Digging Up Your Family

Richard Broaddus

When I start going further back past first and second great-grandparents I think it’s a good idea for me to list my line directly to them. For Richard Broaddus my line is:

Roger Dale Ray (father)

Elbert “Shorty” Tracey Vincent (grandfather)

Lucy Johnson Breedlove (g-grandmother)

John J Breedlove (gg-grandfather)

Cornelius Vaughan Breedlove (3rd g-grandfather)

David Watts Breedlove (4th g-grandfather)

William Breedlove (5th g-grandfather)

Sarah Broaddus (6th g-grandmother)

Richard Broaddus (7th g-grandfather)

Richard Broaddus was born about 1715 (1725) in King and Queen County, Virginia to parents Edward Broaddus (about 1672-about 1749) and Dollwydelann “Dolly” Gwynn (about 1685-about 1730). I had read on a genealogy website that the Broaddus name was originally Broadhurst, but when I looked in the book cited for that information, I was unable to find it. Both of Richard’s parent’s families were from Wales, however. If I have traced his mother’s lines back correctly (which I am still researching, so don’t hold me to this) then her paternal line can be traced back through a descendant of King Arthur and even beyond that. But that’s another story.

Richard had two siblings from his father’s marriage to Dolly: older brother Thomas Broaddus and younger sister Dorothy Broaddus, who went by Dolly. He also had six half siblings from his father’s second marriage to Mary Shipley: William Broaddus, James C Broaddus, Shipley Broaddus, Robin Broaddus, Elizabeth Broaddus and John Broaddus. (sources: Ancestry and here).

Richard married Bridget (Bridgett) Vaughan in Virginia, though the record doesn’t state what year they married.

Richard and Bridget had four children: Elizabeth Broaddus, Sarah Broaddus, Edward Broaddus and William Broaddus.

Richard was a private for three years in the Revolutionary War on the Virginia Line.

According to some records Richards Broaddus died in 1794 in Caroline County, Virginia (this source also gives his birth year as 1725). Another record gives his death as 1794 in Madison County, Kentucky.

I wish I had more information to give on Richard Broaddus. I see a lot of information on him when I Google his name, but most are just mentions here and there with no stories following. His name is on my list for “needs further investigation”.

More McQueen Goodness!

I received in the mail yesterday the court transcripts for the trial that erupted over Peter McQueen’s will, the will in which he left everything to his niece, rather than his own daughter (the only living daughter of the two he kidnapped in the first place, but also the only living daughter since as Caroline passed previous to his death).

Today, however, we will not be going over these transcripts. Today we are going to piece together what I have found concerning the McQueen family.

Peter McQueen was born about 1795 in South Carolina. We know that he married Elizabeth Freeland in Louisiana in 1820. Peter and Elizabeth had at least three daughters, as named in the divorce papers: Louisa, Melissa and Caroline. The divorce was granted for Elizabeth from Peter in 1839 in Mississippi. I have not been able to locate Elizabeth after this, though she may either be the Elizabeth McQueen in Lauderdale County, Mississippi who married Claburn Perry in 1840 or she may have died, since the divorce papers described her as “infirm” (whether that meant she was on her deathbed, had the sniffles or somewhere in between is not clear). I’m betting on the marriage, but so far I can’t find any other record of Elizabeth or Claburn to match up year of birth or place of birth.

In 1837 Peter McQueen returned to his home ten years after abandoning his family and pretty much kidnapped his two oldest daughters, Louisa and Melissa (by the way, I am sure I will go over all of this again in another post, say the post concerning the trial, but there is a point to all of this now, I promise). Why he did not take Caroline with him also is not known, though speculation is that she either was not his child or may not have been at the home at the time he returned.

Peter enrolled Louisa and Melissa in a girl’s school where they later taught or lived for respite (more on that another day). Melissa died young, having never married. Louisa married first Thomas Cottrell, second Jeremiah Elder, both much older than herself-26 years and 22 years respectively). Louisa did not have any children by 1865, and I am not yet certain if she had any after.

