Matthews / Conner / Covey / Salts [Solt] Family History - Person Sheet
Matthews / Conner / Covey / Salts [Solt] Family History - Person Sheet
Birth Date18 Nov 18261067
Birth PlaceJonesboro, Washington County, Tennessee
Death Date30 Nov 1887 Age: 61
Death PlaceCleveland, Bradley County, Tennessee
Burial PlaceFort Hill Cemetery, Cleveland, Bradley County, Tennessee
FatherUnknown , M
MotherHannah McGINNIS , F (~1795-1870)
Spouses
Marr Date13 Nov 1841
Marr PlaceGreene County, Tennessee
ChildrenSarah Elizabeth , F (1847-1856)
Notes for Amanda Melvina McGINNIS-MERCER
In 1960 Amanda's relationship to her sister, Mary Jane McGinnis Salts, was identified through an old letter written by a Saults / Triplett family member who lived in Bradley County, Tennessee. The letter was written by Fannie Triplett Boone, a great step-niece of Amanda's (and a granddauther to her half-sister, Mary Jane McGinnis Salts)25. In the letter, it stated, “Amanda was a sister to Mary Jane McGinnis, but from a different marriage.” However, the author of the letter did not give the name of Amanda’s father.
In searching the records of Greene and Washington counties of Tennessee, no marriage has been recorded for Amanda's mother, Hannah McGinnis, who would have been married after the death of her McGinnis husband. Hence, Amanda's father has never been found or recorded. It is known, however, that all five of Hannah's last children belonged to a man named, Richard D. Smith. But it it not known if Richard D. Smith was the father of Amanda.
It is now known that shortly after birth, or before the age of three, Amanda McGinnis was adopted out to John and Elizabeth Wallace Mercer of Greene Co., TN -both who had remarried for a second time on the 21st of July in 181893. It is possible that Amanda's step-parents were somehow related to each other, both being Wallaces at birth, but that connection has not yet been found. Elizabeth Wallace's first husband was John Davis Mercer, who died around 1818, then Elizabeth remarried to John Wallace. Amanda was mentioned in John Wallace's will and was given $500.
1826, November 18 - Amanda Melvina McGinnis-Mercer was born
1830 - The 1830 census shows children for the ages of Mary Jane, Ruthie and Arthur, but Amanda should have fallen in between Mary Jane and Ruthie; and Amanda is not on any of the other census listings for Hannah at any time.
1838, May 3 - Amanda McGinnis was mentioned in John Mercer’s will dated 3 May 1839.
1841 - In 1841, at the age of 15, Amanda married under the surname of Mercer -the same name used by the children of Elizabeth Wallace Mercer Wallace. David Thompson and Amanda Melvina McGinnis-Mercer obtained a marriage license in Greene County on November 13, 1841, but the license was never returned, and therefor, never entered in the Greene County Court Records. Thus, there is actually no official record for the marriage. Without the returned license in the state of Tennessee, there is no actual proof that the marriage ever occurred -other than them registering, which has been recorded.1068
1847, March 13 - Their daughter Sarah Elizabeth Thompson was born
1850 - David and Amanda are listed on the 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880 census in Bradley Co., TN. The exact date or year in which they migrated to Bradley County, Tennesse is not known. But looking at the history of this time period and area, it is strongly thought that David and Amanda may have migrated to Bradley County along with other Thompson family members. Several of his brothers and sisters have been found in the same area -identified through the court case following Amanda's death.
Although there is no indication of Amanda's father, it is known that her mother was Hannah McGinnis. This has been documented through Amanda's will, court settlement, and through letters from the Salts / Triplett family of Bradley County, Tennessee. It is known that Amanda sent for her niece, Elmira Virginia “Ella” Salts (Mary Jane's daughter) to come live with her in Bradley Co., TN. Ella stayed with David and Amanda Thompson for a short time before she married her husband, John Triplett, who lived on one of the adjoining farms. Elmira and her husband lived with the Tripett family after their marriage. However, when Amanda died, she left her farm to her niece Ella1069 -and it was at that time that Ella and John Triplett moved into the farm which is still owned by the Triplett family today.
