Following up on the challenge from Lisa of 100 Years in America, Donna of What’s Past is Prologue has issued a challenge to describe where our ancestors were 200 years ago.
In searching through my database, I've discovered so many people who were alive in 1808 that I've decided to turn this into a series, focusing on one branch of the family in each post. This post will focus on the Butler ancestors, almost all of whom were in the western part of North Carolina, with a few in South Carolina and one in Virginia.
John Butler - He is my 4th great-grandfather. I know almost nothing about him, other than his wife's name was possibly Polly and he died in Hall County, Georgia in 1845. His son, James, my 3rd great-grandfather, was born about 1820 in North Carolina, so John may have been in North Carolina in 1808, but a twelve-year spread of time is too wide to make assumptions, with no other information available.
John Qualls - Another 4th great-grandfather. He was in Spartanburg County, South Carolina at the time of the 1800 census and in Pendleton District, which is part of Spartanburg in 1810.
John's wife , Frances Winters, was also in Pendleton District in 1810, living with her parents, John and Mary Winters. The family lived in Hillsboro, North Carolina in 1800. I don't know when they moved to South Carolina.
Thomas McEntire Hemphill, a 4th great-grandfather on the Butler side (he will make another appearance when I write about the Hemphills) lived his whole life in Old Fort, North Carolina, which was part of Burke County in 1808. In 1808 he was 14 years old. His father was Captain Thomas Hemphill, who fought in the American Revolution and with whom T. M. was living in Old Fort in 1808.
Malinda Burgin was Thomas McEntire Hemphill's first wife and my 4th great-grandmother. She, too, lived her whole life in the Old Fort area. She was seven in 1808. Malinda's parents were John Burgin and Elizabeth Mann, both of whom spent their lives in the Rowan County/Burke County, North Carolina area (Burke County was created out of Rowan County in 1777). They had a son, Robert Pitt Burgin, who was born in 1808 in Burke County. John's father, Benjamin Burgin, was also living in Old Fort in 1808.
Thomas Lytle and Jennie McEntire, another set of 4th great-grandparents also lived their lives in Burke/McDowell county (McDowell County was created from Burke and Rutherford counties in 1842). (I've just noticed that I have the same birthdate for Thomas and Jennie, which seems unlikely.)
Thomas' father was Revolutionary War officer, Captain Thomas Lytle. He and his wife, Susannah Potillo, lived their lives in Rowan/Burke County. In 1808, Thomas was 58 years old and Susannah was 52.
Jennie McEntire's parents were Thomas Young Hemphill McEntire and Martha Hemphill. They were also residents of Old Fort in 1808. Thomas emigrated from Ireland as a young man. Martha lived her whole life in Burke County.
Johannes Wilfong Whitener and his wife Margaret Dellinger, another set of 4th great-grandparents were very likely in Lincoln County, North Carolina (adjacent to Burke County) in 1808. There were both born there, as were all their children. Johannes was 24 and married to Polly Mull in 1808.
Margaret was 15 and probably lived with her mother Katherine Setzer, who was widowed in 1802. Her grandfather, Henry Dellinger, died in Lincoln County in 1820, so was probably there with the rest of the family in 1808. Margaret's maternal grandparents, John Setzer and Catherine Barringer also lived and died in the same region of North Carolina and were both alive in 1808.
Hiram Searcy, the last 4th great-grandfather for whom I have information on the Butler side, was likely in Rutherford County, North Carolina in 1808, as he was born there in 1796 and acquired property in 1824. Hiram's parents, William Searcy and Frances Dalton, were enumerated in Rutherford County in both 1800 and 1810.
Hiram's wife, Anna Debord, was born in Rutherford County in 1804, but may have been living in Wilkes County, North Carolina in 1808, as she had a brother who was born that year. Her parents were John Debord and Martha Edwards. Anna's grandfather, George Debord, probably lived in Virginia in 1808.