Caroline married Edmund Richards in 1846 in Arkansas. She is on the 1850 census with Edmund and three of their children living in Arkansas. There is also an 18 year old woman named Mary McQueen living with them that I had assumed was her sister, but I am no longer sure (if so, then Mary would have been born while Peter was gone from his family when Caroline was 4 years old-therefore possibly a different father or she could be a cousin of Caroline). Caroline is not on the 1860 census with her family, which leads me to believe she passed between February of 1856 after her youngest son Jerome was born and August 1860 when the census was enumerated. Though I am pretty tempted to keep looking for her since I was unable to find any record of her death (which is not unusual).

So, back to Peter. By his death in 1865 the only daughter left living was Louisa. Due to a…uh, we’ll call it a “disagreement”, between the two, Peter left everything to his niece Mary Ann Mullins (and I checked to see if this Mary Ann Mullins might have been the same person as the Mary McQueen living with Caroline in 1850, but it isn’t). Mary Ann Mullins actually was a big clue to help me along with finding some of Peter’s family, though I still haven’t located his parents yet. BUT, here’s what I found:

Mary Ann Mullins was born Mary Ann Wood in 1832 in the state of Georgia to parents Stephen Wood (of Virginia, 1792-1862) and Ann McQueen (of South Carolina, 1793-1834). She married Patrick Henry Mullins (1824-1860), though I am not sure in what state they were married. Together Mary Ann and Patrick, a tobacconist, had four children: Stephen, Matilda, Mary and Pauline. Patrick died March 8, 1860 in Alabama of a brain inflammation. After his death Mary Ann moved in with her Uncle Peter in Holly Springs, Marshall County, Mississippi. After his death she and her children lived in Holly Springs for quite a while. Mary Ann passed in 1917 in Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee of old age and is buried in Byhalia, Marshall County, Mississippi. Her headstone, which can be found on Find-a-Grave, reads: Mary A. Wood, Wife of P.H. Mullins, 1832 1917.

SO, now to research the McQueens. Both Peter and Ann McQueen were born in South Carolina, Ann in 1793 and Peter about 1795. The McQueens listed on the census records in 1790 in South Carolina are:

James McQueen-Edgefield, South Carolina, two males, one female, three slaves

Daniel McQueen-Prince Georges, Georgetown, South Carolina, two males, two females, two slaves

Rachel McQueen-Prince Georges, Georgetown, South Carolina, five males, two females, one slave (note: all five males are under the age of 16 years)

Ruth McQueen-Prince Georges, Georgetown, South Carolina, one male, two females, four slaves

Robert McQueen-St Phillips and St Michaels, Charleston, South Carolina, one male, one female

John McQueen-St Phillips and St Michaels, Charleston, South Carolina, two males, one slave

The McQueens listed on the 1800 census in South Carolina are:

Nell, or Neil, McQueen-Liberty, Marion District, South Carolina, two males, five females

William McQueen-Kingston, Georgetown District, South Carolina, two males, four females

Rachel McQueen-Kingston, Georgetown District, South Carolina, five males, four females

No McQueens have been found at all in the state of Georgia in 1800 or 1810.

McQueens listed on the 1820 census in Georgia (are you ready for this? it’s a loooong list!):

John McQueen-Washington, Georgia, one male, three females

Lydia McQueen-Savannah, Chatham, Georgia, one female, seven slaves

Now, I’m not even sure if any of my McQueens, except for Ann McQueen, ever moved to Georgia. Ann died and was buried in Meriwether County, Georgia. Chatham and Washington Counties are not what I would call “nearby” Meriwether County back in those days (prior to cars being able to zip up and down the freeways, I mean). I can’t be certain if she married in South Carolina or Georgia (why, oh why, can I not find the marriage record?). If I could find that record it might give me a clue as to who Peter and Ann’s parents are.

Mary J “Annie” Bondurant

My 2nd great-grandmother Mary J “Annie” Bondurant was born in Marshall County, Kentucky on February 24, 1867 to parents Joseph M Bondurant (1842-1886) and Elizabeth Francis “Bettie” “Fannie” Brewer (1845-1922). Annie’s father, a well known merchant, was of the Snow Creek Bondurants.

