A few years ago while researching my ancestor, John P KENNERLY, who came from Gibson County, TN and settled into Pulaski County, AR I came across a connection between three surnames: KENNERLY, HARBOUR, and CRIBBS. This blog post will just be me working through these connections.
John P KENNERLY married Lucinda HARBOUR in Gibson County, TN in 1831
John was born in 1811 and had migrated to AR as early as 1837 according to the birth of his daughter, Elizabeth who is found in the 1850 Maumelle, Pulaski, Arkansas, census.
In the 1840 Federal census John and an older Wm Kennerly, who is old enough to be his father, are found living in Searcy, AR yet in the 1840 Arkansas State census the two are listed in Scott, AR
I began searching Newspapers.com trying to see if I could prove parentage but was only able to definitely prove he had a brother, Gilbert Kennerly, from an article found in the Daily Arkansas Gazette dated 29 Nov 1882.
Searching for CRIBBS in the 1840 census I end up with two living in Scott, AR; Doctor CRIBBS (70-79) and Gilbert CRIBBS (40-49) (is this who John's brother is named after? Maybe an Uncle or maternal grandfather?) Gilbert CRIBBS married a Nancy MARTIN in Gibson County, TN in 1824.
Going back to the 1850 census we see that John and Lucinda KENNERLY had the following children:
Thomas G (is this for Gilbert?) b. 1834 TN
Eliz b. 1837 AR
William A (though this later proves to be the wrong initial -- it's actually C (for Cribbs?) b.1840 AR
John M b. 1841 AR
Nancy A b. 1844 AR
Mary (my ancestor) b. 1845 AR
Randy (short for the Margaret in 1860?)(female) b. 1848 AR
Two names down on the 1850 census is A.D. HARBER and again on the same page as my John KENNERLY in 1860 is A. D. HARBOUR and living in his household is a James K. CRIBBS. I believe A.D. HARBOUR to be Lucinda's brother. James K. CRIBBS is the son of Doctor CRIBBS (name not profession) and Nancy HARBOUR (another sibling of Lucinda?). They were also married in Gibson County, TN the same year as John P. KENNERLY and Lucinda HARBOUR. This Doctor CRIBBS is most likely the son of the 1840 Doctor CRIBBS as he was born in 1809 according to the 1850 census record.
Another HARBOUR/CRIBBS marriage in Gibson County, TN was that of William CRIBBS and Jane HARBOUR in 1826.
I found the given name Doctor to be a unique and distinctive first name. Remember the William KENNERLY that I suspected to be the father of my John P? Well living in his household in the 1850 Maumelle, Pulaski, Arkansas census is a Doctor Kennerly, age 23, born in TN. There is no mother living in the household by 1850. Was William's wife a CRIBBS? Possibly the daughter or sister of the 1840 (70-79) Doctor CRIBBS?
Another CRIBBS listed in the 1850 Maumelle, Pulaski, Arkansas census is 20 year old TN native Cullen G. CRIBBS and his young wife Mary E ROWLAND. Cullen ends up being the Administrator of my John KENNERLY's son, William C KENNERLY's estate. He must be closely connected to this family as I also found him named in the obituary of William's young daughter, Ida KENNERLY.
I suspect that Cullen was either the eldest son of Doctor CRIBBS and Nancy HARBOUR who was living in Yell, AR in 1850 or a son of Gilbert CRIBBS and Nancy MARTIN who had moved onto Polk, MO by 1850 but I can't prove it. Maybe the reason he didn't leave the area was because of his ROWLAND in-laws.
One more connection is that there is a marriage record for a Nancy A KENNERLY and Benjamin S CLARK in Pulaski County, AR for the year 1848. In 1850 Smith Township, Drew County AR, Nancy (20) and husband Spencer CLARK (27) can be found with an infant son, Doctor G CLARK. They are living next door to 26 year old William B. KENNERLY and his wife Frances.
I think I have exhausted all the leads on this for now, so if anyone out there has any more information on these three families, please let me know.
Until next time,
Becky
