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Saturday Night Genealogy Fun

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 Calling all Genea-Musings Fans: 

 It’s Saturday Night again – 

Time for some more Genealogy Fun!!

Come on, everybody, join in and accept the mission and execute it with precision. 

1)  Pick an ancestor, any ancestor.  What do you know about them?  What source type(s) do you have for each item? Answer the 20 questions below about your chosen ancestor.

2) Tell us about it in your own blog post, in a comment on this post, or in a Facebook post.  Please leave a link on this post if you write your own blog post.

Here’s mine:

1)  Ancestor’s birth name: 

2)  Ancestor’s parents: 

  • Unknown

3)  Ancestor’s birth date and place: 

4)  Ancestor’s baptism/christening date and place: 

  • Unknown

5)  Ancestor’s spouse birth name:

  • Sarah “Sally Smith Duggins (Find A Grave / Obituary Abstracts / Marriage Records)

6)  Ancestor’s spouse parents: 

  • Ann Shoemaker (Virginia, Amherst county. Register of Marriages, Amherst County, Virginia, 1763-1853. Film #30273 DGS 7578824. Alexander Duggins Jr, 1788 Jan 22; page 40; digitized images, FamilySearch http://www.familysearch.org : viewed online 6 August 2022.)

7)  Ancestor’s spouse birth date and place:  25 Feb 1770, Virginia

8)  Ancestor’s spouse death date and place: 2 May 1856, Preble County, Ohio

  • 2 May 1856 (Find a Grave Memorial no. #8559179)
  • Preble County, Ohio (Obituary Abstracts 1850-1890 from Eaton Register & Eaton Democrat newspapers in Eaton, Preble County, Ohio)

9)  Children of Ancestor and spouse: 

  • Polly Crawford – two children named in will of James Crawford
  • Nelson Garret Crawford – named in will of James Crwaford

10)  Ancestor’s death date and place:  5 July 1854 – Preble County, Ohio

  • 5 Jul 1854 (Find a Grave Memorial 8559177 )
  • Preble County, Ohio (Obituary Abstracts 1850-1890 from Eaton Register & Eaton Democrat newspapers in Eaton, Preble County, Ohio)

11)  Ancestor cause of death: 

  • Unknown

12)  Ancestor’s burial location:  Mound Hill Cemetery, Eaton, Preble County, Ohio

13)  Ancestor’s occupation(s):

  • Farmer (1850 Preble County, Ohio Census)

14)  Ancestor’s  military service:

  • Unknown

15)  Ancestor’s residences: 

  • Virginia — place of birth (1850 Census)
  • Garrard County, Kentucky (Marriage Record, tax record)
  • Possibly Barren County, Kentucky (tax records – listed as James Jr or James (small) in record with James (big) Senr)
  • Preble County, Ohio (land records, tax records, 1850 census)

16)  Ancestor’s land records: 

  • 50 acres on Marrowbone (tax records for James Crafford Jr — but deed yet to be located)
  • NW 1/4 Section 14 Township 7 Range 2 East (Bureau Land Management Patent)

17)  Ancestor’s probate records: 

  • Will of James Crawford – 28 July 1854 – Preble County, Ohio (Preble County OH Will Book C page 389)

18)  How do you keep track of this information?:

  • RootsMagic 8 software

19)  What records do you need to find?: 

  • Anything identifying siblings
  • Anything identifying parents
  • Deed for 50 acres of land on the Marrowbone to James Crawford

20)  Have you written an ancestor genealogical sketch about this person?: 

DNA

Sellers Mystery

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Do you ever send a request to a courthouse for documents thinking you know how all of those documents fit into your research? And once the documents arrive, you discover that one set is for a family unit not in your file? Well, that’s the case with some Sellers marriage bonds that I requested from Garrard County, Kentucky.

While I don’t have the Sellers surname in my pedigree, two Sellers brothers married two daughters of Rebekah Crawford in Lincoln County, Kentucky. Several members of the Sellers family migrate to Preble County, Ohio where two of my James Crawford lines resided. Thus, I’m working on documenting the family of Nathaniel Sellers.

Thus, I requested copies of four marriage bonds thinking that I knew how each fit into the larger Sellers family.

Unfortunately, I don’t know how the John Sellers who married Nancy Alverson fits. And I’m not alone. The FamilySearch tree does not show parents for John Sellers. A brief search of Ancestry trees also did not turn up the identity of his parents. Thus, I don’t know how John fits into the other families that resided in Garrard County, Kentucky.

