Shelby County, Texas

I recently volunteered to maintain a genealogy web page for Shelby County, Texas, for the Genealogy Trails History Group. It's a great way to search through a multitude of records without feeling like I'm wasting my time.
Right now, I'm posting death notices from official death certificates for the town of Joaquin. It's really interesting to read the documents. Common causes of death were heart trouble and pneumonia. It is sad to read about infants dying at birth. One starved to death after about 5 days. I wonder what the story was behind that. But today I listed my first suicide. A 22-year-old man shot himself.

Drifting Away

Well, I've been off on a tangent, as so often happens with me and genealogy. I discovered another connection to the Jeffreys and the Franks family. It's not a direct connection, but I was hoping to find a link to these Franks and our mysterious Minerva Franks, my great grandmother. We have nothing on her parents or anyone from her family.
I discovered that way back, a daughter of Sarah Bishop and ....Jeffrey who came with the wagon train to Texas, had a daughter named Sarah Bishop Jeffrey who married Richard Cole. He wrote his autobiography and talks a bit about the Jeffreys and coming to Texas.
They had a daughter, Lucinda Cole, who married James M. Franks in Caldwell, Texas. I was hoping to find a connection with these Franks and Minerva who  married Jeremiah C. Jeffrey.

To make matters worse, I went to my gen program and it wouldn't open. I had just cleaned off my hard drive and moved some stuff to my external drive. I didn't think it would affect my programs. When I got it running again, it couldn't find the file I had created. I knew I had tons of backup and hadn't deleted them all. It took a while but I finally found it and everything is working again. now I just have to find the Media file with all the photos.

More Willises - Pt. 3

By 1870 some of the Willis family had moved to Marlin, Falls County, Texas. William and Ann were there with three children. Wesley is there too with wife Agnes and seven children. By 1872 Washington had joined them (according to the 1872-1876 tax rolls.)

In 1872 a daughter, Eliza Van Buren had married and had at least one child in Shelby County, Texas.

Sometime between 1870-1880 Ann died. William is listed on the 1800 census as a widower and living with his widowed daughter Mary Williams in Shelby County. In the “Pettey's of East Texas” it states that William was buried in Corrine Cemetery in Jacksonville, Cherokee County, TX but I have found no record of this.

Washington and his family returned to Panola county by 1880. He died in 1894 according to a pension application. 

The pension application led me to discover that Washington's wife, Emily had died in Panola county and he remarried Sarah A..... in 1888. She was the one applying for the pension.

His brother, Wesley also remarried a Mary in 1875 sometime after Agnes Kent died. Wesley and Mary had three more children, Ana, Thomas and Alice. He died in Decatur, TX in 1880.

The Willis-Welch-Pettey Story Part 2

In 1854, in Lawrence County, Alabama, Martha J. Willis married James Welch from Dublin Ireland. I don't have the original copy but it appears on the Index for the county. That is the last record we have for Martha.

  

In 1860, the whole Willis and Welch families moved west. William and Ann and their younger children are living in Panola co. TX. The transcription says Bethany, but the original census says McMillan, southeast of Carthage.

Census_Year  1860 Panola County, Texas

Willis,       William    51 m Shingle maker  GA

Willis,        Ann        47   f housekeeper      SC

Willis         Eliza       19   F   Housekeeper  GA

 Willis         Sarah     17   F                        GA

 Willis         Mary      14   F                        GA

Willis         Robert     8    M                        AL

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 Willis         Wesly A.     28   M         Teamster             GA

Willis         Agnes          24   F             Housekeeper     GA

Willis         Robert         6    M                                      AL

Willis         William        5    M                                      LA

Willis         Sarah          3     F                                       TX

Willis         John           6/12 M            

The son, Washington Franklin married to Emily Horn in Logansport, LA. Her parents and a sister are buried in the Old Horn cemetery there. A later census lists three of Washington and Emily’s children as being born in Louisiana. The dates would have been 1861 through 1867.
The eldest son, Wesley, is shown above in Panola County with his wife Agnes and their children.

