Who is Sylvia? (Or The Life of Zilpha Eddins)

Lately my DNA matches have shown lots of connections to the Blakely family of Lexington/Orangeburg, South Carolina. Which brings me to fifth great-grandmother Zilpha Eddins, whose maiden name was "Blakely." I think. The purpose of this entry is to jot down all Zilpha's provable data to see if I can break the wall down any further.

Researcher Bob Eddings wrote that Zilpha had eleven children rather than nine. Zilpha's 1828 ad (more on that in a bit) names nine: Elizabeth, Blakely,  John S., Fereby, Anna Obedience, William D., James A., Mary, and Martha. Ephraim is #10, but he died in Pulaski County, GA, in 1826 and according to Bob, apparently had no heirs. Thus no mention in Zilpha's ad. I have as yet not found the last child, if it existed. (Could be Roof or Shull or Odom, but in this post I shall stick to evidence that can be reproduced).

Let's start with what the 1790 Census can tell us and then move chronologically through her life as suggested by the various sources cited. 

• In the 1790 US census for SC, John Edings is living in Orangeburgh District. There is one male 16 + (John), three males under 16 (Blakely, John S. & Ephraim), and six free white females (Zilpha & five others). Neighbors: Geiger, Busbee, Liphart, Kennerly, Gossett, Bookman, Weisinger, Corley, Roof, Price, Cummerland, Clark, Clark, Hydle, Busby, Hellman, Beard.

https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/5058/images/4185996_00241?ssrc=&backlabel=Return&pId=389148

One man, three boys, six women. 10 people total. No slaves.William D. and James A. not born yet, so two later children missing from the current household. Two of the 10 inhabitants are John & Zilpha, which leaves eight children, assuming all the inhabitants are John & Zilpha's family of origin. 

• In the 1800 US Census for Orangeburgh, SC, Selvia Eddins is head of household. In the household are two males under 10 (William D. & James A.), two males 10 - 15 (John S. & Ephraim), questionable 1 male 26 - 44--looks like it said one then was changed to zero. There are also one female under 10 (Martha or Mary), two females 10 - 15 (probably Fereby and Anna Obedience), and one female 26 - 44 (Zilpha). Neighbors include Muntz, Peter Sea or Lea, Elizabeth Kelly, William Kelley, Samuel Kelley, Roof, Blakeley, George Turner, Borman, Senn, Carter, Hydle, Smith, Lipheart, Charles Corley, Lites (Lightsey), John Weisinger, William Daniel (brother to Frederick Daniel who married Susanah Hendrix?), Busby, John Ricord (Rickard), Geiger, Sanders, Evans, Christian Wingard.

Selvia is in a section labeled “Lexington north of Saluda.” Others include John Smith, Peter Sea, Martin Hook, Lavina Sandford, Samuel Aldridge.

She's in the same area she was as when John Eddins died in 1795-ish. Elizabeth had married Benjamin Wingard and had at least one child. Blakely was presumably on his way to settle in Pulaski County, GA, since there aren't any males of his age.  While the 1828 ad identifies Mary as the wife of George Turner, Turner's wife in 1800 seems too old to be Mary if Mary is a daughter of Zilpha.

She lives near Nace Blakely and the Nace's future son-in-law Hydle/Hidel.

http://search.ancestry.com/Browse/view.aspx?dbid=7590&path=South+Carolina.Orangeburg+District.Lexington.26&fn=Selvia&ln=Eddins&st=r&pid=495483&rc=&zp=75

Being the female 26 - 44 would put her birth year 1756 - 1784. She is head of household. Eight people in the household. John has died.

• In the 1810 US Census for SC, Widow Edins is in Lexington County. In the household are one male 10 - 15 (James A., 17?), two males 16 - 25 (Ephraim, 24 & not John S, who is married & in Lexington), one male 26 - 44. Also in the household are one female under 10 (Unknown), one female 16 - 25, two females 26 - 45  and one female 45 and over (Widow Eddins). Nearby neighbors are George, John & Henry Windgard (brothers of Benjamin, husband of Elizabeth?),  Rambo, Furney, Busby, Jumper, Martin, Hendrix, Oaks, Johnston, Bookman, Oliver, Oswalt, Keixer, Busbee, Rall, Boozer, Gibson. Neighbor David King surveyed a plat for Zilpha in 1817.

http://search.ancestry.com/iexec/?htx=view&r=0&dbid=7613&iid=4433429_00136&fn=Widow&ln=Edins&st=r&ssrc=&pid=582582

The make-up of the household suggests that some of Zilpha's children must have been living with her. For example, possibly Elizabeth Eddins Wingard, before she remarried Mr. Brown.

