors:	View others on page
Household Members:	Name Age Finch Sternes 64 Abigil A D Sternes 55 F L Sternes 23 Samuel L Sternes 13 Walas Mc Sternes 8 Brady A Stearnes 15 Abert Owins 19 Francis Owins

By 1900, John has passed away,  and so has Mary Byram Starnes and the widower, Frederick Fincher Starnes, has married his cousins' widow, Abigail. The 23 year old F. L. Starnes is Frederick's son, Frederick Lafayette Starnes. Samuel L and 'Walas Mc Stearnes' are designated as grandson's of the head-of-house in the census. These young men turn out to be Samuel Lemmonds, son of Margaret Leavy Starnes Lemmonds, and William Mack Linker, son of Sarah Alice Starnes Linker, and Frederick Fincher Starnes's grandsons. The original census document did not specify surnames for the boys, so the transcriber assumed they were Starnes'. Census records have to be analyzed and researched carefully. They are loaded with errors.

The discovery of this additional census record cleared up another big mystery in the family tree of F. F. Starnes. Both Frederick L Starnes and J. W. Starnes are buried, with their wives, in Rocky River Presbyterian Church Cemetery in the Rocky River community in Cabarrus County, NC. Also buried here are the first wife of F. F. Starnes and daughters Georgia Ann and Martha.

In 1860, a 2 year old John Starnes is enumerated in the family.  His tombstone is located in the Stallings Cemetary on the Stanly, Cabarrus County line. This is another sign that the family lived on the line, sometimes being counted in one county, sometimes in another, other times in both, without having actually moved. This cemetary is accessible by way of Smith Lake Road between Barrier Store Road and Cox Road.

 Albert and Frances Owens were a married couple that were employed as servants. A 15 year old 'Brady' Starnes is also listed in this census as a servant. She was actually Beadie Ann Starnes, daughter of Rufus Starnes and would become the future wife of Frederick L Starnes, F. Fincher Starnes son, who is listed just above her.

Yet, there is the child of Abigail listed in the estate papers of her first husband, John C Starnes. Who was this child? He or she was not yet born in 1880, as a child does not show up in that census. This child was evidentally alive in 1894, but did he or she die before the 1900 census? Or was he or she out on their own by 1900? If the birth was shortly after the census, this certainly could have been the case 20 years later, especially in this time period.
 The 1900 and 1910 census, which enumerated how many children a mother had had and how many were still living, both lists Abbie for 0 and 0.  Yet, her first husbands estate papers clearly lists a widow and one child in several places. Why is the name of this child not given? Why would his surviving siblings, and nieces and nephews, children of his non-surviving siblings, inherit his property and possessions ahead of his wife and child?

If John had married prior to his marriage to Abigail and had a child by that marriage, he or she would have been an adult by John's death and should have been named in the estate papers.

So, another mystery to solve. Who was this child of Abigail and John? Did he or she live to adulthood? And where is this person buried?

Wills of Frederick and Abigail have been ordered. It is now just a waiting game.

Looking for Leavy

Hartsell Mill Township, Cabarrus County, North Carolina

Margaret Leavy Starnes was my paternal grandmother's paternal grandmother. Until now, she has been a fairly elusive lady. While I have yet to discover all there is to know about her, and even her death date and final resting place, my journey has begun. It is the difficult- to -locate ancestors who intrigue me the most.

This is what I do know about Leavy, as she was known.

Shortly after I started this post, I found Leavy.  It began with finding out exactly who she was and totally putting aside other descendants claims that she died in 1881, as was listed on ancestry.com. The reason they believed so was so many cousins with the same name.

