THEORY OF ANCESTRAL ORIGIN

THEORY OF ANCESTRAL ORIGIN
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Charles Henry Davis

Columbia Jane Shifflett Herring

Virginia Ann (Ginnie) Wood

submitted by Laban West (landswest@yahoo.com) 23 Feb 1999, revised Jun 2002

This writing reflects on an ancestral puzzle that I have been working on for quite some time. It involves the origin of Charles Henry Davis b.4 Nov 1851 and his spouse, Columbia Jane b.13 Aug 1855; Also, the origin of Virginia Ann (Ginnie) Wood b.17 Sep 1864 (spouse of George Miner Shifflett). I believe, as I will speculate, that the origin of these three are closely related through the unfortunate activity of birthing children out of wedlock, which makes genealogical research and proper documentation a real challenge. Based on some factual information and much circumstantial evidence, I feel there is a strong case to be made for what I believe to be the “probable truth” regarding this matter. 

I have come to my present conclusions after many hours of viewing family and vital records and talking personally to relatives (many of which are now deceased). I am not “locked” iin to this theory. I present it to those who may be descendant from the primary subjects, and to others who are interested in finding out about this particular ancestral line(s). I welcome any additional information that would shed new light on this subject. I also welcome anyone to disagree with my findings and upon further analysis will be open to revising my conclusions if need be. I will not mention the names of living relatives from whom I have obtained a verbal record. Most of them will be referred to only as relatives, older relatives, etc. 

I begin with the following documented information. According to the death certificate of Charles Henry Davis, his father was Edd Shifflett and his mother was Mary Wood. So, where did the name Davis come from? I have heard very little information from family members as to the reason for the Davis name. What little I did hear included the possibility of his being orphaned, or adopted into the Davis family. I have not found any supporting information to bear this out. 

Regarding Columbia Jane: Her maiden name, as listed on the death certificate of her daughter Ella Jane Davis, is Columbia Jane Herring. Contrary to this, her maiden name, as listed on the death certificate of her son J. Warren Davis is Jane Shifflett. Other similar supporting document's only have her maiden name listed as Columbia or Columbia Jane (?). 

Moving to Virginia Ann (Ginnie), spouse of George Miner Shifflett: Her maiden name on her marriage record is Ginnie Ann Wood, with her father listed as Joseph Wood and her mother listed as Mary ?.Ê Other records from other Davis siblingsÊ reflect similar information regarding Virginia. 

Now to the verbal evidence. George Davis, deceased son of Charles, stated several years ago that Charles was originally a Shifflett and that he was orphaned during the Civil War. This seems to coincide with the Edd Shifflett on the death record. Relatives have also indicated to Cathy Phillips, whose submissions appear on the Shiflet website, that Edd Shifflett was the father of both Charles and Andrew Jack. I have no other information on this Edd. Also have not been able to locate a marriage record for Edd and Mary. I have talked to two different relatives who both indicate that the mother of Charles was Mary Wood. Another relative stated, “A couple of men came through the community in a wagon and Mary Wood took up with one of them.....Joseph Wood. The other man may have been a Davis”. This statement, although ambiguous, may indicate how Mary met Joseph and became a Wood. 

Now, regarding Mary Wood: I believe that Mary Wood is listed in the 1850 Rock Co. census (pg.189) as Mary Davis, age 21, daughter of Francis Davis. In the 1860 Rock Co. census (pg.321) she is found as Mary Wood, age 24, spouse of Joseph Wood, with a son Charles, age 9. The census age of Charles agrees with his birth year. I know there is a considerable discrepancy in the census ages of Mary 1850/1860. This is not unusual in that I have found numerous other such discrepancies that were a result of mis-information, etc. According to Cathy Phillips, the marriage record of Mary Davis and Joseph Wood indicate Leonard and Francis Davis as Mary's parents. Another piece of evidence that connects Mary to her mother is reflected in the appearance of Mary Wood (without Joseph Wood) in the 1870 Rock Co. census (page 98) next to Fanny Davis (Francis), with Charles, age 16, still in Mary's household. Along with Charles are Jackson, 14, and Joseph, age 12. A number of older relatives have personally told me that Charles, Jackson, and Joseph were half brothers. SEVERAL relatives have told me that Joseph (age 12 above) was the only legitimate child of Joseph and Mary Wood. Therefore, I believe that it is reasonable to assume, from the information at hand, that Charles was conceived outside of marriage by Edd Shifflett and Mary "Davis", hence later hetook the name Davis instead of Shifflett. One additional fragment of evidence that supports this assumption is that in the 1880 Rock Co. census (pg. 346) Mary A is listed as a Davis (not Wood), age 39, HH, with Andrew J(ackson), age 21, Joseph, age 17, and Ginnie A, age 15. This brings me to the discussion of Virginia Ann (Ginnie) Wood. 

