Conaway_Marriages_in_Bourbon_County_Kentucky_1795-1830.pdf

Conaway Marriages in Bourbon County, Kentucky, 1795-1830

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Date: 1795 to 1830
Location: Bourbon, Kentucky, United Statesmap
Surname/tag: Conaway, Barnett, Neal, Watters, Hall
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Contents

Conaway Marriages in Bourbon County, Kentucky, 1795-1830

All of the marriages for a person named Conaway in Bourbon County, Kentucky between 1795 and 1830 appear to be children of William and Nancy Conaway. As described in the profile for William Conaway, the family moved to Bourbon County, Kentucky about 1794.

The 1810 US census for Bourbon County, Kentucky had one Conaway family. The “Will Coniway” household included 13 people.[1] The 1820 census had three Conaway households: Wm Conaway with 10 people,[2] and two other households for William’s recently married sons Amos[3] and Aquilla[4] (listed as Aequller in the census). The 1830 US census for Bourbon County, Kentucky had no Conaway (or similar named) households. The extended Conaway family apparently left that area by 1830.

Kentucky Marriage Records

The marriage records in Kentucky at that time included a bond and register, and may also have included a consent and a certificate.[5]

The bond was a contract signed by the groom and a male representative for the bride, usually her father or brother. A close friend or guardian of the bride or groom could also represent the bride. A male representative was needed because women did not have legal rights for a contract at that time. Bonds were signed before the marriage took place. The bonds were written on loose pieces of paper and not in a book, which made them much more difficult to maintain over decades and centuries.

The register was a book that had the names of the groom and bride, the date of the marriage, and the name of the person who performed the marriage. The person who performed the marriage was required by law to provide this information to the county clerk. The people performing marriages often held the information and reported a group of marriages at one time. In the Bourbon County registers before 1810, the marriages sometimes appear to have been reported once every two or three years. As might be expected, the information was not always provided and recorded. In general, the register is the most reliable source of information that a marriage actually took place.

A certificate was another loose piece of paper that had the information provided for the register. A certificate may or may not have have been kept in the county records after it was recorded in a register book.

A law that went into effect in Kentucky in 1799 required consent if the bride or groom was under age 21. The father typically signed the consent. If the mother or someone else signed a consent, that usually indicated that the father was deceased. The consent was another loose piece of paper that was filed with the bond and may not have been maintained over the decades and centuries.

Unfortunately, the online databases with marriage records for Bourbon County, Kentucky are not complete or reliable, particularly the information about bonds and consent. FamilySearch.org has made various iterations of efforts to develop online databases of marriage records for Bourbon County, Kentucky. These efforts and the associated limitations are described and compared in various volumes of “Abstracts of Bourbon County, Kentucky ‘loose papers’ . . .”[6] by Janet Pease and Crystal Dingler.

In 1931 Annie Walker Burns published a booklet Bourbon County, Ky Marriages 1785-1851, which was a list of marriages sorted by the grooms name and with the date of the bond rather than the date of marriage. These typed pages are included in various FamilySearch.org databases for Kentucky Marriages. These data have been widely used as a source for marriage information.

The information from Annie Walker Burns is not complete and also apparently has some unreliable alterations and additions that were made without providing sources. An example of her alterations is in the records described below. She had Albert Barnett as the husband for Matilda Conaway, even though the three handwritten original records all had his name as Robert Barnett.

Janet Pease and Crystal Dingler said in bold letters that the books and online databases “need to be considered secondary sources” and “information should be confirmed by double-checking the original microfilmed records .....registers, bond books, loose papers etc. Note the number of errors cited above in the various publications of Bourbon Co marriages.”

The original marriage records for Bourbon County are at the County Clerk’s office in Paris Kentucky. In January, 2021 a Deputy Clerk advised me over the phone that a good option for obtaining marriage and other historical records for Bourbon County would be to hire a local genealogical researcher who is familiar with county records and processes, That is what I did.

For the nine marriages involving a person named Conaway between 1795 and 1830, about half of the marriages had loose paper records that were not in the FamilySearch.org or other online databases. Only three of the nine marriages had images of bonds in the FamilySearch.org database. Searches of the county records in January, 2021 found four bonds, one consent, and two certificates that were not in the online databases. These were from five marriages. Copies of the records obtained from the County Clerk’s office that are not in the FamilySearch.org database are attached here.

