Our family tree is filled with brick walls, dead ends, and unsolved mysteries. There are several unsolved mysteries just in the Michael and Susannah West family - our third great-grandparents. Recently one of the West family mysteries was solved with the help of DNA.
The Michael and Susannah West family has been written about previously in this blog. To read about the family click here. Michael and Susannah were the parents of nine children: Mary Ann, John Wesley, Susan Emeline, Joseph Jackson, James Harvey, Rebecca Jane, Michael Perry, Elizabeth, and Louisa. We descend through daughter Susan Emeline West Leffel.
Most of the children in the Michael West family have been researched by using traditional genealogical research methods and then substantiated with DNA. That is all but the youngest daughter, Louisa, who has been a major mystery. Louisa and her family completely disappeared during or right after the civil war - no records, headstones, nothing. I have often wondered if Louisa along with her entire family died from disease/influenza, were killed by outlaws/Indians, or moved away to some unknown location???
The Louisa West Thomas Family
Louisa West, the youngest child of Michael and Susannah West, was born about 1833 in Champaign County, Ohio. She had eight older siblings. Louisa's mother died around 1845 while the family was still living in Ohio. A few years later, when Louisa was about 15 years old, her father moved the family to Grayson County, Texas (1848). Michael had received land through the Peter's Colony. His land patent states that Michael West, a widower, came to Texas with two girls (Elizabeth and Louisa) and a boy (Michael Perry). Louisa’s oldest brother John had previously moved to Texas.
Shortly after arriving in Texas, Louisa met Jesse Thomas, a land-owner who had also obtained land in Grayson county through the Peters Colony.
Louisa and Jesse were married 14 July 1849 in Grayson County. Their marriage record can found in Grayson County, Texas Marriage records, Vol A, page 43.
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| Grayson County, Texas Marriage Record for Jesse Thomas and Louisa West 19 July 1849 |
Jesse gave his occupation as a farmer when young couple was enumerated in the 1850 Federal Census.
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| 1850 Federal Census, Grayson County, Texas |
Louisa's brother, Michael Perry West, mysteriously died in 1853, when he was only 26 years old. Her father, Michael, died five years later in 1858. Michael specified in his will that his estate would be divided between his living children, prompting daughter Susan Leffel and family to move to Texas from Ohio. To read Michael's will, click here.
Louisa and Jesse Thomas were still living in Grayson County when enumerated for 1860 Federal Census. By that time, three children were added to the Thomas family: Mary S. born about 1852, John E. born about 1856, and Rebecca E born about 1858. Also living in the household is 13 year old Sarah Massey (relationship unknown).
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| 1860 Federal Census, Grayson County, Texas |
The 1860’s in Texas would prove to be harsh years for the West and Thomas families. 1861 was the beginning of political unrest for Texas as well as the whole country. Texas would eventually secede from the Union and join the Confederacy. Those in Texas who considered themselves citizens of the United States and were loyal to the Union, suffered the most during the Civil War in Texas.
In 1861, Louisa's oldest brother John died, leaving behind a wife and daughter. Cause of his death is unknown. During the next year 1862, two of Louisa's sisters lost their husbands during the "Great Hanging" in neighboring Cooke County, Texas. Sister Susan's husband, David Miller Leffel, was hanged along with 40 other men for their Union sentiments by an extra-legal "Citizens Court". Sister Elizabeth's husband, William Boyles, was wounded by Confederates and died from pneumonia while hiding out in the Timbers. Sister Rebecca's husband, John Haning, was conscripted into the Confederacy. Texas had passed a conscription law requiring all men to fight for the Confederacy or be hanged.
Was there division of loyalty even within the West Family? Louisa's niece, Sarah Ann West, was married to Calvin Dale. Dale's obituary referred to him as a "True Southern" and that "no man ever wore the gray more loyally." Wonder if that is why Sarah divorced in 1862? Two of Sarah’s uncles were killed by the confederates and yet her husband "wore the gray" loyally. That could cause some family friction.
