While transcribing 1930 census records for the 50 households surrounding James A. Hemphill, I found two households headed by his relatives.  I wasn’t surprised to find them, because I knew where their houses were in relation to my great-grandparents, but it was nice how the census work came together and saved me from searching specifically for these two families.

J. A. Hemphill, my great-grandfather, and his wife and three youngest sons appeared in Murray County in the Ball Ground district on page 1 A¹.  Two pages and seventeen households away lived Mattie Hemphill, J. A.’s sister-in-law, the wife of his half-brother, Thomas M. Hemphill².  In Mattie’s household was her daughter, Beatrice, whom I’ve always heard called “Aunt Bat.”  Next door was Mattie’s son, Ed and his family³.

On this date in 1857, Francis Harris obtained a marriage bond in McDowell County, North Carolina.  His intended bride was Adeline Burgin. I found the record while searching the FHL microfilm of McDowell County Marriage Bonds. I wasn’t sure who Francis and Adeline were at the time, but since Adeline was a Burgin, I made a copy of the record.

Some quick research back at home revealed that Francis M. Harris had married Adeline Crawford Burgin.    Adeline turned out to be the daughter of Martha Burgin and the granddaughter of Benjamin Burgin and Leah Mann.  Ben and Leah are my 6th great-grandparents, so Adeline does indeed fit into my family tree.  In fact, I found her sister, Rosamond Malinda, through the same process.  Adeline and Rosamond’s father is Jesse Burgin – I don’t know who he is yet, but feel certain he will be connected to my Burgins as the name Jesse Burgin already appears several times in my tree.

William Harvey Greenlee and Kate Young Hemphill were married on March 31, 1891 in Murray County, Georgia¹.

Kate was my great-grandfather’s (James A. Hemphill) sister.  After her marriage, Kate moved to McDowell County, North Carolina, the ancestral home of both her parents.  The photograph in the collage shows their family about 18 years after they married².  W. H. is seated on the far left and Kate is seated on the far right, with their children in the middle.

On 01 April 1928, Jim Hemphill and Leo Morrison were joined in the holy bonds of matrimony. They were married in Murray County, Georgia.

Jim was my grandfather’s eldest brother.

Analysis

From this record, I learned the date and place of Jim and Leo’s wedding.  This also gave me a primary source for Leo’s surname and middle name (her full name was Mattie Leo Morrison).

Source:  Murray County, Georgia, Marriage Book O: 49, Hemphill-Morrison, 1928, recorded license (with original signatures) and return; Probate Court’s Office, Chatsworth.

On 31 July 1931, Elmer Hemphill and Bessie Quarles were joined in the holy bonds of matrimony. They were married in Murray County, Georgia.

Elmer was my maternal grandfather’s elder brother.

Analysis

From this record, I learned Bessie’s surname. I also learned the date and place of their marriage.

It’s interesting that Bessie was a Quarles.  I have Quarles ancestors on my father’s side;  I’ll want to look for a connection between Bessie and my paternal Quarles’.

Source:  Murray County, Georgia, Marriage Book O: 164, Hemphill-Quarles, 1931, recorded license (with original signatures) and return; Probate Court’s Office, Chatsworth.

On this date in 1869, Martin V. O’Neal and Mary Jane Baxter were joined in the holy bonds of matrimony.  They were married in Murray County, Georgia.

Martin’s first cousin, Francis Marion Kendrick, married Mary Jane’s first cousin, Barbara Baxter.  Francis and Barbara were my great-great-grandparents, meaning I’m related to both Martin and Mary Jane, independently.

Sometimes you find a record that has so much information it is worth it’s weight in gold.  Before I found this death certificate, all I knew about Cordeale (possibly spelled Cordelia) was her name, approximate birth year, parents’ names, and location on the 1880 census.

