Early Kentucky Settler Alexander Adams

Alexander Adams in Fayette County, Kentucky, 1787‒1805

Jean M. Hoffman, CG

Alexander Adams was “one of the first settlers” in the Lexington area living there by 1787.¹ He didn't apparently own land in the early years but he did have political opinions. He signed a counter-petition to the Virginia legislature—while Kentucky was still part of Virginia—on 24 October 1788 against a petition to divide Fayette County. Levi Todd, the county clerk, was the third to sign the counter-petition. The man signing after Alexander was his son-in-law, Robert Eckles.² Most years from 1789 through 1795 they appeared on the same book and page in the roughly alphabetic county tax rolls as Robert was listed as “Ackles.” Neither was taxed on land, just one white male over 21 and livestock.³

Where He Lived

Alexander Adams lived “at M’Connel’s mill near Lexington” in 1795. He placed an ad in the newspaper with a reward for return of two horses strayed or stolen from there on 17 February 1795.⁴ McConnell's mill may have been in the vicinity of McConnell Springs Park in the current city of Lexington but outside the original town site.⁵ Robert Eckles also lived near McConnell's mill in 1791 when Lexington was surveyed in a rough circle two miles across. Beginning on Main Street southeast of the courthouse and continuing clockwise, the description eventually included these bounds: “northeast of the old Leestown road, crossing the head of McConnell's mill pond at 45 poles; thence north 56¼, east 125 poles to post, passing and leaving out Eckle’s and Brown’s plantations.” The drawing illustrates two dwellings outside the perimeter northwest of Lexington and north of the Town Branch.⁶ With no other records of the surname Eckles in Lexington at this time, this is undoubtedly the location of the home of Robert Eckles near McConnell’s mill.

Alexander Adams purchased Lot No. 17 in the town of Lexington from John and Penelope Harrison for 20 pounds current money in October 1796.⁷ He first appears in the tax rolls for the town of Lexington in 1796 when he was described as a “very old man” with tax on three town lots and four cattle.⁸ Alexander and his wife Ann sold a portion of Lot No. 17 to Benjamin Love on 14 November 1800.⁹ Lot 17 was described in 1796 as bounded by Upper and Second Streets measuring four poles (66 feet) on Upper Street and ten poles (165 feet) on Second Street. The portion they sold in 1800 was twenty feet in front and sixty-six feet back. The neighbors were Vanpelt on the southwest, John Keizer on the northeast, the cross street, and Alexander Adams on the northwest.

Death in 1805
Alexander Adams died in January 1805 at age 85 according to the newspaper death notice.¹⁰ If his age was correct, he was born around 1719. Invitations to attend his funeral were printed and delivered, the funeral held at his house in Lexington at 10:00 am on Saturday, 12 January 1805.¹¹ He had written his last will and testament on 23 December 1799. It was presented for probate in May 1805 and Isaac McIsaac, one of the witnesses, testified to its authenticity. An executor named in the will, John Maxwell, went to court and refused to take on the execution of the will.¹² An inventory of the estate was ordered to be taken in the July 1805 term of court. His estate was appraised at 603 pounds, 12 shillings, 9 pence by Thomas Wallace, George Trotter Sr, George Trotter Jr, and James McCoun on 20 January 1807, the inventory recorded at the May 1807 session of court.¹³

Miscellaneous household goods, many described as old, two pots as damaged, and some bedding as much worn, made up a small value of the inventory. Furniture was given a greater value, but all together the personal property came to very little. A cow and calf listed at 2 pounds, 14 shillings, were the only livestock. A set of six blue-edged dessert plates might imply a once higher level of goods. Other interesting items include a gold scale with a part of the weights, one sheep shears, an old spinning wheel, and a reel. Since the inventory was two years after Alexander’s death, part of his personal property may have been distributed or claimed by his widow. No clothing was listed. Real estate was where the money was. The house and lot in Lexington came in at 225 pounds. Outlying lots were a surprise given the lack of tax records on land outside of town. There were two adjoining Mrs. Megowan’s meadow valued at 270 pounds and one adjoining Mrs. McNair’s locust lot at 90 pounds.

