Stony Fork Report

For a birthday present, I opted for a trip to Wilkes County, North Carolina. We started out at 7:30 the morning of June 10 for the 2 ½ hour drive to Wilkesboro, North Carolina.  My focus for this research trip was on the Tripletts and Fergusons.  I was, also, happy to find some West information along the way. After spending about 4 hours searching through deeds and wills in the Wilkes County Court House, we made our way to Stony Fork.

Mt. Zion Adventist
Church Cemetery

Needless to say, the beauty and serenity of the area remains the same. Our first stop was at the cemetery often called the Triplett Cemetery but was apparently known as the Mt. Zion Adventist Church Cemetery where Franklin West and his wife Cynthia Holder are buried.  Franklin was the brother of my 2nd great grandfather, Alexander Balus West.  I hoped to find the graves of my 3rd great grandparents, John Balus West and Mary Ann Swanson in this cemetery.  Since his son and daughter-in-law, Franklin and Cynthia Holder West, are buried there, it seemed logical that I would.   However, I could not find a marker with their names among the many small, unmarked fieldstones.  I still believe that John Balus and Mary Ann are buried near Franklin and Cynthia beneath one of those unmarked fieldstones.  Thus far, the location of their burial is unknown.

While we were meandering among the tombstones and fieldstones, a lovely, sweet lady, Marie, came from her home, which is behind the cemetery, and talked with us.  I gained significant information from Marie. 

Marie and her husband, who died in the 1970s, purchased the property and built their home on it at some earlier time.  Since the cemetery is on the front part of her property, she later purchased it from a man named Jordan who told her the land where they both lived had been Carlton property.

Possibly the Old Carlton Home

The Carltons were my ancestors.  Charlotte “Lottie” Carlton (b 1814) and Braxton Barlow (1812-1880) were my 3^rd great grandparents. Charlotte’s parents, Thomas Carlton (1756-1844) and Catherine Livingston (1778-1837), were my 4^th great grandparents.   At this point in time, I don’t know which Carlton family would have been the last owner of the property and the family from whom the man named Jordan purchased it.  However, this information confirms the fact that the Carltons lived “down the road” east of the Land and West families.

Marie said that the church, the Mt. Zion Adventist Church, had burned years ago, and the congregation moved “down the road.”  The building had stood in front of where her home is located.  When my cousin, Joanne, and I were there a few years ago, we speculated that it may have been in the clearing to the left of Marie’s house.  Marie indicated that baptisms occurred, as Joanne and I surmised, in the creek which is on the property.   Marie said that Mt. Zion Baptist Church on Mt. Zion Road, currently maintains the cemetery.

According to Marie, at one time a now-deceased resident of the community knew who was buried beneath every tombstone, including those unmarked fieldstones.  Unfortunately, he never made a record of these graves before he died.  How sad.

Marie told the story of the death of a Charlie Albert West who is buried in the cemetery.  This event happened in 1920 before she moved to the property.  Charlie, who was about 15 at the time, was going hunting with one of the Carlton sons.  As Charlie was coming across the field on the Carlton property to meet him, the Carlton boy mistook him for an animal and accidently shot and killed Charlie.  The tombstone indicates that Charlie was the son of M. L. West and V. A. West.

We greatly enjoyed meeting and talking with Marie.  She said that many people come from “all over” to visit the well-kept cemetery.  I asked if I could take her picture, but she declined indicating that she was not presentable.  She had a bucket of pea shells that she was taking across the road to give to the cattle, who, she said, really enjoyed them.

Mt. Zion Baptist Church
and Cemetery

After our pleasant visit with Marie, we drove west “on down the road” to the Mt. Zion Baptist Church Cemetery where we spent some time revisiting those graves.  Not many of my ancestors or relatives are buried there. 

While at this cemetery, we had the opportunity to talk with Chris who was spraying weeds in the church parking lot.  Chris recalled that the George Wellborn family had lived in the house that we believe to be the old West home.  He said that the house burned sometime in the 1960s.  Again, his memories reinforce the idea that the location of this home across from the old Mt. Zion Post Office was where my great grandparents, Thomas Harvey West and America Ann McNeil, lived for many years prior to their removal to Banner Elk about 1902 or 1903.  Also, I think that the home may have been that of Alexander Balus West and Nancy Land, my 2^nd great grandparents.  Alexander Balus West was killed in the Third Battle of Winchester of the Civil War, in 1864.  Nancy Land West lived with Thomas Harvey and America McNeil West and moved with them to Banner Elk were she died in 1903.

When we came to the Thomas Land Family plot, which is on the property owned by the Mingo Tribal

Thomas Land Family Plot

Preservation Trust, we found the cemetery to be in no better condition and possibly worse condition than it had been in 2011.  The weeds are so high and thick that it would be impossible for anyone to enter it and find tombstones.  The split-rail fence continues to deteriorate and fall.  Likewise, the Tuscarora Ranch does not appear to be operational.  I was amused that the few cattle that were in the barn came out to inspect “their intruders” and lined up in a row in their corral staring at us as we got into our car to leave.  Even though the grounds and fields were well-maintained, the ranch appears to be mostly abandoned and in disrepair with much of the fencing deteriorating and in need of paint. 

View of Tuscarora Ranch

I continue to have concerns about the future of this small plot of graves.  I certainly hope that it will not be bull-dozed and obliterated.  In order to try to guarantee its preservation, in September 2012, I registered it with the North Carolina Cemetery Survey Project which is part of the North Carolina Division of Archives and History.  In March 2012, I received acknowledgement from an archivist at the North Carolina State Archives indicating that my information about the Thomas Land Family Cemetery has become part of the permanent records of the North Carolina Cemetery Survey Project.  In addition, George and Joyce McNeil recorded this grave in 1989 when the heirs of G. W. Wellborn owned the land.  The McNeils, who rendered an outstanding service with their cemetery transcriptions, later published them. Copies are located in the Wilkes Community College Library and in other genealogical libraries.

Even though it was the day before my actual birthday, I did something that I love to do—visit courthouses, libraries, and cemeteries!  What a great day!

(You may double click on the photos to enlarge them. Also, a preview pane of all of them will appear at the bottom of the screen. You may select from the preview pane the one/s you wish to enlarge.)

