Who Was "Lawless Mary"?

While doing some research today, I came across an intriguing name in a 1940 census: Lawless Mary. She was an 82 year old widow living in Texas, and I had to learn more about her. What fascinating life did she live to earn her nickname?

After finding her in a 1900 census, it turns out "Lawless Mary" was not a nickname; her name was Mary Lawless. 

1940 U.S. Census, Falls County, Texas, Lott Ward, population schedule, page 7B [written], household #165, North 6 St, John Priest Household, image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 15 January 2016), citing National Archives microfilm T627, roll 4030.

The 1940 census enumerator had just added a line indicating her surname was the same as the name abover her: Cone. But, her name was, in fact, Mary Lawless and there is not an amazing story.

So, if you were researching Mary Lawless, how would you have found her? I think the most likely way would have been to search for her daughter, Susie, in the census.

Mrs. Singleton: The "Oldest Woman in the World" in 1853

While searching for a newspaper article about relatives who had measles in 1853, I came across this article about Mrs. Singleton, the oldest woman in the world.

The Charleston Standard,  Alton Evening Telegraph, Alton, Illinois, 28 May 1853, page 2, column, 3, digital image, newspapers.com, (http://newspapers.com), accessed 5 February 2017. 

The Charleston Standard says that the oldest woman in the world is now living in Williamsburg district, South Carolina. Her name is Mrs. SINGLETON. She is now in the one hundred and thirty-first year of her age—enjoys good health—retains all her senses, except that of sight of which she was deprived by an attack of the measles at the age of ninety-nine—and is still able to walk briskly about her room. Mrs. S. has outlived all her children: her oldest descendant being a grand-daughter, upwards of sixty years of age. The most of her life has been spent in Williamsburg.

1850 U.S. Census, Williamsburg County, South Carolina, Williamsburg District, population schedule, page 298 [written], dwelling #480, family #480, Elizabeth Gibson household; image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 5 February 2017), citing National Archives microfilm M432, roll 860.

I decided to check the 1850 census to see if she was listed as being approximately 128 years old at that time. I found Mrs. Singleton, whose first name was Ann, living with a 49-year-old woman, possibly a granddaughter, named Elizabeth. Gibson. Ann Singleton's age on this 1850 census? 100 years old. I know censuses can be wrong, but was she truly 131 years old in 1853? (And, yes, she is listed as blind on this census record.)

Next, I decided to search for a mention of her death in the newspapers. I tried the next three years and didn't find anything. I expanded it to 10 years, and got another article about her. She was still alive 5 1/2 years later! Was she now 136 or 137 years old? According to the newspaper account, she was now 140 years old! (She ages quickly!)

The Oldest Lady, The Clarke County Democrat, Grove Hill, Alabama, 16
 December  1858, page 2, column 5, digital image, newspapers.com,(http://newspapers.com), accessed 5 February 2017. 

The Oldest Lady.—The Methodist Conference of South Carolina held its session last week at Columbia. From the reported proceedings in the Charleston Mercury, the following is extracted:

Among the donations was one of $400 from Rev. W. L. Pegues, to make the oldest member of this church, and the oldest woman in the State, with others of her family, life members of the Parent Missionary Society. This lady is Mrs. Singleton, of Williamsburg, aged 140 years, who has been blind for 60 years; her youngest grand-daughter, Mrs. Dukes, is aged 50.

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to find Ann Singleton on Find A Grave, nor was I able to find any record of her death in the newspapers. I need to get back to my own family, but I hope someone else is able to determine when Ann Singleton was born and how old she was when she died.

"Not My Family" Friday: The Notrious Martin Brawdy Comes to an Untimely and Miserable Death

As genealogists, we come across some really interesting items that don't directly relate to our family tree. I decided to start a series called "Not My Family" Friday where I can share some of these amazing finds. If you'd like to join along, please post a link to your post! I'd love to see what you've found!

I've written four previous posts about the "notorious Brawdy family" which was our class project at GRIP this summer. We uncovered some amazing newspaper articles! Family members were accused of larceny, assault, running a "bawdy" house (brothel), and even murder! The article I'm sharing today is about the death of the father, Martin Brawdy. It is a sad ending to a sad life. The newspaper articles were all found at Elephind, a great newspaper resource! (I will transcribe it at the bottom of the post, though it is pretty legible.)

