The life of Nancy Jain/Jane McKinney Goodwin Pearson

Pretty typical of a woman of her time. No many surprises. I hope she enjoyed her life. 

Nancy Jain McKinney was born in 1846 or 1847, the child of John P. and Mary Ann Green McKinney. Older sisters Martha Isabelor and Mary Julia preceded her. Younger siblings Josephine, Abraham, Benjamin (??), John, Sarah, Susan, and Antoinette followed her.

She was probably born in Bibb or Shelby County, AL. Her dad was listed on an 1848 voters list in Bibb, but her parents had married in Shelby in 1841 and were living there in the 1850 U.S. Census. Her dad was a mechanic and carpenter, so they moved around a lot depending on where his job took them. They were solidly middle class tradespeople, though their family mixed easily with "higher" class landowners as proved by Mary's Whatley marriage and Aunt Britta's McGuire marriage. The family seemed to have owned no slaves. 

In the 1850 US Census for AL, (Nancy) Jane was living with her family in town (as opposed to out of town) in Shelby County. I'm pretty sure they were living in Columbiana. 

According to that Census:

John McKinnie was born about 1811, 39, a carpenter, born SC. Cannot read or write. Also in the household are  Mary Ann (Green), 28, born NC, (Martha) Isabella, 9, Mary (Julia), 8, Josephean, 6, (Nancy) Jane, 4, Abraham, 1. All the children are born AL. Also Nancy Greene, 56, NC, and Beauty (Britta) Ann McKinnie, 16, born AL. Neighbors include David McClanahan, his wife Carolyn Reeves, Sarah Elliott, a midwife; Berry Rea, Edmon Crumpton, Abemiluk Brasher, Samuel Brasher, Parnell, John Gardner, William Porter, Gooch, Holcomb, Roper, Logan, Horton, Morgan, Allen, Johnson, Nelson, Weaver, Nabors, McCormick, Lawley.

In the 1860 US Census for AL, J. P. McKinney is on the East Side, Cahaba River, at the Six Mile P.O. in Bibb County. He is a mechanic, born SC, 48, $200, $1000. Also in the house is Mary, 36, born NC, cannot read or write. Daughter Mary J., 18, Josephine, 15, Nancy J., 13, Early A. (Abraham), 12, John, 8, Ellen, 5, Susan, 3, and Annetta, 2. Also, William Goodwin, 20, born GA, a mechanic. Neighbors are Nolen, R. W. Woods, Eddins, Powell, Johnson, Cardwell, Seals, Fanchers, McGuire.  Daughter Martha had just married John Dailey and so was not living in the household.

Because John's employment was steady but erratic, they moved a lot. I have not been able to find them anywhere in the 1866 State Census for AL. Darn. Sure would help with breaking down the brick wall. 

Anyway, somewhat surprisingly...

...Nancy Jane is not in her parents' household in the 1870 Census. At that point Jno McKinney is 60, living in Brierfield, Bibb County, works in a wagon shop, born So. Carolina, 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, Jas McKinney, and Milly McKinney.

It's possible that Nancy Jane married William Goodwin, who was an apprentice boarding in the McKinney household in 1860. I haven't found a marriage listing in Bibb or Shelby County yet, but there is a William Goodwin of the right age living with wife Nancy of the right age in Shelby County in the 1870 US Census for AL. 

http://search.ancestry.com/Browse/view.aspx?dbid=7163&path=Alabama.Shelby.Beat+11.12&fn=Wm&ln=Goodwin&st=d&pid=13045375&rc=&zp=75

So it could be true, but I haven't proved it yet. There doesn't seem to be a marriage license for either of them. 

That's about the only surprise in her life. If it really is one....

For sure we know that Nancy Jain married Shadrack H. Pearson/Peirson on November 14, 1872, in BIbb County. John P. wrote a note giving them permission. You'll find it here:

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1-9819-38900-56?cc=1743384&wc=MMLN-K8G:n2113083143

I tend to think that in 1870 Nancy was just visiting friends or wasn't counted. If she'd been married to William Goodwin, wouldn't the marriage license say "Mrs. Nancy Goodwin to S.H. Peirson"? Why would her father write "Nancy Jain" and not "Nancy Goodwin"? My best guess is that she was single when she married Shadrack and was simply not enumerated in 1870.

