Everything but the kitchen sink.

Okay, let’s do a quick wrap-up here…

The PARK family has descendency ties to Robert E. Lee; his ancestor who was George Washington’s wife (maiden name CUSTIS); PARK/PARKE/PARKS descendants are connected to the Burchfields — the Burchfields via the Park line (somewhere) are kin to the Gustafsson/Justice family originally from Sweden; and how did I get here (this time)?

Tracing the Davis-Smathers connection of Aunt Betty Davis (married – Jack Abernathy) — trying to learn about her father’s family.

The other point of interest is the ties to a Cherokee Chief Oowahooskie (various spellings found). His ‘wife’ had been captured from a white settlement/group when she was about six years old. They had three sons; she and the sons were later released — they lived as white men, and were land-holders. This made for Cherokee heritage claims with US courts unsuccessful — but the Indian connection seems valid from research/sources found online, now.

There is also a connection between the PARK family and a CHANDLER line in Georgia…will follow this up later.

Another connection exist between the DAVIS line and the CARPENTER (ZIMMERMAN) families from North Carolina — this warrants further research, since my mother and my father’s ancestral line include connection to the CARPENTER (ZIMMERMAN) lines from the Carolinas.

NO direct Patey/PATE/PATTY connections — but have found AYERS/AYRES, PAYNE, and McClellan connections in the Carolina regions (where my husbands family were from)…The PAYNE connection may link up with the TEAGUE, SPEER, PERRY, OWEN or other related families who later migrated to NE Alabama (near Ft. Payne).

With the research from the past three days — “We are all kin” has more meaning then is previously did, for me.

Each friend I have helped with their family tree research, I have also found something that fit with prior research for my own complicated ancestral lines.

Are your ancestors included in this tangle of kinfolks?

Contact me with a bit of your grandparents vital statics (dates, location, family members) — I will see what I can find.

– Cathy Ann Abernathy

weavercat@gmail.com

Sephardic Jews have lived in the state for more than 300 years,(*) (*) (*) especially in and around Charleston (*). Until about 1830, South Carolina had the largest population of Jews in North America. Many of South Carolina’s Jews have assimilated into Christian society, shrinking Judaism down to less than 1% of the total religious makeup. In addition, Roman Catholicism is growing in South Carolina due to immigration from the North.

[...much MORE]

via South Carolina: Facts, Discussion Forum, and Encyclopedia Article.

For those who love history, dream of adventure, riches, and fame; for those really believe they’ll hit the jackpot on the lottery scratch-off, for those still look up at night to see the stars and passing clouds. and for those who love to touch the past, here’s a challenge to give meaning to your visions and put money in your pocket.: Whatever happened to the Confederate gold?

If you worry about the fiscal state of the country or the money in your own pocket, the gold spoils of the civil war offer hundreds of chances to expand your net worth.

Thought the Confederacy was poor and in a state of penury by the war’s end? The central government still had great wealth even as the war put the administration on the run. The last Confederate Cabinet meeting presided over by Jefferson Davis was held on May 2, 1865, in Abbeville, SC, at the Burt-Stark House.

By the time Lee surrendered, five wagons of gold and silver—coins, bricks, and bars, the remains of the Confederate treasury’s reserve–were loaded May 24, 1865 in Richmond, at the train depot. Captain Parker of the Navy and an escort of armed troops, guarded the gold on the ride from Richmond, Virginia, to Anderson, South Carolina. There the gold was reloaded to wagons for shipment to Savannah or Charleston.

Confederate president Jefferson Davis met the caravan at Washington, GA. Later, scouts observed Union troops near Augusta, and the caravan returned to Washington (which is now in Lincoln County).

Unknown raiders attacked the wagon train near the Dionysius Chennault Plantation (the home of an elderly Methodist minister)–only a 100 yards from the house. During the attack, the gold disappeared. Most researchers and contemporary observers believe it was hidden, but the location of this cache of riches remains a mystery.

via OnMilwaukee.com – Reader Blogs.

Mr. Sproull, a native of Anniston, was born the son of Horace Miller Sproull Sr. and Sara Powers Sproull on April 29, 1920. His mother died five days after giving birth. In 1950, he became the third generation president of The Anniston Hardware Company and The Gadsden Hardware Company, family owned businesses founded by his grandfather James Creswell Sproull, Wade Cothran Sproull and J.A. Cheney in 1887. He was widely known as an astute businessman and civic leader.

He retired from the hardware business in 1976 when the business was sold to a local group of investors. As a young boy, he was a member of the Boy Scouts of America and earned the Eagle Scout badge. He attended Anniston public schools through the tenth grade. He graduated in 1937 from The Darlington School, Rome, Ga., a college preparatory school, and received his B.S. degree in Economics from Davidson College, Davidson, N.C., in 1941. While at Davidson, he was a member of the Phi Delta Theta Fraternity and the varsity tennis team. He joined the U.S. Navy in July of 1941 prior to Pearl Harbor.

