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.

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.

Obituary of Ivy James Furnace 1918-2005

How does Ivy James Furnace connect to my family tree?
Ivy James' grandfather Nathan Furnace, and my great grandmother Jane Furnace Overton were likely siblings.

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.

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.

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.

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