Is Colby Ross the father of Darthula?

To read more on the Darthula Ross case study, click here.

The first question in the research plan for Darthula Ross is:

Is Colby Ross the father of Darthula Ross?

It would be easy to assume that Darthula Ross would have a father with the last name of Ross. In that vein, we have done multiple searches in census records for a Ross family that would fit. This included searching the census in multiple counties of Alabama and Tennessee. The further away from Limestone and Lauderdale, Alabama, the less likely the family would fit. This is because travel in that time would have been very difficult.

The Colby Ross family seemed to be a good fit because of their location and also because a child Darthula’s age would fit in the family. A fair amount of research has been done on Colby Ross.

Colby Ross’ Timeline

  • 1800-1813, born in North Carolina1
  • 1830, Franklin, Tennessee2
  • 1839, paid taxes in DeKalb County, Tennessee3
  • 1840, DeKalb County, Tennessee4
  • 1850, Limestone County, Alabama5
  • 1850, Land tract record, Limestone County, Alabama
  • 1 Sep 1855, Land purchase from Holley Ross for 80+ acres
  • 14 Apr 1856, Land purchase from Holley Ross for 40+ acres
  • 1 Mar 1858, Land Office Record, recorded in Huntsville, Limestone, Alabama.6
  • 19 Jan 1860, marriage to Tabitha Reed7
  • 18 Jan 1860, Colby Ross sells 40 acres of land in Limestone County, Alabama
  • 1860, Limestone County Alabama8
  • 1867, Limestone, Alabama Voter Registration9
  • 1880, Limestone, Alabama, living with stepson Mike Read10
  • 25 Jan 1882, Death11

Life Sketch

Colby Ross was born somewhere between 1800 and 1813 in North Carolina. He was located in Franklin County, Tennessee in 1830. At that time he was married and had two children, a boy and a girl under the age of 5, and possibly his mother or mother-in-law. It is difficult to place Colby precisely as Franklin County boundaries took up most of Middle Tennessee. Franklin County was soon divided up into smaller counties. In 1840, Colby Ross is located in DeKalb County, Tennessee, a carve out of Franklin County. In 1840, Colby had 5 boys and 2 girls with his wife.

1850 U.S. census for Colby Ross
The Colby Ross family in 1850. William is listed on the next page. Patience is another name for his daughter Parthena.

The 1850 census gives us the names of his wife and children. His wife was named Michael, born about 1808 in North Carolina. His children were Cynthia Ann (1830), Thomas (1837), Parthena (1840), and William R. (1841). It appears that three children are missing in 1850. Colby’s daughter, Cynthia Ann, married Thomas Edgemon in 1852 and settled in Limestone County. She had several children with Thomas. Colby purchased land and established a homestead in Limestone County, Alabama starting about 1850.

Tragedy struck the family again in 1859. Colby’s wife died in July 1859 of consumption. This was quickly followed by Thomas in September 1859 of alcoholism.12 Colby quickly remarried to Tabitha Reed, a widow with children from her previous marriage 19 January 1860 in Limestone County, Alabama.

It is not clear what happened to the Ross family during the Civil War. It would be easy to assume that Colby’s son William served in the Civil War and likely died. No further records of William have been found. No other records have been found for Parthena either.

Colby has not been found in the 1870 census, among many others that should have been listed. He was most likely in Limestone County as he paid taxes in 1867 and then is listed in the 1880 census. Colby is found living with his son-in-law, Mike Reed. The census states that he is paralyzed.

Colby died 25 Jan 1882, the death being mentioned in a newspaper clipping.

Connections to Darthula Ross

Colby’s daughter Parthena drew some attention because of her unusual name. Darthula is also an unusual name. Could Darthula and Parthena be the same person? Could her full name be Darthula Parthena or Parthena Darthula? Both women appear to be the same age and are in the same area. No records have been found to suggest the two women are the same person. Also looking at the context of the family and times, it is unlikely they are the same person.

Thomas Ross, Colby’s son, does present an interesting possibility. He is the right age to have possibly married Darthula, which also means Darthula’s maiden name may not be Ross. The marriage, of course, would change her last name to Ross, which matches the name on the marriage certificate between Darthula and William Jasper Eaton. The timing of Thomas’ death before Darthula’s marriage to William Jasper Eaton supports the theory. Darthula would have been a young widow, but it is possible.

