“When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us.” ~ Alexander Graham Bell
While searching for court records for one of my ancestors who lived in Kanawha County in 1811-1812, I found a Bill of Sale for four enslaved persons.
At that time, Kanawha was part of Virginia and had the same court jurisdictions as Virginia counties. The primary responsibility of the county court was to serve as the administrative body of the county.
The county court record book and county court records go hand in hand. The record book is similar to a calendar or diary of causes brought before the county court. Entries are mostly short and with little further information. The county court records include records produced during the court case.
The loose papers filed in envelopes have been digitized and include labels describing the cause, a list of the records included in the batch, and, in some cases, further information.
This Indenture made this 4th day of April 1809 Between Thomas Joplan of the One part and Ralph Joplan of the other part. Witnesseth that the said Thomas Joplan for and in Consideration of Six Hundred Dollars to him in hand paid the receipt whereof is hereby Acknowledged hath Bargained & sold and by these presents Doth Bargain sell and deliver unto the said Ralph Joplan the following personal property to wit) One negro woman named Kate, One negro Boy named Rueben, One negro girl named Margett, & One negro child named Sam, One Grey Mare & year old Stone colt, One three year old sorrel Mare, five Milch cows and Two calves; three feather Beds and furniture thereto ____, One Sow and Seven shoats, One large Kittle, one
pot & one Dutch oven, One pewter Bason, One pewter dish and Nine pewter plates, One Man’s saddle, one plough and Geers & four Broad Hoes & One Sprouting hoes all which property as before recited respectively the said Thomas Joplan hereby covenants to Warrant & defend unto the said Ralph Joplan or his assigns against the claims of all and every person or persons whatsoever. In Witness whereof he hath hereunto set his hand and affixed his seal the day and date aforesaid. Thos. Joplan Seal Signed sealed and acknowledged In presence of G. Christian R. Christian
At a Court held and continued for Kanawha County the 14th day of June 1809. This deed of trust (or bill of sale) from Thomas Jopling to Ralph Jopling was presented in Court and duly acknowledged by the said Thomas & the same is ordered to record. A Copy Teste A. Donnally C.K.C.
A bit of background information
Various spellings of the surname were found in the records, including Joplan, Joplin, and Jopling. Thomas Joplin and Ralph Joplin were either father and son or brothers. I suspect the first and that Ralph was preparing to set up his own household when he bought the enslaved persons, stock, and household goods in 1809.
In 1810 Ralph Joplin married Susanna Casdorph. The exact marriage date is not known as John Lee, the minister of the gospel, kept only a list of the marriages by year without dates of marriage.2
The marriage took place before 27 October 1810 when Ralph was hit over the head with a rifle and killed by William C. Wilson, a Kanawha schoolmaster.3 Wilson was acquitted on 30 April 1811.4
The widow Susanna appears to have married while the case was in court as her name was first seen as Susanna Joplin and later as Susanna Wilson. No marriage record has been found.
This post was written to help the descendants of Kate, Rueben, Margett, and Sam connect and fill in their family tree.
Kanawha County Court Records, 1773-1875 (browse-only images), FamilySearch, citing microfilm of original records at the Kanawha County courthouse. Film 189907, DGS 8291458, Court records, v. 10-11 1809-1811, images 513-520, Ralph Joplin, dec’d vs Thomas Joplin, Bill of Sale (images 515-516) (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSR9-X7XN-9?i=514&cat=94212 : accessed 3 January 2020) ↩
West Virginia Vital Research Records Project (database and images), West Virginia Division of Culture and History, (A collaborative venture between the West Virginia State Archives and the Genealogical Society of Utah to place vital records online via the West Virginia Archives and History Web site accessible at http://www.wvculture.org/vrr). 1810, Kanawha County, (West) Virginia, Ralph Jopling and Susannah Casdorph. (http://www.wvculture.org/vrr/va_view.aspx?Id=12565937&Type=Marriage : accessed 2 February 2021). ↩
Kanawha County County Court record book, 1803-1880 (browse-only images), FamilySearch, citing microfilm of original records at the Kanawha County courthouse. Film 521644, DGS 8613718, Record book, v. 3 1803-1819, image 292 of 857, right page. (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C34Z-SSVQ-G?mode=g&cat=295049 : accessed 25 March 2021) ↩
“The challenge: have one blog post each week devoted to a specific ancestor. It could be a story, a biography, a photograph, an outline of a research problem — anything that focuses on one ancestor.”
I might be breaking a rule by doing this ancestor in two parts in one week. My posts for this challenge are not spontaneous. I have this planned out to the end of the year. For me, an ancestor’s childhood and parents are part of her life. In the case of this ancestor, it became so complicated that I’ve broken this up into two parts. For the first part, please see 52 Ancestors: #43(1) Elizabeth CARROLL abt. 1808-bet. 1880-1890
#43(2) Elizabeth’s parents Robert and Anne CARROLL
I thought this would be an easy write-up until I started taking a closer look at what I have on the CARROLL family of Montgomery County, Virginia. To begin with, the name was found with many different spellings: CARL, CAREL, CARLE, CAROL, CARRIL, CARREL, CARRELL, CARROLL.
To add to the confusion the George Valentine “Feltha” CORRELL family moved to the area soon after the 1810 census from Augusta County. They were of German heritage and the surname was sometimes spelled CARRELL. Fortunately, I’ve already looked into this family as Feltha’s wife Kate was a WEAVER, daughter of George WEAVER and Barbara RUPP (sister of my Henry RUPE), and granddaughter of my 1752 immigrants (6th great-grandparents) Johan Jacob RUPP and Maria Barbara NONNENMACHER.
CARROLL Marriages
According to family tradition, three of Henry RUPE’s sons married CARROLL sisters. Let’s take a look at the CARROLL marriages that took place in Montgomery and Floyd counties from 1830 to 1850:
◉ 1. My fourth great-grandparents James ROOP and Elizabeth CARROLL married on 23 July 1830. In the abstract of the marriage, his last name was spelled RUPE and her maiden name was indexed as EARL.1 As mentioned last week RUPE and ROOP were used interchangeably. The names of the bride’s and groom’s parents were not included in the transcript. To-do list: request copy of marriage record because….I believe that EARL is an indexing error and her maiden name was most likely spelled CARL as it was for her sister Mary the following year: The entry in the marriage record was found as FamilySearch added new records to their collections. Elizabeth’s maiden name in the record was spelled CARL as it was for her sister Mary the following year. No mention of parents was given.2
◉ 2. “I do hereby certify that I celebrated the rites of matrimony between Joseph Roop & Mary Carl of Montgomery Cty on the 13th day of September 1831 by virtue of a publication given under my hand this 26th day of June 1832. Richd Buckingham”3,4
◉ 3. Richard Buckingham also celebrated the rites of matrimony between John CARL and Theodocia WILSON of Floyd County on the 27th day of November 1832, published 4 Dec 1832.5 John died on 1 October 1881 in Floyd County. The abstract of his record of death shows his name as John CARRIL and his parents as Robert and Anne.6
◉ 4. Peninah CARROLL married Henry KEMPLIN on 26 November 1835 in Floyd County, Virginia. The marriage was performed by Michael Howry. The parents of the couple were not listed in this source.7 Robert CARROL and Henry KEMPLIN went bond the same day for the marriage of Peninah CARROL and Henry Kemplin.8 The relationship between Robert to Peninah was not given. Robert signed his name CARRELL. This couple went to Kentucky before 1840.
◉ 5. Nancy Carroll married Andrew DAME on 5 September 1844 in Montgomery County, Virginia.9 No information found on this couple.
◉ 6. On 4 November 1846 William ROOP gave bond with Robert CARRELL as security for the marriage of William to Robert’s daughter Catherine CARRELL.10 In 1850 Anne CARLE age 62 was in the household of William and Catherine ROOP. The relationship is not listed however Anne would appear to be Catherine’s mother.
◉ 7. Rose CARROLL married James JUSTICE on 21 October 1848. The abstract of this record includes the name of the bride’s father, Robert CARROLL.11 At this point things become complicated. Rose may have had two daughters before this marriage. Sarah CARROLL who is seen with her in 1850 and Drusilla CARROLL. The second daughter later took the surname JUSTICE. Sallie/Sarah RATLIFF was seen as Drusilla’s grandmother in 1880 suggesting that Rose’s children’s father was a RATLIFF. Sarah CARROLL was also found with Sarah RATLIFF in 1850 and with Robert CARROLL in 1860. Like her sister Drusilla, Sarah CARROLL appears to have had a child out of wedlock and is seen in 1880 as Sarah JUSTIS.
