Stewart vs. Gwinn: Who are we?

As a genealogist when you don’t know a direct surname you often think of a distant grandma’s forgotten name, that name that was changed when the family moved to another country or maybe even a family secret.

This is the story of a family that changed their name, well some that did and some that didn’t and it was rather confusing, and to some it still is.     

Marked as the Stewarts- Harvey, Lillie Mae and three of their children  

My paternal Grandmother’s maiden name was Gwinn, her father was Jasper N. Gwinn Sr. That is what I always knew. When I started doing genealogy I went to my Grandmother and she told me that her father was the son of Harvey and Lillie Mae (Potter)Gwinn.

Then she told me that her father was one of four full-blooded siblings, but one of the sons went by the name Stewart. My first thought was that they had to be half, but as she went on she told me that for reasons unknown her grandparents had named the eldest boy Harley Stewart and that the other three children Icel, Jasper and Herschel were all given the name Gwinn. Confused? I was.

So I took the notes that I was able to gather and went to ancestry.com. Now that I knew my Great-Great-Grandparents’ name I could find the “Gwinns” in the 1920 census, knowing that my Great-Grandpa was born in 1914 I knew he would be in it.

I found nothing. That is until I looked for the family under the Stewart name. So, even the children that later used the Gwinn name were Stewarts. I found them in Hillsdale, Indiana.

Then the 1930 census. Still in Hillsdale, still Stewarts.  

Stewart/Gwinn family about 1930 Harvey, Lillie Mae, Herschel and Jasper 

 Harvey E. Stewart died in 1932 in Vermillion co., leaving behind a widow and the four nearly grown children. I knew that Harvey had to have some record somewhere that would help, so I looked for a census that would have him at home in his childhood. 

I found the 1900 census listing a Harvey Stewart age 20, son of Delany and Elizabeth, with five other younger children. I looked at the document itself and saw a note that was not transcribed (at the time). Harvey was listed not as a son but a step-son. So now I know that Harvey was not born a Stewart, but was he born a Gwinn?

I looked for the 1880 census that would list a woman named Elizabeth and her one year old son Harvey. I thought to myself, was Elizabeth a Gwinn? Did she have a son out of wedlock? But why did Harvey go by Stewart, and why did two of his three sons change their name to Gwinn, naming their children Gwinn as well. After all they were listed as Stewarts most of their lives?

I did find Elizabeth and son Harvey, but she was married and the boy had a father John Gwinn! So what do I know about John Gwinn? He was 26, husband and father. I found that he married Sarah Elizabeth “Liza” Simmons in 1877 in Park County, IN.  He was out of the picture prior to 1885 when Liza married Mr. Stewart. Was it by death? I believe it may have been desertion, I know divorce was “uncommon” then but you didn’t need to file to just walk away.  

Harvey’s mother Liza died in 1914 she was only 47. I hope that her life was a happy one.

So now to the Gwinn/Stewart clan after the death of Harvey, the oldest boy was already married and had two daughters with the Stewart name. Icel was married to Isaac Petty.  Jasper married in 1940 to my Great-Grandma Anna Marie Hahn, their four children were given the name Gwinn. The young boy also named his children Gwinn. (Also Lillie Mae and the two youngest sons were listed as Gwinn in the 1940 census, they were now living in Anderson, IN.)     

Lillie Mae Gwinn and daughter Icel 

My family were Gwinns, that became Stewarts and became Gwinns once again.  

Sarah Sandlin: The Story of Little Grandma

In a large part, the early life of Sarah Sandlin is a mystery. Born in Owsley County Kentucky on the 6^th of May 1855 she was the sixth child born to Ezekiel Sandlin and Sarah “Sallie” Clark-Sandlin. Life was not easy for the rural Sandlin family, on the 18^th of November 1859 the father Ezekiel committed suicide, by hanging himself in the barn, leaving behind a young widow and eight children, he was only forty-four. Then on the 24th of August 1864 Sallie, the mother died at the age of forty-two.(Her cause of death is unknown) By the 1870 census there are three Sarah Sandlin’s age fifteen, in the Owsley County, KY area. According to family accounts Sarah was very young and had twin daughters, around this time, they were taken and raised by another family, much against Sarah’s wishes. Her life, for the next number of years was unconventional to the standards of the era.  

