Friday's Photo: A Watermelon Party

I received this from another Giddens researcher. I was not able to find the source of the original newspaper. I have other photos of Henry B. Giddens and Lewis D. Giddens on this blog. Henry and Lewis were first cousins to my 2nd great-grandfather, George L. Giddens. 

If you want to know more about the families I research, click here to like my Facebook page, where you will see each post and other genealogical finds. 

Diana

© 2024

Watermelon party with Gidden brothers, photograph, 1907; scanned image, original clipping from the privately-held collection of Kathryn Ryan, NC, 2022.

The Lewis Devereux Giddens and Margaret Louisa Ireland Bible 1866 - Part 3: Deaths

The Bible, published in 1866, contains four pages of vital statistics for the Giddens and related family. This is my transcription of the family record page detailing deaths. Part 1: Births and Part 2: Marriages can be found on this blog by clicking on the links.  

FAMILY RECORD

DEATHS

Column 1

David Giddens died Feb 4th 1867 Aged 66 yrs: 8 mth: 23dys.

Father of L.D. & H.B. Giddens

Sophia Giddens died June 21st 1877

Mother of H. B. & L. D. Giddens

S R Ireland Father of M L Giddens died July 16th 1888 age 86 yrs.

J F Ireland Brother of M L Giddens died March 21st 1867

Eliza Newton Ireland mother of M. L. Giddens died at Faison N C Aug 8, 1896.

Margaret L. Giddens Smoot d. July 18, 1972

Margaret Va Smoot died Oct 31, 1979

FAMILY RECORD

DEATHS

Column 2

Samuel Ireland son of L. D. & M. L. Giddens died March 21st 1869 - aged 8 months 17 days. 

Charlie Henry son of L. D. & M. L. Giddens died June 30th 1870 aged 10 m. 5 days. 

Willie infant son of L. D. and M. L. Giddens died October 8th 1881 [The 8 along with some markings after 1881 were not legible - the "8" was found on the cemetery stone] aged 18 months. 

Wesley, son of L. D. and M. L. Giddens, died Sept. 26th 1885 [Note that Sept. was written over July]

Lewis Devereux Giddens

William B. Giddens Brother of L. D. Giddens Died Oct 10 1849 Born Aug 3rd 1841

L. D. Giddens died in Goldsboro Nov. 1, 1909 - "All Saints Day".

M. L. Giddens died in Golds - Feb. 15th. 1915

James Ross Smoot died in Golds. Jan 19th 1915

Ross I. Giddens died Goldsboro Dec. 21 - 1931

Mrs. E. Giddens Died Aug 29 1949 Fay, NC 

If you want to know more about the families I research, click here to like my Facebook page, where you will see each post and other genealogical finds. 

Diana

© 2023 

Giddens Family Record pages from a Giddens Bible and photo of Lewis Devereux Giddens, scanned images, original scans from the privately-held collection of Kathryn Ryan, NC, 2023. Used with permission. 

The Lewis Devereux Giddens and Margaret Louisa Ireland Bible 1866 - Part 1: Births

The Family Record pages in this Giddens Bible contain genealogical gold for someone (like me) researching Giddens and related family. It belonged to Lewis and Margaret Giddens, who raised their family in Wayne County, North Carolina.  Lewis was a jeweler and the family genealogist. He was born in 1835 in Sampson County and married Margaret Louisa Ireland, also of Sampson County, in 1866. I am sure that Lewis and Margaret personally knew so much of the family I research.  

On these pages, I was especially happy to see a death date for John Giddens, my 4th great-grandfather, and birth dates for David Giddens and his wife, Sophia Britt. An added bonus was some named children of William Britt, another 4th great-grandfather. Some of the Britt children were not named including my 3rd great-grandmother Latisha Britt who was born in 1817. 

The Bible, published in 1866, contains four pages of vital statistics for the Giddens and related family. Births, along with other important facts, were found on the pages pictured in this post. 

This is my transcription of the two family record pages detailing births. Marriage and death records will be posted soon. 

FAMILY RECORD

BIRTHS

Page 1

Column 1

S.R. Ireland was born July 16th 1802. 

Father of M. L. Giddens 

Eliza Newton, wife of S. R. Ireland was born January 19th 1819. 

