Surname Saturday - Daniel

After reviewing several blogs this sunny Saturday morning, I thought I would research on my Bell family line.  I went out to Ancestry and was preparing to look for shaking leaves on that line.  There it was a shaking leaf on Mary Jane Bell.  The hint led to a family tree about the William Daniel family of Charles City County, Virginia.  It was that point that I was led astray.

Mary Jane Bell married John Daniel who was the son of George Washington and Polley (Isley) Daniel. It was on George Washington Daniel on this family tree that I found sources to him in the 1850 and 1860 census which I had not found or had I and just not done anything with them. I can see where Ancestry and many of the record repositiories will cause me to abandon my original research plans.

I guess one could say in a roundabout way I was researching the Daniel family since Mary Jane Bell married into the family.  Perhaps that is stretching it a bit.  But up the Daniel's family tree I did continue.

I returned to the first Daniel in my family line - Martha Jane Daniel.  Martha was born 19th of October 1848 in Saidora, Mason County, Illinois to John and Mary Jane (Bell) Daniel.   She married Thomas Milton Johnson on her 23rd birthday (19 October 1871) in Mason County, Illinois.  Guess that is one way to make sure the groom remembers your wedding anniversary...just hope he remembers your birthday!

Martha and Thomas had 6 children with only three surviving to adulthood.  The other three children passed away between the ages of 4 to13 months.  A year and half after the death of her last daughter, Martha would lose her husband of 14 years as well.

Martha went on to live 42 years after her husband passed away and never remarried. She would spend her last 20 or so years in the household of her eldest son, Adolph Albert (my great  grandfather) until passed away at the age of 78 on 8 Jan 1927 in Mason County, Illinois.  Martha was laid to rest in Fairview Cemetery, Lynchburg Township, Mason County, Illinois.

Now I take a step back to Martha's father, John H Daniel.  This is where I got off on today's journey. 

I have reached out to the genealogist who posted the information about William Daniel and his descendants.  I am looking for source documents to prove that John H Daniel is the son of George Washington Daniel.  I thought I had George Washington Daniel's probate packet but after investigation, I found I was wrong.  It appears to be George's son George Washington Daniel's probate packet.  While looking for that probate packet, I found John Daniel's probate.  Taking a quick review, I realize I have not documented it into my files.  Now am off on another track! Guess I will get back to the Daniel's another day!