Parents of Eliza Mahaly Smith

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Ancestors of Bette Baker Clarno

Parents of Eliza Mahaly Smith

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This page originally created on 15 Aug 2006.

Background

Angie Baker Ryan and I have done a lot of searching and have traced Bette Baker Clarno's line back to Eliza Smith. Look at the web site for all this information. http://www.silogic.com/clarno/Bollinger-Smith.htm

What that web page shows is Polly Bollinger and her adopted daughter, Eliza Smith, together in the 1840 census onward. Polly never married.

So where did Eliza come from? Was she a neighbor's daughter? Was she related? What happened to her parents? Did they die? Where did the name "Smith" come from?

I didn't think it would be possible to trace Eliza's parents. We are convinced that she was adopted by Polly. But back then, adoption was often not a formal process.

Well, I think I found Eliza's parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents.

I'd like to say upfront that some of this is circumstantial as the records are not good. But, to me, the evidence supporting my conclusions is overwhelming.

What we knew

"The centennial history of Oregon, 1811-1912 : with notice of antecedent explorations" by Joseph Gaston, FHL 979.5 H2g v. and 979.5 H2g v.2.

Centennial History of Oregon entry for George Miller and Mary Alice Smith contained this about Mary Alice, sister of Laura Smith who was Bette's grandmother:

"Mrs. Miller is a daughter of Daniel and Eliza (Goens) Smith, both of whom were natives of North Carolina, but of Pennsylvania Dutch extraction, the grandparents having moved from the Keystone state to North Carolina."

Eliza died in 1920 and is buried near Aloha, OR. I have a copy of Eliza's death certificate which lists her mother's family name as Lenard (probably Leonard).

The following quote was written by Mrs. Mary E. Eudy (Mary Ellen Bollinger [born about 1892], daughter of Sidney L. Bollinger (Sidney Bollinger was the son of Joseph who was the son of Legion who was the son of Christian Bollinger)) - sent to me by Tony Bollinger:

"Miss Polly Bollinger, the daughter of Christian Bollinger, lived in Catawba Co. She raised Liz Smith. She was living with the family of George Miller at the time of her death in 1880. She was about the age of 90 years and was buried at Fairgrove [United Methodist] Church in Catawba Co."

This told us that Polly was not Eliza's birth mother. The quest for the parents of Eliza was on!

Update 9 Sep 2011. From a posting on ancestry.com to a query that I submitted to the Lincoln County Message board, I got this response from Kathy Gunter Sullivan that shows that Eliza was officially adopted:

"Minutes of Lincoln County Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions for September 1837: "Indentures. Eliza Smith bound unto Polly Bollinger until she arrives to the age of 18 years."

See below for the entire posting.

My plan at the Family History Library

There are many books in the FHL that are not microfilmed. You can't get them anywhere except at the FHL. In August of 2006, Sally and I were in Salt Lake City to visit her daughter. I took a day off and headed to the Family History Library.

At the FHL, I started out looking for Daniel and Eliza Smith.

Lincoln Co NC Will Abstracts 1779-1910 FHL 975.6782 P28m

I searched in the index (which had all of the names found in the book). There was a "Smith" reference to an entry for Margaret Sebach. Click for full text.

#1096 Margaret Sebach, Will dated 25 Jul 1843, probate March 1848. Daughter Mary. To Eliza Mahaly Smith. EXEC. son Legion Bullinger. WIT. Henry Rhodes, Caleb Miller Book 2 pg 295.

This is Maria Margherita Runk. She married Christian Bollinger and, after his death, Jacob Seabaugh. "Daughter Mary" refers to Anna Mary "Polly" Bollinger. Legion is the brother of Polly Bollinger. This is the first time we have seen Eliza's middle name - Mahaly. The 1920 census from Aloha, OR shows her middle initial as "M". Eliza's surname is written as "Smith". In 1843, she would have been about 11 years old and certainly not married.

Next to that was an entry for Jacob Sebach. Click for full text.