Mother of M. L. Giddens

David Giddens was born May 11th 1800

Sophia Britt wife of David Giddens was born July 16th 1811

John, father of David Giddens was born 1755. died October 21st 1802.

H.B. Giddens Born Dec 28th 1833 (Brother of LD Giddens)

William Britt Grandfather of LD Giddens was Borne Jan 19th 1779 was married in 1806 to Patience Bell

Sarah Bradshaw Daughter of William Britt Bornd October 23. 1806

Henry son of William Born Sept 5 1808

Sophia Daughter of William Born July 16 1811

James Britt                   "              "                 1812

Page 1

Column 2

Lewis Devereux Giddens Son of D & S Giddens was born Sept 9th 1835.

Margaret Louisa daughter of SR & E. Ireland was born Nov 22nd 1842.

Eliza Newton, daughter of L. D. & M. L. Giddens was born Jan. 29th 1867.

Died July 25 1946 Fayetteville

Samuel Ireland, son of L. D. & M. L. Giddens was born July 4th 1868. 

Charlie Henry Giddens son of L. D. & M.L. Giddens was born August 25th 1869. 

Fannie Victoria daughter of L. D. & M. L. Giddens was born January 7th 1871. 

Lewis son of L. D. & M. L. Giddens was born July 26th 1873

James Franklin son of L. D. & M. L. Giddens was born Aug 1st 1875

FAMILY RECORD

BIRTHS

Page 2

Column 1

Maggie L. Daughter of L. D. & M. L. Giddens Born Tues March 15th 11 o.clock 15 mins PM 1877

Ross [illegible but known by Ross I.] son of L. D. & M. L. Giddens was born Sept 26 1878

Willie son of L. D. and M. L. Giddens was born March 22, 1880

Mary Emma daughter of L. D. and M. L. Giddens was born Sept 24th Sat 1882

Josephine Ireland daughter of L. D. & M. L. Giddens was born July 23-1884 

Wesley son of L. D. and M. L. Giddens was born Sept. 26, 1885. [dead is written above the word born]

Merle Louise daughter of Eliza N. & R. E. Weaver - born, Nov 22 - 1894 - Goldsboro N.C.

Wayland Giddens, son of Fannie & J Wayland Jones born July 10, 1902 at Goldsboro, N. C. 

Page 2

Column 2

Margaret Virginia daughter of Margaret L. & Dr. M. L. Smoot born Jan 30, 1907, Spencer N. C. 

Marvin Le Roi Smoot Jr. son of Margaret L. & Dr. M. L. Smoot born July 16, 1908, Spencer, N C. 

James Ross Smoot  son of M. L. & M. L. Smoot born Dec. 25th 1913. Fayetteville North Carolina   Died Jan. 19 - 1915 - Goldsboro, NC

Irene Stanley Giddens daughter of Lewis D. Jr & Eva S. Giddens, born Norfolk, Va. July 4, 1900 : Died

Sara Louise Giddens daughter of Lewis D. Jr & Eva S. Giddens, born Elizabeth City, N. C. Jan - 21 - 1903

Lewis D III son of Lewis D. Jr & Eva S. Giddens born Goldsboro, N. C. Jan. 28, 1904

Margaret Ireland Giddens, daughter of Lewis D. Jr & Eva S. Giddens, born Wilson, N. C. Dec. 25, 1907.

Ralph Giddens, son of Lewis D. Jr & Eva S. Giddens born Jun 27, 1911 Wilson N. C.  Died (Killed) Palau Island, War 1941- 45. Oct 15, 1944

If you want to know more about the families I research, click here to like my Facebook page, where you will see each post and other genealogical finds. 

Diana

© 2023 

Giddens Family Record pages from a Giddens Bible, scanned image, original scan from the privately-held collection of Kathryn Ryan, NC, 2023. Used with permission. 

John L. Clifton Drew a Map of His Neighborhood in Sampson County, North Carolina

This hand-drawn map was found in the John L. Clifton Papers at the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book and Manuscript Library at Duke University. It appears that John L. Clifton drew the map as he described one corner of his land as "mine & Kings corner" and another as "My corner & Dardens."

On the second map, his labels are numbered. The numbered labels are transcribed below. Please contact me if you are able to identify the illegible words or if you find errors in my transcriptions.

