Update on Joseph A. "Frank" Blackman

For background, please see my original post, Mystery Monday - Joseph A. "Frank" Blackman.

Since writing the original post on June 16, 2013 the following information has been discovered.

Fellow researcher, Rita Jones, discovered the 1860 census for Burrell Blackman and family.  

Census transcribers had listed Blackman as Blackmore.

As mentioned in my original post, the 1850 census listed a son named Jacob and I wondered at the time if the Jacob listed was actually Joseph.  I now believe the Jacob listed in the 1850 census was Joab.  This same Joab can be seen in the 1860 census above.

A cousin remembered family calling Joseph by the nickname Joab so this lined up with my thinking that I was on the correct path.

Several months ago the Ancestry website uploaded thousands of wills/probate records.  In these records I discovered tutorship documents for the minor daughters of Joseph and Virginia "Jennie" Smith Blackman.  These documents were filed in Catahoula Parish on September 4, 1882 by the father of Virginia "Jennie" Smith, James Luther "J. L." Smith.

Records showed the parents of minor children, Henrietta Blackman and Mollie Blackman as Joab Blackman and Jennie Smith.  These records also confirmed the deaths of Joab and Jennie as being prior to September 4, 1882.

Another portion of the records revealed the following:

"...a claim of said minors in Milam County, Texas of one hundred and fifty dollars, said claim inherited by the minors from their grandfather's succession Burrell Blackman dec'd is worth one hundred dollars."

From this newly discovered information I now know:

• Joseph's nickname was Joab
• Joseph's father was Burrell Blackman
• Joseph died before September 4, 1882

What I have not confirmed:

• Date and location of Joseph's death

• Location of Joseph's burial

• Name of Joseph's mother  

Was the Margaret listed in census records his mother or step-mother?  Other children in the household are believed to be Cottens who chose to go by their step-father's surname (Blackman) until later in their lives.

An 1834 General Land Office of Texas record for the Jurisdiction of Liberty shows Burrell Blackman as a native of Mississippi and "a man of family consisting of himself & his wife."

The Margaret listed in the 1850, 1860 and 1870 census records was born circa 1822.  If she is the wife mentioned in the above land record she would have been about 12 years old in 1834.   This leads me to believe that Burrell was married to someone else in 1834.  It is also then possible that a child was born to this marriage and that child could have possibly been Joseph "Joab".

Other Blackmans found in the same 1834 land records include Bennett Blackman and Joab John Blackman.  Blackman family researchers show Bennett Blackman and wife, Elizabeth Collins were the parents of the following six children:

Joab John Blackman (b. abt 1800)
Burrell Blackman (b. abt 1805 in Wayne Co. MS)
Josiah Blackman (b. abt 1811 in MS)
Mary Polly Blackman Stone (b. abt 1815 in MS)
Catherine Blackman Bouse (b. abt 1816 in MS)
Sarah "Sally" Blackman (b. abt 1817 in MS)

My Autosomal DNA results match with several people who descend from the Bennett Blackman line.  However, I also have matches with several people who descend from the Cotten line so I have questions as to the accuracy of my DNA match results on Ancestry's website.

I may never be able to confirm the date and location of Joseph's death, his burial location, or the identity of his mother.  What I have discovered since June of 2013 proves that persistence, the help of others, and good old fashioned luck really do pay off.

Tombstone Tuesday - James Luther Smith

James Luther "J. L." Smith

Born on November 9, 1830

Saratoga County, New York

Husband of

Henrietta

Father to

Virginia "Jennie", Catherine "Kate", James William "Buck",

Francis Marion "Frank" and Edward Dorsey

Died on January 25, 1911

Buried in the Old Pine Hill Cemetery

Sicily Island, Catahoula Parish, Louisiana

James Luther "J. L." Smith was my paternal 3great grandfather through his daughter Virginia Smith Blackman; granddaughter, Mary Virginia Blackman Steele; great granddaughter, Mary Allye Steele Edmonds; great-great grandson, Bruce Alfonso Edmonds.

Surname Saturday - Walling

Various spellings of the Walling surname include Wallen, Walden and Wallin. The English surname is derived from the Anglo-Saxon name "Weal" which means foreigner.

