Melinda (unknown) Samples (abt. 1825 - 1878)

Born about 1825 in Georgia

Wife of Matthew Noah Samples — married 20 Feb 1845 in Cherokee County, Georgia

Descendants

Died 15 Sep 1878 at about age 53 in Hopkins County, Kentucky

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Biography

Name: Her first name was usually written as Melinda or Malinda. Her family's surname was usually written as Hansard in Forsyth County.

Born: About 1825 in Georgia. Census and death records gave years of birth between 1823 and 1826. Census records gave Melinda's state of birth as Georgia.

Marriage: To Matthew Samples on 20 February 1845 in Cherokee County, Georgia.^[1] In 1842 Matthew's sister Rebecca had married James Hansard in Forsyth County. Melinda became stepmother to three of Matthew's children and eventually had ten children of her own with him.

1850: Melinda and Matthew were in Forsyth County in 1850. They appeared to have three children of their own, ages one to four, and three children from Matthew's first marriage, ages 10 to 14.^[2]

1860: Matthew and "Belinda" were in Dalton, Whitfield County, Georgia. They had seven children.^[3]

1870: The 1870 census recorded "M Samples" and Malinda in Cheatham County, Tennessee, near Nashville. They may have been forced to leave Whitfield County because of severe damage from the Civil War. Their household had six children, including three who were counted in the 1860 census. Two households nearby were headed by men named Samples who may have been Matthew's adult sons.^[4]

Death: A Kentucky death record stated that a "Matilda" Samples died on Sep 15, 1878 because of lung disease.^[5] She was 52 years old and lived in Hopkins County, Kentucky. This was probably Malinda. The 1880 census recorded Matthew in Hopkins County.

Sources

1. ↑ Georgia, County Marriages, 1785-1950," database with images, FamilySearch [1], Mathew Samples and Malinda Hanshard, 20 Feb 1845; citing Marriage, Cherokee, Georgia. Georgia Department of Archives and History, Morrow, FHL microfilm 325,922.
2. ↑ "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch [2], Melinda Samples in household of Matthew Samples, Forsyth county, Georgia.
3. ↑ Ancestry.com: Federal census for 1860, Census Place: Dalton, Whitfield, Georgia.
4. ↑ FamilySearch: 1870 federal census for Cheatham County, District 2. See [3].
5. ↑ Ancestry.com: Kentucky, Death Records, 1852-1965.