Looking for Blankenship relatives from the buncombe, NC area.

Question

My paternal grandmother was a Blankenship and her mother Mary Dowdle and father Lewis Blankenship came from Buncombe, NC area and settled in Orange, VA. They had 13 children including my grandma. Lewis' parents were Frank and Arosey Blankenship. From my grandma's stories I know that they moved to Virginia before she was born in 1938. thanks for any help

Answer 1

Dear Kimi,

    Looks like Louis (as it shows in this record) and Mary were married in North Carolina, USA.

"North Carolina, County Marriages, 1762-1979 ," database with images, FamilySearch(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F88B-HPX : 22 December 2016), Louis W. Blankenship and Mary Algira Dowdle, 28 May 1921; citing , Swain, North Carolina, United States, p. p B, Office of Archives and History, Division of Archives and Records. State Archive of North Carolina and various county Register of Deeds; FHL microfilm 847,735.

The digital film page is not linked, so you will have to look around on the pages in the link to find the entry. Enjoy! -NGP 

Comments

this link was very helpful it traced my grandma's ancestors all the way back to 0049BC and I even found Kings of Ireland, Scotland, and England

Answer 2

Dear Kimi,

    Louis registered for the draft for World War I and his mother's name is on the form as his contact person.

"United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918," database with images, FamilySearch(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KZDZ-QR5 : 12 December 2014), Louis Winfield Scott Blankinship, 1917-1918; citing Swain County, North Carolina, United States, NARA microfilm publication M1509 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,766,032.

-NGP

Answer 3

Dear Kimi,

   This could be your family in the 1940 census in Virginia. Was your grandmother ever called Shirley? Do these names look familiar?

"United States Census, 1940," database with images, FamilySearch(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VRY2-JVZ : accessed 22 January 2018), Lewis Blankship, Cedar Mountain Magisterial District, Culpeper, Virginia, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 24-3, sheet 6A, line 20, family 94, Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940, NARA digital publication T627. Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790 - 2007, RG 29. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012, roll 4256.

-NGP

Comments

thank you so much!