The Strange Story of Betsy Strange

Our fourth great-grandmother* (see relationship notes below) was Elizabeth (Apston) Edenfield. But her grandson - and our second great (or great grand) uncle - John Henry Williams knew her as Betsy (Strange) Parker (blog post Letter to Cousin).

DAR application

The 'Strange' surname was never ours. Sarah (Edenfield) Parker's niece married into their family (see Daughters of Revolution application above). But her name was, nonetheless, strange.

William Parker: Cousin's Letter

We're kin* (see relationship notes below) to the Parker family through our grandmother, Carrie 'Mae' (Merritt)  Musgrove (blog post here).

Carrie 'Mae' Merritt

We've blogged about our fifth great-grandfather, Henry Parker, the second president of the Georgia colony (blog post here). His son (or grandson) was rumored to be William Parker, Sr., who married the daughter of German immigrant Johann Michael Lastinger (blog post here). Our Parker line is included in Aurora Shaw's book, John Lastinger Family of America, published in 1960 because of this marriage (link here).

Henry Parker: President of Georgia

We last blogged about our fifth great-grandfather* (see relationship notes below), German immigrant Johann Michael Lastinger (blog post here). We used Aurora Shaw's 1960 book, John Lastinger Family of America (link here). She devoted the third section of her book to his daughter, Sarah, who married William Parker.

Aurora Shaw

Johann Michael Lastinger: German Immigrant

Our grandmother* (see relationship notes below), Carrie 'Mae' (Merritt) Musgrove, was a third great grand-daughter of Johann Lastinger, a German immigrant.

Carrie 'Mae' Merritt

The date of the birth of John Lastinger I have not been able to learn definitely, but it was probably about 1740. He was born a native of the German Empire and came to America landing Charleston, S.C, about 1760.  - Lastinger Family by William Lastinger 1909.   

Gordon Stewart: An Ancestry DNA Story

In two genealogy books -  The John Lastinger Family of America by Aurora Shaw (link here) and Jesse Greene Williams', The Prosperity of Marmaduke Williams  - the mother of George 'Henry' Merritt is given as Lydia (Pittman) Webb. But we found William Stewart, a family researcher, on ancestry.com. His family tree claimed our * (see relationship notes below) second great-grandmother.

Jesse Greene Williams
1894-1967

George Leonard Merritt: Yankee Rich Kid

The quote from Wolf Hall, Hilary Mantel's fictionalized biography of Thomas Cromwell, under the family banner on this blog...

Some of these things are true and some of them lies. 

But they are all good stories.

 ...is 'tongue-in-cheek' recognition that errors and lore creep into any life story. And, early on, the first mistake crept in when we blogged about our Little Drummer Boy grandpa Merritt. That's been corrected.

George Merritt 1807-1873

George Leonard Merritt: Wounded in Action

His Civil war service record shows our second great grandfather,  George Leonard Merritt, joined Connecticut's 6th Infantry on September 5, 1861. (see relationship notes below) He was wounded on July 10, 1863, at Morris Island, South Carolina, and discharged on September 11, 1864; when his term of enlistment expired.

George Leonard Merritt: Ware County, Georgia

March 2014 Ancestry.com message:

Calvin Wesley 'Pops' Merritt

Hi David, 

"...your grandmother, Carrie, was a sister to my grandfather, Calvin Wesley Merritt. ...about the Cherokee family rumors. I heard the same thing growing up, but in my research, I found no connection and there is not one family member I've met who can answer that question."

Then she wrote about George Leonard Merritt.

Mary Jane (Williams) Merritt

Our great grandmother,* (see relationship notes; the bottom of page) Mary Jane (Williams) Merritt, was born on February 4, 1867, in Pearson, Georgia when her father, Allen Raymond Williams, was forty years old and her mother, Sarah (Parker) Williams, was twenty-four.

Sarah (Parker) holding Mary Jane Williams
Allen Raymond holding Calvin GW Williams

Henry Merritt: Train Conductor

Our great grandfather, George 'Henry' Merritt, was born in the Okefenokee Swamp on March 23, 1867. His father was former Union soldier George Leonard Merritt from Connecticut. His mother was Lydia (Stewart) Webb, the widow of a Confederate soldier.

