Sunday, March 20, 2011

Fearless Females - Brick Wall

March 20 — Is there a female ancestor who is your brick wall? Why? List possible sources for finding more information.

As I mentioned in my Lunch edition of Fearless Females, India McQueen is my brick wall female ancestor.  She was born in1886 in Louisiana, and died 31 Jul 1912, location not known to me.  She married Oscar Holt Williams in 1902 in Louisiana and had two sons, Omar Holt Williams and Dallas Williams. There's great confusion around her family at that time, and almost no documentation of any sort, just an entry in a Bible for which I was able to locate a transcription online.  Here's a portion of the transcript, which is pretty long in its entirety:


Howell Kirke Williams born 24 November, 1872 died 18 Feb. 1960 (married
 Clara Perkins) Williams
Oscar Holt Williams born 15 April 1875, married India McQueen Williams.
 She died July 31, 1912 Havel
Willie Edwin Williams born 6 October 1877, died 2 April 1878. d.y.
Claudie Williams born 7 August 1880 died October 21, 1942 married Beverley
 Walter Reames, born 1880 (He married 2d. Nannie Redmond, no ch.)
I have found Oscar and India in the 1910 Census:

Name: Oscar Williams
Birthplace: Louisiana
Relationship to Head of Household: Self
Residence: Police Jury Ward 6, Tangipahoa, Louisiana
Marital Status: Married
Race : White
Gender: Male
Immigration Year:
Father's Birthplace: Louisiana
Mother's Birthplace: Louisiana
Family Number: 219
Page Number: 12
 HouseholdGenderAge
  Oscar Williams M 34y
Spouse India Williams F 33y
Child Omer Williams M 6y
Child Dalas Williams M 3y
William T Smith M 26y
Frances Smith F 16y


"Omer" should be Omar Holt Williams, my maternal grandfather, and "Dalas"should be Dallas.  I have no idea who the Smiths are.  


The problem is, I can't find India in any census with her "parents" John and Mary Ellen McQueen.  I've heard it speculated that she may have been an adopted child, but she should still show up on census pages.  I can't find a birth record for India, either.

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