Genealogy Diaries

Ancestor Profiles - Quinton Stephenson

2012-01-11T20:00:00.000-05:00

Quinton Stephenson was born and raised in Johnston County, NC. He was my 2nd great grand uncle. The son of David Stephenson and Ann Clifton Stephenson, Quinton was the oldest of the couple's 9 children.

Quinton enlisted as a private in the Confederate Army on 25 February 1863 at the age of 36. He enlisted in Company C, 53rd Infantry Regiment. He survived the war.

Quinton was married to Maryann Elizabeth Creech. They married on 3 Dec 1851. My research indicates that they had 6 children:

Nancy
Amanda
John
Ann
Mary
David

The David Stephenson Cemetery

2012-01-04T21:09:00.000-05:00

The David Stephenson Cemetery is named for my 2nd great grand uncle. His brother, John Stephenson, was my 2nd great grandfather.

During a recent trip to Johnston County, NC, I visited the David Stephenson Cemetery. What I found was quite a shock. The cemetery is still there (technically), but the land on which it sits has apparently been sold to a developer.

The land where some of my ancestors are buried is being turned into a housing development called Brook Run. Thankfully, the graves haven't been disturbed as of yet. They are sitting in what looks to be a common area in the center of the development while houses are being built all around.

I had to trek through a rough, briar-infested field to get to the graves. It's obvious that no one is bothering to try to preserve the graves in any way, and I can only wonder how long it's going to be before the developer decides to just dig them up and dispose of them.

Here are some of the photos I took:

It is my hope that these graves will be preserved and cared for. I've already tried to contact one of the state's archaeologists, but so far I haven't received any type of response. I'm also planning to contact the Johnston County Historical Society.

As I mentioned in my last post, the destruction of family cemeteries seems to be an alarming trend in this state. I find it disturbing that there seems to be such a disregard for the remains of the dead. Sorry if I'm harping here, but this is an issue that bothers me.

As I organize my notes, photos, and documents, I'll continue to post about cemeteries in North Carolina.

Aldridge Partin Cemetery

2011-12-31T13:46:00.001-05:00

The Aldridge Partin Cemetery is located in Wake County, NC. It is actually an overgrown family burial ground that now sits smack in the middle of someone's cow pasture. Seriously.

Now, I can completely understand why decades ago, people often requested to be buried on their own land. In some cases, this was likely because of financial constraints; in others, it was probably because of a sincere love of the land that was owned, farmed, and worked on everyday of people's lives.

What strikes me as unbelievably sad is the reality that many family cemeteries have become annihilated by the "development" of our society. At what point did we stop having respect for the dead and decide that demolishing grave sites was the right thing to do?

In the case of the Aldridge Partin Cemetery, the graves haven't been demolished, but they have been shamefully neglected to the point that most of them are now only marked by unreadable small stones. I visited this cemetery a few days ago while looking for the graves of two of my 2nd great grandparents: Harriett Eleanor Johnson Temple and William Bennett Temple.

The land is owned by an elderly gentleman who works his farm by himself. He was kind enough to allow my husband and I to visit the remains of the cemetery. He drove us to the site (it's the only way to access it since his property is fenced in). He told me that he bought the land from someone named Temple (he remembered that name being on his deed), so it's likely that the land was passed down from William Bennett Temple to his children and grandchildren for a couple of generations before it was sold to the man who now owns it.

Because the cemetery sits on someone's private property, I didn't feel comfortable taking a lot of pictures. I only took photos of my 2nd great grandparents' graves.

I was very excited to find their graves, but at the same time I couldn't help feeling sad at the sight of so many other graves that are now only marked by unreadable stones. My best guess is that there are approximately 40-50 graves at that site, but it's quite likely that there are many more graves that are no longer marked at all.

I can't completely fault the man who now owns the land for doing with it what he pleases, but I do wish that people (in general) would have more respect and compassion for the dead. If someone purchases land in which people have been buried, have the decency to preserve the grave site rather than destroying it or allowing it to become overgrown and vandalized by cows. Over the past few months, I've encountered several cemeteries that have been overrun by a thoughtless society.