Alexander’s estate was for his widow’s use during her life and after her death to be divided equally among his daughters Mary Milligan, Jane Eason, Eleanor Steele, and his grandson Alexander Eckles, son of his daughter, Agnes (Nancy) Eckles.¹⁴ Ann Adams was granted her petition for administration of the estate of her late husband Alexander Adams. She entered into bond with Andrew McCalla and William Millegan as her securities in the penalty of 1,000 pounds on 08 July 1805 in Fayette County.¹⁵ Benjamin Stout, Samuel Ayres, Matthew Elder and James Morrison, or any three, were appointed on 10 April 1808 to examine and settle the accounts of Ann Adams, executrix of Alexander Adams, deceased, and make a report.¹⁶

Though Alexander Adams was considered quite elderly when he died in 1805, his widow Ann outlived him by many years. She was head of a household of three in 1810¹⁷ and lived alone in 1820.¹⁸ She probably didn't die until about 1827 when she was last in the tax rolls.¹⁹ Alexander would have been 107 then if 85 as reported when he died, so Ann was likely considerably younger. She could still have been the mother of his daughters, but might have been a later wife.

Endnotes:
All online images reviewed 8 January 2023.

1. Fayette County, Kentucky, Tax Assessor, Tax Books, 1787‒1797 and 1799‒1804; Family History Library (FHL) film 2110987, DGS 7833953 (https://www.familysearch.org/search/film/007833953), image 14 (1787), image 96 (1788).
2. Inhabitants of Fayette County: Counter-Petition, Kentucky Counties, 24 October 1788, Legislative Petitions Digital Collection, Library of Virginia, Richmond, Va. (https://lva-virginia.libguides.com/petitions); citing Legislative Petitions of the General Assembly, 1776‒1865, Accession Number 36121, Box 287, Folder 79, microfilm reel 229.
3. Fayette Co., Tax Books, 1787‒1797 and 1799‒1804; FHL film 2110987, DGS 7833953, image 135 (1789), 225 (1790), 262 (1791), 272 (1792, Ackles), 286 (1792, Adams), 322 (1793, Ackles), 336 (1793, Adams), 370 (1794), 431 (1795), names in alphabetic grouping by surname initial.
4. “Five Dollars reward,” Kentucky Gazette, Lexington, Ky., 7 March 1795, p. 2, col. 4; (https://kentuckynewspapers.org/view.php?id=xt737p8tbg2q).
5. National Park Service, “Lexington, Kentucky: The Athens of the West,” A National Register of Historic Places Travel Itinerary (https://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/lexington/mcc.htm), McConnell Springs.
6. George W. Ranck, The History of Lexington, Kentucky, Its Early Annals and Recent Progress . . . (Cincinnati, Ohio: Robert Clarke & Co., 1872), 166‒67, citing Trustees’ Book for 1791 survey and drawing.
7. Fayette County, Ky., Deed Book A:466‒67, Harrison to Adams, 1796, recorded 1797, County Clerk, Lexington, Ky.; FHL film 8679, DGS 8141011 (https://www.familysearch.org/search/film/008141011), images 262‒63.
8. Fayette County, Tax Books, 1787‒1797 and 1799‒1804; FHL film 2110987, DGS 7833953, image 525 (1796).
9. Fayette County, Ky., Deed Book C:365‒66, Adams to Love, 1800, County Clerk, Lexington, Ky.; FHL film 8685, DGS 8336982 (https://www.familysearch.org/search/film/008336982), images 213‒14.
10. “Died (Alexander Adams),” Kentucky Gazette, Lexington, Ky., 15 January 1805, p. 3, col. 1; (https://kentuckynewspapers.org/view.php?id=xt7wwp9t2d5t).
11. James D. Birchfield, editor, A Collection of Lexington, Kentucky, Funeral Invitations, 1802‒1846 (Lexington, Ky.: Special Collections & Archives, University of Kentucky Libraries, 1999), p. 17, item 5.
