52 Ancestor's Challenge - Elizabeth Miles born 1834 in Georgia - Week 3 - "Tough Woman"

I've been working on and off with this blog for over a year now, but still trying to get used to it all.  I'm learning new tricks every week!  This week, we are starting to use footnotes.  Hopefully I'm using them correctly.  If not....Sorry!!

Anyway...on to week # 3's challenge!  This week, the suggested theme is to write about a "tough woman."  Looking through my tree, I can find so many women that would fit the bill.  It was hard to decide on one.   With all that our ancestors had to endure, living without the modern day conveniences we have today...I'm sure I couldn't do it!

This week I've choose to write about my 3rd great grandmother, Elizabeth Miles, who was widowed during the Civil War with seven young children to take care of.

Elizabeth was the first born daughter of Robert P. Miles and Palmira Jackson.  She was born around Harris County, Georgia on October 5, 1834.  Looking at tax and census records, we know her family lived in Georgia until at least 1843. They then moved to Tallapoosa County, Alabama.¹²


Familysearch.org, John H.M. Vines and Elizabeth Miles Marriage, 2-13-1849, Alabama County Marriages, 1809-1950, Tallapoosa County, Page 419, Image 355 of 547, File No.1302444(005205830)

On February 13, 1849, Elizabeth married John H.M. Vines in Tallapoosa County, Alabama.³  I wrote about John H.M. Vines in a previous post last year.  The couple had 7 children that I know of:

• Mary Ann Melvina Vines
• Nancy Elizabeth Vines (my direct ancestor)
• Lucinda Jane Vines
• Susan Margarett Vines
• Robert Javis Vines
• Matilda Estella Vines
• George Washington Vines

Bible record found in the the possessions of Mamie Estelle Locke Holcomb, Elizabeth's granddaughter.

The family resided in Tallapoosa County until the start of the Civil War.  In May of 1862, John joined Company D, of the 34th Alabama Infantry as a private.  One of my most treasured possessions is a letter he wrote home to his family.  The letter was dated July 11th, 1862.  Just 10 days later, John died of sickness somewhere near Saltillo, Mississippi.

In the letter he tells Elizabeth if she wants to move back to her father's house, she can.  Next we see Elizabeth's father listed in the Alabama State Census for the year 1866 in Fayette County, Alabama.⁴  The household has an extra 8 people living in the house, the same ages as Elizabeth and her 7 children.  Because this census does not list individual names, we can't be positive.  However, I'm pretty sure it's them, since on the 1870 Federal Census, Elizabeth and her 8 children are listed living next door to R.P. Miles, her father.  The family is still in Fayette County, Alabama, and are listed as living in Township 17.⁵

Sometime before 1874, Elizabeth moved with her children and her sister Lucinda Miles Beckett, and Lucinda's family, to Arkansas.  This is according to probate papers I have copies of.⁶ Arkansas is the last place we can locate Elizabeth.  In 1880, she is found living in Totten, Lonoke County.⁷

On June 27th, 1892, we see she filed an Application for Pension for her husband John. This was signed in the county of White, in Arkansas.  The pension not only lists the death date of her husband, John, but it also states that she suffers from "Nervous Prostration."  Elizabeth would have been 57 years old. 



Application For Pension by Elizabeth Miles Vines, June 27, 1892.  Ordered and received from Arkansas Confederate Penion Records, Arkansas History Commission, 1 Capitol Mall, 2B-215, Little Rock, AR 72201. http://www.ark-ives.com/documenting/confed_pensions/detail/default.aspx?sec=ConfPension&id=4077.

I'm not sure what happened to her after this.  I do know she was probably living with her daughter Nancy Elizabeth Vines Locke when she signed the pension application.  But by 1898, Nancy Elizabeth and her family moved to Texas.  Elizabeth's other children: Mary Ann Melvina Vines Beckett, Robert Javis Vines, and Matilda Estella Vines Cockrell also made their way to Texas by 1900.  It's unknown if Elizabeth went with them or stayed in Arkansas with her other 3 children.


If you have any questions about anything in this post, please leave me a comment.  Thanks for reading!!

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1 Ancestry.com, 1840 United States Federal Census, R. Miles, Hueys District, Harris, Georgia, Roll:43, Page:243, Image:499, Family History Library Film:0007044.

