My Maternal 3rd Great-Grandfather McCorkle
52 Ancestors in 52 weeks
Week 4 - January 20, 2025
Prompt: Overlooked
This week’s prompt suggested writing about an ancestor I have not paid much attention to. However, I am taking a different approach—focusing on an ancestor I have paid a lot of attention to: my maternal 3rd great-grandfather McCorkle. His name remains unknown.
Over the past week, I have meticulously reviewed documents and notes in my three-inch binder labeled “MCCORKLE RESEARCH” to determine if I have overlooked any clues.
Who Was Martha McCorkle’s husband?
My maternal 3rd great-grandmother, Martha McCorkle, first appears in historical records in the 1850 census for Warren County, Tennessee. This was the first U.S. census to list all household members by name, sex, and age. Martha is listed first, suggesting she was the head of household, followed by her six children, ranging in age from 1 to 15 years old. Her husband was not present.
Clues from the 1850 Census
Although the 1850 census lacks many details, it still provides valuable clues about Martha’s life and, potentially, her missing husband.
Clue #1: No Husband Listed
• My maternal 3rd great-grandfather is not present in the household.
• The 1850 census did not record marital status, so it is unclear whether Martha was widowed or divorced.
Clue #2: Youngest Child’s Birth Year and Location
• The youngest child, Rachel Margaret, was one year old in 1850, meaning she was likely conceived in 1848.
• This suggests that Martha was still married in 1848, and her husband likely died or left the family after this child was conceived.
Clue #3: Oldest Child’s Birth Year & Location
• The oldest child, Richard, was 15 years old and born in Tennessee, indicating that Martha was likely married around 1834 in Tennessee.
Clue #4: All Children Born in Tennessee
• Since all of Martha’s children were born in Tennessee, both before and after 1840, it is logical to assume that her husband should appear in Tennessee in the 1840 census.
Review of the 1840 Census for Tennessee
In the 1840 census only the head of household was named and members of the household were recorded as tick marks in age range categories. I reviewed the 1840 Census for Tennessee looking for households that met the following criteria:
• A male aged 20-29 in 1840 (potential husband).
• A female aged 20-29 in 1840 (potentially Martha).
• A male child under 5 or 5-9 (potentially Richard, born ~1835).
I identified 22 heads of household with the McCorkle surname (or variations). The household structure of three potential matches closely aligns with what I would expect for Martha’s young family. However, all three also have additional household members.
1. Robert McCaskle (Warren County)
✔ 1 male aged 20-29 (potential husband)
✔ 1 female aged 20-29 (potentially Martha)
✔ 1 male aged <5 (potentially Richard)
✔ In Warren County – aligns with Martha’s location in 1850
Five additional household members are:
• 1 male aged 10-14
• 1 male aged 15-19
• 2 females aged 5-9
• 1 female aged 30-39
Issues:
• Five additional household members whose identities are unknown.
• I had previously associated this record with a different Robert McCorkle, who appears in the 1850 census in Warren County, married to Margaret Peggy Overturf.
Despite these concerns, the Warren County location makes this a strong lead worth investigating further.
2. Jas McCorkle (Shelby County)
✔ 1 male aged 20-29 (potential husband)
✔ 1 female aged 20-29 (potentially Martha)
✔ 1 male aged 5-9 (potentially Richard)
One additional household member:
• 1 female aged 5-9
Issues:
• Located in Shelby County, not Warren County.
• Has one additional household member.
3. Andrew McCorkle (Tipton County)
✔ 1 male aged 20-29 (potential husband)
✔ 1 female aged 20-29 (potentially Martha)
✔ 1 male aged 5-9 (potentially Richard)
One additional household member:
• 1 female aged 15-19
Issues:
• Located in Tipton County, not Warren County.
• Has one additional household member.
Next Steps
With this information, my next steps include:
• Further investigation of Robert, Andrew, and Jas McCorkle.
• Searching land, probate, and tax records for McCorkles in Warren County.
• Exploring marriage records from the 1830s in Tennessee.
• Continuing DNA analysis to identify any overlooked connections.
• Reviewing additional notes in my “McCorkle Research” binder.
Although my 3rd great-grandfather remains unknown for now, I hope that continuing a fresh review of overlooked clues will bring me one step closer to solving this mystery.
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