Martha Ann Rachel Witt-Hill

Normally I would post this on my family blog (http://larry-family-history.blogspot.com/), but this one has an interesting backstory about how it was discovered.

Martha Ann Rachel Witt-Hill (1846-1934) is my 3rd cousin, 5x removed. She married a Francis Patterson Hill in Alabama in 1865. She is buried in the Old Perry Cemetery in Moody, McLennan County, Texas (Find A Grave 33566368). Her obituary is a wonderful work of prose about her life. I have seen others like it during that same era. It reads:

Mrs. F.P. Hill Passes Away At Her Home in Hamilton.

On Thursday morning, November 22, at ten o'clock impressive rites were said at First Baptist church in Hamilton for Mrs. Rachel Hill, who passed away at the family home there on Wednesday morning at 11:30 o'clock. Services were conducted by Rev. Vernon Shaw, her pastor. Rev. John D. West, Rev M. Phelan of Hamilton and assisted by Rev. Odell Jameson, pastor of the First Baptist Church of this city. A great company of sorrowing relatives and friends passed by the bier at the alter following the services to bid farewell to this lovely aged woman, whose influence on earth, ever lifting the hearts of others to the Great Creator, Who she worshipped in thought, word and deed.

Grandsons of Mrs. Hill were privileged to act as pallbearers/ They were W/ Oscar Lewis, Emmett F. Hill, Roy Lewis, Frank Monroe, Ray McCauley, Truett Allen, Bill Hill and Hill Monroe.
Masses of beautiful flowers banked the altar and covered the casket, creating a fit setting for the sweet, frail form that slept so peacefully in the calm and rest of death. The flower bearers were Miss Lois Allen, Miss Roberta Allen, Mrs. Emmett Hill, Mrs. Oscar Lewis, granddaughters of Mrs. Hill; Mrs. Lillian Grimm, Miss Mae Harris.

Following the funeral services there the cortege left the church and proceded here where internment was made in Old Perry Cemetery, with rev. West and Moody friends in charge.
Mrs. Rachel Hill had made her home in Hamilton with her daughter, Mrs. Cleveland H. Martin, and husband since 1919.

Rachel Witt, aged 88 years, 16 days, was born in Randolph county, Alabama, November 5, 1846, and was converted in early life and joined the Missionary Baptist Church living true to the faith to the day of her death.

Mrs. Hill was the daughter and granddaughter of Baptist ministers who were pioneers of Christianity in Texas, Her father, Rev. W.C. Witt had part in the organization of what is now the First Baptist Church of Temple.

She, with her husband, F.P. Hill who met an accidental death in 1913 were charter members of Stampede Baptist Church, contributing libera;;y to the building and support of that church as long as they lived in that community. In her native state she was married to Francis P. Hill on Nov. 2, 1865. Seven years later the family moved to Texas and settled in Cass county, where they changed their residence to Bell county. Mr. Hill was summoned to his reward in 1913, and in 1919 Mrs. Hill moved to Hamilton to reside. Mrs. Hill was the mother of eleven children, ten of whom lived to maturity. The nine surviving children are J.F. Hill, Hamilton; W.F. Hill, Eddy; E.I. Hill; Tahoks; Dr. J.A. Hill, Canyon; Mrs. Belle Allen, Waco; Mrs. C.H. Martin, Hamilton; Mrs. E.R. McCauley, Moody; Miss Mary Hill, Alpine; Mrs. S.J. Munroe, Hamilton, all of whom, except Dr. J.A. Hill, of Canyon, were at the bedside when the end came. She is mourned by twenty-six grandchildren, also a brother and sister, W.C. Witt, of Bailey county, Texas, and Mrs. John Womack, of Ontario, California.

Out-of-town people besides near relatives here for the funeral were Rev. Shaw, Mr. Williams, Paul Colson, Misses Mae Harris and Katie Kinseym Hamilton, Mr. and Mrs. Cleve Amsler, Mrs. Marion Witt, Mcgregorl Dr. J.R. Knight, Miss Kathryn Knight, Wayne Bateman, Eddy.

