Who are the Parents of James W. Honeycutt

James W. Honeycutt was born on 26 Apr 1833 in Cabarrus County, North Carolina. He married Sarah Elizabeth Page, daughter of Sion Page and Nancy Almond or Dove on 20 May 1855 in Stanly County, North Carolina. ¹




James W. Hunnycutt was married to Sarah Page on the
20th day of May 1855 Sd returned by
                                                    M. Furr, JP

Married in May 1855, James W. and his wife, Sarah Elizabeth Honeycutt are enumerated in the 1860 census for Cabarrus County, North Carolina with two small children.

1860 CENSUS: Subdivision East of NC RR, Cabarrus, North Carolina; Roll:  M653_890; Image: 178; Family History Library Film: 803890; Page 88B/118 (penciled), Line 17, Dwelling #902, Family #902; James Hunycut, male, age 26, Farmer, born in NC; Sarah E. Hunycut, Female, age 23, born in NC; Lovina Hunycut, Female, age 4, born in NC and Nelly Hunycut, Female, age 2, born in NC. ²

Then in 1870 census we find the family in the Big Lick community of Stanly County, North Carolina.
 
1870 CENSUS: Big Lick, Stanly County, North Carolina; Series: M593_1160;  Image: 87; Family History Library Film: 552659, Page 38A(stamped), Line 34, Dwelling 159, Family 160; James HUNEYCUTT, age 37, born in NC; Sarah HUNEYCUTT, Wife, age 34, born in NC, parents born in NC; Levina HUNEYCUTT, Daughter, age 14, born in NC; Nellie HUNEYCUTT, Daughter, age 12, born in NC; John A. HUNEYCUTT, Son, age 5, born in NC and Margaret HUNEYCUTT, Daughter, age 2, born in NC. ³

There is no doubt about the family in theses two census because James and Sarah's first born daughter Louvena Honeycutt is my Great Grandmother. She married John Calvin Deese on 9 April 1894. Louvena sister Nellie married John Calvin brother Henry Harrison on 1 Feb. 1875. ⁴

In the 1860 Census, James W. Hunnycutt reports his age as 26; therefore James W. Hunnycutt should be age 16 in 1850 Census. Only one Honeycutt family was found in 1850 Cabarrus County with a son called James. This family was the family of James Honeycutt and his wife Sarah Barrier. However their son was listed as age 19; not 16 as expected. ⁵

1850 CENSUS: Cabarrus County, North Carolina; Roll: M432_622;  Image: 588. NC; Page: 480B(stamped); Line 24, Dwelling 1208, Family 1208; James HUNEYCUTT, age 55, born in NC; Sarah HUNEYCUTT, wife, age 51, born in NC; Alfred B. HUNEYCUTT, son, age 24, born in NC; Leah E. HUNEYCUTT, daughter, age 24, born in NC; James HUNEYCUTT, Jr., son, age 19, born in NC; Dolly Ann HUNEYCUTT, daughter, age 17, born in NC; Caroline C. HUNEYCUTT, daughter, age 10, born in NC. Also, Hogens Ponebsgrass, male age 56, born in NC. ⁶

Taking a look at the 1840 Census with the expectation of finding a 7 year old son in the household we find only one candidates in Cabarrus County – again it is the family of James Honeycutt and his wife Sarah Barrier.









The James Honeycutt family is the only family with a son age 7 in the household. There are other candidates in Montgomery and Stanly County.

Circumstantial evidence points to James and Sarah Barrier Honeycutt as the parents of James W. Honeycutt born 26 April 1833. James Honeycutt, Sr. b. 1705 left a WILL in Cabarrus County, North Carolina. His sons, James and David are appointed Executors of the Will.

Item 6th I herein nominate and appoint my sons David and James my Executors to carry out and perform the objects and purposes of this Will I have perfect confidence in their integrity and capacity and that they will execute the trust herein reposed in them in such wise as to give satisfaction and do ample justice to all of my beloved family.⁷

But are we talking about the same James Honeycutt when we refer to James the son and James W. Honeycutt, my 2nd Great Grandfather? 

