Nimrod Lewis appears twice in the Confederate Citizen files, having assisted two families with claims.
In July 1862, he appeared as a confirmatory witness to Louisa Wright's claim for the final pay due her husband Joseph Henry Wright. Henry Wright had served in the Jackson Guards, in the 57th GA regiment, and had died in May 1862 while serving in Virginia. The other witness was Joseph Henry's father Elias Wright. As a result of this claim, Louisa Wright was paid $47. In the 1860 census, Nimrod is household 54 in Castleberry's district.
Louisa and Joseph Wright were in Knoxville, living next door to his
father Elias. Louisa's maiden name was Gray.
In December 1862, Nimrod Lewis attested to the truth of Charity Mills claim that she was the only heir of her son Andrew J. Mills, who had left "neither wife, child, nor father". Andrew had served in the 6th GA regt. He had been killed at Seven Pines on May 31st of that year and according to the Army was due back pay, his bonus payment, and his clothing allotment. The only Charity Mills in the county was Nimrod's next-door neighbor. She and her husband Alexander had married in 1856, so Andrew could not be a son of that marriage but she had previously been married to Green Mills and had a son A.J. with him. Charity was a Bateman by birth and married Green Mills in Houston County.
Nimrod might have just been being a good neighbor, but putting these two here to keep in mind. Friends, family and associates.
Tuesday, August 8, 2017
Tuesday, July 18, 2017
Nimrod Lewis and H.W. Sullivan
Augusta Chronicle, July 28, 1815, p. 4, accessed at the Georgia Historic Newspapers, Digital Library of Georgia, http://gahistoricnewspapers.galileo.usg.edu
Will be sold by the subscribers, to the highest bidder, on the first Tuesday in August next at the court-house in the town of Waynesborough, (if not previously disposed of), 450 acres LAND, (more or less), of an excellent quality in the county of Burke on the Walnut Branch, within four miles of the Court-house. 80 or 90 acres are cleared and under good fence. Condition 1000 dollars paid down and the balance in one and two years, to be secured by a mortgage on the premises, or approved personal security.
H.W. Sullivan
Nimrod Lewis
July 6
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H.W. Sullivan appears to be as much of a ghost as Nimrod himself at this period, but this does give me something new to work on. Jointly possessing the land, so brothers in law perhaps, disposing of an inheritance?
Will be sold by the subscribers, to the highest bidder, on the first Tuesday in August next at the court-house in the town of Waynesborough, (if not previously disposed of), 450 acres LAND, (more or less), of an excellent quality in the county of Burke on the Walnut Branch, within four miles of the Court-house. 80 or 90 acres are cleared and under good fence. Condition 1000 dollars paid down and the balance in one and two years, to be secured by a mortgage on the premises, or approved personal security.
H.W. Sullivan
Nimrod Lewis
July 6
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H.W. Sullivan appears to be as much of a ghost as Nimrod himself at this period, but this does give me something new to work on. Jointly possessing the land, so brothers in law perhaps, disposing of an inheritance?
Sunday, July 16, 2017
What the census says about Nimrod Lewis
I have recently had a couple of tiny breakthroughs on Nimrod Lewis and decided it was time to sit back and look at everything I have on him. With that in mind, here are his appearances in the U.S. censuses.
1820 - There is a Nimrod Lewis in Edgefield District, SC but probably not my guy. However, there are some interesting connections so I'm including him.
This household contains 1 male 45 & older, 2 females 26-44, and 1 female 10-15. My Nimrod would have been at most 35 at the time of this census. This appears to be an older household with one child. Perhaps a couple with a daughter and a sister or two daughters. Or even several siblings with the child of one of them. They owned 1 male slave age 14-25 and there were 2 people (presumably Nimrod and the slave) engaged in agriculture. His neighbors were Robert Daniel, Thomas Kates (Cates), John Scott and John Cates on one side, with Huldey Watson, Elisha Dyes, William Green, Mary Cumby and Jemima Kates on the other. My Nimrod did have connections to the Cates family and through them to the Dyes and Cumby families.
