Friday Furnace Findings Mangold Furnance

Mangold's Death Certificate
1882-1937

Researching the Ancestry of a Paternal 2nd Great Grandmother, Jane Furnace Overton

Mangold Furnace was born about 1882 in Mississippi, likely Copiah County or a neighboring county.

In 1900, he is living with his parents Durg/Derg and Easter, twin brother Jake and several other siblings. Mangold and twin are listed as 17 years old. No one in the household can read or write.

Mangold married Cora Vardman on Jan 1905 in Copiah County. Their known children were all girls: Gettie, Essie, and Pearlie. Mangold made his living as a sharecropper.

The family of five was all listed in the 1910 census as they were in 1920.

By 1930, Gettie and Pearlie were absent from this household but Essie was still there.

Mangold died 29 May 1937, Hazlehurst, Copiah County, MS of a heart attack and flu contributed to his death.

How does Mangold connect to my family tree? I am not sure how Mangold connects to my tree. I suspect Mangold's father Durg Furnace was a brother to my 2nd great-grandmother, Jane Furnace Overton.

Friday Furnace Findings Isabella Furnace Bowen 1872 - 1940

Wife of Luke Copeland, Jr., and Moses Bowen
Daughter of Nathan Furnace and Susan Washington
Granddaughter of Alexander Furnace and Charlotte

Alexander and Charlotte Furnace were my 2nd great grandparents.

Friday Furnace FindingsFransharon Furnace1966-2012

Fransharon was the daughter of Frances Louise Furnace, granddaughter of Woodrow Furnace, Sr., and Bessie Lee Gordon. I am not sure of the relationship between Fransharon, her mother and grandfather, and myself. My Furnace family has deep roots in Copiah County, Mississippi.

Friday Furnace Findings Barbara Furnace Death Certificate 1853 -1924

Miss Babrara was a sister to my great grandmother Jane Furnace Overton.

Friday Furnace Findings Frances Louise Furnace's Obituary

 

Frances Louise Furnace's obituary has been in my collection of obituaries for awhile. I don't know how she connects to my family tree but I am sure she does. My Furnace family has deep roots in Copiah County, Mississippi, at least back to the 1840s.

Frances Louise Furnace, 53, of Hazlehurst, died Wednesday, May 5, 1999.

Services were held Wednesday, May 12, from New Life Evangelical Christian Fellowship Church with Rev. Arnold Stanton officiating.

Born Jan 31, 1946, to the late Woodrow Furnace and Bessie Furnace. She was a member of New Life Church.

Survivors include sons, Gerry of Atlanta, GA, and Tommy; daughters: Dana Gates, Fransharon, Rebecca, Natassia, Felicia, Latresa, and Patrina, all of Hazlehurst; brothers: Woodrow, Jr of Terry, Charles of Jackson, and Homer of Hazlehurst; sisters: Mae Pearl Dillard, and Varol Lynn Sanders of Birmingham, AL; and three grandchildren.   

 Frances was born in 1946 in Copiah County, Mississippi

 

DNA Connection Friday Furnace Findings

Researching a paternal great grandmother, Jane Furnace born about 1860, to discover her parentage and additional information about her life.

For awhile, I have been looking at a Furnace family I believe are my 2nd great grandmother's family. Jane Furnace is named in the 1870 census of Copiah County, Mississippi, living in a household of Furnace folk who I believe to be Jane's siblings. Next door to them is a couple, Alexander and Charlotte, I believe are Jane's parents or grandparents. On the same page is a Nathan Furnace and his family. The 1870 census does not list relationships and Jane does not appear in any other census records. DNA tests have proven I share DNA with a descendant of Nathan's.

Ancestry DNA test declared I am an extremely high confidence with IJFurnace. We are estimated to be between 4th and 6th cousins. The paper trail has our relationship as 3rd cousins if Jane is a daughter of Alexander Furnace. We would share 2nd great grandparent(s), Alexander and or Charlotte Furnace. IJFurnace is a descendant of Nathan Furnace.

Friday Furnace Findings Nathan Furnace

Celia Furnace Death Certificate, Nathan's Daughter
1877-1943

Researching the Ancestry of a Paternal 2nd Great Grandmother, Jane Furnace Overton

Nathan Furnace born about 1842, in Mississippi, is likely my 2nd great grandmother Jane Furnace Overton's brother. Nathan and family lived in Copiah County, Mississippi. Nathan was an adult in 1870, living in his own household with wife Susan Washington and their two children, Willie and Martha. The family lived two houses from Alexander and Charlotte Furnace, the couple I believe were Nathan and Jane's parents.