James Welch appears on the 1860 census for Shelby County with Nancy and several children.What happened to Martha? Where did she go? Did they divorce? I don't think she died just yet.

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Willis-Welch-Pettey Story Part 1

I've been busy writing up the Willis-Welch-Pettey story, or at least, what I think I know

The Willis – Welch - Pettey Story

After doing family history for many years, I’ve discovered that it is always a work in progress. It is never finished. I just wanted to write down what I have found and try to make some sense of the families’ comings and goings. Sometimes each new discovery brings with it more questions than answers but every little bit helps me to understand our ancestors and to help me see them as real people.

The earliest Willis I can find is Robert Willis, born 1783 in Jasper Georgia. The family information comes from Ancestry.com and I have yet to find a primary source.

I do know that he married an Isabel Frazer on 16 June 1808 in Wilkes County, Georgia. She was born in 1787 in Jasper Georgia according to Ancestry.com. I have found a photo copy of their marriage record. Isabel was given in marriage by a John Frazer. I guess that might be her father, but it could also be another male relative.

 

The 1820 and 1830 census for Jasper County and the 1840 census for Wilkes county Georgia all show a Robert Willis. There's not much information on these early censuses, just numbers for individuals in age categories. No names to connect the dots.

No more records have yet been found for Robert and Isabel.

The reputed son of Robert and Isabel Willis, William Franklin Willis, was born 14 March 1809 in Jasper County, Georgia. He was married to Ann (Stanley) born about 1812-1817 in N. Carolina. They appear on the 1850 census for Lawrence County, Alabama.

The children of with William and Ann Willis were:

·        Wesley A. born about 1832-1834 Georgia

·        Washington Franklin born 5 May 1834 in Putnam county, GA died 29 May 1894 Panola co. TX. Married  28 May 1856 in De Soto Parish, LA  Emily J. Horn (born 9 Mar 1834, in Edgecombe, NC).

·        Martha J. or G - (born 20 Feb 1837 in Georgia) Married 7 Feb 1854 James Welch (born 1830 Dublin, Ireland)

·        Eliza Van Buren – (born 2 Mar 1842 in Eatonville, GA) Married 1875-1876 Leonard Henderson Thompson (born 1 Jan 1824 Dobson, Surrey co. N. Carolina, died 15 Nov 1906 Austin, TX)

·        Sarah (born about 1844) Georgia

·        Mary E. (born about 1845 in GA d. 1926 Haslam, Shelby Co. TX) married Mr. Williams

·        Frances (born about 1849 AL.)

·        Robert L. (born 1851 Alabama  d. 15 Nov 1906 Austin, Tx)

·        Emma (born 1864 Texas) I doubt this is a biological child. Ann would have been 50 yrs old when Emma was born. More likely a grandchild? She first appears on the 1870 Census for Falls County, TX

Willis Brothers in the Civil War

A possible discovery:
I've found military records for our G G Grand Uncles, William Franklin and Wesley Willis. (brothers of Martha Willis, who was Eliza Jane Welch's mother.) I'm still pursuing this line of inquiry and have sent an email to Texas Archives to see if I can get more information. Don't expect an answer until next week.
It seems that Washington F. contracted hepatitis. Wesley deserted while on furlough.

Stumped with These Names

I'm trying to update some family history and I found the family of a g-g-aunt on the 1850 LA census. I just can't make out the names though.

The first full line looks like Eliza, but I can't make out the next two lines at all. I think the first letter is a W. If you look down to the next family, you can see clearly that Ws and Ms are pretty distinctive.

The next two letters look like an e and an a. Then what? Then an le? The next letter could be either an h or k. and the last is probably a y but sometimes the a has a tail.

So that gives me Wealehy or Wealeka or Wealeky or Wealeha.