The first census Annie appears on is the 1870 census in District 5, Marshall County, Kentucky. She is listed as Mary J, age 4 years. She is living with her parents, listed as Joseph (merchant) and Elizabeth. Her siblings in the household are Thomas M (age 6 years) and John W (age 2 years). Other people living in the household are Sarah Cross (listed as “at home”, age 50 years), George W Bondurant (farmer, age 20 years), Daniel (Thurt?) (farmer, age 87) and Ann J (Thurt?) (farmer, age 19 years).

In 1880 the family was living in Smiths, Marshall County, Kentucky. Annie, listed as such, was 14 years old. Her father Joseph is listed as a “trader, buying stocks” and her mother is listed as Francis. Her siblings in the household were Thomas (age 15 years), John W (age 13 years) and Clifton M (age 4 years). The family also had a boarder named Rosa Kline (age 21 years).

On April 30, 1888 Annie married James Franklin Stalls.

The following year on June 12, 1889 Annie gave birth to her only child, James Paul Stalls, Sr. Sadly, when James Paul Stalls, Sr was 6 months old his father passed away from pneumonia.

No census record for 1890.

About 1892 Annie moved to Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee with her young son and her mother (who had been widowed in 1886). We can track Annie throughout the 1890s through the Memphis City directories:

1894 Polk Directory:

Stalls Annie (wid James F), bds 45 Mosby.

1895 Polk Directory:

Stalls Annie (wid James), res 45 Mosby.

1896 Polk Directory:

Stalls Annie (wid James), res 83 Market.

1897 Degaris Directory:

Stalls Annie (wid James), boardinghouse 59 Poplar.

1898 Degaris Directory:

Stalls Annie (wid J F), res 59 Poplar.

1898 Polk Directory:

Stalls Annie (wid James F), boarding 59 Poplar, res same.

1899 Polk Directory:

Stalls Annie (wid James F), boarding 59 Poplar, res same.

And actually, you can track her throughout the directories in Memphis for quite a while after that. Also to be noted, her mother is listed separately in the directories at the same addresses as Annie.

In 1900 Annie appears on the census in Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee as running a boarding house. She is named as Annie. The only other person in the household is her son listed as James P Stalls (age 10 years). Annie gave her birthdate as February 23, 1868, shaving an entire year off of her age. Also, though not represented on the census, Annie’s mother is living with them. The 1900 Polk Directory has both of them living in the same household.

Annie married Frank A Curtius January 18, 1906.

In 1910 in Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee Annie’s mother is listed as head of household. Her occupation is running a rooming house. Annie’s son, James P Stalls (age 21 years) is listed next. Frank is shown as “Frank A Curtiss” (bookkeeper for the railroad, age 50 years) and Annie is shown as “Mary J Curtiss” (age 44 years). The roomers in the household were: Warren M and Hazel Taylor (ages 27 and 22 years, respectively); Frank L and Sallie J Mitchell (ages 56 and 47 years respectively); Henry Z, Laura S, Charles D and Phil H Lewis (ages 56, 56, 34 and 29 years respectively); and Phil and Ella Thatch (ages 69 and 58 years respectively).

In 1920 the family is still living in Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee, though apparently no longer running a boarding house. Frank is listed as head of household and the family name is spelled “Curtis” Frank is now a manager at an auto company. Annie is listed as Mary (age 52 years). Also living with them, oddly, are Annie’s son and his family: Paul (age 30 years), Minnie (listed as “Mamie”, age 22 years) and Paul Jr (age 2 years 2 months). Annie’s mother is still living with them, listed as Frances Bonderant (age 74 years). What’s odd about Annie’s son living with them is that in the same year he and his wife are listed as living with her parents, but Paul Jr is only on this census record in 1920.

Annie’s mother passed away in 1922. In 1926 Annie’s son divorced his wife and remarried to Evelyn Fitzgerald in 1928.

