Benjamin Brock and Jane Freeman are the greatest mystery I have discovered in my research.
Benjamin was born about 1834 to Benjamin Brock and his wife Temperance. Jane was born about 1934 to Jesse Freeman and his wife Sarah Jane Davis. Both Benjamin and Jane are distant cousins; one on my paternal lines and the other on my maternal lines.1 2
Benjamin Brock and Jane Freeman were married about 1854 in Chesterfield County, South Carolina.
This marriage year (1854) is based on the birth of their son James who passed away on 8 September 1858 and was buried at St. David's Church Cemetery. 3
Died: September 8, 1856, at the residents of the Parents in Cheraw, & in the Yard at St. David's Church, James [BROCK], infant son of Benjamin & Jane BROCK, aged 1 year. "St. David's Parish, South Carolina Minutes of the Vestry 1768-1832, Parish Register 1819-1924" by Brent H. Holcomb, 1991. Page 120.
This entry also provides circumstantial evidence of the marriage of Benjamin and Jane Freeman Brock.
Benjamin is enumerated with his parents in 1850 and Jane was found in her Father household in the 1850 Census; both are single. Beyond that they have not been found in any census after 1850. Two additional documents have been found that mention Benjamin Brock. Also in 1860, we find a Jane Brock, age 4 listed in the household of Jesse Freeman.4
1860 CENSUS: Chesterfield County, South Carolina; Roll: M653_1217; Image 350; Family History Library Film: 805217, Page 173B; Line 27, Dwelling 1123, Family 1122; Jesse FREEMAN, age 54, farmer, born in SC; Jane FREEMAN, age 50, born in SC; Jesse FREEMAN, age 20, born in SC; John FREEMAN, age 18, born in SC; Effie FREEMAN, age 13, female, born in SC; Sarah FREEMAN, age 11, female, born in SC; Jane Brock, age 04, born in SC.
At this point we can say that the family composition is:
Benjamin Brock, Male, b. 1834 in SC [Head/Husband/Father]
Jane Freeman Brock, Female, b. 1834 in SC [Wife/Mother]
James Brock, Male, age 1, b. 1855, d. 8 September 1856 in SC [Son]
Jane Brock, Female, age 4, b. 1856 in SC [Daughter]
In February 1860, these two articles appeared in the local newspaper for Wadesboro, Anson County, North Carolina and was republished in the Darlington Flag, Vol. XV, No. 3 (Summer 2003). Wadesboro is approximately 20 miles north of the town of Chesterfield, South Carolina.5
MURDER - On Sunday morning last, the body of a free colored man, named Michael Knight, was found near Sandy Plains Church, in this county, under circumstances that lead to believe that he had been foully dealt with. He was entirely nude, excepting socks upon his feet and his body was horribly mangled, having been badly beaten with a stick and his neck dislocated. Coroner A. Niven held an inquest on Monday before whom evidence was brought to light pointing to two white men as the perpetrators of the deed. The evidence however is wholly circumstantial. We suppress the names of the accused for the present understanding warrants are in the hands of the proper officers for their arrest. So far as we understand there are no extenuating circumstances for the perpetration of this horrible deed...
[ARGUS (Anson County, NC), 16 February 1860, page 3]
THE MURDERS OF KNIGHT- So far as can we learn, the murders of Knight, are still at large. The probability is they have left the State. The two men charged with the crime, Robert Lewis and Ben Brock, are somewhat noted characters. The former it will be recollected was tried in Chesterfield District, South Carolina, last summer for homicide - it was said for causing the death of a man in Cheraw by striking him on the head with a bottle and the latter it is understood is a refugee from the State of Mississippi for causing or very near causing the death of a man by cutting him with a knife. It is presumed if the parties have left the State, the State authorities will take early and energetic measures to have them arrested and brought to justice. The majesty of the laws must be maintained and their strong arm should be felt no matter where the perpetrator of crime should seek to hide himself. We understand that parties in South Carolina say that the offer of sufficient reward they will produce one or both of the parties. Probability is they are hiding just over the State line and these parties know where they are hiding...
[ARGUS (Anson County, NC), 23 February 1860, page 3]
Now, I have no proof that this is in fact the same Ben Brock that married Jane Freeman and was the son of Benjamin and Temperance Brock. However, I believe enough evidence exists to warrant additional research.
Then in July 1881, Jesse Freeman, father of Jane Freeman and grandfather of the Brock children died. In September 1885, two of the heirs to Jesse Freeman brought suit against the remaining heirs.6
Mary Ann Wadsworth and her husband, Louis H. Wadsworth, Effie Purvis and her husband, Stephen D. Purvis.
PLAINTIFFS
Against
William Freeman
Louis Freeman
Mary Freeman (Wife of Jessie Freeman, Sr.)[Second Wife]
Sarah Ann Odom
Christine F. Tumage
Ann Hall
Temple Par
Elizabeth Poston
Defendants
Named within that suit was a young lady, called Temple PAR/PARR.
