William B. Findley

On 20 June, I discussed one of my "brick wall" ancestors, George Hodson Triplett. This week, I thought I would talk about another. His name is William "Ben" (which I have come to assume to be either Benjamin or Bennette) Findley. Like George, I think I know who Ben's parents are, even though I can't yet prove it. (I believe them to be John M. Finley/Findley and Sydney Louisa Brissey.) Here's what I do know:

According to Ben's tombstone, he was born 4 June 1883. According to every census record I find him living, he was born in South Carolina.

The issue for me is not Ben's beginnings though. It's everything else.

The first piece of evidence I found, at some point during my research, was the following document.

Certificate of Marriage, UNKNOWN SOURCE

I don't know where it originated (I think someone posted it in an Ancestry tree, but I haven't been able to track down the original uploader), but it appears to be from a Family Bible. Whose Bible? I don't know. If you know who has the original Bible or copy of this record, PLEASE send me a message or leave a comment here.

So, here we have my great-great grandparents, W. B. Findley and Pearl Olivia Cargill. The record states they were married 14 April 1907. It also says they were both from Anderson County, South Carolina when they got married.

Clipping from the 1907 Anderson, Anderson County, South Carolina Directory

Clipping of 1907 Anderson, Anderson County, South Carolina Directory

Now, if we attempt to walk through the census records, that's where it really gets confusing.

I think I have found them in 1910 living in Lee County, Georgia. The only thing that baffles me slightly with this record is that the child, who would be my great-grandfather, is listed as Ben Jr. My great-grandfather's name was Jesse Lee. I am curious if and when they changed his name because I had never heard of him ever being called or named Ben.

Clipping from 1910 Lee County, Georgia U.S. Federal Census

In 1920, it gets more confusing.

Here, they are seen living in Hart County, Georgia. By this time, my great-grandfather's name is correct and some of his siblings are present.

Clipping from 1920 Hart County, Georgia U.S. Federal Census

But then, here they are seen living in Walhalla, Oconee County, South Carolina.

Clipping from 1920 Walhalla, Oconee County, South Carolina U.S. Federal Census

This census is also from 1920. Also, notice Jesse, Jack, and Pope (spelled Hope in the Hart census) are missing and another child, Ollie May, has taken their place.

I can't help but think this has to be a different family. The children are different. Pearl is listed as being born in South Carolina instead of her actual homestate of Georgia. And Pearl is listed to be about 10 years younger than she is.

Now, all of these things could be explained as follows: They moved between the 5th of January when they are shown in Oconee and the 23rd of January when they are shown in Hart. Pearl's place of birth could have been miswritten or assumed on the part of the enumerator (though there are several families on the same page who are from multiple locations aside from South Carolina). And Pearl's age could have been mistakenly recorded 20 instead of 30.

Despite all of those explanations, I feel confident these are two different families. The problem, however, lies here:

Look at how close all of these locations are! All three counties in question (Anderson, Oconee, and Hart) are touching. This could still very well be the same family.

In 1930, I find the family living in Hart County, Georgia again.

Clipping from 1930 Hart County, Georgia U.S. Federal Census

(Remember, Jesse Lee was living in Chicago by this point.) So it seems once again that the family is clearly living in Georgia, and not in Anderson, South Carolina.

Meanwhile, from 1931 through 1959, a Pearl and a William E Fendley are shown listed in the city directories of Anderson. To me, this proves that this William and Pearl are a different family unit than my Ben and Pearl.

Still, even with this large entanglement sorted out, I find myself with a million questions about this family. My main question is: Why did they move to Anderson County, South Carolina in 1907? What drew them there? Pearl, I assume, moved there with her (recently?) widowed mother and sister; but this is the only time I see Ben listed as a butcher. He always appears as a farmer in the records.

Perhaps it was just destiny playing out. Somehow, the two of them had to have the chance to meet. I've been playing around with Google Earth lately. I hope to plot their respective addresses from the 1907 directory to see where they lived in relation to one another and where Ben's butcher shop was located. Be sure to look for that post further down the road.

