Lucy Agnes O’Brien

Lucy Agnes O’Brien was born in 1883 in New Zealand to James O’Brien and Margaret Montcashel. She was the 10th of 14 children born to the couple: Infant O’Brien, Margaret, William James, Mary Ellen, Kate Dorothy, Mary, Johanna, Timothy, William James (second of the name), Lucy Agnes, a second infant O’Brien, James Joseph Montcashel, Veronica Bridget, and a stillborn infant O’Brien. Though not related by blood to my husband, Lucy connects to his Athya family of Scotland through marriage, as the aunt of the husband of his third cousin once removed.

Lucy’s father, born in April 1845 in Dublin, Ireland, migrated to Pātea in the South Taranaki District in 1863. New Zealand offers no surviving census records listing individuals by name for the years the O’Briens lived in Pātea; although censuses were taken regularly, the household schedules were destroyed after statistical extraction. As a result, the O’Brien household had to be reconstructed through birth, marriage, and death registrations, electoral rolls, newspapers, and local records. Because these sources consistently show only one O’Brien family living in Pātea during this period, I am confident that all 14 children belong to James and Margaret. New Zealand’s Birth, Death and Marriage Historical Records website proved essential in identifying them.

Individual entries of the O’Brien children from New Zealand’s
Birth, Death and Marriage Historical Records website search engine

Two infant siblings are buried at Pātea General Cemetery in the same Roman Catholic section as their father, James O’Brien. One was born on August 17, 1885 and died the following day. The other, born on June 4, 1899, was stillborn. Stillbirths were not required to be registered in New Zealand until 1912, so it is unsurprising that this child appears only in the cemetery register and not in the civil birth index.

Transcription of O'Brien's buried at Patea General Cemetery

On the evening of March 30, 1892, nine‑year‑old Lucy was at home in Pātea with two younger siblings—one aged 5 and the other 21 months—while both parents were out. Her mother was working as a midwife, and her father, feeling unwell, had stepped away for a walk. The two children were almost certainly her 5‑year‑old brother James and her toddler sister Veronica. Lucy was peeling potatoes for the family’s tea and standing near the kitchen hearth when her clothing suddenly caught fire. She later admitted she had been standing too close. Her father described her as a good, sensible child who had often been trusted to watch the younger ones. He believed the tragedy was the result of pure accident.

Startled and engulfed in flames, Lucy ran first to the water tank and then to the well, hoping to reach water, but the tank was low and she could not draw from the well. In her panic she ran again—long before the era of “Stop, Drop, and Roll”—and the movement only intensified the flames. She collapsed in the paddock near the fence separating the O’Brien home from the neighboring property.

Mrs. Maria Gunn, a neighbor, heard Lucy’s screams and ran to her, smothering the flames by wrapping the child tightly in her own clothing. Mr. A. A. Gower, a chemist and druggist who lived nearby, also hurried over. Together they removed the burning clothing as carefully as possible and carried Lucy into the house. Mr. Gower sent for oil and lime water—standard burn treatments of the time—and for Lucy’s mother and a doctor. Lucy, desperate for her mother, once jumped from Mr. Gower’s arms, crying out for her. Mrs. Gunn and Mr. Gower managed to settle her in bed and applied dressings to ease her pain.

Dr. Perkins, the local physician, was not at home when the message reached him, but he came as soon as he could. When he arrived later that evening, he found Lucy suffering from extensive burns. She was restless, irritable, and constantly asking for water. After examining her, he decided to leave the dressings undisturbed, ordered hot water bottles for her limbs, and instructed the neighbors to keep her quiet and administer a stimulant—meaning a small dose of brandy, spirits, or strong tea—only if she weakened. He feared she would not survive the night. When he returned the next morning, Lucy had died.

An inquest was held on April 1, 1892. Testimony was given by Lucy’s father, Mrs. Gunn, Mr. Gower, Dr. Perkins, and her mother, Margaret. The jury returned a verdict of accidental death but added a pointed criticism of James O’Brien, suggesting that if he had been working regularly and supporting the household, Margaret would not have needed to be away from home earning money. They recommended that the police consider a prohibition order against him.

