Marriage Record: Thomas McCool to Katy Harpole, 1819

Decided to swing over to FamilySearch to see what I could find on Thomas McCOOL (1797-1867).  Found his marriage record in Warren County, Kentucky to Katy HARPOLE on January 14, 1819.

FamilySearch screen shot of Thomas McCool marriage record

So, that helps to explain the relationships with the HARPOLE line, and clears up that Katy or Catherine, as I have her, was the mother of his children.  Note W.S. Harpole was a witness to Thomas' will, and he was buried in the Harpole Cemetery.  


A quick Google search finds another researchers family tree that has Martha SCALES as the wife of Thomas' son, John B. McCool, marrying in 1823 in Warrick County, Indiana.  However, this person has John B. as the son of William McCOOL.


Obviously, I have several McCOOLs to sort out and errors in my database.  I've made an assumption that the John P. McCOOL listed in the will abstract was Thomas's son and the same as John B. Assumptions are dangerous in genealogy, and I should wait until I receive verification.

Will Abstract of Thomas McCool (1797-1867): Warrick County, Indiana

Located this will abstract record of Corinne's maternal 5th-great grandfather, Thomas McCOOL, in Warrick County, Indiana on my recent trip.


Thomas McCool       April 11, 1867    April 23, 1869   page 82-83


Heirs: John P. McCool, Jacob B. McCool, Margaret Hargrave.  Witnesses: W.S. Harpole and A.J. Milller


Source: Abstracts Warrick County, Indiana, Will Book I 1831-1859 Will Book 2 Feb. 1860-June 1885, Capt. Jacob Warrick Chapter, DAR, 1992, p. 8


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Known children of Thomas are Jacob B., Nancy Ann, Margaret and John P.  Thomas had two wives, Martha "Patsey" SCALES (1807-1825) and Catherine ________.  At this point I've not identified for sure which wife was the mother of the children, though I'm leaning towards Martha.


Thomas was born December 20, 1797 in Virginia and died May 14, 1867 in Boonville, Warrick County, Indiana.  Prior to coming to Indiana, the family lived in Warren County, Kentucky.  Thomas is buried in the Harpole Cemetery, Boonville, Warrick County, Indiana.  Note the Harpole name as a witness, there may be a family connection.   Much research needs to be done on this line.


Will be writing letter today requesting a copy of his will record from Warrick County.

Disorganization Can Cost You Twice

Probably the only worse feeling than that you've overpaid for something is the feeling you get when you realize you've paid twice for the same thing.  In genealogy research, this seems to happen to me more frequently than I'd care to admit.  


Disorganization in research has caused me to pay for the same court record or obituary twice many times.  Just last week, while working at the Elwood Public Library, I decided I would try to complete some task from my "To-Do" files in my Rootmagic software.  Having already taken the time to identify individuals who had lived and died in the area, I thought that I had a pretty good idea of whom I needed to obtain obituary copies from the local newspaper.  After all, they were marked as "tasks" that still needed to be completed.


As I began to search for close relatives on the list, I realized that I didn't have copies of the obituaries of my maternal great-grandmother, June (DAVIS) LAMBERTSON and my 2nd-great grandmother Pearl (BEALS) LAMBERTSON.  After obtaining the microfilm reels and finding their obituaries, I noticed that they looked strangely familiar.  I was positive that I had already obtained these obituaries, yet they still appeared on my list of things "to-do."


I double-checked my database to make sure that I hadn't already entered the information, but it wasn't there.  So I paid for the obituaries and left.  When I got back home, a double-check indicated that I did already have these obituaries - they were in a pile of papers "to be filed" that had been obtained on a previous research jaunt.  By not checking the box on my genealogy database, I had paid twice for the same information.  Fortunately, in this case, the damage was minor - only $.10 per copy.  But I know there have been other times where I have paid over $1.00 per page for something I already had because I wasn't organized.


Lesson learned: when returning from a research trip, be sure to update you research log right away so that you don't go back and try to re-invent the wheel.