Life History

Notes

• --------------
  0 Lewis Terry b 1770 SC b 1765 VA
  + Constance
  
  1 Joseph Lewis Terry b 12 Mar 1814 Pendleton SC d 23 Aug 1880 Milam Co TX
  + Dovinah Walker
  
  2 Duncan Lewis Terry b 29 Jun 1850 Murray Co GA d bef 1900
  + Tabitha Ann Brown
  
  3 Alfonso Brown (Jack) Terry b 17 May 1887 Mills Co TX d 08 Nov 1944 Coke Co TX
  + Leanora Bland
  
  4 Tempie Terry b 25 Jul 1934 Nolan Co TX d 20 May 2003 Natrona Co WY
  + Robert Cavness
  
  Jacque Watkins jjwatkins AT aol.com
  --  World Families DNA, http://www.worldfamilies.net/surnames/terry/pats
  --------------
  
  1850 Federal Census, Murray County, Georgia, 14 November, Page 527 (scan p 264), Hse/Fam #1613
  Joseph Terry 36 M Farmer  SC (b abt 1814)
  Dovina Terry 27 F NC (b abt 1823)
  Amanda Terry 8 F GA (abt 1842)
  Susan Terry 6 F GA (b abt 1844)
  Mary Terry 5 F GA (b abt 1845)
  Thomas L Terry 3 M GA (b abt 1847)
  
  In all the records I have seen, Joseph's wife's name is reproted as Dovina.  On her gravestone in Eddy Cemetery, Eddy, McClennan County, Texas, the name is spelled Dovinah.  On her son William Walker Terry's Arizona death certificate his mother's name is reported as Tabatha (likely Tabitha).  No famly genealogy has the name Tabitha for Dovina.  But two genealogies have her with the name Virginia, in the form Virgina Dovina or Dovina Virginia.  I ahve not seen documentation of Virginia in records.
  
  1860 Federal Census, Murray County, Georgia, 6 July, Militia District 972, PO Rock Creek, Page 53, Hse #367, Fam #361
  Joseph Terry 46 M Farmer-Baptist Preacher  SC (b abt 1813)
  Dovina Terry 37 F NC (b abt 1822)
  Susan L Terry 17 F GA (b abt 1842)
  Mary E Terry 16 F GA (b abt 1844)
  Thomas L Terry 13 M GA (b abt 1846)
  Duncan Terry  8 M GA (b abt 1850)
  Francis [sic] Terry  7 M GA (b abt 1852, note name is spelled as a masculine name)
  Dovina Terry 4 M GA (b abt 1856)
  Martha Terry 2 M GA (b abt 1858)
  John Carder 22 M Farm laborer Georgia (b abt 1838)
  
  The child John Carder is a son of Joseph's sister Nancy, whose husband has died and her older children are distributed among her brothers, while the younger ones are with Nancy as she has moved back into her father's household.
  
  In Genealogy discussion lists, Jacque Watkins reports that Joseph Lewis Terry fought in the Seminole Wars.  James Jones has the following record informatoin on hisgenealogy.
  
  Joseph Lewis Terry
  Spouse of Dovinah "Dovey" Walker
  Son of Lewis and Nancy Constance Terry
  Private, Co F, Capt Absalom Bishop Company, Maj Nelson Battalion Military
  Service Indian War, November 20, 1836 Georgia Mounted Volunteers
  January 01 - May 26, 1837
  home and disabled
  --  Southwesterly Village Genealogy, https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/110317287/person/130132149098/facts
  
  In 1864, Joseph and his son Thomas were registered in the census for reorganizing the Georgia Militia.  They were living in Terrell County at that time.
  
  1864 Census for Re-Organizing the Georgia Militia, Terrell County, Georgia, p 598
  Joseph Terry, Age 51, Preacher, born South Carolina (abt 1813)
  Thomas L Terry, Age 17 yrs 4 mos, Farmer born Georgia (abt 1847)
  
  Jacque also references a pension file including a personal letter from Joseph Terry dated 13 September 1878 concerning sale of land by Joseph Lewis Terry to D A Walker in Dalton, Georgia.  D A Walker was apparently a relative of Joseph's wife Dovina Walker.  Joseph and his wife Dovina (Dovey) apparently sold the land in preparation for moving to Texas.  Joseph died less than two years later in Milam County, Texas.  Cameron is the county seat of Milam County, near San Antonio (Bexar County).  We find many Terrys that are also likely part of our lineage in Bexar County.
  
  The 1900 census now tells us when their son Thomas married his wife Mary Thomas in Milam County, Texas.  The census says they have been married 26 years.  This would mean they married about 1874.  This is 4 years before the earliest date we previously knew of that this family might have moved to Texas.  For a long while the only other reference date I had related to the move to Texas was that in September 1878, Thomas' parents Joseph and Dovina sold land in Murray County, Georgia.  I found no further information until they show up in the 1880 census, in the same household with Thomas and Mary, in Milam County. Texas.
  
