More McDonalds in Anderson County, Texas

This triple portrait of John Bethune McDonald (1851-1928), his wife Susie America Freeman (1867-1958) and supposedly Brice N. McDonald (1901-1986)* taken in Neches, Anderson County, Texas, was posted to findagrave.com by the late Nancy Franklin-Walling Bundrick who found it in The Portal to Texas History.

[John Bethune, Susie Freeman and Brice N. McDoinald [sic], Neches, Texas c. 1900

"The Portal to Texas History" - Anderson County.]

*If the date of 1900 is correct it could be Brice's brother Bethune Freeman McDonald (1892-1937). (The source states that the date could be approximate.)


© 2018 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.

Family Friday: Johnnie Belle & Brice Norvill McDonald - About 1908

Johnnie (1894-1984) and her brother Brice (1901-1986) are several more of my distant Freeman cousins.*

[J.B. and Brice N. McDonald shared to Ancestry.com by jimkelly1803]

Johnnie attended the University of Texas, Austin, from about 1915 through 1920. Here's a group photo which includes her from the 1919 yearbook:

["U.S., School Yearbooks, 1880-2012"; Year: 1919. Ancestry.com. U.S., School Yearbooks, 1900-1990 (database on-line).

Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.]

In 1925 Johnnie went to Europe although we don't know when she left the U.S. or what countries she visited. The only record I was able to find for her was this returning passenger list showing that she sailed from Rotterdam (on the S.S. Rotterdam) and arrived in New York on September 10th.

[Ancestry.com. New York, Passenger and Crew Lists (including Castle Garden and Ellis Island), 1820-1957 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Original data: Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at New York, New York, 1820-1897. Microfilm Publication M237, 675 rolls. NAI: 6256867. Records of the U.S. Customs Service, Record Group 36. National Archives at Washington, D.C. Passenger and Crew Lists of Vessels Arriving at New York, New York, 1897-1957. Microfilm Publication T715, 8892 rolls.]

[Ancestry.com. Passenger Ships and Images [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2007.

Original data: Various maritime reference sources.]

A year later she was teaching history at Central High School in South Houston, Texas.

["U.S., School Yearbooks, 1880-2012"; Year: 1926. Ancestry.com. U.S., School Yearbooks, 1900-1990 (database on-line).

Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.]

She and Samuel Charles Ballard (1892-1981) were married on June 24, 1928 and the 1930 U.S. Census found them living with her parents in Neches, Anderson County, Texas. Johnnie was teaching high school while Samuel clerked in her Mcdonald family's general store. Ten years later the couple were living in their own house, Johnnie still a teacher and Samuel was working as a salesman in a grocery store managed by another of the McDonald clan.

As far as I can find out, the couple never had any children.** They remained in Anderson County for the rest of their lives. From findagrave.com we learn that Johnnie was "[k]nown to be active in the East Texas Historical Commission and United Daughters of the Confederacy, John H, Reagan Chapter."

[Samuel Ballard and Johnnie Bell McDonald, photo shared to Ancestry.com by amreece1]

Samuel died in 1981 and Johnnie survived him by three years. They are both buried in the Neches Cemetery.



Here's how we're related:

[Ancestry.com]

**Her brother Brice named his daughter for her.


© 2018 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.

Fantastic Find Revisited: CSI: Dixie

Here's the site's simplest description of what it contains: "CSI: Dixie collects 1582 coroners reports from six South Carolina counties for the years 1800-1900." The counties include Anderson County, Edgefield County, Greenville County, Kershaw County, Spartanburg County, and Union County.

Put together by historians at the University of Georgia as a part of their ehistory project which seeks "not merely to reach a broader public but to involve a broader public."

[Unitarian Cemetery, Charleston South Carolina Gateway Walk, 2008. My photo.]

If your ancestors lived in one of those six South Carolina counties, you just might find familiar names mentioned in the records and you're welcome to share what you know:

"For all its focus on the dead, then, CSI:D is a living project, inviting users to contribute photos, documents, leads, and details in the cases of 1582 unfortunate souls. Unlike a book, which seeks to be the last word on a subject, CSI:D is just the first word; it is an appeal to the public to join an ongoing investigation."

And even if you don't happen to have anyone from those counties, the site provides a useful description of the history and role of coroners and their juries in the 19th century South.

