Evans of Lincoln Co., GA

 

 

 

Dear Mrs. Holland-Austin:

 

I have recently been researching my husband’s family, particularly the lines of Fleming, Evans, Bryan, Roberts and Watson.  I am also studying for my CG certification which I hope to complete by July of next year.  The brick walls I am experiencing are basically due to lack of travel time as I live in Florida and the records are in Georgia, SC, and VA.

 

Here is my first brick wall:

 

Robert Russell Evans was born in Lincoln County, GA April 23, 1817 and died in Thomas County, GA June 1, 1865.  He married first Mary Ann Bryan Born June 1, 1826 and died Feb 10, 1848.  She had one son James Frederick Evans.  Her obituary appears in Holcolmb’s abstracts from the Southern Christian Advocate pg 145.  It was posted by her brother in law the Rev. James E. Evans.  Their marriage is listed in GA Marriages to 1850 on Ancestry.com as taking place in Houston, GA.  They resided in Dooly County, GA and did not move from there as long as she lived.  In the family bible, which is where we are provided her DOB, it states that her parents are John C Bryan and Susan ________.    I also have some papers that say her name could have been Sarah______.

 

Bryan of Dooly Co. GA

 

I have searched Dooly county records online for Bryans and do not find a John C or Susan living in that county during Mary Ann’s lifetime or before.  However, in Nora Powell’s Historical Collections of Dooly County there are bible records for a Dupree family and there it lists Miss Travis Bryan wife of Ira Dupree was the daughter of John C Bryan of North Carolina.  The Dupree’s also came from NC.

 

There are census results in Onslow, NC that look promising.  There in the 1850 census we have a John and Sarah ages 69 and 60 and a John C Bryan in the 1840 Census.  Before that we have John C Bryan in Jones NC in the 1830 and 1820 census’.  In the 1800 and 1790 Census we have one in New Bern, Craven County NC.  There was a John C Bryan who served in the Rev War also.

 

Since you seem to know much more about NC records than I do, would you help me find the parentage of Mary Anne Bryan of Dooly County, GA?

 

2.         Also on the subject of Dooly County….I have a question about something I found on your site Watson of Edgefield County, SC.  I was told that our ancestor Jacob Watson was born in Scotland married Mary Pugh and that he came over with 5 brothers.  However, in Dobson’s many books on Scots colonists I have no record of Jacob Watson that fits with this timeframe.  In some notes I have from a now deceased family researcher it says he settled in Hawkinsville and there married Mary Pugh.  On your site you have a Jacob Watson son of John Watson of Edgefield County.  Do you have any information on this Jacob that may tie him to my Jacob?

 

Jacob Watson aka “Judge Watson” is buried in Stockton, Ga and his wife in Hawkinsville, GA.  In the Historical Collections of Dooly Co., by Powell, Watson is listed as appraising the estate of John Cone, Sr in 1842 and donating land to Harmony Baptist Church in 1844.  He is listed in the 1840 Census in Dooly, 1830 in Pulaski, and the GA Marriages to 1850 marrying Mary Pew on 17 Aug 1819.  Mary Pugh was supposedly the niece of Senator Pugh of PN.  According to Cousin Helen’s notes, their eldest daughter Mary married Jack Coalson and had 3 children of which we have no record. 

 

3.         I have a third brick wall involving Llewellyn Evans.  He died in Effingham County, GA in March of 1842 per the Southern Christian Advocate.  I have Holcomb’s abstract of the obit and it states he was born in VA but grew up between the Wateree and Congeree Rivers in SC.  Cousin Helen believed him to be the Son of Ludwell Evans of Richland SC because she found a will that listed a son Lewelling Evans.  Llewellyn was a Methodist Minister and I have all the minutes and info on him while he was in the Ministry prior to marrying Mary Harris of Harrisburg, GA.  In 1804 he located and there is no further information on him at SC Conferences or GA conferences in the Methodist Minutes.  However, several of his son’s became Methodist ministers.  In the SCA obituary abstract it lists 10 children.  I only know of 7—they are James Ezekiel Evans, William H., Lewellyn, Ludwell, Lucius, Robert Russell, and Elizabeth.  The obit mentions two dying in infancy and 6 sons and two daughters so I am missing one daughter at least.  I was wondering if there were obituaries in Effingham or Lincoln County other than the SCA, or if there was another source that I was missing for those counties. 

