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victorhawk [at] cox.net
Some Connell Lineages of Clarke County, Georgia
Please note, I think I have a mess here. My primary source has been the various Clarke County censuses as well as marriage records. Unfortunately they do not tell a very coherent story. I hope to make a connection to a descendant of these lines to help straighten out some of this.
Photos
 William Connell, ca. 1951
The Steps of My Research
I began with my grandmother Sarah Elizabeth (Lizzie) Connell who died in Madison, Morgan County, Georgia, in July 1967. According to my mother, Lizzie was the daughter of William Alphonsa Connell and Maudie Priscilla Brooks and was born about 1900. I went to the 1910 census and found this family in Clarke County, Ga., living in the Whitehall community:
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1910 census for Clarke County, Georgia, Whitehall community, Watkinsville Road.,
Connell, William A. 37, married 12 years, born GA, parents GA; overseer in cotton mill; renting a house.
--- Maud P., wife, 29, married 12 years, 3 children, 3 still living; born GA, parents GA, keeper of the house.
--- Lizzie S., dau, 11, out of school since Sep 1, 1909 .
--- Susie M., dau, 7.
--- George H., son, 2.
--- Seaborn G., brother, 38 [possibly 35], overseer in cotton mill.
--- Mary L., sister, 33.
Important clues are in bold.
The next logical step was the 1900 census:
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Household of William Connell, ed.9 sh.20 dwelling 329, next door to Hartwell Connell, Whitehall, Clarke County.
William, Dec 1872, 27, M 3, born GA (all GA), cotton mill twister.
--- Maud, wife, Jun 1879, 20, M 3, illiterate.
--- Lizzie, dau, Sep 1898, 1.
The trail gets a little cold here. There is no 1890 census, of course, but the birthdates of William and Maud above gave me hope of finding them on the 1880 census. I was looking for a 7 year old William and a 1 year old Maud. I have not found Maud yet. But I think I found William:
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The 1880 census of Clarke County, Georgia, ed 16, page 376b:
Household of Hartwell Connell, Clarke County.
Connell, Hartwell, 42, works in cotton mill, born GA, father born NC, mother born GA.
--- S.A. 36, keeping house, born GA, parents born GA. (others may interpret as I.A.)
--- Wm, 7, son.
--- Green, 5, son.
--- Mary, 3, dau.
--- Margaret 4/12, dau, born Feb.
--- Jefferson, 3, nephew.
--- Lindy, 30, sister, works in cotton mill.
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Just down from this household is:
Connell, Green, 45, works in cotton mill.
--- Margaret, 47, sister, keeping house.
Okay, I had found a 7 year old William in a Clarke County household in 1880. But was he the one? In 1910 he had a brother Seaborn G. and a sister Mary L. In 1880, he has a brother Green and a sister Mary. The ages match up well. Could 1880's Green be 1910's Seaborn G.?
I took this information back to my mother and she discussed it with her oldest sister. They both remembered the names Green and Seaborn - or "Seab" - in the family tradition. Not only that, but I had found an Uncle Green for William, as well. I could not find an 1870 census record for this family. Another researcher recently suggested that the name is sometimes transcribed as Cornell or Carnell, so I resolve to look for those spellings my next time on the census films. The 1860 census was difficult too. Fortunately Hartwell is an uncommon name, and I finally found him in the following household:
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The 1860 census for Clarke County, Georgia page 995 family 514:
Rebecca Connell, 56f, Farmer, 100, 224, b. NC
Nancy Little, 35f, Reeler in Factory, b. Ga (rest Ga.)
Indiana Little, 11f
Marsha Little, 9f
Anna Brumbelo, 45f, Reeler in Factory
Emma Brumbelo, 7f
Hartwell Connell, 24m, Farm Laborer
This household answers no questions and raises many. Who are the Littles and Brumbelos? Where is the father? Is Rebecca the mother? Note that she says she was born in North Carolina; look back at the 1880 census and Hartwell says his mother was born in Georgia but that his father was born in NC. Despite the inconsistency, I view this as supporting evidence. Are Anna and Nancy sisters to Rebecca?
Further digging turned up an 1865 Greene County marriage record between Hartwell Connell and Sarah Ann Kinney. From the Kinney connection came the name Seaborn: Sarah's father was Seaborn Charles Kinney. At last, one piece that fits.
