The Meharg Problem

AUTHOR'S NOTE: the following appears in my book, The Downings of Choccolocco, Calhoun County, Alabama Vol. 1 The Descendants of James Downing. The Downings had a habit of marrying Mehargs, and I created a family tree showing the interrelationship of the two families. However, I quickly discovered a problem; much of the online claims regarding the Meharg family in the mid-1800s did not make sense when compared to the documentation.

Rather than ignore this problem, I explored it to the fullest extent possible given the limited resources available to me. I used original documents, and questioned everything. I think my conclusions are sound, and everything is fully documented, with endnotes [see below]. However, I fully admit that someone out there might have information disproving my theory here.

This is completely original research, and should you use it for your own purposes, please give me credit for my hard work. [All census records were viewed at www.FamilySearch.org except for the 1820, 1860, and 1866 census records, which were viewed at Ancestry.com.]

The numbers listed in brackets are end notes that explain things further and sometimes very extensively. They should not be ignored.

___

In double-checking early census records concerning brothers John Meharg and James Meharg, I noticed a serious problem regarding the number of children each man had. My information was that John Meharg had one (known) daughter (Mary E Meharg Sherbet) while James Meharg had, by his first wife, six (known) children (William Sylvester Meharg, Nancy Caroline Meharg Downing, Lucinda R Meharg Bledsoe, Rebecca Meharg Kimball, James Meharg, and Josiah Meharg), plus an additional child by his second wife.

But upon checking the records, I noticed the exact opposite occurred in their households: John’s household was full of children while James’s household was sadly lacking.[1] Of course, I rechecked the sources for my information, and quickly traced the information back to Janey Eaves Joyce’s book, Bartlett Eaves.[2] As her book covers the Autrey family, the six supposed children of James Meharg were included in their capacity as Mary “Polly” Autrey Meharg’s children. Thankfully, Joyce included her original source for this information: RootsWeb’s WorldConnect,[3] a source I’ve often found that can be unreliable when it comes to individual family trees. On checking there, I realized the information had no foundation.

I rechecked Mattie K. Martin Ellis’s book The Story of Mattie Downing McAdams (the daughter of Nancy Caroline Meharg) and quickly realized that Ellis never mentions the names of Nancy Caroline Meharg’s mother or father. She does mention aunts and uncles—Uncle “Billy” and Aunt Nancy Meharg along with Aunt Lucinda and Uncle William Bledsoe.[4]

Finally, I rechecked Laura Downing’s family account. She says [her mother] Nancy Caroline Meharg Downing was the “daughter of Jack Mchearg, son of Arch Mchearg.” Unfortunately, “Jack” is a nickname for John and for James, leaving the question of which of Archibald Meharg’s two sons was nicknamed Jack.

Simply put, I think a mistake has been made and copied repeatedly throughout the internet and beyond. Various Mehargs in Calhoun County, Alabama, who did not easily fit into known Meharg family trees were gathered together and assigned to James Meharg. By examining the evidence, it appears to me, however, that John Meharg, not James Meharg, was the father of some (but not all) of these six Meharg children.

James Meharg (c1801-aft1870) married Mary “Polly” Autrey on 23 December 1821 in St Clair County, Alabama.[5] According to Janey Eaves Joyce, an Autrey family account states Polly was the daughter of Cornelius Autrey and Nancy Eaves (and therefore the sister of Charity Mira Autrey, Mrs Thomas Jefferson Downing). Joyce, however, argues that Cornelius Autrey was living in a different county at the time of Polly’s marriage to James Meharg in St Clair County, while both Absalom Autrey (Cornelius Autrey’s father) and H[iram?] Autrey lived in St Clair County with females in their households whose ages corresponded with Polly’s probable age. While I am a great admirer of Joyce’s work, I defer to the Autrey family account that Polly’s parents were Cornelius Autrey and Nancy Eaves, as Polly’s presence in her probable grandfather or uncle’s house does not mean she was the household head’s daughter. Of course, I could be completely wrong on this. In addition, James Meharg lived three doors down from Cornelius Autrey in the 1840 US Census of St Clair County.

The 1830 US Census for St Clair County shows James Meharg (“James Mehard”) living next door to his late sister [Mary Meharg Downing]’s husband, James Downing, and just a few doors up from Absalom Autrey and other members of the Autrey family. His household is listed as follows:

1 male 5 to 10 [unknown]

1 male 10 to 15 [probably cousin Lewis S Meharg]

1 male 20 to 30 [6] [James Meharg]

1 female 5 to 10 [unknown]

1 female 20 to 30 [Mary “Polly” Autrey Meharg]

The age of the unknown boy is consistent with William Sylvester Meharg’s probable birth year of 1825, while the unknown girl’s age, while not exact, is still in keeping with Nancy Caroline Meharg’s probable birth year of 1827.[7] However, the couple had been married for nearly a decade, and given the era, their household has surprisingly few children, suggesting a high infant mortality rate and/or a number of miscarriages.

The 1840 US Census shows James Meharg (“James Meherg”) still in St Clair County. He is next door to Lewis S Meharg (“Louis Meherg”)[8] and three doors up from his father-in-law, Cornelius Autrey. Unfortunately, it appears that Polly Autrey Meharg has died:

1 male 15 to 20 [unknown]

1 male 30 to 40 [James Meharg]

1 female 15 to 20 [unknown]

If those six Meharg children were James Meharg’s children, there should be six children in his household at this point. Instead, we see the same two children (ten years older) that were there in 1830. James could have sent any younger children to live with family members, and the logical choice might have been his father-in-law Cornelius Autrey; but the 1840 census of Cornelius Autrey’s household reconciles with the 1830 with only one apparent new addition. Even if we assume that single new addition was a Meharg child, that still leaves James Meharg with only three living children, not six.

On 10 June 1842, James “Mcharg” married the widow Elizabeth Bagley in Benton [Calhoun] County, Alabama. She was a neighbor to James’s nephew, Thomas Jefferson Downing, and she appears in the 1840 Census for Benton County as the head of her household[9] with eight children,[10] plus five slaves.

The 1850 US Census for Benton [Calhoun] County, Alabama,[11] shows them together with six of her children plus one child of their own:

James Meharg 49 M Farmer South Carolina

Elizabeth " 47 F Tenn

Dick " 1 M Ala [Giles Driver Meharg][12]

Martha Bagly 17 F Tenn

Joseph P " 14 M Ala

Nathan S " 12 M "

Josiah " 10 M "

Elizabeth " 10 F "

John W " 22 M Tenn

On first glance, the name of “Josiah Bagly,” as written in this census, appears to be “Jonah,” and it is transcribed as “Jonah” in indexes. But when I finally discovered the 1860 Census record [see below] for this family, the previously unseen “Josiah Meharg” suddenly appears. “Josiah Meharg” is one of the supposed six Meharg children of James Meharg, and he was born c1840, but as shown above, Polly Autrey Meharg was dead by 1840 and there is no infant in the household. James Meharg, of course, could have given the child to someone else to care for in the meantime, but that still leaves the question of where was Josiah Meharg in 1850.