◉ 8. Joseph R. CARRELL and Sarah KROPFF were married by Thomas G. Shelor on 6 August 1846 in Floyd County, Virginia. Sarah was the daughter of Barbary KROPFF per permission note. The parents of the groom were not mentioned.12
◉ 9. Robert R. CARRELL and Evaline M. RATLIFF were married by Owen Sumner on 9 July 1848 in Floyd County, Virginia. Evaline was the daughter of Benjamin RATLIFF per bond. The parents of the groom were not mentioned.13
From the family tradition and the above marriages that list a parent, the following children are Robert’s: *Elizabeth, *Mary, *John, *Catherine, and *Rose. This leaves Peninah, Nancy, Joseph, and Robert as possible children.
CARROLL in the Census
The Robert CARROLL family was NOT always the only family of that name in Montgomery County per the earliest censuses. In 1810 there was also a Samuel CARREL Sr. age over 45 and in 1820 a James CARRELL age 26-44. Samuel was not on the 1820 census or later and James was not found in Montgomery in 1830 or later. After this time, in 1830, Robert was the only CARROLL in Montgomery County. Robert and his son John were the only CARROLLs in Floyd County in 1840. Note that Floyd County was formed from Montgomery in 1831.
Since Robert was the only CARROLL in Montgomery County after 1820 I believe that it is possible that 8 of the 9 (if not all) marriages found above may be his children. Using these young people (*proven) I analyzed the pre-1850 census:
1810 U.S. Federal Census > VA > Montgomery > Christiansburg (ancestry.com)
1810 U.S. Federal Census14
Montgomery County, Virginia
Christiansburg
Name: Robt Carrel
Free White Persons – Males – Under 10: 1 (John)
Free White Persons – Males – 26 thru 44 : 1 (Robert 26-29)
Free White Persons – Females – Under 10: 2 (Elizabeth and *Mary)
Free White Persons – Females – 10 thru 15: 1 (unknown b. bet. 1795-1800)
Free White Persons – Females – 26 thru 44: 1 (Anne 26-29)
Number of Household Members Under 16: 4
Number of Household Members Over 25: 2
Number of Household Members: 6
1820 U.S. Federal Census > VA > Montgomery > Blacksburg (ancestry.com)
1820 U.S. Federal Census15
Montgomery County, Virginia
Blacksburg
Name: Robert Carrell
Enumeration Date: August 7, 1820
Free White Persons – Males – Under 10: 1 (John, wrong column?)
Free White Persons – Males – 26 thru 44: 1 (Robert age 36-39)
Free White Persons – Females – Under 10: 4 (Mary, Rose, Peninah, *Catherine)
Free White Persons – Females – 10 thru 15: 1 (Elizabeth)
Free White Persons – Females – 26 thru 44: 1 (Anne age 36-39)
Number of Persons – Engaged in Agriculture: 1
Free White Persons – Under 16: 6
Free White Persons – Over 25: 2
Total Free White Persons: 8
Total All Persons – White, Slaves, Colored, Other: 8
1830 U.S. Federal Census > VA > Montgomery > Christiansburg (ancestry.com)
1830 U.S. Federal Census16
Montgomery County, Virginia
Christiansburg
Name: Robert Carle
Free White Persons – Males – Under 5: 1 (Robert)
Free White Persons – Males – 5 thru 9: 1 (Joseph)
Free White Persons – Males – 20 thru 29: 1 (John)
Free White Persons – Males – 40 thru 49: 1 (Robert age 46-49)
Free White Persons – Females – Under 5: 1 (Nancy)
Free White Persons – Females – 5 thru 9: 1 (Catherine)
Free White Persons – Females – 10 thru 14: 2 (*Rose, Peninah)
Free White Persons – Females – 40 thru 49: 1 (Anne age 46-49)
Free White Persons – Females – 50 thru 59: 1 (older woman?)
Free White Persons – Under 20: 6
Free White Persons – 20 thru 49: 3
Total Free White Persons: 10
Total – All Persons (Free White, Slaves, Free Colored): 10
Up until 1830, the analysis of the census went well except for son John (b. abt. 1806) having slipped into the wrong column in 1820. The children fit the CARROLL marriages seen above. Then 1840 blows everything out of the water.
1840 U.S. Federal Census > VA > Floyd (ancestry.com)
1840 U.S. Federal Census17
Floyd County, Virginia
Name: Robert Carol
Free White Persons – Males – 5 thru 9: 1 (??)
Free White Persons – Males – 10 thru 14: 2 (Joseph and Robert)
Free White Persons – Males – 50 thru 59: 1 (Robert age 56-59)
Free White Persons – Females – Under 5: 1 (Rose’s dau Sarah)
Free White Persons – Females – 10 thru 14: 5 (Nancy, 4x??)
Free White Persons – Females – 15 thru 19: 1 (*Rose, *Catherine)
Free White Persons – Females – 30 thru 39: 1 (poss. mother of younger children)
Free White Persons – Females – 50 thru 59: 1 (Anne age 56-59)
Persons Employed in Agriculture: 2
Persons Employed in Manufacture and Trade: 1
Free White Persons – Under 20: 10
Free White Persons – 20 thru 49: 1
Total Free White Persons: 13
Total All Persons – Free White, Free Colored, Slaves: 13
Robert and Anne are with their unmarried children but there is another young woman with them and it looks like she may have brought five children with her. Could she be the girl aged 10-15 seen with the CARROLL family in 1810? Was she Robert’s sister? Was she the mother of all the younger children?
1850 U.S. Federal Census > VA > Montgomery (ancestry.com)
In 1850 Robert CARROLL was not found in the census. However, Anne CARLE age 62 was in the household of her son-in-law William ROOP (above) and her daughter Catherine.18 Eight of the nine CARROLL children were found in their own households. As mentioned earlier, no record was found for Nancy who married Andrew DAME.
In 1860 we find Robert CARROLL age 74 in the census with young people who may be grandchildren.
1860 U.S. Federal Census > VA > Montgomery > Christiansburg (ancestry.com)1860 U.S. Federal Census > VA > Montgomery > Christiansburg (ancestry.com)
1860 U.S. Federal Census19
Montgomery County, Virginia
Christiansburg
Robert Carroll 74 wheelright
Robert Carroll 22 laborer (1850 age 22)
Sarah Carroll 21 (1850 age 14/15, poss. a daughter of Rose Carroll)
Elisha Carroll 14 (1850 age 0, son of Ruth Ratliff Rose)
Isaac Rose 35 basket maker (husband of Ruth)
Ruth Rose 20 (1850 age 22, daughter of Sarah Carroll Ratliff)
Malinda Rose 7
Druscilla Rose 1 Note: ages of persons in the household are off by 5-10 years
The young Robert seen in this household may be his son but the age is off by 10 years. A Robert CARROLL age 12 was not found in the 1850 census. In 1850 Robert’s son Robert R. CARROLL age 22 was in prison; his wife Evaline had her own household with their son Jesse. She has not been located in 1860 but in 1868 she was a widow and remarried. She had her last child about 1862 and he was named Giles Gordon CARROLL.
Sarah CARROLL seen in Robert’s household in 1860 was found twice in 1850, in the household of Rose Carroll JUSTICE and in the household of Sarah Carroll RATLIFF.
Elisha CARROLL was the son of Ruth CARROLL (aka Ruth RATLIFF) per his marriage record. Ruth, the wife of Isaac ROSE, was listed as Ruth RATLIFF, daughter of Sarah RATLIFF when she married in 1853. Ruth and Isaac have not been found after 1860. Why would Ruth’s son Elisha have the CARROLL surname if his mother was a RATLIFF? Could it be that Ruth’s mother Sarah RATLIFF was actually a CARROLL as she is seen in 1870? Is Sarah the young girl seen in Robert’s household in 1810 and then again in 1840? Could she be Robert’s sister?
Sarah RATLIFF in Census
1850 U.S. Federal Census20
Montgomery County, Virginia
Sarah Ratliff F 55 Virginia
Ruth Carroll F 22 Virginia (daughter of Sarah per marriage record)
Sarah Carroll F 14 Virginia (daughter of Rose?)