In my opinion, grave sites are sacred and should not be destroyed because of the whims of people. They should be preserved not only out of respect for those who have passed, but for the historical value they provide to us all.

Back in the Groove (well, hopefully)

2011-12-28T17:44:00.000-05:00

Because of an extremely busy schedule over the past few months, I haven't been able to post to this blog as much as I would have liked. I'm hoping that I'll be able to post regularly throughout 2012. I'm getting a little bit of a jump on that goal this week.

I hope you've all had a wonderful holiday season!

Ancestor Profiles - Mattie Virginia Temple Stephenson

2011-10-21T19:41:00.001-04:00

1884-1975

Mattie Virginia Temple was my great grandmother. Sadly, I never had the opportunity to know her, but I have enjoyed getting to know at least a little bit about her through my research.

I haven't found a photo of Mattie yet, though I would love to stumble across one someday! I do know that she was born and raised in North Carolina to parents William Bennett Temple and Harriet Eleanor Johnson Temple (Harriet's name sometimes appears as Ella Harriet or Eleanor Harriet).

I'm still not entirely sure of the exact number of children that Mattie had because of some conflicting records. Based on my research, her children include the following:

Cyrus Judson Stephenson
Virginia H. Stephenson
Alice E. Stephenson
Numer Patrick Stephenson
Martha Valeria Stephenson
Margie Adrine Stephenson
Ruby Glenn Stephenson

Virginia H. and Numer Patrick are the two for which I haven't found much documentation. So far, I've only found their names in a couple of places (one or two early census records and one birth index), so it's possible that they died as children and I just haven't found the evidence that points to that. My genealogy to-do list just keeps growing.

I have Mattie's siblings listed as follows:

Delma L. Temple
Mary Emma Temple
Robert A. Temple
William Oscar Temple
James M. Temple
Ira L. Temple
George Milton Temple
Maton Alonzo Temple

The Battle of Cedar Creek

2011-10-01T14:58:00.000-04:00

The Cedar Creek Battlefield Foundation is hosting their 23rd annual battlefield reenactment the 15th and 16th of October. The reenactment takes place on the original battlefield in Middletown, Virginia.

Passes can be purchased for one or two days, and all proceeds go to support the Cedar Creek Battlefield Foundation's preservation efforts.

Ancestor Profiles - David Stephenson

2011-09-21T22:47:00.000-04:00

1805 - 1863

David Stephenson was my 3rd great grandfather. Born and raised in Johnston County, North Carolina, David was the fifth of seven children born to David Stephenson and Arey Amanda Johnson.

David married Annie Clifton on 24 February 1824. According to my research, they had nine children together:

Enoch M. Stephenson (1825-1861)
Quinton Stephenson (1827-1879)
Kimmons Stephenson (1830-1898)
David Stephenson (1832-1879)
Cornelius W. Stephenson (1833-1900)
John Stephenson (1837-1915)
Doctor Stephenson (1840-1913)
Edith Ann Stephenson (1845-1914)
Israel Stephenson (1847-1927)

All eight of David's sons served in the Civil War. I'll write more about each of them as I continue my research.

Averasboro Civil War Battlefield & Museum

2011-08-30T21:04:00.000-04:00

The Battle of Averasboro took place in March 1865, and it was the first significant resistance the Union forces experienced as they barreled through the Carolinas and Georgia. The Battle of Bentonfield (located in Johnston County, NC) took place approximately three days later.

The Averasboro Battlefield Commission is responsible for preserving the historic site, and they are hosting a Civil War Re-Enactment on 17-18 September 2011.

The site is located in Dunn, North Carolina, which is in Harnett County. Directions and additional information can be found here for those of you who are interested.

Ancestor Profiles - Charles Fletcher Campbell, Sr.

