My families

 These are the people and families that I focus most of my research on.

Thomas Mathews (Matthews): 12 Jun 1792 - 14 Oct 1874, Calheme Townland, Ballymoney Parish, County Antrim, Ulster, Ireland. Married to Nancy (Ross) Mathews, born about 1791, Knockavallan Townland, Derrykeighan Parish, Dervock, County Antrim, Ireland. They emigrated to Randolph County, Illinois in 1840 along with their 10 children. 

Almost a century ago, my grandfather began working on a report identifying all of the descendants of the nine Mathews children who grew to adulthood. It is a massive undertaking. My father picked it up and worked on a time and I have added to it over the last decade. To that end, I would love to hear from any descendants of Thomas and Nancy. 

Rebecca (Towne) Nurse: born 21 Feb 1621 in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, England, died 19 Jul 1692, Salem, Essex, Massachusetts Bay Colony. Rebecca and her sister, Mary Estey, were hanged for witchcraft.

2nd Lieut. Harvey Annis: Born 1825 in Monroe County, New York, died 27 Apr 1865 when the riverboat USS Sultana exploded and burned outside of Memphis. This is the worst maritime disaster in U.S. history in terms of lives lost. His wife, Ann (Vessey) Annis, survived the disaster to become a widow for the third time, each time to a husband who died at sea (or river, as the case may be).

Jennie Evdokimoff: The daughter of Molokan immigrants from Kars, Turkey, (formerly in the Russian Empire). Depending on which documents are to be believed, she was born 4 Jul 1910 or 4 Dec 1909 in either Glendale in Arizona, Ensenada in Baja California, Los Angeles in California or Alabama. In this instance, reasonably exhaustive research only seems to turn up more possibilities.

James Monroe Strong: born 1841 in Breathitt County, Kentucky and died 17 Jan 1913 in Pine Creek, Ozark County, Missouri. The Strong family participated in a feud with the Callahan family that was much bloodier than the more well-known Hatfield/McCoy feud.  

Other families I am researching include

William Cunningham: 1785-1840 Born in Rockbridge County, Virginia

Jonathan Chandler and Vashti (Lamdin) Chandler of Bramley, Hampshire, England and  Pontiac, Oakland, Michigan, USA

Roger Reid Campbell: 1776-1851 of Argyle, Washington County, New York.

That's all for today. See you soon.