FAN

FAN is a mnemonic in genealogy circles for Friends, Associates and Neighbors.  In my genealogical research,  I try to accumulate information from my ancestor's FAN (Friends, Associates & Neighbors) club. The FAN of ancestors is comparable to the modern social network.   I have many surnames which include my ancestors names, their neighbors, their in laws and my in-laws. I have also found that in  genealogical  research that having the same surname in the same geographic area does necessarily equal a blood relationship.  Some surnames of individuals have no  obvious relationship I have seen repeatedly in my research.  I can not resist saving information of a family that lived in same geographic area and may or may not be  related to an ancestor.       


I have been able to people in connect FAN connections from geographic location using homestead information from the Bureau of land Management. The chart has information posted in a previous blog except for Calvin Caston.

Walkers Bridge Pike County, Mississippi

All of these men possibly knew each other prior to establishing a homestead. Calvin Caston was probably the stepfather of Irvin and Tom Brumfield. Henry Conerly knew Calvin Caston, Robert and Irvin Brumfield.  Possibly Henry Conerly and Joseph Conerly are related. I found Henry and Joseph enumerated in the 1880 census.

Henry Conerly 55 years old and Joseph Conerly 23 years old enumerated  in the  Pike County, Mississippi 1880 Federal Census

Maybe they homestead near each other because they had were friends or previously lived together.  

------The Tree Gardener

UPDATED October 11, 2022

Putting the Pieces Together Part 3

Isham Brumfield Family

 The Federal Agriculture Non Population census I have found to be helpful in filling in the gaps of missing people and family relationships. The 1870 and 1880 Agriculture Non-Population Census helped fine tune geographic locations. For example, Charlotte Brumfield was the wife of Isham Brumfield.    I found Charlotte listed in Labor contract in 1865 for Washington Parish and the Washington Parish, Louisiana Agriculture census in 1870(shown in prior blogs) .    In the 1870 Federal population census for Pike County, Mississippi Isham Brumfield born in Louisiana is listed with Eli, Hester and Harriet born in Mississippi who are probably his children.  The 1880 Agriculture Census for Pike County, Mississippi lists Isham and Eli Brumfield 

Hope Smith, Bob Magee, Isham Brumfield, Eli Brumfield, Jacob Ellezy, George Lundy, Green Smtih, Casander RimeJames McDaniel  Richard McDanie

 In the homesteader records in 1883, Isham property is near Walker’s Bridge and he states he has three children but no mention of a wife.  Charlotte has probably died.   I know that Charlotte was the wife of Isham because I found an two important pieces of information.  In the 1865 Labor Contract, Charlotte is listed and grandchildren Keziah,Wade and Charlotte are also listed. Eli had a child named Keziah.   Eli Brumfield died in June 2, 1933 in Pike County, Mississippi and his parents are listed as Isom Brumfield and Charlotte Brumfield on the death certificate.

----The Tree Gardener

Putting Pieces Together Part 1

 Homesteader

In the initial process of searching for family connections,   I have used a common surname Brumfield and locations Pike County, Mississippi and Washington Parish, Louisiana as my starting points.  My sources for information have been the Federal Census records and Bureau of Land Management records.  From this information I have date and relationship chart. 

 

Homesteader	Year Start of Homestead		Witnesses	Year final of Homestead	Family
Robert Brumfield 41-42 years old		Sept. 12, 1869	Henry Conerly & Irvin Brumfield	Aug 31, 1876	Ann(wife)  6 children Anna, Jeanette, Robert, Frank, Cina & Jimmie
Isham Broomfield(Brumfield) 63 years old		March 6, 1873/Dec.,1870	Robert Magee, Joseph Conerly & Jacob Ellzey	June 21, 1883	Charlotte (wife) 3 children Eli, Henrietta & Hester
Irvin Brumfield 34-35 years old		September 1, 1870	Henry Conerly & Calvin Caston	June 13, 1881	Louisa (wife) and four children Martha Ann, Sherman,  Irvin & William
Gale Brumfield51-56 years old		Dec 10, 1869	R. S. Wilson & W. W. Wilson	March 14, 1876	Harriet (wife) and 8 children George, Sylvia, Rosetta, Martha, Louisa, Janetta, Grant & Oliver

 In a previous blog post, I listed Thesionie  28 years old as a child of Gale Brumfield because she was listed with him in the Federal 1870 census but I am not sure  she was his child.   In the 1870 census, relationships with the head of the family are not listed.  She is not listed in the 1880 census with Gale Brumfield.

In the 1880 census for Gale Brumfield, Willie age 15 years old is a nephew and Sylvia is a niece.  These children are also listed in the 1870 census.  They are possibly orphans and Gale and Harriet are their uncle and aunt.

The child Jeanette is listed in the 1870 & 1880 census with Robert Brumfield. A child Janetta is listed in the  1870 & 1880 census with Gale Brumfield.  Simliar names maybe the same people.

Brumfield Settlement Part 3

Isham Brumfield

Irvin and Robert Brumfield homesteaded 80 and 160 acres respectively in Pike County Mississippi. My mother Irvin Brumfield’s granddaughter stated that Isham or possibly Isom Brumfield was Irvin’s father.  I have yet been unable to verify this information. Subsequent research suggests that this information is incorrect.  Isham Brumfield (Broomfield/ Bromfield) however homestead 160.26 acres of land in Walkers Bridge, Pike County, Mississippi beginning in December 1870. At the time of his homestead, his family consisted of 3 children.  The 1870 Federal Pike County census lists Isham Brumfield as 49 years old with 3 children Eli 14, Henrietta 18, and Hester 10.  His initial application was filed on March 6, 1873. 

  He almost missed the opportunity to own the land because of a missed proof filing date. He missed the filling date after five weekly notices dated from March 12^th to April 9 1880 in the newspaper Magnolia Gazette.   He requested that his homestead application be reinstated which was canceled on January 14, 1881.   The reason for the missed filing in the request for reinstatement was secondary to “severe disease of both of his eyes from which he became totally blind.” and ignorance of the law.  In the testimony of the claimant dated October 21, 1881, he stated he was 63 years old with three children.  He had a dwelling house, and stables valued at $200.00 and cultivated 20 acres, and raised 5 crops. His witnesses Solomon Singleton and Jacob Ellzey also verified his homestead from December, 1870 to October 12, 1881.    Isham Brumfield displayed fortitude of character because with sightlessness his homestead was reinstated and he received title to the land on December 13, 1884.