Musgrove/Bryan/Leverett Timeline

Marker at Mt Plesant
Cemetery, Ware Cty., Ga.

The Story

We last blogged about the rumor we heard on our first research trip to Waycross, Georgia, my father's home town.

Some Leverett family members say our great great grandfather, John David Musgrove , *(see relationship notes) also fathered some Leverette boys.



Timeline

• Court-house burned down: Summer 1867 • Clinch Cty 
• David and Betty Musgrove's first born: 25 Jun 1867 • Baker Cty
• John and Elizabeth Collins marry: 27 Aug 1867 • Berrien Cty
• Collins' case dismissed: Sep 1868 • Clinch Cty
• David and Betty Musgrove second child: 14 Nov 1868 • Ware Cty
• John Leveret born: 17 May 1869 • Clinch Cty

Clinch County
Courthouse today

Court-house burned 

The Clinch  County Courthouse in Homerville, Georgia, burned down in the summer of 1867, destroying ten years of records.

The cause of the fire was never discovered but arson was suspected.

Mary Ann Savannah (Molly) Musgrove born

Molly Musgrove
1867-1946

The first child of great, great grandparents David and Betty (Collins) Musgrove  - known as Molly - was born the 25th June, 1867 in Baker County, Georgia.

We've no evidence David and Betty married.

David and Betty's Parents marry

One month later. on August 27th, 1867 - the summer the courthouse in Clinch County burned down - David Musgrove's mother married Betty Collins'
father in neighboring Berrien County, Georgia.

September 1868 Grand Jury

Criminal Court records
Book A

The cases in the Criminal Index books at the Clinch County courthouse date back to September of 1868.

The Grand Jury session was postponed that year because of the courthouse fire. Ten years' of records were lost in that fire.

That could explain David Musgrove and Betty Collins missing marriage records. It might also explain why their parents married in Berrien County.

The details left of the 'adultery and fornication' charges against John Collins and Elizabeth Musgrove are in Book A, filed upstairs in a storage building next to the Clinch County courthouse .

It simply says the charges were 'noll-prossed' (dismissed).

John Leverette
1869-1935

Musgrove and Leverette children

David and Betty Musgroves' second child, Laura Janet Musgrove, was born November 14, 1868 in Waycross, Ware County, Georgia.

On May 17, 1869, - six months later in Clinch County - John Leverett was born .

He is rumored to be David's first son with his first cousin,

How would that look in 1870?

The answer at this link.

Note: Relationships are expressed from the perspective of the grandchildren of Willis Edgar and Carrie (known as) Mae (Merritt) Musgrove. 

*Terms of relationship - grandmother, uncle, aunt, cousin, etc.  - are used here generically to include  relatives such as fourth great grandfathers, great grand uncles, second cousins twice removed, etc.