Comments on: Part 4: Ed Payne on Jones County Civil War Widows

By: renegadesouth

renegadesouth — Sun, 10 Mar 2013 02:17:58 +0000

Thanks for helping Jan out, Ed!

By: Ed Payne

Ed Payne — Sun, 10 Mar 2013 01:43:24 +0000

Jan:

There is a 1850 census record for Joseph Collins and wife Lavina (sic) Collins in Wayne County. Among their 5 children is a daughter also named Lavina, age 8. This would seem to match the “Levise Colling” and daughter “Levina Williams” whom you located on the 1860 census. On the 1850 census Joseph Collins reported being born in North Carolina ca 1790. He apparently moved to Mississippi sometime prior to 1830, since a match can be found in Wayne County on the 1830 and 1840 censuses.

Wayne county tax records could probably help clarify when Joseph arrived in Mississippi. In 1830, there were 3 Wayne County households headed by Collins males: Jacob, Joseph, and Robert. Whether there was any kinship connection among them is unknown to me.

After the death of Thomas Williams, his widow Lavinia re-married to Jeremiah Gregory (Find-A-Grave listed a “Jeromier Gregory”). She died in 1884. Both she and her second husband are buried in the Mt. Pleasant Cemetery, Stringer, Jasper County. One of the Find-A-Grave memorials cites Lavinia Collins’ mother’s maiden name as Lavinia Hetherington.

It would appear that if Joseph Collins was related to the Jones County Collins clan, it was a distant connection.

My initial check of the Fold3 military records did not find a match for this Thomas Williams, but I do some more digging.

Ed P.

By: renegadesouth

renegadesouth — Sat, 09 Mar 2013 19:58:29 +0000

Hi Jan

It’s nice to hear from you after so long a time! In response to the interesting info you provided, I checked my Collins files for any mention or listing of a Lavina, but found none. The geographic connections are certainly close enough to indicate a relationship, and there may indeed be one within some of the Collins branches that I have not researched extensively.

Perhaps another reader can add additional information that will shed light on Lavina Collins Williams and her Williams descendants.

Vikki.

By: Jan Coxey

Jan Coxey — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 20:11:42 +0000

Vikki or Ed,

Would you have any information on Thomas and Lavinia Collins Williams in your databases? Thomas Williams was born 1838 in MS. He was on the 1840 Clarke or Wayne County Census with his father, Sampson Williams, as the head of the household. He was on the 1850 Lauderdale County with his Mother Elizabeth Williams as the head of household.. He was on the1860 Clarke County Census as 22 yrs old and Lavina Williams 18 (born 1842) and Levise Colling (believe it should have been Collins) as the head of the household. They appear to be married living with her Mother. They had two children and the children are on the 1900 Beat 4, Jasper County Census. O. Williams is the head of the household and I believe the O is for Oliver. Oliver is married to Annie Hosey and Oliver’s sister M.L. (Mary) Williams is living with them. Thomas Williams is believed to have died in the Civil War as a Confederate. His brother John Wesley Williams and nephew Allen P Williams was in the 1 MS Cav Reserves, Co H but Broadfoot Publishing could not find anything on Thomas Williams. Thats about all I have, but would like to learn more and wondered if Lavenia Collins is connected to Sarah Collins, Jasper Collins or the others. I’d also like to learn more about Thomas Williams service in the Confederacy. I have no reason to believe he was a Southern Unionist but don’t rule anything out. Oliver Williams is buried in the Union Seminary Cemetery, Moss, Jasper County, MS and his headstone is in Find A Grave.
If any of this information matches up with something you have I would appreciate any information or advice you can give me. Thanks!

By: Roz Morgan Newell

Roz Morgan Newell — Sun, 27 May 2012 15:13:58 +0000

I enjoyed ALL DATA, I am the granddaughter of Poline Sumrall who’s men relatives were Jeff and Willie Sumrall buried at Clark cemetery, Jones county Ms. OFF LOWER Myrick Rd.
My grandmother Poline is buried at the Myrick cemetery, Laurel, Ms. She married George Brown Morgan.. Poline’s sisters were Sally, Minnie, Susan Sumrall. many relatives to her were DUNAGIN’S & Clarks. NOT SURE HOW THOSE ARE SPELLED.
SUMRALLS BURIED AT CLARK CEMETERY, JONES COUNTY, MS.
All these people were born in the 1800′s.

By: renegadesouth

renegadesouth — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 22:54:07 +0000

Very interesting, indeed, Michael Hurdle! Thanks for sharing that information.

Vikki

By: Michael Hurdle

Michael Hurdle — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 21:45:37 +0000

In addition to the three children of Benjamin McCary listed above that grew to adulthood, I have information that their daughter Chloe, aged 8 in the 1860 Census of Choctaw County, MS, appears later in Jones County, MS as the wife of Joshua O. Holifield (imagine that). There are a lot of folks on Ancestry.Com that give her name as Chloe Salina McCary and claim that she was born 30 June 1852 in France, but that just doesn’t stack up with the Jones County, MS, census records. The date may be right, but she was clearly born in Alabama. Joshua and Chloe’s daughter Mary Catherine married Gillis Pinkney (“Pink”) Temples and they removed to Franklin Parish, LA, where they eventually become great-great-grandparents to country music star Tim McGraw. Now isn’t that interesting?