2011-08-22T08:30:00.000-04:00

15 December 1887 - 9 July 1963

Charles Fletcher Campbell was my great grand uncle. Born 15 December 1887 in Randolph County, NC to John Milton Campbell and Malinda Lula Jennings Campbell (my paternal 2nd great grandparents), Charles was the oldest of five children.

He married Troy Louetta Bell of Iredell County, NC in 1908 and they had nine children together. According to my research, their children (only those who are known to be deceased) were:

Addie M. Campbell (1910-1996)
Agnes Frances Campbell (1912-2000)
John Webster Campbell (1915-2004)
Charles Fletcher Campbell, Jr. (1918-1996)
Helen Elizabeth Campbell (1922-1973)
Clarence Jennings Campbell (1924-2001)
Donnie Campbell (1932-1934)

World War I Draft Registration Card "C"

2011-08-21T08:06:00.002-04:00

The third registration for the World War I draft occurred on 12 September 1918. This was for men between the ages of 18-21 and 31-45 (men born between 11 Sept 1872 and 12 Sept 1900).

This registration card contained 20 questions on the front and required the following information:

Name
Address
Age
Date of birth
Race
Occupation
Citizenship status
Nearest living relative (name and address)
Name and address of employer
Physical appearance (height, build, hair and eye color, physical disabilities)

A blank card can be found below.

Sources: Ancestry.com. World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005.Original data: United States, Selective Service System. World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration. M1509, 4,582 rolls. Imaged from Family History Library microfilm.

World War I Draft Registration Card "B"

2011-08-20T07:48:00.000-04:00

World War I Draft Registration Card "B" may also sometimes be referred to as the Ten Question Card. This draft began on 5 June 1918 and was for all males who had celebrated their 21st birthday since the previous registration period (Card "A").

Also, men who hadn't previously registered and who were not already in the military were required to complete one of these cards. A supplemental registration, which occurred on 24 August 1918, had to be completed by all males who had celebrated their 21st birthday since 5 June 1918.

Information that can be found on these cards includes the following:

Name
Age
Address
Date and place of birth
Father's place of birth
Occupation
Citizenship status
Employer's name and address
Dependent information (if any)
Nearest living relative (name and address)
Physical appearance (height, build, hair and eye color, physical disabilities)

A blank form can be found below.

Sources: Ancestry.com. World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005.
Original data: United States, Selective Service System. World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration. M1509, 4,582 rolls. Imaged from Family History Library microfilm.

World War I Draft Registration Card "A"

2011-08-19T15:21:00.001-04:00

World War I Draft Registration Card A (also referred to as the Twelve-Question Card) was the card used for the first round of registrations (5 June 1917). It includes the following information:

Name
Age
Address
Date and place of birth
Citizenship status
Employer's name and address
Dependent information
Marital status
Prior military service/rank
Physical appearance (height, build, hair and eye color, obvious disabilities)
Signature

A blank registration card can be found below.

Sources: Ancestry.com. World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005. Original data: United States, Selective Service System. World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration. M1509, 4,582 rolls. Imaged from Family History Library microfilm.

Looking Ahead to April 2012 - 1940 Census Records

2011-08-18T13:34:00.000-04:00

When the 1940 census is released in April 2012, ancestry.com is planning to make the records available for free to everyone for a certain period of time. They are planning to make all of the data available through 2013, though they won't be loading all of it at one time next April.

The National Archives will have digital images available online for free. They have already provided lots of information regarding what to expect from these documents, including a list of questions that were asked on the 1940 census.

Questions include:

Location (street name, house number)
Number of people per household

Home owned or rented?
Value of home (if owned) or monthly rent payment
Does this household live on a farm?