Eleanor, Oh, Eleanor Harbin Triplett

                Oh, Eleanor, what a strong woman you must have been and what courage you must have had.  You were born about 1730 in Virginia, and married William Triplett sometime before 1758 when your first child was born. You and your husband William Triplett had about 11 children, Micajah, Nimrod, Mason, William, Thomas, Francis, John, Priscilla, Verlinda (my 4^th great grandmother), Nancy, and Jesse.  

                An on-line publication, “My Triplett Family,” indicates that Eleanor maintained the home front while her husband and sons were serving in the North Carolina militia during the Revolutionary War.  She continued their tradition on the farm of raising cattle, which became an important commodity when food became scarce during the war.  Her determination, fortitude, and courage were demonstrated when she contributed cattle to feed the troops in spite of any British retribution which may have befallen her.  In fact, according to the on-line article, she was compensated 982.10 pounds for providing beef to the soldiers.

                Family lore implies that Eleanor’s husband, William Triplett, and their two eldest sons, Micajah and Nimrod, died of the measles in 1782 in an army camp at Hanging Rock.  Did he die as family lore describes?  Pension papers filed by his son, William, indicate that the senior William may have died prior to 1780.  Data verified by the NSDAR also lead one to question whether he actually served in the militia.  Nevertheless, Eleanor is recognized for her patriotic service of providing supplies for the Revolutionary War.

                Both Eleanor Harbin Triplett and her husband, William Triplett, are identified by the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution as NSDAR Patriots.  Eleanor is identified as a patriot because of her patriotic service of furnishing supplies (food) for the cause.  William is recognized for his civil service of serving as a juror and road surveyor.  According to the NSDAR, William died about 1782 in Wilkes County, North Carolina.

Census records indicate that Eleanor apparently never remarried but remained the head of the household rearing her children on the family farm at Beaver Creek, Wilkes County, North Carolina.  She died sometime after 1830 in Wilkes County, North Carolina.

Eleanor, Oh, Eleanor Harbin Triplett, one of few females recognized as a Revolutionary War patriot, how proud your descendants are of you with such strength, fortitude, courage, and resolve!

Sources:

·        Abbott, Hortense Ethel. Tripping Down the Triplett Path: Descendants of the Triplett Families, 1982.

·        Genealogical Research System, National Society of Daughters of the American Revolution, http://services.dar.org/public/dar_research/search/?tab_id=0

·       “My Triplett Family,” http://home.earthlink.net/~bdvw/debsfamilyhistory/id1.html

               

A Genealogist’s Progress

Suddenly, it appears that there’s a light at the end of the tunnel.  How long it will take me to reach the end of that tunnel, I do not know.  After all, genealogy is a journey back in time that requires time and patience.

Several recent events or discoveries have been encouraging.  First, as I have mentioned in other posts, my sister and I have matched many "cousins" genetically through Family Tree DNA’s Family Finder test, an autosomal test, which matches one with “cousins” from both sides of his/her family.  However, the authenticity of our matches as related to this post will depend on the identity of our 6^th Great Grandfather West, something that still remains unproven.  It hinges on John West and Mary Madden being our 6^th great grandparents. But, there’s hope!

In July, 2012, I matched genetically with a male “cousin” who may, also, descend from John West and Mary Madden.  Again, if the paper trail proves the “cousinship,” he and I are 7^th cousins. 

In August, 2013, my sister and I matched significantly with a female “cousin” who descends from Phoebe West.  Phoebe West, the daughter of Isaac West and Susanna Anderson, may have been the granddaughter of John West and Mary Madden. My one concern about this match is that we also match this female cousin as 7^th cousin 2R through the Triplett line.  If the paper trail works out with the John West/Mary Madden lineage, my sister and I are 7^th cousins 2R with this cousin, also.  Could the significant match be attributed to the fact that we may match the cousin much closer with the Tripletts than we have discovered, or is it because we match her through two lineages, the Wests and Tripletts?

In October, 2013, my sister genetically matched a male “cousin” who descends from John West and his second wife, Eleanor Massey.  Again, if, indeed, John West is our 6^th great grandfather, my sister and her male cousin are 6^th cousins 1R.  This connection is based on better research and documentation.  Furthermore, no other lineages appear to be possibilities for their match.

The most significant match, however, occurred on January 27, 2014.  It is one that my sister and I have with a male “cousin” with the West surname.  Since I descend from the Tipton family, Doug and I attended the Tipton Family Association of America meeting in Burnsville, North Carolina, in October, 2013.  Unexpectedly, I met Mr. West who was attending the Tipton meeting with his wife, a Tipton descendant.  At the time we could not determine if we were related and decided to exchange information.  When I saw his West direct line, I immediately felt that his 5^th great grandfather, John West, born in Tryon, North Carolina, in 1732, could be the brother of my 5th great grandfather, Alexander West, born about 1730. 

The best is yet to come!  Mr. West took FTDNA’s Family Finder test in December.  His results were reported on January 27, 2014.  And YES! He is a genetic match with my sister and me!  I couldn’t be happier.  Of course, we still don’t know the father of his John West.  He does not know the spouse of his John West.  On-line researchers believe that his John West served in the Revolutionary War and was likely killed in the battle at Moore’s Creek near Wilmington, NC, in February, 1776.  Mr. West descends through John West’s son, Thomas West and Thomas’ spouse, Elizabeth Preston.

Again, if we can prove that the parents of his John West and my Alexander West were John West and Mary Madden, Mr. West would be a 6^th cousin 1R to my sister and me.  The genetic match between him and us is quite significant because no surnames other than West are evident in our lineages.  Also, the three of us match significantly on the 14^th chromosome which indicates that we share a common ancestor.  My sister and I do not have any other matches “in-common” with Mr. West who match on the 14^th chromosome in the same segment that we match with him.  I find the data extremely significant.  On the down-side, Mr. West is not an “in-common” match with my sister’s male “cousin” West match or with my female “cousin” and male “cousin” matches.  It would have been nice if the six of us matched on that 14^th chromosome.

In addition, I’m excited that Mr. West plans to take one of the Y-DNA tests when they go on sale.  A Y-DNA test may connect him to other males who descend from the same male ancestor and place him in a West Family Group.

You know where I’m headed when the weather warms up – Rutherford County, NC, the county that was created from the western portion of Tryon in 1779 – to research John West, born in 1732, in Tryon County, North Carolina!

