2019: 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks
Week 16 (April 15 – 21) Out of Place
I “first” joined Amy Johnson Crow’s 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks on its “first” year in 2014… and what a whirlwind year that was… writing, editing and researching daily for 365 days! As much as I wanted to continue the following year, I found that I didn’t have the time to continue another year with that type of research… although I did continue blogging and writing stories at my own pace, which allowed me to write on other topics as well as family stories when ideas came my way… but I’ve often missed it. The first year were no specific weekly prompts like today… but I’m taking a different spin on them. There will be some posts on a specific ancestor, but most will be memories that spring from those prompts. Head over to 2014 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks to read about my ancestors in the first years challenge.
If you’re new to genealogy, make your “first” stop to Amy’s website for genealogy ideas or even join in on this 52 Week challenge… you learn by doing… not procrastinating! There is no right or wrong… anything you do is a start!
Out of Place
Well, this “prompt” had me perplexed until I became obsessed with all the many Thrulines on Ancestry… something is definitely “out of place” on there… and I’m trying to weave links to the many possible ancestors they’ve teased me with. This will be a good post to write, whether I make a connection or not, I’ll have all the evidence to make the connection… one day… well maybe… maybe not!
This “ThruLine” hint shows a possible connection back further… from my Elizabeth F. Veazey (1825abt- ) to my James Britain Askew (1830- ). If I’m able to prove to Alanson E. (1800-1863) Veasey (Veazey) & Cynthia Reynolds, then I’ll be able to take this line back three more generations on my Veazey side. The only proven box here is the one in white… the dotted line boxes are unproven. Alanson also a daughter, Margery born in 1825.
James B. Askew was born about 1830 in Georgia to parents of William & Mary (Gerald) Askew. He married Elizabeth F. Veazey (circ 1825/29), parents unknown, on November 18, 1849 in Greene County, Georgia. If they’d only waited one more year, she would have still been living in her parents household and would have showed on the census! Darn!
Marriage license of my James Brittain Askew to Eliza F? J? Veazey on November 18, 1849 in Greene Co., Georgia.
- 1850 Census: James B. Askew b. 1830, marr. to Eliza, b. 1825. Now living in Greene Co., Ga. Both born in Georgia.
- 1860 Census: Jas (James) B. Askin, age 30 (Askew), wife Eliza, age now 35, with children of: Mary W. (10), Milton A. (8), Eloucise (Ella 6), Redwin T. (4), Lola M. (Ola 6/12) Wm M. (6/12)… I’m assuming Lola and Wm are twins. This family name was butchered on the Census – Family surname is Askew, living in Greene Co., GA.
- 1870 Census: James Askew (now 43, b. abt. 1827), spouse Julia (now 41, b. abt. 1829); Children – Milton (18), Ella (16), Thomas (14), Olla (Ola 12-my grandmother), Sam (10), and Julia (8). Lida Battle (black) in household, age 9. Living in Powellton, Hancock County, GA.
(Several searches on Ancestry has shown my Elizabeth F. Veazey listed as Eliza Ann, Julia, Eliza Francina, and Eliza. I’m not sure how the census enumerator interpreted it as Julia, other than mishearing her name said.) I”m wondering if that F. middle initial wasn’t always a “J” as on the 1870 census where I found her listed as Julia, wife of James B. Askew.
How am I tackling this “Out of Place” discovery on ThruLines?
- I contacted several Ancestry members who have parents listed for my Elizabeth F. Veazey. I did check their pages, but could not determine any true sources for the parents of Elizabeth F. Veazey they listed.
- I searched for a will/estate papers for Alanson E. Veazey… nothing… but I did find estate papers for his father Ezekiel Veasey 1759-1837 (Veazey) with Alanson as executor of his estate. His father had quite an extensive listing of his estate; I found no will.
- Ezekiel died 29 DEC 1837 • White Plains, Greene, Georgia / Estate Appraisement dated Sept. 8, 1838
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Another Thruline I took a look at was the Elizabeth Bryan they posted… naturally intriguing me as she was the only “Bryan” to show up!
