Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Technical Difficulties

Hey all! Sorry about the delay again! I was having extremely frustrating technical difficulties yesterday with our WiFi (not the first time) and we are switching back to the old tried and true hardwire system today. This requires me to exchange my new computer (no LAN port) so it may be a couple of days before I have everything set up ready to post again. Just thought I would give you a heads up

Saturday, December 27, 2014

Search for the Father of Cansada Vanatta


Cagada (Canzada, Cancada, Canzaday, Cansada, Kansada) C Vanatta (VanNatta, Vanatti) Duke Murphy is the topic of today.  My link to her is that she is my husband's 2nd great grandmother.  She was married to James Monroe Duke.  The names in parenthesis are the different spellings I have found of her name.  Her father's name is currently unknown.  I did find a member who had a person listed for her father on Ancestry.com as John Jake Jehu VanNatta, however through Census data I find this highly unlikely.  There information is also unsourced.  John Jake Jehu VanNatta was married to Dorcus not Tabitha and appears in the 1850 Census in the same county with Dorcus and they have many children none of which were Cansada.  I do see where John Jake Jehu VanNatta did in a later Census have a Consada but her age is way off and my Cansada is already married and appears on Census with her husband by that Census.  So I see where they got the name, however in my opinion they are wrong.  The earliest Census I found with Cansada on it is the 1850 Census.  Information pasted below:

 

Name:
Cangada C Vanatta
Age:
0
Birth Year:
abt 1850
Birthplace:
Tennessee
Home in 1850:
District 13, DeKalb, Tennessee
Gender:
Female
Family Number:
123
Household Members:

 


 

So who is her father?  We can tell that her mother had to have been married to our mystery Vanatta, because she also has the last name.  They had to have been together at some point in the last year to year and a half because Cansada isn't even a year old yet in this Census.  The 1900 Census she reports she was born in October of 1849.  So she would have been conceived around February of 1849.  My first thought is that he may have passed away before this Census, and that is why Tabitha moved back in with her parents.  He had to have been alive around February 1849 though.  So I am going to search for all VanNatta males who died After February 1849 but before 1851 since I don't know what month the Census was taken in.  This may give me some possible fathers to do some research on.

Documented Deaths (I prefer documentation):

In Dekalb County, Tennessee: 0 results

In Dekalb County, and adjacent counties: 0 results

In Tennessee: 0 results

In Tennessee and adjacent States:

Name:
W R Vanatta
Origin State:
Illinois
Cemetery:
Marietta National Cemetery
Burial Location:
Marietta, Georgia, United States
Section:
A
Suggested Photos:

 


No date listed but if he was away for military purposes that would explain her living with her and her mother living with her grandparents.  This particular cemetery is associated with POWs.

Name:
W R Vanatta
Death Date:
5 Jun 1864
Cemetery:
Marietta National Cemetery
Burial or Cremation Place:
Marietta, Cobb County, Georgia, USA
Has Bio?:
N
URL:

 


Birth: 
unknown
Death: 
Jun. 5, 1864
Burial:
Marietta
Cobb County
Georgia, USA
Plot: A, 670
 
 
Imported from: US Veteran's Affairs
Record added: Mar 04, 2000
Find A Grave Memorial# 3957968
 

 


 

There are no family trees on Ancestry.com that claim him.  This is sad.  That he was only listed with initials and therefor no one knows exactly who he is.  No birthdate or anything listed to help.  If he was a son of the Samuel Vannatta family who mostly died of cholera…he may not have been missed :'( Sad for this to happen to any veteran. I'm wondering if maybe Tabitha was living with her parents because he was off to war and she waited and waited and waited until finally she remarried in 1858 because she thought he was already gone.  I don't think POWs got to write letters in those days.  This is definitely a possible.  The only doubt I have is that it says he originated from Illinois, therefor this is not a Highly Possible, only a possible.

 

 

In the United States:

Surname:
Gilbert Vanatta
Year:
1850
County:
Tippecanoe CO..
State:
IN
Age:
76
Gender:
M (Male)
Month of Death:
Sep
State of Birth:
NJ
ID#:
197_338418
Occupation:
TAILOR
Cause of Death:
CHRONIC

 


 

I think maybe he was a bit to old to be 21yr old Tabitha's husband.

Name:
Gilbert Vannatta
Birth Date:
1772
Birth Place:
Somerset County, New Jersey, USA
Death Date:
12 Sep 1849
Death Place:
Tippecanoe County, Indiana, USA
Cemetery:
Armstrong Chapel Cemetery
Burial or Cremation Place:
Green Hill, Warren County, Indiana, USA
Has Bio?:
Y
Spouse:
URL:

 


 

As you can see he was married to a Racheal and the location would be wrong.  So I am crossing him off of the list and will not do any further research on him.

