Job's Children: Conumdrums and Catastrophes

Why can't family research be straight forward? I suppose it would not be so interesting, or spur the curiosity so much, if it were. I believe for some, it's like a long desert highway where folks can drive down 'with the wind in their hair'. Not me. Never for me. In the middle of a fairly straightforward post, attempting to discover the tiny hints of life of a female ancestor, I tripped over an entanglement. Another mergement of individuals with the same name that couldn't possibly be true. I wanted to say "come on people". At any rate, I've come upon yet another entwined ball of string to unravel. Instead of starting at the beginning, I will instead, start at the end, with a piece of string sticking out that may be the least restrictive to unknot. I will start with the question, 'Who married James Edward Burris?"

To begin, there is no mystery in who James Edward Burris was. As he was a Burris, he fits squarely into my father's family tree. He was born December 20, 1847, in Stanly County, North Carolina, a Christmas baby. His parents were David Wright Burris (1817-1893) and Sarah Whitley (1818-1895), two very common western Stanly names.

Household members
Name	Age
David W Burris
Sallie Burris	38
Davidson Burris	21
Timothy Burris	19
William A Burris	17
Sidney Burris
Thorington Burris	13
Edward Burris	11
Sarah Jane Burris	9
Pleasant Burris	7
J M Misenheimer	18

Above he is seen as an 11 year old in the 1860 census. As was typical, he was born in the middle of a sizable farm family.

On May 17, 1873, he married Rebecca Huneycutt, daughter of William Riley Huneycutt and Milly Ann Whitley. Below, the marriage license announces the marriage of James Edward (or Edmund, seen either way) Burris, son of David Burris and Sally Burris and Rebecca Huneycutt, daughter of Riley Huneycutt and Miley Huneycutt, Witnessed by I. W. Snuggs in the 98th year of our independence. The groom was 23 and the bride was 21, a respectable age for both for a first marriage.

Eight years past the Civil War, the ashes had fallen, the community of yeoman farmers were attempting to get back to a normal life, children growing up, neighbors marrying neighbors, and cousins marrying cousins, fields plowed, cows milked, chickens fed and children raised.

Name	J. Edward Burris
Age	29
Birth Date	Abt 1851
Birthplace	North Carolina
Home in 1880	Big Lick, Stanly, North Carolina, USA
Dwelling Number	309
Race	White
Gender	Male
Relation to Head of House	Self (Head)
Marital Status	Married
Spouse's Name	Rebecca Burris
Father's Birthplace	North Carolina
Mother's Birthplace	North Carolina
Occupation	Carpenter
Cannot Read	Y
Cannot Write	Y
Neighbors	View others on page

Household members
Name	Age
J. Edward Burris	29
Rebecca Burris	29
Sarah Burris	5
Tinte Burris	3
H. Martin Burris	1

Now, we find the young family in 1880, Edward is a carpenter, living in Big Lick, they can neither read nor write, and they have had three children during their seven years of marriage; Sarah, age 5, Tina, age 3 and son Martin Hayes Burris, one year old.

Name	Rebecca Burris
Maiden Name	Honeycutt
Gender	Female
Birth Date	23 Jan 1851
Birth Place	Stanly County, North Carolina, United States of America
Cemetery	Pleasant Grove Baptist Church Cemetery
Burial or Cremation Place	Oakboro, Stanly County, North Carolina, United States of America
Has Bio?	Y
Father	William Riley Honeycutt
Mother	Amelia Ann Honeycutt
Spouse	Edward James Burris
Children	Tina Whitley Sallie L Lewis Martin Hayes Burris

All so normal until tragedy strikes. Soon after, young mother Rebecca passes away, and Edward has to plant her in the ground at the Pleasant Grove Baptist Church Cemetery with a date of birth, but no date of death can be determined. Their three children do make it to adulthood and live lives of their own.

With three small children to care for, Edward looks for a wife to help and finds Mary Elizabeth Russell and this is where the confusion comes in. There were more than one Mary Elizabeth Russell and this has caused an entanglement.

