Grant Genealogy
Volume 1, Issue 3
May, 2002
- Editor: Marty Grant, Kinston, NC,
USA
- E-Mail:
public@martygrant.com
- Website:
http://www.martygrant.com
Welcome to this issue of "Grant
Genealogy", a newsletter devoted to Grant Genealogy in North Carolina,
Tennessee and Virginia (and other states to a lesser extent).
Please visit my Grant web pages at:
http://www.martygrant.com/gen/grant.htm for documented web pages for
numerous Grant families in NC, TN and VA.
To change your subscription information
(change your e-mail address, or unsubscribe) refer to the instructions at
the bottom of this newsletter.
In this Issue:
Introduction
What I've been doing.
Virginia
Research
1790 and 1800 census alternatives
available online.
1930 Census now available
Released to the public on April 1,
2002.
Family
of the month:
Isaac Grant (c1764) and Elizabeth ---
family of Burke Co, NC and Grainger and Jefferson County, Tennessee.
What's New on the Grant Web
pages?
New pages, and recently updated pages.
Expert Advice:
Interviewing Techniques
How to get information from your living
relatives.
Web Links
Introduction
I've been working on my own Grant line
lately, and have been scouring the 1920 census records in various
Western North Carolina counties for missing relatives. Now that the 1930
census is available, I'll have to start on that one too, though all in
all, I've barely touched the 1920 census.
I made some interesting discoveries in
checking the 1920 census. For example, I found several Grants in my own
ancestral counties whom I could not identify. They seem to have moved in
from somewhere else. Either that or they are using different given-names
in 1920 than what I'm familiar with. I wonder if the 1930 census will
show even more unfamiliar Grants in my Grant counties. Time will tell.
If you want to submit an article for
this newsletter, feel free to e-mail me about it. My only guidelines are
that it pertains to Grants from TN, NC or VA, preferably pre-1880, and
that the article not be too long. I also don't want to be publishing
genealogical registry reports, for they are difficult to properly format
in an e-mail environment, making them hard to follow. Also, I am unable
to republish copyrighted material, unless it is your own copyright or if
I have permission to do so.
Virginia
Research
As many of you probably know, the 1790
and 1800 census for Virginia are lost. No one really knows what happened
to them though it is often stated (incorrectly) that they were destroyed
by the British during the War of 1812.
There are some published alternates to
the 1790 census for Virginia, including one book containing 1782 tax
lists, and another one containing other tax lists from the 1780's.
However, there is now a website with 1790 and 1800 tax lists for
Virginia Counties. These provide an excellent alternative to the missing
census records. They include an index as well as scanned images of the
original listings, so you don't have to rely on a transcription, but can
see with your own eyes what is listed.
I performed a quick search and found 36
Grant entries on these lists.
Check the site out at:
http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~ysbinns/vataxlists/index.htm
I was first alerted to this site by
someone on rootsweb, but I was reminded of it later by an article in
Dick Eastman's Newsletter. If you are not already a subscriber to his
newsletter, I highly recommend you check it out. Click below for more
information.
http://www.rootsforum.com/newsletter/index.htm
1930 Census now Available
The 1930 Census was officially made
public on April 1st. Microfilm copies of it are now available at the
National Archives, and probably at major libraries around the country.
I have not yet used the 1930 census,
but a quick glance at the columns show it to be very similar to the 1920
census.
Ancestry.com is also putting the 1930
census images online, one state at a time (I believe they said it would
be complete within a few months). If you are an Ancestry.com census
subscriber, you can view all U.S. Census records (1790-1920) online now,
fully indexed for 1790 through 1850, and partially indexed for other
census years. I am a subscriber, and I can tell you it is a great
bargain, and the image quality is great. Find out more at this link:
View Census Records Online at Ancestry.com
If you prefer to have your own personal
copy of census records, you can purchase the microfilms, or scanned
images on CD (which are great!) from
Heritage Quest. I've
purchased at least 15 of these Census Images CDs, and they are amazing.
I just recently purchased several 1910 and 1920 records, and have been
using them a great deal. They are not indexed, but they contain crystal
clear images of the original census records (better than microfilm). You
can print pages, you can zoom in and so forth. They have all the 1930
census available already. I'll probably be purchasing some soon.
