I had a business trip to Columbus, Georgia last week and Columbus has a great genealogy section in their library, so I decided to do a little after-work research. I knew that I would only have a couple of hours at the library, which made it essential that I go in with a plan.
I reviewed their online catalog and decided to focus on books with newspaper clippings and will abstracts. I made a list of books in these categories that I wanted to review and then added the names of specific people and general surnames for each locality. I made this list in Google Docs, so that I could access in on my tablet and make notes on what I found in real time.
I was able to review several books and got quite a bit of good information. This is how my research report for this visit looks:
- Findings are bulleted and in italics
- Comments are indented and underlined
Newspaper Records:
Wilkes County (Washington), Georgia, newspaper abstracts 1810-1815 by Poss, Faye Stone.
1) Thomas Mackie. 2) Also John Mackie, Samuel Mackie, David McClesky
- pp. 100-101, Thomas Mackey – entry dated 7 Mar 1812 regarding a Sheriff’s sale.
- Who is this? My Thomas died in 1796. Could this be a son or a nephew?
- p. 235-236, Littleton Mackie – entry dated Oct 1815. He is on a list of letters left at the post office.
- Who is he? The name Littleton intrigues me, because of Littleton Lytle.
- There are two entries in the index for a John “McCluskey” or “McClusky,” but no McClesky
Wilkes county (Washington), Georgia, newspaper abstracts 1802, 1805-1809 : The Monitor and Impartial Observer 1802; Monitor 1805-1809 – GEN 929.3 G3wil Pos
- p. 14, John McKey – entry regarding Administrator’s sale for estate.
- This is likely Mary Ann Mackie’s brother. dated 10 Aug 1805
- p. 131, Samuel McKie – entry dated 9 May 1807. Land adjoining his was was to be sold for back taxes.
- This may also be Mary Ann’s brother.
- p. 63, John McKee – another entry regarding administrator’s sale, dated 3 May 1806
- p. 266, William McKee – entry dated 23 Sep 1809 regarding establishing a singing school.
- They may be Mary Ann’s brother
- Index entries for Mark McCluskey and John McClusky, but nothing for David under any spelling variation
Milledgeville, Georgia, newspaper clippings (Southern recorder) by Evans, Tad. GEN 929.3 G3bal Eva 1 – Volume XII, 1866-1872 and (Misc Papers 1825-1841)
1) James Butler or Harvey D. Ward
- There are several entries for James and J. B. Butlers, but they are clearly not my James.
- This set of books needs to be reviewed in more detail. It has entries for many GA counties (presumably because Milledgeville was the state capitol). Also the Baldwin County, Georgia Newspaper Clippings (Union Recorder) set of books.
Deaths, murders and lynchings : abstracted from Lumpkin County, Georgia, newspapers / Jimmy E. Anderson. GEN 929.3 G3lu And 1
1) Forrester, Carnes, Nancy (Chapman) Patterson. 2) Levi Mote, Mary (Qualls) Mote, other Pattersons
- This is another book that needs to be looked at in detail as it includes items picked up from other counties, such as Gilmer, Fannin, etc.
- 2 entries for Forrester, but neither are mine
- p. 62, entry for a Benj. Forrest who died 28 Nov 1878 in Stone Mountain
- No entries for Carnes, Cearns, or Kerns
- No entries for Patterson
- Various Chapman entries, but none seem applicable
- p. 304, death notice for Levi Mote, died 1900
- 1 Quarles entry, but no first name given
- Various Brooksher and Brookshire entries, but none seem applicable
- Various Butler entries, none likely
- One Cunningham, but no first name.
- Looked at various other surnames: Garrett, Ward, Whitener, Weidner. No hits.
Will Abstracts:
Elbert County, Georgia, abstracts of wills, 1791-1919 / Fred W. McRee, Jr. GEN 929.3 G3el McR
1) Rosannah (McIntyre) Mackie, Susannah (Patton) Hemphill. 2) Surnames: Hemphill, Mackie, McClesky
- p. 10, abstract # 18, will for Thomas Mackie, found in WB B, p. 19
- Nothing for Mackey, McKee, McKie, etc.
- Nothing for McEntire, McIntyre
- The only Hemphill is referring back to Thomas Mackie’s will
- Entry for a Samuel “Patten,” but he doesn’t look like a connection
- Nothing for McClesky, McClusky, McLesky, etc.
Burke County, North Carolina, surviving will and probate abstracts, 1777–1910 by Philbeck, Miles S. GEN 929.3 N8bur Phi
1) Captain Thomas Lytle. 2) Burgin, Dellinger, Hemphill, Lytle, Mann, McEntire, Mull, Pattillo, Patton, Stroud, Whitener, Dysart, Powell
- No entries for Lytle or Little
- abstract #308. Entry for Robert Logan, proved by Alny Burgin, witness.
- Robert Logan was one of the witnesses to Captain Thomas Hemphill’s will.
- abstract # 324. Entry for John McDowell, witnessed by Robt. Logan, J. Burgin, Ben Burgin
- abstract # 85. Entry for Benjamin Burgin.
- This is Pioneer Ben.
- abstract # 165. Entry for William England. Benjamin Burgin, exec and Benjamin Mann, witness
- abstract # 36. Entry for Benoni Banning. Presented for probate by Jesse Burgin
- abstract # 159. Entry for Sarah Edmiston. Exec Jess Burgin, Jr. Witness Rosamond Burgin
- There are several Dellinger entries, but they are all late 1800s and none of the names look familiar. Could be distantly related. Not making copies.