Death from Intemperance, Waynesburg Messenger, Waynesburg, Pennsylvania, 14 Sep 1864, page 1, column 4;
digital image elephind.com, (http://www.elephind.com: accessed 05 Sep 2014)

Death from Intemperance

Martin Brawdy, the head of the notorious Brawdy family (which for years has been a curse to this community,) came to an untimely and miserable death on Thursday evening. The family have been residing in East Birmingham for some time past, and so on Thursday one of the children died. Mr. Brawdy, in company with one or two boys, started in a wagon to visit the graveyard beyond White Hall, for the purpose of making arrangements for the burial of his child. After having given orders for the digging of the grave, he started home, stopping at White Hall and imbibing freely of liquor. He also stopped at a tavern on this side of White Hall, and got two more drinks. Being unable to sit in the wagon, he lay down on some hay and fell into a drunken sleep. On arriving home, about six o'clock in the evening, the boys concluded to let him sleep off the effects of the liquor, as he was cross and troublesome when in that state. He lay in the wagon until eleven o'clock at night, and when an effort was made to wake him he was found dead. Coroner McClang held no inquest upon the body, and the jury found a verdict of "death from the effects of i[ntemperance]." [The title is missing from this clipping but is on the full paper and I am guessing at the last word from the title.]

Do we share common ancestors? I'd love to talk! Please write me at drleeds@sbcglobal.net

A Man Vomits Up Snakes!!! ("Not My Family" Friday)

As genealogists, we come across some really interesting items that don't directly relate to our family tree. I decided to start a series called "Not My Family" Friday where I can share some of these amazing finds. If you'd like to join along, please post a link to your post! I'd love to see what you've found!

Here's a really disgusting series of articles about a man who repeatedly threw up snakes! (I found this while looking for my Longwell family in Pennsylvania, though I don't see a connection for this man to my tree.)

"Two Snakes in His Stomach", Reading Times; Reading, Pennsylvania, 03 Oct 1885, page 3, column 1;
digital image newspapers.com, (http://www.newspapers.com: accessed 14 Aug 2014) 

John Longwell, of Charleston, a few miles from here, has for two years past been subject to fits, being attacked suddenly and lying unconscious for hours. Within the past few months he has experienced a cold sensation in his throat occasionally, as though something was rising into his mouth. This, attended with the strange feeling in his stomach, convinced him that there was some living thing inside of him. His physician thought it would do no harm to give him an emetic, and accordingly gave his patient a large dose. The result was that Mr. Longwell threw up two snakes, one about fourteen inches long and the other a foot in length, brown in color, and both alive, and they are alive yet. Mr. Longwell was so overjoyed at this deliverance that he brought the reptiles to town and exhibited them to a few of his friends. Mr. Longwell thinks that he swallowed the eggs which produced the snakes while carelessly drinking water from a spring.

"John Longwell throws up another snake"; The Wellsboro Gazette, Wellsboro, Pennsylvania, 21 Sep 1886,;page 3, column 4; digital image newspapers.com, (http://www.newspapers.com: accessed 14 Aug 2014)

It is stated that Mr. John Longwell of Charleston, recently threw up another eighteen inch snake, which it is believed had been an inhabitant of his stomach for about three years. It will be remembered that Mr. Longwell created a sensation about a year ago by asserting that he had vomited up two small snakes. His opinion is that he swallowed the eggs some three years ago while stopping to drink from a spring. Mrs Longwell alleges that her husband s suffering was terrible to be hold, and she thought he would chock to death before the snake was ejected from his throat. Mr Longwell is somewhat exercised in mind as to whether this is the last of the reptiles or not. He fears that there may be other strange dwellers in his stomach and that he will have to suffer again from the emetics and the terrible convulsions in getting rid of them.

Isn't this a crazy story? I'm wondering if he really had some kind of parasite like a tape worm? Strange!!!

Again, please leave a comment if you decide to share your own "not my family" Friday story!

