This page includes census, marriage and death records concerning Albert and his wife. Also, at the end, a transcription of Albert’s Sons of the Revolution application, which includes his genealogy, a narrative, and references.
Wife of Albert Martin Bivens: Alabama death and burials index for Nancy Elizabeth Bivens: spouse: A.M. Bivens. Father: George S. Smith. Death 1944, Birmingham, Jefferson, Alabama. (Nancy Elizabeth Smith) Mother’s name: Martha Jane Teague. FHL film 1908787. (This checks out reasonably).
From Leon Reedy (Family search) in response to my inquiry about his having connected Nannie Elizabeth Weldon as wife to Albert Martin Bivens (telling him it was wrong, in other words): Leon says – You are correct (meaning me). We have found no evidence of Nancy Elizabeth Smith having been married prior to her marriage to Albert Martin Bivens. In fact the 1930 Census lists couples age at the time of their first marriage and in each case that entrees indicate that neither had been married previously. (note there is what appears to be a mistake in that she was 25 when she was 1st married. This would have been in 1908 but we have found no evidence of this. The 1930 Census of Jefferson Co., Ala(Birmingham) lists a son for them: George A. (probably George for her father and Albert for her Husband?) At present this is all we have on this family. Hope this helps.
1860: Tenn, Marion, Jackson 2/17 fam 9
- Elijah A Tegue 40 SC
- Rebecca 33 Tenn
- Joel E 6 TEnn
- Martha J 5 Tenn
- Joel Looney 26 Farm Laborer
- Margaret Teague 24
Fam 10:
- Robert Looney 36
- Margaret Looney 60
- Elizabeth 22
- Sarah 20
Fam 13:
- J.E. Teague 38 Alabama
- Sarah 38 Tenn
- Elizabeth 16
- Sytha 14 f
1870: Tenn, Marion Dist 3 12/23 post office Jasper
fam 83:
- Elijah Teague 50 SC
- Rebecca 43 Tenn
- Joel E 17 Tenn
- Martha 16 Tenn
Fam 84:
- Joel Looney 36 Tenn
- Margaret 34 Tenn
Pg 13/23 Fam 89:
- Robert Looney 44 farmer TEnn
- Margaret 70 VA
- Elizabeth 30 TEnn
- Sarah 28 tenn
Fam: 92
- Benjamin Smith 45 All Tenn.
- Nancy 43
- George 19
- Catharine 17
- Thomas 15
- Jane 13
- Elizabeth11
- Benjamin 8
- Margaret2
The George S. Smith family (Nancy is from Tenn – and her family never left it. How did they meet?)
1880 Tenn, Marion Dist 3, 075 7/19 fam 68
- George Smith 29 All Tenn up and across
- Martha J 25
- Laura A 6
- Edward C 3
- Atlwood T? 9/12 Oct
Fam 64:
- Robert Looney 54 Tenn
- Elizabeth 44 sister 30
- Sarah 41 sister 28
- Joel 47brother
- Elijiah Teague 60 SC SC SC
Fam 65 (I think Elijah was supposed to be the head here instead of the tail – unless he was the father in law of the looney family)
- Joel Teague 26 “son” Tenn SC TEnn
- Margaret 21 wife TENN TENN TENN
- Ida 1 dtr.
1900:
Tennessee, Marion, Civil Dis 3, pg 20/23 fam 183
- George S Smith Sept 1850 49 All pure Tenn all down.
- Martha J Dec 1852 47 6 births 5 living
- Edward C Oct 1876 23
- Albert A Sept 1879 20
- Nanny A May 1882 18
- Benjamin Dec 1893 8
Tenn Death and burials:
George S Smith b 2 September 1850 Marion County, Tenn died at 87 in Whitwell, Marion, Tenn. (1937) Burial 28 Jun 1938 at Chapel Hill. He was Widowed. A Farmer. His father was also George S. Smith (I don’t think so) born in Marion, his mother a Stewart born in Marion,Tenn His wife Martha Jane Smith FHL 1876864
Martha J Smith b about 1854 in Whitwell, Tenn. D. 28 July 1927 in Birmingham Jefferson Alabama, buried in Chatanooga, Tenn at 73 years old Lived in Decator Springs, Tenn. Father: John Teague b. in Whitwell, Tenn. Mother, Rebecca Tooney. Spouse George S Smith FHL fim 1908445 (it doesn’t look like this is so; can’t find a John Teague in that area.)
