How DO You Spell That?

Hey there dear reader! We're on week 14 of the 52 Ancestors genealogy challenge and the prompt is just what the title says - 'How do you spell that?". ... I am not as excited about this post because it won't have many stories just facts or speculated facts. I started this whole blogging challenge with my 3rd great grandmother "Mattie" Teal/Teel/Teele - and since there are so many variation on how to spell her maiden name, I thought I would go back one generation and write about her father, Bradberry Teel/Teele/Teal.

I'm going to start in the middle with the 1850 census because it is the only record that places my Martha with her family - this census is my anchor for this line. According to the 1850 census Bradberry Teele was born about 1786 in North Carolina. That year he and his family were living in Russell County, AL. His household is listed as number 143 and living with him is his wife Nancy (Robinson) Teele born about 1807 in North Carolina, a daughter Kipiah age 17, a son, Bradberry age 15, my Martha age 12, John age 10, and Vesty age 8.

Two households down is one of Bradberry's other daughters Lucinda (Teele) Tillery with her husband William and 5 children. The household between the Teel's and Wm. Tillery is of a Rebecca Tillery. Evidence that Lucinda is Bradberry's daughter comes from probate records of his will, in which his surname is spelled Teel, being contested by "William Tillery in right of his wife, Lucinda Tillery" others mentioned are Arnold Teel, JD Hadley in right of his wife, Minta D. Hadley, Jesse Holt in right of his wife, Louisa Holt, and Riley S. Calloway in right of his wife, Polly Calloway.

Bradberry's marriage record spells his surname as Teal. He and Nancy were married 25 September 1825 in Newton County, GA. - Indexes place their marriage in Jasper County. I'm not sure why.

In 1830 "Brdbery Teal" is still living in Newton County with a household of eleven. There are two boys under the age of five, two boys of the age of 5 but under 10, one male of the age of 50 but under 60 (Bradberry). There is also one girl under the age of 5, two girls of the age of 10 but under 15, two girls of the age of 15 but under the age of 20 and one female of the age of 20 but under the age of 30 (Nancy). The ages of the children listed tells me he was probably married before Nancy. And the fact that there is about a 20 year age difference also makes me lean that way. Was Nancy married before him?? - My Martha isn't born yet - so I can rest easy in knowing that Bradberry and Nancy are her parents.  *Note* There is a William Calloway on the same page... is this his future son-in-law or his family?

In 1840 the family has migrated to Russell County, AL. The surname is Teel (Transcribed on Ancestry as Tul). There is one boy under the age of five (Bradberry Jr), three boys who are five to ten and one male who is 50-60 (Bradberry). There is also on girl under the age of five (my Martha), two who are five to ten (Kipiah and Mary "Polly"), one who is 15-20 (Lucinda), two who are 20-30 and one who is 30-40 (Nancy). *Note* The household right before Bradberry's is of Rebecca Tillery - is this Lucinda's mother-in-law?

In 1860 in Russell County is a B Teel (Transcribed on Ancestry as Tell) age 74 living with a female N Teel age 47 and a female C A Teel who is 9 years old. Again right above Bradberry is a Tillery - but this time it is a 6 year old female living with a P E Wells family. Her initials are hard to make out - definitely the first is an S the second may be a J.

The last records I have of Bradberry are his probate records. The earliest date is from Oct 1862 meaning he died sometime before then. In all of his probate records the surname is spelled Teel..

In compiling my tree with his children and their descendants, I have seen the last name spelled or transcribed as Till, Keil, Teil, Teele, Teel, Teal, Teale, Theil, Tul, and Tell.


Now enough with just bare bone facts... let's add a touch of interesting to this story... READ TO THE BOTTOM OF PAGE.

Bradberry Teel is presumed to be the son of Bradberry Teel Sr. who was married to Mary Delouch. There was an article in a local (local to where I have no idea) newspaper about a Hymn book, printed in London in 1722 given to the local library. The book burned in a fire in 1910. All that exists is what the writer of the article mentioned that he could read:

Francis Meeks, b. Sept. 27, 1765
Robert Teel...no dates
Amos Teel, b. Jan. 15, 1833
Laney Teel, dau. of Bradberry and Mary Teel, b. Nov. 7, 1780
James Teel, son of Bradberry and Mary Teel, b.Aug. 5, 1777
Abraham Deloach, son of Mary Deloach, b. July 21, 1775
Ann Deloach, dau. of James Deloach, b. Aug. 2, 1768
Another child of James Deloach, b. 1766

My Bradberry is not mentioned....

