Tombstone Tuesday - William C. Nelson

NELSON

William C.

July 31, 1840

Mar. 19, 1927

Buried Dyer Hill Cemetery, Livingston County, Kentucky. Tombstone photographed 2019.

William C. Nelson's first marriage was to Martha M. Spell on 19 March 1868 in Livingston County, Kentucky. [1] His second marriage was to Mrs. Ellen Scyster Rappolee on 26 October 1876. [2]

In his obituary, William C. Nelson was listed as "C.W. Nelson of Birdsville, Ky."[3] His survivors included the widow, Mrs. Ellen Nelson; six children; one stepson; two sisters; eight grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

According to his death certificate,[4] William C. Nelson was born 18 July 1840 and died 19 Mar 1928. His parents were listed as William Nelson and Eliza May, both of whom were born in Livingston County.

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[1] Joyce McCandless Woodyard. Livingston County, Kentucky Marriage Records Including Marriages of Freedmen, Vol. II (Aug 1839-Dec 1871), (Evansville, IN: Evansville Bindery, 1994) 165.

[2] Livingston County, Kentucky Marriage Bond Book 1:577-578.

[3] "C.W. Nelson Dies at Birdsville, Ky.," Paducah News-Democrat, Tues., 27 Mar 1928, p. 2.

[4] Kentucky Death Record #10444 (1928), William C. Nelson, Ancestry.com.

Published 24 Sep 2019, Western Kentucky Genealogy Blog, http://wkygenealogy.blogspot.com/

Tombstone Tuesday - Howel Smith

Howel

Son of

W. & E. Smith

Born

March 9, 1838

[no death date visible]

Buried Smithland Cemetery, Smithland, Kentucky. Tombstone photographed 6  February 2013.

Howel Smith was a son of William and Ellen (Scyster) Smith, who married 7 May 1835 in Smithland.  If the death date for Howel is on his tombstone, it most likely dates from prior to 1850 as he is not listed on the 1850 Livingston County census.  The William Smith family moved to Port Gibson, Claiborne County, Mississippi about 1858. How painful it must have been to move away from family and friends, leaving a deceased child behind.

Published 3 January 2017, Western Kentucky Genealogy Blog, http://wkygenealogy.blogspot.com/

Margaret Jennings Brayfield 1847 - 1937

Margaret Jennings

Brayfield

Dec. 29, 1847

Jan. 28, 1937

Buried Smithland Cemetery, Smithland, Kentucky. Tombstone photographed 2 October 2010.

People are usually buried in a particular location because they have a connection to that place, but sometimes it was simply convenient.

At first glance, it appeared the burial of Margaret Jennings Brayfield in Smithland was going to be a puzzle, but a little research  showed her connection to that cemetery.  

According to various census records, she was born in Tennessee, her father in North Carolina and her mother in South Carolina.  Margaret married John S. Brayfield in McCracken County, Kentucky 22 February 1876.[1] She lived in Paducah, was 27 years old and this was her first marriage.  John S. Brayfield  lived in Evansville, Indiana, was 32 years of age and this was also his first marriage.

By 1880, the couple was living in Evansville with the family of William Jennings (age 78, born North Carolina) and Sarah Jennings (age 70, born South Carolina).  John Brayfield's occupation was listed as a printer on the 1880 census.

On the 1910 Vanderburgh County, Indiana census, John and Margaret Brayfield were living on Lincoln Avenue in Evansville and John was a newspaper reporter.  Their living situation changed by 1920, when they are shown as inmates of the Indiana State Soldiers Home in Tippecanoe County. This facility was established by the work of the Grand Army of the Republic (Union Army veterans of the Civil War) and had opened 1 February 1896. The last time Maggie/Margaret appears on the census was in 1930 when she was an 81-year-old widow still living in the State Soldiers Home.

 Sometime after 1930, she went to Paducah, where she died 28 January 1937.  Her parents are not identified on her death certificate[2]  and the informant was Marvin Scyster, age 41 and a real estate agent. He lived in Paducah, but the 1910 census shows him living with his parents, George D. and Maggie Scyster in Smithland.   So what connection did Marvin Scyster have to Maggie/Margaret Jennings Brayfield?

The 1860 Livingston County census shows W.J. Jennings, age 58, and Sarah J. Jennings, age 53, running a boarding house in Smithland. In their household were Joshua A. Jennings, age 25, and Margaret J., age 11 - probably their children. A salesman, Amon Price, also lived with them.  This has to be the right  Jennings family.

