Social Media 1880s Style

I recently found a small collection of my great-grandmother's social media. Circa 1887. Her daughter kept the calling cards and autograph album tucked away in one of later boxes I've been examining. 

Late 19th c. calling cards and autograph album

The autograph book is from the years 1887-1888, when Flora McAdams (1867-1945) was finishing her schooling and getting married. The calling cards appear to be from the 1880s. 

The cards belonged to Flora's family and friends. I've identified all but one of people who visited her. Moving clockwise from the top left, the cards belonged to Maggie S. Bayless, Elmer E. McAdams, Ed McAdams, Della S. Hicks, Annie M. Williams, J. B. Mulkey, and Lizzie H. Range. 

Maggie Bayless (Sarah Margaret, 1868-1947) was Flora's first cousin, school mate, and life long friend. Their mother's were sisters. Elmer (1869-1925) and Ed McAdams (1874-1930) were Flora's younger brothers. Della Hicks (1868-1915) was a neighbor in the county west of Leesburg, Washington, Tennessee. I haven't identified Annie M. Williams. She may be a cousin of Flora's husband, R.J. Williams, but not one I've previously identified. J.B. Mulkey (James B., 1856-1883) was her mother's first cousin. Lizzie Range (1867-1899) was likely a classmate. She and her family lived across the county near the church Flora's Mulkey ancestors founded. I believe it was the church she attended with her family. 

The album was given to her by one of her teachers as a graduation present in December 1887. Most of the entries are from the holiday season that year and from the time of her marriage in March. Many of them were written in pencil and a challenge to read, but I had no trouble reading the first entry.  Dated January 14th, it reads "Miss Flora how can you love and thrive and be without a mate to comfort thee? Written by your friend R.J. Williams". They married in March. I suspect she kept the first page for him, for an entry dated in December is on a later page. 

Flora McAdams Autograph Album, R. J. Williams page dated Jan. 14, 1888.
 

Flora McAdams Autograph Album, R. J. Williams page, undated. 

Later in the album another message from R.J appears. This one is undated. I suspect it is nearer to their wedding. It reads "Every joy that Heaven can send, wealth and every kind of Treasure; health and love to thee my Friend and happiness without measure. Yours, R.J. Williams."

Sources: 

Flora McAdams Williams Papers.  c. 1883. Privately held by Susan Popp Clark . 2000

1880 U.S. census, Washington, Tennessee, pop. sch., District 17, ED 035, p. 563B, dwell. 262, fam. Samuel McAdams. 

1880 U.S. census, Washington, Tennessee, pop. sch., District 4, ED 030, p. 467D, dwell. 34, fam. 8, Margaret Bayless. 

1880 U.S. census, Washington, Tennessee, pop. sch., District 17, ED 035, p. 561A, dwell. 216, fam. 221, Delia Hicks. 

1880 U.S. census, Washington, Tennessee, pop. sch., District 4, ED 030, p. 484B, dwell. 342, fam. James B. Mulkey.

1870 U.S. census, Carter, Tennessee, pop. sch., District 5, p. 32B, dwell. 10, fam. James C. Range, Lizzie H. Range. 

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Clyde Newton McAdams (1913-1925)

Clyde Newton (Nuton) McAdams was my first cousin, twice removed. I wondered when visiting Oak Hill Cemetery in Johnson City, TN what caused his death at a young 12 years old. He died when his cousin, my grandmother, was preparing to marry. She never mentioned him to me. This death certificate reveals that he died in Nashville, Tennessee at the Tennessee Home for the Feeble Minded of epilepsy. According to the certificate he had been institutionalized for just over four months.

He was the son of Elmer Ellis McAdams and Margaret Ollie Davidson. His father had died in January at only 55 years, shortly before Clyde was admitted to the institution. Perhaps it is the bleak name for the institution, but it seems a Dickensian end to his short life.



Sources
Davidson, Tennessee, death certificate no. 415 (1925), Clyde Newton McAdams; digital image, "Tennessee, Death Records, 1914-1955," FamilySearch (accessed 24 Feb 2014).  

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Isabella Bryson McAdams Hale (1776-1855)

One of the first ancestors to capture my imagination was my 4th great-grandmother Isabella or Ibby Bryson. I first learned about her when I was 12 years old. According to information handed down in the family she was born 14 September 1776 to John Bryson and Margaret Carson. Her father died shortly after her birth in July 1778. Her poetic name, 1776 birth date and a father who died during, though not necessarily in the Revolutionary War sparked adolescent speculation about her life. When I grew up and began seriously researching my family she was one of my first projects.

I learned then, and continue to learn, that what I know is far surpassed by what I do not. What I know (or at least believe I can support) is that Ibby married Hugh McAdams in June of 1800 in Greene County, TN. The family record lists the date as 12 June 1800. A register of marriage licenses and bonds now available online gives a date of 9 June 1800. They had five children - Margaret (b. 1802), Mary (b. 1804), Thomas Cunnningham (b. 1806), Samuel Bryson (b. 1809) and Jane (b. 1811) - before Hugh's death on 13 December 1814 in Washington County, TN. Hugh's estate documents suggested he had been a cabinet maker. I have since learned that he may have been an influential cabinet maker. A PhD candidate at Middle Tennessee State University is examining his work for her thesis. I look forward to her analysis.