Following his graduation from Midshipman School in 1942, he was assigned to the Pacific Theatre where he served during World War II, participating in six naval battles against Japan. He was honorably discharged as a Lt. Commander from the Navy in October 1946. Upon returning to Anniston he was made Vice President of The Anniston Hardware Company. In 1947, he married Barbara Crook Vaden and they had six children. He survived a tragedy in June, 1959 when he suffered second and third degree burns over 67 percent of his body during a mishap at a Father’s Day get together with family and relatives at his home.

A lifelong member of The First Presbyterian Church, he was an Elder and a Deacon. He was a teacher of The Sam Russell Bible Class there for thirty years. In 1962, he helped raise money to build the educational building for the church. He also helped to found and was President of The Soup Bowl, a charitable organization feeding the hungry.

[...MORE]

via Darlington School: Alumni.

There are many mundane attractions from mountains to the sea, naturally. That can also be said about other states. However, South Carolina is a world of discovery. It’s home to a variety of magnificent gardens that attract visitors from all over the world. The multi-colored azaleas and a plethora of flowering, fragrant species slumber beneath the moss-draped cypress trees of the Lowcountry. They are heaven-sent, pictures of beauty exquisitely framed by the black, still waters around them. Colorful flowers create impressions that linger long after visitors have flown away. Our own Festival of Flowers is a testament to that beauty.

*

History, to be sure, is integral to the state’s rich heritage. From revolutionary times to today, the state’s lineage is evident. It’s the march of time in review, a reminder of who we are. From Fort Moultrie and Fort Sumter, to Star Fort at Ninety Six. From the Mars Bluff Confederate Navy site on the Great Pee Dee River, to the John C. Calhoun Home on the Clemson University campus, to the South Caroliniana Library on the USC campus, history is a consummate teacher. It gives us insights into how the past impacts the present and prepares us to face the future.

Think about Cokesbury College and old Sheldon Church near Yemassee. Native American names reflect the lives and times that have had a lasting influence on this state, the South and the nation.

Historic Abbeville is a jewel. Add Camden, Kings Mountain and on and on and on. There’s a wealth of knowledge, not only for visitors, but especially for our own. There are the obvious signs of history all around. There also are many reminders of our past that we might miss if we don’t pay attention. There are markers along roadsides that point the way to and highlight the significance of many sites tucked away, often in secluded areas. All are worth exploring. They help explain lifetimes long forgotten.

Other cultures provide glimpses into our past that also define who we are. What could be more informational and colorful than Gullah life on the state’s sea islands? It harkens back to West Africa, complete with stories, customs, music, dress and foods.

via Index Journal | Greenwood, SC | Our View > Behind The News.

# ID: I5323

# Name: Grace Edna KAY 1

# Sex: F

# Birth: 3 APR 1817 2

# Death: 3 JAN 1892 2

# Burial: Lindsay Cemetery, Due West, SC 2

# Change Date: 23 JUL 2005

Marriage 1 Joseph Ellis b: 16 MAY 1810 in Abbeville District, SC

* Married: 24 NOV 1836 1

Children

1. James R. Ellis b: ABT 1837 in SC

2. Margaret Ann Ellis b: 18 JAN 1840

3. William M. Ellis b: 19 NOV 1842 in SC

4. John Ellis b: 1847 in SC

5. Melvin Brantly Ellis b: 17 JAN 1850 in SC

6. Infant Daughter Ellis b: 27 FEB 1852

7. James M. Ellis b: ABT 1853 in SC

8. Walter R. Ellis b: ABT 1855 in SC

9. Tully G. Ellis b: ABT 1848 in SC

via RootsWeb’s WorldConnect Project: Upper Long Canes Families.

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Grace Edna Kay is my maternal first cousin 4 times removed (common ancestor Fracis Clinkscales); and second cousin 4 times removed (common ancestors William B. Franklin and Elizabeth Brawner.)

– Cathy

# ID: I5287

# Name: Joseph Ellis 1

# Sex: M

# Birth: 16 MAY 1810 in Abbeville District, SC 1

# Death:

# Note: tombstone date unreadable 2

# Burial: Lindsay Cemetery, Due West, SC 2

# Note:

Letter from Samuel Reid, Abbeville District to Susan Miller, Pontotoc, Miss. 15 Jul 1853:

“John L. Ellis sets out for Mississippi next week to see his daughter & see the country. The are making sorry croops. Very unusual for Ellises. I think it would not take much to tempt him to move. They have worn out your old place. It looks mitely scuft. Joseph & family have been sickly & is building out on the road to Due West.

1850 Census, Abbeville Dist., SC microfilm page 102, October 24th, 1850

1570/1570

Joseph Ellis 40 M Farmer 2970 SC

Grace Edna Ellis 33 F SC

James R. Ellis 13 M SC

William M. Ellis 8 M SC

John Ellis 3 M SC

Melvin B. Ellis 1 M SC

William Ellis 42 M Farmer 2520 SC

1860 Census, Abbeville Dis. SC, Due West Corner, page 243 (Aug. 30, 1860)

James R. Ellis 22 M Overseer SC

Wm. M. Ellis 18 M Student SC

John Ellis 13 M SC

Melvin B. Ellis 11 M SC

James M. Ellis 7 M SC

Walter R. Ellis 5 M SC

Tully G. Ellis 2 F SC

William Ellis 52 M Farmer 4200 12000 SC

via RootsWeb’s WorldConnect Project: Upper Long Canes Families.

