My Newest Discovery
Actually, I have three, no, five new discoveries that began during late July and during the beginning of the first week of August in 2023. And two more came on August 19 – 20, 2023. But, my recent “newest discovery” before yesterday came around August 7, 2023. I was on a hot pursuit after following leads.
Oh, how amazing new discoveries are. I’ve been reviewing this hot pursuit discovery. I’m making sure things match up. There could have been others with the same names living in the same city with my relatives. I’ve come across cases like this lots of times.
What is this discovery?
I was on the hunt, to find something on a Jane White who was the daughter of Martha “Mattie” White from Chariton County Missouri. The only source I had on Jane was on the 1900 Missouri census. She black female at about 11 years old and listed as a washwoman.
According to the 1910 census, her mother, Mattie had 5 children and four children were living. The one child that passed was Mattie’s son, Patrick “Pat” White. He was killed on October 5, 1906.
I’m thankful for others who have helped me on this search. I reached out to two ladies who are sisters in law. They live in the Forest Green, Missouri area. They shared with me that Jane’s sister, Oressia Hereford would visited Jane in Kansas City.
It wasn’t until I started searching African American newspapers, where I made the connections with other relatives. I explored some newspapers from Minnesota and some from Missouri. It was “The Call” publication that shed some light into my new discoveries and to locate Jane.
I tried to search for Jane White. I had no luck. This was like searching for a needle in a haystack. So, I began to search for Oressia Hereford. I did find Oressia who was living in Forest Green. But, no leads on Jane. I believed that Jane was married.
I kept searching, typing in the various ways to spell Aressia / Oresia and the Heriford / Heryford surname. I keep at it. Until one day, when I told myself, I shouldn’t be on my computer this late. I kept going and then I saw something that clicked: And before my see I read….”Mr. and Mrs. Nance of Kansas City visited her sister, Miss Oressia Herriford.” They were in Forest Green, Missouri.
The Discovery:
The Call ~ Kansas City, Missouri • Fri, Nov 2, 1956 on page 17. ( There was a 1955 article mentioning of a “Mrs. James Nance from Kansas City who was a dinner guest of her sister, Miss Oressia Hayward).
This little information was all I needed to discover that this Mrs. Nance was Jane. And she had a son. I began to search for Jane, her husband and their son.
I searched for a death certificate first. Yes, I have found the correct Janie L. Nance. But, as I searched for more records, I wasn’t for sure what her first name was. I was very surprised that she lived in St. Joseph, Missouri. WOW!!
She had two obituaries published in St. Joseph, Missouri paper on the same day of March 30, 1967.
This proves that she was the same person by her husband’s name, relatives and places listed.
She was listed as Mrs. Janie Wiley Nance on page 7 and
She was listed as Mrs. Anna Wiley Nance. on page 2
She was listed as Mrs. Janie Louise Nance in the Kansas City, Missouri’s newspaper
Her obituary appeared in the paper on Tuesday, March 28, 1967 on page 18
Who Was She?
She was born the daughter of Martha “Mattie” White (1862 – ca 1947) and Robert “Bob” Hereford on November 30. 1888 in Forest Green, Missouri. She had one brother Patrick White (1882 -1906). She had three sisters, Alice White (1884 – ?) Mrs. Bob Ella (Bentley) Carr (1884 – 1923) and Miss Oressia Hereford (1904 – 1976).
She married with the name of Miss Anna J. Heffard of St. Joseph, Missouri to Scott O. Wiley of St. Joseph, Missouri on August 21, 1922 in St. Joseph, Missouri. They applied for their marriage license on August 18, 1922.
Scott and Anna had a son named Melvin Wiley born in St. Joseph, Missouri on February 2, 1920. I’m not for sure if Scott moved with Anna to Kansas City, Missouri with their son about 1924. However, Anna carried her maiden name when she remarried. I’m still searching city directories for leads.
She married with the name of Anna Herfard , age 34 to Clarence Nance, age 24 on February 16, 1934 in Jackson County, Missouri in Kansas City. They applied for their marriage license on February 2, 1934.
At some point, Anna’s son, Melvin took the surname Nance. He went by Melvin Wiley Nance and Melvin W. Nance (1920 – 1993). He was an elder to the church.
On the 1920 Missouri census recorded her as Anna Wiley living in St. Joseph, Missouri. She was living with S. O. Wiley as his wife. They both were listed as mulatto.
On the 1940 and 1950 Missouri censuses in Kansas City, Missouri she was listed as Louise Nance . In 1940 she was living with her husband Clarence, son Melvin and Mattie Craig. In 1950, she was listed with her husband, Clarence, son Melvin and daughter in law Catherine and grandchildren: Samuel, Marie and Emanuel Nance.
I’m so happy that Anna / Janie Louise Nance has been located. I have added her names along with what information I have on her and her family. Thank You, Jesus!
R.I.P. cousin Anna / Janie Louise
I’m wondering. How many more long lost relatives are out there? I believe that there are more missing links to our family connections. Where are they?
At the timing of this blog, I found another new discovery. Martha’s daughter Allice or Ollie White. She was alive in 1910. She must have been married. I can’t locate her or Anna / Janie Louise on the 1910 census.
I want to keep searching. Perhaps others are searching for their family connections. And just maybe, we will find one another, some day. Wouldn’t this be something?
Thanks for reading.
In Memory of Mrs. Anna Janie (Herfard) Wiley Nance
BLAKEY BLAKLEY WHITE Family Connections
Blessings
S.A. Blakley
August 21, 2023
Week 34 ~ Amy Johnson Crow’s #52Ancestors In 52 Weeks Challenge 2023
The theme for Week 34 is “Newest Discovery.” What is the newest discovery you’ve made in your family history? Mine was discovering that an ancestor’s brother served in the Civil War.