There is, however, another explanation. Carefully examining the handwriting of the census taker in the 1850 Census above, I discovered he did not dot his i’s. Furthermore, the “Jo” and half of the supposed “n” of “Jonah” matched perfectly with the “Jos” of “Joseph P” Bagley’s name, while the two halves of the supposed “n” were further apart than with other n’s on the page. My conclusion is that “n” is in fact an “s” and an “i” without a dot—thus making the name Josiah Bagley, not Jonah Bagley. And note that Josiah Bagley was born c1840.

The listing of the family in the 1860 US Census for Calhoun County, Alabama, is as follows:[13]

James Meharg 59 M Farmer South Carolina

Elizabeth " 55 F Tennessee

Josiah " 20 M Alabama [Josiah Bagley]

Giles D " 11 M " [Giles Driver Meharg]

This census clearly lists a “Josiah Meharg” as a child of James Meharg. But it is not unheard of for a census record to show a man’s step-children with his own last name, particularly at this time. This is the only record I have found for a “Josiah Meharg.” However, a Josiah Bagley, born October 1839[14] in Alabama to parents from Tennessee, appears in the census records for Copiah County, Mississippi, from 1880 to 1920. After his death on 14 January 1924, his daughter, Blanche Bagley Perritt of Copiah County, Mississippi, applied for (and received) a headstone for US Military Veterans.[15] This application states Josiah Bagley was a private in Company B, 30th Alabama Infantry, CSA.[16] Company B was made up of men from Calhoun County, Alabama.

In short [!], it appears “Josiah Meharg” never existed and was simply an error on a census record, the real man being Josiah Bagley, stepson—not son—to James Meharg.

The 1870 US Census of Calhoun County, Alabama, lists the family as follows:[17]

Meharg, James 69 M Farmer So Ca

" Elizabeth 67 F Housekeeper Ky[sic]

" G D 22 M Works on farm Ala [Giles Driver Meharg][18]

James Meharg died sometime between 1870 and 1880. His widow, the 76-year-old Elizabeth Bagley Meharg, appears in the 1880 US Census of Calhoun County, Alabama,[19] living with her widowed daughter, Martha Bagley Creswell[20] [age 45], and grandsons Jessie [age 24], James H [age 21], and John A Creswell [age 14].

It should be noted that contrary to internet claims, James Meharg never married Margaret S Reed. The gentleman who married her was a John Meharg [this will be discussed below], and it is clear from the census records that James Meharg was outlived by his second wife, Elizabeth Bagley Meharg.

Without a family Bible record or such appearing and demonstrating otherwise, the only known children for James Meharg are: 1) the unknown male born in the early 1820s, 2) the unknown female born in the early 1820s, and 3) Giles Driver Meharg. In addition, there are now only five, not six, stray Meharg children to account for.

Meanwhile, James Meharg’s brother, John Meharg, married Mary Y Moody[21] on 28 September 1823 in St Clair County, Alabama.[22] In two census records, an older man, Benjamin E Moody, lives next door to her, and he was probably her father. John Meharg and his family are listed in the 1830 US Census for St Clair County, Alabama:

2 males under 5 [unknown]

1 male 5 to 10 [unknown]

1 male 30 to 40 [John Meharg][23]

1 female under 5 [unknown]

1 female 20 to 30 [Mary Y Moody Meharg Griffin]

As with James Meharg’s unknown children in the 1830 Census, two of the children in John Meharg’s household could easily be William Sylvester Meharg (born c1825) and Nancy Caroline Meharg Downing (born c1827).

Unfortunately, John Meharg died sometime between 1830 and 13 April 1837 when his widow, “Mary Meharg,” married Benjamin Griffin in Benton [Calhoun] County, Alabama.[24] The 1840 US Census for Benton [Calhoun] County, Alabama, shows the household[25] of “Benj Griffin” next door to “Benj E Moody” and on the same page as Elizabeth Bagley, Thomas Jefferson Downing, and Larkin Coker.

1 male under 5 [?Meharg son or Richard S Griffin?]

3 males 10 to 15 [3 Meharg sons][26]

1 male 30 to 40 [Benjamin Griffin]

1 female under 5 [Dorcas E Griffin Browning Thornton Martin][27]

2 females 5 to 10 [Mary E Meharg Sherbet & Meharg daughter]

1 female 10 to 15 [Meharg daughter]

1 female 30 to 40 [Mary Y Moody Meharg Griffin]

This census, in essence, appears to include the children from the 1830 US Census of John Meharg’s household, with the addition of two Meharg daughters and possibly one Meharg son born between 1830 and 1837, plus the eldest child (or children) of Mary Moody Meharg and Benjamin Griffin. The question is whether or not that boy under 5 was a Meharg or a Griffin. The 1900 US Census for Lowndes County, Mississippi lists Richard S Griffin’s birth date as June 1840.[28] This date is important, as the 1840 US Census officially began on 1 June. The instructions to the census takers that year—for reasons I will not go into here—was not to include infants born after 1 June 1840.[29] Given that the census was officially concluded in Benton [Calhoun] County, Alabama, on 28 November 1840,[30] Richard S Griffin was undoubtedly in the household but was not included in the census count. Therefore, the boy under 5 is a Meharg.

From these census records, we have the following Meharg children:

Children of James Meharg & Mary “Polly” Autrey

1 son born early 1820s

1 daughter born early 1820s

Children of John Meharg & Mary Y Moody

1 son born c1825

2 sons born late 1820s

1 daughter born late 1820s

2 daughters born early 1830s [Mary E Meharg Sherbet – b 1833][31]

1 son born mid 1830s[32]

Beginning with the 1850 Census, entire families were listed by name, and by the time of the 1850 Census of Benton [Calhoun] County, Alabama, the Meharg children had left their nest, leaving only Mary E Meharg in the Griffin household:[33]

Benj Griffin 39 M Farmer SC

Mary Griffin 46 F NC [Mary Y Moody Meharg Griffin]

Mary E Meharg 16 F Ala [Mary E Meharg Sherbet]

Dorcas E Griffin 13 F "

Richard S " 10 M "

Henry M " 8 M "

Sarah A " 5 F " [Sarah A Griffin Varnon]

Andrew J " 2 M "

At the same time, the five stray Meharg children normally assigned to James Meharg make their first appearances by name in the records.