If you aren't using Census CDs or the
online census images, you are missing out on a great resource!
Family
of the month:
Isaac and Elizabeth Grant of NC and
TN
Isaac Grant was born ca 1763/64 in
Maryland. He may be the same Isaac Grant who married Betty Farris
in 1783 in Halifax County, Virginia. This Isaac (c1764) did have a wife
named Elizabeth, and "Betty" is a nickname for Elizabeth, so perhaps
they are one and the same. If the Halifax County Isaac is the same one,
then that would tie him in with a fairly large group of Grants in
Virginia and Tennessee.
Isaac was a Revolutionary War Soldier,
though his pension application was denied because he couldn't prove that
he was the same Isaac Grant who was on the rolls.
Isaac Grant was in Burke County, North
Carolina for the 1790 census. This puts him in close proximity to two
other Grant families, either of whom he could be related to. In
neighboring Wilkes County was the
John
Grant and Margaret Sale family, and in neighboring Rutherford County
was the
William Grant and Mary --- family (my line). I don't have strong
feelings about Isaac being tied in with my William (no common names, no
"Isaac" in William's family for many generations), but it is possible
that he was closely related to John, but I doubt it for various reasons.
John did have a grandson named Isaac X. Grant, but that could be
coincidental.
By 1798, Isaac Grant and family had
moved a few miles north-west to Grainger County, Tennessee. They
remained there until at least 1804. The 1800 census is lost for
Tennessee, but he would probably have been listed in Grainger County
that year.
By 1808, Isaac and family had moved
from Grainger into neighboring Jefferson County, Tennessee. They may
have lived on or near the Knox County line, for the 1815 tax list shows
Isaac in Knox County, but he seemed to be in Jefferson again after that.
The 1810 census is lost for Tennessee,
but Isaac would probably have been listed in Jefferson County that year.
The 1820 census is lost for all of Eastern Tennessee, including
Jefferson County. Isaac was listed in Jefferson on the 1830 and 1840
census.
Isaac Grant was still living as of
1849, for that year in his Revolutionary War pension application he gave
his age as 85. He seems to have died around that same time, for he was
not found on the 1850 census.
Isaac and Elizabeth may have had
numerous children, but I've not seen direct proof for any of them. The
1830 census shows two apparent sons still home, and in 1840 there was
one son still home. I have compiled a list of probable children for
Isaac and Elizabeth. These are based on proximity (all lived in
Jefferson County also) and them being of an appropriate age to be their
children. Other researchers show similar lists of children, so this is
probably more or less correct.
- Jane Grant (c1790), married
Christopher Hanes in 1808 Jefferson Co, TN.
- James Grant (c1792 NC),
married Nancy Willoughby in 1810 in Greene Co, TN, lived in
Jefferson County.
- John Grant (c1796 SC?),
married Ellender Carter in 1832 Jefferson Co, TN.
- Isaac Grant (c1800 TN),
married Jane Smith in 1833 Jefferson Co, TN.
- Charity Grant married
Thomas Nelson in 1824 Jefferson Co, TN.
- David Grant (c1804 TN),
married Elizabeth McDonald in 1825 Jefferson Co, TN.
- Elizabeth Grant, married
John Hecky in 1822 Jefferson Co, TN.
As you can see, the common denominator
for all of the above children is that they married and / or lived in
Jefferson County, and all are of a compatible age to be children of old
Isaac Grant. Direct proof is lacking, as far as I've been able to find,
but I feel fairly confidant that this list is correct, though there
certainly could be other children not listed.
I don't have a web page on my site for
this family yet. I had one years ago that I deleted due to lack of
documentation. I'll add it back someday (and add documentation to it)
when I have time.
What's New on the Grant Web
pages?
During the month of April, I have
created several new pages for various members of my own Grant family
(William Grant line of Western North Carolina). I have filled out
several pages with additional documentation. I've more or less completed
this project (on my own line), and am now expanding into other North
Carolina Grant lines. Afterwards, I'll work on some Tennessee lines, and
eventually some Virginia lines.
28 Apr 2002 - Updated page for
Robert Grant (1787/90) and Jane Gibbs of Wilkes, Iredell and
Alexander Co, NC. * Overhauled page with nicer font, and added 1870
census data.
