MAY 6, 2008 BALLARD/McCRACKEN COUNTIES

I have been looking at maps of the area of Ballard/McCracken counties. The town counties is located in a area that was the Jackson Purchase. There were 8 counties in the Jackson Purchase between 3 rivers: Mississippi, Ohio & Tennessee Rivers.
1. Marshall Co, KY
2. Calloway Co., KY
3. Graves Co., KY
4. McCracken Co., KY
5. Ballard Co., KY
6. Carlisle Co., KY
7. Hickman Co., KY
8. Fulton Co., KY

There were two Mayberrys that purchased land in that area of Kentucky, West of the Tennessee River. Frederick Mayberry & John S. Mayberry. It does not list a county or town but it would be one of those 8 counties. I think it is reasonable to speculate that Frederick & John were probably related and could have been brothers. Also we need to take into account a marriage record in McCracken County, KY for a David Mayberry dated 1825. That would put him in the general area of Frederick & John. Perhaps all three Mayberrys...Frederick, John & David are brothers.

I have found a few more Mayberrys listed in the 1850 census for Ballard Co., Kentucky & Graves Co., KY. I listed them by households.

Name Home in 1850 (City,County,State) Estimated Birth Year Birth Place

1. F Maberry District 1, Graves, KY abt 1828 Kentucky

2. John Maberry District 2, Graves, KY abt 1828 ?
Frances Maberry
(Wife of John) District 2, Graves, KY abt 1830 Kentucky

3. Frederick Maberry Ballard, KY abt 1758 Kentucky
Catherine Maberry Ballard, KY abt 1814 Kentucky
George Maberry Ballard, KY abt 1846 Kentucky

4. James Maberry Ballard, KY abt 1844 Kentucky
(only Maberry in household) The family he is living with has different surname. Last name is Sams.

5. Frederick Maberry Ballard, KY abt 1788 Virginia
Betsy Maberry
(wife of Frederick)Ballard, KY abt 1789 Kentucky
William Maberry Ballard, KY abt 1832 Kentucky
Delpha Maberry Ballard, KY abt 1842 Kentucky
Margaret Maberry Ballard, KY abt 1845 Kentucky

We also have a George Mayberry that appears in the 1840 census for McCracken Co. and his marriage record states he was married in McCracken Co., KY in 1836. Here are three Mayberry marriages in the local area.

Polly Mayberry married Samuel Lock in Hickman Co., KY on Mar. 9, 1825.
David Mayberry married Elizabeth McConnel in McCracken Co., KY on Apr 4, 1825
George Mayberry married on Sep 24, 1836. Wife's name is not listed.

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The Graves CO KY is interesting - according to the pension file documents - Shay married Rebecca Withrow Brown in GRAVES CO, KY - why would they go there versus getting married in Scott County - She married Brown, Rutledge and Peal all in Scott - so I'm assuming it was Shay that had relatives in Graves County.

I haven't received the second set of documetns from the Archives. My niece is suppose to be sending me documents that my Aunt Edie had - maybe these will have something.

Have you heard from the Historical Society that was sending you the Mayberry info?

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Graves County is just south of McCracken County. Ballard & McCracken County has all three rivers...Mississippi, Ohio & Tennessee boarder it. I believe that when James Shay made his way from Ohio, he stayed for a brief time in the counties of the Jackson Purchase. Mayfield, Graves Co., KY was one of the biggest cities in the Purchase. I believe that James probably married Margaret Mayberry in either Ballard Co., KY or Graves Co., KY. Both counties has had many records destroyed by courthouse fires. Unfortunately their marriage record was probably destroyed along with it.

I do not know why I couldn't find the other Mayberrys before in the census for Ballard Co. What I find interesting is the Frederick Maberry listed as age 92 with a birthdate of 1858 in the 1850 census living in Ballard County. He is living with a Catharine Maberry age 36 (possibly a daughter in-law) and a George Maberry age 4. I wonder if this Frederick Maberry is a father to the Frederick Maberry that Margaret was living with in the 1850 census.

The James Maberry listed as age 6 living in Ballard Co also is interesting to me. He is not listed with anyone else by the name of Maberry. I wonder what his relation was to the family he was living with and how he might be related to the other Maberrys in the county that he isn't living with. Maybe he is a brother or cousin to Margaret.

The Polly Mayberry that married Samuel Lock in Hickman Co., KY on Mar. 9, 1825 could be a sister to Frederick. Hickman County boarders Graves Co on the west and is two counties south of Ballard Co. The Jackson Purchase took place in 1818 and many towns in those 8 counties started to be settled in the early 1820's. Any Mayberrys that are appearing in these counties in the 1820's could very well all be related since these counties and townships were in its infancy at this time.

It could be very possible that Frederick, John, David & Polly are all siblings and the children of Frederick Mayberry b. 1858. Of course without documents or any other evidence there is no real way to link these Mayberrys together except that they all share a common name.

I am still waiting to hear back from the historical society. I have a feeling they might meet only once a week so it might be a few days before I hear back.

Should we consider the possibility that it isn't a Cherokee Indian branch that mixes into the Mayberry blood but perhaps a Chickasaw Indian blood? The area that is known as the Jackson Purchase was purchased from the Chickasaw Indians by Andrew Jackson in 1818. It could be plausible that around this time there were marriage alliances between white settlers and Chickasaw Indians and we could be descended from one of these unions. The time period would be appropriate. However if we have a mixed Indian marriage further back before any of the Mayberrys arrive in the Purchase area pre. 1820 then it is most likely Cherokee blood in us.

I'll keep you posted as soon as I hear back from the historical society.