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Correspondence between Mrs. Victoria Brannon <VABrannon@aol.com> and Stewart


From: Stewart to VAB Mon, 14 Dec 1998 00:33:21 about Nancy B. Lyles' parents

Dear Ms. Brannon,

Thank you for your kind and informative e-mail. I am behind in replying to your letters, and have yet to pursue any of the leads and exciting information which you have e-mailed me.

>>Brannon ->Nancy B. Lyles . . a dtr of Arromanus Lyles II, and his wife Mary Woodward.

I always suspected I was related to the Woodwards. Thanks to you I now know how.

This information you have provided me with, which I have wanted so much for so long without expecting to ever find it, is a great blessing and will probably open the flood gates to much more information about my ancestors, probably back to Thomas "The Regulator" Woodward and Arromanus "the first white man born in Fairfield County" Lyles.

I wish I could help you trace your ancestors as much as you have mine.

Do know that Nancy B. Lyles has a fine tombstone at Beaver Creek Baptist Church, which I reckon to be about 5 miles east of Cool Branch Church? Cool Branch Church is at the intersection of Highway #215 and Road #50. If you have time to visit the Beaver Creek Chruch Cemetery, go east from Cool Branch Church on road 50 until it ends. Turn left on road #18. Beaver Creek Baptist Church is just a little down road 18 atop a hill on the right. You may see some relatives buried there.

I wish someone would create a data bass on the Boulwares who live(d?) across Highway #215 from Cool Branch Church. I think many Boulwares are descendants of my Traylor ancestors, maybe via the Traylor buried in the Cool Branch Church cemetery (I can not remember who that Traylor is, if I ever knew).

Nancy B. Lyles' named one of her sons Thomas Woodard Traylor. Thomas Woodard Traylor and many of his infants are buried in a hilltop cemetery which may be near Chicken Creek and is at the intersection of Highway #215 and a road which runs west towards Broad River. I think Thomas Woodard Traylor had a son named Clarence Traylor who was a druggist in a small town near Broad River, and who is said to have used cocaine in the early part of the 20th century, before the government outlawed it.

Is your 96 year old mother's mind still sharp (did you imply she is still alive)? Since your mother was born almost next door to the Traylor plantation, maybe she would remember Joe Stewart, and whether she were related to his wife via the Lyles family. Just about everyone in Fairfield County knew my grandfather Joe Stewart.

I do not know the origin of the name "Dark Corner", but there is a famous book on South Carolina place names. You may find several explanations. Have you asked James W. Green III?

>>Brannon ->Also, What is your actual name. I know it isn't homo sapiens.

The name h.sapiens was probably given to me by the celebrated Swedish naturalist, Carl Linnaeus (1707-1778). I use h.sapiens as my Juno user name since my actual name, Stewart, was already taken.

>>Brannon ->Mack Dickerson . . is my mother's first cousin, making him my first cousin once removed. How about that?

I am glad to have helped you find him.

>>Brannon ->My daughter and I shall be going down to Fairfield, probably some time in late Feb. or March,

I hope you find where Benjamin Dickerson and Milly Lyles are buried, who Millie Lyles parents were, that we have an opportunity to meet each other, and that I can help you with your research. I live in near USC in Columbia, which has many genealogical research facilities.

Sincerely, Stewart


From VAB to Stewart Sat, 12 Dec 1998 13:14 EST about LILES family.

Don't know how much information you have on Nancy B. Lyles, but I just found her listed on page 6 of a Lyles genealogy dated May 1991 which was in the Genealogy Room in Winnsboro. She is listed as a dtr of Arromanus Lyles II, and his wife Mary Woodward. Nancy married William E. Traylor.

If you have this infor, simply disregard this letter.
Cheers, Vicki


From Stewart to VAB Sat, 12 Dec 1998 11:07:30 about Lyles genealogy

Dear Mrs. Victoria Pickrell-Brannon,

Thank you for you kind and informative letter of Wed, 9 Dec 1998.

I have not yet contacted the source you provided, but I seem to have received on a silver platter from you the same kind of information that you so strongly wish to know about your own ancestor Millie Lyles.

I am jubilant that I may now have what I have so long hoped to have: confirmation that my ggrandmother Nancy B. Lyles indeed descends from the "Manus" Lyles my grandmother was so proud of, thanks to your diligent genealogical endeavors and wonderful mind, memory and generosity

You probably understand better than my words can express how grateful for you I feel.

