Now the last time I wrote about my Brock family I wrote about Rudolph and his son (and my direct ancestor as per DNA) Georg "Frederick". I know one of Frederick's sons is my ancestor, but which one? I have 8 to choose from for now as DNA has not been listed on each of Fredericks sons, but I can eliminate several through research. I have no proof as of yet which one it is, but I believe Isaac is the front-runner.
Tracing back from my father, I am sure of his father, Rufus Marion and his father Patrick Henry. I was 18 when my great-grandfather, Pat, died. I knew both men well. I also know the father of Pat was Francis Marion, his father was Andrew "Andy" Jackson, and his father was Elbert. This is easy to trace as there are records including a straight and clear path back through the census records. I have never seen Elbert misspelled or written as Albert, though I have been told it could be interchangeable. It would seem that it would be shown to be a possibility in records and I have not found that to be so. I don't think I agree that his name could possibly be Albert. I mention this because Elbert is also a surname which I have noted could be important, especially when the surname can be found in the area of my family. Now, this is the point which I think things get really murky.
Elbert's father is supposed to be Henry Brock, born 1770 in Pendleton County, South Carolina and died March 31, 1866 in Mecca, McMinn County, Tennessee. He was married to Mary (other researcher has her surname as Queener) also born in South Carolina in 1770 and died in Mecca, McMinn County, Tennessee.
According to other researchers, they had the following children:
1. Blassingame, born 1797; died about 1860
2. Terry Wayne, born 1798; died about 1860
3. Elbert, born 1805 South Carolina; died 1853 in McMinn County, Tennessee
4. Matilda, born Aug. 31, 1811 South Carolina; died Jan. 9 1879 in McMinn County, Tennessee.
5. David Harrison, born 1815 Spartenburg, South Carolina; died about 1860
6. Henry J., born 1817 South Carolina; died 1904 Jackson County, Arkansas
7. Lawrence P.(Porter maybe), born 1821 South Carolina; died Jan. 3 1894,in Mecca, McMinn County, Tennessee
In the 1850 census Henry, listed as 80 years old, and Mary are living with Elbert and his wife Mary (Elbert died in 1858). In the 1860 census record Henry, listed as 100 years old, is living with Lawrence and his family. Henry's birth year of 1770 is most likely wrong, and the census just highlights that. Perhaps he didn't even remember the exact year of his birth.
Court records have helped to sort out some of the children. The first ones to go are Blassingame and Terry Wayne. Both are listed in court records as sons of James Sr., Frederick's youngest son. So the child list is cut down to five: Elbert, Matilda, David H., Henry J., and Lawrence. In court records, Henry J. is listed as a cousin of Elbert, so again, either Elbert or Henry J. must be removed from the children of Henry and Mary. I am leaning toward removing Elbert, simply because of the naming patterns in the family. Unless, of course, Henry's wife Mary is actually Mary Elbert. There is also the fact that the given name of Henry does not repeat in Elbert's line. Another problem I see is Lawrence. If Henry and Mary were born in 1770, then they would be 51 at the time of his birth. While it is possible, I just don't think it is probable. So, something must be wrong with the entire make-up of this Brock family.
My cousin is the one that put this family together in the beginning. Another cousin stated it was done through a Bible, one I have never seen nor heard about until lately. I did read about a Bible with this family a long time ago from another researcher. It described the entries, stating that Henry's birth date of 1764 had been marked out and 1770 written in. As I understand it, the children I have had to remove from the children list for Henry were in this bible as the children of Henry. Mary was also listed as being Mary Queener. That has not been proven, and quite frankly, can not be found to be so. I do not know if this is the same bible that my cousin was told about. I do know that the Queener Bible doesn't list any Brock/Queener marriage. I have not found any Brock/Queener connections at all, but this cousin pointed out that David Harrison's son was named John Queener Brock. It would seem that there is a connection somewhere, if I can only find it.
I don't put as much importance on Bible entries as I do other records. I know how easily it is changed and how they are often copied over and over into other Bibles. The chance of an error is very high.
I am now investigating Henry Brock, 2nd son of Reuben Sr. who is the fourth son of Frederick. He was born in 1777 in Caswell County, North Carolina, which would put his age at a more comfortable place than the 1770 date for me. It would certainly fit better. I know nothing about him at all, so in the end both Henry's might actually be the same.
There is a lot of work to do on Henry and his family. At least I know where the problems are and can go from there.
to be continued......
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