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Caroline FINKLEA was born Oct 31 1832 in Butler CO, AL.
Notes of James T. Snow:
According to her great grand-daughter Clairine Grace Goodwin, Caroline w as a contrary old lady. She told many old tales of her growing up days, a nd talked of panthers scratching at their doors at night. Clarine stat ed that Caroline never spoke of her husband William Gilmore, and she belie ved that William had abandoned Caroline.
At the time of the 1880 Census it appears that she was separated from h er husband. There was a William Gilmore of about the same age as her husb and living with a Josephine Williamson (age 20, white servant) in Mixons a nd Fork of Sepulga, Conecuh Co., AL in the 1880 Census, though the re is no evidence other than his name and age that suggests this William w as her husband. Also, she apparently was living independently in Butler C ounty in 1878, as the marriage certificate of her daughter, Arrittie Gilmo re, indicates that the marriage took place on December 27, 1878 in Butl er County, at the residence of Arrittie's mother, Caroline Gilmore.
The1900 Census (Butler Co., Roll 5, Book 1, page 221a) notes that Caroli ne was widowed and living with her daughter Arrittie's family (husband Jam es Wesley Reid) in Garland, Butler County, Alabama. (She was not widowe d, but applied that description as less embarassing than being divorc ed or abandoned. James T. Snow) At this time she could reportedly read b ut not write. Listed as Caroline Gillmore; born Oct. 1832; age 67; widowe d; having had 4 children with three alive as of 1900; and both parents hav ing been born in South Carolina. The death certificate of Mary Jane Gilmo re Creamer states that Mary Jane's parents were Caroline Finklea and Willi am Gilmore. The other surviving child in 1900 was John T. Gilmore. (Jam es T. Snow, April 2004)
Although she was not enumerated with the Reid house in 1910, Caroline w as again living with her daughter's family at the time of the January 19 20 Census (Garland, Butler Co., page 11a). This census record also indica tes that she was 86 and widowed, that she was born in Alabama, and that bo th her mother and father were born in South Carolina.
From: Butler County News Tidbits, April 4, 1912 (North Garland)
Mrs. William GILMORE of Canoe (Escabia County) is visiting her daughter Mr s. J. W. REID of Mt. Olive. (Her son, John T. Gilmore, was living in Can oe in the 1910 Census and she probably was living with them in 1912. Howe ver, Caroline was not mentioned in his household in the 1910 Census. Jam es T. Snow)
OBITUARY OF CAROLINE FINKLEA GILMORE - Butler County (AL) News, April 4, 1 924
"In memory of Mrs. Caroline Gilmore who passed away to the great beyond, M arch 29th, 1924. All was done that loving hands could do, but the good Lo rd saw fit to call her home to rest. She was near one hundred years of ag e. She leaves to mourn her loss three children and a host of grandchildr en and great grandchildren. Her body was laid to rest Sunday morning at t he Mount Olive cemetery, where a large concourse of sympathizing friends a nd loved ones assembled to pay their last respects. Weep not, loved one s, for dear mother, for she is at rest, where no sickness or sorrow ever c omes." Signed - 'One who loved her'
Maiden name listed as Caroline Finkley on the death certificate of her dau ghter, Arrittie Gilmore Reid. Other variations include Fink, Finklea, Fin kle.
The death certificate of Caroline Finkley Gilmore states that she was bo rn in Alabama in 1834 (her tombstone indicates she was born on October 3 1, 1832); that her color was white; that she was widowed (not true, as Wil liam Gilmore died in 1925 - JTSnow) and had been married to William Gilmor e; that she died in Garland, Butler County, AL from Bright's Disease (vag ue and obsolete term for disease of the kidneys; symptoms include headach e, mild fever, puffiness of the eyes and face, high blood pressure, and di scoloration of the urine) on March 29, 1924 at 8:00 a.m. at the a ge of 90 years; that her father was born in South Carolina and his last na me was Finkley (and that his first name was unknown to her survivors); th at her mother's maiden name and birthplace were unknown by her survivor s; that she was buried on March 30, 1924 in the Mt. Olive West Cemete ry in Garland, Butler Co., AL and had no undertaker. The death certifica te was signed by R. H. Watson of Georgiana, AL. Informant was Henry Erne st Reid, a grandson.
