Brick Walls

Everyone has one or two, maybe more, so if you've hit a brick wall in your research, especially if the family has ties to Lamar County, Alabama (and surrounding area), please post it here! Here is one of mine...

I am hoping that someone might have some ideas that can help me get around my Brick Wall problem with John Thomas MOORE, my great-great grandfather! I cannot positively identify his parents. Here is what I know/have learned about this man:

My grandmother wrote in a narrative in my father's baby book that John Thomas Moore was orphaned at an early age with his mother dying when he was 5 or 6 and his father died during the Civil War (the later is not true as he's officially listed as an orphan in 1858 - see below).
John Thomas Moore was born 8 May 1848 (tombstone, year consistent with census records) in SC (according to all census records). All census records indicate his parents were both born in SC.

In 1858 in Fayette County, Alabama court records (think it was chancery), Benjamin Perrine McMakin WHEELER is appointed "master" of the 11 year old orphan, John T. MOORE. BP WHEELER is a native of Spartanburg County, SC. Isaac Henry SANDERS (later to become JT Moore's father-in-law) signs the bond. IH SANDERS is a native of Bedford Co., TN, and his grandparents, John & Susannah WHEELER SANDERS were natives of Spartanburg Co., SC. Susannah is the sister of BP WHEELER's father, David WHEELER.

1860 US Fed. census for Fayette Co., AL has BP Wheeler and family and living with them is John T. Moore age 13? b. SC. BP Wheeler's wife, Margaret, has no known relation to JT MOORE. I have been told that Margaret was a STAGGS prior to marriage but have not seen proof of this.

1870 Sanford Co., AL (now called Lamar) US Fed. census has John T. Moore age 21 b. SC living in the household of William Street & family. William is age 29 b. TN and his wife, Nancy C. is age 27 b. SC. I can't find a marriage record on them to learn Nancy's maiden name, nor have I found anyone researching this STREET family, so there is no known familial connection to this family.

By the 1880 Lamar Co., AL US Fed. census, JT MOORE has married Sarah Tucker SANDERS (daughter of Isaac Henry SANDERS), probably around 1870/71 (Marriage record has not been found. May have been in Fayette Co., AL but courthouse has burned twice) and they have started their family. Children born by 1880 are: James Henry MOORE b. abt 1872, John F. MOORE b. abt. 1872, Sidney P. MOORE b. abt. 1874, Mary Ida MOORE b. abt. 1876, Nebrasky MOORE b. abt 1878, and Lockey MOORE b. abt. 1879. (Mary Ida is my great grandmother). They eventually had at least 15 children in total.

The family is found further in Lamar Co., AL in US Fed. census records for 1900, 1910, & 1920 (Sarah is now widowed). JT Moore died 3 Sep 1918 in Lamar Co., AL. I have his death certificate and the lines for parents' names are blank.

In looking for another grave, I visited Mt Zion Missionary Baptist Church & cemetery in Hightogy, Lamar Co., AL about 6 years ago and found the following graves, with identical type headstones (perhaps were all made by the same people at the same time?), all in a row:
Edey, son of J.T. and S.T. Moore, born December 23, 1892 died October 22, 1898 Lockey A., daughter of J.T. and S.T. Moore, born Mar. 1, 1879, died Nov. 22, 1890 Sidney P., son of J.T. and S.T. Moore, born May 12, 1874, died June 3, 1883 Unknown Moore (stone was broken, could only read "Moore"), born 1846, died 1856 Souson Moore, wife of James Moore, born 1813, died 1857 James Moore, son of J. and A. Moore, born 1807, died 1858 Anie Moore, wife of John Moore S.R., born 1784, died 1878.

The 1880 census record (above) ties the children Lockey & Sidney to their parents - John Thomas MOORE and Sarah Tucker (Sanders) MOORE. The death dates for James & Souson (Susan?) MOORE could easily qualify them to be my John Thomas MOORE's parents, and Anie MOORE could be his grandmother. The church records contain nothing other than recording the fact that they are buried in the cemetery, although Ann(a) MOORE is listed as being one of the early founding members. The founding members of this church, BP WHEELER among them, are from Spartanburg County, South Carolina!

I have looked for an 1850 census record for a possible family structure containing James, Souson (Susan or Susannah), unknown child b. 1846, and John Thomas MOORE b. 1848, without success. I have combed Spartanburg Co., SC records that are online and even some that I have purchased, or viewed in SLC at the family history center there, and cannot seem to pick up on the family!

I have to suspect that Spartanburg Co., SC would be a likely origin, given the close association with others from that location that have moved into the Fayette/Lamar Co., AL area (county lines changed and their location may not have).

Other interesting clues - children's names. First son, James Henry MOORE, appears to be named for at least one grandfather - his mother's father, Isaac Henry Sanders. Could James be for his other grandfather? Second son, John F., - could be after his father or the possible great-grandfather, John Sr., husband of Anie MOORE (headstone).

The fact that known children of JT & ST Moore are buried all in a row with James, Souson & Anie MOORE, with exactly the same type headstones (fonts are identical, too), suggests some type of relationship, I would think!!!

I have found possible census entries for an Ann(a)(ie) MOORE of about the right age in the Fayette/Lamar Co., AL area, and they all show she was b. SC, but I can't be absolutely certain that I have found the right person. In one year, she appears to be living with her married sister, and I have tried to hunt that line but found very few clues to follow.

Thank you for taking the time to read through this very long brick wall story and I would appreciate any ideas that anyone may have in trying to discover who John Thomas MOORE's parents are for sure!

Allison M. Saxman alisax@commspeed.net

Surnames

Please feel free to post your surnames being researched in Lamar County, Alabama here! I'll start off...

Allen, Moore, Robertson, Loftis, Sanders

Just to name a few

email contact: alisax@commspeed.net Allison Saxman