In 1930 in Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee Annie, now age 61 years (as seen on the census) is living with her husband Frank, now a machinery salesman (age 73 years), her son Paul J Stalls (age 39 years) and his wife Evelyn (age 24 years). Just a side note: this census asked how long a person has been married and at what age was their first marriage. Paul, interestingly enough, must have forgotten about his first marriage that included a son because he has that he had been married for 2 years and he was 37 years old at the time of his first marriage.

There are no other census records (currently) for Annie.

Mary J “Annie” Bondurant passed away on May 16, 1950 in Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee. The cause of death was hypostatic pneumonia due to left hemiplegia-involving speech and mentation, bladder and bowel function, along with senility. Her body was returned to Paducah, Kentucky where she is buried in Oak Grove Cemetery.

Her obituary reads:

MRS. CURTIUS DIES:

SERVICES TODAY

Memphis Resident

For Many Years

Mrs. Annie Bondurant Curtius, Memphis resident most of the time since 1892 and mother of J. Paul S
talls, widely known and talented Memphis musician, died yesterday at St. Joseph’s Hospital after about a year’s illness. She was 83.

Mrs. Curtius was born and educated near Paducah, Ky., and also lived in Obion, Tn., before moving to Memphis. Her husband, Frank Curtius, retired railroad man, died last November.

For a few years, shortly after the turn of the century, Mrs. Curtius lived in Chaffee, Mo., where she helped organize the Chaffee Christian Church but, except for her stay there, she had maintained her residence in Memphis since first coming here in 1892. She was active in Linden Avenue Christian Church until about 20 (23?) years ago. She lived at 202 N. McNeill.

She leaves her son: her grandson J. Paul Stalls Jr, and two great-grandchildren.

Services at 4 p.m. today at National Funeral Home, Dr. Howard T. Wood officiating. Services and burial in Oak Grove Cemetery at Paducah, Ky., at 2 p.m. tomorrow.

Annie’s will named her daughter-in-law Evelyn as executor. She requested that first all funeral expenses and debts be paid. Then $500 was to go to Linden Avenue Christian church. The rest of her estate was to go to her son and her daughter-in-law.

Wordless Wednesday: Unknown

My Breedlove Line

I’m wading my way through the Hope Perry Breedlove book slowly. It has a ton of information and I am trying to make sense of it all (lucky for me Joni Breedlove, who transcribed the book, offered to answer any questions I may have, so I will probably be taking her up on that soon! Thanks, Joni!). I’m going to post what I have found and I will get into the details at a later date. I will take this down as far as Lucy Breedlove, my great-grandmother.

So far I have gone back as far as my 6th great-grandfather, Thomas Breedlove, born roughly about 1730 possibly in Essex County, Virginia. I say “roughly” and “possibly” because the book doesn’t come right out and say it, but it seems that many of the Breedloves in Virginia were, at some point, in Essex County. I haven’t figured out who Thomas’ parents are yet, though I can see in most places people have them listed as Charles Breedlove and Mary Parr. Like I said, though, I haven’t really gotten down and dirty into the Breedlove Genealogy Book yet. Thomas married Sarah Broaddus (Broadus), daughter of Richard Broaddus and Bridget Vaughan. For the record, I can see on Ancestry that they married, however it doesn’t tell me exactly when they married. Thomas and Sarah had the following (known) children: John Breedlove, Charles Breedlove, Thomas Breedlove, Cornelius Breedlove, William Breedlove, Philip Breedlove, Benjamin Breedlove and Madison Breedlove. Thomas Breedlove died about 1795 in, I believe, Albemarle County, Virginia.

To save time I am going to follow my line of Breedloves from here. Mentions of others will be made, however.

My 5th great-grandfather William Breedlove was born about 1762 (according to his marriage record) in Albemarle County, Virginia. William married Mary Watts, daughter of David Watts, Jr and Sarah Unknown. William and Sarah had several children, one of which was my 4th great-grandfather, David Watts Breedlove. William Breedlove died about 1838 in Simpson County, Kentucky.

UPDATE: I believe Sarah Unknown was actually Sarah Eliza Bush. Sarah Eliza Bush was born about 1735, married David Watts and had several children, including a Mary Watts born in 1865-the same year my Mary Watts was born.