Sellers, John — Nancy Alverson — Box 5 Bond 1072 – 1817

1072
John Sellers
To
Marriage Bond
Commonwealth
$7.25 cents pd
31 March 1817
31 Mar
Mar 31 1817
Box 5

back

Know all my by these presents that we
John Sellers & Benjamin Alverson are held
and bound unto the Commonwealth of
Kentucky in the penal sum of $50
current money the payment of
which will and truely to be made we
bind ourselves and heirs & jointly &
severally firmly by these presents sealed
and dated this 31 day of March 1817
The condition of the above obligation
is such that whereas there is a license
about to issued from the clerk’s office
of Garrard County for a marriage
intended between the above bound
Sellers & Nancy Alverson now should
there e no lawful cause to obstruct
sd marriage then the above obligation
to be void [however] to remain
in full force & virtue
John Sellers (seal)
Benj Alverson (seal
Witness: Alice Jennings

Kentucky. Garrard County. Marriage Bonds and Licenses, Box 5, No. 1072, Sellers-Alverson, 1817; Garrard County Courthouse, Lancaster.

The 1799 bond for Samuel Sellers and Sally Ellis is for the son of Nathaniel Sellers.

Sellers, Samuel — Sally Ellis — Box 1 Bond 80 — 1799

No 80
S Sellers
to M Bond
Governor
20 Mary 179[9]
Mar 20 179[9]

Back
Know all mey by these presents that we Saml
Sellers and William Ellis do promise to pay or
cause to be paid unto his excellency James Garrard
Governor of Kentucky the sum of Fifty pounds curnt
money the pat of which well and truly to be paid
unto the sd Garrard & his [assessors] we bind our selves
o each of our heirs jointly & severally formly by these
presents seald and dated the 20 March 1799
The condition of the above obligation is such
that whereas the above bound Saml Sellers has obtained
a license to marry Sally Ellis now should their
be no lawful cause to obstruct sd marriage
then the above obligation shall be void [etre] to
remain in full force
Saml Sellers (seal)
Wm Ellis (Seal)

page 2
March the 20
[These] one to certify that I am Willing that
Samuel Sellers shall marry my daughter
Sally from under my hand
Joseph Ellis (seal)
William Ellis
James Sellers

Kentucky. Garrard County. Marriage Bonds and Licenses, Box 1, no. 80, Sellers-Ellis, 1799; Garrard County Courthouse, Lancaster.

The 1817 bond for the marriage of John F. Sellers and Rebecca Sellers identifies Rebecca as the daughter of James Sellers which would make her a granddaughter of Nathaniel Sellers.

Sellers, John F — Rebecca Sellers — Box 5 bond 1080 — 1817

J Sellers 1080
to Marriage bond
[B]am[th]
E 24 July 17
7/[1] [Pd]
July 24 1817
Geo DRooney

Back
Know all men by these presents that we
John F. Sellers and C Sellers are
held and firmly bound unto the [Gov?]
of Kentucky in the sum of L 50 current
money the payment of which will and
truly to be made we bond ourselves our
heirs & family and [assuredly] [?ing]
by these presents seald and dated the
24 day of July 1817
The Condition
fo the above obligation is such that
whereas there is a license
3 [?ant] to
issue for a marriage intended between
the above bound John Sellers & Rebeccah Sellers
now should there be
no lawful cause to obstruct said
marriage then the above obligation
to be void & otherwise to remain in
full for and virtue
Jno F Sellers
John C Sellers (seal)

page 2 (front)
Clerk of
Garrard Court
To the clerk of Garrard
County Court
Kentucky

Back
July 24th 1817
Sir you will issue a
license for a marriage of my daughter
Rebecka Selelrs & John Sellers & oblige
yours James Sellers
Test
Randolph Hall

To the Clerk of Garrard Court

Kentucky. Garrard County. Marriage Bonds and Licenses, Box 5, no. 1080, Sellers – Sellers, 1817; Garrard County Courthouse, Lancaster.

The last bond I obtained is for John Sellers and Fanny Brown. John is Rebecca’s brother, son of James and grandson of Nathaniel Sellers.

Sellers John – Fanny Brown – Box 6 bond 1363 dated 1821

Jno Sellers 1636
To M
B
Commonth
7/[6] paid
28 Feb 1821
Feb 28 1821

Back
Know all men by these presents that we John Sellers
and Thomas Brown are held and firmly bound unto
the Commonwealth of Kentucky in the penal sum of
L 50 current money the payment of which [will]
truly to be made we bind ourselves our heirs &
jointly and severally firmly by these presents sealed &
dated this 28th day of February 1821
The condition of the above obligation is
such that whereas there is a license about to [fine]
from the clerk’s office of Garrard for a marriage
intended between that above bound John Sellers and
Fanny Brown now should there be no lawful
cause to obstruct said marriage then to above
obligation to be void else to remain in full force
& virtue
John Sellers (seal)
Thos Brown (seal
Witness
Jas Hughes Letcher D.C.

Page 2

To the clerk of Garrard Court
Sir you will issue a licens for a marriage
between John Sellers & my daughter Fanny
Brown & oblige yours — William Brown

February 28th 1821
Polly x Brown
Thos Brown

Kentucky. Garrard County. Marriage Bonds and Licenses, Box 6, 1363, Sellers-Brown, 1821; Garrard County Courthouse, Lancaster.