  I kept missing Joseph and Dovey in the 1870 census.  Then I found a census record that appeared to be them.  Now other genealogies also list this census for Joseph and Dovina.
  
  Dovina is listed as Donna.  Also there is another family group in the household with the surname of Head, all born in Georgia.  The strange famliy name for all the entries after Donna (Dovinah) match their children in other censuses plus the two younger ones, William (Walker) and Lula, who is imissing from several lists and genealogies.
  
  But the ages and birth places match Joseph and Dovey, and Joseph here is a Baptist Preacher, which also matches.  So there were enumerator errors in these entries.  I am entering the last name of the chidlren as Terry.  There is an aditional child after WIlliam Walker Terry, born in 1860 after the census.  the youngest child in this household is Lula, age 4.
  
  1870 Federal Census, Whitfield County, Georgia, 8 July, Militia District 872, PO Dalton, Page 86, Hse #279, Fam #275
  Terry, Joseph  56 M W Baptist Minister  b SC
  Terry, Donna 47 F W  Keeping House  b NC
  Terry, Manda 29 F W  At Home b Georgia
  Terry, Fannie 16 F W  At Home b Georgia
  Terry, Elizabeth 15 F W  At Home b Georgia
  Terry, Martha 12 F W  At Home b Georgia
  Terry, William 9 M W  At Home b Georgia
  Terry, Lula 4 F W  At Home b Georgia
  
  In September 2008, I looked into details about this family again, after the contact from Donna.  I found Jacque Watkins' online genealogy of the Terrys for the first time.  Jacque reports that they were already living in Brazos County, Texas, for the 1870 census.  I have not found such an entry for Joseph and Dovina.  If they were already in Texas in 1870, then they had already moved several years before they sold their land in Georgia.
  
  I also found that this family provides a connection to my grandmother Jenkins, who was Julia Virginia (Jennie) Terry.  In 2007, I had confirmed her birth in McClennan County, Texas, which had been an uncertainty, with family memory claiming her birth in Georgia, but some alternative information that she was born  near Waco, Texas.  I found Jennie's parents in the 1880 census in McLennan County (Waco is the county seat) before her birth later in the year.
  
  This explained Julia Virginia's birthplace reported as Texas in some censuses.  I knew other Terrys were in the area at that time.  I knew that Dovina had lived in McClennan County after Joseph's death in Milam County, and that Dovina was buried in the Eddy Cemetery, a few miles south of Lorena, where Jennie was born in 1880.  For some reason, Jennie's parents, Thomas Duncan and Mattie moved back to the Terry home area of Murray County.
  
  Joseph and Dovina are listed in the 1880 census in Milam County, along with their daughter Martha Missouri.  They are actually in the same household and listed with the same family number as Joseph's son Thomas Louis.  But in terms of relationships, they are listed as a separate family.  Thomas is the Head of the household, but instead of being listed as father, Joseph is listed with no relationship given.  Dovina is listed as Wife, based on her relationship to Joseph, not her son the head of the household.  Likewise, Martha M is listed as daughter, her relationship to Joseph, rather than as sister of Thomas, the head of the household.
  
  1880 Federal Census, Milam County, Texas, 24 June, District 103, page 46, Hse/Family #233
  Terry, Joseph W M 65  Farmer SC VA VA (b abt 1815)
  Terry, Dovina  W F 55 Wife Kpg Hse NC VA VA  (b abt 1825)
  Terry, Martha M W F 22 daughter AL SC GA
  
  I also note that the birth place for both Joseph's parents is Virginia, rather than South Carolina for Lewis his father and Virginia for Constance his mother.  Also, Martha's birthplace is given as Alabama, although it appears the family was living in Murray County, Georgia, when she was born, just as for the other children.  They did not sell their land to move to Texas till she was about 20 years old.
  
  Jacque Watkins reports death information from her research:
  
  Joseph Louis Terry
  b 12 Mar 1814 Pendleton SC
  d 23 Aug 1889, Milam Co TX
  Buried Steep Hollow Cemetery, Brazos Co TX
  Married Dovinah (Dovey) Walker
  b 7 Aug 1822 in Randolph Co NC
  d 20 Jan 1899 in McClennan Co TX
  Married 5 Dec 1839 in Pleasant Valley, Murray Co GA
  --  RootsWeb, Terry Family by Jacque Watkins; Joseph Louis Terry ID: I556958903, http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=:3001708&id=I556958903
  
  Likely relatives of this couple are reported in Whiterock, Wilbarger County, Texas.  Wilbarger is in north central Texas on the Red River.  Exact connections have not yet been made to Joseph F Terry and wife Catherine Biles Landers and their son Joseph L Terry, born 22 Sep 1864 In Whiterock.  This Joseph's wife's name was Susie, last name unknown.
  --  Jacque Watkins, http://www.terry-family-historian.com/guestlog.htm
  
