First Friday Folder: Benjamin Richardson & Ellen Holt

My First Friday Folder feature has been silent for over two years. Given that this year's mega-goal is organization, it's time to start it up again! (Read the very first one here to review what I mean by First Friday Folder.)  I picked this particular folder this month because I knew it would be an easy one to do and would help ease back into the First Friday Folder habit.

The Couple
Benjamin RICHARDSON and Ellen HOLT are two of my 4th-great-grandparents on my dad's side.  This is the public debut of my officially claiming them as ancestors.  Prior to this week, I have had them in my database with the middle names of "UNPROVEN."  No, I haven't written my proof statement yet, but I really think there's enough to go on finally… and having a folder in which to put it all while I work on the statement is a good thing, right?  Then, the proof statement can be a new post!

The Folder
This folder is in pretty good shape because there were only a few things in it:

• two maps of the Estill County area of Kentucky
• a FHL film note for a film on Estill County wills
• copies of 3 email conversations with Richardson expert, cousin DR on Benjamin
• placeholder copies of p.1 of about six websites with pedigrees including early Richardsons.

I put an official new label on the folder.  I removed the UNKNOWN middle names from Benjamin & Ellen in my database and printed out a family group sheet.  It has virtually nothing more than son Amos' info and notes.

The Plan 

• Write proof statement, including DNA evidence, on Benjamin & Ellen being the parents of the Amos Richardson who married Elizabeth (Betsey) HICKS.
• Review evidence/sources DR already has collected on the couple and enter into my database.
• Figure out what other early records exist that might help document Benjamin and Ellen.
• Track all of their children for at least 2 generations of descendants, which should further strengthen the DNA evidence.

Line of Descent
Benjamin RICHARDSON = Ellen HOLT
Amos RICHARDSON = Elizabeth (Betsey) HICKS
John D. RICHARDSON = Isabella SHAW
Charles HEGWER = Margaret Lavinia RICHARDSON
Benjamin Theodore HEGWER = Bertha Maud CARR, my paternal grandparents

Conclusions
I still think it's important to revisit folders/couples every so often, if only to see if there's anything to be done to make more room in the file drawer.  I hope my renewed resolve lasts…!  I know I cheated a bit by picking this folder, but it stills feels good to be posting again.

Richardson -- Hicks Marriage

My recent trip to the Family History Library in Salt Lake City was very successful (the content of my last post was also found then!).  There were tulips and snow (both pretty rare around here), an Easter egg hunt, bookstores, City Creek, lots of food, and lots of fun with my dear friends.  But, I better get back to genealogy....


Great-great-great-grandparents Amos Richardson and Elizabeth Hicks were married 4 October 1810 in Estill County, Kentucky.  I had this data, but now I have seen it myself and I have an image!

 If only this document specifically named all 4 of their parents....
[FHL #254,628, Item 1, unnumbered page is second image in the item]

Hidden Records: Irish Origins in Kentucky Records

The seemingly endless quest to "prove" the ancestry of my Amos Richardson and his wife Betsy Hicks, I was recently reading the Order books, 1808-1938, of the Estill County, Kentucky, Court ( FHL 254,638, Item #1) for the period up to about 1860.  I was hoping to get lucky but, alas, there were no surprises or great leads for me. But maybe these excerpts will be a surprise for someone else?!

John Keller, p. 109

The FHL catalog description for this fillm summarizes these records as court records, officials and employees, and probate records.  I was reading along in this mish-mash of fairly boring records when I suddenly found 6 pages of records on three Irish immigrants!  I've read a good deal of county court records and I have never seen anything like these six pages.

Long ago I gave up realistic expectations of ever finding the origins of my Irish immigrant Keating and Dooley lines: it's just a dream now for me to accidentally stumble on it.  Perhaps that's why these records in the middle of very boring, common day-to-day proceedings in Estill County hit me so hard.

Here are my quick extracts of the highlights.  Of course, interested researchers must check the original records.

Timothy DAILEY, 38, County Cork

Hamilton County OH at age 34

Emigrated from Canada 1 Jul 1848

Arrived Cleveland 10 July 1848

Appeared Estill 1 Aug 1855

Humphrey Moynihan, p. 107

Humphrey MOYNIHAN, about 28 years of age

County of Kerry, Ireland

Document from Bourbon KY 11 Aug 1855

John KELLER

Emigrated from Liverpool

Arrived NY 10 May 1848

Timothy Daliley testified for him: 5 years USA & 1 year in KY

I really  do hope that this info helps someone else celebrate this St. Patrick's Day.  Maybe there's still hope for me, too....