Saturday Night Genealogy Fun

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It’s Saturday Night

Time for Some More Genealogy Fun

A)  Genea-Blogger Linda Stufflebean noted that December 8th is “Pretend You Are a Time Traveler Day.”  Today’s challenge is:  Where would you go? Would you choose a person, place or event in the past or travel into the future? Would you remain an observer or would you actively participate?” Linda suggested this challenge.

If I could time travel, where would I go? Well the obvious answer to me is to a place and time to help me with a genealogy brick wall. Thus, my first choice would be to Garrard County Kentucky on 12 September 1799. This is when my 4th great grandfather, James Crawford married Sally Duggins.

By being present at the time of their marriage, I would be able to ask them quite a few questions.

  • Who are your parents?
  • Are your parents still living? If so, where are they living? If not, when and where did they die?
  • How and when did you travel to Garrard County, Kentucky?
  • How did you meet?
  • Where were you living prior to coming to Garrard County?
  • What can you tell me about the history of your family? Do you know when your family arrived in the colonies? Do you know where they arrived? Do you know why they traveled to the colonies?
  • Where were you living during the revolutionary war?
  • Did you help the fight for independence? Why or why not?
  • James Sellers witnessed the marriage bond. Why did you ask him to support your marriage in this way?
  • Who are your siblings? Where are they living? Who have they married?
  • Where will you be living after your marriage?
  • Why did you move to Kentucky?

Questions for Sally:

  • How did you meet Alexander Duggins?
  • Where were you living when your sons were born?
  • Where were you living when Alexander died?
  • How did you learn of Alexander’s death?
  • Who was appointed guardian of your sons?
  • Did you and Alexander have any children besides Henry and William?
  • Did any of Alexander’s family travel to Kentucky with you? If so, who?

Questions for James:

  • Are you related to James Crawford who married Martha Knight? If so, how?
  • Are you related to James Crawford who married Rebecca Anderson? If so, how?
  • Are you related to George Douglass?
  • Are you related to the SELLERS family (Nathaniel and his sons)
  • Are you related to the DOOLEY family? (Moses and sons)
  • Do you have a previous marriage?
  • What have you been doing since turning 21?

I’m sure there are many many more questions to ask this couple. While records my reveal answers to many of these questions, it is a very slow process locating such records.

Thank you Randy and Linda for this though provoking activity!

County Boundaries

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How adventurous were your ancestors? Would they be considered pioneers? Did they seek out new homes in the territories formed as the United States expanded westward? If so, have you paid attention to the changing boundary lines for the counties?

Since my genealogy research started in Kansas where it wasn’t impacted by changes in county boundaries, I wasn’t aware these changes could impact my research. That all changed when I traced my CRAWFORD family back to Kentucky. My ancestor, James Crawford, married Sally Duggins in 1799 in Garrard County, Kentucky. Thus, I tried to find his parents and siblings in Garrard County.

This quest to locate CRAWFORD relatives in Garrard County expanded to include Madison and Lincoln counties. In that quest, I found a James Crawford with land on Paint Lick Creek in Madison County. I also found a Rebekah Crawford who witnessed marriage bonds for Mary, Sarah and James Crawford in Lincoln County. It was only after getting a map of the early land owners of Garrard county, that I realized that the land owned by both James Crawford (on Paint Lick Creek) and Rebekah Crawford (on headwaters of Sugar and Boone’s creeks) is located in Garrard County.

When another genealogist introduced me to the site, Map of US, the interactive map for Kentucky helped me understand how the changing county boundaries affected my research.

Since the 1780 counties of Kentucky were formed from Kentucky county which was originally called Fincastle county, there are five counties that I have to research for my Garrard county CRAWFORD family: Fincastle, Kentucky, Lincoln, Madison and Garrard.

Thanks to the 1850 census, I believe that James Crawford was born in Virginia. There are clues that the family goes back to Augusta County, Virginia. Research of collateral lines has uncovered other CRAWFORD lines in Amherst and Rockbridge counties. From my Kentucky experience, I know that I have to pay attention to the possibility of changes in the county boundary lines.

Thus, I go to the Map of US site to visualize the changing boundary lines for Augusta County, Virginia.

1738 – Augusta County formed from Orange County

In 1761, the map shows the formation of Amherst County. While Amherst was not formed from Augusta county, it borders Augusta county.

1769 – Botetourt County formed from Augusta County

1772 – Fincastle County formed from Botetourt County

1776 – Kentucky and Montgomery counties formed (along with Washington county)

1778 – the western portions of Botetourt and Augusta counties are split off into new counties and Rockbridge county is formed between Botetourt and Augusta counties.

This map study has revealed that my CRAWFORD research in Virginia needs to be very broad! I need to look at records and histories for the following counties:

  • Amherst
  • Rockbridge
  • Augusta
  • Botetourt
  • Montgomery
  • Fincastle
  • Kentucky
  • and possibly all of the western counties formed from Augusta (including portions of Pennsylvania)

This also will likely mean broadening my FAN club to include the various CRAWFORD lines in these counties.

For it will likely require researching all of these places and all of these people to figure out my CRAWFORD line!

