Sunday's Obituary: William Green Austin

This is the obituary for my husband's great-great grandfather, William Green Austin:

The State Newspaper (Columbia, South Carolina)

25 Jan 1910

Page 5, Column 2

William Green Austin

Special to The State.

Greenwood, Jan. 24 -- The burial of Capt. William Green Austin was held here yesterday afternoon at 2:30 o'clock at the old Methodist cemetery on East Cambridge street. His pastor, Rev. J. W. Kilgo, conducted the burial exercises.  Members of Camp D. Wyatt Aiken, U. C. V., and Robert A. Waller chapter, U. D. C., took part in the last rites.  The death of Capt. Austin occurred Saturday morning at 2 o'clock.  His wife was away at the bedside of a daughter, who was quite ill in Chester.  Captain Austin for seven or eight years has been judicial magistrate at Greenwood.  He moved to Greenwood from Chester County 15 years ago.  He was a man of strictest integrity and high character and commanded the respect of all who knew him.  He was 65 years old.  He served with distinction in the War Between the States as a member of Company K, in the Fifth South Carolina regiment. He is survived by his wife, who was a Mrs. Carter before their marriage, and three children:  Mrs. A. P. Aldrich, Greenwood; James D. Austin, Abbeville, and Wade H. Austin.

That is it.  This is all I know about him.  I do not know who his parents are, but hope that some of the clues in this obituary, including Chester County, will give me some good leads.  If you know anything about his family, I would LOVE to hear from you!!!

Our Line of Austins:

Lake Hawthorne Barrett

Ronald Hawthorne Barrett (father) - Jenna Elizabeth Aldridge

Ronald Alan Barrett - Nancy Susan Beskid (grandmother)

Charles Joseph Beskid - Nancy Hawthorne AUSTIN (great grandmother)

James Hawthorne AUSTIN (2nd great grandfather) - Eliza Livingston Mabry

William Green AUSTIN (3rd great grandfather) - Nancy Elizabeth Hawthorne

Wednesday's Child: "Baby Andrew"

While I am on the topic of Sarah Wallace, I thought I would share one of my favorite "ah-hah" moments.  Before I begin, let me start off by saying that my husband and I joined Washington Street United Methodist Church (WSUMC) in Columbia, South Carolina 11 years before this story takes place.  We had no family connections at the church, but felt (and still feel) as if it was where we were supposed to be.

One cold Sunday morning after the choir had finished practicing, I dressed in my robe to wait for the service to begin.  The choir room was very warm, so I decided to cool off by walking around the small courtyard right outside, reading some of the names on the grave headstones.  If you have ever been to Columbia, you will realize that there is no such thing as 6 degrees of separation - you will be lucky to get to 3 degrees!  There are many family names that tend to pop up all over the place (just like being in a small, old town!).  Because of this, reading headstones is always fun for me!  While reading the names, I turned to a smaller headstone that was located right next to the stairs and read "Sacred to the memory of Andrew, the infant son of Andrew and Sarah Wallace who departed this life May 26, 1830, aged 7 months."

I FROZE!  My 4th great-grandfather's name was Andrew Wallace and my grandmother's name was Sarah.  My wheels started turning..... how many people named Andrew Wallace could there have been in Columbia in the early 1800s?  I immediately took a picture of the headstone (gotta love smartphones!!!!!) and went back inside.  The second I got home I went straight to my genealogy file and looked up Andrew's information.  There, RIGHT THERE, was Andrew and Sarah's 8th child, a little boy named Andrew, that died May 26, 1830.  HOLY COW!!!  I had located his long lost grave!  And then my mind REALLY began to go 100 miles a minute - Why was he buried there?  Why wasn't he buried with the rest of the family? Why would they have buried him there if it wasn't their church home?  Wait - their church home!  Could this have been their church home?  I was about to POP at this point!  The only problem was that our church was burned by Sherman when he came through Columbia during the Civil War (LONG story - they thought it was First Baptist) and so all of our church records were gone.  My heart sank.  The only hope I had to a possible answer was a church history book that had been written in 1975 called Tried By Fire by Archie Vernon Huff, Junior.  And really - what was the likelihood that MY great-great-great-great grandfather would be mentioned in it?  He wasn't a pastor or associate pastor and I had never heard or read his name before at the church and there are names of people all over the church.  

So, just to say I had done all I could, the next Sunday I went looking for and found a copy of the book.  (I will never forget the generosity of Arletta and Alex Raley for giving me a copy of the book to keep!  It was a gift that meant more than they will ever know!)  I turned to the index and hunted for the "W" section..... Walker, Walker, WALLACE!!!!!!!   There, in print, was Andrew Wallace's name.  Not only was his name listed, but it had 4 different entries (pages 11-12, 26-27, 31, and 90).  I turned to the first entry and read...... 

