52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks – Week 3: Unusual First Name: Drady

This is my second year working on this year-long prompt, hosted by Amy Johnson Crow. I will write each week in one of my two blogs, either Mam-ma’s Southern Family or at My Trails Into the Past. I have enjoyed writing about my children’s ancestors in new and exciting ways.

This week our challenge is to write about an unusual name. I decided to tackle someone in my database where I have no surname but I do have a first name. One of the most unusual names in my database is Drady. I do not know much about her, so I’ll tell you what I know and maybe ideas will come to mind for future research.

What I Know

I have her in one census record from Salacoa, Cherokee County, Georgia.[1]

Hutson, Peter, 59, male, laborer (no values listed), Georgia

             Drady, 67, female, Georgia

             Alice, 15, female, Georgia

Next door was someone who could be a son of Peter: Robert Hutson.[2]

Hutson, Robert, 39, Male, laborer, (no prop/pers values), b. Georgia        

             Amanda, 32, Female, Georgia       

             Thos,13, Male, Georgia      

             Asberry, 11, Male, Georgia       

             Peter, 7, Male, Georgia       

             Margarett, 4, Female, Georgia

1860 U.S. census, Cherokee Co., Georgia, Sallocoa, p. 916, dwelling 1839, family 1949, Peter Hutson, digital image, Ancestry
(http://www.ancestry.com: accessed 4 Apr 2011), citing NARA M653, roll 116.

But who is Drady? Although she is 8 years older than Peter, she could have been his wife. They have the same surname, but she could also be his older sister. The 1860 census doesn’t give relationships. Both Peter and Drady are old enough be have been Robert’s parents. However, Drady might be too old  at 52, to be the parent of Alice. Could Alice actually be a granddaughter or niece?

Robert appeared in the 1850 census in Chattooga County, Georgia.[3]

Hutson  Robert   27   Male  farmer   Georgia  

              Amanda   24  Female  Georgia  

              Alexander   5  Male  Georgia  

              Thomas   3  Male  Georgia   

              Robert T   2  Male  Georgia

  

But Peter and Drady have not been found yet in any county in Georgia in 1850.

I did find a Peter Hutson in Newton County, Georgia in the 1840 census.[4] The make-up of his household was: one male 10-15, one male 15 to 20, and one male 30-40. And for females: one under 5, two 5-10, 1 10 to 15, 1 30-40. If I list these in rows and place possible members:

one male 10-15

one male 15 to 20        Robert?

one male 30-40            Peter, b. about 1801

one female under 5

two females 5-10

one females 10 to 15

one female 30-40        unknown wife? However, Drady, b. about 1793, is too old for this slot

There were other Hutson households in Newton County: Archibald Hutson household had a male in the 50 to 60 age range in 1840. He is someone to study further. Jethro Hutson was in the 30 to 40 age range in the same year, making him a rival of Peter.

In 1830 in Newton County, there were several Hudson/Hutson families: Archaba, Thomas, and two Peter Hudson. More work is needed to study these Newton County Hutsons.

Researching

However, before tackling Newton County, records in Cherokee County should be checked. Did Peter have land? Was there a probate file for him there? Are there tax records?

There was a fire in the courthouse in 1864. Early probate and marriage records were lost but the land/deed records were not.  I searched the following probate records:

• Cherokee Co, GA, Wills & Bonds, Book B, 1847-1866, no Hutson
• Cherokee Co, GA Records of Wills, Book C, 1866-1921. no Hutson but I found:
• Samuel J Houston on p. 100 (1877, wife Margaret & daughter; probably not my Hutson)
• Franklin Houston p 127 (wife Mary M, son Samuel, dau Sarah E; probably not my Hutson)

So I need to continue, by checking deeds, though the census mentioned no real estate values, tax records, and military records. More to follow…but when researching a woman, one needs to research the men in her life.

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[1] 1860 U.S. census, Cherokee Co., Georgia, Sallocoa, p. 916, dwelling 1839, family 1949, Peter Hutson, digital image, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com: accessed 4 Apr 2011), citing NARA M653, roll 116.

[2] 1860 U.S. census, Cherokee Co., Georgia, Sallocoa, p. 916, dwelling 1840, family 1950, Robert Hutson, digital image, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com: accessed 4 Apr 2011), citing NARA M653, roll 116.

[3] 1850 U.S. census, Chattooga Co., Georgia, p. 787, 394 (stamped), dwelling 5, family 5, Robert Hutson, digital image, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com: accessed 4 Apr 2011), citing NARA  M432, roll 64.

[4] 1840 U.S. census, Newton Co, Georgia, pop. sched, dist. 461, p. 26, Peter Hutson, NARA M704.

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