It’s Family Time~The Two Malachi Rivers of Chesterfield County

Just as location is important in real estate; accuracy becomes the mantra in genealogy. A genealogy without documentation and accuracy is just another piece of bad fiction.


A common error in research is the connection of an individual with the correct name to the wrong individual or family.
 
I have three Malachi Rivers in my database. The repetition of names from generation to generation makes it easy to mix families resulting in errors in your family history. 

Back in the early to mid-1800, there were two Malachi ‘Mally’ Rivers with wives by the name of Sarah. They were Mother and Daughter and not only did they share the name Sarah but both had Boatwright in these names. The Mothers surname and the Daughter middle name was Boatwright. The commonality of the wives name has resulted in errors in many family histories. Oftentimes, I see family trees with children and spouses connected to the wrong individual or family because of commonality in names.  


The first Malachi Rivers was born 22 August 1812. He married Sarah Ann Boatwright about 1837. He was the son of William Rivers and Elizabeth ‘Betsy” Rivers Rivers.

Malachi and Sarah Ann had a large family of sixteen children. One of those children was an older Daughter they named Sarah Boatwright Rivers. Sarah Boatwright Rivers was born 8 March 1848.

Sarah Boatwright Rivers married Malachi J. Rivers about December 1865. Malachi J. Rivers was born 20 August 1842, a son of Frederick C. Rivers and Sarah Ann Hurst.


Malachi J. Rivers and Sarah Boatwright Rivers had a family of eight children; a daughter and 6 sons. The daughter, Cora, was the seventh child born to this family. 


Sometimes we let simple things trip us up. Don’t let the commonality of names trip you up. Keep the two Malachi Rivers correctly positioned in your family history by remembering that “The younger Malachi is the Son-in-Law of the older Malachi Rivers.”



Malachi ‘Mally’ Rivers is my 3rd Great Grand Uncle.

Sarah Boatwright Rivers the wife of Malachi J. Rivers is my 1st Cousin 4 times removed.

Amanuensis Monday~Dower Release

 
Amanuensis Monday is a genealogy blogging theme. It was started by John Newmark who writes the TransylvanianDutch blog.

His definition of Amanuensis is:
Amanuensis: A person employed to write what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another.
Today’s posting is Dower release of a Land Deed between Frederick Rivers and Malachi J. Rivers. [Father to Son]. The original; Land Deed , dated December 6, 1867 is recorded  Chesterfield County Deed Book 1, page 241. Frederick Rivers, the father, sold his son, Malachi 100 acres of land for two hundred dollars.¹ 

The bottom of the Deed Book 1, page 241 is annotated with:
Dower recorded 8th Dec. 1875 in Book No. 4, Pages 754-755
Recorded 25th May 1868
Original Delivered to Malachi J. Rivers

Fred Rivers to M. J. Rivers Dower
State of South Carolina}
Chesterfield County} I. T. F. Mulloy, Clk of the Court of Common Pleas & General Sessions do hereby certify unto all whom it may concern that Mrs. Sarah Ann [Hurst] Rivers wife of the within named Frederick Rivers did this day appear before me, and upon being privately and separately examined by me did declare that she does freely, voluntarily and without any compulsion, dread or fear of any person or persons whomsoever renounce, release and forever relinquish unto the within named Malachi J. Rivers his heirs and assigns, all her interest and estate and also all her rights and claims of Dower of, in or to all and singular the premises within mentioned and released.
Given under my hand and seal, this 3^rd day of December Anno Domino 1875.
T. F. Mulloy {LS}                                  Sarah Ann X Rivers
Clk                                                                     her mark
Deed Recorded 25^th May 1868 Recorded 8^th December 1875
In Book W1, Page 241,242 Original Del’v to M. J. Rivers ²

Parties mentioned in the above Land Deed are all family members. Frederick Rivers is Frederick C. Rivers, b. 13 May 1800; d. 24 June 1878; his wife Sarah Ann [Hurst] Rivers, b.  28 Feb 1811; d. 18 Sept. 1877 and their son, Malachi J. Rivers, b. 20 Aug 1842; d. 24 Apr 1904.

This is an excellent document for showing the value of land deeds in your genealogical research.
 
 




__________________
[1] Chesterfield County, South Carolina, Deed Book 1: page 241, Frederick Rivers, Senr. To Malachi J. Rivers Deed 100 Acres; Register of Deeds, Chesterfield, Chesterfield County, South Carolina.
[2] Chesterfield County, South Carolina, Deed Book 4: Pages 754-755, Fred Rivers to M. J. Rivers Dower; Register of Deeds, Chesterfield, Chesterfield County, South Carolina.