The marriage liscense seems to give plenty of information. Solomon Burris applied for the license of J. E. Burris, now 34, son of David W. Burris and Sarah Burris, both living, of Stanly County, and Mary E. Russell, aged 32, daughter of Henry Russell and Elizer Mauldin, father living and mother dead, of Stanly County. The marriage took place at the home of Solomon Burris and witnesses were A. C. Burris and R. A. Lambert, (Rufus Alexander Lambert, my 2nd Great Grandfather). All so well and normal, but the first thing I notice is that while Edwards mother is listed under her married name of Burris, Mary Russell's is not.

Name	J E Burris
Gender	Male
Marriage Date	4 Aug 1885
Marriage Place	Stanly, North Carolina, USA
Spouse	Mary E Russell
Spouse Gender	Female
Event Type	Marriage

There's another marriage document, the Register, which gives pretty much the same information, with Mary E. Russell's parents being Henry Russell and Elizabeth Mauldin, and the Date August 4, 1885.

So where is the issue? Not only was there more than one Mary Elizabeth Russell, there was more than one Henry Russell and wife Elizabeth or Eliza. I'm related to both, and by the way, why was Eliza or Elizer listed by her maiden name?

In multiple family trees on the web, are found two Mary Elizabeth Russells married to James Edward Burris.

One is Mary Elizabeth Russell, born February 5, 1841 in Stanly County, and died February 16, 1904 in Montgomery County.

The other is Mary Elizabeth Russell, born November 19, 1854 in Stanly County, and died November 12, 1937 in Montgomery County.

We'll call one the February M. E. Russell and the other the November M. E. Russell.

Miss February was the daugther of Eli Henry Russell (1804-1854) and Elizabeth Mauldin Russell (1811-1861).

Miss November was the daughter of William Henry Russell (1829-1915) and Elizabeth Mauldin (1835-1857).

So who wins Edward? Miss February or Miss November?

The first clue is in the marriage certificate itself. On August 4, 1885, Henry Russell, the father of the bride, was living and mother, deceased. Miss February's parents were both dead by 1885. Miss November, however, would have a living father,and a deceased mother, in 1885.

Also, Eli Henry Russell and Elizabeth Mauldin Russell were 4th Great Grandparents of mine, and Elizabeth left a pretty extensive Probate estate record, and land records of her estate divisions and actions taken after her decease. One particular section within her probate papers reads, "Stanly County Probate Court

This day, the execution of the within deed as to M. E. Solomon and H. E. Solomon was duly proven by the oath of D. A. Simpson.." It continues but was filed July 11, 1896. Although Elizabeth Russell, widow of Eli Henry Russell, died in 1861, her estate was still being distributed and settled in 1898. Her daughter, Mary Elizabeth, had married Henry C. Solomon, and was still married to Henry C. Solomon. So, Miss February married Henry C. Solomon and it was actually Miss November who married James Edward Burris.

It gets even more convoluted into an unimaginable imbroglio. When looking at the parents of Miss November, we discover that her father, William Henry Russell, was the brother of Miss February.

Eli Henry Russell & Elizabeth Mauldin

children

William Henry Russell (b 1829) married Eliza Mauldin (not Elizabeth).

Mary Elizabeth Russell (b 1841) married Henry C. Solomon.

This would make Miss February, Miss Novembers' Aunt. But, wait, just wait, that's not all.

Elizabeth Mauldin Russell who married Eli Henry Russell was the daughter of James O. Mauldin and possibly Mary Ann Smith Mauldin, or possibly a first wife, as he had an older wife in the 1830 census and not in the 1840 census, so I believe he may have had an earlier wife and Mary Smith was his second wife.

Eliza Mauldin Russell who married William Henry Russell was the daughter of James O. Mauldin and Mary Smith Mauldin.

Margaret Jane Martha "Mattie" Russell, called Jane Mauldin in her mother's estate papers, born in 1848, daughter of Eli Henry Russell and wife, Elizabeth, married Thomas Alexander Mauldin, son of James O. Mauldin and Mary Smith Mauldin.

This is just too much inbreeding for even Stanly County! I've come to the conclusion that Elizabeth Mauldin who married Eli Henry Russell was not, could not have been, the daughter of James O. Mauldin and wife.

If you remove that element, it becomes a little bit more Stanly County, entanglements, siblings marrying their spouses siblings, but not so inbred.

