Mary MNU Revisited

Copyright 2012, CABS for Reflections From the Fence 

On April 13, 2012, I shared this death certificate with you, not being able to read the mother, Mary's, maiden name.

I even enlarged the area with her name, for a closer look:

Several readers hazarded some guesses, such as Eamersen? Emerson? Eamiers? or Eanuens.

I revisited that death certificate a couple of times this week, as I really need to link it to John, but, I am reluctant to do so until I figure out his mother's maiden name, I know - - - - I'm funny like that.

Last time I looked at the document, I noted that it said Mary E??????  was born in Princess Anne County Virginia.  I know from census work and such that she was born about 1828.

So, I had this brainstorm (well, more like a brain burp, but, whatever - - )  To check the 1830 and 1840 census for Princess Anne County Virginia to see what surnames that begin with "E" might be found.  SOOO, I did:

1830 Princess Anne County Virginia:

Eaton
Edmond(s)
Edwards
Etheredge
Ewell

1840 Princess Anne County Virginia:

Eaton
Edmonds
Eldredge
Emond(s) (Edmond)
Encell (sure looks like Ewell to me)
Erard (Ward, really, looks like Ward)
Etheredge
Evered
Ewell

I am leaning towards Edmonds - - maybe - -

And the search goes on.  And, nope, I have NOT found the marriage of Edward Dews and Mary E??????

SIGH



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My Genie Angel and Mary WHO??

Copyright 2012, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

What an interesting day at the library.  You see, I have this genie angel, she lives around Norfolk, she researches many of the areas I do, she helps me, she gives me heads up on new resources to use in my research, she even does look ups for me.  And, tee hee, she reads Reflections!  (Waving at my genie angel - - HI!!!!)

Anyway, she drove up from Norfolk today to Richmond and we met.  What a nice day I had!  We shared some stories, lunch, and shared files. Well, she shared a LOT more than I did, but, we shared.  (Oh, dear genie angel, I did peak JUST a little tonight, you knew I would, you knew I could not resist!  LOL)

After lunch we both did some research, I went for a long shot on one of the Dews clan I have lots of walls in, yes, the same one as that Chancery case I took all those photos of.  I had a note about a burial in 1932, could that be one of the MIA's??  Yes, indeedy it was!  WAHHHOO.  Even better, it has a maiden name for the mother, who is a MNU in my data base (maiden name unknown).  Now, if I could read that name, eh???

So, dear readers, if you want to take a guess at Mary's maiden name leave comments!

And, dear genie angel, I am working on the Dews now, and thank you SOOOOOOO very much for coming to Richmond, it was so wonderful to meet you in person.  Thank you for being so kind to a fellow researcher, you are good people!


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The Camera, The To Do Lists and Today's Research

Copyright 2012, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

My advice, from today's research stop at the Library of Virginia, said advice goes for any research facility:

1.)  Take your camera.  In this Archives facility they will photocopy records for you (read this well, I am talking the ARCHIVES, not the LIBRARY collection, HUGE difference).  The Archives is for the most part, original records, ya, the one that your great so and so actually held in his hands and maybe, signed.

So, here at the Virginia Archives they will only run 25 photocopies ON paper for any one patron on any one research day.  I believe they said the copies are 50 cents, per, but, I won't swear to that.  But, by signing my life away,  (just kidding), I was able to use my camera to take as many photos of the documents as I wanted.  I took 97 photos of 2 chancery cases from Princess Anne County and 2 other photos of another set of records.  So, what did I get for my 95 chancery case photos?  One case was not that exciting, it was great, don't get me wrong, but, compared to the second case I pulled, it was not that exciting.  Case # 2 turned out to be the HIT of the day, maybe the week.  It was the settlement of my great great grandfather's estate and included the signature of my great great grandmother and of my direct line great grandfather (see his below).

2.)  Use your family history data base program's power of the to do list.  Now, believe me, I am not the best at this, but, I will put items on a to do list while I am researching, even if I don't think I will ever get to the depository.  I add stuff, leave it sit there, and if it gets done some time, great, if not, it sits there.  I have items on this Virginia Library and Archives to do list that are well over 4 years old.  I don't let them haunt me, but, there they sit.  This AM I printed off the to do list for the Virginia Archives and Library and found I have more than 16 pages of items, well over 85 items.  Well, I'll be danged!  One of the things on this list was to get a copy of these chancery cases.  Well, I'll be danged!  I did not remember those items, but, I went digging and found them.  DANG!  It was a good research day.

Tomorrow I go back, taking that to do list AND the camera.  Yipee!




* Chancery Chancery Records Index for Princess Anne County Virginia 1881-004, Plaintiff John Dews and Wife, Defendant William Banks, etc. Indexes for Chancery cases for Virginia can be found at the Library of Virginia web site.

** On edit, I do not believe they allow scanners of any kind at the ARCHIVES.  They let me use Sony, but NO flash!

*** Hope this reads right, I am not proofreading, as you can probably tell!  LOL
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