The inquest testimony shows Lucy as a responsible child doing her best in a household stretched thin by work, illness, and the demands of a large family. Her death was a tragic accident shaped by the realities of nineteenth‑century domestic life, when children were often entrusted with responsibilities far beyond their years and when even a moment’s misstep near an open hearth could prove fatal.

References

• A Sad Death, The Patea County Mail, Patea, South Taranaki District, New Zealand, March 31, 1892.
• Birth Search Index, Birth, Death and Marriage Historical Records website; https://bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/search/search?path=%2FqueryEntry.m%3Ftype%3Dbirths. 
• Late Fatal Accident, The Patea County Mail, Patea, South Taranaki District, New Zealand, April 4, 1892.
• New Zealand, Birth Index, 1840–1950.
• New Zealand, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1840–1902
• New Zealand, Civil Registration Death Index, 1840–1972.
• New Zealand, Death Index, 1848–1966.
• New Zealand, Historical Birth Index, 1840–1925. 

Charles and Penny, servants of B. Brantly

This post is part of an ongoing project to record names of enslaved people of Greene County, Georgia I find in historical records. 

Penfield, Oct. 7th 49 

The African Branch met in conference, Bro. Stillwell acting as moderator. 

Bro. Charles and Sister Penny, servants of bro. B. Brantly, presented letters from Shiloh and were received. 

Church adj. 
J. M. Stillwell, Mod. 
L. Greene, Clk. pro. tem.

Reference

Penfield Baptist Church Minutes: 1839 – 1885, p. 133, Penfield, Greene County, Georgia, Mercer University Libraries. 

The Overton Myth

As part of my ongoing look at the Revolutionary War in honor of America’s 250th birthday, I next turned to my Overton line. While reviewing my notes, I came across John Overton Sr., my 4th great grandfather. His son, Abijah Overton, is my direct ancestor. I had not done much focused research on John himself—certainly not on his possible Revolutionary War service—but other researchers had shared claims over the years. According to them, John had volunteered during the war and later drew a land bounty in Walton County, Georgia, supposedly awarded in the 1820 land lottery for his service.

However, when I began searching for any primary records to support this story, I came up empty.

Many online family trees claim that Abijah Overton’s father was “Captain John Overton,” a Revolutionary War soldier from Louisa County, Virginia. This claim is incorrect—and the historical evidence makes that clear. The Virginia John Overton (1755–1822) lived his entire life in Louisa County. His military service is well documented, as are his landholdings, marriage, children, and probate. None of his children were named Abijah, and none migrated to South Carolina or Georgia. The Revolutionary War soldier, John Overton of Louisa County (1755–1822), left a clear paper trail that never leads out of Virginia.

Published histories of Louisa County identify the only Revolutionary War Overtons from that county as the sons of Capt. James Overton—John, Thomas, and Waller—whose migrations carried them into Kentucky, Tennessee, and Louisiana. None of these men ever lived in South Carolina or Georgia, and their well‑documented lives bear no resemblance to the South Carolina farmer who became the father of Abijah Overton.

I also searched the Georgia Archives’ Headright and Bounty Land Records, the Georgia Virtual Vault collections, the published indexes of Georgia Revolutionary War bounty grants, and the federal bounty land warrant files; no record of any bounty land issued to a man named John Overton appears in any of these sources. I also searched the South Carolina Department of Archives and History’s Revolutionary War collections—including the Audited Accounts, Stub Entries, and published indexes of South Carolina militia service—and found no record of any Revolutionary War service for a man named John Overton in that state.

On the other hand, the Carolina John Overton appears only in South Carolina and Georgia records, and only during the decades after the Revolutionary War. He is first documented in the 1800 census in Kershaw District, South Carolina, where he appears as a man aged 26 to 44 with a wife and four young children. Ten years later, in 1810, he appears in Lancaster District, again as the only Overton in the entire state. His household includes a male under 10 years old—the exact age bracket for Abijah, born in 1805.

After 1810, John followed the common migration route into Georgia. He appears in Walton County in 1820 and in Newton County in 1830, where he is listed as a man aged 70 to 79. This continuous census trail from 1800 to 1830 documents his life as a South Carolina–born farmer who moved into Georgia with his family. It also proves that he was alive and living in Georgia during the years when the Virginia officer was still in Louisa County.