Virginia was born in 1864 but does not show up in the 1870 Rock Co. census in Mary Wood's HH along with Charles, Andrew Jack, and Joseph. I do not know what happened to her in the 1870 census. There is a Virginia, age 6, in a surname Lamb HH. Lamb has never been mentioned in our family discussions.......and I have no other supporting information involving the Lamb surname. Virginia does appear in the 1880 census in Mary A. Davis (Wood) HH with Andrew Jack, Joseph, and a Mary J, age 11 also known as "Skrimp". According to a number of "older" relatives who lived in different areas, and were conversed with at different times, Ginnie Ann's Father was George Herring and her mother was Mary Wood. Her marriage record indicates Joseph and Mary Wood as parents but I do not believe Joseph to be the true father. It would be likely that Ginnie and her husband thought, at the time of their marriage, that Joseph was her father hence the name Joseph on the marriage record. Interestingly enough, in this 1880 census, Mary A. Davis is living next to none other than George Herring, & wife Margaret w/children. As I have previously stated, relatives have indicated to me that Joseph Wood (Jr) was the only legitimate offspring of Mary Wood and Joseph Wood.Ê Another strong piece of evidence connecting Mary and George is the 1880 marriage license of Andrew Davis and Julia Lawson.Ê This record shows the parents of Andrew as George Herring and Mary Davis. 

According to my mom, some older relatives, including her mother...when she (my mom) was younger, were very hesitant and unwilling to talk about how folks were related. Mom has told me on several occasions that every time she would bring up the subject of who “grandma's” father was, her mom would somehow change the subject. It was all kind of “hush..hush” talk. 

Lastly, we have the origin of Columbia Jane to deal with. As I stated previously, Columbia's maiden name was listed on one document as Shifflett and on another document as Herring. I believe they are BOTH correct. Relatives have indicated to me that Columbia's father was George Herring. The 1860 & 1870 Rock Co. census both have Mary Shifflett, HH, with a Jane, age 8 & 15 respectively. This Mary Shifflett is listed next to George Herring & family. (This Mary not to be confused with Mary Davis Wood (mother of Charles and Virginia) who also lived next to George Herring in 1880). I also believe that this Mary Shifflett is the same as Mary Ann Lawson Shifflett (spouse of Kennel Shifflett & d/o John & Eva Lawson) found on the Shifflett website and in the Shiflet book. Kennel and Mary had a son, Theophilus, who is found with Jane in the Mary Shifflett HH, 1860 Rock Co. census. By the 1870 census, Theophilus is also listed next to George Herring & family. Eva Lawson, age 80 (Mary Ann's mother), was next to Theophilus. I have not found any evidence to indicate that Kennel was the father of Columbia Jane. One interesting note........I have a letter, written (late 50's) by my Aunt, a granddaughter of Columbia Jane. In it she states that George Herring was Columbia's father and that a Polly Kennel was Columbia's mother. I was always baffled by the name Polly Kennel until just recently when I observed on page 152M in the Larry/Barbara Shifflett book, Mary Shifflett (above) is referred to as Mary (Polly) Ann Lawson, spouse of Kennel. It then occurred to me that Columbia's granddaughter may have been referring to Mary (Polly), spouse of Kennel Shifflett when she wrote in her letter the name Polly Kennel.Ê Is it possible that my Aunt got the names mixed up? This piece of the puzzle finally seemed to fit!