So who was Elizabeth Mauldin Russell? Was she even a Mauldin? That's another question for another post.

Moving forward, I'm just going to look at Henry Russell and Eliza Mauldin, who was the daughter of James O. Mauldin and Mary Smith.

1850

Name	Eliza Mauldin
Gender	Female
Race	White
Residence Age	15
Birth Date	abt 1835
Birthplace	North Carolina
Residence Date	1850
Home in 1850	Freemans, Stanly, North Carolina, USA
Attended School	Yes
Line Number	11
Dwelling Number	125
Family Number	126

Household members
Name	Age
Mary Mauldin	52
James Mauldin	19
Mary Mauldin	21
Benjamin Mauldin	17
Eliza Mauldin	15
Parham Mauldin	12
Franklin Mauldin	8

Eliza Mauldin appears as a 15 year old in the home of her widowed mother, Mary Smith Mauldin.

Name	Henry Russel
Gender	Male
Race	White
Residence Age	21
Birth Date	abt 1829
Birthplace	North Carolina
Residence Date	1850
Home in 1850	Albemarle, Stanly, North Carolina, USA
Occupation	Laborer
Industry	Industry Not Reported
Line Number	25
Dwelling Number	936
Family Number	941
Inferred Spouse	Caroline Russel

Household members
Name	Age
Eli Russel	46
Elizabeth Russel	39
Alxe Russel	24
Henry Russel	21
Caroline Russel	18
Isiah Russel	15
Temply Russel	13
Elizabeth Russel	8
Gabriel Russel	5
Catharine Russel	3

Henry Russell appears as a 21 year old in the home of his parents, Eli Henry and Elizabeth Russell. Eliza lives in Freemans District, while Henry lives in Albemarle.

There's no surviving marriage record, however, they likely got married this year or the one after. Their son, William Isaiah Russell, was born on September 14, 1852, when Henry was 23 and Mary Elizabeth, 17. His sister, Mary Elizabeth Russell, aka Miss November, was born on November 19, 1854.

Eliza Mauldin Russell died on November 14, 1857, at the age of 22 years, 2 months and 26 days, of unknown causes. She was buried in the James O. Mauldin cemetery with her father and her markers survives. She may have died of childbirth, and the unknown child buried with her, or of thyphoid fever, which was rampant in those days, or of any number of accidents or ailments.

1860

Henry Russell is found living with his widowed mother, Elizabeth, Eli having passed away in 1854.

Name	Henry Russell
Age	30
Birth Year	abt 1830
Gender	Male
Race	White
Home in 1860	Stanly, North Carolina
Post Office	Albemarle
Dwelling Number	389
Family Number	390
Inferred Spouse	Mary E Russell

Household members
Name	Age
Elizabeth Russell	42
Henry Russell	30
Mary E Russell	18
Gabiel Russell	16
Martha Russell	11
Wm J Russell	7

The Mary E Russell, 18, listed under his name, is his sister, who will marry Henry C. Solomon. Next is his brother, Gabriel, 16, followed by Martha Jane Margaret Russell, who married Frank Washington Mauldin, son of Eliza Mauldin's brother, Thomas Alexander Mauldin. Martha Jane is my third Great Grandmother. She was only 4 years older than Henry's son, William Isaiah Russell, who is the 7 year old at the end of the list, transcribed as "Wm J Russell".

Name	Elizabeth Maulden
Age	5
Birth Year	abt 1855
Gender	Female
Race	White
Home in 1860	Stanly, North Carolina
Post Office	Albemarle
Dwelling Number	621
Family Number	628
Inferred Mother	Mary Maulden

Household members
Name	Age
Mary Maulden	62
Frank Maulden	20
Elizabeth Maulden	5
Ellen Smith	21
Mary F Smith	1

While Henry kept his son with him, his daughter, Mary Elizabeth is found in the 1860 census, living with her maternal grandmother, Mary Smith Mauldin. She is the 5 year old, Elizabeth. Mary Mauldin, 62, is Eliza's mother and her youngest son, Dowd Franklin is living with her. The family is living in a different area than Henry.

