Servants Have Boils and Risings - 1861

The Great Grandchildren of Patience Bradley

The mistress of Spring Hill Plantation, Sarah Frances Adams Taliaferro, wrote a newsy letter to her son Henry during the first year of the Civil War. Below is an excerpt from that letter mentioning the servants and their suffering with boils and risings. A boil is a painful, pus-filled bump under the skin caused by infected, inflamed hair follicles.

The Excerpt of the Letter
Sarah Frances Taliaferro to her son Henry (Richard Henry Taliaferro)
Spring Hill Plantation
November 16, 1861

"We are getting on now pretty well picking cotton but have been much hindered by the servants having boils & risings. Edmond has had his hand in a sling for 6 weeks - Rachel and Gilmer have done nothing for 2 months - Patience with one finger - Sam with sore back - no fevers or chills on the place the whole summer - the cotton is indifferent they say it is rotten in the bolls."

Sarah Frances was married to Peachy Ridgway Taliaferro of Copiah County, Mississippi. After his death in 1852, she was allotted several slaves including the ones mentioned in the letter. Edmund was appraised at $1500, Rachael $1000, Gilmer $1300, Patience $600, and Sam $700.

Patience, along with her husband Arthur, and five of their children were also named on Peachy R Taliaferro's probate records.

How does Patience connect to my family?
Patience Bradley's grandson, James Howard Bradley, married Ella Demyers. Ella Demyers was the daughter of Peachy Demyers.
Peachy Demyers was the brother of my 2nd great grandmother, Alice Demyers Overton Usher.

Letter Excerpt Shared by Beverley Ballantine from Family Letters
Photograph Courtesy of Melvia Ella Cherry Dean

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

Hannah is still Hannah no matter the Surname

The process of documenting a woman's life can be like trying to find a needle in a haystack when her surname changes. Hannah had several different surnames during her lifetime.

Hannah was born to Thomas/Tom Gary, maybe Weathersby or Jones, and Bettie Thompson, April 1895, in Copiah County, MS. Twenty years old, Thomas Gary is living next door to a Stephen and Hannah Jones who are old enough to be his parents. I suspect Stephen and Hannah, or one of the two, are his parents. More research is needed to verify the theory.

Hannah Gary is a five year old in 1900. She is living with parents Thomas and Bettie Gary; siblings: Willie, Mary, Thomas, Jr., and Bettie Jean. Shortly after her 15th birthday, she married my paternal granduncle Edgar Overton, 11 Aug 1910, in Copiah County.

The Gary family was not found in the 1910 census, nor was Edgar Overton. Edgar and Hannah Overton are found in the 1920 census with their children: George, David, E J, Richmond, Jones Sam, and Mary. The marriage didn't last much longer. Edgar died 10 Aug 1923.

Albert Brown Spencer's wife Mary died in May of 1923. Widow Overton and widower found solace with each other, married about 1925. They had two children together, Bessie and Albert. Hannah Spencer became a widow again. Albert B Spencer died 06 Apr 1927.

Two husbands dead less than five years, Hannah raised her children from those relationships. The Overton and Spencer children are in the household with their mother in 1930 and 1940 censuses.

Hannah's last husband was Washington Lyons. Hannah Lyons outlived another husband. Washington died 21 Sep 1990. Hannah died 08 May 1992. Hannah died in Copiah County, MS.

I followed Hannah by following her children. Searched her death date, was not successful because I was looking for Hannah Spencer. I found Hannah Lyons on an Ancestry tree with the same set of parents named on my family tree. Found her on Find a Grave and searched for an obituary to verify it was the same person, she was.

How does Hannah connect to my family tree?
Hannah married my paternal grandmother's brother, Edgar Overton. Hannah's sister, Mary Gary, married my paternal grandmother's brother, Harmon Usher.