28 Apr 2002 - New page for
Mary Grant (c1833) of Henderson Co, NC.
23 Apr 2002 - New page for
Joseph Grant (c1836) and Sarah A. Forrester of Macon Co, NC.
23 Apr 2002 - New page for
Rachel L. Grant (1834) of Macon, Jackson and Swain Co, NC.
21 Apr 2002 - New page for
Sarah P. Grant (1841) of Macon, Jackson and Swain Co, NC.
19 Apr 2002 - Updated page for
John Patton Grant (1845) and Darthula Evans of Macon, Jackson, and
Swain Co, NC and Union Co, GA. - Added 1920 census data for some of the
children.
16 Apr 2002 - New page for
Thomas B. Grant (1804/10) and Mary Miller of Rutherford, Burke,
Yancey, Macon and Swain Co, NC.
14 Apr 2002 - New page for
John Patton Grant (1849) and Elizabeth Ann Low and Georgia Ann Warford
of Macon and Swain Co, NC.
13 Apr 2002 - New page for
William M. Grant (c1851) and Mary L. Low and Sarah E. Lane of Macon
and Swain Co, NC.
12 Apr 2002 - New page for
Alfred M. Grant (1858) and Lucinda J. Truitt of Swain Co, NC.
11 Apr 2002 - New page for
Wilkie I. Grant (1820-1870) and Mary Ann Totherow of Macon and Swain
Co, NC.
Expert Advice:
Interviewing Techniques
Reprinted with permission from Family
Tree Magazine Email Update, copyright 2002 F&W Publications Inc. To
subscribe to this free weekly e-mail newsletter, go to
http://www.familytreemagazine.com/newsletter.asp. For a free sample
copy of the print Family Tree Magazine, America's #1 family history
magazine, go to
http://www.familytreemagazine.com/subscribe_mag.html.
Have pedigree charts and family group sheets in front of you when
interviewing. They'll help you keep your ancestors straight (especially
if several had the same or similar names), and you can check to see if
dates and places that your informants suggest are plausible. Make notes
on the appropriate person's sheet (but don't try to make formal entries
at this time; these should be worksheets only!). When taking information
over the phone, try to keep your notes legible and organized, and
transcribe them immediately after the phone call while you can still
interpret them. Call back with follow-up questions if you aren't sure
about something you wrote.
When interviewing, don't overwhelm your informant with questions. Allow
lots of time for Uncle Vern to answer, and don't make him feel
pressured; if he does, he might try to come up with some answer--any
answer, not necessarily the right answer--just to please you. Be
sensitive: an older relative may become tired, and spending time
thinking about loved ones who are now dead may bring back painful or
overwhelming memories. Interviews should be kept to about an hour at a
time.
When interviewing relatives by mail, don't send huge lists of questions.
While you want to find out all the answers at once, remember that a
letter with some news and two or three questions may stimulate them to
reply. A letter with 54 questions may intimidate them so much that
they'll just put it away unanswered.
Besides asking people what they know about the family, ask if they have
any old family papers or photos. Has someone previously unknown to the
family contacted a relative looking for genealogical information on the
family? Even if the relative didn't answer the letter, she might have
saved it.
--Excerpted from "Long-Distance Genealogy" by Christine
Crawford-Oppenheimer, $18.99. Reprinted here with permission
from the publisher, Betterway Books. Available in bookstores or online
at
http://www.familytreemagazine.com/store/display.asp?id=70495
Web Links
Marty and Karla Grant website:
http://www.martygrant.com
What's New at Marty and Karla Grant?:
http://www.martygrant.com/gen/whats-new.htm
Grant Genealogy - North Carolina,
Tennessee and Virginia:
http://www.martygrant.com/gen/grant.htm
What's New on the Grant pages?
http://www.martygrant.com/gen/grant/grant-new.htm
Grant Census Transcriptions 1790-1870:
http://www.martygrant.com/gen/grant/grant-census.htm
Grant Discussion Forum (North Carolina
Grants only):
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/GrantGenealogyNC/
Other Grant websites:
http://www.martygrant.com/gen/grant/grant-links.htm
|
