Good Deeds

I recently did a deep dive into ancestral deeds.

Whether gleaned evidence from a deed provides direct or indirect evidence for a particular research objective, deeds offer invaluable information and clues for genealogical research. Two recent finds regarding separate branches of my family tree provide good examples of the importance of deeds in tracing your lineage.

My paternal 4th great grandmother, Amelia Chancellor, was the aunt of William C. Oates, the 29th Governor of Alabama. William Chancellor, Amelia’s husband and my 4th great grandfather, and William C. Oates served together in the Civil War. As was the case with many soldiers, William Chancellor died of disease. Oates’ military career saw him rise to Colonel of the 15th Alabama, and he would lead his troop in the notorious Battle of Gettysburg at Little Round Top on 2 July 1863. Lt. John Oates, Oates’ younger brother, was fatally wounded during this infamous battle. Oates wrote of his brother’s service and death, William Chancellor’s service and death, and the service of the regiment’s other soldiers in his manuscript, The War Between the Union and the Confederacy and Its Lost Opportunities, With A History of the 15th Regiment and the Forty-Eight Battles In Which It Was Engaged.

I located a deed dated 14 January 1858 between William J. Chancellor and his wife, and Daniel Simmons. The deed was witnessed by John A. Oates, who was most likely William C. Oates’ brother. Not only did this detail give me chill bumps from head to toe because of its historical context, it provides sound reasoning why it is essential for genealogical researchers to look at every detail in a deed. Even if a party named on a deed does not have the same surname as the research subject, it is essential to make note of every individual named in a deed.

My maternal grandmother was a direct descendant of the Hatfields – our ancestors were cousins of the famous feuding Hatfields. Due to the multitude of Hatfield deed transactions in Wyoming County, West Virginia, researching this family’s deeds has been extremely helpful for my ancestral research. Jokingly, I often refer to the Hatfields as the West Virginia mafia, as their hands appear to have been in every corner of the region. The Bailey surname is often found in the Hatfield deeds associated with Baileysville, West Virginia, located in Wyoming County, leading me to investigate the town’s origins. Evidence indicates the Bailey ancestors did play an essential role in the town’s early formation. Continued research indicates my Hatfield and Lusk ancestors were descendants of these Baileys.

As is true with all genealogical work, research never ends – early research indicates the Baileys of Wyoming County, West Virginia, were descendants of Richard Bailey, a Revolutionary War soldier. But true to researcher nature, I will not be satisfied until I have conducted the research proving or disproving this theory.

The information a deed can provide is invaluable, and when combined with evidence obtained from additional sources, deeds can help solve genealogical puzzles. It is my honor to help others find those hidden gems in their family history.