Working on Martha A. McGraw Hedrick the other day, I came across two individuals living in her household in both the 1870 and 1880 Censuses in Putnam County. They are:
1870: Lucretia Smith, aged 11, and Alonzo McGrew, aged 8
1880: Lucretia Smith, aged 18, and Alonzo McGrew, aged 17, both listed as Boarders.
Now I should mention that the surname McGraw became McGrew after the Civil War in the Kanawha Valley. I suspect it is because the McGrews fought for the Union Army; many of their cousins surnamed McGraw in Fayette County fought for the Confederacy.
I don’t know for certain but I think Lucretia Smith may have been the daughter of Martha A. McGraw’s cousin, Lucretia McGraw (daughter of Martin Jr and Sarah Johnson), who married David Smith on 17 Feb 1864 in Mason County, WV. It is believed that Lucretia died about 1873. If this assumption is correct, it is possible that Lucretia gave birth to a daughter named Lucretia surnamed Smith who, after death, went to live with her cousin, Martha.
I’ve solved the mystery of Alonzo McGrew finally but only because I am thick headed sometimes. Or dense, if you prefer. Let me explain.
Alonzo McGrew has been in my family tree for a month of Sundays. You’d think I’d have searched for him there first but this is me we’re talking about. Alonzo was born about 1861 to Samuel McGraw (son of Thomas McGraw & Caty Withrow) and his first wife Mary Ann Hedrick. Mary Ann Hedrick is undoubtedly the sister of John Hedrick who married, who else, Sam McGraw’s sister Martha A. McGraw. The likely location of his birth would have been 18 Mile Creek, Putnam County, West Virginia – in the vicinity of an unincorporated village known as Robertsburg.
Alonzo’s mother Mary Ann passed away on 15 Nov 1865 at 18 Mile Creek when he was about four years old. Alonzo had a baby brother, John Albert, who was born December 1863 but he is listed in Samuel’s household in the 1870 Census; Alonzo isn’t.
Lo and behold, Alonzo McGrew is in the household of his aunt and uncle, John Hedrick and Martha A. McGraw living – where else – 18 Mile Creek in the 1870 Census. And that’s where you’ll find him living in 1880 with another mystery addition to the family named Matthew David Hedrick (who was really a Fielder but more about that in another post).
The question is “what happened to Alonzo McGrew,” son of Samuel McGraw and Mary Ann Hedrick, after 1880? Where did he go? Who did he marry? Where did he die? If you’re are researching your ancestors and have Alonzo McGrew in your tree, I hope to goodness you write to me!