Less than #52Ancestors-My DNA Matches #46

I sent off my DNA test to AncestryDNA about a month ago, and have been awaiting the results. They came back yesterday. I was EXCITED (to say the least).

My Ethnicity was no surprise.

My dad's side is Irish-Italian, my mom's is English-German-Irish. I would have thought the Italian would have been more than 16% though.

What I'm really looking for is some link to my roots that I don't have. Scrolling on down the page I found my DNA Circles. This shows the link between me and other AncestryDNA participants through a common ancestor.

Hmmm, one set of grandparents to start, and the rest are singles. I wonder where their spouses are? And all are from my mom's side of the family.

I have one second cousin that I've been in contact with for years. There are 93 others that are fourth to sixth cousins. Of those 94 people, 63 have a tree that I can view..if I pay $49 for the Ancestry Insights subscription. It does let me send a message to those contacts for free. I've tried a few, hopefully I'll hear back soon.

Actually the most interesting leads seem to be in the matches I have that are NOT in the DNA circles. In sifting through those, I see some very interesting links to some brick wall ancestors.

There are at least other things to try. Family Tree DNA lets you import your Ancestry results to their database free. The catch is that I need 2 more people need to transfer with the above link before all my matches are unlocked for free, or I can pay $39. It appears I have about 20 second to fourth cousin matches there. There is pretty much nothing I can do with them until one of those two things happen.

But wait...there's more!
GED Match will also let you upload your Ancestry results free...really free. The website is not as slick looking as the others, but it appears really powerful. I had no problem uploading my DNA or my tree. It took a few days for my DNA is to process, but in viewing matches to other trees, it looks promising. I can use DNA in combination with my family tree to find matches...and contact them free!

My GEDMatch ID is A065731.

I've also joined Wikitree, which is free. They let you link your Ancestry and GEDmatch results. Hopefully I'll get some hits there.

My WikiTree ID is McGowan-470

If you can think of anything else I can do with these results, let me know.

Wish me luck!

Revolutionary War Patriot Jeremiah Roden 1754-1851 #52Ancestors #45

Jeremiah Roden was born November 3, 1754 in Chester County, South Carolina. He was the son of Thomas Roden, Sr. and his wife Mary who was possibly a Potts.

Just to make things interesting, Thomas Roden, Sr had a brother Jeremiah, who also named his son Jeremiah. They are all in the Chester, South Carolina area at the same time, so things get confusing. I am still trying to sort out most of that. There are lots of land records in South Carolina, but unless they also list the wife's name, it's just about impossible for me to sort them all out.

Jeremiah married Susannah Kirkland April 28, 1873. They had children born in South Carolina as follows:
Mona "Mamie" born 1780
Mary "Polly" born February 28, 1786
John B. born September 30, 1787
Margaret "Peggy" born February 12, 1789
Louvenia "Louvice" born about 1790
(Yet another) Jeremiah born July 8, 1792
Benjamin born April 6, 1795
Nancy born December 31, 1801

After moving to Kentucky and Tennessee, Jeremiah and family, including most of the married children and their families, moved to Blount County, Alabama in 1817 while Alabama was still a territory.

Jeremiah supposedly applied for a Revolutionary War pension and was denied for no proof of service, but I have not been able to find an actual record of this.

He is found in 1850 in DeKalb County, Alabama at the age of 94.

Name: Jeremiah Roden
Event Type: Census
Event Year: 1850
Event Place: De Kalb county, De Kalb, Alabama, United States
Gender: Male
Age: 94
Race: White
Birth Year (Estimated): 1756
Birthplace: South Carolina
Household ID: 289
House Number: 289
Line Number: 38
Affiliate Name: The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA)
Affiliate Publication Number: M432
Affiliate Film Number: 5
GS Film Number: 2347
Digital Folder Number: 004187295
Image Number: 00050

Household Role Gender Age Birthplace
Jeremiah Roden  M 94 South Carolina
Susannah Roden  F 100 Georgia
Joshua Wilson  M 23 Alabama
Cinthia Wilson  F 40 North Carolina
Margaret Jacobs  F 25 unknown
John J Jacobs  M 1 Alabama

Jeremiah died January 1, 1851 in DeKalb County. He is buried in the Roden Chapel Cemetery, Hendrixville, DeKalb County. 