Ella died eleven years after her Aunt Amanda, only enjoying the use of Amanda’s farm for a short part of her own life. And when Ella died, there was a long drawn out legal battle involving Ella’s estate and her daughter Fannie Triplett Boone.1070,1071
In regard to the Saults family connection, it is known that Daniel Napoleon Salts visited his sister Ella's family on at least one occasion. He took his first two children to visit their Bradley County Salts cousins. Charles Lee Salts (son of Daniel) remembered (and recorded in his family notes), travelling with his sister and father to visit these cousins. He also remembered riding in a cart or buggy drawn by two oxen that his father had borrowed from someone who lived up in Washington County, Tennessee for their journey. It was first thought that the buggy belonged to the Harvey Britton's family (Daniel's surrogate family), but after communication with direct-line descendants of the Britton family, it is now thought that the buggy must have been borrowed from some of Daniel Salts' blood relations. Apparently, Harvey Britton never owned a cart or buggy. That information came from the descendants of the Britton family who still live in Tennessee.
In searching the records of Greene and Washington counties of Tennessee, no marriage has been recorded for Amanda's mother, Hannah McGinnis, who would have been married after the death of her McGinnis husband. Hence, Amanda's father has never been found or recorded. It is known, however, that all five of Hannah's last children belonged to a man named, Richard D. Smith. But it it not known if Richard D. Smith was the father of Amanda.
It is now known that shortly after birth, or before the age of three, Amanda McGinnis was adopted out to John and Elizabeth Wallace Mercer of Greene Co., TN -both who had remarried for a second time on the 21st of July in 181893. It is possible that Amanda's step-parents were somehow related to each other, both being Wallaces at birth, but that connection has not yet been found. Elizabeth Wallace's first husband was John Davis Mercer, who died around 1818, then Elizabeth remarried to John Wallace. Amanda was mentioned in John Wallace's will and was given $500.
1826, November 18 - Amanda Melvina McGinnis-Mercer was born
1830 - The 1830 census shows children for the ages of Mary Jane, Ruthie and Arthur, but Amanda should have fallen in between Mary Jane and Ruthie; and Amanda is not on any of the other census listings for Hannah at any time.
1838, May 3 - Amanda McGinnis was mentioned in John Mercer’s will dated 3 May 1839.
1841 - In 1841, at the age of 15, Amanda married under the surname of Mercer -the same name used by the children of Elizabeth Wallace Mercer Wallace. David Thompson and Amanda Melvina McGinnis-Mercer obtained a marriage license in Greene County on November 13, 1841, but the license was never returned, and therefor, never entered in the Greene County Court Records. Thus, there is actually no official record for the marriage. Without the returned license in the state of Tennessee, there is no actual proof that the marriage ever occurred -other than them registering, which has been recorded.1068
1847, March 13 - Their daughter Sarah Elizabeth Thompson was born
1850 - David and Amanda are listed on the 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880 census in Bradley Co., TN. The exact date or year in which they migrated to Bradley County, Tennesse is not known. But looking at the history of this time period and area, it is strongly thought that David and Amanda may have migrated to Bradley County along with other Thompson family members. Several of his brothers and sisters have been found in the same area -identified through the court case following Amanda's death.
Although there is no indication of Amanda's father, it is known that her mother was Hannah McGinnis. This has been documented through Amanda's will, court settlement, and through letters from the Salts / Triplett family of Bradley County, Tennessee. It is known that Amanda sent for her niece, Elmira Virginia “Ella” Salts (Mary Jane's daughter) to come live with her in Bradley Co., TN. Ella stayed with David and Amanda Thompson for a short time before she married her husband, John Triplett, who lived on one of the adjoining farms. Elmira and her husband lived with the Tripett family after their marriage. However, when Amanda died, she left her farm to her niece Ella1069 -and it was at that time that Ella and John Triplett moved into the farm which is still owned by the Triplett family today.
Ella died eleven years after her Aunt Amanda, only enjoying the use of Amanda’s farm for a short part of her own life. And when Ella died, there was a long drawn out legal battle involving Ella’s estate and her daughter Fannie Triplett Boone.1070,1071
In regard to the Saults family connection, it is known that Daniel Napoleon Salts visited his sister Ella's family on at least one occasion. He took his first two children to visit their Bradley County Salts cousins. Charles Lee Salts (son of Daniel) remembered (and recorded in his family notes), travelling with his sister and father to visit these cousins. He also remembered riding in a cart or buggy drawn by two oxen that his father had borrowed from someone who lived up in Washington County, Tennessee for their journey. It was first thought that the buggy belonged to the Harvey Britton's family (Daniel's surrogate family), but after communication with direct-line descendants of the Britton family, it is now thought that the buggy must have been borrowed from some of Daniel Salts' blood relations. Apparently, Harvey Britton never owned a cart or buggy. That information came from the descendants of the Britton family who still live in Tennessee.