The next name looks like it could be Lizy or Liza but there is Eliza two lines up. Unlikely two daughters had the (almost) same name

I'm at a loss. Any ideas?

 To see the original click on Archive.org

Time Out

I haven't done much on our family history lately. I have been working on the page I've volunteered to host,
Shelby County Texas on the GenealogyTrails website.
I'm transcribing newspaper articles and anything I can find. I'd like to make another trip to the Conroe genealogy library but it has been too hot to leave the dogs. (I am going to set up a battery cooler to keep them safe.)
I also want to clean up my Legacy program. I've been adding things even if they don't have a good citation. It keeps notes for me for things to do. I don't put it online for that reason. I do want to put it on a cd and give a copy to my dad.

Another Brick Wall - William Marcus Jeffrey

My great-grandfather, William Marcus Jeffery isn't so much a mystery, until, what we assume was his death.

• He was born in  1852 in Caldwell county, Texas, probably in Prairie Lea. The family appears on the 1860 census for Prairie Lea in Caldwell county. William was 8 years old.
• In 1870 the family was living in Crockett, in Houston county Texas. William was 18. 
• He's missing from the 1880 census where the family is listed living with Dr. George Forest. Will's father died sometime before this census was taken and his mother, Minerva remarried.
• There is a William  Jeffrey living in Milam county in 1880 with a Harvey family as a laborer. He is 28 years old which matches our William. 
• There is no surviving census record for 1890 since all the records were destroyed in a fire. 
• The next location for William in in Oakwood Texas (In both Freestone and Leon Counties) is marked by the birth of his first child Daisy in 1892 with Ellen Crane. 
• In September of 1894, Mattie Lena Jeffrey was born in either Leon or Montgomery county Texas.
• I found a marriage record for the marriage of William M. Jeffrey and Ellen Crain in Anderson county, Texas on October of 1894. Will's brother Andrew was living in Palestine (Anderson county) at the time.
• In June of 1900 the census for Precinct 1 Montgomery County Texas lists William, Ellen and children - Mannie and Maude listed along with Daisy and Mattie (it states that they lived "west of the R. R. track" which is not far from where I am right now.)
• The 1910 Huntsville, Walker County census lists Albert Moore, wife Ellen and 3 daughters.
• Ellen married Albert Moore in May of 1902. Mannie had disappeared, we have to think she died. No record for William Jeffrey. I have to assume he died between June of 1900 and May of 1902 and Ellen went to live with relatives in Huntsville where she met and married Albert.

I have not been able to find any death records for William or Mannie or where they might be buried. How can someone so close be so lost?
I have visited some cemeteries in the area. The Willis cemetery has a big field that I was told was full of unmarked graves.

Note: Albert worked as a guard at the Huntsville Prison. My dad remembers visiting them there. 

The Willis and Welches

Here's a what I have so far about the Willis and Welch family. If anyone knows anything more, please let me know.

Robert Willis (1773- Jasper, Georgia)
 +  Isabel Frazer (1778 - Jasper, Georgia)
      1. William Franklin Willis (born  14 Mar 1809 Jasper, GA, died after 1880 poss. Shelby County, TX)
           + Ann J. Stanley (1812 N. Carolina - died about 1872 poss. Shelby County, TX)
              2. Wesley A. Willis (born abt 1832-1834 Georgia died....unknown)
                   + Agnes ..... (born abt 1835 Ala.)
                         (several children but haven't sorted them out yet)
               2. Washington Franklin Willis (bn 5 May 1834, Putnum co. GA - 29 May 1894 Panola co. TX )                                                + Emily Jane Horn (bn 9 Mar 1834 Edgecombe, NC. md. 28 May 1876 De Soto Parish, LA)
                    3. Sarah Willis
                    3. James Willis
                    3. George Willis
                    3. Norrah Willis
                    3. Harriate Willis
            2. Martha J. Willis (bn 20 Feb 1837 GA)
                + James Welch (bn 1830, Dublin Ireland. md 7 Feb 1854 Lawrence Co. AL)
                    + Second wife of James Welch - Nancy
                3. Eliza Jane Welch (bn 1868/70/71 either Joaquin, TX or Logansport, LA)
                    + William Holloway Pettey
            2. Eliza Van Buren Willis (bn 2 Mar 1842 Eatonton, GA - dd 9 Jan 1896)
                + Leonard Henderson Thompson (bn 1 Jan 1824 Dobson, NC - dd 15 Nov 1906 Austin, TX)
            2. Sarah Willis  (bn about 1844 Georgia)
            2. Mary E. Willis (bn  abt 1845 Georgia) living with widowed father in Shelby co. Tx in 1880.
                + ....Williams 
            2. Francis Willis (abt 1849 AL)

