Any researcher who has explored old Virginian families and some of the Northern families who drifted south prior to and around the time of the American Revolution, know that they maintained a specific naming pattern. Children were usually named after a relative, but sometimes later, named for a place, or a respected member of the community, doctor, minister or politician. It is by no means a definite science, but sometimes these "breadcrumb trails" of names can lead us to the right family group, where we can then look to find any sign or proof of relation.
So first, I just wanted to look at the naming patterns in the children of Richard Howell and the one Howell we do know he had a close connection to, Jordan the first. They were most likely brothers due to the ages. Maybe there will be a pattern seen.
Richard Howell appears in only one census record, the one of 1800. He and Sarah Winfield were probably married about 1792 or 1793, as their oldest son Peter, was born in 1794.
| Name: | Richard Howell |
|---|---|
| Home in 1800 (City, County, State): | Fayetteville, Anson, North Carolina |
| Free White Persons - Males - Under 10: | 3 Peter, Jordan and John W. |
| Free White Persons - Males - 26 thru 44: | 1 Richard |
| Free White Persons - Females - 16 thru 25: | 1 Sarah |
| Number of Household Members Under 16: | 3 |
| Number of Household Members Over 25: | 1 Richard |
| Number of Household Members: | 5 |
My (Several G's) Grandmother Sarah, was born on February 7, 1773. This means that during this census, she was about 27, but was counted as being under 25. Richard was counted as over 25, or 26 to 44, meaning he was born between 1774 and 1756. He passed away in 1802, leaving a will, which meant he knew his death was imminent, which probably meant an illness or severe injury. Jordan Howell witnessed his will. It could not have been his son Jordan, as he would only have been a small child.
The 4 children of Richard and Sarah were:
Peter Howell 1794
Jordan Howell abt 1795
John W Howell (W possibly standing for Winfield) 1796
and only daughter, Charlotte, born in 1800, obviously after the census.
Sarah's parents were named Peter Winfield and Charlotte Freeman Winfield. Their namesakes were obviously oldest Howell son, Peter, and only daughter, Charlotte.
That leaves John and Jordan as names possibly derived from the Howell side of the family.
Richard was not in the 1790 census, meaning he was not a head of household.
Jordan Howell was in two censuses in Montgomery County. 1800 and 1810, meaning, he was also not a head of household in 1790.
Jordan Howell married Martha Randle, daughter of Peter Randle, a well-documented Revolutionary War soldier who was born in Brunswick County, Virginia and died in the late 1700's in Montgomery or Anson County. Martha lived to be an elderly lady.
1800
| Name: | Jordon Howell |
|---|---|
| Home in 1800 (City, County, State): | Montgomery, North Carolina |
| Free White Persons - Males - 26 thru 44: | 1 Jordan |
| Free White Persons - Females - Under 10: | 1 Tabitha |
| Free White Persons - Females - 16 thru 25: | 1 Martha |
| Number of Slaves: | 1 |
| Number of Household Members Under 16: | 1 |
| Number of Household Members Over 25: | 1 |
| Number of Household Members: | 4 |
1810
| Name: | Jourdan Howell |
|---|---|
| Home in 1810 (City, County, State): | Captain James Kendel, Montgomery, North Carolina |
| Free White Persons - Males - Under 10: | 2 James George and Richard |
| Free White Persons - Males - 26 thru 44 : | 1 John Randle |
| Free White Persons - Females - Under 10: | 1 Catherine |
| Free White Persons - Females - 10 thru 15: | 1 Tabitha |
| Free White Persons - Females - 26 thru 44: | 1 Martha |
| Numbers of Slaves: | 6 |
| Number of Household Members Under 16: | 4 |
| Number of Household Members Over 25: | 2 |
| Number of Household Members: | 12 |
Just like Richard and Sarah, the 1800 census showed Jordan in the 26 to 44 group and Martha in the 16 to 25 group. The 1850 and 1860 census records give Martha's birth year as 1784 and 1782, so taking a median of 1783 between those two, she would have been around 16 to 18 in 1800. Jordan would have been born between 1756 and 1774. Oldest daughter, Catherine, was born in 1802.
The 1810 census has Martha in the 25 to 44 group, and she would have been about 27. Jordan was also still in this group, giving him a birth range of 1766-1785. Putting the two census records together, his birth range would be 1766 to 1774. Both he and Richard Howell were most likely born a little before or a little after 1770.
