Monthly Archives: March 2019

Margaret Malvina Meeks Thompson 1828-1896. The 2nd great grandmother of my brother-in-law.

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When Margaret Malvina Meeks was born on February 16, 1828, in Conecuh, Alabama, her father, Wiley, was 34, and her mother, Sarah Carroll, was 31.

Margaret Malvina married Robert King Thompson on December 6, 1846, in Mississippi. They had 13 children in 22 years. She died on March 5, 1896, in New Hebron, Mississippi, at the age of 68, and was buried there.

Here is a link to family information on find-a-grave: https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=60525&h=92144861&ssrc=pt&tid=10440983&pid=352010940262&usePUB=true

This photo was shared on Ancestry website:

Photo caption: Robert King Thompson Family. Robert King and Margaret Malvina Meeks are on the front row center. I think Sarah Ann Frances is the one on the back row with something over her eye. I’ll add the other names when I find the original

Margaret Malvina’s husband was Robert King Thompson (the 2nd great grandfather of my brother-in-law). Here is information that I found on line about the farm that Robert owned. (In all of the US census records I could find, he listed his occupation as farmer.)

Robert King Thompson “Born August 23, 1818 – Died March 28, 1898” Burial: Bethel Church Cemetery, rural Lawrence County, Mississippi. Bethel Church was the family’s “home church” for several decades. The church is still standing in excellent condition and is the gathering place for the annual Thompson family reunion.

“Pursuant to the Act of Congress on the 20th day of May, 1862, To secure Homesteads to actual letters on the Public Domain,” and the acts supplemental thereto, the claim of Robert King Thompson has been established and duly consummated in conformity to law, for the West half of the South East quarter of Section two, in Township eight North of Range twenty West, the the District of Lands, subject to sale at Jackson, Mississippi containing one hundred and fifty Acres and Sixty hundredths of an acre. (Excess paid as per receipt No. 2620 1/2) according to the Official Plat of the Survey of the said Land, returned to the General Land Office by the Surveyor General: according to the official plat of the Survey of the said Land, returned to the General Land Office by the Surveyor General: Now knew ye, That there is, therefore, granted by the United States unto the said Robert K. Thompson the tract of Land above described: To have and to hold the said tract of land, with the appurtenances thereof, unto the said Robert King Thompson and to his heirs and assigns forever. In testimony where whereof, I, Ulysses S. Grant, president of the United States of America, have caused these letters to be made Patent, and the Seal of the General Land Office to be hereunto affixed. Given under my hand, at the City of Washington, the twentieth day of November, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and seventy five, and the Independance of the United States the one hundredth. BY THE PRESIDENT: U. S. Grant

Recorded, Vol. 1, Page 427

Some interesting dates:

Margaret was only 18 years old when she got married.

Margaret would have been 32 years old and living in Mississippi during the Civil War.

Joseph Francis Fenton (or Finton) 1761-1851. My 4th great grandfather.

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Joseph Francis Fenton was my 4th great grandfather.

Here is how I relate:

I wanted to write about this ancestor partly because he has been so carefully researched by many other folk on Ancestry and they have shared valuable photos and other documents about Joseph. I wanted to pool all of these resources into one spot in order to share them easily with my family.

Joseph’s surname was Finton and this is how his first grave marker was inscribed, but later, when a new plaque was made the surname was changed to Fenton.

When Joseph Francis Finton was born on February 28, 1761, in Dutchess, New York, his father, William, was 29 and his mother, Mary George Fenton, was 29. He married Margaret Swegals in 1781 in New York. They had 11 children in 24 years. Joseph’s wife Margaret Swegals (my 4th great grandmother) died of measles on 30 March 1822.

Later, in 1825, he married Thankful Gillett and he had no children with this second wife.

He died on October 23, 1851, in Barrington, New York, at the impressive age of 90, and was buried in Penn Yan, New York.

He had a military background:

Source is DAR Lineage Book NSDAR Volume 166:1921


This is what is inscribed on a tablet:
Dedication of Joseph F. Finton Tablet in Penn Yan Cemetery, Nov. 27, 1934

Enlisted June 1778 for 3 years, under Capt. Craig, went recruiting for 3 months. Joined 3rd Pa. Regt. in the fall under Col. Craig (brother of Capt. Craig) Lt. Col. Wiliams & Major Biles.

He was in the assault and taking of Stoney Point in 1779, and in an engagement at Bargains Point, at the time of Arnold’s defection, soldier went to West Point and remained there some time. He was also in New Jersey a long time.

This photo of his tombstone also shows military associations:

Lived from 1761 to 1851


The burying ground of the Finton family was located on the family farm until most of the burials were removed to Lakeview Cemetery in Penn Yan, where they are today.

JOSEPH COMES TO BARRINGTON

The source (Page 145-148-The Fintons and Crosbys) gives us the following information about the farm.

“Joseph Finton was a revolutionary soldier, and came with his family into Barrington, (then Wayne) from New Jersey in the Spring of 1806, and settled on land in the northwest part of the town, which, for some unexplained reason, was not run into lots and numbered wih the original survey. There was enough of this land for about five lots, and it was marked on an early map as “very poor.” Mr. Finton chose this location rather than land more heavily timbered in Milo, because in the open, less wooded land, there seemed a prospect of sooner getting food for stock, which was an object of great importance to pioneer settler. The Bath road at that time was a crooked way through the woods, and Mr. Joseph S. Finton, who lives now on the spot where his after settled, thinks it was not opened as a highway till after the lake road. Their first school for that neighborhood, was in a log house, north of the Barrington line, near the present residence of Job. L. Babcock, on land long owned by Jonathan Bailey. The house was warmed by a hugh old fashioned fireplace, capable of holding almost a cord of wood. School was principally attended to in the winter; and Mr. Finton says that on all the pleasant days they had to stay at home and break flax. Cotton was not king then, and flax wrought by home industry, was the most important element for clothing the family.”

The photo below of the Fenton farm was as pictured after the 1851 death of Joseph.

Finton Farm 1876


The next photograph was not taken until 1925 (Joseph had died in 1851)

1926 photo of the Finton Farm