Back to the Drawing Board—John West and Mary Madden Revisited

Sometimes one needs to go back and retrace his steps and revisit an earlier analysis, observation, or decision.  That’s what I am doing.  I am going back to the possibility that John West and Mary Madden were the parents of my 5^th great grandfather, Alexander West I.

 

For quite some time, the preponderance of my data or, as some prefer to define it, the circumstantial evidence indicates that they were likely his parents.  First, let’s review my data relating to John West, the hypothetical father, and Alexander West, his hypothetical son.

·        John West was born about 1707.  Some writers suggest that he was born in Virginia. 

·        Alexander West (born between 1720 and 1730, died after 1790) was my 5^th great grandfather.  For purposes of differentiating him from the myriad other Alexander Wests, I have labeled him Alexander West I. 

·        According to my data and based on land and tax records and the birth years of the sons of Alexander West I, he was probably born between 1720 and 1730.  His sons were Alexander West II (born 1751, Orange County, NC) and John West (born about 1760, Orange County, NC).

·        In 1752 (entry of land) and 1754 (survey of land), William Mills had 216 acres of land surveyed on Stoney Creek, waters of Haw River [Orange County, NC] in November 1754.  This land was noted as joining that of John West.  Alexander West and William Mills, Jr. were the chain carriers for the survey.

·        Between 1752 and 1768, a John West, Sr. sold 100 acres of land in Orange County, NC, to Alexander West [Alexander West I]. [This entry in which “senior” is mentioned indicates that another John West existed.]

·        In 1755, Alexander West was listed in the North Carolina Census, 1790-1890, as living in Orange County, NC.

·        In 1775, Allexander West and Allexander West 2 were listed in the Surry County and Wilkes County, NC, Taxables, Vol. 1, 1771-1777.  His son Alexander West II would have been about 24 years old and would have been included in the tax records.  Alexander West II married Hannah Langley in 1777 in Orange County, NC.

·        Between 1778 and 1781 Alexander West was living in Wilkes County on or near the Yadkin River near William Triplett’s 160 acres.  It is impossible to determine if this Alexander was Alexander West I or Alexander West II.

·        In 1778 in a land entry book, James Tugman’s name was marked out and Alexander West’s name was written in place of it.  This entry was for 50 acres on the south side of Glady Branch in Wilkes County, NC.  Again, it is impossible to determine if this Alexander was Alexander West I or Alexander West II.

·        In 1779, a land entry for Alexander West for 100 acres on the north side of a branch that ran through John “Farbusons” [Ferguson] plantation had the names of Alex West, Wm. Brown and Daniel Johnson marked out.  John “Farguson” [Ferguson] was written in.   This record cites evidence of Alexander West’s presence in Wilkes County in 1779.  It is impossible to determine if this Alexander was Alexander West I or Alexander West II.

·        In 1784, Wilkes County, NC, land records indicated that Daniel Sutherlin received a 50 acres grant on “Glady Fork…Alexander West corner.” It is impossible to determine if this Alexander was Alexander West I or Alexander West II.

·        In 1787 Alexander West received 50 acres on both sides of Glady Fork. Isaac West and Bray Crisp were the chain carriers. It is impossible to determine if this Alexander was Alexander West I or Alexander West II.

·        North Carolina Tax Lists indicate that in 1782 Alexander West owned 30 acres in Wilkes County, and in 1805 Alexander West owned 200 acres in Burke County [present Caldwell].  It is impossible to determine which of these Alexanders was Alexander West I or Alexander West II.

·       The 1790 Census, Burke [present Caldwell], North Carolina, listed Alex West Senior in a household with 1 FWM under 16, 2 FWM over 16, 6 FWF for a total of 9 household members.  [This household was likely that of Alexander West II.  By this time, Alexander West II had a young son named Alexander West whom, for the sake of clarity, I have named Alexander West III.  Alexander West III married Patience L. Allen in 1804.  Let’s go a bit further with this line – Alexander West III and Patience L. Allen had a grandson named Alexander West (son of Ananias West and Abigail Lawes Crouch) who was born in 1844 and married Sarah Jane Brazeal.]

·       As previously noted, naming patterns often provide clues to familial relationships.  My 4^th great grandfather, John West, may have received his name from his grandfather John West, Sr. or from his uncle John West, Jr.  The name John was also given to John’s son, John Balus West, my 3^rd great grandfather.  Of course, the name Alexander was also given to my 2^nd great grandfather, Alexander Balus West.

·        In addition, an Alexander West is given as the father of Edith “Edy” West who married Archibald Fowler.  Edy was born about 1772.  I find it quite interesting that some of her sons were named West I. Fowler, John Wesley Fowler, and Alexander W. Fowler.  Of her grandchildren, the following names are evident: Alexander Fowler, John W. Pike, and Balus M. Pike.  Balus was the name given to my 3^rd gr grandfather, John Balus West, who would have been a 1^st cousin 1R of Balus M. Pike.  I do not have proof that Edith “Edy” West was the daughter of my Alexander West.

·       One of my on-line connections, Tom, who descends from Bray Crisp, believes that Bray Crisp married one of the daughters of Alexander West I. His information cites Bray Crisp’s wife as “Miss” West.  You may recall from information provided above that Bray Crisp and Isaac West were chain carriers for the survey of land purchased in 1787 on Glady Fork, Wilkes County, NC, by Alexander West.  Sometime later, Bray Crisp is found in South Carolina.

Several years ago, while researching at the North Carolina State Library and Archives, I found Blodwen West Boyle’s unpublished manuscript, Isaac West’s Family of North Carolina, South Carolina, and Dickson County, Tennessee, 1745-1814, printed in 1974.  I was quite fascinated by her work, believing that it was the answer to my dilemma.  Even though it did not prove that my Alexander West was a son of John West and Mary Madden, the document gave credence to my belief that he was their son and the brother of Isaac West.

In her document, Mrs. Boyle described Isaac West, whom she believed to be her ancestor and the son of John West and Mary Madden.  According to Mrs. Boyle’s documents, Isaac West was born about 1745 and married Susanna Anderson in 1769 in Orange County, North Carolina.  My 4^th great grandfather John West (born about 1760) and his brother Alexander West (born about 1751) were born in Orange County, North Carolina.  Isaac West and Susanna Anderson had a daughter, Phoebe West, who married Isaac Green.

Another interesting fact that I discovered in Mrs. Boyle’s document is that one of Isaac Green and Susanna Anderson’s grandsons was named Madden West, presumably after his great grandmother, Mary Madden.      

I recently learned of a Family Tree DNA, Family Finder, match that my sister, Sandy, and I have with Debbra whose 6th great grandmother was Phoebe West, wife of Isaac Green!  However, since my sister and I match this individual also through the Triplett lineage, it is difficult to know if our Family Finder match is through both lines or just through the Triplett line.

Another recent occurrence was the discovery of a published family history linking my Alexander West to John West and Mary Madden.  One of my blog readers, Ginger, sharing her West information with me, told me about the published genealogy, Relatives of the Browns of Mill Springs, Kentucky, Including the Fisher, Gaar, Gholson, Hutchison, Weaver and West Families, by James E. Brown and Margaret Brown Altendahl, published in 1992.  The compilers of this family history stated that John West (born about 1707) and Mary Madden were the parents of Solomon (born about 1726) who married Isabella Boyd, Mary Boyd(?), and Martha Norton; John West (born about 1728); Alexander West (born about 1728); an unidentified female (born about 1734) who married John Collins; an unidentified female (born about 1738) who married an unidentified Cole; Mary West (born about 1742) who married Hezekiah Collins; Isaac West (born about 1745), who married Susanna Anderson, daughter of Peter and Catherine Lynam Anderson; and Eleanor “Nellie” West (born about 1748) who married Alexander Barnhill.  Additionally, these compilers indicated that William and Thomas may have been two other sons.  Again, this published family history supports my theory that my Alexander West was the son of John West and Mary Madden.

However, the most revealing and confirming revelation came on October 29, 2013, in a response to an email that I sent a couple of weeks ago to one of my sister’s DNA matches, Tom.  Tom’s sister, Jane, shared the following West information that she had received from a recently deceased cousin. 

·        John West (born 1691 in Prince William County, Virginia, died in 1780 in Richmond County, Georgia) and Mary Madden were married in 1724 in Orange County, North Carolina, and had four children:  Solomon, b 1725; Alexander, b 1730; Isaac, b 1745; and Eleanor, b 1747.

·        After Mary’s death John West married Eleanor Massey in 1752 in Orange County, North Carolina, with whom he had the following children:  Daniel, Jacob, John Massey, Lucy, and James.  James had sons named Ephriam and Francis.

·       Jane and Tom descend from James’ son, Ephriam West.  Whereas, my sister and I descend from Alexander’s son, John.  Alexander and James, having different mothers, were half-brothers.

I knew that many of the Wests, including my 4^th great grandparents, John West and Margaret “Peggy” Witherspoon, the Isaac West family, and, possibly, for a short time, the family of Alexander West II, moved to South Carolina.  Jane indicated that most of the West ancestors descending from Eleanor Massey West moved to Georgia.  Only from the family history published by Brown and Altendahl did I first learn that Alexander West I may have migrated to Georgia, also.

Of the two of us, my sister, Sandy, is a DNA match with Tom; I am not a genetic match with him.  A significant fact about this genetic match between Sandy and Tom is the West connection Sandy shares with Tom is the only connection that we can confirm with the paper trail, indicating that the genetic connection with John West is likely a valid one.

In addition, Jane indicated that the source of her information, a recently deceased cousin, was sound.  Apparently, her cousin met a physician with whom he was a DNA match.  The physician-cousin, who descended from James’ son Francis, hired a “top gun” genealogist to determine the parentage of Francis West.  The information that Jane shared with me was obtained by that genealogist.

As I try to piece all of this information together, I believe, based on my research, that, in addition, to the four children listed by Jane, John West and Mary Madden had four other children: John West, Jr., born about 1728 in Orange County, North Carolina; Mary West, born in 1742 in Orange County, North Carolina, who married Hezekiah Collins; and another daughter who married a Cole.

Many thanks to Ginger, Debbra, Jane, and Tom for sharing their valuable and significant information.

Whew!  At long last, the pieces of the puzzle are beginning to come together!

Charlotte’s Paternal Pedigrees—Barlow, Carlton, Ferguson, Land, McNeil, Triplett

As I have researched my ancestors and tried to create a record of their being and of my link to them, I have come to realize that I should publicize these various pedigrees, the direct lines from which I descend, for the benefit of others.  Indeed, much research remains to be done, and current information may change as new information becomes available or is discovered.    Therefore, the listing below of some of the pedigrees in my paternal family reflects information that I have at this time but should not be considered as “set in stone.”  Since my West pedigree appears in the left margin of each of these posts, it is not included in the list below. 

Barlow Pedigree

Thomas Barlow and Elizabeth Carlton

John Barlow, Sr. and Elizabeth or Ann

John Barlow, Jr. and Merritt Elizabeth Kendall

Braxton Barlow and Charlotte “Lottie” Carlton

Martha Adeline Barlow and Milton “Milt” McNeil

America Ann McNeil and Thomas Harvey West

William Charles West, Sr. and Ada Beatrice McQueen

William Charles West, Jr. and Ruth Stella Hughes

Charlotte Ruth West

Carlton Pedigree

Thomas Carlton and Mary Land

Nancy Jane Carlton and William Thomas Land

Nancy E. Land and Alexander Balus West

Thomas Harvey West and America Ann McNeil

William Charles West, Sr. and Ada Beatrice McQueen

William Charles West, Jr. and Ruth Stella Hughes

Charlotte Ruth West

Ferguson Pedigree

Thomas Ferguson, Sr.

Richard  Ferguson and Verlinda “Linnie” Triplett

Elender “Nellie” Ferguson and Larkin “Lark” McNeil

Milton “Milt” McNeil and Martha Adeline Barlow

America Ann McNeil and Thomas Harvey West

William Charles West, Sr. and Ada Beatrice McQueen

William Charles West, Jr. and Ruth Stella Hughes

Charlotte Ruth West

Land Pedigree

Curtis Land I and Mary Hodge

Curtis Land II and Mary Williamson

John Land

Thomas Land and Eleanor McClanahan

Thomas Land and Anne Sumter

Jonathan Land and Elizabeth Isbell

William Thomas Land and Nancy Jane Carlton

Nancy E. Land and Alexander Balus West

Thomas Harvey West and America Ann McNeil

William Charles West, Sr. and Ada Beatrice McQueen

William Charles West, Jr. and Ruth Stella Hughes

Charlotte Ruth West

McNeil Pedigree

Thomas McNeill and Mary Hannah Parsons

George McNiel and Mary Sarah Coats
Joseph McNiel and Hannah Wilson

Larkin “Lark” McNeil and Elender “Nellie” Ferguson

Milton “Milt” McNeil and Martha Adeline Barlow

America Ann McNeil and Thomas Harvey West

William Charles West, Sr. and Ada Beatrice McQueen

William Charles West, Jr. and Ruth Stella Hughes

Charlotte Ruth West

Triplett Pedigree

Francis Marion Triplett III and Elizabeth Browne

William Triplett and Eleanor Harbin

Verlinda “Linnie” Triplett and Richard Ferguson

Elender “Nellie” Ferguson and Larkin “Lark” McNeil

Milton “Milt” McNeil and Martha Adeline Barlow

America Ann McNeil and Thomas Harvey West

William Charles West, Sr. and Ada Beatrice McQueen

William Charles West, Jr. and Ruth Stella Hughes

Charlotte Ruth West

My Hiatus

I’m still here but have been on an unplanned, unwanted hiatus since my last post on July 7.   For the last 7 weeks, my list of topics has been empty. My research trip to South Carolina was unproductive as far as uncovering information about my 4^th and 5^th great grandfathers, John West and Alexander West I.  Therefore, I am currently at a stand-still or using the statement of genealogists, “I have reached a brick wall.”

What have I been doing?   I have expanded my research into my other families: the McQueen and Moreland families of my paternal grandmother, Ada Beatrice McQueen West; the Hughes and Honeycutt families of my maternal grandfather, Robert Avery Hughes, Sr.; and the Hoilman and Canipe families of my maternal grandmother, Lillie Mae Hoilman.  Also, I have begun “serious” research of my husband’s Dade and Jones families.  I would love to start blogs about each of these families but am concerned that I would not have time to devote to additional blogging.   In addition, keeping up with my DNA matches and digging for common ancestors that I share with them require much time and effort.

My West readers may be interested to learn than I am gradually uncovering a few West-related cousins among these DNA matches.  Some of these include matches to the McNeils, Fergusons, Tripletts, Carltons, and Lands. Still, I remain optimistic even though no information about my John or Alexander has surfaced.  Eventually, I want to expand my West blog, The Wests of Wilkes, to include more about these families.  I have already written about them in many of my previous posts.  If you haven’t already done so, click on the links to them.

I have had a few comments, all of which have been enlightening and appreciated.  I always respond to my readers’ comments.  I will, indeed, honor your requests not to publish comments that you wish to remain private but will respond to you through e-mail if you provide one.

Soon I will conclude the series on my West Patriarchs with a blog about my father, William Charles West, Jr.  Because he is a patriarch only to me, my sister, my daughter, my nephew, and my great niece and nephew, I must still honor him in such a tribute.

Thank you for your patience with my hiatus, and please let me know if you have a particular interest for a topic.

The Proof of the Pudding IS in the DNA!

No matter how meticulously we trace our roots using the traditional forms of documentation, the paper trail, as we call it, using birth, marriage, and death certificates, land transactions, census records, and court proceedings, the real proof of the pudding is in the DNA.  I have just discovered how true this statement is.

Recently, after contacting one of my Family Finder DNA matches (a DNA assessment which provides cousin matches across paternal and maternal lines), we found that we are probably 4^th cousins 1X removed with our most recent common ancestors being Richard Ferguson and Verlinda Triplett of Wilkes County, North Carolina.  They are my 4^th great grandparents and his 3^rd great grandparents.  These individuals have been traced with the traditional paper trail and also with DNA testing.

What a surprise I had after making contact with this genetically matched cousin, a male with the Ferguson surname.  He has discovered that he does NOT match with any Ferguson in the Ferguson Y-DNA Project (a male surname project) who descends from Thomas Ferguson, the here-to-fore presumed father of Richard Ferguson.  Of course, he would most likely match with other male Fergusons descending from Richard Ferguson.  Apparently, none of these male individuals descending from Richard Ferguson and Verlinda Triplett have participated in Y-DNA testing. 

In the final analysis, the Y-DNA of my distant cousin actually matches the Y-DNA of a group of other male individuals who are not in his family tree but who match with the descendants of a male individual with the Allison surname who lived in Wilkes County the year of Richard’s birth.

My cousin and other Allison researchers believe that a non-paternal event occurred resulting in Richard’s genetic disposition being different from those of the descendants of Richard’s brothers.  Such a non-paternal event could have been one of three events:  the adoption of Richard by Thomas Ferguson; a pregnancy prior to marriage resulting in Richard’s birth; or an extra-marital affair resulting in Richard’s birth.   Therefore, those of us who descend from Richard Ferguson and Verlinda Triplett are really not Fergusons even though their descendants carried and still carry the Ferguson name.  We are most likely of the Allison lineage.  I am certain that this revealing information will be a surprise to many.

As genealogical researchers, we must be open to and accepting of such discoveries.  As one delves into his past, he is bound to find some “skeletons in the closet.”   Therefore, he must learn to be objective, remembering that no one is perfect and that all make mistakes.  And, he must recognize that, obviously, he would not be here if certain events had not occurred in his past.   

An example such as the one I have described illustrates how significant the field of genetics is becoming in understanding one’s ancestral background.  In today’s world, DNA is the only proof of the pudding!

Entwined Roots

Do you remember the country or folk song, “I’m My Own Grandpa”?[i]    Sometimes, that’s the way I feel, except, I would be “my own grandma!”

It’s amazing how family roots intermingle and entwine.  The more I delve into family histories, the more aware I become of the interrelatedness of family members.  In this post, I would like to share some of the experiences I have had with entwined roots.

My dear 4^th cousin, Joanne, whom I met on-line a couple of years ago and met in person a few months ago, and I have recently discovered how entangled our relationship is.  We are 4^th cousins in the West family sharing our closest common grandparents, John Balus West and Mary Ann Swanson, our 3^rd great grandparents.  Their son Franklin West was Joanne’s 2^nd great grandfather, and their son Alexander Balus West was my 2^nd great grandfather. 

Not only are we 4^th cousins in this family, but we are also 4^th cousins 1X removed in the Ferguson family.  Richard Ferguson and Verlinda Triplett were my 4^th great grandparents and Joanne’s 3^rd great grandparents.  In this Ferguson-Triplett family, I descend from their daughter, Eleanor “Nellie” Ferguson, and her husband, Larkin McNeil.  Joanne descends from their son, Jeremiah Ferguson, and his wife Polly Louisa McGee.  Since we do not share a set of grandparents in the same generation, we are 4^th cousins 1X removed in this family.

Joanne also has a connection to my Barlow family.  Henry Harrison Barlow, my 2^nd great uncle from my Barlow ancestors, married Joanne’s great aunt, Amanda Ferguson, sister of Joanne’s great grandmother, Eliza Ferguson.  Eliza and Amanda were my 1^st cousins 4X removed!    According to Joanne, Henry Harrison Barlow and Nancy Amanda Ferguson had one child, Thomas Leroy Barlow.  Thomas Leroy Barlow was my 1^st cousin 3X removed and Joanne’s 1^st cousin 2X removed.  And there’s more!  After Henry Harrison Barlow died from wounds he received in the Civil War, Nancy Amanda Ferguson Barlow married Smith Ferguson Walker, the brother of Joanne’s great grandfather, George Washington Walker.   Furthermore, George Hayes Walker, the son of George Washington Walker and Eliza Ferguson, were the grandparents of my 4^th cousin Joanne.  Joanne’s grandmother, Dicia Albertha “Bertha” West, who married George Hayes Walker, was my 2^nd cousin 2X removed.  Quite a maze of entangled roots!

Are Joanne and I double cousins of some sort?  I’m sure there are more entanglements in this web, but, right now, my mind just cannot wrap around them and neither can my computer program!  My overworked Family Tree Maker program is thoroughly stressed! 

Joanne is exploring the possibility that she may be related to the Land family, the family of my 2^nd great grandmother, Nancy Land.  I wonder where this next step will take us as we explore our interrelatedness.  Joanne so aptly described this interrelatedness when she wrote, “We are just like kudzu there in Beaver Creek--intertwined in all directions.”

Are you confused?  So am I!

How did this interrelatedness occur?  My only explanation at this time is that these families lived in a close, tight-knit community, relatively isolated in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains.  Therefore, they grew up together, attended the same school and the same churches, courted each other, and subsequently married each other.  Marriages between 2^nd and 3^rd cousins were not uncommon.  As I research my other families, the Hugheses, Honeycutts, Hoilmans, and Canipes of Yancey and Mitchell counties in North Carolina, I see some of the same “entanglements.” 

Joanne, do you think we can write our own song!

---

[i] Read more about “I’m My Own Grandpa” at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I'm_My_Own_Grandpa

The West Patriarchs: 5th in a Series, Thomas Harvey West

As I continue to write about the West Patriarchs, I am getting closer to “home” in regard to my most recent ancestors.  Thomas Harvey West, my great grandfather, was born in Wilkes County, most likely at Stony Fork, in 1858. He was the only son of Alexander Balus West and Nancy Land West and was born to them 7½ years after they were married.  According to census records, he was apparently called “Harvey.”

Concerning census records—I find them very revealing.  According to the 1900 Census, Nancy Land was recorded as having nine children with only one living. I have carefully scrutinized the original document and compared the way in which the enumerator wrote his figures.  The numeral indicating Nancy’s children definitely appears to be a nine. The number for those living is a one.  After researching the questions that were asked for this census, she would have been asked how many children she had and how many were still living.  Therefore, this data would indicate that she had nine actual births with only one living child. Nancy and Alexander Balus were married 13 years before his death.

Thomas Harvey’s father joined the Confederate Army when Thomas Harvey was 3½ years old and was killed in action just before young Thomas Harvey celebrated his sixth birthday.  Therefore, one may speculate that Thomas Harvey hardly knew his father.  In a previous posting I described the poignant letter penned by Alexander Balus in March of 1864 prior to his death in September.  The letter was addressed to his son, Thomas Harvey.  From that letter one can easily discern the apprehensions and fears that Alexander Balus was experiencing.   His sense of urgency in providing his son with some fatherly guidance, some written advice for his life, was quite clear. 

At the time of Alexander Balus’ death, Nancy and Thomas Harvey lived in the Upper Division of Wilkes County in the Lewis Fork area where they had lived since 1851.  Their property was near that of Alexander Balus’ father, John Balus West.  In fact, Alexander Balus had purchased land from his father in 1857.  According to census records, Alexander Balus and Nancy were living on the south fork of Stony Fork in 1851 which was most likely in the Lewis Fork area and which was most likely the same land on which they lived when they were first married.  I have discovered that areas remain the same but the names designating them change.  When Alexander Balus was killed, he and Nancy owned approximately 135 acres of land in the area.

Not only did they live near Alexander Balus’ parents, John Balus and Mary Ann Swanson West, and his brothers, William Thomas Jefferson West and John Witherspoon West, but also they lived near Nancy’s family, the Lands and the Carltons, all of whom lived in the Upper Division of Wilkes County.  In addition, Swanson families, who may have been relatives of Alexander Balus’ mother, Mary Ann “Polly” Swanson, lived in the Upper Division.  Therefore, family members who could lend support and comfort to Nancy and Thomas Harvey were abundant.

In fact, CALT, my 1^st cousin 1X removed, said that Nancy Land West’s brothers were significant role models for young Thomas Harvey as he was growing up.  The 1870 Census indicates that Nancy and Thomas Harvey were living in the household of her brother, James C. Land, in Elk Township of Wilkes, North Carolina, which was designated as the Upper Division in earlier records.  In addition to Nancy and Thomas Harvey’s living with James C. Land, Nancy’s father, Thomas Land, was living in the household during that same enumeration period.  

Twelve years after her husband’s death, Nancy Land West began purchasing property in the Stony Fork area.  In February of 1876, she bought 120 acres adjacent to the Lands’ line and Franklin West’s line.  In August of 1876, she purchased 24 acres on Buck Branch which ran up Stony Fork Creek to Thomas Land’s line.  In July of 1879, James C. Land and wife Nannie, and Thomas C. Land sold 56 acres on Stony Creek to Nancy Land.  In February of 1884 she purchased 50 additional acres in the area.  By 1884 Nancy Land West owned approximately 385 acres on Stony Fork.  Even though North Carolina began issuing pensions for widows of Confederate soldiers from its state in 1857, I can find no records indicating that Nancy West received a widow’s pension.  How did she fund these land purchases?  Certainly not as a widow who was living off the farm.  Perhaps, instead of inheriting land, she received a monetary inheritance from the estate of her father who died in 1871 and used this money to buy land.  She was surely thinking about an inheritance for her son, Thomas Harvey.   

