Acquiring Land by Special Act

Copyright by Brenda Joyce Jerome, CG

May not copy without written consent

Did your ancestor suddenly acquire land and you can not find how or when he obtained it? Perhaps the land was acquired under special circumstances, such as an act of the General Assembly as shown in the cases of William Dunning and Elizabeth Nall. This information comes from Chapter CCCCXXVI, An Act for the benefit of William Dunning and Elizabeth Nall, approved February 9, 1819, and was accesssed on Google Books.

"Whereas it is represented to the present general assembly of the commonwealth of Kentucky, that William Dunning, of Caldwell county, has, in consequence of affliction for a considerable time past, been deprived of his right hand, and is consequently unable to labor for the support of his wife and a number of little children. Therefore,

"Sec. 1.  Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, That the register of the land-office be, and he is hereby authorised and required to issue to said William a land warrant for 200 acres of land, without the state price being paid, which sd. Dunning may have entered and surveyed on any waste and unappropriated land in this commonwealth - the plat and certificate of survey for which shall be received by the register, without fee, and the grant shall be issued as in other cases; which land shall only be cultivated and kept for the use of sd. Dunning and his children, during his life, and shall at his death descend to sd. children: Provided, sd. warrant be entered and surveyed on land in Caldwell county, and shall not interfere with any prior claim, nor be entered on any land lately purchased of the Indians, west and south of the Tennessee river.

"Sec. 2. Be it further enacted, That the register of the land office be, and he is hereby authorised and required to issue a land warrant to Elizabeth Nall, of Hopkins county, without the state price being paid, for 100 acres, which shall be entered on the land she lives on in sd. county, to include the improvements on same; which, when surveyed and returned to the register, he shall issue a grant therefor as in other cases; Provided, sd. survey shall not interfere with any prior claim or claims."

Tombstone Tuesday - Larkin and Milly Sisk

Larkin Sisk
Born
Sep. 18, 1796
Died
Aug. 31, 1873

Milly Sisk
Born
Jan. 11, 1801
Died
Aug. 3, 1860

Buried Cedar Hill Cemetery, Princeton, Caldwell County, Kentucky. Tombstones photographed 18 March 2011.

Larkin Sisk is enumerated on the 1840 - 1850 and 1870 Caldwell County census records. The 1850 census shows that he was age 54, born in South Carolina. Milly was age 49 and born in Tennessee. Larkin is found on the 1860 Crittenden County census (west half of the county) in the household of Alfred Turner. He appears on the 1870 Caldwell County census in the household of Henry Sisk.

News From Morganfield 1914

Even though Union County newspapers are not available before 1924, we can view some of the activities in that county by reading newspapers in adjoining counties. The following items appear under the title, Items From Morganfield, in the 18 January 1914 issue of the Henderson Gleaner. These items originally appeared in the Morganfield Sun.

Mrs. Fannie B. Connell left for her home in Paducah Wednesday after spending a few days with her sister, Mrs. S.V. Sale, in Henderson and Mr. J.L. Sale of this city.

Mrs. S.V. Sale returned to her home in Henderson after spending a few days with her sons, Messrs. James Lee and Arthur Sale of this city.

Miss Della Newman of near Boxville is quite sick. A trained nurse has been called.

Mrs. Maggie Berry and Mrs. W.M. Wright will leave on the 19th for an extended visit to Mrs. Henry W. Tyler of East Haddon, Conn.

Mrs. Lou Gip Brown returned Tuesday from Nashville, where she has been visiting her daughter, Mrs. George Clark.

Miss Matilda Young, our resident trained nurse, has been called to the bedside of Mrs. Berry Conway, who is ill with pneumonia.

Mrs. John Wall left Monday for Evansville, where she will visit her daughter, Mrs. Noel Harris, for several days, leaving Tuesday for an extended visit to Mrs. Hugo Phillips in Texas.

Mr. S.E. Haynes, years ago a resident of Morganfield, and son, Mr. Jack Haynes, of Wichita, Kan., are spending the week here.

Copyright on text and photographs
by Brenda Joyce Jerome, CG
Western Kentucky Genealogy Blog

Happy Thanksgiving

The first Thanksgiving was celebrated by the Pilgrims to give thanks to God for getting them safely to the New World. It wasn't until 1863 that President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national day of Thanksgiving. Since that time, we have gathered with our families and friends in celebration of Thanksgiving.