My first documented Walling ancestor is Thomas Walling who was born circa 1627.  He first married Mary Abbott in 1651 and later married Margaret White Colwell circa 1669.  Thomas Walling died on July 19, 1674 in Providence, Rhode Island.  My lineage is through his first marriage to Mary Abbott.

The marriage of Thomas and Mary's son, Thomas2, is also listed

While I have no documentation of Thomas' parentage, it is believed by many family historians that his parents were Ralph and Joyce Wallen who arrived at Plymouth Colony in 1623 on the ship "Anne" which sailed from England.

In 'Elisha Wallen:  The Longhunter', author Carolyn D. Wallen notes the following with regards to Thomas Walling's will:

Thomas Walling died in November of 1676 in Providence.  His will was written in 7-19-1674 and proven in court on 11-22-1674.  In the will he mentioned his wife Margaret, sons Thomas (II), John, William, James, Cornelius, Gershom and daughter Abigail.  

"To sons Thomas, John and William, farm which I now dwell upon, equally, as each arrives at age, the dwelling house to be for son William, and his share of land to be adjoining house with orchard included.  The farm not to be sold except among brethren, that is to say Thomas, John, James, William and Cornelius.  To son James, land at age.  To son Cornelius, land on west side of Seven Mile Line, and if James and Cornelius died without issue, their part to brothers.  If there be more divisions than one of land west of Seven Mile Line, then my right in second division to son Gershom, and to him 10 shilling.  To daughter Abigail Walling, 5 shilling.  To wife Margaret, all movable goods and cattle and benefit of all the land to bring up children.  To her also the disposing of the dwelling house, till William comes of age at which time he to take half the land and housing, and other half to be for wife Margaret till her marriage or death, and then to William."

Thomas Walling2 was born on February 8, 1669 in Providence, Rhode Island. He married Sarah Elwell in 1695.  Thomas died in Cohansey, New Jersey on October 22, 1724 and Sarah died circa 1724.

Elisha Walling, Sr.,son of Thomas2 and Sarah, was born circa 1708 in Cohansey, New Jersey.  He married Mary Blevins circa 1730.  Elisha, Sr. and Mary's children were Joseph, Thomas, Elisha, Jr., James and John.  *Note:  It is Elisha Walling, Jr. who was the Longhunter in the above mentioned book.

My Walling lineage continues through Elisha Walling's son James who married Mary White Pugh.  Their children were Elizabeth*, James, Jr., Joseph, John, Sr., Thomas and Manning.

John Walling, Sr. was born circa 1775 in Virginia.  He married Anna Chisum circa 1793.  Anna was born circa 1777 to the marriage of John Chisum3 and Margaret Chisum.  John and Anna's children were Jesse, James, John, Thomas Jefferson, Sentha/Cynthia Ann and Alfred Gaines.

Mary Polly 

James Walling, son of John and Anna, was born in Virginia then later moved to Mississippi where he met and married Martha Hamlin in 1820.  By 1840, they had moved to Texas with their children; Mary Polly, Lucinda, Vance, Ann, Elizabeth, Martha, James, Jr., and Sarah.

Mary Polly Walling married Isham Russell Chisum, Sr. on May 21, 1840 in Nacogdoches, Texas.

Isham Russell Chisum, Sr. was the son of Elijah Kaufman Chisum (1773-1860) and Elizabeth Walling (1768-1841)* who was the daughter of James and Mary Pugh Walling mentioned above.

Lucinda

Mary Polly and Isham Russell Chisum's children were James Madison "Jim", Martha, Mary Emily, Lucinda, Frances "Fannie", Amanda Laura, Isham Russell, Jr., Thomas Jefferson, Rhoda, John and William.

Mary Polly Walling and Isham Russell Chisum are my paternal 3great grandparents through their daughter, Lucinda Chisum Steele.

Through the marriage of Mary Polly Walling and Isham Russell Chisum, I have double kinship in the Walling lineage.

Mary Polly Walling's grandfather, John Walling, Sr. (1775-1841) was a brother to Elizabeth Walling (1768-1841) who was also Isham Russell Chisum's mother.

John Walling, Sr. (1775-1841) is my 5great grandfather through Mary Polly Walling.  He is also my 4great grand uncle through Isham Russell Chisum.

