Skipper Reunion Newspaper Article

Repost of September 6, 2014 from prior site 

I found this article in my Mother's pictures. I know you are about tired of discovering what was in my mother's picture box, lately that is where I get all my blogging inspiration.

Below is the typed extract of the article and a scanned image of the article. I do not know the year as there is no data on the article.

Skipper Clan Gathers for Big Get-Together in Polk County

By Betty Smith, News Staff Writer

Picture Caption:         Some of the oldest living members of the Skipper clan present at the reunion Sunday are, front row, left to right: Mrs. Thurl Skipper, Mrs. Ferd Skipper, Mrs. Dovie Thompson; back row, left to right: Thurl, Ferd, Bernice and Garvin Skipper.

One of Polk counties oldest families, the Skipper clan, held it’s reunion at the home of Thurl Skipper, Sunday afternoon. approximately one hundred members and friends attended.

unpredictable weather changed the site of the picnic, which was first designated to be at the old mill spring, in Big Level community of Polk County. After much discussion, the Thurl Skipper home was chosen.

Dating back to 1842, grandmother Skipper lived within view of the Thurl Skipper home Grandfather Skipper was away, fighting the civil war.

Ten children were born to the late Minter and Addie Conner Skipper.

They were:

Lilly, Dovie, Furman, Ferd, Thurl, Ina, Garner, Garvin, Virgil and Cornelius. Lilly, the eldest died at the age of eight and Virgil a few years ago. All were present at the reunion except Cornelius.

Minter and Addie Skipper were grandparents to 49 children. Numerous great and great-great-grandchildren make this one of the biggest clans in Polk County.

Reminiscing time followed the partaking of a bountiful meal. Almost all of the food was grown by members present.

Seated on the front porch and in the shade of trees, past happenings in the lives of the family was discussed.

Thurl told of the time the first automobile was heard to be in the county. The younger boys walked 15 miles to see this contraption, which was displayed on the old US 20, now known as highway 74, near Wash Whitesides place.

The car would go down hill pretty good, However it was not cut out to make the grades so familiar to Western North Carolinians. To solve this problem, the occupants of the care would get out and start pushing, with the help of bystanders.

“Remember, we didn’t have hard surfaced roads then and the vehicle just couldn’t make it through those deep ruts” Thurl said.

All agreed that the country here abouts had changed in the last 50 years.

Thurl Skipper brought his bride to their home by horse and buggy approximately 45 years ago. A hard, eventful life has left this family rich in memories. Displaying to visitors and friends alike an attitude of welcome and courtesy for which the South is renowned.

Mr. And Mrs. Berry Freeman, of Rutherfordton, neighbors of the Skippers for over 15 years, and Sue Shehan, who has an apartment in the Freeman home and is also related to the Skippers by marriage, were present for the occasion.

Plans were tentatively set to make this reunion an annual affair. The clan has meet nearly every year for half a century.

Skipper Clan Photo

Repost of September 6, 2014 from prior site

In the late 1990s, I sought out my Aunts Katherine, Beatrice and my Uncle Eugene to help with identifying some of the pictures that were in my mother's belongings. One picture in particular caught our attention and we began a journey to identify as many people in the picture as possible. It took us about 8 months to locate and talk with several different people.

Apart from identifying the people in the picture, the most memorable experience was meeting the precious people who helped identify the people. Sitting and listening to the stories of their lives was ageless.  Below is the initial article that I wrote for the picture above.

First I would like to thank Katherine Davis Noblitt, Ruth Thompson, Dorothy Skipper Stephens and Ray Skipper for their valuable knowledge and time in identifying the people in this picture. Without their priceless endeavor the faces, place and time of this picture would be lost forever. Thank-You! During the middle 1990s, Aunt Katherine helped me to meet up with Ruth, Dorothy and Ray to identify the people in this picture.

Where was the picture taken?  The picture was taken at the homeplace of Addie Conner Skipper, daughter of Joseph Washington Conner and Cynthia Flynn Conner. Addie married Minter Skipper. The home place was located on County Line Road off of Rock Springs Church Road in Rutherford County, NC.

Who took the picture?     No one is sure who took the picture

Who is not in the picture? Trying to determine who was standing behind the camera, Katherine Davis Noblitt, Ray Skipper and Ruth Thompson all agree that Lawrence Davis, Garvin Skipper and Cornelius Skipper are not in the picture. As Cornelius Skipper disappeared in the last few years of the 1930s (1938 or 1939), he would not be present. Depending upon the ages of Lawrence and Garvin, plus their military service records, there is still a question of who was present to take the picture.

