Dear Ben, I share an interest in the Willey family. My "pure" Irish father-in-law revealed in his final days that his grandmother, Octavia Willey, was a Native American (Nanticoke?) from the general area of concern. She married supposed immigrant John Gannon and had a son James in 1913. There seem to have been other children, but I haven't investigated sufficiently to arrive at all their names. Some of the Gannon cousins still reside in the Fruitland, MD, area. The son James was later raised in St. Mary's orphanage/home for the incorrigible in Baltimore, contemporary with Babe Ruth. I don't know if John Gannon met an early demise or if the later admission criteria was met, but family history points toward the latter. Tad's admonition from his parents may have come from the fact that he had two middle initials, but his Willey/Wooley spouse only had one. Or it may be that the Native-American tradition has some merit. That may also be a factor in the "sale" of the child. Although slavery was not legal at the time, the practice might have persisited under the cover of ignorance in the region when it involved someone of that particular "station." If anyone can help us unravel any of these mysteries, I am certain Ben and I--and my wife and her family--will be appreciative. Thank you, Glenn Bingham Carneys Point, NJ --- macdonab@cox.net wrote: > I am interested in the Willey and Passwaters > families of the Laurel/Lewes area. > > My G-GM was Jennie May Willey/Wooley. ('Wooley' was > listed in a written record from another family > member) > > In the 1910 Philadelphia census, Jennie lists her > age as 40. (1870) > I have been unable to locate a Jennie M Wooley in > 1880 DE, but I did locate a jennie M Willey in 1880 > with an age of 11 that is the closest match. > > Jennie M Willey, age 11, North West Fork, Sussex, > Delaware, Village of Greenwood, dau of Jabez (59, b. > DE) and Mary Willey (41, b. DE), also on the census > 21 yr old William T. (b. MD) was an older brother? > > I find Jabez in 1860 with a 19yr old Eliza Willey > and in 1870 with a 32 yr old Mary Willey (no > William). In 1870, Jabez Willey's next door > neighbors are John (24) and Josephina WIlley (20) > > Family history tells that Jennie was 'sold' by her > Willey or Wooley family to a Passwaters family in > the Lewes area where she worked as a family > seamstress. Absence of the 1890 DE census makes this > hard to track > > Jennie May Willey married Thaddeus A.R. Phillips abt > 1890. Her social status was such that it was said > that the Phillips family (Delmar/Tyaskin) disowned > Thaddeus for marrying beneath his 'station' > > Jennie had 2 daughters born in DE. Myrtle M. (1892) > and my grandmother, Leola L. (1895) Unfortunately I > have procrastinated and not yet obtained Leola's > birth cert to see if it showed a specific DE > location. > > Any information is welcomed > > Regard > Ben MacDonald > Sun City Arizona > > *************************************** > QUESTIONS about POSTING GUIDELINES, SUBSCRIBING or > UNSUBSCRIBING? > Visit The Lower DelMarVa Roots Mailing List FAQ: > http://www.tyaskin.com/handley/ldrfaq.htm > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email > to LOWER-DELMARVA-ROOTS-request@rootsweb.com with > the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the > subject and the body of the message >