Robert and Lucinda L. Kirkman

Robert Kirkman was born about 1804 in Randolph County, North Carolina. I believe I know who his parents are, but I am still working on getting more solid evidence.

He married Lucinda Lane on 12 May 1830 in Randolph County, North Carolina. Together, they had at least eight children:

• Mary Kirkman, born about 1836
• Rebecca Kirkman, born about 1836
• Tabitha Kirkman, born about 1838
• Nancy Kirkman, born about 1840
• Isabel C Kirkman, born 21 April 1844
• John W Kirkman, born about 1847
• William Alfred Kirkman, born 18 November 1850
• James Monroe Kirkman, born 17 August 1855

Robert was a farmer, as most of the people in Randolph County were. One thing I found interesting when looking at his census records was the value of his real estate. For most people, real estate values rise over the years even with the divisions amongst sons, except of course for the years immediately after the Civil War.

In Robert's case, however, he went from $1216 in real estate in 1850 to $1200 in 1860. Personal estate values were not recorded until 1860 though, and his personal estate was listed at $3700. In 1870, after the Civil War, Robert's real estate stands still at $1200. Only his personal estate was affected it seems having dropped from $3700 to $800 in 1870.

Clipping from 1870 census of Robert Kirkman's household

Robert's ability to maintain his real estate values post-War is not the only thing fairly unique about him. Randolph County, being comprised mostly of poor farmers with no standing or position, was not a place where slavery was common. Robert is listed in the 1840 census as having a male and a female slave both aged 10-23. His neighbor in 1840 (and his suspected father) Thomas Kirkman has the most in the area at 12. 

Clippings from 1840 census of Robert and Thomas Kirkman's slaves

As anyone who has researched slave ancestors knows, it is difficult to place names to the tick marks in census records or to the genders and ages listed in slave schedules, but it is something I strive to do whenever I find families that had slaves. More investigation will be required to find out who these men and women may be and how long the family kept slaves, but it is an investigation I think worth undertaking. Hopefully I can post my findings in a future post.

Robert and Lucinda are supposedly buried at Bethany United Methodist Church Cemetery in Franklinville, Randolph County, North Carolina. I have not yet found proof of the date of Robert's death, but his Find-A-Grave page lists his date of death as 5 May 1882. There is no photo shown to corroborate this date, and I have taken photos myself at the cemetery a couple of times, but I have no photo of their tombstones in my personal collection either. Either their graves are unmarked or I somehow missed them the last time I was there. Until someone posts one or until I can make it back to the cemetery myself, the search for a tombstone continues.

Sources:

• 1840 Randolph County, North Carolina U.S. Federal Census (accessed on Ancestry)
• 1850 Randolph County, North Carolina U.S. Federal Census (accessed on Ancestry)
• 1860 Sandy Creek, Randolph County, North Carolina U.S. Federal Census (accessed on Ancestry)
• 1870 Liberty, Randolph County, North Carolina U.S. Federal Census (accessed on Ancestry)
• 1880 Liberty, Randolph County, North Carolina U.S. Federal Census (accessed on Ancestry)
• Find-A-Grave memorial #149695684
• North Carolina Death Certificate, Isabel C Kivett (accessed on Ancestry)
• North Carolina Death Certificate, James Monroe Kirkman (accessed on Ancestry)
• North Carolina Death Certificate, William Alfred Kirkman (accessed on Ancestry)
• North Carolina County Marriage Registers, Randolph County (accessed on Ancestry)

Rebecca C Kirkman

I was originally going to post this week about David Harris Foust, my husband's second great-grandfather. Then, after looking into him, I found his wife, Rebecca C. Kirkman, to be a much more fascinating individual.

Rebecca Kirkman was born 10 February 1845 to William Kirkman and Mary (last name unknown). At about 15 years old, on 10 November 1861, she had her first child, Martitia Lee Ward. Martitia's father is assumed to be Zeno Ward. Zeno may not have known Rebecca was even pregnant when he enlisted with his brother, Minus, in the 22nd North Carolina Infantry, a part of the Confederate States Army, on 18 June 1861.

