Climbing the Tree

Innis Family Tree

I need to hunt down the family of Thomas Ballard Innis and see if I can fill in the family tree a bit. While I’m anxious to go look for materials in Texas, I know it will be best to do my basic homework first. It is much easier when you are looking at records if you come at it with the family group reasonably intact. This way when you see a record for someone with the same last name you can hopefully place it in context. Just doing direct line searches can get you in trouble if you are dealing in common names – so it’s back to Ancestry.

The first record that stands out is the Texas Death Index for Thomas Ballard Innis dated 29 Jun 1910.1 Well that answered that question! Thomas B. died the month after the 1910 census. I looked at the original image and jotted down notes about the other names on the record.

Going backward, the 1900 census is prior to his marriage and he is residing with his parents. The census lists:2

Thomas H. Innis born Jan 1843, from Kentucky, but both parents are from Virginia,
Elizabeth Innis, May 1843, 7 children born and 7 still living, she is from Tennessee,
Thomas B. Innis Sep 1879.

The 1880 census of Albany, Clinton County, Kentucky, shows:3

Thomas Innis, age 37
Elizabeth Innis, 37
M.C. Innis, 14, daughter
Mary T. Innis, 11, daughter
John H. Innis, 8, son
T.A. Innis, 6, son
Thomas B. Innis, 8m, son
John B. Innis, 19, nephew

This is currently the earliest record for Thomas B. so I’ll just chase his father Thomas H. back since I am here. After looking at the census records for 1850,4 18605 and 18706 for Thomas H. Innis I think I have a pretty fair picture of Thomas H.’s family. Based on the census records the Thomas H. Innis family consists of:

Thomas H. Innis, born Jan 1843, Kentucky,
Elizabeth [Unknown] born May 1843, Tennessee,
Louisa C., c.1864, Clinton Co., Kentucky,
Manerva C., c.1866, Clinton Co., Kentucky,
Mary T., c.1857, Clinton Co., Kentucky,
John H., c.1872, Clinton Co., Kentucky,
Tabitha A., c.1874, Clinton Co., Kentucky,
Thomas B., Sep 1879, Clinton Co., Kentucky,
Unknown Child – this is based on the 1900 census in which Elizabeth is listed with 7 children, but only six living.

1. “Texas Death Index, 1903-2000,” database, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 11 Jan 2010), Thomas Ballard Innis, 29 Jun 1910, Fannin, Cert #11162
2. 1900 U.S. census, Fannin County, Texas, population schedule, Savoy Town, enumeration district (ED) 65, p. 10A, dwelling 157, family 159, Thomas B. Innis; digital images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 13 Jan 2010); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm T623, roll 1633.
3. 1880 U.S. census, Clinton County, Kentucky population schedule, Albany, enumeration district (ED) 27, p. 580, dwelling 136, family 164, Thomas B. Innis; digital images, Ancestry (httop://www.ancestry.com : accessed 13 Jan 2010); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm T9, roll 410
4. 1870 U.S. census, Clinton County, Kentucky population schedule, District 4, p. 305A, dwelling 58, family 56, Thos Enes; digital images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 13 Jan 2010); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm M593, roll 457.
5. 1860 U.S. census, Clinton County, Kentucky, population schedule, District 6, p. 504, dwelling 433, family 435, Thomas Enos; digital images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 13 Jan 2010); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm M653, roll 1266.
6. 1850 U.S. census, Roane County, Tennessee, population schedule, Subdivision 20, p. 426B, dwelling 1487, family 1538, John Enos; digital images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 13 Jan 2010); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm M432, roll 893.

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