Hannah's photograph courtesy of Albert Benjamin Spencer, Jr
Hannah's headstone photograph from Find a Grave

Unraveling Grandma's Paternity Dilemma Using DNA Tests

Richmond Overton
1856-1928

Paternity issues are complicated. My paternity issue is over a hundred years old, which makes it more complicated. One woman, two men and eleven children are involved. I will concentrate on one of the eleven children, my paternal grandmother.

Three years ago I wrote a post concerning my paternal grandmother's paternity dilemma, Who is the Daddy. Grandma Gertrude's mother died when she was 7 years old and the question of her paternity would not be answered by the mother but by speculating family and friends. Two names were given as grandma's father, Richmond Overton and Elijah Usher.

My grandmother Gertrude Overton-Usher Durr was born between 1893-1895 to Jane Furnace.

I am hopeful my 23andMe DNA test will solve grandma's paternity question. I have four matches linked to my grandmother's family and other cousins are promising to test.

Documents and oral history claim Match 1 is a descendant of Jane Furnace and Elijah Usher.

Match 2 is a third great granddaughter of Peggy Demyers, Richmond Overton's grandmother.

Matches 3 and 4, siblings, are the 4th great grandchildren of Peggy Demyers, Richmond Overton's grandmother.

Matches 2, 3 and 4 are not related to Jane but they match with Match 1.

Looking over our family trees, it appears that Elijah Usher may not be the father of Jane's child, Match 1's ancestor. DNA is pointing to Richmond Overton as my ancestor and also the ancestor of Match 1. I am waiting for other cousins to test before putting the question to rest.

Isaiah Seaberry Korea Veteran

Freedom is not Free

Isaiah Seaberry
CPL US Army
Korea
Jul 14 1926-Sep 6 1997
Burial in East Money Cemetery
Leflore County, MS

How is he connected to my family tree?
Isaiah was the son of George Seaberry and Mollie Brown.
Mollie Brown was the daughter of Smith P Brown and Lizzie Sinclair.
Lizzie Sinclair was the daughter of Isaiah Sinclair and Margaret Demyers.
Margaret Demyers Sinclair and my 2nd great grandmother Alice Demyers Overton Usher were sisters.

Photograph courtesy of Beverly Smith

Isaiah Demyers, First Born Son

A pecan tree on the land where Isaiah lived.
Photograph courtesy of Beverley Ballantine, Nov 1999

The name Isaiah means "the salvation of the Lord," He was the first born son of parents recently freed. I wonder if the parents knew the meaning of the name. Isaiah was born about 1867 in Copiah County, Mississippi.

His parents were John T Demyers and Virginia Williams/Taylor. Isaiah's father John lived next door to Hezekiah George David Brown per the 1870 census, a slave owner of the family. I believe the Demyers family was first owned by Peachy R Taliaferro. After HGDBrown's marriage to Peachy's daughter Mary Peachy Taliaferro, my family was split and some members went to live on HGDBrown's Lucky Hit Plantation. Isaiah's mother Virginia was a slave on the neighboring Edwin Burnley's Somerset Plantation.

The Demyers' household was filled with people. The couple raised the children of John's deceased sister and two sets of grandchildren. Census records described nephews/nieces and grandchildren as sons and daughters. Isaiah had five siblings but I am sure of only three of their names: Amanda, John Jr., and Dora and the other two may be Henry and Willie.

Isaiah, 10 years old, was listed on the 1878 Copiah Educable Children Lists. Per the census records he could read and write.

John and Virginia Demyers, Isaiah's parents purchased 200 acres of land in Copiah County from S. Kemp in 1890. Isaiah lived with his parents for much of his life

Isaiah married Lizzie Bonner 22 Dec 1887. By the 1900 census, the couple was divorced. Lizze was living alone and Isaiah was in his parent's household. The census record said Lizzie had two children, one living.

Matilda Stackhouse Matthews was living a few doors from Isaiah. She was the widow of Charles Matthews with a young daughter, Maybelle. Matilda and Isaiah married during the Christmas holidays, 24 Dec 1902. The couple had four children: Ellison, Dora, Josephine, and Eula Mae.