12. Fayette County, Ky., Order Book 1:274, will of Alexander Adams, May 1805, County Clerk, Lexington, Ky.; FHL film 232704, DGS 7646993 (https://www.familysearch.org/search/film/007646993), image 167.
13. Fayette County, Ky., Will Book A:408‒09, Inventory of Alexander Adams estate, 1807, County Clerk, Lexington, Ky.; FHL film 2111465, DGS 7553686 (https://www.familysearch.org/search/film/007553686), image 239.
14. Fayette County, Ky., Deed Book 5:112, Agnes Eckles to Fulton Thompson, 1829, County Clerk, Lexington, Ky.; FHL film 8697, DGS 8141012 (https://www.familysearch.org/search/film/008141012), image 304. Deed explains terms of missing will of Alexander Adams.
15. Fayette County, Ky., Order Book 1:291, petition of Ann Adams, July 1805, County Clerk, Lexington, Ky.; FHL film 232704, DGS 7646993 (https://www.familysearch.org/search/film/007646993), image 176.
16. Fayette County, Ky., Order Book 1:535, settle Adams estate, April 1808, County Clerk, Lexington, Ky.; FHL film 232704, DGS 7646993 (https://www.familysearch.org/search/film/007646993), image 299.
17. 1810 U.S. census, Fayette County, Kentucky, Town of Lexington, p. 757 (penned), line 13, Ann Adams; digital image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7613); from NARA M252, roll 6.
18. 1820 U.S. census, Fayette County, Kentucky, population schedule, p. 63 (penned), line 9, Ann Adams; digital image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7734); from NARA M33, roll 17.
19. Fayette County, Tax Books, 1805‒1816; FHL film 2110988, DGS 8201647, image 42 (1805, Adams widow), image 240 (1807, Ann Adams), image 293 (1808, Ann Adams, wd), image 401 (1809, Ann Adams, widow), image 531 (1811, Ann Adams), image 652 (1812), image 847 (1814), image 1041 (1815), image 1073 (1816). And, Fayette County, Tax Books, 1817‒1827; FHL film 2110989, DGS 8339272, image 7 (1817), image 117 (1818), image 370 (1820), image 491 (1821), image 563 (1822), image 647 (1823), image 726 (1824), image 1050 (1827). Then, Fayette County, Tax Books, 1828‒1839; FHL film 2110990, DGS 8309527, image 7 (1828, heirs of Alexr. Adams). Ann Adams taxed 1805 to 1824 and in 1827 then apparently heirs of Alexr. Adams in 1828. Plus, Deed Deed Book 5:112, Agnes Eckles to Fulton Thompson, 1829.

Photo Treasure: Matilda McClintock Scott

Jean M. Hoffman

I wrote before of finding a Kentucky relative, Matilda McClintock Scott (1809-1902), living in East Cleveland, Ohio, and buried in Lake View Cemetery. (Here)That post was discovered by a descendant of Matilda, through her son, who contacted me. In our subsequent discussions I was told of a photograph of this relative. It is especially interesting by not showing a stern expression so common in old pictures. She is shown with her knitting and nearly smiling. I was given permission to share this treasure.

The reverse was annotated by Matilda's granddaughter, Ellen Scott. She wrote:

“Grandma Scott of Paris, Ky—Matilda McClintock Scott. Don’t know when she died.

Was about 90 yr. old at Cleveland, Ohio—lived at time of death with her daughter.”

The photograph is on a backing that has an embossed stamp. Normally that would identify the photographer or studio and I enlarged it to see what I could learn. It reads:

HREDMON at the top

CYNTHIANA, KY below and in the middle on either side of the image

18 - 98.

