Joseph Washington Conner

Repost of September 18, 2014 from a prior site

This report outlines the great-great maternal grandfather of Jane B. Gouge.

I welcome positively expressed corrections and comments.

Joseph Washington Conner Genealogy Report

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.

Descendants of Joseph Washington Conner

So excited to hear that several of you may be related. I linked a page of a portion of my research that may be able to help. Check out the side bar for pages.
The formatting did not copy very well, so please excuse the occasional jumble.
Email me your email address if you think the information may be helpful.
Happy Trails!

Where To Begin

Where to begin with the Conner Family? For me I began with Lillian Adeline Conner, my great grandmother. She was the daughter of Joseph Washington Conner and Cynthia Carolina Flynn. I was named after Granny Cynt. I have a copy of the Widow's Application for Pension and a copy of the "Report and Settlement of Estate of Cynthia Conner" filed 09/24/1938 in which all her children are named.
Joseph Washington Conner was born 15th of July 1845 in Bill's Creek, Rutherford County, NC. He is listed in the home of Jackson Conner as a 7 year old in the 1850 census of Bill's Creek. Jackson Conner was born about 1820 and married Adeline Thomson.