Between 1880 - 1900, Nathan and Susan added ten more children to the family: Isabella, Louisiana, Celia, Norman, Missie, Lovie, Precious, Elzie, Mary, and Margaret.

The 1910 census was the last one for Nathan and wife Susan. He was 65, she was 70. Living with them were their grandchildren, Melisa Jameson, Dessa Miller, E. J. Bufkin, and Willie B Bufkin.

Children's Marriages
Norman Furnace married Ella Leathers 06 Jan 1906. Isabel Jordan and Alice Grisby were named as mothers of two of Norman's children. They could also be wives although I did not find marriage records for them.
Missis Furnace married or had children with Clark Williams.
Precious/Press Furnace married Evaline English 23 Dec 1909
Albert "Lovey" Furnace married Hulda Dixon 21 Sep 1918

Children's Deaths
Ceila Furnace died in 1943, Hazlehurst, Copiah County, MS. She was a nurse.
Allen Furnace died in 1923, Hazlehurst, Copiah County, MS. He was a farmer.

Friday Furnace Findings Furnace Marriages

Furnaces Marriages - Copiah County, Mississippi
Albert Furnace m. Carrie Leach
1 Jan 1909

Albert Furnace m. Hulda Dixon
21 Sep 1918

Elbert Furnace m. Julia Hooker
24 Dec 1921

Israel Furnace m. Leatha Jackson
27 Feb 1923

Israel Furnace m. Binta Gary
7 Oct 1925

Jake Furnace m. Eugenia Johnson
Jan 23 1905

Marigold Furnace m. Cora Vardaman
16 Jan 1903

Norman Furnace m. Ella Leathers
6 Jan 1902

Pres Furnace m. Evaline Jones
Dec 23 1909

Solomon Furnace m. Lillian Powell
22 Mar 1901

Furnaces Marriages - Lincoln County, Mississippi
Solomon Furnace m. Dora Woodward m. 23 Jul 1912

Hannah Furnace b. 1856 Friday Furnace Findings

Children of James Howard Bradley, Sr., and his wife Ella Demyers
Grandchildren of Hannah Furnace

Researching a paternal great grandmother, Jane Furnace born about 1860, to discover her parentage and additional information about her life.

Hannah Furnace was born about 1856 in Mississippi. Hannah had a child with a 2nd great granduncle, thus she is on my family tree. I suspect she is related to my great grandmother Jane Furnace but I have not found any information to connect the two ladies.

In 1870, Copiah County, Mississippi, Hannah was in the household of Hezekiah Brown, a former slave owner of family members. She was 14 years old, listed as one of four domestic servants. None of the domestic servants shared her surname.

Hannah had a daughter, about 1871, with Peachy Demyers. She named her Ella. The Copiah County educable children lists shows Ella Meyers, 6 years old.

Twenty one year old Hannah and her nine year old daughter Ella were living in the 1880 household of Elijah and Alice Overton Usher. Their relationship to the head of household was listed as other. Alice Overton Usher was my 2nd great grandmother.

Hannah Furnace married Jordan Powell, 24 Dec 1884, in Copiah County. This is the last record I found Hannah.

Ella, Hannah's daughter, married James Howard Bradley. They had several children: Mary Alma, Ella Mae, Lela Beck, Hannah, James Howard Jr., Oliver Barrington, and Celestine Dicey. Ella and her family were last seen in the Copiah County census in 1910; Tallahatchie County, Mississippi in 1920. The family moved to Gary, Indiana, by 1930. Ella died in 1938, in Gary.

How does Hannah connect to my family?
Hannah married Peach Demyers
Peach Demyers was the son of my 3rd great grandmother, Peggie Demyers.

Photograph Courtesy of Melvia Ella Cherry Dean
Direct Descendant of Hannah Furnace

Doshia Ebbs Fair's Death Record 1873-1937 Friday Furnace Findings

Researching a paternal great grandmother, Jane Furnace born about 1860, to discover her parentage and additional information about her life.

How does she connect to my family tree?
Doshia's mother, Barbara Furnace, may be a sister to my great grandmother Jane Furnace Overton.

Friday Furnace Findings Jane Furnace Overton

Researching a paternal great grandmother, Jane Furnace born about 1860, to discover her parentage and additional information about her life.

The Furnace family of Copiah County, Mississippi, left very little of a paper trail. The only census great grandmother Jane Furnace was found was the 1870 census . She was listed as a 10 year old, born in MS. Her parents may be Alexander Furnace and Charlotte. The next piece of paper to document her life was in 1898.

