Sunday, November 23, 2014

Identifying the possible Slave Owner...

For the past few years, I have been trying to determine who owned my ancestor Mary Travick during slavery. Sometime after emancipation, Mary met and married Frank Travick (Travis/Trevic/Travic). Frank and Mary purchased the property from William H. Whitworth which was in the Piney Creek Area apart of the Thomas Bell League and not too far from R.W. Whitworth (brother of William). While looking at the 1860 slave schedules I noticed that R.W. Whitworth owned a 26-year-old enslaved female and a 4-year-old female.

Slave schedules and tax records show that the Whitworth slaves are likely a family group consisting of a mother and her two children, whom I believe to be my ancestor Mary Travick and her oldest two daughters Lucy Bankett-Bivins and Jane Wade-Garnett (my ancestor). More research needs to be done in order to confirm my theory.

1854 Tax Rolls [Austin County, Texas]- R.W. Whitworth, Negroes: 1 valued at $700 (Mary)
[Image: 22, pg. 327]

1855 Tax Rolls [Austin County, Texas]- R.W. Whitworth, Negroes: 1 valued at $600 (Mary)
[Image: 25, pg. 357]

1856 Tax Rolls [Austin County, Texas]- R.W. Whitworth, Negroes: 2 valued at $800 (Mary and Lucy)
[Image: 27, pg. 391]

1857 Tax Rolls [Austin County, Texas]- R.W. Whitworth, Negroes: 2 valued at $900 (Mary and Lucy)
[Image: 26, pg. 427]

1858 Tax Rolls [Austin County, Texas]- R.W. Whitworth, Negroes: 2 valued at $900 (Mary and Lucy)
[Image: 39, pg. 475]

1859 Tax Rolls [Austin County, Texas]- R.W. Whitworth, Negroes: 2 valued at $900 (Mary and Lucy)
[Image: 39, pg. 532]

1860 Tax Rolls [Austin County, Texas]- R.W. Whitworth, Negroes: 2 valued at $1000 (Mary and Lucy)
[Image: 50, pg. 590]

1860 Slave Schedule - R.W. Whitworth


1860 U.S. Federal Census Slave Schedule [Austin County, Texas]- R.W. Whitworth,
[Slaves: 26 yr old, blk, f and 4 yr old, blk, f]

1861 Tax Rolls [Austin County, Texas]- R.W. Whitworth, Negroes: 2 valued at $1000 (Mary and Lucy)
[Image: 47, pg. 650]

10 1862/1863 Tax Rolls - Not listed for these two years

11 1864 Tax Rolls [Austin County, Texas]- R.W. Whitworth, Negroes: 3 valued at $1000 (Mary, Lucy, and Jane) [Image: 31, pg. 747]

I have been to the courthouse to research information on Robert Walton Whitworth, but have found no mention of his slaves by name. Robert's first wife Rosa died in 1865 after emancipation so her will did not list any slaves.

Photograph of R.W. Whitworth


I've checked the following volumes at the courthouse:
  1. Bill of Sales 
  2. Civil Court minutes 
  3. Stray Records 
  4. Probates/Successions books 
  5. Deed Records
It's possible there is no record left concerning the purchase of this female slave. In February of 2013, descendants of R.W. Whitworth informed me that he did have a diary that was published (which they did not have in their possession). A Google search shows that the California State Library has a copy of this journal, so I've sent them an email inquiry regarding this particular item. Hopefully, this journal will yield some clues.

UPDATE: Response received on Nov. 24, 2014

"Hi Terrence,
My name is Elena Smith, I am a reference librarian in the California Room. What an interesting, albeit challenging research project. I have read through the document that you referred to and found no mention of a female slave that he owned although he did talk about hiring either a slave or a free African American man to carry his luggage across the Isthmus at the tail end of his journey. I am very sorry. Another place you might check since Whitworth came to California with them, is any Company E Mormon Battalion records. While it is a bit of a long shot, it is possible that they listed slaves in their records. If you have any follow-up questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me, my information is below. Thank you so much for your question and have a happy Thanksgiving."


