Thursday, September 29, 2016

David Winchel/Winchell, 2nd husband of Zilpha Eddins

Genealogy makes me hot and gets me going. (Should I admit that?) There's nothing like tearing into new evidence and finding a nugget to prove or disprove a theory. What a sense of accomplishment! Wham!! Success!!!

Repeated errors also make me hot and get me going. When people copy and paste without checking evidence or finding proof. Especially when the information is readily available. Grrrr! Rant and rave!! Bitch and moan!!!!


No, I'm not perfect (hard to believe, I know). I've made mistakes in my research, and in the beginning I copied without checking for proof, too. But as the years passed I learned to never post anything without offering proof or labeling the statement as a theory. 


Here's an example of something that's bothered me lately:


There are several Zilpha Eddinses out there. I know of at least three, one of which isn't even related to my family. Apparently there are also a lot of David Winchel/Winchells out there as well. It's possible that two different men called David Winchel married two different women named Zilpha "Sylvia" Eddins. Especially since said Zilpha was previously married to a John Edins/Eddins/Eddings. Not impossible, but needs proof!!!!!


Enough rant. Here's what I can prove about the David Winchell in my line. 


1 & 2. He was enumerated in two U.S. Censuses in South Carolina. 3. He was married to Zilpha Eddins. 4. He died after 1830 because he witnessed a deed in South Carolina. 


That's it. 


Bob Eddings, whose research has proved to be correct in 19 out of 20 cases, said that David Winchell was maybe half Zilpha's age, and a Census seems to confirm that, so I tend to believe it's true. 


Anything else is speculation. 


Here's the Census information:



1. In the 1820 US Census for SC, David Winchel is living in Lexington, SC. In the household are one male 45 and over (David) and one female 45 and over (Zilpha). One person is engaged in agriculture. Enumeration date: August 7, 1820. Neighbors: Ivins, Nance, Hook, Adason, Clark, Bartlett, Absolom Hendricks, David Hendricks, Brown, Quattlebaum, Howard, Jeffcoat, Veal, Zilpha's son John (S.) Eddings, Busbee, William Hendrix, Wingard, Henry Hendrix.



http://search.ancestry.com/Browse/View.aspx?dbid=7734&path=South+Carolina.Lexington.Lexington.15

2. In the 1830 US Census for SC, David Winchell is living in Lexington County. He is 40 - 50, and living by himself. There is no one of Zilpha's age in the the household. No slaves. Neighbors: Shealy, Fort, Waters, Quattlelbaum, Lee,  Withers, Orthery, Williams, Mitchell, Fort, Sun, Taylor, Brown, Askins.

http://search.ancestry.com/iexec/?htx=View&r=an&dbid=8058&iid=4410695_00714&fn=David&ln=Winchel&st=r&ssrc=&pid=660978

3. We can prove that Zilpha was married to David using the ad she ran in December of 1828 in the South Carolina State Journal:

"STATE OF SOUTH-CAROLINA,
LEXINGTON DISTRICT.

Zilpha Winchell, formerly Edins, applicant, vs. Mary, wife of George Turner, Elizabeth Brown, Fereby, wife of Samuel Hendrix, John Edins, Martha Edins, Blakely Edins, Obedience, wife of Edom Moon, James A. Edins, and William D. Edins, defendants.

It appearing to my satisfaction that George Turner and wife Mary, Samuel Hendrix and wife Fereby, Martha Edins, Blakely Edins, Edom Moon and wife Obedience, James A. Edins and William D. Edins of the above named defendants, reside without the limits of this state: It is therefore ordered, that they do appear and object to the division of the real estate of John Edins the elder, deceased, on or before the 15th day of January next, or their consent will be entered of record. A.H. Fort, Ordinary J.D.

December 18."

Here is the ad's link at GenealogyBank.com:

http://www.genealogybank.com/gbnk/newspapers/doc/v2:11B55F04C806628C@GBNEWS-11BB0829CEC090C8-11BB0829F754F290-11BB082A76102238/?search_terms=edins%7Czilpha&s_dlid=DL0113040920374005294&s_ecproduct=SUB-Y-6995-R.IO-30&s_ecprodtype=RENEW-A-R&s_trackval=&s_siteloc=&s_referrer=&s_subterm=Subscription%20until%3A%2006%2F07%2F2013&s_docsbal=%20&s_subexpires=06%2F07%2F2013&s_docstart=&s_docsleft=&s_docsread=&s_username=rsjmc@earthlink.net&s_accountid=AC0112050822015911400&s_upgradeable=no

4. Lastly I can proof that David Winchell was alive until at least June 1830. In 1830 David Winchel witnessed a deed in Lexington County.

"Thomas Corley of Lexington District for $100 conveys to Jacob Meettze, 8 acres, originally granted to Lawrence Corly and bequeathed to Thomas Corley. Lawrence Corley alias Lawrence Charles. Witnessed by Reuben Harman and David Winchel. June 10, 1830, Recorded Book K, Page363. August 12, 1836." 

From the Lexington Genealogical Exchange, Volume 2, Book 1, , p. 14, Janet Gartner Lee, editor, 1982.

Thus endeth the proof for David Winchel/Winchell in my line. 

Here's the speculation about him. 

Bob Eddings says‚and it's probably true, but I haven't seen the sources:

He was a doctor. He was half Zilpha's age.

http://www.genealogy.com/forum/surnames/topics/eddins/255/

http://genforum.genealogy.com/eddins/messages/733.html


Here's another one:

The website lists below several Eddins/Eddings siblings who were involved in an 1819 lawsuit in Lexington County about lands left to them by their father. It lists a source that I have not yet seen, but I'm hot on its trail. (Yes, deeds make me hot, too.) 

http://www.genealogy.com/ftm/b/u/c/Barbara-S-Buck/WEBSITE-0001/UHP-0359.html

To quote:

"1819: William Eddings VS Ephraim Eddings and James Cacy
Inolves Title to real estate: The Eddings men were descendants of John Edings SR, who was deceased before 1819, but who's last wife Zilphia Edings aged about 65 was living and married to David Winchell."


She also lists John Edins Senior as John William Eddings, died 1818. 

Let's give credit where due.  This researcher has a primary source (the deed) and lists her theories as theories. Much of her information is incorrect, but at least she acknowledges it.

There is absolutely no proof I have seen so far that the senior Eddins in my line was John William. He was listed everywhere as "John." Not "John William." Just John. And according to Bob Eddings, he died in 1795, not 1818.

So maybe there are two John Edins/Eddins/Eddings?

Is it getting hot in here???

What can we reasonably assume about David Winchel from the records above? 

1. He was born between 1775 and 1810 (two Censi).

2. He was a farmer (1820 Census) and he may have been a doctor (Bob Eddings).

3. He married Zilpha before 1828 (ad).

4. He lived in Lexington District, SC until at least June 1830 (deed).

That's all that can be reasonably known or assumed about the David Winchell in my line. If there IS another Zilpha/John combo, I'm going to look for proof of another David Winchel who married Zilpha Eddins, previously married to John Eddins. If I can PROVE that there was another David Winchel who married Zilpha Eddins, previously married to John Eddins, it will be a first.

But until then, I'm going to stick with what I can prove about the David Winchell in my line (sort of). For—Accomplishment! Success! Wham! Bang! Boom!

Anybody got a cigarette???