Photo by findagrave member Maria Gilliland

Or not...according to some sources, "Jeremiah Roden was born January 3rd 1754 in Carolina (?) died 1-1-1851 in Blount County, AL. Buried near Mt. Moriah Church". There is a brass marker placed at Mount Moriah Cemetery at Fridays Crossings in Blount County.

His wife Susannah filed for a widow's pension April 16, 1855:

State of Alabama DeKalb County: On this 16th day of April A.D. 1855 personally appeared before me Reuben Estes Judge of the Probate Court of DeKalb County in State of Alabama Susanna Roden a resident of DeKalb County and State of Alabama aged about 103 years who being first duly sworn according to law doth on her oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefits of the provision made by the Act of Congress passed July 7th 1838 entitled "An Act granting half pay & Pensions to certain widows" That she is the widow of Jeremiah Roden who was a private in the Company commanded by Captain Frost in the Regiment of infantry commanded by Major Bond and Colonel Lacy [Edward Lacey] in the War of the Revolution with Great Britain that her said husband was drafted or volunteered at or near Brushy For on Sandy River in the State of South Carolina not far from the Fish Dam on Broad River but cannot tell for what length of time he volunteered or was drafted or when or where he was discharged. She being at such an advanced age has forgotten nearly all except that he was in a skirmish against the Tories at Mr. Bonds House as the records of the Army will probably show.
She further declares that she was married to the said Jeremiah Roden on the 28th day of April 1783 at or near Edgefield or Barnwell District in South Carolina by John Wilkinson a Baptist Clergyman & that her Husband the aforesaid Jeremiah Roden died in DeKalb County on the first day of January 1851 -- that she was not married to him prior to his leaving the Service but the marriage took place previous to the first of January 1794 viz. at the time before stated. She further swears that she is now a widow and that she has never before made application for a pension except one that was considered informal.
Sworn to and subscribed on the day and year above written before

Witness S/ Andrew Poare S/ Susanna Roden, X her mark

Although the above mentions that Jeremiah was a private, the books A History of Birmingham and Its Environs, and History of Alabama and Dictionary of Alabama Biography, Volume IV, state that "Jerry Roden was an orderly sergeant in the troops that followed General Francis Marion". These books were published in 1920 and 1921. Sometimes stories grow a bit in the retelling.

The DAR requires further proof of service before admitting anyone else under this ancestor.

Death by Teething- Mary McGowan 1889-1890 #52Ancestors #44

Mrs. Winslow's Soothing Syrup for children teething from the Boston Public Library Flickr Album

Mary Ann McGowan was born June 26, 1889 in Pittsburgh, Allegheny, Pennsylvania. She was the firstborn child of Patrick Henry and Lizzie McNamara McGowan.

She was probably baptised at St. John the Evangelist (South Side) Pittsburgh.

Mary died September 20, 1890 in Pittsburgh, probably at her family's home located at 2924 Larkins Alley, Pittsburgh.

Larkins Alley at South 19th Street, looking toward Eighteenth Street. Public Domain

 Her primary cause of death was listed as teething.

Mary is buried in Calvary Cemetery located at 718 Hazelwood Avenue, Pittsburgh.

Death by teething was more common than I realized. See this excellent post on the subject by Sonja Hunter "Rethinking Teething Deaths"

Relatives With Facial Hair- Saturday Night Genealogy Fun-#52Ancestors #43

Since I'm running behind on my 52Ancestors, I'm going to cheat and combine it with Randy Seaver's
Saturday Night Genealogy Fun.