However, about half of the marriages also had records that were not found in the County Clerk’s office but were in the online databases. Searches of the records in the County Clerk’s Office were made for the nine Conaway marriages and for two other marriages in the same time period, for a total of eleven marriages. Four bonds and one consent from five marriages were in the online databases but were not found in the county records. The online microfilm images at FamilySearch.org state that the microfilm for the Bourbon County marriage records was made in January, 1959. The county allowed anyone to go through the loose papers until about 2005. It is thought that some of the papers were taken. If the experience here is an indication, a substantial number of the bonds have been taken or lost. Since 2005 access to the loose papers has been restricted and the County Clerk’s staff conduct searches for requested records. Other possibilities for the missing records include that some records could have been misfiled or were missed in the recent searches.

Based on this experience, both the FamilySearch.org records and the county marriage records should be searched to have a reasonable hope of obtaining marriage records for Bourbon County, Kentucky. Both sources appear to be very incomplete.

Marriages

The marriages of a person named Conaway (or similar name) in Bourbon County, Kentucky between 1795 and 1830 were:

  1. 7 April 1807, Betsey [Elizabeth] Conaway married Joseph Neal in Bourbon County. This marriage is in a database at Ancestry.com that was developed from county records.[7] However, a search of county records in January, 2021 did not find this marriage in the marriage register books or find a bond. This marriage is also not in the database at FamilySearch.org. As described in the profiles for Elizabeth (Conaway) Neal and William Conaway, there is other evidence that Elizabeth Conaway married a man named Neal at about this time. It is likely that this marriage did not get recorded in the marriage register and the bond was initially found, but then was lost.
  2. 7 January 1813, Amos Conaway married Jane Barnett. This marriage was found in the county register books in January, 2021 and an image of the register page is in the FamilySearch.org database (indexed as Conway and Barnet).[8] The marriage bond and certificate were found in county records in January, 2021 and copies are attached here.[9] Online databases did not have these. The bond was signed by Amos Conaway and his father William Conaway, which may indicate that Jane’s father was deceased or otherwise not available.
  3. 22 April 1814, Aquilla Conaway married Rachel Barnett. This marriage was found in the county register books in January, 2021 and an image of the register page is in the FamilySearch.org database.[10] The marriage bond was found in county records in January, 2021 and an image is in the FamilySearch.org database.[11] The bond was signed by Aquilla Conaway and George Barnett. A copy of the certificate and bond are attached since the certificate is not in online databases.[12]
  4. 9 July 1818, Hannah Conaway married James Barnett. This marriage was found in the county register books in January, 2021 and an image of the register page is in the FamilySearch.org database.[13] The marriage bond was not found in county records in a search in January, 2021, but an image is in the FamilySearch.org database.[14] The bond was signed by James Barnett and William Conaway.
  5. 12 Feb. 1824, Christiana Conaway married Silas Watters. This marriage was found in the county register books in January, 2021 and an image of the register page is in the FamilySearch.org database (indexed as Christinia Conoway and Silas Watts, Wartis, or Wall).[15] The marriage bond was found in county records in January, 2021 and a copy is attached here.[16] Online databases did not have this bond. The bond was signed by Silas Watters and William Conaway.
  6. 18 March 1824, Providence Conaway married Jesse Barnett. This marriage was found in the county register books in January, 2021 and an image of the register page is in the FamilySearch.org database.[17] The marriage bond was not found in county records in February, 2021 and is not in online databases. Christiana above and Providence were sequential entries in the marriage register.
  7. 7 June 1825, Rebecca Conaway married Alvin Barnett. This marriage was found in the county register books in January, 2021 and an image of the register page is in the FamilySearch.org database (indexed as Aben Barnett).[18] The marriage bond was found in county records in January, 2021 and a copy is attached here.[19] Online databases did not have this bond. The bond was signed by Alvin Barnett and William Conaway.
  8. 28 Feb. 1828, Nancy Conaway married Ambrose Hall. This marriage was found in the county register books in January, 2021 and an image of the register page is in the FamilySearch.org database (indexed as Conway and Anderson Hall).[20] The marriage bond and a consent by William Conaway for his daughter Nancy to marry Ambrose Hall were found in county records in January, 2021 and copies are attached here.[21] Online databases did not have these. Ambrose Hall and Nancy’s brother Chalton Conaway signed the marriage bond. Chalton also signed the consent as a witness.
  9. 3 June 1829, Matilda Conaway married Robert Barnett. This marriage was found in the county register books in January, 2021 and an image of the register page is in the FamilySearch.org database.[22] (The year is not clear in the registry record.) The marriage bond was found in county records in January, 2021 and an image is in the FamilySearch.org database.[23] The FamilySearch.org database has a consent signed by William Conaway on June 1, 1829 that “the Clerk of the Bourbon County Court is hereby authorized to grant marriage license to Robt. Barnett and my daughter Matilda Conaway...”[24] This consent was not found the county records in January, 2021. The bond was signed by Robert Barnett and James Ellis. James Ellis also signed the consent as a witness. The bond in the county records in January, 2021 had the signature by James Ellis at the bottom torn off. The signature is on the image in the FamilySearch.org database. The list by Annie Walker Burns gave the groom’s name as Albert Barnett;[25] however, the three original handwritten marriage records all have his name as Robert Barnett, as do subsequent census and other records.


