Ansearchin'" News
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The Tennessee Genealogical Magazine, "ANSEARCHIN'" NEWS ...... ...----- ... --- ,,. ....----- , 0 __e ... _--""- I' ... "...,.- .....--... - ..._--...- • , -"" ......- ... --- ... -- / ...--- ... ---- ----- -------- / ...--- ... ---- ----- ------- , ",...- ----- -----::...----- I' _--,- -----...---::----- , ,.",." ---- --::---- , .,- "" ... - --: -- ------------------. ~~::~~~---------------- Since 1954 ... For all 0/ Tennessee The Tennessee Genealogical Society P O. Box 111249 Memphis, Tn 38111-1249 Vol. 40, NO.2 Summer, 1993 THE TENNESSEE GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY P.O. BOX 111249 MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE 38111-1249 TELEPHONE 901 327-3273 1993 OFFICERS AND STAFF President Brenda Evans Johnson Vice President Harry Milton Cleveland Jr. Business Manager Lincoln Johnson Editor Betsy Foster West Librarian Recording Secretary Elizabeth R. Tolar Corresponding Secretary Treasurer Charles C. Yates Director of Surname Index Miriam Woods Dye Director of Membership Bradford Livingston Jarratt Director of Sales Sandra Hurley Austin Director of Certificates Beverly Smith Crone Director at Large Marilyn Johnson Baugus Director at Large Iona Fish Marbry EDITORIAL STAFF LIBRARY STAFF BUSINESS STAFF Gerry Byers Spence, G. Nelson Dickey, James Bobo Associate Editor Associate Librarian Judy Chambless Cleveland Martha McKenzie Carpenter Robert Chandler Linda Wylie Cochran Ella Reynolds Emery J.J.Dixon James nChris n Columbus Marion Frances Graves Lenore Geller Dorothy Carter Greiner Douglas Kendrick Mary Harris Hogard Wanda Hurley Hawkins Ersellee Moran Kendrick Charles P. Jester Geraldine Blanton Holstun Elizabeth Riggins Nichols Ruth Hensley O'Donnell William LeSueur Holstun Mary Florence Peek Ray Marcelle NBobbien Stigall Estelle Atkins Horn Margaret Norvell Sinclair Lucille Hastings Thompson Clarence W. Spence Jean Alexander West The Tennessee Genealogical Magazine, nAnsearchin,n News, is the official publica tion of The Tennessee Genealogical Society. All subscriptions begin with the first issue of the year. Non-delivery of a magazine should be reported to the Society within two months of the usual delivery date. There is a $3.00 charge for redeem ing and re-mailing any magazine returned for an incorrect address unless we are timely notified of an address change. Subscribers may submit one free query per year of fifty words or less; queries received by September 1 will be published in that calendar year. Contributions of all types of genealogical material will be accepted. We solicit previously unpublished Tennessee connected data, preferably with pre-Civil War dates, all subject to editing for style and to save space. Every effort is made to print accurate material correctly; however, neither The Tennessee Genealogical Society, uAnsearchin,n News nor the Editor can assume re sponsibility for contributor errors. Corrections of proven errors will be pub lished. Contributions are available in the society library for subscriber use. Books donated to our library by authors or publishers are reviewed in the earliest possible issue of the magazine. NAnsearchin,n News VOL. 40, NO.2, SUMMER 1993 The Tennessee Genealogical Magazine, NAnsearchin,n News, ISSN #0003-5246, is published quarterly in March, June, Septerrber and December for $20.00 per year by The Tennessee Genealogical Society, 3340 Pcplar Avenue, Merrphis, 'IN 38111. Second class postage paid at Merrphis, Tennessee. POSTMASTER: Please do not destroy; forwarding and return postage guaranteed; send address corrections to "Ansearchin'u News, P.O. Box 111249, Memphis, TN 38111. ©1993 by The Tennessee Genealogical Society 3 JUNE 1993 IDhr IDrnnr.a.arr C'rnralogind., f1lIlagai!inr" Mrs. Daniel E. West, Editor VOLUME 40 SUMMER 1993 NUMBER 2 - CONTENTS - OVER THE EDITOR'S DESK. 50 FAMILY GATHERINGS 51 Ashcraft, McDermott, Ghormley, Ely, Connell, and Lawrence TENNESSEANS LIVING IN RIPLEY COUNTY, MISSOURI IN 1850 AND 1860. 55 BEDFORD COUNTY, TENNESSEE DEEDS - 1809-1811 59 DEKALB COUNTY, TENNESSEE 1839 TAX LIST. .. 65 PETITIONS TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF TENNESSEE. 71 Montgomery, Carter, Grainger, Jefferson, Knox, Anderson and Hawkins Counties, and Hamilton District NEWS AND NOTES -A DIRECTORY OF PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED 76 TENNESSEANS IN ARKANSAS .... 77 INDEX TO PROBATE RECORDS IN MEMPHIS/SHELBY COUNTY, TENNESSEE ARCHIVES 83 BOOK REVIEWS. 89 QUERIES .. 