From Randy's blog:
Your mission this week, should you decide to accept it (cue the Mission Impossible music!) , is:

1)  This week we're going to look for men's facial hair in our photograph collection.

2)  Find one or more photographs of men in your ancestral families that have facial hair - a mustache and/or a beard.  

3)  Show the photograph if you have it and tell us a bit about the person shown.   If you don't have a digital photograph, please describe the man and his facial hair the best you can.

4)  Write your own blog post, or a comment to this blog post, or a comment on Facebook or Google+.

Here we go!

First off, may I present Thomas Norman born January 31, 1809 in Cullompton, Devonshire. He was the father of 9 children. He was a flax grower and later rented out new fangled threshing machines.

Thomas Norman 1809-1897

His oldest son, Thomas, was born in Devon October 13, 1832. He immigrated to the US in 1852. He first lived in Ohio, and then moved to South Pittsburg, Tennessee.

Thomas Norman 1832-1918

His brother John, who happens to be my husband's great grandfather, went with a mustache. He was born August 13, 1837 in Kentisbeare, Devon and came to the US with his brother Thomas in 1852.

John Norman 1837-1910

Descendants of the above John, still rocking the facial hair:

Phelon Thomas Young Tidwell and the Croix De Guerre #52Ancestors #42

Phelon was the son of Phelan and Sarah McCullough Tidwell. He was born July 22, 1894 in Perry County, Alabama. He was the eighth of nine children.

April 19, 1917 he enlisted in the Marine Corps and was shown in the muster rolls as a private, attached To Company "G", Marine Barracks, Port Royal, SC. In June of 1917, he is shown as a private in Company "F" Marine Barracks, Paris Island, SC, and Seventeenth Company, Fifth Regiment, Infantry Battalion, Quantico VA.

Phelan Tidwell, Jr

He rejoined September 1918, and is shown as Corporal Phelon Tidwell, Jr.

I found this entry from July 1919, but I have no idea what the abbreviations stand for.

Also found in July, 1919, Machine Gun Company, 5th Regiment, USMC. This one made me smile, notice the entry above Phelon..I wonder if he's related to Gomer...

By August, 1919, Phelon is shown as a Sergeant, attached To Company "A", (17th), 1st Battalion, 5th Regiment. This appears to be his discharge.

This appeared in the Birmingham News June 1, 1932:
ALABAMA HEROES OF THE WORLD WAR
By Sergeant L. E. Jaeckel

THE CROIX DE GUERRE OF FRANCE

"Phelon Tidwell, Jr. (Army Serial No. 116308), Private, 17th Company, 5th Regiment, U.S. Marine Corps, 2nd Division, American Expeditionary Force. He displayed remarkable coolness and great bravery in the attack of July 18th near Chaudum. His automatic rifle having become jammed, he put it again in working order and continued in the advanced against a terrific hostile machine gun and shell fire, displaying at all times a contempt for the dangers which momentarily threatened his life. Residence at enlistment, West Blockton, Ala. A Silver Star to be worn with the Croix De Guerre."

This would have been in 1918 in the battle of July 18 to 20 - Dommiers Chaudum

Croix de Guerre from Wikipedia

At some point Phelon chose to be known as Thomas Young Tidwell. He married Ethel McKay in the early 1920's. They had three children: Thomas Young, Jr born 1922, Robert Lee born 1925, and Dorothy Ann born 1929.  Dorothy was the only child to survive to adulthood.

Phelon Thomas Young Tidwell

Many thanks to my cousin Sandy Grods for the pictures and the story.


Thomas Young Phelon Tidwell Jr, 74, of Indian Rocks Beach, Fla, who died Friday, was a retired employee of U.S. Pipe Co. here. Graveside service was today at Elmwood. Survivors include his wife, a daughter Mrs. William C. Ireland, Birmingham; a sister, Mrs. W. H. Ellis, Bessemer; a brother, Kess Tidwell, Dallas Tex.


Published in the Birmingham News Feb 10 1969 Metro Edition Page 35