(So it looks as though Martha died in Jefferson during a visit to her daughter. How sad is that? How did they meet, I wonder, Albert and Nannie? Because her family never lived in Alabama, and I don’t think he lived in Tenn. I want to know the story.
1920 Alabama, Jeff, B’ham dist 46 3/32 fam 9
- Albert M Bevin 39 M Al
- Nannie E wife 36 M Tenn
1930 census Alabama, Jefferso, Birmingham, Dist 87, pg 91/94 fam 441
- Albert M 49 M at 39 so in 1920, probably after the census was taken.
- Nancy E. 45 M at 25 Tenn But this number is weird. – one of these is wrong. She was married 20 years ago and he 10?
- George A 9
————————–
Exploring the Nancy Elizabeth Weldon thing: (or Waldon?) This is confusing:
- 1910 Jeff, Birmingham ward 2 dist 47 26/70 fam – it looks like a hotel or something 148
- Weldon, Johnnie G 34 M once 3 years Al Al Al
- Nannie wife 25 m1 3 years Tenn Tenn Tenn
- Birmingham directory for 1913. John G Weldon 616 N 17th Inspr City Engineer. Spouse Nannie E Weldon
- WW I draft care John Gatewood Weldon b 12 Feb 1876 living in Birmingham as an Inspector City Hall. Enarest relative CA Weldon brothers Wadley Alabama (Charles Weldon)
IN THE MARRIAGE RECORD that has Albert’s Family Search marriage messed up, it is recorded that A.M. Bivens was married 14 August 1918. A. M. was born, according to this record, in 1881, which lines up with the census – but the Application for the Sons of the American Revolution (which clearly states the name of his wife, also) cited below states that OUR Albert was born 1880. in the 1930 census, Albert, born in 1880 was reportedly married when he was 39 which would put the marriage in 1919-1920.
The marriage record reports that A.M. was 37 when he was married. The marriage record reports the bride to have been born in 1883 and that she was 35 when married. But our Nannie’s census age puts her born in 1885 (1930) or 1886 (1940). I am satisfied that there is not other A. M. Bivens in Jefferson County in 1920. And no A. married to a Nannie. So the marriage record is wrong. Or she was married before. But I can’t find a Nancy Waldon in Jeff before the marriage date. I have searched Tennessee marriages for a Waldon or Walden married to a Nancy Smith and come up dry. If I were trying to prove that A.M. Bivens m Nannie E Waldon, I couldn’t do it.
Okay – this Nannie Elizabeth Smith (Weldon?) thing is driving me nuts. OUR Nancy died in 1944, according to the death records of Alabama. There is a Nancy A. Bivens in the Bivens graveyard whose b. is 18 May 1832, and d. 22 Sept 1837. The Nancy E in George S. Smith’s household in 1900 was born May 1882. So pretty certain, that Nannie belongs to that George Smith.
Our Albert’s only son was born about 1921.
1940 Alabama, Jefferson, Birmingham, 68-236, 10/14
fam: 3001 -There’s a w.W. Goode next door, rooming 28
- Albert Bivens 56 AL Gasoline station operator.
- Nannie E wife 54 Tenn
- George A 19
Bivens Cemetery: George Allen Bivens b. July 19 1920 d. Jan 25, 1968
Ancestry: Sons of American Revolution application for Albert Martin Bivens
- 1950 Applicant 69 years old
- William Speer b Maryland 1758 d. Jefferson Co, Ala near Gardendale 1859
- Applicant was born near Brookside in Jefferson 3 Oct 1880
- Son of James Allen Bivens b 10/26/1829 d 6/18/1917 wife Mary Catherine Young b. 7/6/1835 d 9/10/1917 md 2/23 1854
- Grandson of Martin Young b 1810 d 4/27/1880 wife Lucinda Speer b 7/12/1812 d. 4/7/1880 m 8/9/1852
- His wife: Nannie Elizabeth Smith born 5/18/1882
- Children: George Allen Bivens 7/20/1920
Find a Grave Lieut. James Allen Bivens: b. 26 Oct 1829 Jefferson County, Alabama d. 18 Jun 1917, Jefferson, Alabama. The son of Col. Robert R and Martha Aikins Bivens. Also buried in Bivens Chapel Cemetery. On Robert’s Memorial, children are named. I was most interested in Nancy Jerusha Bivens Crumly.