#1095 Jacob Sebach, Will dated Nov 1804, probate Jan 1810. wife Margaret. His children and wife's children by her first husband: Jacob Sebach, Peter Sebach, Lionder Bollinger, Christian Bollinger, Susanna Bollinger, Anna Mary Bollinger. My youngest children John Sebach and Margaret Sebach. My other children: Catherina Sebach, Joseph Sebach, George Sebach, Magdalena Sebach, and Elizabeth Sebach. EXEC. Peter Hoyl, Henry Roth. WIT: Abraham Smith, Christian Sebach (no book or page reference).

note: Anna Mary Bollinger is Polly. Lionder Bollinger is Legion.

Next to that, was an entry for Peter Seback (son of Jacob Sebach and his first wife):

#1097 Peter Seback, Will dated 14 Jun 1862, probate Jan 1866. Brother Jacob Saboch. Sister Elisabeth wife of Daniel Reep. To Peter Marshall Rhyne son of Esli Rhyne. EXEC. Esli Rhyne, WIT: Michael H. Costner, Jacob Plonk, Book 3, page 77.

This family is Seabaugh/Sebach. Jacob Seabaugh was the second husband of Maria Margherita Runk Bollinger.

My First Discovery and BIG CLUE #1

I continued my search for Goens. I looked for a family with father's name of Goens and mother's name of Leonard, having children in the 1830's.

I went to the section on Lincoln Co, NC. I picked a few books and looked through the index for Goens. I found the spelling had a few variations: Goens/Goins/Goin/Goings.

"Lincoln County Heritage 1997" by Lincoln County Historical Association (North Carolina) FHL 975.6782 H2L

An entry by Madge H. Philbeck,
716 Georgia Ave
Statesville, NC 28677

GOINS FAMILY

We know very little about the early history of our family. Members of the family were told that Aaron Goins and his brother Wiley came from Virginia (no proof).

The Marriage Bonds of Old Tyron-Lincoln Counties North Carolina by Bynum, tells us that a marriage bond filed for Arren Goings (Goins) and Ann Leonard with Elisha W. Roderick and M. W. Abernethy, witness, dated 10 Jan 1837.

The 1850 census lists Oran Goin, laborer, age 34; Anna, age 33 and Philip, age 8.

According to a great Aunt, Aaron lived in the "Old Beam House" and was killed by a tree while clearing a new ground. Ann died about 1894, the daughter of Jacob Leonard."

The article goes on to describe Madge's family connection through Aaron's son, Philip Pinkney Goins, born 14 Sep 1842. CLICK HERE for the full text. I've written Madge a couple of times but never received a reply.

"Marriage Bonds of Tyron & Lincoln Counties, North Carolina" FHL 975.678 v28b

pg 50: Arren Goins (Goings), Ann Leonard, Surety: Elisha W. Roderick, Witness: M.W. Abernathy 10 Jan 1837

"Marriage Records of Lincoln Co, North Carolina 1873-1866" FHL 975.6782 v28i

Aaren Goings, Ann Leonard 10 Jan 1837

To me, this was the first piece of the puzzle. This HAD to be Eliza's parents. In my searching of many books at the FHL, this was the only time I found a family with the father named Goins and the mother named Leonard. I'll call this BIG CLUE #1.

This was a circumstantial clue, was there anything else I could find to support it?

I surmise that Aaron Goins and Ann Leonard had a baby about 1832 - that baby was Eliza. Why was the baby adopted by Polly Bollinger?

I needed more data.

