Eliza Ann WEST or Ann Elizabeth WEST
Finding Eliza WEST
prepared by Don R. Hender
Beware and Warning: There is
a lot of 'good' information on the internet. There is also mistakes and
errors. Just because it is 'in print' on the internet, it needs NOT be so.
Be fore-warned and be careful. Be sure to varify adequately all information,
often the 'old fashion way' of looking up source documents in a library rather
than just trusting what is online. A mild case in point: There are a
number of genealogical sites who put out 'information' online. Many are just
sucking you in to their 'pay-system', having derived their information from such
sources that you should be using yourself rather than just 'trusting' their
system. One site I will browse that I have found helpful, but not always
correct, is 'Family Tree Maker'. I'll give a mild example of their 'missed' work.
REDACTED [I caused a person embarrassment, I'm sorry.]
At this url [redacted] you'll find the following information:
Eliza Ann West (b. Abt. 1828, d. date unknown)
Eliza Ann West was born Abt. 1828 in Tyrrell, North Carolina, and died date unknown.
She married James M Barnes on 13 Feb 1834 in Tyrrell, North Carolina.
More About Eliza Ann West and James M Barnes:
Marriage: 13 Feb 1834, Tyrrell, North Carolina.
Children of Eliza Ann West and James M Barnes are:
i Nancy Barnes, b. 1835, Tyrrell, North Carolina, d. date unknown.
ii +Mary E. Barnes, b. 1836, Tyrrell, North Carolina, d. date unknown.
iii +William James Barnes, b. 02 Oct 1837, Tyrrell, North Carolina935, 936, 937, 938,
d. 04 Aug 1919, Tyrrell, North Carolina939.
iv Dennis Barnes, b. Abt. 1839, Tyrrell, North Carolina940, d. date unknown.
v Clarissa Barnes, b. 1842, Tyrrell, North Carolina941, d. date unknown.
vi +Thomas J. Barnes, b. 1843, Tyrrell, North Carolina942, 943, 944, d. date unknown.
vii Susan Ada Barnes, b. Abt. 1844, Tyrrell, North Carolina945, d. date unknown.
viii Priscilla Barnes, b. 25 Jul 1846, Tyrrell, North Carolina946, 947, 948, d. date unknown.
ix +Leonard M. Barnes, b. 1848, North Carolina949, 950, 950, 951,
d. Abt. 1905, Elizabeth City, Pasquotank, North Carolina.
x Abel Barnes, b. 1849, Tyrrell, North Carolina952, d. date unknown.
xi Sarah Barnes, b. Abt. 1855, Tyrrell, North Carolina, d. date unknown.
xii Harriet Barnes, b. Abt. 1857, Tyrrell, North Carolina, d. date unknown.
xiii Sarah Barnes,
Now there is a lot of 'good' information here at a glance with various source
documentation added by the '900' numbers, which are links, usually to another second
hand source to a first hand source, such as via Ancestry.com to a census record,
which further draws you into that 'system' etc. And there are a number of additional
page links per each person. The '+' sign indicates that a family with children
may be found next, but don't think that the lack of the '+' sign means there isn't
any. It just means either they don't know or have chosen not to further give out
that additional information.
The obvious error here is the 'abt' birth date of Eliza Ann West at 1828, which
would mean she got married at age 6 and had her first child at age 7. That is of
course rediculous and easily dispelled by viewing the actual source 1850 and 1860
Census records, which are free for viewing at the Tyrrell
County, NC Genealogy site which has 'lots' of freely (truely free) available source information and
no registration required.
My interest is that James Barnes and Eliza Ann West are one of my sets of 2nd
great grandparents and I searched out their information over 40 years ago in 1970
with real input from my mother which she got from her mother who was the grand
daughter of James and Eliza Ann Barnes through Harriett Barnes (my great grandmother),
which this source doesn't even list as having a further family.
Both the birth date and death date of William James Barnes are given on his death
record, available to be seen first hand at the above recomended Tyrrell County, NC
Genealogical site. And it is best to view the original records as Susan Ada is listed as
Susady, which is the actual name you'll find her under on other records. Thus not
viewing the original records can lead you astay in that you may never recognize
her under that name unless you are aware of it. So just do not rely on some 'quick
and easy' sourced internet record. They often have transcriptions errors, incomplete
information and such that might waste your time in looking for another Sarah Barnes
child without showing any documentation to support it.
