A Genealogical Odyssey
Martha Ledford
June 6, 1850
July 4, 1920
Gone but not forgotten
Martha Ledford was the daughter of David and Sarah Matilda (Ballew) Carpenter and the wife of James Wesley Ledford. She was buried in the Coweeta Baptist Church Cemetery, Macon Co., NC, near her parents and husband.
Last week, I briefly discussed documentation for John Ledford’s date of death. The conflicts between the information presented in various records pertaining to John’s death were fairly easy to resolve. His wife’s date of birth presents a much stickier situation.
Today is the 120th anniversary of the death of my great-great-great grandfather, John Ledford.
John Ledford
Mar 1 1822
Apr 1 18941
Given the date on his tombstone, y’all probably think I’ve gone ’round the bend, but no, I haven’t. (Not yet, anyway.)
Ned Cohen Burrell
1917 – 1973
US Army, World War II
Edgar Calhoun “Johnny” Ledford
1954 – 2000
US Navy
Lake Randolph Ledford
1905 – 1980
US Navy, World War II
Thad J. Watson Sr.
1921 – 1944
US Army Air Corps, World War II
Oh, the dreaded brick wall ancestor, the bane of every genealogist’s life! We all have them, those ancestors who refuse to cooperate and instead prefer to lurk just out of reach of our inquisitive minds. Luckily for us (not so much for the lurking ancestors), there are plenty of tricks to help researchers break down those brick walls. Here are four useful techniques:
The writing on the back is in pencil. The back is torn across the first word, which looks like it may have been Mama, then the writing continues “& daddy”. Below that, someone (possibly me) wrote very lightly in a different hand “Ruth Ledford”. I believe this photo may instead be of Edith Anderson (Ruth’s sister) and her first husband. Anyone who can clarify, please do so.
Ruth (Anderson) Ledford with a gentleman who may have been one of her brothers. Under the Black Walnut tree in front of her home.
