On This Day in History ... October 19th

Earlier this month I wrote about my 2^nd Great-Grandmother, Dollie (VAUGHAN) HOWERTON. Today I want to write about her husband William Henry “Kerry” HOWERTON. Born October 19^th, 1869 in Williamson Co., Illinois, USA. Unfortunately, I don’t know much about him. The first record I can find for him is his marriage¹ to Dollie on December 11^th, 1891 in Muskogee, Oklahoma, USA. And as expected in the 1900 & 1910 US and the 1916² & 1921³ Canadian Censuses.

According to my Great Uncle Chuck, Dollie & Kerry’s grandson, Kerry was named after his father William Henry HOWERTON. Kerry’s mother’s first name is unknown but her maiden name is believed to be GREGORY.

The 1900⁴ US Census indicates his father was born in Indiana and his mother was born in Illinois. The 1910⁵ US Census contradicts this stating both his parents were born in Illinois. This type of inconsistency is not unusual from one census to the next. Especially with regards to second-hand information, such as parent’s birth places.

Everything else I know about Kerry’s parents comes from family stories. They divorced when Kerry was quite young. Kerry being raised by his mother.

In one of the many conversations my aunt had with her Uncle Chuck he told her a few things about Kerry. I am incredibly grateful that my aunt wrote these down and shared them with me.

Note taken by my aunt. 
Wm Henry Howerton (Kerry)
 his mother & father divorced
 mother remarried last name
 possibly Jennings.
Wm Henry married under
Jennings last name.
married second wife under
 Howerton last name
was second marriage
legal

It helped me confirm that I did have the correct family in the 1900 US Census. I had struggled to find them until I had used the trick of searching on only the first name. Doing so brought up a record for a Nettie Jennings, female, Age 6, born Indian Territory. Father’s name Kery C, Age 31, born Illinois. Mother’s name Dollie, Age 25, born Arkansas. Johnie & Jessie, age 3 & 1, born Indian Territory were also listed. There were 3 more individuals in the household. Criss Vaughn, male, age 23, born Arkansas. Agnes Vaughn, female, age 14, born Arkansas. And Enzy Vaughn, female, age 12, born Arkansas. Brother and sisters-in-law of the head-of-household, Kery. These match 3 of Dollie’s known siblings.

These names pointed to it being the right family, but I did not understand why they were listed as Jennings and not Howerton. The notes from my aunt gave me an idea of where the name Jennings came from. Although not why they were using it at the time. I might not ever solve that mystery.

            To the second half of my aunt’s note about Kerry marrying twice. Once under Jennings and again under Howerton. The 1910 US Census does show ‘Cary’ is in his 2^nd marriage. I have found a marriage license and certificate⁶ in Fort Smith, Sebastian, Arkansas, USA for Mr. Cary W. Jennings or Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory, age 19 years and Miss Amanda E Boothe of Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory, age 18. Dated 4^th February 1888. I have not been able locate this couple in other records.

            There is a record of a Cary W Jennings, b. 1869 in Illinois marrying Maggie F. Baird in Clay Co., Illinois in 1892⁷. They appear in subsequent censuses.

            In the 1910 US Census⁸ this Carey is listed as being in his 1^st marriage, which would indicate he was not the Carey from the 1888 Arkansas marriage. But it does not prove my Kerry is either. 

            I wish I had more answers when it comes to Kerry’s background. But it seems that every answer I find comes with more questions.

I am afraid traditional genealogy is not going to be enough to solve who Kerry’s parents are. But I have been working with DNA over the last 3 years and I think I may have narrowed down the possibilities. There is still a lot of work to be done before I can confirm my suspicions, but I do believe I have found Kerry’s maternal grandparents. And have a family to focus on for his paternal side.

                It is an ongoing process. Each time I get a new DNA match that connects to those families adds another piece to the puzzle.

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[1] "Oklahoma, County Marriages, 1890-1995", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVP6-9PKG : accessed 1 November 2015), Carey N Howerton and Ada Ann Elizabeth Vaughn, 1891

[2] "Canada, Prairie Provinces Census, 1916," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KMPD-2KR : 11 March 2018), William Hanarton, Saskatchewan, Canada; citing p. 10, line 6; Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa, Ontario; FHL microfilm 2,434,952

[3] "1921 Census of Canada." database on-line], Ancestry.com,(https://search.ancestry.ca/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=CanCen1921&indiv=try&h=7628230) Reference Number: RG 31; Folder Number: 152; Census Place: 152, Kindersley, Saskatchewan; Page Number: 7 Original data: Library and Archives Canada. Sixth Census of Canada, 1921. Ottawa, Ontario, Canada: Library and Archives Canada, 2013. Series RG31. Statistics Canada Fonds.

[4] "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MST3-1D8 : accessed 21 October 2020), Kery C Jennings, Township 4 N. R 20 E., Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 95, sheet 6A, family 33, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,241,851.

[5] "United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MLQB-BHB : accessed 21 October 2020), Cary Howartan, Wayne, McClain, Oklahoma, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 191, sheet 4A, family 64, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 1261; FHL microfilm 1,375,274.

[6] "Arkansas Marriages, 1837-1944", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FQYG-NNG : 11 January 2020), Cary W. Jennings, 1888.

[7] "Illinois Marriages, 1815-1935", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:HS7Q-4DZM : 14 February 2020), Carey W. Jennings, 1892.

[8] "United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M2YH-C7F : accessed 21 October 2020), Cary W Jennings, South Fork, Howell, Missouri, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 89, sheet 7B, family 132, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 784; FHL microfilm 1,374,797.