1. Wilmington

2. James D[illegible]

3. Faison's Depot

4. Duplin

5. [illegible]

6. Saml R. Irelands part of the Whitfield Land

7. Jas D[illegible] corner

8. Henry Stevens

9. The pine woods part of the Whitfields land 1092 acres

10. Panther Branch

11. East

12. Bear Pond

13. Henry Oats & others    

14. Hicks    

15. Whitfield Corner

16. the alfred Bick Land

17. Jas Lewis

18. This is only a rough statement of the Bick Land

19. Joseph Dardens Pine woods

20. my corner & Dardens

21. Bicks old corner

22. J. L. Cliftons land flat pine woods & pond

23. 505 acres

24. mine & Kings corner

25. Edmond King

26. Edmond Kings Pine woods

27. The Whitfield corner & Kings

28. Kings &Clifton corner of this [illegible] Land

29. the new corner

30. No [North]

31. The Road from Waynesboro to Clinton

32. So [South]

33. Hood Swamp

34. Alex Chestnuts

35. West

36. J. L. Clifton

37. Head of Six Runs

38. Kings Branch

39. Joseph Dardens

If you want to know more about the families I research, click here to like my Facebook page, where you will see each post and other genealogical finds. 

.

Diana

© 2023 

Map of John L. Clifton's Land, Clifton, John L., Papers, 1784-1916 (bulk 1830-1889), manuscript collection, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University, accessed 2017 and 2018.

Friday's Photo: A Giddens Family Picture - 1914

This photo, probably taken in Goldsboro in Wayne County, North Carolina, is that of some members of the family of Lewis Devereux Giddens Sr. and his wife Margaret Ireland Giddens. The photo was taken in 1914. Lewis died in 1909. 

Lewis Devereux Giddens Sr.
1835-1909

Margaret Louisa Ireland
1841-1915

Above is Dr. Marvin Leroi Smoot Sr., his wife, Margaret Louisa Giddens, and his sons. Marvin Leroi Smoot Jr. is on the bicycle, and James Ross Smoot is the baby. Daughter, Margaret Virginia Smoot is pictured on the right and can be seen sitting next to her grandmother in the photo at the top of the page. Margaret Louisa Giddens was the daughter of Lewis D. and Margaret Ireland Giddens.

Mary Emma Giddens, daughter of Lewis D. and 

Margaret Ireland Giddens

Ross Ireland Giddens, son of Lewis D. and 

Margaret Ireland Giddens

Merle Louise Weaver, daughter of Eliza Newton Giddens and 

Robert E. Weaver and granddaughter of Lewis D. and 

Margaret Ireland Giddens

If you want to know more about the families I research, click here to like my Facebook page, where you will see each post and other genealogical finds. 

.

Diana

© 2022 

"Giddens Family Photo," photograph, 1914; scanned image, original photograph from the privately-held collection of Kathryn Ryan, NC, 2022.

kgrijfh, "Ryan,"private tree, Ancestry, Private tree accessed with permission, 3 October 2022. 

Gathering Giddens: David Giddens and Sophia Britt of Wayne and Sampson Counties in North Carolina

David Giddens was still considered a minor on 21 November 1815.[1]

David was the son of John Giddens and probably John's wife, the said to be Sarah Taylor.[2] In a family history found in The Heritage of Wayne County, North Carolina 1982, it is stated that David was the fifth son, born in 1780; however, David was a minor when his father died in 1802, and census records are consistent with a birth year of about 1800. The family history was correct in naming him the fifth son as he was preceded by Isaac, John, Abraham, and Jacob, and followed by the youngest, Mitchell.[3] 

These receipts, to Needham Stevens and J. L. Clifton, were signed by David Giddens in 1836
and 1838. They were found in the John L. Clifton Papers, 1784 (1830-1889) 1916.[4]

Land transactions and census records indicate that David spent his entire life in Wayne County or Sampson County. The first land transaction found naming David was in 1823. Asher Flowers sold land to David Giddens located on Jethro's Marsh Branch and described as land received by Abraham Giddens, David's brother, in the division of their father's land. One stipulation in the deed was that Jesse Flowers and his wife be allowed to live in their home on the land for the duration of their lives. Jesse's wife was the widow of John Giddens, probably David's mother.[5] 

