Monday, June 30, 2008

My Montgomery's

My great, great, great Grandfather, John Montgomery. He is buried in the Gaddy Cemetery in Lawrence County, Illinois. This cemetery is way back down a country lane in the middle of a cornfield. It is surrounded by trees and is well taken care of. All of the tombstones are very old and as you can see by my g.g.g.grandmother's tombstone, some are in bad shape.

My great, great, great grandmother, Elizabeth Gaddy Montgomery. She is buried next to her husband in Gaddy Cemetery.


A while back, I posted a picture of my g.g.grandmother, Lucinda Montgomery. Several years ago, we joined Clan Montgomery Society International of which I am now the PR person. I had hoped to be able to find someone else in Clan Montgomery who connected to my Montgomery family. But, so far, no luck!

Lucinda Montgomery was born January 25, 1842 in Wabash County, Illinois. She married on November 27, 1859 in Wabash county #1. Archibald Ruddle Roberts born October 12, 1822 in Wayne County, Illinois. This was his second marriage. He died May 15, 1865 in Wabash County. They had 4 children.
#1. Charles R. Roberts was born September 22, 1860 in Wabash County and died April 16, 1861.
#2. Lewis Edward Roberts born January 21, 1862 Wabash County died March 21, 1923 in Wabash County.
#3. Ada Roberts born Feb. 10, 1863 Wabash County died March 2, 1864 Wabash County.
#4. (my great grandmother) Laura Belle Roberts born January 30, 1865 Wabash County died June 8, 1930 Evansville, Indiana. She married Calvin Douglas Morgan on January 11, 1882 in Wabash County.

Lucinda married #2 John A.Muncy Sr.on December 30, 1866 in Wabash County. John was born August 10, 1834 in West Virginia and died August 8, 1887 in Tarrant County, Texas. John and Lucinda had 4 children.
#1. Alida "Lidy" Muncy born June 6, 1867 in Wabash County died Feb. 20, 1940 in Mansfield, Tarrant County, Texas. Married Jacob M. Back.
#2. Asa Muncy born November 12, 1869 Wabash County, Illinois died October 7, 1951 in Los Angeles, California.
#3. Elgin R. Muncy born about 1872 in Illinois and died before 1900
#4. John A. Muncy, Jr. born January 1, 1881 Tarrant County, Texas died 1940 Mansfield, Tarrant County, Texas. Married Ada B. House.

Lucinda married #3. Solomon S. McGuire on June 29, 1890 in Tarrant County, Texas. He was born September 13, 1826 in Surrey County, North Carolina and died September 7, 1894 in Tarrant County. They had no children.


Lucinda was the daughter of John Montgomery and Elizabeth Gaddy. Elizabeth was the daughter of Elijah Gaddy and Lydia Fuller. John and Elizabeth were married in Wabash County April 1830. She was just 14 years old. She was the next to youngest of 11 children and was an orphan living with an older brother. I have a feeling big brother wanted to get rid of her. She, however didn't have any children until she was 18.

John Montgomery was born March 9, 1809 in North Carolina and died December 4, 1858 in Wabash County. Elizabeth was born December 15, 1815 in Wilson County, Tennessee and died May 24, 1858 (just a few months before John) in Wabash County, Illinois. I have no idea who John's parents were.

John and Elizabeth had 11 children all born Wabash County, Illinois.
#1 James Montgomery born Feb. 2, 1834. Died after February 4, 1888. He married Sidia/Lydia E. Moore March 19, 1863 in Lawrence Co., Illinois and had 9 children. Only 3 daughters lived to adulthood.
#2. William Montgomery born February 13, 1836, died April 6, 1862 at the Battle of Shiloh in the Civil War. Unmarried.
#3. George Montgomery born August 15, 1838 and died before 1850.
#4. John Montgomery, Jr. born August 3, 1840. I have no idea when or where he died.
#5. Lucinda Montgomery (my g.g.grandmother) born January 24, 1842.
#6. Leonard Montgomery born February 18, 1844, died Nov. 25, 1861 at Camp Butler, Illinois due to measles during the Civil War. Unmarried
#7. Malinda Montgomery born March 10, 1846, died after January 21, 1861.
#8. Mary Ann Montgomery born February 16, 1849 married James Rodgers.
#9. Elizabeth Montgomery born March 18, 1851 died February 21, 1852.
#10. Martha A. Montgomery born December 24, 1852 married William B. Thompson
#11. Elijah Montgomery born February 25, 1856 died after February 4, 1888. I don't know whether he married or not.

After John and Elizabeth died, the older brothers took care of and supported the younger children. After William and Leonard died in the Civil War, James supported the younger ones using pension money from the two brothers.