Hat tip to Erik Loomis of Lawyers, Guns & Money blog.

Note: I first posted this in 2016 and I neglected to mention that some of these coroners reports detail the deaths of slaves. Here are links to reviews and notices of CSI:D that include the insight into the violence of slavery.


© 2018 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.

Land Genealogy Gleanings: Focus on early Hibbs in Anderson County, Tennessee

Anderson and Campbell counties, in Tennessee.  It is a little hard to see but the orange arrow points to the winding Hinds Creek and it is interesting the there is both a Hibbs Island and Llewellyn (Lewallen?) Island along the Hinds.  I think it is likely that Mahlon Hibbs and Richard Lewallen lived in those areas, with Mahlon's son Samuel Hibbs living further upstream in Campbell County.

Here is some initial information from my land genealogy book (Anderson County, Tennessee Land Deed Genealogy, 1801-1831) that mentioned a few days ago.  I'm happy to report that my 4th great grandfather Mahlon Hibbs (1747-1852) and his (likely) son Samuel Hibbs (1791-1849) appear in land dealings:


[page 105 in book]
page 272
15 July 1817.  RICHARD LEWALLEN of Anderson Co., to MALON HIBBS, for $100, 100 acres in Anderson Co. on Hinds Creek, in Henderson & Co.'s Clinch survey, on LEMAR's line, crossing Hinds Creek, at the old waggon road, along said old road to HART's line to LEMAR's line, with his line to the beginning.  Reg. July Sess. 1817.
Wit:
HENRY H. DUCKER
ARMISTEAD BARTON
RICHARD (X) LEWALLEN


[page 117 in book]
page 26
12 Dec. 1817.  ISAAC HORTON, Sr., of Anderson Co., to SAMUEL HIBBS of Campbell Co., for $270, 200 acres in Anderson Co., in middle of line of lot B on JACOB WEAVER's line, corner near a small sink running on said middle, with line to top of Chesnut Ridge, to middle of upper half of lot B, including half of said upper half, a parallel line to conditional corner between HORTON & FLEM McCOY.  Reg. 20 Jan. 1819.
Wit: 
JACOB WEAVER
WILLIAM WEAVER
ISAAC HORTON


[page 145 in book]
page 19
29 Oct. 1822.  SAMUEL HIBBS of Anderson Co. to ISAAC ROBBINS, for $200, 200 acres, beginning on the middle of the line of lot B, JACOB WEAVER's line, to Chestnut Ridge, up the extreme height of the ridge to the middle of the upper half of the lot, including half of the said upper half of the lot, to the conditional corner of ISAAC HORTON, Sr., and FLEMING McCOY, to the beginning.  Reg. 18 Jan. 1823.
Wit: 
JOHN WHITSON
JOHN WALLACE, Jr.
SAMUEL (X) HIBBS


page 20
31 Aug. 1822. WILLIAM HOGSHEAD of Anderson Co. to JOHN McADOO, Sr., for $75, 100 acres, part of northeast half of lot H in the Henderson & Co.'s Clinch survey, sold by CHARLES Y. OLIVER, Sheriff, for double taxes on 20 April 1819 to WILLIAM HOGSHEAD.  Beginning near the bank of Hine's Creek, corner to a 220 acre tract claimed by RICHARD LEWALLEN, north to the upper line of lot H. HIBBS' corner, south to HIBBS' corner, northwest with HIBBS' line to the bank of Clinch River, HIBBS' beginning corner, down the river to the divistion line of lot H, with the division line to the corner of McADOO's land, the place where he now lives, thence with his line to LEWALLEN's tract, wih his line to the beginning.  Reg. 22 Jan. 1823.
Wit:
JOHN (X) FOX
WILLIAM McADOO
WILLIAM HOGSHEAD


[page 150 in book]
page 86.
4 Sept. 1822, MILIN HIBBS to HENRY LONG for $300, 100 acres on Hindses Creek in Henderson & Co.'s Clinch Survey, beginning on LEMAR's line, south crossing Hinds Creek, the wagon road, along the road to HARTZ line, with his line to LEMAR's line, to the beginning.  Reg. 5 Dec. 1823.
Wit:
JOHN McADOO, Jr.
ALFRED DUNCAN
MALIN (X) HIBBS



The dates on these land sales tracks very nicely with what I already know about their migration to Indiana (they showed up around 1823).