1830. This is the first census where I can feel confident this is my Nimrod. He is in Edgefield County, SC. The household has one male 40-49 (Nimrod, now age about 45), one female 20-29 (probably Feraby, abt 26), a female 15-19, not identified, two males under 5 (Thomas, age 2 and one unidentified boy), and a female age 5-10, (Martha, age 6) . I wonder if the 10-15 year old girl in 1820 might be the 15-19 year old in this census. The official enumeration date in 1820 was in August, while 1830 was 1 June. A girl born in the summer of 1810 would be 10 in the first one and 19 in the second.
The 1830 household also contains 2 slaves, a male age 10-23, just possibly the male slave from 1820, and a female also 10-23. His neighbor is Turner Cates, future father-in-law to his son Thomas and possibly his brother-in-law.
1840: Nimrod and his family moved to Crawford County, Georgia in 1835, so that is where he appears in the 1840 census. The household is as follows:
1 male 50-60 Nimrod, age 55
1 female 30-39 Pheraby, age 36
1 male 5-9 Jeremiah, 5.
2 males 10-14 Thomas, 12 and unidentified boy
2 females under 5 - Nancy (4) and Almira (infant)
1 female 5-9 Feraby (9)
Martha had married the year before and so is not enumerated with this household.
In this census, Nimrod has two slaves, a male and a female, both 24-35 so presumably the same two he had in 1830, brought with him to Georgia. Four members of the household were employed in agriculture.
His neighbors in 1840 include Turner and Thomas Cates, both of whom were previously associated with him in South Carolina, and Mary Dyes who is probably connected to the Cates family.
1850 Division 20, Crawford county, Georgia, household 447
The Household consists of:
Nimrod Lewis 63 M Planter property value $400 born in Georgia
Pheraby 48 F born in SC cannot read or write
T. T. 21 M born in SC planter cannot read or write
Pheraby 20 F born in SC
Jeremiah 16 M born in GA planter
Nancy 13 F born in GA
Almyra 11 F born in GA
Marena 7 F born in GA
The other boy, presumed son, who appears in 1830 and 1840 is not with the family in this census Since Thomas is 21 and Pheraby 20, the other boy was probably older, fitting nicely between Thomas and Martha. There is not a Lewis male in Crawford county the right age to be him who is not already accounted for. He may well have died by this time but he was almost certainly dead in 1868 since he is not listed as one of the heirs.
The 1850 slaves schedule shows him with 2 slaves, a male 56 and a female 37.
1860 census Castleberry's District, Crawford County Georgia, dwelling 60, family 54
Nimrod Lewis 74, m, farmer, real estate value $600, personal property 1125
Feraby 56, F
Jeremiah, 25, M farm laborer
Almira, 20, F
Massenia, 18 F
Feraby Wilder, 30 F Widow
Everyone in the family is listed as born in Georgia except Feraby Wilder. She was not actually a widow although her husband may have taken off. He does appear in later censuses. Son Thomas was married and living in the next household down with his family.
The slave schedule for this year shows Nimrod having one female slave age 40.
Nimrod also appeared on two agricultural schedules, in 1850 and 1860.
1850: 60 acres improved, 40 unimproved, value of farm $600, value of machinery $60. He had 3 horses, 1 ass or mule, 2 milch cows, 1 ox, 8 other cattle, 7 sheep and 35 swine for a stock value of $347. The year just ended he had produced 10 bushels of wheat, no rye, 350 bushels of indian corn, 50 bushels of oats, no rice, no tobacco, 3 bales of ginned cotton, no wool, 10 bushels of peas and beans, 5 bushels of Irish potatoes and 50 bushels of sweet potatoes. He did not produce any barley, buckwheat, orchard products, wine or market garden produce. He did produce 100 pounds of butter, but no cheese, hay, clover, grass seeds, hop, hemp, flax flaxseed, silk coccoons, maple sugar, cane sugar, molasses or beeswax. He gave no value for "homemade manufactures" but listed the 'value of animals slaughtered' as $88.