Margaret Arlevis Starnes, known for her entire life as "Leavy", was born January 19, 1855 in Union County, North Carolina. She was one of the descendants, like all of the Union County Starnes, of one Frederick Staring/Starn/Sterns born in 1700 in Alzey, Germany. Her father's name was Frederick Faison Starnes. He was born in Georgia. Several of the Starnes, Frederick II and Leonard, had left for Georgia years prior. F F Starnes returned. He moved his family to the confluence of Stanly, Union and Cabarrus Counties and has the unique fate of being buried in Stanly County at the Meadow Creek Primitive Baptist Church, on the border of Cabarrus and Stanly counties.

Leavy's marriage license to Robert Lemmonds lists her parents as Ff Starnes and M L Starnes.


She was married in Cabarrus County on Jan 20, 1881. She and Bob would raise their 5 children in Township 1, which is the greater Harrisburg area, of Cabarrus County, and adjoining the city of Concord. After Bob died , She would move to Charlotte, where her father and his second wife Abigail, were living. She was living next to her son Frederick Cleveland Lemmonds.

Harris Lemmons [Harvie Lemmons]
Age:	13
Birth Date:	Aug 1886
Birthplace:	North Carolina
Home in 1900:	Charlotte, Mecklenburg, North Carolina [Mecklenburg]
Race:	White
Gender:	Male
Relation to Head of House:	Son
Marital Status:	Single
Father's Birthplace:	North Carolina
Mother's Name:	Leann Lemmons
Mother's Birthplace:	North Carolina
Occupation:	View on Image
Neighbors:	View others on page
Household Members:	Name Age Leann Lemmons 45 Maud Lemmons 18 Fred Lemmons 16 Harris Lemmons 13 Minnie Lemmons 18

The 1900 census show Leavy as 'Leann' and living with 4 of her children. Only Sam is missing. The 4 chilldren of Bob and Leavy Lemmonds were  Maud A., 1881, Frederick Cleveland, 1884, Harvey Lafayette, 1886, Samuel Grier, 1888 and Minnie 1891. Since Sam was one of the youngest, it is a mystery as to why he was not enumerated with his siblings.

Margaret A. Starns [Margaret A. Starnes]  Age: 23 Birth Year: abt 1857 Birthplace: North Carolina Home in 1880: Rocky River, Cabarrus, North Carolina Race: White Gender: Female Relation to Head of House: Daughter Marital Status: Single Father's Name: F.F. Starns Father's Birthplace: North Carolina Mother's Name: Mary L. Starns Mother's Birthplace: North Carolina Neighbors: View others on page Cannot read/write: Blind: Deaf and dumb: Otherwise disabled: Idiotic or insane: View image Household Members: Name Age F.F. Starns 51 Mary L. Starns 43 Margaret A. Starns 23 Thomas M. Starns 19 Dalphia A. Starns 10 Georgia A. Starns 7 Fredrick L. Starns 5 Dasie L. Starns 2 Martha Byram 70

