Randy Seaver of Genea-Musings has issued the following challenge for this Saturday night:
1) Determine who your most recent unknown ancestor is - the one that you don't even know his or her name.
2) Summarize what you know about his or her family, including resources that you have searched and the resources you should search but haven't searched yet.
My most recent unknown ancestor is #32, the father of my 2nd great-grandfather Ransom Spurlock (1807-1896); some say he was John Spurlock but convincing evidence has not been produced.
In his pension application, Ransom stated he was born in Washington County, Georgia, and married Ellender Vickers (c1920-1906) in Eufaula, Alabama, in 1836. The earliest record I have naming Ransom is his compiled military service record for service in the Alabama Militia in the Creek Indian War of 1836-1837. He is also listed in a transcription as appearing on the Alabama state census in 1833, the year after Barbour County was formed. In 1840, Ransom and family are in Hinds County, Mississippi. By 1850, they are in Bienville Parish, Louisiana. In 1870, Ransom has a homestead in Claiborne Parish, Louisiana, where he remained for the rest of his life. He and Ellender had 10 children, Frances Elizabeth (1837-1932), William Green (1838-1862), Marcus D. Lafayette (1842-1922), George Marion (1844-1880), Mary Ann (1846-1888), Elizabeth Rebecca (1848-?), John Fedrick (1850-1945), James Joshua (1853-1889), and Jasper Newton (1856-1858).
Barbour County was formed from Pike County; in 1830, there were two Spurlock families in Pike County, one John Spurlock and one William Spurlock. Neither has a male in the appropriate age range to be Ransom. I have searched both Barbour and Pike county records for property and probate records with no success.
There were numerous Spurlock families in Alabama and Georgia in the 18th and 19th centuries, most headed by a John or William! Spurlock researchers have been trying to piece together this puzzle for many years. My next steps are to research probate, property, court, and other records in those Georgia counties that are across the river from Barbour County, Alabama.
© 2011 Denise Spurlock
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