Further evidence comes from Newton County, where John Overton continued to appear in records well into the 1830s. On February 15, 1836, he sold the east half of Lot No. 198 in the Ninth District—the same 101¼‑acre tract he had purchased in 1828—to Absalom D. Smith. The deed identifies him as a resident of Newton County and shows him signing with a mark. This 1836 transaction proves that he was alive and living in Georgia 14 years after the Virginia officer had died in Louisa County in 1822. The Virginia soldier never lived in Georgia, never owned land there, and left a complete probate trail in Virginia. The 1836 Newton County deed therefore provides yet another clear distinction between the two men and further confirms that Abijah’s father was not the Revolutionary War captain from Virginia.

This Carolina John Overton was born between 1760 and 1774, making him too young to have served as a Revolutionary War officer. He would have been a child or teenager during the war, not a captain. No military records, pension files, bounty land applications, or wartime service documents exist for him. The only Overton military records from the Revolutionary War period belong to the Virginia family—a separate and unrelated line.

So once again, I began my research for this sketch thinking my 4th great grandfather was a patriot, but that was not the case.

References

• History of Louisa County, Virginia: Louisa. Local Histories 1669–1936, image 170, FamilySearch.
• John Overton, Virginia, US, Revolutionary War Pensions, 1800-1900.
• Newton County, Georgia, Deeds 1826–1830, 1822–1826, Mortgages 1826–1830, 1822–1826, images 559–560, FamilySearch.
• Newton County, Georgia, Deeds 1834–1837, Mortgages 1834–1837, images 227–228, FamilySearch.
• U.S. Federal Census, Lancaster County, South Carolina, 1810.
• U.S. Federal Census, Newton County, Georgia, 1830.
• U.S. Federal Census, Walton County, Georgia, 1820. 

Will of Julius Alford: 18 enslaved named

This post is part of an ongoing project to record names of enslaved people of Greene County, Georgia I find in historical records. 

Georgia, Greene County. 

In the name of God Amen, I, Julius Alford, of the state and county aforesaid being weak in body but of sound mind and memory blessed be almighty God for the same do make and publish this my Last Will and Testament in manner and form following that is to say:

First. I give unto my son Ludwick Alford one negro man named Randolf also one hundred acres of land that he is now in possession of.

Second. I give unto my daughter Aley Asckew one negro woman named Rose and increase.

Third. I give unto my daughter Clarey Whatley one negro woman and child named Selah and Nat.

Fourth. I give unto my daughter Betsy Ann Boon two negro women named Daphne and Betsey.

Fifth. I give unto my daughter Susan Gilliam one bed and chest.

Sixth. I give unto my son Zadock Alford one negro man named Talker. 

Seventh. I give unto my son Halcut Alford one negro man named Solomon.

Eight. I give unto my daughter Rebecca Dickson one negro woman named Livy.

Ninth. I give unto my daughter Patsey Cole one negro man named Calton.

Tenth. I give unto my daughter Faithy Webb one negro man named Wyatt.

Eleventh. I give unto my beloved wife the balance of my land lying adjoining Carlys land including the house where I now live the Spring Branch to be the dividing line during her natural life and then to revert to my son Julius Alford. Also, I give unto my beloved wife Step and Perlina and Vilet during other natural life and after her death to my son Julius Alford. I also give unto my wife one mare and colt during her natural life and all the balance of my property that is not mentioned in my will to be my wife’s during her life and then to revert to my son Julius Alford.

Twelfth. I give unto my son Julius C. Alford the balance of my land lying on the other side of the said of the Spring Branch also two negroes named James and Jack.

Thirteenth. I give to my daughter Mary Oglesby two negroes named Lewis and Elizabeth.

Fourteenth. I give unto my granddaughter Winney Cole a bed and furniture after the death of my wife.

Fifteenth. I give unto my granddaughter Susan Webb one bed and furniture after the death of my wife.

I do appoint my wife Rebecca Alford and my son Julius C. Alford to execute this my Last Will and Testament revoking all other. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 9th Sept. 1819.

Julius Alford [Seal]

Attest: John Garrett
Jesse Martindale
Thomas B. Garrett 

Georgia, Greene County Court of Ordinary September Term 1820. 