Drusilla Carroll F 10 Virginia (daughter of Rose per 1880)
Elijah Carroll M 0 Virginia (son of Ruth per marriage record)
Lucinda Norris F 30 Virginia (relationship unknown)
Julia A. Norris F 10 Virginia (relationship unknown)
Harvey Norris M 2 Virginia (relationship unknown)
1860 U.S. Federal Census
Sarah Ratliff aka Sarah Carroll was not found.
1870 U.S. Federal Census21
Montgomery County, Virginia
Christiansburg
Justice, Rose M. 46
Justice, Drucilla 26 (daughter of Rose per 1880)
Justice, Ellen 11 (daughter of Drusilla per 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930)
Carroll, Sallie 84 (aka Sarah Ratliff)
Rose, Amanda 3 (poss. daughter of Ruth and Isaac Rose who disappeared aft. 1860)
1880 U.S. Federal Census22
Montgomery County, Virginia
Auburn
Justis, Drucilla 37 single (died bet. 1930-1940)
Justis, Rosa M. 63 widowed mother (died bet. 1880-1900)
Ratliff, Sallie 90 widowed grandmother (died bet. 1880-1900)
Wrinkle in my timeline
The 1880 census listing for Sallie RATLIFF threw me. I thought at first glance that “Sallie” was the mother of “Rosa” but this would put a wrinkle in my timeline for the Robert CARROLL family and add complications.
I’ve spent hours going back and forth with this information. My problem is a riddle: If Rose CARROLL was the daughter of Robert CARROLL and Sarah RATLIFF was the grandmother of Rose’s daughter Drusilla CARROLL aka Drusilla JUSTICE, then either Sarah was the mother of Rose or she was the mother of Drusilla’s unknown father. I would much rather think that she was not Drusilla’s mother as this would mean that Robert and Sarah (who was not his wife) had a child together.
Can I trust the census records that show these people using one surname and then changing to another without marrying? Can you see my predicament? I hope that by putting all the information into this post someone will see it and hopefully have the answers. I may have to take Diane Gould Hall’s advice and get images of the marriage records in hopes of finding more information than is transcribed. [As seen above, I took her advice and cited them when I revised this post.]
Bottom Line
The bottom line is that Robert and Anne CARROLL were the parents of John, Elizabeth, Mary, Rose, and Catherine and they may have had four more children. Speculation on my part is that Peninah, Nancy, Joseph, and Robert were these four children.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful to be able to go back in time and talk to Mary, the daughter of Robert and Anne CARROLL, who lived to be 100 years old and could vividly tell of events that happened when she was young?
Mrs. Mary Roop, the last living child of Robert and Anne CARROLL d. 1909
Two newspaper clippings were found documenting the long life of Mrs. Mary ROOP born Mary CARROLL.23,24
“Christiansburg” (paragraphs 2+3)
Mrs. Mary Roop, of Auburn, in this county, has been quite ill for several days, but her friends have strong hopes of her recovery, although she is quite advanced in years, having celebrated her ninety-eighth birthday on New Year’s Day. She was born on the first day of January, 1809, a few miles from her present residence, and so far as is known she is the oldest person in the county. Her husband, the late Joseph Roop, died of a cancer in 1876, and she has lived with her youngest daughter at the old home place ever since. She can tell of events which happened ninety years ago as vividly as if she were speaking of things which took place only a year ago, and her memory is the wonder of the community.
All five of her sons fought in the late Civil War, one of whom lost his life in the service and the other four are still living in the county, as are three daughters, the youngest having died one year ago. She has a large number of grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and some half a dozen great-great-grandchildren, in all the greatest number of descendants of any living person in this county.
Mrs. Mary Roop
[Special to The Times-Dispatch.] Christiansburg, VA., January 8. – Mrs. Mary Roop died at her residence, near Riner, in Montgomery county, yesterday after an illness of several months, aged 100 years and six days, being the oldest person in this county. She was born within a few miles of Riner on the first day of January, 1809. She was a remarkable woman, having never suffered any illness of consequence until a short time ago, and was clear in mind and memory until a few days before her death. Her husband, the late Joseph Roop, died in 1876, and she continued to live at the old Homestead until her death, refusing to leave to live with any of her children, although often urged to do so. She leaves three sons and three daughters living, three of her children having died, the oldest living child now being nearly eighty years old. She also leaves over 100 descendants, embracing six generations. R. I. Roop, of this place, is one of her grandsons. The burial took place to-day at the family burying ground, near her home.
This Post was Updated on 23 October 2022: Missing source citations were added, images were scaled, and some corrections were made to the text and format.
“Virginia, Marriages 1740-1850,” (index-only), Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/3723/), original data: Dodd, Jordan R., et al., Early American Marriages: Virginia to 1850. James Rupe, male, spouse Elizabeth Earl (sic), female, marriage date 23 Jul 1830 in Montgomery County, Virginia. (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 6 April 2016). ↩
“Marriage records, 1785-1861,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/1135002), citing microfilm of original records at the Montgomery County Courthouse in Christiansburg, Virginia., Film 2047122 (item 3), DGS 7740792, Marriage record, 1812-1841, image 101 of 854, right page, 7th entry, 8 Jun 1830, James Roop and Elizabeth Carrol (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C91C-TPS4?cc=2134304 : accessed 23 December 2021). Note: “Marriage record, 1812-1841” collection was copied from the ministers’ returns. ↩
Louise Roop Anderson Akers, comp., The Family Rub, Rup, Rupe, Roop, Roope (2001 Printed by Jamont Communications, 339 Luck Ave., Roanoke, VA 24016). Photocopy of the page with marriages by Richard Buckingham. Note: same image as found in footnote 4. ↩
“Marriage records, 1785-1861,” Film 2047122 (item 3), DGS 7740792, Marriage record, 1812-1841, image 111 of 854, left page, 2nd entry, Joseph Roop and Mary Carl married 13 Sep 1831 by Richd Buckingham who published it 26 Jun 1832 (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C91C-TPSM?cc=2134304 : accessed 25 December 2021). ↩
“Death registers, 1853-1906 (Virginia),” browse-only images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/780106), Virginia Bureau of Vital Statistics, citing microfilm of the original records at the Virginia State Library at Richmond, Virginia, Film 2056980, DGS 4225427, Death registers Floyd County, 1853-1896, image 165 of 673, 1881 Register, entry 17, John Carrel, m w, 1 Oct, farmer, 75 yrs, Robert + Anne Carrel (parents), b. Montgomery, consort of Dosha Carrel, informant: Jacob Carrel, son. (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-DRMQ-DYQ?i=164&cc=3940896 : accessed 14 October 2022). ↩
Virginia State Library (Richmond, Virginia) and Montgomery County (Virginia). County Clerk, “Register of marriages, Montgomery County, Virginia, 1777-1853,” (browse-only images), <i>FamilySearch</i>, citing microfilm of original records at the Virginia State Library in Richmond, Virginia, Film 32633, DGS 7579015, Index of marriage register, 1777-1853 — Register of marriages, 1777-1853, image 528 of 673, 5 Sep 1844 Andrew Dame and Nancy Carroll, Nancy Dame mother, Samuel Dame and Philip Anderson witnesses. “.” (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9XF-FX8W?i=527 : accessed 23 December 2021). ↩
Louise Roop Anderson Akers, comp., The Family Rub, Rup, Rupe, Roop, Roope (2001 Printed by Jamont Communications, 339 Luck Ave., Roanoke, VA 24016). Photocopy of marriage bond of William Roop and Catherine Carrell. ↩
“Virginia, Marriages, 1785-1940,” index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XR8J-69S : accessed 21 Oct 2014), James Justice and Rose Carroll, 21 Oct 1848; citing Montgomery County, Virginia, reference P 308; FHL microfilm 32633. ↩
1810 U.S. Federal Census (index and images), Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7613/), citing Third Census of the United States, 1810 population schedule, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington D.C. NARA microfilm publication M252, 71 rolls, Roll M252_70, Film 181430, image 102, Virginia, Montgomery County, Christiansburg, page 653 (handwritten on right margin), image 36 of 52, line 10, Robt Carrel (accessed 13 March 2013). ↩
1820 U.S. Federal Census (index and images), Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7734/), citing Fourth Census of the United States, 1820 population schedule, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington D.C., NARA microfilm publication M33, 142 rolls, NARA Roll: M33_130, Image: 329, Virginia, Montgomery County, Blacksburg, Page: 171A, Line 18, Robert Carrell (accessed 13 March 2013). ↩
1830 U.S. Federal Census (index and images), Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/8058/), citing Fifth Census of the United States, 1830 population schedule, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington D.C. NARA microfilm publication M19, 201 rolls, Roll: M19_198, FHL Film: 0029677, Virginia, Montgomery County, Christiansburg, Page: 60, Line 7, Robert Carle (accessed 13 March 2013). ↩
1840 U.S. Federal Census (index and images), Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/8057/), citing Sixth Census of the United States, 1840 population schedule, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington D.C., NARA microfilm publication M704, 580 rolls, Roll M704_555, FHL Film 0029685, Virginia, Floyd County, image 32 of 49, page 15 (handwritten), line 17, Robert Carol (accessed 26 December 2021). ↩
1850 U.S. Federal Census (index and images), Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/8054/), citing Seventh Census of the United States, 1850 population schedule, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington D.C., NARA microfilm publication M432, 1009 rolls, Roll: M432_962, Virginia, Montgomery County, sheet 52B, household 708-708, lines 23-27, William Roop (accessed 22 October 2014). ↩
1860 U.S. Federal Census (index and images), Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7667/), citing Eighth Census of the United States, 1860 population schedule, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington D.C., NARA microfilm publication M653, 1,438 rolls, Roll: M653_1363, FHL Film 805363, Virginia, Montgomery County, Christianburg; Page No. 55+56, lines 38-40 and lines 1-5, household 395-375, Robert Carroll (accessed 13 March 2013). The official enumeration day of the 1860 census was 1 June 1860. ↩
1850 U.S. Federal Census, Roll: M432_962, Virginia, Montgomery County, sheet 7A (stamped), household 80-80, lines 1-8, Sarah Ratliff (accessed 22 October 2014). ↩
1870 U.S. Federal Census, M593_1664; Virginia, Montgomery, Christiansburg, page no. 25, sheet 133A, lines 24-28, household 137-166, Rose M. Justice (accessed 27 October 2014). ↩
1880 U.S. Federal Census, Roll: T9_1378, Virginia, Montgomery County, Auburn, Enumeration District 56, page 26, sheet 487B, lines 45-47, household 218-227, Drucilla Justice (accessed 22 October 2014). ↩
“The challenge: have one blog post each week devoted to a specific ancestor. It could be a story, a biography, a photograph, an outline of a research problem — anything that focuses on one ancestor.”