View Original Record View original image

ara Lemmons]
Age:	45
Birth Date:	Jan 1855
Birthplace:	North Carolina
Home in 1900:	Charlotte, Mecklenburg, North Carolina [Mecklenburg]
Race:	White
Gender:	Female
Relation to Head of House:	Head
Marital Status:	Widowed
Marriage Year:	1881
Years Married:	19
Father's Birthplace:	North Carolina
Mother's Birthplace:	North Carolina
Mother: number of living children:	5
Mother: How many children:	5
Occupation:	View on Image
Neighbors:	View others on page
Household Members:	Name Age Leann Lemmons 45 Maud Lemmons 18 Fred Lemmons 16 Harris Lemmons 13 Minnie Lemmons Leavy Lemons Age in 1910: 55 Birth Year: 1855 Birthplace: North Carolina Home in 1910: Township 2, Cabarrus, North Carolina Race: White Gender: Female Relation to Head of House: Head [Self (Head)]  Marital Status: Widowed Father's Birthplace: North Carolina Mother's Birthplace: North Carolina Neighbors: View others on page Household Members: Name Age Leavy Lemons 55 Meirie Lemons 18 Samuel Lemons 21 May Lemons 19 By 1910, Sam is living with his mother and sisters, whose names were the ones wrangled this time. Levie Lemmond [Susie Lemmond]  Age: 65 Birth Year: abt 1855 Birthplace: North Carolina Home in 1920: Rocky River, Cabarrus, North Carolina Race: White Gender: Female Relation to Head of House: Head Marital Status: Widowed [Widow]  Father's Birthplace: North Carolina Mother's Birthplace: North Carolina Home owned: Own Able to read: No Able to Write: No Neighbors: View others on page Household Members: Name Age Levie Lemmond 65 Maud Davis 38 Lula Davis 16 Maud would marry William A Davis from Cabarrus County and have one daughter, Lula. She would remain a widow and Lula would remain with her mother, unmarried, for life. Margaret Lenards [Margaret Bownds]  Gender: Female Birth Year: abt 1855 Birthplace: North Carolina Race: White Home in 1930: Township 1, Cabarrus, North Carolina View Map Marital Status: Widowed Relation to Head of House: Head Father's Birthplace: North Carolina Mother's Birthplace: South Carolina Occupation: Education: Military Service: Rent/home value: Age at first marriage: Parents' birthplace: View image Neighbors: View others on page Household Members: Name Age Margaret Lenards 75 Theo M Stams 65 Maud Davis 48 Lula Davis 26 By 1930, Leavy's brother had came to live with them. This is Thomas Mellon Starnes, not Theo. It was in researching Maude that I had discovered that Leavy had lived past 1930, but not to 1940. In 1940 Maude and Lula were living alone. Maude A Davis Age: 58 Estimated Birth Year: abt 1882 Gender: Female Race: White Birthplace: North Carolina Marital Status: Widowed Relation to Head of House: Mother Home in 1940: Hartsell Mill-Franklin Mill-Norcott Mill, Cabarrus, North Carolina View Map Inferred Residence in 1935: Rural, Cabarrus, North Carolina Residence in 1935: Rural, Cabarrus, North Carolina Sheet Number: 18B Neighbors: View others on page Household Members: Name Age Lula May Davis 36 Maude A Davis 58 I kept tracking the children and would not give up on finding Leavy. Knowing she had lived so long and died so recently (anything in the twentieth century is recent in genealogy), I could not give up on finding her. She had to be nearby. So I kept researching her children, and Mecklenburg and Cabarrus counties, knowing she was likely there. Name: Levy Lemmons Gender: M (Male) Residence Year: 1902 Street Address: Phifer Hill Residence Place: Charlotte, North Carolina Spouse: Robert Lemmons  Publication Title: Walsh's Directory of the City of Charlotte

Find-a-grave does not have Leavy. I will have to put her there. But I found Maude. In the old Oakwood Cemetery right in the middle of Concord.

And her daughter Lula.

Harvey Layfayette Lemmonds death certificate lists his father, Robert Lemmonds and his mother Margaret Leavy Starnes. He was born in 1886, after the 1880 census and due to the destruction of the 1890 census, he was never counted with his father. In the 1900 census, he is listed as 'Harris' and Leavy as 'Leann'. It takes some detective work and imagination to keep in the swing with the early census takers and decipher their handwriting. The transcribers had a hard time of it.


And a stone marked Davis Lemmons. On the back of the stone was "Bost". Youngest daughter Minnie had married Walter Layfette Bost. Strange that her husband carried the same middle name as her brother. It must have been popular in the area at the time.


And then there was Leavy. Margaret R Leavy Starnes.



Even her children were puzzled about how to spell that middle name 'Arlevis' and it became R. Leavy.
Cabarrus County had given up her ghosts. I still have not found Leavy's death certificate. I am sure she had one and they most likely mangled her name, but I am not giving up. I am sure there is more to come. I spoke to Leavy's grave, 'Hello there grandma'. And a beam of sunshine broke through the clouds. "I've found you."