I would love to know who John's father was. The name John Montgomery is just about as common as the name, Hugh Montgomery. But, the name Leonard is not all that common. I am hoping that there is a link between John naming a son, Leonard, and his parents or grandparents. I sure could use some help on this and would appreciate any help at all.

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Wordless Wednesday-Dye Tombstones

This is a picture of my great great grandfather's tombstone. Amos Dye was the son of John Dye and Elizabeth Caywood, early settlers in Washington County, Ohio. Amos and his wife, Maria, are buried in Oak Grove Cemetery in Marietta, Ohio.

This is my great, great grandmother's tombstone. Her name was Maria Taylor Dye. She was the daughter of Richard Taylor and Freedom Carpenter.

Ok, I know that you are busy checking out other Wordless Wednesdays but please bookmark me and drop back some time. This is my genealogy blog. I will be discussing my ancestors and from time to time I will be giving some instructions on how to do your own search. But now, go back to Wordless Wednesday and have a happy day.

Enjoy more Wordless Wednesdays at Wordless Wednesday and 5 Minutes for Mom

Thursday, June 12, 2008

Pure Dumb Luck and Lots of Gut Instinct

I'm sure a professional genealogist would run for the hills if they read what I am about to post but here goes anyway. I am convinced that a LOT of genealogy success is the result of dumb luck and gut instinct. Over the years, I have fallen into more finds just out of dumb luck or being in the right place at the right time or thumbing through just the right book. I also have had a lot of instances of having a gut instinct about something and sure enough, I find out it is true. Yesterday was an example of both of these occurrences.

I went to our local library to do some research for a friend. Our library has a rather extensive genealogy/local history section. This is the same library that was closed from last August 13 to sometime in December because of our 100 year flood, This was the first time I had been there since the flood and I was amazed to find that the underground parking garage and basement where all of the electrical, phone, etc. plus used bookstore, offices etc was still being worked on. And because of this, the library has no AC. The upstairs area where the main library is was not affected by the flood--thankfully. Anyway, I digress.

I did my research for Bob and as I was getting up to leave I noticed that right in front of me there were quite a few books on Monroe County, Ohio, I have done more research than I care to think about in and about this county. Unfortunately, it is one of the two counties I'm researching (Wabash County, Illinois being the other) where the courthouse was burned down in the 1800's. Well, in Wabash County's case, it was a tornado. Anyway, I noticed that there were a few books about Monroe County that I hadn't seen before. So, I sat down and started going through them.

I am looking for my g.g.grandfather, Isaac Pearce--not Pierce but Pearce, it seems. Isaac was born about 1780 supposedly in Delaware but it could have been Pennsylvania and died April 29, 1861 in Monroe Co., Ohio. My g.g.grandmother Mary (don't know her surname) died Jan. 15, 1846 in Monroe County. I got this date from the local Monroe County newspaper, The Spirit of Democracy. The article didn't give her birth date but said she was 50 making her born in 1796. Isaac remarried between 1846 and 1850 to a Lydia (didn't now her surname). Lydia had been previously married to a Mr. Agin.

A couple of items I found in one of the books yesterday were the following:
#1 Spirit of Democracy (newspaper from Monroe Co., Ohio) April 6, 1869 Vol 26 #6 "Legal Notice-Will of Isaac Pearce dec'd-destroyed by fire, copy admitted to record March 30, 1869"

#2 Spirit of Democracy Dec. 1, 1868 Vol 25 #40,"Settlement Accounts for Hearing Dec. 17, 1868 J.R. Pennington Executor for Isaac Pearce partial".

I was curious who this J.R. Pennington was and why he would be the executor of my g.g.grandfather's estate. So of course I started looking up the Penningtons. I found that J. R. was John R. Pennington, the son of Thomas Pennington and Sarah Randolph.

Then I found this:
Ancestors of Monroe County, Ohio
Thomas Pennington Jan 10, 1803-Nov 7, 1890 md Sarah Randolph born Nov 18, 1802-died July 1, 1871 or 1874
Their child: Maria Jane Pennington born May 13, 1839-died Dec. 8, 1901 Monroe Co., Ohio
Maria Jane Pennington married James Randolph Agin born Nov 22, 1835-died March 16, 1912 Crane Nest, Monroe co. Oh. They were married 1863 Crane Nest, Ohio
James Randolph Agin was the son of Jacob Agin born 1811-died Feb 16, 1876 and Phoebe born 1812-died Feb 1882.

So here was the link between the Penningtons, the Agins, and my g.g.grandfather, Isaac Pearce and step g.g.grandmother, Lydia.

When I got home, I started going through my old notes and found that Lydia was living with Thomas Pennington in 1880 and although his wife was dead, Lydia was listed as his sister in law.(And why didn't I catch this before?? Who knows!) So, I did some online research and found that Lydia was indeed the sister of Sarah Randolph Pennington and was born September 16, 1813 in Redstone, Fayette County, Pennsylvania. She was the daughter of Richard Fitz Randolph and Lydia Mackay. Richard and Lydia had 12 children, several of whom ended up in Monroe County, Ohio.