The 5 children of Jordan and Martha were:
Catherine 1802
Tabitha 1804
John Randle Howell 1805
James G Howell 1816
Richard 1817
The 11 year gap between Randle and James indicates there may have been additional children who died young, in between census years. This may explain the absence of a son named "Peter" for Martha's father. I have no proof, but personally feet that Martha was not the daughter of Peter Randle. Instead, I believe she was the daughter of John and Tabitha Randle, due to the names of her children. Although decendants have only named the one son, John, in the 1790 census, there were two young females in the home and the right age range for one to have been Martha.
Now to the names of the children of these children. First thing noticed is that Jordan had a son named Richard and Richard had a son named Jordan, and both of them had sons named John, with different middle initials.
Catherine Howell married Richmond Blalock. His parents were William David Blalock and Mary Evelyn Staton. Grandparents are said to be Jesse C. Staton and Emma for Mary and William Blalock and Lucy Ann Womack for William David. Each generation, the ancestors of the spouse have to be taken into account too. William David Blalock is said to have been born in Richmond, Virginia.
Richmond Blalock had siblings, William David Jr. and Merritt Blalock.
Richmond and Catherine had 7 children:
Jordan, Simeon, William David, Maston Crawford, Mary Susan, Henry W., and John S.
Jordan was obviously for his maternal grandfather and William David for his paternal grandfather.
John Randle Howell married Elizabeth "Betsy" Nash. Betsy was the daughter of Griffin Nash and Jemima Winfield. Randle and Betsy had 9 children:
Lemuel, Mary Jane, Sarah Ann, George Griffin, Martha Catherine, Margaret Abella, James W., Tirzah W., Samantha E.
Tabitha Howell married Thomas Watkins, son of James and Sylvia Morris Watkins. They had seven children: Enoch J., John Quincy Adams, Mary E., Sarah Jane, Alexander, Pinkney S., James L. Peter.
It is my belief that Martha Randle Howell may have been the daughter of John Randle who married Tabitha Sechrest. They are shown as having one son named John, however, could they not have had daughters? I believe she may have had a sister named Mary. As many members of the Winfield/Howell/Nash/Davis families were named for Grandfathers in full (example: Arthur Freeman Winfield, Peter Winfield Howell, Peter Winfield Nash, etc.), I believe "John Randle Howell" was named for Grandfather John Randle and sister Tabitha, for grandmother Tabitha Sechrest Randle. It is just a belief.
James G. Howell married Mary Ann Mathews, daughter of Allen and Sityvious Riley Mathews. They had 5 children: William, George Henry, Ellen J., James R. and Ida.
Richard Howell had no children.
Richard Howell and Sarah Winfield had 4 children: Peter, Jordan, John W. and Charlotte. John W. Howell seems to have not had any children, at least to survive to adulthood or to the year of his demise, as only his stepchildren, the Pearce's, are involved in his estate records and his siblings, Peter Howell and Charlotte Stansell, are his heirs.
That leaves Peter, Jordon and Charlotte's families.
Peter Howell married Elizabeth Floyd, daughter Josiah and Mary Tillman Floyd.
Jordan Howell married a widow, Mrs. Hannah Handy. I believe she was from New York or New Jersey and may have been a relative of John W. Howell's wife, Clarrissa Harlow Phelps Pearce.
Charlotte Howell married the Rev. Levi Stansell (often seen as Stancill or other various spellings), son of the Rev. Jesse Stansell and Elizabeth Henry Myers. Being a family of traveling Methodist Episcopal ministers, the Stansell's had no exact roots, but Levi was born in Abbeville, South Carolina, relocated to North Carolina. The marriage took place in Stanly County, and various of the older children were born in either Salisbury, Rowan County or in Anson County before the family finally took root in Newton County, Georgia.
The names of the children of these three siblings were:
Peter Jordan Charlotte
Richard Charlotte Sarah Elizabeth
Mary Ann Jordan Lafayette Jesse Howell
Charlotte Clarrissa Mary W.
Sarah W. Unknown Son Annie Mae
Julia A. perhaps Edward W. William A.
Martha J. or William John
William Marshall Benjamin Franklin
Eliza Richard A.
John Floyd Theophilas A. F.
James Edward
The names of the 4 children of Jordan Howell the First, excluding Richard, who died childless were:
Randle Catherine James G. Tabitha
Mary Jane Jordan Henry William Enoch J.
Lemuel Simeon George Henry John Q. A.
Sarah Ann William David Ellen J. Mary E.
George Griffin Maston Crawford James Randle Sarah Jane
Martha Catherine Mary Susan Ida Alexander
Margaret Abella Henry W. Pinkney S.
James W. John S. James L. Peter
Thurza W.
Samantha Eliza
The most common repeats among this group of cousins are 1) James 2) Charlotte 3) William 4) John 5) Sarah 6) Jordan 7) Mary 8) Richard.
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