David Watts Breedlove was born about 1786 in Albemarle County, Virginia. He married Nancy Breedlove, who I believe was his cousin. David and Nancy had several children including my 3rd great-grandfather, Cornelius Vaughan Breedlove. David Watts Breedlove died about 1836 in Simpson County, Kentucky.

Cornelius Vaughan Breedlove was born in 1812 in North Carolina, according to census records. Cornelius married first Celia Brown on January 31, 1836 in Bowling Green, Warren County, Kentucky. He married second Elizabeth Crissman on August 15, 1845 in Todd County, Kentucky. He had no (known) children with Celia. Cornelius and Elizabeth had the following children: William F Breedlove, Jesse T Breedlove, Henry J Breedlove, Mary A Breedlove, John J Breedlove, Sarah Breedlove, Nancy F Breedlove. Cornelius Vaughan Breedlove died in 1880 in McLean County, Kentucky. (note: I can find the marriage records on Family Search, but not on Ancestry)

My great-great-grandfather John J Breedlove was born in Todd County, Kentucky on August 7, 1848. He married Margaret Stringer *about* 1870. John and Margaret had the following children (possibly more): Mary Jane Breedlove, Ona L Breedlove, William M Breedlove, Lucy Johnson Breedlove and Drusie Breedlove. John J Breedlove died October 12, 1912 in McLean County, Kentucky.

Lucy Johnson Breedlove, my great-grandmother, was born October 13, 1881 in McLean County, Kentucky. She married Martin Riley Vincent on November 10, 1902. Lucy and Martin Riley had the following children: Floella (Ella) Vincent, Edna M Vincent, Lillie Oleta Vincent, Elbert “Shorty” Tracey Vincent, Connie E Vincent, Everett Vincent, Vernie Vincent and Garland Kenneth Vincent (I think I got all of those right!). Lucy Johnson Breedlove died February 14, 1971 in Stewart County, Tennessee.

A story I read somewhere online (which I cannot remember where I read it, or if it was even this family…but it is stuck in my head as a Breedlove story-why oh why didn’t I save it?) was something along these lines: the father had at one point beat his son so severely that the son ran away to Tennessee. Later in life the son was killed when his car hit a tree during a police chase while he was running moonshine. Is that the Breedlove family? I hope someone will come forward and let me know!

I have printed out the Hope Perry Breedlove book so that I can highlight my line and hopefully give more detail. If you are researching the Breedlove family you should really get this manuscript. It is a wealth of information. It was written back about 1965, and an updated version is being written now, but it may take several years before it is finished.

Hopefully if I have something wrong on this someone will let me know!

Portrait of an Unknown Woman

I saw this picture in the antique store down the street from my house the first time I visited about a year and a half ago. And every time I have been in the store since I have been drawn to it. I don’t know why. The picture was tagged at $45, and I knew that I didn’t want to pay that much for it. After thinking about it and finally offering to purchase it if they came down on the price, I was able to walk out the door with it ten dollars cheaper, $35.

When people purchase items to resell from estate sales they usually go for items from which they can make quite a bit money. And when pictures are involved, especially of this size, the person will look at the frame, not the picture. I don’t really care about the frame, I care that someone had decided to sell a portrait of their ancestor rather than keep it in the family. It actually kind of distresses me a bit. Why? Why would someone decide that these portraits are not important enough to keep in the family? Maybe there is no more immediate family, but there is always some blood relative out there somewhere that would love to see pictures of their ancestors.

I don’t know who this woman is. The picture is mounted on an old canvas and it is slowly trying to detach itself. I’m going to try to find a frame to put it in, or build one, in an attempt to save it from further damage.

Mother’s Friend 1938

The October 1938 issue of Woman’s World Magazine, the same issue of the magazine in which I found last week’s ad, is a wealth of interesting ads. This one caught my eye with the “Why fear Childbirth…when you can turn the waiting months into ease and comfort.” Well, if this product is so great maybe every pregnant woman should use it!

