This Week in the Family History: January 15–21, 2023

Feature

129 Years Ago: Wilson R. Howard

Wilson R. Howard died on 19 January 1894 in Lebanon, Laclede County, Missouri at about age 31. He was hanged for the murder of Thomas McMichaels in Maries County, Missouri, which happened five years earlier. While Wilse admitted to killing several other people, he denied until the end that he killed McMichaels.

Wilse was the son of Hiram Brock Howard and Alisee Jennings. He was born in Harlan County, Kentucky, about 1863. As the Howard-Turner feud, which went on in Harlan County in the late 1800s, ramped up, Wilse became the leader on the Howard side.

Hiram was the son of John Covey Howard and his first wife, Matilda Brock. His half sister, Lucinda Howard Hopkins, was the daughter of John Covey and his third wife, Mary Morris. At one point during the feud, Wilse went to his Aunt Cindy’s house running from the law. Cindy hid him under a feather bed and made the bed up over him. Officials searched her house, but they did not find him. Wilse got away and later left Harlan County.

More of about the feud and Wilse’s story is coming up later this year.

Relationship: Hopkins Line, Half-1st cousin of maternal grandfather, Elmer Dennis Hopkins

McCauley/Lanier Line

148 Years Ago: Henry Jefferson Davis

Died: 18 January 1875, age 58
Parents: Joshua Davis and Esther Gamble
Relationship: 1st cousin of 2nd great-grandmother Martha Lucinda Gamble

142 Years Ago: Frances Annie Waller and George Thomas Waller

Born: 15 January, 1881, probably Randolph County, Alabama, twins
Parents: Thomas Elbert Waller and Frances Elizabeth Lanier
Relationship: 1st cousins of paternal grandfather, John William McCauley

116 Years Ago: Kenneth Mel Carver

Born: 19 January 1907, Muhlenberg County, Kentucky
Parents: Elmer O. Carver and Winnie Vick
Relationship: Paternal uncle by marriage

89 Years Ago: Afrie Joyce Lanier

Born: 17 January 1934, Birmingham, Jefferson County, Alabama
Parents: James Dewey Lanier and Afrie Lumarel Strickland
Relationship: Half-1st cousin

86 Years Ago: George Ann Dockins

Born: 21 January 1937, Greenville, Muhlenberg County, Kentucky
Parents: George Estil Dockins and Lois Marie McCauley
Relationship: Paternal 1st cousin

49 Years Ago: John Curtis Marion

Died: 17 January 1974, San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas, age 80
Parents: James Washington Marion and Louise Anna Lanier
Relationship: 1st cousin of father, David Hankins McCauley

31 Years Ago: John William McCauley, Jr.

Died: 15 January 1992, Madisonville, Hopkins County, Kentucky, age 70
Parents: John William McCauley and Verda Waller Hankins
Relationship: Paternal uncle

Hankins Line

278 Years Ago: Richard Walker

Born: 20 January 1745, St. Stephens Parish, Northumberland County, Virginia
Parents: Richard Waller and Rachel
Relationship: Brother of 5th great-grandmother Nancy Ann Walker

276 Years Ago: Pomfrett Waller

Born: 20 January 1747, Virginia
Parents: John Waller and Agnes Carr
Relationship: Brother of 5th great-grandmother Dorothy Waller

262 Years Ago: Sarah Dobyns

Born: 19 January 1761, North Farnham Parish, Richmond County, Virginia
Parents: William Dobyns and Rebecca Miskell
Relationship: 1st cousin of 5th great-grandfather Edward Dobyns

257 Years Ago: Sarah Waller

Born: 15 January 1766, Virginia
Parents: Benjamin Waller and Martha Hall
Relationship: 1st cousin of 5th great-grandmother, Dorothy Waller

235 Years Ago: John Carr

Died: 17 January 1778, Louisa County, Virginia, age 71
Parents: Thomas Carr and Mary Dabney
Relationship: Brother of 6th great-grandmother Agnes Carr

208 Years Ago: Henry Lewis Goodloe, Jr.

Born: 21 January 1815, Hopkins County, Kentucky
Parents: Henry Lewis Goodloe and Elizabeth Berry
Relationship: Brother of 3rd great-grandfather John Emerson Goodloe

190 Years Ago: Elizabeth Dobyns

Married: George F. Finley, 17 January 1833, Hopkins County, Kentucky
Parents: Frederick Dobyns and Lucy Mott
Relationship: Double 1st cousin of 3rd great-grandmother Eliza Ann Dobyns

182 Years Ago: Job Weeks

Died: 15 January 1841, Pope County, Illinois, age 85
Parents: unknown
Relationship: 5th great-grandfather