Louisa's husband, Jesse Thomas, was also conscripted into Confederate service in 1864. A year later on 13 Feb 1865, J.F. Thomas (4 in family) is listed on the Indigent family list for Grayson County, Texas. The Texas Legislature had passed a resolution stating that the government pledged support and maintenance of "families, widows, and dependents of soldiers currently serving in State or Confederate forces, or of soldiers killed or disabled in service." Not sure if the listing referred to Louisa and their three children while Jesse was still away fighting; or if Jesse was disabled/wounded and the indigent listing included him and three other family members with one of the family members being previously deceased??
The above mentioned Indigent Family List was the last record found for the Jesse and Louisa Thomas family. After that, the family disappeared, vanished, faded into the unknown history hole. They are not found in the 1870 Federal Census. Jesse is not listed in the 1867 Voter Registration list for Grayson County - at least there is no Jesse Thomas or J.F. Thomas.
Much was unknown about Thomas Family: Did Jesse died while fighting for the confederacy? Did Jesse come back wounded and die soon afterwards? Did Louisa die while Jesse was away fighting? What happened to all the children? Where was this missing family??
DNA Solves Part of the Louisa West Thomas Family Mystery
Image my surprise when I recently noticed a DNA match on my Ancestry.com ThruLine for Michael West from a descendant of Louisa West Thomas. I was cautiously optimistic as I looked at the match information. There have been plenty of matches for the other Michael West children, but never one for Louisa. After checking out the new Louisa descendant match, it appeared to be legitimate with documentation, research, and DNA. The match is through Louisa's daughter Mary Susan Thomas.
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| ThruLine for Michael West 116 Matches 28 Oct 2010 |
The genealogical records for Mary Susan Thomas match up, although there is no record that specifically names her parents. But, there are plenty of DNA shared matches who are descendants of Michael and Susannah West. This new match also has a close family member with an unlinked tree who shares DNA with all of the other descendants of Michael and Susannah West. So we actually have two DNA matches from the Louisa West Thomas line - plus there may be many more matches that have no tree, incomplete tree, unlinked tree, or have private trees.
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| Grayson County, Texas Marriage Record J. H. Jones and Mary S. Thomas 6 Feb 1876 |
Mary Susan Thomas, the daughter of Louisa West and Jesse Thomas, married in Grayson County, Texas on 6 Feb 1876 to John Henry Jones. The Mary and John Jones family added two children, Oliver and Grace, by the time they were enumerated on the 1880 Federal Census for Grayson County. Two more children were born in Texas, Frances Belle and Lillian. The family was living in Arkansas by 1889 when son John was born. Son, Paul Edwin, was also born in Arkansas in 1895. By 1898 the family was living in Kay County, Oklahoma when the youngest son, Harold was born. Son Charlie (born 1892) died in 1899 in Kildare, Kay, Oklahoma. In the 1900 Federal Census, Mary and the children are still living in Kildare, Kay County, Oklahoma. Mary is the head of household and states she is married, but husband John Henry is not living in the household. By 1910, the Jones family was together again and living in Mason, Yell, Arkansas. Mary Susan Thomas Jones died on the 8th of November 1910 in Birta, Yell, Arkansas.
As of yet, there is no additional information for Mary's parents, Louisa West and Jesse Thomas, or her two siblings, John E Thomas and Rebecca E. Thomas. But, I am more than delighted to add Mary's information to the family tree🌳
It's always nice to find a missing branch of the family tree😊😊
Will of Michael West
Susan West Leffel: "Left me in a sad and mornful condition."
John and Rebecca West Haning of Grayson County, Texas
William and Elizabeth West Boyles
Mysterious Death of Michael Perry West
2 comments:
I did a quick look at your blog and I am very impressed. You have done a lot of work. We seem to be related to the same people but would have no shared DNA.
Beth G
I really appreciate DNA and the Stories it can help us uncover, especially finding lost family members.
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