Case Study: Using Correlation

After reading the blog article “Spotlight- Thomas W. Jones” on Michele Simmons Lewis’s blog “Ancestoring’s Ask a Genealogist” I decided to watch Tom Jones podcast on “Using "Correlation" to Reveal Facts that No Record States”. 

I found the podcast very interesting and decided to use it in an effort to determine the wife of Richard Frederick Davis of Chesterfield County, South Carolina.

Background:
Richard Frederick “Fred” Davis married about 1860-61; a local lady named Elizabeth. But, did he marry Elizabeth Brown or Elizabeth McBride. Based on Census data, Richard Frederick, wife Elizabeth was born about 1843 and died in 1901.

We first find Fred and Elizabeth, as a couple, in 1870 Federal Census:[1]
 
1870 CENSUS: Court House, Chesterfield County, South Carolina; Roll: M593_1491; Image: 101; Family History Library Film: 552990, Page: 288A; Line 30, Dwelling 10, Family 10; Fred DAVIS, age 25, male, farmer, born in SC; E. [Elizabeth] DAVIS, Female, age 24, born in SC; F. [Fred] DAVIS, Male, age 8, born in SC and J. [John] DAVIS, Male, age 6, born in SC.

The age of their first born, a son also called Fred, listed in the 1870 as age 8 years of age suggests that Fred and Elizabeth were married after the 1860 census and most likely took place around the late 1860 or 1861.

Both the 1880 and 1900 census confirms Fred and Elizabeth continued marriage. In 1900; they state that they had been married 37 years [1863] and had 2 children both of which are still living. [2][3]
1880 CENSUS: Court House, Chesterfield County, South Carolina; Roll: 1225; Family History Film: 1255225; Enumeration District: 5; Page: 326B; Line 11, Dwelling 286, Family 286; Fred DAVIS, age 40, born in SC; Elizabeth [McBRIDE] DAVIS, wife, age 35, born in SC; Fred DAVIS, Son, age 18, born in SC and John DAVIS, Son, age 18, born in SC.

1900 CENSUS; Court House, Chesterfield County, South Carolina; Roll: T623_1523; Enumeration District: 21; Page 100B, Line 61, Dwelling/Family 297/303; Frederick DAVIS, age 64, born Jan 1836, married 37 years 2 children, 2 living. Elizabeth DAVIS, wife, age 63, born unk 1837; Sarah [RIVERS] DAVIS, Mother [of Richard Frederick Davis], age 87, widowed, born unk 1813, 3 children, 3 living.

Their 2 children were Jefferson Fred Davis and John Washington Davis.

Up until this point we have not found anything that would indicate or provide the “Maiden” name of Fred’s wife Elizabeth.

Now our best bet for this information is the death certificates of the two boys.

• Jefferson Fred Davis (September 30, 1861-July 9, 1944). SC Death Certificate 08614 for Jefferson Fred Davis lists his parents as Fred J. Davis and Elizabeth Brown.

• John Washington Davis (Nov 5, 1865- Oct 5, 1929). SC Death Certificate 08614 for John Washington Davis lists his parents as Fred Davis and Elizabeth Brown.

So it would seem that Elizabeth Brown is in fact the Wife of Fred Davis and Mother of these two boys. But, Is she? 

I believe the informant on these 2 certificates provided some misinformation on the Mother of these two men.

In 1850 there was only 1 child named "Elizabeth Brown" in the census. She was Elizabeth Brown, age 13, daughter of Neal Brown.

Elizabeth “Eliza” Brown married Randall JOHNSON and had two children – Alexander, b. 1860 and John N., b. 1865.

So if the only Elizabeth Brown in 1860 Chesterfield County married Randall Johnson; who did Richard Frederick Davis marry?

The answer to the question - Who did Richard Frederick Davis marry is – Elizabeth McBride, daughter of William McBride and Jerusha Davis McBride.

Elizabeth McBride Davis Age Chart

1843	1850	1860	1870	1880	1900
Birth	7	20	24	35	63 (unk 1837)

Elizabeth McBride Davis was born abt 1843 and died in 1901.


Elizabeth Brown Johnson Age Chart

1837	1850	1860	1870	1880	1900
Birth	13	20	33	43	Unk

Elizabeth “Eliza” Brown Johnson was born in 1837 and died 25 Mar 1902 in Chesterfield County, South Carolina. 
 