There were photographers named Hope Redmon in Cynthiana, a father who died in October 1898¹ and son, also Hope Redmon (1854-1917).² Perhaps Matilda was still in Kentucky in 1898 for the photo before going to live with her daughter in East Cleveland, Ohio.

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1. Harry G. Enoch, Family History of George and William Redmon of Pennsylvania and Kentucky (n.p, n,p,, 2006); digital images, Google Books (from Lulu.com, 2015) (https://www.google.com/books/edition/Family_History_of_George_and_William_Red/9Z9hCgAAQBAJ?hl=en : viewed 10 July 2021), p. 173, Notes for Charles Hope Redmon.

2. “Kentucky, U.S., Death Records, 1852-1965,” Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/1222 : viewed 10 July 2021) > Death Certificates, 1911-1965 > 1914- > Film 7016200: All Counties > image 3301, Certificate of Death no. 32996 (1917), Hope Redmon.

Sheriff Sold New Windsor Land of David Wright in 1836

 Probably He is NOT my Mary's Mr. Right

Jean M. Hoffman

Who was the father of Mary, the second wife of Moses Nichols (1775-1822) of Newark, New Jersey and New Windsor, Orange County, New York? They were married about 1812 and she died in 1827. Follow the Wright label to see earlier articles on her possible father. As previously noted, online trees give her maiden name as Mary Ann Wright with exact dates of birth, marriage and death. None of them lead back to the origin of that data but I do not find other sources for her birth and marriage dates. The exact nature of the data suggests an origin like a family bible. Also the trees give her oldest son Aaron the middle name of Wright. I haven't found his middle name, but the initial is documented as W.ⁱ Naming patterns for this family are consistent with his middle name being her maiden name.

For some time I have tried to determine if David Wright of New Windsor was her father. He had a daughter named Mary who was baptized 28 May 1780 while the Mary Ann (Wright) Nichols of the online trees was born 29 January 1780. It seemed a possible relationship. No probate record for David Wright of New Windsor appears in Orange County, New York for the time period. I found no deed with a Wright as the seller transferring ownership of his land that might have shed light on his heirs.

Land Records Can Reveal Relationships

A course in land and property records at GRIPⁱⁱ in July put me on the right track for finding a deed selling David Wright's land. I created a table for the land transactions of the Wrights in New Windsor, focusing not on one person but on one original land purchase in 1774. The table began as filled in below where DB is Deed Book.

 

During the class I asked about land ownership maps for New Windsor. Different sites were suggested and at the Library of Congress website I found a map for Orange County published in 1851.ⁱⁱⁱ The parcels are not drawn but owners' names are arranged on the map (below). Town records associate David and John Wright with the Washington Square and Silver Stream portions of New Windsor. I did an overlay of my plat of the Wright land^iv and found only one place, just north of the Washington Square area that it seemed to fit (regardless of the relative scale that I had not taken into account.)

 

An owner in the area of the overlay (red lines) reads: “Heirs of T. Hyatt.” The land table above shows the portion of the land owned by John Wright was sold after his death to Thomas Hyatt in 1840 and resold by Hyatt heirs in 1850, the map still showing the heirs as owners. Below the Hyatt name is “J. Patton” in what could be the land of David Wright. That was now a name to find in the grantee index of Orange County deeds. There are many entries there for a James Patton buying land. One in the 1830s is from the sheriff. The next one is from an Isabella Wright of Newburgh.^v A sheriff's deed looked very promising.

