Sample Ancestor Profile

Those of you who subscribe to Genealogy Guys Learn may already have viewed the video, "Bring ‘Em Back to Life: Creating an Ancestor Profile." It explains a methodology for taking every piece of evidence you have acquired, arranging it in chronological sequence, rereading it as if you have never seen it before, and creating a profile of your ancestor. The profile makes you think of everything and to identify gaps and inconsistencies. You can then develop additional research goals and plans. It is one of my favorite ways of attacking brick walls!

Here is an abbreviated example of one ancestor profile for my paternal great-grandmother just to illustrate the format.

Lydia Lenora PATTERSON

(13 November 1833 - 28 August 1914)

YEAR                                                   EVENT

1833 -    Born 13 November 1833 in NC.

            Source: Obituary, Charlotte [NC] Observer, 29 August 1914.

            Source: Baptismal record at the Davidson Presbyterian Church in Davidson (Mecklenburg) NC.

            Source: Membership record at the Davidson Presbyterian Church in Davidson (Mecklenburg) NC.

1835 -    Brother, John Newell Williamson Patterson, was born 5 December 1835.

            Source: Tombstone, Davidson Presbyterian Church in Davidson (Mecklenburg) NC.

1840 -    Mecklenburg County, NC (Member of household of William PATTERSON and his

wife, nee Elizabeth McCuen Caroline POTTS.)

Source: NARA Microfilm publication M704, Roll 365, Page 319.

1840 -   Sister, Elizabeth Patterson, was born ca. 1840.

            Source: 1850 Census. Microfilm publication M432, Roll 637, Pages 33-34,

Dwelling # 545, Family # 548.

1846 -    Brother, James Patterson, was born ca. 1846.

            Source: 1850 Census. Microfilm publication M432, Roll 637, Pages 33-34,

            Dwelling # 545, Family # 548.

1849 -    Snow on 15 April 1849 killed wheat, corn and cotton crops and badly damaged fruit crops.  Harvest that year was miniscule.  Patterson family donated money for relief of the

poor in the area.

Source: Alexander, J.B. History of Mecklenburg County from 1740 to 1900. Charlotte:

Observer Printing House, 1902.

Source: Letter from Lydia Lenora Patterson to Joseph McKnitt Wilson dated 27 December 1855.

1849 -   Sister, Alice Patterson, was born in 1849.

            Source: 1850 Census. Microfilm publication M432, Roll 637, Pages 33-34,

            Dwelling # 545, Family # 548.

1850 -    Mecklenburg County, NC (Member of household of William PATTERSON and

            wife.) Microfilm publication M432, Roll 637, Pages 33-34, Dwelling # 545, Family # 548.

1850 - Attended Salem Female Academy - Receipt for $50.00 advance fee and for 1850-51

school year in my possession.

1856 -    Married to Joseph McKnitt WILSON, 8 April 1856, Mecklenburg Co., NC.

Marriage license on file at the NC State Archives.

1856 -    Accompanied husband in a move to Charleston, SC, where he attended medical

            school.

1857 -    Husband graduated from medical school in Charleston, SC. Returned to

             Mecklenburg County, NC.

1857 -    Ida Elizabeth WILSON born on 4 March 1857.

1859 -     Isaac Lawrence WILSON born on 8 December 1859.

(1860 Census for NC, Mecklenburg County, Western Division, Charlotte P.O.,

Roll M653-906, Page 152, Dwelling # 531, Family # 580. Record shows age as 7/12ths.)

1859 -    Ida Elizabeth WILSON died on 12 January 1859.

1860 -    Mecklenburg County, NC (Member of household of Joseph McKnitt WILSON.)

Microfilm publication M653, Roll 906, Page 152, Dwelling # 531, Family # 580. Record

shows age as 26.

1861 -   North Carolina seceded from the Union to join the Confederate States of America on

            20 May 1861.  The Charlotte Mint was seized by Confederate soldiers.

1861 -    Mary Martha (Mamie) WILSON born on 12 December 1861 in Davidson (Mecklenburg)

NC.

Source: Obituary from Rock Hill (York) SC newspaper dated 9 February 1955,

             reporting her death on 8 February 1955.

1864 -    William Elmore WILSON born 27 April 1864.

1865 -    Emory Lee WILSON born on 12 July 1865.

1867 -  Harriett Idella (Della) WILSON born on 7 January 1867.

1868 -  Joseph Patterson WILSON born 1 March 1868.

1870 -    Mecklenburg County, NC (Member of household of Joseph McKnitt WILSON.)

Microfilm publication M593, Roll 1148.

1870 -    John McKamie WILSON born on 9 August 1870.

1873 -    Laura Augusta (Minnie) WILSON on 24 January 1873.

1875 -   Mecklenburg County celebrated the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence.

            Lydia Lenora Patterson Wilson participated as a member of the ladies' planning

            Committee.

            Source: Charlotte Observer, 11 May 1875.

1880 -    Mecklenburg County, NC (Member of household of Joseph McKnitt WILSON.)

             Microfilm publication T9, Rolls 971/972.