In the 1840 Census of Butler Co., AL, p. 158, there was a Hugh Finklea w ho lived just three houses away from John Gilmore, father of William Gilmo re. Hugh also lived immediately next door to Stephen Gilmore, John’s brot her. There was a male and a female listed as being under 5 in this Hugh ’s family, which would make Caroline a bit old, but not by much. There w as a male in John Gilmore’s family age 10 or greater, and this must have b een William.
In the 1850 Census of Butler Co., p. 238, Hugh Finkley(‘y’ this time) w as still living next door to Stephen Gilmore. John Gilmore had moved to a nother location in Butler County. Hugh (age 44) was married to Cuzzie La ne (found her last name on other Internet sites, if correct), age 42, a nd they had three children at home - Mary (9), Ann (6) and Milly (3). Car oline would have been 17 or 18 by then, and was not at home. Neither w as her brother, who was noted in the 1840 census. Both Hugh and Cuzzi we re noted as being born in South Carolina.
In the 1820 Census of Marion County, South Carolina, there is a Hugh Finkl ey listed as a head of household, age range 16 to 26, no females in the ho usehold, so could have been close to 16. This would fit his age in the 18 40 and 1850 Census. Just above his listing is a John Finklea, age over 4 5.
I could not find William and Caroline in any census records in 1850, 18 60 or 1870. A William Gilmore appears in 1880, not living with Carolin e. Their son John (spouse Samantha Creamer) and daughter Mary Ann Gilmo re Creamer (Josiah) were both married and living in Conecuh County in 188 0. Caroline apparently was living independently in Butler County, becau se in 1878 her daughter Arrittie was married in Butler County to Jam es W. Reid at the residence of her mother, Caroline Gilmore.
There is a William Gilmore and wife Catharine in the 1850 Census, be at 7, of Butler County, AL, p. 230. The census states that they were marr ied that year, and that William was 25 and Catharine was 18. This coup le could well be 'our' William and Caroline. The age of Catharine fits Ca roline exactly (the census taker could have easily mistaken the close-soun ding names), and it makes sense that they were married prior to the cens us in 1850; otherwise, Caroline should have appeared in the census reco rd of Hugh and Cuzzie Finklea.
In the 1860 Census of Evergreen P.O., Conecuh County, AL p. 1030, Hugh Fin kley (age 72) was living with wife Cuzzie (age 51), daughter Julia Ann (a ge 16), daughter Milly A. (age 13), and an Alex Finkley (age 67). The cit ation states that Hugh, Cuzzie and Alex were born in South Carolina. T he 1840 Census shows Hugh as being between 50 and 60, and Cuzzie betwe en 30 and 40. The 1850 Census shows Hugh to be 44(should be 64?) and Cuzz ie 42. At first I thought that the 1840 Census was wrong, but the 1860 da ta suggest that the 1850 citation was wrong. This would put Hugh's bir th sometime before 1800.
According to Alabama land records, Hugh Finklea/Finkley/Finkly purchased s everal parcels of land in 1837 (thus his appearance in the 1840 Butler Cou nty Census). He also purchased about 1200 acres in 1858, presumably wh en he moved from Butler County to Conecuh County, after which he appear ed in the 1860 Census of Conecuh County.
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Notes of Dave Rayburn and Mike Vaughn ([email protected]), Finkl ea researchers. May 2003
Caroline Finklea (RIN-2432) is placed as a child of #282 Charles Finklea a nd his wife #216 Cuzza Lane by circumstantial evidence only. Some basic i nformation on this family was provided from the research of Jim Snow, a gr eat great great grandson of Caroline Finklea and her husband, #2433 Willi am Gilmore in May and June 2003. His email address is [email protected] g. It was he who found the information indicating that Caroline Gilmore w as a Finklea.
Alabama Death Certificate #16634 was issued in Butler County, Alabama, Reg istration District No. 7-0013, recording the death on 29 March 1924 of Car oline Gilmore, female, white, widow of William Gilmore, born 1834, age 9 0.
The Death Certificate gives her birthplace as Alabama; the name of her fat her as (---) Finkley, born in South Carolina; and states that the name a nd birthplace of her mother was unknown.
