Carson Archives

Here you will find information on the ancestors and descendents of Chester Carson and Kathleen Rogers. Articles are listed newest to oldest. Start by reading the oldest articles first, then work your way back to the newest. I have also included links to their Online Family Trees. Please provide your own stories, additions, corrections, or feedback by clicking on the word "Comments" at the end of any article, or by e-mailing me. Enjoy!

Friday, April 28, 2006

Daniel James, Jr and Elizabeth Bandy, Part I

Daniel James and Elizabeth Bandy are GG Grandparents of Chester Carson.

Daniel James Junior and Elizabeth Bandy
->Maston James and Delilah Thrasher
-->John MacNeil James and Mary Elizabeth Amos
--->Maude Deleilah James and William Bernard Lloyd Carson
---->Chester Carson

Daniel James, Junior, was born in Philadelphia in 1773.

I do not know the year that Elizabeth Bandy was born.

Daniel and Elizabeth were married October 13, 1801, in Virginia.

In 1810, when the U.S. Census was enumerated in Botetourt County, Virginia, Daniel L James, Junior, lived with three sons under the age of 10, and one male 26-45 in the home. In addition, there was one daughter under 10, one woman between 26-45, and one female 45 or older. The family had no slaves.

Recall that the early population enumerations in our country were primarily to obtain a count of citizens, to determine representation in federal and state governments.

Wednesday, April 26, 2006

Frederick and Nancy Thrasher

Frederick and Nancy Thrasher were Great-Great Grandparents of Chester Carson.

Frederick Thrasher and Nancy
->Maston James and Delilah Thrasher
-->John MacNeil James and Mary Elizabeth Amos
--->Maude Deleilah James and William Bernard Lloyd Carson
---->Chester Carson

My information on Frederick and Nancy is very limited.

Frederick was born September 16, 1769, and died June 25, 1852. Nancy (last name unknown) was born in about 1775, and died in 1874.

Together they had eleven children: Paul, John, Sarah, George, Robert, Rhoda, Margaret, Ann, Mariah, Mary, and Delilah.

I have no information on the parents of either Frederick or Nancy.

Monday, April 24, 2006

Maston James & Delilah Thrasher, Part VI

July 15, 1880, Delila was enumerated for the last time. She continued to live in the Big Lick township of Roanoke County, Virginia.

She lived in the home of her son, Harry, and next door to her son Isaac. The ages listed for the family members in this census record do not agree with other records. That makes me wonder if someone other than a family member provided the information.

According to the census record, those in the first home were:
Harry James, still single but running a farm; His mother, Delilah; Her daughters, Mary E., and Emma; a servant and an employee.

Next door is Delilah's son Isaac, his wife Henrietta, and their children: William, Nancy, and Estelle. His farm also included an employee.

Nine years later, on December 11, 1889, Delilah passed away. She was laid to rest in the Thrasher-Short Cemetery, in Roanoke, Virginia.

Friday, April 21, 2006

Maston James & Delilah Thrasher, Part V

Delilah continued to live in the Roanoke County area. In 1870, (June 18) she lived in the Big Lick Township of Roanoke County, Virginia. She was a 59 year old widow. The age recorded confirms her reported birth year of 1811 (meaning that she was born before June 18 of that year). She and her family run a farm.

The others living in the home are Susan James (25), James H James (19, and also listed as a farmer), Mary S James (18), Emma James (16), Mahala James (13) and a young black listed as "Minor John" (16), a farm laborer.

Trivia! Sixty years later, when the 1930 U.S. Census is taken, her son John MacNeil, after living halfway across the country, would return to live in Big Lick in the home of his son Louis (Della’s grandson).

Wednesday, April 19, 2006

Maston James & Delilah Thrasher, Part IV

Maston died January 5, 1858 in Roanoke, Virginia. He is buried in the Thrasher/Short Cemetery, in Roanoke.