One year after Hugh's death Ibby married a widower, Joseph Hale. Their daughter Louisa was born about 1817. Learning of Louisa's birth was startling to me. She is not mentioned in the seemingly comprehensive family record passed on by her half-brother Thomas.

In 1816 Ibby's only known sibling, Samuel Bryson, died without having married. She was the executor for his estate. Ibby is mentioned in her husband Joseph Hale's will. According to the family record she died on 1 June 1855 and was buried in Fairview Cemetery with the children of her sons Thomas and Samuel. Standing at her grave was one of the most emotional moments of any of my research trips.

I do not know where she was born or when she came to Tennessee. Son Thomas stated she was born in Pennsylvania in the 1880 census. Son Samuel said Virginia. I do not know if Carson was her mother's maiden name. I suspect not since the only mention of her in the family record is of her death in a listing where the other women are listed by their married names. I have no information on her father beyond his presumed existence and death. I have never found any documentation that names a John Bryson or Margaret Carson that I could tie to Ibby's parents. I am not even certain of her date of death, for she is nowhere to be found in the 1850 census.

I cannot connect her with any of the established Bryson or Carson families found in the area. I have not made any DNA connections that point clearly to Ibby, though she is high on my most wanted list. I assume she was Scots-Irish, assume she was associated with the Presbyterian church, though her second marriage was performed by a Baptist minister. I hope to learn more about her parents, but their lives on the 18th c. frontier make that problematic.

Written for Amy Johnson Crow's blogger challenge 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks.

Sources

• 1880 U.S. census, population schedule, Tennessee, Washington, District 16, enumeration district (ED) 035, p. 549A, dwelling 6, family 6, McAdams, Samuel; digital images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 14 Feb 2014); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm T9, roll 1284. 
• 1880 U.S. census, population schedule, Tennessee, Washington, District 17, enumeration district (ED) 035, p. 663B, dwelling 263, family 272, McAdams, Thomas C.; digital images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 14 Feb 2014); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm T9, roll 1284. 
• FamilySearch, "Tennessee Marriages, 1796-1950," database, FamilySearch (http://new.familysearch.org : accessed 14 Feb 2014), entry for Izabel Brisson. 
• FamilySearch, "Tennessee, Marriages, 1796-1950," index(www.familysearch.org : accessed 14 Feb 2014), Joseph Hale and Ibby Mc Adams. 
• Washington, Tennessee, Probate Court Books, 1795-1927 Vol. 00: 328, Hugh McAdams Estate, 6 Nov 1815; digital images, Family Search (www.familysearch.org : accessed 14 Feb 2014). 
• Washington, Tennessee, Probate Court Books, 1795-1927 Vol. 00: 342, Samuel Brisons Estate, 22 Oct 1816; digital images, Family Search (www.familysearch.org : accessed 14 Feb 2014). 
• Washington, Tennessee, Probate Court Books, 1795-1927 Inventories, 1844-1857, Vol. 02: 530, Joseph Hale Estate, 24 Jan 1856; digital images, Family Search (www.familysearch.org : accessed 29 Jan 2014).

Of Wagons, Indians and Gold – Part II

Continuing Alan McAdam's story of his mysterious uncle, James McAdams. You can read the first part here.

One of two scenarios takes place here.  Either James had told something of a tall tale to his brother, with respect to this Indian story, or Gum and Robert were attempting to pull a fast one, as I found out later on (keep reading), that James was just a hired driver for this trek – the losses were not his, personally.

Then I found a probate report from Madison County, Montana.  This record makes for some pretty good reading.  The court appointed administrator determined that James owed quite a bit of money and his assets were not worth that much.  He had stake in two different gold mines, but the administrator could not get bids on either holding.  There are genealogical goodies in this report though.  At one point the administrator writes:  “Refusing to retire from the contest bootless, I contacted a cousin of the deceased, Robert Renshaw of Deer Lodge, MT.”  This would be Robert McAdams Renshaw, son of Hosea Renshaw and James’ aunt, Nancy.

What little personal property James had went to his landlord. Charges of the newspaper were settled with an old buffalo robe belonging to James. 

Again, I wonder if James inflated his gold mining success to his brothers.  Newspaper articles at the time said that Gum and Robert T. went to Montana to settle his estate.  Surely they would not have made that trip had they known that their brother had no estate worth exploring.  Maybe James had borrowed money from them after inflating his own wealth?  There were unpaid doctor bills and a claim against the estate by Robert McAdams for $245.00.

