Ham Crawford Connection

A few weeks ago, the following comment was posted on my ‘About’ page.

Hello, I’m a descendant of Joseph B. Ham and Dolly Crawford of Madison County KY. Married in 1795. I am at a brick wall trying to find Dolly’s ancestry. All I have is that she listed her mother as Molly on the marriage record. I can’t find any Molly in Madison County KY at this time. Only the Mary that you write of who based on her marriage and timeline seems to be too young. Any help is appreciated.

I do have Dolly Crawford and Joseph Ham in my database. According to the book, Madison County Kentucky Marriage Records Vol. 1 1786-1822 by Bill and Kathy Vockery, they were married in Madison County in 1795.

Since I don’t have any other information on this couple, I decided to see what tax records for Madison County might reveal. Since I’ve already used these records for my CRAWFORD research, I was primarily looking for the HAM surname. However, when I found Joseph Ham, I also located known Crawford family members and associates in that year’s tax record.

Madison County Kentucky
Tax Books, 1787-1874

Tax Books, 1787-1797, 1799-1807
FamilySearch Film 8126 DGS 7834478

1787
Image 15 – ‘H’
Nil Ham

Image 30
Nil Ham

Image 40 – ‘H’
Ham Wm Wm Ham – 0 – 1 – 0 – 6 – 18

Image 55 0 1788

Image 65 – ‘H

Image 73 – 1789

Image 77
Ham William 1-1-? – 11 – left at 10/

Image 82 – ‘H’
NIL

Image 90
Mary Crawford
No Ham

Image 99 – 1790

Image 103 – ‘H’
Nil Ham

Image 111 – 1791
Image 115 – ‘H’
Ham, William – 1white- 1 Black > 16- “ – 5 horses – Stud 15
Image 124 – ‘H’
NIL – Ham

Image 129 – 1792
Image 134 – ‘H’
Hamm Drury – 1 – blank – blank – blank – 6 – 6
Image 141 – ‘H’
NIL Ham
Image 150 – ‘H’
Ham, William – 2 (or possibly 7) white > 21- dash white above 16 – 3 total blacks – 2 blacks > 16 -7 horses – 30 cattle- – – 100 Acres of Land- 1 stud – 6 rate

Image 157 – 1793
Image 163 – ‘H’
Ham Wm – 1 – dash – 4 – 2 – 8 – 31 – 100

Image 170 – 1794
Image 176 – ‘H – faded
William Ham may be on this page
May be another Ham toward bottom of page – can’t decipher first name
Image 187 – ‘H’ starts
Image 198 – ‘H’
NIL Ham

Image 206 – 1795
Image 214 – ‘H’
Nil Ham
Image 227 – H
Ham William Madison County Silver Cr 100 acres
Do do do 150 acres
Do Mason Lee Cr 1400
Image 239 – H
Image 259 – H
Ham William – 1 white over 21 – . – 5 total blacks – 3 blacks under 16 – 5 [H H) Colts & Mulres – 33 Cattle
Ham Drury – 1 white over 21 – . White over 16 under 21 – 1 total blacks – 1 blacks under 16 – 5 [H H] Colts & Mules – 8 Cattle

Image 266 – 1796
Image 271 – Edward Crawford
Image 277 – H
Ham Joseph – 1 male over 21 – 2 horses – 2 cattle (no land listed)
Ham Drury 116 – Paint Lick Madison from Elijah Kritly 1white >21 -. Above 16 under 21 – . Black above 16- 1 total blacks – 5 horses mares – 5 cattle
Image 278
Ham William – 300 acres – Silver C – Madin – G Clay & Hancock -1 white male > 21- . white males > 16 – 2 blacks > 16 – 5 total blacks – 5 horses – 33 cattle
Image 310 – H
Image 333 – Crawfords (James, William and sons) — NO Rebecca or Mary Crawford
Image 334 – Duggins / Dooley
Image 337 – H
Image 340 – Alexander Moore (Mary Crawford’s husband)

Image 353 – 1797
Image 360 – H
Image 382 – H
Image 406
Crawford Edwd
Image 410 – H
Image 412
Ham Drury – 116 acres Paint L Madn C Elijah Kurtley – 1 male > 21 – 1 total black – 6 horses
Ham William – 450 acres – Silver C Madn C – Green C Hancock – 1 male > 21, 1 male 16-21, 1 black > 16, 4 total blacks – 7 horses
Do – 700 acres – Lees Creek – Mason C – Wm Tomlin

Even though tax records do not prove relationship, they can provide some clues.