Information gleaned from the death certificate:

Alternate spelling for first name:  Cordeale

Middle name:  Josephine

Husband’s name:  John Caylor

Date of birth:  12 October 1871 (derived from age at death)

Date of death:  20 Aug 1828

Place of death:  Cisco, Georgia

Cause of death:  Pulmonary Tuberculosis

Burial place:  Calvary Cemetery

My great-grandfather’s residence in 1928 (he was the informant – Cordeale is his sister).

It also confirms her parents as Francis Kendrick and Barbara Baxter.

Research Next Steps

• Look for Cordeale’s marriage record (also in Georgia’s Virtual Vault).
• Look for other relatives who may have died in Georgia between 1928 and 1930.
• Look for Cordeale on 1920 census.

Check back tomorrow to learn how I located this and other Georgia death certificates from 1928 to 1930.

Transcript

A 6062

State of North Carolina

Surry County

KNOW  all men by these presents, That we Branch Tucker Edward Moore in the State aforesaid, are held firmly bound unto the Governor of the State of North Carolina for the time being, in the just and full sum of Five Hundred Pounds, current money of this state, to be paid to the said Governor, or his successors or assigns.  To the which payment well and truly to be made and done, we bind ourselves, our heirs, [illegible], and administrators.  Sealed with our seals and dated this Twelvth day of June 18 Anno Dom. 1803 ——–

The Condition of the above obligation is such, That whereas the above bounden Branch Tucker hath made application for a License for a marriage to be celebrated between him and Lucy Blakey of the county aforesaid Now in [illegible] it shall not appear hereafter, that there is any lawful cause to destruct the said marriage, then the above obligation to be void, otherwise to remain in full force and virtue.

Sealed and delivered

in the presence of us

Branch x  Tucker {seal}

Edward x Moore {seal}

[illegible]

Commentary

I had the date and place for this marriage, but it was unsourced.  Thanks to @editor1130 for sending me this marriage license!  In reviewing my information for Branch Tucker, I see that he was about 48 years old at the time of this marriage.  This would be unusual for a first marriage, so I should look for a prior marriage for him.  It was also interesting to compare the boilerplate in this license to that of Branch’s son, Churchwell Tucker, who was married in North Carolina twenty-five years later.

Transcript

A 6063

State of North Carolina

Surry County

KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, That we Tucker and Edward Moore are held and firmly bound unto this Patrick Thomas Esquire, Governor, &c. or his Successors in Office, in the full sum of Five Hundred Pounds, current Money, to be paid to the said Governor, his Successors or Assigns, for the which Payment well and truly to be made and done, we bind ourselves, our Heirs, Executors and Administrators, jointly and severally, firmly by these presents, sealed with our Seals, and dated this 11 day of July Anno Domini 1828.

THE Condition of the above Obligation is such, that whereas the above bounden Churchwell Tucker hath made application for a License for Marriage to be celebrated between him and Rozannah McKiniy of the County aforesaid: Now, in case it shall not appear hereafter, that there is any lawful Cause or Impediment to obstruct the said Marriage, then the above obligation to be void; otherwise to remain in full force and virtue.

Signed, Sealed and Delivered,

in the presence of

[illegible]

Churchwell B. Tucker {Seal}

Edward Moore {Seal}

Commentary

I already had the date and location for this marriage, but I did not have a primary source document; thanks to @editor1130 (a Twitter friend!) for sending me this license.  I had seen numerous references in online family trees to a “Rozannah McKinney” as the wife of Churchwell Tucker and I never knew where the name Rozannah originated.  The name on the headstone adjacent to his is “Rosamond.”  I’ve always thought Rozannah and Rosamond were close enough to be the same person, although I haven’t proved this yet.

@editor1130 also sent me the marriage license for Churchwell’s parents, Branch Tucker and Lucy Blakey.  I noticed that Edward Moore is the bondsman on both licenses.  North Carolina still required marriage bonds at the time of both these marriages, so I need to look up the bonds in the Ancestry.com index to see if there is any more information that I can glean.