Little Clue

My husband and I recently returned from a two-day research trip to the Midwest Genealogical Library in Independence, Missouri.

This was a chance to immerse ourselves in a large collection of books related to genealogy and history. During this trip, I was hoping to find little clues buried in what are often called 'mug books'. These 'mug books' are county histories that also contain biographies. Many genealogists are cautious about the use of these biographies since the families sometimes 'glorified' the information they submitted to these histories.

Even though I'm aware of their common name, I've often found 'little clues' in these county histories. Thus, I was hoping to find such histories for several counties in Missouri and Indiana so I could gleam tidbits to help with my Crawford research.


Unfortunately, I only found a few of these histories. One source that I did find was for Collin County, Texas. Collin County is where Mary Anna Crawford, wife of Milton Merriwhether Foster and her daughter, Susan Jane Foster Hunter Stimson died.

The information I found was about the Stimson family. It did not provide a lot of specific details. However, it does identify a child of Susan Jane Foster Hunter Stimson that I did not have in my database.

Collin County Pioneering in North Texas
by Capt. Roy F. Hall and Helen Gibbard Hall
c1975, 1994
Published 1994 by
Heritage Books, Inc.
Bowie, MD

page 299
Stimson Family

Erasmus Stimson who had been born in England, April 14, 1762 came to America and settled in Pittsylvania County, Virginia. He and his wife, Lucy had seven children. Their youngest was Isaac who was born January 30, 1799, in Pittsylvania County, Virginia. Isaac and his wife Rachel first moved to Kentucky, then to Texas. They had twelve children born from 1819 to 1839. They were, in order of their births, Edward C., Martha J., Amanda P.F., Abigail O., Daniel M., Maryan E., Isaac W., Lucy F., Rachel B., Soerateas H. Clemantine P. and Josea F. They cam to Texas with the Abston family The two families were slave owners and it is believed that they migrated to Texas to find a more favorable climate for slave ownership. On August 15, 1864, Sarah Abston paid taxes on fourteen slaves. Isaac Stimson paid taxes on eight slaves. His son, Daniel M. Stimson paid taxes on two slaves. John Abston, who was very old at the time of the migration, had fought in the American Revolution at the Battle of Kings Mountain. He is buried in the Abston Cemetery (or Elias Belew Cemetery one mile north of Lavon). The fifth child of Isaac and Rachel Stimson was Daniel M., born April 26, 1827. He first married Sarah F. Abston, a daughter of John. They had six children, John W., Isaac P., Rachel A., Sarah O.J., Dan and Jim. After Sarah’s death, Daniel M. married Susan Foster Hunter, They had one child, Rufus. After Susan’s death, he married Mary Hewitt who was teaching school in Rockwall. They had two children, Nora who married A. P. Barry from Georgia and Fannie Belle who married William Francis Boyd, son of Mordicia M. and grandson of Joseph Boyd.

One little clue. One little clue that identifies a child. One little clue that adds a descendant to this family.

I will keep digging - one little clue at a time.