"May we, upon whom her mantle falls, hold high the banner of Christ that we too may have an abundant entrance to that House not made of hands, eternal in the Heavens".

Beautiful obit for sure. Now for the really neat part. While adding some additional information on this family, I stumbled across the Ancestry tree of  Patrinka51 in Sheffield, AL. 
She had this absolutely fabulous picture taken of Martha. The back story of how it was found is even more interesting. "Photo found by Beth Garland at Mary's Flea Market, Midwest City, Oklahoma."

A flea market in Oklahoma? Unbelievable! It pays sometimes to dig around other folks trees and it places you would not normally look for family heirlooms and photographs.

My best advice is to leave no family stone unturned. You never know what family treasures you will uncover.  Oh, yea, and the picture. It speaks for itself.

Another Redus Hell Raiser - The Bluett Sanders Redus Update

This post on Bluett was originally published on Friday, May 29, 2009, and updated October 29, 2018.

I am deeply grateful to Reed Bender, son-in-law of the late Patrick Thompson, who was an old and respected Redus family researcher, for the information and photo presented below. Thank you again Reed for sharing this with the family and all your wife's cousins.

Update: Private Bluett Sanders Redus was my second cousin 4 times removed. In researching him and his family, I was fascinated in documenting one of his more notorious exploits mentioned below. Since my initial report on this event, I have found some additional newspaper accounts which fill in some more of the story. So read on Redus cousins about an adventure of Bleutt Sanders "Tex" Redus and the Ouray, Colorado murder of Dan McDonald.

Some of my Redus kin are quite frankly, interesting! Elsewhere on this blog I have the story of Roscoe Redus (see http://larry-family-history.blogspot.com/2009/05/life-and-times-of-roscoe-redus.html).

Now I have another story about a Redus cousin, Bluett Sanders Redus, who was born 3 May 1842 in Mississippi. Bluett was the son of Wesley Reed Redus and Elizabeth Craig Astin.

Blewitt served in the Civil War in the 14th Regiment, Mississippi Infantry, Company C

14th Infantry Regiment [also called Beauregard Rifles] was organized at Jackson, Mississippi, in October 1861. The men were from the counties of Clarke, Oktibbeha, Lauderdale, Winston, Lowndes, Monroe, and Tishomingo. Sent to Kentucky then Tennessee, it was captured at Fort Donelson in February 1862. After being exchanged, it was attached to Tilghman's and Gregg's Brigade, Department of Mississippi and East Louisiana. The regiment saw action at Coffeeville and in various conflicts around Vicksburg . A detachment was captured when that city fell in July 1863. Later it was attached to J. Adams' and Lowrey's Brigade, Army of Tennessee. The 14th was active in the Atlanta Campaign, Hood's Tennessee operations, and the fight at Bentonville. It was organized with 1,034 officers and men, had 650 effectives in February 1862, and had 24 officers and 287 men fit for duty in April 1863. The unit surrendered with no officers and 40 men. Its commanders were Colonels George W. Abert, William E. Baldwin, and Washington L. Doss, and Lieutenant Colonels Robert J. Lawrence and M.E. Norris.

He enlisted on 30 May 1861 in Oktibbeha County, Mississippi and served the entire war until he was paroled on 13 May 1865 in Sumter County, Alabama.

Here is his Civil War Timeline taken for his consolidated military file at the National Archives. He was listed on various muster rolls as Blewitt S. Redus, Bluit S. Redus, B.S. Readus, B.L. Redus

Served as a private in the 14th Mississippi Infantry Regiment, Company C and age 19 on muster-in roll. Roll indicated that he had traveled 100 miles and was enlisted by A. J. Maxwell for 12 months.

