I've been lying in my bed in the reclining position for days now, fighting an intense muscle spasm in my neck that just will not respond to all the usual tricks I have up my sleeve. Usually, when I find myself confined to my bed, I take that time to deep dive into my genealogy research. This time, I think it might have paid off.
Years ago, I began researching my step-mom's side of the family. I quickly encountered a brick wall on her maternal side with her great grandfather, James Walter Moore. You can find my previous blog post about him here. I have gone back numerous times trying to discover who his parents could be and today, I may have just found them. It all starts with a widowed mother, Sarah JONES, living in Bates Township of Sebastian County, AR. She is 40 years old and is listed with the following JONES children:
- Nittie age 19 born in Texas
- Walter age 18 born in Texas
- Littie age 15 born in Texas
- Susan age 14 born in Texas
- Clyde age 5 born in Arkansas
- Elsie age 3 born in Arkansas
The first thing I notice instantly are the three names Nittie (I have "Nettie" in my tree), Walter, and Susan. The ages and birth dates all fit for my previous MOORE siblings theory (read the blog I linked earlier).
Then I notice the age gap between Susan and Clyde meaning JONES could be a second marriage for Sarah. Thirdly this family is on the same page as James Walter's soon-to-be wife's family, the DILLAHUNTYS.
Then I notice the age gap between Susan and Clyde meaning JONES could be a second marriage for Sarah. Thirdly this family is on the same page as James Walter's soon-to-be wife's family, the DILLAHUNTYS.
Other things that begin to line up are so many familiar names. Is Littie actually something along the lines of Lettie? James Walter named his daughter Leta. A little more research shows I was correct, Littie's maiden name was not JONES but a marriage record indicates it was indeed MOORE. Now bear with me because "Littie's" name is all over the place in all the records I find her in. Her marriage record gives her name as Lillie. But the entry is directly across from who I believe to be her sister, Nettie. With the records only being a week apart.
See the record for yourself below:
See the record for yourself below:
Now remember when I mentioned James Walter Moore's daughter Leta? Her middle name was Grace. The youngest JONES child, Elsie's middle name was also Grace. And she married a MARTIN. Her half-sister, Susie's brother-in-law, Leonard Larkin MARTIN, to be exact.
Then there's the youngest JONES child from the 1900, Sebastian County, census -- his name being Clyde. James Walter Moore also named his youngest son, Clyde
James Walter Moore eventually moves to Vann, Muskogee County, OK and by 1930 the Clyde JONES family is living there as well, with his mother going by the nickname Sallie rather than Sarah.
Sarah, the mother of these MOORE/JONES children died in 1940 and is buried in Lone Star cemetery in Sebastian County, AR. Her headstone says she was the wife of Lee JONES. Using that information I was then able to his death notice in Fort Smith Elevator published Friday, 11 March 1898. If he was about 25 that would make his birth date around the year 1873.
James Walter Moore eventually moves to Vann, Muskogee County, OK and by 1930 the Clyde JONES family is living there as well, with his mother going by the nickname Sallie rather than Sarah.
Sarah, the mother of these MOORE/JONES children died in 1940 and is buried in Lone Star cemetery in Sebastian County, AR. Her headstone says she was the wife of Lee JONES. Using that information I was then able to his death notice in Fort Smith Elevator published Friday, 11 March 1898. If he was about 25 that would make his birth date around the year 1873.
This lets me look for a marriage record between a Lee JONES and Sarah/Sallie MOORE and sure enough, I found one even if her name is given as MOON instead. (Why is it so hard to get an accurate name?) But notice Miss is marked through and Mrs. is written over it, indicating she was previously married. Also of note, in this record from 1890, Mr. Lee JONES is said to be 30 years of age. So which one do we believe, his marriage record or his death notice?
Regardless, here's the marriage record.
Littie MOORE BUCKNER's death certificate claims her father's name was Thomas MOORE. I wish I had any of her siblings' death certificates to compare because sometimes the informant gives bad information in their time of grief. Was Littie's middle name actually Thomas? And was her mother's maiden name truly JONES before she married Thomas MOORE?
I can't access the actual image of Clyde JONES' death certificate from Burlington, Skagit County, Washington, but the information given is that his full name is Clyde Thomas JONES and that his father's name was Lee JONES and his mother's name was Sally STROUD. His death date was 14 June 1955.
