Caroline Agnes Crumley

b. 30 January 1847, d. 2 August 1903
John Patrick Sharp Ryburn and Caroline (Crumley) Ryburn
undated photo courtesy Roger Ryburn
FatherDaniel W. Crumley1
MotherStacy Jones1
Birth30 Jan 1847 Caroline Agnes Crumley was born on 30 Jan 1847.2 
Marriage License11 May 1869 She and John Patrick Sharp Ryburn obtained a marriage license on 11 May 1869 in Sullivan County, Tennessee, however the exact date of the marriage was not recorded in the county register.3,4 
Cens-187011 Aug 1870 By 1870 John and Caroline were married and settled in Sullivan County, Tennessee, just across the border from Virginia. There they were recorded on the 1870 census with their newborn daughter, Minnie.5,6 
Migration  Apparently they did not remain there long but moved further south among the mountains of Eastern Tennessee. They may have spent some time in Washington County, Tennessee (their son John DS was born in Johnson City, Washington County in 1876), but it is difficult to say for sure as part of eastern Washington County became Unicoi County in 1876. 
 According to a history of Unicoi County, John and his brother William were both selling goods in the area when the town of Erwin was laid off in 1876.7 
Tax  William appeared on the county tax list for one year (1876); John's ongoing appearance began in 1880 when he was taxed for a 1/2 acre lot in the town of Ervin.8 
Cens-188011 Jun 1880  The same year John and his family were enumerated on the federal census in Ervin. "Sharp", as he was sometimes called, was listed with Caroline and their daughters Minnie, Rebella (Arobell), Valley (Valerie), Rhoinna (Rowena or Roena) and May. A lone son, 4 year old John, was also listed and was no doubt the focus of attention among his 5 sisters.9,10 
  Following the census two more daughters were born and then in 1888 another son was added. 
Cens-19004 Jun 1900 Caroline was 55 years old when John died in the Spring of 1899. The year after his death she was enumerated on the federal census as the head of her household. Her five youngest children were all still at home. They ranged in age from John, at 22, to Walter, age 12. Of her older daughters, 3 were married and Arrobell had died in 1886.11 
Death2 Aug 1903 Caroline died on 2 Aug 1903 in Erwin, Unicoi County, Tennessee, at age 56.3,2 
Burial She was buried at Jobe Cemetery in Erwin.12,2 

Related Links and Images:

Caroline's headstone13

Family

John Patrick Sharp Ryburn b. 24 Dec 1844 or 24 Dec 1845, d. 3 Apr 1899
Children
Last Edited21 Jun 2011

Citations

  1. [S1141] Roger J. Ryburn, "Daniel W. Crumley-Stacy Jones" family group sheet.
  2. [S1173] Unicoi County Historical Society, Cemeteries of Unicoi County, Tennessee, p. 7. Stone reported to read: Caroline Agnes Crumley, Jan. 30, 1847 - Aug. 2, 1903 [2005: Roger Ryburn confirmed that Caroline's stone reads as above. However, that is an error; her married name was Ryburn. Caroline was Roger's great grandmother].
  3. [S1141] Roger J. Ryburn, "John Patrick Sharp Ryburn-Caroline Agnes Crumley" family group sheet. Roger is the great grandson of John and Caroline (Crumley) Ryburn.
  4. [S1195] Shelia Steele Hunt, Sullivan County, Tennessee Marriage Records, 1863-1893, p. 207.
  5. [S959] John P.S. Ryburn household, 1870 U.S. cens, Sullivan Co., Tennessee, pop. sched., District #2, p. 386b (stamped), dwelling 24, family 28, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Jan. 2005, image 4 of 13. Enumeration includes: John P.S. Ryburn, 26, b. VA, farmer, pers. prop value: $360, marr within yr; Caroline 22, b. TN, keeping house, marr within yr; Minnie 0/12, b. TN.
  6. [S16] It is not known at this time exactly where in Sullivan County John and Caroline were living. John's father, John Ryburn, owned land that fell partly in Washington County, Virginia and partly in Sullivan County, Tennessee. John and Carolin may have been living on the Sullivan County portion of this land. It is also possible that they were living on land belonging to her father, Daniel Crumley. He lived in the Paperville section of Sullivan County.
  7. [S16] John D.S. Ryburn's obituary says the family moved to Erwin in 1895. This is in error as the 1880 census clearly enumerates the family in District 5 which was the Civil District that included Ervin. In addition, the enumerator wrote "Ervin" above the first entry on the page. The town was laid out in 1876 on land donated by David J.N. Ervin. At first it was officially known as Vanderbuilt, but the inhabitants referred to it as Ervin in honor of David Ervin. In 1879 the name was officially changed, however the postal department spelled it Erwin instead of Ervin (Goodwin's History of Unicoi County).
  8. [S1170] Unicoi Co., Tennessee Tax books, 1876-1899.
  9. [S913] Sharp Ryburn household, 1880 U.S. cens., Unicoi Co., Tennessee, pop sched., Dist. #5, ED 93A (stamped), page 96, dwelling 96, family Jul 2004, image 13 of 27. Enumeration states: Sharp Ryburn 33, farmer, b. VA, both parents b. VA; Caroline, 29, b. TN, parents b. TN; Minnie, 10, dau; Rebella, dau, 9; Valley J., 7, dau; Rhoinna, 6, dau; John D. 4, son; May V., 2, dau; all children b. TN; all fathers b. VA, all mothers b. VA. Note: mothers place of birth should be TN?, viewed online at Ancestry.com.
  10. [S16] John D.S. Ryburn's obituary says the family moved to Erwin in 1895. This is in error as the 1880 census clearly enumerates the family in District 5 which was the Civil District that included Ervin. In addition, the enumerator wrote "Ervin" above the first entry on the page. The town was laid out in 1876 on land donated by David J.N. Ervin. At first it was officially known as Vanderbuilt, but the inhabitants referred to it as Ervin in honor of David Ervin. In 1879 the name was officially changed, however it became known as Erwin, not Ervin (from Ervin, by Viola Ruth Swingle, Overmountain Press, 1975). Another source (Goodwin's History of Unicoi County) states that John was present when the town of Erwin was laid off so perhaps the 1896 year of settlement mentioned in the obituary should have been 1876.
  11. [S1150] Caroline Ryburn household, 1900 U.S. cens., Unicoi Co., Tennessee, pop. sched., 5th District, ED 175, sheet 3A (92 stamped), dwelling 34, family 34, viewed online at Genealogy.com, Jan. 2005, image 5 of 18. Enumeration includes: Caroline Ryburn, b. Jan. 1845 wid, mother 9 children, 8 living, b. TN, parents b. TN; John D.S, son, 22, b. Sept. 1877, __ selling gr__; May V, dau, 21, b. May 1879; Annia P., dau, 19, b. Oct. 1880; Allie G., dau, 16, Jul 1883; Walter W., son, 12, b. March 1888; all children b. TN; children's father b. VA, mother TN.
  12. [S915] Roger Ryburn, "Rambling Roots Wm Ryburn work," e-mail to D. Powell, 1 Feb. 2005. Roger states that Caroline is buried in Jobe Cemetery and that her tombstone says she was born Jan. 30, 1844.
  13. [S1376] Photo courtesy of Roger Ryburn.
  14. [S915] Roger Ryburn, "Valerie Jane Ryburn," e-mail to D. Powell, 4 Sept. 2005. Roger's email included information gathered during a visit to Valerie's granddaughter in Aug. 2005.