Trying to find immigration records for Dennis McFadden (1847-1924)

 Dennis McFadden first appeared in the US in the 1860 US census in Clinton, Vinton County, Ohio.[1] According to the census, Dennis (16) lived with his parents Edward and Alice (both 56) and his brother John (18). I don’t know if they arrived at the same time or staggered their immigration but by 1860 they were all in Ohio.

1860 US Census-Clinton, Vinton County, Ohio

  The 1900[2] and 1920[3] US census has Dennis’ year of immigrated as 1850. Both records indicate he was naturalized and the 1920 census has the date of naturalization as 1865. The 1910[4] US Census had the date as 1848 and his naturalization date as 1865.

1900 US Census-Washinton County, Pennsylvania

1920 US Census-Allegheny County, Pennsylvania

1910 US Census-Washington County, Pennsylvania

On 10 April 1919 Edward Vincent McFadden son of Dennis in his passport application stated that Dennis immigrated on or about 1852 and that he sailed from the Port of Londonderry, Ireland.[5] The passport also states that there are “no naturalization papers, but a discharge from U.S. Army dated July 25, 1865.”

1919 Passport Application-Edward Vincent McFadden

I have the service record[6] and pension applications for both Dennis[7] and John[8] but unfortunately none mention anything about their immigration or naturalization in the US. 

I checked Irish Passenger Lists, 1847-1871[9] and the Pennsylvania, Passenger and Crew Lists, 1800-1962[10] on Ancestry.com and while they have several Dennis, Edward and John McFadden’s listed I cannot tell if any are the ones I am looking for. 

I was hoping that at least one of the four names (Edward, Alice, John and Dennis) might have turned up in the immigration record. I have been focused on Philadelphia as the port of arrival since they ended up in Ohio by 1860. Emigration documentation is spotty for Ireland before 1890, I'll focus my sights on other possible ports of arrival for now.

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[1] 1860 U.S. census, Vinton County, Ohio, population schedule, Clinton Township, p. 63 (penned), dwelling 453, family 441, Dennis McFadden; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestrylibrary.com) : accessed 5 February 2013); citing National Archives Microfilm publication  M635 roll 1046.

[2] 1900 U.S. census, Washington County, Pennsylvania, population schedule, enumeration district (ED) 110, 42B (stamped), sheet number 7(penned), dwelling 137, family 139, David Davis; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestrylibrary.com : accessed 5 February 2013); citing National Archives microfilm publication T623, roll 1493.

[3] 1920 U. S. census, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, population schedule, enumeration district (ED) 624, 4A (written), dwelling 57, family 65, Dennis McFadden; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://ancestry.library.com: accessed 5 February 2013); citing National Archives microfilm publication T625, roll 1523.

[4] 1910 U.S. census, Washington County, Pennsylvania, population schedule, enumeration district (ED) 0228, 17A (written), dwelling 151, family 167, Dennis McFadden: digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestrylibrary.com : accessed 5 February 2013); citing National Archives microfilm publication T624, roll 1427.

[5] Edward Vincent McFadden, 10 April 1919; Passport Application; National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Washington D.C.; Roll #: 759; Volume #: Roll 0759 - Certificates: 78250-78499, 29 Apr 1919-30 Apr 1919.

[6] Compiled service record, Dennis McFadden, Pvt., Co. E, Ohio First Heavy Artillery; Carded Records, Volunteer Organizations, Civil War; Records of the adjutant General’s Office, 1780s-1917, Record Group 94; National Archives, Washington, D.C.

[7] Dennis C. McFadden (Pvt., Co. E, 1st Ohio Heavy Artillery., Civil War) pension no. X.C. 956,627, certificate no. 1095,474; service of Dennis McFadden; Case Files of Pension Applications…, 1905-1949; Civil War Pension Files; Department of Veterans Affairs, Record Group 15; National Archives, Washington, D.C.

[8] Compiled service record, John McFadden, Pvt., Co. K, 36th Reg, Ohio 2; Carded Records, Volunteer Organizations, Civil War; Records of the adjutant General’s Office, 1780s-1917, Record Group 94; National Archives, Washington, D.C.

[9] Brian Mitchell, Irish Passenger Lists, 1847-1871 : Lists of Passengers Sailing from Londonderry to America on Ships of the J. & J. Cooke Line and the McCorkell Line (Baltimore: Genealogical Publication Company, 1988).

[10] Ancestry.com. Pennsylvania, Passenger and Crew Lists, 1800-1962 [database on-line].

 

New Years goal

While I am not big on making resolutions for the new year, I do try to have a goal or two to work on.

This year, I want to work on writing up my family history and other topics. Sitting down and getting all my stuff together is the easy part. It's putting it down on paper that is the tough part.

I tend to feel that my writing:
1. Is dull or uninteresting
2. has way too much detail and becomes a dry slog to get through
3. Is of no interest to anyone


I really enjoy reading old newspapers and finding interesting stories or people to look into further. I have started writing them up to practice and get into the mindset to tackle my own family stories. So far, I feel I am doing well. I have made the time to sit and write and find that I am really enjoying the process. I plan to keep this up for the next few months or so, then tackle my own family history.

Mary Creekmore Elliott (1918-1985) and the missing marriage record

 

Picture was taken approximately 1925 at the Wilcott Farm on Pudding Ridge Road.  The young boy with the goat is Thomas Edward Creekmore, Jr.  His father, Thomas Sr., farmed for the Wilcott's. The young girl in the picture is his sister, Mary Creekmore Elliott, who was born  around 1917.  The older woman in the cart and the man standing beside the gate are unidentified.