The deed^vi reveals that Orange County Sheriff, Charles Niven, acted on a writ of fieri facias from the New York Supreme Court of Judicature^vii at the suit of Townsend Wright plaintiff against David Wright, David Wright son of Nathaniel Wright, Henry Wright, Eriston Wright, Robert Wright, and David Vance devisees terre-tenants, and Robert Wright tenant of David Wright, deceased, defendants.^viii The deed tells no more about the identities of the parties to the suit. The lands owned by David Wright in 1828 were the object of the writ but the action came in 1836 when the sheriff held a sale in Newburgh at which James Patton had the highest bid. When the parties did not redeem the lands as was apparently possible under the law, the sheriff signed the deed in 1837 though it was not recorded until 1838. The later quit claim deed from Isabella Wright is for the same land of David Wright, but sheds no light on her identity.^ix Plats of the land in these deeds are identical to those of the earlier deeds. The blank in the land table now should contain these entries:

 

Who Are these Parties to the Suit?

Nathaniel Wright was a resident of Warwick, another Town of Orange County.^x He is purported to be a son of David Wright.^xi Plaintiff Townsend Wright was possibly a son of Nathaniel and resident of Warwick.^xii Two names stand out among the many defendants.

Eriston Wright is undoubtedly the Aristen Wright of a DAR application for the patriot David Wright through his son Benjamin.^xiii Likely this Benjamin Wright was in New Windsor in 1810.^xiv He died in Newburgh in Orange County before 14 January 1819 when his widow Jane received letters of administration.^xv In 1820 she was head of a household with four children.^xvi Aristen was one of them according to the application.

A descendant of Moses Vance and Mary Wright, a New Windsor couple, had by 2018 concluded that this Mary was most likely David Wright's daughter Mary.^xvii The couple had a son Benjamin Vance whose death record reportedly names his parents. Only the index is online for the death record so I have not seen it yet.^xviii Online trees name the oldest son as David Vance and the mother's death before 1825.^xix In possible support of the Vance connection though not quite the same, the DAR application names a daughter of David Wright as Hannah, wife of David Vance. No daughter Mary was named.

What Do the Names Mean?

To learn the nature of the suit and relationships of the parties the court records at the New York State Archives need to be consulted.^xx However, it seems likely that defendants “Eriston” Wright and David Vance were both grandsons of David Wright of New Windsor, sons of two of his children who predeceased him. If that is the case, unless he had two daughters named Mary, David Wright of New Windsor is NOT the father of Mary, second wife of Moses Nichols of New Windsor.

Learning more about these New York courts, finding, and understanding the court records or related data is a next step needed along with checking county circuit court records.

Endnotes

Referenced websites were viewed 23 August 2020.

i. For example: Orange County, New York, Letters of Guardianship B: 99, Aaron W. Nichols entry, (1829), Surrogate Court Clerk's Office, Goshen; and 1850 U.S. census, Hillsdale County, Michigan, population schedule, Jefferson Township, page 373 (stamped), 745 (penned), dwelling/family 4, Aaron W. Nichols household; digital image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/8054); from NARA M432, roll 351.

ii. Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh (GRIP), “Get Your Hands Dirty: A Workshop in Land and Property Records,” Kimberly Powell, Coordinator, 2020, https://www.gripitt.org/.

iii. J. C. Sidney, Cartographer, Map of Orange County New York: from actual surveys (Philadelphia: Newell S. Brown, Publisher, 1851); digital image, Library of Congress (https://www.loc.gov/item/2013593254/).

iv. Jean M. Hoffman, “Researching New York at WRHS: The Case of John Wright (ca. 1753–1838) of New Windsor, New York, WRHS Genealogy Bulletin 35, no. 3 (Fall 2016): 1, see plat.

v. "United States, New York Land Records, 1630-1975," FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9WF-PW9P?i=247&cc=2078654&cat=168957), digital film 007157750, image 248, Orange County Grantee Index 1, I-Z, 1703-1869.

vi. "United States, New York Land Records, 1630-1975," FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9WF-Y6Q5?i=111&cc=2078654&cat=16895), digital film 007159915, image 112,Orange County Deeds 62: 164–65, Sheriff Charles Niven to James Patton, 1837 (land of David Wright).