• William Ham is the first Ham family member shown on the tax list
• William Ham owned at least two parcels of land: one on Silver Creek in Madison County and one on Lees Creek in Mason County
• Drury Ham appeared on the tax list in 1792 with no land suggesting a possible relationship between William Ham and Drury Ham
• Joseph Ham appeared on the tax list in 1796 in the same assessment district as Drury Ham and William Ham also suggesting a relationship between Joseph Ham and William Ham
• In 1796, the three Ham households were not in the same assessment district as the Crawford families I’ve been researching suggesting that these two family groups did not live near each other. [My Crawford research involves William Crawford, James Crawford (wife Rebecca Anderson), James Crawford (wife Martha Knight), James Crawford (wife Sally Duggins), Mary Crawford (husband James Sellers), Sally Crawford (husband William Sellers), widow Mary Crawford and widow Rebekah Crawford.]
• There is an Edward Crawford in the same assessment district as the HAM families. [I don’t know much about this Crawford family.]

So, back to the question. Could Dolly Crawford be the daughter of Mary Crawford? Could Dolly Crawford be a sibling to my James Crawford? Yes, that is possible, but I will have to do more digging to find a connection between the two families.

Could Dolly Crawford be a sibling of the James Crawford who married Martha Knight. This is very doubtful. James and Martha were married in Lincoln County. James’ suspected siblings, Mary and Sally, were also married in Lincoln County.

Could Dolly Crawford be a daughter of James and Rebecca (Anderson) Crawford. Again this is doubtful. None of my research of this family has any records connecting the Crawford and Ham families.

Could Dolly Crawford be a daughter of William and Elizabeth Crawford. This is possible but doubtful.

Based on the tax records, I would look for a connection between Dolly Crawford and the Edward Crawford on the 1796 tax list.

Curious as to what others have concluded about Dolly Crawford, I looked at trees on Ancestry and FamilySearch. The FamilySearch tree has a Dolly Crawford [LLHZ-852] married to Joseph Ham [M76X-C5Z]. Dolly is shown as the daughter of Alexander Crawford and Molly Burris. However, there are no sources attached to Dolly, Alexander or Molly. Ancestry has over 200 trees for Dolly Crawford and Joseph Ham. I have not looked at all of them, but I looked at several that indicated they had multiple sources attached to Dolly. Those ‘multiple sources’ turned out to be multiple other Ancestry trees.

Thus, more information (documentation) is needed for the Joseph Ham family. To attack this problem, I would

• Thoroughly research all of their children.
• Locate land records for William and Drury Ham to see if they provide a clue to family relationships.
• Identify locations where Joseph Ham resided.
• Locate land records for Joseph Ham.
• Search for county histories or family genealogies that have information on the Ham family.
• Keep an open mind. The trees may all be wrong.

Boot Hill

Dodge City

“Cowboy Capital of the World”

“Queen of the Cowtowns”

For anyone interested in cowboys or the old west cattle drives a trip to the Boot Hill Museum in Dodge City, Kansas is a ‘must see’ destination. Housed in a replica of ‘Front Street’, Boot Hill offers a combination of history and entertainment, complete with gunfights and shows at the Long Branch Saloon.

As a genealogist, Boot Hill has proven to be a source of information about my family. As a child, I remember a photograph or postcard that was on display in the building at the top of the hill. This photo was taken of early Dodge City from the Boot Hill area looking toward downtown. My memory says that the house my grandparents lived in was in that photo. Later, while touring the displays housed in the ‘Front Street’ buildings I discovered a minute book for the Ford County Agricultural Society that just happened to be opened to a page mentioning my great great grandfather, Richmond Fisk Hammond.