My Next Discovery and BIG CLUE #2

So now I had some names (and various spellings), I searched the US Census and here is a summary of what I found, my comments in (italics):

	GOINS/GOENS/GOINGS	SEABAUGH/LEONARD
1800 Lincoln County, NC See Note.	not found	Jacob Seabaugh, over 45y female, 26-44y (Margaret Runk Bollinger Seabaugh) male child, 16-25y male child, 10-15y male child, 10-15y male child, under 10y female child, under 10y female child, under 10y
1810 Lincoln County, NC See Note.	not found	Margaret Seabaugh, over 45y (Maria Margherita Runk) female 16-25y (Anna Susannah Bollinger) female 16-25y (Anna Mary "Polly" Bollinger) female 0-9y male 0-9y
1820 Lincoln County, NC See Note.	not found	Peter Seabouch
1830 Lincoln County, NC See Note.	not found Comment from Madge Philbeck in the book "Lincoln County Heritage 1997" : "We know very little about the early history of our family. Members of the family were told that Aaron Goins and his brother Wiley came from Virginia (No proof)."	Jacob Leonard 30-39y male 20-29y female 20-29y (must be Margaret Seabaugh) female 15-19y male 5-9y female 5-9y female 5-9y male 0-4y
1840 Upper Regiment Militia, Lincoln County, NC See Note.	Oran Goins, 20-30y female, 20-30y (must be Ann Leonard) male child, 0-5y (this child must have died before the 1850 census.) (Lived next door to:) Margaret Seabaugh, 80-90y female, 40-50y (Polly Bollinger) female child 5-10y (Eliza Goins (Smith) )	Jacob Leonard, 40-49y male 40-49y female, 30-39y (must be Margaret Seabaugh) male child, 15-19y female child, 15-19y male child, 5-9y female child, 5-9y male child, under 5y female child, under 5y (Lived near Calib Miller and Christian Bollinger)
1850 Lincoln County, NC	Oran Goin, 34y, b 1816 Anna Goin, 33y, b 1817 (Ann Leonard) Phillip Goin, 8y, b 1842 Henry Workman, 25y Sarah Workman, 28y (Sarah Goins, sister of Aaron and Wily) John Wokrman, 2y Sarah. A. Workman 5m Wily Goins, 40y (Aaron's brother) Mahaly C. Goins, 10y (Wily's daughter) Louisa Goins, 8y (Wily's daughter) (Henry Workman's family and Wily Goins' family lived in the same house) Martha Goin, 79y (living with family of:) Jeramiah Smith, 50y Sarah Smith, 47y (and seven children) (Martha Goin may be the mother of the Sarah that married Jeramiah Smith.)	Jacob Leonard, 52y Peggy Leonard, 48y (maiden name: Margaret Seabaugh) William Leonard, 21y Polly Leonard, 18y Caleb Leonard, 16y Sarah Leonard, 12y Carolina Leonard, 10y Franklin Leonard, 30y Barbara Leonard, 22y Elizabeth Leonard, 2y A.Q.P Leonard, 9m
1860 Caldwell County, NC 1860 Lincoln County, NC	Owin Gowins, 44y Willie Gowins, 50y Ann Gowins, 42y Phillip Gowins, 18y Louisa Gowins, 15y Henry Workman, 35y Sarah Workman, 30y John A. Workman, 13y Sarah Workman, 11y Susannah Workman, 9y Daniel W. Workman, 6y	Jacob Leonard, 63y Margaret Leonard, 59y (maiden name: Margaret Seabaugh) Caleb Leonard, 23y Sarah Leonard, 21y Emaline Leonard, 18y Margaret S. Leonard, 3y
1870 Lincoln County, NC	Wily Goins, 64y, b 1806 (Aaron's brother) Louisa Goins, 25y, b1845 Annie Goins, 51y, b 1819, "Lives with nephew" (Ann Leonard) Phillip Goins, 27y, b 1843 (Aaron's son) Elizabeth Goins, 28y, b 1842 Ida Goins, 3y David A. Goins, 1m	Jacob Leonard, 70y Margaret Leonard, 69y (maiden name: Margaret Seabaugh) Sarah Leonard, 31y Charlie Leonard, 13y Susannah Leonard, 11y Jennie Leonard, 6y Ida Leonard, 2y (Charlie, Susannah, Jennie and Ida could not be the children of Jacob and Margaret because they are too young. It appears that Sarah never married. Jacob's 1875 Will referes to grandchild "Charley A. Leonard")
1880 Lincoln County, NC	Phillip Goins, 36y, b 1844 (Aaron's son) Elizabeth Goins, 37y Ida Goins, 13y David Goins, 11y Charlie Goins, 5y Sarah Goins, 2y Oscar Goins, 7m Annie Goins, 56y (Ann Leonard - I think) Louisa M. Goins, 30y, niece (Wiley's daughter whose mother died in 1850) Daniel Workman, 22y, nephew (Annie's sister's son)	Sarah Leonard, 41y (living with Catherina Leonard, 48y) Ida Leonard, 14y Sarah A. Leonard, 6y William S. Leonard, 3m
1900 Lincoln County, NC	Louisa Goins, 52y (living with Johnson family, Wiley's daughter) Phillip Goins, 57y Elizabeth Goins, 51y Ida L. Goins, 33y Charlie M. Goins, 27y Oscar A. Goins 20y Alice E. Goins, 18y Lelia M. Goins, 15y	Sarah Leonard, 62y, widowed Sallie A. Leonard, 26y Liebe W. Leonard, 20y