May 30, 1861: Enlisted Corinth, MS
May 30-Jun 30, 1861: Company Muster Roll
July 1-Dec 31, 1861: Company Muster Roll - Present
Feb 16, 1862: Roll of Prisoner of War - Captured at Donelson
Sep 2, 1862: Roll of Prisoner of War - Sent from Camp Douglas IL to Vicksburg MS for exchange.
Sept 23, 1862: Company Muster Roll - Present and paid
Oct 31-Nov 30, 1862: Company Muster Roll - Absent, sent to general hospital in Jackson, dated Oct 31, 1862
Nov-Dec 1862: Company Muster Roll - Absent, sent to general hospital in Jackson, Dec 15, 1862
Jan-Feb 1863: Company Muster Roll - Present
Jan 1-Jul 1, 1863: Pay Voucher 6 months at $11 per month for $66.00 total, received on 10 Nov 1863 in Columbus, MS
May-Jun 1863: Company Muster Roll - Present
Jul-Aug 1863: Company Muster Roll - Absent, Wounded at Jackson, sent to general hospital July 11, 1863
Jul 1-Oct 31, 1863: Pay Voucher No. 221 for $44.00
Sep-Oct 1863: Company Muster Roll - Absent, on sick furlough for 20 days from 29 Oct 1863.
Nov-Dec 1863: Company Muster Roll - Absent, on sick furlough for 20 days from 20 oct 1863. By order of General Johnston.
Mar-Apr 1864: Company Muster Roll - Absent, detailed by Medical Board of examiners Demopolis, Ala April 4, 1864 to report at Westpoint, Miss.
April 1, 1864: Bounty Roll - Present
April 2, 1864: Medical Examiner Board he was found unfit for field duty due to a gunshot wound in the left wrist/hand. recommended that he be detailed to the Commissary Dept.
Jul-Aug 1864: Company Muster Roll - Absent, detailed in Q.M. Dept by order of Secy War.
May 13, 1865: Roll of Prisoner of War - Gainesville, Ala (unit surrender on May 4, 1865), Residence listed as Cedar Bluff, Mississippi



In 1869 he married Martha Glasscock (b. 1851 and d. 1881) in Perry County, Alabama. This couple has four children:

1. Romeo Reed Redus b. 12 Jul 1873, Grayson County, Texas (Find A Grave 16487453)
2. Juliett Melvina Redus b. 1874 Texas (Find A Grave 164975723)
3. Elgenna Eagon Redus b. 9 Jan 1876 Grayson County, Texas (Find A Grave 148385325)
4. Charles H. Redus b. Dec 1879 Denver County, Colorado (Find A Grave 19203828)

After his wife's death is where we pick up his claim to fame from The Western Gazette newspaper:

MURDER -- Donald McDonald Stabbed Unto Death by Blewett Redus --

Sunday morning about eight o'clock Ouray was shocked by the announcement that Dan McDonald had been stabbed by Blewett Redus. All over an argument as to whether McDonald was to join Blewett in a drink--at the latter's insistence. McDonald, feeling breakfast time was too early, refused. He was there upon put upon by Blewett who used his knife with effectiveness. Blewett Redus now rests in jail pending advisor and help from his lawyer, McDonald's in the morgue.

The moral here is, when in doubt, drink.

While one source listed this event as occurring in 1896, I know that Donald McDonald's estate was probated in Ouray County in 1885. I have also verified that Bluett did do hard-time in the Colorado state pen.

From the Colorado State Penitentiary Index 1871 - 1973
Redus, Buett -- Inmate number 1219

That inmate number was issued between 13 Jun 1871 to 3 Oct 1891. My best guess is this deed was done around 1885 and not in 1896 as implied in the Western Gazette.


A mountain view of the Colorado State Pen in 1905.