"Prominent among the leaders of the Washington Street congregation, and somewhat typical of them, was Andrew Wallace, a native of Scotland, who left his homeland 'on the deliberate conclusion that it was no place for one to rise in the world without capital or influential friends.' He migrated to Charleston, and seeking his fortune in the upcountry, he hired himself out to a wagon train belonging to Colonel Thomas Taylor and headed for Columbia.  Described by a younger contemporary as 'canny, cautious, clear-headed, painstaking, honest, and thrifty,' Wallace opened a mercantile business.  It grew into a 'large dry goods, grocery, and cotton house' on Richardson (later Main) Street, which Wallace owned in partnership with a fellow Scotsman, MacFie.  They soon amassed a large fortune, but MacFie's speculative nature was too adventurous for the cautious Wallace, and he dissolved the partnership.  At one time Wallace led the formation of the Columbia insurance Company but sold his interest when it proved 'too hazardous to suite his taste.'  He married Sarah Patrick, the daughter of a wealthy Richland planter, reared a large family, and devoted his time in his later years to watching his large investments in 'banks, railroads, and other corporations.'  Like members of the low country aristocracy, he spent his summers in the mountains, at a home south of Ashville.  From the early years of the nineteenth century until his death in 1863, Andrew Wallace was a faithful and highly esteemed member of Washington Street Church.  He kept up a friendly rivalry in church financial matters with Mrs. Elizabeth McGowen, who operated McGowen's Ferry across the Broad River Bridge.  When funds were needed for the church, one or the other would say: 'Well, if Sister McGowen can go a hundred, I reckon I can; or if Brother Wallace will put up fifty dollars, I will.'" 

I know the dates and locations for many of my ancestors, but I know very little about who they were and fear that unfortunately, that will be the norm rather than the exception.  BUT..... With this one entry, not only did I now know that my family had been members of my church long ago, but I knew what "Gramps" was like.  I was floating on cloud nine!  The author did a great job of showing where he got all of his information, and I can't wait to go hunt down those books to see if there is anything else I can learn about Andrew.  

Andrew Wallace's grave, along with the graves of most of the other family members, were moved to Elmwood Memorial Gardens when the church built a new building, but the extended family chose to leave "Baby Andrew's" grave at the church.  The part of the family that made the decision to leave him by himself at the church had their reasons, I am sure, but I will forever be grateful, for that one decision has given me a gift I will treasure forever.  I love each Sunday morning that I walk through the breezeway to the choir room.  I smile as I look at the church that my family helped build and say "Good Morning, Baby Andrew," knowing that he is no longer alone.  Our family has come back to worship where we belong.

Mystery Monday: Sarah Clifton Patrick's Family

There are a number of mysteries and holes in my family research that I need to explore, but questions about Sarah's family have come up recently, so I have decided to write about her today while it is fresh in my mind.  

My fourth great-grandmother was Sarah Clifton Patrick.  She was born, from what I can gather, in Virginia (although I have one source that states that she was the "daughter of a wealthy Richland planter" - Tried by Fire by Archie Vernon Huff, Jr. page 12). I have seen 2 different Virginia county possibilities, Richmond and Southampton, but have no proof for either.  I do know that she married Andrew Muir Wallace and raised her children in Columbia, South Carolina.  I know nothing about Sarah's parents, siblings, or possible aunts/uncles/cousins and have no ideas about where anyone else could have settled if and when they left Virginia, BUT....... I have come across a possible clue and am pulling my hair out trying to see if it could help me find out more about her family.

Background/Quick note: Sarah and Andrew Wallace were members of the church that my husband, son, and I are now members of (Washington Street United Methodist Church in Columbia, SC).  She and Andrew, along with some other family members, were originally buried at Washington Street in the church cemetery, but when the church built a new building "that was to be erected in the churchyard, the church agreed to move graves for families which made the request...... Among the graves moved were those of the Andrew Wallace.....families." (Tried by Fire by Archie Vernon Huff, Jr. page 90)

One Sunday, while I was waiting for the church service to begin, I walked through one of the small courtyards located next to the choir room/back entrance to the sanctuary.  I pulled out my iPhone (gotta love technology!) and began to take pictures of the headstones in that area so that I could upload them to findagrave.com later.  While I was uploading the photos, I realized one of the graves was for a Claiborne Clifton, born in Virginia.