You can look to these type of information sources as a place to 'check' but you'd
be better off checking with a family member or two who just might know some of this
stuff already themselves. And if you are seeking to do LDS temple work for a family
such as this, then I'd further caution you to not rely solely upon Family Search.
The temple work for this family has been done beginning in 1959 for such as
Harriett Barnes and her family and the rest of the work for the James Barnes and
Eliza Ann West family was done in 1971 and 1972 at the Idaho Falls temple. This is
just some suggestions before I get into an attempt to identify the family of
Eliza Ann West. And I won't use the 1828 birth date as a basis for my search as
you shouldn't either.
Starting the Search
It cannot be over stated that the first place to begin is at home with family. Often
someone in house knows something, has some records and even has done some degree of
genealogical work on your lines of interest before you. Amazing, right? Some
duplicate work and effort can usually be avoided unless you just like doing it all
by yourself. So that is source number 1. The next sources will vary in availability.
There is public vital records, there are church records, there are probate or will
records and there is the census. Now days a number of these can be found online,
others are still snail mail and even slower actual visitation effort away. And I
don't mean spiritual revelation. Sometimes you have just got to go to a place to
get the needed information.
In the case of Eliza Ann West we are dealing with a time and place when actual
public vital records are scant, families are age old dead who would know first
hand unless you can find an old family bible record, and church records are very
much incomplete or not existent. In such a case you just might be limited to what
there is and the census records might be your major tool of discovery and deduction
with perhaps a will or even a property deed or other type of public record thrown
in here or there.
In the case of our attempt at placing Eliza Ann West or Elizabeth Ann West, it
seems that a year by year analysis of the census records is where we can readily
begin. And we know that her family of husband and children are found on both
the 1850 and 1860 census records. So here is that beginning information from a
free genealogical site online. Going through census records use to take days, now
they can be gone through over multiple years in a matter of a few hours. Here I'll
even process the time faster leaving out the time of actual deductions and going
back and forth to check things out. It is well if you can find most all things
together at one site. Such is the case for Tyrrell County, North Carolina.
@http://www.ncgenweb.us/tyrrell/TYRRELL.HTM
Type in this URL and explore and 'navigate' the Tyrrell site yourself.
Now sometimes it helps to notice ajoining information, and so now knowing the 'short
of it', I'll start by listing the whole page from the 1850 Census extration and
then just the critical 1860 family information. Just remember, extrated records
do not always have exactly what the original has, as it is second hand. But in
this case we have an additional added nicity, and though an original entry of
marriage often has more, in this type of marriage banns/bonds, such things as parents
and what-not just aren't there. [Helpful note: Often with the census records so available
now days, browsing ajoining entries and 'pages of neighborhoods' can
produce hints to relatives and relationships. In this one page from
the 1850 cencus there are two sisters Rhoda and Eliza Ann and a brother
William as well as their widowed mother Ann West staying with one of their
families. And I believe right on the next page is another brother Benjamin
West as well.]
1850 Census Tyrrell County
513513 Barns, John Jnr. 26 M W Laborer 50 NC Prescilla West m. John Barnes 9 Oct 1846
Barns, Priscilla 25 F W NC
Barns, Frances E. 02 F W NC
Barns, Louisa E. 1mo F W NC
514514 Tarkenton, Whiting 24 M W Laborer 100 NC Whiting Tarkinton m. Charlotte Liverman
Tarkenton, Eveline 19 F W NC (Fam #511?)) 6 Jan 1855
Tarkenton, Lydia 12 F W NC
515515 West, William 32 M W Laborer 100 NC
West, Amelia 38 F W NC Milly Tarkington m. William West 14 Jan 1844
West, Mathias 04 M W NC
West, Rodea C. 02 F W NC
516516 Barns, Reubin 45 M W Laborer NC
Barns, Phebe 38 F W NC Phoebe Sexton m. Ruben Barnes 26 Jun 1832