Irish Roots And Lots of Others

# ID: I13212
# Name: James E Pratt 1
# Sex: M
# Title: Captain
# Name: James E Pratt 2 3 4
# Birth: 11 DEC 1830 in , Abbeville, SC 2

# Death: 31 AUG 1911 in prob , Abbeville, SC 2

# Occupation: 1870 Farmer 3
# Reference Number: 13327
# Note:

[Full database1.FTW]

He was the eldest son of Mary Kay and John Pratt, and was a great grandfather of President Jimmy Carter. General Robert E Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia, serving under Stonewall Jackson and later Ambrose P Hill. He was born December 11, 1830 in the northern part of Abbeville District, SC, near the confluence of Hogskin Creek and Little River. The Pratt’s were among the early white settlers on Little River, but where they came from has never been determined.

Captain Pratt’s great grandfather, William Pratt, had operated a gristmill at “Pratt Shoals” on Little River, and by family tradition the mill had been burned by Tories and Indians during the Revolution. It is evident from his Revolutionary War claim that William Pratt had been involved in the battle at Pratt’s Mill, having lost his horse and saddle during the fight with the infamous Tory, “Bloody Bill” Cunningham…

via RootsWeb’s WorldConnect Project: Persons of Interest.
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James E. Pratt was my maternal second cousin 3 times removed (common ancestor: Francis Clinkscales); and third cousin 3 times removed (common ancestors: William B. Franklin who married Elizabeth Brawner).

– Cathy

Tom B. McDaniel Gedcom

Entries: 4619 Updated: 2007-11-27 00:15:03 UTC (Tue) Contact: Tom B. McDaniel Home Page: Tom B. McDaniel

McDaniel, Jones, McRee, Miller/Müeller Genealogy

# ID: I3423

# Name: Nancy Agnes CARMICHAEL

# Surname: Carmichael

# Given Name: Nancy Agnes

# Sex: F

# Birth: 4 Apr 1822 in Abbeville, SC

# Death: Dec 1902

# _UID: AA89968346EED511A1ECA97FB18F6828EB45

# Note:

Nancy Agnes Carmichael was daughter of Arthur Carmichael and Frances Bell.

Nancy Agnes Carmichael was daughter of Arthur Carmichael and Frances Bell.

# Change Date: 19 May 2002 at 01:00:00

Marriage 1 John S. SPRUIELL b: 1817 in SC

* Married: 4 Apr 1839 in Coweta Co., GA

Children

1. George C. SPRUIELL b: 1841 in Coweta Co., GA

2. William Robert SPRUIELL b: 8 Dec 1843 in Coweta Co., GA

3. Samuel Walker SPRUIELL b: 20 Nov 1845 in Cowenta Co., AL

4. Jeptha C SPRUIELL b: 29 Oct 1847

5. Abraham Carmichael SPRUIELL b: 20 Aug 1849 in Coweta Co., GA

6. John S. SPRUIELL b: 1851

7. Archibald Patrick SPRUIELL b: 1853 in St. Clair Co., AL

8. Arthur Mason SPRUIELL b: 16 Aug 1856 in St. Clair Co., AL

9. Mary Elizabeth SPRUIELL b: 6 Nov 1858

10. Nancy Carmichael SPRUIELL b: 1861

11. Simon SPRUIELL b: 29 Aug 1865

via RootsWeb’s WorldConnect Project: Tom B. McDaniel Gedcom.

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Tracking possible cousins via Rootsweb

Nancy Agnes Carmichael was my maternal third-great-grandmother (as well as my second cousin 5 time removed — our common ancestors were Elizabeth Smothers, who married a PICKARD).

My direct ancestors’ names are in BOLD.

– Cathy

Speer Ancestor Photographs

William Speer (1747-1830)

(Click here for a chart demonstrating the Speer Migration Patterns)

Find anybody, any place or anything mentioned on this website

by using the Website Search Engine at the top of the Home Page.

How common is the surname “Speer?” According to the 1990 U.S. census figures, “Speer” is the 2,292nd most popular name with approximately 12,500 U.S. citizens representing about .005% of the population.

Ancestral Lineage: John William Speer (b. 1723) > William Speer, Sr. (b. abt. 1747) > William Speer, Jr. (b. 1788) > William Houston Speer (b. 1812) > Robert H. Speer (b. 1850) > Mary Francis Speer Childress (b. 1875) > John F. Childress (b. 1918) > JPC (b. 1945)

via SPEER Ancestors.

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Will look a this closer…was searching the Ayres surname on Dave’s ancestral line — but found the SPEER surname, which in on my maternal line….ah, the joys of stumbling onto leads…. 

– CAA