  -------------------
  Rev Joseph Terry
  Birth Mar 12, 1814
  Death Aug 23, 1880
  
  Spouse Dovinah Terry (1822 - 1899)
  Daughter Dovina Elizabeth Terry Gay (1855 - 1931)
  
  Note: Spouse of Dovinah "Dovey" Walker, Son of Louis and Constance Terry, Private, Co F, Capt. Absalom Bishop Company, Maj. Nelson Battalion Military Service Indian War, Nov 20, 1836 Georgia Mounted Volunteers; Jan 01, to May 26, 1837; home and disabled
  
  Burial Steep Hollow Cemetery,Bryan (Brazos County), Brazos County, Texas, Section 1, Space 540
  
  Created by B Coker Feb 01, 2008
  --  Find A Grave Memorial #24310397,  http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=24310397
  -------------------

Sources

• 1. 1860 Federal Census, Murray County, Georgia
  • 6 July, Militia District 972, PO Rock Creek, Page 53, Hse #367, Fam #361
• 2. 1850 Federal Census, Murray County, Georgia
  • 14 November, Page 527 (scan p 264), Hse/Fam #1613
• 3. 1880 Federal Census, Milam County, Texas
  • 24 June, District 103, District 103, page 46, Hse/Family #233
• 4. Find a Grave Memorial Registry
• 5. 1870 Federal Census, Whitfield County, Georgia
  • 8 July, Militia District 872, PO Dalton, Page 86, Hse #279, Fam #275
• 6. Terry Family
• 7. Terry Family DNA Project -- Patriarchs
  • Name: Name: http://www.worldfamilies.net/surnames/t/terry/pats.html;;
• 8. 1864 Census for Re-Organizing the Georgia Militia
• 9. RootsWeb Trees
• 10. 1880 Federal Census, Milam County, Texas
  • 24 June, District 103, page 46, Hse/Family #233
• 11. Terry Family Historian -- discussion
  • Location: http://www.terry-family-historian.com/guestlog.htm;
  • Jacque Watkins 23 July 2003, 1 May 2006
• 12. Ancestry Trees
• 13. RootsWeb Forum
• 14. 1900 Federal Census, San Patricio County, Texas
  • 6 June, Precinct 4, District 73, page 4B, Hse/Fam #70
• 15. 1880 Federal Census, Murray County, Georgia
  • 15 June, McDonald District, District 155, page 16, Hse #138, Fam #144
• 16. Find a Grave Memorial Registry
  • Memorial #55657660, http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=55657660
• 17. 1870 Federal Census, Murray County, Georgia
  • 21 July, District 1013, PO Spring Place, page 3 (scan 545), Hse/Fam #19
• 18. 1870 Federal Census, Brazos County, Texas
  • 16 June, PO Bryan, page 2, Hse/Fam #14
• 19. Ancestry Trees
  • Johnny L Williams, http://awtc.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=bigwills&id=I43141
• 20. Texas, Death Certificates, 1903-1982
• 21. Obituary of Mary Ellen Terry Connally, 1932
• 22. 1880 Federal Census, McLennan County, Texas
  • 15 June, Page 33A (scan p) 166A, District 111, Hse/Fam #201
• 23. 1870 Federal Census, Brazos County, Texas
  • 16 June, PO Bryan, page 2, Hse/Fam #15
• 24. 1900 Federal Census, Tom Green County, Texas
  • 14 June, San Angelo, District 156, page 14B, Hse #268, Fam #276
• 25. Arizona Death Certificates, 1870 - 1963
• 26. Find a Grave Memorial Registry
  • Memorial #64727203, http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=64727203
• 27. U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900
• 28. 1880 Federal Census, Coryell County, Texas
  • 17 June, District 26, page 85, Hse #309, Fam #310
• 29. 1900 Federal Census, Haskell County, Texas
  • 11 June, Justice Precinct 2, District 90, page 3A, Hse #41, Fam #42
• 30. Find a Grave Memorial Registry
  • Memorial #6230732, http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=62307327
• 31. The Wells Gazette
  • http://wellsgazette.com/familygen/pafg02.htm#7
• 32. 1900 Federal Census, Tom Green County, Texas
  • 1 June, San Angelo, District 160, page 1A, Hse/Fam #8
• 33. Terry Family WFN Forum
  • Name: Name: http://www.wfnforum.net/index.php?PHPSESSID=5cf5bcd5cf3a0c67dc30e6ab2d3f4fc4&topic=3041.msg6297;;
  • Jacque Watkins, 5 Dec 2005
• 34. Terry Family Historian -- discussion
  • Location: http://www.terry-family-historian.com/guestlog.htm;
• 35. Find a Grave Memorial Registry
  • Memorial #19386819, http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=19386819