CONCLUSIONS:

1. I believe that Columbia Jane's parents were George Herring and Mary Ann (Lawson) Shifflett.
   
2. I believe that the parents of Charles Davis were Edd Shifflett and Mary Wood.
   
3. I believe that Virginia Ann (Ginnie)'s parents were George Herring and Mary Wood.
4. 
   

SUPPORTING RELATIVE INFORMATION (VERBAL RECORD): Relative's have also told me:

1. that Noah & Jake (sons of George Herring & Margaret) were half brothers to Ginnie;
   
2. that Skrimp (Mary J) was fathered by George Herring;
   
3. that Skrimp and Ginnie were sisters;
   
4. that Joe Wood (Jr), Ginnie, Charles, Andrew Jack, and Skrimp were half brothers & sisters;
   
5. that Joe Wood's half brothers were Noah and Jake Herring;
   
6. that Granny Wood (Mary A. Davis) and George Herring had produced a number of children;
   
7. that Noah & Jake Herring and Columbia Jane were brother & sister (probably half)
   
8. and that Charles and Andrew Jack were full brothers.
   
   

My mom and I both remember Moses James Shifflett (son of Ginnie and George Miner Shifflett) speaking of a Herring being the father of either Ginnie or Columbia Jane or possibly both. All of this verbal information supports my conclusion. 

SUPPORTING ROCK CO. CENSUS INFORMATION:

1850: Mary Davis was living with her mother Francis in the 1850 Rock Co. census. About 16 families away on page 188 of this same census, George Herring was living next to John and Eve Lawson. Next to them was Mary (Lawson) Shifflett, HH (dau. of John and Eve Lawson). Mary's children are Matilda, 13, Theophilus, 9, Eve, 11, Henry, 7, Male, 5, and Scott, 2. Next to Mary Shifflett is Theophilus Lawson her brother. 

1860: Mary Davis is living with her husband Joseph Wood. Further down the census line, Mary Lawson Shifflett is living next to George Herring and wife Margaret. Two households from George & Margaret is Eva Lawson, age 75. In the Herring HH was an infant daughter. Children in the Mary Lawson Shifflett HH are Matilda, 23, Theophilus, 21, Eva, 19, White, 16, Mary, 14, Francis, 9, and Jane, age 8. 

1870: Mary (Lawson) Shifflett, with children (Matilda, 30; Eva, 28; Mary, 20; Fanny, 18; and Jane, 15), is still living next to George Herring and wife Margaret. Theophilus Shifflett is next to George, and Eve Lawson, age 80, is next to Theophilus Shifflett. Down the census line, as stated previously, Mary Wood is living next to Fanny Davis. Children in Mary Wood's house are Charles, Jackson, and Joseph.
1880: In successive households are.....

1. George Herring and wife Margaret;
   
2. Mary Davis with children....Andrew J(ackson), Joseph, Ginnie A., and Mary J(Skrimp);
   
3. Mary A. (Lawson) Shifflett, HH, with Matilda, age 40, Eva J, age 36, Mollie E, age 10, William J, age 8, Ambrose W, age 6, John, age 3, and Nancy, age 3. (Ambrose was the son of Eve. The other children were born to Matilda or Eve.) 

1. 4.   Charles H. Davis and wife Columbia J. with children, Ella J and Warren. 
2. 
   

1. SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS (found on Shifflett Website) 

1. [http://www.shiflett-klein.com]

Land Deed: George Herring and Margaret his wife, Mary A. Shifflet (widow) and Mary A. Wood (widow) dividing their interest (all eight shares) in the John Lawson dec'd tracts of land. 15 Feb 1880 Rockingham Deed Book? page? 

Land Deed: Mary A. Wood to George M. Shifflett & Virginia A. Shifflett his wife, 21 May 1901, Rockingham Co. Deed Book ?, p. 546

1.