92 CERTIFICATE OF TENNESSEE ANCESTRY .Inside Back Cover 50 "Ansearchin'" News OVER THE EDITOR'S DESK I don't believe I ever have met an amateur genealogist who wasn't happy to help another searcher by sharing information and experiences, particularly if they're working in the same area. And no matter how long we've been in the "game", we can always benefit from information about newly uncovered material or newly formed services and organizations. I recently participated in a genealogical workshop and remarked that I have trouble sorting out people of the same surname in northeast North Carolina. At the end of the session, a lady came to me with a brochure from a group that may not be new, but was unknown to me. I appreciate her kindness, and I will pass along to you the information which may be of use to other subscribers. Albemarle Antiquities, 208 Hwy fiB North, 1;.Jindsor, NC 27983 says "May we be of Service? It is often impossible to spend enough time here to do the necessary research to establish your family history. We have worked for more than 10 years in assisting people from allover America in their research on Bertie [Bertie Co NC}. Many have shared their data with us and added to the files of knowledge that exists on many families ...We have large amounts of original documents in our files dating 1780-1880, bearing signatures and dates. Our personal knowledge of the land, land history, maps and old homes often allows us to point out your place of origin." They offer research services in local sources and in census records. A preliminary survey of available information is free, and rates, based on actual hours expended (within pre-agreed limits), make the average investigation and report cost between $25.00 and $50.00. Although no mention is made of it in the brochure, I'm sure they will appreciate your SASE on a long envelope when you write them for a survey. Another researcher has furnished me with articles on the importance of gene alogy in some medical histories. In September of 1991, the University of California at Berkeley stated in its Wellness Letter: "One of the best presents you can give your children is a record of your family's medical tree. It should include the age at death and cause of death (as well as other medical problems) of your parents and siblings. Data on your grandparents may be helpful, but harder to uncover ...You may be able to get medical records from family members' doctors or from the hospitals where relatives died; the state health department can provide a copy of death certificates. Besides cancers, heart disease, and diabetes, you'll want to list high blood pressure, stroke, kidney disease, anemia, miscarriages, arthritis, epilepsy, osteoporosis, peptic ulcer, mental illness, and other major disorders that appear to "run in families." This spring, The Wall Street Journal added glaucoma to that list, saying: "Dr. Stone credited the discovery of the first glaucoma gene to a young man who walked into the University of Iowa clinic five years ago with a genealogy of his family for five generations drawn out on a yellow legal pad. The family has been haunted by an unusual type of glaucoma in which the eye disorder developed at an early age, usually by the early 20s ... " So ... the next time someone belittles your genealogical efforts, just say to them, "It's the healthful thing to do." Sununer 1993 51 FAMILY GATHERINGS Prepared for publication by Mary Florence Peek Ray THOMAS ASHCRAFT OF DECATUR COUNTY TENNESSEE - Contributed by Allen W. Whittemore 2015 Parkside Circle S, Boca Raton, FL 33486 Excerpts from a letter dated 18 June 1849, from Thomas Ashcraft to his nephew, Benjamin C. Ashcraft, are given here. Thomas announced his recent marriage to a widow, Mrs. Jane McCALL. He says her children are mostly grown except one daughter about fourteen who soon might come to live with them. His own children and grandchildren were all well when he last heard from them; "they are all scattered off at a considerable distance," except the youngest, Sally, who lives with her hus band in Decaturville, Tennessee. She is married to Samuel YARBRO who runs a store in Decaturville. Ashcraft states that cholera had been bad along the Tennessee River and in some of the towns. Ashcraft requests Benjamin to write of the health and concerns of his (Thomas') brothers and their families. Bad weather had ruined much of the crops around his place and he was selling what corn he harvested for $1.50 per barrel on credit, or $1.25 cash. He was only able to cut half the wheat crop he planted. He also wanted to know if the gold mine, which the nephew had written about, and which was found on a place Ashcraft formerly owned, had been productive. Another letter is addressed, "Thomas Ashcraft Esq., Beech River, Decatur County formerly Perry County, Tennessee." Inside it reads: "Register's office, Pontotoc, Mis(sissippi) I Andrew J. EDMONDSON, Register of said Office, do hereby certify that on the 22d February 1839 Thomas Ashcraft purchased of the Register of said office the North East quarter of Section No Ten of Six Range Nine East and on the 9 April 1842 a patent issued to him for the same as appears from the books of this office. Given under my hand this 16 April 1846. Andr J. Edmondson, Register" Thomas Ashcraft, born 2 Jan 1786 of Scotch parentage, married Temperance LUTON (LUTUR) the sister of Lemuel Luton of Perry Co., TN. She was born 3 March 1787; they lived in Decatur Co., where he was a well-to-do planter with a number of slaves. Temperance L. Ashcraft died 3 Aug 1846, and he later married Mrs. Jane McCall. Thomas died 22 Sept 1858, leaving an estate valued at a little less than $30,000.