Elizabeth Paul Briscoe, sister of Eli Washington Paul
A letter written by Eli Washington Paul's daughter led me to the following information that I would like to share:
Proof that Elizabeth Briscoe is Eli's sister is as follows:
In 1850, Eli is listed on Putnam Co VA Census with his sisters, Eliza - 19, Rachel -17, and Elizabeth - 14.I have never been able to locate Eli in 1860 but his sister, Eliza, who married Andrew Carpenter, is listed with her two daughters and sister, Elizabeth Paul, at Putnam Co, VA, Hurricane Bridge as follows:E Carpenter - 27, MJ Carpenter - 6, EM Carpenter - 5, and E Paul - 22. (All females, Andrew is not listed).
I received the first page of a letter written by Eli's daughter many years after Eli died trying to find out about land Eli supposedly abandoned in Putnam Co, WV.In the letter, Eli's daughter states that her father had a little sister, Betty, that married a Bristo or Briskco.She also states that Betty has a son, Othis and a daughter, May.
After reading the letter, I did a search of the 1860 census for any Briscoe living close to Eliza and Elizabeth at Hurricane Bridge and I find Noah Briscoe living in dwelling 84 as a laborer.Eliza and Elizabeth are in dwelling 88 on same Census.
I did a search for Noah Briscoe in 1870 and I find him and family living at Canton, Fulton County, IL.He and Elizabeth and children, Otho, Emily,& Olive are on sheet 26, dwelling #170 (all born in Virginia except Olive -1, b. IL).Elizabeth's brother, Eli Washington Paul, who moved to Illinois after the Civil war, is listed with his first wife, Lydia Shepley, living in dwelling 177, on sheet 27 of the Fulton Co, IL 1870 Cenus, Canton.
I find the family back in West Virginia in 1880.Putnam Co, WV Census, Scott Township, which lists Noah Brisco, wife Elizabeth and children Elbert O., Emma J., Ollie May and Hattie L., which confirms the names of two of Elizabeth's children per the letter, Othis and May.