But the above Bradberry Sr got  himself in trouble passing counterfeit money. The punishment was unbelievable.

Here are the transcribed records:
North Carolina - Pitt County "Criminal Action Papers, New Bern District, 1785-1789." D.S.C.R. 206.326.2 in NC Archives

Loose documents including one of the counterfeit shilling pieces. Matthias Moore esquire personally appeared before me one of the Justices for aforesaid county and complained on oath that on the 30th day of April ... Instant: Bradberry Teal of Pitt County did pass unto him the said Matthias counterfeit twenty shilling bills no. 1071, one ten (shilling) no. 3868, which is against the laws of our state aforesaid - These are therefore in the name of the State to command you to take the body of the aforesaid Bradberry Teal and himself keep so that you have him before one of the justices aforesaid to keep the peace in and for the County of Pitt aforesaid- Given under my hand and seal at Greenville 30th of April 1789 to lawful officer to execute and return summons on the part of the State. Jn Moye J.P. Mathias Moore esquire John Bowers esquire William Northcut and William Jones of Beaufort County now being in Pitt.
Jn. Moye J.P.

Warrant State vs Bradberry Teal - warrant The defendant committed to the goal for the District of New Bern the witnesses bound in recognizances to appear the 30th April 1789. Jn Moye J.P. Executed: Thos. Warson Conbl. (Constable?)

North Carolina - Pitt County Personally appeared before me the subscriber one of the justices assigned to keep the peace in and for the aforesaid county William Northcut, Junior; William Northcut, Sen. and Drury Nobles all of the county aforesaid and acknowledged themselves indebted? to the State of North Carolina in the following sums, William Northcut, Jun. five hundred pounds currency; William Northcut, Sen and Drury Nobles two hundred and fifty pounds each to be levied (sic) on their respective good _______lands and tenements in case ______be made in the condition hereafter written - The conditions of the above recognizance is that if the above-named William Northcut, Jun shall will and truly make his personal appearance before the judges of the Superior Court of Law and Equity to be held in the District of New Bern at the Courthouse in New Bern on the 20th day of ______(cut off). Instant (Instruct?) then and there attend said Court as an evidence in behalf of the State against Bradberry Teal committed for passing counterfeit money and not depart without leave first had and attained then these recognizances (aforesaid). Acknowledged before me 1st day of May A Dom (Anno Domini) 1789 and 13th year of our Independency. Jn Moye J.P.
North Carolina - Pitt County Personally| appeared before me, the subscriber one of the justices assigned to keep the peace in and for the County aforesaid. Matthias Moore esquire, John Bowers esquire, William Jones lately? from Beaufort County, Richard Moye esquire, Cornelius Patrick and John Jolley all of the County of Pitt aforesaid and acknowledged themselves indebted to the State of North Carolina in the following sums - Mathias Moore esquire one hundred pounds currency. John Bowers esquire one hundred pounds ? and William Jones one hundred pounds, and the aforesaid Richard Moye esquire, Cornelius Patrick and John Lolley fifty pounds currency each to be paid? respectively on their good chattles? lands and tenements in case ______be made in the condition hereafter written - The condition of the above recognizances is that if the above named Matthias Moore, John Bowers, and William Jones shall will and truly make there personal appearance before the judges of the Superior Court of Law and Equity to be held for the District of New Bern at the Courthouse in New Bern on the 20th day of May next, then and there attend said court as evidence in behalf of the State aforesaid against Bradberry Teal committed for passing counterfeit money and not depart without leave. First had and obtained then these recognizances paid?- Acknowledged before me 30th day of April A. Dom. 1789 - and 13 year of our Independency. John Moye J.P.
New Bern District Co Superior Court of the May term 1789. The jurors for the State upon their oath present that Bradberry Teal late of Pitt County, planter, on the thirtieth day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty-nine and in the thirteenth year of the Independency of the State, with force and arms in the County and District aforesaid, one bill? of false money counterfeited to the likeness and similitude of the good and true bills? of credit of the denomination of ten shilling bills, emitted aforesaid? to one act of the General Assembly passed at Hillsborough the seventeenth day of May in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty-three, unlawfully, knowingly, falsely and feloniously did write and pass to one William Jones, as and for a true bill the said Bradberry Teal then and there knowing the bill by him so altered and passed as aforesaid to have been false and counterfeit against the Act of the General Assembly in that case made and provided and against the peace and dignity of the State. A. Moore
Attn Gen
New Bern District, Minutes of Superior Court. D.S.C.R. 206.301.1 NC Archives p. 506 The State vs. Bradbury Teale Wednesday, May 27, 1789 The jury finds the defendant guilty in manner and form. Jury of: 1. James Easton 7. Caleb Penny 2. Abraham Dudley 8. William Swan 3. George Dennison 9. Henry Bonner 4. Charles Crawford 10. Newell Bell 5. Southey Rue 11. William Shepard 6. Richard Cogdell 12. Reuben Wallace