My Walling lineage through my 3great grandmother Mary Polly:

Thomas Walling1 (m. Mary Abbott)
+Thomas Walling2, 1669-1724 (m. Sarah Elwell, 1676-1724)
++Elisha Walling, 1708-1785 (m. Mary Blevins, 1710-1783)
+++James Walling, 1746-1786 (m. Mary White Pugh, ca.1748-?)
++++John Walling, Sr., 1775-1841 (Anna Chisum, ca. 1777-1842)
+++++James Walling, Sr., 1795-1867 (Martha Hamlin, ca. 1796-1852)
++++++Mary Polly Walling, 1820-1891 (m. Isham Russell Chisum, 1812-1861)
+++++++Lucinda Chisum, 1846-1897 (m. Francis Marion Steele, 1847-1883)
++++++++Isham A. Steele, 1870-1934 (m. Mary V. Blackman, 1876-1945)
+++++++++Mary Allye Steele, 1900-1969 (m. Bruce Edmonds, 1904-1974)
++++++++++Bruce A. Edmonds, 1927-2002 (m. Mildred Bynum, 1926-2012)


My Walling lineage through my 3great grandfather Isham R. Chisum:

Thomas Walling1 (m. Mary Abbott)
+Thomas Walling2 (m. Sarah Elwell)
++Elisha Walling (m. Mary Blevins)
+++James Walling (m. Mary White Pugh)
++++Elizabeth Walling (m. Elijah Kaufman Chisum)
+++++Isham Russell Chisum (m. Mary Polly Walling)
++++++Lucinda Chisum (m. Francis Marion "Frank" Steele)
+++++++Isham Alfonso Steele (m. Mary Virginia Blackman)
++++++++Mary Allye Steele (m. Bruce Edmonds)
+++++++++Bruce Alfonso Edmonds (m. Mildred Bynum)


As if the Walling double kinship wasn't confusing enough, I also have double kinship with John Walling, Sr.'s wife, Anna Chisum.  Anna was the sister of Elijah Kaufman Chisum.  (Walling siblings married Chisum siblings)

Also of note are Anna's parents, John Chisum3 (1732-1806) and Margaret Chisum (1750-1798).   John and Margaret's great-great grandfathers were brothers.

Surname Saturday - Chisum

According to author Clifford R. Caldwell in his book, 'John Simpson Chisum: Cattle King of the Pecos Revisited', the Chisum surname originated in the parish of Roberton, Roxburghshire, England.  The different spelling variations include Cheesome, Chisholm, Chissolm, Chisholme, Chism, Chisolm, Chisum and Chissum.

In tracing my Chisum lineage, I discovered that Richard Cheesome was most likely my first ancestor to arrive in America.  Richard was born circa 1613 in London and arrived in America in 1643.

Family historians believe that Richard Cheesome married Margaret Isham.  The Isham surname has been passed down through the generations, lending credence to this belief.

My connection to this line of Chisums is through Richard and Margaret's son, James Chisholm (ca. 1657-ca. 1698) and his wife, Anne Carter (ca. 1657-ca. 1684).

My lineage is as follows:

Richard Cheesome (m. Margaret Isham)
+James Chisholm (m. Anne Carter)
++John Chisum, 1681-ca. 1734 (m. Elizabeth Bradley, ca. 1683-ca. 1777)
+++John Chisum, 1704-1792 (m. Ellender Gillentine, 1716-1804)
++++John Chisum, 1732-1806 (m. Margaret Chisum, ca. 1750-1798)*
+++++Elijah Kaufman Chisum, 1773-1860 (m. Elizabeth Walling, 1768-1841)*
++++++Isham Russell Chisum, 1812-1861 (m. Mary Polly Walling, 1820-1891)*
+++++++Lucinda Chisum, 1846-1897 (m. Francis Marion Steele, 1847-1883)
++++++++Isham Alfonso Steele, 1870-1934 (m. Mary Blackman, 1876-1945)
+++++++++Mary Allye Steele, 1900-1969 (m. Bruce Edmonds, 1904-1974)
++++++++++Bruce A. Edmonds, 1927-2002 (m. Mildred Bynum, 1926-2012)

*Notes:

Margaret Chisum is believed to have been the great, great granddaughter of Richard Cheesome and Margaret Isham through their other son, William (ca. 1650-ca. 1697); grandson, Alexander (ca. 1677-?); great grandson, William (ca. 1722-ca. 1792) and his wife, Deborah Cooke (ca. 1723-ca. 1762).