Nancy Caroline Meharg Downing is listed in the household of her cousin, Thomas Jefferson Downing.[34] Lucinda R Meharg Bledsoe is listed in the household of Larkin Coker.[35] 16-year-old James Meharg is listed in the household of presumed brother William Sylvester Meharg:[36]

W S Meharg 25 M Farmer [Ala] [William Sylvester Meharg]

Sarah " 25 F " [Sarah Meharg][37]

J M " 3 M " [James Madison Meharg][38]

W H " 2 M " [William H Meharg]

James " 16 M Farmer " [James A Meharg][39]

I have not been able to locate the fifth stray Meharg, Rebecca Meharg Kimball, in the census records,[40] but she does appear in the marriage records: a Rebecca Meharg married Jacob J K Kimball on 24 October 1848 in Benton [Calhoun] County.[41] There is another stray Meharg, one not named as a child of James Meharg, who makes his appearance at this time, too, in the marriage records: a John Meharg married Margaret S Reed on 4 November 1849 in Benton [Calhoun] County [more on this couple below].

From the c1850 records, as well as later census and death records, we can conclude the following about the various Meharg children in regards to their approximate births:

William Sylvester Meharg born c1825

Nancy Caroline Meharg Downing born c1827

Lucinda R Meharg Bledsoe born 1831[42]

Mary E Meharg Sherbet born 1833

James Meharg born c1834

If we add in John Meharg and Rebecca Meharg Kimball from the marriage records and assume each was at least 16 when they married, their approximate births are:

John Meharg born bef 1833

Rebecca Meharg Kimball born bef 1832

And if we assume each was at least 20 when they married (which is more likely), it puts the years of their births at 1829 and 1828 respectively.

At this point, before considering additional census records, three conclusions can be made:

1) There are no children born in the 1830s shown in the 1840 US Census for James Meharg’s household. However, there are two Meharg daughters born in the early 1830s shown in the household of Benjamin Griffin (and his wife Mary Moody Meharg). Given those early 1830s birth dates, those two Meharg daughters in the Griffin household can only be Mary E Meharg Sherbet (born 1833 and already well-established as the daughter of John Meharg & Mary Y Moody) and Lucinda R Meharg Bledsoe (born 1831). Therefore, Lucinda R Meharg was the daughter of John Meharg and Mary Y Moody.

2) We know from reliable family accounts that Lucinda R Meharg Bledsoe was the sister of Nancy Caroline Meharg Downing. Therefore, the Meharg daughter born in the late 1820s who appears in the household of John Meharg in 1830 and in the household of Benjamin Griffin (and his wife Mary Moody Meharg) in 1840 can only be Nancy Caroline Meharg Downing.

3) The Lamar County, Texas, death records show that Lucinda R Meharg Bledsoe’s middle name was Rebecca.[43] It is unlikely that two daughters in the same family would be given the same name. In addition, we have established that Nancy Caroline Meharg was the daughter born to John Meharg and Mary Moody in the 1820s. Therefore, Rebecca Meharg Kimball must be the daughter born in the 1820s to James Meharg and Polly Autry (and she was probably in her mid-20s when she married in 1848).

The tally of the Meharg children now stands as:

Children of James Meharg & Mary “Polly” Autrey

1 son born early 1820s

1 daughter born early 1820s [Rebecca Meharg Kimball]

Children of John Meharg & Mary Y Moody

1 son born c1825

2 sons born late 1820s

1 daughter born late 1820s [Nancy Caroline Meharg Downing – b c1827]

2 daughters born early 1830s [Lucinda R Meharg Bledsoe – born 1831

& Mary E Meharg Sherbet – b 1833]

1 son born mid 1830s

Before continuing, there is another possibility to consider—that after his wife’s death, James Meharg sent all his younger children to live with relatives and this is the reason they show up first in the household of Benjamin Griffin and then Thomas Jefferson Downing and Larkin Coker. This might be understandable if Benjamin Griffin was a blood relation, but he wasn’t. In this scenario, James Meharg would be foisting his children on the new husband of his dead brother’s widow. Furthermore, James Meharg was a rich man in 1850, whose estate was valued three-times that of Benjamin Griffin’s modest estate. This would be one thing if all the children were in Benjamin Griffin’s household in 1840 and then appeared in James Meharg’s household in 1850 (among all his Bagley stepchildren), but instead, the older girls appear in other households, while the 16-year-old James Meharg is living with (presumably) his older brother. All three—Nancy Caroline, Lucinda, and James—would have been invaluable on a large farm like James Meharg’s. But for Benjamin Griffin, as their probable step-father and with his modest means, his responsibilities would have ended as they reached adulthood. This is not to say he threw them out but that it was quite normal at that time, even for girls, to go work in the households of family and friends, particularly if those families were large.

The 1860 US Census for Calhoun County, Alabama, demonstrates this even further, as another generation of Meharg children are dispersed among relatives, beginning with two previously unseen Mehargs in the Griffin household:[44]

Benjamin Griffin 50 M Farmer [SC]

Mary Y " 54 F [NC] [Mary Y Moody Meharg Griffin]

Richard " 20 M [AL] [Richard S Griffin]

Henry " 17 M "

Sarah " 14 F " [Sarah A Griffin Varnon]

Andrew " 12 M "

Mary Meharg 9 F "

George " 2 M " [George Arthur Meharg]

The Meharg daughters, in the meantime, had all married: Nancy Caroline Meharg to William Patterson Downing,[45] Lucinda Rebecca Meharg to William C Bledsoe,[46] and Mary E Meharg to James W Sherbet.[47] James [A] Meharg appears in the household of William Dickey[48] and next door to Dorcas E Griffin and her new husband, Robert Y Browning. Unfortunately, William Sylvester Meharg lost his wife sometime before the 1860 census was taken. His children were placed with (presumably) relatives while he worked as a “hireling” and lived in the household of Edward C Dickie.[49]

He placed his eldest son, 12-year-old James Madison Meharg, in the household of Washington Dickey.[50] Second son, William H Meharg (also listed as 12 years old), found himself in the household of Mary E Meharg and James W Sherbet in Ashville, St Clair County, Alabama.[51] Other than their shared last name, this is the first documented link between William Sylvester Meharg and Mary E Meharg Sherbet.