What was the date and occasion of the picture?  No one has been able to place the actual date of the picture. Three people have been valuable in narrowing the date to 1941 or 1942.

First, Ray Skipper identified the baby standing at Bernice’s knee as Joyce Skipper. Guessing that the age of the baby is about one year and knowing Joyce’s birthday is in July 1941, he placed the picture being taken the summer of 1942.

Secondly, Ruth Thompson states that she remembers the picture being taken “shortly after” she married Curtis Thompson, son of Charlie Thompson and Dovey Skipper. She was married in 1940.

Thirdly, Dorothy Skipper Stephens expressed that she was about 10 years old when the picture was taken, which again places the picture between 1941-1942.

Birth Dates of the Skipper Family:  Thomas Minter Skipper         born June 20, 1864 – March 27, 1904; married Addie Conner (9/20/1870 – 7/26/1957)

Ten children were born to Minter and Addie:

Lilly	(eldest and died at the age of eight)
Dovey	8/9/1888
Furman	9/3/1890
Ferd Garnell	1/1/1893
Thurl	12/17/1894
Ina Beatrice	9/6/1896
Garner	4/8/1898
Garvin	2/18/1900
Virgil	12/28/1901
Minter Cornelius	2/2/1904

Who’s Who of the Skipper Clan?  Women’s maiden names, if known, have been used.

Starting on the back row, standing left to right:

Nina Skipper (wife of Furman Skipper)

Furman Skipper (son of Addie and Minter Skipper)

Ferd Garnell Skipper (son of Addie and Minter Skipper)

Major Conner (with moustache; brother of Addie Conner Skipper)

Eugene Davis (grandson of Addie and Minter Skipper; son of Ina Skipper)

Roy Conner (son of Major Conner)

Katherine Davis Noblitt (daughter of Ina Skipper Davis)

Johnson Davis (husband of Ina Skipper)

Adelina Skipper (daughter of Garner Skipper)

Garner Skipper (son of Addie and Minter Skipper)

Virgil Skipper (son of Addie and Minter Skipper)

Alice Skipper (wife of Virgil Skipper)

Thurl Skipper (son of Addie and Minter Skipper)

Lily Skipper (wife of Thurl Skipper)

Dovey Skipper (daughter of Addie and Minter Skipper)

Ina Skipper (daughter of Addie and Minter Skipper)

Lela Thompson (daughter of Dovey Skipper)

Dorothy Skipper (in front of Lela; daughter of Ferd Skipper)

L.C. Davis (husband of Lela Thompson)

Nettie Thompson (sister of Lela Thompson)

Iona “Onee” Thompson (daughter of Dovey Skipper)

Annabelle Thompson (daughter of Dovey Skipper)

Curtis Thompson (son of Dovey Skipper)

Ruth Thompson (wife of Curtis Thompson)

Lusco Skipper (wife of Ferd Skipper)

 

First Row, kneeling, left to right:

Hester Skipper (daughter of Ferd Skipper)

Mary Sue Skipper (daughter of Garner Skipper)

Mildred Skipper (daughter of Garner Skipper)

Norman Skipper (son of Furman Skipper)

Ray Skipper (son of Garner Skipper)

Arnold Skipper (little boy kneeling; son of Ferd Skipper)

William “Earl” Skipper (kneeling on one knee with left hand on knee; son of Thurl Skipper)

Malcolm Skipper (little boy standing to right of Addie Conner; son of Virgil Skipper)

Addie Conner Skipper (sitting; dark polka dot dress & hat; Matriarch of the Skipper Clan, wife of Minter Skipper; daughter of Joseph Washington Conner and Cynthia Flynn)

Joyce Skipper (baby standing at Bernice’s knee; daughter of Garner Skipper)

Bernice Skipper (wife of Garner Skipper)

Preston Skipper (son of Garner Skipper)

Beatrice Davis (daughter of Ina Skipper)

Anna Laura Skipper (daughter of Furman Skipper)

Dorothy Skipper (standing in middle row; daughter of Ferd Skipper)

Emma Lou Skipper (peeking around tree; daughter of Garner Skipper)

Novella Thompson (daughter of Dovey Skipper)

Juanita Skipper (daughter of Ferd Skipper)

Katherine Page (friend of Juanita Skipper)

Eunice Davis (daughter of Ina Skipper)

Minter Skipper Tombstone

Repost of August 8, 2014 from prior site

In my mother's photo box was this postcard from 1900 of the original tombstone for Minter Skipper. It is the large white stone, top center of the photo.