My 3rd great-grandmother married in 1851.1 In the marriage records of Meigs County, Ohio John COOLEY, the name of the groom, and Sarah A. TREADWELL, the name of the bride, were entered by the same person who made all other entries on the page.
“The State of Ohio Meigs County, ss. This is to certify that on the 9th day of September A. D. 1851 I joined in marriage John Cooley & Sarah Ann Treadwell by virtue of a license for that purpose (signed) H. S. Lawrence J.P.”
All entries on the page included the annotation “A true copy” except for this one. Does the original scrap of paper still exist? All entries for 1851 are in the same handwriting. I skipped back through the “Marriage records 1819-1852 vol 1” database at FamilySearch, 50 images at a time, and discovered that the entire volume appears to have been written by the same person, most likely at the same time. This would mean that the register was made at a later date. Is it a copy of the original register of marriage records and/or a collection of entries compiled from loose-leaf papers found in the courthouse?
Did the clerk who copied the Justice of the Peace’s information make a mistake? Did H. S. Lawrence, J.P., make the error in his records? In all records produced after this event, Sarah Ann’s maiden name was spelled TREADWAY.
TREADWELL or TREADWAY, that is the question!
• Daughter Ida’s 1870 birth record has as mother Sarah Jane TREADWAY, not Sarah Ann TREADWAY.2
• Son Calvin and daughter Sally’s death records have TREADWAY for the mother’s maiden name.3,4
• Finally, an unknown great-granddaughter of granddaughter Lorena Ellen CLONCH (md. 1st James Noyce SMITH, 2nd John TOMSHACK) has the family bible in which Sarah Ann is listed as TREADWAY. [For more than 10 years I haven’t been able to find out who the great-granddaughter of Lorena Ellen CLONCH is or where this statement came from. Maybe she will see this and get in touch.]
Why am I worried about one record that may have the name wrong? I wonder if the Justice of the Peace and the clerk gave the correct name on the marriage record and records produced later were in error.
To further complicate things, I don’t know who Sarah’s parents were. She has not been located in the 1850 census taken before her marriage. I’ve tried all combinations of Treadway, Treadwell, and even Tracewell. In later census records, she was listed as being born in Virginia and West Virginia. Her parents’ places of birth are also seen as Virginia or West Virginia in the census years this information is included. It is very likely that she/they was/were born in an area of Virginia that became part of West Virginia in 1863.
Opening a Little Door in a Brick Wall
As previously discussed in 52 Ancestors: #28 John COOLEY, Sarah was seen in the 1860, 1870, 1880, and 1900 censuses with her husband John COOLEY.5,6,7,8
I dug a bit deeper into the 1900 census this week and made a wonderful discovery!
1900 U.S. Federal Census > WV > Fayette > Falls > Belva
1900 U.S. Federal Census
Fayette County, West Virginia
Falls District, Belva Precinct
Enumerated on the 29th day of June 1900
HH #358-358
Cowley, John head W M Oct 1827 72 married 45 yrs MS MS MS day laborer
_____, Sarah wife W F Apr 1828 71 married 45 yrs mother of 12, 0 living WV WV WV
Wilson, George boarder W M Oct 1849 (sic) 50 widowed WV WV WV day laborer
_____, Jenett granddaughter W F Apr 1891 9 single WV WV WV
In my story about Sarah’s husband John, I wrote:
At first, the census listing for 1900 was overlooked as the surname was misspelled and John and his parents’ places of birth were seen as Mississippi instead of Missouri. A marriage record for John’s youngest daughter Minnie O. COOLEY helped to make the connection. Minnie married George WILSON (1849-aft. 1900) on 8 March 1900. She did not live long enough to be enumerated on the 1900 census but her widowed husband and a daughter from a previous relationship are seen living with John and Sarah COOLEY (misspelled Cowley) in Belva.
It bothered me that George WILSON was listed as widowed and a boarder in 1900 as he had married the COOLEY’s daughter Minnie three months before the census was enumerated.9 Shouldn’t he be seen as a son-in-law?
When I first found the marriage record for George WILSON and Minnie O. COOLEY I noticed that “mail Geo. Wilson” was written on the register under Remarks. When was it mailed in? Could the license have been dated 8 March 1900 but the marriage took place later, after the census?
I dug deeper and found that George WILSON was not 50 years old as seen on the marriage and census entries. He was 12 years older, born about 1838 to John G. J. and Delilah WILSON of Wood County. This was the county where Sarah and John had lived when their first child was born. Could there be another connection?
What to do? Whenever I’m at an impasse I look at the children. Sarah’s daughter Minnie O. was the mother of two illegitimate daughters.
The youngest was Ellen COOLEY whose 1894 birth record included the name of her father E. E. BAKER.10 Since she was not given the father’s surname I assume that her parents were not married. I found no trace of her after this.
The older daughter was Nettie COOLEY who was seen as Jenett in 1900 with her COOLEY grandparents. No birth record was found for her. Does the line on the census for the surname indicate a repeat of the head of the household’s surname or of the person enumerated just above her? Could George WILSON have been her father?
I followed Nettie through her marriage to Carl Iven GLENN in 1917 (no parents listed) and her death in 1926 (mother Minnie COOLEY, father not known).11,12 In the 1920 census Carl and Nettie were seen with her daughter Freda COOLEY age 8 and a brother-in-law (of the head of household) Charles E. HAYES age 8.13 As I had already laid Minnie to rest in 1900 I did not even consider that the HAYES boy could be Nettie’s brother. Then I wondered if Nettie’s father might be a HAYES but without documentation, this was only speculation.
Not considering ALL possibilities had been a big mistake! I checked the births in Mason County for the parents of Charles E. HAYES. Luckily Mason has a birth register that is typewritten and in alphabetical order – many children were recorded without their given names. In 1911 I found a male child born on 25 January 1911 to Ben and Minnie HAYSE (sic).14
A quick search of the marriage records and I had Benjamin Sterrett HAYES Jr. age 60 marrying Minnie O. WILSON age 37 on 19 October 1910, three months before the birth of the child.15 A search for Benjamin HAYES in the 1910 census clinched it! Minnie, his housekeeper, and her children Nettie and Ellen are in Benjamin’s household and listed with the BAKER surname.16 Why BAKER on the census when she used WILSON a few months later when she married? Where are Ben and Minnie in 1920? Why was Charles seen with his sister Nettie in 1920?