Barnett Family Connections

For the nine marriages with a person named Conaway in Bourbon County, Kentucky between 1795 and 1830, six had a spouse named Barnett. Some of the Barnett spouses were related. However, identifying the families for the Barnetts is more difficult than for Conaways because the 1810 US census had ten Barnett households in Bourbon County, Kentucky, compared to only one Conaway household. In addition, the Barnett families in Kentucky in the early 1800s are particularly challenging for genealogical research because the same names were common in each household. Thus, multiple people had the same names in the same generation.

The six Barnett spouses of a person named Conaway were:

A book describing an extended Barnett family that moved from Pennsylvania to Bourbon County, Kentucky, and then to Illinois during the time period of interest said the following:

“According to the best recollections, [George Barnett’s] grand father was a native of Ireland, or at least, born a short time after the arrival of his parents in this country. It is thought that he only raised one son, James, . . . who married a Miss O’Connell, an Irish lady. He [James] spent the principal part of his life in Pennsylvania, where he died. He raised a large family, as follows: Robert, George, James, Moses, John, Jane, Susan, Nancy, Rachel, and Margaret. These, after the death of their father, all came with their mother to Bourbon County, Kentucky. George . . . married while in Pennsylvania a Miss Delila Davis, a lady of Welsh lineage. As already remarked, they [George and Delila], with the principal part of their children, arrived in [Vermilion County,] Illinois in 1828.”
(An Illustrated Historical Atlas Map of Vermilion County, Ill., 1875, page 38, in the biographical summary for George Barnett’s son Robert E. Barnett, who appears to have provided the information. Emphasis added)[32]

Jane Barnett who married Amos Conaway and Rachel Barnett who married Aquilla Conaway were probably the sisters in the list of siblings above. The marriage bond for Rachel was signed by George Barnett[33]—which is consistent with her brother signing the bond after her father died. The bond for Jane Barnett was signed by her groom’s father, which is also consistent with her father being deceased. In addition, George Barnett signed the bond when Nancy Barnett born about 1796 in Pennsylvania married John Henry in 1811 in Bourbon County, Kentucky.[34] That is also consistent with the excerpt above. These were not daughters of George Barnett because his children were listed in his will as: George W., Elbert G., William R., Sarah, Katherine, James D., John M., and Robert E. (source on the WikiTree profile for George Barnett).

As described in their WikiTree profiles, James Barnett (about 1794-1866) who married Hannah Conaway, Jesse Barnett who married Providence Conaway, and Robert Barnett (about 1807-1894) who married Matilda Conaway were brothers and the sons of Robert Barnett[35] (about 1772-1852). Robert (about 1772-1852) was the brother of George Barnett in the excerpt above. Thus, James, Jesse, and Robert (about 1807-1894) were probably nephews of Jane and Rachel.

Alvin Barnett who married Rebecca Conaway was the son of Moses Barnett[36] and Catherine (Ellis). This Moses was probably the brother of George and Robert in the excerpt above based on name, age, and locations. However, direct evidence has not been found, and it is rarely safe to make assumptions about Barnetts in the early 1800s.