The patriarch of the family, John T Demyers, died between December 1909 and April 1910. Per John's 1909 will, he left one third of his property to his only surviving child Isaiah. Isaiah would enjoy the fruits of his parents' labor for just a few years. He died in 1916 of pneumonia.

How does Isaiah connect to my family tree?
My 2nd great grandmother Alice Demyers Overton Usher's brother
John T Demyers had a son who was Isaiah Demyers.

Death Certificate for Isaiah Demyers

Amanuensis Monday John T Demyers' Will

I, J T Demyers, a resident of the county of Copiah, Sate of Mississippi, being of legal and of sound and disposing mind and memory, do make and declare this to be my last will and Testament, revoking any and all others heretofore made by me.

Item 1st. I direct that any and all legal & just debts be paid out of any money that I may have on hand on hand at the time of my death which I want paid as soon after my death as possible without any inconvenience to the executor, which I expect to name in this my last Will.

Item 2. I will and bequeath to my beloved wife Virginia all of my property both real and personal, including all the money if any I should have at the time of my death, after the fulfillment of Item 1st of this my Last Will. It being understood that this property shall only be given to my said wife for her life.

Item 3rd. I will and bequeath that at the death of my said wife Virginia that what property then left of my estate both real and personal shall go to my son, Isah(sp) Demyers, Hillard Williams, who is my nephew, who has been with me many years and served me as a son, and to my two grandchildren Mangold Lee and Meredith Lee, being the sons of my daughter Mandy Lee who is dead who I want to have a one third interest in any and all of my estate after the death of my wife Virginia and the other two-thirds value of my estate shall be divided equally between my son Isah(sp) and my nephew Hillard if they be living and if they or either of them be dead, then their part if any shall go to their legal heirs.

Item 4th. After having fully explained my wishes in the above items of this my last Will and testament as to the disposition of my estate at my death, and that part of any that should be left at the death of my wife Virginia, who is to have the use & management of what estate that I may leave with the full power to mortgage or sell if she should need to do so, or should see fit to so do, by naming and appointing as the Executor of this my last will Mr T. H. Millsaps of Brown Wells who has always proven to be one of my best friends and a man that I have all confidence in as a man.

And it is my wishes that he be allowed to serve without being required to give bond.

Item 5th. After having heard this my last will read, and being the will that I have directed without any influence from any one and being made as to my feeling as the best interest for those who I have made beneficiaries in this my last will I hereto sign my signature.

This the 3rd day of Dec 1909.

J. T. his x mark Demyers

Having been asked by J. T. Demyers to sign this instrument which purports to be his last will and testament & having seen him sign same after hearing it read, we and each of us in the presence of each other & in the presence of J. T. Demyers hereto sign out names as witnesses to the signatures made by him to this instrument.

This the 3rd day of Dec. 1909 A.D.

Frank Glancy
H. E. Kilpatrick
J. C. Dodds

Wills of Copiah County, Mississippi
Book A, Page 257
Microfilm Number: 8351

John T Demyers was my 2nd great grandmother Alice Demyers Overton Usher's brother.

John T Demyers was born about 1839 to Tom and Peggie Demyers in Copiah County, MS. He was husband to Virginia Taylor/Williams; father to Isaiah, John, Jr., Amanda, Dora, Henry and Willie. John T had a relationship with Mary Hart (Trueheart) that produced one son, Petrol/Pedro/Petro. John died between Dec 1909 - 1910.

Who is the Daddy?

Richmond Elijah Overton
Born About 1856 - 1928

My maternal grandmother was not sure of her paternity. Grandmother Gertrude was born in 1895 and her mother, Jane Furnace, died when she was 7 years old. Since Jane was dead and couldn't answer her children questions about their father, family and neighbors sitting on porches discussed the paternity of Jane's children, so, my grandmother grew up with uncertainty of her paternity. Jane's children with dark complexion would be assigned to Elijah Usher and Jane's lighter children would be assigned to Richmond Overton. My grandmother was dark, she would be Elijah's child.