Sellers

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Do you have ‘bushes’ in your tree? For anyone looking at my Heartland Genealogy tree on Ancestry, they may easily stumble upon a ‘bush’ and not realize that they aren’t on my ancestral tree. My Sellers research represents one such ‘bush’. Over the years, I have acquired quite a bit of information about the family of Nathaniel Sellers. This family connects to my CRAWFORD research in several ways:

  • His son, James Sellers married Mary Crawford in 1791 in Lincoln County, Kentucky. Mary is thought to be the daughter of Rebecca Crawford who owned land in Garrard County, Kentucky.
  • His son, William David Sellers married Sarah Crawford in 1796 in Lincoln County, Kentucky. Sarah is also thought to be a daughter of Rebecca Crawford.
  • His son, Nathan A. Sellers, migrated to Preble County, Ohio and lived near the two James Crawford families.
  • His granddaughter, Jane (daughter of Nathan A. Sellers) married Henry Duggins, step-son of James Crawford (my ancestor)

As I’m starting to review my research of James and Mary (Crawford) Sellers, I came across a reference to Weik’s History of Putnam County, Indiana, on archive.org. Within that book is a very interesting article about John L. Sellers and his father, John Crawford Sellers (son of James and Mary).

page 472

John L. Sellers

Among the native sons of Warren township, Putnam county, who deserve a place in local history is John L. Sellers, who has spent his long life here and who has ever had the interest of his community at heart. His birth occurred August 25, 1836, the son of John Crawford Sellers, who was born March 26, 1796, in Garrard county, Kentucky. March 1, 1821, he married Fannie Brown and thirteen children resulted from this union, two of whom are living, John L. of this review, and Joseph B. whose death [should this be birth?]occurred in 1843; those deceased are, Mrs. Rebecca Gilmore, born in 1830, died in April, 1906; Mrs. Martha Ruark, born in 1838, died April 19, 1909; Mrs Lucy Ann Leach, born in 122, died May 6, 1846; James Washington, born in 1823, died June 11, 1865; William, born in 1824, died October 5, 1850; Mary, born 1826, died October 2, 1853; Elizabeth born 1828, died October 16, 1858; Amanda J., born 1832, died November 13, 1836; Mrs. Nancy Talbott, born 1834; died February 8, 1872; Fannie E. (twin sister of John L.) born 1836, died November, 1856; Sarah b., born 1840, died in infancy.
The father of these children arrived in Putnam county in 1823, having a capital of only two hundred dollars. He bought eighty acres of land in section 5, Warren township, all in the woods, ten acres of which had been deadened. the first spring after he came here he rolled logs and assisted to build cabins for thirty-one days in succession. His only horse being crippled, he was compelled to tend his first crop of corn with a steer. He laid the “worm” rail of his fence at night and his wife wold finish building the fence the next day while he was doing other work. From time to time he added other land to his home farm until he owned four hundred acres of valuable land, entering most of it from the government. When he started out he worked for twenty-five cents per day to get money with which to buy his first land. When he came here the county was practically a wilderness and

page 473

to get to Greencastle, then a hamlet composed of seven cabins, he was compelled to blaze his way through the heavy woods, composed principally of tall oaks and dense underbrush. School houses and churches were unknown then and the chances for an education were very limited, but he gave his children such as could be obtained. he was a soldier in the war of 1812, his regiment being organized principally in the northern frontier and he was in the famous charge when the Indian chief Tecumseh was killed at the battle of the Thames. Mr. Sellers was an industrious,, plain, honest man, who never sought or held office. For forty years he and his wife were members of the Presbyterian church at Putnamville, he being an elder during the greater part of that time, giving liberally and cheerfully of his means for the advancement of the church’s interest, and he did much to develop the resources of the county. His death occurred November 1, 1874, at the age of seventy-eight years, his wife surviving until 1878, dying in her seventy-seventh year and they are buried at the old Putnamville cemetery.
John L. Sellers the immediate subject of this review, spent his youth on the home farm, having the advantage of a three-months subscription school each winter. September 4, 862, he enlisted in Company L. Forty-fifth Regiment, Third Indiana Cavalry, under Capt. O. M. Powers and Lieut. G. J. Langsdale and he served with credit until the close of the war.
On December 11, 1866, Mr. Sellers married Mary Matkins of Greencastle, and they went to live with his parents, with whom he remained during their lifetime — in fact, he has since made his home on the parental farm, devoting his attention exclusively to general farming and stock raising, being very successful in each.
Mr. Sellers very ably served his township as trustee for a period of four years. He is known as a very liberal man, generous and kind hearted, and he has thus been imposed upon, having frequently paid notes on which he was security. He is a member of the Presbyterian church and was an elder in the same for years, also a trustee for many years. Mrs. Sellers, was also a faithful member of the Methodist church. She died October 20, 1879, having borne her husband seven children, namely: Edward J., born September 11, 1867, married Clara Silver, and they are the parents of seven children: Arthur U., Lawrence L., Ethel V., Joyne M. Louisa A., Harold G. and Edward L. Katherine A. Sellers was born in November, 1868; she has remained single and is living at home. Jenni L., born in April 1870, died in November, 1882. Nannie E., born July 4, 1872 is the wife of Alonzo Day and they have two children, Hazel and Russell (deceased). Sarah F.