The next installment in this series will focus on my Hemphill ancestors. I can't wait to see where they were in 1808. I know that North Carolina will, again, be a popular locale.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Moses Qualls (Quarles) Biographical Sketch
I found an interesting biographical sketch of Moses Qualls in the Rootsweb Qualls-Quarles mailing list archives:
Before the Revolution, Moses moved to the West side of the Broad River near the present Lockhart, SC in Union County. He was a Loyalist during the Revolution, convicted of sedition by the American authorities and exiled to the British base at Orangeburg, SC.
Moses bought land in Union County, SC, 17 December 1785. Union County RMC A, Pages 80-82.Moses was living in Union County at the time of the 1790 Census. His household was listed with two while males 16 and upward, one white male under 16, and 4 white females. SC 1790 Census page94. Thomas Quarles is next door and Elizabeth Quarles is nearby.
After the Revolution, Moses returned to Union County where he lived until the late 1790's when he moved north into Spartanburg County on land he had bought adjacent to his son David.
He bought 100 acres in Spartanburg Co, SC, along the Pacolet River in 1799. Spartanburg Deed, Book F, Page 299. The circumstances of this land purchase and return to its originals owners after Moses died suggested he lease the land for his declining years. The land was almost surrounded by the land of his son David.
Moses' son John and daughter-in-law Elizabeth also owned land within several hundred yards.
In the 1790 Census 96th District p 94 there is a Moses Quails with 2 Free white males over 18, 1 male under 18, and four females listed. living next door to Thomas Quails with 1 free white male over 16(cannot read remainder).
Moses was living in Spartanburg at the time of the 1800 census. His household is listed with one male less than 10, one male 26-45, one male 45 or older, one female 26-45, and one female 45 or older. Spartanburg County 1800 Census, page 173.
Moses died between August 1, 1800 (the date of the 1800 Census) and October 1, 1801 (the date on which the court appointed David Administrator of Moses' estate".
Moses had died before 29 October 1801. Minutes of Spartanburg County Court of the Ordinary, Page 8, contains a citation against the assets of Moses Quarles, deceased. David Quarles, was name Administrator, a chore usually assigned to the oldest son of the decedent. The citation was dropped by the court 9 November 1801."
In the Court of Ordinary 6th Nov 1801 issued a citation on the goods or Chattles of Moses Quarles late of this District decd. Returnabel 6th Nove issuing. In the Court of Ordinary 6th November 1801 the above citation and no opposition made to the admin of David Quarles on said estate David Quarles refused to qualify or take the oath of an admr so the whole business was dropped.
Source: http://archiver/rootsweb.com/th/read/Qualls-Quarles/2005-05/1117075874
Before the Revolution, Moses moved to the West side of the Broad River near the present Lockhart, SC in Union County. He was a Loyalist during the Revolution, convicted of sedition by the American authorities and exiled to the British base at Orangeburg, SC.
Moses bought land in Union County, SC, 17 December 1785. Union County RMC A, Pages 80-82.Moses was living in Union County at the time of the 1790 Census. His household was listed with two while males 16 and upward, one white male under 16, and 4 white females. SC 1790 Census page94. Thomas Quarles is next door and Elizabeth Quarles is nearby.
After the Revolution, Moses returned to Union County where he lived until the late 1790's when he moved north into Spartanburg County on land he had bought adjacent to his son David.
He bought 100 acres in Spartanburg Co, SC, along the Pacolet River in 1799. Spartanburg Deed, Book F, Page 299. The circumstances of this land purchase and return to its originals owners after Moses died suggested he lease the land for his declining years. The land was almost surrounded by the land of his son David.
Moses' son John and daughter-in-law Elizabeth also owned land within several hundred yards.
In the 1790 Census 96th District p 94 there is a Moses Quails with 2 Free white males over 18, 1 male under 18, and four females listed. living next door to Thomas Quails with 1 free white male over 16(cannot read remainder).
Moses was living in Spartanburg at the time of the 1800 census. His household is listed with one male less than 10, one male 26-45, one male 45 or older, one female 26-45, and one female 45 or older. Spartanburg County 1800 Census, page 173.
Moses died between August 1, 1800 (the date of the 1800 Census) and October 1, 1801 (the date on which the court appointed David Administrator of Moses' estate".
