GENEALOGY DETECTIVES WANTED -- Connection or Coincidence: A Tale of Two Couples

CONNECTION OR COINCIDENCE?

The Adams & Hobbs Families of Natchitoches Parish

A DNA MYSTERY

IN SEARCH OF DETECTIVES —

 TENATIVE CONCLUSION

Based on the best Evidence uncovered today, these two Adams-Hobbs marriages appear to be marriages of UNRELATED individuals.  The Geographic closeness of the two families appears to be COINCIDENCE.  If you find contradictory evidence, please contact the author at francesfreeman7@me.com 

March, 2021

        In the closing decades of the 19th Century (1870-1900) we find

John Walton Adams

two couples with similar names living in Natchitoches Parish.  The older couple were my great, great grandparents, Levi Annison Adams and his wife, Nancy Ann Hobbs.  The younger couple were John Walton Adams and his wife Cynthia (sometimes spelled Sinthia or Cenethia) Clementine Hobbs.  Both couples had sons named Francis Marion Adams (and called Frank).  John Walton Adams, was orphaned when he was an infant, by his father, also named Francis Marion Adams.  Levi’s Mother was named Rachael and John Walton Adams had an Aunt Rachael. 

Levi Annison Adams

       Levi and John Walton are both from Adams families that trace to the Carolinas; while both of their Hobbs wives are from Hobbs families that trace to early Virginia.  However, based on the current accepted genealogies for these two couples, there is no connection (at least within 4 generations).  However, if either genealogy contains errors, it is possible that the connections suggested by the names (and their proximity) could be real.  

   This is a mystery that can be solved by a simple comparison of the DNA of one or more descendants of the couples.  Therefore, the OBJECTIVE OF THIS BLOG is to find descendants of John Walton Adams and/or descendants of Cynthia Clementine Hobbs Adams who have taken or are willing to take DNA tests in order to determine such relationships.   

      A number of the over 100 descendants of Levi Annison Adams and Nancy Ann Hobbs Adams have already been tested (actually different descendants have been tested by different companies including Ancestry DNA, Family Tree DNA, 23 and Me DNA, and My-Heritage DNA).  Comparisons can be made as soon as descendants of John Walton and Cynthia are identified and tested.

 We are asking those who read this Blog to help us find descendants of John Walton and Cynthia Clementine Adams.  If you think you know a descendant, please pass this Blog on to them.  

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?

"Gone to Texas"    

        The westward migration, from the Atlantic to the Mississippi, was primarily accomplished by movements of families.  But many of the early settlers of Texas were male adventurers striking out on their own.  The phrase "Gone to Texas" was too often the mantra of families that lost contact with their sons. To a marked extent, Spencer Hobbs (the father of Nancy Ann Hobbs) and Levi Annison Adams (her husband) fit into this adventurer category.  When we first encounter them in the official records of Texas, they are not associated with any relatives or family.  In each case, we have had to struggle to connect these young men with their families.  

        After years of working through "brick walls," I believed I had connected each of these men to their "roots."  With the advent of DNA, we have been able to "test" the hypothesized genealogical connections.  With both Levi A. Adams and his father-in-law, Spencer Hobbs, our success has been mixed.  In each case, DNA proves we have connected them to the right families.  Levi is clearly descended from his grandfather and his great grandfather.  The same is true for Spencer Hobbs.  He is clearly descended from his parents, grandparents and great grandparents.  The residual problem for each man is similar.  We do not know which son Levi descends from? That is, which of Levi's grandfather's sons is Levi's father?  With Spencer, the question is -- Which of his parents' sons is he?  He is their son, but which one.   For each man multiple DNA matches confirm the family line, but we are unable to specify exact identity.  Any new information, including relatives in Louisiana, would offer new evidence and possibly solutions

 I have told the story of Levi and Nancy in an earlier blog (https://communicatinglife2.blogspot.com/2017/01/levi-annison-adams-and-nancy-ann-hobbs.html).  I tell the story of John Walton in the last section of this Blog.  However, in order to facilitate the primary objective of the blog, I am listing below known descendants of John Walton and Cynthia, in hopes a casual reader will see a familiar name.

DECEASED Descendants of 

John Walton ADAMS and Cynthia HOBBS

Louis Edgeton Adams (1880-1944) born in Winn Parish died in Natchitoches Parish Married Ida Hall (they had 8 children). (Ida and Tei J. Hall  who married Louis’ brother Frank were sisters so their children are double first cousins.)

Mary Melinda Adams Evans (1881-1947) born in Winn and died in Bossier City. Married George Emery Evans (they had 3 children)

Francis Marion “Frank” Adams (1884-1951) born Saline and died in Nacogdoches, TX married Tei J. Hall (they had 4 children)  Ida HALL and Tei J. Hall were sisters so their children are double first cousins.  

Lawrence Malcom “Mack” Adams (1888-1959) born in Natchitoches and died in Bossier.  Married Emma Gertrude Stewart.  (They had 4 children).  He remarried Addie Martin (no children).

Marcel Leoma “Omie” Adams Rayburn (or Rayborn) (1891-1932) born in Chestnut, Natchitoches and died in Winnfield.  She married Jesse Elige Rayburn . (They had 4 children).