Lots of bits to this clue.

In the 1840 census, we see Polly Bollinger and Eliza (Smith) Goins living next door to Eliza's real parents, Oran/Arren/Arron Goins and his wife Ann Leonard. They had a male child under 5 years old who does not appear in any of the other later census so he must have died before 1850. (Remember that the 1840 and earlier census only list the name of the head of the household - I've added the other names.). I'll call this BIG CLUE #2.

From the 1850 census data, Arron was born in 1816 and Ann was born in 1817. In 1832, they would have been 16y and 15y old - and not married. Eliza was born out of wedlock. Arron Goins and Ann Leonard most likely gave up their baby!

But why to Polly? Did Polly adopt Eliza because she was a neighbor? What was really going on?

BIG CLUE #2½

In the 1850 census, we see Arron's brother, Wily Goins, and his two daughters, Mahaly and Louisa. We saw the name Mahaly as Eliza's middle name in Margaret Seabaugh's will from 1843 (maiden name: Maria Margherita Runk). Mahaly may be a family name. For both Wily and Arron Goins to use that name in naming one of their children convinces me more that Arron Goins is Eliza's father. I'll call this BIG CLUE #2½.

My Last Discovery and REALLY BIG CLUE #3

"Lincoln Co Marriages", 1783-1866 FHL 975.6782 v28i

Jacob Leonard, Margarett Saypaugh, 25 Dec 1827

Remember that the "Lincoln County Heritage 1997" book says that Ann Leonard's father's name was Jacob Leonard.

Almost without a doubt, this is Margaret Seabaugh (or Sebach), the daughter of Maria Margaritha Runk (Runck) and her second husband, Jacob Seabaugh. These must be the parents of Ann Leonard. Ann was born in 1817 but this marriage bond was 1827. I'll call this REALLY BIG CLUE #3.

Also remember that Maria Margaretha Runk was first married to Christian Bollinger and they are the parents of Polly Bollinger.

Can you see the family tree forming?

Eliza Mahaly (Smith) Goins was born out of wedlock in 1832 to Arron Goins and Ann Leonard (BIG CLUE #1). Arron was about 16 years old and Ann was about 15 years old. Arron and Ann did get married 5 years later in 1837. They went on to have two more children, a male child born about 1838 (who appears in the 1840 census but not in the 1850 census) and Phillip Pinkney Goins, born in 1842 (who does appear in the 1850 census and has a family line traced down to the present).

In 1840, after Polly adopted Eliza, they still lived next door to Eliza's birth parents (BIG CLUE #2).

Ann Leonard was the daughter of Jacob Leonard and Margaret Seabaugh (REALLY BIG CLUE #3). Ann was born in 1817 when Jacob was 17 years old and Margaret was 16 years old. Ann must have also been born out of wedlock - Jacob and Margaret were married in 1827. They went on to have many more children, the first in 1829.