Henry Merritt

George Leonard Merritt: The Yankee in the Swamp

We began our family research looking for an Indian.  Rumor had it our grandmother, Carrie "Mae" (Merritt) Musgrove *was one-quarter Native American and her father was born in the Okefenokee Swamp. 

Carrie "Mae" (Merritt) Musgrove

Henry Merritt: Amazon Cousins

"The Henry Merritt is the same George Henry Merritt to which you referred. ...All my records show that this Lydia A. Stewart Webb was the daughter of my great-great grandfather, Gordon S. Stewart."

E-Mail from William Stewart 

Civil War Stories: Deserters

Our second great-grandfather* (see relationship notes below), George Leonard Merritt, was a Union soldier in the Sixth Regiment, Connecticut Volunteer Infantry. He was wounded on July 10, 1863, in the first attack on Fort Wagner, South Carolina.

The Assault on Fort Wagner
July 18, 1863

Civil War Stories: The Color Bearer

Our great, great grandfather, * (see relationship notes below) George Leonard Merritt, served in the 6th Connecticut Volunteer Infantry Regiment. His Army record (see link) shows him wounded in the early morning hours of July 10, 1863, at the First Battle of Fort Wagner, South Carolina. (story here)

The second battle, though disastrous, is known to history for the heroics of the Colored unit, the 54th of Maine. The color bearer became an overnight hero. His story was told in the Academy Award-winning movie, 'Glory.'

This post is the same conflict told through the eyes of a soldier in the Sixth of Connecticut.

Lydia A. Smith: Queen of the Okefenokee

Lydia (Smith) Stone

"Born a dreamer, she became an empire-builder and a living legend in her time. Lydia Stone was the name she was best known by, but she was born Lydia Smith and died Lydia Crews, the name of her second husband." 

Ware County Georgia: Biography Lydia Stone

Lydia (Smith) Stone

William and Elizabeth (Stewart) Smith

Elizabeth 'Sarah' (Stewart) Smith

Elizabeth (Stewart) Smith

"Gordon S and Ann Stewart had the following known children:

Elizabeth b. 1823 m. William Smith. 
Priscilla b. 1825 m. Berry Whitley
Lydia b. 1827 m. William J Webb
William Gordon b. 1830 m. ThursdayAnn Lee
Mary b. 1837 m. Lemuel Pittman
Matilda b. 1837 m. C G B W Parker
Martha b. 1838 m. Elias Pittman"

Pioneers of Wiregrass. Ga. - Huxley - Vol V pg 420

Our great, great grandmother* (see realtionship notes below) was Lydia (Stewart Webb) Merritt third child of this Stewart family. This post is the story of her sister, Sarah "Elizabeth" (Stewart) Smith.

Civil War Stories: Brother-In-Laws in Arms

The Huxford Genealogical Society identifies our second great grandmother as Lydia Stewart, sister of Priscilla.  Grandma* Lydia's first husband was William Webb. Priscilla married Berry Whitley.

Pioneers of Wiregrass-Huxford
Book V page 420

Civil War Stories: Burning of Jacksonville

Charles K Cadwell, of Company F, served with our second great grandfather*, George Leonard Merritt, of Company I, in the 6th Connecticut Volunteer Infantry Regiment during the American Civil War.

Civil War Stories: From the North

Our family story search uncovered a Union soldier in the Okefenokee Swamp. Our second great-grandfather*, George Leonard Merritt, served in the 6th Connecticut Volunteer Infantry, Company I, during the American Civil War.

Calvin Greenberry Washington Parker

Calvin Greenberry Washington Parker was a great uncle* (see relationship notes at the bottom of page) of our grandmother, Carrie Mae (Merritt) Musgrove.

Calvin Greenberry Washington Parker

Calvin was the half brother of our third great grandfather, William (Short-Armed Bill) Parker, Jr., whose home was attacked by Indians. He was the uncle of Sarah Parker who married Allen Raymond Williams. The Parker and Williams family were founding members of the Little Utah Mormon Church.