That certificate indicates that she died of Bright's Disease, and that s he was buried in Mt. Olive Cemetery. [Obituary of daughter Arritta Rei d, cited hereafter, indicates that cemetery adjoins Mt. Olive Church, ne ar Garland, Alabama]. The informant for the death certificate was H. E. R eid, shown from other data to be her grandson, and born in 1886.
Dates of birth and death are taken from her tombstone inscription at Mt. O live Cemetery.
The death certificate for her daughter Arritta Reid stated that her [Arrit ta's] father was William Gilmore and that her mother was Caroline Finkl ey [State of Alabama, Butler County, Death Certificate for Arritta Japant hy Reid, Date of Death 27 January 1952].
The death certificate for Arritta Reid indicates that she was born 1 Augu st 1873, but that date is incorrect. She was born in 1861, a date confirm ed by her marriage license to J. W. Reid [Butler County, Alabama Marria ge Records, license for J. W. Reid, age 22 & Arrita J. Gilmore, age 17, is sued 23 December 1878, unsourced copy in possession] and her obituary fr om The Butler County [Georgiana, Alabama] News, issue of 31 January 1952.
That marriage license reflects that Arritta was married at the residen ce of Caroline Gilmore.
No census record has been found reflecting William Gilmore and Caroline Gi lmore as a family. However, on the 1850 census of Butler County, Alaba ma there is a family that is likely that of William and Caroline Gilmore:
William Gilmer household, 1850 U. S. Census, Butler County, Alabama, popul ation schedule, Page 230, Dwelling & Family 760: William Gilmer, 25, bo rn AL; Catherine Gilmer, 18, born Alabama - both indicated as married with in the year.
Although the spouse's name is Catherine rather than Caroline, her age is c onsistent with Caroline's birth in 1832, and the fact of the marriage to W illiam Gilmer [Gilmore] within the year is consistent with the fact th at a Caroline Finkley does not appear on the census that year.
Caroline and William have not been located on the 1860 or 1870 census reco rds. Family tradition indicates that William abandoned Caroline someti me after 1860 and she never remarried.
Jim Snow also recounts that William Gilmore appears in the same area, livi ng with a woman named Josephine Williamson. There is a household that mee ts that description but there is nothing to support the view that the Will iam Gilmore who was head of that household was, in fact, the husband of Ca roline Finklea Gilmore.
The 1900 census cited hereafter indicates that Caroline Gilmore was the mo ther of 4 children of whom 3 were living at that time. In his research J im Snow identifies five children for Caroline and William Gilmore as follo ws: #2434 John T. Gilmore, #2435 Mary Ann Gilmore, #2436 Arrittie Japant ha Gilmore -- and two other children, Nealy Gilmore and Perry Gilmore.
The Death Certificate for Arrittie, cited above, documents that she w as a daughter of Caroline Finklea and William Gilmore. However, eviden ce that John T. Gilmore and Mary Jane Gilmore were her children seems to c ome only from the family records of Jim Snow. Additionally, there is no i nformation with regard to the other two possible children. In light of th at lack of information, and the fact that the 1900 census indicates the re were only 4 children rather than 5, the other two are not accepted as c hildren at this time.
In 1880 the three individuals accepted as children of William and Caroli ne were found in their own households on
that census, as follows:
Household:
Name RelationMarital
StatusGenderRaceAgeBirthplaceOccupationFather's BirthplaceMother
Birthplace
James W. REID Self M Male W 22 AL
Farmer GA AL
Ritty REID Wife M Female W 19 AL
Keeping House AL AL
Lonza REID Son S Male W 5M AL At
Home AL AL
Source Information:
Census PlaceMixons, Conecuh, Alabama
Family History Library Film 1254009
NA Film Number T9-0009
Page Number 16C
Household:
Name RelationMarital
StatusGenderRaceAgeBirthplaceOccupationFather's BirthplaceMother
Birthplace
Josiah CREAMER Self M Male W 21 AL
Farmer GERM NC
Mary CREAMER Wife M Female W 22 AL
Keeping House AL AL
Source Information:
Census PlaceMixons, Conecuh, Alabama
Family History Library Film 1254009
NA Film Number T9-0009
Page Number 12C
1880 Census, Conecuh County, Alabama Census Place:Mixons And Fork Of Sepu lga, Conecuh,
Alabama
Source:FHL Film 1254009 National Archives Film T9-0009 Page 1 4C
Relation Sex MarrRaceAgeBirthplace
John GILMORE Self M MW25AL
Emily GILMORE Wife F M W30AL
It is assumed that Emily was the same person as Samantha Gilmore, indicat ed from the research of Jim Snow as the wife of John T. Gilmore.
