Written by Billie R. McNamara. Published in the December, 2006, issue of Tennessee Ancestors, the genealogical journal of the East Tennessee Historical Society.

How many times have you walked past a flea market or antique/collectibles dealer's table or booth without even giving a second glance to the pile of old papers or box full of postcards, photos, and advertising (trade) cards? Do you have any idea what nuggets might be hiding there?

I can't resist browsing through such collections, and I have found incredible documentation – for others! – along the way. I always try to send my finds "home" to someone who will treasure them. I've sent photos and documents to people in many states and even Canada. Fortunately, the Internet makes my search for new homes much easier, because I seem compelled to trace the families whose heirlooms come into my "foster" care.

Early 2007 brought an amazing discovery that belongs in a folk life museum – at least in my estimation. In a file folder at a dealer's table, my interest was piqued by a piece of paper containing calligraphic writing and drawings by D. Riley Haworth, dated 14 April 1888, with a "written in blood" notation. I immediately recognized the Lost Creek Quaker/Jefferson County surname connection, and the price was reasonable, so I purchased the item.

Riley was the son of Mahlon Haworth (b. 09 June 1840; d. 01 May 1925).  In 1902, Mahlon Haworth wrote an essay about his family:

My grandfather, Richard, a son of James, the fourth son of George the Emigrant, was born in North Carolina in the year 1745 and removed with his family across the mountains to that section of North Carolina which afterward became the state of Tennessee.  My father [David] was born in the year 1789 and married Susanna Lewis Bales and to them were born eight children.

I married Sarah E. Lee, of Friendsville, Tennessee, and to us were born eight children, six of whom are now living, named as follows:  Wayne L[ee], located at Knoxville, Tennessee; William O[liver], located at Wichita, Kansas; Samuel L[ee?], located at Central City, Nebraska [department head at Guilford College]; Ida [May - Mrs. Joseph] Hume, located at Newton, Mississippi [later married D. C. Duran and moved to Long Beach, California]; D. Riley, located at Huron, South Dakota; Annie [Anna Lee - Mrs. John] McMurray, located on the Tennessee River, near Chilhowee Mts.  [Two other children, Charley Ross and Dellarien, died in infancy.]

The calligraphy by Riley Haworth has collectible interest for several reasons.  First, it has obvious family connections.  Second, it relates to pioneer Quaker settlers of Lost Creek – now New Market – in Jefferson County.  Third, it is “folk art,” meaning it was produced by someone who had no formal training in the arts and reflects a part of everyday local culture.  Additionally, there is always an enigma associated with something written or drawn in human blood.

As if that weren’t enough of a story, imagine my surprise and joy when I carefully removed the document from its protective sleeve, only to find it is actually a section of flyleaves from a small book.  Opening the pages, I discovered even more Lost Creek Quaker history – the family record of Richard Lewis:

Richard Lewis was born the 2nd of the 12th 1784.
Elizabeth his wife was born the 19th of 2nd month 1791.
Nancy their daughter was born the 25th of the 10th month 1808.
Absalom Manly Lewis their son was born the 5th of 2nd month 1811.
Mary Ann Lewis their daughter was born the 4th of the 3rd month 1816.
Susannah their daughter was born the 24? of 4? month 185 [sic].
Peggy Mahalia Lewis was born March the __ [illegible - see below] 1824.
Margret Mahalia Lewis was born March 1st day 1824.

Since I am not very familiar with specific lineages of the Quaker pioneer families in Jefferson County, I posted the family record to the DumplinTN e-mail discussion list <www.discoveret.org/mailman/listinfo/dumplintn/> and got a response within a couple of hours from a very elated Diane Andrews Morris in Florida.  Susannah Lewis (the hard-to-read birth entry), who married William H. McCoy, was Diane's great-great-grandmother.

Richard Lewis, the father in the family record, died in 1825 aged just 40.  He was the son of Evan Lewis (b. 24 Jun 1755; d. 04 Jul 1823, Jefferson Co., TN; mar. 10th day 7th month 1782 at New Garden Monthly Meeting, Guilford Co., NC) and Susannah Moon (b. 22 Feb 1760; d. 22 Feb 1842).  Descendants identify Evan Lewis as the son of Henry and Mary Lewis, although many printed and Internet sources incorrectly relate him to a more-famous Chester County, PA, immigrant, Ralph Lewis.

According to this family record, and out-of-step with Welsh custom, Richard Lewis apparently did not name a child Evan, after his father.  It is possible, however, that this document does not contain a complete listing of the couple's children.  Richard Lewis married Elizabeth Manley (b. SC; d. 1879, TX) on 28 Sep 1805 in Jefferson Co., TN.  Based on the names of her children, Elizabeth was probably the daughter of Absalom and Susannah (neé Wilson) Manley.

The Moon family history has been extensively researched.  Richard Lewis' grandparents were Richard Moon (b. 1724, Bucks County, PA; d. Feb 1795, Shoulderbone Creek, Greene Co., GA; mar. 04 Feb 1745, Shenandoah Valley, Frederick Co., VA) and Susanna Brown (b. abt 1727, Hopewell, Hunterdon, New Jersey; d. 1819, Hancock Co., GA).

As always with genealogy, every "find" introduces a box full of new questions, such as:  Where was this small piece of history hiding for nearly 120 years until the dealer found it?  From what book were the pages torn?  To whom did the book originally belong?  How did these pages leave the Lewis and Haworth families?  Why didn't they go to South Dakota with Riley Haworth?

I keep hoping one of these days someone will find bits and pieces to solve my family mysteries!  Until then, I’ll keep looking in unusual places and caring for my "foster" treasures until I find families who'll love and care for them.

Notes:

• Research of Diane Morris, Ray McCoy, and others available at <www.rootsweb.com>.
• Much research and e-mail has not yet provided documented proof of Evan Lewis’ ancestry.  If anyone has compiled it, this author would be grateful to receive the details.
• Published research of Timothy W. Burton of Chattanooga, TN, and numerous on-line sources.
• See, e.g., <www.quakersurnames.net/moonrichard.html> and <www.geocities.com/pameladhudson/moon.html>, which are sources for this paragraph.
• Full text of the essay at <www.haworthassociation.org/Reunions/1902_reunion_proceedings.htm>.
• Information in brackets from a 33-page Haworth history at <www.billputman.com/Haworth.pdf> and e-mail correspondence with the Haworth Association of America <www.haworthassociation.org/>.