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!

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