I knew that Nettie died in 1926 and that her widower had remarried.17,18 A search for Charles E. HAYES in the 1930 and 1940 censuses did not turn up any results. At FamilySearch using the parents’ names to search, I found Charles’ death certificate. He died in 1927, six months after his sister Nettie (both of tuberculosis), the informant was her widower Carl GLENN.19 Could this mean that Nettie raised her brother and her husband had taken over when she died?
Time to check Find A Grave, one of the last places I look for information. I should have tried there first as several of my questions were answered.
Find A Grave, Angela Harkins (#46845221) WV Mason Hambrick Cemetery Minnie O. Hayes, used with permission.
Angela Harkins (Find A Grave contributor #46845221) had photos of grave markers and information on Minnie20 and her daughter Ellen21 who married in 191222 and in 191523, had a son in 191624, and died a few days later. Her mother Minnie O. COOLEY died in 1919. There were no death records for either lady. However, the mystery of Minnie O. COOLEY’s whereabouts and death have now been solved.
Sarah’s Children
And now the information on the children of my third great-grandparents Sarah and John is more complete (47 grandchildren):
• Ch 1: Calvin COOLEY (1853-1912) was born on 10 October 1853 in Parkersburg, Wood County, (West) Virginia.25 Calvin married Mary MacNeal CAMDEN (1855-1931) on 14 November 1872 in Cooper Township, Mason County, West Virginia.26 They had 10 children. Calvin died on 10 June 1912 in Columbus, Franklin County, Ohio.27 His widow never remarried.
• Ch 2: Melissa F. “Lucy” COOLEY (1855-1898) was born about 1855 in Cedarville, Ohio.28 Melissa married Henry Hartman BIRD (1833-1900) on 19 March 1871 in Meigs County, Ohio.29 Henry was a widower with 4 children. Melissa and Henry had 10 children. She died on 23 March 1898 in Bashan, Meigs County, Ohio.30 Her widower is not known to have remarried.
• Ch 3: Harrison COOLEY (1859-1870) was born about 1859 in Missouri.31 Harrison died before the 1870 census.
• Ch 4: Tabitha Ann “Tobitha” COOLEY (1861-1913) was born on 11 February 1861 in Ohio.32 Tobitha married Alexander CLONCH (1842-1910) on 19 August 1880 in Gallipolis, Gallia County, Ohio.33 Tobitha and Alex were the parents of 9 children. She was widowed in 1910 and died on 16 December 1913.34
• Ch 5: Sarah Ann “Sallie” COOLEY (1865-1939) was born on 25 June 1865 in West Virginia.35 Sallie married Joseph Riley WAUGH (1860-1921) on 14 March 1882 in Gallia County, Ohio.36 Sallie and Joseph had 10 children. She was widowed in the 1920s and died on 7 December 1939 in Standard, Kanawha County, West Virginia.37
• Ch 6: Robert Ulysses S. Grant COOLEY (1868-1882) was born about 1868 in Arbuckle District, Mason County, West Virginia. Robert died on 2 November 1882 in Arbuckle District, Mason County, West Virginia.38
• Ch 7: Ida COOLEY (1870- ) was born on 5 April 1870 in Letart Township, Meigs County, Ohio.39 No record has been found for her after the 1880 census. It is not known if she ever married or had children. She is the next mystery child who needs to be solved.
• Ch 8: Minnie O. COOLEY (1873-1919) was born on 3 May 1873 in Arbuckle District, Mason County, West Virginia. Minnie had two illegitimate daughters, one with E. E. BAKER. Minnie married(1) George WILSON (1838-1900?) on 8 March 1900 in Dixie, Fayette County, West Virginia. She married(2) Benjamin Sterrett HAYES (1850-aft. 1911) on 19 Oct 1910 in Mason County, West Virginia. They had one son. Minnie died on 21 December 1919.
• Ch 9: Timothy COOLEY (1876-1913) was born on 6 June 1876 in Hannan District, Mason County, West Virginia.40 Timothy married Lilly E. CROOKSHANK (1879-1961) on 19 September 1897 in Clay County, West Virginia.41 They were the parents of five children. Timothy died in December 1912 or 1913 (not confirmed).42 His widow remarried, had two children with her 2nd husband, divorced, married again, divorced, and went back to using the COOLEY name until her death.
Sarah Ann TREADWAY died sometime after the 1900 census. No death record has been found for her or her husband John COOLEY. They were in their early 70s when the 1900 census was enumerated and it is likely that they died before the 1910 census. However, as there is still the possibility that they were missed in 1910 and died before 1920, I continue to list their death as after the 1900 census.
I hope that you’ve enjoyed reading about how I go about solving these little problems in my family tree. I didn’t mean for this to turn into a research lesson. What would you have done differently? Your comments may help me with Sarah’s daughter Ida COOLEY.
This Post was Updated on 17 July 2022:Missing source citations were added, images were scaled, and some corrections were made to the text and format.
“Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-2016,” database with images, FamilySearch, citing digital images of originals housed at the county courthouses in Ohio, Meigs, Marriage records 1819-1852 vol 1, image 270 of 277, page 451 (stamped), 3rd entry, John Cooley and Sarah Ann Treadwell, 9 Sep 1851. (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:9392-91QD-F3?cc=1614804&wc=ZRM1-N38%3A121348301%2C121348302 : accessed 25 October 2011). ↩
“Ohio Deaths, 1908-1953,” index with images, FamilySearch, index based upon data collected by the Genealogical Society of Utah, Salt Lake City, citing digital images of originals housed at the Ohio Historical Society, Columbus, Ohio, Film 1953420, DGS 4021197, Deaths, file no. 30701-33500, 1912 > 30701-33500 > image 2094 of 3222. (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-DTV3-YCW?cc=1307272&wc=MD9X-K29%3A287600801%2C294473601 : accessed 7 January 2008). ↩
West Virginia Vital Research Records Project (database and images), West Virginia Division of Culture and History citing county records in county courthouses, West Virginia (A collaborative venture between the West Virginia State Archives and the Genealogical Society of Utah to place vital records online via the West Virginia Archives and History Web site accessible at https://archive.wvculture.org/vrr), West Virginia Deaths, 1804-1999, FHL microfilm 1983475, image 1056, Certificate of Death 16029, Sallie Waugh, died 7 Dec 1939, born 25 Jun 1865. (http://images.wvculture.org/1983475/0001056.gif : accessed 16 January 2007). ↩
1860 U.S. Federal Census (index and images), Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7667/), citing Eighth Census of the United States, 1860 population schedule, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington D.C., NARA microfilm publication M653, 1,438 rolls, Roll: M653_628, Family History Library Film: 803628, Missouri, Lafayette County, Lexington P.O., page 60, sheet 274 (handwritten), lines 13-17, household 523-582, John Cooley (accessed 26 June 2013). ↩
1870 U.S. Federal Census (index and images), Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7163/), citing Ninth Census of the United States, 1870 population schedule, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington D.C., NARA microfilm publication T132, 13 rolls, M593_1242, Ohio, Meigs County, Olive Township, page 42, sheet 121A (stamped), lines 26-33, household 319-304, John Cooley (accessed 26 June 2013). ↩
1880 U.S. Federal Census (index and images), Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/6742/), citing Tenth Census of the United States, 1880 population schedule, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington D.C., NARA microfilm publication T9, 1,454 rolls, Roll: 1408, West Virginia, Mason County, Arbuckle, enumeration district: 91, sheet 210A (stamped), page 21, lines 1-10, household 200, John Cooley (accessed 26 June 2013). ↩
1900 U.S. Federal Census (index and images), Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7602/), citing Twelfth Census of the United States, 1900 population schedule, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington D.C., NARA microfilm publication T623, 1854 rolls, FHL microfilm 1241757, West Virginia, Fayette County, Falls District Belva Precinct, enumeration district 11, sheet 16B, lines 60-63, household 358-358, John Cowley (sic), (accessed 26 June 2013). ↩
