Fearless Females Blog Post: March 20: Elusive or Brick Wall Ancestor

I have posted about my paternal great grandmother Sealy Elizabeth AUTREY Sample before.  So far, she just seems to have appeared out of no where and married my great grandfather Joseph H. Sample.  I have put together a timeline (which was an idea I got from a webinar by Marian of Marian's Roots & Rambles) to organize what I have and to plan for a future research trip to Arkansas and Louisiana where I can hopefully either prove or disprove what we believe about her.

9 Mar 1860 is the birthdate listed on her headstone in Lee Cemetery, Saline County, Arkansas. 
     Birthplace is unknown-census records list it as Union Parish, Louisiana.

1860 US Census-Union Parish, Louisiana.  This is the family which we think was Sealy's.  It's the
     household of:
          Jno Autry (born in Alabama) head
          Dianacy  (born in Mississippi) wife
          M. F. -7 daughter
          Jane P. -6 daughter
          Thos. M. -4 son
           E.P. -2 son
           C.E.-3 months daughter

1870 US Census-Union Parish, Louisiana- the household has a 10 year old daughter named Elizabeth.

7 Jul 1878- Lincoln Parish, Louisiana-marriage certificate for Sealy E. Autrey and J.H. Sample

1880 US Census-both are living in 6 Ward, Lincoln Parish, Louisiana.

      Household:

          Joseph H. Sample 31

          Clie E.  20

          Mary E. 5

          Lucinda 4

          Dora C. 7m

          Jesse 23 (servant)

1900 US Census-family now in Benton, Saline County, Arkansas

          J.H Sample 51

          Celia 40

           Katie 21

           Susie 19

           Palvin 15

           Lillian 13

           Minnie 11

           Joe 5

           Paralee 2

15 Jul 1907 Benton, Saline County, Arkansas death date inscribed on headstone.

My plan is to visit Union Parish, Louisiana and Saline County, Arkansas and try to find legal, property or other type records that may shed some light or indicate if this is the right trail.