Could Britta have come from St. Clair County?

In short, yes.

This trip to Alabama, I had the luck to visit the town of Leeds, where Davidson and Margaret lived, and where John L. was born. Leeds is one of only two towns in AL to be located in three counties: Shelby, Jefferson, and St. Clair. The city is located on the well-known Montevallo to Ashville stagecoach route. That's Route 411/119. I drove as far as Mt. Hebron Church, where Davidson, Margaret, John L., and other McGuires worshipped. It's about six miles south of town on the left hand side of the road in Jefferson County.

Turning around and heading north (actually northeast) along 119, I passed Deshazo Dr. on the right, Thomas Rowan's restored Rowan Oaks house on the left; Jonathon W. Bass's lovely gingerbread house on the right, all in Jefferson County. Going through the center of town, I passed into St. Clair County when 119 became 411 again. About four miles north of town was Bethel Church on the right.

Members earlier associated with Mt. Hebron founded Bethel Baptist Church in 1832. In fact, one of the reasons they gave for starting BBC was that that "it was too far to drive an ox cart to Hebron for services..." A quick history of BBC is located here:

http://www.stclaircountyal.com/history/history015.shtml

We know for a fact that Davidson's land was located near the current LeHigh Cement company. (See my recent post for the exact location and satellite image.) At the accepted rate of speed for a laden carriage and horse of four to eight miles per hour, Davidson and Margaret would have driven around an hour to get to church. It would have taken less time for them to go to BBC, but there is no proof that they ever did.

Back to Britta.

The first time we see her, she is living with her (probable) sister Mary Ann Green McKinney and brother-in-law J. P. McKinney in Shelby County in 1850. John P. is listed first, then Mary Ann, then all their children. Next comes Nancy Greene, 56, born NC, and finally Beauty or Britty Ann (McKinney--mistakenly). She is listed in a position usually associated with a sister of head of household and his family; she is also listed after Nancy, which may indicate that Nancy is her mother. But no family relationships are reported here.

In every following federal census, Britta's parents are listed as coming from either NC, SC, or both. Never GA or TN. Her obit states:

"She was a native Alabamian and was the widow of the late (B.A.?) Flynn,
of Gate City. Mrs. Flynn had spent practically all of her life in the
state- in the vicinity of Irondale and Gate City, and was very well
known in that region."

According to the federal censuses, she also lived in Shelby and Bibb Counties, as well as in Jefferson.

As far as I have been able to discover, there are no Greens or Greenes of the right ages and home states in Jefferson, Shelby, or Bibb Counties from 1850 on. There are, however, two Green families in St. Clair County who are the right ages and both partners come from either NC or SC. These are Abraham and Armetta Dill Green, and Burwell and Drucilla Jincey Crump Green. Both families have circumstantial ties to Britta, which I will explore in a future post.

And there are always the other possibilities, for example, that Nancy Greene is Britta's mother and her husband died prior to 1850, which is why Britta and Nancy are living with the McKinneys. Or that Nancy is the girls' aunt, and their parents died prior to 1850, leaving precious few clues to their identities.

But--is it POSSIBLE that Britta came from St. Clair County?

Considering the short distance to St. Clair from where she lived in 1860--

Considering the two pairs of the right ages and home states who match the profile of her parents in St. Clair at the right time--

Yes, it's possible.

More on Charles McGuire

My "smelly" cousin sent me a copy of Charles McGuire's first enlistment in the Confederate Army. He enlisted as a private in the "old" Company G, Alabama 5th Infantry on April 10, 1861, at Cahaba, AL. He was enlisted by C. C Pegues, a well-respected officer, who later commanded the unit. For the period of one year. Charles was discharged on June 15, 1861, at Montgomery, AL, but no reason given.

His father, Davidson, died in 1861. Maybe Charles went home to be with Davidson? He must have been home in November 1861, for his last son Charles T. McGuire was born in July 1862.

So Barbara MS was right about the first enlistment.