TRANSCRIPTION OF ALBERT’s S.A.R. Application: (page 2 through 4)
Pg 2: Albert Martin Bivens, age 69, applies based on relation to William Speer, who was born in Maryland on the . . . warm weather? . . . of 1758, and died in Jefferson Co., Alabama near Gardendale on the – warm weather?” – of 1859, and who assisted in establishing American Independence.
I (Albert) was born near Brookside, Jefferson County, Alabama on the 3rd day of October in 1880.
- 1. I am the son of James Allen Bivens, born 10/26/1829 died 6/18/1917 and his wife Mary Catherie Young born 7/6/1835 and died 9/10/1917 married 2/23/1854?
- 2. grandson of Martin Young, born 1810, died 4/27/1880 and Lucinda Speer born 7/12/1812 died 4/7/1880 married 8/9/1832
- 3. g grandson of William Speer Jr. botn 1788 died ca 1812 and Patience Speer (cousin) married ca 1810
- 4. gg grandson of William Speer born 1758 died 1859 and his wife Millie Eastep died 1850 married 1781
- 5. ggg grandson of Rev. Joshua Kennerly Speer, the 1st and (no name) a woman of the Quaker faith.
- 6. gggg grandson of Aaron Speer and Sarah Kennerly
- 7. ggggg grandson of Moses Speer the 2nd, born 1680 and Anna Voris
- 8. gggggg grandson of Moses Speer the 1st
- William Speer is the ancestor who assisted in gaining Independence acting in the capacity of Private and Ensign of the North Carolina Militia.
PG 3: Story of his revolutionary ancestor
William Speer was born in the Eastern Shore of Maryland in 1758, son of Reverend Joshua Kennerly Speer 1 and his wife, who was a Quakeress. He had two brothers who served with North Carolina Troops during the revolution, Captain Henry Speer and Colonel Samuel Speer. His home was in Surry Co,, N.C. during the Revolutionary War.
When he first volunteered and was accepted for service, he was so young that his Captain proposed to his father that he furnish a pack horse for the service and that William remain at home. This was done. Later he served a tour of three months in Capt Samuel Maseby’s Company, Col. Joseph William’s Reg or Battalion of N.C. Militia.
In 1780 he enlisted and served three months as Ensign in the company of his brother, Captain Henry Speer, Col Joseph Phillips NC Reg or Battalion. He enlisted in the fall of 1781 and served three months as Private in Cap David Humphries’ Company of Col James Martin’s a NC Reg.
He removed to Kentucky in 1801 and lived there until 1824. When he removed to Alabama where he lived until his death in Jefferson County in 1859, at the age of 101 years, 6 months and 20 days. He is buried in the Bivens Chapel Cemetery on the old Jasper Road and in sight of the Southern Railway tracks between Republic and Brookside, Ala. The D.A.R. has placed a marker on his tomb. His name is enscribed [sic] on a boulder erected at Five Points in Birmingham, Al by the General Sumter Chapter D.A.R. The William Speer Chapter, D.A.R. of Birmingham Al was so named in his honor.
He was allowed a pension for his services on his application executed Feb 13, 1856 Cert 33361 issued 12 Aug 1856 at $25.88 per annum from March 4, 1831.
References:
- Vol 20 File # S, 11446 Pension Record
- Revolutionary and 1812 Section US Dept of the Interior, Bureau of Pension Claims 11446. Information by Winfield Scott, Comms.
- History of Birmingham (Al) and its Environs, a Narrative Account of Their Principal Interests, by George Cruikshanks, Vol I, Chapter XVII, pg 325.
- The Alabama Historical Quarterly, by State Dept of Archives and History, Vol 6. #4 Winter Issue 1944 pp 649-650
- Land records of Surry Co. N.C. and Jefferson Co. Al
- Records in Family Bible of William and Millie Speer
- Tombstone enscriptions[sic], Bivens Chapel Cemetery: The Crumly Chapel Cemetery and the Edwards Cemetery, all in Jefferson Co Ala.
- S.A.R. Nationals 71482 and 71497. D.A.R. Lineage 249054 of Mrs. Gertrude W. Jeffries.