A book by Mary A. Barnett in 1923 has a different and less credible story about this extended Barnett family.[37]

Sources

  1. ↑ "United States Census, 1810," Will Conniway, Stoner Township, Bourbon, Kentucky, database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XH2T-QW2: accessed 8 September 2020).
  2. ↑ "United States Census, 1820," Wm Conaway, North Middletown, Bourbon, Kentucky, database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHLR-3Q7: accessed 8 September 2020).
  3. ↑ “United States Census, 1820," Amos Conaway, North Middletown, Bourbon, Kentucky, database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHLR-3QD: accessed 8 September 2020).
  4. ↑ "United States Census, 1820," Aequller Conaway, North Middletown, Bourbon, Kentucky, database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHLR-39N: accessed 8 September 2020).
  5. ↑ Information taken from Kentucky Ancestry: A Guide to Genealogical & Historical Research by Roseann Reinmuth Hogan, 1992, p. 82-85, as posted at “Types of Marriage Records Available in Kentucky” at https://freepages.rootsweb.com/~adaircountyfamilies/genealogy/mge_types.html
  6. ↑ Abstracts of Bourbon County, Kentucky "loose papers"; v. 02,
    https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/records/item/125724-abstracts-of-bourbon-county-kentucky-loose-papers-v-02?offset=2
    Abstracts of Bourbon County, Kentucky "loose papers"; v.04 pt. 01,
    https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/records/item/368774-abstracts-of-bourbon-county-kentucky-loose-papers-v-04-pt-01?offset=1
    Abstracts of Bourbon County, Kentucky "loose papers"; v. 04 pt. 02,
    https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/records/item/323031-abstracts-of-bourbon-county-kentucky-loose-papers-v-04-pt-02?offset=3
    Abstracts of Bourbon County, Kentucky "loose papers"; v. 04 pt. 03,
    https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/records/item/775034-abstracts-of-bourbon-county-kentucky-loose-papers-v-04-pt-03?offset=4
  7. ↑ Ancestry.com. Kentucky, Compiled Marriages, 1802-1850 Joseph Neal and Betsey Conaway, 7 April 1807, Bourbon County, Kentucky, [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 1997. https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?dbid=2089&h=6880&indiv=try&o_vc=Record:OtherRecord&rhSource=60525, Accessed 7 Sept. 2020. (Record not found in FamilySearch.org databases.)
  8. ↑ “Kentucky, County Marriages, 1797-1954," Amos Conway and Jane Barnet, 7 Jan 1813; database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V5ZH-SR4: 17 May 2018), citing Marriage, Bourbon, Kentucky, United States, various county clerks and county courts, Kentucky; FHL microfilm 183,145. Accessed 7 Sept. 2020.
  9. ↑ "Amos Conaway & Jane Barnett marriage" https://www.wikitree.com/photo.php/6/63/Conaway_Marriages_in_Bourbon_County_Kentucky_1795-1830-4.pdf
  10. ↑ "Kentucky, County Marriages, 1797-1954," Aguilla Conway and Rachel Barnett, 22 Apr 1814; database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V5Z4-52L: 17 May 2018), citing Marriage, Bourbon, Kentucky, United States, various county clerks and county courts, Kentucky; FHL microfilm 183,145. Accessed 7 Sept. 2020.
  11. ↑ "Kentucky, County Marriages, 1797-1954," Aquilla Conaway and Rachel Barnet, 19 Apr 1814; database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V5Z4-CGQ: 17 May 2018), citing Marriage, Bourbon, Kentucky, United States, various county clerks and county courts, Kentucky; FHL microfilm 183,081. Accessed 7 Sept. 2020.
  12. ↑ “Aquilla Conaway & Rachel Barnett marriage.” https://www.wikitree.com/photo.php/1/15/Conaway_Marriages_in_Bourbon_County_Kentucky_1795-1830-3.pdf
  13. ↑ "Kentucky, County Marriages, 1797-1954," James Barnett and Hannah Conaway, 9 Jul 1818; database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V5Z4-5TD: 17 May 2018), citing Marriage, Bourbon, Kentucky. Accessed 8 Sept. 2020.
  14. ↑ "Kentucky, County Marriages, 1797-1954," James Barnett and Hannah Conaway, 4 Jul 1818; database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V5Z4-C6D: 17 May 2018), citing Marriage, Bourbon, Kentucky. Accessed 8 Sept. 2020.
  15. ↑ "Kentucky, County Marriages, 1797-1954," Silas Watts and Christianna Conaway, 12 Feb 1824; database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V5Z4-GRB: 17 May 2018), citing Marriage, Bourbon, Kentucky. Accessed 8 Sept. 2020.