Americans seem to celebrate holidays best with food. As Thanksgiving is a Fall holiday, our meal usually consists of seasonal foods. My family has the same meal year after year and if I dared change it, we might have a mutiny. We always have turkey, cornbread/sausage stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, sweet potatoes, peas, corn, rolls, and various desserts. Each of us has a favorite food, but most of all, we enjoy being together.

As you gather with your family today, please remember all of the good things you have enjoyed during the past year and may God continue to bless you all.

  

 

Tombstone Tuesday - Bobbie P. Dycus

Bobbie P.
Dycus
Born
Jan. 4, 1862
Died
June 2, 1900

Buried Dycusburg Cemetery, Crittenden County, Kentucky. Tombstone photographed 3 November 2010.

The following appeared in the 5 July 1882 issue of the Crittenden Press: "W.S. Dycus of Dycusburg was united in marriage to Miss Bobbie Payne of Paducah last week."

The couple can be found on the 1900 Lyon County, Kentucky census in Kuttawa with several children.

Copyright on text and photographs
by Brenda Joyce Jerome, CG
Western Kentucky Genealogy Blog

Kentucky Divorce Laws 1852

Copyright by Brenda Joyce Jerome, CG

May not be copied without written consent

Prior to 1849, divorces were granted in Kentucky either through an act of the legislature or through circuit court. After 1849, only circuit courts granted divorces. The filing and conclusion of the divorce are usually found in the circuit court order books (minutes), but the details of the case are found in circuit court case files at the Kentucky Dept for Libraries and Archives. Theses case files can be ordered by mail. Use this form:  Divorce Request Form  

The grounds for divorce were outlined in The Revised Statutes of Kentucky, approved and adopted by the General Assembly, 1851 and 1852, and in force from July 1, 1852, Volume II, page 17, Article III: Divorce and Alimony. Among the many grounds for divorce were the following:

1.  Living separately and apart without cohabitation for five consecutive years before application.
2.  Abandonment by one party from the other for one year.
3.  Condemnation for felony in or out of this state.
4.  Concealment from the other party of any loathsome disease existing at the time of marriage or afterward.
5.  Force, duress, or fraud in obtaining the marriage.
6.  Confirmed habit of drunkenness on the part of the husband of not less than one year's duration, accompanied with a wasting of his estate, and without suitable provision for the maintenance of his wife and children.
7.  Habitual cruel and inhuman treatment of the wife by the husband of not less than 6 months.
8.  Cruel beating or injury or attempt at injury of the wife by the husband.
9.  Pregnancy of the wife by another man without the husband's knowledge at the time of the marriage.
10,  Adultery committed by the wife or such lewd, lascivious behavior on her part so as to prove her t unchaste, without actual proof of a specific act of adultery.

Suit for divorce had to be brought in the county where the wife usually resided, if she had a residence in the state. If she did not, the suit was to be brought in the county of the husband's residence. Residence must be for one year before filing of the divorce. The suit for divorce had to be brought within 5 years of the the act complained of and cohabitation as man and wife, after knowledge of the adultery or lewdness complained of, took away the right of divorce thereafter.

A decree for separation or divorce from bed and board could also be rendered for the same causes which allowed regular divorce. Neither party in a divorce from bed and board could remarry during the lifetime of the parties.  

Tombstone Tuesday - Box Tombs

 Copyright on photographs and text by Brenda Joyce Jerome, CG

May not copy without written consent

 

Box tombs are fairly common in older cemeteries in western Kentucky. Although most are constructed in a similar fashion, the materials used can vary. The sides are constructed of stone or brick with a flat top, which is smooth enough to be engraved with the name and dates of the deceased. The earth forms the bottom of the tomb and the deceased is buried under ground. Below are some examples of box tombs found in western Kentucky.



These box tombs can be found in Hill Cemetery, off Hwy. 91 in Caldwell County.

The following box tombs can be found in Cedar Hill Cemetery, Princeton, Caldwell County.

 

 

This box tomb is located in Mills Pioneer Cemetery, near Salem, Livingston County, Kentucky.

 

 



Heirs of David and Mary Scott of Caldwell County

I came across a document recently that might be of interest to you. It was found in a box marked Miscellaneous Bonds in the Caldwell County Clerk's Office, Princeton, Kentucky. It is undated, but the David Scott, mentioned in these papers, died before 6 January 1835, when his property was produced by Robert Scott, administrator, and appraised by Elijah G. Galusha and William Jenkins. Among the buyers at the estate sale were Samuel Scott, James Scott, Nancy Scott, Betsy Scott and Mary Scott. The appraisal and sale of David Scott's estate can be found in Caldwell County Inventory, Appraisement and Sale Book C (1831-1837), pages 271-272.

