Bless Those Baileys

My 3rd great grannie was Miss Mahalia Bailey. I love that name. Miss Mahalia married her 1st cousin, Isreal Dillard. Not an uncommon practice at the time when travel was difficult and rural families often intermarried.

One of my favorite Bailey books is Kinfolks of Granville Co., North Carolina, 1765 - 1826 by Zoe Hargett Gwynn. 

I suspect Jeremiah Bailey was my immigrant ancestor on the Bailey side of the family. He is found in the 1790 North Carolina Census for Wake County, North Carolina in Newlight Township in the northern part of the county. Just a few miles from where I now live. There are many Bailey descendants still in the area. They tend to stick around.

Jeremiah Bailey, Sr. is listed in the list of Granville County Patriots of the Revolution published in the Oxford Ledger, June 8, 1926. So he must have been here prior to the Revolution and maybe even a participant. Interesting.

I still have a lot of work and proving to do on those Baileys. But I'm mighty intrigued by them!

I can't help but think of George Bailey from my very favorite Christmas movie, It's a Wonderful Life. George Bailey was all about family. 

Davis - Old Maids and Unmarried Gentlemen

Why does "unmarried gentleman" sound so much kinder than "old maid"? Regardless, they never married - maybe they were on to something...

Here's a few such folks from the DAVIS crowd:

1. Almus Finch DAVIS, 1927 - 1963, Granville County, NC
2. James Medicas DAVIS, 1862 -  1932, Granville County, NC
3. Meona DAVIS, 1888 - 1964, Granville County, NC
4. Otis Sidney DAVIS, 1911- 1986, Granville County, NC
5. Laurence DAVIS, 1875 - 1911, Granville County, NC

Miss Meona DAVIS

Getting Started

I’ve been interested in family history ever since my father and I drew his family tree at the kitchen table  on a sheet of lined notebook paper. Well, I’m a lot older now and Daddy is gone - but between the two of us we’ve spent about 60 years of collective research.

Most of the facts in this family history are documented, but many are not. Some of the information is speculation and some of it came from the memories of other family members.

This is a work in progress. I work on my family history almost weekly, sometimes daily.  I’ve done more work on some ancestors than others. Some intrigue me. Some speak to me from the grave. Our story is updated, corrected, and adjusted with each little fact I glean.  

What you are reading today is just a snapshot. Tomorrow, it will change as I discover a new fact, a new ancestor, or someone in the family corrects or adds to my information.  A family history is never complete!

Don’t look for a list of famous relatives in my family history. I come from a long line of regular folks who worked hard to survive and raise their families.  I come from a long line of patriots and farmers. Slave owners, plantation owners, and poor dirt farmers. Indeed, there is a criminal or two in the bunch and more than a few characters. We are a colorful bunch!

So get comfortable and take a read. And be sure to let me know if you have information or want more information. I love to share!

Enjoy!

Davis Family Reunion Next Saturday!

The Davis family reunion is Saturday, Oct. 5 at Good Hope Baptist Church in Youngsville, NC. 

We're starting at noon. It's a pig picking and covered dish event.

Join us!

Davis Family Reunion - 2010
Left to right:  Dale Roger Ross, Teresa Lucas Covington,
Mark Covington, Deborah Lucas Cooper, Joyce Allen Lucas