page 474
born in October, 1874, died may 20, 1879. Minnie B., born February 15, 1876, married Charles R. Grogan and they had four children: Grace May, Jennie (died October 22, 1902), Dorothy F., and Esther A. Ida M. Sellers is the wife of Hays Williams; she was born August 1, 1879, and they have two children, Estelle L. and Hubert L.
On August 3, 1880 John L. Sellers married a second time, his last wife being Elizabeth Wells, daughter of Levi and Katherine Wells of Greencastle, and this union resulted in the birth of three children: William C., born August 21, 1881, married Grace Haymaker, and they have one child, John Riley; Mary E., born January 17, 1884, and Myrtle O., born July 5, 1891, graduated from the Greencastle high school in the class of 1910.

Weik Jesse W., Weik’s History of Putnam County Indiana (Indianapolis, IN: B. F. Bowen & Company, Publishers, 1910), pages 472-474; archive.org viewed online 7 October 2022.

Friday Finds

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1840 Crawford Duff Deed

Garrard County Kentucky

Deeds Vol. N page 406

No 1387 James & John Crawford to Wm W Duff

This Indenture made and entered into this 13th day of May
in the year 1840 between James Crawford & John Crawford, sons
of Isaac Crawford, who was a son-in-law of Jacob Miller, decd
of the County of Garrard & State of Kentucky of their part, and
William Duff of the sd County & State of the other part, witness
eth that sd James Crawford & John Crawford for and in consideration
of the sum of Twenty five dollars each to them in hand paid
the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged have sold and by these
presents do convey tot he sd Duff, all the right, title and Interest
they held in a tract or parcel of land containing 197 1/2 acres lying
In Garrard Cty Ky on the waters of Paint Lick and being the same
on which their ancestor Jacob Miller died and from whence sd int
erest descended being the one sixth of one eleventh of said land
to each James and John Crawford supposed to be sixth acres to the
said Duff, his heirs [p] and the said James and John Crawford
by these presents covenant and agree to and with said Duff
that they will warrant and forever defend the title, the inter
est aforesaid free and discharged of all right, Interest, claims or
demand of themselves their heirs or assigns and from the clai
m or claims of all and every other person or persons whatever
to the sd Duff, his heirs absolutely.
In testimony whereof the parties of the first part have
hereunto st their hands and seals the date afsd
James A Crawford (seal)
John Crawford (seal)

State of Kentucky
Garrard County
I certify that this deed form James
A Crawford and John Crawford to William W Duff was pro
duced to me in my office on the 13th day of May 1840 and ack
nd by the said James A and John Crawford to be their act and
deed for the purposes therein mentioned.
Whereupon the said deed, together with this certificate is
truly recorded this 13th day of May 1840
Alex R McKee ck
Garrard County Court

Kentucky, Garrard. Book of Deeds. Film #183247 DGS 8568105. John and James Crawford, 13 May 1840 Book N: page 406; digital images, Family Search http://www.familysearch.org : viewed online June 2019.

James Crawford

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#Saturday Night Genealogy Fun

Calling all Genea-Musings Fans: 

 It’s Saturday Night again – 

time for some more Genealogy Fun!!


Your mission, should you decide to accept it, is to:

1) Pretend that you are one of the subjects on the Who Do You Think You Are? show on television.
2) Which of your ancestors (maximum of two) would be featured on your hour-long show? What stories would be told, and what places would you visit?

Oh, what fun it would be to think that my participation — even pretend participation — would help tell the story of James Crawford. Or, tell the story of all three of the men named James Crawford who resided in the area of Garrard county, Kentucky prior to 1800.

Our first visit would be to the area of Garrard County, Kentucky to view the land. I would want to visit the parcel of land that Richard Cave sold to Mary Crawford on Sugar Creek. Then, I would visit the parcel of land that Rebekah Crawford bought from George Douglas. As I learn about the lay of the land, I would try and figure out whether these two Crawford women attended the same meeting house.

As land owners, these women are listed on tax lists. They are identified as widows. Who are their children? Are these widows sisters-in-law? Are their children cousins? How did these women have the funds to purchase land? What happened to their husbands? Did their husbands die while migrating to Kentucky? Or were their husbands killed while serving in the militia?

Then I would venture to the East side of Garrard county – to the area of Kennedy station. It is in this area that James Crawford owned land on Paint Lick Creek. While looking over James’ land, I would try and figure out how far it was to Mary and Rebekah’s land. Would the three families have interacted? Would James be the male roll model for Mary and Rebekah’s children? Was James a brother-in-law to Mary and/or Rebekah? Had Mary and Rebekah’s children married by the time James and his family moved to Indiana?