Now we know the Scyster and Jennings families both lived in Smithland at one time. Was that the only connection?  No, it wasn't. The answer is found in a deed[3] whereby a dispute was being settled between James Ellis, son of John Ellis, and W.J. Jennings.  In dispute were several slaves Jennings had given to his daughter, Sarah L.A. Ellis, the wife of James Ellis, before Sarah died.  One more thing - Marvin Scyster's full name was Marvin Ellis Scyster. His mother was Margaret M. Ellis, daughter of James Ellis and Sarah A.L. Jennings. James Ellis and Sarah A.L. Jennings were Marvin's grandparents and his grandmother was a sister to Margaret Jennings Brayfield.  

And that is how Margaret Jennings Brayfield was connected to Marvin Ellis Scyster and this is another reason why I love deeds.

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[1] Kentucky, Marriage Records, 1852-1914, McCracken County, Ancestry.com, accessed 18 August 2016.

[2] Kentucky Death Certificate #5428 (1937), Ancestry.com, accessed 18 August 2016.

[3] Livingston County Deed Book 5:82, dated 3 October 1861.



Published 1 December 2016, Western Kentucky Genealogy Blog, http://wkygenealogy.blogspot.com/

David and Rebecca Scyster of Smithland

According to his tombstone in Smithland Cemetery, David Scyster was born 15 November 1783 in Maryland.  He married Rebecca Evans in Washington County, Maryland on the 23rd of November 1809.[1] About 1817-1818, David and Rebecca Scyster lived in Virginia as the birth place for their daughter, Ellen, is listed as Virginia consistently on the 1850-1880 census records.

The Scyster family moved to Livingston County before 1819 when David Scyster first appears on the tax lists. The first time he is shown with children is 1829, when he is listed with three children.

David Scyster kept a tavern in Smithland as evidenced by the following entry in the county court minutes: "On motion of David Scyster and it appearing he is a man of good character and will probably keep an orderly house, ordered that license be granted him to keep a tavern at his own house in this county for one year."[2]

In 1835, a curious entry appeared in the court minutes. "Peter Jones was appointed guardian to Ellen Sister [sic], infant heir of David Sister dec'd (at least supposed to be dead from circumstances detailed to the court) Whereupon Jones authorized Wm. Smith,  his security, executed & acknowledged bond payable & conditioned according to law in penalty of $100."[3] David Scyster's daughter, Ellen, married William Smith 7 May 1835 in Smithland. David Scyster (or any variation of that name) does not appear on the Livingston County tax lists 1838-1841. On the surface, it appears that Peter Jones was appointed guardian of Ellen in order to give permission for her marriage to William Smith. A search through county and circuit court records did not reveal any details of the "supposed death" of David Scyster/Sister. 

David and Rebecca Scyster  had at least four children, including the following:

1.  John E. Scyster - born 29 April 1815 and died 22 May 1827.[4]

2.  Ellen Scyster - born ca 1817/1818 Virginia; died after 1880.[5] Married William Smith 7 May 1835 Livingston County.[6]

3.  Jacob V. Scyster - born 2 August 1823 Livingston County; died 6 October 1920 McAlister, Pittsburg County, Oklahoma.[7]

4.  William G. Scyster - born June 1825 Kentucky; died after 1900.[8]

David Scyster appears on the 1830 and 1840 Livingston County census records, however the number of people and their ages do not match those of his children. There are no females listed. If this is true, Rebecca, his wife, was deceased before 1830 and his daughter, Ellen, was living elsewhere. His tombstones shows he died in 1841. Unfortunately, the Rebecca's death date is not shown on her tombstone.

 David Syster

A native of Maryland

Born

Nov. 15, 1783

Died 

April 14, 1841

 Rebecca

Wife of 

David Syster

Born

Sept. 10, 1791

Buried Smithland Cemetery. Tombstones photographed 8 October 2014.

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[1] Maryland Marriages 1667-1900, online database, Ancestry.com, accessed 16 June 2016.

[2] Livingston County, Kentucky Court Order Book G:422, Monday, 3 May 1830.

[3] Livingston County, Kentucky Court Order Book H:268, Monday, 4 May 1835.

[4] Livingston County, Kentucky Homemaker Clubs. Livingston County, Kentucky Cemeteries 1738-1976, (n.p.), 1977:335.

[5] Last appears on the 1880  Claiborne County, Mississippi census, age 63, born Virginia.

[6] Joyce M. Woodyard. Livingston County, Kentucky Marriage Records Vol. 1 (Oct 1799-July 1839), (n.p.), 1992:136.

[7] Find A Grave Memorial #13840110, online database of graves, accessed 15 June 2016.

[8] Last appears on the 1900 Livingston County census as age 74, widowed, a dry goods salesman.

Published 4 August 2016, Western Kentucky Genealogy Blog, http://wkygenealogy.blogspot.com/

Tombstone Tuesday - Throop and Scyster

John H. Throop
1850 - 1911



Mary S. Throop
1856 - 1927

Both are buried at Oak Hill Cemetery, Evansville, Indiana. Tombstones photographed 31 July 2010.