I doubt any of Nancy B. Lyles' descendants would have been able to trace her ancestry had you not provided it. I myself no longer have enough strength or time for much genealogical research. Internet is wonderful, especially for genealogists.

>>Brannon ->Thank you so much for your letter with info on Mack Dickerson. I shall surely get in touch with him.

Mack Dickerson has been a great and loyal neighbor for generations of Stewarts and is a man of merit in both spirit and intellect, as might be expected of a kinsman of the kind of person I perceive you to be. If I recall correctly, his wife is a school teacher, and very intelligent.

>>Brannon ->My Dickersons lived in the n.w. section of Fairfield, near Rd 99, and Rd 302 near where the old Mobley cemetery is located. My mother, Maude M. Dickerson was born on Chicken Creek. She is now 96

My kind grandmother would be over a hundred years old if she were now alive, but lost her memory many years before dying (I wonder if her mind was affected by all the lard she used to fry with, or even the aspirin she used to take).

Is your grandmother's mind still sharp? Where is she living? I would love to meet her.

The southern boundary of my grandfather Joseph B. Stewart's farm is Strong Creeek, which joins Chicken Creek just west of Highway #215 My Stewart grandfather bought only a small northern portion of the largeTraylor plantation (which may have bordered the tract on which your mother Maude M. Dickerson was born).

Both Chicken and Strong creeks enter Beaver Creek, a tributary of the Broad River, probably a few miles north of the land on which my first Lyles ancestors settled (and Lyles' ford). according to my recollection of maps I have seen.

>>Brannon ->I am sorry to say that I cannot remember your letter in which you referred to James Dickerson. I didn't print it out, and my alzheimers is acting up.

Juno saves all sent and received e-mail messages folders, which are easily located, without printing hard copies. Email messages can also be stored on floppy disks and hard drives.

If you change ISPs, will you lose all your AOL e-mail records?

Juno offers free and convenient e-mail which does not require one to pay a monthly charge for an ISP like AOL, etc.

>>Brannon ->Also, for "security" reasons I use my maiden name "Brannon",

Thank you for entrusting me with your personal information. I shall not communicate it to anyone else unless I receive your permission.

I think security is very important to everyone, and know how powerful Internet and computers are. I usually avoid publishing personal information on Internet, but do not know much about how revealing personal information of Internet might adversely affect my security, and would like to be better informed.

>>Brannon ->but I am actually Victoria Pickrell.

Thank you for informing me of your married name.

I prefer maiden names.: may I continue calling you Brannon?

I would not want anyone to change the name my ancestors gave me because I value genetic ancestry more that I do any other relationship, and proudly identify myself as the product of many bloodlines, one of which was named Stewart.

You can telephone me at 803-254-4567 or write me at 1011 Walnut Street, Columbia, SC, 29205-1016

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KINSHIP AND LOCATION CORRELATED:

Farmers whose only means of transportation was their horse and wagon often married their neighbors, so the proximity of our ancestors makes our Lyles kinship more likely.

Even if wills, census records, deeds and other documentation are not available, if your grgrgrandparents Benjamin Dickerson and Millie Lyles owned land that was previously owned by a person named Dickerson or Lyles who was old enough to be the parent of one of them, that may be convincing genealogical evidence.

Deeds and surveys usually name the owners of adjoining tracts so provide evidence of undocumented land transfers of neighboring property. Maps that show the property lines and combined surveys of all the land in Fairfield County now exist, and make it easier to ascertain the chain of title back to the original owner or land grant, even when deeds can not be found.

This approach of course may require one to spend many days searching through deed books.

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>>Brannon ->Do you have a copy that you could forward to me?

In my first letter to you I stated that "Good Dickerson (I think a James) neighbors now own land that may bound land that belonged to William E.Traylor's plantation , ,"


From VAB to Stewart Sat. 12 Dec 1998 09:03 EST about Millie LYLES (~1804~1880)

An added note: Can you tell me the origin of the name "Dark Corner"? My daughter, Melinda, and I are curious, but no one seemed to know.

Also, What is your actual name. I know it isn't homo sapiens. My name is Victoria A. Pickrell, but I use Brannon ( my maiden name) on Email for privacy and security reasons. There are many weird people out there. My father, Robert Victor Brannon is buried at Cool Branch up in the corner 'neath the ole pine tree. Uncle Glen and Aunt Bessie Boulware are there also, and I have made arrangements to be buried there at the foot of Daddy's and Mama's graves. I think there is a Traylor buried there, too.