 Tombstone of Minter Skipper at Rock Springs Baptist Church

Report on Jackson Conner's Father

Repost of August 19, 2014 from prior site 

So here is the genealogist’s report:

EDITH GARRETT & ASSOCIATES, INC.

P.O. Box 2257, Skyland, NC 28776

Phone: 828-684-3686             www.edithgarrett.com

GENEALOGY RESEARCH REPORT

REPORT DATE:           January 6, 2014

CONDUCTED BY:        Edith H. Garrett

CLIENT CONTACT:      Jane Gouge

828-460-5322

janegouge@gmail.com

SUBJECT:                     Wants to confirm the father of Isaac Jackson Conner

CONTRACT:                Received payment for six hours work via PayPal

PROJECT DEFINITION AND KNOWN INFORMATION: Goal is to find proof of the father of Isaac Jackson Conner.

SUMMARY

Ms. Gouge sent me a file containing the breakdown of the family of Joseph Washington Conner, the son of Isaac Jackson Conner. The details she has already collected on the family really helped in the search for proof of his father.

I searched Ancestry.com for census records and other genealogical records for Isaac Jackson. I found a few pieces of indirect evidence to start zeroing in on the identity of his father. In Bills Creek, Rutherford Co., NC in 1850, Isaac Jackson appears as “Jackson” Conner (30 yrs.), and he lived next door to “Isaac” Conner (49 yrs.) and “William” Conner (52 yrs.). This kind of close proximity of families can mean they are directly related.

After 1850, Jackson Conner is listed as “Jack” Conner in the 1860 U.S. Census for Broad River in Rutherford Co., NC and listed as “Isaac” Conner in the 1870 U.S. Census for Chimney Rock in Rutherford Co., NC confirming his first and middle names. If he is the son of Isaac, he could be Isaac, Jr. and wants to avoid using the same name as his father to avoid confusion. On the other hand, if he is the son of William, he could be avoiding the use of Isaac as long as he lives in the same town as his Uncle Isaac to avoid confusion.

I also searched several online databases and record books in the Old Buncombe Genealogical Library, but I did not find any wills, family Bibles or other Rutherford County records present in that library that could substantiate the identity of Isaac Jackson’s father.

Even though it seems most probable, I was not able to find any direct proof that either William or Isaac are the father (or NOT the father) of Isaac Jackson Conner within the first three hours of approved work.

Rutherford County Records: Therefore, I recommended the following steps be taken to find other resources to solve this question and received payment for three more hours work and approval from Ms. Gouge to do the following:

• Search Rutherford County court records for any transactions that may have occurred between family members to establish paternity.
• Visit Old Tryon County Genealogical Society’s library in Rutherford Co., to see if there are any new sources for family evidence.

On Wednesday, Nov. 27, I visited the Old Tryon Co. Genealogical Society’s library and found all the early Rutherford Co. court records transcribed and indexed which made it easy to search. Not one listing for the Conner family appeared in the court records.

I also searched the indexes of additional Rutherford Co. estate records, wills, land transactions and marriage records that were not available at the Old Buncombe Library and made some copies. There was a Conner family genealogy in the library, written by Joyce Jackson, so I copied some of the earliest family pages for reference only. That author had Isaac Jackson listed as the son of William but there were no sources listed.

SIBLING RESEARCH: With no new direct evidence to link Isaac to William, I started a new tactic looking at William Conner’s children. If we can tie any one of the other children directly to William and then to Isaac, then we have direct evidence that William is also the father of Isaac. Here is what I have found to date to establish the list of William’s children:

Sarah Alta Conner (b. 1833) daughter of William Conner and Elizabeth Dalton (direct evidence):