Barns, Joicey 17 F W NC
Barns, Reuben 14 M W NC
Barns, Amanda 12 F W NC
Barns, Ebenezer 03 M W NC
Barns, Solomon 5mo M W NC
517517 Bray, Dempsey 23 M W Sailor NC
Bray, Nancy E 20 F W NC
Sexton, David 18 M W Laborer NC
Bray, Britany 2mo F W NC
518518 Sexton, Luther 37 M W Laborer 100 NC
Sexton, Rodea 34 F W NC Rhoda West m. Luther Sexton 17 Nov 1836
Sexton, Samuel 12 M W NC
Sexton, Edmund 11 M W NC
Sexton, Mary 09 F W NC
Sexton, Jordan 07 M W NC
Sexton, Elsberry 05 M W NC
Sexton, Keziah 03 F W NC
Sexton, Snoden 2mo M W NC
West, Ann 66 F W NC
519519 Sexton, Talberd 27 M W Laborer NC
Sexton, Elizabeth 27 F W NC Eliza West m. Talbert Sexton 1 Mar 1845
Sexton, Crawford 04 M W NC
Sexton, Emma 01 F W NC
520520 West, Benjamin J. 25 M W Laborer NC
West, Sarah A. 30 F W NC
West, Sarah E. 02 F W NC
West, William C. 01 M W NC
521521 Barnes, James 39 M W Laborer 150 NC
Barnes, Ann E. 38 F W NC Eliza Ann West m. James Barnes 13 Feb 1834
Barnes, Nancy 15 F W NC
Barnes, Mary E. 14 F W NC
Barnes, William I. 13 M W NC
Barnes, Dennis 11 M W NC
Barnes, Clarissa 08 F W NC
Barnes, Thomas J. 07 M W NC
Barnes, Susady 05 F W NC
Barnes, Priscilla 03 F W NC
Barnes, Leonard 02 M W NC
Barnes, Abel 10moM W NC
1860 Census Tyrrell North Carolina
111 BARNES, JAMES 49 M W SHGMKR 300 29 NC RW
BARNES, ANN 59 F W NC RW
BARNES, DENNIS 21 M W FMR NC RW
BARNES, CLARISSA 18 F W DOM NC
BARNES, THOMAS 17 M W F/LAB NC SCH
BARNES, SUSAN ADA 16 F W NC
BARNES, PRISCILLA 14 F W NC
BARNES, LEONARD 12 M W NC SCH
BARNES, ABEL 10 M W NC SCH
BARNES, SARAH 9 F W NC
BARNES, HARRIET 6 F W NC
Now there are four West Families to be found in the 1830 and 1840 Census records that
can be explored as the possible family from which Eliza Ann West came from. The only
problem is that only the head of house is named accompanied by a numeric count by age
range of male and females in the household. Now we could analyze all four step by step,
year by year like I did, but a short cut would be to view the summary data for the 1830,
1840, and 1850 Census records and see if it could tell us anything that could be
considered respecting these four families, such as ages that would or would not fit.
The four West families are the families of Abel West, Isaac West, Gabriel West, and
William West Sr.
The family of Abel West:
In short, Abel West age 21 in 1830, 31 in 1840, and 41 in 1850
and his wife Elizabeth at 25, 35 and 45 are not old enough to
have been the parents of Eliza Ann West unless she was born in
1828, which she was not. So NO match and one of the four possible
families may be eliminated.
"NOT A FIT"
Abel West/1830: m: 1(20&<30) / f: 1(<5); 1(20&<30)
21 1 25
Abel West/1840: m: 1(<5); 1(15&<20); 1(30&<40) / f: 2(10&<15); 1(30&<40)
3 ? 31 10 35
1850 West, Abel 41 M
West, Elizabeth 45 F
West, Zilpha A 20 F
West, Harmon 13 M
West, William T. 6 M (new)
Next is the family of Isaac West:
Now the family of Isaac West at first appears possible. He does have a daughter 18/19 in 1830,
but whatever age she really is, she appears to still be with the family in 1840 when Eliza
would be off married having children with James Barnes. Also, Isaac West would have to have
had two wifes, as Susuanna is too young at 41 in 1850 to have birthed Eliza Ann West. Thus
unless there are some unusual explanations, this would cause a NO in respect to Isaac West's
family as well. And then there are only two families left.
"NOT A FIT"
Isaac West/1830 m: 1(10&<15); 1(15&<20; 1(40&<50) / f: 2(<5); 1(10&<15); 1(15&<20); 1(30&<40)
40 /18-19
Isaac West/1840 m: 1(5&<10); 2(20&<30); 1(40&<50) / f: 2(10&<15); 1(20&<30)/; 1(40&<50)
8 50 XXXX/
1850
190 190 West, Isaac 60 M W Laborer NC
West, Susanna 41 F W NC
West, James 18 M W Laborer NC
The next family is that of Gabriel West:
Again, at first glance Gabriel is old enough and he does have a possible daughter at 18/19
in 1830, but then again, as with Isaac's family, that daughter is still with the family in
1840. And then there is one more for-sure bit of evidence and that is Gabriel's will where
he names his four daughters by name, Nancy apart without a surname as she is likely married
by 1845, the will's date. And the other 3 daughters are named as Amasa, Clarky, and Prissilla
West. And by the 1850 census Priscilla is also married. Thus a NO to Gabriel's family, which
only leaves Wm West Sr. to consider. [Note: This Prissilla West is most likely the wife of
John Barnes on the 1850 Census page were also is found James Barnes and Eliza Ann West.]
