Cummings Family Winston County, Alabama

While at the Genealogy Center in Ft. Wayne, I looked at the Family Maps of Winston County Alabama by Gregory Boyd for the Cummings family.  This book is one that I will need to add to my library, as I feel I will need to go back to it again and again.  Found some of Eileen’s relatives under a number of different spelling variations, including Cummins and Comeens.

Land purchases made in the pre-Civil War era help place these individuals next to each other, indicating close relationships.  For instance, Eileen’s known ancestor Wyatt Cummings, or Wiatt Cummins in the record, was in Section 27 next to Patrick Cummins as well as Riley Cummins.  Other families in the same section include Henson, Miller and Weaver.  Wyatt’s wife was Marguerite Henson.

Wyatt’s father, Spencer, had land in Section 22 and Lindsay Commens had land in Section 23, all in close proximity.  While I’ve seen some of this information before from the BLM GLO Records, it was nice to see them in a map format so that I could locate how closely the families lived to each other. 

Now I just need to work out the details and abstract the records for my files.

Surname Saturday : Recap of Eileen's Family Lines

This post is a recap of Surname Saturday posts of Eileen's family lines.  Taking a six-generation view of her pedigree chart, these are the families in her line, with a few lines unknown at this point:

• CUMMINGS Lawrence County, AR>Winston County, AL>North Carolina

• HENSON Winston County, AL

• IVEY Butler County, MO>McCracken County, KY>Marshall County, KY>Virginia

• HARROLD Kentucky

• CARTER Marshall County, KY

• DUNAWAY Clark County, KY

• PRINCE Kentucky

• PEFLEY Wabash County, IN>Preble County, OH>Botetourt County, VA>Lancaster County, PA>Switzerland

• ROOF Botetourt County, VA

• DUFFEY Wabash County, IN>Hocking County, OH>Champaign County, OH>Pennsylvania

• FREEZE Champaign County, OH>Shennandoah County, VA

• PEEPLES Marshall County, IN>Miami County, IN>North Carolina

• FISHER Miami County, IN>Brown County, OH

• McMILLEN Marshall County, IN>New York

• LEWIS Wabash County, IN>Huntington County, IN>Henry County, IN>Montgomery County, OH>Canada

• RINEHART Henry County, IN>Preble County, OH>Chester County, PA>Switzerland

• COOK Wabash County, IN>South Carolina

• SILLS Wabash County, IN>Champaign County, OH>Bedford County, Pennsylvania>Hesse-Darmstadt

• GRIMES Champaign County, OH>Clearfield County, PA

• SHELLY Wabash County, IN

• RICKERT Wabash County, IN>Ohio

Surname Saturday – create a post in which you discuss a surname and mention its origins, its geographical location(s) and how it fits into your genealogy research. Surname Saturday is an ongoing series at GeneaBloggers.

One Thing Leads To Another

Robyn from Reclaiming Kin had a great post recently called New Finds and Acts of Kindness that reminded me to check out the great databases at Familysearch.org.   Specifically, the database of Tennessee Deaths and Burials, 1874-1955 looked intriguing, as my wife has many CUMMINGS ancestors in Tennessee that I need to update more information on.

Right off the bat, I found new information in this database.  I entered the name of my wife's paternal great-grandfather, Wyatt CUMMINGS, and received a hit.  Dora Ann NEEDHAM, a female who died July 29, 1940 in Dyersburg, Dyer County, Tennessee had listed her parents as Wyatt CUMMINGS and Margaret HINSON (My records had listed her surname as HENSON).  Her birth was listed July 29, 1869 in Franklin County, Alabama.  This matches up with information that for Wyatt and Margaret's daughter, Dora Ann CUMMINGS, although the last "good" record I had for her was the 1870 census of Colbert County, Alabama.  Another researcher had given me information stating that she had died in 1927, and that she was married to Paul TILLEY.  Though she may have married Mr. TILLEY, she was apparently still alive until 1940, and was married to a Washa NEEDHAM.  Another surname to search.  

What sort of name is Washa?  An abbreviation for Washington?  I believe so, as I searched the same database for him and found two hits for children of Wash NEEDHAM: Beadie L. NEEDHAM, born March 7, 1908 in Tennessee and died November 4, 1917 in Dyer County, Tennessee; and Ophline (NEEDHAM) HARRISON, born March 29, 1910 in Tennessee and died September 28, 1931 in Dyersburg, Dyer County, Tennessee.  Ophline death record listed her mother as "Tillie", perhaps this refers to Dora's 1st marriage to a TILLEY.


Digging further, I found Dora TILLIE, living in the household of Margaret CUMMINDS (love this spelling) in the 1900 census of Civil District 7, Dyer County, Tennessee.  Margaret, a widow, was listed as the mother of 15 children, 11 of whom were living.  Previously, I only knew of 13 children, so that means there must be 2 more out there.  Her husband, Wyatt, had died in 1890.  Notice the spelling of her son, Wyatt, as "WAIT", which if you sound it out with a Southern accent, I can see.

