Our Somers Family Heritage

Old Rowan County Courthouse in Salisbury, 1934 Marvin W. Helms - http://memory.loc.gov/pnp/habshaer/nc/nc0300/nc0312/photos/102737pv.jpg Photographic view from the southeast of the Rowan County Courthouse, 200 North Main Street, Salisbury, Rowan County, North Carolina. Historic American Buildings Survey, Library of Congress, Washington, D. C. (Source:  Rowan County Courthouse Salisbury North Carolina - Salisbury, North Carolina - Wikipedia ) Our "Little" family line has been traced back to Rowan County, North Carolina. This area is rich in history and the citizens were well known for their patriotism in the War for Independence. Please join me for a closer look at Rowan County and our ancestors who once lived there. We'll start with Samuel and Elizabeth (Boone) Little . Samuel Little was born around 1780 in Rowan County and Elizabeth in 1786 at Hunting Creek (Rowan County). Elizabeth is the daughter of Rebecca and John Boone . There is also speculation that we are relat...

This is our petite, but feisty Great Grandmother Maggie Leona (Wright) Weaver with Great Grandfather William Izear Weaver. He could very well be our "Blackfoot" connection - he looks native! Family folklore is he was such a good ball player that he was recruited to play professional baseball, but Great Grandmother wasn't going to have him off traveling the country while she farmed alone, so he wisely chose to stay in Arkansas with the lovely Maggie. Find a Grave Memorials: William Izear Weaver Maggie Lenoa Wright Weaver

Grandmother Lillian Mae Weaver/Somers Grandmother Lillian Mae Weaver/Somers told me as a child our ancestry was "Black Welsh" and "Blackfoot Indian."  I remember asking her what is a "Black Welsh"? And Grandma replied that it simply meant we had dark hair and dark eyes. Here are my notes regarding Grandma's family surnames and their origin: Weaver - English origin. (Father's surname) Wright (Mother's surname) - English or Scottish origin. Casteal or Casteel (paternal Grandmother) - Dutch or Spanish origin. Jones (maternal Grandmother) - Welsh origin. Burdett (paternal Great Grandmother) - French or English origin. The Jones name certainly points to our Welsh ancestry, but what does "Black Welsh" mean?  Wikipedia has a stub article which says: Black Welsh people are inhabitants of Wales who have an African or a Caribbean background. Wales is home to one of the United Kingdom's oldest Afro communities, an...

Image is from the Clay County Courier, Corning, Arkansas, March 28, 1968 * The article states that a strong family resemblance is noted, and the strong family resemblance continues today in 2015 (90+ yrs. since this photo was taken) for the descendants of these lovely women. ** This article states the mother of Nancy (Jones) Wright as Nancy Jones, but the Somers Family Bible, as recorded by Lillian Mae (Weaver) Somers, states Mary Ann Jones as the mother of Nancy Wright.  I have found that Lillian's records in the Family Bible are accurate in other matters and believe the name used in this article for the 85 year old Mrs. Jones may be a misprint.

Alfred Green Chance Weaver (Photo is from the private family collection of Harlen and Janice Buhler) Family Tree Source:  Alfred S. Weaver/Emily Little (ronulrich.com) Husband: Alfred S. Weaver Born: 14 OCT 1809 at: Tennessee Married: 2 OCT 1834 at: Died: 26 FEB 1848 at: Tennessee Father: Mother: Other Spouses: NOTES Wife: Emily Little Born: 19 SEP 1816 at: Rowan Co., North Carolina Died: 17 JUN 1889 at: Tennessee Father: Samuel Little Mother: Elizabeth Boone Other Spouses: Alfred L. Little CHILDREN Name: Winnie Jane Weaver Born: 22 MAY 1839 at: Rover, Bedford Co., Tennessee Married: at: Died: at: Spouses: Name: Margaret Caroline Weaver Born: 16 OCT 1840 at: Tennessee Married: at: Died: 28 NOV 1904 at: Spouses: Name: Alfred Green Chance Weaver Born: 6 MAR 1845 at: Tennessee Married:...

While researching my grandmother's side of the family, I came across some very interesting information regarding my Great, Great, Great Grandfather Samuel Little.*  It appears he may have been an Elder in the Reformed Presbyterian Church and helped found the RP in Sparta, Illinois which is approximately a 30 minute drive from my home! If so, I have indeed inherited a noble Christian heritage and I bless the Lord for it. My grandmother was Lillian Mae (Weaver) Somers and her father was William Izear Weaver, the great grandson of Samuel Little and Elizabeth "Betsy" Boone. Here is some information I found on-line that appears to link Samuel Little to the Reformed Presbyterian Church: Some Descendants of Samuel Little and Elizabeth "Betsy" Boone Samuel Little, born 4 Feb 1777 in Rowan County, North Carolina, died 8 May 1831, possibly in Smith County, Tennessee. His parents have been tentatively identified as John Little, Sr. and Bellany Erwin. He mar...