Bluett (there are several different spellings of his first name through the years) died 10 Aug 1915 in Sinton, San Patricio County, Texas and is buried there. (Find A Grave 40697124)

A Bluett Sanders Redus Update

After Reed Bender contacted me with new information he had received from the State of Colorado,  I started digging into newspapers of that era and here is what I found. As previously mentioned the first story of the incident cited above was from the Western Gazette in an article published in 1896, after Bluett was released from prison.

I now have two different accounts of the story from two different Colorado newspapers published shortly after the event.

From the Delta Chief newspaper published on 15 April 1885.

Well, we now know the weapon, who was killed and where. If this account is to be believed, McDonald was the aggressor.

From the Rocky Mountain News dated 15 April 1885.

We know learn that Bluett's nickname was "Tex," he was employed in Ouray as a freighter. The stabbing occurred on 5 April 1885 and McDonald died two days later on 7 April. He had been stabbed between two lower ribs. This account says the fracas grew out of a gambling game and resulted in a drunken brawl.

On May 13, 1885, Bluett was indicted for his crime by the grand jury in Ouray:

On June 11, 1885, a jury convicted Bluett of the crime of murder and sentenced him to 14 years in the Colorado State Penitentiary system.

There was at least one attempt that I could find in records to appeal his sentence in 1887, but that was denied in a Montrose County, Colorado District Court.

According to prison records, Bluett was released on 1 January 1892.

Here is a physical description of Bluett that was part of his Colorado State Penitentiary record that was sent to us by Reed Bender.

And finally, from Reed Bender, the mugshot he obtained of Bluett from the State of Colorado Prison archives.

Notice that his pen convict number (#1219) is written on the picture.

While I surely do not approve or endorse murder, I now may have enough doubt that maybe old Bluett might have been suffering from PTSD or may even have been provoked into the fight between him and Dan McDonald. Any way you cut it, Bluett was another Redus family hell raiser.

So here is a six-gun salute to Cousin Bluett Sanders Redus, another true hell raising Texan.

The insanity that is Elizabeth Faulk-Brazeal-Carr

This genealogy has been a mess since the first day I started researching my Aaron Carr -> Elizabeth A. Carr-Meredith-Smith line. 

I am very close to publishing the truth, but the tree shown below illustrates the problem and lack of understand about Aaron Carr's first and subsequent wive. Yes, he did have two and NO they are not the same regardless of what some researchers claim. Wife two he married in 1851 could not and was not the mother of the children he fathered in 1825-1835. That I am almost entirely confident was Elizabeth Faulk, the daughter of James Faulk and Sarah (possibly Needham) who was born in 1807 and died sometime around 1835. She did not live until 1906 as claimed by some including the Find-A-Grave memorial for her online. That was his second wife he married in 1851 that lived until 1906. Two completely different women.

But don't take my word for it. Click to enlarge the document below and you will see that the claims by some Carr/Faulk family researchers are absurd. 

If you have this line up in your tree, I'm sorry but it is wrong. More on the Carr-Faulk family very soon. I have a few more details to iron out before I can call that lineage complete.

Goodspeed’s Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Louisiana: Van Horn and Hundley Families

In one of my recent weekly syndicated newspaper columns, I wrote about using County and State History Books in genealogical research. I was lucky early in my Van Horn family research to discover articles about them and the Hundley families in Goodspeed’s Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Louisiana published in 1892. 

Below are screen grabs of those original articles that I found over 35 years ago in the New Orleans Public Library that helped me kick start my family history research. (Click on images to enlarge)

Clark-Moorman Family Research

Several years ago I was fortunate to be a member of a remarkable research group that was looking into various Clark-Moorman and related families. This group was run by Linda Kay Sparks Starr. Her work on these families was truly remarkable. Unfortunately, we lost Linda to live disease on 23 Oct 2014 (Find A Grave Memorial 137761946).

The second hammer dropped on December 2017 when Rootsweb that hosted the website with all of Linda and the groups files went down. Sadly, the Virginia Connection website was no more and the prospects to get it back are not very bright. This was the site that Linda stored files related to her research including the Clark Family files.