Do we share common ancestors? I'd love to talk! Please write me at drleeds@sbcglobal.net

The Notorious Brawdy Family, Part 4 (Robbed & Beaten)

This is a series of posts about the startling discoveries we made at GRIP (July 2014) in the Intermediate Genealogy class. Our head instructor, Paula Stuart-Warren, chose a random Pittsburgh will for us to research and see what we could uncover about the family. She had no idea of the amazing stories we would find..

Here's another newspaper clipping about the 'notorious Brawdy family' from the Penn State University Libraries online collection.

"Pittsburgh Daily Gazette and Advertiser", March 2, 1868.

Another Brawdy [?ease] Case - A Man Robbed of $200 and Severely Beaten

We have but little sympathy for the man who, in consequence of frequenting any of the vile dens of prostitution with which our city is so well supplied, is robbed of his money, or even if he receives a sound "body beating," yet this does not prevent us from protesting against the tolerance of these places by the city authorities. It is for the purpose of calling attention to the matter only that we give publicity to such cause as the following: James Hallman, yesterday made information before Alderman McMasters charging Martin Brawdy with felonious assault and battery, in which he stated that on Friday night he visited a den of infamy on Pennsylvania avenue, kept by John Langdon, and that during his stay he was drugged and robbed of two hundred dollars. He left the premises the next morning in a semi-drunken state, and consequently did not discover his loss until he arrived at his hotel. He immediately returned to the house and demanded his money, when he was set upon by Martin Brawdy, who beat him with an iron poker, inflicting seven cuts on his head and face. He then returned and made the information as above, and also against John Langdon, Carry Fisher, Mary Acr[e], a girl named Alice, and Martin and Thomas Brawdy, charging them with keeping a disorderly house. The mother of two of these defendants is now in jail serving out a sentence for the same offence, and if the facts in this case be as stated her sons should keep her company.

The Notorious Brawdy Family, Part 3 ("Keeping a Bawdy House")

This is a series of posts about the startling discoveries we made at GRIP  (July 2014) in the Intermediate Genealogy class. Our head instructor, Paula Stuart-Warren, chose a random Pittsburgh will for us to research and see what we could uncover about the family. She had no idea of the amazing stories we would find...

The larceny articles I shared yesterday from 1868 were about Martha's brother, Tom. It mentions that the mother (Barbara) is currently in jail for "keeping a bawdy house" or brothel. So, let's head back to Penn State's "Pennsylvania Civil War Newspapers" and Elephind and search the Pittsburgh Daily Gazette and Advertiser to see what we find. (I don't know why, but I get different results with the two search engines.)

On October 30, 1867 we find: Mrs. Brawdy Again

Mrs. Barbara Brawdy, the proprietress of an infamous den on Liberty street, which has frequently been "venillated" [?] through the city papers, still continues to prosper in her infamous business, it appears, notwithstanding the vigilance of the police, and the frequent expressed intention of the authorities to break it up. But a short time since she was before His Honor the Mayor, charged with keeping a bawdy house, and, we believe, was held to bail for her appearance at Court. This was all the Mayor could do in the matter. But some one else must be at fault, as we have not yet noticed in the Court proceedings any account of her trial. The character of the woman, and the reputation of the house she keeps, have so frequently been published, that every body must be familiar with it, and it is therefore [useless?] to speak of it here in a general manner; but as there is always more or less interest attached to particulars connected with such characters, we will relate an incident which is alleged to have taken place at the iniquitous establishment kept by this "virago," Monday evening, from which our readers can form some idea of her manner of conduction business, while it may also serve to teach strangers the impropriety of taking lodgings at what are termed "cheap boarding houses," unless they know the reputation of the houses at which they stop.

Monday evening two men, Mr. McIntyre and Mr. Anderson, from New Brighton, arrived in the city, and at the Union Depot inquired for a "cheap boarding house." The inquiry was heard by one of that class of men with whom our city is cursed to a considerable extent at present, who are too lazy to work, and to poor to live without it, and consequently resort to any means of obtaining a living without labor. It appears he was a "runner" for Mrs. Brawdy's house, to which he conducted them. Shortly after their arrival they discovered the character of the place, and resolved to leave it, but upon signifying their intention to do so, the door was locked and a demand of five dollars each made upon them. They refused to comply with the demand, when the door to an adjoining room was opened and half a dozen "roughs," armed with knives and pistols, confronted them and enforced the payment of the money, when they were allowed to depart.