Maria Margaritha Runk was the mother of both Polly Bollinger (with first husband Christian Bollinger) and Margaret Seabaugh (with second husband Jacob Seabaugh).

So Polly and Margaret were half-sisters --- Polly Bollinger adopted the grandchild of her half-sister - Margaret Seabaugh - and that child was ELIZA MAHALY GOINS.

For me this was the final clue that convinced me that all this circumstantial evidence pointed in this one direction. Polly didn't adopt Eliza "out of the blue", they were related.

Click here for full size image of the Family Tree with more up-to-date information than the small image above (large 2MB+ JPG file).

NOTE: much of the information on the chart above was gleaned from the following Census pages:

1800 Jacob Seabaugh, Lincoln County, NC
1810 Margaret Seabaugh, Lincoln County, NC
1820 Peter Seaboch, West of the South Fork of the Catawba River, Lincoln, NC
1830 Jacob Leonard, Lincoln County, NC
1840 Jacob Leonard, Upper Regiment Militia, Lincoln County, NC
1840 John Goins, Upper Regiment Militia, Lincoln County, NC
1850 Jacob Leonard, Lincoln County, NC
1850 Martha Goin, Lincoln County, NC
1850 Wily Goins, Lincoln County, NC
1850 Arron Goin, Lincoln County, NC
1860 Jacob Leonard, Lincoln County, NC
1870 Jacob Leonard, Rhodesville, Lincoln County, NC
1870 Phillip Goins, Rhodesville, Lincoln County, NC
1880 Sarah Leonard, Howards Creek, Lincoln County, NC

Adoption of Eliza by Polly Bollinger

After years of thinking that we would never find a record of the adoption of Eliza by Polly, I posted a query on the Lincoln County message board on ancestry.com and got a very informative response:

Posted: 7 Sep 2011 9:06PM

I've been doing genealogy research on my wife's family. It goes back to Felix Baker and Laura Ann Smith in the area of Catawba, Lincoln and Gaston Counties in North Carolina.

Laura Smith's mother was Eliza Smith. I found that Eliza was raised by a woman named Polly Bollinger. The Bollingers were a big family in the area. Most of these families were German orginally from the "Dutch" country in PA.

I searched for several years and looked at many clues but I now believe that Eliza was the daughter of Aaron Goins and Ann Leonard. She was born when Aaron and Ann were 15/16 years old and well before they were married.

<added link to this web page>

I'd like to know your thoughts about it and if you have any information that you can share that might help me prove or disprove my theory.

Thanks,
Mark DiVecchio

Posted: 8 Sep 2011 8:53AM
Hi Mark,

Your case study on the parentage of Eliza Mahala Smith is interesting. Thanks for sharing it and giving others a chance to learn from your experience!

There are three pieces of evidence working against the theory that Eliza was married to a Smith:

a) When Eliza was indentured (bound) to Mary "Polly" Bollinger, her surname was Smith. See minutes of Lincoln County Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions for September 1837: "Indentures. Eliza Smith bound unto Polly Bollinger until she arrive to the age of 18 years." If Eliza was born in 1832, then in 1837, she would be only age five and obviously unmarried.

b) When Margaret Sebach executed her Lincoln County will on 25 July 1843, she referred to Eliza with the Smith surname. In 1843, Eliza Smith would be only age eleven and unmarried.

c) Eliza's surname is consistently Smith as a child and through 1850-1900 censuses and Eliza's children carry the surname Smith. As you point out, no Smith husband is ever in the picture.

Eliza Mahala Smith possibly was the orphan of a Smith couple, although when a child is bound out the court minute docket "most often" will say "orphan of ..." Possibly, the original indenture (if extant, is at the North Carolina State Archives) would have more information although the bond typically is the same as the minute docket entry.

Possibly Catawba County, NC, minutes and/or bastardy bonds show Eliza Smith as an unwed mother.