Add to this the presence of the elusive 10-year-old boy, “B M Meahery,” in the household of Nancy Caroline Meharg and William P Downing.[52] In The Story of Mattie Downing McAdams, Ellis states this child was the son of “Uncle Billy” [page 15], but without sourcing the information.[53] This child seems to disappear from all records, with no Meharg having a name anywhere close to this child’s name in later census records. However, on 29 June 1871, James Madison Meharg married a Mary “Buns” [Mary Judson Burns] in Bibb County, Alabama.[54] The following year, Mary J Burns Meharg’s sister, Mariah Frances Burns, married a B M Meharg on 11 January 1872 in Bibb County, Alabama.[55] It appears that two brothers married two sisters and that B M Meharg (his given name sadly unknown) was a son of William Sylvester Meharg and Sarah Meharg. William, it seems, was placing his children in the households of his sisters. And the elder James Meharg (son of Archibald) appears to have had no involvement with William or his children. If James Meharg were his father, why weren’t any of William’s children placed in his household? Why wasn’t William working on James Meharg’s farm, especially as that gentleman was getting older (by the standards of the era)? Of course, there could be any number of reasons that we would never know, but the most obvious would be that James Meharg was not William Sylvester Meharg’s father.

Setting aside Ellis’s statement that William Sylvester Meharg was Nancy Caroline Meharg Downing’s brother, all of this lends further evidence—albeit circumstantial—that William Sylvester Meharg was brother to both Nancy Caroline Meharg Downing and Mary E Meharg Sherbet, and therefore, son of Mary Y Moody and John Meharg.[56]

On 27 April 1861, “W[illiam] S Meharg” married “N[ancy] C Allison” in St Clair County, Alabama,[57] Ellis’s “Uncle Billy and Aunt Nancy Meharg” [page 16].

Again, the tally of the Meharg children:

Children of James Meharg & Mary “Polly” Autrey

1 son born early 1820s

1 daughter born early 1820s [Rebecca Meharg Kimball]

Children of John Meharg & Mary Y Moody

1 son born c1825 [William Sylvester Meharg – born c1825]

2 sons born late 1820s

1 daughter born late 1820s [Nancy Caroline Meharg Downing – b c1827]

2 daughters born early 1830s [Lucinda R Meharg Bledsoe – born 1831

& Mary E Meharg Sherbet – b 1833]

1 son born mid 1830s

However, the two other Meharg children, Mary and George, remain in the household of Mary Y and Benjamin Griffin. They must be Mary Y Moody’s grandchildren, the offspring of one of her Meharg sons. And as the evidence indicates [below], they do not appear to be the children of William Sylvester Meharg.

The 1866 Alabama State Census for Calhoun County shows the household of Benjamin Griffin next door to son Richard S Griffin and the widowed daughter Dorcas E Browning.[58] She has one daughter, while Richard S Griffin is married with two boys. Based on the ages of the individuals marked, Benjamin Griffin’s household appears to include his wife, Mary Y Moody, daughter Sarah A Griffin Varnon, son Henry Griffin, and a boy under the age of 10 who must be George Meharg. Notably absent are son Andrew Griffin (who would have been 18) and the girl Mary Meharg from the 1860 Census.

In fact, the nine-year-old Mary Meharg disappears from the records, suggesting she died, although she could have married, but this is unlikely given her age. Regardless of what became of her, the 1870 Census for Talladega County, Alabama,[59] shows the household of William Sylvester Meharg and his wife, Nancy C, with their two daughters, Manassas J [8] and Mary F [6]. Even if the Mary Meharg seen in the household of Benjamin Griffin in 1860 died, it is highly unlikely that her father would have named a second child Mary. Therefore, it is unlikely that the Mary Meharg in the 1860 Griffins household was the daughter of William Sylvester Meharg. She must be the daughter of another Meharg son. And while there is no proof at this point, Mary and George Meharg were probably siblings.

Benjamin Griffin died sometime between 1866 and 1870. His widow, Mary Y Moody Meharg Griffin, appears as the head of household in the 1870 US Census for Calhoun County, Alabama:[60]

Mary Griffin 65 F Farmer SC [Mary Y Moody Meharg Griffin]

Marion Varnon 30 M Farmer Ala [Francis Marion Varnon][61]

Sarah Varnon 26 F Housekeeper Ala [Sarah A Griffin Varnon][62]

George Maheargh 12 M Student Ala [George Arthur Meharg]

Henry Varnon 6/12 M Ala

If George Meharg were William S Meharg’s son, why was the boy still living with his grandmother and aunt rather than “at home” with his father in Talladega County? This question, combined with the assumption that George Meharg and the 1860 Mary Meharg were brother and sister, leads to the conclusion that William Sylvester Meharg was not George Meharg’s father. George’s father (as well as Mary’s) was one of Mary Y Moody’s other Meharg sons.

Coming at this problem from multiple angles, I eventually [!] uncovered the following:

As already stated, a John Meharg married a Margaret S Reed on 4 November 1849 in Benton [Calhoun] County. After that, the couple seems to disappear from the records. However, they do show up in the 1850 US Census for St Clair County:[63]

John P McHurg 21 M Farmer Ala

Margaret L[64] 20 F [GA] [Margaret L Reed Meharg]

Thus John P Meharg was born c1829 (as predicted above). Additional information on the census page shows that they had married within the past year and that John P McHurg could not read or write. Various internet sites (including family trees at genealogical sites) include Margaret L Reed among the Reeds of St Clair County and list her as a sister to Samuel Reed. I suspect someone somewhere might have a family Bible or such stating this, but as usual, no evidence is put forth for this. However, there is evidence in the 1860 US Census for St Clair County for this. While John P Meharg and Margaret L Reed Meharg once again seem to disappear from the records, a Meharg shows up in the Reed household:[65]

Samuel Reed 42 M Farmer [GA]

Eliza " 48 F House Wife [TN] [Eliza Gordon Reed]

Mary " 15 F [AL] [Mary A Reed Ash Downing][66]

James " 10 M [AL] [James F Reed]

John Maherg 8 M [AL] [John Meharg]

Whatever had happened to Margaret Reed and John P Meharg, they had left at least one child behind.

However, there are two other records of John P Meharg. He purchased two adjoining parcels of land in St Clair County.[67] One was purchased on 1 March 1858.[68] The previous purchase, though, is more interesting. It was purchased on 2 October 1854, and while John P Meharg was the buyer, it was a Bounty Land Warrant in the name of Lewis Varnon, who had served in the Georgia Militia during the Cherokee War. Lewis Varnon was also married to Mary Ann Reed, the sister of John P’s wife, Margaret L Reed. Furthermore, Lewis Varnon’s probable nephew, Francis Marion Varnon, would marry Sarah A Griffin, the daughter of Mary Y Moody and half-sister to the Mehargs [see footnote above on Francis Marion Varnon]. And in 1870, George A Meharg is found in the same house with Francis Marion Varnon and Sarah A Griffin.

