Who was the Parker first husband of Elizabeth Smith of North Carolina?

Question

My great aunt a few times removed, Elizabeth Smith, was born in NC about 1841 to John W. Smith and Christian Britt and grew up there in Robeson county.

Elizabeth was already a young widow with a daughter when she married Elias T. Williams in 1869 in New Hanover county, NC. They appear together on the 1870 census with her daughter, Ellen Parker (born about 1862-3). However, I know nothing about the identity of her first Parker husband! Given the time period, I presume he was killed in the Civil War. She was still living with her parents and siblings in the 1860 census (as Martha E. Smith) so she must've married this Parker between 1860-2, when Ellen was born.

While we're at it, can anyone take a look at the 1860 census page for Thomas R. Smith, Elizabeth's brother, and tell me what they see under the "blind, deaf, insane" column? https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MLSD-M13

It looks like too many letters for "convict". Consumptive?

Comments

I think Thomas's 1860 notation says 'contempt.'  Maybe that was his crime?

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I agree, he was probably convicted of contempt at some point.

Answer 1

Thomas r Smith age 73: wife age 28: married 10 years? Surely not

On line 68, house 180? Or am I missing something?

He was CA - survivor in Confederate Army.

Comments

I think you are looking at the 1910 Census.  1860 link in my comment above.

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I clicked your link to the page, and just rechecked it, definitely took me to 1910, looks like we both hiccuped!

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Not the link in the OP.  Click '1860' in my comment.  The far right column in the image is what Jessica asked about.

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Duh! Am I having a ‘good’ day. Thanks for putting my straight, and yes, it does appear to say contempt, at the bottom of the page there is a space for number of convicts and there is no notation there.

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Yes, it's curious but I'm 98% sure that is the correct grand-uncle Thomas R. Smith. He married Becky Ann Freeman in 1904. Perhaps she was a poor girl and he wanted to provide her with a military pension -- or perhaps it was a genuine relationship, hey, I hate to presume.