1860: 75 acres improved, 25 unimproved. Cash value of farm - $600, value of machinery $30. He had no horses, 2 mules, 3 milch cows, no oxen, 3 other cattle, no sheep, and 16 swine for a total livestock value of $200. He had produced 5 bushels of wheat, 250 bushels of Indian corn, 8 bales of ginned cotton, 19 bushels of peas and beans, 70 bushels of sweet potatoes, 25 pounds of butter, and 25 lbs of Honey. The value of animals slaughtered was given as $30.
Nimrod was getting quite old by this census so it was not unexpected that his agricultural production would go down. Son Thomas, however, was not picking up the slack. Thomas is listed separately just below Nimrod and he shows only 8 swine, for a value of $16.
1820 - There is a Nimrod Lewis in Edgefield District, SC but probably not my guy. However, there are some interesting connections so I'm including him.
This household contains 1 male 45 & older, 2 females 26-44, and 1 female 10-15. My Nimrod would have been at most 35 at the time of this census. This appears to be an older household with one child. Perhaps a couple with a daughter and a sister or two daughters. Or even several siblings with the child of one of them. They owned 1 male slave age 14-25 and there were 2 people (presumably Nimrod and the slave) engaged in agriculture. His neighbors were Robert Daniel, Thomas Kates (Cates), John Scott and John Cates on one side, with Huldey Watson, Elisha Dyes, William Green, Mary Cumby and Jemima Kates on the other. My Nimrod did have connections to the Cates family and through them to the Dyes and Cumby families.
1830. This is the first census where I can feel confident this is my Nimrod. He is in Edgefield County, SC. The household has one male 40-49 (Nimrod, now age about 45), one female 20-29 (probably Feraby, abt 26), a female 15-19, not identified, two males under 5 (Thomas, age 2 and one unidentified boy), and a female age 5-10, (Martha, age 6) . I wonder if the 10-15 year old girl in 1820 might be the 15-19 year old in this census. The official enumeration date in 1820 was in August, while 1830 was 1 June. A girl born in the summer of 1810 would be 10 in the first one and 19 in the second.
The 1830 household also contains 2 slaves, a male age 10-23, just possibly the male slave from 1820, and a female also 10-23. His neighbor is Turner Cates, future father-in-law to his son Thomas and possibly his brother-in-law.
1840: Nimrod and his family moved to Crawford County, Georgia in 1835, so that is where he appears in the 1840 census. The household is as follows:
1 male 50-60 Nimrod, age 55
1 female 30-39 Pheraby, age 36
1 male 5-9 Jeremiah, 5.
2 males 10-14 Thomas, 12 and unidentified boy
2 females under 5 - Nancy (4) and Almira (infant)
1 female 5-9 Feraby (9)
Martha had married the year before and so is not enumerated with this household.
In this census, Nimrod has two slaves, a male and a female, both 24-35 so presumably the same two he had in 1830, brought with him to Georgia. Four members of the household were employed in agriculture.
His neighbors in 1840 include Turner and Thomas Cates, both of whom were previously associated with him in South Carolina, and Mary Dyes who is probably connected to the Cates family.
1850 Division 20, Crawford county, Georgia, household 447
The Household consists of:
Nimrod Lewis 63 M Planter property value $400 born in Georgia
Pheraby 48 F born in SC cannot read or write
T. T. 21 M born in SC planter cannot read or write
Pheraby 20 F born in SC
Jeremiah 16 M born in GA planter
Nancy 13 F born in GA
Almyra 11 F born in GA
Marena 7 F born in GA
The other boy, presumed son, who appears in 1830 and 1840 is not with the family in this census Since Thomas is 21 and Pheraby 20, the other boy was probably older, fitting nicely between Thomas and Martha. There is not a Lewis male in Crawford county the right age to be him who is not already accounted for. He may well have died by this time but he was almost certainly dead in 1868 since he is not listed as one of the heirs.