Here comes the good part in my research on old James:  I was just doing some idle “Googling” on the internet, and had plugged in James McAdams, Mules, and Freight.  I came up with excerpts from an autobiography written by a Utah pioneer named L. H. Kennard.  This man was a Civil War veteran from Ohio.  After the War he came west, first to Missouri.  Along the way, he became friends with our James McAdams, and together they made a trek from Sonora MO., via Brownsville and Omaha, NE to Salt Lake City.  Our James went from Salt Lake on to Montana.  Mr. Kennard at first intended to follow him, but ended up staying in Salt Lake, marrying a Mormon woman and converting to that faith.

Mr. Kennard’s story tells of when he and James McAdams shared travel time together.  His arrival in St. Joseph makes some good reading. He walked from St. Joe to Atchison County to save travel expense, spent some time teaching school, and made a foolhardy trek across the Missouri River on thin ice! 

What I love about this story is that it comes close to bringing our James to life!  When Mr. Kennard decided to go west, he had no idea how he was going, he just took off.  He took a steamboat from Sonora up the river.  At the Nebraska City wharf, he found James McAdams, the only familiar face in sight.  James had been in Nebraska City a few days boarding.  One gets the sense that if you weren’t working a steamboat whistle would draw all the locals to the wharf to see who was getting off the boat.  You can almost hear James speak as he invites L. H. Kennard to come west with him and share expenses.

I sometimes wonder why James stayed so long in Montana. According to what I’ve studied, the gold rush began playing out in the 1870s.  James is found in the 1870 census.  There are long lists of Chinese people.  The census taker evidently gave up understanding them, because there are pages where all that is written is “Chinaman”, no age, no names, followed by endless ditto marks. Many other trades are in Virginia City, Stage coach drivers, watch makers, wagon makers, and wheel makers.  The sheriff, jailers are listed as well as the inmate population.

By the 1880 census, the population had pared down quite a bit.   The census taker has even started recording some of the Chinese names. Several women are recorded with their trade; prostitute.  James is here, in a cabin in a residential neighborhood, families around him, still listed as a placer miner.

I suspect one of those life experiences where James manages to eke out enough gold to make a meager living, and just becomes too comfortable with neighbors to try moving on.  He must have stayed in contact with relatives, however.  In the early 1880s, I found a brief blurb in a Rock Port, MO newspaper.  It details how Thomas McAdams and Frank Shaver are leaving town for Virginia City, Montana.  Thomas would be Gum’s oldest son, the one who would go get his body in St. Joe in another 10 yrs.  Later on the same paper announces a letter from Thomas:  The boys have arrived in Virginia City, find work to be plentiful and high paying.  Their spirits are “way up yonder!”  In a few more weeks though, the boys are back home.  Maybe they did not like the Montana winters?

Wish I had a picture of James.  I have a couple copies of unidentified photos I’ve received from fellow researchers that may well be James; but they are not identified – just found with other McAdams photos.

Hope you enjoy these stories of a man that used to be largely forgotten – his only memento being an “old buffalo robe”. 

Note - Alan refers to an autobiography written by L. H. Kennard. The book, Leonidas Hamlin Kennard - his family : a selection of narrative histories, is available through the Family History Library. It has also been microfilmed.

Of Wagons, Indians and Gold

Years ago, when I first discovered genealogy message boards and RootsWeb, I was in touch with a wonderful McAdams family researcher. We shared information in the old fashioned way – snail mail. Through her I became aware of other McAdams researchers.

Recently one of those other McAdams researchers emailed me, Alan McAdams. I'd read articles he wrote in the now defunct McAdams Family Newsletter and knew what a wonderful researcher he was. We share a common ancestor – my 5^th great-grandfather Thomas McAdams (d. abt. 1813, Washington County, TN). While my family remained in Tennessee, his boarded flatboats and headed west, settling in Missouri. We've been emailing, exchanging information – actually he's been sharing and I've been oohing and aahing.

With Alan's permission I am sharing one of his McAdams stories. We seem to share a soft spot for our reverse orphan kinfolk.

Of Wagons, Indians and Gold

Or……When Life leaves you With Just an Old Buffalo Robe………..

James W. McAdams,  1836-1891

When I was growing up and we made trips to Tarkio’s Home Cemetery, my father would give us little history lessons detailing those buried on the “Home 40”.  Our beloved were interred in two different plots, each with 10 grave spots.  One plot, Dad referred to as the Wood Lots; these were purchased by Dad’s maternal grandfather, Francis Marion Wood.   The other plot was called the McAdams Lots, and was purchased by his paternal grandfather, William Montgomery, “Gum” McAdams.   Dad would give us a bit of history about each of the occupants, and then told us that he was aware of one grave that was not marked.  He did not know who was in it.  He said his uncles may have told him at one time, but he could not remember what they told him.

Years later, my oldest brother, Charles Miles McAdams “Bud” entered the genealogy field.  I went with him to the funeral home once, and we asked to see their records.  The mystery person was identified!  He was listed as “Mr. McAdams”. 