But their is a bit of a shining light for me and the many other family researchers of the Virginia Clark families. I downloaded most, if not all, the Clark family research files. So to honor Linda and the entire groups work, will start posting them to this blog and archiving them in the pages section above for future researchers to use.

To get things started in this post, here are the copies of the two pages of the will and the proven record for Captain Christopher Clark, son of Micajah Clark and Sarah Ann Moorman, Salt Lake FHL Microfilm #32192 item 1, Will Book 1: 1745-1761 for Louisa County, Virginia.

Captain Christopher Clark Will Page 1

Captain Christopher Clark Will Page 2

Captain Christopher Clark, left the will above and transcription that follows which was written on August 14, 1741, and was proved in court and recorded in Louise County, Virginia on May 28, 1754.  The following though, is an abstract of his will

.

In the name of God Amen.  I Christopher Clark, being sound in mind and memory, thanks to God Almighty, for it, but calling to mind the uncertainties of ye life, make this my last will and testament as follows:

1st I give to my loving son Edward Clarke, one gun and all my wearing clothes and all things else that he was possessed of that was mine. 

2nd I give my loving daughter Agnes Johnson, one negro wench named ----- and her increase, and whatever else she has or ever had in possession that was mine. 

3rd  I give my loving daughter Rachel Moorman, four hundred acres of land in Hanover County, near to Capt. Thomas Dancey, and one negro woman named Moll, with her increase and all things else that she has had in her possession whatever of mine. 

4th I give my loving daughter Sarah Lynch, one negro boy named ------, and all things else that she is or ever was possessed of that was mine. 

5th  I give my loving son Micajah, five hundred acres of land in Hanover County, the same whereon I now live with all rights and hereditaments, thereto belonging, and one negro boy named -----, working tools, and whatever else is or was possessed of that was mine. 

6th I give my loving son Bowling Clarke, four hundred acres of land in Hanover County, lying on the north west side, joining on the land of Mr. Thomas Carr, and on ye County ------ two young negroes, named Nane and Robin, one horse named Spret, one gun and one feather bed and furniture, two cows and calves, my trooping arms, my "Great Bible" and all my law books.  (Bowling Clark is my direct line and my 5th great-grandfather who married Winifred Buford.  I wish that Bible still existed and that family info was written in it.)

7th  I give my loving daughter Elizabeth Anthony, four hundred acres of land in Goochland County, on Footer Creek near the South fork of the James River, two young negroes, Mat and Jenny, cows and calves, one feather bed and furniture. 

All the rest of my estate be it what nature or quality, so ever, I leave to my loving wife during her natural life, who I appoint my executrix and further my will and desire is that my loving granddaughter, Penelope Lynch, at the death of her grandmother, Penelope Clarke, my wife, that them she and the said Penelope Lynch, be paid out of my estate if there be so much remaining, forty pounds good and lawful money of Virginia, and then if any left, to be equally divided among my said children, but not to be appraised. 

In witness to the above promises, I have here unto set my hand and fixed my seal this 14th day of August, 1741.     Christopher Clark

Test: Thomas Martin, Ann Martin (made her mark, she was daughter of Charles Moorman Sr.), James Waring (made his mark) 

At a court held for Louisa County, the 28th day of May 1754, this will was proved this day in open court by the oath of Thomas Martin and affirmation of Ann Martin and admitted to record and is recorded. 

Test: James Littlepage, Clerk of the Court.

Where on Earth is Beauford Hervey Neely Hurt Buried?