p. 508
Friday, May 29, 1789
The Sentence: The State vs. Bradbury Teel Present the honorable Samuel Ashe, Samuel Spencer, John Williams, Esquires. Passing counterfeit money. The prisoner being sett to the Bar was asked if he had any reason to show why the judgment of the law should not be inflicted on him, saith nothing. The Court proceed(ed) to pass sentence in the following manner to wit that he stand in the pillory one hour, have one of his ears cut off, receive 39 lashes, remain in the jail two months without bail or main prize and forfeit one half of his property to the State to be executed this afternoon.Well folks, that's all I have for this ancestor.

Until next week,
Becky

Please check out my sister-n-law's blog over at Days of Our Lives and a distant cousin of mine's blog over at Untangled Family Roots!

 

Effie BULL Follow Up: And Some Historical Geography

 

I felt my earlier post had a lot of information on several different families so I wanted to post this one to narrow the focus down to Effie and Joseph.


Passed down via word of mouth through all the descendants of Joseph H. Conner and his wife Effie is that her maiden name was Bull... this is my attempt to establish enough evidence to give this theory a leg to stand on.

In the 1850 and 1860 MO State census, Effie, wife of Joseph H. Conner, gives her birthdate as 1795 and birth location as NC. Joseph H. Conner gives his birthdate as 1803, being born in Virginia (1850) and TN (1806). Their son Thomas Conner's military records narrows his birth location to that of Knox Co., KY.

Looking at that area we see it is right near the border of TN, VA and NC. All four of these States and their counties' border lines were constantly changing during the late 1700's and early 1800's.  If you were to look at formation maps between then and the turn of the century you can see how quickly this area changed. In fact in 1784 several of these counties formed the now extinct provisional State of Franklin.... I say this to remind you not to get too hung up on Counties and States when gathering your records for this line during this time period.


Keeping in mind that this is modern day boundary lines... here is a picture of the region these families are found in, excluding their brief stint in IN. The area outlined in blue is a rough estimate of the now extinct State of Franklin.

Okay.

If you search records for this area you will see that a John Bull (sometimes listed as John Bull Sr.) appears on the 1783 Greene Co. tax list (*Note that during that time it was actually NC but by 1796 it had become TN.)

This John Bull eventually migrates to Knox County, KY where he can be found in the 1810 census where it would appear it is just he and his wife, both over the age of 45. Next door to him is a James Bull, then three more houses down, is John Bull Jr. I find no record for John Bull Sr in the 1820 census but 17 Jan 1818 shows John Bull (no suffix) with a land grant in Knox Co. KY, for 50 acres on water course Fk Yellow Cr.

Knox Co., KY, was formed in 1799/1800 and maps show it included "Indian Lands" in the southwest portion. These Indian Lands, which are not shown on maps after 1800, appear to have included the area that later became the western part of Josh Bell Co. when it was formed in 1867 and encompassed the Clear Creek land of the Bull family at the time.

Fellow researcher Darlene Ply found a warrant transfer of 50 acres from John T. Bull to Joseph Conner on Clear Creek in Knox Co.Ky. The land was bounded by William Evans, Richard Bull and John T. Bull. It was signed 10 Sept.1827 by John T.Bull

In 1825 Joseph Conner (Effie's husband) purchased 50 acres on Little Clear Creek. That same year a John Bull is listed as having 150 acres also on Little Clear Creek.

