Another place to possibly find information would be the Orphans Court records - often one can find persons who were not orphans by today's standards being apprenticed to someone in them. For a long time, an orphan was someone whose father was deceased, regardless of the status of the mother. Also Bastardy Bonds, just in case. Elizabeth In a message dated 11/7/2012 8:28:11 A.M. Eastern Standard Time, mom2rjp3@netscape.net writes: WOW! Thank you all so much for suggestions of other directions to try and other theories to evaluate. That Warrington-West connection is very intriguing... This man has been driving me crazy for many years. All of his children and their wives are gone now (the last wife passed just this year at 93 blessed years), but even when they were here, none of them knew the name of his parents and nothing more of his heritage than "He was from Maryland". Not sure if this helps, but Nancy brought up some good points, so here is a little bit more information . He isn't in the WWI draft registration. He's too old. The draft was for men born 1886-1900 but I checked anyway just to check the box. He died in 1936 so there was no Social Security number. I did pull my grandfather's (his son) social security application and he lists his father's name as John Elwood (or Edwood - it's very loopy writing) West. I also wrote to the church that handled the funerals of both John and Katie in the 1930s. Their granddaughter, my Aunt Barbara, still attends the same church. That was about a year ago and I haven't received any response. Jean, my email is mom2rjp3@netscape.net. Interesting point about Elwood / L. Wood. His obit and two different single line death announcements from three different newspapers all list his name as John L. West. I didn't take much stock in it. After my step-mom's attempt at my grandmother's obit, I take all obits all with a grain of salt. I haven't eliminated anyone on the basis of a non-matching middle initial, but its something to keep in mind when looking around. .... and now kinda sad I won't be chosing "chestnut" as my race on the next census. ;-) P.S. - This is all on my Dad's side. I'm also part Stockley/Stockely on my mom's side and having LOTS of fun with that research. LOVE the Miles Files and the Delaware Archives web site is WONDERFUL! Thanks again everyone! Terrific ideas and tips and suggestions and new directions to explore. ~Traycie Save Fort Monroe - Virginia History, American Heritage "And though she be but little, she is fierce." -----Original Message----- From: lower-delmarva-roots-request <lower-delmarva-roots-request@rootsweb.com> To: lower-delmarva-roots <lower-delmarva-roots@rootsweb.com> Sent: Tue, Nov 6, 2012 9:22 am Subject: LOWER-DELMARVA-ROOTS Digest, Vol 7, Issue 157 1. My West brick wall - hoping someone can help (Traycie West Pinkoski) 2. Re: My West brick wall - hoping someone can help (EMSCRS@aol.com) 3. Re: My West brick wall - hoping someone can help (Jean Johnson) 4. Re: My West brick wall - hoping someone can help (EMSCRS@aol.com) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message: 1 Hello fellow Delmarva West researchers! I'm hoping someone has a hint or idea that may help me get over a brick wall that has been plaguing me for a very long time. My great-grandfather, John Elwood West, was born circa 1867, depending on which document you are reviewing at the time, in Maryland. In the 1900 census in Burlington County, New Jersey, his DOB is listed as May 1872, but he was only a hired farm hand and it was most likely reported wrong by whomever was speaking to the census taker. On his marriage license application, submitted in Philadelphia in November 1900, (my great-grandmother, Katie Keenan) he lists his DOB as March 1867 and born in Maryland. In the 1910 through 1930 census from Burlington County, New Jersey, he always states he was born in Maryland and his parents were also born in Maryland. The estimated DOB based on age reported varies from 1865 to 1867. In the 1920 census, he reports his birthday consistent with his marriage application March 1867. His death certificate lists his DOB as March 14, 1865 and POB as Maryland, as reported by his son. Parents are listed as unknown. I know he went north and was in New Jersey possibly as early as 1897 because he and my ggrandmother had a child (possibly twins based on family legend) out of wedlock late in 1898 (forgive me, Aunt Kate). My grandmother told me John was a "taken child", which she described as being loaned out to a neighboring farm - labor in exchange for food and care. Sounds like an informal indentured servitude to me. The wonderful people at the Cecil County Historical Society confirmed that it was not unusual to send children to help on neighboring farms during this era. With all this, I've searched the entire 1870 census for John West's under the age of 10. There are only 19 total and only two born in Maryland (thanks Heritage Quest) and living in Maryland, and neither of these two are living with anyone named West. One in Cecil County, a Caucasian boy, age 9, living with the Mendenhall family and one in Wicomoco County, a mulatto boy, age 2, living with Thomas and Geoff Parsons and housekeeper Hettie Brimbly (or Primbly). The Cecil County John West shows up in the 1880 census living still in Cecil County with the Warrington family as an 18 year old farm hand. I haven't had any luck finding the Wicomico County John West in the 1880 census, but that could be for a number of reasons. Given the year of his birth (whenever it actually was), I've wondered if John was possibly a Civil War orphan. I'm taking a closer look at West families in both counties to see if I can find a family connection between Wests and either Parsons or Mendenhalls. Meanwhile, does anyone have any idea where I can go from here based on what I know? Even an elimination of a John West is a valuable step forward. Also curious as to what exactly mulatto meant to an 1870 census taker. Obviously, it means someone with a mixed heritage, but those kinds of labels change with the prevailing prejudices of the day. Would there be special records for someone of mixed parentage? Should I check slave schedules? Bastardy bond records? Native American records? Thanks in advance for any suggestions or ideas. Of course, if anyone has a long lost John Elwood West in their family tree that they have been itchin' to connect somewhere, that would be terrific also. ~ Traycie ------------------------------ Message 2: Cancel the Civil War orphan notion - it ended roughly 2 years before the most consistent birth year. Interesting dilemma, and I will see if I can find something more useful - have you looked in Delaware? Lots of people (mine particularly) seem to have commuted back and forth on a daily basis. Elizabeth ********************************** ------------------------------- Message 3: Tracie, Speaking of Delaware, thank you Elizabeth. James D Warrington entered into a bond to marry Elizabeth West 2 Mar 1847 in Delaware. I found this on ancestry and can send you a copy if you give me your email address. This is probably the Elizabeth West, daughter of Samuel West from Caroline Co, Md. In the 1870 census, Samuel and his wife Clarissa have a son, John W West aged 4 years, born about 1866. He is not in their home in 1880 and could be James Elwood West. James L Wood West??? But at least you know that the Warrington family married into the West family in Delaware. Also there is another generation because Samuel's father is in the 1850 census. I closed that page; I think his name was Jacob and they lived in Delaware too. Message 4: Note regarding race: I would not be too concerned about that without a lot of research. There are many Somerset records that list race as "chestnut". I doubt they really meant horses. Elizabeth *************************************** 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