vii. “New York State Supreme Court of Judicature (Geneva) Writs of Execution,” New York State Archives (https://iarchives.nysed.gov/xtf/view?docId=ead/findingaids/J0025.xml), for definitions: “Writs of fieri facias command a sheriff to levy the amount of judgment from the judgment debtor.”

viii. Henry Campbell Black, A Dictionary of Law (St. Paul, Minn. : West, 1891), 1164, “terre-tenant” meaning, in a technical sense, one who is seised of the land but not actually occupying it.

ix. "United States, New York Land Records, 1630-1975," FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9WF-YN1T?i=187&cc=2078654&cat=168957), digital film 007159915, images 188-189, Orange County Deeds 62: 317–19, quit claim deed, Isabella Wright to James Patton, 1838.

x. "United States, New York Land Records, 1630-1975," FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9WF-LJNN?i=155&cc=2078654&cat=168957) digital film 007157794, image 156, Orange County Deeds Y: 302, quit claim deed, Nathaniel Wright of Warwick to John Mains of New Windsor, 1823. And, 1855 New York state census, Orange County, population schedule, 3^rd election district, town of Warwick, family 432, Nathaniel Wright household; digital image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7181).

xi. Francis Wright and Maude E. White Cleghorn, “Wrights of Long Island,” 14-page typescript of now unknown origin, photocopy provided to the author by the late Douglas W. Cruger (author A Genealogical Dictionary of Wright Families in the Lower Hudson Valley to 1800 (Bowie, Md: Heritage Press, 1987)) in 2015. And, membership application, Mirbell Shirey Pairan, National no. 226286, on David Wright (1745–1833, New York), National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, Library Record Copy Services (https://services.dar.org/public/dar_research/search_member/?Action=full&National_Number=226286).

xii. 1855 New Work state census, Orange County, town of Warwick, family 436, Townsend Wright, same page as note 10.

xiii. Membership application, Mirbell Shirey Pairan, National no. 226286, National Society DAR.

xiv. 1810 U.S. Census, Orange County, New York, town of New Windsor, page 286 (penned), line 27, Benjamin Wright; digital image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7613); from NARA M252, roll 29.

xv. "New York, Wills and Probate Records, 1659-1999," Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/8800) > Orange > Letters of Administration, Vol E, 1815-1827 > image 132, Orange County Letters of Administration E: 116, Benjamin Wright entry, 1819.

xvi. 1820 U.S. census, Orange County, New York, population schedule, town of Newburgh, page 503 (penned), line 4, Jane Wright; digital image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7734); from NARA M33, roll 64.

xvii. H. M. Chesi [e-address for private use] to author, e-mail, 4 July 2018, “New Windsor NY Wrights.....;” privately held by the author.

xviii. "New York, Death Index, 1852-1956," Benjamin H. Vance entry, New Windsor, New York (1893); database, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/61535).

xix. Henry Vance, compiler, “Vance Family Tree,” Benjamin Harvey Vance entry with numerous sources and citing a “Per Verified Transcript from Register of Deaths, Town of New Windsor” for birth and death information; Ancestry Trees (https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/25492793/person/26083084629/facts).

xx. For background and resources see: "Duely & Constantly Kept:" A History of the New York Supreme Court, 1691-1847 and An Inventory of Its Records (Albany, Utica, and Geneva Offices), 1797-1847 (Albany, NY: A Joint Publication of the New York State Court of Appeals and The New York State Archives and Records Administration, 1991); On-Line Book (http://www.nycourts.gov/history/legal-history-new-york/documents/History_Supreme-Court-Duely-Constantly-Kept.pdf). Also, John L. Wendell, Reports of Cases Argued and Determined in the Supreme Court of Judicature, and in the Court for the Trial of Impeachments and the Correction of Errors, of the State of New-York. 26 vols. Albany: 1829-42; digital versions, HathiTrust Digital Library(https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/009722372); search of term "Wright" did not locate related case in the 26 volumes.