Sources:

• 1907-1959 Anderson, Anderson County, South Carolina City Directories (accessed on Ancestry)
• 1910 Lee County, Georgia U.S. Federal Census (accessed on Ancestry)
• 1920 Rays, Hart County, Georgia U.S. Federal Census (accessed on Ancestry)
• 1920 Walhalla, Oconee County, South Carolina U.S. Federal Census (accessed on Ancestry)
• 1930 Rays, Hart County, Georgia U.S. Federal Census (accessed on Ancestry)
• 1940 Rays, Hart County, Georgia U.S. Federal Census (accessed on Ancestry)
• Bible Record of unknown origins
• Map of Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee (found here on FamilySearch)
• Tombstone, William B. and Pearl Olevia Findley (as viewed on Find-A-Grave)

George Hodson Triplett

George Hodson Triplett is one of my "problem" ancestors; some call them "brick wall" ancestors. I can not yet confirm his parentage, but I am under the assumption that his parents are Thomas Triplett and Elizabeth Hedgeman Triplett.

George Hodson Triplett
Photo provided by Thomas Cardenas

Despite not knowing George's parents, I do know George was born about 1793 in Tennessee. I know George married Elizabeth Ida Link, presumably sometime before 1821. I also know that in 1850, George and Ida were living in Ozark, Greene County, Missouri. In 1860 and 1870, the couple were living in Marshfield, Ozark, Webster County, Missouri. I also know George was a farmer.

Clipping from 1850 Census

I also can't prove George's children. I assume he is the father of my fourth great-grandfather, John Marion Triplett, but I have no concrete evidence. I am hoping this post will help me figure out more about him or help other Triplett researchers find me.

Please, if you know anything about this family, please send me a message or comment on this post.

Sources:

• 1850 Ozark, Greene, Missouri U.S. Federal Census (accessed on Ancestry)
• 1860 Marshfield, Ozark, Webster, Missouri U.S. Federal Census (accessed on Ancestry)
• 1870 Marshfield, Ozark, Webster, Missouri U.S. Federal Census (accessed on Ancestry)

George W. W. Threadgill

The following is a repost from my Civil War Souls blog.

In my last post, I wrote about my 4th great-grandfather, James Campbell. This time, I chose another 4th great-grandfather. James Campbell was on my mother's side of my family, but George Threadgill is on my father's side of my family.

George Washington William Threadgill was born 11 September 1822 in Anson, North Carolina. His parents were David Howell Threadgill and Mary Slaughter. In 1842, he married his first wife, Mary Post. Together, they had (at least) eight children before Mary died in 1858. Mary was from Georgia, and by 1850, the couple is found living in Marion County, Alabama. He's listed as a farmer.

Clipping from 1850 census showing George and Mary's family

Not long after Mary's death, the Civil War broke out. At least George's oldest child should have been out on his own, but George still had a pretty large family to support. At some point, George remarried. He had a second daughter named Lucy in 1861. I am unsure who Lucy's mother is, but I think it may have been Mary Reed, one of George's other wives. I don't know much about Mary Reed, or even when the two got married, but if she is Lucy's mother, that is the only child I have found for this couple.

In 1860, he has moved with his family to Bibb County, Alabama. Here is a listing of his farm description from the 1860 Agriculture Census.

Clipping from 1860 agriculture census

It shows George as having 6 acres of "improved" land and 74 acres of "unimproved" land. It places the cash value of his farm at $100 and his "farming implements and machinery" is valued at $10. The 2 represents the number of working oxen he owns.

By the time George signed up for the War, he had changed occupations from farmer to millwright. George enlisted in the Confederate States Army on 7 April 1862 in Randolph County, Alabama. He enlisted for three years or for the duration of the War.