Charles must have enlisted again, because he later shows up in the Alabama 18th Company C with his brother John L. He died in an army hospital on May 24, 1863, and was buried in the Confederate Cemetery in Chatanooga, TN.

Where are those second enlistment papers? Neither Barbara MS or my "smelly" cousin or I have been able to find them. Maybe someday.

John L's devilish advocate

I asked my "smelly" cousin--and I mean that in a good sense because she makes soap--if she could give credence to my assertion that John L. McGuire might have been disabled. Here's her reply:

"OK now, I am just playing the devil's advocate here!"

Don't worry, I won't get mad. I asked for your opinion.

"It certainly *could* be true. But really it is just supposition unless you find a document saying he was disabled."

I agree, which is why I said 'definitely maybe."

"It's possible that he was in another unit before that one. I've seen that before. In one case, the man was discharged for a medical reason, then rejoined later with another unit. I believe I've also seen where a man just changed units. Technically, just because you can't find evidence of him being in another unit, it doesn't mean that he wasn't."

Good point, one I hadn't considered. Please see an upcoming post about Charles to see an example of this.

"But assume he joined for the first time in 1863. There might be several reasons for this. I imagine the pressure to join wasn't as strong early in the war, as it was later when the South wasn't doing so well. Towards the end, they were taking really young men and really old ones (and probably ones who were infirm, too)."

Yes, that fits with what I have read.

"'He had a family' wasn't a concern. Almost everybody who went to war from the South (and almost all of them did) had a family. I'm not sure how in the world they justified running off and leaving their families, but they did."

I just read today about a 40-year-old guy joining. Apparently age was less of an issue at that point than it is in today's professional Army. See the article below.

"Maybe he was a pacifist? (Unlikely.) Maybe he was an anti-secessionist or a loyalist? (Also unlikely, but you never know.) Maybe he had some ailment that prevented him from joining earlier? Maybe he didn't want to join, but was drafted? (They started a draft in 1862.)"

I just found a short article about Confederate conscription in the Civil War. Here it is:

"The first Confederate conscription law also applied to men between 18 and 35, providing for substitution (repealed Dec. 1863) and exemptions. A revision, approved 27 Sept. 1862, raised the age to 45; 5 days later the legislators passed the expanded Exemption Act. The Conscription Act of Feb. 1864 called all men between 17 and 50. Conscripts accounted for one-fourth to one-third of the Confederate armies east of the Mississippi between Apr. 1864 and early 1865."
Source: "Historical Times Encyclopedia of the Civil War" Edited by Patricia L. Faust

http://www.civilwarhome.com/conscription.htm

"After looking at his brothers, I thought maybe he joined after his brother Charles died in the war. But I have that date as May 1863, and John joined Feb 1, 1863. But Charles was also with Co C in the 18th, and also in Chattanooga. I can't find his service cards, so I'm not sure if he was also a guard with the Hospital or not. (John McGuire's are filed under John S McGann!)"

I already knew about the cards being filed under John S. McGann; these are in the microfilms at the BPL.

"The really odd thing to me is *where* John joined. From Cedar Grove, in Jackson county. What in the world was he doing up there?! I'm wondering if he joined that unit because that's where his brother was, and Cedar Grove was where he had to go to join that unit...? I really don't know."

That one I can answer:

"Leeds began as a small farming settlement around 1828 when the Cedar Grove Post Office was opened. Once the county line of Shelby and Jefferson Counties was changed, a new post office opened in 1869 and was called Oakridge. Later, in 1884, the Leeds post office was opened. Leeds was incorporated as a town in 1887. It was named for the city of Leeds in England."

http://www.usacitiesonline.com/alcountyleeds.htm

I still think the biggest indicator that John L. might have been disabled is that he enlisted as a hospital guard. The job was one of the dirtiest, smelliest jobs going, and certainly not taken by the best fighting men.

More on this debate in a later post!

Black text copyright July 2010 by ALRoots.Blogspot.com. All rights reserved.