1. In the 1850 U.S. Census, William and Elizabeth Conner are living at home with Atta (Alta), a daughter of 17, Jonathan, a son of 15 and Albert, a son of 12 years old in Bills Creek, Rutherford County, NC.
2. There is a marriage record for Sarah A. Conner who married Noah Dalton on 17 Nov 1853 in Rutherford Co., NC. There is no indication of Sarah’s parent’s names, though.
3. In the 1860 U.S. Census, she is identified as “Alta”, wife of Noah Dalton and has two daughters, Mira and Elizabeth.
4. On 20 Nov 1863, Noah Dalton died from typhoid fever while in captivity at Camp Douglas, IL according to his Civil War Service Records. He is buried in the Chicago City Cemetery.
5. There is a second marriage record for “J. A. Conner” who married James Wilson on 20 Aug 1867 with “Wm. Conner” listed as her father. Alta is her correct name (the transcription in the 1850 census is incorrect as well as the first initial in this listing) so knowing this, it will be easier to follow her through life records.
6. In the 1880 U.S. Census, Sarah A. Wilson is living with her husband, James Wilson and their two children, Elmina and Seymore. I haven’t found their 1870 census listing yet.
7. Additional evidence exists that confirms Alta’s identity and relationships with her two husbands (Dalton and Wilson) – Sarah A. Wilson applied for a Civil War Pension under Noah Dalton in 1894.
8. With this direct evidence relating William as the father to Sarah Alta Conner, we can focus on finding a documented relationship between Alta and Isaac Jackson.

Jonathan Conner (b. 1835) son of William Conner (direct evidence):

1. In the 1850 U.S. Census, William and Elizabeth Conner are living at home with Atta (Alta), a daughter of 17, Jonathan, a son of 15 and Albert, a son of 12 years old in Bills Creek, Rutherford County, NC.
2. No additional direct evidence has been found to date for the relationship between Jonathan and his father William. With this direct census evidence though, we can research Jonathan in hopes of finding additional direct evidence of a relationship to William or new evidence of a relationship to Isaac Jackson as a brother.

Albert Conner (b. 1837) son of William Conner (direct evidence):

1. In the 1850 U.S. Census, William and Elizabeth Conner are living at home with Atta (Alta), a daughter of 17, Jonathan, a son of 15 and Albert, a son of 12 years old in Bills Creek, Rutherford County, NC.
2. Albert, age 22, is still living with William and Elizabeth Conner in the 1860 U.S. Census in Rutherford County, NC.
3. With two sources of direct evidence relating William as the father to Albert, we can focus on finding a documented relationship between Albert and Isaac Jackson.

Jackson Conner son of William Conner (indirect evidence):

1. On the same page in the 1850 U.S. Census, next door to William you will find Isaac and Rosanna Conner (a contemporary with William in age so Isaac could be William’s brother) and next door to Isaac there is Jackson and Adaline Conner with their family. This is your ancestor Isaac Jackson, and having the elder “Isaac Conner” and “William Conner” living next door has great potential for establishing a familial relationship.
2. From this indirect evidence, Jackson could be identified as the son of either William or Isaac, (or neither one, but that is a trail we will explore only if nothing comes of this trail to William). We can make that assumption because of the normal practice of that time for fathers to establish a farm/home site close by or on their own property for their children to live on as they mature, marry and start families.

Martha Conner Crawford daughter of William Conner (indirect evidence):

1. On 26 March 1849, Martha Conner married Marcus Crawford in Rutherford County, N.C. There is no indication of the identity of her parents.
2. In the 1850 U.S. Census report for Rutherford Co., NC, Marcus Crawford and his wife Martha appear right below William, Isaac and Jackson Conner on the same page. In fact, there are more Conners and Crawfords on the page before and after the page with William, Isaac and Jackson indicating the families were probably related and living contiguously on open farm land.
3. In the 1870 U.S. Census, we find William Connor living with Martha and Marcus Crawford, indicating he is probably the father of Martha. It was also the practice of the time for aging parents to live with their children as they became too infirm to handle their own homes. There is no identification of relationships in the 1870 census, though, so we have to make our best guess, thus, this is only indirect evidence.

William A. Conner son of William Conner:

1. There is a William A. Conner listed in many family trees in Ancestry.com as another son of William Conner. I cannot find any direct evidence yet, but he is found living next door to Albert Conner in Edneyville, NC in 1880 which is the beginning of a link. We need to pursue his identity further.

Elusive Conner Family - Part II: Jackson Conner's Father

Repost of August 19, 2014 from prior site

Researching my lineage of the elusive Conner Family has spanned 25+ years. The “plus” counts as the many stories, trips and visits that I took with my parents as a child growing up. The gaps that drops it to 25 years, it the teenage years that I didn’t want to go anywhere with my parents, did it anyway and just didn’t listen or pay attention to the people we visited or stories they told !

After my 25+ years and hitting brick wall after brick wall with Joseph Washington Conner, I gave up on my research skills and contacted a professional researcher!  As this question remain unanswered…Who are Jackson Conner’s parents?

