To Whomever It May Concern:

My great great grandfather was married to Susan C. Lively in Wood County, Texas... possibly in Quitman.

His name was Elijah Dean (also went by Lija, or E.A.)

According to the 1880 Census, she and he were quite possibly married in 1873. I would love to have a more definitive record if at all possible.

Also, could anyone possibly tell me where she might be buried. I know the family lived in Quitman. She had the following children with Elijah: Rosa Etta (Rose Etta), Robert Benjamin, and Lucretia Delilah (lila)... I have all their information. I'm just looking for information on their mom, Susan. She is quite a mystery in our Dean family.

http://www.rootsweb.com/~txwood/index.htm

A Brief Genealogical History of Wood County

Up to the year of 1848, Wood County was included in Nacogdoches County, when Van Zandt County was segregated from Nacogdoches. Van Zandt County then included the present counties of Van Zandt, Wood and Rains.

Wood County was organized in 1850, but not in time to be counted separately in the federal census of that year. Wood County residents are included in the Van Zandt County federal census for 1850. Quitman was designated as the county seat and remains so today.

Rains County was taken off the northwestern portion of Wood County in June of 1870. The portion of Wood County cut off into Rains runs about a mile east of the Flat Community to the east edge of Point.

In 1878, the Wood County Court House burned, with the loss of all county records. Genealogy researchers must seek alternate sources of information for the period from 1850 to 1878. Many land deeds were re-filed after the fire, and these records of re-filed deeds have been printed in the quarterly newsletter of the Wood County Genealogical Society.

I have the same problem you do as to lost marriage records in Wood county due to the 1878 fire and land records.

There are a few cemetery listings at above link for Wood county showing exact locations.

Follow up -

Elija A Dean remarried abt 1888 to Almedia. They were living in Mesquite TX in 1900 census. Elija owned his farm property in Mesquite.

Elija did not marry Almedia in Wood county as there are marriage records for this timeframe for Wood county on Rootsweb link.

Dallas county marriages for this timeframe online does not show marriage for E A Dean and Almedia.

Dallas County Marriage Books, submitted by Dallas Gen Soc

http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/tx/dallas/vital.html

Susan C died between 1880 and 1888, there abouts, or they divorced. Buried somewhere in Mesquite? Would it be possible Elijah is buried with Susan and 2nd wife ?


Name: Elijah Allen Dean
Death Date: 1 Apr 1942
Death County: Tarrant
Certificate: 19342

WW I Draft Registration, 1917-1918
Source: Ancestry.com

Name: Robert Benjamin Dean
City: Everman
County: Tarrant
State: Texas
Birth Date: 29 Aug 1879
Race: White
Roll: 1983671
DraftBoard: 0
Occupation: blacksmith
Wife: Cynthia J Dean
medium height & build, brown eyes, black hair

Name: Charles E Dean
City: Grand Prairie
County: Dallas
State: Texas
Birthplace: Mesquite, Texas;United States of America
Birth Date: 21 Sep 1890
Race: Caucasian (White)
Roll: 1953184
DraftBoard: 1
Single
Occupation: laundryman, McAlester, OK
medium height, slender build, brown eyes, drk brown hair

Now you know where they were in 1890. An "X" has been drawn through his registration and OK written in the border.

Name: Chas Earl Dean
City: McAlester
County: Pittsburg
State: Oklahoma
Birthplace: Mesquite,Texas;United States of America
Birth Date: 21 Sep 1890
Race: Caucasian (White)
Roll: 1852070
DraftBoard: 1
Occupation: laundryman/McAlester Laundry
Single, mother & father dependant on him
medium height, slender build, brown/blue eyes, black hair
has problem with left leg, stiff hip but not unable to work
5 Jun 1917

Name: Ruben Ocey Dean
City: Grand Prairie
County: Dallas
State: Texas
Birthplace: Mesquite Texas;United States of America
Birth Date: 25 Jul 1895
Race: Caucasian (White)
Roll: 1953184
single, self employed farmer
short slender build, brown eyes, black hair
no next of kin noted

Name: John Hoges Dean
City: Electra
County: Wichita
State: Texas
Birthplace: Oklahoma;United States of America ..?
Birth Date: 19 Dec 1894
Race: American
Roll: 1983777
DraftBoard: 0

Hard to read for John Hoges Dean

Mesquite Genealogical Society, 300 Grubb Dr, P.O. Box 850165, Mesquite, Texas 75185 - tel #972-216-6229