Unfortunately, the erroneous belief that Margaret Reed married the elder James Meharg (rather than John P Meharg) has spread throughout the internet, thus making it difficult to find clues on the family.[69] However, I found one clue that was sourced. At FamilySearch.org, in one of their Pedigree Resource Files for the family of George Arthur Meharg, a note stated, “Mama Effie [Effie Mae Meharg Box 1898-1986] had information that her father, George, was raised by Uncle Marion and Aunt Sally Varnon.”[70] Sally, of course, is a diminutive for Sarah, and as already demonstrated, George Meharg did live with Marion and Sarah Griffin Varnon.

This family tree—with its suggestion of an oral family history—has additional information and lists George Arthur Meharg’s parents as John Meharg and Margaret Reed, with his paternal grandparents being “Meharg” and “Mary Young.” This is very unusual as all other trees I’ve seen online make the mistake of listing James Meharg as the man who married Margaret Reed on 4 November 1849 in Benton [Calhoun] County rather than John Meharg.[71]

There is, however, no clear cut proof that John Meharg and Margaret Reed were the parents of George Arthur Meharg. But this apparent oral history works in tandem with the known facts. George Meharg did live with Sarah Griffin Varnon.[72] Sarah’s mother was Mary Y Moody who did have at least three Meharg sons. The John Meharg who married Margaret Reed can be assumed to have been the son of either James Meharg or John Meharg. His age of 21 in 1850 means he was born c1829, thereby fitting nicely into the 1830 and 1840 census records for the households of John Meharg and of Benjamin Griffin but not the corresponding census records for James Meharg whose son was born in the early 1820s.

So at this point, the tally of the Meharg children is:

Children of James Meharg & Mary “Polly” Autrey

1 son born early 1820s

1 daughter born early 1820s [Rebecca Meharg Kimball]

Children of John Meharg & Mary Y Moody

1 son born c1825 [William Sylvester Meharg – born c1825]

2 sons born late 1820s [John P Meharg – born c1829

& Unknown Meharg]

1 daughter born late 1820s [Nancy Caroline Meharg Downing – bc1827]

2 daughters born early 1830s [Lucinda R Meharg Bledsoe – born 1831

& Mary E Meharg Sherbet – b1833]

1 son born mid 1830s

The only remaining known Meharg to connect is James [A] Meharg. In the 1850 census, he is shown in the household of “W[illiam] S Meharg” [see above], and that alone suggests he was probably William’s brother, and thus, the son of John Meharg and Mary Y Moody. But furthermore, James [A] Meharg’s age in that census is 16, giving him a birth year of 1834, while the 1860 census shows his age as 25, giving him a birth year of 1835. A muster roll for Co D 10th Alabama Infantry—“Alexandria Rifle Company”—lists James A Meharg’s age as 23.[73] Regardless of the exact number, his age consistently results in a birth year in the mid to late 1830s; so he cannot be the unknown Meharg son born in the early 1820s in the household of James Meharg. Therefore, James [A] Meharg can only be a son of John Meharg and Mary Y Moody.[74]

All of the children in the 1840 household of Mary Y Moody Meharg and Benjamin Griffin have been identified, with one exception; a Meharg son born in the late 1820s remains unknown.

Unfortunately, quite often in genealogy, there is never absolute proof or reason beyond a doubt. The best possibility is preponderance of the evidence. With this Meharg problem, there are bits where there is no reasonable doubt and the answers are clear. But there is also a lot of preponderance of the evidence. With that in mind, and with the full knowledge that at any moment a treasure trove of information could be discovered proving all this wrong, my conclusion is this:

Children of James Meharg & Mary “Polly” Autrey

Unknown son[75] born early 1820s

Rebecca Meharg born early 1820s

married Jacob J K Kimball

Children of John Meharg & Mary Y Moody

William Sylvester Meharg[76] born c1825

married: 1) Sarah

children: James Madison Meharg (1846-1922)

William H Meharg born c1848

B M Meharg born c1850

married: 2) Nancy C Allison

Had Issue

Nancy Caroline Meharg (c1827-1865)

married: William Patterson Downing (1824-1907)

children: Laura Downing (1857-1942)

Emma Downing Moore (1859-1909)

Mattie Morgan Downing McAdams (1861-1941)

Unknown Son born late 1820s

John P Meharg born c1829

married: Margaret L Reed

children: Mary Meharg born c1851

John Meharg born c1852

George Arthur Meharg (c1858-1931)

Lucinda Rebecca Meharg (1831-1906)

married: William C Bledsoe (c1830-1887)[77]

Had Issue

Mary E Meharg (1833-1912)[78]

married: James W Sherbet (1829-1901)[79]

Had Issue

James A Meharg (c1835-1864)

Finally, after all that brain-numbing research and figuring, I happened to be looking through Bessie Coleman Robinson’s notes from the Anniston Public Library online, and I discovered she consistently states Nancy Caroline Meharg Downing’s father was John Meharg. While I am especially cautious when it comes to these notes, I suspect this information came from Laura Downing herself.

[1] This is in the 1830 and 1840 census records, which do not include the names of household members, only the name of the head of household along with the sex and age range of other household members.

[2] Despite the few problems I’ve found in this work—given its scope, it is quite normal in this field—it is an excellent work!

[3] With such databases, it is often impossible to determine who uploaded the information originally [or when]. Much of it is without a source, citation, or documentation, with the database itself eventually becoming “the source,” no matter how erroneous the information might be.

[4] Ellis quotes a letter from Rosa S Downing Young recounting visits to Lucinda Bledsoe in Oxford, Alabama, with her half-sister Mattie [page 5]. Rosa called Lucinda “Aunt Jursie” [a mistranscription of “Lucie”?] and said she was William P Downing’s first wife’s sister and that she eventually went to Texas. The 1880 US Census of Calhoun County, Alabama, confirms that Lucinda R Meharg Bledsoe lived in Oxford. Ellis also, interestingly, states Nancy Caroline Meharg was related to the Cokers.

[5] “Alabama, Marriages, 1816-1957,” index, FamilySearch (www.FamilySearch.org).

[6] James Meharg was probably 29 at the time of this census.

[7] It is very tempting to see this as Nancy Caroline Meharg growing up next door to her future husband, William P Downing.

