52 Ancesters: #23 - William Severs (abt 1797 TN – aft 1860 MO)

The parents of William are unknown at this time, although some researchers have posted that his father was William and that he had brothers John, Daniel, Jacob and Charles.  I have no documents for any of these statements.

William was married to a woman, Matilda, who seems to have been born about 1800 in Tennessee and died after 1860 in Missouri.  I have no death records for either of these people, but they do not appear in later census records.  The birth information was found in the 1850 and 1860 census records, both for Newton County, Missouri.

There are some researchers who have listed Matilda’s last name as Tolinda, and some have listed her middle name as Tolinda, but I have been unable to get any documents that show either.  However, I have looked at some genealogy web sites and have generally been unable to find a surname Tolinda any time in Tennessee, and particularly not in the early 1800s. 

William and Matilda appear to have had eleven children.  At least I believe that eleven lived to be at least young adults.

Daniel (abt 1823 TN – abt 1876 MO) married Elisa Thurman about 1853-1854, possibly in Missouri.

John Severs (abt 1825 TN - aft 1850 MO).   He was enumerated in the 1850 census in Newton County, Missouri.  No other information is known about him at this time.

William Howe Severs (abt 1827 TN – 1859 MO).  I believe he married a Rebecca Smith.  In the 1860 census Rebecca and her four children are in the household of William and Martha Smith.  This couple may or may not be Rebecca’s parents.

Jacob Severs (abt 1830 TN – aft 1870 AR?) married a woman named Sophronia.  There are many variations as to the spelling.  After 1870 I have been unable to find either one of them. 

Catherine Severs (1831 TN – aft 1850). She may have married.  If so, I have been unable to find a marriage record for her or any information regarding a spouse’s last name.

George Severs (abt 1832 TN – aft 1850).  George was found in the 1850 census and in nothing else.

Charles Severs (abt 1834 AR – aft 1850).  Charles was also found in the 1850 census and in nothing else.

Sarah Foster Severs (abt 1836 AR – 1894 TX).  Sarah married John Fletcher Lauderdale in 1856 in McDonald County, Missouri.

James W. Severs (1836 AR – 1885 TX). James married Eliza Jane Burkhart abt 1857 in Newton County, Missouri. 

Rhoda M. Severs (1844 MO – 1881 MO).  Rhoda married James Hayward Crabtree about October 1861 in Missouri, I believe. 

Francis Marion Severs (1845 MO – 1919 MO).  Francis, or Frances, married Sarah Caroline Lewis in 1869 in Newton County, Missouri.

As you can see, I have many children listed.  I do not have birth records listing parents’s names for any of them, so the information is really an assumption. 

If you have any information about this family or would like to collaborate on the research, please contact me. 

Again I would like to give credit to Amy Johnson Crow of  No Story Too Small for inspiring the writing that many of us are doing through her 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks.  Thank you, Amy.

52 Ancestors: #22 - Daniel Severs (abt 1823 TN to 1876 MO)

Daniel Severs was born about 1823, although some researchers indicate he was born about 1828.  The 1850 census for Missouri shows that Daniel was 21 while the 1860 census, also in Missouri, shows that he was 37.  Then in the 1870 for Arkansas he is 41.  So, which is correct?  Daniel does not appear in the 1880 census. 

Daniel’s parents were William Severs and Matilda, whose last name is unknown. 

Family lore states that Daniel was bushwhacked in 1876 and was buried in Newton County, Missouri.  On a trip to that area, I met a cousin who showed me broken pieces of headstones, one which was Daniel’s.  Through “witching” she was able to determine that this marker was for the Daniel Severs, son of William and Matilda.  She also determined that he died in 1876.  I have no further confirmation of this.

Daniel married Elisa Thurman sometime around 1853-54, probably in Missouri.  I believe they had seven children.  At least these are the names of children living with them when the census was taken, even if there were no indications of relationships.

John Severs (1855 MO – aft 1910) married Sarah Jane Crabtree

Sidney Parala Severs (1855-abt 1877) She is interesting because a girl was enumerated in one census as     Sidney and another as Parala.  I believe she married Jacob Kiser/Kaiser/Kizer, etc. in 1874 in Arkansas.

Frances Severs [female] (1859 MO-1908 MO) married Tilman Akers in 1875 in Missouri.  Sometimes his name is spelled with two “l”s.   

Daniel Severs (1863 MO-aft 1870 MO) I was unable to find another Daniel with the correct age in the 1880 census.  No death or marriage information has been found for him.

Jacob Henry Severs (1867 MO-1950 KS) who married Mary Olive Teague who died in childbirth in 1906.  He then married Dollie Gertrude Collins, or Stenfield, in 1924. 

Eliza Jane Severs (1869 AR – 1938 CA) who married James Snow about 1883 in Missouri.  Even though Eliza died in California, it appears that she was buried in Missouri. 

Nathan Payne Severs (1875 KS – 1964 OK) married Luella O’Bannion in 1902 in McDonald County, Arkansas.  Luella died in 1913 and Nathan married Stella, whose last name is unknown but she had been married to a Joseph Fitts, or Felts, or…. before she married Nathan in 1915, also in Arkansas.

I have copies of some documents related to these children, but most of the information was gained from online searches, mostly finding images. 

If you are researching any of these people, I would like to collaborate with you.