  16. ↑ “Christiana Conaway & Silas Watters marriage.” https://www.wikitree.com/photo.php/a/a5/Conaway_Marriages_in_Bourbon_County_Kentucky_1795-1830-2.pdf
  17. ↑ “Kentucky, County Marriages, 1797-1954," Jessee Barnett and Providence Conaway, 18 Mar 1824; database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V5Z4-GTM: 17 May 2018), citing Marriage, Bourbon, Kentucky. Accessed 8 Sept. 2020.
  18. ↑ "Kentucky, County Marriages, 1797-1954," Aben Barnett and Rebecca Conaway, 7 June 1825; database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V5Z4-P3T ),citing Marriage, Bourbon, Kentucky. Accessed 8 Sept. 2020.
  19. ↑ “Rebecca Conaway & Alvin Barnett marriage.” https://www.wikitree.com/photo.php/3/3a/Conaway_Marriages_in_Bourbon_County_Kentucky_1795-1830-1.pdf
  20. ↑ "Kentucky, County Marriages, 1797-1954," Anderson Hall and Nancy Conway, 28 Feb 1828; database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V5Z4-5HS: 17 May 2018), citing Marriage, Bourbon, Kentucky. Accessed 8 Sept. 2020.
  21. ↑ “Nancy Conaway & Ambrose Hall marriage.” https://www.wikitree.com/photo.php/3/3a/Conaway_Marriages_in_Bourbon_County_Kentucky_1795-1830.pdf
  22. ↑ "Kentucky, County Marriages, 1797-1954," Robert Barnett and Matilda Conway, ; database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V5Z4-TNW: 17 May 2018), citing Marriage, Bourbon, Kentucky. Accessed 8 Sept. 2020.
  23. ↑ "Kentucky, County Marriages, 1797-1954," Robert Barnett and Matilda Conaway, 1 Jun 1829; database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V5Z4-FJP: 17 May 2018), citing Marriage, Bourbon, Kentucky. Accessd 8 Sept. 2020.
  24. ↑ "Kentucky, County Marriages, 1797-1954," Robt Barnett and Matilda Conaway, 1 Jun 1829; database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V5Z4-FJT: 17 May 2018), citing Marriage, Bourbon, Kentucky. Accessed 8 Sept. 2020.
  25. ↑ "Kentucky Marriages, 1785-1979", Matilda Conaway in entry for Albert Barnett, 1829; database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FWYN-33J: 12 January 2020). Accessed 8 Sept. 2020.
  26. ↑ Jane (Barnett) Conaway, https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Barnett-12492
  27. ↑ James Barnett, https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Barnett-12066
  28. ↑ Rachel (Barnett) Conaway, https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Barnett-12491
  29. ↑ Alvin Barnett, https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Barnett-12293
  30. ↑ Jesse Barnett, https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Barnett-12071
  31. ↑ Robert Barnett, https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Barnett-12305
  32. ↑ An Illustrated Historical Atlas Map of Vermilion County, Ill., 1875, page 38. https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/records/item/525878-atlas-of-vermilion-county-illinois-containing-maps-of-the-county-townships-cities-and-villages?offset=2
  33. ↑ George Barnett, https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Barnett-1794
  34. ↑ "Kentucky, County Marriages, 1797-1954," John Henry and Nancy Barnett, 16 Feb 1811, Bourbon County, Kentucky, https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V5Z4-FCH
    “US Census, 1850” Nancy Hentry, Nicholas Co., Kentucky, https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M65V-ZHH https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/17428014:8054
    “US Census, 1860,” Nancy Henry in household of J.J and Margaret Tucker, Nicholas Co., Kentucky, https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MZBD-GBG
  35. ↑ Robert Barnett (about 1772-1852), https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Barnett-12300
  36. ↑ Moses Barnett, https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Barnett-11672
  37. ↑ “Mary A. Barnett’s History of the Barnett Family” https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Space:Mary_A._Barnett’s_History_of_the_Barnett_Family




Images: 5
Nancy Conaway & Ambrose Hall marriage
Nancy Conaway & Ambrose Hall marriage
Rebecca Conaway & Alvin Barnett marriage
Rebecca Conaway & Alvin Barnett marriage
Christiana Conaway & Silas Watters marriage
Christiana Conaway & Silas Watters marriage
Aquilla Conaway & Rachel Barnett marriage
Aquilla Conaway & Rachel Barnett marriage
Amos Conaway & Jane Barnett Marriage
Amos Conaway & Jane Barnett Marriage
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