178 Years Ago: Mary Thomas Echols

Married: James Milton Echols, 16 January 1845, Forsyth County, Georgia
Parents: Jesse Thomas and Rebecca Baker
Relationship: Sister of 2nd great-grandmother Margaret E. Thomas

127 Years Ago: Thomas Ewing Gamble

Died: 17 January 1896, Alabama, age 73
Parents: David Gamble and Anna Finney
Relationship: Brother of 2nd great-grandmother Martha Lucinda Gamble

114 Years Ago: Mary Jane Ashby Walling

Died: 18 January 1909, Carroll County, Missouri, age 89
Parents: Absalom Ashby and Sally Dobyns
Relationship: 1st cousin of 2nd great-grandmother Isabella Jane Goodloe

70 Years Ago: Virginia Eggleston Goodloe Moore

Died: 15 January 1953, Hopkins County, Kentucky, age 96
Parents: John Emerson Goodloe and Elizabeth Pettus
Relationship: Half-sister of 2nd great-grandmother Isabella Jane Goodloe

59 Years Ago: Ella Louise Hankins Sheldon

Died: 18 January 1964, Sparks, Washoe County, Nevada, age 50
Parents: Albert Elvie Hankins and Frances McDavitt
Relationship: 1st cousin of father, David Hankins McCauley

52 Years Ago: Tommie O’dell Petty Thomason

Died: 20 January 1971, Orlando, Orange County, Florida, age 79
Parents: Oliver Perry Petty and Vada L. Bramblett
Relationship: 1st cousin of paternal grandmother, Verda Waller Hankins

Hopkins Line

329 Years Ago: Elizabeth Barney

Born: 17 January 1692, Rehoboth, Bristol County, Massachusetts.
Parents: Joseph Barney and Constance
Relationship: 7th great-grandmother

199 Years Ago: Robert Howard

Born: 17 January 1824, Harlan County, Kentucky
Parents: John Howard and Mary Risner
Relationship: Brother of 2nd great-grandfather John Covey Howard

111 Years Ago: Eliza Hopkins Simpson

Died: 16 January 1912, Epps, Butler County, Missouri
Parents: Stephen Hopkins and Rachel McFarland
Relationship: 2nd great-grandmother

65 Years Ago: Sarah S. Howard Brock

Died: 16 January 1958, Wallins Creek, Harlan County, Kentucky
Parents: John Covey Howard and Mary F. Morris
Relationship: Sister of great-grandmother Lucinda Howard

Taylor Line

234 Years Ago: Martin Owens

Born: 19 January 1789, Wilkes County, North Carolina
Parents: David Owens and Winifred Mullins
Relationship: Brother of 3rd great-grandfathers Wesley and Alfred Owens

184 Years Ago: Thomas Ramsey, Jr. and Rhoda Ann Lavender

Married: 20 January 1839, Lincoln County, Kentucky
Thomas’s Parents: Thomas Ramsey and Martha Gouldman
Rhoda’s Parents: John Lavender and unknown
Relationship: 3rd great-grandparents

168 Years Ago: Rhoda Ann Lair

Born 15 January 1855, Rockcastle County, Kentucky
Parents: William Thomas Lair and Martha Ramsey
Relationship: Half-1st cousin of great-grandfather John Cook Taylor

167 Years Ago: Andrew P. Taylor

Born: 21 January 1856, Rockcastle County, Kentucky
Parents: William Taylor and Mary G. Ramsey
Relationship: Half-brother of 2nd great-grandfather James Francis Taylor

143 Years Ago: Sarah Bell Griffin

Married: Martin Owens, 21 January 1880, Rockcastle County, Kentucky
Parents: Solomon Griffin and Jalia Tetitia Owens
Relationship: 1st cousin of great-grandmother Emma Jane Owens

131 Years Ago and 118 Years Ago: James Thomas Taylor

Born: 15 January 1892, Rockcastle County, Kentucky
Died: 16 January 1905, Rockcastle County, Kentucky
Parents: Josiah Love Taylor and Mary Alice Kirby
Relationship: 1st cousin of maternal grandmother, Emma Ewers Taylor

123 Years Ago: John Cook Taylor and Emma Jane Owens

Married: 16 January 1900, Rockcastle County, Kentucky
John’s Parents: James Francis Taylor and Margaret E. Ramsey
Emma’s Parents: Madison Crawford Owens and Cecilia Owens
Relationship: Great-grandparents

45 Years Ago: Emma Ewers Taylor Hopkins

Died: 19 January 1789, Harlan, Harlan County, Kentucky
Parents: John Cook Taylor and Emma Jane Owens
Relationship: Maternal grandmother

Sources available upon request