Cynthia Ann, Colby’s daughter, has a possible connection to the Eaton family. Cynthia Ann and Thomas Edgemon are listed in the 1860 census in Limestone County, Alabama, Division 1 as family 246. The Eatons, William Jasper’s mother and sisters, are listed as family 235 in the same district. The likelihood that the families knew each other is high. Could Darthula have been in the area helping Cynthia with her children? There is no evidence, but it does suggest a possible way that Darthula could have met William Jasper Eaton.

Colby Ross & Tabitha Reed marriage record
Colby Ross and Tabitha Reed marriage. Christopher Myers is the Justice of the Peace.

The same person that marries Colby Ross and Tabitha Reed is the same person that marries Darthula Ross and William Jasper Eaton. That person is Christopher Myers, a Justice of the Peace.

Further Research

Colby Ross owned property in Limestone County, Alabama. There is a land patent case file for Colby Ross at the National Archives that needs to be reviewed. A will and/or probate has not been found for Colby Ross. Did Colby Ross sell or otherwise lose the land? Did he pass the land on to his stepson Mike Read? Colby Ross sells some of his land in 1860, so there should be records or evidence for the rest of it.

If Darthula married Thomas Ross, then there may be a marriage record. Marriage records need to be checked in both Lauderdale and Limestone County, Alabama.

If Ross is not Darthula’s maiden name, are there other Darthula’s in the area that are the right age? A look at census records show there is a Darthula Langford, the daughter of William Langford and Drucilla Waits. Could Darthula Ross and Darthula Langford be the same person? Is there a marriage record between Darthula Langford and Thomas Ross?

Conclusion

Is Colby Ross the father of Darthula Ross? So far there is no evidence that Colby is Darthula’s father, but there is circumstantial evidence to suggest there is a connection. The same Justice of the Peace married Colby Ross and Tabitha Reed as William Jasper Eaton and Darthula Ross. The proximity of Cynthia Ann Ross to the Eaton family in Limestone County suggests a possibility of the families knowing each other. Additional research is needed to find further connections.

Sources

  1. “United States Census, 1860”, database with images, <i>FamilySearch</i> (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MHDP-72P : 18 February 2021), Corby Ross, 1860.
  2. “United States Census, 1830,” database with images, <i>FamilySearch</i> (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHPM-P6Z : 20 February 2021), Colby Ross, Franklin, Tennessee, United States; citing 76, NARA microfilm publication M19, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 176; FHL microfilm 24,534.
  3. Tennessee, Early Tax List Records, 1783-1895, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/9718:2883?ssrc=pt&tid=71694629&pid=292274368575)
  4. “United States Census, 1840,” database with images, <i>FamilySearch</i> (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHTK-3W7 : 30 September 2021), Colsbury Ross, DeKalb, Tennessee, United States; citing p. 264, NARA microfilm publication , (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll ; FHL microfilm.
  5. “United States Census, 1850,” database with images, <i>FamilySearch</i> (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MH5S-VPF : 19 December 2020), Colby Ross, Limestone, Alabama, United States; citing family , NARA microfilm publication (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
  6. “Colby Ross in the U.S. General Land Office Records, 1776-2015.” Colby Ross in the U.S. General Land Office Records, 1776-2015. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Nov. 2018. <https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=try&h=2202025&dbid=1246>.
  7. “Alabama Marriages, 1816-1957”, database, <i>FamilySearch</i> (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V5Z7-5LT : 13 February 2020), [name withheld by request], 1860.
  8. “United States Census, 1860”, database with images, <i>FamilySearch</i> (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MHDP-72P : 18 February 2021), Corby Ross, 1860.
  9. “Colby Ross in the Alabama, Voter Registration, 1867.” Colby Ross in the Alabama, Voter Registration, 1867. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Nov. 2018. <https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=try&h=321881&dbid=60968>.
  10. “United States Census, 1880,” database with images, <i>FamilySearch</i> (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M4JT-M85 : 13 January 2022), Colby Ross in household of Mike C. Read, Election Precinct 4 Clanton, Chilton, Alabama, United States; citing enumeration district , sheet , NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), FHL microfilm.
  11. “Limestone Legacy, Volume 25, Number 1. :: Alabama Genealogy and History Publications.” Limestone Legacy, Volume 25, Number 1. :: Alabama Genealogy and History Publications. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 Feb. 2019. <http://digital.archives.alabama.gov/cdm/compoundobject/collection/hgpub/id/64188/rec/97>.
  12. Alabama State Department of Archives & History; Montgomery, Alabama; U.S. Census Mortality Schedules, Alabama, 1850-1880; Archive Roll Number: 1; Census Year: 1859; Census Place: District 2, Limestone, Alabama; Page: 2
, ,

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *