aquilla greer sr. - Honeysuckle Farm, LLC

Unusual Sources, Part 1

I LOVE unusual sources for family history! I love that moment when you find family history in a completely unexpected place – something that makes you want to do the happy dance and get online to tell all your geni friends what you just found and where so they can look up that resource too to see if they can hit a jackpot like you did. So to see that this was included as a theme for 2021’s 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks was a bonus for me. I’m going for gold and trying to post one unusual resource I’ve found for both my paternal and maternal families in part 1. In part 2, I will post unusual sources I’ve used for my husband’s paternal and maternal families. I love this topic so much I may do parts 3 and 4 where I post unusual sources for my grandsons’ parents who aren’t my biological children. Since I don’t have one specific family to introduce, I’ll just jump right in.

Dad’s family

It’s been difficult to determine which governmental record to pull out and show you for my Dad’s family. I really wanted to talk about my 3rd great grand uncle Theodore “Clay” LARKIN and the pardon he received in 1906 from the governor, but it would take some explanation to tell you why I used the Annual Report of the Attorney General to the Governor of the State of Ohio to write Clay’s story. I could tell you about my 2nd great grand uncle Willard “Red” Nelson DRAKE and show you the Ft. Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary inmate case file that was kept on Red. I could tell you about finding my Dad’s doctoral thesis paper online at a university library. I could even tell you about documents I used to help me unravel the occupational story of my 2nd great grandfather who worked for Tulsa Vitrified Brick and Tile Company in the old Greenwood section of Tulsa, Tulsa County, Oklahoma or the documents crucial to fleshing out the story of my 3rd great grandfather who had a run-in with the short-lived Liberal Republican Party in 1870.

I could tell you all those things but instead, I’m going to tell you about some unusual records I found at the National Archives facility in Fort Worth, Texas. I was researching my great grandfather, Ralph LARKIN. Another researcher had posted a photo identification on Ancestry for Ralph and I wanted a copy of the identification plus the health records that went with it. I couldn’t get a response from the other researcher so I began to look around for who might hold records like that. I found out National Archives in Fort Worth held Bureau of Mine records for Oklahoma. That’s what prompted a trip to NARA in Fort Worth, Texas. You can read more about that trip here. I didn’t find the photo identification I wanted but I did find some other very unique records. One of those was a hand-drawn chart tracking medical checkups/conditions for various mine workers in the Picher, Ottawa County, Oklahoma area.

nara picher clinic ralph larkin doc 2 — A hand-tabulated medical chart for a clinical study conducted by Dr. Frank V. MERIWETHER for Bureau of Mines’ Picher, Ottawa County, Oklahoma Clinic.

nara picher clinic ralph larkin doc — Close-up of Dr. MERIWETHER’s hand-tabulated chart showing entry for Ralph Larkin.

This one record was so unique and personal to my 2nd great-grandfather that it made the whole research portion of the trip worth going. Never underestimate the amount and type of information the government keeps on people. If you know how to find that information you will find some very unique and valuable records.

Bonus round for Dad’s family: While putting together this post, I learned that our John Bell Sr. was known for the suspicion that he was killed by the Bell Witch. Yes- THAT Bell witch. You can get a short synopsis of the Bell Witch legend at Wikipedia and then research it further from there. For whoever’s keeping count…that means I have witches/witch stories on both sides of my family!

Mom’s family

As with my Dad’s family, I could tell you about lots of unusual records I’ve found that tell me about my mom’s family history. School records hold a lot of data on a family with young children- families such as my grandparents’, Troy “Lum” and Jessie (RITER) BATES. Native American records hold a lot of valuable information you can’t find elsewhere and I treasure the records I’ve found for my 3rd great grandfather, Jefferson LATTY, and his mom Martha Frances “Fanny” (SCOTT) LATTY. I’ve even found the preacher’s license for my 3rd great-grandfather, Reverend Charles George SEELY, as well as receiving the church history records from the church he helped found and for which he was the first preacher. I’ve even found museum exhibits that gave me information about my REITER family history. I’m going to save all those records for another blog post because I want to tell you about one of the more interesting maps I’ve been able to use.

One resource that I’ve used from time to time are property maps. However, while recently searching for my mom’s family I found one that isn’t like any other property map I’ve found. It’s a “Settlement Map” for Franklin County, Virginia. Not only is it unusual, I was able to locate two lines of my mom’s family – the family of William TONEY (my 7th great-grandfather) and the family of Isaac BATES (my 6th great-grandfather). On the same map, I also located a line from my dad’s family – my 8th great-grandfather John GREER’s sons – along with a location named after my 7th great-grandfather Aquilla GREER)! Surprise!

Franklin County, Virginia Settlement Map

Encouragement

If you haven’t yet searched for maps online, I encourage you to look for them. There are so many interesting and unique maps online these days. Try searching for locations instead of people. One search term hint: try searching for a location plus the word map or a location plus a surname. Like this:

“Franklin County, Virginia” AND map

OR:

“Franklin County, Virginia” AND Toney

Using the quotation marks tells the search engine that every word inside the quotation marks must be found within a couple of words of each other instead of anywhere on the page in any combination. Adding the capitalized word ‘AND’ tells the computer that not only must it find the phrase in quotation marks, it must also find the other word on the same page. So for the first query, the search engine must find the phrase “Franklin County, Virginia” all together and your search results should only include pages that have that phrase PLUS the word ‘map’. Likewise on the second example except the word ‘Toney’ must be on the same page as “Franklin County, Virginia”. Learning to create better search terms helps you find information you would not otherwise find.

I’m wishing you all the best in your online searches this week! Try the examples above and see how it works for you. This will work on any search you do, not just genealogy searches. Try it out! If you find something wonderful- come back here and tell me about it!

Until next week,

Lisa @ Days of Our Lives blog

Where There’s a Will, There’s a Way to Find More Information About an Ancestor

I’m going all the way back to the first week in May to a blog theme that I missed. The theme was “Where there’s a will”. I decided to focus on my dad’s family again this week. The focus will be on Aquilla GREER Sr.- my 7^th great-grandfather. Follow the DRAKE line back through Eugene, then Mark, Alonzo, William, Ervin, and Braxton. Braxton married Martha Patsy GREER. Martha’s grandfather was Aquilla GREER Sr.

Gunpowder River falls, Baltimore County, Maryland.

Above photo is of the falls on Gunpowder River in Baltimore County, Maryland. Photo found at http://waterfalls.nature.st/Maryland/.
Aquilla GREER Sr. was born in 1716 at Gunpowder River,Baltimore County, Maryland. In 1740, he married Elizabeth LOWE in Maryland. Together they had 8 or 9 children- James, Mary Sarah, Aquilla (my 6^th great-grandfather), Elizabeth, William, Moses (possibly the same person as Vinson or could be Vinson’s twin), Vinson, Asa, and Delila. Aquilla passed away on 8 April 1790. His will was recorded on 30 October 1790 in Greene County, Georgia. The will reads:

In the name of God, Amen. I Aquila Greer of Green County being of sound sense and memory thanks be to God, for the same, but calling to mind the uncertainty of this sublenary world and that all flesh must yield when it pleaseth God of his mercy to call do therefore make and constitute this my last will and testament, and desire it may be received as such.

First, I resign my soul to God from whence it came and my body to the earth to be buried at the discretion of wife and others executors hereafter named: and as touching my worldly estate, I dispose of it as followeth.

First my will and desire is that all my just debts be paid.

Item: I lend to my wife Elizabeth Greer all my Negroes and all my stock of horses, hogs and cattle together with all my household goods and furniture, during her life, and after her decease to be sold at the highest bidder.

Item: I give to my grandchildren, heirs of my son Aquila Greer, deceased. Five pounds apiece and no more and the rest of the money divided equally amongst all my children here name’d: Sary Haynes, James Greer, William Greer, Elizabeth Starkey, Vinson Greer, Delia Haynes, Asel Greer: and my will & desire is that my two sons James and William Greer be my executors of this my last Will & Testament.

In Witness hereof I hereunto do set my hand & seal this eighth day of April one thousand seven hundred and ninety. Aquila Greer (L.S.)

Signed, sealed in presence of us John Aikens – Thomas Cane – Will. Greer

The above is a true copy of the Original which was proven & approved the 30th Octr. 1790 in the presence of the legatees who acknowledged the same. Letters Testamentary granted & a warrant of appraizment directed unto messrs. P. Hunter ) Jas Thomson ) Jas. Jackson )

Recorded the 6 th Noven: 1790 by. Will. Phillips R. Pro.

Later there was an appraisal of the property Aquilla owned at the time of his death. It reads:

A Record of the Inventory & Appraizments of Aquilla Greer’s, deceased Estate L# S D