Name of each person (whose usual place of residence was in a particular household)
Relationship of each listed person to the head of the household
Personal descriptions (sex, race, age, marital status)
Education (highest grade or level completed)
Place of birth
Citizenship
Residence as of 1 April 1935
Employment status (for everyone age 14 and over)
Occupation, industry, and class of worker
Income in 1939

Supplementary Questions:

Place of birth of mother and father
Native language
Veteran status (United States military)
Social security information (does each person have a social security card, for example)
For all women who are or have been married:

Has this woman been married more than once?
Age at first marriage
Number of children ever born (but don't include stillbirths)

Apoplexy as a Cause of Death

2011-08-13T16:50:00.000-04:00

I've recently discovered an interesting cause of death listed on a death certificate: apoplexy. That was it. No elaboration or explanation; just that one word.

Not having heard of that one before (not as an official cause of death, anyway), I decided to investigate. Apparently in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, apoplexy was commonly noted as a cause of death in cases where the patient suddenly suffered from some type of attack of the brain. This could have been anything from prolonged unconsciousness to partial or complete paralysis.

Most attacks of apoplexy were precipitated by some symptom such as a bad headache, vomiting, confusion, or numbness/tingling of the extremities.

I found it interesting that, in some cases, incidents of apoplexy were often mistaken for inebriation and some patients were simply left alone to "sleep it off". Only qualified medical professionals were likely able to recognize the seriousness of a person's condition because of the subtle differences between alcohol intoxication and apoplexy.

North Carolina Family History Transcription Project

2011-07-30T06:45:00.027-04:00

I received an email from Taneya at NC GenWeb about the North Carolina Family History Transcription Project. I think the project is a wonderful idea and I wanted to pass the details along to all of you.

The project is a pilot effort launched by the NC Government & Heritage Library. Staff members have uploaded images of documents onto Flickr (you can find the page here), and they are asking for volunteers to help transcribe them.

As of this posting, approximately 164 documents have been uploaded onto the Flickr site. While some of them have already been transcribed, there are many more available for anyone who is interested in helping.

If you're interested, all you need to do is log into your Flickr account and leave your transcriptions as a comment.

When Military Records Have Been Destroyed

2011-07-22T15:13:00.000-04:00

I've been researching my maternal grandfather, Woodrow Lee Land, in an effort to find out as much about him as possible. He is deceased and unfortunately, I never had the opportunity to know him while I was growing up. Aside from a couple of photographs, census records, and the usual vital records, I still don't know much about him.

I did, however, discover that he served in the Army during World War II, so I requested copies of his military records through the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis, Missouri. I just received a letter from them today stating that his records must have been destroyed by fire on 12 July 1973.

This particular fire destroyed most of the records for Army military personnel for the period 1912 through 1959, and also Air Force personnel with surnames ranging from Hubbard through Z for the period 1947 through 1963.

The archivist who sent me the letter did let me know that there is an available record for my grandfather: his Final Pay Voucher.

Upon reading this, my initial thoughts were that a pay voucher wouldn't be likely to provide me with very much usable information, but the archivist went on to explain that World War II Single Name Final Pay Vouchers typically provide researchers with an astounding amount of information, including:

Name
Serial number
Grade or rank
Home address (generally valid for 3 months following discharge)
Unit assignment at discharge
Place and date of entry
Place and date of discharge
Previous organization
Character of service
Discharge authority
Years of service
Signature of veteran

In addition, the following information may also be available:

The remarks section might include information such as payment allotments and previous transfers
Army component
Indication of overseas service (date arrived U.S.)
Mustering-out pay ($300 indicates at least 60 days of active service, part of which was served outside the continental U.S., including Alaska and Hawaii; $200 indicates at least 60 days of active service within the continental U.S.; $100 indicates less than 60 days of active service). Receipt of mustering-out pay (or MOP) is an indication of an honorable discharge.

Included within the package that was sent to me was a request document for a Final Pay Voucher for my grandfather. In order to receive a copy, I will need to complete the form and send it (along with $20) to the National Archives and Records Administration in St. Louis, MO.

While the fee seems a bit steep to me, I already know that I'm going to send them a check. Right now, it's my best chance of obtaining some detailed information about him.

