Need help fixing Colonial American trees? Post it here!

Started by Erica Howton on Sunday, September 2, 2018
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Jean (or Jane) McNitt could use some curator intervention.

She's been merged 23 times and the data conflicts have never been processed, and it seems there is a fair amount of variation on the data,. As well, her timeline has a marriage to another husband in the middle of her children being born, and one child was born 50 years before her. She died at age 90, from childbirth.

Private User - did what I could to clean up the Thomas Woodard, II tree.

And thanks to Private User for adding Thomas Woodard’s Rev. War pension application.

Thanks Erica Howton (and all who helped)

My pleasure, and thank you Erica Howton for adding him to the appropriate projects.

I could really use a hand. I'm trying to connect my fifth great grandfather, John Runyon, to the world of Runyon's in New Jersey in the 1700s. I think he's connected to a Joseph Runyon, as detailed in the profile. But I see four possible Joseph Runyon's, which couldn't be right. I'm struggling to combine profiles if possible and find the right connection. Help!

Joseph Runyon
Joseph Runnion
Joseph Runyon
Joseph Runyon

Possible relationships:

Jeremy Austin Kaplan - What sources are on the Family Search profile for John Runyon? Do they have sources for his parents?
Unfortunately, New Jersey is an area where I am very weak. (And I do have some relatives from there.)

There's a robust profile from 1800 and on, Emily Kent Marget. He was married in 1808 in Fayette, and the certificate reveals his wife's father's name: Anthony Stout. But there's almost nothing about birth, or the will of Joseph Runyon's father. :-/

Erica Howton thank you!

I thought i could fic this and then I got lost https://www.geni.com/merge/compare/6000000207741819524?return=dupli... - - - -Joshua Holmes

Cynthia Curtis, A183502, US7875087 - also did what I could around Henrich 'Henry' Sellen & his two known wives, Mary Sellen & Margaret Sellen who had been smash-merged together.

William Owen "Bill" Irwin

Merging and cleanup done around Joshua Holmes

Erica Howton you are the BEST.. Thanks for what you do.......

Moses Neal Lee

There's something not right with this profile. He was in 1726 and his wives were born in 1760, 1762, and 1767.

I think his birth year is just transposed, but does he really have 3 wives? From looking at the revisions, it looks like it's been a problem for a long time.

https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/L24Y-HKY

*addendum

Two wives, I didn't finish this merge, in case any other merging needs to be undone.

https://www.geni.com/merge/compare/6000000012244362960?return=dupli...

JC: There seems to be a 'smurging' of info on a Moses Lee of NY and a different Moses Lee of SC (with DNA relationship to some Lee's in VA).

The FamilySearch info is similarly confused, with NY 'sources' (such as they are) attached to a southern colony Moses Lee.

I didn't spend much time on it, but made a first stab at starting to separate them (both here & on FS).

The 1726 / 1762 transposition seems to have been copied around, too.

I feel it these recent changes to this American Revolutionary soldier (a colonel) should be reported as vandalism, but I don't want to be the one to do that.

One of his wives was disconnected, and her children assigned to the other wife, with no explanation or proof given for support.

Colonel William Bowyer

https://www.geni.com/merge/view?revision_id=86198464310

_______________________________

1. Col. William Bowyer was disconnected from his wife Margaret Ann Bowyer (Lewis) and children Peter G. Bowyer, Mary Fleming (Bowyer), Luke Henry Bowyer, Priscillia Bowyer and 1 other by Matthew Lee Richey 🏴

2. Peter G. Bowyer was disconnected from his parent Margaret Ann Collard McClanahan (Lewis) and siblings Mary Fleming (Bowyer), Luke Henry Bowyer, Priscillia Bowyer and Matilda Bowyer by Matthew Lee Richey 🏴.

3. Capt. William Christian Bowyer was disconnected from his parent Margaret Ann Collard McClanahan (Lewis) and siblings Mary Fleming (Bowyer), Luke Henry Bowyer, Priscillia Bowyer and Matilda Bowyer by Matthew Lee Richey 🏴.

4. Luke Henry Bowyer was disconnected from his parent Margaret Ann Collard McClanahan (Lewis) and siblings Mary Fleming (Bowyer), Priscillia Bowyer, Matilda Bowyer and Strother Bowyer by Matthew Lee Richey 🏴.

5. Mary Fleming was merged into Mary Fleming (Bowyer) by Matthew Lee Richey 🏴.

6. <private> Richey  was added as a manager of Mary Fleming (Bowyer

7. Mary Fleming (Bowyer) was disconnected from her parent Margaret Ann Collard McClanahan (Lewis) and siblings Priscillia Bowyer, Matilda Bowyer, Strother Bowyer and Peter Boyer by Matthew Lee Richey 🏴.