[8] Now married [to Sarah Willis] with two boys under the age of 5 [probably sons John and William].

[9] Her last name is transcribed as “Balzley.” I have been unable to discover her maiden name or the name of her first husband, but records indicate both she and her husband were born in Tennessee, and as their daughter Martha is shown to have been born in Tennessee, the couple probably married there. [Update: estate papers from Talladega County name Josiah Bagley as Elizabeth Bagley’s first husband, who died there in 1839. Records from Marshall County, Tennessee indicate his father was Henry C Bagley Jr. Legal papers in Calhoun County list Josiah’s children as: Wm H, Martha Creswell, Joseph P, James H, John W, Nathan S, Elizabeth Crow, and Josiah Bagley.]

[10] Given the presence of his son, Franklin Bagley, in the household of James Meharg and Elizabeth Bagley Meharg in 1871, James H Bagley was most likely Elizabeth Bagley’s son. He married Louisa Catherine Brothers, sister of Martha Adeline Brothers Downing, on 23 November 1848. [“Alabama, Marriages, 1816-1957”]

[11] Household 359, 29th subdivision. Meharg appears to be written as “Mehary,” but the handwriting in this census leaves much to be desired. James’s worth is listed as 1500.

[12] In this area of Calhoun and St Clair Counties, there was a man named Giles L Driver, probably the owner of “Driver’s Ferry” across the Coosa River. Both James Meharg and Thomas Jefferson Downing named one of their sons after him. [There are internet claims that this child was adopted.]

[13] Ranges 5, 6, & 7, page 71, household 487. The value of James Meharg’s estate is listed as $2000 in real estate and $5100 in personal estate, making him a rich man.

[14] As listed in the 1900 US Census. Other census records list his age so that his birth year is estimated as 1840.

[15] “United States Headstone Applications for U. S. Military Veterans, 1925-1949,” index and images, FamilySearch (www.FamilySearch.org). Josiah Bagley is buried at Rehoboth-Barlow Cemetery in Barlow, Copiah County, Mississippi.

[16] Incidentally, three of Thomas Jefferson Downing’s sons served in Company B of the 30th AL Inf. Josiah Bagley would have been their great uncle’s stepson, and therefore viewed as a kind of cousin.

[17] Precinct 5, page 6, household 42, Post Office Alexandria. In the wake of the war, James Meharg’s estate is now a combined $800. The family lives next door to Larkin Coker [Sr], while Elizabeth Bagley Meharg’s probable grandson, F[ranklin] S Bagley, is a child next door [Louisa Catherine Brothers Bagley died during the war, and her children were placed in various homes around the community. In a portion of her father Patton Brothers’ estate papers listing his heirs and dated 3 July 1871, it states that “F S Bagley” was residing with “Mrs Betsey Meharg.”]. Incidentally, the Mehargs are just a few doors up from Patton Brothers with Martha Adeline Brothers Downing and her sons Jack [John E], Tom [Eli Thomas], Lewis [Napoleon], and Rufus.

[18] Further census records and death records indicate Giles Driver Meharg [born Aug 1848] married Julia C Yongue and settled in Talladega County, Alabama, with his family.

[19] Beat 14, Sulphur Springs, family 7.

[20] Martha Bagley married John H Creswell on 26 April 1855 in Benton [Calhoun] County, Alabama. “Alabama, Marriages, 1816-1957,” index, FamilySearch (www.FamilySearch.org).

[21] Mary Y Moody’s middle name may have been Yonge/Young.

[22] “Alabama, Marriages, 1816-1957,” index, FamilySearch (www.FamilySearch.org).

[23] It is generally believed that John Meharg was born c1798.

[24] “Alabama, Marriages, 1816-1957,” index, FamilySearch (www.FamilySearch.org).

[25] There are 10 people in this household, but there is a smudge mark in one of the boxes. The total for the household [shown on the next page of the census] confirms there are 10 household members, not 11.

[26] While on the surface it appears impossible for these three boys to match the three boys in the previous census, it does, in fact, work: for example, a 5-year-old, a 3-year-old, and an infant in 1830 would be 15, 13, and 10 in 1840, thereby fitting into the category 10 to 15, while also meeting the category criteria in the 1830 census. Mary Y Moody Meharg had five children in less than 7 years. Furthermore, it is very common for ages to be off in census records, while these records with boxes can easily have the wrong box marked.

[27] Following the genealogical trails, it appears Dorcas Emily Griffin (1837-1915) was married three times: first in 1860 to Robert Y Browning [who can be seen on the same page as Dorcas in the 1850 Census of Benton County]. He was a member of Co A 50th AL Inf [as was Lewis S Downing] and died in the war. Second, she married Thomas Thornton in Calhoun County in 1869. And finally, in 1879, in Arkansas, she married Joseph F Martin. They both are buried in Colmensneil, Tyler County, Texas.

[28] Beat 3, Lebanon precinct, household 355. His name is transcribed as “Brick.” The information matches and reconciles with earlier census and marriage records, as well as the 1910 census record [which clearly indicates he was married twice]. He appears to have died in Lowndes County, Mississippi, on 29 June 1918 and was buried in Pickens County, Alabama, but I cannot verify this information. www.findagrave.com, which does not include a photo of his gravestone, lists his birth date as 9 June 1840.

[29] Measuring America: The Decennial Censuses from 1790 to 2000, www.census.gov/prod/2002pubs/po102marv-pt2.pdf [pg 7-8]

[30] The date appears on the last page of the census for Benton [Calhoun] County, Alabama.

[31] The 1900 US Census for St Clair County, Alabama, lists Mary E Meharg Sherbet’s birth date as January 1833.

[32] A Meharg son under the age of five had to have been born about 1835-36—thus mid-1830s. Mary Y Moody Meharg married Benjamin Griffin in 1837, and they had their first child, Dorcas, that October [see below for more]. Richard S Griffin arrived in June 1840, indicating he was conceived in September 1839. There is then, theoretically, enough time for Mary to have had another child between October 1837 and September 1839—a Griffin son under the age of 5 in 1840—who would have died before the 1850 census, but it seems unlikely when considering all of the evidence.

[33] 29th Subdivision, household 699. Benjamin E Moody, age 63, a carpenter, can be seen next door in the Mills household. I suspect the lady of that house, Malinda Mills, may have been another daughter.

[34] 28th District, household 842.

[35] 28th District, household 784.

[36] 28th District, household 846.

[37] No marriage record for Sarah and William S Meharg has been found, and as a result, her maiden name is unknown.

[38] James M Meharg’s middle name was Madison, but in his application for veteran’s benefits, he spelled his name “Mattison”—which is such a wonderful indicator of dialect! [He served in Co A 50th AL Inf, the same as Lewis S Downing. This document further lists his birth date as 11 October 1846 and that he was born in Middleton, Calhoun County, Alabama.] William H Meharg’s middle name was probably Henry.

[39] This James Meharg appears to be one and the same as the James A Meharg who died in the Civil War and is listed among the Honored Dead at the Calhoun County Confederate Memorial. According to their website, he served as a Private in Co D 10th Alabama Infantry. The Alabama Civil War Service Database adds that he was a 23-year-old farmer who enlisted at Alexandria, Calhoun County, Alabama, on 4 June 1861. He was discharged “on surgeon’s certificate” on 6 February 1862. This database often has multiple entries for the same person, and another entry for “James A Meharge” suggests he reenlisted as a Private in Co G 3rd Alabama Cavalry—Company G being made up of men from Calhoun County. He died 26 May 1864 and was buried at Finns Point National Cemetery in New Jersey, indicating he was one of the 2,500 Confederate prisoners of war who died at nearby Fort Delaware.

[40] This is not surprising given that in a simple search, the only Meharg that comes up for Benton [Calhoun] County in 1850 is Mary E Meharg, despite there being more than two-dozen Mehargs in the county—all because of spelling and transcription errors.

[41] “Alabama, Marriages, 1816-1957,” index, FamilySearch (www.FamilySearch.org). Despite the date of the marriage, in order to find it in this index, “Calhoun” County must be searched rather than Benton. This is the only record I have been able to find for Rebecca Meharg Kimball, regardless of how many variations of the names I try. As this information is an index and does not include images of the original, the spelling of Kimball may be off, as there were Kimbrells in nearby counties.

[42] The date comes from the 1900 US Census for Lamar County, Texas, which shows Lucinda living with son Albert in Petty, Texas. The Lamar County Texas Genealogy website—www.lamarcountytx.org—has an extensive database of cemetery and death records for the county. Included in their database is “Lucinda Rebecca Bledsoe,” who is recorded in “Lamar County Death Records Bk. #1, p. 135, #1398” as having died on 25 February 1906 at the age of 75 near Petty, Lamar County, Texas. She was the mother of 12 children, three of whom, Larkin, Albert, and Bart Bledsoe are all buried in Lamar County. This is all in keeping with Rosa S Downing Young’s account that Lucinda Meharg Bledsoe went to Texas.

[43] Her marriage record and at least one census record list her middle initial as R.

[44] Ranges 5, 6, & 7, post office Peaks Hill, page 48, household 327. Members of the Sherbet family live on both sides of them. Noticeably, the value of Benjamin Griffin’s estate has increased, to a combined $7000, nearly matching James Meharg’s $7,100.

[45] 8 November 1855, Calhoun County, Alabama. “Alabama, Marriages, 1816-1957,” index, FamilySearch (www.FamilySearch.org).

[46] 18 December 1850, Calhoun County, Alabama. “Alabama, Marriages, 1816-1957,” index, FamilySearch (www.FamilySearch.org). In 1860, they were living in Talladega County, Alabama, Northern Division, post office Talladega, page 42, household 255.

[47] 9 November 1852, Calhoun County, Alabama. His last name is also spelled Shurbet. “Alabama, Marriages, 1816-1957,” index, FamilySearch (www.FamilySearch.org).

[48] Ranges 5, 6, & 7, post office Peaks Hill, page 47, household 317.

[49] Ranges 5, 6, & 7, post office Alexandria, page 85, household 583. It appears to be in the town of Alexandria proper, as there are merchants and professionals listed in the other households. Mr Dickie worked in “retailing.”

[50] Ranges 5, 6, & 7, post office Alexandria, page 56, household 382. Given that both father and son are in Dickie households, I wonder if William Sylvester Meharg’s wife Sarah was a member of this family.

[51] Township 13 R 5 E [?], page 14, household 102.

[52] Greene County, Alabama, Springfield, page 92, household 706.

[53] I could not tell if this was a known fact in the family or an assumption made by the author based on the census record, as Ellis did not state how this information came down through the family, as she does with Rosa S Downing Young’s account of visiting Lucinda Meharg Bledsoe.

[54] “Alabama, County Marriages, 1809-1950,” index and images, FamilySearch (www.FamilySearch.org). James M Meharg and his family can been seen in Bibb County in the 1880 Census. As usual, transcribers mangle the name Meharg. Mrs Mary Judson Meharg later applied for a Confederate widow’s pension and stated she married him on 29 June 1870 in Bibb County. Mrs Meharg further states her husband died on 9 April 1922 in the “Bessemer area,” Jefferson County, Alabama.

[55] Ibid. The name Meharg is badly mangled by the transcribers and is variously written as “B M Mahany,” “B M Maharg,” and even “Bill Maharj.” Thankfully, an image of the original document is available for viewing, and it clearly says “B M Meharg.” I have not found any other record of B M Meharg. His wife apparently, married several times after his death in the late 1800s, and there is evidence they had a daughter, as a “M L J Meharg” married a W R Womack on 27 January 1889 in Jefferson County, Alabama. Mariah Frances Burn’s last husband seems to have been Daniel Archer Dunstan (1854-1922) and in the 1900 US Census, a “Lena Womack” and her children are living with them in Jefferson County, Alabama. Her birth date is listed as November 1873, and it appears her name at birth might have been “Mary Lena J Meharg.”

[56] With this in mind, it is tempting to imagine B M Meharg’s name was “Benjamin Moody Meharg.”

[57] “Alabama, Marriages, 1816-1957,” index, FamilySearch (www.FamilySearch.org).

[58] I suspect this census did not list heads of households but heads of family, with the result being three “families” in one house appearing to be next door to each other in the record.

[59] Township 19 Range 4 East, post office Alpine, page 10, household 80. William was working as a miller.

[60] Precinct 6, post office Peaks Hill, page 6, household 34.

[61] First name based on the Alabama death index records for both himself and his wife. “Sara Ann Varnon” died in 1926 in Millport, Lamar County. Her estimated birth year was 1846, and her parents were listed as “Benj Griffin” and “Mary Moody.” According to the Alabama death index, Francis Marion Varnon died in 1936 in Millport, Lamar County. No parents are listed for him in the index. [“Alabama, Deaths, 1908-1974,” index, FamilySearch (www.FamilySearch.org)] There is a photo of their gravestone at www.findagrave.com. It lists “F M Varnon” born 5 Jan 1842 died 25 Dec 1936 and “Sarah Griffin” “his wife” born 12 Dec 1845 died 5 Dec 1926. Francis Marion Varnon served in Co D, 10th Alabama Infantry during the Civil War.

