Drucilla/Drusilla/Druscilla/Drusillar

Britta Ann Green McGuire Flynn's second daughter was named Mary Drusilla. Often she went only by the name Drucilla, Drucillar, or Drusillar. The spellings are not consistent from record to record, so forgive me if I'm not too careful about spelling the name with an "s," a "c," or an "sc."


The name has come down in the family. Which family members carried the name through the generations, and where did it come from? 

The first question is much easier to answer than the second question. 

Here is a list of women who carried "Drucilla" or a variation (Drusilla, Druscilla, Drusillar, etc).

• Mary Drucilla McGuire Eddins/Edins, Britta's second daughter

• Minnie Drusilla Hill, daughter of Britta's first daughter Ellen Nora McGuire Hill

• Mary Drusilla Edins/Eddins, daughter of Jessie Douglas, Mary's son. 

• Carrie Drusilla Edins Barksdale, daughter of Mary Drucilla McGuire Edins. 

• My sister Druscilla

There are probably more. I just discovered that Carrie Edins's middle name was Drusilla. 

----

The first question is much, much harder to answer. But I have two theories. 

Theory #1:

One of Britta's direct or close ancestors or relatives was named Drucilla. Names in our family get passed down a lot, so it's a viable theory. The theory leads one to consider: 

• Drucilla Jensy Crump (wife of Burwell Green)

• Elizabeth Drucilla Williamson and 

• Drucille Howard (who both lived in Shelby around the same time as Britta)

• Drucille Dearman (related to Roadlander, Jourdan, Dill, and Green families in St. Clair County)

• Mary Drucilla Sawyer from Talledega County who married Nunley and Rushing

And so on. 

Theory #2:

What I consider the more plausible of the two.

• In the 1860 US Census for AL, Britta and John McGuire lived in Jefferson County next to Dr. James M. Ragsdale and his wife Drucilla. Britta named her second daughter for sister Mary (Ann Green McKinney) and great friend Drusilla (maiden name unknown) Ragsdale. 

Conclusion: 

While I may never know why Britta and John named their second daughter Mary Drusilla, it could be an important clue in breaking down the brick wall of Britta Ann Green McGuire Flynn.

Martha Isabelor McKinney Dailey Lawley

I first started investigating Isabella McKinney as listed in the 1850 Census. Slim pickins! Next I noticed that a Martha I. McKinney got married in Bibb County about the right age and time for this woman. Better. Then I found Martha living with John in Shelby in 1860. Great! And then -- she disappeared...until by chance or luck misspelled her name as "Isabelor." WHAM!!! A whole new line of inquiry! Yippee!!

Here's the scoop:

Martha Isabelor (or Isabella) McKinney was the first daughter of John P. McKinney and Mary Ann Green/e. Her parents were married Thursday, April 8, 1841, in Shelby County, AL. A source on Shelby County burials that I have not seen yet lists her birth as November 5, 1842; November 1842 is confirmed by the 1900 Census. She was most likely born in Shelby County, as her parents were married in there, and the family was still living there in 1850.

In the 1850 US Census for AL, Isabella McKinnie, nine, born AL, is living in the household of John and Mary Ann McKinnie in Shelby County.

On June 6, 1860 in Martha I. McKinney marries John Dailey in Bibb County. Indeed, we know that this is the right Martha because her father's name is on the marriage license. John W. Dailey was the son of Jane Caroline Smith and Owen A. Dailey. In 1850 John was living with his father and mother in Bibb County.

In the 1860 Census she is living with John Dailey in Bibb County, Centerville P.O. She is 18, born AL; he is 22, born AL and has money: $1000 in real estate and $400 in his personal estate. Neighbors include Pratt, Champion, Cleveland, Loveless, Langston, Nolen, Rogers.

Between 1860 and 1865 they have two children: Marion J. Dailey, born about 1862, and Mary Jane Dailey, born 26 May 1865.

Several public trees list John as dying at Vickburg during the Civil War in October 1864. There's a discrepancy here, because Vicksburg was fought in 1863. In addition, the Civil War Soldiers List at the Alabama Archives lists John as being a private when mustered out of the AL 20th Infantry. So my guess is that John died of wounds received at Vicksburg, but not actually at the battle. Either way, he likely died before 1866 because it looks like Martha, Marion, and Mary Jane are living with in-laws Owen and Jane Caroline in the 1866 AL State Census; only one male over 20 in the household (Owen). In 1870 Martha, Marion, and Mary Jane are still living with in-laws Owen and Jane at Beat 2 of Shelby County. But maybe not too happily...

Down the street from them in 1870 just happens to be the household of Newton J. Lawley, 24, his mother Mary, 60, Mary 16, and Doctor, 14.

Even more interesting:

Samuel Lawley, listed as Newton's son in later years, is a bun in Martha's oven at that time, because the census date is July, and Samuel was born in November 1870 (1900 Census). Proof: the AL Deaths 1908 - 1974 database at FamilySearch.org lists his parents as Newt Lawley and Martha Dailey. 

With John dead, Martha marries Newton Jasper Lawley/Lolly on November 23, 1873, in Shelby County (Shelby County Historical Society webpage. Bless 'em!).

In the 1880 US Census for AL, Jasper N. Lawley is living on Beat 4, Montevallo, Shelby County. He is 37, a farmer, born AL, father born AL, mother born SC. Also in the household are wife Martha, 39, born AL, father born SC, mother born NC. This jives completely with what we know about John P. and Mary Ann. In addition we find daughter Mary Jane, 16, who is actually the daughter of John Dailey, at home, born AL, parents born AL. Then there is a big gap in the ages of the children: from Mary Jane, 16, to Samuel, 10 (November 1870), then again to Susan, 5, John J or T, 3, and Lucy, 10 months, born August. Mary Jane is misidentified as Newton's daughter and not his step-daughter.

In the 1900 US Census for AL, Newton J. and Martha are in Montevallo with children Charles, Emma, Barney, Horace D. and Willie. She's had eight live births and eight are still living. Samuel lives down the street. The census taker got the number of live births wrong (Marion, Mary Jane, Samuel, Susan, John, Lucy, Charles, Emma, Barney, Horace, Willie.)  Or, if you consider that they've been married 28 years, and you count ONLY the children from within this marriage and not Martha's first marriage to John Dailey and subsequent pregnancy with Samuel, then the number fits. (Susan, John, Lucy, Charles, Emma, Barney, Horace D., and Willie.)

In the 1910 US Census for AL, Newton J. and Martha L. are still in Montevallo. Only now she's had seven live births, of who six are living. Crazy census takers. 

Several Member Public Trees on Ancestry.com show Martha's death date as 7 November 1911 and her burial place as Macedonia Cemetery, Pearidge, AL. While this may be true, as yet I have been unable to prove it from online resources. Hopefully Findagrave.com or another cemetery census site will soon publish a listing so we can tick off proof for that fact. Or I can check it when I get to AL this year.

It's really amazing how one small piece of serendipity -- the spelling of "Isabella" as "Isabelor" can open a whole new avenue of investigation and facts. Thanks, RELS!