Thanks again for sharing,

Kathy
Charlotte, NC

Kathy,

Thanks for the information about the Lincoln County Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions. I didn't know such a document exists. I see that you have produced some books containing earlier transcribed records from this court.

Have you published the Lincoln County records for the 1830's?

Can you tell me about how to get to the Catawba County records?

Hi Mark,

Most pre-1910 North Carolina county records (originals or microfilms) are at the North Carolina State Archives in Raleigh. The Archives web site includes a list of the county records available held in that facility. Not all the Archives' holdings have been microfilmed, but those that have been (check the catalog) can be purchased (current price is $12.00 per reel). For another option, microfilms of some North Carolina county records can be rented (current price $3.75) from the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. Visit the FHL's catalog at their website to review which films are available for rental.

I extracted some 1813-1852 items (bastardies, indentures, estates) from Lincoln County, NC, records for my personal files. I also have an index I prepared of Catawba County Probates 1843-1885. I reviewed these for the surnames of Bollinger/Bullinger, Leonard, Goins/Going/Gowens, and Smith. I did not locate anything in my materials other than Eliza Smith's 1837 indenture to Polly Bollinger that I already told you about.

Let me know if this helps with your questions.

Kathy
Charlotte, North Carolina

Kathy,

Thanks, I reviewed the films and books available on the LDS site. I see the court records from the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions. The items on film, I will get sent to our local FHC. The books will have to wait for a trip to SLC.

Thanks, Mark

I've sent a request to the North Carolina State Archives to see if I can get a copy of the original indenture.

What we still don't know

The Centennial History of Oregon says that Eliza married Daniel Smith. We don't know anything about him or if he even existed. If he didn't, we don't know the origin of the Smith name. Eliza had three daughters so if Daniel is not the father, who is? The Centenial History of Oregon says that Daniel died in 1863 but Eliza's daughter Lulu was born in 1871.

I'm putting everying I know about Daniel Smith on his own web page.

Other bits and pieces:

"Lincoln Co NC Will Abstracts 1779-1910" FHL 975.6782 P28m. Click for full text.

#718 Jacob Leonard, Will dated 15 Mar 1875, probate 9 Mar 1878. Grandchild Charley A. Leonard. Daughter Sarah Leonard. EXEC. Franklin Leonard. WIT. D.A. Coon, George Coon, Book 4, page 184.

"Catawba Co Will Book, 1817-1867" Vol 1, FHL 975.6785 P2s

Pg 66, 1-139
Will of Legion Bollinger, 28 Jan 1854
wife: Catharine
sons: Jacob A. Bollinger, Joseph F. Bollinger
6 children:

M. Bollinger
J.A. Bollinger
L.L Bollinger
J.F. Bollinger
Polly Bolch
Anna Bowman

North Carolina Marriage Collection, 1741-2000

Name:     Wiley Goins
Spouse: Elizabeth Clippard
Marriage Date:     3 Mar 1829
Marriage County:     Lincoln
Marriage State:     North Carolina
Source Vendor:     County Court Records Lincolnton, NC and FHL # 0873860 item 21

Name:     Sarah Goins
Spouse:   Henry Workman
Marriage Date:     28 Aug 1847
Marriage County:     Lincoln
Marriage State:     North Carolina
Source Vendor:     County Court Records Lincolnton, NC and FHL # 0873860 item 21

Name:     Ann Leonard
Spouse:   Aaron Goings
Marriage Date:     10 Jan 1837
Marriage County:     Lincoln
Marriage State:     North Carolina
Source Vendor:     County Court Records Lincolnton, NC and FHL # 0873860 item 21

Name:     Jacob Leonard
Spouse:   Margarett Saypaugh
Marriage Date:     25 Dec 1827
Marriage County:     Lincoln
Marriage State:     North Carolina
Source Vendor:     County Court Records Lincolnton, NC and FHL # 0873860 item 21

General Notes (These may be out of date and are here for reference ONLY).

none

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email : markd@silogic.com

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