Mary Ann King Murnahan: The Bare Bones of a Life (52 Ancestors #2)

52ancestors-2015-02

This post was for Week 2 of 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks. Theme: “King.” (See what I did there? )

Mary Ann King, my 3rd-great-grandmother, is one of those ancestors for whom I don’t have a ton of information. I only have the bare bones of her life.

She was born 1 December 1820 in “Nicholas county, Virginia.”1)Historical hand atlas containing map of Gallia County, and histories of Lawrence and Gallia counties, Ohio, (Chicago: H.H. Hardesty, 1882), p. 22. This is according to a county history published in 1882, which makes me wonder about the place. Did they mean Nicholas County which was Virginia when Mary Ann was born, but turned into Nicholas County, West Virginia in 1863? Did they mean Nicholas, Fluvanna County, Virginia? To figure that out, I’ll need to research her parents, Alexander and Nancy (Payne) King, as well as her siblings.

Mary Ann married John Murnahan on 24 June 1838 in Lawrence County, Ohio.2)FamilySearch.org, Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-1997, John Murnahan and Mary Ann King marriage, Lawrence County marriage vol. 1-3, p. 276. Together, they had 10 (count ’em – 10!) children:

  • Elizabeth Jane, born 3 July 1840 (my great-great-grandmother)
  • Nancy, born 4 April 1842
  • Sarah, born 16 June 1844
  • John M., born 26 September 1846
  • Mary, born 24 January 1850
  • Missouri, born 1 August 1853
  • America, born 19 September 1856
  • Sophronia, born 28 December 1858
  • Levi, born circa 1859
  • George, born 1 January 1862

Mary Ann lived with her daughter America and her family in Lawrence County in 1900.3)Wilson Lewis household, 1900 federal census, Lawrence Twp., Lawrence County, Ohio, ED 70, sheet 16A, nos. 270/275. That census is the last record that I have for Mary Ann.

References   [ + ]

1. Historical hand atlas containing map of Gallia County, and histories of Lawrence and Gallia counties, Ohio, (Chicago: H.H. Hardesty, 1882), p. 22.
2. FamilySearch.org, Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-1997, John Murnahan and Mary Ann King marriage, Lawrence County marriage vol. 1-3, p. 276.
3. Wilson Lewis household, 1900 federal census, Lawrence Twp., Lawrence County, Ohio, ED 70, sheet 16A, nos. 270/275.

8 thoughts on “Mary Ann King Murnahan: The Bare Bones of a Life (52 Ancestors #2)

  1. Sue

    It is a challenge to pin point places when changes occur in mapping and documentation. I’ve found Virginia and Georgia to be a couple of the hardest states to research. Interesting the names given MaryAnn and John’s children. America is a given name found in my family tree, too. I thought that was unusual…now I see there were others who dubbed their children with patriotic names. Sophronia…now that is different…must be a combination name.
    Sue at Tracks Of My Georgia Ancestors

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  2. emptybranches

    About Nicholas County – I’ve often seen a county that was originally in VA and then later in WV mentioned as you’ve described in this post. My first guess would be that they meant Nicholas when she was born and later in WV, but we never want to leave a stone unturned in case we miss a genealogy clue. My husband’s difficult Sturgell line was in Lawrence Co. at the same time your family was there. I think that area saw a lot of growth between 1830-1850.

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    1. Amy Johnson Crow Post author

      Almost county in West Virginia was originally in Virginia. When West Virginia became a state in 1863, it took all of those Virginia counties with it. The only ones formed after 1863 were Grant, Lincoln, and Mineral. (Hmmm, I wonder why they chose the names Grant and Lincoln… 😉 )

      Reply
  3. Brenna G.

    I have a Sophronia in one of my family lines too– I always thought it was an unusual name. Perhaps it was a common name at the time. My Sophronia Latham was born in 1848.

    Reply

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