The Family Business

This week's prompt for #52Ancestors is Family Business. This is an interesting topic for some people. However, it is somewhat boring for my family, as they were mostly either farmers or coal miners. 

Here's my paternal line:

• Father: George Robert Martin. He was the first generation to leave the mines and worked in a factory for his entire life.
• Grandfather: George Michael Martin (1900-1973). COAL MINER. He was crippled in a mine accident and I don't remember him ever working as I grew up. 
• Great-grandfather: Michael Philip Martin (1876-1923) COAL MINER. Killed in a mining accident.
• Great-grandfather: Robert Halliday (1867-1933), COAL MINER. He was in the mines in County Durham, England at an early age and was involved in union activities in Iowa. 
• Great-great-grandfather: Frank Martin (1824-1905). COAL MINER and plasterer.
• Great-great-grandfather: Wenzil Kausilik (1854-1933), COAL MINER. 
• Great-great-grandfather: John Halliday (1838-after 1910). COAL MINER.
• Great-great-grandfather: Alexander Clark (1834-1912), COAL MINER.
• 3rd great-grandfather: John Halliday (1816-1843) COAL MINER. Died in Coal mining accident. "Fell out of the loop while about to descend the staple."
• 3rd great-grandfather: John Hutchinson (1829-1874) COAL MINER. Found dead at bottom of shaft. Accused of throwing himself down the shaft. 
• 4th great-grandfather: John Halliday (1781-1854) COAL MINER but died of "natural decay."

Here's my maternal line:

• Grandfather: Anthony Martinek/Butzek (1907-1943) COAL MINER. Killed in mining accident.
• Great-grandfather: Anton Martinek (1875-?) COAL MINER.
• Great-grandfather: George Elmus Edwards (1880-1923) FARMER.
• Great-Great-grandfather: Hugh Richard Edwards (1856-1928) FARMER.
• Great-great-grandfather: Josiah Pogue (1848-1900) FARMER.
• 3rd Great-grandfather: Hugh H. Edwards (1821-1907) FARMER.
• 3rd Great-grandfather: John Rains (1832-1917). FARMER.
• 3rd Great-grandfather: Benagie McClerran (1831-1899) FARMER.
• 4th Great-grandfather: Hugh H. Edwards (1795-1834) FARMER. 
• 4th Great-grandfather: John Rains (1800-1854) FARMER.
• 4th Great-grandfather: Moses Armes (1787-1862) FARMER. 
• 4th Great-grandfather: Richard Hilton (1776-1865). FARMER.

Writing out the above ancestors and their occupations brought home the fact that the coal miners were mainly on my Paternal side and that ALL the coal miners were immigrants from Eastern Europe, England, and Scotland. The farmers on my mother's side were all from families that have been in the United States since the 1700s (or before). 

Musical Husbands - or how the Edwards girls married each other's husbands!

My 3rd great grandfather was HUGH H. EDWARDS. He was born in Kentucky in 1821 and married in Simpson County KY 1848-1849 to MARY HILTON and they are listed in the 1850 Simpson County Kentucky census with their first child, M.J. Edwards, 3 months old. Hugh and Mary moved to Williamson County, Illinois sometime between 1851 and 1856.

Hugh and Mary had 8 children, 5 of whom were daughters. The daughter marital trails proved to be quite interesting, complex and confusing, partially because they married each other's husbands! Below is what I think is the tale of their marriages.

1. Mary Jane Edwards, Born June 1850 in Simpson County, Kentucky. Mary Jane married Rufus Parker, 8 April 1866 in Williamson County, IL. Mary Jane Parker died 2 October 1907 thus freeing up her husband Rufus to marry her sister Jemima.

2. Jemima Edwards, Born December 1851 in Simpson County Kentucky. Jemima married (I believe) 1st: David Winton Dunn , 5 June 1879 in Williamson County, Illinois. I believe they were divorced before 1899 (Dr. Dunn went on to marry once or twice more). 2nd: James Davenport, 20 June 1899 in Williamson County, Il. (Husband of deceased Louisa A. Edwards) 3rd: 1908 Rufus B Parker (husband of the deceased Mary Jane Edwards.)

3. Louisa A. Edwards. Born 1859 in Williamson County, Illinois. Louisa married 1st: James Oliver Williams 16 August 1879 in Williamson County, Illinois. 2nd: James Davenport, 24 December 1888 in Williamson County, IL. Louisa appears to have died before 1899 thus freeing her husband James up to marry her sister Jemima.

4. America Elvira Edwards. Born 1861 in Williamson County, IL. Elvira married Samuel Minter Beasley 25 February 1863 in Williamson County, Illinois. She died June 1917. She appears to have only had one husband and he appears to have married only the one sister. (See below for Henry Scott Edwards.)

5. Lucy Margaret Edwards, Born June 1872 in Williamson County, Illinois. Margaret married Robert Summers 25 October 1893 in Williamson County, IL. She died 14 November 1930 with only one marriage.

Lest you think the boys didn't have some interesting marriages....

1. Richard Edwards, b. May 1856 in Williamson County, Il. Married Martha S. Rains, 6 June 1875 Williamson Co. IL. She was the daughter of John Rains and Elizabeth Armes.

2. Sylvester Edwards, B. 18 March 1861 in Williamson Co. IL. Married Sarah F. Rains, about 1886 in Williamson Co. IL. She was the daughter of John Rains and Elizabeth Armes and the sister of Richard's wife. Sylvester later married someone named Mandy Edwards. Unsure who she was (apparently married previously to a Mr. Rogers.)

3. Henry Scott Edwards, B. March 1870 in Williamson Co. IL. Married Nora Beasley 4 April 1894 in Williamson Co. IL. I believe that Nora was the daughter of Wilburn Beasley, who was the brother to the above Samuel Beasley who married Elvira Edwards.

It would be interesting to understand why all these family intermarriages occurred. Apparently this was a close knit group to say the least.