Let’s start at the beginning of my research. I grew up listening to stories about my grandparents, great and even great, great, great-grandparents. One in particular my grandmother, Ina Beatrice Skipper Davis, (her mother was Adeline Lillian Conner) telling that her mother told about her great grandfather traveling through the area during the “war”, then returning to the area and marrying. Was that her mother’s or her dad’s grandfather? I don’t know.

Then there is the story my grandmother, Ina told about living in a cabin across “the hill from her grandmother”, “crossing the creek on a log bridge to visit” and “coming home in the dark, sometimes carrying a lantern”.

She also told about staying in a cabin with her grandmother, while her grandfather and his father would “peddle” their wares through Lincoln and Rutherford Counties. Once a “pantha” tried to get in the house, they laid awake all night, hearing it scratch at the roof and logs. The next morning her grandmother got out and blew the ram horn for help and someone contacted her husband to come home.

Family stories are the breath of genealogy, making lineage trails less traveled come to life. This blog is my attempt to travel those lineage trails less traveled.

Below is the lineage that I am trying to research:

• Cynthia Jane Burgin (me)
  • Eunice Faye Davis [1924-1994] (my mother)
    • Ina Beatrice Skipper [1896-1973] (maternal grandmother)
      • LillianAdaline Conner [1870-1954] (maternal great-grandmother)
        • Joseph Washington Conner [1845-1917] (maternal great-great grandfather)
          • Jackson Conner [1828 - ?] (Maternal great-great-great-grandfather)

Joseph Washington Conner

I found my second great-grandfather, Joseph Washington Conner, in the home of Jackson Conner. Listed in the 1850 Bill’s Creek, Rutherford County, NC census in household #1462 (HH#). The listing is as follows:

• Jackson Conner, 30, M with the following wife & children:
  • Adaline 31, F;
  • James 15, M;
  • Ervin 10, M;
  • Joseph 7, M;
  • Thomas 3, M;
  • Martha 1, F;
  • Nancy Thomason 65, F.

There is Joseph, age 7, which would make his birth year about 1843. His birthdate on his tombstone at Bill’s Creek Baptist Church is listed as July 15, 1845. Looking at his death certificate (district #81-6085; #3) for Chimney Rock, Rutherford County, NC listed his age as 73 years (months/days are blank); birth year as 1845; parents as Jackson Conner and Adeline Thomas - all three born in Rutherford County. Additionally in the household is Nancy Thomason, 65, my guess is that this must be Adaline’s mother – but that is another family!     I have to keep digging into the Conner Family.

Looking at the Heads of Households (HOH) in 1850 Bill’s Creek, Rutherford County, NC census in household (HH#). The listing is as follows:

• Jackson Conner, (HOH #1414/#1462) age 30 with wife Adaline 31, F; James 15, M; Ervin 10, M; Joseph 7, M; Thomas 3, M; Martha 1, F; Nancy Thomason 65, F.
• Isaac Conner (#1415/#1463) age 49; Rosana, age 45; Susannah – 17; Cyntha – 14; Samuel – 12; William – 10; Sophiar – 6; Calvin – 4.
• William Conner (HOH #1416/#1464), age 52; Elizabeth – 52; Atta – 17; Johnathan – 15; Albert - 12.
• Paul Flinn (HOH #1417/#1465)
• Hansel Flinn (HOH #1418/#1466)
• Marcus Crawford (HOH #1419/#1467) age 28 with wife Martha Patty Conner Crawford – age 25

Name	1850 Census Age	Est birth year	Age at birth of Jackson
Jackson	30	1820	-----
Isaac	49	1801	19
William	52	1798	22
Martha Patty	25	1825	-----

•  Are Isaac and William brothers?
• Who would be their father?
• Either William or Isaac could be the father of Jackson?
• Are they brothers? Nephews and Uncles? Sons and Fathers?

Who can help solve this puzzle – -Who is Jackson’s father? It has been hinted that there is a Conner family Bible for this branch of the Conner family.  Having searched through genealogical societies, libraries, court houses and talked with everyone that I know who is interested in the Conner family, I came up empty. I even drug my wonderful Aunts – Katherine Davis Noblitt and Beatrice Davis Vess to Bill’s Creek Baptist Church Cemetery, Rock Springs Cemetery, Big Level Church Cemetery and Cherry Springs Baptist Church Cemetery (old and new) to confirm where our family is buried.

Clifford Conner, son of Edgar Beam Conner, graciously gave me all of his research, shared theories and worked tirelessly to move past this question. After 20+ years of hitting a brick wall, I broke down and hired a professional genealogist, wondering if my amateur skills just didn’t cut it!