"Know all men ... we the undersigned children and heirs of David Scott deceased being all of full and mature age having agreed amongst ourselves to divide the landed estate of sd. David Scott into Eight equal shares, one of which to belong to each heir, and to sell the slaves belonging to the estate of Mary Scott deceased and divide the proceeds into eight equal parts ... Now therefore in order that all of sd. heirs may be held equally responsible in the event of Saml. Scott, our Brother (supposed to be dead) ever returning and applying for his portion of sd. estate or application being legally made for his interest in case he is living or if dead having left other heirs than ourselves - We do each and all agree and bind ourselves to pay Saml. or his duly authorised agent or heir equal amount to constitute the whole sum to which he may be entitled ... [signed] James Scott, Robert M. Scott, William Scott, Mary Scott, Airalie[?] C. Scott, John J. Scott, Elisazabeth Scott. Attest: C.F. Bigham."

Copyright on text and photographs
by Brenda Joyce Jerome, CG
Western Kentucky Genealogy Blog

Tombstone Tuesday - Sidney K. Lucas

Copyright on text and photographs

by Brenda Joyce Jerome, CG

Western Kentucky Genealogy Blog



 

Sidney K. Lucas

Born

Oct. 28, 1814

Died
Dec. 6, 1860

 

 

Buried Mt. Zion Cemetery, Crittenden County, Kentucky. Tombstone photographed 24 October 2012.

 



Sidney K. Lucas was the son of Ingram W. and Maryan Lucas, who left Union County, South Carolina and settled in old Livingston County, Kentucky prior to 1810.  Sidney K. married Martha Hill, daughter of William and Martha Hill 7 January 1836 Livingston County. The Lucas family was among early members of Mt. Zion Methodist Church, which was organized in 1838.

Sidney K. Lucas left a will dated 11 November 1860 and produced in court 10 December 1860. It is recorded in Crittenden County Will Book 1, page 84.

Sidney K. Lucas' sister, Maryan Jane Lucas, married Logan Croft. They were my ancestors.

Was Polly a Nickname for Merica?

Copyright by Brenda Joyce Jerome, CG

May not copy without written consent



I have a little problem and hope you can help.

My 3rd great grandmother, Mary "Polly" Adams, was born 12 June 1788 and died 27 December 1882, according to her tombstone in Lavender Cemetery, Hardin County, Illinois. Buried next to her is her husband, William Shoemaker, born 12 December 1784 and died 7 April 1877. William Shoemaker and Polly Adams married 29 August 1809 Caldwell County, Kentucky.

I have not found William Shoemaker on the 1810 census, but he is listed in Caldwell County in 1820. Thereafter he is found in Illinois. The 1850 and 1860 census records of Hardin County, Illinois show Mary "Polly" born in South Carolina, but the 1870 census shows her birthplace as Georgia. In all records, she is listed as Mary or Polly. She has not been found on a census in 1880. Also, among members of the William and Polly Shoemaker household on the 1850 Hardin County census was Polly Adams, age 78, born Virginia. I believe this was the widow of Robert Adams, who died in 1824 in Caldwell County, Kentucky.

Now here's the problem. In his will in Caldwell County Book A, page 406, Robert Adams names a daughter Merica - "mericas part I allow for her and her children and Wm. Shoemaker and my son Robert." William Shoemaker and Robert Adams were also named executors.

Robert Adams mentions his daughter Annalatha (also called Anna) and Moriah and Robert Shoemaker, children of his deceased daughter and Lindsey Shoemaker. The 1850 Caldwell County census shows that Anna's birthplace was given as Georgia, the same state as Mary's on the 1870 Hardin County, Illinois. On Anna's death record in Lyon County, Kentucky Vital Statistics on 20 August 1856, her parents are given as Robert and Mary Adams.

Was Polly also a nickname for Merica? Why was South Carolina listed as the birthplace for Mary "Polly" Adams Shoemaker on the 1850 and 1860 census, but Georgia was listed on the 1870 census? I am 95% sure my Mary "Polly" Adams was the daughter of Robert Adams, but there is still a teeny, tiny doubt.

What do you think? While we solve this problem, keep Robert Adams Sr. in mind as next we need to learn more about him, too. He is a a rather mysterious figure in my family tree.