Just over two years later, on 15 June 1860, Delilah was enumerated along with nine of her children. Their home was still located in Roanoke County, Virginia. Delilah (listed here as Delila) works as a farmer in a home valued at $2000. Her eldest son, Richard (23) is a day laborer. The other children in the home are: Frederick (20), Susan (18), John (17), Isaac (15), Harvey (13), Mary (11), Emma(7), Pink (5).


Above: The 1860 Census Extract showing Delilah James and family.

Sunday, April 16, 2006

Maston James & Delilah Thrasher, Part III

On August 7th, 1850, Maston and Delilah James lived in Roanoke County, Virginia, in a home filled with his nine children and two men listed as laborers. Maston’s age is listed as 42, which would mean that he was born in 1808. This conflicts with a number of records, including his headstone, although I have no primary records to prove his actual birth year. Delilah is listed at the age of 37

The others in the home are: daughters Betsy A James, age 18; Sarah J James, age 16; Nancy M James, age 14; sons Richard P James, 13; Frederick D James, 11; daughter Susan, 9; and young sons John M, Isaac, and Lewis H, ages 7, 5, and 2. The two laborers in the house are John W Williams, 19, and a Mr. Philson, age 37. Each person has Virginia listed as the state of birth.

Frederick Thrasher and his wife Nancy (Delilah’s parents) live next door.

Thursday, April 13, 2006

Maston James & Delilah Thrasher, Part II

Maston and Delilah lived in Roanoke County, Virginia, according to the 1840 U.S. Census.

Census records of the day list only the head of household, along with a count on the ages of others in the home. This means two things to genealogists: it is much harder to identify YOUR family, when only the first and last name of one family member appears; it becomes nearly impossible to verify anyone other than the head of the home.

On this particular record, Maston is listed immediately below a Daniel James. Maston is an unusual name, and the fact that Daniel James, Maston's father, is listed next, tells me this is the correct listing.

The ages seem to verify the family members I would expect to be in Maston's household. It states: there are two males under 5, one male 5-10, one male 20-30, one male 30-40, one female under 5, two females 5-10, and two females 20-30.

I believe these ages correspond to:
The two males under 5 are Richard and Frederick.
The male from 5-10 is James.
The male 20-30 is unclear.
The male 30-40 is Maston himself.
The female under 5 is probably Nancy.
The two females 5-10 are Betsy and Sarah.
One of the two females 20-30 is Delilah, but the other is unclear.

Tuesday, April 11, 2006

Maston James & Delilah Thrasher

Maston James and Delilah Thrasher were Great Grandparents of Chester Carson.

Maston James and Delilah Thrasher
->John MacNeil James and Mary Elizabeth Amos
-->Maude Deleilah James and William Bernard Lloyd Carson
--->Chester Carson

Maston James was born in 1803, in Botetourt County, Virginia. His parents were Daniel and Elizabeth James.

Delilah (sometimes Delila or Della) Thrasher was born in 1810, in Virginia, to Frederick and Nancy Thrasher.

Maston and Delilah were married October 10, 1831 in the Vinton township of Botetourt County, Virginia.

Monday, April 10, 2006

John & Mary James, Part IV of IV

Sometime between 1900 and 1920, John moved to Roanoke city, Virginia, to live with his sister Mahala P. and her husband, on Sixth Avenue S.W. On January 13, 1920, John is still actively working as a laborer at the age of 76. The employer is listed on the census page. It may say Gardener, but on the copy I have it is barely legible. His wife is no longer with him, so we can presume that she passed away between 1900 and 1920.

On April 26, 1930, John was living in the town of Vinton, Virginia, on Sterwartsville Road in the Big Lick Magesterial District. He is staying in the home of his younger brother, Louis Harvey James. John is now 88. Also in the home are Mary L James, a half-sister, and a lodger named James L Craig. John is no longer employed.

John died December 4, 1931, in Redwood, Virginia. He is buried in Vinton, VA.