Well there were no public records that confirm the father of Jackson Conner. 

I have to confess that it felt really good to know that none of the public records, that I had already searched, confirmed Jackson’s paternal identity. Maybe my research skills were not so undeveloped after all.

This surface research, left lots of questions unanswered, while confirming that current public documents are not linking the dots. Unless there is a family Bible, deed, land grant, court records, etc. that links Jackson’s father with William or Isaac, in the possession of someone willing to share, we may never know which one, if either one is Jackson’s father.

Davis Family of North Carolina: Census & Death Certificates

 Repost of August 15, 2014 from prior site

Research completed at McDowell County Public Library, Marion, NC on Wednesday September 17, 2008

June 1880 Census, Chimney Roc k Twshp, Rutherford County, NC           Pg 2, Line #29

Surname	Name	Relationship to Head of Household	Race	Gender	Age	Born	Dad born in	Mom born in	Yr of Birth
Skipper	Juda A.	HOH, Mom	W	F	58	TN	TN	NC	1822
	Loueza	Daughter	W	F	24	NC	NC	TN	1856
	Rhoda	Daughter	W	F	22	NC	NC	TN	1858
	Martha	Daughter	W	F	19	NC	NC	TN	1961
	Minter	Son	W	M	17	NC	NC	TN	1863

1930 Census, Polk County, NC                     Pg 4a, Line #9

Surname	Name	Relationship to Head of Household	Race	Gender	Age	Year of Birth
Skipper	Cornelius M.	HOH	W	M	25	1905
	Lona B.	Wife	W	F	22	1908
	Herman S.	Son	W	M	3 7/12	1927
	Mavis M.	Dau	W	M	1 6/12	1929
Skipper	Adda L.	Mother	W	F	59	1871

1880 Federal Census, McDowell County, NC

Surname	Name	Relationship to Head of Household	Race	Gender	Age	Est. Year of Birth
Davis	Rebecca	Wife	W	F	55	1825
Davis	John A.	Spouse	W	F	58	1822
	Harry S.*	Son	W	M	29	1851
	Mary A.	Dau	W	F	23	1857
	Lydia S.	Dau	W	F	22	1858
	Robert W.	Son	W	M	27	1853
	Martha C.	Dau-n-law	W	F	23	1857
	Jane E.	Dau	W	F	32	1848

NC Death Certificates, 1909 – 1975

Death Certificate for

Mary Josephine Davis Davis Lewis		Silas H. Davis
White, FemaleBorn 10/14/1869 in Old Fort, NC   Died 4/9/1946 in Crooked Creek, NC Spouse:           Joseph H. Lewis Father:             Catherine Ross Spouse: Silas Harve Davis Second Spouse: Joseph Lewis		White, Male,Occupation:    Farmer   Born 12/12/1850 in McDowell County, NC Died 11/1/1916 in McDowell County, NC Father:             John Davis      birthplace: NC Mother:           Rebecca           birthplace: NC Cause of death:           Cancer of the eye Informant:       A.B. Halford Funeral Director:         J.L. Nichols, Old Fort, NC

Conner in North Carolina - Early Census

Repost of August 8, 2014 from prior site

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I extracted the following census information on the Conner Family in the early part of my research career!

