Monthly Archives: March 2014

Three Ancestors Ago–Dillard Jones (52 Ancestors)

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This post is a part of 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks challenge by Amy Johnson Crow at www.nostorytoosmall.com.

Dillard is husband’s direct ancestor.  First, the facts:

  • Born 1884
  • Died after 1942
  • Parents:  Fillmore Jones and Lucy T. Mitchell
  • Married Mary Wells then Reba Matherly
  • My husband is descended from him, Dillard, through
  • his son, John Robertson Jones
  • his son

I really don’t know a lot about Dillard other than what shows up in a few historical records.  Dillard was born about 1884 in Pittsylvania County, Virginia to Fillmore and Lucy T. Mitchell Jones.

In 1904, he married Mary Wells and widowed in 1917.  They had three children; Martha, John, and Annie.  Minnie died at about 12-13 years of age.  Mary died at age 37.  Both Mary and Minnie(as well as second wife Reba) are buried in the Matthew Wells Family Cemetery in Pittsylvania County, Virginia.

On September 12, 1918, he filled out his WWI registration card.  Dillard Jones is a short stout, blue eyed, light haired fellow working for Jack Slaydan? in Callands, Virginia.  His nearest relative is Minnie Jones.  He’s not able to sign his name, instead simply leaving his mark.

In 1920, Dillard is living in Pittsylvania County with wife Reba (age 14) and children John and Annie.  His second, very young wife, is only a few years older than his son.  They’re renting in Fransisco Buckingham County, Virginia and he’s a laborer on a general farm.

In 1930, he’s living in Southside, Appomattox County, Virginia with with Reba and eight children, 4 sons and 4 daughters.  John and Annie are listed at the end of the list, instead of being in order by age.  They’re renting a place on William Marshall Road and he’s a farm laborer on a farm.

In 1940, he’s living in the Dan River District in Pittsylvania County, Virginia.  He’s listed as a widower lodger living with Jessie Gosney.  He’s a farmer.

The last evidence I have on Dillard Jones is in 1942 on his WWII registration card.  His nearest relative is Annie Jones of RFD 5, Danville Virginia.  He lives on RFD 5, near Mt. Olivet Church.  He works for Mr. BM Williams at Marshall Terrace in Danville.  By this time, he has at least learned to sign his name.  This card says he has no middle name.

I don’t know what happened to Dillard Jones after this.  I have a couple of pictures I think are of him beyond the one of him, Reba, and seven little children.  I have yet to find where those seven children went after Reba died.  Some were clearly too young to be on their own.  I wonder why they weren’t with him.

I wonder if he’s buried in the same cemetery as his two wives and oldest daughter.  The cemetery which was his first wife’s family cemetery.

Sources:

  • Jones, Dillard.  US Federal Census, 1910, 1920, 1930, 1940
  • Jones, Dillard.  WWI Draft Registration Card
  • Jones, Dillard.  WWII Draft Registration Card
Dillard Jones Family

Dillard Jones Family

 

Three Ancestors Ago–Reba Matherly Jones (52 Ancestors)

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This post is a part of 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks challenge by Amy Johnson Crow at www.nostorytoosmall.com.

Reba isn’t my husband’s direct ancestor.  She was his great-grandfather’s, Dillard, second wife.  But there’s something tragic about her.  First, the facts:

  • Born 1905
  • Died 1935
  • I think her parents are Christopher Jack and Florense Matherly
  • My husband is descended from her husband, Dillard, through
  • his son, John Robertson Jones
  • his son

She was right at the same age as Dillard’s prior children.  My husband’s grandfather was only a couple of years older than her.  She was very young when she married Dillard.  In 1910, she’s living with Chris and Florense Matherly.  In 1920, she’s 14, living with, and married to Dillard Jones.  By 1930, she and Dillard have six children.  She’s 24.

By 1935, she’s dead.  You can see a picture of her tombstone here.  I have a photo somewhere.  I’ll add it when I find it.

 

edited to add:  Found the picture.  Reba Matherly Jones with husband Dillard and seven children.   Wow.  I think this is not too long before she died as there are three boys and three girls standing.  This fits the 1930 census.  One more child after 1930 who seems to be about a year old or less.  I wonder if she was pregnant with an 8th child and died due to complications.  Now to find out where all the children went!

Dillard Jones Family

Dillard Jones Family

The A to Z Challenge Reveal

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A-to-Z-Challenge-theme-reveal

I don’t think it’s any surprise, but the theme for this challenge shall be….

Genealogy!  

Thanks to Vidya Sury for hosting this challenge.

Wordless Wednesday

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I find this very sad.  I think this is my great-uncle Paul Morris based on the other pictures I found this one with.

Paul Morris? 1905

Paul Morris? 1905

Five Ancestors Ago–Nancy McSwain Allen (52 Ancestors)

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This post is a part of 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks challenge by Amy Johnson Crow at www.nostorytoosmall.com.

Nancy McSwain Allen was my 3rd great grandmother via

  • her son David Jones Allen
  • his daughter Virginia Allen Smith
  • her son
  • his daughter

According to her gravestone, she was born August 22, 1828 and died May 10, 1806.  The year of her birth was fairly close to what was reported on each census I’ve seen.

