52 Cousins~Elizabeth Catherine Dry

Elizabeth Catherine Dry was born about 1829, a daughter of Peter Dry and Hetty Elizabeth A. Teeter. She was the 5th of five children borne to Peter and Hetty Dry. No document could be found that showed here exact birth. The 1839 birth year is based on her reported age of 21 in the 1850 Census for Cabarrus County, North Carolina.  

At age 22, Elizabeth Catherine Dry married Martin Kees, age 19, on 24 May 1851. Martin Kees was borne about 1832 in Wilkes County, North Carolina. Martin’s occupation was a farm laborer. Elizabeth's father Peter Dry was alive at the time of her wedding but died a short time later. Her mother, Hetty, lived until the late sixties.  

 

This was a short-lived marriage. The 1860 Census for Cabarrus County shows Martin and Elizabeth with 1 child their 10-month-old daughter Eve. A war was on its way and on August 20, 1862, Martin enlisted with Co G, 7th NC Infantry. Earlier this year his 2nd Child, a son, Adam N. Kees, was borne on 4 April 1862. Elizabeth Catherine was left with 2 young children to care for while he was away. Sadly, Martin Kees would not be coming home. He died either in November or December of 1862 of disease. Elizabeth Catherine (Dry) Kees was now a widow with 2 young children.

KEES, MARTIN, Private

Resided in Cabarrus County and enlisted at age 30, August 20, 1862, for the war. Reported absent sick in hospital at Winchester, Virginia, October 13, 1862. Died in November-December 1862. Place, exact date, and cause of death not reported. 

NC TROOPS

Book 4, Page 478

Martin Lees enlists into the Confederate Army on 20 August 1862, five months later he has died leaving Elizabeth Catherine (Dry) Kees, a widow with two small children under the age of five. 

For the next 17 years, Elizabeth Catherine (Dry) Kees raised her two children alone. Sometime between 1860 and 1870 her young daughter Eve A. Kees passed away. During the time period of 1862 to 1870, Hetty Elizabeth A. (Teeter) Dry the mother of Elizabeth Catherine (Dry) Kees passes away. She does have two sisters and a brother living at this time. 

In the 1870 Census, the widow, Elizabeth Catherine (Dry) Kees and her son Adam, can be found in the Elias MISENHIMER household doing duty as his housekeeper.

Then on 2 April 1879, Elizabeth Catherine Kees marries Levi Hinseman. Levi was a farmer and I believe him to be about the same age as his new bride Elizabeth Catherine (Dry) Kees. I have found 3 documents for his age and each of them shows him born in a different year.

Levi Hinseman was borne:

• 1828 -- Civil War document [https://www.fold3.com/image/52029283/hinseman-levi-page-12-us-civil-war-service-records-cmsr-confederate-north-carolina-1861-1865]

• 1831-- the 1880 Census Cabarrus County, NC age 49 = 1831
• abt 1842 -- NC Marriage to Catherine (Dry) Kees 

Levi and Elizabeth Catherine Hinseman had no children borne of this union. No precise death dates have been found for this couple. Levi Hinseman died before 14 January 1891.  From his probate file we have this document:

North Carolina}

Cabarrus County}        Justice Court

         We the undersigned commissioners with J. F. Welleford a Justice of the peace for Cabarrus County after being duly sworn met on the premises of the late Levi Hinseman on the 14th day of Jany 1891 for the purpose of laying off a year support for his Widow Mrs. E. C. Hinseman and find the family to consist of the Widow--- and proceeded to allot the following articles of personal property with the value annexed.   

https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/9061/004968611_01314/336039

 All we know of Elizabeth Catherine Hinseman is that she died after 14 January 1891 and is not listed in the 1900 Censes for Cabarrus County, North Carolina. 

Her only living child, Adam N. Kees can be found in Cabarrus County, NC and his Mother is not listed in the household. 

1900 CENSUS: Kings Creek, Cabarrus, North Carolina; Enumeration District #24; Page 25A/228 (Stamped); Line 39; Dwelling 428, Family 428; Adam KEES, Male, age 38, born Apr 1862 in NC and Adlaid KEES, Wife, age 38, born Jan 1862 in NC; Married 4 years, 1 child, none living.  

Elizabeth Catherine (Dry) (Kees) Hinseman is my 1st Cousin 4X Times Removed. 

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1. 1850 U. S. Census, Cabarrus County, North Carolina, population schedule, Cabarrus, North Carolina, Page 445B(stamped), Line 14, Dwelling 670, Family 670; Peter DRY, Household of Peter DRY; online database, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com: viewed 3 May 2018); citing National Archives Microfilm Publication M432, Roll 622. 

2. 1860 U. S. Census, Cabarrus County, North Carolina, population schedule, Subdivision East of NC RR, Cabarrus, North Carolina, Page: 55(Stamped); Line 4, Dwelling 359, Family 359, Household of Martin KEES; online database, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com: viewed 16 March 2019); citing National Archives Microfilm Publication M653, Roll 890. 

 3. 1870 Census, Cabarrus County, North Carolina, population schedule, Township 11, Cabarrus, North Carolina; Page: 435B; Line 3, Dwelling 79, Family 80, Household of Elias MISENHIMER; online database, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com: viewed`14 mar 2020 ); citing National Archives Microfilm Publication M593, Roll 1126. 

4. 1880 U. S. Census, Cabarrus County, North Carolina, population schedule, Old Field, Cabarrus, North Carolina, enumeration district (ED) 029, Page: 373B(Stamped); Line 33, Dwelling 125, Family 125, Household of Levi HINSEMAN; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com: viewed 14 March 2020); citing National Archives Microfilm T9, Roll 0955. 

5. "Index to North Carolina Marriage Bonds, 1741-1868," database, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com: viewed 14 March 2020), MARRIAGE: Martin Kees & Catherine Dry; North Carolina Division of Archives and History, 1977; Bond date: 24 May 1851. 

6. Ancestry, "Civil War Service Records" database, Military Service Records (https://www.fold3.com/: accessed 6 August 2021), entry for Martin Kees, Private; Co G, 7th NC Infantry; Confederate. 

7. Louis H. Manarin, North Carolina Troops, 1861-1865: A Roster (Raleigh, North Carolina: Office of Archives and History, 2013), 4, 478, Martin KEES. 

8. Ancestry, Military Service Records, database entry for Martin Kees, Private; Co G, 7th NC Infantry; Confederate. 

9. "North Carolina, Index to Marriage Bonds, 1741-1868," database, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com: viewed 6 August 2021), Marriage: Catherine Dry & Levi Hinseman, https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui content/view/15414405:60548. 

10. Ancestry, Military Service Records, database entry for Levi Hinseman, Private; 52nd Regiment, North Carolina Infantry; Confederate. 

11. "Reroute of Road through Levi Hinesman's land.," Local News, The Standard, Concord, North Carolina, 15 August 1890, Page 2, column 4; Digital On-Line Archives, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/: online January 2025); https://www.newspapers.com/. 

12. Cabarrus County, North Carolina, Probate Files & Loose papers, Levi Hinseman; digital images, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, FamilySearch (http://www.familysearch.org: viewed 6 August 2021); https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/9061/images/004968611_01314?pId=336039. 

13. Land Deed - Levi Hinseman & Wife to Martin Dry; 27 November 1885; Deed Book #40; Page(s) 328-329; Register of Deeds; Concord, Cabarrus County, North Carolina; January 2025.