Double take!!

I did a double take when I came across this image recently. One of the things I've learned in doing genealogy research is that it never hurts to go back through your family information, over and over again. What may not have been pertinent to your research at the current moment may prove to be a significant key a few months, or years, later. The above image was photographed some time ago when it was shared by my Aunt Coleen, who will be 96 in January. She wrote down her husband's family tree several years ago whenUncle Buddy was still living. Although I wasn't re-visiting my Robinson information when I came across the image recently, I did pause to look over the information once again, and did a double take!

There, at the top of the paternal family branch, was the full name of Charlottie Purnell's mother! Her surname is shown as "King" which I had never seen before! I knew from census records that her name was Sarah A. but had no idea as to her maiden name. Obviously, when I scanned the information I was focused on other family lines and thus was not interested at the time in Charlottie's parents. Since then, however, I've been at a brick wall as to the Purnell family. This small bit of information could open other doors in my research. I'll keep you posted.

I am also reminded of how I found Sarah A. King Purnell's dates of birth and death. My husband has business trips to New Orleans once or twice a year, and although New Orleans is a great town to visit with lots of interesting things to see and do, there is only so much repetitive sight-seeing one can take! So during one such visit, I checked out the genealogy section of the New Orleans Public Library. As genealogy collections go, this one is not that great, although if you had ancestors with a connection to New Orleans (and I don't) then it would be a good resource. I was flipping through a book on Mississippi cemetery transcriptions, checking out my usual surnames, and to my surprise found a listing for Sallie A. Purnell, wife of S.M. Purnell, buried in Lebanon Cemetery in Alcorn County! Here was my Sarah! I had lost track of her after the 1880 census in which she and her husband was found living in Lamar County, Alabama with their son and son's family (darn that missing 1890 census!). Her son, Marion Sampson Purnell, moved to Alcorn County, Mississippi by 1887 because his daughter Rayma was born there. Apparently, Sarah (and possibly her husband, Sam) moved there too. She was buried next to her grandson, Herbert Purnell.

Next time I see Aunt Coleen, you can believe I'll ask her about Sarah A. King!