Year	County	Surname	First Name	Township	Series/Roll	Page
1790	Rutherford	Conner	Wm	Morgan District
1800	Rutherford	Conner	George	No TWP	M32/33	100
1800	Rutherford	Conner	James	No TWP	M32/33	101
1810	Rutherford	Conner	George	No TWP	M252/42	170
1820	Rutherford	Conner	George	No TWP	M33/80	296
1820	Rutherford	Connor	James	No TWP	M33/80	314
1820	Rutherford	Connor	Thomas	No TWP	M33/80	314
1790	Lincoln	Conner	Saml	Morgan District	M637/7	129
1800	Lincoln	Conner	Cornelius	Morgan District	M32/29	865
1800	Lincoln	Conner	Margaret	Morgan District	M32/29	888
1800	Lincoln	Conner	Thomas	Morgan District	M32/29	899
1800	Lincoln	Conner	William	Morgan District	M32/29	865
1810	Lincoln	Conner	Cornelius	No TWP	M252/40	676
1810	Lincoln	Conner	John	No TWP	M252/40	680
1810	Lincoln	Conner	Thos	No TWP	M252/40	641
1810	Lincoln	Conner	William	No TWP	M252/40	641
1820	Lincoln	Conner	Chris	West of South Fork Catawba River	M33/83	212
1820	Lincoln	Conner	Cornelius	East of South Fork Catawba River	M33/83	234
1820	Lincoln	Conner	H.W.	East of South Fork Catawba River	M33/83	234
1820	Lincoln	Conner	H.W. M.	East of South Fork Catawba River	M33/83	231
1820	Lincoln	Conner	Henry	East of South Fork Catawba River	M33/83	227
1820	Lincoln	Conner	Henry F.	East of South Fork Catawba River	M33/83	227
1820	Lincoln	Conner	Jas	West of South Fork Catawba River	M33/83	212
1820	Lincoln	Conner	Tobin	West of South Fork Catawba River	M33/83	212
1820	Lincoln	Conner	Wm	West of South Fork Catawba River	M33/83	212
1790	Anson	Conner	Ruth	Fayette District	M637/7	196
1790	Beaufort	Conner	Merion	New Bern	M637/7	447
1790	Bertie	Conner	Edwd	Edenton District	M637/7	353
1790	Bertie	Conner	Thomas	Edenton District	M637/7	353
1790	Bertie	Conner	William	Edenton District	M637/7	353
1790	Bertie	Conner	Wright	Edenton District	M637/7	353
1790	Camden	Conner	Asa	Edenton District	M637/7	262
1790	Carteret	Conner	George	New Bern	M637/7	440
1790	Carteret	Connon	Mary	New Bern	M637/7	439
1790	Craven	Conner	John	New Bern	M637/7	430
1790	Craven	Conner	Sarah	New Bern	M637/7	437
1790	Dobbs	Conner	Jonathan	New Bern	M637/7	461
1790	Duplin	Connor	Dennis	Wilmington District	M637/7	35
1790	Guilford	Conner	James	Salisbury District	M637/7	495
1790	Halifax	Conner	James	Halifax District	M637/7	459
1790	Halifax	Conner	William	Halifax District	M637/7	459
1790	Halifax	Conner	William	Halifax District	M637/7	485
1790	Hyde	Conner	Jacob	New Bern	M637/7	444
1790	Jones	Conner	Abram	New Bern	M637/7	425
1790	Jones	Conner	John	New Bern	M637/7	425
1790	Jones	Connor	John	New Bern	M637/7	426
1790	Jones	Conner	Mark	New Bern	M637/7	426
1790	Mecklenburg	Conner	James	Salisbury District	M637/7	360
1790	Mecklenburg	Conner	William	Salisbury District	M637/7	360
1790	North Hampton	Conner	Benjamin	Halifax District	M637/7	578
1790	North Hampton	Conner	Burwell	Halifax District	M637/7	585
1790	Pasquotank	Conner	Demsey	Edenton District	M637/7	240
1790	Pitt	Conner	John	New Bern	M637/7	459
1790	Rockingham	Conner	Andrew	Salisbury District	M367/7	529
1790	Rockingham	Conner	Jas	Salisbury District	M637/7	535
1790	Rockingham	Conner	John	Salisbury District	M637/7	527
1790	Rockingham	Conner	Thomas	Salisbury District	M637/7	527
1790	Rutherford	Conner	Wm	Morgan District	M637/7	437
1790	Sampson	Conner	Ishmael	Fayette District	M637/7	120
1790	Surry	Conner	John	Salisbury District	M637/7	518

2005 Conner Research

Repost of July 24, 2014 from prior site

In 2005, I did some research in the McDowell County Court House on the Conner family. As you can see I went on several rabbit trails. I am posting what I found, maybe it will be helpful to someone else.

 Conner Family McDowell County Research

Long Time

Repost of April 24, 2012 from prior site

It has been another "long time no see", yet it doesn't mean that the road of researching has been cool. I have been researching not only my Conner family, but the family of my husband - the Gouge family!

With the release of the 1930 & 1940 census, doors have burst open to confirm leads and  discover new leads. It was like opening presents on my birthday! What is it? Which one do I open next?

I have been able to confirm documentation that I have had for years.  Discover new leads such as place of residence, leading me to a new family member.

All the new discoveries created a new problem! How to organize it all?

I've been talking for years about doing a book on the Conner family. My only problem was, I just could not publish something that I could not confirm. Now with the publishing of the census, it has put be on the track to really work on the book and publish what I have collected over the years. From the work of Clifford Conner to hand written notes of my grandmother to draft cards to photos to wills to taped interviews of my great-aunt Odell.

What a journey it has been! I look forward to sharing the information.

