Nancy's Notebook

Of elusive relatives

Want to find: parents and/or siblings' descendants of Margaret Collier (my paternal grandfather's mother)

Known facts:
  1. Copy of page from Cleere Family Bible shows that C. E. Cleere & S. M. (given name is Sarah Margaret) were married August 31, 1865 (not known where, *notation says this is his 2nd marriage)  ** New info found:  C. E. Cleeve (misread by ancestry.com) & Sarah M. Collier married August 26, 1865 in Cherokee Co. TX. --source Marriage Book D2, Page 334 of Cherokee Co. TX (The day conflicts with that listed in Cleere Family Bible.)
  2. Listed in June 17/18, 1880 Census of Freestone Co. TX as Sarah A. Clear , age 34 b: (c1846), AL, Father b: SC, Mother b: NC; with husband, Neal Clear and four children.
  3. Named youngest daughter, Margaret Bell who was called "Maggie". (thought Margaret's mother's given/maiden name might have been Bell)
  4. Son, Washington Lee Cleere's death certificate lists mother as Margaret Collier
Looking for a Collier family living in either AL (Lawrence Co.?) or TX (Freestone Co.?) around 1865 that could be her family. **Pretty sure her parents are Isham Collier and Martha Ann Allison.

Want to find: parents and/or siblings' descendants of Benjamin McNeil/McNeal (my paternal grandmother's father)

Known facts:

1. Copy of page from Effie Lee McNeil/McNeal Cleere's Bible which lists:
2. Benjamin M. McNeil b: December 7, 1843 married 2nd wife Indiana Jane Ingram b: May 13, 1855 (AR) on October 29, 1874 (Johnson Co. TX) . 1st wife was S. F. C. (no name given, believe Susan) b: August 1, 1844, they married January 12, 1865. This was S. F. C.'s 2nd marriage, she had previously been married to William W. Williams. S. F. C. d: May 21, 1872.

   Benjamin & S. F. C. McNeil had two children:
  • H. M. b: November 5, 1866 (believe that H. M. is Henry McNeil)
  • B. H. b: August 8, 1869. (believe that B. H. is "BIRD" McNeil)

    Benjamin & Indiana Jane Ingram McNeil had three children:
  • Mary Elizabeth b: August 31, 1875 (believe died young; before 1880 census)
  • Thomas Benjamin b: July 15, 1877 (believe died young; before 1880 census)
  • Effie Lee b: December 14, 1878 (Montague Co. TX).
3. Indiana Jane Ingram McNeil's 2nd marriage was to Tom M. (Mayberry) Hancock b: December 6, 1853. They married October 3, 1880 (in Johnson Co. TX).
    Indiana & Tom Hancock had five children:
  • Thomas Edward "ED" b: March 7, 1882
  • MATTIE Pearl b: August 27, 1884
  • William Soloman b: February 8, 1887
  • Ava LOLA b: July 22, 1893
  • Lawrence Bertram "BERTIS" b: July 14, 1896.

4. June 11, 1880 Census of Johnson Co. TX lists I. McNeil and daugher, Effie living with Indiana's parents, Soloman & Elizabeth Ingram. Also shows that Effie Lee's father (Benjamin) was born in AR.
5. June 5, 1880 Census of Montague Co. TX has Bird McKneal age 9, born AR, listed with uncle, John McKneal. (Since Bird was living with his uncle and Indiana & Effie were living with Indiana's parents, although listed as married--it would seem that Benjamin was deceased by early June of 1880) Check TX counties, Johnson/Montague & AR for records of McNeil/McNeal/McKneall. Listed both ways in Bible and odd way in census.

Want to find: parents and/or siblings' descendants of Elizabeth C. Paine (my paternal grandmother's mother)

Known facts:
1. June 11, 1880 Census of Johnson Co. TX lists E.; age 50; b: NC; as are her parents; wife of S. Ingram . Four children plus three grandchildren are listed:
  • Aminda (Amanda?); 18, dtr.; b: AR
  • Sol ; 8; son; b: TX
  • M. Stevens ; 30; dtr.; widowed or divorced; b: GA
  • Fannie Stevens ; 4; grdtr.; b: TX; f-GA; m-GA
  • Z. Hancock ; 8; grdson; b: TX; f-GA; m-GA
  • I. McNeel ; 27; dtr.; married; b: AR
  • Effie McNeel ; 1; grdtr.; b: TX; f-AR; m-AR
2. June 18, 1900 Census of Comanche Co. TX lists Elizabeth b: Aug. 1830 in NC; both parents born there. Wife of Solomon Ingram b: May 1826 in GA; both parents born there. Mother of fifteen (15) children; 7 living. Their grandson, Green F. (Franklin) Ingram was living with them at time of census.
3. Double tombstone in Union Cemetery, Gustine, Comanche, TX with husband shows that Elizabeth was born Aug. 14, 1829; Solomon was born May 24, 1826. From the Census records this family lived in GA, AR, & Johnson/Comanche Co.TX.