Friday, August 24, 2012

Elizabeth (?) Waller


Well, now that I am back into digging around my family tree, I discovered that a family photo may not be who we always thought it was.  There used to be two portraits hanging in the living room of my Grandpa & Grandma Vaughn's house.

Elizabeth Waller
Lindsey Gray
I was always fascinated by these two old tintypes even though they were 
dark and faded and the people looked a tad scary to me as a child.

The gentlemen's name was Lindsey J. Gray and the lady was his wife, Elizabeth Waller Gray. My grandmother noticed my fascination with those two portraits, and she knew how much I loved family history, so she told me that when I grew up, she would let me have them. Unfortunately, as things often happen when statements like that are made and deaths occur, things are given or taken by others that didn't know about the original promises.  It is all good though, because I was finally able to get copies of those two portraits, which is the reason that I can post them above. As long as the originals are cherished, protected, and do not end up in an antique store somewhere, I am happy.

Facts about Lindsey & Elizabeth:

Lindsey J. Gray was born about 1835 in Pittsylvania County, Virginia.
He was the son of Jeremiah & Elizabeth Gray. 
He was listed as a farmer in census records.

He married Elizabeth Waller on November 16, 1868.

Elizabeth was born about 1845 in Patrick County, Virginia.  
She was the daughter of Edmund Waller & Mary Ann McKinney. 
She is buried in the Dobyns Church Cemetery in Patrick County.

Lindsey and Elizabeth had seven children: 
John W., Edmond, Jeremiah, Mary Elizabeth, George, Casey, and Alexander.

Their daughter, Mary Elizabeth (b. October 24, 1874), was my great grandmother.  She died when I was four years old. I can remember her being at my grandparent's house, but I cannot remember too much about her, except that she was very nice to me. Mary Elizabeth was married to William Hardin Dollarhite on July 11, 1894.

Back to the mystery that I mentioned at the beginning of this post.  The whole family has always referred to her as Elizabeth Waller. This past week, I really started digging through census records, birth, marriage, and death records.  I CANNOT find an Elizabeth Waller. However, I CAN find Sallie Ann Waller. Sallie Ann is the same age as Elizabeth. She was married to Lindsey J. Gray. She died in the same year that Elizabeth supposedly did. She even had children by the same names!  Because of all of that, I have to think that the lady in the above portrait is actually Sallie. (Walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, its probably a duck!)  Oh, and I also found reference to a Sarah Ann married to Lindsay J. Gray that fits just like Sallie Ann does.  Sallie is a common nickname for Sarah, so that is not really surprising.

So, did we just have the name completely wrong since an Elizabeth does not appear anywhere? Was her real name Sarah?  Sallie?  Elizabeth? Sarah Elizabeth? Elizabeth Sarah? Why did my grandparents say that her name was Elizabeth?  There is some indication that this lady's MOTHER'S name was Elizabeth.  Is that where the confusion comes in?  This is still a mystery that I am working on.  My cousin, Jeff is checking with some other relatives to see what they know.

To be continued . . .

Copyright 2012--All Rights Reserved--The Wheel & Distaff by Kimberly Burnette-Dean.


19 comments:

  1. Interesting! The Sarah/Sally/Sallie names are common. Could be she was Sarah Elizabeth and used Sarah legally in the few documents where a woman's name would appear. Are there any land transfers that might help?

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    1. I have never seen "Elizabeth" in any of the documents so far. She is always mentioned as "Sallie Ann" or "Sarah Ann" I have not delved into land records yet, so I really do need to make a trip to Stuart!

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  2. Just found your blog. And am loving it. The fact that I both knit and am a librarian who often works with genealogical material probably contributes to this. Good luck with your name puzzle!

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    1. kniterly,
      I am glad that you are enjoying my blog!
      I work in a library too! :D

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  3. Awesome! I should have figured ;)

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  4. Sarah Ann (Sally Ann) Waller was my great great grandmother. I have been researching the Waller family for DAR purposes and have a copy of her death certificate which lists her name as Sarah A. married to Lindsay J. Gray. The census gives her name as Sally. I have not found Elizabeth on anything so far. I have been looking for a record of their marriage which I have not located thus far but am interested in seeing what name is listed there. This is very interesting and I will keep searching. Great blog. We are probably related! DH 11/6/2012 Oh and I am a retired asst. library director!