About Leeds, AL

This website has concise information about Leeds:

http://www.usacitiesonline.com/alcountyleeds.htm

Location

Leeds location: in central Alabama about 18 miles east of Birmingham. Other nearby communities include Moody, Trussville, Irondale, Grayson Valley, Chalkville, Center Point, Branchville and Margaret.

History

Leeds began as a small farming settlement around 1828 when the Cedar Grove Post Office was opened. Once the county line of Shelby and Jefferson Counties was changed, a new post office opened in 1869 and was called Oakridge. Later, in 1884, the Leeds post office was opened. Leeds was incorporated as a town in 1887. It was named for the city of Leeds in England. Once the railroad came into town, more growth occurred. In 1906, the Standard Portland Cement Co was opened further aiding the growth in the area.

Attractions

Leeds is one of two cities in the State of Alabama that is located in 3 counties - Shelby, Jefferson and St. Clair Counties. The predominant land area of Leeds is in Jefferson County. St. Clair County is the next largest with Shelby County having the smallest amount of land area in that county. The other city is Waverly.

Leeds, Alabama is a Tree City USA City

Was John L. McGuire disabled?

Was John L. McGuire disabled? Sounds crazy. But it's possible, even plausible.

Here's the short version:

John L. McGuire joined the 18th AL Infantry Company C in 1863 as a hospital guard. If he'd been able-bodied, he'd have joined the company as a fighting man in 1861 when it was formed. Also, hospital guards were usually people who were disabled, wounded, or otherwise not fit for combat, like the men in the Union Army's Invalid Corps/Veterans Reserves.

How did John L. become disabled? In 1851 Moses and Alphonso Johnson beat him so badly that he took them to court. The summons on file in the Shelby County Historical Society says that:

"{Moses and Alphonso Johnson did}make an assault and him the said John Maguire then and there did beat, wound and ill-treat and other wrongs to the said James Maguire then and there did to the great dameage of the said John Maguire."

So, was John L. McGuire disabled?

Maybe.

DEFINITELY maybe.

Here's the long version.

In checking my last post about Charles McGuire, I encountered some discrepancies that jolted me, and actually caused my brain to make a very logical connection between two ancestors who fought in the Civil War. John L. McGuire enlisted in the 18th Alabama, Company C. John Hushan enlisted in the New Jersey Infantry, 7th Regiment, Company F. John L. enlisted in either 1861 or 1863 and died in a prisoner of war camp at Rock Island, IL, in 1864. John Hushan was wounded, sent to the Invalid Corps/Veterans Reserves, survived the War and died in NJ in 1883.

In May 2007 Jessie J. (JessieJ@aol.com) wrote me that John L. McGuire enlisted in the 18th AL Company C on February 1, 1863, at Cedar Grove. His unit was called the Cahaba Valley Rangers. But another source lists the company formation as 1861, not 1863. Which is right? Did John L join up later, or did I transcribe it incorrectly, or what?

Several sources show that both the 18th Alabama and the Cahaba Valley Rangers were formed in 1861.

1. Alabama Her History, Resources, War Record and Public Men from 1540 to 1872 by Willis Brewer says: "{The 18th Alabama Infantry} ...regiment was organized at Auburn, Sept. 4, 1861, and the field officers were appointed by President Davis...."

As for the Cahaba Valley Rangers, they organized in 1861, too.

2. The Alabama Archives show that the file for the Cahaba Valley Rangers starts in 1861 (http://www.archives.alabama.gov/findaids/v31543fm.htm)

3. This source about the Lowery family says that Company "C" 18th Alabama Infantry - "Cahaba Valley Rangers" as organizing July 24, 1861 at Cedar Grove (Leeds) with men from Shelby, St. Clair, Jefferson, Autauga Counties. (http://wwlowery.tripod.com/csalowery.htm).

But that's a genealogy researcher, and they're not always reliable. Could this be true?

Probably, because:

4. James M. McLaughlin, head honcho of the CVR, received his commission in on August 30, 1861. (http://www.archives.state.al.us/civilwar/soldier.cfm?id=134401)

So both the 18th AL and Company C, the Cahaba Valley Rangers were definitely formed in 1861.

