Venting about Enoch Reece

Don't you just hate when someone tells you your research is wrong, even though you have all the supporting documents and records to prove you are right, especially when that person refuses to show their documentation!

Well, that is what has happened to me over the last couple of weeks.  I have been trying to correct someone who has posted some incorrect information, but they refuse to correct it because they believe their info is right, even when shown numerous records and documents stating their position is incorrect or at least suspect.

It all started when I visited Find-A-Grave.com to update some links in my master file.  I was going back in my Reece line and noticed a change in the memorial for Enoch Reece.  It had a second wife and more children and parents linked.  I was a bit confused since the parents linked were not my Enoch's parents and I had never heard of a second family for Enoch.  So, I emailed the owner of the memorial and told him I thought he had two Enochs confused.  He replied that he did not and what he had was true.  I pointed out some obvious reasons first, both women were reportedly married to Enoch at the same time.  His response to that was that his dad had more than one wife at the same time so Enoch did too.  Well, without documents and proof I highly doubt that.  While it did happen, it was a rare occurrence.

I replied with a more detailed reason for why I believed that there were two different Enochs, one who married Sarah Halk and one who married Sophia Galloway and they were not the same.

First I noted census records.

Census Year	Enoch and Sarah	Enoch and Sophia
1830	Haywood County, North Carolina	Buncombe County, North Carolina
1840	Haywood County, North Carolina	Henderson County, North Carolina
1850	cannot find	cannot find
1860	Henderson County, North Carolina	Webster, Jackson, North Carolina
1870	cannot find	Eastatoe, Transylvania, North Carolina
1880	cannot find	Eastatoe, Transylvania, North Carolina

I also noted how every census record for Enoch and Sarah listed Enoch as being born in 1795-1796 while every census record for Enoch and Sophia (except 1860 which notes and 1800 birthdate) lists Enoch as being born in 1793. Also, Enoch who married Sarah was always listed as being born in North Carolina while Enoch husband of Sophia was always listed as being born in South Carolina. Since Enoch who married Sarah is not found after 1860, he mostly likely died before the 1870 census. This would be further validated with the fact that Sarah was reported as a widow in 1870 and 1880. In 1870 she is living with her son John and in 1880 she is living with her grandson, Bryson, both in Haywood County, North Carolina.

I had also noted that Enoch who married Sarah Halks was the son of Anthony Reece (who he had the Enoch listed with on Find-A-Grave) and Enoch who married Sophia Galloway was the son of Ambrose Reece.  He flat out stated I was wrong and he had never heard of Ambrose Reece.  I then noted that I have transcripts of estate records (transcribed by my grandfather's first cousin) which state: "State of North Carolina...
Buncomb County...  Know all men by these presents that we John Reese, Jane Thompson & Enoch Reese of the State and County aforesaid being the lawful heirs of Rose Reese late deceased of Hall County State of Georgia..."  This is not the only record that lists Enoch as son of Ambrose.  I have not found any for Anthony, but I do not doubt that there was an Anthony with a son named Enoch, just not the Enoch who married Sophia Galloway. The above document was recorded in January of 1829, which works very well with Enoch husband of Sophia since he lived in Buncombe County in 1830.

One reason I feel that these Enoch's were confused, other than their close age and location, is the fact that they both had sons named John who were born in 1825. John, son of Enoch and Sarah moved to Texas where he died in 1898. He married Allif Evans and had a number of children. John, son of Enoch and Sophia died much sooner in 1869 in the Carolinas. He married Clarinda Nix and also had children.

I feel that Enoch who married Sarah and the Enoch who married Sophia are two very different people. The records I found seem to support this. If anyone out there has proof that the above reason is incorrect, please let me know.