WVCulture.org, West Virginia Marriages, 1780-1970, FHL microfilm 584765, image 392, Fayette County Register of Marriages, line 7, 8 Mar 1900, George Wilson and Minnie O Cooley. (http://images.wvculture.org/584765/00392.jpg : accessed 15 June 2009). ↩
Ibid., West Virginia Births, 1853-1930, FHL microfilm 1855008, image 42, Mason County Register of Births, page 342-343 (stamped, double-page spread), entry number 27, Ellen Cooley, 1 July 1894. (http://images.wvculture.org/1855008/00042.jpg : accessed 11 July 2022). ↩
Ibid., West Virginia Marriages, 1780-1970, FHL microfilm 567397, image 271, Mason County Marriage Record, page 434 (stamped), Carl Iven Glenn and Nettie Cooley, 22 July 1917. (http://images.wvculture.org/567397/00271.jpg : accessed 15 June 2009). ↩
Ibid., West Virginia Deaths, 1804-1999, FHL microfilm 1953326, image 1962, Certificate of Death 10926, Nettie K. Glenn, 27 Aug 1926. (http://images.wvculture.org/1953326/0001962.gif : accessed 15 June 2009). ↩
1920 U.S. Federal Census (index and images), Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/6061/), citing Fourteenth Census of the United States, 1920 population schedule, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C., NARA microfilm publication T625, 2076 rolls, Roll: T625_1962; West Virginia, Mason County, Archuckle, enumeration district 72, sheet 2A, lines 19-22, household 25-25, Carl Glenn (accessed 15 June 2009). ↩
WVCulture.org, West Virginia Births, 1853-1930, FHL microfilm 1855008, image 780, Mason County Register of Births, page 74 (stamped, double-page spread), entry 5, not named Hayse (sic, Hayes), born 25 Jan 1911. (http://images.wvculture.org/1855008/00780.jpg : accessed 21 July 2014). ↩
Ibid., West Virginia Marriages, 1780-1970, FHL microfilm 567396, image 141, Mason County Marriage Record, page 179 (stamped), Benjamin S. Hayes and Minnie O. Wilson, 19 Oct 1910. (http://images.wvculture.org/567396/00141.jpg : accessed 7 February 2020). ↩
1910 U.S. Federal Census (index and images), Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7884/), citing Thirteenth Census of the United States, 1910 population schedule, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C., NARA microfilm publication T624, 1,178 rolls, Roll: T624_1689; FHL microfilm: 1375702, West Virginia, Mason County, Arbuckle district, enumeration district 95, sheet 3B, lines 92-97, household 57-57, B S Hayes (accessed 14 July 2022). The official enumeration day of the 1910 census was 15 April 1910. ↩
WVCulture.org, West Virginia Deaths, 1804-1999, FHL microfilm 1953326, image 1962, Certificate of Death 10926, Nettie K. Glenn, 27 Aug 1926. (http://images.wvculture.org/1953326/0001962.gif : accessed 15 June 2009). ↩
Ibid., West Virginia Marriages, 1780-1970, FHL microfilm 494264, image 363, Mason County Marriage Record, page 63 (stamped), line 7, Carl Glenn and Macel Craze, 25 Jan 1929. (http://images.wvculture.org/494264/00363.jpg : accessed 14 July 2022). ↩
Ibid., West Virginia Deaths, 1804-1999, FHL microfilm 1953329, image 2002, Certificate of Death 1963, Charles Elmer Hayes, 17 Feb 1927. (http://images.wvculture.org/1953329/0002002.gif : accessed 20 July 2014). ↩
Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/14766046/minnie-o-hayes : accessed 14 July 2022), memorial page for Minnie O Cooley Hayes (3 May 1873–21 Dec 1919), Find a Grave Memorial ID 14766046, citing Hambrick Cemetery, Mason County, West Virginia, USA; Maintained by Angela Harkins (contributor 46845221). ↩
Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/53901654/ellen-e-gearhart : accessed 14 July 2022), memorial page for Ellen E Cooley Baker Gearhart (1 Jul 1894–15 Jan 1916), Find a Grave Memorial ID 53901654, citing Harmony Cemetery, Southside, Mason County, West Virginia, USA; Maintained by Angela Harkins (contributor 46845221). ↩
WVCulture.org, West Virginia Marriages, 1780-1970, FHL microfilm 567396, image 284, Mason County Marriage Record, page 465 (stamped), N C Hudson and Ellen E Baker, 13 Jan 1912. (http://images.wvculture.org/567396/00284.jpg : accessed 14 July 2022). ↩
Ibid., West Virginia Marriages, 1780-1970, FHL microfilm 567397, image 83, Mason County Marriage Record, page 59 (stamped), J S Gearheart and Ellen E Baker, 11 Dec 1915. (http://images.wvculture.org/567397/00083.jpg : accessed 14 July 2022). ↩
Ibid., West Virginia Births, 1853-1930, FHL microfilm 567386, image 445, Mason County Register of Births, page #285, entry 4, unnamed male Gearhart child, 6 Jan 1916. (http://images.wvculture.org/567386/00445.jpg : accessed 15 July 2022). ↩
Ibid., West Virginia Births, 1853-1930, FHL microfilm 580538, image 7, Wood County Register of Births, page 8 (stamped) (double-page spread), line 100 (4th line) Calvin Cooley, 10 Oct 18, parents John and Sarah Cooley, father’s occupation: sawyer. (http://images.wvculture.org/580538/00007.jpg : accessed 9 July 2014). ↩
Ibid., West Virginia Marriages, 1780-1970, FHL microfilm 567390, image 420, Mason County marriage license, certificate, and return, page 289 (stamped) Calvin Cooley and Mary M Camden married 14 Nov 1872. (http://images.wvculture.org/567390/00420.jpg : accessed 11 June 2009). ↩
1860 census listing for the Cooley family in Missouri. ↩
Clonch Family Cemetery, Mount Olive, Fayette County, West Virginia (photos of gravemarkers taken by Heather Manley-Duncan), gravemarker of Alex Clonch Mar 2, 1842 – June 3, 1910 and Tobitha Cooley His Wife Feb 11, 1861 – Dec. 16, 1913, photographed 31 May 2014. ↩
“United States Veterans Administration Pension Payment Cards, 1907-1933,” index and images, FamilySearch, NARA, RG 15, M850, citing microfilm of original records in The National Archives, Washington, District of Columbia., Roll 418, Film 1634453, DGS 4694973, Clinebell, William L. – Clore, Nancy J. > image 579-582 of 681, Alexander Clonch and Tabitha Clonch. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1-17556-56413-13?cc=1832324&wc=M9WY-MC3:881461769 : accessed 13 Nov 2013). ↩
WVCulture.org, West Virginia Deaths, 1804-1999, FHL microfilm 1983475, image 1056, Certificate of Death 16029, Sallie Waugh, died 7 Dec 1939, born 25 Jun 1865. (http://images.wvculture.org/1983475/0001056.gif : accessed 16 January 2007). ↩
WVCulture.org, Certificate of Death 16029, Sallie Waugh. ↩
Ibid., West Virginia Deaths, 1804-1999, FHL microfilm 567384, image 250, Mason County Register of Deaths, 1882, page 553-554 (stamped, double-page spread), line 5, Robert U.S.G. Cooley, 2 Nov 1882, age at death 14 yrs 8 months, born and died Arbuckle District. “.” (http://images.wvculture.org/567384/00250.jpg : accessed 25 May 2011). ↩
Meigs County, Ohio, Birth register, page 67-68, no 1515, 5 April 1870, Ida Cooley. ↩
WVCulture.org, West Virginia Births, 1853-1930, FHL microfilm 1855007, image 573, Mason County Register of Deaths, page 581-582 (stamped, double-page spread), line 27, 6 Jun 1876, Timothy, Hannan District, parents John and Sarah Ann Cooley. (http://images.wvculture.org/1855007/00573.jpg : accessed 2 April 2022). ↩
Ibid., West Virginia Marriages, 1780-1970, FHL microfilm 567443, image 360, Clay County marriage license, certificate, and return, page 264 (stamped), Timothy Cooley and Lilly E. Cruikshank 19 Sep 1897. (http://images.wvculture.org/567443/00360.jpg : accessed 3 July 2022). ↩
“West Virginia, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1724-1985,” database with images, Ancestry, citing original data: West Virginia County, District and Probate Courts., Clerk of the County Court; Probate Place: Roane, West Virginia, Bonds, Vol 3-4, 1916-1928, page 484. (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/9087/images/007615578_00904?pId=83028 : accessed 3 July 2022). B.C. Cruikshank was appointed guardian of 5 children, infants being the heirs at law of Timothy Cooley, deceased, 14 September 1916. No record of death has been found for Timothy Cooley. ↩
“The challenge: have one blog post each week devoted to a specific ancestor. It could be a story, a biography, a photograph, an outline of a research problem — anything that focuses on one ancestor.”