After her mother's death, Grandma Gert was raised by Richmond Overton's mother, Alice. The twist to the story is that Alice was married to Elijah Usher. I remember snippets of conversation between my grandmother and her children concerning her paternity. Grandma's attitude was she was "mama's baby, papa's maybe."

The records show the uncertainty but lean toward Richmond Overton being the daddy.
1910 - In the household of Lige and Alice Usher, her name is Gertrude Overton. This is the only census I find Grandma before her marriage.
1919 - Grandma's Marriage Record - She is Gertrude Overton.
1924 - Grandma's Daughter's Notification of Birth Registration - Gertrude Eusher

Parent Information from Death Records of Grandma's Siblings
1916 - Carrie Overton - Parents are Rich Overton and Jane Furnice
1923 - Edgar Overton - Parents are Rich Overton and Jane Furnise
1928 - Ollie Wallace - Parents are Lige Usher and Marry Furnace
1934 - Haber Overton - Parents Richmond Overton and Unknown
1938 - Mary Brandon - Parents are Richmond Overton and Jane Furnice
1967 - Grandma - Parents are Richmond Overton and Jane Furnace.

Recently, I received a photograph from Cousin Alesa of the man I believe to be my great grandfather, the man in the above picture. This was my first time seeing an image of him. I looked to see if there is anything in his face similar to the faces of my siblings or me. I can't tell.

Both men are a part of my family's story. I gladly research them both.

Photograph Courtesy of Alesa Wilson

The Hope Trunk

For the 100th edition of the Carnival of Genealogy, I decided to write about a family heirloom, my grandmother’s trunk.

Second great grandmother Alice Demyers Overton Usher raised many of her grandchildren including my grandmother, Gertrude Overton Durr. A forced sexual encounter resulted in pregnancy for Grandma Gert and if the family stories are true, Grandma Gert probably suffered with depression after the birth of her first child with no husband. Grandma Alice told her she couldn’t stay shut up in the house and that the first man to come along who wanted her, she would marry him.

Grandma Alice presented her granddaughter Gertrude with this trunk. It was a hope trunk, a hope in marriage. I never knew what was in my grandmother’s trunk when she married my Grandfather Mike Durr in September 1919. I would guess there was a quilt, bible, flour sack towels, pretty embroider pillow cases, a cup or two, and whatever they could gather for a new household.

When Grandma Gert died in 1967, her daughters decided that her oldest granddaughter would receive her trunk, that granddaughter was me. I hope to someday pass it on to a granddaughter

Alice Usher's Letter

Alice Demyers Overton Usher
Born About 1845 - Died 1933
Various records date my second great grandmother Alice Demyers Overton Usher's birth somewhere between 1830 and 1845. I believe she was born about 1845. The oral tradition is that she had a relationship with Dave Overton when she was about 14-15 years of age. This relationship produced her only child, a son, Richmond Overton. Dave Brown Overton left the plantation during the Civil War when his son was to young to remember him, following the Yankee soldiers.

Alice wrote several letters to the Pension Board in Washington, D.C., requesting the pension of the husband she believed served with the Union Troops. Alice could not provide any evidence of Dave's military service. He may have followed the troops and served in a non military capacity or became contraband of the War. If she could have proved Dave Brown's service, Alice would not have qualified as Dave's widow because she was married to Elijah Usher.

Alice started her writing campaign in 1923 and would continue to write through 1931. Here is one of her many letters.

November 21, 1923
Barlow, Miss

Dear Mr Gardner I received your message ok and answering the same my husband Dave Overton or Brown went to the Yankee army and never return enymore I dont no wheater he got kill I never did heare from him eny mo I have one son by him I maried the man by the name of Elijah Usher I have been married about 49 or 50 years as near as I can think I am old and cant rember.

My witeness is Bettie Toliver and Virginier Demyse

From Alice Usher