 

In the will of Ludwell Evans (probable father of Llewellyn) of SC there lists children: Susanna, Stephen, Prudence married ____________ Glaze,  Lucy married ________ Bobbet, Mary married ________ Holiday and Martha married  __________ Purkinson and Lewellyn whom we know married Mary Harris.  Ludwell is listed in the 1790 census of SC but I was unable to find any deeds on online records of the SC Archives.  

 

If it is true that Llewellyn was born in VA then we know they moved from VA to SC after 1771 and before 1790.  I do not know what to search in VA to look for the parents of Ludwell or to prove the parentage of Llewellyn.  I could use help with this. 

 

In the early records of Wilkes County GA there lists Ezekiel Harris to dau. Mary Evans letter Apr 1805 Recorded May 5, 1820.  Deeds FFF p. 129.  Do you know how I can get a copy of that letter or should I just write to Wilkes Co?

 

Wilkes County Index to Deeds lists several deeds for Llewellyn Evans which I have not requested as of yet….

1815 BBB 191 grantee McGehee

1818 EEE 26 grantee Russell

1818 EEE 27   “ “

 

I subscribed to your site over the weekend and my username is dfleming.

 

Thank you sincerely in Advance for your help.  I encounter your books everywhere.

Regards, Debra Fleming

 

 

Research Results:

 

12/27/2006.  Re: Bryan.  Your Bryans were in Houston Co., not Dooly Co.

 

 

1830 Houston Co.

 

John Bryan 20-30, **2 females under 5, female 20-30

 

William Bryan male 10-15, male 15-20, male 50-60, female 10-16, female 20-30, female 50-60

 

1850 Houston Co.

 

***John Bryan 45 GA

Elizabeth 37 SC

Mary 9

Nancy 7

Elizabeth 5

William 1

 

1860 Houston Co.

 

C. H. Bryan 54 (female) GA

C. S. 24 (male)

C. T. 20 (female)

H. T. 18 (female)

 

Abner Bryan 23 GA

Eliza 23

Nancy 7

Robert C. 33, physician, for the estate of James Bryan

Sarah 4

 

Houston Co. Annual Returns, Book A, page 216-218: 1/5/1835.  John Bryan, guardian of the orphans of Hardy B. Price, late of North Carolina.

 

Houston Co. Deeds:

 

Book E, page 72. 1-19-1831 headed Pike Co., Ga.  Uriah Askew of Pike Co. to John Bryan of Houston Co. lot 10 in 8th district of Houston Co.

 

Book E, page 422, headed Crawford Co., Ga. 2-19-1833.  Jesse Pitman of Crawford Co. to John Bryan of Houston Co. for $300, South half of lot 9, 8th district.

 

Book E, page 471. 3-16-1833.  John H. Patrick of Franklin Co. to John Bryan of Houston Co., Lot 230, 9th district for $100.00.

 

Book E, page 547. 1-7-1834 headed Crawford Co., Ga.  James A. Everitt of Crawford Co. to John Bryan the northern half of Lot 9, 8th district, for $100.00.

 

Houston Co. Estates. On 9/25/1837, Elijah Edgeworth and John Bryan were administrators of the estate of Little Bryan, deceased, and sell the real estate.  Letters of Dismission 3/7/1842.

 

Conclusion: the 1830 Houston Co. Census of John Bryan fits perfectly to be the father of Mary Ann Bryan.  Robert Russell Evans married Mary Ann Bryan on 2/3/1846 in Houston Co.  Her mother was probably the 1st wife of John Bryan who must have died before 1850.

 

John Bryan was probably a son of Little Bryan, born 1780, died 1837 in Houston Co.

The IGI says that Little Bryan married Elizabeth MacGruder 3/15/1801 but I do not know where.  Little Bryan is thought to be a son of Nathan Bryan, born 1757 in Martin Co., S. C., who died 9/1835 in Pike Co., Ga. Pike Co. needs to be researched.

 

Evans:

 

1860 Houston Co. Census

James Evans 85

 

Llewellen Evans married Permelia Wright 12/4/1831 in Lincoln Co.