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Genealogy: Finding Your Folks

Bowers, Youngs, Boyds in the mailbag

By JUDY FOWLER KILGORE
jkilgore@thecitizennews.com

I always love receiving letters and e-mails in response to the columns, especially when you send me more family information to add to the growing number of surnames we have already covered. One of the purposes of the column is to hopefully connect those who do not have computers and read the hard copy version (newspapers distributed around Atlanta's Southside) with those who read the column on the Internet. This is a gap that desperately needs to be bridged.

Last week I received e-mails from Bonnie Helander of Peachtree City, who is a Bowers-Young descendant, and Tim Turner, who is a descendant of not one, but two Boyd lines. One of his lines is connected to the Bethany Boyds and the other is not — at least not so far.

First, Bonnie’s letter, which says: “I enjoy your column and learning more about the families in Fayette and Coweta counties. I have moved back to the area (Peachtree City) after 24 years in San Diego. Last year I began researching my family roots for my DAR paperwork. I have two Revolutionary War ancestors — Andrew Bowers and James Young. A large number of my ancestors are buried in the White Oak Presbyterian Church cemetery on Gordon Road in Moreland/Sharpsburg. The two Revolutionary War ancestors came here from Newberry County in South Carolina. I was able to trace the following through White Oak Cemetery:

“Andrew Bowers (Revolutionary War veteran, died in Newberry); Stephen Bowers (son), died in Newberry); Levi Bowers (grandson), buried at White Oak; Andrew Pressly Bowers (great-grandson), buried at White Oak; Lawson Wilson Bowers (great-great-grandson), buried at White Oak; David Wilson Bowers (great-great-great-grandson), buried at White Oak; Bonnie Bowers Helander (great-great-great-great-granddaughter), living in Peachtree City!

“James Young (Revolutionary War veteran), born in Ireland and died in Newberry SC; Abram Young (son), buried at White Oak; Elizabeth Ann Young (granddaughter who married Levi Bowers), buried at White Oak; Andrew Pressly Bowers (great-grandson), buried at White Oak; Lawson Wilson Bowers, buried at White Oak; David W. Bowers, buried at White Oak; Bonnie Bowers Helander, living in Peachtree City.

“Anyway, doing the research at White Oak, I noticed several headstones for the Dominick family. While the old original markers are still there, someone has placed new head stones as well. I was intrigued that five members of the Dominick family died within six months of each other in 1854. I assume there must have been a disease epidemic but am not sure. Here are the names and dates of the deaths: Silas Dominick, age 23, died 6/30/1854; Paul Dominick, age 25, died 9/3/1854; Mariah Dominick (the mother), age 42, died 9/13/1854; Butler Dominick, age 13, died 12/8/1854.

“Andrew Dominick (the father) lived until 1868. I thought is so sad that his wife and three sons died within such a short span. I was curious if you or other Dominick family members knew what took place during that time. Another young man, George Young, age 18, also died in September of 1854.

“If you have any information about the reason for the death of so many family members, I would be very interested to know. Thank you. Bonnie (Bowers) Helander, helanderb@comcast.net.”

Bonnie, an Internet resource tells me that there was a big Yellow Fever epidemic nationwide from 1852 until 1855. Nearly 8,000 people are said to have died in New Orleans alone. This could be a reason for all those deaths, or, it could have been something else. I appreciate your writing and hope you find many Bowers and Young cousins as a result of your letter.

Regarding the Boyds, Tim writes: “Judy, I saw your column regarding the Boyd family in The Citizen online. It seems we are cousins. I descend from Janetta Boyd who married Ira Allen Corbin, Jr. and (both) are buried in Gwinnett County.

“I want to thank you for all your research on the Boyd line. I really enjoyed reading your article.

“I have another Boyd line from Newberry County and Laurens County that can be traced back to Ballymena Ireland area. They must be related somehow.

“This is my line from our common Boyd: John Boyd (and) Margaret; John Boyd (and) Nancy Chambers; Janetta (Jane) C. Boyd (and) Ira Allen Corbin, Jr.; Matilda E. Corbin (and) William Jasper Bradberry; Nancy Clementine Bradberry (and) Leviah Jackson Thompson; Lee Omer Thompson (and) Loma Mae Blackstock; Loma Lee Bobbie Thompson (and) Troy Franklin Turner; Terry Thompson Turner (and) Mildred Elizabeth McKoy; Timothy T. Turner (and) B. Kelleene Greer.

“This is my other Boyd line: William Blanton Boyd (and) Margaret Eveline Cochran; William Blanton Boyd II (and) Catherine McClurkin; Bradford Boyd (and) Margaret Watkins; William Leander Elihu Boyd (and) Selina Elizabeth Huddleston; Daisy Belle Zollicofer Boyd (and) Franklin Kentucky Ware; Annie Bell Ware (and) George Thurston Turner; Troy Franklin Turner (and) Loma Lee Bobbie Thompson; Terry Thompson Turner (and) Mildred Elizabeth McKoy; Timothy T. Turner (and) B. Kelleene Greer.

“Have you ever done any work on the Chambers family? Hope to talk to you soon. Tim Turner.” (tturner@fnbbanking.com).

Since I’ve run out of room this week, I’ll comment on Tim’s letter next week. I do have a little more on the people he mentioned.

I welcome all letters and e-mails about genealogy and info on south metro Atlanta families. Send them to The Citizen, P.O. Drawer 1719, Fayetteville, GA 30214; e-mail jkilgore@thecitizennews.com or jodiek444@aol.com. Any letters and/or e-mails I receive are subject to being used in the column.

Until next week, happy hunting!