Migration, slaves and family favorites: Samuel Lambeth+

The Lambeth Family of North Carolina rocks. As of this evening, I’ve traced my tree as far back as the 1730′s with Samuel Lambeth. The search is made easier in large part by the Familytomb Genealogy database, a pretty sophisticated website offering “data, photos and documentation of the surnames realated to the Behen, Dillon, Lambeth, Ash and allied families.” So the tree kind of exploded. I’ll draw it out sometime.*

And extra information gives some texture to these squares and lines. Tonight I learned about why my 5th great-grandfather moved to Missouri, that he owned some slaves, and found another old family picture.

*in short, Samuel Lambeth is my five-times-great-grandfather, born in North Carolina about 1773.

The following comes from ancestry.com user elephantsyard:

In my research I found Samuel had a store on the crossroads from Kentucky and the road from Knoxsville to Sparta.It was called Lambeth’s Crossroads, then. It is now Crossville in Cumberland Co. It was on the main road west and I think it just got too much for him to see everyone going, so he went too. However, it seems some of his family may have gone before. If Daniel and Nancy were married in MO in 1838, they must have gone before him, so he followed. After all, Mary had passed away already, at least she wasn’t in the 1840 census.The Merrill’s I know little about except Daniel Merrill was in the Reovluntary War. I’d like to know more about him and his ancestors.

Look! It's my great-great-great-great-grandmother's Uncle Wesley's family! Since her grandfather, Samuel Lambeth b 1773, gifted him $2,500 and six slaves plus probably a lot of other stuff, I assume he was Samuel's favorite. But, you know, whatever.

And the final interesting thing of the night is Samuel Lambeth’s will:

Will of Samuel Lambeth
Osage County, MO Will Book A
Page 259

I, Samuel Lambeth of the County of Osage in the State of Missouri, do make and publish this my last will and testament in manner and form following, that is to say, First, It is my will that my funeral expenses and all my just debts be fully paid. Second, I give to Little Lambeth on negro boy by the name of Leander age eight years old. Third, I give to my son Joseph Lambeth one negro girl named Mary age sixteen years old. Fourth, I give to my daughter Elizabeth Anderson one negro girl named Manda aged nine years old. Fifth, I give my son Dan M. Lambeth one negro (girl) woman named Sarah aged twenty four years old and child one month old. Sixth, I give my son Jesse Lambeth one negro boy named Peter aged eight years and six months old. Seventh, I give my daughter Lucinda Ran one negro girl named Martha aged seven years old. Eighth, I give my son Wesley Lambeth one negro girl named Ann aged sixteen years old and one negro named Milton aged one year old. Ninth, I give my grandson Christopher Conely Fifty Dollars in good and lawful money when he is twenty one years old. Tenth, I give my granddaughter Margaret McKinney Fifty Dollars in good and lawful money when she is eighteen years old, Eleventh, I give my grandson Thos. W. McKinney Fifty Dollars in good and lawful money when of age. Twelfth, I give my grandson Jesse T. McKinney Fifty Dollars in good and lawful money when of age. Thirteenth, I give my grand daughter Mary E. McKinney Fifty Dollars in good and lawful money. Fourteenth, I give my grandson John Sitton Fifty Dollars in good and lawful money when of age. Fifteenth, I give my grandson Samuel Sitton Fifty Dollars in good and lawful money when of age. Sixteenth, I give to my grandson James Sitton Fifty Dollars in good and lawful money when of age, Seventeenth, I give grand-daughter Tebitha Cox Fifty Dollars in good and lawful money when of age, Eighteenth, the within named slaves are given to the named heirs and their bodily heirs. Nineteenth, I give to daughter Tebitha Perkins and her bodily heirs one negro girl named Jane age five years old. Twentieth, The balance of my property after my death and after my debts is paid if any left to be equally divided among my bodily heirs, Twenty-first, I give my grand-daughter Emily Harris, Fifty Dollars in good and lawful money when of age, and lastly I hereby constitute and appoint my son Jesse Lambeth and Wesley Lambeth to be the executors to this my last will and testament, revoking and annulling all former wills by me made and ratifying and confirming this and no other to be my last will and testament. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 26th day of April A.D. 1860.

Samuel Lambeth, Seal

Signed, published and declared by the above named Samuel Lambeth as and for his last will and testament in presence of us who at his request have signed as witnesses to the same.

Henry Harrison Potts
John Harris