#52Ancestors, Week 15, "Solitude"

 #52Ancestors , Week 15

Theme:  "Solitude"

This was a HARD one to decide who to write about.  Other people were posting about an only child, a widow, an ancestor that was the end of the line, etc.

I had another ancestor that I was preparing to write about on this one...Elsie Gustin, who was born shortly after her father's death.  Then I decided to write about another ancestor, Richardson Mathews, who is buried in a forgotten cemetery.  I just wasn't happy with where their stories were going at this time, so I set out to find another ancestor.  I landed on John Miles, Sr.

It's not a long story... it's probably not even all that interesting.  But it's a common story that a lot of people have in their family trees.  One where people get forgotten more easily, because they weren't around very long.

John Miles, my 3rd Great Grandfather, was born about 1821 in Washington County, Virginia.  He was a son of Pascal and Susannah (Halfacre) Miles. At age 20, he married Miss Mary Jane Russell, in Washington County.  They had one child within a year, William, who was born there in Virginia.

Washington County, Virginia

Some time between 1842 and 1847, the Miles' family moved to northern Kentucky.  There, they had 2 more children, John in 1847, and Martha in 1849.  John Jr. is my 2nd Great Grandfather.  His obit states that he was born "near Covington".  The 1850 census shows the family in Gallatin County, Kentucky.  Covington is NOT in Gallatin County... so the story is unclear here.  Did they live in Covington first, then moved over to Gallatin County (only one county is in-between)?  Or was the memory wrong on where John Jr. was born?  I am sure I will never know the answer.

View of Cincinnati Ohio, from Covington Kentucky, 1850

In 1850, John Sr. is listed as a Laborer.  Laborer for what?  Farming, most likely.  However, living so close to the Ohio River, who knows?  Perhaps he had some kind of river job, working with boats or anything else river related?  

1850 CENSUS - Gallatin County, Kentucky

Another question I don't have a clear answer to, is what killed John?  Some time in 1851-52, John Sr. died.  He would have been about 30 years old.  Illness?  Work related injury?  Natural disaster?  One thing is for sure... it wasn't old age!

The reason I chose him for this "solitude" entry, is because of his death and location.  In September 1853, Mary Jane remarried.  Shortly after that, this newly formed family moved down river to Hardin County, Illinois, where they remained the rest of their lives.  Mary died there in 1888.

John is still in Gallatin County, Kentucky.  I hope he would have given his approval to what happened to his little family.