Taken from Service Records

He originally enlisted for 12 months, but he ended up staying until October 1864.

Zeno had an eventful experience in the War. Less than six months after enlisting, he catches pneumonia and is hospitalized. He was shot in May 1863 to the point of needing surgery at the hospital in Richmond, Virginia. He was later wounded again and captured at Gettysburg. After Gettysburg and his time as a POW, it seems he was furloughed. But then, in May 1864, he was listed as being absent without leave.

Taken from Service Records

I almost got mad at Zeno at this point. His brother, Minus, seemed to be absent a lot from the War, but Zeno stuck around even with everything he had been through. As a soldier who had experienced so much, it seemed like now he was simply running away from the War. But, instead, I found he was doing something much more honorable.

On 8 May 1864, he married Rebecca back home in Randolph County, North Carolina.

Maybe Minus had found out about his child while he was absent from the War, and maybe somehow he got the word to Zeno. In any case, I find Zeno's actions very honorable. I like him very much!

In 1870, he is seen living down the road from his parents in Sandy Creek in Liberty, Randolph County, North Carolina with Rebecca, Martitia, and another child, Alfred T. (Alfred was born in 1865. I have a feeling he was a honeymoon baby.)

Clipping from 1870 census

Then, in 1872, Zeno died. I haven't found any information yet on the cause of death, but I find it sad that this man lived through so much and still died at 32 years old.

Rebecca seems to have not wasted any time though in finding another man to support her and her children. While I don't know who she married (if she married) after Zeno, she had two more children in the mid-1870's. They appear in the 1880 census carrying the last name Ward.

Clipping from 1880 census

Also listed in the household in 1880 is a man named D H Foust. This is the same David Harris Foust I initially wanted to feature. David and Rebecca married in 1880 apparently after the census was enumerated.

Clipping from 1880 census

According to the 1930 census, David may have been married once before Rebecca, but I have not found the name of that potential spouse.

Clipping from 1930 census showing David's age at first marriage being 16

In the 1900 and 1910 censuses, it has a column that lists the number of children each woman has had and how many of them are still living. Each of those censuses states she has had eight children. In 1900, six of them are still living, but only five of them are living in 1910.

Clipping from 1900 census

I know of seven children born to Rebecca before 1900, so I seem to be missing one. I also don't know when most of her children died. Here's what I know:

Children of Zeno and Rebecca:

• Martitia Lee Ward, b. 1861, d. 1931
• Alfred T Ward, b. 1865
• Ella C Ward, b. 1869

Children of Unknown and Rebecca:

• Mary J Ward, b. 1874
• Martha C Ward, b. 1876

Children of David and Rebecca:

• John W Foust, b. 1883
• Maud Elsie Foust, b. 1886, d. 1973

Rebecca, David, and Zeno are all buried at Grays Chapel United Methodist Church Cemetery.

David H. and Rebecca C. Foust
Copyright Brittany Jenkins, 2011

Sources:

• 1870 Sandy Creek, Liberty, Randolph County, North Carolina U.S. Federal Census (accessed on Ancestry)
• 1880 New Salem, Randolph County, North Carolina U.S. Federal Census (accessed on Ancestry)
• 1900 East Franklinville, Randolph County, North Carolina U.S. Federal Census (accessed on Ancestry)
• 1910 East Franklinville, Randolph County, North Carolina U.S. Federal Census (accessed on Ancestry)
• 1930 Franklinville, Randolph County, North Carolina U.S. Federal Census (accessed on Ancestry)
• Compiled Service Records of Confederate Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the State of North Carolina (accessed on Fold3)
• Tombstone, David H. and Rebecca C. Foust (photo taken Christmas 2011)
• Tombstone, Zeno Ward (photo taken Christmas 2011)