A Place in the Family: New Windsor, NY

Years ago I wrote how naming patterns led me to find the New York origin of a Kentucky ancestor because he named his first son for his father: Moses Nichols > Charles Nichols > Moses Eckles Nichols. See the article: https://bluegrassandbuckeyeroots.blogspot.com/2013/05/moses-eckles-nichols-naming-patterns-to.html

July 19-24 I took a wonderful (virtual) class at GRIP (Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh) on Land and Property Records. During the class I found at the Library of Congress website an 1851 land owner map of Orange County, New York. It led me to a discovery that I need to update here. Meanwhile I've combined a photo of my great grandfather, Moses Eckles Nichols (1841-1908), with the map. Highlighted is the Town of New Windsor where his father, Charles Nichols was born in 1817.

This scrapbook page was done for a challenge at Oscraps.com.
Designer credits:
map of Orange County, NY, 1851, from Library of Congress: link
-frame & mask: 52 Inspirations No. 33, Framed Clipping Masks 01 by Snickerdoodle Designs
-postcard: 52 Inspirations No. 32, Decorated postcards by After Midnight Design
-brushes: 52 Inspirations No. 31, Summer No. 1 by Anna Aspnes
-transfers: 52 Inspirations No. 29, French market transfers by Vicki Robinson
-dots: 52 Inspirations No. 25, Gesso'd Marks by Viva Artistry
-transfer, brushes: ArtPlay Palette Milieu by Anna Aspnes
-snap, word strip: ArtPlay Palette Archive by Anna Aspnes
-word art: Milieu WordART Mix No. 1 by Anna Aspnes

font on the postcard: Amapola

Tombstone Tuesday: Bivin and Vorce, more Kentucky relatives buried in Lake View

I last reported that Kentucky relative Matilda McClintock Scott lived in northern Ohio and was buried in Cleveland's Lake View Cemetery. Today I visited a different section of the cemetery to locate the graves of Matilda's daughter Anna Elizabeth (Scott) Bivin and Anna's daughter and son-in-law Edwin Marvin and Carrie (Bivin) Vorce. I am learning about the life of Carrie, or Caroline as the gravestone reads, because she was also an artist. I'll report on her when I have more details.

Anna Elizabeth was born in Kentucky, but lived in East Cleveland by 1900 when her mother lived with her and also daughter Carrie and her husband. Anna's husband, James B. Bivin, apparently still lived in Kentucky until his death in 1918, so they may have been estranged.¹ Her gravestone is just right of the combined stone for Carrie and Edwin in Section 1, lot 300, which is near the Wade Chapel.

Carrie, also born in Kentucky, and her husband, Edwin, were married in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, in 1893.² They did not have children, so there is no more of her line to follow, but she is interesting enough by herself. She would be my second cousin, twice removed, but that is true in both the McClintock and Scott families.
_________________
1. "Deaths, Bivin," The Bourbon News, Paris, Kentucky, 5 November 1918, p. 4, col. 3.
2. "Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-2013," FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/search/collection/1614804 : viewed 6 October 2018) > Cuyahoga > Marriage records 1892-1893 vol 39 > image 227, Cuyahoga County Marriage Records, vol. 39: 348, Edwin M. Vorce and Carrie M. Bivin, 1893.

Tombstone Tuesday: Matilda McClintock Scott, a Kentuckian in Cleveland, Ohio

Matilda McClintock was born in July 1809, most likely in Bourbon County, Kentucky. She was a sister of my 2nd great grandfather, Samuel McClintock (1794-1827). She was the second wife of Francis Scott, a brother of another 2nd great grandfather, Thomas Scott (1810-1844). Matilda and Francis lived for a time in Fayette County, Kentucky,¹ but by 1870 she was an apparent widow living in a neighboring county in the Buena Vista District of Harrison County, Kentucky.² The post office there was called Shady Nook, formerly Scott's Station.³ In 1880 she lived there alone but with nearby Scott families.⁴

I believe all of her McClintock siblings are buried in Bourbon County, mostly in the county seat of Paris. It was therefore a big surprise to learn she lived in East Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio, in 1900. A widow, she lived with her widowed daughter, Anna Elizabeth (Scott) Bivin.⁵ Matilda died two years later on 14 April 1902 at age 92, cause listed as  "old age."⁶ She was buried in Lake View Cemetery at the corners of Cleveland, East Cleveland, and Cleveland Heights. The cemetery index lists her as Matilda M. Scott,⁷ but when I finally saw her gravestone, I was delighted to see it reads "Matilda McClintock Scott."