Looking at the tombstone for Sarah Barrier Honeycutt on the FindAGrave Memorial site (FAG #79490584) we find that someone has connected a J. E. Honeycutt as a son of this couple. There is no J. E. Honeycutt mentioned within James Honeycutt, Sr. Will.  I have found “NO PROOF” on-line that J. E. Honeycutt is a son of James Honeycutt (b. 1795) husband of Sarah Barrier. This information has been propagated from comment in the obituary of Levi C. Groseclose. ⁸ 

About three years ago he celebrated, with his good wife, his golden wedding. Mrs. Groseclose was formerly a Miss Honeycutt, sister of the late Rev. J. E. Honeycutt, of Chambersburg, Pa.⁹

I have found NO PROOF to substantiate this comment. There is a mentioned of a J. E. Honeycutt in the Probate folder of James Honeycutt, Sr. b. 1795, d. 9 March 1885 in Cabarrus County. His relationship to James is not mentioned or stated in the Probate folder. ¹⁰









I posted this question on the Genealogy of Central Carolina Facebook page and Julie Hampton and I had a lively discussion but reached no definitive conclusion of the parentage of James W. Honeycutt. If you have any information on the parents of James W. Honeycutt, born 26 April 1833 and married Sarah Elizabeth Page in May 1855 I would love to hear from you.

UPDATE: SOLVED: James W. Huneycutt parents identified as Marcus I. Huneycutt and Charity Dry thanks to J. Hampton, a noted on-line researcher and friend.








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1. "North Carolina, Marriages Index, 1759-1979," database, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 31 July 2015), James W. Hunnycutt & Sarah Page, Married, 20 May 1855, Stanly County, North Carolina.
2. 1860 U. S. Census, Cabarrus County, North Carolina, population schedule, Subdivision East of NC RR, Cabarrus, North Carolina, Page: 88; Line xx, Page 118/88B(stamped), Line 17, Dwelling #902, Family #902, Household of James Hunycut; online database, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 28 May 2013); citing National Archives Microfilm Publication M653, Roll 890.
3. 1870 U S Census, Stanly County, North Carolina, population schedule, Big Lick, Stanly County, North Carolina, Page 38A(stamped), Line 34, Dwelling 159, Family 160, Household of James HUNEYCUTT; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 28 May 2013); citing National Archive Microfilm M593, Roll 1160.
4. State of North Carolina, marriage (9 April 1884), John Calvin Deese & Lavinia Honeycutt; https://www.ancestry.com, Wadesboro, Anson County, North Carolina.
5. 1860 U. S. Census, Cabarrus County, North Carolina, population schedule, Subdivision East of NC RR, Cabarrus, North Carolina, Page 118/88B(stamped), Line 17, Dwelling #902, Family #902, Household of James Hunycut; online database, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 28 May 2013); citing National Archives Microfilm Publication M653, Roll 890.
5. James C. Pigg, Chesterfield County Cemetery Survey, Chesterfield County Genealogical Services, 1995. Tombstone of James W. HUNEYCUTT.
6. 1850 U. S. Census, Cabarrus County, North Carolina, population schedule, Cabarrus County, North Carolina, Page: 480B(stamped); Line 24, Dwelling 1208, Family 1208, Household of James HUNEYCUTT; online database, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 25 July 2015); citing National Archives Microfilm Publication M432, Roll 622.
7. North Carolina, Probate Records, 1735-1970," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1940-1222521-1-89?cc=1867501&wc=32LB-823:169768201,170904901 : accessed 28 July 2015), Cabarrus > Wills, 1868-1888 > image 234 of 302; county courthouses, North Carolina.
8. Find A Grave, Inc., Find A Grave, database and digital images, (http://www.findagrave.com : accessed 25 July 2015); Memorial page for Sarah Barrier Honeycutt; (1793–28 June 1887); Find a Grave memorial # 79490584, Citing Saint Stephens Lutheran Church Cemetery; Gold Hill, Rowan County, North Carolina, USA.
9. Obituary for Rev. Levi C. Groseclose, The Luthern Observer, 26 May 1905, page 5.
10. "North Carolina, Estate Files, 1663-1979," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1951-22920-1453-27?cc=1911121&wc=93GQ-ZV7:183206701,183304101,186970501 : accessed 31 July 2015), Cabarrus County > H > Honeycutt, James (1887) > image 9 of 11; State Archives, Raleigh.