8. Priscilla Bowyer was added as Col. William Bowyer's daughter by Matthew Lee Richey 🏴.

9. Mary Fleming (Bowyer)'s profile was updated by Matthew Lee Richey 🏴. birth

10. Leonard Israel Fleming, Sr. and Mary Fleming (Bowyer)'s marriage was updated by Matthew Lee Richey 🏴. marriage

11. Malinda Bowyer was added as Priscilla Bowyer's sister by Matthew Lee Richey 🏴.

12. Strother Bowyer was added as Priscilla Bowyer's brother by Matthew Lee Richey 🏴

13. Col. William Bowyer and Elizabeth Starke Bowyer (Christian)'s marriage was updated by Matthew Lee Richey 🏴. marriage

14. Col. William Bowyer and Elizabeth Starke Bowyer (Christian)'s marriage was updated by Matthew Lee Richey 🏴. marriage

15. Lt. Henry Bowyer was disconnected from his parents Col. William Bowyer and Elizabeth Starke Bowyer (Christian) and siblings Peter G. Bowyer, Malinda Bowyer, Priscilla Bowyer and Mary Fleming (Bowyer) by Matthew Lee Richey 🏴

16. <private> Richey  was removed as a manager of Mary Fleming (Bowyer) by Matthew Lee Richey 🏴.

All of the above (and possibly more that I may have missed, was done about 10-11 hours ago. I found it because I manage Mary Fleming and she now has an incomprehensible data conflict on her profile.

https://services.dar.org/Public/DAR_Research/search_adb/?action=ful...

WikiTree has all of his children as those of the wife (Margaret Lewis) who was disconnected. However DAR has his children with both wives. WikiTree also shows Margaret's first marriage to John Breckenridge McClanahan.

The colonel's WikiTree profile has extensive notes and references with sources cited.

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Boyer-1095

This next source simply verifies that Col. William Christian and William Fleming ("the latter had married the sister of the former") were brothers-in-law; and that the Bowyer, Christian, Fleming, and Breckenridge families all knew one another.

https://archive.org/details/augusta-county-historical-society-bulle...

https://archive.org/details/augusta-county-historical-society-bulle...

Although it says William Fleming married Col. William Christian's "sister" let us keep in mind that she very well could have been his step-sister.

I can't imagine where "Collard" came from, or the change in death location from Virginia to Kentucky, but here is the now isolated, disconnected wife with her children.

Margaret Ann Bowyer

The following notes are revisions and extensions of the State of Virginia Michael Bowyer family— the surname is found spelled “Boyer” on documents in the hands of some descendants as reported by Frank S. Bowyer, of Albuquerque, New Mexico.

B (4) Colonel William Bowyer was bom in 1734 and died in 1805.

His second wife, Margaret Anne Lewis, had been the widow of Thomas McClenahan of Staunton, Va.

She was bom July 5, 1751; died 1834, the daughter of Thomas Lewis and wife Jane Strother (dau. of William Strother of Tidewater, Va.).

Margaret Anne Lewis was the granddau. of John Lewis (bom 1678 in Ireland; died Feb. 1, 1762; founder of Staunton, Va.) and wife Margaret Lynn (bom July 3, 1693; died 1773), daughter of the Laird of Loch Lynn.

The maiden name of Israel Christian’s wife was Elizabeth Stark. Priscilla (Mrs. John Miller) also had a son, Fleming Bowyer Miller.

Staunton Court records show that bond papers of Colonel William were signed by his brother, General John.

https://archive.org/details/americanboyersby00boye_0/page/n12/mode/...
________________________________________

As I write for Virginians and the descendants of Virginians, who are curious in tracing the origin of the settlers of Kentucky and other Southern States, it may be well enough to say that Isaac Christian had one son, William, mentioned in the text, who married a sister of Patrick Henry, and left several daughters, who married in Kentucky : Anne, who married Colonel Fleming; Rose, who married Judge ("aleb Wallace, of Kentucky ; Mary, who married Colonel Stephen Trigg ; Elizabeth, who married Colonel William Bowyer, of Botetourt ; and Priscilla, who died early. Fleming, Trigg, and Christian counties in Kentucky were called after the brothers-in-law.

https://archive.org/details/historyvirginia01griggoog/page/n48/mode...
________________________________________

The Bowyers were fully written up in the Rockbridge County News, July 26, 1923.

[The Rockbridge County News was a weekly; I didn't see an issue with that specific date on it and couldn't find the referenced article.]

