Ancestor Insight: John Burton Stewart

This week's Ancestor Insight might seem a little bare-boned. I really don't know too much other than the bare birth, marriage and death facts on my great grandmother Frances' Tennessee family. I will try to add a little context and try to create a story line. Well, here it goes:

John Burton Stewart was my 3^rd great grandfather. He was born on 8 September, 1854 in McNairy County, Tennessee to Fleetwood and Sarah Ann Stewart. John was raised in McNairy and Hardin Counties, Tennessee. Like many people of that time and place, John was a farmer.

Hester Ann Barnett, daughter of Jesse and Lethe Barnett, became his wife in 1876. He and Hester had eight children: Samuel, Martha, James, Lenora, Virgil, Hallie, Winnie and Jessie – some of the children were born in McNairy County, others in Obion County, and one in Dyer County, Tennessee.

In 1918 John became a widower, and John died on December 4, 1927 in Ridgely, Tennessee, aged 73. We have not been able to find a tombstone for John, and it's likely he's buried among the unmarked graves of the rural Tennessee cemeteries.

Published: 16 January 2015

My E-Mail: tylerjamesmccane@gmail.com

Next Week: Hester Ann Barnett Stewart, 3^rd Great Grandmother

Last Week: Mariah Elizabeth Southard

Ancestor Insight: Mariah Elizabeth Southard Couch Reed

Hi again! Welcome to another Ancestor Insight! Today I will be writing about my 3^rd great grandmother, Mariah Elizabeth Southard Couch Reed of Hopkins County, Kentucky.

Born to Fielding Grandison Southard and Margaret E Wheatley on December 25, 1864 in Hopkins County, Kentucky, was my 3^rd great grandmother, Miss Mariah Elizabeth Southard.

Mariah grew up on a farm in Hopkins County; Southard being a prominent name in that county. Her grandfather, Fielding Southard, came to that place from Madison County, Virginia. Mariah had six siblings: Martha, Malissa, William, Thomas, Charlotte and Joseph.

Hopkins County, Kentucky Map

On September 25, 1883, she was married to William Allen Couch, son of John and Alcy George Couch. Mariah was 18 and 9 months old. They had their first child, Vernia Hester Couch, in December of 1884. She then had 7 more children – 6 of them dying before adulthood.

William and Mariah separated sometime around late 1899-early 1900. We may never know why they separated, buy by 1902, Mariah was married to James Buchanan Reed. James and Mariah had two children – Jerome and Buchanan.

Mariah and children on the 1900 Hopkins County Census, living with an aunt-in-law

Mariah died at the age of 68 on January 6, 1933 in Hopkins County. Here is the obituary that ran in The Daily Messenger in Madisonville, Kentucky on January 6th:

“Mrs. Mariah Reed, 68, widow, Carbondale section, died at her home at 8 o'clock this morning of influenza-pnumonia, following nine day illness.

Funeral services will be conducted at the residence at 2 o'clock Saturday afternoon and burial will be in Cane Run cemetery at Carbondale.

She is survived by four children, Buck and Jerome Reed, Carbondale; Mrs. Henry McCain, Missouri, and Mrs. Tommy Osburn, Grapevine section; brother, Tommy Southard, Carbondale; and a sister, Mrs. Lottie Ausenbaugh, also of Carbondale section.”

Mariah was buried at the Cane Run Cemetery near Madisonville. Unfortunately, the cemetery is very badly kept, and we are unable to find a tombstone. But the memory of Mariah Elizabeth Southard Couch Reed will remain and live in the hearts of her descendants.

Published: 12 January 2015

My E-Mail: tylerjamesmccane@gmail.com

Next Week: John Burton Stewart, 3^rd Great Grandfather

Last Week: William Allen Couch

Ancestor Insight: William Allen Couch (1864-1942)

WILLIAM ALLEN COUCH, 3RD GREAT GRANDFATHER

William Allen Couch (known as “Mel” by his family members), was my 3^rd great grandfather. He was born in the backwoods of Gilmer County, Georgia to John W Couch and Alcy “Elsie” Matilda George. At about age 5, he, his parents, siblings, and a grandmother moved to Wilson County, Tennessee. Though, they didn't reside their long, for by 1880 the family is living in Kitchen township, Hopkins County, Kentucky.

William with his parents and grandmother on the 1870 US Census in Wilson County, Tennessee
SOURCE: Ancestry.com; Year: 1870; Census Place: District 22, Wilson,Tennessee; Roll: M593_1572; Page: 637B; Image: 607; Family History Library Film: 553071.

On September 25, 1883 he was married to Miss Mariah Elizabeth Southard, a daughter of Fielding Gradison Southard and Margaret Wheatley. The Southard's were prominent citizens in that county.

We know of only two children born to William and Mariah; Vernia and Gertrude. Vernia is my great great grandmother was was born sometime around December of 1884. Gertrude was born in November 1899. Quite a gap between children.

By 1900, William and Mariah are no longer together. They divorced (whether formally or informally), and Mariah is living with William's aunt, Sarah Couch Buchanan. Mariah is listed as having bore 8 children, only 2 of which are living, which could be an explanation to why there is such a large year gap between the births of Vernia and Gertrude.

In 1902, Mariah was re-married and had two children. What happened to William? On April 1, 1901, he was married to Susie Buchanan. They had six children. Around 1910, William and the family moved to Stoddard County, Missouri, and lived in that area for the rest of their lives.

William Allen was married a third time in 1927 to Fannie Buchanan (he liked the Buchanan family, didn't he?) And by 1940 was married a fourth time to a woman by the name of Viana. William was married at least four times, and could have had at least 14 children, 6 of them not making it to adult hood.