According to The Quack Doctor Mother’s Friend has been sold in the US and Canada since around the mid-1880s. In fact, you should go check out that website, because they have all sorts of information on the claims that the manufacturers of this product made including:

Painless Childbirth!

Painless Pregnancy!

Smart Children!

Pretty Children!

No Morning Sickness!

Quick Delivery!

You can still buy Mother’s Friend, though it is now advertised as a stretch mark cream.

The Story of Digging Up Your Family

When I was little I often heard stories of my mother’s ancestors. I knew that some of my granddaddy’s family, my mother’s paternal line, had been prominent members of the City of Memphis, having been involved with the Memphis Police Department and the Memphis Court System (the Richards family). I also knew that in her paternal line was at least one famous person (Jacques-Timothée Boucher, Sieur de Montbrun, aka Timothy Demonbreun). I didn’t know much about my grandmother’s family, my mom’s maternal line.

I also knew nothing about my father’s family. Not one thing.

Back in 2000 I tracked down my father, Roger Dale Ray, after not having any contact with him for roughly 15 years. The phone conversation was short and it basically consisted of me asking about his family and him telling me he knew nothing. He had been adopted young and claimed to not remember anything or know anything (though, I later learned that this was false). Not long after this conversation I moved to Colorado and lost his phone number. After moving back to Georgia I took up my search to find him again, but was never successful. I never spoke to him again. In late 2009 I learned that he had passed away on June 23, 2007 in Knoxville, Tennessee. I never realized how close I lived to him.

Last year, in 2010, NBC aired the show Who Do You Think You Are? It sparked an interest and I began my search for my father’s family again. I called my mom and she knew a few tidbits of his birth family. She knew that my father’s birth name was Robert Jewell Vincent and that he had been born in Madisonville, Kentucky. She knew he had a brother named Bobby Joe and another brother (who, incidentally, she had actually met once when her and my father went to Madisonville and just happened to run into him walking along the sidewalk). She also knew that there were several boys adopted out and that the Rays, the family that adopted my father, had initially wanted to adopt the baby girl, but the family had said no, that she wasn’t up for adoption, only the boys. That was pretty much it. So I Googled “Bobby Joe Vincent” and immediately, sadly, found his obituary. I had missed out on talking to him by just a few weeks. I decided to go ahead and find a phone number for him. I called and spoke with his wife who put me in contact with his sister, the baby girl that the Rays wanted to adopt. When she called me I was pretty excited. She was able to tell me a little bit, but I hadn’t really planned out what to ask (since I did all of this on a whim). She told me a few things, like the other siblings that had been adopted and a few things about her family. I was able to find the other brother that my mom had mentioned, but I have yet to speak with him other than emails.

In January of this year (2011) I had my son. I’m not sure what it was, but it suddenly became very important to find out more about my father’s family. I grew up knowing nothing and I didn’t want my son to experience that. When I saw an advertisement on TV for a free trial to Ancestry, I signed up. I didn’t quite know how to use it and was disappointed when I couldn’t find anything right off. I gave up on it, thinking I would probably never find anything. I couldn’t shake the feeling, though, that I needed to keep looking. So I looked at Ancestry again and discovered that if I start a tree then it is much easier to find the information. Using my husband’s credit card I signed up for the free trial again. This time I started a tree. Using the information I had from my mother regarding my father’s family, and using the information I had from Bobby Joe’s obituary, I started searching. Bobby Joe’s obituary had listed his parents as “Albert Tracey and Mildred (Rose) Vincent” of Madisonville, Kentucky. Well, I couldn’t find an Albert and Mildred Vincent anywhere. I sent an email to the sister asking if I had the names correct. She replied that her mother’s name was Louise M Rose Vincent and she only knew her father as “Shorty”. Well, that cleared it up. I had seen several member tree’s that had an Elbert Tracey “Shorty” Vincent. I chose two of those trees and sent messages to the owners asking if their Elbert was my Albert.

It was.

I suddenly had aunts, uncles and cousins that were as excited to know about me as I was to know about them. I finally had a link to a whole slew of people that could tell me about the Vincent family, good and bad. I finally had something I could tell my kid so he would never wonder the way I have.