On a trip to Dodge to visit my grandmother, she encouraged me to visit Boot Hill to see if they had any photographs. Thinking I might find the photo from my childhood memory, I went. Even though I didn’t locate that photo, I did come away with a marvelous find: the only known photo of my great great grandfather, Washington Marion Crawford.

In addition to obtaining his picture, I found a group picture that included my great grandfather, Judson Crawford and another group picture containing Judson’s brother, Nelson Crawford.

If you want to find an unusual source for genealogical information, it would be Boot Hill for me. I never imagined that I would find these photos at Boot Hill. I am thankful that they are preserving the early history of Dodge City.

Throwback Thursday

More pictures of my grandfather and family friends in Dodge City. I’m guessing these were taken in the 1930s, possibly between 1933 and 1935.

Friends

Pinochle Gang

Facebook Memories

Does your hometown have a Facebook group for sharing memories? One of my favorite groups is ‘Growing Up in Dodge City’. The posts cover a wide range of topics from cowboy history to high school memories. Even though I moved away while in junior high, I have had extended family living in Dodge City until the present.

I often share stories and photos with this Facebook group. In late January, I shared a picture of my grandmother and a group of other Dodge City women who were members of the ‘Old Timers’ Club.

Top Row: ? – Winnie Crawford – ? – Elna Paulon – Lena Tucker – Bertie Bro / 2nd Row: Ida Tester Sister – ? – Dora Jones – De Ette Zimmer – Florence Sullivan / 3rd row: Nina Dellar – Edna Williams – Ida Olive – Ethel Moody – Gertie Falkner – Cora Wood & L.R.

I expected discussion about the other women in the photo. However, I did not expect the personal comments from my second cousins.

I am so thankful to have these memories!

Throwback Thursday

Today, I am pulling pictures of my dad and grandparents from my Dodge City collection of photos.

Winnie and Leon Crawford

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  Eugene Crawford and his little brother, LR

Golden Anniversary

As we have recently celebrated Valentine’s Day, I thought I’d reshare one of the poems my great-grandmother, Josie Winifred Hammond wrote, titled “Our Golden Wedding.”

Fifty years, ’tis a long look back
To that far off winter day,
When we started out, just a pair of kids.
Together to tread life’s way
There were no airplanes or radios then
Automobiles were unheard of too
There wasn’t a telephone in the town
And electric lights were few.
When we started housekeeping by ourselves
There wasn’t much work to do,
For the house we had was very small,
And the table was set for two.
Then the babies started coming along,
And we worked early and late,
By the time we moved into a home we owned
The table was set for eight.
Then another girl happened along
But before she had a place of her own,
The oldest girl and the man of her choice
Had started another home.
Then two boys went away to war
And things were in an awful fix.
We worked for the Red Cross and sold liberty bonds
And the table was set for six.
Then the boys came home, but soon Cupid’s darts
Drove a boy and a girl from the hive.
And death’s cold hand took another boy
And the table was set for five.
Then a boy and a girl went away to school
A teacher and a nurse to be.
And now the table looks awfully small,
When its only set for three
The boy at school found a wee small girl
That he just must have for a wife
But the nurse still seems content
To live a single life.
Then the youngest girl met a farmer
And married as most girls do.
And we’re right back where we started from
And the table is set for two.
But as the years have come and gone.
And good times or hard times we’d see
I’ve never grown tired of seeing
That same face across the table from me.

Josie kept a ledger containing poems and other writings about her family and her life in Dodge City, Kansas. Josie’s ledger was transcribed and shared via the Kansas Collection.

Valentine’s Love

It’s Saturday and time again for Saturday Night Genealogy Fun! It is also the day before Valentine’s day and there is a ‘Valentine’s Day Challenge’ going around Facebook.