- abstract # 234. Entry for Jacob Harshaw. Names daughter Mary Ann Hemphill and children of T. L. Hemphill
- T. L. is the son of Andrew Hemphill and Catherine McDonald.
- abstract # 249. Entry for James Hemphill, presented for probate by Robert Hemphill in April 1815.
- Not sure who this is.
- a Laura Hemphill witnessed a will for Ann Pearson Not sure who they are. No copy made.
- abstract # 505. Entry for Michael Spainhour. Names a Martha E. Hemphill
- Apparently, this Martha married a LaFayette Hemphill. Not sure who he is. On a side note, found book of old Southern Bible records on Google Books.
- abstracts #349 and #350. entries for John & Samuel Mackey, dated 1820 and 1831, respectively. John’s was proved by Robert Logan.
- abstract #333, entry for James McEntire, dated Jul 1820. Names son William and widow Nancy.
- abstract #334, entry for James McEntire, presented Jul 1830
- abstract #335, entry for Thomas McEntire, Sr. Thomas L. McEntire and Andrew Hemphill executors.
- Is this Thomas Young Hemphill McEntire?
- abstract #95, entry for John Carson. Names a Rebecca McEntire. Dated Oct 8142
- Who is she?
- abstract #535, entry for John Vanhorn, dated 1840. Names several Mull daughters (one who married a Peter Mull) and grandchildren.
- There are lots of other Mull entries, but the given names do not look familiar and the dates are too late.
- No entries for Patillo, Petillo, Potillo, etc.
- abstract #369, entry for Babel Moore, dated 1873. Names daughter Charity Patton, decd, & her children.
- abstracts #410 – 416, several Pattons in a row.
- Hopefully, this will help me sort out the Pattons.
- abstract # 172, entry for Arthur Erwin, dated 1819. Names daughter Polly Patton & her children
- abstract # 539, entry for Martha Walton, dated 1865. Names decd. daughter Louisa Patton.
- abstract # 512, entry for Peter Stroud, dated Jul 1827.
- This is likely the Peter who married Naomi and Rebecca.
- No entries for Weidner or Whitener. Two Whitner entries as witness. Did not copy.
- abstract # 446, entry for Elias Powell, dated 1832.
- This is the Elias who married Anna Barbara Albright.
- abstracts # 156 & 157. entries for Samuel & William Dysart.
- Not sure who they are at this point.
- abstract # 513, entry for John Sudderth. Names decd. daughter Mary Powell.
- Mary was the wife of Rev. John Bowman Powell, grandson of Elias Powell & Anna Barbara Albright
Burke County, North Carolina, Records 1755-1821 (Including Wills Index 1784-1900), Volume IV by Edith Warren Huggins
- p. 46, chapter on court minutes, entry for John Petillo, dec’d. Names heirs, including “Susannah Petillo (now Lytle)”
- This book is available at the Calhoun library. It has so much information that it needs much more time than I have today.
Abstracts of Book A, wills, guardians, administrations, Lumpkin County, Georgia, 1833-1852 – GEN 929.3 G3lu Wri
1) Forrester, Carnes, Nancy (Chapman) Patterson. 2) Levi Mote, Mary (Qualls) Mote, other Pattersons
- There is a Berry Forrester mentioned. No idea who he is. No copy made
- No entries for Carnes, Kerns, etc.
- No entries for Patterson
- No entries for Mote
- No entries for Qualls, Quarles
Work Plan for Next Visit
Surry County, North Carolina, will abstracts, Vols. 1-3, 1771-1827. by Linn, Jo White. – GEN 929.3 N8 Lin
1) James Burk. 2) Debord, Tucker, Burk, Brookshire
Rutherford County, North Carolina, abstracts will book A, 1779-1791. by Davis, Caroline Heath. GEN 929.3 N8ru Dav
Baxter, Ward, Searcy
Wilkes County, N.C., will abstracts, books one & two, 1778-1811 by Absher, W. O., Mrs., 1915- GEN 929.3 N8wi Abs –
1) Mary Ann (Marlow) Brookshire 2) Brookshire, Debord, Powell, Tilley, Marlow, Burk
Caldwell County, North Carolina, will abstracts, 1841–1910 by Philbeck, Miles S. GEN 929.3 N8ca Phi –
1) Ann Barbara (Albright)Powell, 2)Powell, Albright, Whitener
Rowan County, North Carolina will abstracts GEN 929.3 N8row Lin 1
1) James Hemphill, William Brookshire, John Mann, Johannes Christopher Mull. 2) Alexander, Brookshire, Burgin, Mann, Potillo, Stroud, Hemphill, Mull, Debord, Davidson, Patton, Burk, Weidner, Albright, Cunningham, Summerville
Anson County, North Carolina : abstracts of early records by McBee, May Wilson. GEN 929.3 N8an McB
Lytle, Patton, Whitener, Poffh, Dellinger, Hemphill
York County, South Carolina will abstracts : 1787-1862 (1770-1862) – by Holcomb, Brent. GEN 929.3 S7y Hol
Quarles, Cunningham
Abstracts of Will Book A, 15 March 1824–6 July 1849 Franklin County, Georgia – by Hageness, MariLee Beatty GEN 929.3 G3fr Wil
Mackie