Now, there is another mystery to how many children William was the father to. In the 1898 Hopkins County School Census, William is listed as being the parent or guardian of Bige Harris, who was born on 8 Sep 1880, and was listed as a father to Vernia H. Couch (my g-great-grandmother). Was Bige Harris another child of William?

I can't say for certain. In the 1900 census, Bige Harris is working on the farm of R. F. Smith in Hopkins County, so I don't get any context to who his family his. He was born after the 1880 census was taken, so I probably won't find him in any census' with his family.

My 3^rd great grandfather died on July 2, 1942 in Parma, New Madrid County, Missouri, aged 77. He's buried at the Parma Cemetery in Parma township.

INTERESTING LINKS:

William's Find-A-Grave Memorial Page

***

Published: 9 January 2015

My E-Mail: tylerjamesmccane@gmail.com

Next Week: Mariah Elizabeth Southard, 3^rd Great Grandmother

Last Week: Eliza Jane Knight McCain, 3rdGreat Grandmother

Ancestor Insight: Eliza "Liza" Jane (Knight) McCain

LIZA JANE KNIGHT MCCAIN, 3RD GREAT GRANDMOTHER

Eliza Jane (Knight) McCain was born on April 15, 1867 in Smithland, Livingston, Kentucky, and a daughter of James and Nancy Jane (Rail) Knight.

In about 1880, she removed with her family from the Kentucky home to Charleston, Mississippi, Missouri. It was at that place on June 24, 1882, that she was married to Levi M. McCain, son of Jacob and Arminty (Kitts) McCain, natives of Tennessee and Kentucky, respectively.

At the time of her marriage, Eliza Jane was 15 years, 2 months, and nine days old. Her new husband was just two months over 30. Being so young, and the law's legal age of women to marry being 18, Eliza needed her father's permission. James granted permission, signing Eliza and Levi's marriage certificate, "James Knight, the father of the said Eliza Knight, has given his assent to said marriage.

Mrs. Eliza McCain was widowed on April 4, 1923, aged 55. Her husband died at the age of 70 of pneumonia. He was buried on the fifth in Bernie Cemetery. Throughout their marriage, they had five children: William Henry; Julie Frances; Cora Elizabeth, who died in California three months after Levi's death; John Wesley, who died in 1994, aged 101; and Pearl M.

Eliza McCain's Missouri Death Certificate

Eliza Jane Knight McCain breathed her last on December 7, 1948 in Como township, New Madrid county, Missouri, aged 81 years, 7 months, and 22 days. She was buried at Bernie Cemetery on December 9th. The cause of her demise was cerebral hemorrhage.

Eliza had eight siblings: Serena, Richard, John, Martha, James, Henry, William and Isaac.

INTERESTING LINKS:

Levi McCain's Biography

Eliza & Levi's Find A Grave Memorial

Published: January 5, 2015

My E-Mail: tylerjamesmccane@gmail.com


Next Week: William Allen Couch, 3^rd Great Grandfather

Last Week: Levi M McCain, 3rd Great Grandfather

Ancestor Insight: Levi M McCain (1852-1923)

LEVI M MCCAIN, 3RD GREAT GRANDFATHER

As one of my New-Years Resolutions, I am going to (try) writing about 2 ancestors per week. I am just going to climb my pedigree chart, working my way through my tree, even if I don't know that much about an ancestor (some branches of my tree are more complete than others).

So, let's start the year with my 3rd great grandfather, Levi M McCain.
(Me->My Father->My Grandfather->Luther McCane->William McCane->Levi M McCain)
Levi M. McCain, son of Jacob T. & Arminty Elizabeth (Kitts) McCain, was born on April 11, 1852 in Scott County, Missouri. He was the oldest of four children, the other three being: John F., Francis Alfonzo, and Malinda M. McCain.

Levi & Eliza McCain
SOURCE: Ancestry.com Member Submitted Photo

He grew up in Scott County, Missouri, and sometime around 1870 it seems that both of his parents died. Levi is living with his uncle, John Kitts, in Commerce township, Scott County, in 1870. He is working as a farm laborer - probably on his uncle's farm. The other children are living with their grandmother, Matilda (Midyett) Kitts, in Graves County, Kentucky. Levi was 18 years old.

Sometime around 1873, Levi had a relationship with a woman that produced a child; James H. McCain. We do not know yet what the name of this woman is, only that she and Levi had a child on February 15, 1873. At this point in time, I am not sure if they were ever married or not. It's possible that they were and she died while James was young; possibly dying as a result of childbearing.

In Charleston, Mississippi county, Missouri, on June 24, 1882, Levi was united in marriage with 15-year-old Miss Eliza Jane Knight, native of Kentucky and a daughter of James and Nancy Jane (Rail) Knight. Through their years of marriage, they produced five children: William Henry, Julie Frances, Cora Elizabeth, John Wesley, and Pearl M. McCain.

The couple raised their children in the Mississippi county area, and by 1920 Eliza and Levi are living in Elk township, Stoddard county, Missouri.

On April 4, 1923, in Elk township, Levi died. He was aged 70 years, 11 months, and 24 days old. He left a wife and five children. His daughter, Cora, died two months later in California, aged 35. Levi was buried on the fifth of April, at Bernie Cemetery; Bernie, Stoddard, Missouri.
Interesting Links:
Levi & Eliza's Find-A-Grave Memorial


Published: January 2, 2015
My E-Mail: tylerjamesmccane@gmail.com

Next Week: Eliza Jane (Knight) McCain, 3rd Great Grandmother