I asked Jessie J. for the source of John L.'s enlistment yesterday, July 11, and she kindly sent this back:

"Confederate Records:

{John L.}...joined Feb 1 1863 at Cedar Grove, Alabama as a hospital guard. Captured at Cassville, Georgia May 19, 1864. Taken to Nashville, TN and then on to Louisville, KY. May 25, 1864 he was transferred to Rock Island, Illinois. He was placed in the prison hospital where he died. [FHL 0880596]"

So her source is the Family History Library Item # 0880596. While FamilySearch.org family trees aren't always documented correctly, this is a microfilm/fiche created by the United States War Department Record and Pension Office with records from the National Archives. You'll find a link here:

http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titledetails&titleno=300893&disp=Compiled++service++records++of++Confeder%20%20&columns=*,0,0

I tend to trust this information.

So........

If the Cahaba Valley Rangers were formed in 1861, why did John L. wait until 1863 to enlist? First, he had a family. Second, in 1861 he was 27, older than the prime fighters of 16 - 25. Third, his social status was fairly high in that he was the son of a land owner, and maybe a land owner himself. And lastly, possibly, because he was disabled.

There's documentary evidence to show how he might have become disabled. You may recall that in 1851 John L. was so badly beaten by Moses and Alphonso Johnson that he took them to court in Shelby County. That beating might have seriously injured him and given him a limp, a bum arm, or something that made him less than prime cannon fodder. Yet John L. was definitely able to function: the 1860 US Census for AL lists him in Jefferson County as a farmer with a growing family.

The telling detail is that John L. enlisted as a hospital guard. The basis for this theory is my gggrandfather's John Hushan's experience in the Union Army. I'm quoting here from his Civil War records:

"...Transferred to Invalid Corps S.O. 130, HdQtrs 3rd AC {Army Corps} August 15, 1863--*so appears on roll."

The July-August muster roll goes a little further: "Transferred to invalid Corpts by order of Gen. French {Maj. General William H. French?}, SO {Special Order or Standing Order} 130 3rd AC {3rd Army Corps}, Aug 15/63, *so appears on roll."

The last page of his records is a muster out roll, dated....Oct. 7, 1864. The remarks state: "Transferred Aug. 15/63, Maj. Genl French, physical disability, Vet Reserve Corps."

The long article about the Invalid Corps/Veteran Resrves that follows says that "those of a minor degree of physical efficiency by reason of the loss of a hand or arm, foot or leg, were assigned to Companies of the Second Battalion, to be armed with side arms only, and were to be employed in Hospitals as Cooks, Nurses, Clerks, Orderlies, &c., and as Guards to Hospitals or other Public Buildings." The article is on the website of the NJ State Library; the link is here:

http://www.njstatelib.org/NJ_Information/Searchable_Publications/civilwar/NJCWn1460.html

So, what do you think?

Did John enlist in 1861 or 1863? Might he have been disabled?

So, was John L. McGuire disabled? Maybe.

Definitely maybe.

##########

About the Invalid Corps/Veteran Reserve Corps:

http://www.njstatelib.org/NJ_Information/Searchable_Publications/civilwar/NJCWn1460.html

