My McMillin-McAllister Mystery in Spartanburg District, SC
My mother's great-grandparents, William Pinkney McMillin (1822-1862) and Adaline (Cooley) McMillin (1822-1882), settled in northeastern Arkansas' Greene County in 1853. They were from Spartanburg District, South Carolina, but it's not entirely clear if they came to Arkansas directly from South Carolina or with a stop in Georgia. Many of their neighbors in Greene County also had roots (or branches) in Spartanburg District; some of them coming to Arkansas via Walker County, Georgia. Among the other Greene County settlers with Spartanburg District roots were members of the Gramling, Cothran/Cothrew, Bolin/Bowlin/Bowling, Bobo, and Blackwood families. The latter included W.P. McMillin's sister and brother-in-law, Mary Caroline (McMillin) Blackwood (1825-1886) and Theron “Them” Blackwood (1821-1876).
W.P and Adaline McMillin brought two daughters with them to Arkansas: South Carolina-born Martha Jane and "Cede." Another daughter, my mother's paternal grandmother, Caroline (McMillin) Akers Willey, was born in Arkansas in 1857.
This was their household on the 1860 census of Cache Township, Greene County, Arkansas:
MCMILLIN, W.P., 38, M, Farmer, SC
MCMILLIN, Adaline D., 37, F, Housekeper, SC
MCMILLIN, Martha J., 17, F, Domestic Work, SC
MCMILLIN, C.D.P., 15, F, Domestic Work, SC
MCMILLIN, Caroline, 3, F, AR
KELTON, Robert, 26, M, Farm Laborer, GA
I've tried to find W.P. McMillin's household on the 1850 census, either in South Carolina or Georgia, but have had no luck.
Yesterday, I stumbled across this household (Dwelling 1544) on the 1850 census of Spartanburg District:
McAllister, Pinky, 25, M
McAllister, Adelun, 23, F
McAllister, Martha, 8, F
McAllister, Celia, 6, F
McAllister, Doctor, 4, M
McAllister, Wallis, 2, M
Listed close by were households headed by Edmond Cooly in Dwelling 1546 and Joseph Cooly in Dwelling 1548. I understand that Adaline (Cooley) McMillin had Cooley brothers named Edmond and Joseph.
Immediately next to the Pinky McAllister household was one (Dwelling 1543) whose head was listed only as "Edmond, 75." Could he have been Edmond Cooley, Sr., Adalines's father? He was born around 1775.
I wonder if the census enumerator got McMillin and McAllister confused? Can anyone shed more light on Pinky McAllister? Did he exist outside of the 1850 census?
More Replies:
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Mabel (May Belle?) Harris in Spartanburg District, SC
Bruce Zerr 2/03/07