You can see by my title I haven't exactly gotten far on this line. I have all of one person, in fact, my supposed paternal great-grandmother: Georgia Burnaman, Burnam, Burnham, Boernemann? or something similar. And that's IF my "mystery grandpa" Robert Bunyan Hall gave the correct names on his application for a marriage license to wed my grandma. The handwriting looks like "Burnamen," but it's hard to tell.
Grandpa Hall, internationalstate man of mystery.
Here's my research in a nutshell:
Numbers refer to ahnentafel (pedigree chart) numbering. The direct line is in bold.
1. Liz HALL MORGAN - me
2 & 3. Dad HALL & Mom STEVENSON
4. Robert Bunyan HALL. Born on 18 Mar (1877 or 1878?) near Richmond, VA? Or possibly in Newton, Baker Co., GA? Robert died in Sulphur, Calcasieu, LA, on 20 Nov 1952. Buried c. 22 Nov 1952 in Sulphur, Calcasieu, LA (Roselawn Cemetery). He married a Corrie or Connie or Carrie WILLIAMS and a Jessie [last name unknown] bef. Oct. 1918.
We have not been able to prove much about Robert's life before Oct. 1918 when he met Elia.
We have not been able to prove much about Robert's life before Oct. 1918 when he met Elia.
On 26 Oct 1918 in Carencro?, Lafayette Parish, LA, he married:
5. Elia LÉGÈRE. Born on 18 Sep 1889 in Ossun, Lafayette, LA. Elia died in Sulphur, Calcasieu, LA, on 18 Sep 1956. Buried in Sep 1956 in Sulphur, Calcasieu, LA (Roselawn Cemetery).
8. George Hall. Lived in VA? or b. c. 1843 and lived in GA (see below)?
Before about 1877-8, he married:
9. Georgia BURNAMAN? BURNAM? BURNHAM? etc. Lived in VA? Or could she be part of the George and Georgia Hall couple living in GA about whom I previously posted? This Georgia Hall was born in 1850 in SC, according to census records.
And IF the Georgia married to George in GA (yes, you read that right -- coincidence? Or was my grandpa making up names on the spot when he wrote "George" & "Georgia" on his marriage license application?) -- anyway, IF Georgia IS the correct mother of my Grandpa Hall, then could she be the Georgia BURNHAM b. c. 1848 in SC to William L. and Frances W. BURNHAM in Saluda Regiment, Abbeville District, South Carolina in the 1850 census? (Siblings listed are Mary E. & Hilliard L. Burnham.) I can't find this Georgia in subsequent censuses.
Note: Grandpa Robert (#4) always claimed to have been born near Richmond, VA. The only logical George & Georgia Hall with a son Robert in the 1880 census I've found is the couple mentioned above who lived in GA. But that doesn't mean they're the correct couple. Or even that he gave the correct names (he wasn't exactly forthcoming about his past).
Thanks for ANY help with this giant brick wall. I know I will probably have to do lots more digging on Grandpa and the HALLs to find "Georgia," but it was her turn in my Surname Saturday post series, so I thought I'd ask the geneasphere about any possible leads on her line.
8. George Hall. Lived in VA? or b. c. 1843 and lived in GA (see below)?
Before about 1877-8, he married:
9. Georgia BURNAMAN? BURNAM? BURNHAM? etc. Lived in VA? Or could she be part of the George and Georgia Hall couple living in GA about whom I previously posted? This Georgia Hall was born in 1850 in SC, according to census records.
And IF the Georgia married to George in GA (yes, you read that right -- coincidence? Or was my grandpa making up names on the spot when he wrote "George" & "Georgia" on his marriage license application?) -- anyway, IF Georgia IS the correct mother of my Grandpa Hall, then could she be the Georgia BURNHAM b. c. 1848 in SC to William L. and Frances W. BURNHAM in Saluda Regiment, Abbeville District, South Carolina in the 1850 census? (Siblings listed are Mary E. & Hilliard L. Burnham.) I can't find this Georgia in subsequent censuses.
Note: Grandpa Robert (#4) always claimed to have been born near Richmond, VA. The only logical George & Georgia Hall with a son Robert in the 1880 census I've found is the couple mentioned above who lived in GA. But that doesn't mean they're the correct couple. Or even that he gave the correct names (he wasn't exactly forthcoming about his past).
Thanks for ANY help with this giant brick wall. I know I will probably have to do lots more digging on Grandpa and the HALLs to find "Georgia," but it was her turn in my Surname Saturday post series, so I thought I'd ask the geneasphere about any possible leads on her line.
Questions, hints, leads, I've got the wrong couple/people? Please comment or e-mail me at hallroots ***at**** sbcglobal (dot) net. Thanks!
Copyright 2010 by Liz Hall Morgan
I truly need to find time to investigate our families. I so often find cities, names, and dates closely related to my own family research. I know I am going to find a link for us to declare ourselves "cousins" someday. 1850s-1870s my family lineage Dikes lived in Burnham, Texas (no longer exists) with an interesting history involving the railroad. Since many of those cities were named after surnames----maybe a clue---- ???
ReplyDeleteI suppose it could be possible, but I think VA or GA is more likely at this point. However, Grandpa Hall did live in SE TX about 1918 (where he met my grandma) and maybe for a few years prior to that. There are Burnamans in TX but none connect to mine yet that we can figure out.
ReplyDeleteLooking at the picture posted on here, the man looks very similar to my Uncle Nathan Burnaman...The features are quite similar. My uncle Nathan looked nothing like my dad or their older brother Robbie.....I am looking for information on the Burnaman family as my dad never shared much about his family before he passed in 1999
ReplyDeleteHi Ashley,
DeleteI know there are Burnamans in TX and LA, and I *think* their ancestry goes back to MS in the 1700s. (Google "Burnaman genealogy" for some info posted online.) I can't connect them to my grandfather Robert Hall as of yet, though. But please contact me via the e-mail address in the column to the right on this page under "About Me" & we can exchange info.
Thanks!
Liz