Clues from a Letter

Do you ever re-look at a document and discover a new clue? That was my experience when a 4th cousin sent me a copy of a letter - a letter that I think I've seen before.

Dodge City, Kansas, March 29, 1907

Dear nephew (William Clay Crawford)

Your ????? to hand. I am glad to hear from you. Your Grandfather
Crawford lived to be 56. Died with colic. Your Grandmother died
about the same age with typhoid. From your Great Grandfather
Crawford lived until the age of 72 and died with sunstroke. our
Great Grandmother Crawford lived 78-don't remember what caused here
death. Your Grandparents were born in Ohio and died in Warren
County, Indiana (W. Lebanon?). Your Great Grandparents moved from
Kentucky and died in southern Ohio. Your Great Great grandparents
came from Scotland and are buried in Kentucky not far from
Lexington. You are of strong hearty people and ought to live to
be an old man with proper care of your health. I am in only
tolerable health myself. I am muscular paralysis. Will stop off
and see you and family and next time I am through if possible.
Kindly regards to your family

From you affectionate uncle.
J.. H. Crawford
(James H. Crawford)

Crawford ThruLInes Question

I like Ancestry's new ThruLines feature!

Unfortunately, it is pointing out one of my frustrations with my DNA results. I have several verified second and third cousin DNA matches on my Crawford line but we never got a DNA circle for my 3rd great grandfather, Nelson G. Crawford. When Ancestry released ThruLines, I was hoping to locate some fourth cousins thru one of Nelson's other children.

However, the ThruLines for Nelson G Crawford only includes DNA matches going thru my 2nd great grandfather, Washington Marion Crawford. It does not include any lines going thru the siblings of Washington Marion Crawford.

James Crawford Husband of Sally

James Crawford was born on 17 Apr 1772 in Virginia, British Colonial America.^1–5

     He was listed on the tax rolls  in 1800 in Garrard, Kentucky, United States.<sup>6

     7</sup> He registered a stock mark in 1811 in Washington Township, Preble, Ohio, United States.⁸ James  voted in first election in 1814 in Washington Township, Preble, Ohio, United States.⁹   

He filed land entry papers indicating full payment for the NW 1/4 S14 T7 Range2E on 8 Jun 1816 in Ohio, United States.10

Dooley

Have you ever seen a name in a deed or court document and thought to yourself, 'Hey, I've seen that name before?' Well that was my situation when I was looking at tax records for Barren County, Kentucky.

Since I found James Crawford with 200 acres of land on the Marrowbone listed on the 1800 tax list for Barren County, KY, I started looking for other people owning land on the Marrowbone. That's when I found Moses Dooly Junr also owning 200 acres of land on the Marrowbone.

Not only was Moses Dooly Junr in Barren County, but so was his father and brothers.

Will of James Crawford

Preble County, Ohio
Wills V.1, B-C 1808-1854
FS Film 564860 DGS 5868427


Image 555
page 389

Barren County Connection

Have you ever questioned whether an ancestor lived in a certain place because the migration path was illogical?

Well, that is the case with our Crawford research. James Crawford and Martha Knight were married in Lincoln County, KY in 1793. James Crawford and Sally Duggins were married in Garrard County, KY in 1799. Both families migrated to Preble County, Ohio.

So when clues pointed to at least one of them being in Barren County, KY (South of Lincoln and Garrard), those clues were questioned because it seemed illogical for these couples to migrate South before migrating North to Ohio.

That gut feeling was proven incorrect when a Barren County deed was discovered. This 1821 deed was for the sale of land by a James Crawford of Preble County, Ohio. Records place both James Crawfords in Preble County, Ohio at the time. So far, no record has been found for a third James Crawford in Preble County, Ohio in 1821.

Since the deed identifies the wife of James Crawford as Martha, this deed places James and Martha owning land in Barren County, KY. Another set of deeds for the sale of land in Garrard County, KY by Rebecca Crawford and James Crawford, both of Barren County, provide additional evidence that James Crawford was in Barren County, KY (See Rebekah's Land)

Arrival in Ohio

Have you ever 'lost' an ancestor for a period of time? That's my situation with my ancestor, James Crawford.

James and Sally Duggins are married in Garrard County, Kentucky in 1799. In 1813, there is a land record where James Crawford has made full payment for the NW 1/4 of Section 14, Township 7, Range 2. Thus, I'm trying to figure out where James and Sally were living shortly after their marriage. The county history suggests that James was living in Preble county by 1810. Unfortunately, there are TWO James Crawfords living near each other. This makes it difficult to determine which James Crawford is being referenced.

Since Kentucky tax lists have been helping me figure out who was living where in Lincoln, Garrard and Madison counties. Unfortunately, the Preble County, Ohio tax lists do not begin until 1816.

However, these tax lists contain two clues that I overlooked the first time I used them.

• James Crawford owning the NORTHWEST quarter of Section 14, Township 7, Range 2 appeared on the tax lists at a later time than the James Crawford owning the SOUTHWEST quarter of the same section
• The James Crawford owning the NORTHWEST quarter was referred to as James Crawford Junior

Getting Started (Re-Started) with Cluster / FAN Research

One of my genealogical challenges is identifying the parents and siblings of my ancestor, James Crawford. James marries Sally Duggins in Garrard County, Kentucky in 1799. By 1810, the couple is living in Preble County Ohio.

I've already done some cluster research to try and make headway on this line. In the process, I've identified quite a few potential members of a cluster.

In trying to figure out how to track my research, I created a spreadsheet to show where these people were at various times.

The above spreadsheet provides a visual of what I currently know. Now the struggle is to create a research plan and figure out how best to track this research.

Cluster Surnames

Crawford, Duggins, Smith, Knight, Neal, Finley

Time Period

1770 to 1850

 

Locations

Preble County Ohio

pre-1800 Kentucky