Elizabeth Walling was a sister to Mary Polly Walling's grandfather, John Walling Sr.

Elizabeth Walling was my 4th great grandmother through her son Isham Russell Chisum.

John Walling, Sr. was my 5th great grandfather through his granddaughter Mary Polly Walling.

The connections within the Chisum and Walling families are many.  I will attempt to address my Walling line in a future post.


Sources:  
Historical Southern Families, Vol. XVII
John Simpson Chisum: Cattle King of the Pecos Revisited, Clifford R. Caldwell

Wedding Wednesday - Blackman and Steele

Al and Mollie Blackman Steele with daughters Allye and Lucille

Marriage Date:  April 13, 1898

Isham Alfonso "Al" Steele and Mary Virginia "Mollie" Blackman were married in Sicily Island, Catahoula Parish, Louisiana at the home of Mollie's grandparents, James Luther and Henrietta Smith.  Officiating the ceremony was Reverend T. H. McClendon.  J. D. Usher, Clay W. Fairbanks and John Henry Knight were listed as witnesses.

Al and Mollie Steele were my paternal great grandparents through their daughter, Mary Allye Steele Edmonds and their grandson, Bruce Alfonso Edmonds.

Sunday's Obituary - Henrietta "Nettie" Blackman Fairbanks Disch

Henrietta "Nettie" Blackman

Born on June 13, 1874

Daughter of 

Joseph A. "Frank" Blackman and Virginia "Ginny" Smith

Sister to

Mary Virginia "Mollie" Blackman Steele

Wife of

Henry Osborne Fairbanks

Dr. Henry J. Disch

Mother to

Dr. Russell Usher, Thomas Osborne and Henrietta Fairbanks

Willie Joseph and Mary E. Disch

Died on October 21, 1932

Buried in the Old Pine Hill Cemetery

Sicily Island, Catahoula Parish, Louisiana

Sunday's Obituary - Mary Virginia "Mollie" Blackman Steele

Monroe News Star - 7/20/1945

Mary Virginia "Mollie" Blackman Steele

Born on September 17, 1876

Daughter of

Joseph A. "Frank" Blackman and Virginia "Jennie" Smith

Sister to

Henrietta "Nettie" Blackman

Wife of

Isham Alfonso "Al" Steele

Mother to

Edna, Mary Allye, Clara Lucille and Lena Juanita Steele

Foster Mother to

Teddy Stockman

Died on July 19, 1945

Buried in the Old Pine Hill Cemetery

Sicily Island, Catahoula Parish, Louisiana

Lena Juanita "Nita" Steele (1915-1982)

Lena Juanita "Nita" Steele was born on November 4, 1915 in Sicily Island, Catahoula Parish, Louisiana.

She was the fourth child born to the marriage of Isham Alfonso "Al" Steele and Mary Virginia "Mollie" Blackman.

Her siblings were Edna who died in infancy, Mary Allye, and Clara Lucille.

1920 U. S. census

1930 U. S. census

(LtoR) Mary Allye, Lena Juanita and Clara Lucille Steele

On April 29, 1938, Nita married William Smith Peck, III.  William was born on June 11, 1916 to the marriage of William Smith Peck, Jr. and Barbara Estelle Woodward.

1940 U. S. census

Lena Juanita "Nita" Steele Peck died on March 26, 1982.  She is buried in the family cemetery on the Ferry Plantation in Sicily Island.  William Smith Peck, III died on February 24, 1987 and is entombed at the Highland Park Mausoleum in Sicily Island.

Two children were born to Nita and William.

William "Will" Smith, IV, 1939-1989 (m. Stirling Elizabeth Files)
Betty Florence, 1944-2010 (m. Jack Shaffer)

Lena Juanita "Nita" Steele Peck was my paternal great aunt.