 

Surname:
Daniel Vanatta
Year:
1850
County:
Bureau CO.
State:
IL
Age:
46
Gender:
M (Male)
Month of Death:
Jul
State of Birth:
NJ
ID#:
197_338415
Occupation:
FARMER
Cause of Death:
CHOLERA

 


 

Still twice her age, more likely than above though.  What would he be doing in IL though?  In this case?

Public Member Tree 2 attached records, 2 sources  
 
Name: 
Daniel Vannatta
Birth: 
11/17/1806 (17 Nov 1806) - Hunterdon, United States
Death: 
7/10/1849 (7 Oct 1849) - Princeton, Bureau, Illinois, United States
Marriage: 
8/1/1830 (8 Jan 1830) - German Valley, Morris, New Jersey, United States
Spouse: 
Catharine Ann Wise

 


 

These people have his spouse as Catharine Ann Wise.  Highly unlikely this is Cansada's father.  Crossing him off of the list.

 

Surname:
Asa H. Vanatta
Year:
1850
County:
Warren CO.
State:
NJ
Age:
19
Gender:
M (Male)
Month of Death:
Oct
State of Birth:
NJ
ID#:
42_5674
Occupation:
LABORER
Cause of Death:
DYSENTERY

 


 

The age on this one is similar (Tabitha her Mother was 21 in 1850).  What would he be doing in New Jersey though?  Still do to the age and time of death I am highlighting this one for further research.

Public Member Tree 3 attached records, 3 sources  
 
Name: 
Asa H Vanatta
Birth: 
1830
Death: 
04 Oct 1849 (4 Oct 1849) - Hope, Warren, New Jersey
Parents: 
Isaac C Vanatta, Rebecca Poyer

 


 

None of the 9 family trees on ancestry.com say he has a spouse.  He was around the right age so this one is still a possible.  It appears he died the same month Cansada was born.  Maybe they were separated for some reason or maybe Tabitha lived in New Jersey and moved back to her parents' home in Tennessee following Asa's death.  It would be a long distance to travel but still possible.  Still because of the NJ thing I am not counting it as Highly Possible only possible.

 

None of the other records list dates.

 

I am going to check ancestry.com member trees to see if there are any other VanNatta's that died during this time period.  Someone may have a bible record or something and not everyone was buried in a public cemetery those days.

Died in Dekalb County: 104 results (many are duplicates though, no worries)

Member Tree
Name
Parents
Public Member Tree
1 source  
Samuel Vanatta
Birth:  1788 - Lincoln, United States
Death:  1850 - Alexandria, De Kalb, Tennessee, United States
Marriage:  24 Dec 1811 - Smith, Tennessee, United States
Spouse:  Hannah Glover
F: 
Peter Simeon Vannatta
 
M: 
Ruth Fulton

 


 

This is probably not it! He was 62 in 1850 and was married to Hannah glover.  Spouse information is accurate, I came across their 1850 census before my research was more organized.

 

Public Member Tree
1 source  
Daniel O Vanatta
Birth:  1834 - Smith, United States
Death:  31 May 1851 - De Kalb, Tennessee, United States
 
F: 
Samuel Vanatta
 
M: 
Hannah Glover

 


 

I included this one even though he is on the 1850 Census with his parents because many of these family members died within the same year it appears.  I ran across information somewhere that said there was a Cholera outbreak in the county around this time period.  It would be feasible then, that Tabitha (her mother) moved them back to her parents' home for health or safety reasons.  1850-1834=16 He would be of age for a male to marry or reproduce.  It is a stretch but I am highlighting him for further research.

 

Public Member Tree 1 source  
 
Name: 
Daniel O Vanatta
Birth: 
1834 - Smith, United States
Death: 
31 May 1851 - De Kalb, Tennessee, United States
Parents: 
Samuel Vanatta, Hannah Glover

 


 

 

None of the 8 public member family trees on ancestry.com lists him as having a spouse so this one is possible.  He seems rather young though so I am only listing him as possible not Highly possible.

 

That is all that passed away after Cansada would have been conceived and before or around the time of the 1850 census. 

 

Since I still don't have any highly possible matches, I am going to look up what Vanatta families lived in Dekalb County Tennessee for the 1850 Census.  I will then look up the head of the household's family tree.  I would usually look up the prior Census but in this case the 1840 census does not list any names except the head of the household.  There is only a count of family members that fit into specific age groups and genders.  So I have to rely on other member trees to check any family members that may have not been accounted for on the 1850 Census.