Pg 4: Full maiden name of applicant’s wife: Nannie Elizabeth Smith b 5/18/1882 married 8/12/1918
Children and Grandchildren: George Allen Bivens 7/20/1920
William Speer:
1850 Alabama census (not fed) pg19 of 22
- Johnson Vines, James Hicks, John Hicks, William Hicks, John Hicks, Edward Hicks, Wil
- William Spears 5 males under 21 1 over twenty 1 2 under 45 1 over 2 feamles under 21 1 over
- Elizabeth Bagby, E.A> Youngblood – this is either Carrolsville or f Mile
William Speer Grave and memorial, Bivens cemetery:
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=SP&GSpartial=1&GSbyrel=all&GSst=3&GScntry=4&GSsr=4001&GRid=6693519& Headstone: Died 1859 Age 101 years Memorial says b. 1758 Somerset County Maryland d. Jeff County Alabama. Tons of material here. I’m trying to verify: Father Jacob, Mother Elizabeth. Wife: Mildred
US and International Marriage records: William Speer b MD 1758 m. Mildred Esteb bo1764 MD. Marriage year 1779
William Speer homestead. 39.93 acres 20 Sep 1839 Hunstville 16 S 4 W sec25. Also 39,973 16 S 3 W sec 31
1850 Alabama in Jefferson, Five Mile – which I knew from his listing in the Alabama census. He’s on page 5 with Fields. And list of his children. Says he’s 45, though. So this isn’t the William Spear sr. we’ve been talking about. This one is FROM KY and is married to Martha, who is 42. So this one was born in 1805.
A good, straightforward, representative sample of the genealogical opinion about this family http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=marciamcclure&id=I7853
There are inconsistencies with it and questions that have to come up. So I don’t think it’s absolutely the truth. For instance, they talk about Patience marrying her “distant” cousin. Then they talk about William without saying who he belongs to. Is the assumption that these are all children of ONE William Speer. But Albert has access to that William Speer bible and it says that William married Patience Speer, his cousin. So this explanation is nice, but glosses over the tough questions. I think the wife Patience and the daughter Patience are constantly being confused. (see discoveries and questions below)
And this testator talks about Lucinda being sent back to Cumberland Kentucky to live with Grandpa William Speer “until she married Martin Young in Jefferson County, Alabama,” WHAT? She was living in KENTUCKY until she just up and happened to marry a kid from Jefferson County, Alalbama, whih is NOT near Kentucky? How did they meet? Why would he have been in Cumberland long enough to know he wanted to marry her? Would her family have sent her to Jeff to get married all alone? What three daughters of William Speer ended up living in Jeff?
http://theburrfamily.net/WilliamSpeer.htm This is a well documented account. In fact, it contains many transcripts of the applications for pension, mentioning neighbors and family in Jefferson County. If this were my line, I would chase down every name listed.
In this account of the family, it is pointed out that a man named William Speer lived in Jefferson County (actually, he lived in Five-mile, alongside the Bivens, Echols, Shoemakers, Goodes, Woods – ) and that next door was a William Break who is reported to have been the brother of Bennett Brake, who married William Sr.’s reported daughter, Mildred. (obviously, they have not given me documentation that would establish this for me).
This site also tallies up the Speers and discovers that the name shows up heavily in Surrey County, NC in 1790 and Salisbury in 1800, but not in many other places. Cumberland County, KY census 1810 also shows a concentration, including a Valentine Bivens who married an Elizabeth Speer, generally assumed to have been William’s daughter. Why, I do not know, considering that there were 7 Speer heads of household there at one time. And 6 in 1820.
By 1830, there is a William Speer in Jefferson County who is between 70-80 with a wife the same. Along with him, there are a number of other heads of household familiar from KY – Valentine Bivens, Bennet Brake and other names that I do not recognize, but this essayist does.
He evidently doesn’t show up in census 1840 or 1850. I’m going to have to poke around to see about that. In 1850, he applies for a pension (gotta find that) and says he’s staying with his youngest daughter, “Mrs. Jacks.” I haven’t found him in Green or in Five Mile
“In 1854, William and his son Isaac gave affidavits on behalf of the family of William Hughlett who had served with William in the Revolutionary War. Major Hughlett was deceased at that time and some of his family members were seeking benefits as heirs. Isaac lived in Kentucky when the deposition was taken, so apparently he chose not to relocate to Alabama when his father moved. The affidavit of Isaac offered considerable insight into the history of his father, William Speer.”