Sarah (Creekmore) Bell and her younger sister, Mary (Creekmore) Elliott.  Mary married Millard Elliott of Fort Worth Texas.  Mary is buried in Moyock Cemetery.  Her husband was a descendent of Sam Jones, the last President of the Republic of Texas.

 Photos from: http://www.ncgenweb.us/currituck/photosbios/creekmorephotoalbum.html

Mary Creekmore was born in Currituck County, North Carolina in 8 Feb 1918[1] to Thomas E. Creekmore and Edna E. Powell. In 1920[2] and 1930[3] she is living with her parents in Moyock, Currituck County, North Carolina. 

In 1940[4] she is 22 and still in the household of her parents. According to the census they were enumerated on 2 May 1940 and she was listed as single.

Meanwhile Millard is living in Fort Worth, Texas[5] in 1940 according to census. He and his family were enumerated on 8 April 1940 and his status is listed as being married. 

19 August 1940 he enlisted in the Army[6] in Fort Worth, Texas.  His marital status here is single without dependents. He was released from the service on 12 July 1945[7]. For now I am proceeding as if the 1940 US Census taker made the error. 

Both appear to vanish from the historical record until they pop up in Fort Worth, Texas living in the household of his parents, Millard Alexander Sr. and Ethyl Elliott[8].

I have browsed the marriage indexes for Currituck County, North Carolina and Tarrant County, Texas and have not found Millard or Mary or any similar names listed between 1945-1949. I imagine that he was stationed in or relocated to North Carolina after his service and that is where they met but that is just a wild guess at this point.

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[1] Ancestry.com. North Carolina, Birth Indexes, 1800-2000 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005. The child is not named. The father is listed as Thomas Creekmore.

[2] Year: 1920; Census Place: Moyock, Currituck, North Carolina; Roll: T625_1294; Page: 5B; Enumeration District: 66.

[3] Year: 1930; Census Place: Moyock, Currituck, North Carolina; Roll: 1684; Page: 8A; Enumeration District: 0004; FHL microfilm: 2341418.

[4] Year: 1940; Census Place: Moyock, Currituck, North Carolina; Roll: T627_2897; Page: 6B; Enumeration District: 27-6.

[5] Year: 1940; Census Place: Fort Worth, Tarrant, Texas; Roll: T627_4187; Page: 5B; Enumeration District: 257-109.

[6]  National Archives and Records Administration. Electronic Army Serial Number Merged File, 1938-1946 [Archival Database]; ARC: 1263923. World War II Army Enlistment Records; Records of the National Archives and Records Administration, Record Group 64; National Archives at College Park. College Park, Maryland, U.S.A.

[7] Ancestry.com. U.S., Department of Veterans Affairs BIRLS Death File, 1850-2010 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.

[8] Ancestry.com. U.S. Public Records Index, 1950-1993, Volume 2 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. This index does not include the year of this information.

Hampton N. Webb (1813-?) Southern Claims Commission partial transcription

I recently found the Southern Claims Commission record on the brother of my gr gr gr grandfather George Washington Webb (1806-1862). During the build up and throughout the Civil War he lived in Pope and Crawford Counties, Arkansas. According to the testimony of Hampton and the witnesses he remained a supporter of the Union.

The claim was filed in 1871 for Hampton to be reimbursed for two horses that the Union troops confiscated for the war effort in 1863.

Some of the report is difficult to read so I am in the process of transcribing it. One section caught my eye as particularly interesting. It is in the testimony of Hampton's son in law George D. Kirkpatrick (1813-1901).

 

The called State Convention is (unknown) The States going

out of The Union, and after the (unknown) of Secession

was passed we did not go with the (unknown) but stuck to our

Union principles and continued to maintain them

during the whole war. In These conditions claimant

always expressed his determination to hold on (unknown) the Union.

That Slavery and fire eaters of the South caused The war, and

That The South had no grounds to justify this in trying to

Brake (sic) up the The Union. I cannot remember all he Said

About it. He Never (unknown) The (unknown) of Secession or Rebel cause. was

Violent in his opposition to it. I knew the Sympathies and

opinions of Claimant by what he Said to me about The

Union Cause, and his opposition to the Rebel cause.

 

Testimony of George G. Kirkpatrick. 1874; George D. Kirkpatrick (Crawford County, Arkansas), #12458; Allowed Case Files, Southern Claims Commission, 1871-1880; Settled Accounts and Claims, Third Auditor; Record of the Treasury Department Accounting Officers, Record Group 217; National Archives, Washington, D.C.

Joseph Henry Sample-probate record 1910

I have been doing some probate research on several line and found the Letters of Administration for my great grandfather. He died intestate and his son John was named administrator.

I contacted Howard County Arkansas hoping that there would be some paperwork regarding his probate. Unfortunately they were unable to find anything.

Another dead end. This family is really making it difficult to find out anything about them!

_______________________________________________________________________________

Ancestry.com. Arkansas, Wills and Probate Records, 1818-1998 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015.

BU program

I am considering taking the Boston University Certification Program. I have for a while thought about becoming certified but have not made a lot of progress on it.

A few years ago I took the NGS Home Study Course and the ProGen study group. Both were very helpful and informative but I still feel there is a heckuva lot I don't know. Also because this program sounds quite intensive and pricey I am hoping it re-motivates me to to get back and complete the BCG certification process.