Mike and I met while attending Kansas State Teachers College in Emporia, Kansas. I’m not sure when we first met. It was sometime during our sophomore year when we were both chemistry lab assistants and also in a class together. We became engaged on Valentine’s Day during our junior year and were married after graduation. We will be celebrating our 48th year of marriage this May.

So here’s our Valentine’s Day Challenge story

How’d we meet? chemistry class in college
First Date? I don’t remember
How long have you been together? Engaged February 1973
Married? Yes – 47 years this May
Age Difference? 5 months
Who was interested first? Not sure
Who said ‘I Love you’ first? probably him
Most impatient? likely me
Most sensitive? not sure
Loudest? him
Most stubborn? likely equally stubborn in our own ways
Falls asleep first? Me
Cooks better? Both
Better morning person? Me
Better driver? Me of course (he is a good driver)
Most competitive? Neither
Who is the funniest? him
Who is more social? neither very social
Who is the neat freak? neither
Where was your first kiss? parents’ front porch
How long did it take to get serious? don’t remember
Plans date night? neither
Who picks where you go to dinner? Usually mutual discussion
Who is the first one to admit when they’re wrong? Usually both admit errors
Who wears pants in relationship?
Who has more tattoos? Neither of us has a tattoo
Who sings better? not sure
Hogs the remote the most? Me — early in the evening
Spends the most? Me
Did you go to the same school? No – until college
Who drives when you are driving together? Share driving
Where is the farthest you have traveled together? West coast

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Throwback Thursday

Each Thursday, I am trying to share some of the family pictures that have been passed down to me by my grandmothers. Today’s set of pictures comes from my Dodge City collection.

According to the description on the back, a couple of these pictures were taken at the ‘Airport Restaurant’. This was one of my grandmother’s favorite restaurants. It was a small cafe with about 5 booths and a small counter. Several of the booths overlooked the runway. Thus, we would sit in a booth, eating traditional American food, as we watched the activity around the hangars and runway.

The pictures are from a celebration of Alma Currey Taylor Grenier’s 75th birthday in 1987. Included in the pictures are Alma’s husband, Nap; Alma’s sister and my grandmother, Winnie Currey Crawford; and Winnie’s sister-in-law, Esther Crawford Noll.

Esther Noll, Winnie Crawford, Alma Grenier

Alma Grenier, Esther Noll, Winnie Crawford

Esther Noll, Winnie Crawford, Nap Grenier

Winnie Currey Crawford and her sister, Alma Currey Taylor Grenier

Bored

Do you ever get bored and unable to focus on your genealogy research? With area research libraries limiting access and a personal decision to try and stay home until vaccinated, boredom is starting to affect my ability to focus my research.

So today, I’m taking a detour and working the light bulbs on my RootsMagic 7 pedigree that connect to Ancestry hints. Most of those light bulbs were to marriage announcements in Kansas newspapers – which I had already found.

However, one of those light bulbs took me to an obituary in a newspaper that I would have never looked in. The obituary titled, “Died,” was published in the Western Veteran in Topeka, Kansas. The text of the obituary contains information found in other sources for my great great grandfather, Washington Marion Crawford who died in Dodge City, Kansas.

Died — W. Mari n Crawford. He has been called by the reveil’e on the other shore and is enrolled with the silent majority. Like the true soldier he was ready at any time, and when the order came for his transfer, though the warning was short it found him ready. He was born in Warren county, Indiana, April 21, 1838, where he passed the greater portion of his life. He enlisted August 27, 1861, in Co. H 2d New York Cavalry, better known as the “Harris Light Horse.” He was captured September 22, ’63, and for nearly fifteen months he suffered all the cruelties and privations of Belle Isle, Andersonville, Florence and other prisons of the South, was paroled December 13, ’64 reaching home and friends on the last day of that year, a mere wreck of his former self, from which he never recovered. He was converted to Christianity while a prisoner, and ever after lived a consistent Christian life. He was especially interested in the welfare and comfort of his late comrades. He had a cheerful and kind word for every one. His last act was to respond cheerfully and promptly to a call to take charge of old Fort Dodge which is being fitted for a Soldier’s home. He was a member of Lewis Post No. 294 and had been an officer of the post. He died suddenly August 23, 1889, of heart disease, resulting from disabilities contracted while a prisoner of war. It was his request to be buried by his comrades which request was fulfilled, with ex-Andersonville prisoners as pall-bearers. His remains were laid to rest in the beautiful G.A.R. cemetery of Lewis post near Dodge City.