Nancy's mother Mary had probably died by 1872, as John (?) got remarried to Mrs. L. T. Morgan in Bibb in April of that year. By 1878 most of the family members and in-laws had moved to Leflore County, MS. The 1880 Census shows them there a few houses from father "K. P. McKinney" and sister Sarah Ellen with husband Pink Lemly:

http://search.ancestry.com/iexec?htx=View&r=an&dbid=6742&iid=4241783-00455&fn=I.Pink&ln=Lemly&st=r&ssrc=&pid=9499491

By 1880 Shad and Nancy Jane had three children: Mary, born March 1874 in AL; Thomas, born about 1876 in AL; and Jonathon, born about 1878 in MS. 

By 1882 the family had moved back to AL in time for the birth of fourth child Sarah Birdie Pearson on November 30 (Findagrave.com). They probably moved to Winston County, where Shadrack's parents Jonathon and Clarissa were living. In succession followed Calzora, born (supposedly) in March 1883, and later Ethel F., born about 1890. 

Nancy Jain probably died between 1890 (birth of Ethel) and 1898 (Shad's second marriage). Shadrack married Marcy Casada "Polly C." Pruitt on April 2, 1898 (Ancestry AL Marriage Index) in Winston County. 

http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&MS_AdvCB=1&db=ALmarriages_ga&rank=1&new=1&MSAV=2&msT=1&gss=angs-d&gsfn_x=1&gsln=pearson&gsln_x=1&msgpn=3182&msgpn_PInfo=7-%7c0%7c1652393%7c0%7c2%7c3246%7c3%7c0%7c3182%7c0%7c0%7c&msgpn_x=XO&uidh=wy5&pcat=34&fh=3&h=1741520&recoff=8

It's likely that Nancy was buried in Fairview Springs Cemetery, Double Springs, Winston County, AL. Her mother- and father-in-law were buried there in unmarked graves. Not a stretch to imagine that she's there, too, in an unmarked grave—though I have no proof of this. 

After Nancy died, Shadrack married two more times. He married Polly C. Pruitt, who shows in the 1880 Census, in 1898. He married Lula Mae Cooper and moved back to AL to be enumerated in the 1910 and 1920 Censuses in Jefferson County. He was 70 to Lula's 20ish, which seems surprising. But it's not considering the extreme vitality of some men. My 60-year-old uncle married a 25-year-old. They got divorced because she couldn't keep up with him. 

Compared to some members of the family, Nancy Jane had a calm, uneventful life with few surprises. Other members more than made up for that. Check out my next post about sister Antoinette. Surprise!

The life of Nettie McKinney Quillan McDowell, Britta' s niece

Another case of 99%. Can't prove it 100%, as I don't have the primary evidence in my hands. But everything fits. I'm talking about the life of Mahala Antoinette J. McKinney, born in Bibb or Shelby County, AL, in June 1859. 

Her parents were John P. McKinney and Mary Ann Green, who had at least nine, maybe ten children, the last recorded of whom was a girl. She was variously listed as Annetta, Antoinette, Mahala, "J.," and Nettie. 

Here's the evidence:

In the 1860 U.S. Census for AL, she is identified as Annetta McKinney, living in Bibb County, with her parents John P. and Mary Ann Green McKinney. The census was taken as of August, so her age of two (born June 1859, 1900 Census) was correct. The original entry is here:

http://interactive.ancestry.com/7667/4211175_00146/17624358?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.com%2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3findiv%3d1%26MS_AdvCB%3d1%26db%3d1860usfedcenancestry%26rank%3d1%26new%3d1%26MSAV%3d2%26msT%3d1%26gss%3dangs-d%26gsfn_x%3d1%26gsln%3dmckinney%26gsln_x%3d1%26msrpn__ftp%3dBibb%252c%2bAlabama%252c%2bUSA%26msrpn%3d303%26msrpn_PInfo%3d7-%257c0%257c1652393%257c0%257c2%257c3246%257c3%257c0%257c303%257c0%257c0%257c%26msrpn_x%3dXO%26msrpn__ftp_x%3d1%26uidh%3dwy5%26pcat%3d35%26fh%3d14%26h%3d17624358%26recoff%3d&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnRecord

Here's how her family's 1870 U.S. Census entry reads:

In the 1870 US Census for AL, Jno McKinney is 60, living in Brierfield, Bibb County, AL, works in a wagon shop, born SC, a male citizen of the U.S. In the household are wife Mary, 49, daughters Ellen, 15, Susan, 13, and Antoinette, 12. Also son Abram, 19, who works on farm.  All children born AL. Neighbors are Williams, Garrett, Charles Rea, Oakley, Barnes, and a few doors away, Mike & Aunt Britta Flynn. 

