Wednesday, January 24, 2024

There Will Be Unanswered Questions

My research about the military service of William Monford (sic. Montford) highlighted challenges of genealogy research.  He enlisted in the U.S. Army at the age of eighteen.  

He has two known birth dates listed on his military death record report and his family headstone.  

William's family lived in Onslow County, North Carolina.  For unknown reasons he took his military enlistment oath in Wilson County, North Carolina.



Military Death record

William Munford
Induction into service location: Wilson County North Carolina

Date of induction: July 19, 1918

Date of death: September 26, 1918

Location of death:  France

 

I uncovered other family information relating to William's father, Handy Montford.  He was married twice.  The first marriage was to Dilcy—there are two spelling variations.  Three months after her death in 1925, Handy, at the age of sixty-five, remarried.  His new bride was Rena (Levins).  Handy passed away three months later in August 1925.  Cause of death was Apoplexy.

William died while in the military.  The death of his mother Dilcy occurred seven years later.  That same year, William's father remarried but passed away ninety days into his second marriage.  Normally, this could be the end of this family's genealogy research. 

 

Now, a final question: 

Is the first question--the name of William Montford parents—answered?  

Is this part of the genealogy research for the Montford family tree completed? 

 

I note completed, however, the homemade hand-etched headstone of Handy Montford revealed a new mystery of the Montford family.  

Handy was married to Rena when he died.  Why was he buried with his first wife--Dilcy?  

 

Handy and Dilcy {Diley} Montford Joint Headstone

Death year: 1925


An added aspect of William Munford's life was the discovery of his grandparents.  If, the official documents are correct.  Handy Montford's Onslow County (N.C.) death certificate lists his parents as Ceasar and Dilcy Montford.  

Note:  "Mother" on the death certificate is also name of Handy's first wife--Dilcy.

 

Handy Montford Death Certificate

Dated: August 25, 1925

 

The parents of Handy Montford were also Wright and Mary Montford.  

Their names appear on Handy’s North Carolina July 1925, marriage certificate. 

 

Handy and Rena (Levine) North Carolina Marriage License

                                                                        Date of marriage: July 12, 1925

 

                          Groom:                     Handy Montford                  Bride:                       Rena (Lavine) Montford

                           Father of Groom:    Wright Montford                  Father of bride:       Ned Dove

                            Mother of Groom:   Mary Montford                    Mother of Bride:     Mariah Dove

 {Surname of the parents different from bride.}

Note: 

Did Handy have two sets of parents?

Different surnames of Rena (Levine) and her parents suggest Rena was in an earlier marriage, or her mother Mariah.

 

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These are only few examples where family histories can conflict with official documents.

Handy Monford gave firsthand accounts for his second marriage certificate.  A family member, friend or neighbor supplied secondhand information, for his death certificate.  

Which document is correct; both are official. 

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One final thought:
Based on provided dates of birth, a new "piece of the puzzle" has been realized:

Handy, Dilcy, Wright, Mary, Ned and Mariah had one thing in common--they were born into slavery.  Rena, however, was born in 1872.

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A genealogist must gather firsthand and secondhand material, decipher them, and come to a realistic conclusion.  There will be times that you will have more questions than answers.

The search is ever expanding . . .


My next article will be a possible Ancestor of William Munford/Montford.  

I may have found his Paternal Great Grandmother--Charity Cunningham?  She was ninety years old in 1925, the year of her death.

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