In total, the 5 children of John Walton Adams and Cynthia Hobbs Adams had 23 children who may have left children who could be living today, and may have living descendants.  I am listing below some of those who are deceased.  I have tried not to include the names of living individuals in order to respect their privacy.

Harold Coy Adams (1906-1973) Nacogdoches married Ila Flo Christopher (1906-1994)

Robbie Adams Stone (1926-2009) In some genealogies Robbie is descended from Levi A. Adams rather than John Walton Adams. This is because of the matching names of the two Francis Marion “Frank” Adams, sons of Levi and John Walton.

Gladys Fleeta Adams Parrish (1912-1975) Married Billy Virge Parrish

Louie Mae Adams Bass (1914-2002) Married Robert Ernest “Jack” Bass

Fitz Guy Adams (1917-1996) Married Opal Katherine Murrell (1922-2017)

Berdine Adams (1919-2008)

Glayds E. Adams (1908-1986)

Blanchard Bethay Adams (1910-1993)

Myrtis Adams (1913-?)

Malcolm L. Adams, Jr. (1925-1996)

Michael Dean Adams (1957-1995)

Robert Lynn Adams (1958-1996)

Hazel Rayburn Smith (1913-2000)

Polly Rayburn (1916-2009)

Ruby Rayburn (1917-?)

Katherine Rayburn (1919-1932)

Sunshine Evans (1916-1983)

Joye Arline Evans (1921-2009)

While the descendants of John Walton Adams and Cynthia Clementine Hobbs are the primary focus of this detective story, if a DNA connection is found, interest will shift to the other children of John Walton Adams and Cynthia Hobbs (and to their half siblings).  Therefore, we offer further information about John.

 

The Story of John Walton Adams

John Walton Adams may have been the only child of his father, Francis “Frank” Adams (1798-1858).  However, Frank was 58 when he married John’s mother, and over those 58 years, he had traveled from South Carolina to Mississippi to Louisiana.  If Frank had a prior marriage and/or children, I have not found records. 

Mary Jane Houston Adams Williams

When Frank Adams married on Nov. 20, 1856, his bride was 17 year-old Natchitoches native, Mary Jane Houston (1839-1925).  Their only child,  John Walton Adams was born on Sept. 14, 1857, shortly before his father’s death on Jan. 11, 1858.

  

On the eve of the Civil War, 19-year-old, Mary Jane Houston Adams found herself a widow with a young son.  She would not remarry until after the end of the war, when she was 26 and Frank was 7.   Her second husband was Henry Clay “Harry” Williams. 

 

Henry Clay "Harry" Williams

Mary Jane and Harry Williams had four children, three of whom lived to be adults.  Their children (John Walton Adams’ half siblings ) were:

Charles Wesley “Charlie” Williams (1866-1937).  1 child

Mary Jane Ulah ”Ninnie” Williams Bullock (1867-1937) 11 

Laura Virginia “Sallie” Williams McCurley  (1873-1954). 2 

Laura Virginia "Sally" Williams

John Walton Adams was not fortunate in his marriages.  He would bury two wives, Cynthia Clementine Hobbs (1849-1902) and Juanita “Oneta” Frith (sometimes listed as Freeman) (1874-1909).  His third wife Ada Rebecca Bumgardner (1875-1963) outlived him.

He was 21 when he married Cynthia Clementine Hobbs (1849-1902) on March 28, 1878, in Bienville, Louisiana.  His bride was 8 years older, and a widow with a 5 year-old son, Matthew Morris (Maurice) Martin.   Together John and Cynthia would have seven children before her death in 1902.  These are listed and discussed above.

The widower married Juanita “Oneta” Frith a year later in Bienville, LA.  The bride was 29 and the widow of Eddie Hester Robbins.  She had one son, Wiley Wells Robbins (1890-1968). There is some question regarding her last name.  It is given as both Frith and Freeman.  

Juanita and John Walton Adams had three daughters over the course of their six-year marriage.  The eldest, Mattie Jane Adams died as an infant.  The second was Dezra Mae Adams (1907-1997).  Records on Ancestry show her married to J. E. Rayburn but this could be a confusion her with her half-sister Leoma Adams who married Jesse E. Rayburn.  Both half sisters are listed as the mothter, of Polly Rayburn.  I have not been able to understand these  confusing records.  The third daughter, Willa V. Adams (1909-1976) married Zera Carson Wayland.  They had one daughter, Jewell Oneta Wayland (1927-2016), who married Leonard Clarence Carter (1925-2012).

The 53 year old widower married for the third time in 1910.  It was the first marriage for his 35 year-old bride, Ada Rebecca Bumgardner (1875-1963.  Over the following 6 years, the couple would have 3 sons:  Urah Zenas Adams (1910-?), John Walton Adams, Jr. (1914-1937), and Harley Howcott “Howie Adams (1916-1969)..  I have not found records for children of any of these three sons. 

        Shortly before his death, John Walton Adams swore out an affidavit, specifying the names of each of his children, and identifying their mothers.  

If you can help with our mystery, please leave a comment on this Blog.  You can also contact me through my Ancestry Tree, "Frances' Family History" or through Face Book.