A few years later, Bud found a newspaper article from a March, 1891 edition of the Tarkio Avalanche.  Paraphrased, it went like this.  W.M. McAdams sent his eldest son, Tom to St. Joseph yesterday with a team to pick up the body of Mr. McAdams’ brother.  The brother will be interred in Tarkio until his relatives can pick him up.  This was done before copy machines, etc., so Bud only has his own transcription.  I tried some time ago to access this newspaper, but the newspaper told me these papers had been sent to the state archives for microfilming.  I’ve still not been able to find it in either location.  

When I entered genealogy, I solved some more of the puzzle.  I found a biographical sketch for Gum’s brother, Robert T. McAdams, a banker in Peru, NE.  In a family listing, Robert mentioned brother James Madison McAdams.  James was born in Tennessee, went to Colorado in 1849, to Montana in 1866, engaged in gold mining and in failing health, returned to die at the Ensworth Hospital in St. Joseph, MO.  With this information, my brother Bud, bought a temporary marker to put where we now knew James to be.  Hope we can find a way to fund a permanent marker eventually.

James was born in Washington County, TN. On 8 June, 1836 to William S. McAdams & Eleanor McNeal McAdams.  He had Brothers, James McNeal, Robert Thompson, and William Montgomery “Gum”, my g-grandfather.  Also a sister, Anna Eliza. The father, as well as having endeavors in farming and cabinetmaking, was also engaged in the flatboat trade with his brother Thomas, brother-in-law John McNeal and others.  He died in 1842, leaving his wife with five young children to what must have been a hardscrabble existence.  In 1853, these flatboat men loaded up their families and left East Tennessee for Sonora Missouri. Eleanor and her children, now teenagers, went along.  The McNeal history book says that Eleanor had property on the Southwest corner of Watson, MO.  According to land records I’ve found, that acreage was in Robert’s name.  The boys and Anna Eliza all eventually married, except for the subject of this sketch, James.  As far as I’ve determined, he remained a bachelor all of his life.  Can’t figure out the reference to “his folks” in the article Bud cited. 

Later on, I found a court document in Nemaha County, NE, Probate Court wherein Gum McAdams filed a claim for losses suffered to the late James M. McAdams under the Indian Deprivations Act of 1891. He detailed how James was an owner or part owner of a train of mule teams that was attacked by Indians in Western Nebraska and suffered losses claimed to be nearly $ 8,000 dollars.  Can’t find that anything ever came from this petition. 

The story is continued here.

McAdams Graves - Tombstone Tuesday

In July I spent several days in Washington County researching and visiting some cemeteries. I especially wanted to find the McAdams graves at Fairview where my McAdams 3rd great-grandparents and Isabella Bryson McAdams Hale, my 4th great-grandmother, are buried.

Our family's McAdams Family Record includes a note at the end indicating ten members of the family are there.

Memorandum made by Thomas McAdams in 1913:

Graves:
Hugh Morrison McAdams, William P. McA, Isabella Hale, Hugh McA, (S. B. Sr son), Ann S. McA, Chalmer S. McA, Cynthia S McA, Thomas C. McA, Ralph E. H. McA, Charlie's baby (Martha).

The above are the McAdams' graves as they come in the cemtery at Fairview, Washington County.

I assumed it would be relatively (pun intended) simple to find the row of McAdams graves. Indeed, it wasn't all that difficult. Fairview is a small cemetery about four miles northwest of Jonesborough. But most of the gravestones have vanished. Only the markers for my McAdams grandparents and that of their infant granddaughter remain. Without their grandson Thomas McAdams' 1913 note I would have had no idea who else was buried there.

Detail of Cynthia S. McAdams Marker
In Loving Memory 
of Cynthia s. McAdams
Born
April 30, 1817
Died
Oct. 20, 1874

Thomas C. McAdams marker
In Loving Memory
of
Thomas C. McAdams
Born Dec. 5, 1806
Died
Jan. 1, 1881

The markers were almost impossible to read, but I was able to make out the names and dates for Thomas and Cynthia. The baby's marker at the end of the row was more difficult, and I did not get a good picture of it, but the first letter of the name is "M" and the last name is McAdams. 

The other McAdams family members, with information from the family record,  buried here are (from right to left in the above photo or south to north at the cemetery) 

• Martha McAdams, infant daughter of Charles A.H. McAdams and Alice Nave McAdams and granddaughter of Thomas C. McAdams. Marker standing.
• Ralph Emerson H. McAdams, 16 Jun 1881- 15 Jan 1882, infant son of Robert Newton McAdams and Maggie Good McAdams and grandson of Thomas C. McAdams.
• Thomas C. McAdams. Marker standing. 
• Cynthia S. McAdams. Marker standing.
• Chalmers Stephenson McAdams, 16 Feb 1853 - 14 Dec 1873, son of Thomas C. McAdams.
• Ann Shaw (Duncan) McAdams, 6 Feb 1813 - 7 Jul 1861, sister-in-law of Thomas C. McAdams.
• Hugh S. McAdams, dates unknown, son of Ann Shaw McAdams and nephew of Thomas C. McAdams.
• Isabella Bryson McAdams Hale, 14 Sept 1776 - 1 Jun 1855, mother of Thomas C. McAdams.
• William Plummer McAdams, 14 Mar 1843 - 18 Apr 1844, son of Thomas C. McAdams.
• Hugh Morrison McAdams, 30 Nov. 1838 - 14 Jul 1840, son of Thomas C. McAdams.

