Did John S. Ratliff have 25 children with 3 wives?
Years ago my uncle had done the genealogy on my mother’s side of my family. My ggg-grandmother Sealie (Cela) Collins and John S. Ratliff, the son of Lydia Ratliff and William Ratliff, had 13 children together. My gg-grandmother, Mary Caroline b. 13 June 1860, was born from that union.
Prior to that union the genealogy shows John S. Ratliff, according to the 1860 census of Buchnon Co. and at the age of 39 married Catherine Looney and had 5 children and possibly according to the H.A. Compton’s book, 4 more? However my gg-grandmother had never in her life mentioned the names of the last 4.
Prior to that John S. Ratliff married Matilda Ratliff, 19 Aug. 1841 and according to the Tazwell Co. census; he was then 28 years old and had 3 children with that union.
Was there more then one John S. Ratliff living in Virginia during these time periods? Or was my uncle’s genealogy incorrect?
Bob Ledbetter