My McClintock grandfather was born in 1867 and lived near Matilda's home. She was still there when he was thirteen, so I'm sure he knew her. She was his father's aunt and his mother's aunt by marriage. I hope to learn more about her daughter and when and why they came from Kentucky to northern Ohio.
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1.1850 U.S. census, Fayette County, Kentucky, population schedule, District 1, page 188A, dwelling 1105, family 1110, Francis Scott household; digital image, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : viewed 4 September 2018); from NARA M432, roll 199.

2.1870 U.S. census, Harrison County, Kentucky, population schedule, Buena Vista District, post office Cynthiana, page 96B, dwelling/family 10, Matilda Scott household; digital image, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : viewed 6 September 2018); from NARA M593, roll 468, imaged from FHL microfilm 545,967.

3. William Henry Perrin, History of Bourbon, Scott, Harrison and Nicholas Counties, Kentucky (Original edition published in 1882 by O.L. Baskin & Co., Chicago; reprint Easley, S.C.: Southern Historical Press, 1979), 311-12.

4. 1880 U.S. Census, Harrison County, Kentucky, population schedule, Buena Vista District, ED 101, page 54B, dwelling/family 16, Matilda Scott household; digital image, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : viewed 6 September 2018); from NARA T9, roll 418.

5. 1900 U.S. census, Cuyahoga County, Ohio, population schedule, East Cleveland Village, ED 215, sheet 25B, dwelling 564, family 579, Annie E. "Bibin" household; digital image, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : viewed 6 September 2018); from NARA T623; imaged from FHL microfilm 1,241,260.

6. "Died, Scott," Plain Dealer, Cleveland, Ohio, 16 April 1902, p. 6. Also, "Ohio, County Death Records, 1840-2001," FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/search/collection/2128172 : viewed 6 September 2018) > Cuyahoga > Death records, 1898-1902 > image 787, Cuyahoga County Record of Deaths, p.494 , Matilda Scott entry, 1902.

7. "Auto Graver," contributor, Lake View Cemetery gravestone (Matilda M. Scott), database, Find A Grave (www.findagrave.com : viewed 6 September 2018), Memorial# 78155489.

Signatures of Grandfathers

I feel a special thrill seeing signatures of my ancestors. Yesterday I saw a document that has signatures of two ancestors of different generations of my Kentucky family.

My great grandfather, Moses Eckles Nichols, was just twenty-one when his father, Charles Nichols, died in 1862. He was the oldest child in the family and thus the only one of adult age. That must be why he was appointed administrator of his father's estate. His father died aged forty-five leaving no will. Moses was required to post an administrator bond. That document from the Scott County court contains his signature along with that of his sole surety, his maternal grandfather Charles Eckles, my 3rd great grandfather.¹

Charles was then seventy-four and the signature looks a bit wobbly, but quite legible. He spelled his surname Eckels as it appears in two signatures I have found of his father, Robert Eckles. Moses Eckles Nichols had it as his middle name, but spelled it the way I am used to it: Eckles. In that spelling it was passed down to his grandson as a middle name. That was my father so the name was always familiar.

1. ”Kentucky Probate Records, 1727-1990,” FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GP9G-Y8W?i=83&cc=1875188&cat=137670 : viewed 25 June 2018), digital film 004816099, image 84, Scott County Administrator Bonds, 1856-1874 (unpaginated), estate of Charles Nichols, 1862.