To Contact or Not to Contact - Discovering Cousins in a Dysfunctional Family

2011-07-17T07:06:00.022-04:00

If you have a "normal" family without major skeletons in the closet, then it's probably not a difficult decision to make. If, on the other hand, you've got some fairly sordid family history (particularly if that history is relatively recent), it's a bit more complicated to decide whether you should reach out to any cousins you've found while conducting research.

The situation in which I currently find myself is kind of a difficult one, at least from my point of view. I've discovered that I have two cousins that I never knew about while growing up. They are my maternal first cousins.

They live in a different state (Ohio) and are about my age. The problem is that I don't know whether they have any idea about our family history on our maternal side. Their mother (my aunt Juanita Kendall) wasn't raised with my mother. In fact, I don't even know if my mother and aunt ever communicated with one another while growing up. If they didn't, then it's possible that my cousins were never aware of my mother's existence.

Since I generally know where they live, it probably wouldn't be too difficult to find a way to contact them. But if I do, I'll likely have to explain all of the ugly family history in order to tell them how we're related.

Should I make the effort and possibly disrupt their lives by telling them a lot of details they have no interest in? Or, should I take the chance that they might just be interested in learning more about their family and meeting a new cousin?

I'm conflicted.

World War I Draft Registration Card - James H. Campbell

2011-07-14T05:45:00.003-04:00

James Harrison Campbell was my great grandfather. He was born on 9 June 1889 in Randolph County, North Carolina and died on 21 Feb 1970 in Guilford County, North Carolina.

For the most part, I have pretty standard information about him. I have census records, a marriage record, and a death certificate; but I also have a copy of his World War I Draft Registration Card, which provided me with more of an insight about my great grandfather than any of the other documents I have on file for him.

From this card, I learned that he was tall with dark hair and blue eyes. He was a 29-year-old bookkeeper who was married with three children at the time he completed this draft registration.

To me, the most interesting thing about this card is the Registrar's Report (it's on the right-hand side in the image above). This section lists James Harrison Campbell's physical appearance, including the fact that he only had one leg.

According to my research, all males between the ages of 21 and 31 years of age were initially required to register for the draft during that time period (the age range was later changed to include men between the ages of 18 and 45). This was a requirement that stemmed from the Selective Service Act of 1917, which was signed into law by Woodrow Wilson's administration.

Online vs. In-Person Research

2011-07-13T05:56:00.003-04:00

You're likely to hear a variety of different opinions about how to conduct genealogy research. There are some people who seem to believe that online research is somehow not as good as research that is conducted onsite at a courthouse, cemetery, or register of deeds office.

Personally, I think both methods are valid. While there's nothing quite like finding an actual record that you can make copies of to add to your files, conducting research online certainly serves a valuable purpose for genealogists everywhere.

Before the wonders of the internet provided me with the ability to peruse decades of census, marriage, birth, and death records, my research options were strictly limited to a fairly small geographic area. For the most part, I was only able to conduct research in locations that were within a reasonable driving distance. Now, I'm able to make a significant amount of progress that likely would have taken me years to accomplish the old-fashioned way.

I think that one of the major issues some people have with online research is the number of individuals who blindly add ancestors to their family trees without taking the time to properly evaluate the evidence on which they're basing their decisions. They find a name that seems right and add it without examining things like dates, geographic areas, or family relationships. In other words, they're not really researching; they're just looking to add names to their family trees.

Whether this type of activity is due to laziness, carelessness, or indifference, I don't know. As someone who conducts research in-person (when I can) and online, I feel very strongly about the importance of being able to cite resources for each individual within my family tree. The more evidence, the better. It doesn't matter whether I share my research with anyone else or not. I want to have proper documentation for my own benefit as a researcher.

Molecular Genealogy

2011-07-07T06:09:00.002-04:00

Some of you may be wondering what the heck molecular genealogy is, though I'm sure there are lots of you who are already familiar with this concept. I've been trying to broaden my knowledge regarding how DNA works and which tests are the best for the purposes of genealogy research, so I thought this would be a good blog topic.

