Whew! So many connections lately. It's hard to keep up with all the information to which new correspondents have given me access. What a great problem to have! Thank you, all.
Most of the new connections have been with the family of Susan McKinney, middle name probably Elizabeth. Susan was the eighth or ninth child of John P. McKinney and Mary Ann Green. About John P. & Mary:
John P. (always with a "P" to distinguish him from other John McKinneys) born about 1811 in South Carolina (various censuses) and Mary Ann Green/Greene born about 1822 in North Carolina, probably in the Pitt/Martin County area. (Ongoing research at Ancestry.com)
About Susan:
Susan Elizabeth McKinney was born in September 1856 (1900 Census) in Alabama, probably Bibb County. The 1860 US Census for AL lists her in the household of J. P. McKinney, along with mother Mary and siblings Mary, Josephine, Nancy, Early A(braham), John, (Sarah) Ellen, and Annetta (Nettie). They live near the Six Mile P.O. Oldest sister Martha is already married and out of the house. As her father is a tradesman (mechanic), it's likely that he's working at the Six Mile forge owned by Johnathan Newton Smith or as part of the new blast furnace team.
https://www.brierfieldironworks.org/history-of-bibb-furnace-beginnings/
There are rumblings of war. However, John P. McKinney seems to not have served in the Confederate military; at least I have never found any record of it. After all, in 1861 he was 50 years old; he had a large family; he had skills that were in demand to keep the Confederate Army going.
Still, the years 1860 - 1870 must have been years of deprivation for Susan. She learned to read, write, and speak English (1900 Census) but her constant companions must have been subsistence and boredom.
Where was she in 1866? Dunno. Her family is probably in Bibb County, as they were there in 1860 and 1870, but I haven't found them yet. They could be in Bibb as the "John McKinzie" family, but the family makeup seems wrong. Plus there's no "P" in his name. I think it's doubtful.
Luckily, in the 1870 Census, Susan shows up with her family in Bibb County. In the 1870 US Census for AL, Jno McKinney is 60, living in Brierfield, Bibb County, works in a wagon shop, born SC, a male citizen of the US. Also in the household are wife Mary, 49, daughters Ellen, 15, Susan, 13, and Antoinette, 12. Also son Abram, 19, who works on farm. Neighbors are Williams, Garrett, Charles Rea, Oakley, Barnes, and a few doors away, Mike & Britta Flynn.
https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/7163/images/4257570_00853?backlabel=ReturnSearchResults&queryId=de8ac460c73664602fabd9ef0a634b2d&pId=13217689
It appears that Susan's mother Mary Ann died between 1870 and 1872, because her father has married Lucinda MNU (maiden name unknown) Morgan. And much of the family has moved west into Mississippi. Here's how we know:
In 1876 A. E. McKinney (Abraham Early) McKinney married Savannah Davis—probably his first cousin—in LeFlore County, MS. And in the 1880 US Census for MS, K.P. McKinney is 71, born SC, in LeFlore County, Beat 3, District 135, widowed (well, yes—divorced, too). Parents born SC. Also in the household are daughter J or I (Nettie) Quinnon and son-in-law John Quinnon. Both born AL. Daughter Sarah Ellen and husband J. Pinkney Lemly are on the page after them in LeFlore County. Daughter J. is born AL, parents born SC, John Quinnon is born AL, parents born AL.
Susan McKenney herself is a boarder in the home of John H. Oaks in Holmes County, MS, which borders Leflore. She is 19, born AL, parents born AL (actually SC & NC), keeping house. She can read and write. Also in the household are her sister Josaphine and J's children.
https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/6742/images/4241991-00082?backlabel=ReturnSearchResults&pId=8549753
Some time around 1880 Susan met William Buchanan—his name has been spelled many ways: Buckhannon Buckhannan, Buchman, and so on. They were married on September 11, 188, in LeFlore County. Susan was about 25 years old.
https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/403914:7842?_phsrc=aZK2&_phstart=successSource&gsfn=susan&gsln=mckinney&ml_rpos=1&queryId=0f3ad9aefb2c0533573832deaa084733
Unfortunately, the next time Susan appears anywhere is in the 1900 Census.
In the 1900 US Census for MS, Susan Buchanan is living in District 124, Crump, Yazoo County. She is 44, born AL, parents born NC, married, bore seven children of whom five are still living; can read, write, and speak English. Also in the household are husband William, a farmer, 44, born TN; children Josaphine, 12, Jesse M., 10, Minnie G., 8, Edward F., 5, and Nellie G., 1.
https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/7602/images/4120358_00851?backlabel=ReturnSearchResults&queryId=84699d406bc1864a159724b3e7afdfd4&pId=80585983
More unfortunately, that's the last data I have found on William and Susan. They don't seem to be in MS. They may be in another state—Jesse shows up later in AR—or dead. I've been looking for 30 years and still haven't found anything else that can be proven as them. There is a John Buchman, born 1865, living in Lee County, MS. He has several children with similar names our Susan's family. For example, Minnie, Nellie, Susan, and Earlie. But I have disproved that this Minnie and Nellie are the same as our Minnie and Nellie, and so I believe that they are two different families.
https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/7884/images/31111_4330331-00583?backlabel=ReturnSearchResults&queryId=93a007d9694adc4e67992cbeba122cc0&pId=160381532
Of Susan's five children living in 1900, I have found no descendants for Josephine or Edward; only for Jesse, Minnie, and Nellie. Several of those descendants have recently allowed me access to their DNA matches, and so I've been able to greatly increase my comfort in saying the original Green/Pilgreen family came from North Carolina's Pitt, Martin, and Bertie Counties. To all of them again I say, "Thank you, thank you, thank you! And I hope you enjoy this recreation of your great-(great-maybe even great-) grandmother's life."
Best!
Persille