Clara Lucille Steele (1902-1993)

Clara Lucille Steele was born on September 23, 1902 in Sicily Island, Catahoula Parish, Louisiana.

She was the third child born to the marriage of Isham Alfonso "Al" Steele and Mary Virginia "Mollie" Blackman.

She was a sister to Edna who died in infancy, Mary Allye and Lena Juanita "Nita" Steele.

On June 17, 1921, Lucille married John Wesley "Wes" Ogden, Jr. in Sicily Island.

Wes was born in Clarion, Pennsylvania on April 10, 1894 to the marriage of John Wesley Ogden, Sr. and Sarah Ellen Shaw.

Al Steele gave Lucille the nickname of 'Dick' when she was just a young girl. Close friends and extended family members knew her as Dick all of her life. Even with a boy's nickname, she was one of the most lady-like women I have ever known.

Her overwhelming love for family extended to friends and neighbors.  One of my favorite memories was the sight of 'Aunt Dick' and her friends sitting in her front yard enjoying their daily visits.

Following the 1972 death of her brother-in-law, Bruce Edmonds, Lucille was appointed to fill his position as the School Board member for Ward One, Sicily Island.  She continued to hold this office through 1978.

Clara Lucille "Dick" Steele Ogden died on February 1, 1993.  John Wesley "Wes" Ogden died on February 9, 1952.  Both are buried in the Old Pine Hill Cemetery in Sicily Island.

The following children were born to the marriage of Lucille and Wes:

Sarah Virginia, 1922-2006 (m. Charles Spann Caston, Jr., 1916-2000)

Evelyn Steele, 1926-2003 (m. Robert "Bob" Stanton Rife, Jr., 1920-2006)

(LtoR) Charles Caston, Sarah Virginia Caston, Ann Caston, Lucille, Charles Wesley, Evelyn Steele Rife, John Rife, Bob Rife and Stan Rife. 

Sibling Saturday ~ Allye and Lucille Steele

Mary Allye Steele and Clara Lucille Steele

Daughters of

Isham Alfonso "I. A." Steele and Mary Virginia "Mollie" Blackman

Sentimental Sunday - The Steele House

My three-great grandfather, James Luther Smith, built the original house for his granddaughter, Mary Virginia "Mollie" Blackman and her husband, Isham Alfonso "Al" Steele.  In the beginning, the house had only four rooms and a kitchen. 

The front room was built some time prior to 1900 as Mollie and Al's daughter, Mary Allye, was born in this room on March 9, 1900.  The storm cellar seen in the photograph above was built prior to 1911 by a white mustached man referred to as "the Irishman."  A long porch was built across the front of the house in 1922 by Mr. Tom Hardin and a bigger kitchen was built ca. 1925.  The side porch was built in the early 1930s. 

In 1911, Al Steele and family moved to Childress, Texas to live near one of Al's sisters, Lydia Francis "Lyd" Steele and her husband Silas Abe Greer.  While the Steele family was living in Texas, the Edmon Clark Chambers family lived in the Steele House.  In Ollie Chambers' collection of remembrances, Down Memory Lane, she recalls the following:

Our parents rented the Steele house in 1912.  That was indeed a terrible year for our family.  Mearine, Luceil, Darris and Ollie had typhoid fever.  The only help our parents could get was an old colored woman named, Annie Barkshire. 

There seemed to be many tornadoes or hurricanes at this time.  There was a storm cellar in the side yard in easy access to the front porch, in which our parents kept a lantern, plenty of matches in a can, fresh water was kept in jars or bottles, also quilts for us to sleep upon.  There were benches in the storm cellar.

Annie Barkshire always came to our house to join us in the storm cellar.  Our parents always had a big can that had a top on it, in which they kept canned foods, vienna sausage, potted meat, crackers and cookies.  If Mama had time, when we went to the storm cellar, she took cottage cheese that she had made, also fresh milk.  Fortunately, we never had to stay in the storm cellar long enough to use up all the food.  However, you can imagine with four hungry girls, Annie Barksire, and Mama and Papa, that a great deal of nourishment was consumed.

In 1912, Claude and Vivian Martin Enright were living in the Steele house where their son, Claude Martin Enright was born. 

Robert Otis Moss and Marion Smith were married in the Steele house ca. 1922. 