The 1850 slaves schedule shows him with 2 slaves, a male 56 and a female 37.
1860 census Castleberry's District, Crawford County Georgia, dwelling 60, family 54
Nimrod Lewis 74, m, farmer, real estate value $600, personal property 1125
Feraby 56, F
Jeremiah, 25, M farm laborer
Almira, 20, F
Massenia, 18 F
Feraby Wilder, 30 F Widow
Everyone in the family is listed as born in Georgia except Feraby Wilder. She was not actually a widow although her husband may have taken off. He does appear in later censuses. Son Thomas was married and living in the next household down with his family.
The slave schedule for this year shows Nimrod having one female slave age 40.
Nimrod also appeared on two agricultural schedules, in 1850 and 1860.
1850: 60 acres improved, 40 unimproved, value of farm $600, value of machinery $60. He had 3 horses, 1 ass or mule, 2 milch cows, 1 ox, 8 other cattle, 7 sheep and 35 swine for a stock value of $347. The year just ended he had produced 10 bushels of wheat, no rye, 350 bushels of indian corn, 50 bushels of oats, no rice, no tobacco, 3 bales of ginned cotton, no wool, 10 bushels of peas and beans, 5 bushels of Irish potatoes and 50 bushels of sweet potatoes. He did not produce any barley, buckwheat, orchard products, wine or market garden produce. He did produce 100 pounds of butter, but no cheese, hay, clover, grass seeds, hop, hemp, flax flaxseed, silk coccoons, maple sugar, cane sugar, molasses or beeswax. He gave no value for "homemade manufactures" but listed the 'value of animals slaughtered' as $88.
1860: 75 acres improved, 25 unimproved. Cash value of farm - $600, value of machinery $30. He had no horses, 2 mules, 3 milch cows, no oxen, 3 other cattle, no sheep, and 16 swine for a total livestock value of $200. He had produced 5 bushels of wheat, 250 bushels of Indian corn, 8 bales of ginned cotton, 19 bushels of peas and beans, 70 bushels of sweet potatoes, 25 pounds of butter, and 25 lbs of Honey. The value of animals slaughtered was given as $30.
Nimrod was getting quite old by this census so it was not unexpected that his agricultural production would go down. Son Thomas, however, was not picking up the slack. Thomas is listed separately just below Nimrod and he shows only 8 swine, for a value of $16.
Thursday, March 2, 2017
Found! The parents of James Bryant
James Bryant has been a brick wall for many years. First, he does not appear in any census with his parents and secondly, he had real problems making up his mind how old he was. The person who is probably him in 1880 is listed as age 10, in 1900 his birth month/year is July 1861 and he is 49. In 1910 he is 37 (so born 1873), in 1920 he is 50 and in 1940 he is 68. He's not been found yet in 1930. His death certificate, with information provided by his son-in-law states he was born on 2 July 1873. He does not appear in the SSDI and having died in 1942, I had always assumed he never had a social security card. However, it turns out he is in the Social security claims index so I sent for his original SSDI, which gives his date of birth as 2 July 1868 and more importantly, gives his parents as Irving Bryant and Elizabeth Hamlin.
There is no Irving in the 1870 census, but there is I Bryant age 25 with his wife E age 24. There is no marriage record for them in Crawford county so her surname cannot be confirmed. They have 3 children, a daughter H.E., age 6, a son C age 7, and a daughter J age 2. It would be better if names were on here. There are several errors as to children's sex in this census, so this could be James despite the F. In 1880, there are no female Bryants who were born about that year, but there are two males, one of whom is James.
In 1880, James is living with John and Sarah Stripling Sandefur. I am pretty sure this is the correct James since Sarah had a relatively unusual name (Sarah Willie) and he named his oldest daughter that. He also married John's youngest sister.