Sarah Sandlin

 

On the 8^th of April 1876, Sarah had a daughter named Martha J. Sandlin, the father is known to be John Sizemore. His info stops there.    

 

By the 1880 census Sarah was twenty-five, she and Martha J. age four were living with Sarah’s brother Morris Sandlin and his family. Sarah was also pregnant at the time.  On the 22^nd of November 1880 the unmarried Sarah gave birth to another daughter, Millie Francis Sandlin. Fathered by John Glenn(In later years Millie was John’s caretaker). Then in April of 1884 Ms. Sarah Sandlin had another daughter named Mollie Sandlin. Her father was Harvey Creetch or Creech(says her death certificate) Not too many people can list the fathers of children born out of wed-lock during those times.      

 

 

On the 16^th of February 1887 thirty-two year old Sarah married a widower and father of two, Abijah Smith, he was thirty-four. He was also the brother of Sarah’s brother Morris’ wife Martha.  

 

While living in Jackson County, Kentucky on the 14^th of August 1889 Sarah gave birth to yet another daughter named Lucretia Smith, named after Abijah’s mother, the family called her Lou.

The Smith/Sandlin family
Front Jasper Smith, Abijah Smith, Sarah Sandlin-Smith, Millie Sandlin-Hunter and Martha Sandlin-Hurst
Back Mollie Sandlin-Smith, Lou Smith-Banks and John Smith 

 

The 1900 census lists Abijah Smith forty-seven, Sarah Smith forty-five, John Dee Smith nineteen (his son) Lucretia Smith ten, Martha Hurst twenty-four (Sarah’s daughter) with Martha’s daughter Sarilda Hurst age three and Molly Sandlin sixteen (Sarah’s daughter). 

Abijah and Sarah with her brother Morris Sandlin(on right)

 

Sarah was established and in a loving marriage- Then on the 20^th of April 1922 Abijah died at the age of sixty-eight. Sarah was sixty-seven.  They were married thirty-five years. 

 

On the 13^th of September 1928 Sarah married a man named Fredrick Nantz he was seventy-nine and she was seventy-five, as children they lived in the same small town.  It is the 1900’s census that states Sarah was eighteen at the time of her first marriage to an unknown man. The census also states that Sarah had gave birth to a total of seven children, and that five are still living.  

 

 

At this time, I don’t know who all the five children are, other than Martha, Millie, Mollie and Lou. Fred Nantz died at the age of eighty-four on the15^th of October 1935.

 

In the 1940 census Sarah was eighty-five and living with her daughter Lou Banks and her family in Gray Hawk, it states that the highest grade in school completed is 0, so most likely she never went to school.

Sarah with daughter Millie, Millie's granddaughter Dorothy Hunter-Popham and her baby Terry

 

 

 

On the 26^th of February 1951 Sarah Sandlin-Smith-Nantz died at the age of ninety-five in Gray Hawk, Kentucky  

Sarah aka Little Grandma 

 

Sarah’s  Children

 

Martha J. Sandlin(1876-1917) married Gilbert Hurst                 

Millie Sandlin (1880-1955) married John Anderson Hunter               

Mollie Sandlin(1884-1925) married Henry Smith

Lou Smith(1889-1965) married Lewis Anderson Banks               

Mystery Child #1(twin)

Mystery Child #2(twin)

Mystery Child #3

Sarah was lovingly called Little Grandma, maybe because she was about 4’ 11” She was a small, sweet and sassy lady. I’m so thankful for her strength and love. She has always been one of the ancestors that has a special place in my heart. A few years ago my cousin Amelia Williams and I were in search of a joint penname; quickly we knew we wanted to use family names. It wasn’t long until Storm Sandlin was born. So now every Storm Sandlin event we have is in honor of Little Grandma and her family.   (Sandlin family fun fact. Sarah's sister Bettie was married to Ol' Joe Clark, whom the song was written about)

  

A Chill in the Air by Storm Sandlin 

  

John B. Cornwell- Man of Mystery

When I started researching I wanted to take my Cornwell line back as far as I could. I soon hit a roadblock. John Burl Cornwell my Great-Great-Great-Grandpa is shrouded in mystery. John was married five times, had five children and raised a hand full of step-children. He also fought in the Civil War. I have had a lot of leads but little luck!   

