Wigley: Puzzling It Out...
My Wigley lines was one of the most difficult puzzles I ever tried to solve. Some of the relationships are known now. This scrap was my attempt to put together some odd puzzle pieces that may or may not relate. It's like trying to piece a jigsaw puzzle when you're not sure if some pieces got in there from a completely different puzzle. These people had such similar names (which often happens in these Southern lines ~ it was traditional to pass down Christian names).
[CHRONOLOGY OF INDIVIDUALS OF INTEREST] (Not necessarily related or in household together; just of interest to study because of a puzzling similarity of names, ages, and locations, and discrepancies from one census year to another.) Miscellaneous children (Bryant/Smith/Wigley/Oyler/Blansett) in order of birth. *Judy/Julia L.F. Marie Wigley (b.1880-1881) *Francis Marion Wigley (b.1883-1884, married bef. 1910) Ida B. Smith (b.Feb 1884) John Wigley (b.Mar 1884) Lee A. Smith (b.Dec.1885) *Lee A. Wigley (b.1884-1885, married bef. ????) *Julina F. "Shug" Wigley (b.Mar 1884; another source says 1888) *Mattie Jane Emaline Wigley (b.1884-1886) Wane/Wade Bryant (b.1903) (lives w/John Blansett in 1920, a stepson) Eula Blancitt (b.1905) Minnie Oiler (b.1906) (adopted by John Blansett) Clyde Blancitt (b.1909)
*Asterisks designate individuals now known to be siblings.
Also looking at unknown James M. and Mary Withers, listed as having no kids. I don't have the census year for this one!!! All of the puzzling marriages (some assumed/documented in census): -Mary Bryan + J.M. Wigley: 23 Dec 1880 (This seems to be our Mary) -Mary J. Wigley + Smith Oyler: 15 April 1883 (This is a different Mary) -Mary Wigley + unknown Smith: by April 1883* [unknown Mary; assumed relationship could be all wrong.] -Mary [Bryant] Wigley + John Blansett: 30 Dec 1898, Dade Co. (marriage recorded in 1906) Our Mary, 2nd marriage! -Ida unknown + John Blansett: 1902
(???Source for Ida + John must be census, since maiden name of bride is unknown. Is this the same Blansett? Any relation at all? Is this our Mary, going by another name?)
-Mary unknown + James M. Withers: 1906 (???Source??? Any relation at all? Should "Withers" be "Wigley"? Seems a stretch...) *Marriage date of Ida Smith's parents is assumed by counting 9 months back from birth of Ida B. Smith. However, this came from trying to guess at relationships in census (looking at widows, step-children, etc.)
Since there's a Wigley-Oiler marriage above, I would consider Minnie Oiler to be a possible relation to this Mary. I would also look at this Mary Wigley (who married Smith Oyler) as a possible sister or other relation of James Marion Wigley (Mary Bryant's first husband). If there's a relation between James Marion Wigley and Minnie Oiler, then it makes since that Minnie might be adopted by John and Mary (Bryant) Wigley Blansett. This is pure speculation!
Wane Bryant is listed in census as John and Mary Blansett's stepson. Could he be a relation of Mary's, say, a younger brother or nephew? (See census at end of post.)
Questions: -Where is John Blansett of Jackson County in 1910? -Where is Mary (Bryant) Blansett of Jackson County in 1910? -Who is John Blansett of Dade County in 1910? -Who is Ida ??? Blansett of Dade County in 1910? ~ Did John divorce & remarry our Mary? ~ Did our Mary briefly go by the name of Ida?
-Who is John Wigley b.1884? (Boarder, Peter Cooper household, 1900) -Where is Smith Oyler in 1900? -Where is Mary (Wigley) Oyler in 1900? -When was Mary (Wigley) Oyler born? -Is Mary (Wigley) Oyler any kin to James Marion Wigley, perhaps a sister? -Is Minnie Oiler any kin to Smith Oyler, perhaps a daughter or granddaughter? -Where is Lee A. Wigley in 1900? -Where is Lee A. Smith in 1910?
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Source for unknown John Wigley, b. Mar. 1884:
U.S. Federal Census Bureau, Alabama, Jackson Co., 1900 census, Jackson Co., Alabama, T623, Roll 19, p53B, Enum. district 23, House #182, sheet 10, line 74. Head of household Peter Cooper. Subject: John Wigley, Boarder, White, male, b. Mar. 1884, age 16, single; b. Ala. Both parents b. Ala. Farm laborer.
Note: Several of the Cooper offspring married Wigley siblings. Peter is the father-in-law of Judy, Francis M., Mattie Jane, and Julina "Shug" Wigley. Lee Wigley married a cousin of these Coopers. I suspect that John may be another name for Francis Marion Wigley: say, John Francis Marion Wigley, or Francis Marion John Wigley. The birth year is about right, though I have F.M. as being born in Feb. 1883. Odd. No other info known about John. None of my family could identify him.