Long Time No See

Repost of February 24, 2012 from prior site

It has been a long time since I have blogged on the Conner family. I have not been working on any research lately and hopefully will be able to re-connect with the research journey soon.

I just recently compiled a 38-page notebook of mementos of my parents, especially my Dad's time in the military. It was exciting to find their marriage certificate, Dad's military service record, his medals and a 1943 Thanksgiving and Christmas menu for Company A, 59th Battalion Armored Division. 

The only problem with all this research is that it was my Dad's side of the family - the Burgin family. There is a great work already on the Burgin family, all the way back to the 1600's. Peggy Silver did an awesome job in her book...Echos in the Mist!

There does not seem to be extensive research on the Conner family of North Carolina. That is what keeps me digging.

Conner Websites and Blogs

Repost of August 18, 2011 from prior site

Are you like me........surfing the internet looking for information on your ancestors. Well, I was surfing, hitting upon a site and wonder if or even how they might connect to the Conner Family I'm searching.

Who knows the possibilities? Here are the sites that have caught my attention:

Scrapbook of Me: Conner page - Has been removed

Pam's Little Corner of the Great Black Swamp - Has been removed

Jake Fletcher's Blog: Conner Family Research - Has been removed

Conner Genealogy on Facebook - Has been removed

Conners' Buried at Bill's Creek

Repost of August 5, 2011 from prior site 

During my surfing for Conner genealogy, I came across a blog by Sharon H. Harris titled "A Scrapbook of Me".  Sharon has given me permission to post her video of the Conner tombstones at Bill's Creek Baptist Church Cemetery, Lake Lure, Rutherford County, NC. Thank you for your generosity!

A Scrapbook of Me - is a blog where Sharon has written extensively on her line of the Conner Family, including pictures and other information

The Elusive Conner Family - Part I

Note: I am changing blog host and will be reposting from there to here. "Repost of August 4, 2011 from prior site" will indicate a post moved over. Thanks for visiting

Repost of August 4, 2011 from prior site

Are you hitting brick wall after brick wall when researching the Conner Family? How about dead-end web searches? Non-responsive forum queries?  Well so have I, which is why I have started blogging about my Conner research.

You see, I've been researching the Conner family going on 25+ years and walked so many twisted paths and twirled in so many circles till I am dizzy. I have looked through so many documents that people have given me that did not have sources cited and could not be verified.

Cousin Clifford Conner shared his immense knowledge and collection with me. I am forever indebted to him for his generosity. It has been the most accurate and verifiable.

I've heard of good report that there is a Conner Family Bible in Rutherford County, NC, and the family is very protective of it. I understand wanting to protect a wonderful piece of Conner Family History. If you know them, please let them know that I would really appreciate the opportunity to see this great family history piece.

I have found several spellings of the Conner name - Conner, Connor, Coner, Conor, O'Conner, O’Connor. For the sake of clarity, I am using one spelling à Conner.

My interest in the Conner family was inspired by my mother, Eunice Faye Davis and her siblings - Lawrence, Eugene, Katherine and Beatrice. Even though I never knew Lawrence, it seems as if I did from the stories told me by my mother and her siblings. I have confirmed my family back four generations to Jackson Conner.  In the Bill's Creek Township of Rutherford County, NC of the 1850 census in the household numbered 1462....  Jackson is the father of Joseph Washington Conner.

Joseph listed as a 7 year-old and Jackson Conner is listed as a 30 year-old, which would indicate that he was born about 1820.

This is where all the questions start…

• Is Jackson in the 1850 census….Jackson Isaac? Jack?
• Who is Jackson's father?
• Are the Rutherford County, NC Conner's connected to the Conner's who migrated to Ohio and Texas.
• What year did the Conner's migrate to America?
• What ship brought them across the ocean?
• Which dock did they step upon when arriving in America?
• What brought them to America - religious freedom? Famine?
• Were they transported across on convict ships?

I have reviewed my collection of documentation many times. Read and re-read, read it again, then over and over when a note hand written and lopsided on the page caught my eye.

Written on the page of Clifford Conner's research was the following sentence, "Uncle Edgar Conner said that his father - Joseph Washington Conner - was a 1st cousin to my grandfather - Felix Crawford, whose mother was Martha (Patty) Conner" - said by General Dalton.

If this is true, that makes Jackson Conner and Martha "Patty" Conner siblings and William Albert Conner, Sr. their father.

Wow! Doesn’t that open up a whole new theory on where Jackson Conner (b. abt. 1820) is from and where the Conner family originated?