http://interactive.ancestry.com/7163/4257570_00853/13049428?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.com%2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3fMS_AdvCB%3d1%26db%3d1870usfedcen%26rank%3d1%26new%3d1%26so%3d3%26MSAV%3d2%26msT%3d1%26gss%3dms_db%26gsfn_x%3d1%26gsln%3dmckinney%26gsln_x%3d1%26msrpn__ftp%3dBibb%252c%2bAlabama%252c%2bUSA%26msrpn%3d303%26msrpn_PInfo%3d7-%257c0%257c1652393%257c0%257c2%257c3246%257c3%257c0%257c303%257c0%257c0%257c%26msrpn_x%3dXO%26msrpn__ftp_x%3d1%26uidh%3dwy5&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnSearchResults

By 1880 Nettie's mom, Mary Ann, had probably died. Her dad had remarried (?) but the family had definitely moved to Leflore County, MS. In the 1880 U.S. Census for MS, K.P. McKinney is 71, born SC, in LeFlore County, Beat 3, District 135, widowed. Parents born SC. Also in the household are daughter J or I Quinnon, 21, and son-in-law John Quinnon, 20. Daughter Sarah Ellen and husband J. Pinkney Lemly are on the page after them. J. is born AL, parents born SC, John Quinnon is born AL, parents born AL.

http://interactive.ancestry.com/6742/4241783-00560/9502153?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.com%2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3fdb%3d1880usfedcen%26rank%3d1%26new%3d1%26so%3d3%26MSAV%3d1%26msT%3d1%26gss%3dms_db%26gsln%3dmckinney%26msrpn__ftp%3dLeflore%252c%2bMississippi%252c%2bUSA%26msrpn%3d1733%26msrpn_PInfo%3d7-%257c0%257c1652393%257c0%257c2%257c3246%257c27%257c0%257c1733%257c0%257c0%257c%26dbOnly%3d_83004005%257c_83004005_x%26dbOnly%3d_83004006%257c_83004006_x%26dbOnly%3d_F000279A%257c_F000279A_x%26uidh%3dwy5&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnSearchResults

How did Antoinette react to her father's remarriage? Unknown—but she certainly "recreated" her identity with two names which had not previously been listed: 

In the 1880  U.S. Census for MS, she is listed as "J." And in Leflore County, MS, she listed her name as "Mahala McKinney" when marrying John Quinnon/Quillan:

http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=MSmarriages_ga&rank=1&new=1&so=3&MSAV=1&msT=1&gss=ms_db&gsln=quillan&rg_81004020__date=1880&_82004020-gpid=1733&_82004020_PInfo=7-%7C1652393%7C2%7C3246%7C27%7C1733%7C&_82004020__ftp=Leflore+County%2C+Mississippi%2C+USA&uidh=wy5&rs_81004020__date=10

Furthermore, the 1880 MS State Census lists John A. and Mahalia Quillen in LeFlore County. 

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1951-20950-16592-71?cc=1919687&wc=12299141

Between 1880 and 1900 I have found only one piece of primary evidence to tell us what was happening with Nettie, but we can make some educated guesses:

• Birth of daughter Allice born 1881 in Mississippi (1900 U.S. Census for AL)

• Death of John Quillan by 1891 or divorce from John Quillan before 1891. (There's an interesting twist. Check out the next post in this series!)

• Marriage to W. H. McDowell on November 21, 1891, in Jefferson County, AL (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FQ86-RL2).

• Birth  of daughter Laura born 1892 in AL  (1886 in 1900 U.S. Census for AL; AL Death & Burial Index, Ancestry.com)

• Death of W. H. McDowell by 1900, as Nettie is a widow in 1900. 