I looked up Henderson and Co's Clinch Survey, and found a page on Rootsweb dedicated to info and research by Phillip A. Walker on the Henderson Grant plus a map:

The Henderson Grant area.  Mahlon and Samuel would be in the center lower part, per the description in the land records.

Based on the land descriptions, I think this is about where Mahlon and Samuel Hibbs were (closeup of the above picture)

I think this is great boost for my research in this area.  I have more names to play around with (Lewallen, Hogshead, and Oliver) than I did before, which I hope will help me figure out who Mahlon Hibbs' parents were (and his wife Nancy Ann LNU's parents as well).  

I already recognized the Weaver name since a man named William Hibbs (about 1785, possibly Mahlon's son or close relative) married Elizabeth Weaver and they were lifelong residents of Anderson County, Tennessee.

© 2016 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.

Awaiting My Bright and Shiny Objects: Two Books on Anderson County, Tennessee

This is the kind of stuff that excites me.  Keeps me off the streets I guess!

I believe I've reached a point where online research is not going to reveal any more about my mysterious 4th great grandparents Mahlon Hibbs (1747-1852?) and his wife Nancy LNU (1764-1846).  They appeared to have spent about 20 years in Anderson County, Tennessee (about 1801-1823) before showing up in Putnam County, Indiana in about 1824, and may have been in Tennessee at least as early as 1785.

I think it is time to buy more books!

A few years ago I purchased Anderson County, Tennessee, County Court Minutes, 1801-1809 and 1810-1814. Two Volumes in One by the Works Progress Administration (WPA) published by Mountain Press***, which revealed a lot of names to research as well as a few mentions of Mahlon and likely family members (jury duty and several court cases).

I'm hoping the next two books I've purchased will help me tie together some of the information I've gleaned from the court minutes one as well as various census and other records.  These books may or may not have specific information about my ancestors, but even if they don't I hope they will help me understand the family groups and communities better in Anderson County, Tennessee in its earliest years.

Anderson County, Tennessee Land Deed Genealogy, 1801-1831

This East Tennessee County was formed in 1801 from parts of Knox and Grainger counties. It lies partly in the valley of East Tennessee and partly on the Cumberland Plateau. This book contains abstracts of the deeds for this county running from 1801 and going through 1831 with some references going back into the late 1700's.

Anderson County, Tennessee:: History Revealed Through Biographical and Genealogical Sketches of its Ancestors

This features a brief but fascinating history of the county, as well as numerous biographical and genealogical sketches of many Anderson County ancestors. Included are nearly forty Revolutionary War veterans that made their home here. Among the personal sketches, you will also find many fully transcribed wills. Through these sketches an interesting history of Anderson County, Tennessee is revealed!

***By the way, a big shout out to Mountain Press publishing.  Their works each have an online description including a complete index of all last names mentioned in that work.  REALLY helpful if you need to quickly assess if a particular book will have relevant info for you.




© 2016 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.

Fantastic Find: CSI: Dixie

Here's the site's simplest description of what it contains: "CSI: Dixie collects 1582 coroners reports from six South Carolina counties for the years 1800-1900." The counties include Anderson County, Edgefield County, Greenville County, Kershaw County, Spartanburg County, and Union County.

Put together by historians at the University of Georgia as a part of their ehistory project which seeks "not merely to reach a broader public but to involve a broader public."

[Unitarian Cemetery, Charleston South Carolina Gateway Walk, 2008. My photo.]

If your ancestors lived in one of those six South Carolina counties, you just might find familiar names mentioned in the records and you're welcome to share what you know:

"For all its focus on the dead, then, CSI:D is a living project, inviting users to contribute photos, documents, leads, and details in the cases of 1582 unfortunate souls. Unlike a book, which seeks to be the last word on a subject, CSI:D is just the first word; it is an appeal to the public to join an ongoing investigation."

And even if you don't happen to have anyone from those counties, the site provides a useful description of the history and role of coroners and their juries in the 19th century South.

Hat tip to Erik Loomis of Lawyers, Guns & Money blog.

© 2016 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.