Sisters, Sarah Virginia and Evelyn Steele Ogden, were born in the Steele house in 1922 and 1926, respectively.

My grandparents, Bruce and Mary Allye Steele Edmonds lived in the Steele house until 1958 when they swapped houses with their son (my father), Bruce Alfonso Edmonds and his family. 

The old Steele house is gone now.  Fire destroyed it about twenty years ago.  I grew up in this house.  Many years were spent playing under the old pecan trees planted over 100 years ago by my great-grandfather, Al Steele. 

We never had to use the storm cellar for protection from tornadoes and hurricanes but it made the perfect fort for playing cowboys and indians with my brothers and friends.

Virginia Jane "Jennie" Smith (1856-1876)

Virginia Jane "Jennie" Smith was born in Catahoula Parish, Louisiana on March 14, 1856.

She was the daughter of James Luther and Henrietta D. Smith and a sister to Catherine "Kate", James William "Buck", Francis Marion "Frank", and Edward Dorsey "Dorse".

1860 Census

1870 Census

On November 15, 1872, Jennie married Joseph A. "Frank" Blackman.  The wedding was held in the home of her parents and was officiated by the local Justice of the Peace.

Witnesses to the marriage were E. F. Keenan, James Kelly and James H. Young.

Jennie and Frank made their home in Harrisonburg, Catahoula Parish, Louisiana where two daughters were born to them.

Henrietta "Nettie", 1874-1932 (m. 1. Fairbanks; 2. Disch)
Mary Virginia "Mollie", 1876-1945 (m. Steele)

Virginia Jane "Jennie" Smith Blackman died on December 2, 1876, just a few short months after giving birth to Mollie.  She is buried in the Old Pine Hill Cemetery in Sicily Island, Catahoula Parish, Louisiana.

Sibling Saturday - Lucinda and Tom

Lucinda Chisum Steele and Thomas Jefferson Chisum

Lucinda and Thomas Jefferson Chisum were born to the marriage of Isham Russell Chisum and Mary Polly Walling.

Lucinda was born on May 2, 1846 in Nacogdoches County, Texas.  She married Francis "Frank" Marion Steele ca. 1865 and made her home in Kosse, Limestone County, Texas where she and Frank had the following children:

Lula, 1866-1955 (m. Henry Harrison Stubbs)
Lydia Frances, 1867-1941 (m. Silas Abraham Greer)
Louella, 1868-1954 (m. Walter A. Walling)
Isham Alfonso, 1870-1934 (m. Mary Virginia Blackman)
Mary Allye, 1872-1961 (m. Henry Robert Eaton)
Lena Rhoda, 1877-1960 (m. James A. McLelland)

Lucinda Chisum Steele died in Kosse on December 30, 1897 and is buried alongside her husband in the Thornton Cemetery in Thornton, Limestone County, Texas.

Thomas Jefferson was born on January 3, 1852 in Limestone County, Texas.  In 1876, Tom traveled to Sicily Island (formerly Florence), Catahoula Parish, Louisiana to sell horses.  He remained in Sicily Island where he later met and married Catherine "Kate" Smith on March 23 1881.

Tom and Kate had the following children:

Thomas Jefferson, Jr., 1881-1882
Mary Eva, 1883-1955 (m. Dr. Charles J. Gordon)
Jessie, 1884-1962 (m. John Grafton McNair)
Edward Walling, 1886-1955 (m. Nellie Elizabeth Ballard)
Emmett DeWitt, 1888-1949 (m. Laura Eveline Ballard)

Thomas Jefferson Chisum died in Sicily Island on December 4, 1934 and is buried alongside his wife in the Old Pine Hill Cemetery in Sicily Island, Catahoula Parish, Louisiana.

Mystery Monday - Joseph A. "Frank" Blackman

**Please see my update on Joseph A. "Frank" Blackman**

Joseph A. Blackman was my great-great grandfather.  He married Virginia "Jennie" Smith on November 15, 1872 in the home of her parents, James Luther and Henrietta D. Smith of Sicily Island, Catahoula Parish, Louisiana.

The marriage license below is the first known documentation I have found of Joseph.