Civil War Saturday - Matthew McAdams' Brief War

Matthew Judson McAdams and his two younger brothers John Cloyd and David Brainard McAdams left their home near Locust Mount in Washington County, TN in early November, 1862 to volunteer for the Union Army.

Matthew was born August 15, 1835, the eldest of the eleven sons of Thomas and Cynthia Stephenson McAdams. In 1862 he was 27 years old, and had been married eight years to Sarah E. Sevaney (or Swinney). They had at least two children, Cynthia, David and likely another, Thomas, and were living near his parents. He and his brothers were all farmers, probably working his father's prosperous land. Mathew, Sarah, their two eldest children, her sister and mother (who appears on the next page in the census) all appear in the 1860 census next his father.

1860 Census, from Ancestry.com

I noted in an earlier post about the 1860 census that Matthew's father had two slaves who were originally enumerated with the family, then crossed out and transferred to the slave census. Having grown up hearing of the McAdams brothers' Union service I was more than surprised to learn that they came from a slave owning family.

Nevertheless, Matthew and his brothers decided to join the Union Army. They rode northwest, through the Cumberland Gap to McKee, Kentucky where, on November 5th, they were enlisted as privates by Lt. Mullenix in what became Company B, 4th Tennessee Cavalry Regiment. According to their muster records Matthew was the shortest of the three brothers, standing 5' 6" tall. They stairstepped in height with David, the youngest, standing the tallest at 5' 10". All three shared dark hair, eyes and coloring. They likely moved quickly to Louisville and then towards Nashville where the they were officially mustered in on February 9, 1863. And there they stayed.

From Google Earth

Matthew spent the remainder of his entire, brief war in Nashville. He died of typhoid on June 19th only seven months after leaving home and was immediately buried. He lies in the National Cemetery just north of Nashville. It seems he never saw combat, only the tedium and disease of camp life. The Tennessee GenWeb site history of the regiment quotes a letter from Brig. General Robert Mitchell written in March complaining of a lack of weapons for the regiment. It was autumn before the 4th Cavalry was deployed.

Death Record from Footnote.com

Matthew's brothers both survived the war, as did his younger brother Samuel, my great-great grandfather, who enlisted in November, 1863.

Matthew's widow Sarah first filed for a widow's pension on October 12, 1865. She married William Mahoney, who had enlisted and served with the McAdams brothers, on August 21, 1866 in Washington County, TN. He may have been the brother of John Cloyd McAdams' wife Sarah Jane Mahoney.

William, Sarah, Matthew's children and their own children all appear in Greene County in the 1870 census and in Washington County in the 1880 census. Sarah's sister Nancy is still living with her. The McAdams children are enumerated as Mahoney in 1870 and 1880, but Cynthia and Thomas both appear in Tennessee marriage records as McAdams.

1880 Census, from Ancestry.com

Sources

       1860 U.S. census, population schedule, Tennessee, Washington, Campbells District, p. 64, dwelling 1145, family 1145, Matthew J McAdams; digital images, Ancestry.com (www.Ancestry.com); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm M653, roll 1277.        

       1880 U.S. census, population schedule, Tennessee, Washington, District 1, enumeration district (ED) 28, p. 431D, dwelling 65, family 66; digital images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm T9, roll 1284.
        Matthew J. McAdams, John C. McAdams, and David B. McAdams muster rolls of Co. B, 4th Tennessee Cavalry, 5 Nov 1862-19 Jun 1863; NARA M395; Compiled Service Records of Volunteer Union Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the State of Tennessee; digital images, Footnote.com (www.footnote.com : accessed 7 Apr 2011).

       "Organization Index to Pension Files of Veterans Who Served Between 1861 and 1900," database and images, Footnote.com (accessed 7 Apr 2011); Matthew J McAdams; NARA T289.
        R.N. McAdams, "McAdams Family Record" (Private). 

Flora McAdams c. 1887 - Wordless Wednesday

A Study in Contrasts - Wordless Wednesday

Flora McAdams and Reese Jackson Williams with their daughter Iva, c. 1918. 

Taken in Washington County, TN. 

McAdams Reunion, c. 1940 - Wordless Wednesday

Front

Back

The writing on the back (in Iva Sawyer's handwriting) reads:
Left t_____
Argil Bryson Williams
Guy D. Williams
Ulysses Dakota McAdams
Iva Williams Sawyer
Isaac Judson McAdams
picture made at 415 W Maple St.,
Johnson City, Tennessee, about
1940

Argil, Guy and Iva were the surviving children of Flora McAdams Williams, sister of Dakota and Judson McAdams. Flora lived at 415 W. Maple St. in Johnson City.  The picture would have been taken when Guy was home visiting from California.