Molecular genealogy, or genetic genealogy, is the process of applying DNA to your traditional genealogy research. Companies specializing in this process claim that genealogists can break through the various barriers they've encountered through the use of ever-evolving DNA technology.

How do they do this?

By comparing DNA test results to determine which individuals might share a common ancestor. So, you would choose one of the companies performing this type of research, sign up for and submit a DNA test, and allow them to submit your results into their database. By doing this, you might just get lucky and find a match that could help you break through some of those brick walls.

This type of process could be particularly beneficial for individuals who do not know the identity of a parent or grandparent. The downside (at least for some people) is that you would have to allow the research company of your choice to post your DNA results to their compiled database. Personally, I don't know how comfortable I would be doing that, but based on the research I've completed, it appears that a lot of individuals are jumping right in to the molecular genealogy pool.

One database that seems to be quite popular is the Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation (no, I'm not affiliated with them in any way). According to their website, they already have more than 100,000 DNA samples in their database and the numbers just keep growing.

The thing that I find the most intriguing about their research is that they are working on creating a database for autosomal DNA, which is specifically useful for genealogy research. Autosomal DNA is inherited from ALL of your ancestors, whereas Y-DNA and mitochondrial DNA are only useful for specific purposes (Y-DNA is good for surname research, but this testing can only be done by males; mitochondrial DNA is only good for researching your maternal line, but can be done by males and females). The future database will link autosomal DNA to genealogical information, and is expected to be the first of its kind in the world.

It sounds like a lot of people are willing to have their DNA test results included in a massive database, but I'm still on the fence (even though the autosomal DNA database certainly sounds intriguing).

What do you think?

Tar Heel Tuesday - Rockingham County Historical Collections

2011-07-05T06:34:00.025-04:00

The James Library at Rockingham Community College houses a wide variety of historical collections that may be of interest to anyone researching ancestors who lived in Rockingham County.

Included on the site is an article about the restoration of a flag of the Confederate States of America, which is believed to have been created in the summer of 1861 in Rockingham County.

The flag was donated by the family of Lieutenant Colonel Andrew J. Boyd, who was a prominent attorney and businessman in Rockingham County. Andrew J. Boyd enlisted in the Confederate Army in June 1861 as a lieutenant and quickly moved up the ranks.

Also on the site is a link to the e-Vault of the Rockingham County Register of Deeds. The e-Vault contains all of the county's land records since 1787.

You can also find research aids as well as information about private papers and collections, local historical newspapers, and nostalgic digital photos.

Tar Heel Tuesday - Yadkin Valley History & Genealogy Fair & Conference

2011-06-28T16:43:00.000-04:00

The 6th annual Yadkin Valley History and Genealogy Fair & Conference is scheduled to take place on 13 August 2011. The event will be held at the Viticulture and Enology Building at Surry Community College, Main Campus, in Dobson, North Carolina.

http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ncyadvha/

When Birth Certificate Information is Incorrect

2011-06-23T13:59:00.001-04:00

In a recent post, I mentioned that I'd discovered some rather startling information pertaining to my maternal line. By talking to two of my cousins, I found out that my maternal grandfather is not the person I'd believed him to be. Even though William C. Kendall is listed as the father on my mother's birth certificate, he was not actually her father.

Her real father's name was Woodrow L. Land. Since both of my maternal grandparents are dead (as is William C. Kendall), I don't really have a lot of options in terms of trying to obtain some kind of proof. As a genealogy enthusiast, I consider it important to be able to add some type of documentation to my research in order to back up this claim.

While I do not have anything in writing, I do have a photograph of my maternal grandmother and grandfather together. It was taken approximately one year before my mother was born.

Through my conversations with my two cousins, I have learned about the circumstances surrounding my mother's birth. Only one of those conversations actually qualifies as first-hand knowledge because this particular cousin was present at the time of these occurrences. I have made note of our conversations simply for the purpose of adding first-hand knowledge to my family tree for this change in circumstances.

