Nancy Hansford Williams mystery part 3

Oh look!  There's another 1860 census for Richard Williams, (66) including his wife Nancy, (listed as 44?) taken on August 10, 1860, in Township 65, Gentry County, Missouri.  And now there are children named Ellen (16) Theodore (13) and Jacob (5).

So is this another family with Richard and another younger Nancy and young children, since it's in another county? Or would it be possible that Richard started another family with a younger wife? We always speculate that some of our "black-sheep" ancestors might have done such. But there's no proof. And I think a farmer would hardly be able to do such a thing!

I am also begining to wonder if another Richard Williams might have been around the same age...who might have been a cousin perhaps? This ancestry business is not for those with a linear mind, as there are millions of possibilities.

And I now have to look at all the sons of the sons, to find who Jas. W. and John C. Williams were who administered Nancy Williams' estate in the Probate dated May of 1860...before she was on at least one census report in August! Unfortunately the grandsons I find, were all around 10 years old in 1860.

Incidentally, her spinster daughter, Cassie might have had some kind of disability, because when she died in Kentucky in 1880, the record (hand written including the cause of death) indicates they didn't know where either of her parents was born) She is listed as having been in Trigg County, KY for 40 years, but having no known physician.  Perhaps she was staying with another cousin.

Nanna Nancy Williams mystery Part 2

And then we reach the year 1860. And at least 2 documents cause some problems...

The mystery around "Nanna" Nancy Handsford Williams has to do with the census and probate records in 1860. I started reading the entries on the original records (thank heaven they are microfilmed) and found Nancy's name is entered in Census in August 1860, after her death in April 1860 and probate records in May 1860.

Nancy Hansford Williams is listed as 65 years of age, with her daughter Cassie at 40 years. Nancy has a value of $1000 of real estate, and $1000 of personal estate.  That is quite a lot for that time.  

She and her daughter are living with a farmer named Christopher Milling (25) and wife Rose A Milling (26).  I thought at first, maybe this is Roseanna Williams, Nancy's daughter. But Roseanna had married George Washington Herd in 1852, and they were living in Arkansas in 1860 when the census was taken. So we don't know the relationship to the Millings yet. There is no mention of a Richard Williams, and various Ancestry trees say he died in 1860, but I haven't found any records of that.

Nancy and daughter Cassie lived with the Millings, who also have children, Richard (4) and Euphamia (2). This census was taken on Aug 8, 1860 in MiddleTown, Prarie Township, Montgomery county, Missouri. 

Then we find the bond posted for probate of Nancy William's estate. On the left page, 2 men named Williams give $2000 surety that they will be executors of her estate. They are Jas. W. Williams and Jno. C. Williams, as primary administrators, with H. B. McFarland and Thos. G. Buchannan as secondary.  This document is dated May 14, 1860 and entered into court documents in Lincoln County, Missouri.

It is also given that Nancy died April 26, 1860, according to Ancestry's record known as US Federal Census Mortality Schedues Index, 1850-1880, which says she died at 70 years of age in 1860 of "Old Age" and the list is numbered "41_717" in Macon County, MO. (note, recorded in different county.)

Well, how did she get recorded as obviously already dead, then get listed on a census 3 months later?  Perhaps the farmer family had been housing her and daughter Cassie. And then sons James and John show up to do the accounting in May.  Wait, let's make sure James and John are sons. 

No they aren't sons.  Her son John Williams had died in 1855, and she didn't have a son James.  So maybe they are grandsons? Or brothers of her late husband? At this time I have no records of Richard F. Williams death or even his siblings.

And a bonus to make another mystery...

A mystery about Nanna Nancy part 1

Nancy HANSFORD WILLIAMS - a mystery

1796–1860

BIRTH ABT. 1796 • Kentucky, DEATH APR 1860 • Montgomery, Missouri

My great times three grandmother...wife of Richard Frederick Williams...on my mother's family tree. (they were grandparents of my great grandmother Annie Williams Webb from yesterday's post.) Nanna Nancy Williams was one of 9 or 10 children born to Rev. Thomas Hansford and his wife, Margaret Beattie Hansford. Her parents moved from Virginia to Kentucky sometime between 1790-91, after their first son was born. She and all the rest of her siblings were born in Kentucky.

Her sister, Mary Polly Hansford married Robert Gilmore, who had an interesting story. (I'll shared their story yesterday)

There are some great stories about her father, Rev. Thomas Hansford. I thought I'd done his life as a post, but am unable to find it today.  He's a really interesting gggg grandfather!  It is on my list to do soon!

The first time her name was written in records is the Census of 1850.  While she was enumerated in 1840 with her husband, Richard F. Williams, it is the 1850 listing where we see children's names and ages as well. But here's the 1840 one first.

1840 Census has Richard Williams household of 12 individuals. One of his daughter's doesn't seem to be counted (Mary, age 17) and she might have been acting as servant in someone else's household.  I note the next door neighbor was named Mannen, and I think they may have shared households or their daughters might have helped out in the others. (Look at table at bottom to see my breakdown of children by ages and names.)

  

By 1850 the household is smaller, and next farm over belongs to their son, William T. Williams and his wife Dorcas (my GG grandparents.)  The Richard and Nancy Williams household gives ages and names for the first time on a census.  

So we see that Richard Williams is 58 while wife Nancy is 54. Daughter Cassandra is 23 and Roseanna is 15, John is 17 and Uphama is 12. Harriet Mannen (22) lives with them with her 1 year old daughter Margaret Mannen.  Since Harriet doesn't seem to have a husband, that is possibly the reason she is not living with her own family, and I don't have any answers for that possibility.

Asa Mannen's family is still listed nearby, and a Sarah Williams (35) lives with them and her son Alexander (13).  Richard and Nancy William's daughter Sarah would have been around 33 at that time, based on the 1840 census. But there had been no grandson Alexander on the 1840 listing as far as my count goes.

1840 Census Data:

with my guesses based on children's birth dates

Name

Richard Williams

Home in 1840 (City, County, State)

Prairie, Montgomery, Missouri

Free White Persons - Males - 5 thru 9

1 John D. b. 1833 (age 7)

Free White Persons - Males - 10 thru 14

1 -William T. b. 1824 (age 16?)

Free White Persons - Males - 20 thru 29

1 - Liberty b. 1817 (age 23)

Free White Persons - Males - 40 thru 49

1 Richard b.1792 (age 38)

Free White Persons - Females - Under 5

1 Euphema b. 1939

Free White Persons - Females - 5 thru 9

1 Rosanna b. 1835

Free White Persons - Females - 10 thru 14

2, Martha b. 1830, Margaret Cassandra (Cassie) b. 1828

Free White Persons - Females - 15 thru 19

2, Harriet Frances Hattie b.1827, Clara A. b. 1827

Free White Persons - Females - 30 thru 39

1 Sarah b. 1817 (age 23?) 

Free White Persons - Females - 40 thru 49

1 Nancy

Persons Employed in Agriculture

3 (Richard, Liberty, Wiliam)

Free White Persons - Under 20

8

Free White Persons - 20 thru 49

4

Total Free White Persons

12

Missing - Mary Jane b. 1823 (age 17) maybe she was being servant in another household?  And if Sarah had a son, Alexander, who shows in the 1860 census, he would have been 3.

I'll have the conundrum to share with you tomorrow...