Question

Looking for Robert F. Jeffries born 1885, married in NC in 1909.

Answer 1

Dear C,

   Here is one potential match:

"North Carolina, County Marriages, 1762-1979 ", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F89H-96T : 8 July 2016), R.F. Jeffries and Mollie Surratt, 1909.

   Do you know the name of his spouse?  Does Mollie Surratt fit in with other information you have on this family?  Further information could help find a better match.

   Hope this helps!  -NGP

 

Comments

Yes this is the Robert Jeffries I am looking for.  I have a copy of this marriage certificate but it does not list where he was born.  His parents are only listed as GH and Rebecca Jeffries and it does not list where they were born or any other information.

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I have looked for further information on him since 1996.  I have done my DNA also, (through Ancestory)

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Dear C,

    Have you been able to find Robert & Mollie in the 1910 census?  It should give the state where he was born.  -NGP

Answer 2

I love a good puzzle and have some experience in the North Carolina film at FamilySearch so took a look.

You may have already seen this record but just in case:

"North Carolina, County Marriages, 1762-1979 ," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1961-43773-13135-53?cc=1726957 : 19 July 2016), Cabarrus > Marriage licenses, 1903-1908, vol A-Z > image 1334 of 1433, R. F. Jeffries and Mollie Surratt, 4 Dec 1909; county courthouses, North Carolina.

The things that stand out to me that may give you new lines of research:

Marriage license issued on 4 Dec 1908 but they were married on 4 Dec 1909. One of those dates is probably an error but who knows which one. The license is on the film that has the 1908 records.

Married by W C James, Minister of the M. E. Church South

Married at the home of R. L. Surratt in Concord

One of the witnesses is from New Jersey - Looks like Chas Smith

Hope some of that is helpful.

PS. Here's the image for the marriage register:

"North Carolina, County Marriages, 1762-1979 ," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1942-43623-1613-37?cc=1726957 : 19 July 2016), Cabarrus > Marriage registers, 1867-1943 > image 85 of 493; county courthouses, North Carolina.

Comments

I have studied that marriage certificate so many times.  I could see the Smith name but not the first name.  I also saw a JM Bosworth listed as a witness.  I was able to find information on him.  He was James M Bosworth, and his wife was Rosa.  He worked in a mill there in Concord. As did many of my ancestors that lived in that area.  In the 1922 census he is in Greensboro NC.  But still nothing else on my GGrandfather Robert Jeffries.

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Did the M.E.Church South, keep records of marriages? Have you been able to find any records about W C James, the minister?

Would this record be for your g-grandmother in 1910:

"United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:ML3M-2H6 : 29 October 2015), Mallie A Jefferson in household of Sarrah Surratt, Concord Ward 4, Cabarrus, North Carolina, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 52, sheet 5B, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,375,113.

If it is, I noticed that her child's father was born in Georgia and that the boarder in the household was also born in George of Georgia parents. If you haven't already, you might look for connections between the Brown and Jeffries families in Georgia. It's a long shot but at this point, with 20 years in to it, you're kind of down to long shots.

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Have not had any luck locating the church or the minister that performed the marriage.  Also..... can not find them on any census.  I have often wondered if he used a fake name, but I do find in my DNA listings several Jeffries/Jefferies - just can not tie any of them to my Robert Jeffries.  So frustrated !  This is the only line that I have not found anything on!

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Yes that is my Great Grandmother - but her name spelling was incorrect.  I have studied this census record so many times - but I never noticed that under my grandfathers name of Ernest - that it listed that his fathers birthplace was GA.  !!!!!!  Got so excited when you pointed this out.  But after more research for anything on him in GA, I came up empty handed again!

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Since he was apparently a man who traveled for work, my next suggestion would be check the 1910 census for men of the right age range who were born in Georgia. He may have traveled to a different state to work.

 

Another tack to take would be to look for Mollie's other household members. Her mother is widowed on the 1910 census record. If you've not been able to find them in later years, consider that Sarrah may have gotten married. I found a Sarah Grow in the 1920 census with household members Mollie, Earnest, and Katie.

"United States Census, 1920," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MZK8-GRN : 14 December 2015), Sarah Grow in household of Jacob Grow, Concord Ward 4, Cabarrus, North Carolina, United States; citing sheet 11A, NARA microfilm publication T625 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,821,288.

I couldn't find a marriage for Sarah Surratt to Jacob Grow but did find Sarah Saratt marrying J W Groff.

"North Carolina, County Marriages, 1762-1979 ", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F8MY-GJC : 8 July 2016), J. W. Groff and Sarah Sarratt, 1913.