“Died,” Western Veteran (Topeka, KS), 4 September 1889, page 8; digital image, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : viewed online 26 January 2021).

Homestead

Do you have farmers in your tree? Do you know where the family homestead is (was) located? Since I have a rich Kansas heritage, there are two definitions for homestead:

• a house, particularly a farmhouse and outbuildings
• an area of public land in the west (i.e. Kansas) usually comprising 160 acres that was granted to any U.S. citizen willing to settle the land and farm it for at least five years.

My great great grandfather, Washington Marion Crawford was a homesteader — and the only ancestor for whom I’ve obtained a homestead record. To put this land on a map, I use the web site First Landowners Project at HistoryGeo ($).

Washington Crawford’s land is in the lower left of the above map. Toward the top of the map is land his brother, James H. Crawford owned. The two pieces of land just south of Dodge City were homesteaded by his nephew and his daughter. The purple dot on the map identifies the location of the land Richmond Hammond homesteaded. Richmond’s daughter, Josie, would later marry Judson, son of Washington Crawford.

Zooming in on the map, the original neighbors of Washington Marion Crawford can be identified.

In March of 1885, Washington M. Crawford paid $2 to register his claim at the Garden City Land Office.

Land Office at Garden City, Kansas
Mar 31 1885
Mr. Washington M. Crawford has this day paid Two dollars, the Reiger’s and Receiver’s fees to file a Declaratory Statement, the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged.
A J Hoisington, Receiver
No. 125
Mr. Washington M. Crawford having paid the fees, has this day filed in this Office his Declaratory Statement, No. 125 for SE 1/4 section 31 township 28S of Range 26 W containing 160 acres selected March 31, 1885 being [?] offered.

In July 1889, Washington M. Crawford filed his “Testimony of Claimant’ by answering several questions. Interesting bits of information from these questions includes the following:

• had made a previous filing for another tract of land but did not remember the description and never obtained title to it
• there is no timber on the land
• in March of 1886, he built a house and broke 5 acres of land
• Description of buildings: house – frame shingle roof 15 ft x 15 ft with sod addition 10 ft x 12 ft; 3 doors & 4 windows; sod stable 16ft x 32 ft; hen house 8 ft x 8 ft; well 92 ft deep;
• planted 2000 mulberry trees
• owns a plow and a buggy
• owns 1 cow, 1 calf and 2 horses
• raised crops for 3 seasons
• spent 4 months in 1887 in Dodge City working to earn money to support family

The final certificate for the land was received by the family in May 1890 after Washington M. Crawford’s death in August 1889.

The United States of America
To All to Whom These Presents Shall Come, Greeting:
Homestead Certificate No. 1180
Application 4505
Whereas there has been deposited in the General Land office of the United States a Certificate of the Register of the Land Office at Garden City, Kansas, whereby it appears that pursuant to the Ace of Congress appeared 20th May, 1862 “To secure Homesteads to actual settlers on the public domain,” and the acts supplemental thereto, the claim of Washington M. Crawford has been established and duly consummated in conformity to law for the South East quarter of Section Thirty one in township Twenty Eight South of Range twenty-six West of the Sixth Principal Meridian in Kansas, containing one hundred and sixty acres.
according tot he Official Plat of the Survey of the said land returned to the General Land Office by the Surveyor General.
Now know ye, That there is therefore granted by the United States unto the said Washington M. Crawford the tract of land above described to have and to hold the said tract of land with the appurtenances thereof unto the said Washington M. Crawford and his heirs and assigns forever.
In testimony whereof I, Benjamin Harrison, President of the United States of America have caused these letters to be made Patent, and the Seal of the General Land Office to be hereunto affixed.
Given under my hand, at the City of Washington, the twenty seventh day of May, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and ninety, and of the Independence of the United States the one hundred and and fourteenth.
By the President: Benjamin Harrison
By M. McKean Sec’y
J. M. Townsend, Recorder of the General Land Office

