52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: (Week 2) Origins - Mistake(s) in Tree(s)

Attention fellow genealogy enthusiasts! There's been a mix-up in my family tree line that needs addressing. It's about Hannah JONES Stuart from Neshoba County, Mississippi and a certain Hannah Mariah DELBRIDGE.

Here's the deal: No marriage record has been found for Hannah Jones and William Davis Stuart in Alabama or Mississippi, but she is NOT the same person as Hannah Mariah Delbridge who married another William Stuart in Clark County, Missouri on 10 Mar 1850. This confusion has been floating around for at least three years, and it's high time we set the record straight.

The root of the mix-up? Well, it seems someone mistakenly linked these two Hannahs years ago, and the error has been replicating in our trees like wildfire. But let's not rely solely on others' trees. Our research should be deeper, digging into actual records to distinguish one Hannah from another.

On 3 May 1857, Mrs. Hannah M. Stewart marries Lewis Logan in Clark County, Missouri.

Missouri, U.S., Marriage Records, 1805-2002, Mrs. Hannah M. Stewart, Ancestry.com

There are family trees at Ancestry that list the above Hannah's maiden name as HOUGHAM born 21 Jul 1817 in Highland County, Ohio, and died 16 Aug 1876 in Heyworth, McLean County, Illinois. Note: I have not proven this information so it should be researched further. There is a marriage record for Hannah Houghman to Joseph Delbridge on 1 Jan 1835 in McLean County, Illinois. Source: Illinois, U.S., Marriage Index, 1860-1920, Ancestry.com.

Let's now focus on Neshoba County, Mississippi records for the other Hannah Stuart who married William Davis Stuart/Stewart. Below is a clip from the 1860 U.S. Federal Census for Neshoba County. W.D. Stewart and Hannah are listed on it with their children.

1860 U.S. Federal Census, Neshoba County, Mississippi, Township 12, Range 11, W.D. Stewart, Ancestry.com

One Hannah is in Clark County, Missouri. The other Hannah is in Neshoba County, Mississippi. There are other records that also support the lives of these "Hannah's" in different locations. These two women have been merged into one woman in many trees at Ancestry.

A confession – I'm not immune to errors myself, even after almost 30 years of genealogy research. But hey, we strive for accuracy, right? So, let's join forces, double-check those records, and ensure our family history is as precise as possible. Happy hunting!

This content was crafted for Amy Johnson Crow's 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks challenge, focusing on the theme "Origins" this week.

- Revis