Finding Your Folks: A Batte correction

I had intended to wrap up Mary Amelia Jones’ family this week but two things popped up which require dealing with before we go any farther.

The first is something many of you have asked about — how to access these columns from past years. As you know, when we redesigned the Web site, all the archived columns disappeared from the site.

They are still on our server but are in sort of a “locked room” with no windows or doors and only one way to get in. That is through the URL, or Web address, I’m going to give you.

This URL will take you to the list of links for 2005, at least through October 7.

From the next one, Oct. 14, you can access them through the new Web site (www.thecitizen.com). They are arranged from the most current back to Oct. 14, 2005. These will come up on an Internet search.

At the bottom of the 2005 list are links to all past columns dating from 2001. I hope those of you who are interested will bookmark the site.

None of the surnames in past columns will come up on a search of the Internet because the columns are “locked in” to the old site. But please feel free to share this URL.

The URL is http://www.thecitizen.com/archive/finding%20your%20folks/findingyourfolks2005.html.
Make sure there are no spaces and no period at the end when you copy it. If you have trouble, e-mail me and I’ll send you the link.

The next thing I want to cover is some erroneous information in last week’s column regarding the Batte family.

Although I am told that I printed correctly what Mrs. McCall had in her book, “McCall-Tidwell and Allied Families,” the information conflicts with what other researchers know from private family records.

Mary Harper of Florida, my biggest contributor to the Bethany families series last spring and summer, has also researched the Batte family which not only connects to the Joneses but also connects to the Hunt family (and thus to the Harpers, Rivers, Boyds, etc. of Bethany).

Mary writes:

“I found your column this week really interesting. Yes, the Batte line is mine also — well, my husband’s line. Martha Batte, daughter of William Batte Jr. and Agnes Birchette, married Judkins Hunt, Sr. and they moved to Georgia. William, Jr. was the son of William Batte, Sr. and Mary Stratton. He was the son of Henry Batte, Sr. and Mary Lounds and he the son of Capt. John Batte of Okewell. The Hunts of Bethany come from this line.

“The below paragraph from your column I believe is a mistake and I will explain why.

(What I wrote last week) “Henry Batte settled in Charles City County, married, and in 1723 became the guardian for a young lady named Elizabeth Chamberlayne, daughter of Thomas Chamberlayne and his second wife, Elizabeth Stratton.

About four years later, in 1727, Henry Batte’s son, Henry (Jr.) married this \Elizabeth Chamberlayne.” (End of what I wrote.)

Mary continues: “Henry Batte, son of Capt. John Batte, married Mary Lounds. They had Mary, Elizabeth, Rachel, Sarah, Henry, Ann and William (Sr.). This Henry died in 1703 so he couldn’t be the one who became the guardian of Elizabeth Chamberlayne.

“His son, Henry, died unmarried. He left a will dated 23 July 1727, probated 10 Oct 1727 in Prince George Co., Va. He named his mother, Mary, and all his brothers and sisters in the will.

“The Henry who I believe married Elizabeth Chamberlayne was the son of William Batte, Sr. and Mary Stratton. Henry and Elizabeth were first cousins since she was the daughter of Thomas Chamberlayne and Elizabeth Stratton. The will of this Henry Batte was probated in Chesterfield Co., VA in 1770. Henry and Elizabeth’s daughter Elizabeth married Richard Jones. I believe this fits in with what you said.

“I haven’t read anything about a guardianship. It may be so, but I don’t know about it.

“A lot of this came from “Southside Virginia Families,” Vol. 1 by John Bennett Boddie and a small typed pamphlet written by Charles H. Hamlin, professional genealogist, of Richmond, Va. It was probably research he did for someone. I found it in the Orlando library. It is well documented.

“Will you check me out on this? This is a very confusing line not to mention the Strattons and Sheppys. Martha ?? Sheppy married Edward Stratton, Sr. after her husband Thomas Sheppy died. Then her daughter Martha married Edward Stratton, Jr.

“I am looking forward to the next installment. Best regards, Mary”

I scanned the pages in question from the McCall-Tidwell book (she has the “Sheppy” family as “Shippey”) and sent them to Mary and she reiterated that Mrs. McCalls’s information was in error, probably because some private Batte records were available only to Batte family members, the public ones having been destroyed.

Also, in 1931, when the book was written, there was much less information available than there is now.

I thank Mary for the correction and hope those of you with Batte ancestry will take note of it.

Now, with that said, I promise I’ll finish Mary Amelia Jones’ story next week.

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@thecitizen.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!