"Under the provisions of General Orders No. 105, dated War Department, Adjutant General's Office, Washington, D. C., April 28, 1863, the organization of an Invalid Corps was authorized. The Corps was to consist of such Officers and enlisted Men of commands then in the field, as were unfit for active field service on account of wounds or disease contracted in the line of duty, as well as those who had been honorably discharged from the service by reason of wounds or disability contracted while in the line of duty; they being able and physically qualified for doing Garrison and other light Military duties away from actual field service. By virtue of the authority thus given, a large number of Officers and enlisted Men in the service, but absent from their commands, were transferred to and joined the Corps, and under the provisions of Circular No. 13, dated War Department, Provost Marshal General's Office, Washington, D. C., May 25, 1863, the Acting Assistant Provost Marshal of each State was directed to open a Recruiting Rendezvous for the Corps at or in the immediate vicinity of his Head Quarters, for the enrollment of such honorbly discharged men who desired to re-enter the service; the term of enlistment was to be for three years or during the war. Under the provisions of Circular No. 15, dated War Department, Provost Marshal General's Office, Washington, D. C., April 27, 1864, those who enlisted or re-enlisted in the Corps were to be credited upon the quota of the State, the same as other troops. The Corps was organized in Companies of two classes or Battalions - the men enlisted in or transferred to the Corps who were most efficient and able-bodied, capable of using the musket, performing Guard duty, or making light marches were assigned to Companies of the First Battalion, and were to be employed as Provost Guards, Guards in cities, &c., and were not liable to active campaigns with the Army in the field; those of a minor degree of physical efficiency by reason of the loss of a hand or arm, foot or leg, were assigned to Companies of the Second Battalion, to be armed with side arms only, and were to be employed in Hospitals as Cooks, Nurses, Clerks, Orderlies, &c., and as Guards to Hospitals or other Public Buildings. Officers desiring to re-enter the service in this branch, received their appointment and were commissioned direct from the War Department. Under the provisions of General Orders No. 111, dated War Department, Adjutant General's Office, Washington, D. C., March 18, 1864, the name of the organization was changed from Invalid Corps to Veteran Reserve Corps."

Copyright July 2010 by ALRoots.Blogspot.com. All rights reserved.

The life of Charles McGuire

First I need to say that I am not the expert on Charles McGuire. Barbara MS is. We differ on a few points. However, she is not writing this blog, and so this is my version of Charles's life.

Charles McGuire was born about 1828 in Columbiana or Leeds, AL, the son of Davidson and Margaret Kelley McGuire. Davidson would have been about 26 and Margaret about 20 when he was born.

His birth position is either third or fourth child. There is no doubt that Timothy, born 1822, was the oldest. Next probably came Mary Jane, born 1824 - 1826. Then either Charles or James. If Davidson and Margaret followed the Irish-Scots naming pattern, then Charles would be their second son since Margaret was the daughter of Charles Kelley. The censuses do not provide enough definitive information, and there is a dearth of information about James. (See "The elusive James McGuire") for what is known.)

In the 1830 US Census for AL, Charles was one of the males 0 - 5 in the Shelby County household of Davidson McQuire. In 1840 he was one of the males 10 - 15 in the Jefferson County household of Davidson Mc Guire. In the 1850 US Census for AL, Charles McGuire was 22, born AL, laborer, living with Simeon Pledger and several households down from Thomas Pledger in Saint Clair County. The Pledgers were his brothers-in-law, his sister Elizabeth Jane having married Pleasant Pledger. His aunt Nancy Kelley married a Pledger, too.

On Sunday, January 20, Charles married Sarah Ann Hurst in Jefferson County. The bondsman/witness was William S. Earnest, a prominent lawyer and later legislator. Two days later Charles's brother John L. married Britta Ann Green in Jefferson County.

Sarah Ann Hurst was the daughter of Spencer G. Hurst and (probably) Catherine Marcum. She was born about 1834 in NC. In the 1850 US Census for AL, she is living with her parents in Saint Clair County. Please see my earlier post for more details about Sarah.

About a year after his marriage came the land: on March 1, 1855, Charles McGuire, Patentee, bought 39.975 acres of land from John McLaughlin, Warrantee, War of 1812, in Shelby County. This was located at Twp 12 S, Range 2W, Section 30. Here is an image of the document:

http://www.glorecords.blm.gov/PatentSearch/Image.asp?PatentDocClassCode=MW&Accession=0869%2D139&Format=SmallGIF&Page=1&Index=4&QryID=51988%2E36

He probably got a good deal on it, for he bought it from John McLaughlin, who was father-in-law to Mary Jane, Mahala, and Axy F. McGuire. It's likely that he asked for his inheritance early, for he was not mentioned at all in the 1867 partial settlement of Davidson's will.

