1840 US Census Alabama lists Wm A McGuffer I think he might connect to my family, how do I follow up?

Question

I don't want to start a profile, because I only have a name - there are two males in the household 1 between 5-10 (Which I hope is Chandler -or Wm Chandler) and one between 20-30 which I guess is the head of household. And two females 1 under 5 and 1 between 20-30.

I have a picture of the page and it could be McGuffee - I am McGuff & the information (marriage info) I have found for Chandler is McGuffe

Answer 1

Are you sure that record is from Alabama? When I look at it on ancestry.com, I see it as being from Fayette County, Tennessee (which is just across the border from Mississippi).

I believe before we get to this generation it might make sense to find his son Chandler in the census and determine exactly where in Alabama he lived.

Comments

That is a good suggestion - I saw Fayette and assumed Al. A lot of my relatives were in Fayette Al.

Chandler was born in 1833according to his grandson. He died in the civil war 1864

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Chandler McGuffe married Martha Rogers 1856 in Tuscaloosa. He mustered into the 41st Regiment Alabama Infantry in Tuscaloosa 1862 as Chandler McGuffee.

I can't find him on Census rolls

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Chandler's Grandson said he was born 1833 - which would make him 7 in the 1840's Census 23 when he married in 1856 and . The muster rolls for Chandler Mcguffe 41st AL say he is 44 in 1862, putting his birth about 1818 which makes him 22 in 1840's Census and 38 at his marriage in 1856.

1840 Census there is a Richard MuGuff in Henry County AL that list a male at both ages. This is possible relative.

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I think that is a mis-transcription for McGriff. I believe you will find Richard McGriff, born about 1807, still in Henry County in the 1850, 1860, and 1870 censuses.

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Working our way backwards: we know from the 1900 census that William Arthur McGuff, born Apr 1884 (actually 1883 per his gravestone) was living in Ridge Township, Fayette County, AL (which is just northwest of Tuscaloosa County), with his father William C McGuff, born Sep 1862 (at least according to this census). See https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M98J-YYH (the name was mistranscribed as McGriff here).

In 1880 in the same place there was a Mack McGuffee, age 17 (thus born ca. 1862/63) living with his brother James McGuffee (age 22, thus born ca. 1857/58) and James's family (see https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M4JJ-85Y). James was no longer present in 1900, but his son James N. (with last name now spelled McGuff) was living in the same precinct as William Chandler (see https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M98V-XSX). So I think it is safe to assume that the Mack McGuffie in the 1880 census is our William Chandler McGuff, and that he had an older brother James born 1857/58 (which would be soon after their parents' 1856 marriage). According to the 1880 census, both James and Chandler as well as both of their parents were born in Alabama. Thus, we should look for all of them in Alabama records, and with preference in the central-western section around Tuscaloosa.

Unfortunately, I have not found James (born ca. 1857/58) in either the 1860 or the 1870 census for Tuscaloosa or Fayette County.

There exist guardianship records for Tuscaloosa County for 1857-1868, which probably record who was appointed as guardian for the two boys; these have been microfilmed by the LDS but not digitized. Similarly, the land records (deeds) for Tuscaloosa County, which might reveal if the father Chandler ever owned land in Tuscaloosa, have also been microfilmed but not digitized.

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That is awesome - according to William Chandler's son, William Arthur (my great grandfather), William Chandler Jr had brothers James (Jim) and John. Their Mother Martha Rogers (McGuff) remarried Peter W Kimbrell 7/25/1875 in Fayette AL. Chandler McGuffe, who my great grandfather called William Chandler, was married in Tuscaloosa and enlisted in Tuscaloosa. Jim and John were born before the war, William Chandler was a furlough baby. Jim "had a large family and stayed in AL" John "went to Mississippi married and raised a large family near Columbus". William Chandler Jr - probably the Mack you found - was 16 when he married in 1881 to Catherine White.

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I found a land record for Chandler McGuff in Tuscaloosa 1858 - with his marriage records 1856 in Tuscaloosa.

There is a Mexican-American War record for a private Chandler McGuffee (1844-1846) in the 1st Georgia - if Chandler was 44 in 1862 (as his muster roll said) he would have been around 22 for the Mexican War. The Civil War records match what his grandson wrote - even up to his hospitalization and death from a head wound.

Answer 2

Chandler McGuffe is listed in the Alabama Department of Archives and History Civil War database.  Chandler is listed as age 44 at enlistment as a private in Co.G, 41st Alabama Regiment, muster roll dated 29th May 1862.  You can order his records from the Archives.  There is a link below the record that allows you to submit an online reference request.  Here is a link to the site: https://archives.alabama.gov/civilwar/soldier.cfm?id=133293

Comments

I have his information - but no parents listed. I think I have hit the Brick wall. in 1860 he should be in Tuscaloosa AL with his wife Martha and at least 1 son James maybe with second son John. Even if that record were there, still need his parents. He may be from GA because he is enlisted with the 1st GA Infantry for the Mexican American War.

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You may need to make a trip to Tuscaloosa to look at the records at the courthouse.  My great great grandparents do not show up in the 1860 census in Shelby county, Alabama, but they were living there as there are deed records for land transactions and court minutes where he served on jury duty.  When you look at deed records where he bought or sold land check the names of witnesses as they may be family.  If you know the names of his siblings trace them as you might find they left information.  Brick walls are frustrating but they can be broken over time with research into records that may not be available online.  Good luck.