Ruth Smith wife of Robert Graham was born 5 Dec 1813 in - and that is the
question.
Where was Ruth Smith born?
We don't have a lot of information about Ruth prior to her marriage to Robert Graham. We don't know who her parents were. Family tradition says
that her father was a trapper, but with a common last name it is going to be a
problem to discover her parents.
The first order of business is to determine where Ruth was born, and then
perhaps we can narrow down possible Smith families to discover which one she
came from. In looking over the available documents that list Ruth's
possible birthplaces we discover that there is no agreement and several
possibilities.
The 1850 (Jackson Parish, Louisiana) and 1860 (Rapides
Parish, Louisiana) censuses both show Ruth as being born in Kentucky.
This is significant because these are the only 2 records of her birth that were
created when she was still alive.
The 1870 Mortality Schedule for Rapides
Parish, Louisiana states that she was born in Mississippi. We don't know who
gave this information, but it couldn't have been Ruth, herself.
The only other documents listing possible birthplaces are the death certificates
of some of her children. The informants in some cases were her
grandchildren, and in other instances the relationship of the informant is
unclear, at this time. Of the 5 death certificates examined (William
Jackson Graham 1940; Julia Ann Willis, 1936; Emily Butter, 1933; Mary Ann
(Maggie) Willis, 1940; and Annie Willis, 1936) Alabama (3), Louisiana (1),
and Mississippi (1) were listed.
Looking back at the history of the Mississippi Territory at the time of
Ruth's birth in 1813, we find that it encompassed both of what we know as
Mississippi and Alabama. If Ruth were born in part of Mississippi that is
now Alabama, that could account for some confusion on the part of her
grandchildren. But other than Kentucky having once been part of Virginal
(before Ruth's birth), there shouldn't be any confusion with Kentucky and
Alabama or Mississippi.
My best "guess", at this time, is that Ruth Smith was probably
born in Kentucky as this is the only state listed on the censuses during her
lifetime. Perhaps this will change once more records and more of Ruth's family
is found.
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Saturday, November 3, 2012
William Jackson Graham - Laura Dyer Marriage
On th 24th of January 1870 Wm J. Graham and Laura Dyer were issued a marriage license in Rapides Parish, Louisiana. William Jackson Graham, son of Robert Graham and Ruth Smith was 26 years old and Laura Dyer, daughter of William Dyer and Mary Hurbert was 20 years old at the time of their marriage.
The Minister's Marriage Return tells us that they were married at the home of Laura Dyer's father William Dyer on 26 January 1870. There are 2 records of this marriage at the Rapides Parish courthouse. One is a handwritten statement and the other is the standard form. Both are essentially identical and we are left to wonder why 2 records were submitted.
Additional names to research from these records are: Wm Randolph, Thomas E. Randolph, F. Richard Barker, Mathew P. Willis
Records obtained from the Rapides Parish Courthouse, Alexandria, Louisiana.
The Minister's Marriage Return tells us that they were married at the home of Laura Dyer's father William Dyer on 26 January 1870. There are 2 records of this marriage at the Rapides Parish courthouse. One is a handwritten statement and the other is the standard form. Both are essentially identical and we are left to wonder why 2 records were submitted.
Additional names to research from these records are: Wm Randolph, Thomas E. Randolph, F. Richard Barker, Mathew P. Willis
Records obtained from the Rapides Parish Courthouse, Alexandria, Louisiana.
Friday, November 2, 2012
William Jackson Graham
As I started to review my records/files on William Jackson Graham, oldest son of Robert Graham and Ruth Smith I quickly realized that my assumption about his birthplace was wrong.
According to the 1850 census, Jackson Parish, Louisiana Wm J. Greyham was 7 years old and he was born in Louisiana. In fact, he was the first of Robert and Ruth's children to be born in Louisiana, which is important to know to try and pin down the year when the family moved from Mississippi to Louisiana.
Christiana E. age 8 was most likely born in 1842, and we know from William Jackson Graham's death records that he was born on 29 Oct 1843, which means that the family moved sometime in 1842 or before the end of Oct 1843.
His death certificate also states that he was born in Jackson Parish, Louisiana. The informant of the information on the death certificate was H. R. Graham (Hadley Robert Graham), one of William's sons.
