Remember the Clue

The further back in time that you go the harder it is to trace your ancestors. But this last week I had a small break through in the brick wall of my genealogy research and learned a valuable lesson. Pay attention to the names in wills and on marriage certificates. 

In my mind, I could hear the words "remember the clue" from the game You Don't Know Jack as I waded through the mountainous stacks of documents that I have accumulated over the years. I sat at my desk looking through the documents on Archibald Campbell, the patriarch of my family thus far. I relied heavily on a book that I discovered written about my Campbell family and trusted the information that was in the book. That is, until now. 

Archibald Campbell (1728-1801) lived in Bedford County, Virginia. He married a woman named Elizabeth. I searched and searched for a marriage record for Archibald and Elizabeth but couldn't find anything. The numerous county boundary changes didn't help me much either. However, Elizabeth's last name was never mentioned on a document that I found until I started remembering names listed in other documents. The author of the book stated that Elizabeth was a Baker and gave information on the Baker family. There were other's who said that Elizabeth was a Beard. Over the years I collected information on both women and when I had time I would go over the information very carefully. 

I am descended from James Campbell, Archibald's first son. I have James marriage certificate to Jane Means dated April 27, 1784, Campbell County (was formed in 1782 from Bedford County), Virginia. The witnesses were Jane Means, James Robinson (Roberson), Rachel (grand-daughter of John Beard) Robinson and Elizabeth Beard.  Not a Baker was named among them. 

I have a copy of John Beard's will dated April 20, 1780, four years before the marriage of James Campbell and Jane Means, who also lived in Bedford County, Virginia. In the will the following were named: Rachel Robinson, James Robinson, Thomas McReynolds, Elizabeth Campbell (Beard), Charles Hall, James Campbell, and Archibald Campbell. It was Rachel Robinson that was the deciding factor for me.  She was listed in her grandfather's will and as a witness for James Campbell's marriage.  I didn't see any names that looked familiar in the Baker line.  

Charles Hall married Agnes Campbell, Archibald's daughter. Elizabeth Beard, was Elizabeth Campbell's mother. Thomas McReynold's was related through the marriage of Archibald's daughter Nancy who married Samuel McReynold's. 

Now, I can confidently move ahead in my search to the next generation back in time. It is imperative that there is a paper trail confirming what you believe is true. Most of all, don't trust the work of others, even if it is with good intention.  Remember the clue...

The Pandemic Influenza outbreak of 1918-1919

A few years ago, I brought home some pictures of my relatives that was in a box which was about to be thrown out by some cousins who didn't know who the people were in them. I rummaged through the box and brought home all the ones with Smith written on them hoping that someone would help me be able to identify our relatives. 

The picture below was broken off on the lower right corner and the upper portion was missing.  On the back it says: John Smith, Grandfather, Sarah Smith, Amanda, Myrtle, Jim, and Guy. It was taken in the early 1900's. They lived in Marion County, Tennessee at the time of this picture. 

This is the original photograph with a little photoshop work.

In 1918 the world was at war.  In mid November the war came to an end. The soldiers were dispatched back home. And, in 1918, one of the largest, if not the largest Influenza Pandemics took the world by storm. Nearly everyone had a story of someone that they knew who succumbed to the influenza epidemic.  Three children (Amanda, Myrtle, and Guy) of my Smith family passed away in succession. Any yet, you learn almost nothing about the influenza epidemic in school. 

Obituaries of Marion County, Tennessee 1895-1920  (Harris)

There were claims that as many as 50,000 people lost their lives, more than the casualties of WWI. The bubonic plague (black death) killed an estimated 62 million Europeans from 1347-1350. The influenza outbreak moved in swiftly and globally in a short amount of time. It is believed that the returning sailors to Boston was the entering point for this killer of humanity into the United States.  

Image: courtesy of the National Museum of Health and Medicine

As one in four Americans contracted the flu, almost all public gatherings had to be cancelled including church services, schools, and theaters to name a few until the flu ran its course. 

Photo from Wikimedia Commons

So, when you start to feel like you are coming down with the flu or a cold. Stay home, rest, and drink plenty of fluids.  I sure would hate to see this kind of thing happen again. 

Sources: 

Tennessee Magazine story by Bill Carey 2014 
Tennessee Encyclopedia story by Allen R. Coggins 

Is his name Tom or Edgar? Another name changer in the family.

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My great uncle Thomas Woodrow Campbell had another name at birth. His life was a mystery to me for a long time.  I would search and search and couldn't find anything regarding this man. I found him with his parents William Elbert Campbell and Amanda Massey in the 1920 Census in Grundy County, Tennessee, 1930 Census in Walker County, Georgia, and the 1940 Census in Hamilton County, Tennessee.  He was listed as Tom or Thomas on each Census record.  Tom was the only child of my great-grandparents that was born in Kentucky.  My great-grandfather was a coal miner, so, this meant that they moved around a lot. William (Elbert) tried farming, but that didn't work out so well for him and he kept going back to coal mining.

Tennessee didn't start keeping birth and death records until 1910. I was hoping that Kentucky was a bit better about this issue. I put in as many combinations I could think of on Ancestry.com and nothing came up. Then I decided to omit the first name of the child but include the parents names. Et voila! I found a birth index. 

You ask why he changed his name. I asked the same question and will never know.  The thing is, this man was able to get into the army, obtain a Social Security card, and a driver's license without a valid birth certificate that matched his name.  How can people do this?  I was able to find his marriage information eventually but I still cannot find when Uncle Tom passed away. I have hope that I will someday.