GPS Study Group Week 5: Who was the father of Benjamin F. Horton?

Genealogical Proof Standard Study Group

Homework

Chapter Five – Writing It Up

Marceline Beem

Reference:

Christine Rose, Genealogical Proof Standard: Building a Solid Case, 4th Edition Revised. San Jose, California: CR Publications, 2014.

This week’s chapter, the final one, focuses on writing up your research findings in one of three formats: proof statement, proof summary, and proof argument. Our assignment is to take one event in one ancestor’s life and write our conclusion. The format of the written report (summary, argument, or statement) depends on the complexity of the evidence.

	Content	Use when…	Format
Proof Summary	Evidence used & how we arrived at conclusion	Evidence contains no conflicts	Bulleted/numbered list Narrative (multiple sources)
Proof Argument	Narrative of analysis, evaluation, and conclusion	Evidence is complex (combination of direct and indirect) and/or has conflicting information	Written, documented narrative (footnotes or endnotes)
Proof Statement	An assertion of the fact with citations	Evidence contains no conflicts	1-2 sentences with citations

My topic for this week’s study is Benjamin F. Horton, my 2^nd-great-grandfather. He was born in Coal Creek, Anderson County, Tennessee in March 1854. Determining the identities of his parents relied on both direct and indirect evidence, so according to our text, a proof argument is needed to show that his parents were Richard D. Horton and Rhoda Frost of Anderson County, Tennessee.

Research question: Who was the father of Benjamin F. Horton?

In 1860 and 1870, Benjamin F. Horton and his twin brother, Elijah, are enumerated in a household headed by Rhoda Horton (Figure 1).^1,2 No adult male is listed in the household in either census. In examining marriage records for the Anderson County area, two Horton men married a woman named Rhoda:

• B.F. Horton married Rhoda Hendrix on September 22, 1847 in Anderson County³

• R.D. Horton married Rhoda Frost on October 14, 1852 in Anderson County⁴

Neither men were found in the state of Tennessee in 1860. Broadening the search, B.F. and Rhoda Horton were found enumerated in Kansas City, Missouri, making it likely that R.D. and Rhoda Horton were the parents of Benjamin and Elijah.⁵

Eventually other records were found that confirmed this theory:

• The Anderson County courts granted a divorce to R.D. and Rhoda Horton in 1861.⁶ R.D. remarried a year later in Knox County, explaining his absence from the household headed by Rhoda in 1870.⁷

• In the 1880 and 1900 census, Rhoda is living with Elijah and identified as his mother (Figure 2).^8,9

• Death certificates for Benjamin F. and Elijah give March 13, 1854 as the date of birth for both men, confirming that they were twins (Figures 3 and 4).^10,11

• Benjamin’s death certificate identifies his parents as Richard V. Horton and Rhodia Frost.¹² Elijah’s gives the names R.D. Horton and Rhoda Frost.¹³

Although Benjamin Horton never appears in a document with his father, evidence from marriage records, census listings, and the death certificates for both Benjamin and his twin brother, Elijah, show that his father was Richard D. Horton of Anderson County, Tennessee.

References

1. 1860 U.S census, Anderson County, Tennessee, population schedule, East Fork, p. 48, dwelling 685, family 685, Rhoda Horton; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 11 Mar 2015); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm M653, roll 1239.
2. 1870 U.S. census, Anderson County, Tennessee, population schedule, District 4, p. 40B, dwelling 225, family 225, Rhoda Horton; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 2 Apr 2016); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm M593, roll 1513.
3. Anderson County, Tennessee, Marriage Records, 1847: 81, Horton-Hendrix; digital images, “Tennessee State Marriages, 1780-2002,” Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 29 Dec 2015); citing Tennessee State Marriages, 1780-2002. Nashville, TN, USA: Tennessee State Library and Archives. Microfilm.
4. Anderson County, Tennessee, Marriage Records, 1852: 11, Horton-Frost; digital images, “Tennessee State Marriages, 1780-2002,” Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 29 Dec 2015); citing Tennessee State Marriages, 1780-2002. Nashville, TN, USA: Tennessee State Library and Archives. Microfilm.
5. 1860 U.S. census, Jackson County, Missouri, population schedule, Kansas City, p. 161-62, dwelling 1333, family 1363, B.F. Horton; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 26 April 2016); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm M653, roll 625.
6. Hutton, Edith Wilson. Anderson County, Tennessee: Divorces and Naturalizations, 1844 through 1920. Knoxville, Tenn.: E.W. Hutton, 1992.
7. Knox County, Tennessee, Marriage Records, 1862: 172, Horton-Trail; digital images, “Tennessee State Marriages, 1780-2002,” Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 28 Jan 2017); citing Tennessee State Marriages, 1780-2002. Nashville, TN, USA: Tennessee State Library and Archives. Microfilm.
8. 1880 U.S. census population schedule, District 5, enumeration district (ED) 138, p. 1A (stamped, 1 (penned), dwelling 7, family 7, Elijiah Horton; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : 2 April 2016); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm T9, roll 1244.
9. 1900 U.S. census population schedule, Fifth Civil District, enumeration district (ED) 5, p. 31A, dwelling 590, family 604, Elijiah Horton; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : 2 April 2016); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm T623, roll 1557.
10. Knox County, Tennessee, death certificate no. 5568 (1912), Bengiman F. Horton; digital images, “Tennessee Death Records, 1908-1958,” Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 19 Dec 2015).
11. Anderson County, Tennessee, death certificate no. 488 (1928), Elijah Walker Horton; digital images, “Tennessee Death Records, 1908-1958,” Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 20 Dec 2015).
12. Knox County, Tennessee, death certificate 5568 (1912), Bengiman F. Horton.
13. Anderson County, Tennessee, death certificate 488 (1928), Elijah Walker Horton.

 Images

Figure 1. Rhoda Horton in the 1860 census, Anderson County, Tennessee

Abstract:

Rhoda Harton, 29, F, Domestic, b. Tenn.

Eijiah W., 6, M, b. Tenn

Benjamin, 6, M, b. Tenn

George W., 3, M, b. Tenn

Figure 2. Elijah Horton in the 1880 census, Anderson County, Tennessee

Abstract:

Elijah Horton, W, M, 26, b. Tenn

Rhoda Horton, W, F, 47, mother, b. Tenn

Figure 3. Death certificate for Benjamin F. Horton

Abstract:

Name: Bengiman F. Horton

Date of birth: March 13, 1854

Name of father: Richard V. Horton

Maiden name of mother: Rhodia Frost

Death certificate for Elijah Horton

Abstract:

Name: Elijah Walker Horton

Date of birth: March 13, 1854

Name of father: R.D. Horton

Maiden name of mother: Rhoda Frost