John COOLEY is the second brick wall in my series of posts for the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks. I’ve walked the full length of this brick wall searching for a door that will get me to the other side.
A small window that allows me to take a peek at what may be on the other side of this brick wall was created by Michael COOLEY, owner and administrator of Michael Cooley’s Genealogy Pages.
Michael and members of the John Cooley Mailing List work on finding information on the early American COOLEY lines and male descendants who are willing to take the Y-DNA test to prove the connections. Although the emphasis is on the male line, members may opt to discuss a female line to get around roadblocks.
My 3rd great-grandfather John COOLEY was born in October 1827 in Missouri. I don’t know who his parents were. I know that they, or at least his mother, had to be in Missouri in late 1827 when John was born.1
The earliest record found for John was for his marriage in Meigs County, Ohio, in 1851.2
1851 Marriage Record of John Cooley and Sarah A. Treadwell
John COOLEY married Sarah Ann TREADWELL on Tuesday the 9th of September 1851 in Meigs County, Ohio. They were married by H. S. Lawrence, Justice of the Peace. The bride’s maiden name is most likely not correct.
There are several reasons for this belief:
• Their daughter Ida’s 1870 birth record lists Sarah Jane TREADWAY.3
• Their children Calvin and Sally’s death records list TREADWAY as the mother’s maiden name.4, 5
• Finally, a great-granddaughter of their granddaughter Lorena Ellen CLONCH (md. 1st James Noyce SMITH, 2nd John TOMSHACK) has the family bible in which Sarah Ann is listed as TREADWAY. [For more than 10 years I have not been able to find out who the great-granddaughter of Lorena Ellen CLONCH is or where this statement came from. Maybe she will see this and get in touch.]
John was not located in the 1850 census. It is not known if he left Missouri soon after his birth, before he married Sarah, or sometime in between. He could have lived anywhere between the time of his birth in 1827 and his marriage in 1851.
In 1853 John and his wife Sarah were living in Parkersburg, Wood County, (West) Virginia when their first child Calvin was born.6 John’s occupation was listed as a sawyer on his son’s entry in the birth register.
Daughter Melissa F. was born about 1855 in Cedarville, Ohio, according to her death certificate.7 Was this Cedarville in Greene County or Cedarville (historical) in Clinton County? If this is reliable, Melissa may have been born while John and his little family were on their way west to Missouri. Was he going back to be with his family?
By 1860 John, a laborer had moved his family to Lexington, Lafayette County, Missouri.8 John, Sarah, and their children Calvin, Melissa (seen below as Lucy), and Harrison, age omitted, were living in the boarding house of Frederick and Elizabeth King, immigrants from Germany. Young Harrison was born in Missouri.
1860 U.S. Federal Census > MO > Lafayette > Lexington > HH#523-582
They didn’t remain in Missouri for long as they were back in Ohio when my 2nd great-grandmother Tabitha Ann “Tobitha” COOLEY was born on 11 February 1861.9
After Tobitha’s birth, John was moving his family back and forth between Mason County, West Virginia, and Meigs County, Ohio. Or at least it appears this way when comparing the places of birth of the children on the census. Sallie (b. 1865) and Robert (b. abt. 1868) are seen as born in West Virginia in the 1870 census when the family was living in Meigs County, Ohio. Ida, born in April before the census, was found in the Meigs birth register. Harrison, who was the youngest member of the family in 1860, appears to have died before the 1870 census. John, a sawyer in 1853, is once again working in a sawmill in 1870.10
1870 U.S. Federal Census > OH > Meigs > Olive > HH #319-304
John’s oldest children began to marry in the early 1870s giving us an idea of when the move to Mason County may have become more permanent. Daughter Melissa F. “Lucy” COOLEY married Henry Hartman BIRD (1833-1900) on 19 March 1871 in Meigs County, Ohio.11 Son Calvin COOLEY married Mary MacNeal CAMDEN (1855-1931) on 14 November 1872 in Mason County, West Virginia.12 Both of these children are seen as residents of the county they married in. The move to Mason most likely was between March 1871 and November 1872.
After coming to Mason County two more children were born: Minnie O. on 3 May 1873 in Arbuckle District and Timothy on 6 June 1876 in Hannan District.13.14 Even with six children in his household in 1880 John “adopted” two young children whose mother was born in Missouri. Was their mother a sister, niece, or cousin of John COOLEY?15
1880 U.S. Federal Census > WV > Mason > Arbuckle > Sheet 210A > HH #200
Following the 1880 census John’s daughters Tobitha and Sarah married.
Tabitha Ann “Tobitha” COOLEY married Alexander CLONCH (1842-1910) on Thursday the 19th of August 1880 in Gallipolis, Gallia County, Ohio.16 The day after their marriage, in Mason County, “a heavy storm of wind, rain, and lightning, came up. The rain poured down in torrents, with flash after flash of lightning and peal after peal of thunder. It was a fearful afternoon and got so dark that lamps had to be lighted in the business rooms. During the time the lightning struck the Court House at the extreme point of the cupula, and descending the lightning rod jumped from it to the metallic roof, and from there to the spouting, clearing away about one half of the spouting on the east side of the house, following the spouting along until it again came in contact with the rod, when the fluid passed on down the rod into the ground. The rod is probably what saved the building.“17 What a dramatic day after the marriage of my 2nd great-grandparents. It must have been a good omen as the marriage lasted 30 years, until the death of Alex at age 68. And to think that five months earlier Alex’s marriage to his first wife had been dissolved at that same court house.18
Sarah Ann “Sallie” COOLEY married Joseph Riley WAUGH (1860-1921) on the 14th of March 1882 in Gallia County, Ohio.19
Unfortunately, not all news was good news during these times. John and Sarah’s 14-year-old son Robert Ulysses S. Grant COOLEY died of typho-malarial fever on 2 November 1882 in Arbuckle District.20 Malarial fever was prevalent in the area at the time. The parents may have been ill or caring for others in the family as one of Robert’s sisters gave the information on his death record. This may have been one of the older married sisters as Ida and Minnie were 10 and 8 years old at the time.
Horse had to be killed.
John and his son Calvin had some bad luck with horses in 1884-1885. Calvin lost one of his team horses in June 1884. It had “died from scours, supposed to be caused from eating some weed that has made its appearance in our pastures, and of which considerable complaint is being made.“21 In February of 1885 John’s horse fell on the ice on Nine Mile creek and hurt itself so badly it had to be killed.22
John’s son Timothy COOLEY married Lilly E. CRUIKSHANK (1879-1961) on 19 September 1897 in Clay County, West Virginia.23 The COOLEY and the CLONCH families most likely moved to Clay County about the same time.
John and Sarah lost a daughter Melissa F. “Lucy” BIRD who died on 23 March 1898 in Bashan, Meigs County, Ohio.24 This was also about the time that the COOLEY and the CLONCH families moved to the Dixie/Belva area of Fayette County, West Virginia.
At first, the census listing for 1900 was overlooked as the surname was misspelled and John and his parents’ places of birth were seen as Mississippi instead of Missouri. A marriage record for John’s youngest daughter Minnie O. COOLEY helped to make the connection. Minnie married George WILSON (1849-aft. 1900) on 8 March 1900.25 She did not live long enough to be enumerated on the 1900 census but her widowed husband and a daughter from a previous relationship are seen living with John and Sarah COOLEY (misspelled Cowley) in Belva.26
1900 U.S. Federal Census > WV > Fayette > Falls > Belva
John and his wife Sarah were in their early 70s in 1900. Calvin, Tobitha, Sallie, and Timothy were the only children remaining. No record has been found of their daughter Ida born in 1870 and last seen in 1880.
Update 3 July 2022: Minnie Ophelia COOLEY didn’t die before the 1900 census. New information has come to light. Pieces of the puzzle need to be found before I write a post.
John and his wife were not found in the 1910 census. It’s possible that they passed away during the decade as they were getting on in age. I would have liked to have found a death record for John COOLEY with the names of his parents listed on it but that was not to be.
By the end of 1913, his daughter Sallie WAUGH was the only living child and would live 26 more years dying on 7 December 1939.27 Calvin died on 10 June 1912, Timothy died on in 1912 or 1913, and Tobitha died on 16 December 1913.28,29,30
This Post was Updated on 10 July 2022: Missing source citations were added, images were scaled, and some corrections were made to the text and format.