By: Penny Patrick Gunn

Penny Patrick Gunn — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 18:19:38 +0000

Hi, Mr. Ed Mauldin:
Would you be willing to share your info about Mr. Smith? He may be my great great great grandfather. My grandmother was Leona May Mauldin Patrick 1909-1977.

By: Tim Sumrall

Tim Sumrall — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 19:17:47 +0000

Dear Ed, I’m envious of your ability to sleuth around in history and find all this interesting information. I’m not nearly as good but thought some might be interested in this lengthy bit of information I found on Mobile & Ohio Railroad man Jacob Sumrall in “Biographical And Historical Memoirs of Mississippi, Part 2″
I get dizzy and confused with all the Elishas and Jacobs in so many different generations and so many degrees of relation, but thought someone could make use of this and determine just where this Jacob Sumrall fits in.
“Jacob Sumrall, a prominent farmer and miller of Clarke county, was born in that county November 28, 1835, the eldest of six children of Elisha Woods and Margaret (Watts) Sumrall. His father was born while his parents were en route from North Carolina to Tennessee, in 1809, a son of Levi and Agnes (Gibson) Sumrall. He was reared to farm life, and in 1832 settled with his parents in Clarke county, the father dying in that county in 1849. Mr. and Mrs. Sumrall were married in 1830, the mother having been a daughter of James and Nancy Watts. Her father was a native of South Carolina to moved to Georgia; her mother, born in South Carolina, came with her people to Mississippi at an early day, locating in Wayne County. There Mrs. Margaret Sumrall was born in 1815, and there married at the age of fifteen years. Mr. Watts was a planter all his life, and lived in Clarke County from 1836 to 1862, when he died, his wife having died the previous year. The father of our subject died in 1849. He was a life-long member, and from 1841 to the time of his death was a minister of the Baptist church. His mother is still living at the age of seventy-six, making her home with Jacob Sumrall. The six children born to this union were: Jacob, Nancy, Elisha, Elijah, John and James. Of these John, Jacob and James are living. Their maternal grandfather, James Watts, served in the Indian war. Mr. Sumrall was reared and educated in Clarke county. He entered the employ of the Mobile & Ohio Railroad company at the age of eighteen, remaining with that corporation twenty-one years, becoming one of their most trusted and popular conductors. In 1875 he resigned this position and was then engaged in farming and in the manufacture of turpentine until 1888. In 1890 he established a saw, gin and gristmill. He began to buy land in 1856 and gradually added to his possessions, until he is now the owner of about one thousand acres in Clarke county, about one-tenth of which is under cultivation. He is also largely interested in stockraising. In 1856 he married Mary, a daughter of Thomas and Lucinda (Raspberry) Sumrall, who were old residents in Clarke county, their grandparents having been pioneers in this state. Mrs. Sumrall was born in this county in 1837. She has presented her husband with seven children: Melissa E., now Mrs. Rogers, of this county: Gebu (John?), a resident of Texas; Rufus W. of Clarke county; Grace E., now Mrs. Meeks, also a resident of Clarke county; Milton B., Jerusha and Laura, who are living at home. Mrs. Sumrall is a member and her family are attendants upon the service of the Baptist church. Mr. Sumrall is a successful, selfmade man, who, while acquiring a competency for himself, has been liberal in his aid to all general interests. His public spirit is proverbial. Politically he is a democrat, a member of the Masonic order, also of the county fair committee, upon which he is active and influential.”

By: Ed Payne

Ed Payne — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 20:09:57 +0000

Some follow-up information about BENJAMIN MCCARY, brother of Nancy McCary Sumrall (et al): it appears this was another case of a brother-sister in one family marrying a sister-brother in another family. Benjamin married Margaret Sumrall while his younger sister Nancy married Margaret’s older brother Elisha. Both marriages seem to have taken place circa 1852.

I’ve found no evidence (yet) that this Benjamin McCary died as a result of service during the Civil War. Benjamin and wife Margaret were last documented on the 1860 census in Choctaw county, AL with their five children. Some Ancestry Public Trees associate him with the service records of a B.H. McCary who served in the 29 AL Infantry, Co H. But a much better claim can be made that this soldier was Benjamin H. McCary of Bibb County, AL. He can be found there on the 1860 census in the household of his parents, Martin and America McCary. He was captured in Nashville, survived imprisonment at Camp Douglas, IL, and then returned to AL where he died in 1922.

Of course, it was possible for people in the 1860s to die of causes other than war. What can be determined is that 3 of the 5 children listed on the 1860 household census of Nancy’s brother can be traced into adulthood:

TANDY C. MCCARY was born 1 Jul 1854. After the 1860 household census, he next appeared on the 1880 Wayne County census. He remained in Wayne County until his death, per his tombstone inscription, on 21 Dec 1928.

COLUMBIA ELIZABETH MCCARY was born 1 Dec 1855. She also re-emerged on the 1880 census for Wayne County. But other records show she had married Neil A. Kelly in Washington County, AL in 1873. She re-married to Stephen Lee Murphy in 1879. The couple moved to Jones County. Columbia died, age 93, in Bay Springs on 7 Dec 1948.

MARTHA MCCARY is the only child I’ve found on the 1870 census, living in the household of her Sumrall grandparents (Jacob and Mary). She had been born, per her death certificate, on 26 Jul 1859. She married Daniel C. Williams in Wayne County in Jul 1879. The couple moved to Forrest County where Martha died on 27 Aug 1921.