In 1900 Caroline Gilmore was living with the family of her daughter Arritt ie [Jim Read household, 1920 US Census, Butler County, Alabama, ED 21, Pa ge 221, Sheet 9b, line 68, Dwelling 122, Family 137, T623, roll 5], sho wn as Mother In Law of the head of household. She was shown as age 67, bo rn October 1832, widowed, mother of 4 children with 3 living , born Alabam a, parents born South Carolina.
In 1920 Caroline was still living with the same family [James Reid househo ld, 1920 US Census, Butler County, Alabama, ED 30, Page 223, Sheet 11a, li ne 32, Dwelling 125, Family 215, T625, roll 4]. Her age was shown as 86.
It appears that Caroline spent her entire life in Butler County, Alabam a, although it is possible that she may have lived just over the line in C onecuh County at some times -- that is not clear however.
Based on the information on her Death Certificate that she was a Finkle a, identification of her parents is largely a matter of trying to identi fy what Finklea men might have been in that area at the time.
In 1830 the only Finklea's living in Butler County, as found on that year 's census [1830 US Census, Butler County, Alabama, Page 295], were #215 Hu gh Finklea, who was not married, and #10 Thomas Finklea, who was married w ith a large family. His family has been identified through probate and ot her records.
At the same time, living nearby in Monroe County were several Finklea fami lies, including the household of #282 Charles Finklea, consisting of him a nd his wife, #216 Cuzza Lane. Charles Finklea household, 1830 US Censu s, Monroe County, Alabama, Page 34, as follows:
#282Charles Finklea (p. 34)
Males
30-40#282Charles Finklea
Females
20-30#216Cuzza Lane Finklea
According to Mary Kate O'Doherty [Finklea, Exum, et al, P. 14], Charles F inklea died about 1836, and thereafter his widow Cuzza Lane married #215 H ugh Finklea.
On the 1850 census the family of Hugh Finklea was as follows:
CENSUS: Hugh Finkley household, 1850 Alabama census, Butler Co., Beat N o. 8, pg. 238, dwelling and family
884, M432, roll 2, shows family as follows:
Hugh Finkley M W 44 SC
Cuzzie F W 42 SC
Mary F W 9 AL
Ann F W 6 AL
Milly F W 3 AL
Information contained in the notes for Hugh Finklea also reveal that the re was a son born before 1840 who died in an accident before 1850. Howeve r, the 1840 census for Hugh Finklea contains a young female child under t he age of 5 living in the household.
CENSUS: 1840 Census, Butler Co., Alabama; Pg 158, M704, roll 1
Hugh Finklea
Males - Under 5 - 1
50-60 - 1
Females - Under 5 - 1
30-40 - 1
Inasmuch as there was no such child known to belong to Hugh Finklea, a nd in light of the fact that Hugh Finklea and Cuzza Lane Finklea did not m arry until after the death of Charles Finklea about 1836 or 1837, it is as sumed that the unnamed child on that 1840 census was, in fact, Caroline Fi nklea, and that she was the daughter of Charles Finklea and Cuzza Lane, a nd she is so placed in the database.
The fact that William Gilmore and Caroline/Catherine married during the 18 50 census year explains why she would not have appeared in the Hugh Finkl ea household that year.
Further, in 1840 Stephen Gilmore and John Gilmore were enumerated only a f ew houses away form Hugh Finklea; and in 1850 Hugh was still living next d oor to Stephen Gilmore. Based on the research of Jim Snow, it seems like ly that William Gilmore was closely related to those Gilmore's.
And, even more compelling, in 1880, #208 Emily Finklea, daughter of Hugh F inklea, and her husband, #39 Thomas Julius Caesar Finklea, were enumerat ed living in the same community as the children of Caroline Gilmore indica ted above.
In light of Caroline's residence in Butler County, the close connection be tween the Hugh Finklea family and the various Gilmore's, it seems to be t he most logical conclusion that she was the daughter of Charles Finklea a nd Cuzza Lane, and lived in the Hugh Finklea household with her mother aft er Cuzza's remarriage to Hugh, following Charles's death. |
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