Terrence A. Garnett
[November 23, 2014]

 Source Citations
  1. Texas County Tax Rolls, 1846 - 1910 -- (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1827575). Citing Comptroller's Office. State Archives, Austin.
  2. Photo of Robert Walton Whitworth emailed to me by Andy Crews (descendant of R.W.)

Sunday, November 9, 2014

DNA confirms a Suspected 4th Great-Grandmother!

On October 5, 2013, I received an email notification from 23andme stating that a message was sent to my inbox. The message was from a man named Robert the son of one of my grandmother's close matches whom we'll call "L.W".

"My Name is Robert I'm going through my mother's 23andme and I see that you fall under 1st - 3rd cousin. My family currently lives in Portland Oregon. My grandparents, great-aunt, and uncles are from TX, NC, LA. We are currently working on our family tree any help you can provide would be appreciated. You can contact my mother on here or email me at -------@yahoo.com"

My grandmother matches L.W. and her son Robert while my mother and I only match [L.W.]. She and my grandmother are Predicted 3rd Cousins which would mean they likely share common 2nd Great-grandparent(s).
DNA Comparison 

I decided to take a look at L.W.'s family tree to see where in Texas her family migrated from. She listed Cameron, Milam County, Texas and Midland County, Texas; but I wasn't aware of any family members connected to those areas. While looking for her family in various records I found a marriage listing for her grandparents Elijah Calloway and Rosa Cofield in Robertson County, Texas [Which neighbors Milam County]. Additionally, I was able to locate Elijah's death certificate which revealed the names of his parents: Sam Calloway and Hutcherson (mother's 1st name not listed) and his place of birth as Navasota, Texas.

Elijah's father, Samuel "Sam" Calloway lived in Grimes County in 1900 and by 1910 he and his family are living in Robertson County, Texas. Sam passed away on April 6, 1922 in Calvert, Robertson County, Texas. Tax records also show Sam living in Grimes county during the 1870's, 1880's, and 1890's.

Sarah Franklin Johnson (1878-1928)
Navasota is a city in Grimes County, Texas. My grandmother's paternal-grandmother, Sarah Franklin was born in Grimes County, Texas to Edward & Captoria Franklin. Therefore my connection to L.W. was most likely through this branch of my family.

On October 8, 2013, I sent L.W. a message on 23andme with the information I found on her Calloway's and mentioned that our connection is likely through a common ancestor from Grimes County, Texas. She sent me the following message, "Thank you so much for that information about my grandfather. I've only been able to go as far as my great-grandmother Ida Coffield Davis nothing on the Calloways so please let me know where the connection is."

Around October - December of 2013, I took a brief hiatus and set aside my research during that time. I resumed my research earlier this year, but was following leads on my father's side of the family. It wasn't until a few days ago as I was going through my inbox on 23andme that I ran across my message to cousin L.W. (sent about a year ago).

In reviewing the information that I had previously sent to her, I remembered that on the 1880 Census, Ed and Cap Franklin lived next door to a woman named Rebecca Calloway (b.1830). I had long suspected Rebecca was Ed's mother as she reported she was born in Virginia, which is the birthplace reported for Grandpa Ed's parents. At the time I was unable to find any sufficient proof so I dismissed it...that is until now. The evidence suggests that cousin L.W.'s great-grandfather Sam and my ancestor Ed are likely half-siblings and the children of Rebecca.

Marriage records show that Rebecca lives next door to another child, Lucy Calloway Ward.
Samuel, Ed, Rebecca, Lou, nor Lucy could be found in 1870 in Grimes County or any of the surrounding counties.

