Re: Dora Ann McCurdy GA abt. 1810
-
In reply to:
Dora Ann McCurdy GA abt. 1810
Anne Easter 8/08/09
I, too, have been searching for information the family of Dora Ann McCurdy for several years, with no luck.The information I have follows (this is from memory, so dates are estimates) :
Dora Ann McCurdy was born in 1811 (based upon later census records) in Georgia.The first record I find of her is her marriage to Hilkijah Horn in Thomas Co. GA in 1830.
I have found some evidence (newspaper notices) that Hilkiah (went by the initials H.K.H.) and Dora moved to Baker Co. (or lived in that part of Thomas when it became Baker Co.) but the courthouse burned.From there, the family moved to Coffee Co., AL, where H.K.H. served as a J.P. and a commissioner in county government.They are present on the 1850 and 1860 census, as well as the 1866 state census.I have been unable to locate them in 1870 (I think...) During the War he served as a state congressman from Coffee Co.After the War, the family moved back to Georgia, to a community called Horn's Crossroads, in Miller Co. GA.I have seen Dora and H.K.H.'s headstone in the cemetery where they are buried.At the time of my visit, the area had just experienced a flood, and the cemetery was treacherous to cross as many of the graves were collapsing.H.K.H. and Dora's headstone was broken and lying in the mud.I did prop it back up against the base.Dora died, I believe in 1898, and H.K.H. hung on until after 1900.
I have corresponded and spoke on the phone with a gentleman whose name I do not recall at the moment, who had written a book on McCurdy families.He has absolutely nothing to add, and was a little surprised that there was a McCurdy with which he was unfamiliar.
I can only suppose that when the marriage license was issued, perhaps Dora's name was misspelled.But how we would know what it is supposed to be is anyone's guess.The handwriting on the marriage license is very clear, I have held the book in my hands in Thomas Co., GA and seen it myself.But there were no McCurdy families of record in the area.Perhaps she was a daughter from a previous marriage?Or a niece of another family?All supposition on my part.
R. J. Doyle