1886 -    Father, William PATTERSON, died on 3 December 1886.

1887 -   Assisted with organization of Thompson Orphanage in Mecklenburg County, NC.

1887 -   Emory Lee Wilson married Dora Ester McKey on 27 November 1887

1888 -    Grand-daughter Dora Belle Wilson, daughter of Emory Lee Wilson and Dora Ester

McKey, was born 21 July 1888. 

(Note:  This child was born less than 8 months after the wedding of her parents.)

1890 -    Mecklenburg County, NC (Member of household of Joseph McKnitt WILSON.) No

census records available.

1890-1891 - Worked with her husband and others to begin the Good Samaritan Hospital in

Charlotte, which was dedicated on 23 September 1891.

1891 -    Grand-daughter Susan Elizabeth Wilson, daughter of Emory Lee Wilson and Dora Ester

            McKey, was born on 19 October 1891.

1893 -   Isaac Lawrence Wilson married Belle Chipps, 5 April 1893, in Mecklenburg County,

            NC.

1893 -    Mary Martha (Mamie) Wilson married Thomas A. Barron, 10 May 1893, in Mecklenburg

County, NC.

1895 -    Grandson, Fred Lee Wilson, son of Emory Lee Wilson and Dora Ester McKey, was

born on 7 June 1895.

1898 -    Husband retired from medical practice.

1898 -   Laura Augusta (Minnie) Wilson married Jeter Earnest Murphy on 2 February 1898

            in Davidson (Mecklenburg) NC. 

Source: Marriage license on file in North Carolina State Archives.

Source: Entry in Bible belonging to Laura Augusta (Minnie) Wilson.

1898 -    Jeter Earnest Murphy, husband of Laura Augusta (Minnie) Wilson, died of typhoid

            fever in Mecklenburg County, NC. 

            Source: Entry in Bible belonging to Laura Augusta (Minnie) Wilson.

1898 -    John McKamie Wilson married Jessie McAuley on 5 October 1898.

            Need marriage location.

1900 -    Mecklenburg County, NC (Member of household of Joseph McKnitt WILSON.)

Need census information.

1901 -   Home was destroyed by fire on 16 July 1901.  House was a complete loss.

1901 -   Following the fire, Joseph McKnitt WILSON and Lydia Lenora PATTERSON moved in with

            their son, Isaac Lawrence Wilson, and his family while their home was being rebuilt.

1902 -    Isaac Lawrence WILSON died on 20 February 1902 in Spartanburg, SC in a freak accident.

            The car he was driving collided with a hay wagon, and one of the yoke arms crashed through the

Windshield and went through his head.

1902 -    Joseph McKnitt WILSON and Lydia Lenora PATTERSON moved into their rebuilt home in

            Davidson (Mecklenburg) NC.

1902 -   Laura Augusta (Minnie) WILSON married Samuel Goodloe MORGAN on 24 December 1902

            in Davidson (Davidson) NC.

Source: Marriage license on file in North Carolina State Archives.

1905 -   Grand-daughter, Mary Allen MORGAN, daughter of Samuel Goodloe MORGAN and

Laura Augusta (Minnie) Wilson, was born on 14 June 1905 in Mebane (Alamance)

            NC.

            Source: Family Bible of Laura Augusta (Minnie) WILSON. In possession of George G.

Morgan on 1 January 2004.

Source: Tombstone, Woodland Cemetery, Madison (Rockingham) NC.

1909 -    Joseph Patterson WILSON and Frances Lamb MIMMS were married on 5 January 1909.

            Need marriage certificate to verify date and location.

1909 -   Grand-son, Samuel Thomas Morgan, son of Samuel Goodloe Morgan and Laura

Augusta (Minnie) Wilson, was born on 18 December1909 in Mebane (Alamance) NC.

1910 -    Mecklenburg County, NC (Member of household of Joseph McKnitt WILSON.)

Need census information.

1910 -    Husband died on 26 July 1910 and was buried at Davidson Presbyterian Church

in Davidson (Mecklenburg) NC.

Source: Church records at the at Davidson Presbyterian Church in Davidson (Mecklenburg) NC.

1912 -    Interviewed by Charlotte Observer regarding family history.  States her residence

            at the time as being in Davidson, NC.

1912 -   Her brother, John Newell Williamson Patterson, died in October 1912,

1914 -    Died 28 August 1914 in Davidson (Mecklenburg) NC. Buried at Davidson

            Presbyterian Church in Davidson (Mecklenburg) NC.

            Source: Church records at the Davidson Presbyterian Church in Davidson (Mecklenburg) NC.

1914 -   Need information about will if any.

Information Needed:

Lydia Lenora Patterson's mother, Elizabeth McCuen Caroline Potts, was born after 1800 and before 1810, and died after birth of last child ca. 1850.  Need more information.

Need additional information about Lydia Lenora Patterson's siblings and their families.

Son William Elmore Wilson married Daisy Henderson - Marriage date and location unknown.

Harriett Idella Wilson married Richard Chalmers Knox on 6 July ???? - Marriage year and location unknown.

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