Jane's first child, a daughter, was born about 1873. The father of the child was Elijah Usher (1848-1925). Elijah was married to my 2nd great grandmother Alice Demyers whom he married in 1869.

• Ollie Usher, 1873-1938, married Emsley Wallace in 1893

The father of Jane's other children was Richmond Overton (Alice Demyers Usher's only child). Oral history whispered the children claimed to be Richmond's are not all his but some are the children of Elijah Usher. DNA tests will have to solve that quandary.

• Mary Brown Overton, 1882-1938, married Pink Jack Brandon
• John Evans Overton, Sr., 1882-1958, married Georgia Rockingham
• Garland Overton, 1883 - ?, married Lethy Dixon
• Haber Overton ,1887 - ?, married Rosa Louie
• Edgar Overton, 1887-1923, married Hannah Gary
• Carrie Overton, 1888-1916
• Severe Overton, 1890-1933, married Wayman/Raymond Flowers
• Gertrude Overton (my grandmother), 1895-1967, married Mike Durr, Sr
• Melissa Overton, 1897 - ?, married Unknown Linson
• Alice Overton, 1900-1929, married McNesse Sanders
• Jean Overton
  Nothing Available

Jane and Richmond legalized their two decades relationship, 02 Apr 1898, Copiah County.

My grandmother Gertrude always said her mother died when she was seven years old, which would date Jane's death between 1901-1903.

Friday Furnace Findings Elbert Furnace 1855-1936

Researching a paternal great grandmother, Jane Furnace born about 1860, to discover her parentage and additional information about her life.

Elbert Furnace may be a brother to my great grandmother Jane Furnace. Both were in the same 1870 household but because relationships were not presented, I can only speculate on their relationship. Elbert could not read or write and was 15 years old.

Elbert does not appear in the 1880 census. In 1881, he married Emily Jane Wells in Copiah County, Mississippi. The marriage lasted almost twenty years but ended in divorce in 1899. Elbert claimed Jane deserted him in Jan 1899, taking all her furniture and other property she had in the home to move in the home of Charles Demorrow. Children were not named in the bill for a divorce. Elbert stated he was a good and faithful husband and did not understand why she deserted the marriage.

In 1900, Elbert was 45 years old, living in his household was 18 year old Henry Hall. The relationship was not defined. Elbert was a widower who had been married for 20 years. He was a farm laborer and renter who could not read or write.

Living alone in 1910, Elbert said he was divorced. He was 51 years old working as a servant.

Elbert was still alone in 1920, listed as a widower. He ended his widowhood and married Julia Hooker on Christmas eve in 1921. They were still together in 1930. He was listed as 60 years old and she was listed as 48. He should be about 75 years old and she should be about 62 years of age.

Elbert died 19 Apr 1936, of high blood pressure and heart problems, near Georgetown, Copiah County, MS. His death certificate listed his age as 80. His death record named his father Alex Furnace and did not name his mother.

Additional Sources
Elbert's Death Certificate MS1936-6680
Copiah County Chancery Court Case Number: 3179,
Microfilm Number: 8244
Records found at the Mississippi Department of Archives and History

Barbara Funace Friday Furnace Findings

Researching a paternal great grandmother, Jane Furnace born about 1860, to discover her parentage and additional information about her life.

Searching for my Furnace relatives has me scratching my head, where o where art thou. As of this date, I've found very little to document them or to prove relationships.

Barbara Furnace was different. I've been able to find her in most of the census records until she disappeared in 1930. I suspect Barbara was a sister to my great grandmother Jane Furnace. Barbara was born about 1853 in Mississippi. She was first seen in the 1870 census living with several other Furnace relatives including Alexander and Charlotte who may be her parents. She was 17 years old.

By 1880, she was living next door to Martha Furnace, a possible sister. Barbara had two children; nine year old Lawrence, and infant daughter Loeb. I didn't find the children on any educable children lists. Barbara is 25 years old.

Twenty years later, the children from Barbara 1880's household were no longer in her household and they were not found in the 1900 census. In the 1900 household were three additional children: Aria, 12; Kady, 7; Frank, 5. Barbara was listed a widow, 48 years old.

In 1910, Barbara (Bobbie) had three grandchildren living with her: Hattie Ebbs, 15; J B Dodds,5; Dodds, 2. Daughters Mettie Conley and Aria Rea, son-in-law Jack Rea were also living with her. Barbara was 51 years old.

