What are the origins of Johann Nicholas Biehl?
We continued our Biehl research project with the end goal of identifying the German origins of Johann Nicholas Biehl. I continued research on the first generation, which is Mary Jane Beal. You can find that post here.
Court Records
Last week we identified at least one tract of land that James Henry purchased from the Federal Government, but there were additional tracts that we were not sure were for our James Henry or for another same-name individual. I decided to try FamilySearch’s full-text search, which is a game changer for researchers. Elizabeth Shown Mills had discussed the need on many occasions of reading the records page-by-page. This may still be necessary, but this full-text search can help locate some of those items quicker.
To try it out, I decided to search for James Henry, and I located a 14 January 1850 court record that discussed the West Fork Road, which named both James Henry and his likely father-in-law Peter Beal. They were numerated adjacent to each other in the 1850 census that was taken in June. Below is the transcription:
“[page] 86
January 14th 1850
And now on this day came the commissioners appointed at the last term of this court to view and mark out a portion of the West Fork road and made their report which ^is in words and figures as follows Towit In obedience to an order to us directed we William H Campbell John Robinson and Ewin P Craig Commissioners appointed by the county court of Washington County to view and mark a portion of the West Fork road after being duly sworn as the law directs commencing near the house of Nathan Caughmans on the land of Alfred Caughmans thence about one quarter of a mile to the land of Conrod Yous then over the land of said Conrod Yous about one quarter of a mile then over vacant land then over the land of James Henry about one mile then over vacant land then over the land of Peter Beal about one mile course about north east generally making about four miles then over vacant land then over the land of William D Shons about half a mile then over the land of Joseph Webb about half mile then over the land of Quiller Hutchins one half mile then over vacant land then over the land of Anderson Hutchens half mile to the house of Anderson Hutchens from Peter Beals to Anderson Hutchens about four miles course about North West withe [sic] undersigned reviewers believe that the public convinience [sic] will be much benefited by the above road being continued and kept in repair and we also deem it of public utility.”[1]
We’ll be continuing research on James Henry until we have completed reasonably exhaustive research on him, but using this full-text search is another tool in our toolbox that can help us research more efficiently and locate some great finds!
Future Research
Future research will include:
· Search for additional marriage records for James Henry. He married Alphurnia Peerson in 1894.
· Continue search for all real estate, both local and Federal, that James Henry owned in Washington County, Arkansas. He owned $300 in 1850 and $1,000 in 1870. Start a table showing the land transactions, both in and out, to ensure all transactions are captured.
· Find maps for the time and place.
· Determine if there are records for Friendship Baptist Church in Springdale, Arkansas. Determine if there are extant records for First Baptist Church of Springdale.
· Locate the extant applicable agricultural censuses for Arkansas.
· Identify all of James Henry’s ten children.
· James Henry served in the Mexican War and his widow, Alphurnia, received a pension. He may have had a pension too since he was feeble and helpless prior to his death. His tombstone notes his service from 1847–1848 in the Ark. Mounted Inf. Vol.
· Who were the parents of Harvey Webb, nephew, in 1880?
· Was Luke Henry in 1900 the stepson of James Henry?
Next up: Continuing the research on Mary Jane Henry and her husband, James, as noted in “Future Research” above.
[1] Washington County, Arkansas, Court Records, 1835–1878, vol. C, 1848–1856, pp. 86–7, entry for West Fork Road, 14 January 1850; image 71 of 644, DGS no. 7,899,278, item 1, FamilySearch Library, Salt Lake City, Utah. Emphasis added.
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