McAdams Family, c. 1940. Digital Image. Privately held by Nolichucky Roots [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE], 1999.

Amanuensis Monday: Samuel McAdams Family Notes

Thanks to John at Transylvanian Dutch for providing a framework (and nudge) for transcribing family records, news clippings and other treasures.


Three pages of notes, handwritten (with a margin note and a couple of additions at later dates in pencil and pen), were written by my grandmother, Iva Williams Sawyer. The notes contain birth, marriage and death information for the family of her grandparents, Samuel Bryson McAdams and Rachel Mulkey. The pages appear to have been written in the 1960s and may have been copied from another source, but I have no knowledge of the source of the information contained in these notes. It is possible that Iva was writing down information her mother, Flora McAdams (eldest child of Samuel & Rachel) had given her. These notes were in her papers at her death.


Page one

Births


Flora Elizabeth McAdams Apr. 17 – 1867
Elmer Ellis McAdams Aug. 4th, 1869
Albert Martin McAdams April 10, 1871
Thomas Edward McAdams June 7th, 1874
Isaac Judson McAdams Feb. 12th, 1877
Ulysses Dakota McAdams Dec 14, 1879
Mamie Violetta McAdams June 22, 1883


Page two


Deaths


Samuel B. McAdams
   May 13th, 1900
Rachel Mulkey McAdams
   April 22, 1906
Albert M. McAdams
   Nov. 30th, 1913
Elmer E. McAdams
   Jan 20, 1925
Edward T. McAdams
   Mar 21st, 1930
Lena L. Williams (Daughter of Flora Williams)
   Feb 9th, 1896
Mamie V. McAdams
   Oct 12th, 1884
Lonnie Mae McAdams – Daughter of Albert McAdams
   Dec 19, 1899
Vera Ethel McAdams – Daughter of Ed McAdams
   Nov. 14, 1903
Flora McAdams Williams
   Dec. 17th, 1945 – at Johnson City Tenn.


[The next two items were written at later date, in darker ink, but also written by Iva.]


 Earl Emmet Williams – Aug. 1, 1915
Argil Bryson Williams – Nov 1, 1960




Page three


[No heading]


Samuel B. McAdams
b. Feb. 3rd, 1845                                [hand drawn vertical line] m. May 9th 1866
Rachel Mulkey
b. Sept 15th 1939


Flora Elizabeth McAdams                  m.             Reese Jackson Williams
b. April 13th, 1867                                                Mar. 8, 1888
Elmer E. McAdams                          m.             Ollie Davidson
b. Aug 4, 1869                                                      Jan. 6, 1901
Albert M. McAdams                         m.              Lola Oliver
b. April 10th, 1871                                                  Sept 12th, 1895
Thomas Edward McAdams               m.               Lou Hayes
b. June 7th, 1874                                                   Dec. 24, 1895
Isaac Judson McAdams
b. June 7th, 1874
Ulysses D. McAdams
  Dec. 14, 1879
Mamie V. McAdams
b. June 22, 1883
d. Oct 12 1884 [this item is written in pencil and includes the margin note “Correct in another place”]
Ula Lee McAdams
b. Oct. 25, 1898
Lonnie Mae McAdams
b. June 15th, 1896
Vera Ethel McAdams
b. Dec. 28, 1896

(A Digital) Treasure Chest Thursday: Texting Home

Another one of my digital treasures from the Tennessee Documentary History, 1796-1850 site is a chatty letter to Thomas McAdams in Washington County, Tennessee from his sister-in-law Mary Stephenson, who was visiting in Kingston, southwest of Knoxville in Roane County, Tennessee.  The letter, dated April 4th, 1838, is replying to McAdams' letter to her - a letter full, apparently, of news of the goings on back in Washington County.  Stephenson's letter is transcribed in full on the website.

She responded in kind, sharing her reactions to his news, teasing her sisters about some matchmaking attempts and adding bits of news from her end.  She was probably visiting her paternal aunt, Elizabeth Stephenson McEwen, whose late husband John McEwen had been a merchant in Kingston.

Stephenson to McAdams letter, 4 April 1838, p. 1

Her reference to "cousin Sam" tantalized me very briefly.  I had hopes she was referring to Gen. Sam Houston, her second cousin once removed, for he was close to the McEwens, having reportedly spent time recouping there after injuries suffered during the War of 1812 (see Houston bio posted on the Roane County Heritage Commission website).  But he was established in Texas by this point, serving as President during its brief Republic, and not likely to have been travelling through Tennessee.  It was surely another cousin (there are plenty of candidates, Sam being a most popular name in the extended family) stopping over for a quick visit before continuing his journey.  

There's nothing especially wise or articulate in the letter, no commentary on any events beyond her immediate friends and family, nothing to link her to a larger story.  But is is warm and loving, a little scattered and, as she says, "writen in haste as I am expecting the preachers for supper...".  It could be one of the phone calls or text messages we exchange in our family today, keeping each other abreast of our goings on. 