Census records in 1860, 1870, and 1880 consistently list Missouri as his place of birth. However, in 1900 the enumerator likely did not know the old-style abbreviation for Missouri was Mo. He wrote Ms which I don’t believe was meant to be for Mississippi that at the time was abbreviated Miss. ↩
“Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-2016,” database with images, FamilySearch, citing digital images of originals housed at the county courthouses in Ohio, Meigs, Marriage records 1819-1852 vol 1, image 270 of 277, page 451 (stamped), 3rd entry, John Cooley and Sarah Ann Treadwell, 9 Sep 1851. (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:9392-91QD-F3?cc=1614804&wc=ZRM1-N38%3A121348301%2C121348302 : accessed 25 October 2011). ↩
“Ohio Deaths, 1908-1953,” index with images, FamilySearch, index based upon data collected by the Genealogical Society of Utah, Salt Lake City, citing digital images of originals housed at the Ohio Historical Society, Columbus, Ohio, Film 1953420, DGS 4021197, Deaths, file no. 30701-33500, 1912 > 30701-33500 > image 2094 of 3222. (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-DTV3-YCW?cc=1307272&wc=MD9X-K29%3A287600801%2C294473601 : accessed 7 January 2008). ↩
West Virginia Vital Research Records Project (database and images), West Virginia Division of Culture and History, citing county records in county courthouses, West Virginia (A collaborative venture between the West Virginia State Archives and the Genealogical Society of Utah to place vital records online via the West Virginia Archives and History Web site accessible at https://archive.wvculture.org/vrr), West Virginia Deaths, 1804-1999, FHL microfilm 1983475, image 1056, Certificate of Death 16029, Sallie Waugh, died 7 Dec 1939, born 25 Jun 1865. (http://images.wvculture.org/1983475/0001056.gif : accessed 16 January 2007). ↩
WVCulture.org, West Virginia Births, 1853-1930, FHL microfilm 580538, image 7, Wood County Register of Births, page 8 (stamped) (double-page spread), line 100 (4th line) Calvin Cooley, 10 Oct 18, parents John and Sarah Cooley, father’s occupation: sawyer. (http://images.wvculture.org/580538/00007.jpg : accessed 9 July 2014). ↩
1860 U.S. Federal Census (index and images), Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7667/), citing Eighth Census of the United States, 1860 population schedule, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington D.C., NARA microfilm publication M653, 1,438 rolls, Roll: M653_628, Family History Library Film: 803628, Missouri, Lafayette County, Lexington P.O., page 60, sheet 274 (handwritten), lines 13-17, household 523-582, John Cooley (accessed 26 June 2013). ↩
Tabitha’s place of birth was noted as Ohio in the 1870 and 1880 censuses. The 1900 and 1910 censuses were not found. Her date of birth was engraved on her grave marker. ↩
1870 U.S. Federal Census (index and images), Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7163/), citing Ninth Census of the United States, 1870 population schedule, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington D.C., NARA microfilm publication T132, 13 rolls, M593_1242, Ohio, Meigs County, Olive Township, page 42, sheet 121A (stamped), lines 26-33, household 319-304, John Cooley (accessed 26 June 2013). ↩
WVCulture.org, West Virginia Marriages, 1780-1970, FHL microfilm 567390, image 420, Mason County marriage license, certificate, and return, page 289 (stamped) Calvin Cooley and Mary M Camden married 14 Nov 1872. (http://images.wvculture.org/567390/00420.jpg : accessed 11 June 2009). ↩
Ibid., West Virginia Marriages, 1780-1970, FHL microfilm 584765, image 392, Fayette County Register of Marriages, line 7, 8 Mar 1900, George Wilson and Minnie O Cooley. (http://images.wvculture.org/584765/00392.jpg : accessed 15 June 2009)., West Virginia Births, 1853-1930, FHL microfilm 1855007, image 542, Mason County Register of Births, page 531-532 (stamped, double-page spread), line 43, 3 May 1873, Minie O., Arbuckle District, parents John and Sarah Cooley. (http://images.wvculture.org/1855007/00542.jpg : accessed 2 April 2022). ↩
Ibid., West Virginia Births, 1853-1930, FHL microfilm 1855007, image 573, Mason County Register of Deaths, page 581-582 (stamped, double-page spread), line 27, 6 Jun 1876, Timothy, Hannan District, parents John and Sarah Ann Cooley. (http://images.wvculture.org/1855007/00573.jpg : accessed 2 April 2022). ↩
1880 U.S. Federal Census (index and images), Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/6742/), citing Tenth Census of the United States, 1880 population schedule, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington D.C., NARA microfilm publication T9, 1,454 rolls, Roll: 1408, West Virginia, Mason County, Arbuckle, enumeration district: 91, sheet 210A (stamped), page 21, lines 1-10, household 200, John Cooley (accessed 26 June 2013). ↩
“Mason County, West Virginia, Circuit Court, Chancery orders, 1831-1929,” database with images, FamilySearch, citing microfilm of originals at the county courthouse, Point Pleasant, West Virginia, Film 1861962 Item 1, DGS 7615569, Chancery orders, Vols. 4 1877-1880, image 321 of 899, Folio 274 and 275, March Term 1880. 1880 Divorce of Alexander Clonch from Mary Ellen Lemaster. (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99VP-2SNQ?i=320&cat=659762 : accessed 6 January 2019). ↩
WVCulture.org, West Virginia Deaths, 1804-1999, FHL microfilm 567384, image 250, Mason County Register of Deaths, 1882, page 553-554 (stamped, double-page spread), line 5, Robert U.S.G. Cooley, 2 Nov 1882, age at death 14 yrs 8 months, born and died Arbuckle District. “.” (http://images.wvculture.org/567384/00250.jpg : accessed 25 May 2011). ↩
WVCulture.org, West Virginia Marriages, 1780-1970, FHL microfilm 567443, image 360, Clay County marriage license, certificate, and return, page 264 (stamped), Timothy Cooley and Lilly E. Cruikshank 19 Sep 1897. (http://images.wvculture.org/567443/00360.jpg : accessed 3 July 2022). ↩
WVCulture.org, West Virginia Marriages, 1780-1970, FHL microfilm 584765, image 392, Fayette County Register of Marriages, line 7, 8 Mar 1900, George Wilson and Minnie O Cooley. (http://images.wvculture.org/584765/00392.jpg : accessed 15 June 2009). ↩
1900 U.S. Federal Census (index and images), Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7602/), citing Twelfth Census of the United States, 1900 population schedule, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington D.C., NARA microfilm publication T623, 1854 rolls, FHL microfilm 1241757, West Virginia, Fayette County, Falls District Belva Precinct, enumeration dIstrict 11, sheet 16B, lines 60-63, household 358-358, John Cowley (sic), (accessed 26 June 2013). ↩
WVCulture.org, West Virginia Deaths, 1804-1999, FHL microfilm 1983475, image 1056, Certificate of Death 16029, Sallie Waugh, died 7 Dec 1939, born 25 Jun 1865. (http://images.wvculture.org/1983475/0001056.gif : accessed 16 January 2007). ↩
“West Virginia, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1724-1985,” index with images, Ancestry, citing West Virginia County, District and Probate Courts. Roane County (West Virginia). Clerk of the County Court, Probate, Bonds, Vol 3-4, 1916-1928, page 484, 14 September 1916, guardianship of the underage children of Timothy Cooley was granted to B.C. Cruikshank (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/9087/images/007615578_00904?pId=83028 : accessed 3 July 2022). Note: Undocumented dates of death are 11 December 1912 and 2 December 1913 however no death record has been found. ↩
United States. Veterans Administration, “United States Veterans Administration Pension Payment Cards, 1907-1933,” index and images, FamilySearch, NARA, RG 15, M850, citing microfilm of original records in The National Archives, Washington, District of Columbia., Roll 418, Film 1634453, DGS 4694973, Clinebell, William L. – Clore, Nancy J. > image 579-582 of 681, Alexander Clonch and Tabitha Clonch. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1-17556-56413-13?cc=1832324&wc=M9WY-MC3:881461769 : accessed 13 Nov 2013). ↩
Following my three-part series on the slaves of my 5th great grandfather James Sims during Black History Month in February 2015 I made a commitment to write a monthly post until I’ve RELEASED all of the names of slaves owned by my ancestors or owned by persons I’ve researched who were relatives or neighbors of my ancestors. These posts are part of the Slave Name Roll Project (About the Project) administered by Schalene Jennings Dagutis who also blogs at Tangled Roots and Trees.
Opening Doors in Brick Walls 