Points in the affidavit: 1854 – Isaac lived in Cumberland. “a citizen log and well known, born 20 April, 1784. Son of William Speer.
Okay: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=42709654
This is the memorial for Joshua Kennerly Speer, and his father WAS Aaron Speer, but Albert’s application wife for Aaron does not match the one on this memorial. He had a son named William Sheppard Speer (according to the links, which are suspect) b 1822, which is not our boy. So the application is wrong. This couldn’t even be the William who married Patience, the daughter of William Sr. who married a William, her cousin, in Kentucky?
James K Jacks S.A.R. application: ggrandson of James K Jacks 9/26/1795 d 1/9/1872 married to Catherine Speer b 11/21/1798 d 11/19/1866 m. 10/17/1815. Applicant is great grandson of William Speer. So Catherine would be the daughter of William Speer.
The elder James K Jacks, b. 1795, father of Gilbert Craft Jacks whose name shows in Jeff County papers for William Speer the elder. Buried in Cluster springs Cemetery, Gardendale, Jeff. Her headstone says Wife of J.K. Jacks, daughter of William Speer, Rev war soldier.
http://www.hueytown.org/historical/Families/The_Fields_Families.pdf
Mary Johnstone and Samuel Fields oldest child, Nancy , born October 8, 1813 before the family moved to Jefferson County, married James Rogers and founded the large, well-known Rogers family of Morris, Alabama. They reared a large family at Morris and are buried in the Rogers Cemetery located four miles east of Morris.
The third child, Mary, called Polly like her mother, married Gilbert Craft Jacks, grandson of William Speer and, one of the 18 Revolutionary Soldiers buried in Jefferson County, Alabama, they are buried in Cluster Springs Cemetery near Gardendale. (Note by E.O.J.: Mary Fields Jacks and Gilbert Craft Jacks are my grandparents and a part of my information on the history and legends in the family were told me by their oldest daughter Elizabeth Jacks Downs. Born 1844 and lived to be 89 years of age)
Data from the Samuel Fields Bible: Name of Child
- Nancy Fields Date of Birth October 8, 1813 married James Rogers
- Moses Fields December 24, 1816 married Verneta Bagley
- Mary (Polly) Fields September 17, 1822 married Gilbert Craft Jacks
- Betsy Fields (Elizabeth) (Bettie) January 3, 1825 married William Brake
- Samuel J. Fields February 23, 1827 married Jane Bivens
- Lucinda Martin Fields twins April 19, 1829 married Billy Bagley (William)
- Malinda Curtis Fields April 19, 1829 married Morgan Isaacs
- James J. Fields July 7, 1831 married Elizabeth –Bagley
- William C. Fields December 2, 1833 married Nancy Bagley
(Furnished by Kittie Brake) To Whom married
Mary and Samuel Fields fourth child was Elizabeth or Betsey or Bettie, named for the Grandmother Fields. She married William Brake, also a grandson of William Speer, Revolutionary Soldier. They are buried at Bivens Chapel Cemetery.
The old Fields Bible is now (1968) owned by Miss Kittie Brake, who lives on land granted William Speer for Revolutionary War service, and sold by him to Bennett Brake, his son in law and Miss Brake’s greatgrandfather.
Later in their lives Samuel Fields and his wife, Mary moved some miles farther north, nearer the small body of water called Five Mile Creek, to the location of present day Brookside, Alabama. They lived there the remainder of their lives. Their land is now a part of Brookside School grounds and they are buried in the school yard. Markers were placed at their graves by John Brake , their grandson and father of Kittie Brake. Mary Johnstone
Fields died in January 1860 and Samuel Fields died April 1, 1860.