The Civil War

Henry registered as a Private in Company K 28th Regiment, North Carolina, as did his younger brother, Gabriel. Gabriel was wounded at Gettysburg. taken prisoner and seen no more. Henry was wounded at Harper's Ferry, but survived and made it back home. There is a Memorial Stone to both brothers at the Anderson Grove Baptist Church Cemetery in Albemarle, NC.

Among his war papers is a general description of Henry as being 5 feet 7 inches tall, with a dark complexion, black hair, hazel eyes, and damage to his left eye, after he was wounded.

Henry would return from the War as all men did who were fortunate enough to return, frayed, ravaged and warworn. His children were likely still in the homes of relatives, probably Mary Smith Mauldin, as Henry's own mother, Elizabeth, passed away in 1861, not living long enough to witness the ruin of her sons by war. His mother-in-law, Mary Mauldin, died in 1865, about the time Henry came home. He made the decision the next year, having inherited land from his parents, to start over again. He did so by making the choice of a Civil War Widow, Sarah Frances Rummage, as his second wife. Fanny, as she was called, had been married to John S. Blalock, son of Richmond Blalock and Catherine Howell. He had died in Richmond, Virginia in 1864. Fanny came with two young sons, Maston Crawford Blalock, born in 1859, and William Julius Henry in 1861.

Henry and Fanny would combine their families, of two children each, and add 7 together, making a total of 11.

Name	Harry Russell
Age in 1870	41
Birth Date	abt 1829
Birthplace	North Carolina
Dwelling Number	11
Home in 1870	Center, Stanly, North Carolina
Race	White
Gender	Male
Post Office	Albemarle
Occupation	Farmer
Male Citizen Over 21	Yes
Personal Estate Value	100
Real Estate Value	100
Inferred Spouse	Sarah F Russell

Household members
Name	Age
Harry Russell	41
Sarah F Russell	32
William J Russell	17
Mary E Russell	15
Martha C Russell	11
W J Blalock	9
Jonah Russell	3
Thomas Russell	2
Emma Russell	6/12

In the 1870 census, above, Henry is shown as "Harry", a nickname, and his wife as Sarah F. He is now 41, she 32. They married in 1866. William J, 17, is William Isaiah Russell, Mary Elizabeth is 15. The 11 year old "Martha C. Russell" did not exist. This is a transcription error in multiple ways. First the child is male, and his first name is not Martha, but Maston. Second, he was not a Russell, but a Blalock, and was labeled Russell because his surname was omitted. Oddly, his younger brother, W. J. Blalock, was included with the correct name. At this time, Henry and Fanny have had three children together in rapid succession, and again, rife with transcription errors. First, Jonah is not Jonah, a son, but their only Daugther, Ona or Onie. Age three, she's followed by Thomas, age 2 and 6 month old Emma.

Name	Harry Russell
Age in 1870	41
Birth Date	abt 1829
Birthplace	North Carolina
Dwelling Number	11
Home in 1870	Center, Stanly, North Carolina
Race	White
Gender	Male
Post Office	Albemarle
Occupation	Farmer
Male Citizen Over 21	Yes
Personal Estate Value	100
Real Estate Value	100
Inferred Spouse	Sarah F Russell

Household members
Name	Age
Harry Russell	41
Sarah F Russell	32
William J Russell	17
Mary E Russell	15
Martha C Russell	11
W J Blalock	9
Jonah Russell	3
Thomas Russell	2
Emma Russell	6/12

In 1880, all of the children by previous marriages, have grown up. Their family of seven more,together, was complete.

Name	Henry Russell
Age	50
Birth Date	Abt 1830
Birthplace	North Carolina
Home in 1880	Center, Stanly, North Carolina, USA
Dwelling Number	6
Race	White
Gender	Male
Relation to Head of House	Self (Head)
Marital Status	Married
Spouse's Name	Fannie Russell
Father's Birthplace	North Carolina
Mother's Birthplace	North Carolina
Occupation	Farmer
Neighbors	View others on page

Household members
Name	Age
Henry Russell	50
Fannie Russell	45
Onia Russell	14
Thos. A. Russell	12
Emen J. Russell	10
Joseph Russell	8
Eli H. Russell	6
Joshua Russell	4
David Russell	2

In 1870, they were living next to Calvin Lee, near Cedar Fork Creek, above Center. This time, they are living next to the Thompsons, whose property adjoined the Pee Dee River, off of what was once Greentop Road and is now Indian Mound Road. Henry and Fanny are in the 1900 census with four of their children, and have a lengthy marriage. The fate of Fanny is unknown, but she appears to have passed away before Henry.

