My serious research begins - Part 2

After my success of finding my grandfather in 1920 in Snow Creek Township, Mitchell Co, North Carolina, I worked backwards to see if I could find his parents in 1910. Because of what I had found in 1920, I knew indeed that Charles' parents were Robert McNeill/McNeal and wife Margaret. So a search of the 1910 index revealed a Robert McNeill living in Snow Creek Township, Mitchell Co, North Carolina (1). Robert, age 52, and wife Peggie, age 58, were living with their son Charles, age 23. Robert is listed as a blacksmith of an iron shop and Peggie as a farmer. I suspect that Robert had dual occupations of farmer and blacksmith...sort of like a jack-of-all-trades. And after some digging I determined that Peggie is an appropriate nickname for Margaret. So Peggie it is.

So with the success of finding Charles and his parents in 1910, I switched gears to try to find Della, Charles' future bride. Based upon the old family tree, Della was the daughter of Isaac Grindstaff and Mary Woody. I searched the 1910 index for a Della Grindstaff and found her in Bakersville Township, Mitchell Co, North Carolina (2). Her household included her parents Isaac, age 58 is listed as a clergyman, Mary 54, and the children at home: George 22, Alfonso 20, Della 17, Walter 13, Etta 9. Lastly, Bedie Grindstaff age 77, listed as widowed and mother of Isaac. A link to another generation..........

What a thrill this was to find both Charles and Della living with their parents shortly before they married and began their own family. Part of what made this so wonderful was that it helped prove the old family tree I had been given. While there was still much work to be done, at least I had a couple of generations of family. The names and the dates were about right. There was hope. My next thought was is there anyone still alive who remembers these folks? And what about 1930?


(1) 1910 U.S. Federal Census (Population Schedule), Snow Creek Township, Mitchell Co., North Carolina, Dwelling 219, Household 223, Robert McNeill household, jpeg image, (Online: The Generations Network, Inc. 2006) [Digital scan of original records in the National Archives, Washington, DC], subscription database, http://www.ancestry.com, accessed 2002.

(2) 1910 U.S. Federal Census (Population Schedule), Bakersville Township, Mitchell Co., North Carolina, Dwelling 104, Household 108, Isaac Grindstaff household, jpeg image, (Online: The Generations Network, Inc. 2006) [Digital scan of original records in the National Archives, Washington, DC], subscription database, http://www.ancestry.com, accessed 2002.