In another paragraph within the suit we find this statement: “One granddaughter named Temple Par, daughter of Jane Freeman who married Benjamin Brock, predeceased her said father, Jesse Freeman”7
In this one statement we know that:
- Jane Freeman married Ben Brock
- Jane Freeman is deceased (No known date)
- That Temple Par is Jesse Freeman Granddaughter
- That Temple Par is the daughter of Jane Freeman who married Ben Brock.
So now the family has grown and the family composition is composed of:
Benjamin Brock, Male, b. 1834 in SC [Head/Husband/Father]
Jane Freeman Brock, Female, b. 1834 in SC [Wife/Mother]
James Brock, Male, age 1, b. 1855, d. 8 September 1856 in SC [Son]
Jane Brock, Female, age 4, b. 1856 in SC [Daughter]
Temple Brock Parr, female, [Daughter]
A search on Ancestry for Temple Par did not reveal any data; but, another search using PARR did turn up several documents.8
- Obituary
- Death Certificate
- Find A Grave
- Census
The South Carolina Death Certificate (#027309) Tempy A. Parr shows that she was born 10 August 1858 and died 20 November 1918 in Columbia, South Carolina. Her obituary in the local news on 21 Nov. 1918 states that “Mrs. Temple Parr, wife of Samuel Parr... and she died at home”.9 10
The family is now complete based on current evidence and consists of:
Benjamin Brock, Male, b. 1834 in SC [Head/Husband/Father]Jane Freeman Brock, Female, b. 1834 in SC [Wife/Mother]
James Brock, Male, age 1, b. 1855, d. 8 September 1856 in SC [Son]
Jane Brock, Female, age 4, b. 1856 in SC [Daughter]
Temple Brock Parr, female, b. 10 August 1858; d. 20 November 1918[Daughter]
While we were able to identify and re-build this family, many unanswered questions remains.
- When did Jane Freeman Brock die?
- What happen to Benjamin Brock?
- When died their daughter Jane Brock pass away?
The absence of Jane, b. 1834, from the 1860 Census suggests that she most likely died as the results of childbirth after the birth of her daughter Temple in August 1858. That left Jane and Tempie to be cared for; Jane is with her grandfather in 1860; where is Tempie in 1860?
Tempie Brock Parr and her husband, Samuel M. Parr had 6 children:
- Benjamin Franklin Parr, born abt 1884, Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina; married Nettie Hall, Jul 1914; died 24 Mar 1926, Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina.
- James Melton Parr, born 13 Sep 1885, Hartsville, Darlington, South Carolina; married Eunice Victoria Steen, 1904; died 24 Nov 1939, Charleston, Charleston, South Carolina.
- Carrie A. Parr, born 23 Dec 1885, Bishopville, Sumter Co., SC; married Reuben Harvey Easler, 13 May 1906; died 24 Feb 1970, Columbia, Richland, South Carolina.
- Luetta E. Parr was born in Jun 1888 in Bishopville, Sumter Co., SC. 10
- Arrie Lee Parr was born in Sep 1892 in Bishopville, Sumter Co., SC. 11 12
- Mary Parr was born in Sep 1892.
____________________________
[1] 1850 U. S. Census, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, population schedule, Chesterfield, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, Page 126B; Line 18, Dwelling 438, Family 438, Household of Benjamin Brock; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed March 2012); citing National Archives Microfilm M432 Roll 851.
[2] 1850 U. S. Census, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, population schedule, Chesterfield, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, Page: 134B/135A; Line 33, Dwelling 560, Family 560, Household of Jesse FREEMAN; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 12 June 2012); citing National Archives Microfilm M432 Roll 851.
[3] Brent H. Holcomb C.A.L.S., St. David's Parish, South Carolina Minutes of the Vestry 1768-1832,: Parish Register 1819-1924 (Greenville, South Carolina: Southern Historical Press, 1991), page 120.
[4] 1860 U. S. Census, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, population schedule, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, Page 173B; Line 27, Dwelling 1123, Family 1122, Household of Jesse FREEMAN; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 2009); citing National Archives Microfilm M653_1217.
[5] Old Darlington District Chapter S.C.G.S., "Anson County, NC – Darlington District, SC Connections;," Darlington Flag, Vol. XV, No. 3 (Summer 2003): Murder of Michael Knight Free Man of Color.
[6] Charles Freeman, "COMPLAINT FOR RELIEF," Chesterfield District Chronicle, Vol. 5, No. 1, Winter 2002, Newsletter , Chesterfield County Genealogical Society (), Pages 21-23.
[7] Ibid
[8] http://www.ancestry.com
[9] Zimpie Parr, death certificate 027309 (20 November 1918), Vital Records, Department of Health and Environmental Control, Columbia, Richland County, South Carolina.
[10] Mrs. Temple Parr obituary, The State, Columbia, Richland County, South Carolina, 21 November 1918, page 10, column 3. Aged Woman Passes.
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