Categories52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks

The Siege of Yorktown

The twenty-ninth ancestor in my 52-week challenge is my wife’s paternal 5th-great-grandfather, Carey TONEY. There are a few birth dates listed, but most are usually either in October 1757 or 1763 in Buckingham County, Virginia.

According to a newspaper article about Mr. Toney:

Surrender_of_Lord_CornwallisHe joined the American army in the revolution; passed through several campaigns; was present and took an active part in the siege of Yorktown; was an eye witness to the surrender of Lord Cornwallis in 1781; saw General Washington and Lafayette a great number of times during the siege; recollects and describes the personal appearance of Lord Cornwallis, his staff, etc.

He stated he had seen and conversed with General George Washington at various times – described his dress, personal appearance, etc. – that he was a large man, rather rough featured, etc., but that he was the most kind and noble-hearted man he ever knew.

In August 1782, he married Elizabeth DOREN of Bedford County, Virginia. In 1819, the family left Virginia and settled in Preble County, Ohio. He lived to be 101 years old, passing away in September 1859, which probably puts his birth year at 1757. Carey and his wife were married “for the period of 76 years – had 10 children, nine sons and one daughter – and now living 60 grandchildren, 40 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.”

Another unique thing from his newspaper article is that it mentions that he has voted in every presidential election from the beginning of the republic.

He informed us he had voted for the following persons for president of the United States to-wit: George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe, James Madison, John Q. Adams, Andrew Jackson, William H. Harrison, Henrey Clay, Zachary Taylor, Franklin Pierce, and J. C. Fremont.

He is buried with his wife at the small Railsback Cemetery in Union County, Indiana, which is right across the border from Preble County, Ohio.

This post is 29 of 52 in the “52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks” Challenge” begun by Amy Johnson Crow.

Categories52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks

From Virginia to Wisconsin

The eighteenth ancestor in my 52 week challenge is my wife’s paternal 4th-great-grandfather, Peyton H WEY.

Peyton was probably born on 31 October 1805 in Fauquier County, Virginia. His parents are documented as Henry & Molly (CRUPPER) WEY.

On 12 November 1829, he married Rachel MINK in Lovettsville, Loudoun County, Virginia, which is adjacent to Farquier County. All of their children are noted to have been born in Virginia. Sometime after these children were born, the family moved to Preble County, Ohio. They lived there for a few years. Their daughter, and my wife’s ancestor, Mary married there in 1851.

Not long after that marriage, the families traveled from Ohio to Wisconsin, as they are in the 1860 Census for Crawford County, Wisconsin. There is a note for Peyton in my database, though I seem to have not noted where it came from that says:

The family came in covered wagons from Ohio to Wisconsin.  Mary (daughter) was married in Ohio and drove one of the wagons.  Peyton Wey was a basket maker and also a school teacher.  He also had a “sugar camp”.  Alfred Johnson, quoting his grandmother Margaret, said Peyton had a very bad temper.  The oldest son (Thomas) ran away before they moved to Wisconsin.

Peyton’s wife Rachel passed away in December 1870, and he married again in 1874 to a Mary Dawson. He passed away not long after this on 4 May 1882. He is buried in West Fork Cemetery in the small township of Richwood in Richland County, Wisconsin.

This post is 18 of 52 in the “52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks” Challenge” begun by Amy Johnson Crow.