Personally appeared in open Court Jesse Martindale and Thomas B. Garrett two of the subscribing witnesses to the foregoing will who being duly sworn say that they each saw the within named Julius Alford sign, seal ,and heard him acknowledge the foregoing to be his Last Will and Testament and that they each believed him to be of perfect sound mind and memory at the time of his so doing and that they together with John Garrett subscribed their names as witnesses thereto of in the presence of the Testator.

Sworn to and subscribed in open court 4th September 1820.

Ebenezer Torrence, Clk.

Jesse Martindale
Thos. B. Garrett

Recorded 8th September 1820 
Ebenezer Torrence, Clk.

Reference

Greene County, Georgia, Wills 1786–1795, 1794–1810, 1840–1877, 1806–1816, 1817–1842, image 379, FamilySearch. 

Alexander Carruth: North Carolina Militiaman

As part of my ongoing look at the Revolutionary War in honor of America’s 250th birthday, I turned to the service of Alexander Carruth, the father‑in‑law of my 5th great‑uncle, John Lankford, son of Nathan Lankford and Marion Caldwell. John married Linda Myra Carruth, daughter of Alexander and his first wife, Sarah Logan. Although connected by marriage, we share no direct ancestry.

Alexander served as a private in the North Carolina militia, completing two tours totaling just over six months. A later witness recalled hearing Alexander say that he had served “one tour” and was “in the Army when peace was made.” His service appears in the Salisbury District pay records for January 1783—records the federal government later relied on when verifying Revolutionary War claims. Although this service would have qualified him for a pension under the Act of June 7, 1832, Alexander died before the act was passed.

Because he died in 1826, six years before veterans were invited to submit detailed personal narratives, Alexander’s pension file contains no account of his campaigns, officers, or battles. The government instead relied entirely on North Carolina’s pay records, which documented only the length of his service—six months and eight days.

I located two surviving vouchers issued to Alexander. The first, approved by the Salisbury District Board of Auditors on September 26, 1782, shows that he was allowed £11.6.0 specie (actual gold or silver) under an act passed the previous year. These vouchers were North Carolina’s official method of compensating soldiers, and this one confirms that Alexander personally served in the militia during the war.

1782 pay voucher showing £11.6.0 specie allowed to Alexander
for militia service

The second voucher, approved June 30, 1803, shows an additional allowance of £5.12.6 under a 1791 act, again specifically for militia service. Like the earlier certificate, it affirms Alexander’s Revolutionary War service and the state’s later settlement of his pay.

1803 pay voucher granting Alexander £5.12.6 for additional militia service

After the war, Alexander settled permanently in Rutherford County. In 1787, he claimed 100 acres on Little Creek, using the land rights he earned through his militia service. A warrant for the tract was issued the same day, and the state later granted the land to him. The survey, completed in 1797, shows a square parcel crossing Little Creek, with Robert Carruth and John Forister serving as chain carriers.

Warrant issued in 1787 directing the survey of Alexander Caruth’s
land on Little Creek

Alexander married Sarah Logan, daughter of James and Mary Logan, on March 12, 1792, in Rutherford County. They had four daughters. Sarah died sometime before June 11, 1808, when her sister wrote her will and left Sarah’s share of the estate to those four daughters.

About 10 years later, in 1818, Alexander married Letitia (Letty) Scott, daughter of John and Letitia Scott. Several members of the Scott family witnessed the marriage, including William Scott. Alexander and Letitia continued to live in Rutherford County.

Alexander died in Rutherford County on August 30, 1826 (some records suggest 1827), at about 65 years of age. In 1856, decades after his death, Letitia applied for a widow’s pension in Benton County, Alabama. Because she married Alexander long after the war, she could not provide details of his service, and witnesses could only testify that he was widely known as a Revolutionary War soldier. In her application, she stated that he served “two tours,” one lasting about six months, but she could not name his officers or the battles he fought.

Her pension was approved on September 2, 1857, under the Act of February 1853, granting $20.88 per year, backdated to 1853. She remained a widow for the rest of her life and continued receiving payments, even petitioning for their restoration after the Civil War disrupted federal disbursements. Letitia lived until April 26, 1870, over 90 years old. She later moved to Calhoun County, Alabama, to live with her son, William Scott. Because William carried the Scott surname, he was likely born out of wedlock. Letitia appears in her mother’s 1824 will, but I have found no evidence that she and Alexander had children together.