Taken from Service Records

Company F was officially mustered in on 30 June 1862. They left the camp at Falling Creek, located near Richmond, on 18 August 1862. From there, they marched to Richmond and took a train to Louisa Courthouse. From there, they headed out on foot with the Army of Northern Virginia to engage in the campaign which resulted in the Battle of Manassas. The company not only participated in the Battle of Manassas, but they also were engaged in the capture of Harpers Ferry and the Battle of Sharpsburg.

Taken from Company Muster Rolls

According to his muster rolls though, George didn't get to participate in any of this activity. He is listed as being "absent" from the company. Here, he is shown as being sick in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Taken from Service Records

He is in Raleigh through the June 1862 muster roll, but in July 1862, he has moved to Selma, Alabama.

Taken from Service Records

I lose George between July and December 1862. I can't find him listed in the muster rolls available online. Then, on 1 December 1862, without seeming to have fought at any point in the War, he is back in Raleigh, North Carolina being discharged.

Taken from Service Records

His discharge papers provide a little extra information about George and his illness.

Taken from Discharge Papers

I love these types of documents because they provide a physical description of the person. It says George was 43 years old, he was 6-feet tall with a dark complexion, brown eyes, and black hair.

His medical condition listed in his discharge papers was chronic rheumatism and scrofula.

Taken from Discharge Papers

So, not only was George experiencing pain from the rheumatism, but he had tuberculosis in his lymph nodes. Since he was listed as "sick" pretty much the entire time he was enlisted, I wonder if George was experiencing symptoms before he even joined the Army.

George married his final wife, Elizabeth Flowers, on 23 June 1864. Together, they had five children bringing the total number of children I know George fathered to 14.

George lived to be 87 years old. He died 15 September 1909 in Marion County, Alabama. He is buried at Whitehouse Cemetery in Marion County, Alabama, and even though he didn't seem to serve in any actual battles, he has a military tombstone.

Tombstone photo submitted by rebekahpaw on Find A Grave

Sources:

• 1850 Marion County, Alabama U.S. Federal Census (accessed on Ancestry)
• 1860 Bibb County, Alabama U.S. Agricultural Census (accessed on Ancestry)
• Compiled Service Records of Confederate Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the State of Alabama (accessed on Fold3)
• Find A Grave Memorial
• US National Library of Medicine - Rheumatic Pain
• US National Library of Medicine - Scrofula

Robert Richerson and Frances Isabelle Richerson

Robert Richerson was born 6 December 1876 in Dallas County, Missouri. I have a lot of Missouri roots on both of my parents' sides of the family. I wonder not only what took so many people to Missouri, but also what kept people living there.

Robert was the ninth (or 10th) of 11 children born to James Washington Richerson and Arena Burselia Bowman.

Clipping from 1900 census showing the newlyweds living with Robert's parents

I only have 10 children so far for Arena, and according to this census, it looks like she had one die early. I haven't found the name of this child yet.

He married Frances Isabelle Skaggs on 3 November 1899 in Dallas County, Missouri.

Robert and Isabelle had the following children:

Clipping from 1910 census

Here's a clearer list of the names of the kids:

• William Parker Richerson
• Thomas Arthur Richerson
• James Dolan Richerson
• Irene F Richerson
• Edna Florence Richerson

Robert and Isabelle led a relatively uneventful life. They lived in the same town almost their entire married life, and they seemed to be simple farmers. Since they lived in the 1900's mostly, there are no agriculture censuses for me to check online to see what they may have farmed. I wish I knew more about this family. I think a trip to Missouri is in order to get a better grasp on them and their circumstances.

Sources:

• 1900 Washington, Dallas County, Missouri U.S. Federal Census (accessed on Ancestry)
• 1910 Washington, Dallas County, Missouri U.S. Federal Census (accessed on Ancestry)
• 1920 Washington, Dallas County, Missouri U.S. Federal Census (accessed on Ancestry)
• 1930 Washington, Dallas County, Missouri U.S. Federal Census (accessed on Ancestry)
• 1940 South Benton, Dallas County, Missouri U.S. Federal Census (accessed on Ancestry)