Margaret, as head of household, was born January 1843 and was 57 years of age, listed as being born in Tennessee, could not read or write.  Two children living with her were Prince and Wait (Wyatt), ages 22 and 18, respectively.  Also in the household are Dora TILLIE, born January 1875, age 24, and her 2 daughters, Ida and Rosy, ages 6 and 4, respectively. On the next page is another daughter, Annie, aged 2.

I believe that the John TILLEY, with wife Martha, listed a few households down on this second image are the same John TILLEY who married Martha Elleny CUMMINGS, daughter of Wyatt and Margaret (HENSON) CUMMINGS.  Will need to do more research on this family as well.


In just a few minutes, I had several new leads and possible relatives to track down.  Thanks to Familysearch.org and the plug of a fellow geneablogger.
 

Surname Saturday: Henson

The HENSON surname is Eileen's paternal line.  I do not know much about this line or its origins beyond Alabama in the 1840s.  Would love to hear from anyone who can connect with this line.


Stories and History:

Ahnentafel # 9: Margaret HENSON (c1840-1915).  Margaret was born circa 1840 in Alabama, according to 1910 census.  The 1870 and 1880 census have her born circa 1843.  Margaret married August 15, 1857 in Winston County, Alabama to Wyatt CUMMINGS.  They had 13 children together.  They moved to Dyer County, Tennessee after the Civil War.  Margaret died December 28, 1915 in Dyer County, Tennessee.

Surname Saturday: Cummings

The CUMMINGS surname is Eileen's paternal line.  The surname is likely of Irish orgins, although I've not been able to trace it beyond Alabama.  The surname has been found to be spelled any number of ways in the records, including: COMINGS, CUMMINS, CROMEANS, etc.


Stories and History:

Ahnentafel # 32: ________ CROMEANS/CUMMINGS  An unknown father whose surname is either spelled CROMEANS or CUMMINGS was the father of: James, Jacob, Abner, Spencer, Josiah, D.R. as well as potential others who settled in Tennessee and Alabama. 

Ahnentafel # 16: Spencer CUMMINGS (c1812-aft1861). Spencer was born circa 1812 in North Carolina and married Gincy ________ before 1832, probably in Walker County, Alabama.  Spencer was enumerated in the 1850 census of Hancock County, Alabama and was a farmer.  Believed to have died sometime during the Civil War, as his widow later moved to Wayne County, Tennessee.  Gincy died after 1880 in Wayne County, Tennessee. They had 10 children.


Ahnentafel # 8: Wyatt CUMMINGS (1841-1890).  Wyatt was born February 13, 1841 in Walker County, Alabama and married Margaret HENSON.  Wyatt was a minister and farmer and served in the Union Army during the Civil War with Company H, 2nd Regiment, Tennessee Mounted Infantry.  After they war they lived in Wayne County, Tennessee.  Wyatt died August 22, 1890 in Colbert County, Alabama.  Margaret died December 28, 1915 in Dyer County, Tennessee.  They had 13 children.

Related blog posts:

•  Cummings Family Lineage 
  

Cummings Family Lineage

Here is the current data I have on Eileen's Cummings family line, starting with her great-grandfather.

Wyatt CUMMINGS b. February 13, 1841 Walker Co., AL, d. August 22, 1890 Colbert Co., AL, m. August 15, 1857 Winston Co., AL to Margaret HENSON.

Spencer CUMMINGS b. ca. 1812 North Carolina, d. bet. 1850-1860 Winston Co., AL, m. before 1832 probably Winston Co., AL to Gincy [________]

Happy Anniversary : Wyatt Cummings and Margaret Henson

Happy Anniversary to Wyatt Cummings and Margaret Henson, married August 15, 1857 in Winston Co., AL. Wyatt and Margaret are Eileen's paternal great-grandparents.

Known children of Wyatt and Margaret (Henson) Cummings are as follows :

Martha Cummings m. John Tilley
John Spencer Cummings m. Martha Addling Pace m(2) Dollie ________
St. Patrick Merlin Cummings m. Melinda Ellen Pace m(2) Bessie Lee Ivey
Dora Ann Cummings m. Paul Tilley
Michael Cummings
Oscar Cummings m. Sarah Ann Spencer
Monroe Cummings m. Josie ________
Prince Albert Cummings m. Hassie Mae Rundles
James W. Cummings m. Grace Ellen Harrison
Larfieler Cummings m. ________ Taylor
Lucina Cummings m. Frank Wagoner
Wyatt Cummings m. Laura ________
Lucena Cummings m. Sells Pinkey