Letitia’s widow’s pension certificate

References

• Alexander Carruth, DAR, North Carolina Revolutionary War Pay Vouchers.
• Alexander Carruth, North Carolina, Marriage Records, 1741–2011.
• Alexander Carruth, North Carolina, U.S., Land Grant Files, 1693–1960.
• Alexander Caruth, US, Revolutionary War Pensions, 1800–1900, Fold3.
• James Logan, Rachel Logan, Letitia Carruth, North Carolina, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1665–1998. 

Will of David Sherrell: 29 enslaved named

This post is part of an ongoing project to record names of enslaved people of Greene County, Georgia I find in historical records. 

Proceedings of Greene Superior Court, September Term 1849

In the name of God Amen.

I, David Sherrell of the County of Greene and State of Georgia being weak in body but of sound mind and memory knowing that it is appointed to die do ordain this my Last Will and Testament. 

First of all, I commend my soul to God who gave and my body to the earth to be buried in a decent and Christian like manner at the discretion of my friends as touching such worldly goods as it hath pleased God to give. I bequeath in the following manner (vis.) I leave and bequeath unto my beloved daughter Sarah Watts a certain negro woman named Rachel and a child named Stephen also a tract of land containing one hundred and sixteen acres, one horse, saddle and bridle, one cow and calf, one bed and furniture. I also leave and bequeath unto my beloved daughter Elizabeth Tooke one hundred and twenty acres of land wherein she now lives also two negro girls named Cynthia and Sarah, one horse and saddle, one cow and calf, one bed and furniture. I also leave and bequeath unto my beloved daughter Mary Broach two negro girls named Milly and Emily, also one horse and saddle, one cow and calf, one bed and furniture. I also leave and bequeath unto my beloved daughter Parshana Alford two negro girls named Harriett and Darcus, also one horse and saddle, one cow and calf, one bed and furniture. I also leave and bequeath unto my beloved son Wilson one negro boy named Tom and one girl named Mary, one horse and saddle, one cow and calf, one bed and furniture. 

I also leave and bequeath unto my beloved son David one negro boy named Anthony, one girl named Judy, one horse, saddle and bridle, one cow and calf, one bed and furniture. I also leave and bequeath unto my beloved daughter Lavinia one negro boy named Abraham, one woman named Patience and child named Mary, one horse and saddle, one cow and calf, one bed and furniture. I also leave and bequeath unto my beloved son Berry one negro boy named Isaac, one girl named Eliza, one named Julia, one horse and saddle and bridle, one cow and calf, one bed and furniture. 

I also leave and bequeath unto my beloved son William three negroes, a boy named Peter and two girls named Grace and Linda, one horse and saddle, one cow and calf, one bed and furniture. 

I also leave and bequeath unto my beloved wife Elizabeth six negroes in Sampson, Jack, Harry, Phebe, Sarah, and Cresey during her natural life with the use of this plantation wherein I now live with the stock, plantation tools, household and kitchen furniture at her death all my land with the premises as where I now live is to be equally divided between my three sons David, Berry, William, also the six negroes Sampson, Jack, Harry, Phebe, Sarah, and Creasy be sold and that out of the amount of sale that my daughter Elizabeth Tooke receive $113.00, my daughter Rebecca Boon receive $423.00, that my daughter Mary Broach receive $523.00, that my daughter Parshana Alford receive $423.00, also my son Wilson receive $48.00, also my son David receive $118.00, my daughter Lavina receive $18.00, also my son Berry receive $423.00, my son William receive $273.00. And the balance of the amount of sale of said negroes together with all the stocks, plantation tools, household and kitchen furniture be equally divided between my ten children Sarah Watts, Rebecca Boon, Mary Broach, Parshana Alford, Wilson Sherell, David Sherell, Lavina Sherrell, Berry Sherrell, William Sherrell. I also leave and bequeath unto my beloved daughter Rebecca Boon one negro boy named Jim, one horse and saddle, one cow and calf, one bed and furniture. I also leave and bequeath unto my sons Berry and William a negro girl named Chaney to be equally divided between them. 