Both of these girls were married and having children at the same time. Randall Johnson, husband of Elizabeth “Eliza” Brown Johnson died on 8 February 1864. There is no indication that Elizabeth “Eliza” Brown Johnson ever remarried. She (Eliza Brown) was born on Sep. 15, 1844 and died on Mar. 25, 1902 according to her tombstone in the Kite Cemetery, Chesterfield County, South Carolina.
Elizabeth McBride was the daughter of William McBride and Jerusha Davis. Her birth year (1843) is based upon census record and is estimated. Her Tombstone at Zoar Cemetery shows her born 1840; died in 1901. After an exhaustive search, no obituary has been for her in local records. We do know that Elizabeth Davis was still living in 1900[4] and that her husband was re-married in 1910.[5]
 
1900 CENSUS; Court House, Chesterfield County, South Carolina; Roll: T623_1523; Enumeration District: 21; Page 100B, Line 61, Dwelling/Family 297/303; Frederick DAVIS, age 64, born Jan 1836, married 37 years 2 children, 2 living. Elizabeth DAVIS, wife, age 63, born unk 1837; Sarah [RIVERS] DAVIS, Mother [of Richard Frederick Davis], age 87, widowed, born unk 1813, 3 children, 3 living.

We do know that her husband, Richard Frederick Davis remarried about 1902 to Lucy Hardy White and they had a son – Robert L. Davis, born in 1903.[6] Richard Frederick Davis died 7 November 1915. He is buried at Zoar Church Cemetery.[7]
 
1910 CENSUS: Court House, Chesterfield County, South Carolina; Roll: T624_1455; Enumeration District: 0037; Image: 922; FHL Number: 1375468, Page: 133B; Line 57, Dwelling 120, Family 120; Fread DAVIS, age 70; his wife Lucy DAVIS, age 46; Robert L. DAVIS, age 7; and step children, Frank WHITE, age 24; Ellen WHITE, age 16; Hardy WHITE, age 14 and Annie WHITE, age 12.

Obituary -Mr. [Richard] Fred Davis, Sr., an aged man of the Zoar section of the county died last Monday night and was buried at Zoar church cemetery at 4 PM Tuesday. Mr. Davis saw four years' service in the war between the states. He was a lifelong member of the Methodist church and leaves besides his wife, three children, Messrs. J. Fred, John W. and Robert Davis, a brother Mr. John W. Davis of Hartsville and one sister, Mrs. Hannah Grant of McFarlan, NC. [The Chesterfield Advertiser, November 10, 1915, page 1, col. 5]. SOURCE: James C. Pigg, "Obituaries from the Chesterfield Advertiser 1892-1926, Chesterfield County, SC" Tega Cay, SC, Self-published, 2001).[8]
 

Conclusion:
Richard Frederick Davis was twice married. Her first wife named Elizabeth bore his two children – J. Fred Davis and John W. Davis.

Elizabeth [McBride] Davis died sometime around 1901 and Richard Frederick Davis remarried to Lucy Hardy White.

Lucy Hardy White and Richard Frederick Davis had one child, a son named Robert L. Davis, born about 1903. Robert is listed as age 7 in the 1910 Chesterfield Census.

The SC Death certificates for both J. Fred Davis and John W. Davis show the parents of these two boys as F. Davis and Elizabeth Brown.

Review of local censuses from 1850-1900 revealed only one Elizabeth Brown in the Census and she was the 12 year daughter of Neal Brown and his wife Susan.

This Elizabeth Brown married Randall Johnson, had two sons – Alexander Johnson and John N. Johnson. She was also married during the same time period as Richard Frederick was to Elizabeth.
Elizabeth Brown is married to Randall Johnson; therefore the wife of Richard Frederick Davis cannot be Elizabeth Brown.

At least one tree on Ancestry shows Richard Frederick Davis married to Elizabeth McBride.[9]
 
Working through this problem using “correlation” has been very rewarding and has been revealing. While I feel certain that Elizabeth Brown IS NOT the wife of Richard Frederick Davis; I think more research is necessary to solve this case.

---

[1] 1870 U. S. Census, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, population schedule, Court House, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, Page 288A; Line 30, Dwelling 10, Family 10, Household of Fred DAVIS; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 28 August 2011); citing National Archives Microfilm M593_1491.
[2] 1880 U. S. Census, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, population schedule, Court House, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, enumeration district (ED) #5, Page 326B; Line 11, Dwelling 286, Family 286, Household of Fred DAVIS; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 27 August 2011); citing National Archive Microfilm T9, Roll 1225.
[3] 1900 U. S. Census, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, population schedule, Court House, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, enumeration district (ED) #21, Page 100B, Line 61, Dwelling/Family 297/303, Household of Frederick DAVIS; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://ancestry.com : viewed 3 August 2011); citing National Archives Microfilm T623_Roll: 1523.
[4] Ibid.
[5] 1910 U. S. Census, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, population schedule, Court House, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, enumeration district (ED) #0037, Page: 133B; Line 57, Dwelling 120, Family 120, Household of Fread DAVIS; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://ancestry.com : viewed 28 August 2011); citing National Archives Microfilm T624_1455.
[6] Ibid.
[7] Find A Grave Memorial# 100262378
[8] Mr. [Richard] Fred Davis, Sr. obituary, The Chesterfield Advertiser, Chesterfield, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, 10 November 1915, page 1, col. 5.
[9] http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/12592570/person/12634613420