Elizabeth Ryburn1

b. 24 September 1820, d. 29 March 1873
Birth24 Sep 1820 Elizabeth Ryburn was born on 24 Sep 1820.2 
Marriage22 Nov 1838 She married John Wesley Wedding, son of Abednego Wedding and Rebecca Johnson, in Washington County, Virginia, probably on 22 Nov 1838.3,4 
Land-Buy20 Oct 1839  The following year, on Oct. 29th, 1839, John's father Abednego deeded one half of his 164 acre tract to John for $1. However John was not to take title to the land until Abednego's death.5 
Migration  John and Elizabeth resided in Washington Co. at the time of the 1840 census enumeration. By the birth of son Christopher in late 1845 the family had moved to Roane County, Tennessee. 
Land-Sell2 Dec 1847  In Dec. 1847, while living in Roane Co., John and Elizabeth deeded their 84 acres of Abednego's land to William M. Edmondson and William White for $350. 
Cens-185028 Aug 1850  John and Elizabeth were recorded farming in Roane Co. in 1850. The household included John (36), Elizabeth (29), William (11), Louisa (9) and Christopher (5). 
  A daughter Manourva had been born in Jan. 1844 but died in 1845. Another son, Thurman, born in Feb. 1850, was not included in the 1850 enumeration. 
Migration  John's descendants believe he was a bit of a wanderer which seems born out by the fact that the family moved again in the early 1850s, settling this time in Greene County, Ohio. 
Cens-18601860  There they were enumberated in Silver Creek township in 1860. Although John was again listed as a farmer, he owned land valued at $200 and personal property worth $1,096 suggesting perhaps he was selling goods in addition to farming. The family had grown by the addition of daughters Fredonia Elizabeth and Mary Samantha.6 
Cens-187023 Jun 1870  But again the family did not stay put. Sometime prior to 1870 they moved in Chase County, Kansas. 
  Although the 1870s started off on a presumably positive note with the marriage in Feb. 1870 of John and Elizabeth's 16 year old daughter Fredonia to John Wilson, the decade was one of tragedy for the family. In Oct. 1870 son Christopher was murdered while traveling through the Cherokee Nation. The assailant stole Christopher's horse and $280 he was carrying. Interestingly, Christopher had been enumerated as owning personal property of $1,100 on the federal census taken a few months earlier.

In March, 1873 Elizabeth died, although the exact place is unknown. Her death was followed a year later, in March 1874, by the accidental death of son Thurman. He was killed at Lazette (Cowley Co., Kansas) as the result of a mill accident. Daughter Fredonia's husband also died in 1874 (Fredonia eventually remarried and John brought her two daughters from her first marriage back to Virginia to live). John married for a second time in May 1874.7,8,9,2 
Death29 Mar 1873 Elizabeth died on 29 Mar 1873 at age 52.2 

Research Comment:

The identity of Elizabeth's parents presents a long standing challenge to Ryburn researchers. She was most likely a daughter of either Patrick Ryburn or James Ryburn, both sons of William Ryburn. The 1830 census entries for both men indicates the presence of an otherwise unidentified female consistent with the age of Elizabeth (born Sept. 1820), who is not then indicated on the 1840 census (Elizabeth and John married in 1838).

Elizabeth is not mentioned in Patrick's will (or for that matter in any of the other Washington County Ryburn wills of the period). However family tradition holds that her parents were not altogether pleased with her marriage which may account for her lack of mention. Also, she and John did not remain in Virginia which may have also been a factor. Patrick already had a daughter Eliza, perhaps making him a less likely candidate for Elizabeth's father.

James Ryburn may have died or left Washington County in the early 1840s. He has not been located in 1850. None of his children, all of whom appear to have been daughters, have been identified.

Family

John Wesley Wedding b. 19 Oct 1814, d. 25 Dec 1896
Children
Last Edited14 Jul 2013

Citations

  1. [S4] D.E. Brown, Marriages of Washington Co., VA 1781-1853, p. 66. Abstract reads: John W. Wedding to Elizabeth Ryburn, 21 Nov. 1838; by Alexander McEwen.
  2. [S669] Keys, "Descendants of Abednego Wedding". Martha cites the Bible of Fredonia Wedding Wilson Mahaffey which she viewed in the home of Fredonia's great grandson, Sonny Mahaffey in Enid, Oklahoma. She believes it is now in the possession of Sonny's widow who resides in Victoria, Texas.
  3. [S622] Martha Keys, "Hello," e-mail to Diana Powell, 5 May 2003. Martha cites the Bible of Fredonia Wedding Wilson Mahaffey (daughter of John Wesley Wedding and Elizabeth Ryburn Wedding) which she viewed in the home of Fredonia's great grandson, Sonny Mahaffey in Enid, Oklahoma. It contained information on Abednego and Rebecca Wedding and their children. The bible stated that the wedding of John and Elizabeth took place on Nov. 22nd.
  4. [S4] D.E. Brown, Marriages of Washington Co., VA 1781-1853, p. 66. Abstract reads: John W. Wedding to Elizabeth Ryburn, 21 Nov. 1838; by Alexander McEwen.
  5. [S2136] Washington Co., Virginia Deed Book 14: 453. Deed dated 29 Oct. 1839 from Abednego Wedding to his son John W. Wedding for $1, half of 164 acres belonging to Abednego Wedding, on which he now lives. Land to be transferred on Abednego's death.
  6. [S1284] John W. Wedding household, 1860 U.S. cens, Greene Co., OH, pop. sched., Silvercreek township, p. 630 (added script), dwelling 1112, family 1114, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Jun 30, 2005; image 30 or 30. Enumeration includes: John W. Wedding 45, farmer, owns land valued at $200, pers. prop of $1096, b. VA; Elizabeth 39, b. VA; Christopher R., b. Iowa [?]; Firman J., 9, b. Tenn; Fredonia, 6, b. OH; Mary S., 3, b. OH; George Lindsey 20, mul.
  7. [S2178] "The First Execution in Ft. Smith", Fort Smith National Historic Site (http://www.nps.gov/fosm/historyculture/081573-execution.htm : viewed Dec. 2008), Entry relates the 1873 execution of John Childers for the murder of Reyburn Wedding.
  8. [S2179] "Cowley County Newspaper Records - Winfield Courier Jan-Dec. 1874", abstracts, USGenWeb: Kansas, Cowley County (http://www.ausbcomp.com/~bbott/cowley/oldnews/papersup/ : viewed Dec. 2008), Article recounts the accidental death of "Freeman" Wedding.
  9. [S1768] Fridley, "Washington Co., VA Deaths 1853-1885" online database, <www.Ancestry.com>, illegible Wedding data, viewed Dec. 2008. Thurman's death also appears to have been reported in the Washington Co., Virginia death records. The abstracted entry reads: __ (not legible) Wedding, d. 1874, accident, b. TN, age 21 [24], parents J.W. & E. Wedding.
  10. [S622] Martha Keys, "Re: Ryburns and Allisons," e-mail to Diana Powell, 5 Mar 2003.