Louise still remains somewhat of a mystery, though I have recently been in contact with her niece and her family. I can’t wait to learn more about her!

Through the use of Ancestry, along with Family Search, GenForum and Rootsweb, along with various other sites scattered about the internet, I have also found more about my mother’s lines and I have worked hard on clearing up some mysteries on both her maternal and paternal sides.

Since starting my genealogy research I have learned some pretty interesting lessons:

Just because people claim to have the information you are looking for doesn’t mean that they do. There are people out there that will make stuff up in their heads and pass it off as fact.

Just because you are researching the same family lines as someone else does not mean that they will be helpful or forthcoming with information. I have encountered many people who seem to want to keep everything to themselves, though I am not sure why. I have a feeling it may have something to do with ego, but I have been wrong before.

Research and citations are your friend. The deeper you can get into research, the better. Just make sure to have the proof of what you present because there are people out there who will challenge you.

If someone does challenge you, and they can show that you are mistaken, be gracious. I recently had an email encounter concerning a death record. When I contacted a distant cousin to let her know what I discovered she responded with (what seemed to me) a hateful email (though it is hard to read inflection), disgusted that the informant of the death certificate and that county allowed it, adamant that it was incorrect and offering proof that it is wrong (which I still have not received). In this particular case it seems to me that it was hard for her to accept the fact that not everyone in the bloodlines was “moral”. Unfortunately, sometimes digging will just bring up some less than appealing information.

Receiving information will take longer than you expect. When you send away for vital records it may take a long, long time for you to get them. Unless you are dealing with Mississippi, in which case it’s about a 4 day turnaround.

If you end up testing your DNA in hopes of filling in some blanks, do not expect everyone you match up with to respond to you. Really. I was pretty surprised at how many people offered up their contact information on Family Tree DNA and GEDMatch that I share a very significant portion of DNA with that haven’t responded to my emails or they have responded, but have no interest in comparing trees to see if more information could be found. I mean, why did you agree to have your contact information viewable by matches if you didn’t want to be contacted? I, myself, have only been contacted by two people so far, though I share large clumps of DNA with several people…enough DNA that GEDMatch and Family Tree DNA estimate the relationship as 2nd cousins (in which case I am VERY interested in having contact with these people and seeing how on earth I am matching up with so many in Texas and California that closely in relationship estimates).

My research experiences led to Digging Up Your Family. Having been a blogger for many years now, with both my personal blog and an art blog (the latter which has suffered greatly as a result of genealogy taking up a lot of my free time), it just seemed natural for me to start a genealogy blog. I wanted to put the information that I found out into the internet world, in hope that people who may be researching could easily find it. I also have hope that if I am wrong on something then someone will step forward and help correct it. I am also hopeful that people are willing to contact me with stories.

Though most every person I write about is directly related to me, I am willing to put information out about other’s families, also. I think it is very important for people to have the ability to easily find their ancestors and the stories about them. I have noticed that just tracking people and dates seems to be all some people care about, but to me the stories of our ancestors sometimes end up helping to weaving our stories, also.

I know the research into my family will continue for a long, long time. It seems as though I discover more intriguing stories concerning ancestors we previously knew nothing about nearly every week. The research is slow going, but it sure is fun!

McQueen Divorce: Part Seven-Conclusion

Ah, the exciting conclusion of the McQueen Divorce! Guess what happened? The divorce was granted! I am left with a couple of questions, though: who was Thomas Lewis that gave evidence in court and why is his statement not in with the rest of this? And what was the name of the Judge? I cannot make out his last name and I cannot find anyone in the area that matches his name at all.

You might think that the story is over, but you’re wrong. There is so much I have found out about Peter McQueen. You think he’s a jerk now? Just wait. I will be getting back to him soon.

As usual, the paper is transcribed exactly as it was found. Enjoy!