In the 1880 Census, Nancy Land West is listed as the head of the household in Elk Township of Wilkes County with Thomas Harvey living with her.  Again, they were residing near relatives.  Her brother, James C. Land, lived two dwellings away; her brother-in-law, Franklin West, lived eight dwellings away; and her first cousin-in-law, Thomas Clingman West, lived nine dwellings away. 

In May 1885 she sold 120 acres on Buck Branch of Stony Fork to Thomas Harvey, her son.  The land was adjacent to property belonging to the Lands, the Waters, Franklin West, and the Tripletts.

Unfortunately, the 1890 Federal Census records were destroyed in a fire in 1921.  Therefore, I do not have that source for “reading between the lines” in the lives of Nancy and Thomas Harvey during the ten-year period which was included in that census.

On January 5, 1882, Thomas Harvey West and America Ann McNeil were married in Wilkes County.  She was 18, and he was 23.  In all likelihood, they had known each other all of their lives since the McNeils and Wests lived in Upper Wilkes County. 

Furthermore, they likely attended Mount Zion Baptist Church while they were growing up.  Many of my Wilkes County ancestors including the Wests, the Lands, the McNeils, and the Carltons are cited multiple times in the church’s records between 1849 and 1896.  T. H. West and A. A. West were elected deacon and co-sponsors.  In 1889, T. H. West was elected trustee.

Thomas Harvey and America continued to live on their Stony Fork farm until 1902.  They had 13 children, 12 of whom were born, presumably, on the farm at Stony Fork.  The thirteenth child, Viola N. West, was born after they moved to Banner Elk, North Carolina. 

The descendants of Thomas Harvey and America Ann McNeil West are many.  I have included in the table below the information that I currently have in my files regarding their descendants.  All of their children are deceased.  I have not provided names of any grandchildren who are still living in order to protect their privacy.  I would certainly appreciate any additional information that anyone may have and any corrections that should be made.  Please contact me through this blog or my personal e-mail if any of my readers wish to add information or make corrections.

Descendants of Thomas Harvey West and America Ann McNeil

Children	Dates	Spouse(s)	Grand Children	Great Grandchildren*	2nd  Great Grandchildren*	3rd  Great Grandchildren*
Nannie Lou West	1882-1981	Cornelius Mai Triplett	John H.Triplett, Edna B. Triplett, J. Fred Triplett	?	?	?
A. Judson West	1884-1884	None	None	None	None	None
Martha Alice West	1885-1981	None	None	None	None	None
Milton McNeil West	1888-1979	Myrtle Triplett	Maxine Triplett West, Marie Doris West	1 granddaughter 1 grandson	?	?
William Charles West	1892-1967	Ada Beatrice McQueen	William Charles West, Alzenia Helen West, Living Female West	2 granddaughters 3 grandsons	4 gr. granddaughters 2 gr.  grandsons	1 2nd  granddaughter 7 2nd gr. grandsons
Rosa Belle West	1890-1998	David Sidney Jones, Frank Butner	None	None	None	None
Sallie Jane West	1893-1918	None	None	None	None	None
Robert Leonard West	1895-1968	Margaret Clyde Lowrance	Robert Leonard West, Herbert Milton West, Living Male West, Dorothy Jean West, Max Kenneth West, Living Male West	3 granddaughters 6 grandsons	?	?
Ethel Elizabeth West	1897-1996	Charles Durwood Graham	Living Male Graham, Living Female Graham, Living Male Graham	?	?	?
Willard A. West	1899-bef 1903	None	None	None	None	None
Flora Annie West	1900-1993	Leo Lawrence Lowe	June Lowe, Living Male Lowe, Living Female Lowe, Living Male Lowe, Living Male Lowe, Living Male Lowe, Living Female Lowe	5 granddaughters 5 grandsons	?	?
Guy Harvey West	1902-1997	Mary Ann Trivette	Guy Harvey West, Living Male West, Living Male West, Living Male West, Living Female West	?	?	?
Viola N. West	1905-1920	None	None	None	None	None

*Inadequate information available

Two of these children, A. Judson West and Willard A. West, are buried across the road from the home place in the Thomas Land Family Cemetery on land that had once belonged, most likely, to the Land family.

Harvey and America West's two-story, white farmhouse
was likely located at this site. 

The home where Thomas Harvey and America lived must have been a lovely place.  The house has been described as a two story, white farmhouse.   It was located on the current Mt. Zion Road across from Stony Creek just a short distance east of the intersection of Stony Fork Road and Mt. Zion Road.  The old building which, at one time, housed the Mt. Zion Post Office, is across the road from the home site.  I am thankful to those who remember the house and have shared their descriptions with me.   My 1^st cousins 1X removed, a former mail carrier, and a new blog follower have provided me with this description.  Neither the mail carrier nor the new blog follower knew the Wests but remember the Wellborn family who owned and lived in the house from 1902 until it burned sometime in the 1980s.  

In 1902 for an unknown reason, Thomas Harvey and America West decided to move to Banner Elk, North Carolina.  They traded farms including, of course, the house with all of its furnishings, with the Wellborn family, who owned the Banner Elk farm.  My research of land and census documents reveals that many Wellborns lived in the Stony Fork area prior to this exchange.  Again, I wonder what promoted this move.  Did the Banner Elk Wellborn family want to return to Stony Fork?  Did this Banner Elk Wellborn family represent a branch of the family that wanted to move to Stony Fork to be near other relatives?  Which family initiated the move?  I don’t suppose that I will ever know.

However, in 1902 according to CALT, the West family took their milk cows and the few possessions that they could transport in a wagon and set out with their eight children and Thomas Harvey’s mother, Nancy, on their journey to their new home.  The possibility exists that America had never seen the property in Banner Elk; hopefully, Thomas Harvey had visited it before “the trade” took place.  According to CALT, the children thought they were “going west,” which, indeed, they were, but only about 35 miles west!  Flora, the youngest child at that time, and likely, the two women rode in the wagon.  The other children walked as they traveled along the Daniel Boone Trail.  I wonder how many nights they spent on the trail as they made this trip by foot and wagon.  On each of the trips that I have made from Banner Elk to Boone and then on to Stony Fork, I am reminded of what a difficult journey that must have been.  Of course we were traveling in a car on US421 and not on the Daniel Boone Trail! Certainly, this West family demonstrated that same adventurous pioneer spirit of those early settlers who pressed westward seeking a better life. 