2 Ancestry.com, Georgia, Property Tax Digests, 1793-1892, Robert Miles, 1843, Dagnol District, Harris, Georgia, USA, Image 78 of 177.^↩

3 Familysearch.org, John H.M. Vines and Elizabeth Miles Marriage, 2-13-1849, Alabama County Marriages, 1809-1950, Tallapoosa County, Page 419, Image 355-547, File No.1302444(005205830).^↩

4 Ancestry.com, Alabama State Census, 1820-1866, Robert Miles, Fayette County, 1866, Image 51 of 126.^↩

5 Ancestry.com, 1870 United States Federal Census, Elizabeth Vines, Township 17, Fayette, Alabama, Roll: M593_16, Page 457A, Image 438, Family History Library Film: 545515.^↩

6 Fayette County, Alabama, Probate Court Minutes, Volume 2, Pages 285-287, Petition For Letters, The Estate of Robert P. Miles, Dated May 13, 1874.^↩

7 Ancestry.com, 1880 United States Federal Census, Elizabeth  Vines, Totten, Lonoke, Arkansas, Roll: 50, Family History Film: 1254050, Page: 383B, Enumeration District: 188, Image: 0490.<^↩

#52 Ancestor's Challenge 2015 - Claibourne Kidd - Tennessee to Missouri - Week 2

Week #2 is here.  This week's theme for the 52 Ancestor's Challenge, started by Amy Johnson Crow, is "King."  I thought about this one all week.  A bit of a struggle, I must say.  So I've decided to go another route.
This week I've decided to write about my 4th great grandfather, Claibourne N. Kidd.  His name is one of the many interesting names I can find in my tree.  I just love it!  I don't know any personal stories passed down on him.  I just have what I can find in my basic research.
Claibourne N. Kidd was born November 21, 1826 in Tennessee.  The date is from his gravestone and birth state from census records.  I believe he may have been the son of James and Francis Kidd, per other's research I've seen online.  We can find Claibourne in the 1850 Federal Census living in District 8 of Warren County, Tennessee.  He is found just two households from James and Francis.  This, however, doesn't mean they are Claibourne's parents, but it's a possibility I'm not willing to rule out yet.
On the 1850 census, we can see Claibourne was married to a woman named Sarah, and they had 3 daughters in the house: Mary J. age 5, Martha age 3, and Nancy age 2.  Mary J. Kidd was my 3rd great grandmother.  The census also states that Claibourne was 22 years old, and working as a wagon maker.
I have found online that others believe Sarah, his wife, was Sarah Allison.  As of today, I haven't been able to find a marriage record, or any other record, to prove this.  There was, however, several Allison families living in this same district at this time.  So it's a possibility.
By 1860, we see the family has moved to Kelley, Ripley County, Missouri.  We also see that Sarah was no longer in the household, and Claibourne has remarried.  It's very possible Sarah died, leaving Claibourne with 3 young daughters to raise.
His new wife is simply listed as "C. Kidd."  But if we look at the Missouri Marriage Records, 1805-2002 on Ancestry.com, we can see Claibourne married Cinthy Freeman in Oregon County on December 30, 1852.  The household, in 1860, consisted of the following people:

• CN Kidd age 30 (male) born in TN
• C Kidd age 23 (female) born in IL
• Martha Kidd age 13 (female) born in TN
• Nancy Kidd age 11 (female) born in TN
• C Kidd age 5 (male) born in MO
• Jas Lee age 14 (male) born in MO
• SA Lee age 11 (female) born in MO
• C Lee age 4 (female) born in MO
• Wm Ross age 19 (male) born in IL
• MJ Ross age 15 (female) born in TN

Martha, Nancy, and "MJ Ross" were Claibourne's children from his first wife Sarah.  "C Kidd" who was 5, was the son of Claibourne and Cinthy.  His name was Claibourne Nathan Kidd.  The three Lee children may have been relatives, or friends, of Cinthy.  In the 1850 census, Cinthy was living with the George Lee family.  I haven't looked into the link there though.  "Wm Ross" was the husband of Claibourne's daughter Mary Jane Ross.  You can read more about William Ross and Mary Jane in a previous post I wrote last year.
On the website Fold3.com, I was able to find a Civil War record for a CN Kidd.  It stated he was in Company A of the 15th Missouri Calvary.  He enlisted as a private for a period of 12 months in 1862 for the Confederacy.  This particular document also states he had deserted as of "1 June 1862."  According to a website which refers to the Civil War in Ripley County, Missouri, the 15th Missouri Cavalry was also known as the "Independent Missouri Scouts," and didn't muster into Confederate service until 1864.
On Ancestry.com, we can find another document regarding the Civil War, but this time it's a Draft Registration Record for the Union side.  On a "Consolidated List of all persons subject to do Military Duty in the Third Congressional District in the State of Missouri" we find "Kid, Clabourn" age 31 of Ripley County.  It states he was single, which isn't correct, and that he was born in Tennessee.  It also states that he has had no previous military service.  It's unknown if Claibourne actually fought for either side of the War. 
By 1870, we can see Claibourne has moved his family to Breton, Washington County, MO.  He is living there with his wife, Cinthy (or Cynthia as it's written on the 1870 census) and his son Claibourne, and working as a carpenter.
Findagrave.com shows a picture of the grave site for C.N. Kidd in the Miles Cemetery, in Piedmont, Wayne County, Missouri.  The stone says he died November 13, 1874.