And that lead me to this gem!
Then searching in that same county, Fayette County, Texas, I find 12 year old Sallie STROUD living with a 29 year old female with the initials E A HART and several young HART children in the year 1870. There's also a 13 year old house servant living with the family. Her name was Sophia McKEEN.
I don't believe E A HART to be Sarah's mother. As there is evidence she was the widow of Lucius Simmons HART and her name at the time of their marriage in 1860 was HUNT not STROUD. So what relation is she?
After further digging in Fayette County, Texas I discovered that a Mr. Balus C STROUD married a Ms. Louisa A HEART in 1864 is this a connection? Baylis STROUD was married previously to a Nancy GILL and can be found with two young children; Walter (age 3) and little Sallie (age 7/12) THIS is her parents!
And using that I find that Sallie STROUD was enumerated twice in 1870.
Once with her widowed father and brother on page 38. And then again with E A HART on page 44, who would have been her recently deceased step mother's sister-in-law, so her aunt through marriage, both her father's remarriage and then her step-mother's brother's marriage. Maybe she was helping her with the younger children?
There's another HART connection. Lucius and Louisa HART had a brother named Junius HART who married Lois Antoinette MOORE who was the sister of Thomas Lyt MOORE (see further down below). Lois Antoinette is also who I believe Walter's older sister "Nettie" is named after.
AND as a BONUS there's even a birth record from the GILL Family Bible
And for now the trail ends with a few Thomas MOOREs born around the same time frame all living in Fayette County, Texas in 1870. For now, I don't know which one is mine. But I believe I'm settling on the Thomas L Moore b 1856 in Mississippi with parents named James K and Mary MOORE.
I also believe I have found a memorial tribute and it all starts to make sense, with his daughter's name -- Littie Thomas MOORE, she was indeed named after her father. West Point was a small community that sprang up in the 1880s at the crossroads of the MKT railroad.
I hope you're able to keep up. I've convinced myself these are indeed the parents and siblings of James Walter MOORE. Hopefully, I've also convinced you.
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This is a bit out of order but I also wanted to include the 1910 census where the remaining Sarah aka Sallie JONES family is right next door the the remaining Emily DILLAHUNTY family on Burnville and Booneville Rd.
Until next time,
Becky
I don't believe E A HART to be Sarah's mother. As there is evidence she was the widow of Lucius Simmons HART and her name at the time of their marriage in 1860 was HUNT not STROUD. So what relation is she?
After further digging in Fayette County, Texas I discovered that a Mr. Balus C STROUD married a Ms. Louisa A HEART in 1864 is this a connection? Baylis STROUD was married previously to a Nancy GILL and can be found with two young children; Walter (age 3) and little Sallie (age 7/12) THIS is her parents!
And using that I find that Sallie STROUD was enumerated twice in 1870.
Once with her widowed father and brother on page 38. And then again with E A HART on page 44, who would have been her recently deceased step mother's sister-in-law, so her aunt through marriage, both her father's remarriage and then her step-mother's brother's marriage. Maybe she was helping her with the younger children?
There's another HART connection. Lucius and Louisa HART had a brother named Junius HART who married Lois Antoinette MOORE who was the sister of Thomas Lyt MOORE (see further down below). Lois Antoinette is also who I believe Walter's older sister "Nettie" is named after.
AND as a BONUS there's even a birth record from the GILL Family Bible
And for now the trail ends with a few Thomas MOOREs born around the same time frame all living in Fayette County, Texas in 1870. For now, I don't know which one is mine. But I believe I'm settling on the Thomas L Moore b 1856 in Mississippi with parents named James K and Mary MOORE.
I also believe I have found a memorial tribute and it all starts to make sense, with his daughter's name -- Littie Thomas MOORE, she was indeed named after her father. West Point was a small community that sprang up in the 1880s at the crossroads of the MKT railroad.
I hope you're able to keep up. I've convinced myself these are indeed the parents and siblings of James Walter MOORE. Hopefully, I've also convinced you.
***********************************************************************************
This is a bit out of order but I also wanted to include the 1910 census where the remaining Sarah aka Sallie JONES family is right next door the the remaining Emily DILLAHUNTY family on Burnville and Booneville Rd.
Until next time,
Becky