John Burl Cornwell   

I knew my Great-Great-Grandpa William Hayden Cornwell was born to John and Rebecca Cornwell in 1878 in Clay County, TN. I soon found the family in the 1880 census still living in Clay County. The family is listed as John B.  Cornwell, a cabinet maker, age fifty. His wife Rebecca age thirty-seven, sons Thomas age five and William age two. Also step-son Robert PeDigo age fourteen. I knew John had to have had something note worthy in his life before he was 50. Also I now knew that Rebecca was married before to have had a son.

The Cornwell/York/PeDigo Family  abt 1880 

I found the marriage record for John B. Cornwell and Rebecca  M. PeDigo they married in Clay Co, TN on the 28^th of November in 1874. John had one more son with Rebecca named Benjamin in 1880. Rebecca died young (the date is still unknown).

Rebecca and Wm. Hayden Cornwell 

                                                        

As I look farther into John’s past I find a wife named Delaney Henderson. Now Delaney and John’s story is one from a story book. (As a writer, I love this part) They married in Clay Co., on the 14^th of May 1871, John was forty-one and Delaney was about thirty-eight. I wondered what I could find on Delaney that would help lead me to understand John’s story. I was rather shocked at what I found. In 1870’s census I found Delaney Henderson in Jackson County, TN. She was an indentured servant for Dr. Parrish Sims, Dr. Sims sold Delaney to John for $1250.00. I wonder how John met Delaney? An answer I may never know.  

Sadly Delaney’s death date is unknown, I believe she must have died before November of 1874. Making her time with John short.  

I still needed to know what happened before Delaney, ten years before the country was torn apart by the Civil War. John would be in his thirties, surely he fought. 

Yes the Civil War would be a big part of John’s story. John enlisted in Columbia, KY on the 23^rd of November 1861 serving with the 9^th KY, company B.  John was discharged do to his heart in November of 1864 in Nashville, TN. Only to reenlist a few days later, this time with the 23^rd KY, company D.  He severed until the end of the war.  I need to know what happened before the war? I look to the census before, 1860 and I find him! In Jackson county TN John age twenty-nine a laborer listed with a Nancy Cornwell age thirty-three, I assume this to be wife number one. Also in the home a Selina Dunchan, maybe Nancy’s sister? That census record is the only record of John and his life with Nancy.  

What of John’s childhood? I know from pension files he was born in Nashville, or around Nashville. He lived in Jackson co. TN where there is a 1850 census listing for a widow Lucinda Cornwell with two young sons, in the age bracket that would match John B. Cornwell, sadly as all genealogist know the 1850 census only lists the name of the tax payer and then everyone else is just a number.     

Life after Rebecca. Between 1880 and 1890 John moved to Missouri.  After the death of Rebecca Melvina(York)PeDigo-Cornwell.  John married a widow Martha E. “Belle” Rollins (nee Haney) I find Belle’s widow pension. Also receiving a pension was John Cornwell in the County of Laclede, MO.  John married Belle on the 3^rd of July 1890, he raised her two daughters Elizabeth and Cynthia.  Belle Cornwell died around 1893.

On the 22^nd of May 1895 John married yet again to Wealtha Ann “Bessie” Farquer-Sparks, a divorced mother with two young children Maude and William Harrison “Harry”. Bessie’s children were given the Cornwell name.  Together John and Bessie had one son Samuel in 1896 and one daughter that died in infancy named Maggie.     

John and Bessie in the Middle, her brothers and sisters in-laws. 