Irwin, who is also shown as Ruben Irwin on some family trees, and Elizabeth both disappear from the censuses after 1870, which increases the odds that the apparently orphaned James in 1880 is their child. More work needs to be done but at least there appears to be a path forward now.
There is no Irving in the 1870 census, but there is I Bryant age 25 with his wife E age 24. There is no marriage record for them in Crawford county so her surname cannot be confirmed. They have 3 children, a daughter H.E., age 6, a son C age 7, and a daughter J age 2. It would be better if names were on here. There are several errors as to children's sex in this census, so this could be James despite the F. In 1880, there are no female Bryants who were born about that year, but there are two males, one of whom is James.
In 1880, James is living with John and Sarah Stripling Sandefur. I am pretty sure this is the correct James since Sarah had a relatively unusual name (Sarah Willie) and he named his oldest daughter that. He also married John's youngest sister.
Irwin, who is also shown as Ruben Irwin on some family trees, and Elizabeth both disappear from the censuses after 1870, which increases the odds that the apparently orphaned James in 1880 is their child. More work needs to be done but at least there appears to be a path forward now.
Tuesday, February 7, 2017
The children of Tilman Gooch
I know that people have figured out who Tilman Gooch's children were but there was still some variance over birthdates. Recently I found a Bounty Land application where his youngest daughter applied. It's rather odd because she claimed on the first document to be his only child - even though her sister Eliza Ann Sutton was one of the witnesses - but then clarified later to explain that she was his only minor child. The claim could be made by any person who was a minor at the time the law went into effect on 1 Mar 1855, so Mary qualified even though she did not apply until 1883. One page of the claim lists all the children as follows. I have tried to keep it true to the original except for adding a line between the children for reading clarity.
Samuel Gooch the oldest child was born on 6th of July 1824. and now resides at Nimberwill, Lumpkin County Georgia. Dahlonega PO Add. [Note in margin: 1st, over age].
Caroline. The second child was born in Rabun County Georgia October 10, 1826 and now resides at Dawson County, Georgia. [Note in margin: 2nd, over age.]
James. The third child was born in the County of Rabun State of Georgia on the 10th February 1829 and now resides in Gaddistown, Union County Georgia. [Note in margin: 3rd, over age].
And Viney Adaline the 4th child Was born in Rabun County State of Georgia on the 21st of January 1831 and died on or about 1st of December 1864. [Margin note: 4th dead]
Eliza Jane [Second name is written over and may have originally been Anne or corrected to Anne] the 5th child was born in Rabun County State of Georgia Feb 9th 1833 and now resides in Hall County state of Georgia. [Margin note: 5th over age]
Margaret was born in Rabun County State of Georgia on 18th day of October 1835 and died September 4th 1862. [Margin note: 6th dead]
Mary the youngest and seventh child was born in Rabun County State of Georgia on the 6th of July 1837. [Margin note: claimant].
Samuel Gooch the oldest child was born on 6th of July 1824. and now resides at Nimberwill, Lumpkin County Georgia. Dahlonega PO Add. [Note in margin: 1st, over age].
Caroline. The second child was born in Rabun County Georgia October 10, 1826 and now resides at Dawson County, Georgia. [Note in margin: 2nd, over age.]
James. The third child was born in the County of Rabun State of Georgia on the 10th February 1829 and now resides in Gaddistown, Union County Georgia. [Note in margin: 3rd, over age].
And Viney Adaline the 4th child Was born in Rabun County State of Georgia on the 21st of January 1831 and died on or about 1st of December 1864. [Margin note: 4th dead]
Eliza Jane [Second name is written over and may have originally been Anne or corrected to Anne] the 5th child was born in Rabun County State of Georgia Feb 9th 1833 and now resides in Hall County state of Georgia. [Margin note: 5th over age]
Margaret was born in Rabun County State of Georgia on 18th day of October 1835 and died September 4th 1862. [Margin note: 6th dead]
Mary the youngest and seventh child was born in Rabun County State of Georgia on the 6th of July 1837. [Margin note: claimant].
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