TREASURE CHEST THURSDAY

EVERY ONCE IN AWHILE……YOU FIND A TREASURE

W T Pickens and L C Pickens, brothers

Josephine Pickens

I come across documents and headstones, that tie everything together. This is one such document.. And it led me further into the search for more Pickens. In Texas, they have great records online. Death records I have found on many ancestors.

I have ben able to tie family members to each other. I had suspicions, but, never concrete evidence. These death records gave me what I need to verify branches on the Pickens side. It did not take me as far as I would like, but, it did help a great deal.

Below, you will see the death records of some ancestors that I traced to Alabama. Where I live now in Decatur Alabama, that would be about 3 hours south, near Montgomery in Lowndes county.

Julia A. Brown Pickens

This states her father was M. Brown, she was born in Alabama. She was the wife of William Pickens, they married Lowndes county, Feb 28, 1841. Julia A is my 3rd great-grandmother.

Tom Pickens, listed as witness, was son, W T Pickens. I find it a little funny the cause of death is listed as senility, she was 95 years of age.

Josephine Pickens

Josie Pickens was the daughter of William and Julia Ann Brown Pickens. It looks as if she never married. I have found census records of her living with brothers. In 1900-1920 census, she lived with mother, who was a widow, brothers Tom and Leonidas and a sister Mary Snell. Mary married Simeon Snell and was a widow by 1891. The informant on Josie Pickens death record, was niece, Julie Essie Graves. She was the daughter of Harvey H Pickens. my 2nd great-grandfather.

The Pickens I have found came from North Carolina, to Alabama, through Mississippi all the way to Fannin county Texas.    

THE PATH OF MY ANCESTORS….I am Scottish mainly

I am Scottish, mainly……

I only know this by doing research of my family names.

Dunrobin Castle, Golspie Scotland

Pickens is from my paternal grandfather. The main one is Pickens, this is my maiden name. It is derived of Scottish ancestry.The meaning of the surname PICKENS is – descendant of little Pic of Picon (pike); one who made or used a pick or pickaxe. 

McCall is from my paternal grandmother.The meaning of the surname MCCALL is – the son of Cathal (battle; mighty); son of Cathmhaol (battle; chief). 

Ewing…is my mothers family name. The meaning of the surname EWING is – the son of Ewen (warrior); descendant of Ewen (well-born). 

Davidson is my paternal grandfathers mothers maiden name.The meaning of the surname DAVIDSON is – the descendant of David (commander; beloved; friend). 

Jones is my maternal grandmothers mothers maiden name. The meaning of the surname JONES is – the son of Jone, the Welsh pronunciation of John (gracious gift of Jehovah). 

I find it interesting the travels of my family. Many came to the Americas in late 1600′s and other lines in early 1800′s. My Pickens line was in  Pennsylvania and North Carolina, then the descendants migrated south to Alabama and Texas.

McCall  was in North Carolina as well in the 1800′s. My line was in Georgia, and Joseph was listed as born in Ireland, in 1829. It is possible he was of another line of McCalls who came earlier . Several are listed in North Carolina in the 1700′s. 

KIRKPATRICK AND PICKENS UNION

1790 CENSUS MECKLENBURG NORTH CAROLINA

In my records, I have that William Pickens married Nancy Craig. Their son, Capt. Samuel Pickens married Eleanor Kirkpatrick. Both families can be found in the 1790 census of Mecklenburg North Carolina. Eleanor was the daughter of Valentine Kirkpatrick and Martha McMurray. There is a book on the descendants of Valentine Kirkpatrick. 

It appears that in 1850, Captain Samuel Pickens and Eleanor were living in Lowndes county, Alabama. They had three children, James Valentine, William H and Lloyd Allison. William would be my 3rd great-grandfather. He married Julie Ann Brown in Lowndes county in 1841.  All I have on William is that he died in Bradley Arkansas in 1860. I can find no record of his family with him in 1850. It is possible they were in route to Arkansas at this time, through Mississippi.

Name:	Eleanor Kirkpatrick
Spouse:	Samuel Pickens
Marriage Date:	4 Feb 1803
Marriage County:	Cabarrus
Marriage State:	North Carolina
Source Vendor:	County Court Records at Concord, NC
Source:	County Court Records at Concord, NC

Pickens from a Different Patch

For the longest time, I have heard we are related to General Andrew Pickens of the revolutionary War. I have tried to directly link him to our family, but, once you get to the early 1800′s, it is difficult. In my finding, my ancestors moved from North Carolina to Alabama. This was William Pickens and wife, and their three sons. Lloyd Allison , James Valentine and William H Pickens. William H Pickens being my 3rd great grandfather. The records I have of WIliam H Pickens are mostly in Alabama, showing he married Julie Ann Brown in Lowndes county, in 1841. No record of the 1850 census for him, and he died in Arkansas in 1860. I do find later records of J A Pickens ( Julie Ann Brown ) and the children having lived in Arkansas, possibly Louisiana and Fannin county Texas.

Someone was kind enough to post a picture of the headstone for Julie Ann Pickens, buried in Oakwood cemetery, Honey Grove, Fannin county Texas. She was ninety five years of age. Thanks goodness for the Texas vital records. They have one of the most complete list of death records which I found on Family Search.

Julie Ann Pickens