The State of Mississippi

Lauderdale County

Circuit Court

May Term 1839

Elizabeth McQueen

Peter McQueen

Bill for Divorce In Chancery

The Complaintants Bill having been been previously set for final hearing and notice having been previously give by publication in the Eastern Clarion a News Paper published in the Town of Paulding, County of Jasper State of Mississippi agreeably to the previous order of this Court and as the law requires-requiring said defendant to appear and and answer said Bill of Complaint on before the nineteenth day of November A.D. 1838, at which time the said notices specified, the said Bill would be set for final hearing and a decree made thereon, and it appearing to the said Court now here said defendant that said defendant hath failed to file his answer to said Bill of Complaint and the said Court being fully satisfied by the Testimony of Thomas P.C. Lott, taken in pursuance of the previous order of this Court-as well as by the evidence of Thomas Lewis in Open Court that the material allegations of said Bill are true. It was ordered adjudged and decreed by the said Court that the said Elizabeth McQueen be and she is hereby divorced from The Bonds of Matrimony heretofore existing between her the said Elizabeth and the said Peter McQueen-the said Court further decrees that the said Elizabeth shall have the custody and education of her youngest daughter mentioned in her said Bill to wit: Caroline said to be about 13 years of age-

And the said Court further decrees to the said Elizabeth as her alimony all the property now in possession which the said Peter McQueen did or could have right-as well as all that part of her father’s estate to which she as his heir is or may be entitled.

Given under my hand and seal

Henry M*ger (seal)

Judge fifth judicial Dist. Misp.

exercising Chancery Jurisdiction

No. 3-

Elizabeth McQueen

Peter McQueen

In Chancery

Decree for divorce

McQueen Divorce: Part Six

Yay! Part Six of the McQueen is divorce is the answers to the examination questions. Just in case you forgot what the questions were, you can click here and go read them. Go ahead, I will wait…

I promise this divorce is almost over. It’s beginning to seem like a real divorce, huh?

So what we learn in these papers is that for some reason Robert w Lott was not involved in the examination. Why? I want to know. We also learn that Thomas PC Lott may not have known the McQueen family very well, since he can’t really say to much about them other than Peter McQueen deserted his wife and took the two slaves. We also learn that the examiner, Samuel B Boyd, had the most awesome of all seals.

The papers, once again, have been transcribed exactly. Enjoy!

The State of Alabama

Sumter County

In obedience to the annexed writ or Dedimus issued from the Circuit Court of Lauderdale County in the State of Mississippi. I Samuel B. Boyd, the Commissioner named in said Dedimus have this 4^th day of April 1839 caused the said Robert W. Lott and Thomas P. C. Lott to appear beforeme and t he being first duly sworn have examined t him on oath touching the said Interrogatories annexed to said Commission in a case pending in said Court of Lauderdale County wherein Elizabeth McQueen is complainant and Peter McQueen is defendant and have reduced t his testimony to writing which is as follows to wit;

Thomas P.C. Lott answers-answer to Interrogatory 1^st I know them both

Answer to 2^nd Intgy. I can’t say that they were married legally. I don’t know

They lived together as man wife and acknowledged each other as such

Answer to 3^rd Inty. They did

Answer to 4^th Intgy. Yes they were

Intgy. 5^th Answer to I know they had two children and think they had three

Ans. To Intgy 6^th Peter McQueen left his wife and children 12 or 15 years ago and I believe he has not since returned since to live with her

Ans. To Intgy 7^th He left her almost pennyless. He carried off a couple of of negroes given her by her father.

Answer to Intgy 8^th I do not know

Ans. To Ingy 9^th She has lived a part of her time in Alabama and a part of her time in Mississippi

Ans. To Ingy 10^th Probably she has I can’t say certainly

Ans. To Ingy 11^th Yes he has

Ans. To Intgy 12^th As I stated before he took two negroes with him. I don’t know of anything more that would benefit Complaintant.

TPC Lott

Given under my hand and seal

the day and year above written

Samuel B. Boyd (seal)

Commissioner

Elizabeth McQueen

Peter McQueen

Deposition

Opened in pursuance

of an order of court

in open court this 25^th

May 1839

James Keeton Clerk

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