Friday, April 07, 2006

John & Mary James, Part III

In 1900, John and Mary lived in Hutchinson City, Reno County, Kansas. His daughters Leonita and Maude, and sons Elmer and Claude, also lived at home. John worked as a day laborer. Elmer was a farm laborer, Maude and Claude were in school. Leonita is listed as a “domestic”. No occupation is listed for Mary. The census indicates that everyone in the home was able to read, write and speak English.

According to the enumerator instructions for the 1900 U.S. Census, someone who worked as a “day laborer”, such as John, was typically at work for the city, town, or at odd jobs. This was not supposed to include people who were “farm laborers”. The census taker had specific instructions to record the type of work performed by the person employed as a day laborer. The enumerator who listed John failed to follow these instructions. So, we can't be sure of what type of work John was performing.

A “farm laborer” is a person who works on a farm for a stated wage (in money or its equivalent). This is also different from a the person who owns the farm, who should be listed as a farmer. We know from prior census records that John was a farmer for a while.

Wednesday, April 05, 2006

John & Mary James, Part II

The 1870 U.S. Census for Chamblissburg, in Bedford County, Virginia, gives us the earliest glimpse into John and Mary’s life together. Conducted on August 29, 1870, John and his wife ran a house they shared with a Mr. Wright and a Miss Harris. John and Mary are each listed as 20 years old, and apparently run a farm, since John’s occupation is listed as ‘farmer’, with both Mr. Wm. Wright and Miss Danise Harris listed as ‘farm laborers’. Mary is keeping house. Their belongings are valued at $210, which is about average for the other families enumerated just before and after them. Both list their birthplace as Virginia.

During the U.S. Census for 1880, the enumerator recorded John and Mary on either June 11 or 12. They continue to reside in the Chamblissburg Magisterial District, in Bedford County, Virginia. John, is reported by the census to be 35, but his actual age is 37. His continues to be employed as a farmer. Also in the home are his wife Mary, also listed as 35, but probably closer to 37; a daughter, Leonetta E, age 9; a son, William F. J., age 6; a son not yet named, born in March, who is 2 months old; as well as a boarder named Julia B. Thornhill, age 57. Although the column for indicating that John is unable to work due to illness or temporary disability is checked, the nature of his illness is not recorded.

The last name of Mary's mother is Thornhill, so Julia B. Thornhill is almost certainly a relative. Possibly an older sister, a cousin, or an aunt.

Monday, April 03, 2006

John MacNeil James & Mary Elizabeth Amos

John MacNeil James and Mary Elizabeth Amos were grandparents of Chester Carson.

John MacNeil James and Mary Elizabeth Amos
->Maude Deleilah James and William Bernard Lloyd Carson
-->Chester Carson

On February 16, 1843, John MacNeil James was born in Roanoke County, Virginia. His parents were Maston and Delilah James.

Mary Elizabeth Amos was born to Wilson and Elizabeth Amos in April of 1843. Her birth location is unknown.

On August 7th, 1850, John was a seven year old living with his parents in Roanoke County, Virginia. Also in the home were his eight siblings, as well as two laborers, who likely helped with work on the family farm.

His siblings were: sisters Betsy A James, age 18, Sarah J James, age 16, Nancy M James, age 14; brothers Richard P James, 13, and Frederick D James, 11; sister Susan, 9; and young brothers Isaac, and Lewis H, ages 5, and 2.

All member of the James family listed Virginia as their state of birth.

John's maternal grandparents, Frederick Thrasher and his wife Nancy, live next door.

That same day John's future wife Mary and her parents were also enumerated. They too lived in Roanoke County, Virginia. Did they live close by? You bet! John's family was only eight households away! Chances are James and Mary knew each other, played together, and may have been childhood sweethearts!

In Mary's home were here parents, one older brother (William L.) and two younger sisters (Nancy and Lucy). Once again, each family member lists Virginia as their place of birth.