However, Jackson Parish was not formed until 1845, so William could not have been born in Jackson Parish in 1843. Jackson Parish was created 27 February 1845 from Claiborne, Ouachita, and Union Parishes (1). Obviously, William Jackson Graham was born in one of these other parishes, but which one?
As a side note, William's younger sister Julia Ann also thought to be born in Jackson Parish was actually born 22 Feb 1845 which was just 5 days before the Jackson Parish was formed.
A quick online search of the BLM GLO for all land patents acquired by any Robert Graham turned up only 3 in Jackson Parish and 1 in Rapides Parish that could have been our Robert Graham. While these records do place the Robert Graham family in Jackson and Rapides Parishes at specific times, they do not help with the birthplace of either William Jackson or Julia Ann Graham.
On the 1850 Jackson Parish census Robert Graham is listed with real estate valued at $250. This would have been property he acquired prior to the earliest land patent in 1851. It is not know when he acquired this earlier property or in which parish -- Jackson or if before 27 Feb 1845, which parish.
The next steps will be to see if there are any courthouse records for Robert Graham in Jackson Parish and in any of the 3 prior Parishes (Claiborne, Ouachita, or Union) or perhaps church records of William and Julia Ann's baptisms.
More about William Jackson Graham in upcoming blog posts.
1. Family Search https://www.familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/Jackson_Parish,_Louisiana
According to the 1850 census, Jackson Parish, Louisiana Wm J. Greyham was 7 years old and he was born in Louisiana. In fact, he was the first of Robert and Ruth's children to be born in Louisiana, which is important to know to try and pin down the year when the family moved from Mississippi to Louisiana.
Christiana E. age 8 was most likely born in 1842, and we know from William Jackson Graham's death records that he was born on 29 Oct 1843, which means that the family moved sometime in 1842 or before the end of Oct 1843.
His death certificate also states that he was born in Jackson Parish, Louisiana. The informant of the information on the death certificate was H. R. Graham (Hadley Robert Graham), one of William's sons.
However, Jackson Parish was not formed until 1845, so William could not have been born in Jackson Parish in 1843. Jackson Parish was created 27 February 1845 from Claiborne, Ouachita, and Union Parishes (1). Obviously, William Jackson Graham was born in one of these other parishes, but which one?
As a side note, William's younger sister Julia Ann also thought to be born in Jackson Parish was actually born 22 Feb 1845 which was just 5 days before the Jackson Parish was formed.
A quick online search of the BLM GLO for all land patents acquired by any Robert Graham turned up only 3 in Jackson Parish and 1 in Rapides Parish that could have been our Robert Graham. While these records do place the Robert Graham family in Jackson and Rapides Parishes at specific times, they do not help with the birthplace of either William Jackson or Julia Ann Graham.
On the 1850 Jackson Parish census Robert Graham is listed with real estate valued at $250. This would have been property he acquired prior to the earliest land patent in 1851. It is not know when he acquired this earlier property or in which parish -- Jackson or if before 27 Feb 1845, which parish.
The next steps will be to see if there are any courthouse records for Robert Graham in Jackson Parish and in any of the 3 prior Parishes (Claiborne, Ouachita, or Union) or perhaps church records of William and Julia Ann's baptisms.
More about William Jackson Graham in upcoming blog posts.
1. Family Search https://www.familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/Jackson_Parish,_Louisiana
Thursday, November 1, 2012
What Happened to Sarah?
Sarah C. Graham (abt 1838 - after 1850), was the oldest daughter of Robert Graham and Ruth Smith.
Sarah C. Greyham appears on the 1850 census in Jackson Parish, Louisiana as an 11 year old born in Mississippi. This family is no doubt the same as Robert and Ruth Graham. All the ages and birthplaces of every family member matches those in future censuses.
She may also be the under age 5 female associated with a Robert Graham on the 1840 census in Scott County, Mississippi.
Sarah C. Greyham appears on the 1850 census in Jackson Parish, Louisiana as an 11 year old born in Mississippi. This family is no doubt the same as Robert and Ruth Graham. All the ages and birthplaces of every family member matches those in future censuses.
She may also be the under age 5 female associated with a Robert Graham on the 1840 census in Scott County, Mississippi.
Beyond these 2 records there is no hint as to what happened to Sarah C. Graham after 1850. In 1860, Sarah would have been 21 years old; was she already married when the rest of the family moved from Jackson Parish to Rapides Parish, Louisiana in 1860, or perhaps she died sometime between 1850 and 1860?
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