Copied by Edith Ora Jacks, 3500 Cliff Road, Birmingham , Alabama (Note: By Claudia Fields Kraemer… Samuel J. Fields(son of Samuel and Mary Jonhstone Fields) married Elizabeth Jane Bivens who is the daughter of Robert & Martha Aiken Bivens whose father was Valentine Bivens who married Elizabeth Speer daughter of William Speer)
http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/r/o/s/Russell-Ross/WEBSITE-0001/UHP-0251.htm Just another collection of Wooten and others’ info.
http://www.branches-n-twigs.com/genealogy/getpersoan.php?personID=I25742&tree=allfam Better compendium. Sources cited – 2nd hand.
http://www.etgs.org/txsmith/families/speer/speer.htm: Family bible of James Speer and Penelope Jacks
This is my last try: Still reading. The centerpiece of scholarship on William Speer Sr, the Revolutionary War soldier buried in Jefferson County is most civilizedly recorded here: http://revwarapps.org/s11446.pdf
I quote the problematic paragraphs:
According to family tradition, Patience Speer may have married first to William Speer, a distant cousin. Lucinda was reputed to have been born to this marriage. Her birth was in or about 1810. When William Speer supposedly died in 1812, Patience and her daughter Lucinda moved back into the home of William and Millie Speer, Patience’s parents. They lived there until Patience married John Wesley Bivens. Once can see how attached Lucinda had become to her grandparents.
By 1824, it appears that a group of family members had made the decision to leave Cumberland County for Jefferson County, AL. William, who was then at least 65 years old, apparently decided to go with them. It seems likely that the families settled in the area around Birmingham, the county seat of Jefferson County.
Other family members may also have been part of the trek to the south. It is clear that sons Isaac and Abraham stayed in Cumberland County. It also seems clear that son James Speer, who married Penelope Jacks, left for Jefferson County, AL. He appears to be the person by that name in Jefferson County at the time of the 1840 federal census. He was living in the same area as James K. Jacks, the husband of Catherine Speer. James Speer later migrated to Texas, where he eventually died.
In addition to Patience, two other daughters and their husbands joined their father. They were Catherine, who married James K. Jacks, and Mildred, who married Bennett Brake. James K. Jacks and Bennett Brake are in the 1840 federal census on the same page as James Speer and William Speer (Junior). This fact usually means they were all living in the same general area. Bennett Brake was enumerated right before William Speer (Junior).
In the Albert Bivens application, what has happened is this:
- 1. I am the son of James Allen Bivens, born 10/26/1829 died 6/18/1917 and his wife Mary Catherie Young born 7/6/1835 and died 9/10/1917 married 2/23/1854?
- 2. grandson of Martin Young, born 1810, died 4/27/1880 and Lucinda Speer born 7/12/1812 died 4/7/1880 married 8/9/1832
- 3. g grandson of William Speer Jr. born 1788 died ca 1812 and Patience Speer (cousin) married ca 1810
- 4. gg grandson of William Speer born 1758 died 1859 and his wife Millie Eastep died 1850 married 1781
He KNOWS that his grandmother was Lucinda Speer. I have no doubt of that. But her parents William and Patience are where the problem happens. Albert assigns William the father who is William the Rev War soldier. But the history I refer to above (and so all the subsequent histories) assign Patience to that father. Evidently family tradition has it that William and Patience were cousins of some degree. This would be evident in the fact that Lucinda is Lucinda Speer, and since her mother’s surname is evidently Speer, and since there seems to be a paper trail that connects the Patience of record in Cumberland to Lucinda, then we have to assume that the William Patience married was a Speer also. But evidently not William jr. At least not the “junior” of William the Rev Soldier. Unless everybody’s got it wrong and the Patience to whom the Rev Soldier signed over his Cumberland property was NOT Lucinda’s mother, and there were 2 Patiences somehow. (Does your head hurt?)
So maybe Albert is saying here that, as he is g grandson to both William Speer Jr. and Patience Speer, the next generation, gg grandfather William Speer, COULD have been meant as the father of Patience. WHY THE HECK DIDN”T HE DIFFERENTIATE?
Then who is the father of his g grandfather? Is the 5th generation, Rev. Joshua supposed to be the father of William the father of Patience? Which is contradictory in terms of this other history that stipulates Jacob Speer as William’s father?
Or is that 5th generation, Rev Joshua, supposed to be the father of his g grandfather William the HUSBAND of Patience? Is that possible? Could they have gotten confused themselves because they came down from two Speer lines?
And then there’s the last burning question: just exactly how many Reverend Joshuas were there? And which one was Joshua Kennerly Speer? And how many Aarons? Could there have been an Aaron who married Sarah Kennerly, and another Arron who married – wait. I don’t remember who yours married.
You know what? I’m GLAD this isn’t my actual blood line. I love name clusters and patterns, but this is too much for me.