David was reported to be a farmer in the 1850 and 1860 census records.[6] He is said to have married Sophia Britt. No date or documentation has been found of this marriage, but their first known child, Henry Benjamin Giddens, was born in 1833, and the death certificate of their son, Lewis D. Giddens, states that his parents were David Giddens and Sophia Britt.[7] 

Found in the Daily Journal, 14 Feb 1867 at
Newspapers.com[8]

Found in the Goldsboro Messinger 25, Jun 1877 at

Newspapers.com[9]

The last found record naming David Giddens was a land purchase on 28 December 1865.[10] Only Sophia was found in the 1870 census.[11] The article above could easily be David Giddens as his age and the time of his suspected death match. Although not documented, many Public Trees at Ancestry.com give a death date for David Giddens as 4 February 1867.[12] Sophia died in 1877 at the home of her daughter, Patience Best.[13] The burial place for David and Sophia Giddens is unknown. 

This letter, written by Dr. John Tomline Walsh to John L. Clifton of Sampson County in 1855, was in regard to subscriptions for Dr. Walsh's publication, Christian Friends. David "Giddings" was named as a subscriber.[14]

#52ancestors Post Twenty: Another Language

My father-in-law flew the Irish flag and I remember a Irish phrase on a bumper sticker on his car. 

The writing prompt for #52ancestors last week is Another Language. I have not had to deal other languages when researching as I have yet to find ancestors arriving in the US who didn't already speak English. 

Most of my families were probably in America prior to the American Revolution. Most of my husband's family members immigrated to the US from Ireland between the late 1800s and 1930. 

Although the Irish family members spoke English when arriving in the US, it is unknown as to how many also spoke Gaelic. I will never be able to answer this question, but thought I would learn a little about this Irish language. 

The first thing I learned is when we talk about the language of Ireland while speaking English, it should be referred to as Irish. When speaking in Irish, the language is referred to using the term Gaeilge.

Irish Gaeilge/Gaelic, Scottish Gaeilge/Gaelic, and Manx (Gaeilge/Gaelic), from the Isle of Man are all Goidelic languages. These Goidelic languages are one of two groups of Celtic languages, originated in Britain and Ireland, that still exist in modern times. 

There are five vowels and thirteen consonants in the Irish language and word order in sentences is very different from English. While we might say A boy saw a dog yesterday, in Irish it would be Saw the boy a dog yesterday.  

Irish is not anything like English or other languages you might learn at school. Click here to listen to a weather forecaster speak fluent Irish. 

If you want to know more about the families I research, click here to like my Facebook page where you will see each post and other genealogical finds. 

Diana

© 2018

Sources

Family photographs and documents from the collection of Diana Bryan Quinn

Elementary Course of Gaelic. Web. 21 May. 2018. <http://www.smo.uhi.ac.uk/gaidhlig/ionnsachadh/ECG/>.

Irish Language - Wikipedia. Web. 21 May. 2018. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_language>

Looking for the Murray Family Home in County Clare

An American Murray cousin visited Ireland several times in the 1970s and 1980s. She wrote "Julia {Julia Murray Moylan} told us that her parents lived in the house and she and all her brothers and sisters were born there." However, good sources in Ireland say this house is much too new to be the Murray home in the 1800s. 

This post has more questions than answers. I know the Murray family lived in County Clare. Information from the Clare Heritage Centre in 1987 indicate my husband's grandmother, Susan Murray, and her family lived in Ballyvelaghan in County Clare, Ireland. However, researching this family is confusing as I have seen residences written as New Quay, Burren, and Ballyvelaghan. 

In 1920, James Murray, my husband's great-grandfather, applied for the "Extract from Census Return of 1851." On the application, his address was written as Balleyveleghan, New Quay, Burrin, Co. Clare. 

I love knowing James Murray applied for a census return in 1920 and he listed his parents.Was he interested in family history or property ownership? What was he expecting to find?  Who was M. J. Gaynor? Was he family? A friend? The postmaster? Unfortunately, James Murray's record was not found when he requested it and most of the 1851 census was later burned.

Looking at Google Maps did not resolve my confusion about the location of the Murray home. However, the website Irish Townlands, based on OpenStreetMap, did help with my understanding of townlands. 

According to Irish Townlands, Ballyvelaghan is in the Electoral Division of Abbey, in Civil Parish of Abbey, in the Barony of Burren, in the County of Clare. 

