Random Genealogy Bits

    Wilburn was my g-g grandpa. He served in the Civil War, was captured twice, and suffered a gunshot wound to his shoulder.  Today I utilized the FamilySearch Full Text search and the My Heritage Scribe AI to sniff out this story.   Summary from Scribe AI    You can see it provides a vivid snapshot of local justice, law enforcement practices of the era (such as a constable deputizing local citizens like an ex-judge to assist in a search), and community conflicts. ----Quite a serious difficulty occurred down in the country at the residence of Mr. James Sweeney last Wednesday evening, between Wilburn Turner and James Sweeney. The origin of the difficulty is one of very unpleasant reflections. Mr. Turner had lost some meat which he supposed had been stolen, came to town Wednesday evening, took out a search warrant, and put it into the hands of constable Drummond who summoned ex-Judge J. L. Weaver and Mr. Mack Barnett to assist in the search. They all we...

                            Every Family Has Stories       Yesterday Mom and I were discussing sharing family history before it is lost. I get focused on names, dates, and hundred years old court records. She reminisces about childhood adventures on her parents' farm in Kentucky. While we talked it came up that even within our nuclear family, not all stories have been shared even with the siblings that had not participated in events.          In 1962, when I was only 5 yrs old, we had just moved into a new home. In fact, the telephone company had not connected our phone yet. One evening, there was a knock on the door and naturally, against all rules, I immediately opened the door. A man stood there asking for my father. My dad was there pushing me behind him then, recognizing this man, the conversation went something like "well hello, what's up?  Grady, they need you t...

  Thursday, February 2, 2012 Maddness of Folly , Margaret White Margaret was not a blood relative of mine, but I find her story very interesting.  She was hot tempered adultress, and apparently more than a little intimidating.   Margaret married Robert Colewell in 1660 they had two children Robert, Jr., b. 1662, and Elizabeth, b 1664.  Robert (Colwel, Coleway, Caldwell)  took the  freemans oath 1658 in Providence , took oath of allegiance. May 1666- October 1666, Thomas Walling was found guilty of assault on Robert Colwell and paid a bond of 20 pounds, but he failed to appear in court and forfeited his bond. October 1666 Margaret was convicted of  fornication with Thomas Wallin ordered to be publicly whipped 15 stripes in Boston and was fined £5   July 21, 1667 Colwell was granted a divorce from Margaret. Margaret married Thomas in 1669; he died in 1674. In just five short years she gave birth to four boys,    On Decmber 25,167...

  Daniel Abbott fined for making a statement DANIEL ABBOTT     (My 9th great grandfather) ORIGIN: Unknown   BIRTH: Before 1610, based on freemanship MIGRATION: est 1630   FIRST RESIDENCE: Cambridge *******COMMENTS: 18 May 1631: "Daniell Abbott is fined 5s. for refusing to watch, & for other ill behavior showed towards Captain Pattricke "  the fine was remitted in the general amnesty of  6 September 1638  [MBCR 1:243].*********** So this caught my eye -who was Captain Pattricke  and why did Grandpa Abbott disrespect him? DANIEL PATRICK (listed as possibly Irish in other sources)  ORIGIN: The Hague, Holland MIGRATION: 1630 FIRST RESIDENCE: Watertown REMOVES: Cambridge by 1632, Watertown 1636, Greenwich by 1640 OCCUPATION: Soldier. CHURCH MEMBERSHIP: Watertown [ WJ 2:182]. FREEMAN: 18 May 1631   (TL NOTE same day as Daniel Abbott and when Abbott was fined) DEATH: Killed at Stamford late in 1643 of Capt. D...

 I am bringing some stories from my first blog site  My Random Genealogy ( I  cant' access it and am afraid these might get lost. TL  Apr 2025)  My Elizabeth was married to Eli T(h)ompkins about 1820. She was the daughter of Morning Wallen and Stephen Wilborn of TN. There has been some discussion that she was perhaps the second wife of Eli, the first could have been a Martha Beatty, (TL NOTE I believe "Beatty" was Betty as in Elizabeth.)  They had a lot of children at the very least these four girls Nancy Tompkins Morgan, Malinda Tompkins Adams, Mary Tompkins, Burnetta Tompkins Turner, and quite likely these two boys Charles Storm Tompkins and Benjamin H. Tompkins, and possibly Andy.  The marriage ended sometime between about 1840 to 1850, apparently the papers were found loose and no date is on them. Marriage Notes for Eli Tompkins and Elizabeth Wilborn: Transcription of divorce papers: To the Honorable the Judge of the Laurel Circuit Court, in C...

  This James Burk is an interesting character I will write more about later.  The mother of Grandma (Watkins) Turner (1899-1975) was Canzada (Gregory) Watkins (1874-1956).  Her great grandmother was Jane Burks. Tracking Jane's line led me to find this very interesting abstract.   List of crimes found in Virginia court records  Roanake, Virginia area mid -century 1700's                    DISCORDS IN THE MORAL TONES OF THE COMMUNITY " George Campbell was fined for absence from divine worship, Robert Cunningham for being drunk, James Burk for swearing, Humberton Lyons for adultery, Stephen Holston for breaking the peace, Patrick McDonald for being drunk and drinking the Pretender's health, John Graham for abusing Rev. John Hindman, John Flanagan for horse stealing, Samuel Hulls for breaking the Sabbath by singing profane songs, Daniel Evans for not providing for his children in a "desent" christian manner. John...

 THIS BLOG STARTED APRIL 2025.  I will store random genealogy related pictures, documents, stories, and likely a few thoughts along the way. I manage DNA test for several people that may have stories  I find interesting also.  I will try to label the posts for the two families, Turner for my mom's side or Smith for my dad's. Then of course, the various other names as I climb up the tangled branches of the tree. I may add other names for my extended families, but I will try to label those so as not to confuse my immediate circle of cousins.