Day 144

A totally exciting 9 hours at the library!!!!! Not. Well, it wasn't too bad except that like most archives, the temperature is about 60 degrees with a slight breeze. My hands were frozen all day.

Despite the cold, I managed to get through the remaining surname files:
3 Robertson
8 Robinson
3 Kennedy
4 Withers
1 Haynes
1 Pate
3 Barbee
9 Stephens
2 DeHaven
5 Holt
3 Jennings
3 Johnston
4 Hampton
plus two books from the stacks.

The best find was a copy of information from an old Stephens bible (Stephens lead into the Holt, Sterrett and Bowmer families). I found the names, spouses and children for Eleanor Stephens' siblings and confirmation that her father (Capt. Richard Stephens) enlisted in the 10th Virginia on 18 Feb 1777, a regiment later designated the 6th Virginia, retiring on 12 Feb. 1781. The bible also listed Eleanor and John Holts' children. We have always known that Eleanor and John were the parents of Elizabeth Holt (3 gg who married William Sterett) and Joseph Holt - Secty of War and Judge Advocate General under President Lincoln. There were hints in various documents of at least one brother older than Joseph and one younger - Thomas. The bible gave me all five children - Richard, James, Joseph, Thomas and Elizabeth. Yea!

I also got a complete list of all the burials in the Sterett family cemetery - that one down in the ditch not too far from Cloverport, KY. The graves were documented about 60 years ago which may explain why Sarah DeHaven Sterett's grave is listed but I couldn't find it - the stone has been covered up or destroyed. In the same file was a listing of information from a Sterett bible. It confirmed John and Sarah DeHaven Sterett's children and some grandchildren (birth, marriage and death dates). The bible also lists the births of black children born on the plantation between 1799 and 1821.

I have lots of other scraps and tidbits. Hopefully when I get home I can put the mosaic together to make complete stories. Speaking of which - I will be home a week from tomorrow. It is hard to believe that this trip is winding down so quickly. Tomorrow I head for Bowling Green and Perrysburg, OH to catch two probate records and a cemetery on the Davenport side. Sunday I will drive back to Michigan and drop in on Aunt Ann and Uncle Mike. Ditto on Tuesday for Aunt Lois, Pam and Jay in Chicago, finally heading for Colorado next Thursday.