And guess what, their oldest daughter was named Mary and was born in 1796!! My g.g.grandmother, Mary, who died in 1846 was born in 1796 in Pennsylvania. I got that information from the 1880 census of my great grandmother--Isaac and Mary's daughter, Elizabeth D. Pearce Sayers.

OK, I don't have proof that my g.g.grandmother Mary was indeed Mary Randolph, especially since Mary Randolph supposedly married a Maxwell Edwards. Isaac Pearce and Mary did not marry until about 1821 when he was about 40 and she was about 25. I have been totally unable to find anything on a Maxwell Edwards from that time and place so there is every possibility that Maxwell died and Mary then married Isaac Pearce. And when she died, Isaac married her sister who just happened to be a widow.

Anyway, being in the right place and the right time and finding those books on Monroe County helped me to find the Agins, Penningtons and Randolphs. And, my gut instinct is working overtime telling me that my Mary was indeed Mary Randolph. Now, I just have to find out how Mary Randolph met Isaac Pearce and got married. Then I have to be in the right place at the right time and find out who Isaac's parents were.

Later: Well, shoot!!! I just did some more searching and found that Maxwell Edwards was the son of Thomas Edwards and--you guessed it--Mary Randolph. And they settled in Perry County, Ohio where Mary died in 1862!!! NOT my Mary! Oh well, so much for gut instinct. Back to the drawing board. BUT, I did find out who my step g.g.grandmother, Lydia, was at least.

Friday, June 6, 2008

My Grandfather-Elkanah "Cain" Richards Clark

Elkanah "Cain" Richards Clark 1875-1933


My grandfather, Elkanah "Cain" Richards Clark was named for his mother's father, Elcana Richards. Papa Cain, as my brother called him, was born November 3, 1875 in Timberville, Wabash County, Illinois. Timberville is no longer there but was near Allendale where my mother was born and grew up. Cain died April 24, 1933 in Grayville, White County, Illinois. His occupation was driving a gasoline truck. He was killed instantly when his truck was hit by a train at a crossing. Since he died 5 years before I was born, I never knew him. He married my grandmother Clara Ethel Morgan, on either June 3, 1902 or June 3, 1903. Their marriage license says 1903 but my grandmother always said 1902--so who knows.

Cain Clark

My uncle, Clifton Calvin, was born January 12, 1904.Clifton died January 2, 1957 by falling down a flight of stairs and breaking his neck. Next was my mother, Opal (no middle name) who was born August 30, 1907. She died June 7, 1953 in a car accident. Third was Bernard Orville born August 25, 1909. He died July 14, 1910. I was told he pulled a pan of boiling water off of the stove and he was scalded to death. My aunt, Garnet Maxine, was born November 11, 1911. They were all born in or near Allendale, Wabash County, Illinois. As you can imagine, from all of the tragic deaths in this family, I often wondered if I would live beyond my 40's or 50's.

Cain Clark

My grandfather was the son of Robert H. (Hugh?) Clark and Susan Richards. Cain was one of 7 children. There were two sets of twins who died in infancy. (geez, yet more sadness!) Anyway, my grandfather's brothers were James Byron "Bye" Clark born February 17, 1873 in Shelby County, Illinois and Charles C. Clark born August 22, 1879 in Fort Worth, Cook County, Texas.

Obituary of Elkanah Richards Clark

I always felt left out when I was growing up. My friends all had grandparents and I never knew either one of my grandfathers and only one of my grandmothers. My dad's mother died in 1919 and his father died in 1940 when I was 2. Luckily I did have my mother's mother until I was 22. Unfortunately, I didn't ask her all that I should have. I wish, now, that I had asked my parents more about their parents and my grandmother about her parents. That is a lesson to be heeded. If your parents or grandparents are still living--talk to them about what they know or remember about their parents or grandparents. Write it down--especially dates and places. If you don't, there will come a day when you kick yourself for not doing so. Trust me!!


My grandfather Elkanah Richards Clark, my Aunt Garnet Maxine Clark, my mother Opal Clark, and my grandmother Clara Ethel Morgan.

Wednesday, June 4, 2008

This is Edwyn Sandys Archbishop of York
He is also my 12th great grandfather.
How cool is that!!

Ok, I know that you are busy checking out other Wordless Wednesdays but please bookmark me and drop back some time. This is my genealogy blog. I will be discussing my ancestors and from time to time I will be giving some instructions on how to do your own search. But now, go back to Wordless Wednesday and have a happy day.

Enjoy more Wordless Wednesdays at Wordless Wednesday and 5 Minutes for Mom