1st Lt. Beauford Hervey Nealy Hurt, CSA

Family Background

BHN was born 18 Jun 1835 in Mississippi to William Perrin Hurt and Clarissa S. Boswell. He served honorably during the civil war rising in the ranks from private to Lieutenant in the 5th Texas Infantry, Company K (Bloody 5th). On day two of Gettsyburg during the charge up Little Round Top, BHN was captured and spent the rest of the war at the Union prison on Johnson island in Ohio. he was exchanged on 22 Mar 1865

From his Confederate muster rolls here are the military events that BHN participated in during the Civil War:

Military Active Duty: 24 Aug 1861, in Livingston, Polk County, Texas
Military Battle: 7 May 1862, in New Kent County, Virginia (A sharp engagement known as West Point, Barhamsville, or Eltham's Landing)
Military Battle: Between 31 May 1862 and 1 Jun 1862, in Virginia (Battle of Seven Pines or Fair Oaks, Virginia)
Military Battle: Between 25 Jun 1862 and 1 Jul 1862, in Virginia (The Seven Days Campaign)
Military Battle: 27 Jun 1862, at Gaines' Mill, Hanover County, Virginia (The Seven Days Campaign: Battle of Gaines' Mill, First Cold Harbor, or the Chickahominy)
Military Battle: 1 Jul 1862, at Malvern Hill, Henrico County, Virginia (The Seven Days Campaign: Battle of Malvern Hill)
Military Promotion: 14 Jul 1862.Promoted to the rank of 2nd Junior Lieutenant by election of his company. Some indication that this is also known as a 3rd Lieutenant.
Military Battle: 23 Aug 1862, in Virginia (Battle of Freeman's Ford)
Military Battle: 29 Aug 1862, at Bull Run Creek, Virginia (2nd Lieutenant Hurt was wounded at the Battle of Second Manassas)
Military Battle: 14 Sep 1862, at South Mountain (Battle of South Mountain)
Military Battle: 17 Sep 1862, at Antietam Creek, Sharpsburg, Washington County, Maryland.(Battle of Sharpsburg/Antietam)
Military Battles: 13 Dec 1862, at Battle of Fredericksburg, Virginia
Military Battles: Between Mar 1863 and Apr 1863, participated in Washington Siege
Military Battles: Apr 1863, in Virginia, participated in the Suffolk Campaign
Military Promotion: 15 Apr 1863, Promoted to the rank of 1st Lieutenant
Military Battles: Between 1 Jul 1863 and 3 Jul 1863, in Gettysburg, Adams County, Pennsylvania, the Gettysburg Campaign
Military Event: Captured 2 Jul 1863, in Gettysburg, Adams County, Pennsylvania, Captured during General Sam Hood's charge up Little Roundtop.
Military Event: Prisoner 20 Jul 1863, in Johnson's Island, Ottawa County, Ohio, Imprisoned. Records indicate that he was also imprisoned at Fort McHenry, Maryland and Fort Delaware, Delaware.
Military Event: Paroled 14 Mar 1865, in Johnson's Island, Ottawa County, Ohio, Paroled and forward to Point Lookout, Maryland for exchange.
Military Event: Released 23 Mar 1865, in Point Lookout, St. Marys County, Maryland, Received by Confederate Agent for exchange.

After the war Beauford ended up in South Carolina. and on 26 Nov 1865 in Lancaster Co SC, he married his wife Margaret Hinson (daughter of John Calvin Hinson and Charlotte Raley). BHN and Margaret had 11 children.

Margaret Hinson-Hurt

1. William Perrin Hurt
Born 15 Jul 1866 , Lancaster County, South Carolina - Died 24 May 1930 Mallard Creek, , Mecklenberg County, North Carolina, Buried Hickory Grove Baptist Church Cemetery, Gastonia, Gaston County, North Carolina
Spouses Maude F. (1889-1983) and Julia (1870-1904) 1889 - , , North Carolina

2. Thomas Marion Hurt
Born 27 Feb 1869 , Lincoln County, North Carolina - Died 1 Jan 1931 Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, Buried Oaklawn Cemetery, Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, North Carolina
Spouse Mary Charity Gay (1880-1959)