I’ve found a Nancy McSwain (age 21) living with Sarah McSwain (age 36) and Thomas McSwain (age 1) in Centre, Stanly County, NC.  This could be my Nancy living with a sister or sister-in-law.

Nancy and William were married with two children by 1860.  My mother’s notes indicate 1852 but I haven’t found anything to correlate that yet.

I don’t know a lot about Nancy other than she lost her husband during the Civil War and was left with two small children to raise on her own.  In 1880 she and son, David, are living in Stanly County.  In 1900, she is living with son David and his family, again in Stanly County, NC.

Her will leaves all property to her son and names him as executor.  It does not mention her daughter Sarah nor any children of Sarah.

According to my mother’s notes, her parents were Charles and Lurana Washburn McSwain perhaps of Rutherford County, NC.  However, I haven’t found the proof of this as of yet, either.

 

Sources:

  • Allen, Nancy.  US Federal Census.  1880 & 1900.
  • McSwain, Nancy.  US Federal Census.  1850.
  • Stanly County Wills.

Amanuensis Monday

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From GeneaBloggers:

Amanuensis Monday is a daily blogging prompt used by many genealogy bloggers to help them post content on their sites.

An Amanuensis is a person employed to write what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another. Amanuensis Monday is a daily blogging theme which encourages the family historian to transcribe family letters, journals, audiotapes, and other historical artifacts. Not only do the documents contain genealogical information, the words breathe life into kin – some we never met – others we see a time in their life before we knew them. A fuller explanation can be found here.

Amanuensis Monday is a popular ongoing series created by John Newmark at Transylvanian Dutch.

Today, I’m transcribing the will of Nancy McSwain, my 3rd great-grandmother via:

  • her son, David Jones Allen
  • his daughter, Virginia Allen Smith
  • her son
  • his daughter
Nancy McSwain Allen Will

Page 1

Nancy McSwain Allen Will page 2

page 2

State of North Carolina

Stanly County

I, Nancy Allen of the aforesaid County and state, being of sound mind, but considering the uncertainty of my earthly existence to make and declare this my last will and testament.

  1.  My executor hereinafter named shall give my body a decent burial, suitable to the wishes of my friends and relatives and pay all funeral expenses, together with all my just debts out of the money which may come into his hands belonging to my estate.
  2. I give and devise to my son David Jones Allen the track of land on which we now live containing 157 ½ acres more or less to have and to hold.
  3. I hereby constitute and appoint my son David J Allen my lawful executor to all intents and purposes to execute this my last will and testament according to the true intent and meaning of the same and every art and clause thereof hereby revoking and declaring utterly and all other wills and testaments by me heretofore made.

In witness whereof, I, the said Nancy Allen do hereunto set my hand and

[page 2]  seal, this 10th day of May 1899.

Nancy X her mark Allen (seal)

Signed and sealed and published and declared by the said Nancy Allen to be her last will and testament in the present of me, who at her request and in her presence do subscribe our names as witnesses thereto.

Witnesses:  TP Snuggs, Mary A Snuggs

Funeral Card Friday

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My great-grandmother.Annie Cranford Morris Obituary Card

Wordless Wednesday

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Macedonia UMC, circa late 1950s

Macedonia UMC, circa late 1950s

Three Ancestors Ago–John Ed Robertson (52 Ancestors)

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This post is a part of 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks challenge by Amy Johnson Crow at www.nostorytoosmall.com.

I chose John Ed today because it’s the anniversary of the Spanish Flu epidemic.  Whenever I think of a flu epidemic, I think of John Ed.  Our families were lucky in that we didn’t have a lot of deaths caused by the flu, at least not during the epidemic years.  John Ed Robertson isn’t exactly my husband’s ancestor.  He was married to my husband’s great-grandmother.  Mary Thomas was my husband’s great-grandmother via:

  • her daughter, Ruby Robertson
  • her daughter

John Ed was born June 19, 1888 in Pulaski County, Virginia.  The best I can tell, he lived all of his years in Pulaski county.  He was 30 when he died.  According to my mother-in-law, it was the flu that brought his demise.

According to his WWI draft record, as of June 5, 1917, he worked for H.W. Bird as a farm laborer.  He was tall, with a medium build, with brown hair and blue eyes.  Also, according to the draft record, he was born on June 19, 1888.

Interestingly enough, his tombstone lists he was born in 1885 and died in 1919 but he appears on the 1920 census as a 34-year-old farm laborer.

Did someone put the tombstone up later?  Someone whose memory was perhaps off a year?  I haven’t been successful in finding any more information about John Ed.

John and Mary had no children together in the few years they were married.  They were married some time after 1920, if census data is to be believed.

Sources:

  • Robertson, John E.  US Federal Census, 1900, 1910, 1920
  • Personal Stories
  • Robertson, John E.  World War I Draft Registration Card

Daylight Savings Time

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Uncle Joe Harris, 1983

Uncle Joe Harris, 1983