52 Ancestor's Challenge 2015 - Ludwig Haase - Germany to Chicago - Week 1 - "Fresh Start"

Hi Everybody!!


It's January 1st, 2015!!  The start of a brand new year!!  I've been away from my computer a lot over the last several months.  Haven't had the opportunity to continue with the 52 Ancestor's Challenge that Amy Johnson Crow started last January.  We moved halfway across the country, I started a new job,  my computer went crazy on me, and with 4 active kids...you could say life got in the way.  I just wasn't able to continue.  I'm proud that I was able to complete 35 of the 52, but hope to do better this year!!


Speaking of this year...it has a bit of a twist!  Instead of writing about just anyone, Amy Johnson Crow will be suggesting a theme each week to help in choosing which ancestor to talk about.  I think it's a wonderful idea!!  The first week's theme is "Fresh Start."  My "Fresh Start" for this week will be my Great, Great, Great Grandfather, Ludwig Haase, who moved with his family from Germany to the U.S.  I'm guessing he wanted to give them a better life, or a "Fresh Start."


Ludwig, or Louis as he is sometimes referred to as, was originally born in Germany on February 9, 1835.  While in Germany, he married Justine Erdmann sometime prior to 1860 possibly.  Not much can be found on Justine Erdmann.  Her name may have been Augusta too, but still working on that.


I have in my possession a marriage certificate filled out when my Great Great Grandmother, Ida Haase Kutz was married.  On the certificate it sates she was from "Gross Runow, H. Pommern."  I believe this was the small town of Gross Ruhnow, in the county of Stolp, in the old Prussian province of Hinterpommern (or Further Pommern in English).  At least that is what I was told when I questioned the place name on Ancestry.com's message boards.  It is now known as Runowo, Poland.  That may be where Ludwig is from, or just where Ida was born.


June 6, 1879, we see a ship manifest for the Leipzig.  Port of departure was Bremen, Germany, and port of arrival was Baltimore, Maryland.  On page 111 of 365 (found on Ancestry.com), it lists Ludwig Haase with his wife and 8 children: Adeline (age 19), Hulda (age 15), Auguste (can't read the age), Emma (age 6), Minna (age 4), Richard (age 11 months), and Ida (age 20...this age is incorrect - Ida would have been about 11 years).


A year later we can find the family living in Chicago, Illinois, on Cornelia Street.  They are listed as:

• Louis age 45
• Augusta age 46
• Lina age 20
• Hulda age 16
• Ida age 12
• Emma age 8
• Minna age 6
• Richard age 3

Ludwig was working as a laborer, and Ida, Emma, and Minna were all attending school.  Not sure what happened to Augusta, his daughter.  She may have died on the journey.  Also, is Augusta the same woman as Justine?  Could her name have been Justine Augusta, or Augusta Justine??  I'm 95% sure this is the same family.


In the U.S. Naturalization Record Indexes, 1791-1992 on Ancestry.com, we see a card listed for Ludwig Hasse.  His address was 427 Ashland Avenue, and the date of Naturalization was October 17, 1892.  "Certificate No. (or vol. and page)" is listed as R 37 P 563.  It was witnessed by Ernst Schaefer who lived at 724 Chicago Ave.  Ernst was Ludwig's son-in-law, married to his daughter Emma.  1900 census also has Ernst and Emma living at 724 Chicago Avenue.


On the 1900 Census we see Ludwig has moved in with his daughter Hulda Haase Kufka and her family on Augusta Street in Chicago.  Ludwig is listed as Louis again and listed as a widow.  On the same street is his daughter Ida Haase Kutz living with her family.


The next document we can find on Ludwig is his death certificate.  Ludwig died July 25, 1915.  He was at 918 N. Washtenaw Avenue, in Chicago.  the informant is listed as Herman Kutz, who is the brother of Ludwig's son-in-law, John Kutz.  Ludwig was buried at Concordia Cemetery on July 29th, 1915.


If you have any questions, or concerns, about the information in this post, please leave me a comment. I'd be happy to answer any questions, or share what information I have on the individuals listed above. Thanks for reading!!