MK's Family Page

I really had no luck with the McGraw family in Union, South Carolina. I did find evidence that they had ever been there. I went through every book in the library in Union County Carnegie Library. I did find a recipe for preserving old newspaper clippings:

Mix 2 tbs of Milk of Magnesia and a qt of club soda. Sandwich your clippings between two pieces of pellon and soak in solution for 30 minutes. Remove clippings and remove excess water with blotting paper. Place clippings on dry blotting paper and dry overnight. Store in a dry flat “Archival Plastic” bag.

As I have a bunch of old clippings I do plan to try this and will let you know how it comes out.

I stomped around a few cemeteries with no luck also. In one a cousin’s ancestors had been transcribed at one time but the tombstones of that era were  unreadable and there were too many to take rubbings of in the short time I had. There were many unmarked and if my ancestors were there they were probably among this group.

While visiting the communities of Santuc and Carlisle I imagined my grandfather, John E. McGraw, living there in the 188o’s. They lived near the Broad River and I wondered if he went fishing there as a young boy. Did his father, Christopher Malachi McGraw, work as a carpenter in one of the large plantations in the area?

In the end I think I need to broaden my search for this family. Was their name changed from McCaw, McGaw, or McGrath?

MK

I have spent the last two days doing research on the McGraw/ John lines in South Caroline. Yesterday my mother-in-law, her friend Maxine and I spent the day at the Department of Archives and History in Columbia, S.C.  I found nothing about the McGraws in Union, S.C. I did find a line of Johns in Union, S.C. that I will need to see if I can link to my Johns. I also found a lot of Crawfords in Abbeville, S.C. that also needs reviewing. I barely put a dent in the resources available here and hope to return in the future.

Today’s effort were spent at the Union County Carnegie Libray in Union, S.C. with similar results. I found a will for Edward McGraw, who had two sons named William and Gideon, but I had ruled this line out earlier in my research. but I will recheck that line. Later in the day I drove out to Carlisle and tried to find the Cold Well Cemetery with no luck. I found where it was suppose to be, but no cemetery.

On Monday Susan and I drove up to Rome, Georgia to visit my grandmother’s, Sarah Edna Jenkins McGraw, birthplace.  First stop was the Rome/Floyd County Library, where the Heritage Room’s research librarian greeted us and brought us a lot of information based on what families I told her I was researching. I was able to gleam a few new facts about my ancestors. One was the marriage date of Sarah’s parents, Charles J Jenkins and Mollie Crawford. It was 14 May 1882. Later in the day.I was able to go to the courthouse and get a copy of the marriage license/ certificate. The other information I found was that the John B. Jenkins family were member of the Floyd Springs Methodist Church. This info was found in a little book entitled “1859 Class Book for Floyd Springs Methodist Church Cave Springs Circuit Georgia Conference.” Since Sarah (Mammy) was such a devout Methodist I figured her family was also Methodist and I knew they had lived out at Floyd Springs from the 1880 census.   The Jenkins family first shows up in 20 September, 1873.   The men were my great, great grandfather(J.B.), and his sons Joseph (J.J.) and Charles J. (C.J.)who was my great grandfather  and the women were John B’s wife, Caroline Matilda( C.M.) and his daughter Mollie. There may be other daughters, as i have not taken the time yet to study the other names and relationships. There are Rhudy and McKenzie family names written in the book.

By the time I found this information I was starving so we left and went to lunch at the Harvest Moon Cafe. I had the Mediterranean Roasted Vegetable Sandwich with French Fries and Susan had the Turkey Salad Sandwich withe Sweet Potato Chips. The food was great.

Unfortunately it was a rainy day and not a good day to traipse around cemeteries. But we drove to the Myrtle Hill Cemetery, where Caroline Matilda Rhudy Jenkins was buried along with many of her descendants. Her grave is unmarked in an old part of the cemetery. In addition Amy Comer Rhudy is buried there. We also drove around and looked at other landmarks. At the library we found the location of Floyd Springs Methodist Church and we were going to finish up our trip by driving out there. I took a wrong turn and by the time I realized it we decided we did not want to go back through Rome during rush hour. So definitely need to plan another trip to this area. Maybe on my way home I will have time to at least get up to Floyd Springs.

Next weekend I embark on a Genealogy Odyssey. My purpose is to research the McGraw/ Johns and Jenkins/ Crawford lines. I plan to visit the birthplace of both of my grandparents.

Rome, Floyd, Georgia was where my grandmother, Sarah Edna Jenkins was born and also where her father, Charles J. Jenkins, was born and married her mother Mollie Mary Crawford. Charles’ father John Ballad (Ballard) Jenkins shows up in the 1850 census as living in Rome, Floyd, Georgia and his occupation is listed as a carpenter. This is also where the Rhudys and Comers come into the pictures. So the roots run deep here. I have been lucky and have been having email conversations with two cousins, Dale and Gretchen.  They have both given me so much information about the Jenkins, Rhudys and Comers and also where to search for information in Rome. I am in search of the parents of John Ballad Jenkins. 

Another place I am visiting is Union County, South Carolina. This is where my grandfather, John Erasmus McGraw, was born. His father, Christopher Malachi (Mallie) McGraw, married his mother Mary E. Johns. Mary was the daughter of Daniel Johns who served in Company B, 18th Infantry Regiment of South Carolina during the Civil War. He died on 10 Feb 1862 while serving in the army. I have Daniel and his family living in Santuc, Union, South Carolina in the 1850 and 1860 censuses, but cannot find them after his death. I am wondering if Emily, his wife remarried, as she had four minor children when he died. I also have Mallie McGraw living in Fish Dam, Union, SC with his wife Mary and their two oldest sons, Lucius Earnest and Daniel E.  Cousin Frank has provided me with a few cemeteries to visit. I will be looking for the parents of Mallie McGraw.

I am visiting one other ancestral land and that is Grayson County, Virginia.  Both Jacob Rhudy and John Comer were pioneer settlers of that county and were revolutionary patriots. There is a landmark called Comer’s Rock that was the family land.  I will be trying to prove Amy Comer  to John Comer.

Along the way I will be visiting friends and family and doing research in Columbia SC and Raleigh NC.

Mk

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