Moses had died before 29 October 1801. Minutes of Spartanburg County Court of the Ordinary, Page 8, contains a citation against the assets of Moses Quarles, deceased. David Quarles, was name Administrator, a chore usually assigned to the oldest son of the decedent. The citation was dropped by the court 9 November 1801."
In the Court of Ordinary 6th Nov 1801 issued a citation on the goods or Chattles of Moses Quarles late of this District decd. Returnabel 6th Nove issuing. In the Court of Ordinary 6th November 1801 the above citation and no opposition made to the admin of David Quarles on said estate David Quarles refused to qualify or take the oath of an admr so the whole business was dropped.
Source: http://archiver/rootsweb.com/th/read/Qualls-Quarles/2005-05/1117075874
Friday, January 11, 2008
Digi-Scrapping Practice
I've been playing with Photoshop Elements (my version of Photoshop was OLD, so I'm trying out the 30-day free trial of PSE) the last couple of days creating web/blog banners as practice projects. It's a lot of fun and the small size makes the project doable in an evening.
I feel like I've learned a lot with each one. In yesterday's banner, I became better at manipulating layers, working with sizes etc. I wanted to add drop-shadows, but I couldn't figure out how to do it.
I liked it a lot.
Until I finished tonight's practice practice project.
I found a beautiful free kit at Memory Makers. The papers are just gorgeous. I learned how to manipulate the elements and, finally, figured out how to do drop shadows. This is something that I might really want to use.
I feel like I've learned a lot with each one. In yesterday's banner, I became better at manipulating layers, working with sizes etc. I wanted to add drop-shadows, but I couldn't figure out how to do it.
I liked it a lot.Until I finished tonight's practice practice project.
I found a beautiful free kit at Memory Makers. The papers are just gorgeous. I learned how to manipulate the elements and, finally, figured out how to do drop shadows. This is something that I might really want to use.
This is so much fun, I just want to keep on playing with images. I must get back to the genealogy this weekend.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Digital Scrapbook Slideshow
This is an absolutely beautiful digital scrapbook that can be viewed as a slideshow. Something to aspire to as I begin to learn digi-scrapping. . .
Picasa Web Albums - TK - Evelyn and Ro...
Picasa Web Albums - TK - Evelyn and Ro...
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
What's New Last Week
It was a busy week in research, sourcing, and design. I added a photo of my great-grandparents, Newt Ward and Rachel Johnson Ward. I obtained a copy of Rosa Ellis Roberts' death certificate. I added part of an interesting biographical sketch of Monteville Roberts (more to come on this).
But probably the biggest change is the mapping feature added to the website. I discovered that my web software, TNG, offers the ability to link places to Google Maps through GPS coordinates. I spent one day last weekend cleaning up the place names in my database and adding some GPS coordinates. This is a big job and will take a long time to complete, but I'm a visual person and am very excited about being able to see the locations of events on maps.
(Aside: thank goodness Blogger has auto-save, because IE just shut down in the middle of composing this post).
Also new, in the blog, is a list of the top 25 surnames in my database. If you are researching any of these names, please touch base.
That wraps up the week in Tonia's Roots.
But probably the biggest change is the mapping feature added to the website. I discovered that my web software, TNG, offers the ability to link places to Google Maps through GPS coordinates. I spent one day last weekend cleaning up the place names in my database and adding some GPS coordinates. This is a big job and will take a long time to complete, but I'm a visual person and am very excited about being able to see the locations of events on maps.
(Aside: thank goodness Blogger has auto-save, because IE just shut down in the middle of composing this post).
Also new, in the blog, is a list of the top 25 surnames in my database. If you are researching any of these names, please touch base.
That wraps up the week in Tonia's Roots.
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Digital Scrapbooking
I've decided to try my hand at digital scrapbooking.
I didn't even know such a thing existed until a couple of weeks ago, when I was scanning genealogy blogs and discovered Creative Genealogy, a blog which promotes combining scrapbooking techniques with genealogy. I was intrigued, but not really interested in doing it myself.
However, I'm not happy with this blog design or the design of my genealogy website and have been pondering what to do. Last night, I did a little browsing on the digital scrapbooking concept and learned that there all kinds of "kits" one can purchase or download for free. The kits contain "papers" (backgrounds), flowers, ribbons, stamps. . .all the things one would use in traditional scrapbooking, but in digital image form. Download the files into Photoshop and you are ready to go.
