The Case of the Not-so-very-much-Cousins
All right, folks, if any of you are interested in my claptrap or falderal, you'd better settle in. Now, I fully intend to have way too much genealogical fun with this one, even if it doesn't ultimately prove out. I mean, how can I not? One family full of "French" ancestors with a common ancestor "cross-over" event of historic Jamestown showing up in both? Indeed, it was strange (was it, though, really?) enough to see this pair (Dan Wells and Paige Dunham) with a common ancestor in their respective family trees - let alone being able to drop a few cookies and double entendres along the way. (The only people I am wont to make an apology to are their spouses, who deserve none of my poor attempts at tongue-in-cheek humor—Sorry, Nomi. Sorry, Kev.—but who cares? I suppose nobody out of my French family cousins reads this stuff anyway, so I may just be in the clear.)
And yes, we all know I spend way too much time doing this, so really, let's just cut to the chase here.
In one of my many travels through Ye Olde Branches, I noticed something (or rather someone) in both Paige's tree and Dan's tree. That someone is Dr. John Woodson of Jamestown, Virginia. Dr Woodson is a qualifying ancestor for anyone wishing to join the Jamestown Society.
Now I have explored Paige's connection to Dr. Woodson. It's a strong one and pretty easily documented through published sources and vital records. I wrote about her connection here, and I am generally satisfied that I have proven the line out:
https://atroubledsage.blogspot.com/2025/06/a-paige-in-time-authors-note-yeah-this.html
So, in the interest of time and space, and not wishing to put anyone to sleep more than usual, let's get started proving Dan's, albeit non-biological but very much familial, alleged Wells connection to Dr. John Woodson and to his son Robert.
I mean, I guess the best part may be that both Paige and Dan will be able to claim descent from the good doctor's son, a guy named "Colonel Robert Potato Hole" Woodson, as one of their ancestors in common.
"Colonel Potato Hole?" Wtf?
So by way of review for any of you that are asleep by now, this is what it looks like, and what I will be attempting to prove out as far as Dan's lines go:
Generation 2: Sarah Woodson, who married Edward Mosby - See above
Generation 3: Susannah Mosby, who married Michael Thomas.
This generation is from submitted family trees only and lacks proof. I'm unable to show that Sarah Woodsen and Edward Mosby had a daughter named Susannah... That doesn't mean they didn't. It only means that one hasn't been named with their other eight children in published sources. Interesting...
Does the line fall apart at this point? Perhaps.
Hmmm.... moving on...
Generation 5: Their daughter Nancy (Ann) Thomas, who married Thomas Summerall, Sr.
Mention of Nancy or "Ann" Thomas is shown above. There is some evidence that she did marry Thomas Sumrall.
Above: Yellowed Pages, Southeast Texas Genealogical Society, Volumes 31-32, page 50
Above: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/179368612/nancy_ann-sumrall
Okay, while not perfect, these do indicate that Thomas Sumrall married Nancy (Ann) Thomas. There are even DAR records that show Thomas Sumrall's wife's name was "Ann" - but they do not verify her last name. Interesting point.
Does the line fall apart here? Perhaps.
Generation 6: Ther daughter Martha Ann Sumrall who married Nathan Slay
While I did not order the supporting documentation, this DAR index connects the dots very well for generation six. Thomas's wife Ann's maiden name is still marked as unknown, but overall, this tends to support the line. Notice the variation in the spelling of "Sumrall" and "Summerall"
Generation 7: Nathan Slay Jr., who married Mary Powell
The above census and probate records connect the dots fairly well for Nathan Slay, Jr, his wife Mary, and their daughter Elizabeth.
Generation 8: Elizabeth Slay, who married Thomas Smith
Generation 9: Their daughter, Martha "Mattie" Smith, who married William Brannan
Above: Mattie Smith living with her very wealthy plantation owner father.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/55391163/martha_olivia-brannan
Generation 10: Their daughter, Glor Brannan, who married Clarence Eugene Wells
Generation 11: Their son Doyle Eugene Wells, who married Thelma Husband
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/153851605/doyle_eugene-wells
Okay, I think we're at a good stopping point here. All kidding aside, does the line hold? Is there a familial connection between Dan and Paige? The answer is inconclusive.
There are two major sticking points. They are (1) Did Edward Mosby and his wife, Sarah Woodson, have a daughter named Susannah? No proof. (2) Was the wife of Thomas Sumrall indeed Nancy "Ann" Thomas? There is some anecdotal evidence that this is true, but definitive proof is lacking.
The Mayflower Society folks would chew this up and spit it out. 🖓
All that being said, it is nonetheless interesting to find a common ancestor in Dan and Paige's family trees, even if incorrectly placed there. Even if Dan's connection to Dr. Woodson of Jamestown isn't a verifiable line (let alone a biological one) it's still pretty incredible that somehow the Great Algorithms have linked Dan and Paige's ancestries into one.
Hey, we had to check it out, right?
What? I told you I was gonna have some fun. :)