As I learn more about these families and their land, I would also want to learn about their neighbors. Who was meeting at the local meeting house? When did they arrive in Kentucky? Where did they come from?

And then for the BIG questions: Did Rebekah have a son named James? Did Mary have a son named James? If the answer to either or both of these questions is yes, then the BIGGER question is which James is the son of which widow?

My ancestor is the youngest of the three men named James Crawford. According to his tombstone, he was born in 1772. The 1850 census indicates he was born in Virginia. James married Sally Duggins in 1799 in Garrard county, Kentucky. Thus, James was 27 when he married. The marriage record is the only record I’ve found placing my ancestor, James, in Kentucky. When did he arrive in Kentucky? Is he the son of Mary (or Rebekah)? Sally is a widow with two young boys when she marries James Crawford. Her husband is said to have died in Virginia. What brought Sally to Kentucky? Where was she living?

While James and Sally didn’t get married until 1799, another James Crawford married Martha Knight in 1793 in Lincoln County, Kentucky. Also married in Lincoln County was Mary Crawford to James Sellers in 1791 and Sarah Crawford to William Sellers in 1795. Are these three Crawfords who married in Lincoln County siblings? Could they be first cousins to James Crawford, husband of Sally?

What stories will the hills of Garrard county reveal about the Crawford families that were only there for a short time.

Boyle’s Company

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When researching your family history, have you ever read a county history? I’m not referring to browsing those sections where you think your family might be found but actually reading the history starting on page 1. Well, I have to admit that I’ve fallen into the ‘browser’ method in the past.

As I’m trying to find connections between my Crawford family in Kentucky and Crawford families in Virginia, I decided I needed to read some histories. I was going to start with a history of Montgomery County, Virginia but decided that I need to learn more about early Kentucky history first. Thus, I found a downloadable version of Collins’ History of Kentucky on FamilySearch and started reading it last night.

I only get to page 12 before I find something that may connect with my Crawford research. At the bottom of the page is a list of the members of Captain John Boyle’s Company, April 1, 1780. Included in this list is one ‘Wm. Crawford’. Now, I have no idea which William Crawford this might be. However, there are a couple of other names on the roll that might help me figure this out. The one that stands out the most is Basil Maxwell. The Basil Maxwell in my file is married to Margaret Anderson, daughter of Col. John Anderson. Also in the company are two Andersons: Jacob Anderson and James Anderson.

Not only is the Anderson and Maxwell connections a clue that this Wm Crawford might be the William Crawford who was in early Garrard County, but the description for the company places them in early Garrard County.

Thanks to a deed I discovered years ago, I’ve been able to piece together at least some of the Anderson family. That John Anderson deed identifies his legatees:

This indenture made this third day of October one thousand seven hundred and ninety eight between Samuel Campbell and Mary his wife of the County of Madison, Bez’ l Maxwell and Margret his wife, James Crawford and Rebeca his wife of the County of Garrard, James Anderson and Hannah his wife of the county of Madison, John Gap and Anne his wife of the County of Bourbon and William M. Morrison and Betsey his wife of the County of Madison and all  of the State of Kentucky being the part of the  legatees  to the estate of John Anderson Dec’d  

Three of the names on the list of Captain John Boyle’s company are also found on the list of ‘Early Settlers of Boonesborough‘ including John Boyle, James Anderson and William Hicks. Even though no Crawfords are found on this list there several Andersons on the list.

  • Anderson, James – 1775
  • Anderson, Jemima
  • Anderson, John – 1780
  • Anderson, Mary – married Captain John Kennedy
  • Anderson, Nicholas

Besides the Anderson children, several Anderson spouses are also on the list:

  • Gass. John – 1775 — s/o Capt. David Gass
  • Morris, William
  • Campbell, Samuel

This list of members of Captain Boyle’s company is just one more clue that may lead to confirming these Crawford relationships. However, It provides additional names for my fan club! It looks like more research and more reading is in my future!

Crossing Paths 2

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As you are researching your ancestors do you ever find a family living in the same county as ancestors or cousins from a totally different branch of your tree? That’s been my experience recently.

Yesterday, while following up on a comment on a blog post about a reader’s potential connection to my Garrard County, Kentucky research, I stumbled upon such a situation. I discovered a reference to Osbourn Bland as one of the survivors taken prisoner at Blue Licks in the Winter 2006 issue of Kentucky ancestors.

Trowbridge, John M. “‘We Are All Slaughtered Men’: The Battle of Blue Licks,” Kentucky Ancestors. Winter 2006 Vol. 42, No. 2 p. 61.

This would place an Osburn Bland in Madison County, Kentucky a little before my Crawford line. Now this may not be my Osburn Bland, but it might be. I have tax lists showing an Osborne Bland living in Nelson county prior to 1800. Much more research will need to be done to figure out if this is the same person – or NOT.

Again, my Bland line is on my dad’s mother’s side of the tree while my Garrard/Madison County, Kentucky research is on my dad’s dad’s side of the tree, my Crawford line.