This Claiborne was buried within 8 graves of Sarah Clifton Patrick Wallace's original grave site.  What were the chances of finding a "Clifton," born in Virginia, buried that close to her?  I have no idea of how he could be related to her, but I feel like there has to be a connection.  I have searched Ancestry.com and have found plenty of information on Claiborne and his family.  He does have a sister named "Sarah Clifton," although it does not appear that any of his sisters married a "Patrick."  Could he have been a cousin of her mother's, though, or is this a complete fluke?  I feel as if there has got to be some connection, but what is it?????  If only I had that magic wand to summon the information I need.

If you are reading this and know ANYTHING about the Clifton or Patrick families from Virginia or South Carolina, I would love to hear from you!  OR if you have any ideas about where I could begin searching, I am all ears!

Our Line of Patricks:

Lake Hawthorne Barrett

Ronald Hawthorne Barrett - Jenna Elizabeth Aldridge (mother)

Marion Douglas Aldridge - Sarah Marguerite Craig (mother)

William Rhett Craig, Jr. (grandfather) - Elizabeth Ann Barnes

William Rhett Craig, Sr. - Sarah Lou Wallace (2nd great grandmother)

John Witherspoon Wallace (3rd great grandfather) - Joella Septimer Milner

John Wallace (4th great grandfather) - Rebecca Elizabeth Witherspoon

Andrew Muir Wallace - Sarah Clifton PATRICK (5th great grandmother)

Going Digital!

OK - I am already off to a pretty pitiful start, but trying to begin a new blog in May when I teach was probably not the smartest thing to do.  Live and learn!

So.... today's topic:  making things digital!  Let me begin by saying that I am a little OCD - well, actually more, CDO.  It is like OCD except that the letters are in order, as they should be! (I can't remember where I heard that one, but it continues to be one of my favorites!)  I digress.....  As I was saying.  I began doing my research by printing out the census forms and family sheets provided by ancestry.com and writing in the information on the sheets to keep track of what I had found.  I then tried to keep it all organized in notebooks.

Problem #1:  I kept messing up what I was supposed to be writing and it drove me crazy, but using pencils with erasers was not really an option because pencil marks can smear and rub away over time.

Problem #2:  To say that many lines of my family (as well as my husband's) have been in specific parts of South Carolina, Georgia, North Carolina, and Virginia for a very long time would be an understatement.  Because of this, I was finding many different family members living near each other in a number of censuses.  I wanted to note this, but then found myself trying to figure out where to file the censuses?  I wanted to store each one with all of the families listed (I have a notebook/file for each surname), but then that meant writing it a second time (or third, fourth, etc.), and then what happens if I realize there are more people on the page that have a connection to the family - how can I keep up with making sure I add all of the new information to all of the copies I have made.

That is where making things digital entered into the equation!  I spent A LOT of time making a word document copy of each of the .pdf census files that Ancestry provides for us to print and use.  All of that time was completely worth it, though!  I now have a file for each census year in my dropbox account and whenever I am researching a census, I open up the blank file, type in the information I need to have, save the information as a new file listing the state, county, city and page numbers and voila!  I have a digital copy of everything I want and can print it as many times as I need.  I now only have to type things once, and can make as many copies as I want for as many surname notebooks as I need.  Saving them into my dropbox account also allows me to have access to them when I go do research, without carrying 3-4 bags of notebooks, which is what I was doing before.

Now here is my gift to you (for reading this LONG entry!).......  I am attaching the files I have made for you to use, that is, if you want them.  I am completely new to this, so if for some reason you are not able to open the files, feel free to email me at accioancestors@gmail.com and I will gladly send them to you via email.  Also - I have not finished all of the census forms, so I will continue to update this post as I complete the last couple.

One note that will help you when using the forms:  If a name/number you have to type in is too long, try shrinking the font size for that box.  This should work. If it doesn't, feel free to email me and I will be happy to help you figure out how to make it work.

1790:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/82367952/1790%20United%20States%20Federal%20Census%20Blank%20Form%201.docx

1810:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/82367952/1810%20United%20States%20Federal%20Census%20Blank%20Form%201.docx

1850:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/82367952/1850%20United%20States%20Federal%20Census%20Blank%20Form%201.docx

1860:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/82367952/1860%20United%20States%20Federal%20Census%20Blank%20Form%201.docx

1870:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/82367952/1870%20United%20States%20Federal%20Census%20Blank%20Form%201.docx

1880:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/82367952/1880%20United%20States%20Federal%20Census%20Blank%20Form%201.docx

1900:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/82367952/1900%20United%20States%20Federal%20Census%20Blank%201.docx

1910:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/82367952/1910%20United%20States%20Federal%20Census%20Blank%201.docx

1920:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/82367952/1920%20United%20States%20Federal%20Census%20Blank%201.docx

1930:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/82367952/1930%20United%20States%20Federal%20Census%20Blank%201.docx

1940:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/82367952/1940%20United%20States%20Federal%20Census%20Blank%201.docx