3. John Hamilton Hurt
Born 27 Feb 1869 , Lincoln County, North Carolina - Died 26 Feb 1935 , Buncombe County, North Carolina, Buried Saint Johns Lutheran Church Cemetery, Cherryville, Gaston County, North Carolina
Spouse Henrietta Mary Pugh (1872-1937) 1896 - , , North Carolina

4. Mary Isadore Hurt
Born 3 Aug 1871 , Lincoln County, North Carolina - Died 15 Feb 1890
Spouse Charles K. Eury ( - )

5. Martha Clarissa Hurt
Born 5 Oct 1873 , Lincoln County, North Carolina - Died 15 Feb 1890 McAdenville, Gaston County, North Carolina, Buried Hickory Grove Baptist Church Cemetery, Gastonia, Gaston County, North Carolina

6. Margaret Almetta Hurt (AKA Aunt Alice Hurt)
Born 16 Jun 1876 , Mecklenburg County, North Carolina - Died 6 Sep 1954 Mars Hill, Madison County, North Carolina, Buried Mars Hill Cemetery, Mars Hill, Madison County, North Carolina
Spouse J. Newberry McDevitt (1875-1939)

7. Harriet Sarah Isabelle Hurt
Born 10 Jan 1879 , Mecklenburg County, North Carolina - Died 1959 Toledo, Lucas County, Ohio
Buried Fountain Inn Cemetery, Fountain Inn, Greenville County, South Carolina
Spouse Elsey Savell Trammell (1872-1952), Marr. Date Cir 1896 - Asheville, Buncombe County, North Carolina

8. Columbus Andrew Newton Hurt
Born 9 Nov 1881 , Mecklenburg County, North Carolina - Died 18 May 1883 Clifton Mill, Spartanburg County, South Carolina

9. Susan Elizabeth Hurt (AKA Susan Leona Hurt)
Born 20 May 1884 Clifton, Spartanburg County, South Carolina - Died 10 Dec 1938 Columbia, Richland County, South Carolina, Buried Cherryville City Memorial Cemetery, Cherryville, Gaston County, North Carolina
Spouse David Grier Dellinger (1880-1958)

10. Ira Buford Hurt
Born Oct 1886 Normandy Mills, Gaston County, North Carolina

11. Arthur Hurt
Born 25 Nov 1890 McAdenville, Gaston County, North Carolina
On the 1870 census we find the family in Lincoln Co NC and his occupation is listed as brick mason (the family trade).

On the 1880 census the family is now in Mt. Island River Bend Township, Gaston County, NC.

According to one descendant of this family Margaret Hinson-Hurt died on 1 May 1891 in Rock Hill, York Co, SC. Burial location unknown.

Again, according to the same source as above, BHN Hurt died 12 dec 1895 in Asheville, Buncombe Co, NC. He was suppose to be living at that time with his son, John Hamilton Hurt and his family at 5 Green Street in Asheville.

Where is Beauford and Margaret buried?

I have had high hopes that we would finally know where my 2nd great grand uncle Beauford Hervey Nealy Hurt and his wife Margaret Hinson-Hurt was buried. Several years ago we traveled to Asheville and the main library to get a peak at their genealogy resources that may have helped in my research.

The search in the Asheville library proved negative, that part of the trip was pretty much a bust. Asheville death records do not start until 1898. While I did locate a newspaper covering the period when he died, they didn't have but one local obit in that paper in the week that I researched 12-19 Dec 1895. One thing has remained constant, the newspaper in Asheville hasn't improved very much in the past 117 years from the ones I looks at yesterday.

No luck with cemetery inventory books for Buncombe and Carrabus County. Could not find any books for Catawba, Lincoln or Gaston Counties NC. A previous search in York County SC also has come up negative.

I will also travel to the Museum and Library of Confederate History in Greenville to see if they have any record of his burial in their records. I still have a few cards to play (NC pension records, other county cemetery inventory books, etc) but the search continues for Uncle Buford's final resting place. Maybe, just maybe!

Latest Update: Nothing in Greenville either!