Because of this instance where one branch of my tree seems to cross paths with another branch, I decided to investigate the ‘Who Was There’ report in my genealogy software. I’ve used this report to identify people in Kansas in 1950. However, I’ve never run the report for a specific county or for a range of time or both. Thus, I decided to try this report for Kentucky prior to 1800.

Because I have a relatively large database with lots of facts, this report takes a long time to create. To help speed up the process, I created a marked group using the option to ‘select people by data fields’

Then I configured the ‘Search for Information’ to find ‘Any Fact’ with the ‘place’ containing ‘Kentucky’.

After saving the group, I can now go back to the ‘Who Was There List’ Report and use that marked group instead of ‘Everyone’ for the people to include.

The report still takes a bit of time to generate results, but it produced a 24 page report of the individuals with a fact placing them in Kentucky between 1750-1799. To narrow that down to the area of Garrard, Madison and Lincoln Counties, I created a new marked group. (Note: This uses OR between each of the statements.)

Using this new ‘AnyFact Garrard Madison Lincoln’ group, I re-created the ‘Who Was There’ Report.

This produced an 8 page report.

I thought I was finished. That was until I scanned this report and discovered it didn’t pick up Osborn Bland. After much hair pulling, consultation with others and more hair pulling, I discovered that Osborn Bland wasn’t included on the ‘Who Was There’ report because I didn’t have a birth fact and a death fact for Osborn Bland.

This discovery led me to the ‘Missing Information List’ report. To start with I selected the ‘death’ fact and set the criteria to either be missing or with a blank date. I then changed the people to include to my marked group for Garrard, Madison and Lincoln counties.

I discovered three pages of people in the marked group for Garrard, Madison and Lincoln counties that don’t have a death fact. Thus none of these people will show up on a ‘Who Was There Report’ for Garrard, Madison and Lincoln Counties.

_, Hannah-10231
Abrams, Elizabeth-10219
Adams, Jane Jean-13252
Adams, Reuben-13286
Anderson, Anne-10225
Anderson, Betsey-10224
Anderson, Isaac-10227
Anderson, James-10226
Anderson, Mary-10223
Anderson, Samuel-10228
Banta, Hendrick-16927
Brown, Aristippus-13500
Brown, Margaret-10210
Campbell, Susannah-10212
Clark, William-10383
Crawford, Anne-1447
Crawford, Archibald-10209
Crawford, Elizabeth-10380
Crawford, Elizabeth-13499
Crawford, Isaac-1454
Crawford, James-8577
Crawford, Jenny-10217
Crawford, John-1412
Crawford, John-8574
Crawford, John-10062
Crawford, John-10071
Crawford, Joseph-10211
Crawford, Milton-10218
Crawford, Molly-8579
Crawford, Oliver-10220
Crawford, Rebecca-8578
Crawford, Sarah-6761
Crawford, Sarah-10384
Crawford, William-10385
Croucher, Edward-14946
Crutcher, Absolem-14949
Crutcher, David-14951
Crutcher, Elizabeth-14948
Crutcher, Lucinda-14950
Crutcher, William-14945
Davis, Betsy-10386
Davis, Elizabeth-9980
Dooley, Henry-13306
Elder, William-5260
Ellis, Sally-10382
Estes, Delina-10221
Garrett, Ignatius-10379
Gass, John-10232
Harris, David-16730
Harris, Leah-16734
Kennedy, Elizabeth-14971
Maxwell, Bazeleel-10229
McAlester, Sarah-6762
McClary, Samuel-172
Miller, Elizabeth-13541
Miller, Jacob-13498
Montgomery, Benjamin-10206
Moore, Alexander-11622
Morrison, William M.-10478
Reed, Joseph-14024
Rolston, Andrew-10216
Seever, Annie-16797
Sellers, John Finley-5252
Sellers, Nathan-5257
Sellers, Samuel-10381
Shuck, Sally-16928
Smith, Polly-10207
Yewell, Mary-5258

Thus, I have work to do if I want this report to include everyone in the region. I will probably use FamilySearch to figure out approximate birth and death dates.

Crawford Tree Issues

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I’m sure we can all agree that each of us needs to work toward having as accurate a family tree as possible. However, I’m willing to admit and hopefully you are too that there could be a mistake or two or several in my tree. Even with an effort to separate out people of the same name and to carefully document findings, those mistakes can still creep in.

Since I have a large database, the chances for such a mistake in my work is high. I hope that when someone else discovers that error in my tree they tell me about it and point me to sources to correct that error.

When it comes to my CRAWFORD research, there are a lot of common given names such as James, John, William, Alexander and Edward that make it difficult to distinguish families. Most of my CRAWFORD research traces the family from early Kentucky back to Montgomery, Botetourt and Augusta counties in Virginia. Augusata County, Virginia is where the family of Alexander and Mary McPheeters Crawford raised their family.

And it is when Alexander and Mary McPheeters Crawford get attached to many many many Crawford trees that other CRAWFORD researchers get frustrated. This is particularly frustrating when working with yDNA tests to help identify family lines.