Missan 60 – –

Susanna 35 – –

Cloe 35 – –

Richard 40 – –

Leonard 40 – –

Peter 75 – –

6 head of horses 60 – –

17 head of Cattle 23 – –

1 Rifle gun #3.10. one smoothe con D. w/- 4 – –

1 Chest 20/- one small trunk 5/- 1 – –

1 Case of bottles 12/- One silver watch #400 4 – –

1 Pair of money scales & weights 15/-Cash #2507 26 2 –

2 Beds & furniture 18 – –

6 Hoes 15/- 6 Axes 31/- 2 6 –

1 X Cut saw 10/- One Bever Trap 7/6- – 17 6

3 Trowel hoes 20/- One Barrshear 40/- 3 – –

1 Frs. 2/6 One pair wedges 2/6- – – – 5 –

1 Dozen pewter plates – 18 –

3 Dishes 10/6. Eleven spoons 2/6 – 13 –

3 Basons 7/- Two Ds. 5/-One Candlestick 2- – 14 –

1 wagon, four sets of geer, cloth & Lock chain 25 – –

1 Pair of stealyards 11-/- One foot adze 5/- – 19 –

1 Pair of spoon moulds, nippers & ladle – 12 6

3 Augers 7/- One handsaw 2/6 — – 9 6

1 Round Shave & Padlock — – 4 6

1 Howell 2/6. One drawing knife l/6 – 4 0

1 Hammer l/8 Taper bit & Chisel 2/6 – 4 2

1 Gauge 1/- Case Knives & forks 7/- – 8 –

2 Mens Saddles 26/ One Womans Do. 15/ 2 1 –

1 Jointer 2/6 One Inkstand 2/6— – 5 – #461 .. 0 .. 2

1 Spur l/6. One spice mortar 7/- – 8 6

1 Sugar box 10/- One tin Jack 2/6 – 12 6

1 Razor & hone 3/- Sundry Books 10/- – 13 –

Teapot, Cups & saucers 6/ small trunk 2/ – 8 – 2 .. 2 .. 2 –

#463 .. 2 .. 2 –

1 Pair chards 5/. sheep shears 2/- – 7 –

1 Pair sheers & Looking glass 2/- – 2 –

2 Chares 5/- Pan & Skillet 4/- – 9 –

1 Pair tongs 3/- Six Bells 20/- 1 3 –

2 Potts, 1 oven 42/- Smith’s tools 10/ 2 12 – –

Leather 10/- 40 head of Hoggs 120/- 6 10 –

1 Pair Saddle bags 8/- – 8 –

1 Bond of Twelve wt. Tobacco #6..0.. 6 – – # 17.. 11 .. 0 ====

Amts. #480.. 13.. 2 A just & True Appraizment of the Estate of Aquilla Greer, decea
‘sed Phillip Hunter ) James Thomson ) Sworn Appraisers James Jackson )

A true copy of the Original, Recorded within the limits of the time prescribed by law. By – Wm. Phillips R. Pro.

You may have wondered back at the beginning of Aquilla’s will how many servants he had and what might be learned about them. If you’ll remember, the first few lines of the appraisal of his property named them. I missed that the first time around. I knew there were names in the will but didn’t realize that the appraisal was naming Aquilla’s servants and assigning them value. I guess that indicates the difference in my view of people as property versus the 18^th century view of people as property. In case you missed it, the slaves were:

Missan (or Massaw)

Susanna

Cloe

Richard

Leonard

Peter

Aquilla was a Revolutionary War Patriot. He took the Oath of Allegiance in 1777. He provided food and beef for soldiers in 1781.

I learned a little more about Aquilla from reading his will and associated papers. I learned that he had the tools he needed to care for his livestock. He also had a few blacksmithing and woodworking tools on the list. He considered himself a Christian. Please note that we cannot judge an 18^th century ancestor by 21^st century norms and culture. Obviously today, we would not even consider having slaves but in Aquilla’s time, that was the norm for someone with a lot of land and livestock. I do wish that his slaves had been set free instead of sold, but again- that wasn’t the norm and had he set them free it might possibly have been a death sentence to them since they would probably not have been able to find work to support themselves as free people. Aquilla’s life began and ended well in advance of emancipation. Last week I said I didn’t have any rich ancestors but from the looks of Aquilla’s documents and what is recorded about him, he had quite a bit of property.

I like that he provided for the payment of all his debts and the support of his wife for the duration of her life. I love that he included his deceased son, Aquilla GREER Jr., by including Aquilla Jr.’s children in the will. This is an issue that I have had to grapple with in my own life.

I wonder what I would feel like if I knew that after my passing all my worldly possessions would be itemized, assigned an appraised value, and published for the world to see. I’m a pretty private person. I don’t think I would like that at all. Many of the things I own have purely personal, emotional value and would not be worth anything to most people. It reminds me that I need to get my video inventory done sooner rather than later. I have family treasures and if I don’t label them, no one will know they were important. I’m attaching some photographs of items that are dated around 1790 that showed up on Aquilla’s appraisal list. Please note: these are not, to my knowledge, the actual things Aquilla owned. These are just photographs of similar items. One of the items that left me wondering was the “tin jack”. If anyone knows what a tin jack is- let me know!

Inkstand, circa 1790

Pewter Plate, circa 1790

Rifle, circa 1790

Spoon mold, circa 1790

Silver sugar box, circa 1790

Sugar nippers, circa 1790

Steelyards, circa 1790

I hope you’ve enjoyed learning a little about Aquilla through his will. Take some time this week to inventory your family treasures so that after your passing they will continue to be handed down and loved for generations to come.