John Hamilton Throop, well known on the Ohio River, was the son of Joshua V. Throop , prominent steamboat captain from Smithland, Livingston County, Kentucky.

J.H. Throop's obituary appeared in the Crittenden Record Press 7 September 1911. It states: "Capt. J.H. Throop, aged 63 years, one of the best known steamboat men along the lower Ohio river, died here [Evansville] yesterday. For many years he was United States inspector of steamboat hulls here. He was a native of Smithland, Ky. The deceased had spent practically all his life on the Ohio River."

Mary Scyster Throop was daughter of Capt. Jacob V. Scyster, also a steamboat captain. Mary Troop's obituary appeared in the Evansville Courier Monday, 21 February 1927: "Funeral services for Mrs. Mary S. Throop, 76, who died Saturday afternoon at the residence, 1052 South First street, will be held at the home this afternoon. Conducting the service will be Dr. A.E. Craig, pastor Trinity M.E. church, and the Rev. T.A. Wigginton, pastor Washington Avenue Presbyterian church. Burial will be in Oak Hill Cemetery. Death was due to pneumonia. Surviving are two sons, J. Vail Throop of Kansas City, Mo., and John Throop of Water Valley, Miss; and a daughter, Mrs. J. Fort Abell, Paducah, Ky."

Published 2 October 2012,  Western Kentucky Genealogy Blog, http://wkygenealogy.blogspot.com/

Tombstone Tuesday - Marvin E. and Doris D. Scyster

Scyster
Marvin Ellis
Sept. 19, 1888
Dec. 3, 1947

Doris Dunn
Jan. 27, 1896
Feb. 14, 1987

Buried Smithland Cemetery, Livingston County, Kentucky. Tombstone photographed March 2011.

According to his obituary in the 11 December 1947 issue of the Livingston Leader, Marvin E. Scyster died in Fort Worth, Texas. "Mr. Scyster's father was a well known merchant in Smithland for many years and Mr. Scyster was connected with the Smithland Bank for a number of years before entering the insurance business in Paducah."

Mr. Scyster left Kentucky for Memphis, Tennessee and later moved to Oklahoma City and, finally, Fort Worth. At his death, survivors included his wife, Doris Dunn Scyster; sons Marvin Jr. of Memphis and George Dunn Scyster of Fort Worth; daughter Margaret Scyster of Dallas, Texas; granddaughter Sylvia Scyster of Memphis and nephew David Ellis Reeves of Washington, D.C.

Copyright on text and photographs
by Brenda Joyce Jerome, CG
Western Kentucky Genealogy Blog
http://wkygenealogy.blogspot.com/

Tombstone Tuesday - Bettie Scyster Rives

Bettie Ellis Scyster
Wife of
J.M. Rives
Born Dec. 23, 1883
Died Jan. 27, 1912
Rives

Buried Smithland Cemetery, Livingston County, Kentucky. Tombstone photographed 9 July 2010.

The obituary of Bettie Ellis Rives was published in the Paducah News-Democrat and reprinted in the Crittenden Record-Press 1 February 1912. It gives the following information: "Mrs. Jordan Rives died this morning at the home of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. G.D. Scyster. She resided in Christian Co., but had been ill at the home of her parents of septic fever. She leaves her husband and a two weeks old baby."

The death certificate of Bettie Ellis Scyster Rives identifies her parents as George D. Scyster and Maggie Ellis, both born in Kentucky.


Published 27 December 2011, Western Kentucky Genealogy Blog, http://wkygenealogy.blogspot.com/

Tombstone Tuesday - Scyster Family

Martha

Wife of

J.V. Scyster

Died

Oct. 6, 1869

Robert E.

Infant son of

Jacob V. & Martha

Scyster

Born

Nov. 9, 1854

Died

June 16, 1855

Fannie

Daughter of

J.V. & Martha

Scyster

Born

June 5, 1861

Died July 4, 1862



Buried Smithland Cemetery, Smithland, Kentucky. Tombstones photographed 17 June 2010.

Jacob V. Scyster, who was born  1823 Livingston County, and Martha Ellis, daughter of John and Mary Ellis, were  married about 1849. To them were born Mary E., who married Capt. John Hamilton Throop; John E. Scyster, who later lived in Carmi, Illinois and Fannie and Robert E. Scyster, both of whom died as infants.

Jacob V. Scyster married Barbara Morrison in Illinois in 1872. They had two children, Flora Walton Scyster and Capt. James Von Scyster.

Jacob V. Scyster celebrated his 90th birthday in 1913 and, according to a newspaper account, was at that time known as the "oldest man in Smithland."



Published 12 October 2010, Western Kentucky Genealogy Blog, http://wkygenealogy.blogspot.com/