Putting together all the censuses thus far, it is clear that this family has been involved with the cotton mills from 1860 through 1910 and probably until the 1930s when the boll weevil destroyed the cotton crops throughout Georgia. It is also clear there was a family farm at some earlier time. My mother and aunt confirmed that the Connells were in the cotton mills from way back. I went back to 1850 to see if I could find Hartwell's origin. And here it was:
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The 1850 census of Clarke County, Georgia.
Benj G Connell, 45, farmer, born VA.
--- Nancy, 27f
--- Hartwell, 14m
--- Ana, 12f
--- Carey, 10f
--- Lotty, 8f
--- Foster, 7m
--- Billymire, 5m
--- Denny, 2f
There is Hartwell, and his age matches the 1860 census age - which is 2 years off the 1880 census age. And his father is Benjamin G. Connell. I have not documented where I learned Benjamin's middle name to be Green, nor have I documented my source for his marriage to Nancy Maxey. But these have been confirmed by other records. And this essentially is where the Connell history stood prior to the email I received of Green B.'s LW&T which is transcribed below.
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But one question has remained. My mother and her sister both firmly believe that the Connell's came from across the ocean just a few generations ago - and that the name was originally O'Connell. At this point, I find it likely that the O'Connell to Connell connection is real, but that it occurred over a hundred years prior to my mother and aunt's beliefs. Accordingly, the discovered information has proven to be far richer than family tradition surmised. The alternative of course is that I am chasing a red herring. But the logic chain seems tight to me.
Email discussions with descendant Sherry Winchester
In October 2003 I heard from Sherry Winchester, who had the following observations over the course of our email discussions.
"The Lucinda Connell on the 1860 Morgan Co. Ga census is my great-great-grandmother. I have been trying to figure out also if they are kin to Green...
My greatgrandfather James Robert Carnell is the James listed with Lucinda in the 1870 Mogan Co. Ga census which the readers are calling Connell. There is an article in a local paper in Sept 1948 with James saying he was born in Greene Co. Ga as does his Death Certicate. According to these he was 105 at his death. All census records would make him about 10 years younger. The article also tells about his mother burning the family bible during the Civil war so there would be no record of ages. That may also explain the name changes...
The reason I looked at Green as kin was on the 1860 GA Co. the readers list him in the index has Carnell. I had a unbeliveable time finding out who was Lucinda's husband. I finally got a copy of her son's Edward Death Certicate with info being provided by my James(his bother) stating that their father was James Hall Carnell. When you referred to the 1864 Green Co. Cenus [this is the Georgia Milita Census of 1864] I am wondering/suspect that the James Connell is James senior. He must have died within a few years after that...
Back to Green I've seen a listing of Greene Co. wills and his was one of them this was in the middle 1870's. This was under the name of Connell. A James Connell was a witness. If this is my James it would be James Jr. They move to Morgan Co. ALABAMA about 1875-76 or so because James and the other brothers and sister started marrying shortly after that. Maybe my family worked for Green and after he died they had to move on. Also I notice Green had two daughters one Carrie the other Laverne. I have a aunt named Carrie Laverne...
Lucinda was the daughter of Elijah Edmondson she came to Morgan Co. with her brother James and sister-in-law Martha Clemons/Clements. James also used different spelling for himself, married under the name Edmonds...
Will of Green Benjamin Connell !!!! Also from Sherry!
It is in a book Greene County, Georgia Wills- Will Book G Page 443 (Page 315 in this index book.) It reads: "5 May 1874, will of Greene B. Connell, deceased. to my wife Adaline Connell, the bed she sleeps on and bedstead as her furniture. to daugher Amy Connell her bed she lies on and furniture: to Malinda Connell her bed and furniture: to Fanny Connell her bed and furniture, to son Wat Austin Connell, land on Sandy Creek 60 acres.
Balance of my estate to be sold and proceeds equally divided between my wife Adaline, and my children: Daughter Amy Connell: Daughter Martha Wilks: Daughter Carry Phillips, _______________ Hartwell: my daughter Susan Baneom: My daughter Susan Baneom: mu daughter Rebecca Broadman: my daughter Malinda Connell: my daughter Fanny Connell and son Wat Austin Connell. My son Hale Connell's family I have already given to them all that I intend for them to have.
Appoint son-in-law Thomas Phillips executor. wit.: Benjamin Goodroe, James Connell and T. M. Fambrough. Recorded 6 April 1875, Joel F. Thornton, Ordinary"
Connell Researchers (Connell, Cornell, Carnell)
Kinney Researchers
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