Finding Your Folks: Westmorelands, Tidwells, Arnolds in the mailbag

The Westmoreland ancestry question last week drew a response from one of my main contributors on that family — Robert E. (Bob) Johnston of California.

While Bob admitted that he couldn’t comment on the evidence David Hancock offered about the Westmorelands of Cumberland dating back to the 1500s, he agreed that David was on solid ground in calling early Westmoreland claims “myths.”

Bob writes: “(David) also referred to Lucia Foster’s ‘Westmoreland Ancestry,’ written in 1980. Lucia and I corresponded for a while, almost twenty years ago (before e-mail), and I have a copy of her 1980 report.

“The 1908 Edward A. Claypool publication to which David Hancock referred, and which Lucia Foster reviewed, is but one of several books which fostered early Westmoreland fabrications and myths. Among others, there were also Frederick A. Virkus’ Compendium of American Genealogy, Volume V (1933), and Volume VI (1937), and Hiram K. Douglas' My Southern Families (1967).

“Lucia was also critical of Olin V. Mapes’ Westmoreland ne Neville (1992), upon which many researchers have cast their faith.

“Lucia's father-in-law had attempted to correct information used in this publication, but his corrections were apparently not incorporated. And yet he is still noted as a reference in Mapes’ 1999 revision of this publication.

“I recall that Lucia believed Mr Mapes simply collected what folks sent to him, and published it, with no attempt at authentication. I don't know.

“As you can tell from the title, Mapes’ publication suggests descent from early English nobility. Although the family dates back centuries before, it was apparently a Ralph Neville who was appointed the first Earl of Westmoreland in 1397, by King Richard II. There was a Richard Westmoreland in King William County, Virginia in 1706, documented by his estate settlement. Many suggest this was actually a Richard Neville, who came to America in 1650, adopting his titular name as a surname.

“Others suggest James Westmoreland, son of an Earl of Westmoreland, who came to Boston in 1652, was the progenitor of the line in America.

“Much has been written which one might apparently term ‘wishful thinking.’

It would be nice to know, but this Westmoreland researcher gave up trying to settle the issue, and went on to other ‘brick walls’ to solve.

“My best regards, Bob Johnston.” (bobsedge@sbcglobal.net)

It’s always good to hear from Bob who really knows his Westmorelands and has helped me so much. Bob also sent a similar letter to David Hancock. I would love to see more discussion on this topic.

I also received an e-mail from Jamie Powell who wanted to know about the Tidwells.

Jamie writes; “I just read your articles on the Tidwell line. I am a descendant of John Tidwell. I really appreciate your information that you posted on The Citizen. Could you please point me to sources of information on the Tidwell family? I loved the stories that you shared from the McCall book. Could you please tell me more about that book, and how I could get a copy?

“My line further on down was another John who joined the Mormon faith and migrated westward. He married a Jane Smith and shortly afterwards moved to Illinois.

“Again I really appreciate the information that you shared. Thanks so much. Jamie Powell.” (jamie.powell@yahoo.com)

Jamie, much of my Tidwell information has come from two sources: the McCall Tidwell book by Ettie Tidwell McCall and the Boyd-Tidwell book by George Hugh Boyd. The McCall book was printed in 1931 but it appears that at least two publishing houses still sell it. One had the book for sale for about $75 and the other $99. Google “McCall-Tidwell” and the sites will come up. The McCall-Tidwell book is online in Ancestry.com’s Local and Family Histories database. I haven’t come across other Tidwell resources but they would probably come up on a Google search also. I have also used census information and court records from Coweta and Meriwether counties.

Another letter this week dug up a really old column we did on the Arnolds nearly three years ago.

Bill Arnold writes: “Dear Ms. Kilgore, I noticed an article you wrote January, 2004, about the Coweta Arnolds.

“My name is William Glenn Arnold III. My grandfather, William Glenn Arnold, married Frances Louise Gibson in Newnan, Georgia. They moved to Boulder, Colorado around 1918, raised a family of four, one of which is my father, William G. Arnold Jr. My grandfather was a very successful businessman in Boulder. All of his surviving children and grandchildren still live in Boulder.

“I've been told that I am a descendant of Susan Marie Glenn and Park Eddins Arnold. I'm not sure this means anything to you or anyone else. But I'm sure my aunt or father would enjoy corresponding with anyone interested in the information they have on the Arnolds. (Bill Arnold), (billarnold@covad.net).”

I hope some of you Arnold researchers out there will write to Bill and share your research. There is nothing more exciting to a new genealogist than finding a cousin you never knew about.

Stories about your ancestors who lived in the south metro Atlanta area are most welcome. Send them to The Citizen, P.O. Drawer 1719, Fayetteville, GA 30214, or e-mail jkilgore@thecitizen.com or JodieK444@aol.com.