His widow, Mary Foster Crawford, sold the homesteaded land in 1907. [Ford County Kansas, Deeds, Vol 31, page 570; Mary Crawford, et al to Peter Hinemann, 18 September 1907; Register of Deeds, Dodge City Kansas.]

From Mary Crawford et al
To Peter Hinemann
Entered in Transfer Record in my office this 18th day of Oct A.D. 1907
S H Cennaway, County Clerk
Filed for record on the 18 day of Oct A.D. 1907 at 4 o’clock P.M.
Geo A Stumph, Register of Deeds

This Indenture made this 18th day of September A.D. 1907 between Mary Crawford widow, Nelson G. Crawford and Cora Crawford his wife, J. F. Crawford and Josie Crawford his wife, Lida A LIghter and Alvin H LIghter her husband all of Ford County Kansas and Ida K Sherman and A O Sherman her husband of Tacoma Washington sole and only heirs of Washington M Crawford deceased of the first part and Peter Hinemann of Ford County, in the State of Kansas of the second part;
Witnesseth, that said parties of the first part, in consideration of the sum of Two Thousand ($2000.00) and no Dollars the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, do by these presents, grant, bargain, sell and convey unto said party of the second part, his heirs and assigns, all the following described Real Estate, situated in the County of Ford, and State of Kansas, to wit:
The Southeast quarter of Section Thirty-on (31) in Township Twenty eight (28) South of Range Twenty Six (26) West of the 6th PM containing 160 acres.
To have and to hold the same, together with all and singular the tenements, hereditaments and appurtenances thereunto belonging or in anywise appertaining, forever. And said grantors for themselves their heirs, exeuctors or administrators do hereby covenant, promise and agree to and with said party of the second part that at the delivery of these presents they are lawfully seized in their own right of an absolute and indefeasible estate of inheritance, in fee simple, of and in all and singular the above granted and described premises, with the appurtenances; that the same are free, clear, discharged and unincumbered of and from all former and other grants, titles, charges, estates, judgments, taxes, assessments and incumbrances of what nature or kind soever and that they will warrant and forever defend the same unto said party of the second part, his heirs and assigns, against said parties of the first part their heirs, and all and every person or persons whomsoever, lawfully claiming or to claim the same.
In witness whereof, the said parties of the first part have hereunto set their hands the day and year first above written.
Lida A Lighter
Alvin H LIghter
Ida K Sherman
A. O. Sherman
Mrs. Mary Crawford
Nelson G Crawford
Cora Crawford
J F Crawford
Josie Crawford

State of Kansas, Ford County, SS
Be it remembered, that on this 18th day of October A.D 1907, before me, the undersigned, a notary public in and for the County and State aforesaid, came Mary Crawford, a widow Nelson G Crawford and Cora Crawford his wife, J. F. Crawford and Josie Crawford his wife Lida A Lighter and Alvin Lighter her husband who are personally known to me to be the same persons who executed the within instrument of writing, and such persons duly acknowledged the execution of the same.
In Testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my notarial seal, the day and year last above written.
C. E. Smith, Notary Public
Term Expires Mar 15 1909

Along side of deed:
State of Washington, Pierce County, ss
Be it remembered that on this 24th day of September A.D. 1907 before me the undersigned a Notary Public in and for the County and State aforesaid came Ida K. Sherman and A. O. Sherman her husband is who are personmally known to me to be the same persons who executed the within instrument of writing and such persons duly acknowledged the execution of the same. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my notarial seal the day and year last above written.
Robert W Janes
Notary Public
Term expire April 10th, 1910