Those Nasty Brick Walls

 This week's #52 Ancestors Prompt is Brick Walls

I have a number of brick walls in my research, but the majority of them are of my own making. For the most part, I haven't taken the time to review my current information, looking for clues. I haven't sat down and developed a research plan for proceeding. And I haven't taken the time to do everything one needs to undertake reasonably exhaustive research. So, the brick wall below might just be a few stumbling blocks and not an actual wall!

THE HILTON FAMILY

My 3rd great-grandmother was a woman named Mary Hilton. I believe she was born in 1825 in Tennessee, married about 1848 to Hugh H Edwards in Simpson County, Kentucky, and probably died 10 August 1894 in Williamson County, Illinois. The only evidence I have for any of that is a tombstone and a couple of census records. I believe her father is Richard C. Hilton -- but again there is no real proof of that other than the fact he was in Simpson County and moved to Williamson and it seemed to be common knowledge in Williamson County. 

Richard was born between 1781-1790 in either North Carolina or Virginia. The location varies on the census records, which is all I have for him now. I have no clue who is father is. A Moore Hylton seems to appear in the same area as this Hilton family -- he may be related. And one tree has his father as Andrew Hilton, who was married in Frederick County, Maryland. I don't believe that one but it's still worth noting. Richard's wife is Mary, born either in North Carolina or Virginia. And that's it!! 

As I was writing this, I realized right away that I need to examine a number of things. 

• I'd start by reviewing the census records and building a better list of neighbors.
• Probate records and land records in Simpson County, Kentucky and Williamson County. Illinois would be a good next step.
• I'd likely expand that search to Robertson County, Tennessee (which is across the way from Simpson) and 
• Saline County, Illinois, where Richard seems to have lived in 1865. 
• I know a bit about Williamson and Simpson counties, which helps, but many Simpson County records were destroyed in a fire in 1882.  
• DNA might help so I need to look a bit closer at some of those matches. 
• FamilySearch Full Text Search would also be a good place to dig in to see what I might find. 
• Cluster research might also provide some answers

These are just a few things off the top of my head. So is this really a brick wall? It might turn out to be. I might work through my research plan and still not have an answer, partly because my research is currently limited to online resources. But when I've worked the plan, I will have confidence in my answer - or lack thereof.