Speaking of  which: 

In the 1900 U.S. Census for AL, Nettie McDowell is living in Precinct 25, Jefferson County, AL. She is 40, widowed, born June 1859 in AL, parents born SC, farmer, rents; three children born, two living. Also in the household are daughter Allice, 18, widowed, born July 1881 in MS, parents born AL; and daughter Laura, 13, born September 1886 in AL, parents born AL. Neighbors include Widiman, Sellars, Massey, Holcomb, Acton, Byars, Heaton, Cox, Hope.

http://interactive.ancestry.com/7602/004119989_00397/79800649?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.com%2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3findiv%3d1%26MS_AdvCB%3d1%26db%3d1900usfedcen%26rank%3d1%26new%3d1%26MSAV%3d2%26msT%3d1%26gss%3dangs-d%26gsfn_x%3d1%26gsln%3dmcdowell%26gsln_x%3d1%26msrpn__ftp%3dJefferson%252c%2bAlabama%252c%2bUSA%26msrpn%3d1498%26msrpn_PInfo%3d7-%257c0%257c1652393%257c0%257c2%257c3246%257c3%257c0%257c1498%257c0%257c0%257c%26msrpn_x%3dXO%26msrpn__ftp_x%3d1%26dbOnly%3d_83004005%257c_83004005_x%252c_83004006%257c_83004006_x%26uidh%3dwy5%26pcat%3d35%26fh%3d7%26h%3d79800649%26recoff%3d&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnRecord

In the 1910 U.S. Census for AL, Netta A. McDowell is living in Precinct 8 of Jefferson County. She is 51, widowed, born AL, father born SC, mother born NC, no occupation, two children, two living, rents. Also in the household is daughter Laura, 21, single, born AL, mother born AL, father's birthplace unknown, no occupation. Neighbors include Scott, Moore, Jones, Sellars, Grief, Trucker McKernan (wife Allice--maybe Nettie's daughter?), Williams, O'Barr.

http://interactive.ancestry.com/7884/31111_4327199-00411/9547053?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.com%2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3fMS_AdvCB%3d1%26db%3d1910USCenIndex%26rank%3d1%26new%3d1%26so%3d3%26MSAV%3d2%26msT%3d1%26gss%3dms_db%26gsfn%3dnettie%26gsfn_x%3d1%26gsln%3dmcdowell%26gsln_x%3d1%26msrpn__ftp%3dAlabama%252c%2bUSA%26msrpn%3d3%26msrpn_PInfo%3d5-%257c0%257c1652393%257c0%257c2%257c3246%257c3%257c0%257c0%257c0%257c0%257c%26msrpn_x%3dXO%26msrpn__ftp_x%3d1%26dbOnly%3d_83004006%257c_83004006_x%26dbOnly%3d_83004005%257c_83004005_x%26uidh%3dwy5&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnSearchResults

In the 1920 U.S. Census for AL, mother-in-law Nettie McDowell is living on Oxmoor Road in the household of Wesley Maynard in Precinct 8, Oxmoor, Jefferson County. She is 60, widowed, can read but not write, born AL, father born SC, mother born NC, no occupation. Also in the household is Wesley, 31, laborer in an ore mine, born AL, parents born US, can read and write; daughter Laura, 31, born AL, parents born AL; grandaughters Nettie, 5, and Allice, 3.5, both born AL. Neighbors: Swett, Patton, Scott, Self, Rose, Ruffin, Green, Davis, Melton, Green Winstead.

http://interactive.ancestry.com/6061/4292991-00494/95725879?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.com%2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3fMS_AdvCB%3d1%26db%3d1920usfedcen%26rank%3d1%26new%3d1%26so%3d3%26MSAV%3d2%26msT%3d1%26gss%3dms_db%26gsfn_x%3d1%26gsln%3dmcdowell%26gsln_x%3d1%26msrpn__ftp%3dJefferson%252c%2bAlabama%252c%2bUSA%26msrpn%3d1498%26msrpn_PInfo%3d7-%257c0%257c1652393%257c0%257c2%257c3246%257c3%257c0%257c1498%257c0%257c0%257c%26msrpn_x%3dXO%26msrpn__ftp_x%3d1%26dbOnly%3d_83004006%257c_83004006_x%26dbOnly%3d_83004005%257c_83004005_x%26uidh%3dwy5&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnSearchResults

Nettie died on March 24, 1929. She was probably buried in the Old Oxmoor Cemetery, which is slowly decaying in Jefferson County. Apparently there are roughly 300 gravesites there with few markers and no caretakers. Her entry in the AL Deaths and Burials Index lists her parents as J. A. McKinney and Mary Ann Green. 

https://www.familysearch.org/search/record/results#count=20&query=%2Bgivenname%3Anettie~%20%2Bsurname%3Amcdowell%20%2Bany_year%3A1908-1930~&collection_id=1307888

And so we've come full circle on Nettie's life. There are some twists, which I will reveal in my next post. 

That's what I love about genealogy—always the unexpected twist. The 1% that maybe disproves the other 99%.

Happy hunting!