John died at the age of 75 on the 14^th of January 1906 while living in Richland, Missouri. Finding a photo taken in the 1920’s of John’s resting place, helps locate Rebecca and zones in on her place of death. I called the Pulaski county historical society and the lady I talked with went to the cemetery and found John.  She looked in the books and found the grave next to him was not opened, but there is no record of who is buried there other than a Cornwell. Having photographic evidence helps put that to rest.

                                                       

  

Finding Isaac and Amanda Smith

When I started doing genealogy with my uncle, the first brick wall that he told me about was Isaac Smith (my great-great-great-grandfather) and his wife Amanda Ann Wright-Smith (my g-g-g-grandmother).  They went missing between 1871 and 1880. In 1880 most of their children were living with Amanda’s parents Joel and Rebecca (Storms)Wright in Tipton co., Indiana.  

What we knew was Isaac first married Nancy Jane Keel, and had two children William H. and Delilah Jane. The family was found in the 1860 census living in Willow Hill twps. Jasper Co. ILL.  Isaac enlisted and fought in the Civil War.  In September 1865 Isaac a widower married Amanda Ann Wright-Decker a widow with a daughter Mary Jane.

In 1870’s census we find the family in Cicero twps, Tipton co., IN. It lists Isaac, Amanda, William, Delilah and Mary with two more children Peter and Liddia. On May 21^st 1871 Amanda gave birth to twins Ara and Ira.  That was the last record we had.

As I found “new” cousins I would ask if they knew anything about Isaac or Amanda, always leading to a dead end. Isaac and Amanda were put on the back burner, but never forgotten. 

One very useful fact in the Smith family is that Peter, Ara and Ira all married the Bright sisters. Ira Smith and Mary “Molly” Bright, Peter Smith and Clara Bright, and Ara Smith and Eliza “Lida” Bright(my g-g-grandparents). From the three marriages there were thirty-one children born. Ira had fourteen, Ara had thirteen and Peter had four (three of which died young)

Cleva my hero!

Peter’s only child that lived to adult-hood was Cleva Smith-McPhearson. Her son (who I had known my entire live) lives a block away from me, I never knew we were related until I found Cleva’s obituary. I went to see her son and asked if he had any photos of Peter or Clara, who I had none of. He said “Yeah, it’s hanging in the living room.” I could have died from shock! Finally after a year I saw a photo of my g-g-grandpa’s brother and my g-g-grandma’s sister. My uncle and I went and scanned all of his photos, it was a goldmine!  There were photos of Lida’s parents, all of the Bright brothers and sisters and cousins of my great-grandpa. It was amazing; sadly we walked away without any photos of Isaac or Amanda.   

A week or two later I went to see a few more photos he found. Also a tablet marked “A family record” all in Cleva’s hand writing. I found marriages and birth dates for everyone, most of what I knew, then I seen “Deaths of Isaac Smith family” Listing the death dates for Isaac and Amanda, also "Births of Isaac Smith family" with four children we didn’t know of.  I found there were two children born after the twins Rebecca 1873 and George 1876. Isaac also had two other children with Nancy, Edward and Martha. There was also a page of the births within the Isaac Smith family. Sure these are not legal documents but it is just as good as a family bible when it comes to sources.  Amanda’s death was listed as 12 (or 21) of February 1876 and Isaac’s death was listed as 2 November 1876. I was saddened to see that they died when their children were so young, but happy to know the truth.

As time went on I found living relatives of Liddia Smith-Buskirk-Anderson. I was given a family album with a photo copy of a letter, Liddia’s daughter Maggie Buskirk-Webb- Harris wrote, she said her mother’s parents were Isaac and Amanda Wright-Smith, they both died when Liddia was seven years old, that helped confirm Cleva’s notes. Also the note said Amanda died in childbirth and Isaac died due to the Civil War.

What’s left…

1. Find where they are buried. (It is believed that the twins were born in Cass co., Indiana. But the children lived with their grandparents in Tipton co., Indiana, a place where Isaac and Amanda lived as well)

2. Find photos!

3.  Find more about their past, like who were Isaac’s parents? Also what ever happened to Amanda’s first husband John T. Decker.