Being the over 45 female would make her birth year 1765 or before.

• Zilpha arranged for land plats of 100+ acre parcels to be drawn in 1817 & 1818. Neighbor David King did one. 

http://www.archivesindex.sc.gov/onlinearchives/RecordDetail.aspx?RecordId=218585

http://www.archivesindex.sc.gov/onlinearchives/RecordDetail.aspx?RecordId=219371

Zilpha owned land.

Zilpha married David Winchell between 1810 and 1820. We know this from her 1828 ad (skipping ahead a little). So we look to David Winchell in the 1820 Census. 

• In the 1820 US Census for SC, David Winchel is living in Lexington County. In the household are one male over 45 (David), one female over 45 (Zilpha), and one person engaged in agriculture. Important neighbors: Absolom Hedrix, Jesse Lee or Sea, John Lipheart, David Hendrix, William Lee, Margaret Brown, Jeffcoats, George Rickard, John Eddins (her son), Metze, Ellison, Busby, George Fry, William Hendrix, Henry Hendrix, Andrew Fry, Lites, Weissinger.

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

Being the over 45 female would make her birth year 1775 or before.

• Even if Zilpha wasn't literate, she was still social. She got letters, because there was one for her in the Columbia, SC, post office on January 1, 1822. 

https://www.genealogybank.com/doc/newspapers/image/v2%3A11B55F04C806628C%40GB3NEWS-138A1065925CC670%402386539-138A07E4E2E8FB30%402-139076BFAED9DD80%40Advertisement?h=13&fname=zilpha&lname=Eddins&fullname=edins&exsrch=1&rgfromDate=&rgtoDate=&formDate=&formDateFlex=exact&dateType=range&kwinc=&kwexc=&sid=qqfwlywajxhzgatbntyuknmeztknscfm_wma-gateway006_1643251079816

• Zilpha's 1828 South Carolina State Gazette ad names her as "Zilpha Winchell, formerly Edins" and identifies her deceased husband as "John Edins." The ad also states that her children were "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." 

http://www.genealogybank.com/gbnk/newspapers/doc/v2:11B55F04C806628C@GBNEWS-11BB082D13CEFFC8@2389070-11BB082D58F81ED0@6-11BB082E17EBB3F8@/?search_terms=edins&s_dlid=DL0114120622143605554&s_ecproduct=SUB-Y-6995-R&s_ecprodtype=RENEW-A-I&s_trackval=&s_siteloc=&s_referrer=&s_subterm=Subscription%20until%3A%2010%2F11%2F2015&s_docsbal=%20&s_subexpires=10%2F11%2F2015&s_docstart=&s_docsleft=&s_docsread=&s_username=rsjmc@earthlink.net&s_accountid=AC0112050822015911400&s_upgradeable=no 

•  In the 1830 US Census for SC, David Winchell is living in Lexington County. He is 40 - 50, and living by himself. Neighbors: Shealy, Fort, Waters, Qualltelbaum, 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

Why is there no one else in his household if Zilpha died in 1831??

• Sources say Zilpha died in 1831. 

http://books.google.com/books?id=aqsKAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA171&lpg=PA171&dq=%22james+a.+eddins%22&source=bl&ots=yDcQa3wx3b&sig=SWaowTZywclN_-NPUmmdiNaMxtw&hl=en&ei=rONZTYTUD4H68Aa01tSWDg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=5&sqi=2&ved=0CC4Q6AEwBA#v=onepage&q=%22james%20a.%20eddins%22&f=false

To sum up:

So basically, all we can prove is that Zilpha was born between 1756 and 1765. She was married at least twice, once to John Eddins and once to David Winchel. She had at least 10 children, most of whom lived to maturity. Her first child (Elizabeth) was born between 1777 and 1780. Last child (James A.) born 1794. She owned land that she was able to sell. She lived near several Blakelys. She died in 1831. 

Dang. 

Though the DNA evidence still points to Zilpha as a Blakely, we can't prove any more than what's listed here. Still there's now a better outline of her life that may prove helpful in the future. 

Onward!