Mr. Anderson yesterday morning appeared before Alderman McMasters and stated the case, when a warrant was issued for Mrs. Brawdy on  charge of keeping a bawdy house, upon which she was arrested, and after a hearing held in five hundred dollars bail for her appearance at Court.

Anderson and McIntyre are both respectable, hard working men and were led into the "trap," which is always open for the uninitiated, in the manner above stated. We rather think Mrs. B. will be brought before the Court this time, as the prosecutor has no desire to effect a compromise. His motives for prosecuting were not for the purpose of extorting money, or even receiving his own, but to bring the offender to justice. 

And on December 29, 1863 we find: Sentenced

Barbara Brawdy, for keeping a bawdy house, was sentenced to pay a fine for $200, and undergo one month's imprisonment in the county jail.

The Notorious Brawdy Family, Part 2 (Accused of Larceny)

This is a series of posts about the startling discoveries we made at GRIP  (July 2014) in the Intermediate Genealogy class. Our head instructor, Paula Stuart-Warren, chose a random Pittsburgh will for us to research and see what we could uncover about the family. She had no idea of the amazing stories we would find...

I already posted about how we tracked down the original will on FamilySearch. With quite a bit of effort, we eventually found the census records for 1850 (Baldwin Twp - surname transcribed as "Brandy" on Ancestry), 1860 (Pittsburgh, Ward 5 - father transcribed as "W Brandy" on Ancestry - all family members listed by first initial ) & 1870 (Borough of East Birmingham - mother transcribed as "Barbara Brady" on Ancestry) where Martha was living with her parents, Martin & Barbara, & her siblings. She also has her 8-year-old daughter, Jenny Cornita living with her. Remember, her name was listed as Jennie C Brawdy in the will, but here it is Jenny Cornita.

Photo posted by Liz Freeman on FindAGrave

We never found any other information about Martha's daughter, Jenny. But, we were able to find quite a bit more about the rest of the Brawdy family including:

• more census records for various family members
• a will for her brother, Martin
• two city directory listing for her mother, Barbara, listing her as a widow in 1865 & 1866
• a marriage record for sister Maria Jane who married Walter E Barnett before marrying Valentine Green (probable first marriage)
• a marriage record for brother Thomas M who married Catharine R Fitch
• a death certificate for sister Maria Jane who married Valentine Green (I believe this is a second marriage)
• tombstones for her mother, Barbara, & her brother, Martin
• possible death record for her mother, Barbara, at FamilySearch - however it says her parents are born in Ireland where others state Germany & it says she's only lived there 6 months & her previous residence was Chicago

But, the most interesting 'finds' were the newspaper records! Unfortunately, I can't take credit for these finds. But, another group found some incredible articles using a site I wasn't familiar with: Elephind.

Elephind states it's purpose: to make it possible to search all of the world's digital newspapers from one place and at one time. Elephind.com allows you to simultaneously search across thousands of articles using key words and phrases. 

The first article I'll share is from the Pittsburgh Gazette Gazette and Advertiser dated Monday, April 6, 1868. It is titled "Alleged Larceny of $200 - The Accused Committed for Trial."

Catherine Salzmen, the proprietress of  tavern in East Birmingham, made information before Justice Ammon on Saturday, charging John Schafer and Tom Brawdy with larceny. She alleges that the accused, who frequented her house, and were well acquainted with its arrangement, came in to the bar-room Saturday morning, and remained until she was called out, when they entered an adjoining room and took two hundred dollars from a bureau drawer. Brawdy and Schafer were arrested, and after hearing, were committed for trial in default of five hundred dollars each for their appearance at Court. The Brawdy family are becoming quite notorious in criminal affairs. The mother was, a short time since, convicted on a charge of keeping a bawdy house, for which she is serving a term of imprisonment. Subsequently a son was arrested and committed to jail to away trial on a similar charge, and now the third one of the family is committed on a charge of larceny.