The next year, 1903, after Thomas Harvey and America moved to Banner Elk, Thomas Harvey’s mother, Nancy Land West, passed away.   In 1905, their last child, Viola N. West, was born.  CALT described this birth as being a difficult delivery for America.  Viola was a special child who was born with hydrocephalus, a condition which can be treated today with a shunt.  Of course in 1905, Viola did not have the benefit of such a medical technique that would have given her a normal live.  She never attended school and died at the age of 14. Another daughter, Sallie Jane West, died in Charlotte, North Carolina, at the relatively young age of 25.  Her death was due to complications from the flu which she contracted during the 1918 epidemic.

My father, William Charles West, Jr., as a young boy, visited his grandparents on a regular basis.  My 1^st cousin 1X removed, FL, described my father’s summer visits during which he would stay several weeks at a time on the farm.  My father, who was about eight years older than FL, fished and hunted with his 1^st cousin.  My dad always had fond memories of his cousin, FL, and seemingly, enjoyed those times he spent with him on their grandparents’ farm.  Today, I recognize characteristics in FL’s appearance, mannerisms, and speech which greatly resemble those of my grandfather and dad. 



Banner Elk Home
Photo taken by grandson,
William Charles West, Jr.
1950



On the Foot-Bridge, 1949
Charlotte (front), my cousin CATL,
and my dad, William Charles West, Jr.,
holding my sister, Sandy



I regret that I never had many opportunities to visit my great grandparents in Banner Elk.  From the visits that I had, I remember the farmhouse, which was, also, a white frame two-story home that was located some distance from the main road.  I remember the creek that flowed through the farm which was at the foot of Sugar Mountain.  I remember the log foot-bridge that crossed over the creek. I remember the barn which was a short distance from the house.  And I remember my last visit in August of 1949, a last visit to see Thomas Harvey just before he died on August 24.  As an eight year-old at the time, I didn’t understand the poignancy of this visit. Sadly, this was the last time to see America, also, since she passed away in November of that same year.



The Two Remaining Chimneys



As I became an adult and my husband and I took trips to Florida, we often took the route through Banner Elk and Boone.  As we drove along NC Highway 105 on our way to Boone, I began looking for “the glove factory.”  I used the factory as my locator because the farm was on the land some distance behind that building.  For many years I could see the farmhouse just beyond the creek; then a few years later, I noticed that a trailer had been placed near the farmhouse; and finally, on one of the trips, I saw only two chimneys standing where the farm house had stood – the farmhouse had burned to the ground.  On the recent trips to Banner Elk, I found that a Lowes’ home store now occupies part of the land.  During these recent trips, I wasn’t able to locate the site of the house because of the growth of the trees and the buildings that are now along NC Highway 105.  Without my cousin, CALT, who took me to the site of the home place two years ago, I would never have been able to find it.  In September 2009, CALT and I walked the grounds through the weeds and poison ivy.  We saw what was left of the steps that led up to the front porch; we saw the two chimneys determinedly standing where they had once supported the sides of the farmhouse; we saw the thriving rose bushes, surrounded by overgrown grass, that America McNeil West had planted many years ago.  We walked toward the part of the farm where Lowes’ store is currently located to a clearing where we found a farm road leading to the highway, US105.  From this location CALT pointed out where her aunt and my great aunt, Rosa Belle, had lived in a house across the highway from the farm.  She also pointed out where her paternal grandparents and her parents had lived on a farm adjacent to the West farm.  Forlornly, as a sign of the passing of time, a “For Sale” sign stood at the edge of the property on the road that led from the highway to the driveway. 



"For Sale"



CALT grew up in Banner Elk and has the first-hand knowledge that I don’t have.  I greatly appreciate the time that she spent showing me the home site and the information that she has shared with me.

I have many fond memories of Great Aunt Alice (Martha Alice), an educated, sophisticated lady.  Aunt Alice had moved to Kent, Washington, but made frequent visits back to North Carolina and Tennessee to visit her family who remained in this part of the country.  Later, she returned from Kent to Banner Elk to care for her ailing parents until their deaths.    Aunt Alice was the administrator of the estate of Thomas Harvey and America West and sold the farm to the Von Cannon family who lived nearby.  My grandfather, Aunt Alice’s brother, wanted to purchase the farm, but evidently, Aunt Alice felt that selling the land to someone other than a family member was a better option.  My understanding is that the farm sold for about $10,000 in the early 1950s.  Today, this property, which is at the foot of Sugar Mountain, a famous ski resort in North Carolina, would be worth a great deal more.

Aunt Alice also told us about some of our relatives on the McNeil side of the family.  She sent me a photograph of my 2^nd great grandfather, Rev. Milton McNeil, who was a minister, a politician, and one of the “best-known” figures in Wilkes County during his time.  She enabled me to contact George Larkin Pearson, my 1^st cousin 3X removed, who was Poet Laureate of North Carolina from 1953 until his death in 1981.  His personal papers, books, and memorabilia may be found in the James Larkin Pearson Library at Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, North Carolina.

My great grandmother, America McNeil West, was Pearson’s first cousin.  Apparently, both shared a talent for writing.  According to CALT, America McNeil West was an artist and a writer.  Supposedly, she was writing a novel prior to her death, but sadly, according to CALT, no novel was found among her things after her death.

While I was in Bakersville, North Carolina a couple of years ago, researching my mother’s family, I experienced a most unusual event; I met a lady in the historical society office who had been a student of Aunt Alice at Cranberry High School.  When I told her I was also researching my West ancestors, she mentioned that a Miss West had taught her typing class at Cranberry High School.  As I described Aunt Alice and mentioned her first name, we realized that Aunt Alice had been the teacher.  The former student spoke fondly of Aunt Alice.

Indeed, Thomas Harvey West and America Ann McNeil most definitely left quite a legacy.



The West Family at Home in Banner Elk
L-R: Thomas Harvey, Mack, America, Lou, William Charles, Sr., Alice, Ethel, Robert, Flora

Thomas Harvey and America
His 90th Birthday, 1948