Richard Owen's Brother-in-Law, Andrew Hood, Provides Clues

    ©  Kathy Duncan, 2021

Sometimes, when I don't have a particular research plan in mind, or I just want to take a break, I cast my net out on Google to see what I can catch.

This morning I searched for Andrew Hood of Kershaw County, South Carolina with simple search terms: "Andrew Hood" Kershaw. He is of interest because he is supposed to be the son-in-law of my direct ancestor Archibald Owings who died in Kershaw County in 1826.  Archibald's daughter Elizabeth married a Hood, and most researchers name Andrew Hood, son of William and Jane Hood, as her husband. Elizabeth's brother Richard Owens, who is my ancestor, married an Elizabeth. His descendants have long thought that she was Elizabeth Hood, Andrew's sister. However, other researchers believe that Elizabeth Hood married Richard's brother William Owens and removed to Pickens County, Alabama. 

I noticed this morning that on family search there are no children for Andrew and Elizabeth (Owens) Hood, and only one source: the 1850 Chester County, South Carolina census. Working on Andrew Hood makes sense just because, for me, the path backward always goes sideways through sibling groups. Andrew Hood has the potential to reveal information about both the Hood and the Owens families.

What I found this morning, is exciting on the surface, but will take a lot more research.

My internet search turned up a tantalizing map of Chester County, South Carolina. Keep in mind that Chester County was not one of my keywords. 

In this close up, you can see why my search terms pulled this map up in my hits:

Andrew Hood of Kershaw and wife Elizabeth, granddaughter of Alexander Archer, were deeded land from John Cooper and wife Mary. This is interesting and odd all at the same time. Usually, the wife of the grantee is not named in the transaction, and certainly, having her grandfather named is unusual.

This raises a slew of questions for me because if Andrew Hood married Elizabeth Owens, then Alexander Archer was her maternal grandfather. That might mean that he was also my ancestor Richard Owens' grandfather.

Is there a record that documents Alexander Archer as Elizabeth Hood's grandfather?

Would that record also name Elizabeth's siblings, clarifying that she was an Owens?

Would that record name her mother, who is currently unknown? 

Then just to the southwest of this tract of land was another tract of land that Andrew Hood acquired, which had also belonged to Alexander Archer:

The later date of 1835 on this deed makes me think that Andrew Hood and wife Elizabeth probably had removed from Kershaw County, South Carolina to Chester County, South Carolina. 

Then a familiar name appeared on the tract just east of this one:

Daniel McMillian was on the early Kershaw County, South Carolina census living near Andrew Hood. 

A closer peek at that map reveals this little jewel:

An abandoned cemetery was located on Daniel McMillian's property at a reasonable distance from Andrew Hood's property. Of course, in that time period, people tended to bury on their own property, so there may not be any Hoods or Archers buried there.

My next step will be a review of Alexander Archer's records. I confess I am a bit hopeful since I know that after Archibald Owings left his father Richard Owings' home in Laurens County, South Carolina, he went to Lancaster County near the Hood family before he eventually ended up in Kershaw County. Since Chester County borders Lancaster County on the west, it is reasonable to think that Archibald may have lived there briefly - just long enough to woo Alexander Archer's daughter?