My Photoshop skills were never better than meager and now are practically non-existent. I've wanted to start using it again, but was too overwhelmed with the thoughts of trying to learn the program again. But I found an easy-to-follow tutorial on "Creating your first layout using Photoshop" at Shabby Princess, one of the digital scrapbooking sites I visited last night.
I played around with a free kit and re-learned the basics of getting around in Photoshop. I ended up with a simple image - just a cropped photo with a label. I ended up not using any of the elements from the digital kit; I liked the image so much that I didn't want to add anything to it.
I can envision so many ways to use digital scrapbooking to spice up my genealogy work. After learning and playing a bit more, I intend to redesign the blog and website layouts, using scrapbooking techniques to create a new masthead and headers. I think it would also be fun to alter my photographs before uploading them to the website. And last, but not least, I see individual pages that combine photos and histories in collage form.
Lots of fun to come!
I didn't even know such a thing existed until a couple of weeks ago, when I was scanning genealogy blogs and discovered Creative Genealogy, a blog which promotes combining scrapbooking techniques with genealogy. I was intrigued, but not really interested in doing it myself.
However, I'm not happy with this blog design or the design of my genealogy website and have been pondering what to do. Last night, I did a little browsing on the digital scrapbooking concept and learned that there all kinds of "kits" one can purchase or download for free. The kits contain "papers" (backgrounds), flowers, ribbons, stamps. . .all the things one would use in traditional scrapbooking, but in digital image form. Download the files into Photoshop and you are ready to go.
My Photoshop skills were never better than meager and now are practically non-existent. I've wanted to start using it again, but was too overwhelmed with the thoughts of trying to learn the program again. But I found an easy-to-follow tutorial on "Creating your first layout using Photoshop" at Shabby Princess, one of the digital scrapbooking sites I visited last night.
I played around with a free kit and re-learned the basics of getting around in Photoshop. I ended up with a simple image - just a cropped photo with a label. I ended up not using any of the elements from the digital kit; I liked the image so much that I didn't want to add anything to it.
I can envision so many ways to use digital scrapbooking to spice up my genealogy work. After learning and playing a bit more, I intend to redesign the blog and website layouts, using scrapbooking techniques to create a new masthead and headers. I think it would also be fun to alter my photographs before uploading them to the website. And last, but not least, I see individual pages that combine photos and histories in collage form.
Lots of fun to come!
Sunday, January 6, 2008
The Kindness of Strangers
A few weeks ago, I posted about Find a Grave. One of the features they offers is a "Request a Photo" program. Users of the website can volunteer to take headstone photographs and Find a Grave keeps track of their locations. When another user requests a photo from a particular cemetery, the website sends out an automatic email to volunteers in that area, letting them know for which headstone a photo has been requested.
Last weekend, I was researching my g-g-grandmother, Mary Patterson Whitener. Family legend says that she is at least part-Cherokee. After marrying, she and my g-g-grandfather moved to Oklahoma, supposedly to be near her relatives, and they lived there until her death. I knew that she was buried in Wards Grove Cemetery in Foyil, Oklahoma.
I looked up this cemetery and there she was, listed on the interment roll, but alas, no photograph. I decided to give Request a Photo a try. Find a Grave informed me that there were 19 volunteers within 10 miles of the cemetery, so I proceeded with the request.
Yesterday, I received an email saying that my request was successful. I now have headstone photo from a cemetery that I will probably never be able to visit in person and I have confirmation that Mary's maiden name was Patterson.
Thanks again to the kind person who took time out of his day to help a stranger in another state with her research.
Last weekend, I was researching my g-g-grandmother, Mary Patterson Whitener. Family legend says that she is at least part-Cherokee. After marrying, she and my g-g-grandfather moved to Oklahoma, supposedly to be near her relatives, and they lived there until her death. I knew that she was buried in Wards Grove Cemetery in Foyil, Oklahoma.
