Need help checking a reference for a marriage.

Question

Dear Fellow Rooters!

My 3rd great-grandparents [[Smith-59440|Lawson Smith]] and [[Unknown-513275|Priscilla Unknown Smith]] were married about 1829-1830 in Hickman County TN but all records of the period were destroyed in a fire. I've searched *for decades* for the identity of my 3rd g-grandmother. 

I’ve just found there’s a slim chance their marriage might be listed in a book which compiles marriage listings from Tennessee newspapers. WorldCat says 320 libraries have the book in their collection, but the closest library which has it is 658 kilometres from me! If you are planning a trip to your library to do a bit of research in the next while, would you mind checking the list here: https://search.worldcat.org/title/9761548 to see if your local library has this particular book, and if so, take a look at 1829-1830?  

“Marriages from early Tennessee newspapers, 1794-1851”

edited by Silas Emmett Lucas, Jr

Easley, South Carolina: Southern Historical Press, c1978

538 pg. Subject Class: 976.8 V2

ISBN: 0893080926

I'm down at the bottom of the barrel, scraping with an old spoon for clues, hints, *anything* that will help me identify Priscilla and I'd be ever so grateful for help. 

Thank you! 

Deb concentrating on genealogy because temperatures are forecast to fall to -50 C tonight with the wind chill.   

Answer 1

Marriage to Sarah Price found in Family Search on 26 Jun 1834.

Comments

Nice find! And it makes sense.

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Hi Cheryl,

Thank you for checking, I really appreciate it! But sadly this is a different couple. Lawson was a very popular name for boys at the time my Lawson Smith was born. There was a famous general named Lawson Henderson, and a bunch of boys were named after him.

We know our Lawson Smith and Priscilla ?? were married in Hickman County TN by June 1st, 1830, the date of the 1830 census because they were living with Lawson's parents, Enoch Smith and Elizabeth Casiah Smith on that census.

Thank you again for your kindness!

Happy Rooting!

Deb

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Yes - I noticed that there were several Lawson Smith's all living in the same area - I think you probably have covered as much ground as you possibly could.

Good luck sweetie finding the marriage you are looking for. Have a great weekend.

Answer 2

Hi Deb,

I have a copy of the book you mention. Sadly, there is no mention of a Lawson Smith. There is a Lee and a Lemuel under the surname Smith but neither married a Pricilla. I'm sorry I can't give you better news, but it's just not listed in that particular book. Good luck in your search.

Bill

Comments

Thank you so much Bill! I appreciate you taking the time to check for me, even though the results were not what I'd hoped. I'm coming to the sad conclusion that, unless familial lightning strikes, I may never know Priscilla's surname. 

All the best and may your brick walls tumble,

Deb

Answer 3

Lawson named a son Enoch, after his father, could Enoch's middle name Jones, be after Pricilla's family?

Comments

Hi Sandra,

Thanks for the suggestion. Many people in the South, and in my family, carry surnames as middle names. I've followed that "Jones" line of research, but it doesn't seem to have been a family name. Lawson's father Enoch owned a flour mill in partnership with a man whose last name was Jones. I believe this is the origin of the middle name "Jones" for Lawson's son Enoch. However, I seem to be out of options and I'm going to start over and as my Ma would say, "lick my calf again". 

All the best and may all your brick walls tumble,

Deb