Stephenson to McAdams letter, 4 April 1838, p. 2

This work is the property of the Special Collections Library, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN. It may be used freely by individuals for research, teaching, and personal use as long as this statement of availability is included in the text. For all other use contact the Special Collections Librarian, Hoskins Library, University of Tennessee, 1401 Cumberland Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37996. (865) 974-4480.  Published with permission.  

Slaves listed in 1860 Washington County, Tennessee Census: An Update

In my earlier post about slaves being enumerated in the 1860 Washington County, TN census I decided to review the entire census to determine how many slaves were enumerated by given name.  In a cursory review of the census pages on Ancestry.com I found about 545 slaves enumerated and then crossed out and listed in the Slave Schedule.  This happened in 10 of the 19 districts Ancestry.com shows.  Only the named districts had slaves enumerated on the census.  There were none in the numbered districts.  There were also about 230 free African-Americans listed in the census.  They lived in 17 of the 19 districts.

I'm not guaranteeing my counting skills - especially since the second time I looked at the Slave Schedules I counted just under 1270 slaves versus the 953 I mentioned earlier.  Once I run out of fingers and toes my counting can get a little dicey. 

Fortunately someone with much better counting skills has already researched and written about this census in an article published in the National Genealogical Society Quarterly.  In her 2005 article “In Praise of William H. Crouch: The Enumeration of Slaves in the 1860 Census of Washington County, Tennessee” (Vol. 93, pp. 52-64) Suzanne Murray examines the census and its value for researching slave ancestry. 

Murray counted 617 slaves in nine districts.  Her article includes a table listing the number of slaves by surname (usually the owners’ names).  She found about 12% of the slaves listed in the 1860 census appeared in the 1870 Washington County, TN census under the same name.  She did not examine whether they appear under different surnames or suggest migration routes, but does suggest the extreme violence of the Civil War in East Tennessee may have impacted the numbers.  Finally, she included an example of using this census in conjunction with other census records to trace one slave family. 

It’s a wonderful article.  I’m so delighted she wrote it.  I did examine the 1870 census for any of the five McAdams slaves listed in 1860.  Only Charles McAdams, age 13 appears.  In 1860 he was enumerated in the household of my Thomas's brother, Samuel B. McAdams as one of three slaves.  No age was given.  Also listed were Sarah (age 24) and Hannah. 

1860 U.S. census, Washington Co., TN

Ten years later he is enumerated in the household of Ebenezer Barkley as a farm worker.  He is indexed on Ancestry.com as Carles McAdams.

1870 U.S. census, Washington Co., TN

I strongly suspect the McAdams slaves were inherited though the wives.  Samuel and Thomas McAdams each married daughters of slave owners.  Their parents were not slave owners, nor was Thomas a slave owner on earlier censuses.  Samuel did appear owning one slave in the 1850 Greene County, TN census.  Samuel McAdams married Ann Duncan, a daughter of Joseph and Polly Allison Duncan, on 3 Feb 1831 in Washington County.  His brother Thomas C. McAdams married Cynthia Stephenson, a daughter of John and Elizabeth Cloyd Stephenson, on 16 Jan 1835.  If I were to continue researching the McAdams slaves I would examine the Duncan and Stephenson in-laws.

Amanuensis Monday: McAdams Family Record, page 5

Thanks to John at Transylvanian Dutch for providing a framework (and nudge) for transcribing family records, news clippings and other treasures.

This is a transcription of the fifth and last page of the McAdams Family Record I scanned and posted separately.  It details the family of Thomas C. McAdams (1806-1881) of Washington County, Tennessee.

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     From tombstone at cemetery at Salem Church  "In memory of Alice Stephenson, born August 15, 1749, died February 27, 1832, age 82 years and 6 months".

     Supposed to be John and Matthew Stephenson's mother.

     William Stephenson, Sr. supposed to be husband to Alice Stephenson.

Memorandum made by Thomas McAdams in 1913:

Graves:

Hugh Morrison McAdams, William P. McA, Isabella Hale, Hugh McA, (S. B. Sr son), Ann S. McA,

Chalmer S. McA, Cynthia S McA, Thomas C. McA, Ralph E. H. McA, Charlie's baby (Martha).

The above are the McAdams' graves as they come in the cemtery at Fairview, Washington County.

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Wordless Wednesday: McAdams Family c.1887

(Back row - Albert McAdams b. 1871, Flora McAdams b. 1867, Elmer McAdams b. 1869, Ed McAdams b. 1874.  Front row - Judson McAdams b. 1877, Samuel B. McAdams b. 1845, Rachel Mulkey McAdams b. 1839, Dakota McAdams b. 1879)

Amanuensis Monday: McAdams Family Record, page 4

Thanks to John at Transylvanian Dutch for providing a framework (and nudge) for transcribing family records, news clippings and other treasures.