The 1878 Voter Registration list for Catahoula Parish published on RootsWeb shows a Joseph A. Blackman born in Louisiana in 1851.  A trip to the Catahoula Parish Registrar of Voters office proved futile as the original records were destroyed in a fire back in the early 1900s.

Notes belonging to my father state that Joseph was also known as Frank and that he was originally from the LaSalle or Grant Parish area.  Also included in my father's notes was a reference to a Linnie Adair Carter being a first cousin of his grandmother, Mary Virginia Blackman, daughter of Joseph.

For this kinship to be possible, Linnie's mother and Joseph had to be siblings.  I began my search for Linnie Adair and discovered that her mother was Elizabeth Blackman, daughter of Burrel/Burrell Blackman.  One researcher suggested that this Elizabeth Blackman was actually the daughter of a Cotten but was raised by her stepfather, Burrel Blackman.

I was able to locate the 1850 census record for Burrel Blackman showing him married to a Margaret and having a daughter (or stepdaughter) named Betty (likely short for Elizabeth).  The family was living in Natchitoches, Louisiana.

If the 1878 Voter Registration roll was correct and Joseph was born in 1851, I would need to locate the 1860 census record for the family. 

Unfortunately, the only 1860 census record I have found to date for Burrel/Burrell Blackman does not list any other family members.  Burrell is living in Alexandria, Rapides Parish, Louisiana in 1860.  Joseph would have been nine years old at the time.

The 1870 census record shows Burrel, Maragret, two of their children and a grandchild living in the same household in Ward 3 of Grant Parish, Louisiana.  By this time, Joseph would have been almost twenty years old and possibly living on his own prior to marrying Jennie in 1872.

I went back to the 1850 census and pondered on whether the Jacob listed could possibly be Joseph.  While the transcription clearly matches the image, could the census taker have simply written down the wrong name?  Searches for a Jacob Blackman returned no results, leaving me to assume one of two things.  Jacob died prior to 1860 or the Jacob listed was really Joseph.

Joseph's wife, Jennie, died several weeks after giving birth to their second daughter in 1876.  According to stories handed down through my family, Joseph is reported to have died two years later in 1878 in a sawmill accident in Rodney, Jefferson County, Mississippi.   No record of death has been found to date.

Other tidbits from family stories include the following:

• Joseph was related to the Blackman family from Alexandria, Rapides Parish, Louisiana of whom one was a judge and another operated a dry cleaning business
• Joseph was the son of Charles and grandson of Elisha Swift Blackman and Octavia Weakley

Both of these stories have been researched with no evidence of a connection to Joseph A. "Frank" Blackman.

As of now, the "brick wall" still stands.  I re-visit my research on him regularly in hopes of chipping away pieces of the wall.

If anyone researching the Blackman/Blackmon families of central Louisiana has any information on a Joseph A. "Frank" Blackman, please leave me a comment or contact me at Rootsfromthebayou@gmail.com. 

Sibling Saturday - Nettie and Mollie

Nettie and Mollie Blackman

Henrietta "Nettie" and Mary Virginia "Mollie" Blackman were the daughters of Virginia "Jennie" Smith and Joseph A. Blackman.

Nettie was born on June 13, 1874 and  Mollie was born on September 17, 1876. Their mother died several weeks after giving birth to Mollie.  The two young sisters lost their father just two years later in 1878.

Nettie and Mollie

Raised by their maternal grandparents, James Luther and Henrietta D. Smith, Nettie and Mollie grew up in Sicily Island, Catahoula Parish, Louisiana.

Nettie married Henry Osborne Fairbanks in 1894 and had the following children:

Russell Usher (1895-1971; m. S. Knight)
Thomas Osborne (1897-1900)
Henrietta "Sister" (1899-1922)

Henry Fairbanks died in 1899 and Nettie married a second time to Dr. Henry J. Disch.  Children born to the marriage of Nettie and Dr. Disch were:

Willie Joseph (1902-1990)
Mary E. (1904-1953)

Mollie married Isham Alfonso Steele in 1898 and had the following children:

Edna
Mary Allye
Clara Lucille
Lena Juanita

Nettie died on October 21, 1932 and Mollie died on July 19, 1945.  Both are buried in the Old Pine Hill Cemetery in Sicily Island.