Monday, August 8, 2016

Maps: Neighbors or Family or Both?

When searching census reports I often look at the other people on the page or in nearby pages. Sometimes I find family members who lived next door or nearby. I’m sure that many researchers do the same thing.

Another way to find neighboring family members is through maps. I have had great success by using the Family Maps books by Gregory A. Boyd, J. D. I have a few & have blogged about them in the past. I am revisiting those books to see what I have missed.

Family Maps
Of Pike, County, Mississippi
Deluxe Edition
Gregory A. Boyd, J. D.
2005



I looked for my Fortenberry family & found the surname in map group 12, section 34, near Smithburg, MS.  Along with the Fortenberry surname I found Smith surnames. I made a list in my notebook and then looked closely at their relationships. Soon I was sketching two family trees.


Wm. J Fortenberry & Violette Kennington          Jeremiah Smith & Joanna Dillon
My 4th great grandparents                                        My 4th great grandparents

They were not listed in the map book but these children were:                                           

Gasua C Fortenberry 1805 – 1884                             Calvin Smith 1812 – 1881
Burrell T. Fortenberry 1820 – 1863                           Jeremiah 1821 – 1894
Euseba Fortenberry 1809 – 1878      ….Married...   Wyatt Smith 1808 – 1894


In this area of Pike County these two families, united by the marriage of Wyatt & Euseba (Fortenberry) Smith, my 3rd great grandparents, lived and worked side by side.



In the adjoining section, section 35, more of the same surnames are shown along with a couple new names. Here is the list of landowners along with their relationship to Gasua Fortenberry to illustrate their connection.

Gasua C Fortenberry, 1805 – 1884; my 3rd great grand uncle
Warren M Huffman, 1835 – 1905; son in law of Gasua, husband of Narcissa
Benjamin C Fortenberry, 1856 – 1895; nephew of Gasua Fortenberry
Wyatt Smith, 1809 – 1895; brother in law of Gasua; my 3rd great grandfather
Calvin Smith, 1812 – 1881; brother of brother in law of Gasua
Harrison H Burch, 1867 – 1935; grandson in law of Gasua
Isaac Broomfield, 1823 – 1909; brother of sister in law of brother in law of Gasua
Lewis W Brown; unknown

Lewis Brown is a missing piece. I know my Brown family is related to Fortenberry, Smith & Brumfield and my family was (and still is) in the county. Lewis might be a family member but at this time I cannot find a connection.

Looking at one after another section on these maps I can find more & more family connections. Celebrate Mappy Monday by looking at a map!

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6 comments:

  1. Lewis Brown, the missing piece? I hope you can find a link. The maps open up intriguing possibilities!

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  2. I saw these Map Books when I was at the Mississippi Archives but was short on time and passed them by. Time to see what's available on the Counties I am researching. Great article.

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    1. Those map books are great & if you find an ancestor go to the ARPHAX publishing website and follow the links to the actual land records. I just wish there were more books.

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  3. I love these books as well and wish there were even more! I tried Historygeo.com which is the online version when it first came out and was impressed. My problem is my ancestors lived in State Land states most of the time, and so they aren't in those books/website. But for those families who did happen to dip into the Public Land states, I am so happy!

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