Ballyvelaghan has an area of only .49 square miles and is bordered by New Quay and Finavarra Demense to the west, Cartron and Munnia to the east, and Mortyclough to the south. 

New Quay (also seen as Newquay) is in the Electoral Division of Abbey, in the Civil Parish of Oughtmama, in the Barony of Burren, in the County of Clare. 

According to Irish Townlands, New Quay has an area of only .42 square miles and is bordered by Ballyvelaghan and Finavarra Demense to the east and Rine to the west. 

Click here see a townland map from the Clare Library.  

Did James and Celia Murray live in the same home throughout their marriage or did they move between the townlands? Were the townland names used interchangeably in records? Or, was their property located on the townland border crossing into New Quay and Ballyvelaghan. Below you can see the Murray family's residence as recorded in church and other documents.

• 1874 - Marriage record for James and Celia. James' home is written as New               Quay. Celia's home was Pullogh in County Galway. 
• 1875 - Residence is Ballyvelaghan on Mary Murray's birth record. 
• 1876 - Residence is Ballyvelaghan on Tom Murray's birth record. 
• 1878 - Residence is Ballyvelaghan on Bridget Murray's birth record. 
• 1880 - Residence is Ballyvelaghan on Sarah Murray's birth record. 
• 1890 - Residence is Ballyvelaghan on Peter Murray's death record. 
• 1896 - Residence on Susan Murray's birth record is New Quay. 
• 1901 - The Murray family is recorded on the census as living in                                 Ballyvelaghan.
• 1906 - James paid for a dog license. His residence was recorded as New                      Quay. 
• 1908 - Ellen Murray (aka Helen / Sister Columbkill) reported her father's                address as New Quay.
• 1909 - James residence is listed as Ballyvelaghan in court records - charged                with not having his name printed on a wagon when on a public street. 
• 1911 - The Murray family was recorded on the census as living in                                Ballyvelaghan. 

James Murray was reported as the landowner of a house with 5 to 6 rooms in Ballyvelaghan on the 1911 census. One Irish cousin thought the house had been torn down. Another said that it was a two story farm house and is still standing. 

• 1911 -  Catherine "Kate" Murray reported her father's address as Burrin                 on the ship manifest to the USA. 
• 1920 - James requested a census record and his address was written                            as Balleyveleghan, New Quay, Burrin, Co. Clare
• 1923 - James paid for a dog license. His residence was recorded as New                      Quay. 
• 1935 - James' death record indicates his residence was Ballyvelaghan. 
• 1943 - Celia's death record gives her residence was New Quay.

I wonder if someone reading this (Irish friends and relatives) can better explain these townlands - especially New Quay and Ballyvelaghan. If so, please leave a comment here or on my Facebook page. 

AND, my last question - Is my post,  A Cemetery in New Quay, County Clare, correctly titled? OR, should it be A Cemetery in Mortyclough, County Clare?

If you want to know more about the families I research, click here to like my Facebook page where you will see each post and other genealogical finds. 

Diana

© 2017

Sources

Ancestry.com. "Ireland, Catholic Parish Registers, 1655-1915."  Web. 10 May. 2017. <http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=61039>

Ancestry.com. "James Murray in the Web: Ireland, Census, 1901."Web. 10 May. 2017. <http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=70667&h=9623321&tid=45260559&pid=48578508058>.

Ancestry.com. "James Murray in the Web: Ireland, Census, 1911." Web. 10 May. 2017. <http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=70564&h=13723008&tid=45260559&pid=48578508058>.

 Clare Maps. Web. 10 May. 2017. <http://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/coclare/maps/genmap/#M9C-9.08788!53.15536Z15F1L11L30a5*>.

Family photographs and documents from the collection of Diana Bryan Quinn. 

The Family of James Murray and Cecilia Linane. Freepages., 2005. Web. 10 May. 2017. <http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~bryanquinn/Murray-James-Linane-Cecilia.htm>.

Find My Past. Institutes & Organizations. Web. 10 May. 2017. <http://search.findmypast.com/results/ireland-records-in-institutes-and-organizations?firstname=james&lastname=murray&keywordsplace=new%20quay>.

Irish Townlands. "Townlands in Co. Clare."  Web. 10 May. 2017. <https://www.townlands.ie/clare/>.