Living in Barbara's 1920 household were her daughter Mettie Conley, 38, and two grandsons, Bob and Cal Conley. Barbara was 62 years old. This was her last census.

Albert Ebbs was named as the father of three of Barbara's children, Doshia, Aria and Mettie. He may be the father of all of Barbara's children. Albert lived near the Furnace families in Copiah County. Albert died 02 January 1929, in Copiah County, at the age of 85 years. Barbara's death record was not found.

Barbara's Daughters Marriages - Copiah County, Mississippi
Docia Ebbs b. 1873, married Henry Jeff Fair 26 Jan 1898
Mittie Ebbs, b 1890, married Willie Conley 29 Nov 1906
Aria Ebbs, b. 1894, married Jack Rea

Mary and Martha FurnaceFriday Furnace Findings

Researching a paternal great grandmother, Jane Furnace born about 1860, to discover her parentage and additional information about her life.

Following sisters Mary and Martha Furnace, who were in the 1870 household of Alexander Furnace, has proved to be difficult. The sisters may be sisters to my great grandmother Jane Furnace.

Between the 1870 and 1880 census Martha had five children: Mariah b. 1868; Alexander (Ellic) b. 1870; Henry b. 1873: Amy b. 1876; and Hart T W b. 1879. They all used the Furnace surname in both census. The father of the children was not in the household and his birthplace was reported as Virginia for all the children in 1880.

A death record for R T Kennard named his parents as Edmond Kennard and Martha Furnace. He was born 1888, in Copiah County, died in Kentwood, Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana in 1938.

Edmund Kennard was born about 1814. He lived in the same community with the Furnace family. He was a married man with children. He was followed through the 1900 census.

The 1870 census was the only one found for Mary. I searched for her children hoping to find them under a different surname in the household with Mary. The children were Wallace b. 1866, and George b. 1868.

The sisters and their children disappear from the records. They are likely using a different surname, missed or avoided the enumerators.

Friday Furnace Findings Alexander & Charlotte Furnace

Researching a paternal great grandmother, Jane Furnace born about 1860, to discover her parentage and additional information about her life.

Alexander and Charlotte Furnace (Furniss) are probably my Jane's parents or grandparents. They along with Jane were seen on the 1870 census, their only census. Alexander was born about 1810, Charlotte about 1820, both in Virginia.

Alexander was listed as a farmer. I searched the 1870 and 1880 agriculture schedules for Copiah County, Mississippi. Per the instructions for the schedules, a farmer was described as one man who owned or leased the land cultivated under his care. The microfilm copy of the schedule is so faded most of it is unreadable. I suspect Alexander leased his land, owned his tools and livestock because I could not find a deed proving he purchased land.

Alexander and Charlotte were not found on the 1880 census. They probably were deceased.

Searching for the Furnace Branch Friday Furnace Findings

This is the year I plan to spend time researching my Furnace branch of the family, searching for Jane Furnace's parents and siblings from Copiah County, Mississippi, near Hazlehurst.

Jane Furnace was a great grandmother I have so little information. She was the mother of my paternal grandmother Gertrude Overton Durr. Jane died when my grandmother was 7 years old, so, I suppose that is one of the reasons little is known about Jane. I think Jane was born about 1860, in Mississippi. She was likely a slave on one of three intersecting plantations connected to my paternal family.

Lets take a look at the 1870 census for Copiah County, Mississippi. A Jane Furnace was found on the 1870 census, recorded as a ten year old. Relationships were not defined in 1870, therefore I am not sure of her relationship to the people in the Furnace households. I didn't find Jane in any other census that is recognizable to me.

The Furnace family was living near Hezekiah Brown, a known slave owner of paternal family members. Two households of Furnace family lived next door to each other. I suspect they were living in cabins formerly inhabited by slaves. In one household was Alexander Furnis 60, who might be Jane's father or grandfather. A 50 year old Charlotte lived with Alexander: Martha 24 and two children, Mariah and Ellic; Mary 28 and three children, Wallace, George and Josephine. The growing, maturing family extended next door with 21 year old Omar, Barbara 17, Elbert 15, Jane 10 and twelve year old Elizabeth. Skip the next home and we find Nathan Furnis 30, Susan 25, and children Willie and Martha.

The oldest two members were born in Virginia, all others in Mississippi. No one could read and write. The value of the family's real estate was $225.

Farmer was how Alexander Furnis was described on the 1870 census. Next week I will share whether he was a landowner or a renter of the land.