While Francis Marion Varnon’s specific parentage is not important for this discussion, his family connections are relevant [see below]. Websites claim he was the son of Lewis D Varnon, who married Mary Ann M Reed on 2 January 1845 in St Clair County, Alabama. This, of course, would be three years after Francis Marion Varnon’s birth—not unheard of, but unlikely for the time period. Mary Ann M Reed appears to have been a sister of Samuel Reed of St Clair County [see below for more]. However, in the 1850 US Census for Benton [Calhoun] County, Alabama, Francis Marion Varnon does not appear in their household. The couple is listed in the household of John and Mary Varnon, both 93 years old and probably grandparents to Lewis Varnon [36]. Lewis and Mary Ann have three children: Martha [3], Eliza [1], and J N [an infant boy]. Instead, “F M Varnon” is found in the household of David Varnon [35], who appears to be a widower with four children: Mary [14], F M [9], J R [7], and S A [an infant girl].

In the 1860 US Census for Calhoun County [Ranges 5, 6, & 7, page 52, household 352], Marion Varnon and John Varnon appear in the household of Lewis Varnon and his wife Mary. But given their placement in the household, they are not the children of this couple. Their eldest two children, Martha [14] and Eliza [12] are consistent with the 1850 census, but the boy, J N, who would have been 10 in 1860, is missing, indicating he probably died. Six more children are listed, ranging in age from 9 to 2, before John Varnon [16] and Marion Varnon [19] are listed, indicating that while they are related to the household head, they are not his children. Both ages are consistent with “J R” and “F M” from the 1850 household of David Varnon. It appears, then, that something happened to David Varnon, and a relative, probably their uncle, Lewis Varnon, took the boys into his house.

Interestingly, the person listed next in the household is Caroline Reed, who appears to be Mary Ann Reed Varnon’s sister, as well as the sister of Samuel Reed [see below for more].

[62] Sarah A Griffin married Marion Varnon on 21 November 1868 in Calhoun County, Alabama. “Alabama, Marriages, 1816-1957,” index, FamilySearch (www.FamilySearch.org). However, their gravestone lists their marriage date as 22 November, suggesting the indexed date was the date of the license, not the marriage.

[63] District 40, Household 296. The name Meharg was transcribed as “Mc?Urg” but the image clearly shows the name McHurg. Incidentally, their neighbors on this page include the family of Allen and Mary Box, with the 6-year-old son, James Allen Box.

[64] The discrepancy between Margaret’s middle initials is probably because one way a capital S was written in script at this time looks like an L to the modern eye. It takes lots of practice to read much of the handwriting from this period. Internet sources claim her middle name was Louise, but I have not found any contemporary indication of this. [Update: she is listed as Margaret Louisa Reed in St Clair County courthouse records related to the estate of her father, James C Reed, and the guardianship of his children, 1845. Also listed are her siblings, including Samuel Reed and “May Anny Varnon.”]

[65] Townships 14 & 15, post office Trout Creek, page 49, household 414. Samuel Reed’s combined estate value is $12,000.

[66] This is the same Mary A Reed Ash who later married William P Downing—whose first wife was Nancy Caroline Meharg, the daughter of Mary Y Moody and John Meharg. Eliza Gordon Reed was Mary A Reed’s stepmother. Ellis [20] mentions the presence of a John Meharg in the household and that he was the son of “Margaret Louise Reed” and John Meharg with the conclusion he was somehow related to the Meharg family but does not clarify the relationship.

[67] General Land Office Records, www.glorecords.blm.gov

[68] The name is transcribed as John L Meharg, but the original document shows a very stylized P and as well as a straight-forward P further below on the document.

[69] While I discourage people from using undocumented family trees found on the internet, they can be a good source for clues.

[70] “Pedigree Resource File,” database, FamilySearch (http.//familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.2.1/9459-1HS:accessed 2013-12-29), entry for George Arthur Meharg, submitted by pbjohnson2767992.

[71] This is a remarkable mistake given that census records clearly show James Meharg married to the same woman, Elizabeth Bagley, from 1850 to 1870, with Elizabeth as a widow in 1880. Yet time and time again, personal family trees online erroneously show James Meharg with three wives—Polly Autrey, Elizabeth Bagley, and Margaret Reed.

[72] And there is a connection between the Varnon family and John P Meharg.

[73] The same regiment and company in which Francis Marion Varnon served.

[74] As a result, the date of death for John Meharg can be narrowed down to between c1834 and April 1837. This, however, presents another problem. Mary Y Moody’s next child after James A Meharg, Dorcas E Griffin Browning Thornton Martin, was born in October 1837 [according to her gravestone in Tyler County, Texas, and the 1900 US Census for Limestone County, Texas, where she is listed as D E Martin]. Mary Y Moody Meharg married Benjamin Griffin on 9 April 1837, which means Mary was two months pregnant at the time of her marriage—a not unheard-of situation, even in that era. But without knowing the exact date of John Meharg’s death, it leaves open the possibility that Dorcas was his biological child, as historically, a woman’s husband at the time of her child’s birth was legally the child’s father. This conjures images of Benjamin Griffin proposing to a grieving pregnant widow surrounded by seven children, which seems insensitive to the modern mind, but was in fact rather practical once upon a time.

[75] Purely in the realm of speculation…. The book The Story of Iron and Coal in Alabama by Ethel Armes [1910] lists the names of men who hauled pig iron from the foundry at Morrisville and then down the Coosa River—extremely dangerous work. Among the names are “Louis[sic] Meharg” and “I Meharg.” My assumption has been that “I Meharg” was a typo for “J Meharg”—either James or John. But “I Meharg” could have been this unknown son of James Meharg, or even the unknown son of John Meharg. Both are of the right age to have done this work. [See page 210]

[76] The middle name of Sylvester is based on his son’s Alabama death record.

[77] William C Bledsoe’s death supposedly occurred in Oxford, Calhoun County, Alabama, on 15 June 1887, but I cannot confirm this or locate the original source for this information. It is unusually specific.

[78] Mary E Meharg’s middle name was probably Elizabeth but I cannot verify it. It is my understanding that she died in St Clair County in 1912, but I have not found a record of this.

[79] James W Sherbet’s middle name may have been Washington. His birth year is based on the 1900 census, and it appears the original source for the date of his death [21 February 1901] is the 6 March 1901 edition of the Southern Aegis newspaper published out of Ashville, St Clair County, Alabama, but I have not independently verified this.