 

1850 Census for Dekalb, Tennessee: Surname Vanatta (other than Tabitha and Cansada): 3 families.  I am thinking Tabitha married someone from one of these 3 families.

Name:
Samuel Vannatta
Age:
62
Birth Year:
abt 1788
Birthplace:
North Carolina
Home in 1850:
District 1, DeKalb, Tennessee
Gender:
Male
Family Number:
71
Household Members:
Name
Age
62 (1788)
57 (1793)
20 (1830)
18 (1832)
16 (1834)
14 (1836)

 


There are 93 Member trees that have Samuel and Hannah as family members.

Males, including those not listed in this Census:

  • John Vanatta b1817 NC d1885 IL (I don't see why there would be multiple Johns in 1 family, wouldn't that get confusing for everyone in the family?)- No spouse listed.  1850-1817=33 in 1850.  Not a possible unless the separated and divorced.
  • John Jake Jehu Vanatta b1817 TN d 1900 TN, Spouse Dorcus Sandlin. No.  Listed in 1850 with Dorcus and many children. I think this is the same one as listed above.  I really don't think this particular tree is correct it lists too may  Johns.)
  • William Vanatta b1820 Kansas? d 1849 (no source) no spouse listed x37. 1850-1820=30 in 1850.  Highly Possible! In "Deep Southern Roots with many Tangled Branches" no spouse listed but says he has 2 children Demericus- D Franatta - Vanatta - Vannatta and Mc Adoo Franatta -Vanatta-Vannatta b1815 spouse Nancy Jenkins x1 with same 2 children as mentioned previously no sources
  • James Vanatta b1830 d? spouse? 20 in 1850 Highly possible! Maybe not other tree lists Caroline Malicy as spouse not sourced no birth date either looks like there are a lot of question marks on this tree though. (no spouse listed x19) James "Jumps" Vanatta sourced spouse Carolina GARRISON x5 (I wonder if this might be Tabitha's middle name or if Tabitha is Carolina's middle name? first child on their list was born 1853 and soured marriage is in 1851 in Tennessee sourced tree Flair/Ballentine no parents listed for Carolina)
  • Daniel O Vannatta b 1833 Kansas? D1851 TN (listed different on public tree) 16 in 1850 possible but young so doubtful. (No spouse listed x21)
  • McAdoo (Meade?) Vanatta b 1833 TN d1886 TN Spouse listed as Sarah Measler w/source.  Not possible then.
  • John Vanatta b 1836 d? Spouse? Only 14 in 1850 so not possible.
  • Lemuel Vanatta - "Vannatta" list Tabitha Garrison and Canzada b1823 in Dekalb 1850-1823=27 I wonder where Lemuel came from?  I wonder why this didn't pop up when I searched for Tabitha or Cansada. No sources listed by Deep Southern Roots with many Tangled Branches.
  • Samuel Vannatta b 1820 d abt 1849 (fits) no spouse listed x14.  (Could this be the Lemuel listed above?) 1850-1820=30 in 1850 Highly Possible! No sources listed!  No birth listed spouse listed as Cynthia M. Hickman x2 but lists Jehu, James, John, Tabitha J and William as well as Caldonia as children No birthdates listed for children Not sourced…seems backwards to me. IDK. Alternate birth year 1810.  Saw where someone sourced 1820 though.

I think it's safe to say that James Vanatta married Carolina Garrison.  It is a theme in this family to for a group of siblings to marry another group siblings from another family so this fits.  Vannatta siblings marrying Garrison Siblings.  When looking up Williams proposed children I did see them in a Census with the proposed wife.  I think someone may have made a typo for Lemuel (it is the only Lemuel listed) I think this is really Samuel.  They listed Tabitha and Cansada as his spouse and children.  Samuel's proposed spouse and children looks as though Jr. and Sr. may have gotten confused and got Tabitha confused and listed in the children's section.  I really do think Samuel is the correct father.  I am going to go with this. 

 

Here are the other Vannatta families of the area and time, should anyone be interested.

 

Name:
John Vannatta
Age:
45
Birth Year:
abt 1805
Birthplace:
Tennessee
Home in 1850:
District 7, DeKalb, Tennessee
Gender:
Male
Family Number:
586
Household Members:

 


 

 

Name:
John Vannatta
Age:
32
Birth Year:
abt 1818
Birthplace:
Tennessee
Home in 1850:
District 1, DeKalb, Tennessee
Gender:
Male
Family Number:
73
Household Members:

 


 

I am satisfied with Samuel Vanatta Jr as the father for Cansada.  It is late and I am tired now.  Good night all!  Hope this helps anyone else researching the Vanatta family.