William Henry Russell passed away on March 1, 1915. He was 85 years, 7 months and 20 days old, marital status, widowed. His youngest son, David, was the informant and knew that his grandfather's name was Eli, perhaps because his brother, Eli, had been named for him, but he didn't know the name of his grandmother. His cause of death was unknown, as there was no physcian present. His place of burial was given as the Albemarle Cemetery and the funeral home, Campbell and Fink, was located in Richfield, NC, while son David was a resident of Albemarle. His marker is located at Anderson Grove Church Cemetery, so his body may have been moved, or he has a grave and a separate memorial marker with his brother, Gabriel.

The children of William Henry Russell were:

(With first wife, Eliza Russell)

1) William Isaiah Russell (1852-1839) Married Mary Jane Laton (1850-1823) one child; Ida Lee Russell Ingram.

2) Mary Elizabeth Russell (1854-1937) Married James Edward Burris (1847-1923) two children: Eliza Ann Russell Moyle (1880-1970) and Philmore Russell (1882-1916). James Edward Burris married Elizabeth when her children were 5 and 3 years old and raised them. Their biological father is unknown, but they were raised by Edward Burris.

The children of Sarah Frances Rummage with her first husband. John S. Blalock were:

3) Maston Crawford Blalock (1859-1936) Married Tempie Eliza Upchurch, ten children.

4) William Julius Henry Blalock (1861-1919) Married 1st Martha Custis "Mollie" Sherrill. Married 2nd Frances Rosanna Smith. Eleven children. Settled in Anderson, South Carolina.

The children of William Henry Russell and Sarah F. Rummage together:

5) Onie Russell (1866 -1911) Married Frank Washington Mauldin on December 28, 1904. She was the second of his three wives. Her Aunt, Henry's sister Martha Margaret Jane Russell, was his first. Onie and Frank had no children together, however, like her sister, Mary Elizabeth Russell, Onie had two children out of wedlock; John W. Russell in 1887, who married J. Lizia Page and in 1890, Eliza Ann Russell, who married Walker Hampton Dean. Their fathers are unknown, but Eliza Russell claimed Frank Mauldin, her step-father, on her marriage license.

6) Thomas Alexander Russell (1868-1939) Married Sarah J. Edwards, settled in Anson and Union Counties, Six children: William D. Russell, Cornelia R. Helms, Lottie Martellia R. Howard, Rosa M. Russell Helms, James Henry Russell and Fannie Russell Thomas.

7) Emma Jane Russell ( 1868-1937) Married John Henry Randle; six children; Henry Thomas Randle, Robert Lee Randall, Jennie Mae Randall Deal, Joseph Randle, Sam McLeod Randle, Delmar Asbury Randle.

8) Eli Henry Russell (1871-1936) Married Pattie Lee Austin, settled in Kannapolis, Rowan County; four children: Henry Thomas Russell, Robert Scott Russell, Dororty L Russell, Claud E. Russell.

9) Joseph "Joe"Russell (1872 - 1944) Married Rettie Jane Burris. five children; Phronia, Henry Clinton, Bertha Mae, Willie, Jodie Allen Russell.

10) Joshua R. Russell (1876-1957) Married Amanda Leonard, three daughters : Bessie Russell, Queen Victoria Russell and Martha Russell Gainey.

11) David Alexander Russell (1878-1964) Married Rosa Bell Hinson; 10 children; Bertha Russell, Clifford B. Russell, Crawford Russell, Ray Russell, Leroy Russell, Everett Leniz Russell, Coy Hill Russell, Mae Rose Russell Ballard, Robert R. Russell, Jamie F. Russell.

I hope this helps to clear up the confusion between the multiple Henry Russells, father and son, and the multiple Mary Elizabeth Russells, aunt and neice, and the multiple Elizabeth / Eliza Mauldins. The intermarriage and duplicate names among the Russells, Mauldins and Solomons can cause quite the conundrums.