1880 U.S. Census
LocalityPrecinct 3, Grimes County, Texas
ED, SheetEnumeration District 68, Sheet 194A &194B
Enum Date16 June 1880
House
Family
Name
 Race 
 Sex 
 Age 
 Relationship 
Occupation
Birth Place
Self
Fath
Moth
205205Franklin, EdBM23HeadFarmerTXVAVA

----------, CapBF22WifeKeep HouseTXVAVA
----------, SarahBF2Daughter
TXVAVA
Makey, MarthaBF50Moth.-In-Law
MSMSMS
206206Calloway, RebeccaBF50Head
VAVAVA

Deadman, LouBF30Daughter
TXVAVA

------------, SallieBF15Granddaughter
TXVATX
207207Ward, GeorgeBM38HeadFarmerVAVAVA

-------, LucyBF35WifeKeep HouseTXVAVA

-------, JosephineBF11Daughter
TXVATX

-------, LynchBM15Son
TXVATX

-------, WhitBM10Son
TXVATX

-------, JohnieBM8Son
TXVATX

-------, GeorgeBM7Son
TXVATX

-------, RebeccaBF5Daughter
TXVATX

-------, JamesBM6Son
TXVATX

-------, HattieBF4Daughter
TXVATX

-------, William BM3Son (twin)
TXVATX

-------, HenryBMSon (twin)
TXVATX

-------, EdwardBM4 mo.Son
TXVATX

Lewis, CharlieBM13Son
TXVATX
208208Ward, Davis BM24HeadFarmerVAVAVA

By 1900, Rebecca Calloway is living in the household of her son named William Bell (b. 1853). Rebecca stated that she was the mother of five (5) children with two (2) of those children still living. Grandpa Edward Franklin, Lucy Ward, and Lou Deadmon (Dedmon) passed away sometime before 1900. Samuel Calloway and William Bell were the only two children still living.







Rebecca's five children:
  1. Samuel Calloway (b.1844, Texas) m. Eula Hutchison (Appears to have had outside children with Ann Hutchison & Ida Wallace)
  2. Lucy Calloway Ward (b.1846, Texas) m. George Ward
  3. Lou Calloway Dedmon Ward (b.1850, Texas) m. David or Davis Ward
  4. William Henry Bell (b. 1853, Texas) m. Mary Jane Floyd (1st) and Mariah Neblett (2nd)
  5. Edward Franklin (b.1857, Texas) m. Captoria Franklin


The use of naming patterns was also common among Rebecca's descendants:
  • Samuel Calloway, Lucy Ward, and William Henry Bell all had daughters named Rebecca. 
  • Lucy had sons named William & Henry (who appear to be twins) and a child named Edward.

23andme's 3rd cousin prediction between my grandmother and L.W. is correct. Rebecca Calloway is their 2nd Great-grandmother. This would make Rebecca my 4th great-grandmother.




Terrence A. Garnett
[November 9, 2014]

 Source Citations

  1. Photo of Sarah Franklin Johnson (taken in the 1920's in Montgomery County, Texas) from the collection of her late son, Edward L. Johnson (1908-1990). The original photo is now in the possession of E.J. Clark (daughter of Edward L. Johnson). 
  2. Texas Marriage Index, 1837-1973, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/F6Y9-J9N : accessed 09 Nov 2014), Elijah Calloway and Rosa Cofield, 21 Jan 1917; citing Robertson Co., Texas, Lic. No. 5730, reference ; FHL microfilm 1477496.
  3. John Leffler, "NAVASOTA, TX," Handbook of Texas Online (http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hfn01), accessed November 09, 2014. Uploaded on June 15, 2010. Published by the Texas State Historical Association.
  4. 1880 United States Census, index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MFNF-8VY : accessed 09 Nov 2014), Ed Franklin (Age: 23), Precinct 3, Grimes, Texas, United States; citing sheet 194A, NARA microfilm publication T9, NARA microfilm publication T9, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington D.C.; FHL microfilm 1255308.
  5. 1880 United States Census, index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MFNF-8K9 : accessed 09 Nov 2014), Rebecca Calloway (Age: 50), Precinct 3, Grimes, Texas, United States; citing sheet 194B, NARA microfilm publication T9, NARA microfilm publication T9, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington D.C.; FHL microfilm 1255308.
  6. 1900 United States Census, index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/M3GX-6QC : accessed 09 Nov 2014), Rebecca Caloway in household of William Bell, Justice Precinct 1, Grimes, Texas, United States; citing sheet 7B, family 123, NARA microfilm publication T623, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C.; FHL microfilm 1241640.