I do also appoint David Sherell, William Broach, William Cane my lawful Executors to this my Last Will and Testament.

David Sherrell [Seal]
Signed and sealed in presence of William C. Beckam, Isam Tooke

Reference

Greene County, Georgia, Special Proceedings Records 1847–1849, 1849–1852, 1843–1847, image 695, FamilySearch. 

Moses Holland, a Revolutionary War drummer boy

As part of my ongoing look at the Revolutionary War in honor of America’s 250th birthday, I next turned to the service of my 5th great‑grandfather, Moses Holland, born in Virginia on November 17, 1758.

For many years, Moses’ military service has been repeated in newspapers, historical markers, online trees, and even in DAR applications. An obelisk in his memory stands at Big Creek Baptist Church near Williamston, South Carolina—the church he organized in 1788—and describes him as a Revolutionary patriot who was present at the surrender of Lord Cornwallis at Yorktown. The surrender took place on October 19, 1781, after a three‑week siege that effectively ended major fighting in the war. But none of these commemorations provided actual documentary evidence.

After reviewing many references, I found only two records that meet the standard of reliable documentation. The first is a payment entry recorded under December 10 in Virginia’s Revolutionary‑era public accounts. It lists “Moses Holland, for pay as Drummer to Charlotte,” identifying him as a drummer in the Charlotte County militia. Although the ledger page does not repeat the year, entries of this type come from the early 1780s, when Virginia was settling militia pay and public service claims. This establishes that Moses served as a drummer in a Virginia militia unit associated with Charlotte County—a role that carried both military and communication responsibilities.

A second, independent source places Moses in a 1777 militia record. This listing appears in the List of the Revolutionary Soldiers of Virginia, compiled by archivist H. J. Eckenrode in 1912 from original state records. The notation “War 23 (1777)” indicates that Moses appears in a 1777 document within that archival series. Together, these two records show that Moses served more than once and was active earlier than the single payment entry alone would suggest. Although neither provides a full-service history, both confirm that he was officially recognized by Virginia as a Revolutionary War soldier and that his role as a drummer was documented.

A drummer boy in the Revolutionary War wasn’t simply a musician—he was essential to communication. At about age 16, Moses would have learned drum signals that told soldiers when to wake, assemble, march, load their weapons, or move into position. On a battlefield filled with smoke and gunfire, where officers’ voices could not carry, the drum conveyed orders. In camp, the drummer kept the daily routine running by marking roll call, meals, and other duties.

After the war, Moses moved to South Carolina and settled in what became Anderson County. Married twice, he was the father of several children. In 1788 he founded Big Creek Baptist Church and served as its pastor for 41 years, playing a foundational role in the region’s early Baptist growth. A July 1884 article in The Atlanta Constitution reported that his son, Elijah M. Holland, owned a pair of yard gloves said to have been worn by Moses “during the surrender of Cornwallis to Washington at Yorktown, over 100 years ago.” The article describes the gloves as well preserved despite heavy use and repeats several family traditions about Moses’ long ministry, his two marriages, and his death in 1829.

Even though he was young during the war, Moses held a position that required steadiness, discipline, and reliability—qualities that offer a glimpse of the character he carried into his long life of ministry and community leadership. He died in Williamston on September 8, 1829.

References

• An Old Relic, The Atlanta Constitution, July 6, 1884, Atlanta, Georgia.
• Big Creek Baptist Church Historical Marker, South Carolina; https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=8441. 
• History of Big Creek Church: Big Creek Records from 1801 to 1850, The Intelligencer, Anderson, South Carolina, August 24, 1898.
• List of the Revolutionary Soldiers of Virginia: Special Report of the Department of Archives and History for 1911, H. J. Eckenrode, Archivist, p. 222, Richmond, Virginia, 1912; https://ia601602.us.archive.org/4/items/listofrevolution09virg/listofrevolution09virg.pdf.
• Personal visit to Big Creek Baptist Church Cemetery, Williamston, South Carolina.
• Siege of Yorktown; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Yorktown?utm_source=copilot.com. 
• The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, Volume IX: Virginia. Biographies 1902, History Records 1902, Periodicals 1902, Society Records 1902, image 127, FamilySearch.