I am in search of the parents of my 3rd gg George Washington b. 1821 d. 1869 Sarepta, Calhoun, Mississippi. His headstone reads, "Sacred to the memory of George Washington, Born in VA 1821, Died 1869".
Family story was that he was cousin to the president George Washington and had lived down the street from his home. This may be slightly wrong information as I have found that his first wife Jincy Halford was 1st cousin to Martha Dandridge, wife of the first president through the Halford/Dalton/Redd/Dandridge line.
I first found George Washington in Girard, Russell, Alabama in 1840 census living next door to father-in-law John C. Alford (Halford) b. 1787 NC. I then found George Washington in 1850 Wetumpka, Coosa, Alabama census living with second wife Mary Ann McEwen (d/o Kirkham McEwen) along with two of the three children from the first marriage: Francis Marion, and John C. Family story was that first wife Jincy Halford died in childbirth with baby Catharine.
With search I discovered that George had remarried in Jan. 1845 at Muscogee, Georgia to Mary Ann McEwen (McCuin), so the first wife and daughter Catharine had to pass between the census of 1840 and the second marriage in 1845. No graves have been found. I found land purchase records of George Washington and John C Halford in early 1841 Jasper and Kemper Cos. Mississippi when they made a land purchase trip together-both purchasing land. I then find George Washington in 1858 land records in Elmore (formerly Coosa) county Alabama with Francis Marion McEwen as witness (George's brother-in-law from second marriage). I next find George listed in "Choctaw Living in the Chickasaw District" annuity rolls 1857-1860 near Pontotoc county Mississippi.
George served Ballentine's 2nd Partisan Rangers for CSA in MS. I have difficulty finding George between years 1860-1869 and his death. George's 2 sons of first marriage served CSA as follows: Francis Marion Washington in 18th AL Inf. Co. I and John C. Washington in 31st MS Inf. Co. D.
George's in-laws of first marriage: John C. Halford b. 1787 NC and Catharine Brown m. 1820 Warren Co. MS b. 1795 SC d. 01 Feb 1859 buried Methodist Campground [Ragland] cemetery Sarepta, Calhoun MS. John was s/o John Halford & Nancy Dalton, and Catharine was d/o James Brown b. 1770 SC d. 09 Nov 1820 Warren Co. MS and Elizabeth d. Oct 1842 Warren Co. MS. I've tracked John Halford from NC to Barnwell SC, to Warren & Simpson Co. MS to Russell Co. AL to Coosa Co. AL to Calhoun Co. MS in the 1860 census where his grandson John C Washington along with new bride Margaret Lewellen was living with him [spelled Holford in census].
George's in-laws of second marriage: Kirkham McEwen b. 19 Mar 1802 Newton GA d. 19 Nov 1865 Gwinnett CO, GA and Mary Ann Canada b. 21 Jan 1805 GA d. 12 Jun 1889 Morton, Scott Co., MS. Jasper Kirkham McEwen was born in Gwinett Co. GA where he grew to manhood. He married Mary Ann Canada in Gwinett Co. GA, daughter of Jesse Canada and Sarah Jones. His wife Mary Ann was born 21 Jan. 1805 in GA and died 12 Jun. 1889 in Morton, Scott Co. MS. They then moved to Meriwether Co, where they lived for two years before moving to Alabama in 1836 where they settled on the Tallapoosa River in Tallapoosa Co. ALA, about 14-miles south of Dadeville. In 1844, Kirkham moved to Coosa Co. (where his daughter Mary Ann met George Washington, a widower with two children. Mary Ann and George Washington married in Muskogee Co. GA in 1845 before returning to Coosa Co. ALA.) Jasper Kirkham McEwen was a Millwright/machinist/mechanic by trade, as were most of the McEwen men. He was also the Justice of the Peace for many years when he lived in Alabama. He was also a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
In 1855, Kirkham moved he and his wife to Calhoun Co. MS and then to Lowndes county before returning to GA where Kirkham died.
In the 1850 Wetumpka, Coosa, AL census both sets of George's in-laws are living side by side: the Halfords and the McEwens, who are both ex Justices of the Peace.
Our DNA testing tells us that we are 4 steps from the nearest Washington surname, but we have approx. 20 matches to Magee, McGee, McGehee, McKee, McGhie etc at 12, 25 and 37 panel tests. There are other surnames with multiple matches at 25 or better markers: McTiernan, Cox, Boice, Williams, Fitzhenry, McTiernan to name a few.
It is written in "Early Alabama History" that Betty Washington, sister of the president is connected to the McGehee family. I am thinking that perhaps old grandpa George may be connected to them in some way.
So if you're tired of crossword puzzles, try solving this 140 year old family mystery!