Reuben B. Fanning

My husband's Virginia and Missouri family connections are extensive. Most of his family that ended up in each of those states originated mostly in North Carolina, and even more specifically, mostly in Randolph County. The families I've decided to highlight today are a few generations removed from their North Carolina origins though.

Reuben B. Fanning was born in Virginia around 1804. First cousin, once removed of the David Fanning that ransacked both Randolph and Guilford County, North Carolina during the American Revolutionary War just a generation before.

Reuben married his first cousin, Martha Lineberry, on 4 May 1828 in Giles County, Virginia. She was born in Grayson County, Virginia around 1812. Reuben's father was Martha's mother's sibling. Together, Reuben and Martha had at least the following children:

• Jacob Fanning, born 1829
• Mary Ellen Fanning, born 1831
• Martha Jane Fanning, born 1838

In 1830, Reuben and Martha are living in Wythe County, Virginia.

Clipping from 1830 Census showing Reuben, his wife, their son, and another male adolescent

There seems to be an extra male child, between age 10 and 14, living with them. I am unsure who this could be. It is possibly a younger sibling or nephew, but I can't be sure. The child is too old to be their natural child, so I can safely rule that possibility out.

In 1840, the family is seen living in Lee County, Virginia.

Clipping from 1840 Census showing Reuben, his wife, and their three children.

Martha died sometime after this census, presumably around 1844. If that's the case, her widower didn't seem to wait long after her death to find another woman to help him raise his children. Reuben married Mary S. Owens on 7 April 1844 in Linn County, Missouri.

Excerpt from Linn County, Missouri Marriage Records

Whether they were living in Missouri when they got married or they moved there after they got married is unclear, but by 1850, the family is shown living in Sullivan County, Missouri. 

I know very little about Reuben's second wife. I do know that Mary was born in North Carolina according to the 1850 census. Reuben and Mary had at least the following children together:

• Rebecca Fanning, born 1846
• Reuben Fanning, born 1849
• David Fanning, born 1850
• John Fanning, born 1852

Mary is still living with her children in Missouri in 1860 after Reuben dies around the birth of their youngest child, John. I am unsure when or where Mary died.

Sources:

• 1830 Wythe County, Virginia U.S. Federal Census (accessed on Ancestry)
• 1840 Lee County, Virginia U.S. Federal Census (accessed on Ancestry)
• 1850 Sullivan County, Missouri U.S. Federal Census (accessed on Ancestry)
• 1860 Owasco, Sullivan County, Missouri U.S. Federal Census (accessed on Ancestry)
• Linn County, Missouri Marriage Records (accessed on Ancestry)

Alexander A. Cameron and Sarah Louetta Cameron

Sarah Louetta Lineberry was born 11 September 1863 in Locust Grove, Randolph County, North Carolina. She was the sixth of eight children born to William Hanner Lineberry and Sarah A Duskin. I first learned of Louetta in "The Lineberry Family of Randolph County, NC, 1725-1991," a small family history compiled by Leo & Aline Lineberry, Glenn Lineberry, and Louise Wagoner.

They mention Louetta simply as being a child of William Hanner and Sarah Lineberry, that she married a man named Alex Cameron, and that she lived in Carroll County, Missouri.

Excerpt from "The Lineberry Family of Randolph County"
Book provided by Angie Jenkins

Vague clues like that tend to drive me to try to learn more about people. I decided to find her and her family in Missouri. I found her and her family rather easily.

Alexander A. Cameron and Sarah Louetta Lineberry were married 26 February 1880 in Wood, Carroll County, Missouri.

Alexander was born 18 April 1858 in Livingston County, Missouri to Joshua Freeman Cameron and Hannah Ann Silvey. According to the 1870 census, Joshua Cameron seems to be a rather successful farmer, especially in light of the time. The value of his real estate is listed as being $12,050.

Clipping from 1870 Grand River, Missouri Census.

As you can see, Joshua is listed as being from Nova Scotia, Canada. I attempted to figure out when he immigrated to America, but I was unsuccessful. According to the births of his children, it was at least by 1854. I am very curious how a farmer in Missouri managed to keep such a large amount of his property intact throughout the Civil War. More investigations into this family are needed for sure.

But enough about Joshua. Let's get back to Alexander and Louetta... Alex and Louetta had four children together.

• Roy Robert Cameron, b. 27 February 1881
• William Franklin Cameron , b. 15 December 1882
• Charles Clay Cameron, b. 5 March 1887
• Minnie Pearl Cameron, b. 3 September 1889

Minnie died at the age of 5. Her cause of death is currently unknown.

L to R: Charles Clay Cameron, Alexander A Cameron, Robert Roy Cameron, Sarah Louetta Cameron, William Franklin Cameron
Photo from Unknown Source. Please let me know if you know where this originated!

Alexander died 2 July 1913 in Chillicothe, Livingston County, Missouri. After his death, Louetta goes to live with her son, Roy. In 1920, they are living in Kansas, but by 1930 they make it back to Missouri. Louetta died 12 June 1938 in Chillicothe, Livingston County, Missouri.

I know the most about Roy's family due to Louetta's time living with him, but I still need to investigate Charles and Frank's families and Roy's grandchildrens' families. Louetta may have left Randolph County as a young woman, but she still has Randolph County, North Carolina roots.

Sources:

• 1870 Grand River, Livingston County, Missouri U.S. Federal Census (accessed on Ancestry)
• 1880 Wood, Carroll County, Missouri U.S. Federal Census (accessed on Ancestry)
• 1900 Chillicothe, Livingston County, Missouri U.S. Federal Census (accessed on Ancestry)
• 1910 Chillicothe, Livingston County, Missouri U.S. Federal Census (accessed on Ancestry)
• 1920 Kansas City, Wyandotte County, Kansas U.S. Federal Census (accessed on Ancestry)
• 1930 Chillicothe, Livingston County, Missouri U.S. Federal Census (accessed on Ancestry)
• "The Lineberry Family of Randolph County, NC, 1725-1991"