B (4) COLONEL WILLIAM BOWYER, s. of Michael, died in 1808 at Staunton, Augusta County, Virginia. Lieutenant Colonel of Augusta Militia in active service. High Sheriff of Augusta County after the war, also Justice of the Peace.

1) Married Elizabeth, daughter of Israel Christian, and after her death,

2) Margaret, daughter of Thomas Lewis.

Children:

1. Priscilla, wife of a Mr. Madison, and later of Captain John Miller. She had a daughter, Mrs. Julia Hudson, Denver, Colorado.

2. Mary, wife of Leonard Fleming.

3. William C., m. sister of Nathaniel Burwell: children, but no living descendants.

4. Strother.

5. Luke Henry.

6. Peter G.

7. Malinda.

https://archive.org/details/americanboyersby00boye/page/2/mode/2up?...
______________________________________

There was a Lt. Col. William Bowyer who died June 12, 1808, in Barbados; and I just wonder if their death dates may have been conflated. I don't think they're the same person, but idk.

https://archive.org/details/s2492id1330035/page/748/mode/2up?q=%22c...

I'm not saying it was intentional. But I do think some changes were at least misguided, made in haste without enough consideration of the known facts, and perhaps a little reckless. Which effectively, technically, kind of butchered that branch.

That's how it looks from my standpoint, anyway. But that's why I'm asking for help with this.

The Bowyer family is featured in a genealogical column in a 1905 issue of the Times-Dispatch (Richmond, VA); however it only confirms William Bowyer's two wives and that he died in Staunton, VA.

https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85038615/1905-08-06/ed-1/...

Erica Howton I don't usually pay too much attention to other posts, but I happened to take notice of Henrich 'Henry' Sellen

This merge looks questionable. https://www.geni.com/merge/view?revision_id=84109786120

Private User i think although I am not certain it was a good merge, and that Soelle was one of the alternative names for Zellen / Sellen.

The tree is now well merged and sourced and it would take some pain to undo merge, particularly with no source. So, if there is in fact evidence for a different Soelle, I would prefer to recreate the parents.

Private User - Bowyer / Lewis took me on a bit of a Geni ride!

Could use more efforts of the Col.’s parents. One reference had them as Michael Bowyer, Sr. & Elizabeth Bowyer so I added her, but didn’t move over any other siblings. Especially Col. John Bowyer who ripped off his wife’s property. !!

I’ve straightened out Colonel William Bowyer 1st wife Elizabeth Starke Bowyer & her children, Priscilla Miller & Mary Fleming & locked relationships.

I detached the extraneous children (two Peter Boyer / Bowyers) who didn’t belong. I linked Margaret Ann Bowyer to her 1st husband, John Breckenridge McClanahan (he needs adding to his parents), and re linked Margaret to her parents, Honorable Thomas Lewis & Jane Lewis Her children are all referenced now and have biographies. I cleaned out all the Gedcom junk in the “abouts.”

And that explains the disconnect, because the Collards (and FindAGrave https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/268773615/margaret_ann_collard) show wife of Joseph Collard as

Daughter of Thomas and Jane Lewis.
Wife of unknown Kennedy, Thomas McClanahan and Joseph Collard.
Children: Abigail, Elijah Simmons, Charles, John James, Margaret, Lewis, Isaac Newton , Joseph J., Mary "Polly", and James Collard.

Which woman is possible with these marriages. But I do not think she was the daughter of Thomas & Jane Lewis - and the Collard studies I’ve read so far just say “it’s possible.”

They did have 13 children. Maybe further study into “Irish John” Lewis can settle the question. Meanwhile, I’m curating her as parentless.

Thank you, Erica. I know you're busy so I'll check back again later on today. I just noticed a few completely isolated profiles from this group but I'm sure you'll catch them before I even have a chance to list all of them here, because you're way quicker than me. Here's one of them, but I lost track of the others for now:

Lt. Henry Bowyer

Yeah, the Bowyers are an interesting family and some of them must have been the talk of the town. Yesterday I kept finding newspaper articles about scandals they were involved in, lol. One was about a Dr. Bowyer who got arrested for something. Oh I remember: He came out of his house and hollered at a passerby to apologize for insulting one of his lady guests. The fellow refused and told him to come outside and settle it man to man. Well the Dr. picked up some sort of club and broke a few bones. I don't remember if the guy survived, but I would say he lost that match.

The other was a Henry Bowyer on trial for walking into the bank and shooting down his daughter's paramour, pretty much in cold blood. I have no idea how that all turned out, but the latter case took up the front page of more than one newspaper issue (around 1858 in I think Staunton).

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