I have a lot of older pictures of my great-aunt Edna (Hemphill) Pendley and she is almost always wearing a fabulous hat.

This list is from Millington Lytle’s estate file, a 133-page packet of information.  For my purposes, this is the most important page in the packet, because it lists his heirs, thus providing evidence of the parentage of a number of people, including Elizabeth Lytle, wife of John Lytle.  It also provides husband’s names for the daughters and several grandchildren’s names, as well as ages and residences for the whole list.

 Abstract

Source:  Buncombe County, North Carolina, Probate estate files, Millington Lytle (1874), names, ages, and residences of heirs; “North Carolina, Estate Files, 1663-1964,” digital images, FamilySearch (http://www.familysearch.org: accessed 17 March 2012); citing Estate Files, FHL microfilm 1,673,923; North Carolina State Archives, Raleigh, North Carolina, United States; the heir list is imaged as p. 11 of 133 pages within the Lytle file.

Rufus B. Burgin was born 9 Aug 1847, likely in McDowell County, North Carolina.  He was the son of Jesse and Rosamond Burgin. Rufus fought for the Confederacy during the Civil War.  He died 5 Jan 1898 and is buried at Bethel UMC-Cherry Springs Cemetery in McDowell County.

Rufus’ grandparents were John Burgin and Elizabeth Mann – my 5th great-grandparents.

Today is the last day for early-bird registration to the Southern California Genealogy Jamboree.  Jamboree will he held June 8-10 in Burbank, California, with two “pre-events” to be held on June 7.  If you are on the fence, here are 7 reasons to attend:

1. Rock-Star Speakers – Megan Smolenyak, Josh Taylor, Curt Wicher, and so many more!
2. Over 100 classes to choose from in the three-day period.  I haven’t narrowed my list down yet.
3. Research assistance – do you need some help with a genealogy problem?  You can sign up for a half-hour consultation to get some one-on-one help.
4. DNA interpretation – having trouble understanding your DNA results?  The DNA Interest Group can help you figure out what they mean.
5. Pre-events – want to learn more about family history writing or technology?  Come in a day early for even more sessions dedicated to these topics,
6. Networking – there will be over 1600 genealogists there.  This is a great opportunity to meet up with your online genealogy peeps and make new friends, as well.
7. Fun – with after-hours events, blogger hangouts, and all the reasons listed above, Jamboree is just plain fun.

So, June 8-10 in Burbank.  I’ll be there.  How about you?

Andrew B. Baxter and Mary Lowery applied for a marriage license in Murray County, Georgia on the first day of January, 1849.  Their marriage was solemnized before a justice of the peace on January 4th.

Andrew and Mary are my 3rd great-grandparents and the parents of Barbara (Baxter) Kendrick.

Blanche (Hemphill) Stanford, my grandfather’s eldest sister.

This is the last installment in a series of nine posts in which I transcribe the will of my Revolutionary War ancestor, Captain Thomas Hemphill. In the first post, we learned that Captain Thomas’ will was contested by two of his children and a son-in-law, and that the date usually seen for his death may be wrong. The copy of the contested will as it was transcribed into the court records began on page 2. Pages three and four continued the will copy and began to explain the reasons that the will was contested. Pages 5, 6, 7, and 8 continued the court testimony and page 9 wraps everything up ¹ .

Transcript

or disease, to Such a State of mental imbecility and weakness

as not to be able to dispose of his property rationally and

understandingly; they further should be Satisfied that at

the time the will was made, he had a mind & disposition

to make a will.  The Law required that a will to pass

lands should be subscribed by two disinterested witnesses

in the presence of the testator , when the will was not all

in the handwriting of the testator.  That if Logan one of the

witnesses was dead the law permitted evidence of his hand

writing to be given to the Jury, and they were at liberty to

infer from that evidence, and other evidence in the case

that he Signed in the presence of the testator.  The law

did not require proof that the will was read over to the

testator in the presence of the witness.  If the testator

acknowledged this paper to be his will to the witness and

he was in his senses and subscribed in his presence, by

his permission, it was all the law required to enable the

Jury to infer that he knew the contents.  If there was

any fraude or imposition practiced on him, it then would

not be his will.  The Jury found a verdict in favour

of the will and for the plaintiffs.  the defendants moved

for a new trial for misdirection which was refused

and the plaintiffs had judgment.  Defendants appealed

to the Supreme Court.

State of North Carolina

Burke County }

I Elam A Erwin Clerk of the

Superior Court of Law for Said County, do hereby

Certify that the foregoing Record is a complete

transcript from the papers which remain in my office

the Case Hemphill et al vs. Hemphill et al.

In testimony wherof I have hereunto set

my hand & affixed the Seal of the office at

Morganton the 4^th May 1830.

E A Erwin Clk

Wrapping it Up

This page wraps up the court case in which some of Captain Thomas Hemphill’s descendants contested his will.  The plaintiffs prevailed and the will, as written, was declared to be the last will and testament of Thomas Hemphill.

James Baxter and Elisabeth Lowery were joined in the bonds of holy matrimony on 14 December 1851.  They were married in Murray County, Georgia.

James was the brother of my 3rd great-grandfather, Andrew B. “Dave” Baxter and Elisabeth was the sister of Dave’s wife, Polly Lowery.

This week’s Treasure Chest Thursday entry is another World War I Draft Registration Card.  This time the registrant is my great-grandfather, James Alexander Hemphill.

Click to enlarge

So What Does This Record Tell Us?

Name:  I think this is the only official document I have that spells out his complete name – James Alexander Hemphill.

Residence:  Ramhurst, Georgia.  While this particular card is not dated, these records were created in 1917-1918, which is important for two reasons.

1. The family moved to Fitzgerald, Georgia and appeared there on the 1920 census, so this document narrows down the time frame for the move.
2. His youngest son was born in 1918, so I can deduce that he was likely born in Ramhurst.

Birth date: 13 Apr 1879.  This is likely to be the best source of his birth date that I will ever find.

Occupation:  Self-employed farmer.  No surprises there.

Nearest relative:  Mrs. Alice Hemphill – his wife and my great-grandmother.

Physical description:  Tall, with black hair and blue eyes.

Source:  “World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918,” Database and images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 29 June 2009), James Alexander Hemphill, serial no. 693, order no. 309, Draft Board O, Murray County, Georgia; citing World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917–1918, NARA microfilm publication M1509; citing FHL microfilm roll 1,558,454.

Annie Kate (Hemphill) Bryan, my great-aunt.