Several of the Kentucky CRAWFORD lines have participated in the CRAWFORD yDNA project. I believe all five of the Kentucky James Crawford families I’ve worked to untangle are all found in the R1b supergroup.

Crawford yDNA project – part of R1b group

The three families from the area of early Garrard county, Kentucky are in the same haplogroup: R-Y88686.

  • James Crawford b1772VA m1799Ky d1854OH – My line – in the R1b-01B Ardmillan group R-Y88686
  • James Crawford b1770 VA M Knight 1793 KY d1833 IN – in the R1b-01B Ardmillan group R-Y88686 — the Crawford family that was neighbors to my Crawford line for over 100 years
  • James Crawford b 1758 VA; d1836 IN – in the R1b-01B Ardmillan group R-Y88686 — the James Crawford married to Rebeccca Anderson Maxwell; this James owned land along Paint Lick Creek in Garrard County, Kentucky prior to migrating to Indiana.

I believe the James Crawford of Fleming county, Kentucky is represented on the project in the R1b-01C group as James Crawford b1758. This family also likely has roots in Montgomery, Botetourt and Augusta Counties in Virginia.

So where do descendants of Alexander and Mary McPheeters Crawford fit in this yDNA study? There is one R1b test that indicates Alexander Crawford b1716 d1764 as the earliest known ancestor. Working with this tester, it appears that his line does descend from William Crawford and his wife Rachel Sawyers, making it a legitimate Alexander Crawford line. Currently this tester is in group R1b-01F. Based on this test, that would put Rev James Crawford of Lexington, Kentucky in the R1b-01F group.

However, there are several other yDNA testers claiming Alexander Crawford as their earliest known ancestor.

I1-D5 group
I1-D9 group
I1-12 group
R1a-5 group

Granted, I’m not sure all four of the above tests are referring to the Alexander Crawford that was killed by Indians in 1764, but I’m guessing at least three of them are claiming Alexander and Mary McPheeters Crawford as their ancestors.

So which is it? Do Alexander Crawford’s descendants fall in the R1b-01F group? Or are they in the I1-D5 group, or the I1-D9 group, or the I1-12 group? Or what about the R1a-5 group? I don’t believe they can be in all FIVE yDNA groupings.

These examples from yDNA testing are just a small portion of the issue. A search of Ancestry trees for Alexander Crawford and his wife Mary McPheeters reveals 5869 public trees contain this couple. Now, not all of those trees will represent descendants but many of them will. (My tree would be included in that count and I don’t descend from Alexander and Mary.)

Since I’m fairly certain that the James Crawford (1758-1836) who married Rebecca Anderson does not descend from Alexander and Mary McPheeters Crawford, I did a search for such a combination: James Crawford b1758, d1836, father Alexander Crawford, mother Mary McPheeters and spouse Rebecca. That search resulted in 2282 trees. Looking at the results, I found the James Crawford of Fleming County, KY (wife Sarah Van Zandt) on that list many times. Browsing down the list, I found James Crawford who married Rebecca Anderson.

Even though the DAR records for these two James Crawford have been confused over time, they are two separate families. Since they were both born in 1758, they can’t both be sons of Alexander Crawford and Mary McPheeters.

Below is what I have for the family of Alexander and Mary Crawford.

If the above family is correct, then neither the James who married Rebecca Anderson nor the James who married Sarah Van Zandt are sons of Alexander and Mary Crawford.

There are a few books that I’ve used to figure out that my James Crawford does NOT descend from Alexander and Mary McPheeters Crawford:

  • Helen McPheeters Rice, The McPheeters Family (Winter Park, FL: No publisher, 1956). There is an digital edition of this book on FamilySearch.
  • William M. Clemens, Crawford Family Records: An Account of the First American Settlers and Colonial Families of the Name of Crawford (New York: William M. Clemens, 1914). This book is also available on FamilySearch.
  • Amanda Crawford Arbogast Forbes and Lucetta Crawford Sammis, Compilers, Descendants of Alexander & Mary McPheeters Crawford: Pioneer Settlers of Augusta County, Virginia (Baltimore, MD: Gateway Press, 1980). The Family History Library has the book on microfiche. Microfiche of this book can be found at Midwest Genealogy Center (and possibly other major genealogy libraries). This book outlines descendants for several generations and includes lots of source references.

My Crawford family has roots in the same area that descendants of Alexander and Mary Crawford lived. Thus the records for my family line will be intermingled with the records for Alexander’s line. I’m guessing that there were other Crawford family lines also living in that area of Virginia prior to 1800.

Thus, a lot of work will need to be done to try and identify these various Crawford family lines in early Augusta county. If you have Alexander and Mary McPheeters Crawford as ancestors in your tree, are you willing to use the above resources and the documents mentioned in them to verify your descent? Until we get these family lines sorted out correctly, our DNA results won’t help identify that next generation. Are you willing to help sort these early Augusta County, Virginia Crawford families out?