This is a transcription of the fourth page of the McAdams Family Record I scanned and posted separately.  It details the family of Thomas C. McAdams (1806-1881) of Washington County, Tennessee.

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Deaths

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  John Bryson,     July      1778  (Great grandfather to R N McAdams)

*Margaret Carson,     February 20, 1812

  Hugh McAdams,     December 13, 1814

  Samuel Bryson,     September 19, 1816  (in war of 1812)

  Margaret McAdams,     August 12, 1822

  Isabella Hale,     June 1, 1855  (Nee Bryson, married McAdams and Hale)

  Jane Murray,    June 6, 1871

  Anna S McAdams,     July 7, 1861

  Samuel B McAdams, Sr.    January 29, 1894

*Margaret Carson was Grandmother to T. C. McAdams, Sr. on his mother's side.  Ancestors from Rockbridge County, Va. both sides

__________

William B Strain,     August 5, 1833

William Stephenson,     July 23, 1840

John Stephenson,     March 24, 1842

Elizabeth Stephenson,     March 30, 1843

David Stephenson,     January 18, 1849

Matthew Stephenson,     February 20, 1838

Emily H Mitchell,     December 22, 1805

Polly Stephenson, October 22, 1805

Eliza, daughter of John and Polly Stephenson, born October 3, 1803, 

          died August 19, 1805

William Stephenson, Sr.,      October 29, 1796

Hugh Morrison McAdams,     July 14, 1840      (Fairview Cem. Wash. Co)

William Plummer McAdams,     April 11, 1844         "          "         "

Isabella Hale,     June 1, 1855                                     "          "         "

Matthew Judson McAdams,     June 19, 1863

     (Buried National Cemetry, Nashville, Tenn. )

David Brainard McAdams,     January 21, 1871

     (Buried Stone Cemetry, Diamond,  Missouri)

Chalmer Stephenson McAdams,     December 14, 1873  (Fairview Ce.  ")

Margaret Jane McAdams,      October 31, 1872                        "

Cynthia Stephenson McAdams,      October 20, 1874               "

Flora Jane McAdams,     March 5, 1875                                    "

Sara Jane McAdams,      June     1876  (Pleasant Grove Cem. Wash. County)

Thomas Cunningham McAdams, Sr.,     January 1, 1881  (Fairview Cem.)

Ralph Emerson Houston McAdams,     June 16, 1882             "           "

Louretta Stephenson McAdams,      April 17, 1887                  "           "

John Cloyd McAdams,     October 10, 1891

     (Buried near Watson, Mo.)

Samuel Bryson McAdams, Jr.     May 13, 1900     (Johnson City, Tenn)

Rachel Mulkey McAdams,      April 22, 1906      (In Johnson City, Tenn)

James Houston McAdams,     December 30, 1917     (Mason City, Nebraska)

Thomas Cunningham McAdams, Jr.     Feb. 16, 1920     (Rheatown, Tenn) .

Robert Newton McAdams,     July 24, 1921     (Rheatown, Tenn. )

Hugh Thomas McAdams,     October 23, 1921     (Rheatown, Tenn)

Charles Alexander Hodge McAdams,     November 5, 1928     (Colfax, Wash)

Hester Viola McAdams Kilgore,     Nov 10, 1941

     (Buried New Gray Cemetry, Knoxville, Tenn)

Mary Margaret McAdams,     October 24, 1946     (Rheatown Cemtry)

     (Wife of Robert N. McAdams)    (Nee Good)

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Amanuensis Monday: McAdams Family Record, page 3

Thanks to John at Transylvanian Dutch for providing a framework (and nudge) for transcribing family records, news clippings and other treasures.

This is the third page of the McAdams Family Record I scanned and posted separately.  It details the family of Thomas C. McAdams (1806-1881) of Washington County, Tennessee.

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Marriages

__________

Hugh McAdams and Isabella Bryson,                             June 12, 1800

Matthew J. McAdams and Sarah E. Sevaney                   July 19, 1855

John C. McAdams and Sara J. Mahoney                         July 13, 1856

David B. McAdams and Margaret J. Gibson                     Aug 16, 1860
Samuel  B. McAdams and Rachael Mulkey                      May 9, 1866
Robert N. McAdams and Mary M. Good                          Nov 9, 1876
Charles A. H. McAdams and Alice V. Nave                      Jan 7, 1880
Alexander Moody and J. Eula McAdams                          May 10, 1905
J. D. Kilgore and Hester V. McAdams                            Sept 7, 1908

__________

John Stephenson and Elizabeth Cloyd                            Sept 13, 1808

William B. Strain and Martha A. Stephenson                   Sept 5, 1832

Thomas C. McAdams and Cynthia Stephenson                 Sept 18, 1834

Samuel G. Wyly and Mary N. Stephenson                       Sept 28, 1841

Jonathan C. Mitchell and Emily H.  Stephenson                May 21, 1845

John Stephenson and Polly Nelson                                 Sept 9, 1802


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