I'm still working on trying to come up with some additional verification.

Tar Heel Tuesday - Highland Scots in North Carolina

2011-06-21T05:02:00.003-04:00

North Carolina was the most popular colony for Highland Scots to migrate to during the 1700's, according to the North Carolina History Project. What made North Carolina so attractive to these Highlanders?

In part, their intense immigration was likely due to the ten-year tax exemption they were granted by royal governor (and Scottish immigrant) Gabriel Johnston in 1739. In addition, Johnston offered Scottish immigrants other perks for choosing to settle in North Carolina, including land grants in the Upper Cape Fear region.

During this time in Scotland, Highlanders were being evicted from their land or paying rapidly increasing rent monies on their property. Between the land grants and the promised decade of living tax free, many Scots saw their move to the North Carolina colony as the only option left available to them.

Some of the most important eighteenth century Highland Scots in North Carolina:

James Campbell
Flora McDonald
Hugh McRae

James Campbell is known for establishing three Presbyterian churches in Cumberland County. Flora McDonald's claim to fame is that she helped to save the life of Bonnie Prince Charlie in Scotland, 1745. Hugh McRae was a Gaelic poet.

In the eighteenth century, Highland Scots in the colonies spoke Gaelic exclusively. After the Civil War, the number of North Carolina Scots speaking Gaelic drastically declined, and by the mid-twentieth century, the language had all but completely disappeared.

The most prevalent Scottish surnames in North Carolina today are: Campbell, Clark, Bain, Black, Darrach, McLeod, McNeill, McPhearson, McAllister, Morrison, Patterson, Ross, and Stewart.

http://www.northcarolinahistory.org/commentary/110/entry

What You See Isn't Always What You Get

2011-06-19T05:18:00.007-04:00

I've written previously about my maternal grandfather, William C. Kendall. Because his name is listed on my mother's birth certificate as the father, I have always assumed it to be true. After all, birth certificates are generally considered to be reliable records for genealogy research, right?

I've known for a long time that there were some skeletons in my mother's closet. I learned that all was not what it appeared when I was just a teenager, but I never realized the extent of the secrets until recently. Despite what I've learned, I'm certain there are still more secrets about which I have no idea. But, one thing at a time.

I have a strict policy about not mentioning the names of individuals who are still living, so this post isn't going to be completely revealing. I'm writing about this simply because I hope this information might be helpful to someone else who has encountered this particular kind of problem while conducting research. Think about it. What do you do when you suddenly find out that one of the names listed on a birth certificate was an out-and-out lie?

I recently met a very dear lady who just happens to be my second cousin. While talking to her, I learned the true identity of my maternal grandfather: Woodrow L. Land. It's kind of weird, actually. I felt a certain sense of shock upon hearing this news, yet at the same time it was like I'd just had a nagging suspicion confirmed. The only thing I lack now is "evidence" of it all. To be honest, I'm not sure how I'll ever go about proving this since both of my maternal grandparents are dead.

To the best of my knowledge, no evidence exists that might help me to prove the identity of my grandfather. I have the word of two very reliable sources (relatives) who were present at pertinent times in my grandparents' history. That's certainly good enough for me, on a personal level, but is it good enough for my official family tree?

Everything I've read over the years has taught me that a genealogist is ALWAYS supposed to be able to verify information that she puts in her family history. It isn't generally accepted for people to simply put names in their trees without being able to back up their claims for the simple reason that anyone could do that easily enough (I could put Benjamin Franklin down as one of my great great grandfathers, but adding his name to my tree doesn't make it so).

In essence, it doesn't mean anything to other researchers to simply have names without resources. It does, however, mean something to me, in this instance, so I guess I'll have to choose to create the "Land" part of my maternal line without any hard evidence (at least for the time being). All I can do at this time is add notations to indicate that I have spoken with two of my relatives who have verified the information. I'll have to research to see if that is considered to be an acceptable genealogy practice. Either way, it is what it is.