Now Joseph and Effie's son William lists in his military papers that his birth location was Hendricks Co., IN. A John T. Bull Jr. ( whom I believe to be Effie's brother) purchased about 30 acres in Morgan Co., IN which sits right below Hendricks Co. And in the 1830 census there is a John T. Bull Sr. and a John T. Bull both listed in Morgan Co. I believe the John T. Sr. to be the same mentioned above (Effie's brother) and the other John to be John T.'s son, Effie's nephew.

I can find no definitive trace of John Sr (Effie's father) in the years 1820-1830. But the 1820 census of Knox Co, KY lists an aged female (45+) living with the suspected son of John Sr., Richard Bull, and in 1830 Knox Co. there is an aged male (70-79) also living with Richard Bull. I believe the 1820 census refers to Richard's mother and the 1830 to be John Sr. living back at home with his son.

John Bull Sr. and Richard Bull are petitioners on 19 Jan 1799 in Grainger Co., TN, seeking to prevent any part of Grainger Co. from being split off to Jefferson Co., TN

Grainger Co. was formed from Hawkins & Knox Cos. in 1796 when TN was admitted as a state. The 1800 & 1810 census records for Grainger Co., TN were burned during the War of 1812. Richard is said to have moved his family (probably from Grainger Co., TN) to Knox Co., KY, in 1811-1813.  Richard Bull first appears on the Knox Co. tax list in 1815. He owned a mill on Clear Creek in an area of Knox Co. that partly went into Harlan Co. in 1819 and completely into Josh Bell Co. in 1867.  Richard is on the Knox Co., KY, tax lists annually between 1815 and 1829, with the exception of 1818.  *These tax records aren't on Ancestry*

John Bull Jr married Eleanor "Nelly" Collins in Grainger, TN in the year 1800 and Richard Bull married Fanny Bray there in 1805.

Richard Bull witnessed the 1822 Knox Co. will of neighbor, Joseph Haynes. Joseph Haynes' son Richard Haynes married Nelly *BULL* it is suspected that she is the daughter of Richard Bull's brother John who married an Eleanor "Nelly" Collins but it is plausible that she could be the daughter of Richard and Fanny Bray and was named after her aunt.

So from this I gather that sometime after 1825 and before 1834 that John Sr., John Jr and Joseph Conner migrated north to IN.... But by 1834 (the birthdate of Joseph's son Thomas) at least John Sr and Joseph had moved back down to KY. 

I can find NO census record for Joseph Conner prior to 1850. And Joseph gives his birth state as both TN and VA

I suspect he and Effie were married in Grainger County, as were here brother's. Grainger County was formed from neighboring Hawkins and Knox Counties in 1796, the same year Tennessee became a state.

I have found a likely prospect for Joseph's father in a man named Julius Conner. He can be found in the early land records of Hawkins County, TN on the dates of 15 Aug 1814, 9 Aug 1816, 22 Apr 1817 and 28 Oct 1817. Hawkins Co is right on the TN-VA line bordering Lee Co, VA making him my favorite candidate for Joseph's father. Julius is also found in Carter Co, TN during the years 1796-1799. The 1830 census find him in Cocke Co., TN with his wife and a young slave girl. He is aged (60-69), his wife (50-59). I suspect his wife's name to have been Katherine as there is a Katherine Conner (age 76) living with a Brooks family in Hawkins Co in the 1850 census. Julius and wife may have been living with a son Thomas in 1840.

The 1840 census of Hawkins Co lists several Conners - Two by the name of James, a Thomas, Edmund, Luke and a female household of a Fanny Conner in her 50's


So as you an see in researching the origins of Joseph and Effie you may find yourself getting an intense lesson in our nations early geography. We may never find out for sure who their parents were, but I'm sure I'll keep coming back and adding little pieces and nuggets here and there. HOPEFULLY if I'm lucky I'll stumble across a will.... now that I know where to look.

Becky
† Follow up: After further research I have learned that Julius' wife was indeed named Katherine/Catherine maiden name Cobb, daughter of Pharaoh Cobb and Barshaba Whitehead. I've seen in a few trees that they had a son named Joseph but a name is all they have for him.

† Follow up: Something to note - John Bull Jr.'s FIL, David Collins, died in Morgan County, IN.