"NOT A FIT" [Count the girls (4) named in will (4)]
Gabriel West/1930:m:1(10&<15);1(15&<20);1(40&<50)/f:2(5&<10);1(10&<15);1(15&<20);1(30&<40)
14 18/19 ?45?
Gabriel West/1940:m:1(10&<15);1(20&<30);1(50&<60)/f:1(15&<20);1(20&<30);(Nancy 1(50&<60)
22or24 gone 55/56
Married)
1850 Census (Gabriel dies 1845):
201 201 West, Priscilla 65 F W 100 NC
West, Macey 34 F W NC
West, Clarkey 32 F W NC
Beals, Dempsey 11 M W NC
Gabriel West Will
WEST, GABRIEL
North Carolina
Tyrrell County
Book 3, page 16
3 March 1845
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In the name of God amen: I Gabriel West being of sound & perfect mind & memory
blessed be God do this the 3rd day of March in the year of our Lord 1845. Make &
publish this my last Will & Testament in manner following that is to say I give
& bequeath to my well beloved wife Prissilla West all my lands swamps & all my
estate during her life time or widowhood, I give to my son Allen West a bed which
is now in his possession to my daughter Nancy one bed in her possession I give
the rest of my property lands swamp & so forth after all debts are paid to be
equally divided between between my 3 daughters which is Amasa, Clarky & Prissilla
West I hereby make and ordain my well beloved wife Prissilla West executor to this
my last Will & Testament In Witness wereof I the said Gabriel West have to his my
last Will & Testament set my hand & seal this the 3rd of March in the year of our
Lord 1845
Gabriel West (Seal)
Signed sealed & declared in
the presence of
Test - Abel West
Test - Betsy (her -x- mark) West
So now we are left with that 'maxim' of Sherlock Holmes in respect to the four possible
West families found in Tyrrell county. That is, when you have elimiated the impossible,
whatever remains however improbable, must be the solution to the case. I understand we
have explored but the vacuum of Tyrrell County, but lets just see how probable our last
canidate of William West Sr. is and where that would leave us.
Now in the first place there is no head of family as William West at the required age
on the 1850 census, nor even his wife's name to go on, as in the case of Gabriel's wife
Priscilla and the two two daughter still at home with Nancy and daughter Priscilla gone
and married to a John Barnes Jr. So what we have to study is the older William West's
families of 1930 and 1940.
The Family of William West Sr.
William Sr Rhoda Eliza Ann Ann
William West/1830:m:1(5&<10);1(10&<15);1(40&<50)/f:1(10&<15);1(15&<20);1(20&<30);1(40&<50)
Y 13/14 18/19 X 45/46
Wm West Sr/1840:m:1(10&<15);1(15&<20);1(20&<30);1(60&<70)/f:1(15&<20);1(50&<60)
William Jr Wm Sr 55/56
"1, 2, 3, 4, 5 - YES, IT FITS LIKE A GLOVE"
As we review the 1850's Census full page with James Barnes and Eliza Ann West family at the
bottom of that sheet with what ought to be familiar family names and also compare the 1830
and 1840 census count, all things seem to fit and compliment explanations for each other. In
1830 there is William West like age about 50 and then again in 1840 at age about 60 with
the way the accounting falling indicating that William West Sr. was born c1780 and having
died round about 1845 with perhaps his brother ?Gabriel at about
age 65. On the 1850's census full page, it begins with Gabriel West's
daughter Priscilla West married to John Barns Jnr. and their two daughters. Further down the
page we have William West Jr, for where there is a Senior there is a Junior. He does hold
a place on the 1830 and 1840 family accounting and marries in a year round about his fathr's
death, being married on 14 Jan 1844 to Amelia/Milly Tarkington. On the 1830 accounting there
is a daughter slot for Rhoda West and at least one for Eliza Ann West. Daughter Rhoda marries
Luther Sexton on 17 November 1836, so she is not in family in 1840. With Luther Sexton and
Rhoda/Rodea West family in 1850 is living Ann West, the apparent wife of William West Sr. at
age 66 which matches her age range in 1830 and 1840. And down at the bottom of the page is
found none other than James Barnes and daughter Eliza Ann/Ann Elizabeth West and family who
married on 13 Feb 1834, which answers why she was not in house on the 1840 accounting. The
'known' parts all fit like a glove with no apparent contradictions as found in the other West
familes of Tyrrell County. What are the chances? With how it all fits, there seems every
likelihood that this is the William West Sr family with his wife Ann, son William West Jr.,
daughter Rhoda West, and daughter Eliza Ann West all accounted for as per the facts of the
situation on each of the 1830, 1840 and the 1850 full page Census record. A five fingers,
William Sr., Ann his wife, William Jr., Rhoda, and Eliza fit like a glove. The analysis would
suggest YES, this is our West family with only a few children yet to be
identified and accounted for.