Whatever the case, Charles and Sarah settled into the life of Alabama's small, independent farmers. Children arrived regularly. In the 1860 US Census for AL, Charles McGuire was living in Saint Clair County, AL, with housewife Sarah and sons Isaac, 4, Robert, 2, and William, 2/12. He was 32, a farmer, born AL, $400. Could read and write. We now know that they would have four sons: Isaac Winston, born 1826 - 1829, Robert J, born 1859, William Spencer, born 1860, and Charles T, born 1862. It's interesting to note that all of the boys carried McGuire first names and not Hurst first names.

Then came the war. The War.

Here I'm going to let Barbara Strength take over. The following is quoted from material she sent me:

"I found Charles McGuire as a Private in the 5th Alabama Infantry Company F when he first enlisted in the Confederate Army. This is the web site:

http://www.itd.nps.gov/cwss/Personz_Detail.cfm

Later, members of this Company may have joined the 18th Alabama Regiment C. He is listed as being a member of this unit at the the following web site:

http://www.archives.state.al.un/civilwar/soldier.cfm?id=115206

(Note: when I checked those URLs today, the links didn't work. I'll check with Barbara and see if we can find the current, correct links.)

Charles died in a Confederate hospital in Chattanooga, Tennessee. I have been able to narrow down the information to MY Charles due to a private journal written by a nurse at that hospital. She recorded that Charles McGuire of the 18th Alabama Regiment C died today (May 24, 1863). His wife lives in St. Clair County, Alabama..."

By the way, if you search microfilm of the general index cards or the enlistment papers, you will be disappointed. Only the front page of Charles' paperwork is recorded. I looked forwards and backward to be sure his papers were not mixed in with another McGuire. No such luck...Happy hunting."

http://genforum.genealogy.com/cgi-bin/pageload.cgi?strength::mcguire::3922.html

"The name of the nurse's journal is as follows: The Journal of a Confederate Nurse, Kate Cummings. Reference to Charles McGuire is on page 94."

http://genforum.genealogy.com/cgi-bin/pageload.cgi?strength::mcguire::3923.html

Here's some information that differs slightly from Barbara's:

I believe that Charles McGuire joined the 18th Alabama Infantry Company C at the same time as his brother, John L., who enlisted on February 1, 1863, in Cedar Grove, a PO near or in Leeds. A survivor in Leeds: Her Story recalls that both "Charlie and John McGuire" were in his division. I have seen a date of 1861 as the organization date for this group, which called themselves the "Cahaba Valley Rangers." So maybe I made a transcrption error, or else got the date wrong.

At any rate, the Alabama Archives list him in the 18th Alabama Infantry, Company C, here:

http://www.archives.state.al.us/civilwar/soldier.cfm?id=133234

John L. enlisted as a hospital guard. I suspect that Charles was active infantry because he died in a Chatanooga, TN, hospital rather than being taken captive in Cassville, GA, like John L. Men who became hospital guards were often disabled somehow--I know this from the case of my ggrandfather who was sent to the "Invalid Corps" of the Union Army.

Back to what's "fer shure."

Charles was buried in the Confederate Cemetery in Chatanooga, TN. Below is a link to the soldiers in that cemetery:

http://oneweb.utc.edu/~commdept/Cemetery/Alabama.html

After Charles died, Sarah and her family stayed in Jefferson County near her McGuire in-laws. By 1866 the area of Leeds where the McGuires lived had no male heads of household named McGuire. Plenty of McGuire women married to McLaughlins. And Sarah McGuire. But no male McGuire heads of household in an area that had had plenty of them.

My take:

When he was alive, Charles seems to have been a good citizen. I've not found any evidence of his getting into trouble with the law--unlike his brother, John L. He worked the earth, had prominent friends, married a high class wife, bought land, saved money, bred children, and died doing his duty for his homeland.