In taking a closer look at a member’s tree, of from where Ancestry took her… this is a perfect example of “out of place“… as this person’s tree is trying to show her as my possibly 4th great-grandmother… and it’s only happening because her tree is all wrong. On this incorrect tree they have my Elizabeth Cain with no spouse… and she clearly is married to my James Bryan. I laughed when I saw that they had a photo of her… cropped from my photo of James, Parthenia (daughter) and Elizabeth (Cain). The inaccuracy of this person’s tree connected to Thrulines is trying to show that my 5th great-grandmother was Elizabeth Bryan, daughter of my John and Nancy (unk) Bryan…. but in this tree they have her as the daughter of John and Nancy Mayes Bryan… which, again is “out of place.” The unknown Nancy (unk) Bryan is actually my 5th great grandmother.
My head is spinning in even trying to figure out this tree… as they actually have John and Nancy (Mayes) Bryan, as the parents of my James Bryan (1791-1885) and Elizabeth Bryan… and then they have added John Bryan marrying again to Elizabeth Ann Hinkle and have the same Elizabeth Bryan as their child. This tree is totally “out of place” and is making me feel that we all need to go back into our trees and revamp them. I’m sure I have a few on mine where I’ve added people… just so I can relook at them on another day, but that day never seems to come. Maybe Ancestry should have a tab where we could put ancestors in a holding area for sorting, but not attached to a tree. Ancestry are you listening?
The tree listed above is definitely incorrect for me as Elizabeth Bryan is the daughter of John and Nancy (unk)… and she is not my 5th great grandmother, but instead my 5th great aunt. And in the same incorrect tree, they showed Elizabeth Cain as the daughter of the Elizabeth Bryan, who married Ransome Cain. Are you confused? I still am… and I’m not even trying to prove or disprove this so “Out of Place” tree anymore!
This is my correct Elizabeth Cain, parents unknown at this time. I have not found an actual birth certificate for her marriage to my James Bryan, but in his War of 1812 pension records, he stated they were married on Oct. 10, 1818 in Franklin County, Georgia. Could he have shown those records at that time to the Army, or did they take his word? Those things we will never know, but as they listed it in his records… might I assume it’s correct? I had hoped to find that marriage license hiding in his pension records, but no documents were there. I, along with many researchers, have searched for that marriage record to no avail. One day, I may make that trip to Franklin County and try, but so many courthouses have lost their early records… so we may never actually find that documented copy other than using his pension records.
My documented Bryan Family line
I’m beginning to feel that those Ancestry Thru-lines have made me more turned around, than helpful! If you’ve had luck with them and found a match… do let me hear from you!
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Stay tuned for Week 17… At Worship
Continue reading 2019: 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks over HERE!
To read more Family Stories… click HERE.
© 2019, copyright Jeanne Bryan Insalaco; all rights reserved
Everyone Has a Story 
It is a mixed bag. I have found some that were fine matches, but others that were as convoluted as the one you list above. I particularly have to laugh when they stick in one or two people that obviously came from my tree (because of unique suffixes I put on the names for my own use) mixed in with heaven- knows- where- it- came- from- “family.” I found one the other day where the sources she used did not connect to the dates and places that she listed for the person in question. I wrote a note, trying to be polite, asking how her Samuel could be the same person as my Samuel since their families were different and they came from different states. She replied that she got the name of the man who is really my 2 times great grandfather (so therefore I know some of the facts about him) from family trees, since there are ten of them that have the same information. Sigh! If none of the ten have any sources, it really doesn’t matter what they have copied from each other.
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Hard to figure out what they are really thinking of! But it messes up our Through-Lines
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Thrulines is most definitely not an exact science and the data that other people have in their tree is often wrong and you have to work it on your own end for accuracy. That being said, it does not change the fact that you have a DNA match with these folks. I do my best to work their line to confirm the connection and reach out to them about corrections but it’s often too time consuming to even pursue. Unless I’ve hit a brick wall on a line and these connections offer me some answers I often disregard them. This particular Bryan/Mayes line is killing me though!!
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It keeps many of us Bryan’s I’m perplexed. We have a Bryan/Bryant Facebook group. Look us up
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