And if this all is not enough to 'clinch' the deal, here is the 1870 Census record with James
Barnes, wife Aneliza (Eliza Ann) living with sister Rhody Sexton's family and their mother
Ann West to boot. How about them apples? And on the 'next page' the rest of the at home
Barnes family with another son William Barnes as well as Eliza's and Rhoda's brother's
family of William West Jr. no doubt.
1870 Census: page 464B
26 208 192 Sexton, Luther 58 M W Farmer 75 182 NC Y
27 Sexton, Rhody 56 F W Keeps house NC
28 Sexton, Edmond 33 M W Farmer NC Y
29 Sexton, Cizzy 24 F W Domestic NC
30 Sexton, Snowden 20 M W Farm Laborer NC
31 Sexton, Pennie 16 F W Without occupation NC Y
32 Sexton, Mary 12 F W Going to school NC Y
33 Sexton, Sanford 11 M W Going to school NC Y
34 Sexton, Cathrine 10 F W Going to school NC Y
35 Sexton, Charles 8 M W At home NC
36 Langley, Levi 19 M W Farm Laborer NC
37 Barnes, Malacia 8 F W At home NC
38 West, Ann 85 F W At home NC
39 Barnes, James M. 61 M W Farmer 250 260 NC Y Y Y
40 Barnes, Aneliza 60 F W Keeps house NC
1870 Census: page 465A (next page)
1 Barnes, Claricy 28 F W Keeps house NC
2 Barnes, Thomas 27 M W Invalid NC
3 Barnes, Harriett 16 F W Domestic NC Y Y
4 Barnes, William 8 M W Farm Laborer NC
5 209 193 West, William 51 M W Farmer 125 107 NC Y Y Y
6 West, Milley 55 F W Keeps house NC Y Y
7 West, Anderson 18 M W Invalid NC Y
8 West, Washington 14 M W Farm Laborer NC Y Y
9 West, William 11 M W Farm Laborer NC Y Y
So here again, the four known living family member 'fingers' of 'the thumb' William West Sr. are found
living next door and together. There is daughter Rhody Sexton [West] wife of Luther Sexton, the wife of Wm West
Sr. and mother and grandmother Ann West at age 85, An-Eliza Barnes [West] and her husband James M Barnes. And
there is also living next door William West [Jr] and his family with wife Amelia/Milley and sons Anderson,
Washington, and William West III. And don't forget the other new son of the family, William Barnes, either a
the unlikely belated son of Eliza Ann at age 52 or more likely son of Clarissa Barnes who married another
William Barnes of the John Barnes and Priscilla West [daughter of Gabriel West] Family. This is that likely
scenario that William Barnes died and left Claricy Barnes to move back home. This is perhaps the more likely
the son of William Barnes and Claricy Barnes. Either way, William would be a canidate to be sealed to parents or
grandparents James M Barnes and wife AnEliza [West] Barnes, don't you think? Or I suppose he could be a
'visiting' grandson from one of the other Barnes male line family members.
[Clarifying Note: Claresey Barnes married a William Barnes on 25 August 1862, married by Wm. Reynolds, M. G.
(marriage bond Tyrrell County) & on 14 August 1895 a Wm M. Barnes married Indiana Bateman at South Fork
Township. This Wm. M. Barnes was the son of Wm. Barnes (deceased) and Clarissa Barnes (living) as per that
marriage record. Perhaps the likes of the Civil War would help account for this 'one and done' son of William
Barnes and his wife Clarissa/Claresey Barnes. If so, the marriage License merely understates his age by 10
years. However if the age of William M. Barnes is not understated by 10 years, then whose son is this William
Barnes age 8 and why is Clarisy Barnes at home and where is William Barnes who is said to be her husband by
many?]
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