Dear Jean, (from
biy@netzero.net)
I sent a message before, but I don't know what happened to it. Please include your email address next time. Yes, I have done extensive research on my own family in
Chambers Co., Ala, near Layfayette
Ala., and in
Dekalb co., Ft. Payne.
I found my greatgreat grandfather Jacob, and his wife Janie in the 1870 census in
Chambers Co. Listed with him are my great grandfather John who was 18 at the time and his brothers and sisters. I also found the family in the census of 1880 with Janie as the head of household, and my great grandfather john had his own residence with his wife and 3 small children, one of whom was my grandfather. In 1880 both Janie and her son have changed the spelling from Magbee to
Magbie, and the spelling remains
Magbie until this day with the exception of 1900 when it appears in the census as
Magby in
Dekalb County. I was intrigued because you said your John had brothers named Will, and Henry, so did mine. Henry is 12 in 1870 and william is 6. There is also a sister Elana, age 16, a brother
Gus, 14, and Susan, 9 years. Susan is the onIy one of great grandad's siblings that I could find later. She is found in the 1910 census in Ft. Payne ala., married to Perry
Orr. My aunt remembered her and told me the name of her husband. She also remembered her great uncle Will. She said he was lightskinned , had curly hair, and that he had a child by a woman in
Fort Payne to whom he was not married. In the census of 1880 Janie has 3 more children Sarah, 11;
Thom, 9: and Frank, age 5. I don't know what happened to them. According to my aunt, who is 90 years old, her great uncle
Thom went to
Oklahoma and took his mother Janie with him. Apparently, this move took place sometime between 1890 and 1910. Thom left
Oklahoma and eventually came back east.