I looked up this cemetery and there she was, listed on the interment roll, but alas, no photograph. I decided to give Request a Photo a try. Find a Grave informed me that there were 19 volunteers within 10 miles of the cemetery, so I proceeded with the request.
Yesterday, I received an email saying that my request was successful. I now have headstone photo from a cemetery that I will probably never be able to visit in person and I have confirmation that Mary's maiden name was Patterson.
Thanks again to the kind person who took time out of his day to help a stranger in another state with her research.
Friday, January 4, 2008
SHOESTRING GENEALOGY: Cemetery Research
I found an interesting website with a good article on cemetery research. Based on this article, I'm sure there is more good stuff to be found at this site. . .
SHOESTRING GENEALOGY: Cemetery Research
SHOESTRING GENEALOGY: Cemetery Research
Thursday, January 3, 2008
Genealogy Online for Dummies
A couple of weeks ago, I bought Genealogy Online for Dummies. I love the Dummies books, because they are usually chockful of good information and this one was no disapointment. It has references to tons of potentially useful websites. I haven't started visiting most them yet, because I've been too busy with other forms of research and with working on the website.
But here are some of the sites I've highlighted as being potentially interesting:
www.immigrantships.net - passenger list transcriptions organized by date, ship's name, port of departure, port of arrival, passenger's surname, and captain's name. Searchable.
www.usigs.org/library/military/links/ - has links to other sites that contain military records.
www.archives.gov/research_room/alic/reference_desk/native_american_links.html - information about American Indian resources available from the National Archives and Records administration
www.genealogy.net/gene/genealogy.html - German genealogy pages
www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk - the General Register Office for Scotland, which features searchable indexes of births/baptisms and banns/marriages from Old Parish registers dating from 1553 to 1854
There are a lot more, but these are the ones that I want to try first.
But here are some of the sites I've highlighted as being potentially interesting:
www.immigrantships.net - passenger list transcriptions organized by date, ship's name, port of departure, port of arrival, passenger's surname, and captain's name. Searchable.
www.usigs.org/library/military/links/ - has links to other sites that contain military records.
www.archives.gov/research_room/alic/reference_desk/native_american_links.html - information about American Indian resources available from the National Archives and Records administration
www.genealogy.net/gene/genealogy.html - German genealogy pages
www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk - the General Register Office for Scotland, which features searchable indexes of births/baptisms and banns/marriages from Old Parish registers dating from 1553 to 1854
There are a lot more, but these are the ones that I want to try first.
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
Thomas Young Hemphill McEntire
I found an interesting biographical sketch on my 4x great-grandfather (Google search is truly an amazing thing). I knew that he had immigrated from Ireland, but the additional information is where the gold lies. He was the second sheriff in Burke County, North Carolina and was a member of the North Carolina legislature in 1802.
For more biographical sketches related to Burke County, go here.
This particular sketch also connected some other ancestors. I had thought that Thomas Lytle's wife was named Jane McEntyre. It turns out that her name was Jennie McEntire and she is the daughter of Thomas Y. H. McEntire and Martha Hemphill. Jennie's daughter, Martha Lytle married Benjamin Burgin Hemphill, who it turns out was her 1st cousin once removed.
I'm fascinated by all the cousins marrying cousins in my past and, boy, are there a lot. Thomas Y. H. Hemphill is actually related to me through both my parents. He is my 4x great grandfather on one side and 4x great-uncle on the other side. I know this was common in earlier times, but it's just a miracle that I don't have 7 toes.
Happy New Year!
For more biographical sketches related to Burke County, go here.
This particular sketch also connected some other ancestors. I had thought that Thomas Lytle's wife was named Jane McEntyre. It turns out that her name was Jennie McEntire and she is the daughter of Thomas Y. H. McEntire and Martha Hemphill. Jennie's daughter, Martha Lytle married Benjamin Burgin Hemphill, who it turns out was her 1st cousin once removed.
I'm fascinated by all the cousins marrying cousins in my past and, boy, are there a lot. Thomas Y. H. Hemphill is actually related to me through both my parents. He is my 4x great grandfather on one side and 4x great-uncle on the other side. I know this was common in earlier times, but it's just a miracle that I don't have 7 toes.
Happy New Year!
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