Another match with AncestryDNA

Martin County, Indiana highlighted
in red.  from Wikimedia

AncestryDNA has found another cousin for me.  I have to admit, that I seem to be having a fair bit of luck with them compared to many people. More luck than I am having with my dad’s test result at FTDNA (fingers crossed with his test for the future). This time I received an email for a third cousin connection.  Well ,a third cousin 3 times over.  That’s right he is descended from 3 of my 3^rd great-grandfathers.  All are on my mother’s side of the family: two through her mother and the other through her father.  Plus, they all merged in Martin County, Indiana.

Great-grandfather 1:  Augustine Arvin

Augustine Arvin was born in Washington County, Kentucky during February 1824 to Henry Arvin and Theresa Montgomery, both formerly of Charles County, Maryland.  Henry and his family moved to Rutherford Township, Martin County, Indiana in the 1840s and became farmers and merchants in the county.  Augustine married Rebecca Summers in Daviess County, Indiana (one county over) on 29 September 1846.  Together they had 9 children: William Robert, Thomas Henry, Susan, Mary Rose or Ellen, James, Pius Augustine, Tressa, Joseph, and George.  My family is descended through William Robert and my new cousin is through Thomas Henry.

Great-grandfather 2:  James Sanders

James Sanders was born in Rush Township, Tuscarawas County, Ohio during September 1829 to Lewis Sanders and Prudence Gamble formerly of Virginia.  I am not certain what brought them to Ohio, or when, and then onto Indiana, but I have been in contact with members of the family who stayed in Ohio.  Another branch of my maternal grandmother’s family is from the same township and still resides there too.  I think that many of community came to Indiana together about 1850 and were married, repeatedly, into these families while in Ohio and then in Indiana.  In 1848 James married Elizabeth Denning in Washington County, Ohio and they had 13 children: Margret Ellen, Prudence, Henry Martin, Benjamin Asbury, James, Josephine, Josephus, Adaline “Addie”, Florence, Jasper, Anthonetta, Alfretta “Etta”, and Margaret Elizabeth.  He later married Sarah in 1898.  My family is descended through Josephus and my new cousin is through Adaline.

Great-grandfather 3:  Armstead Wildman

Armstead Wildman was born in Ohio during December 1826 to Jonas Wildman and Mary Burton both formerly of Virginia.  The entire Wildman family moved to Trinity Spring, Martin County, Indiana in the mid 1840’s where they settled as farmers.  Armstead married Mary Frances Moberly on 18 December 1849 in Martin County, Indiana.  Together they had 7 children:  Maria, Emsly, James, William, Mary Ellen, George, and Francis.  Second he married Eliza Reynolds on 26 July 1866 in Martin County.  They had 2 children together:  Lewis and Andrew.  Armstead married 2 more times.  Next to Prudence Bridges on 31 July 1872, and last to Martha Williams on 22 March 1899 with no children from these unions.  My family is descended from his first wife through Mary Ellen and my new cousin is through James.

Now here is the fun part:  Mary Ellen Wildman, daughter of Armstead, married Josephus Sanders, son of James.  Their daughter was Ila Sanders who married John Sample Armstrong.  From this last union came my Grandmother.  She married an Arvin who was the great-grandson of Augustine.  Viola!  There are my 3, 3^rd great-grandfathers that are in his family tree.

 

I just love great big jig-saw puzzles... don't you?