Friday, March 21, 2014

Family Friends Friday-Well Maybe....

 A few weeks ago I found this picture on Ebay. It is not anyone in my family, but it interested me because the woman was said to be from Clarendon, County,SC. The picture has the name Lenora Ridgill written on it.
 Several of my lines that are from the same county, so the picture was purchased and the searching began.


Lenora Ridgill
©Cheri Hudson Passey

  A Lenora Ridgill was found in both the 1860 and 1870 Clarendon County,SC Census.  

1860 Manning, Clarendon, SC Census
Lenora Ridgill, Family 109, Line 9
Source::Ancestry.com

 While looking at this census page, I scrolled forward and back to get a sense of the community and to see if there were other Ridgill families in the area. To my surprise just three pages ahead of Lenora and her family,were the Benjamin Reese Gibson (1824-1907) family! Benjamin and his wife Margaret Cantey Walker Gibson (1830-1900) were my Paternal 3rd Great Grandparents. They were about the same ages of Lenora and her husband, C.W. Ridgell, and their children were similar in age as well. Both men were listed as farmers.
 Is the Lenora in the 1860 Clarendon County,SC Census the same Lenora in the picture? Only time will tell. A few leads have been found on Ridgell descendants in Clarendon County. Perhaps one of those will bring answers.
 If it is the same Lenora, perhaps that is why I felt such a strong urge to purchase the photo and return it to the family. She was a family friend....maybe.

 ©Cheri Hudson Passey

7 comments:

  1. She looks to be part Indian or have those characteristics.

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  2. She certainly could be. Can't wait to hear from the contacts I have made and see what information they have!
    Thanks Guerry.

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  3. Did you receive provenance information with the image? Who owned it before you? How did it come to them? What format is the image? Tin - type, reproduction?

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  4. Did you receive provenance information with the image? Who owned it before you? How did it come to them? What format is the image? Tin - type, reproduction?

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    Replies
    1. Steven,
      It is a Tin-type. I emailed the seller to try to get provenance info but didn't hear back.
      The good news is that I was contacted today by a desendant. Lenora is going home!

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  5. Small world Cheri,
    Did I ask you about Odette Henrietta PASSEY? born 12 Nov 1908 in France? died Aug 2006 Henley on Thames Oxfordshire, married William Robert LAWS (born 1914 died 2004) in 1936 in St Pancras London, One son John Michael Robert LAWS born 15 Jun 1945 Eton BKM died Jun 1985 Oxfordshire.
    My connection - None so far as I know part of my ONS though I was born in the same county the year before her son.

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    Replies
    1. I will ask my brother-in-law about her. He has done a lot of work on the Passey surname.
      Thanks John, I appreciate you reading my post!

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