Two months later, in a paper dated June 10, 1868, we find the results of the trial:

The Jury in the case of the Commonwealth vs. Thomas Brawdy, Jno Bell, and John Shaffer, indicted for the larceny of $185 from Mrs. Salzman of East Birmingham, reported yesterday, returned a verdict of not guilty and the accused were discharged.  

The Notorious Brawdy Family, Part 1 (The Russell Index)

This is a series of posts about the startling discoveries we made at GRIP  (July 2014) in the Intermediate Genealogy class. Our head instructor, Paula Stuart-Warren, chose a random Pittsburgh will for us to research and see what we could uncover about the family. She had no idea of the amazing stories we would find...

Our will was for Martha Jane Brawdy who died in Birmingham, Allegeheny County, Pennsylvania. A classmate quickly realized that this was a copy of the will written in the court book and not the actual will. So, we all headed over to FamilySearch to look for the actual will.

Here are the steps to finding the will:

1. Go to familysearch.org
2. Go to "search" then "records"
3. Click on the U.S. on the map and then "Pennsylvania" on the list
4. Click "start researching in Pennsylvania"
5. Go to the last item, "Pennsylvania, Probate Records, 1683-1994"
6. Click on "browse through 3,200,560 images (this number could change)
7. Click on "Allegheny" to get to the correct county
8. Click on "Estate index 1788-1971 surname B, first names K-Z" since the surname "Brawdy" starts with "B" and "Martha" starts with "M"
9. Image 6 is a Russel Index which shows how to locate the person you are searching for

Russell Index image from familysearch

I'd never seen a Russell Index before & it took a little while for me to understand it. I got some help and I was finally able to understand. So, let me try to talk you through it.

We are in the file where all of the surnames start with "B". This particular page is showing you how to locate first names that start with "K", "L", or "M". We need "M" for Martha Jane.

You start with the surname, in this case Brawdy. After the initial letter, B, you mark off any letters that aren't on the key - L, M, N, R or T. In our case we only have the "R" left. (If you have more than two letters left, you still only use the first two.) We are looking for just "R" in the first column. Once you locate the correct letter(s) in the first column, you use the second column if the first name starts with a K or L & the second column if the first name starts with an M. Ours is M (Martha), so we need to look for section 1140.

Now you have to kind of jump around the various images to locate the section where pages are numbered 1140. I first went to image 400 which was record 1415, BUT the first names started with R. I have went way too far. Image 220 is labeled 2013. I need to keep going back. Image 160 is labeled 1143. I'm getting close! Image 140 is labeled 1141. So, I'm just going to page back from here. (By the way, if you 'jump' to an unnumbered page, just scroll forward or backward a page or two until you see a number.)

from FamilySearch

I found the first page of the 1140 series on image #124 of 818. (Under the 1140 you will see a 1 for the first page in the series.) On the first page of a series, you'll find a list of commonly seen names and the 'special' pages these are located on. "Brawdy" is actually listed on this page and it says you can find the "Brawdy" surname on 2017.

Now, we need to find 2017 the same way - kind of jumping around until we land on the correct series. Remember to watch the first names and make sure you don't get out of the names with the first name starting with an M! (I found the first page of 2017 on image #228 of 818.)

from FamilySearch

We find "Brawdy, Martha J" as the 5th person on this page. It lists her residence as "Birmingham" and her Personal Representative as "Wm C Moreland Exr". Lastly, it tells you were to find the proceedings index: Volume 12, page 220, block 1.

Our next step is to go back to the "Allegheny" probate records & look for the "Proceedings Index" volume 12. (The entire title is "Proceedings index 1788-1971 vol 11-12.) Remember, there are TWO volumes here so you need to be looking in the later half of the images! Once again we will 'jump around' until we find page 220. I found it on image #690 of 929.

And, we have found Martha J Brawdy as the first image! It lists her executor, Wm C Moreland. It lists three documents, including the will which is located in Will Book #15 on page #68. This is where we'll start for Part 2.