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    1. Hi! thank you so much for sharing! I have been pulling my hair out looking for an Elizabeth. I don't know where or why the family has always referred to her as Elizabeth unless they just got her daughter Mary Elizabeth, confused with her, but that would be odd also, especially considering that Mary Elizabeth lived with my mom's family when she was older. Ah, the craziness of genealogy!

      Which one of Lindsay and Sally Ann's children is your ancestor?

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  5. Here is a copy of a will of Nancy Gray b.1759, who was married to Jeremiah Gray- which names her granddaughter, Elizabeth Gray, in her will. This would not have been the wife of Lindsay Gray however but one of his relatives, I believe. Of course there could have been another Elizabeth but I thought this might have been the Eliz. Gray that MAY have been confused with Sarah Ann Waller Gray. Here is the will:

    Will of Nancy Gray
    Last Will and Testament Nancy Gray 22 April 1850
    My last will. I, Nancy Gray of the County of Pittsylvania and State of Virginia, do make and publish this my last Will and Testament, hereby revoking and making void all former wills by me at any time heretofore made: and first I direct that my body be decently interred in my old burying ground in the said County, according to the rights and ceremonies of thechurch of which I am now a member, and as to such worldly estate, as ithath pleased God to entrust me with, I dispose of the same as follows -First, I direct that all my debts and funeral expenses be paid as soonafter my decease as possible, out of the first moneys that shall come intothe hands of my executors, from any portion of my estate real or personal.
    Secondly, I give to my son John my tractof land and its improvements. I give to my grandaughter Elizabeth A.Gray (daughter of my son John), one bedstead, bed and furniture. Igive to my son William one dollar Va. currency. I give to my sonJeremiah one dollar Va. currency. I give to my daughter Calva one dollarVa. Currency. I give to my daughter Sarah one dollar Va. currency.I give to my son Aden one dollar Va. currency and all the residueof my estate that has not been disposed of by me in this my will. ......

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    1. I am working late tonight, but I hope to be able to sit down with this info and compare it to what I have this weekend. Thank you SO much for sharing your knowledge and research.

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  6. My great grandfather was Edmond J. Gray married to Caroline Frances Handy Gray and my grandmother was Addie Frances Gray, his daughter. They were from Patrick County Virginia.

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  7. Do you know what name is on Sarah Gray's tombstone? That is another place to look for a clue.

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    1. I'm not sure where she is buried. I am going to contact some of my cousins and see if they know.

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  8. I recently started digging into my family tree. As it turns out, my great, great grandfather's name was Lindsey. His son, Alexander Hamilton Gray married Sarah Elizabeth "Collins" Gray (they called her Betty. Their children's names were: Ira, Sallie, Georgia Belle, Roy and Ronald (I think I have that right). They are all from the Pittslvania/Patrick county of VA. Related?

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  9. I posted a comment a few days ago but it hasn't shown up yet. I believe that we are related. My Great Grandfather was Alexander Hamilton Gray and I am the grandson of his youngest, Ira. The land that the family lived on was partially in my mothers name until a few years ago. I found some other interesting information and apparently, my mother's cousin; also a grandchild of Lindsey is sharing his findings with me tonight.

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  10. Hi Chris, I'm sorry about your post not showing up. I have to review all posts before they appear on the blog because I was getting lots of spammy comments. Somehow, I overlooked the email with your first comment.

    I THINK that my great grandmother, Mary Elizabeth Gray (Married to William Harden Dollarhite) was the sister of your great grandfather Alexander Hamilton Gray.

    I am at work right now, so I do not have access to my family tree. I will look to see if I can locate your great grandfather in any of my information. I'm not sure if I have the info on the brothers and sisters or not, but I will check.

    Thank you so much for writing!

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  11. It's no worry at all. If it helps, Alexander's children were Roy, Raymond, Georgia Belle (called Georgie) and Drury (possibly Drewy) but called Ira his entire life. They lived on the farm in Irisburg VA, what I am told is the Land family property. Alexander married Levi Collins' daughter.

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  12. I THINK that I may also be kin to a Levi Collins through another family line! :) Now whether this is your Levi or not, I'm not sure.

    I will check to see what information I have this weekend.

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  13. I am trying to find out where Mary Ann Mckinny Waller died and is buried. You mentioned her earlier as one of your ancestors. She is one of my great grandmothers also. Any information on her or any clues would be greatly appreciated. Dianne

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    1. I am at work right now, but I will check my family tree information when I am at home and try to find out for you.

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