I am trying to sort out some confusion among the various JOSIAH CARNEY families from NC. Right now I have narrowed it down to three particular Josiah Carneys. The first is the oldest whom I believe was born in 1755 and then moved to Clarke County, Alabama. He was the one who built Carney's Fort which was used in the Creek Wars. According to online family trees, he married Sarah Powers. Both died in Clarke County.

There is a second Josiah CARNEY born 1806 in NC, who seems to have stayed in NC. He is listed as married to Rachael CARNEY in 1850/1860/1870 censuses. In 1880 he shows up in Alabama staying with his son James A. Carney, b 1831. I wonder if he is the son of the first Josiah CARNEY.

The third Josiah is the one that I am interested in who was born in Pitt Co. NC in 1810. Some sources say he was the son of Thomas CARNEY who married Elizabeth Albritton. This Josiah moved to Henry Co. TN along with Henry CARNEY (who may be his brother) and married Susan Daniel, the widow of James M. Daniel (also from NC) who died around 1836. I have a hunch this James M. Daniel may be related somehow to Robert Lanier Daniel. In 1840 Josiah appears in the Weakley County TN census, with details matching the will records of that year. He is the guardian to Susan's children. He married her around 1838. In 1850 they appear in Graves Co. KY, which is the neighboring county directly across the border.

There is a lot of confusion about this Josiah CARNEY and this Susan CARNEY. Several family trees show that this Susan in KY is supposedly the widow of Stephen CARNEY from NC (Susannah Conway). But the only evidence seems to be that she appears in this 1850 census with another Stephen in the household. It seems to me that people are assuming she is the widow of Stephen.

But according to my information (based on a will record from 1838 issued in Henry Co. TN) she is the wife of Josiah CARNEY even though she is much older than him. It seems to me that they moved to Graves Co. KY to be with other relatives. Josiah seems too old to be her child as others have pointed out. And this is the only Josiah and Susan CARNEY in the area. In 1870 he is listed as the head of the household with her directly below him. Both of their ages match the 1840 census indicators. So I am pretty sure it's the same couple.

I would appreciate hearing from anyone who knows more about the Josiah CARNEY families and who can help me sort this out. I have a lot more information I can offer.

Thanks E. B.

Do you have any information on Josiah Carney in Mississippi?

Wendy

B.E. I am puzzled about Josiah also. At age 40 in 1850, he couldn't have been the father of Absolum age 32, Stephen age 29 or Lydia age 28.

It is possible that he was father of Nancy age 22, Samuel age 20, Archibald age 18 and John age 14. Also, Sasanna owned real estate valued at $600., Josiah had no real estate.
In 1860 census Josiah's real estate was valued at $1500. and personal property at $1500. Susanna's real estate was valued at $1500 and personal property was valued at $200. Lidya, Archibald and John had no real estate and $400, $400., and $200 personal property respectively.
The 1870 census shows John with real estate valued at $2500 and the others none.

Would a married couple with children together value their real estate and personal property seperately ?

I think Josiah was a son Susanna bore when she was 16 yrs old and the will you mentioned was that of her first husband Josiah Carney who was the father of this Josiah II.

I also think that Josiah II was a widower who moved in with his mother and his siblings and he was a father of some of the younger children in the 1850 household. But I could be wrong lol