Washington Willis and Emily Horn Get Married

Today I found an transcription of marriage records for De Soto Parish 1837-1860. Washington and Emily were listed as married on 28 May 1856. I don't have the cash to send for original copies so I have to make do with what I can find on the internet.
The rest of the day I spent slogging through censuses and whatever online records I could find.
I can't imagine what happened to Martha. Here's the breakdown

• 1850 Martha J. Willis on census in Alabama with family (William Franklin and Ann J. Stanley Willis)
• 1854 James Welch (bn 1830 Ireland) and Martha J Willis marry in Franklin County, Alabama
• 1860 James Welch in on census Shelby county Texas with Nancy (?) and  4 children. None of them Fannie.
• 1860 Martha's parents and some of her siblings in Bethany, Panola county, TX
• 1880 Martha's daughter, Eliza Jane Welch is living with her half-sister Fannie Welch Myers in Nacogdoches.

Where did Martha go? And where did Eliza Jane come from?

We have several records with Eliza Jane's date of birth as 1858, 1860 and 1861. We also have her place of birth as Joaquin, Texas and Logansport, Louisiana. 

Marriage Record for Willis and Frazer - 1808

Today's find was rather exciting. I found a copy of Robert Willis and Isabel Frazer's marriage record from 1808. I believe that they are the parents of William Franklin Willis. I need to verify that but, unfortunately, I found the record on Ancestry.com. I'll have to look it up again next time I visit the Conroe Genealogy library.

A John Frazer signed the document. Could he be Isabel's father?

Washington Willis Reappears

I really need to make a note of where I find things. I was looking in my records for a Falls County Texas census for 1870 but couldn't find it. What I did find, though was a tax record for William Willis and two sons, Wesley and Washington F. That means Washington and Emma left Louisiana and rejoined the family during their stay in Falls county. They didn't own land but had between them one horse, one mule and six head of cattle. Wesley was a teamster so it's not surprising that they would have a few cattle or oxen.

They possibly moved there after 1870 and moved away before 1880 which would explain why they wouldn't show up on the census for Falls county. I need to find now where Wesley went. Still no sign of his sister Martha. If she remarried, she may be lost forever.

Washington Franklin Willis and Emily Horn

Today's stumbling block. I'm trying to find where Martha Willis lived after 1854 when she married James Welch. He appears in 1860 with a new wife Nancy in Shelby County, Texas but where did Martha go? Family legend says she died around 1800-1881 but we don't have anything to go on. Her daughter, Eliza Jane Welch, gives her birthplace as Joaquin, Texas,  or possibly Logansport Louisiana. (They are only three miles apart and her father gives his occupation as a ferryman.)
One of Martha's brothers, Washington Franklin Willis married Emily Horn and they had three children in DeSoto Parish, Louisiana, Sarah in 1861, James in 1862 and George in 1867. By 1880 they had moved to Panola county in Texas.

The rest of the Willis family was in Bethany, Panola county in 1860 and then in Falls County, Texas in 1870. Martha's father was living with daughter Mary Williams in Shelby county Tx in 1880.

Ed: now where on earth did I get DeSoto Parish? I really have to start keeping better records. I spend way too much time looking things up again!