I like to think that he was a good big brother, too. I think John L. looked up to him. Why? First, of course, Charles had a deep love of his family as evidenced by his children's McGuire names. Second, I think John L. copied Charles. John L. married just two days after Charles. Brother James led John L. to fights and to court, but Charles led John L. to do his duty in the same infantry unit. Charles's family stayed close to the McGuires after his death, as opposed to John's wife Britta, who moved away. All signs of a good brother who watched out for his little bro.

Every family has good and not so good members. I like to think Charles was one of the good ones, like my own cousin Charles today.

Copyright July 2010 by ALRoots.Blogspot.com. All rights reserved.

My most often cited sources

My most often cited sources fall into three categories: people, places, and documents.

The people whose work I most often cite are:

• James P. McGuire, whose knowledge about all generations of the McGuire family is encyclopedic. Jim writes sporadically but often on Genforum.com. I hope he writes a book someday. I'll be first in line with a check!

• My aunt Jeanne Hardy Tipton, whose work on Moses D. Pinson's family broke through the brick wall of Moses's parents to find his mother, Mary Polly probably Dennis Pinson Voglin Peters. Jeanne taught me to document everything before saying "The fact is..."

• Jessie J., who first discovered the identity of Britta Ann Green in the 1850 Census as "Beauty Ann McKinnie" in the household of John McKinnie in Shelby County.

• My lovely and sweet-smelling cousin, who is as crazy about genealogy as I am. And she makes the best soaps around at Naturalimpulse.com.

• Kay King, professional genealogist extraordinaire, whose work has helped me identify facts in other family lines. I wish you were still working, Kay.

• Along the way I'd like to thank Barbara Strength, Jim Reinier, and all the folks on Genforum.com and Ancestry.com who answer my numerous queries.

The places I most often visit are:

• Birmingham Public Library. The staff is wonderful, and there is so much information. Every time I think I have found everything relating to my family, I find a new direction or a new piece of data.

• Samford University. The repository for Alabama's Baptist Church records, especially those of Mt. Hebron Baptist Church of Leeds.

• The Huntsville Public Library. Has a copy of Leeds: Her Story that I use every time. There are many more sources there that I haven't explored, and that I haven't seen in another library.

• The Shelby County Historical Society. I would camp out there for a week if I could. Beautiful building, original documents, knowledgeable helpers. I've only begun to scratch the surface there.

Other places I haven't been but can't wait to see are Mt. Hebron Baptist Church in Leeds, the state archives. Wallace State. Bibb Courthouse. And...and...and...and....

The documents I refer to most are:

• The partial settlement of Davidson McGuire's will and the 1884 court case re: the sale of Davidson's land at the Jefferson County Courthouse.

• The Charles Kelley Bible. A transcript can be found here:

http://files.usgwarchives.net/al/shelby/bibles/bb9.txt

• The records of the Mt.Hebron Baptist Church at Samford University.

• Various documents at the Shelby County Historical Society. Their webpage is here:

http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~alshelby/shelby1.html

On the webpage you'll find many searchable databases such as marriage indexes, court cases, mortality schedules, and so on. You'll also find a gazillion indexes to wills, guardianship papers, censuses.

• The federal and state censuses and the mortality schedules at Ancestry.com. Still the best genealogy website as far as I am concerned.

• The message boards at Genforum.com, Rootsweb.com, and Ancestry.com. I have found so many leads and broken through so many walls there. For example, I found the husband of Susan McKinney, niece of Britta Ann Green, by reading the Lemley message board at Rootsweb.com. His middle name was Pinkney; all I knew was James P. Lemley. But he was called "Pink," so I was able to find him in several other censuses.

• Family maps of Shelby, Jefferson, Bibb and St. Clair County. These books are available at the Birmingham Public Library.

Sources I can't wait to visit that will soon join my most often cited sources:

The files at Wallace State, Judge Peterson's files at the Shelby County Historical Society, the state archives.

So many sources. So little time in AL! Sigh...

Copyright July 2010 by ALRoots.Blogspot.com. All rights reserved.