Enough for now.
Best, Vicki


From: VAB Sat, 12 Dec 1998 08:41 Re: Millie LYLES (~1804~1880)

Hi, Stewart, Thanks for the Dickerson lead in your letter of 12/9, and called last evening.

Well, wonder of wonders, Mack Dickerson is the son of John Henry Dickerson, who is my grandfather's brother. I had done a bit of checking in my database, and rather thought he might be. His wife was Mary Crowder, and she was born on that land. Mack is now 83, and she is 75. Mack doesn't remember things too well, but Mary and I had a nice chat. It was so nice to find other cousins still living in that area. He is my mother's first cousin, making him my first cousin once removed. How about that?

Dellie Boulware Roberts lives just across the Chester Co. line, on J.E. Roberts Rd. and I do get to see her once in a while. Her mother and my mother were sisters. Ain't it a small world?

Thanks again for letting me know about Mack. My daughter and I shall be going down to Fairfield, probably some time in late Feb. or March, while the leaves are still off the trees (and no snakes) to find an old cemetery off Rt 215 above Cool Branch. It is on Stevenson Rd., to the west of 215. It is not the Castles-Stevenson Cemetery which lies on the road which runs to the right by Cool Branch. The cemetery is not on the list of cemeteries in the three books. Keith Thompson (former pastor of Cool Branch) told us about it, and it may be where Benjamin Dickerson and Milly Lyles are buried.

Rambled on too long.

My best to you and yours, Vicki


From: VAB to Stewart Wed, 9 Dec 1998 19:37 about Lyles genealogy

Thank you so much for your letter with info on Mack Dickerson. I shall surely get in touch with him.

My Dickersons lived in the n.w. section of Fairfield, near Rd 99, and Rd 302 near where the old Mobley cemetery is located. My mother, Maude M. Dickerson was born on Cicken Creek. She is now 96.

I am sorry to say that I cannot remember your letter in which you referred to James Dickerson. I didn't print it out, and my alzheimers is acting up. Do you have a copy that you could forward to me? The line runs thusly: James (?) Dickerson, Benjamin Dickerson who m.Millie Lyles, Marion A. Dickerson who m. Isabel (Armenia Isabella) Mobley, James Butler Dickerson who married Martha Mae Fee, and Maude Melinda Dickerson who married R. Victor Brannon, to me, Victoria Melinda Brannon .

I live about 10 miles south of Chapel Hill, N.C. in Chatham Co.

Also, for "security" reasons I use my maiden name "Brannon", but I am actually Victoria Pickrell.

Best, Vicki


From Stewart to: VAB Cc: jameswgreen@juno.com Wed, 9 Dec 1998 19:18 about Lyles genealogy

Dear Ms. Vicki Brannon,

When I saw a Mack Dickerson in your genealogy chart I was reminded of the name of the person I referred to as James Dickerson in my previous e-mail message to you.

Might telephoning Mack H. Dickerson at 1 803 635 9394 help you find out more about your kinfolks? He and his family live in Fairfield County, SC on Road 51 about four miles east of Feasterville.

Did any of your ancestors live in northern or eastern Fairfield County?

Where do you live?

Sincerely, Stewart


From: VAB to Stewart Wed, 9 Dec 1998 22:14:about MILLIE LYLES

I forgot to mention that I had placed Millie Lyles as possible daughter of William Lyles, though we have no idea who her father was. He could have been William Lyles of Chester Co., or one of the other early settlers. If you have any ideas, at all, please let me know. The following is from my FTM notes:

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Millie (Mildred?) Lyles was my grgrgrandmother, and though we are not sure who her father was, by the process of dating, and elimination, feel that he may have been Major Wiliam S. Lyles since she had a son named William, and her daughter, Mary who married her cousin, James Mitchell Dickerson, had a son named William Lyles Dickerson.

Another possibility is William Lyles of Chester Co. who was over 45 in the 1820 Census
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

I now know that she was not the daughter of Col. William S. Lyles. So I shall change my notes. I have done very little work on the Lyles families, simply because I have no information on Millie, and placed her as possible child of William in order to enter Lyles data, which I have in my paper files
Best, Vicki


From: Stewart to: VAB Cc: jameswgreen@juno Wed, 9 Dec 1998 15:26 ABOUT Millie LYLES (~1804~1880) and the Lyles family in Fairfield County.

Dear Ms.Brannon,

Thank you for your genealogical research and interest in the Lyles family of Fairfield County. Mr. James W. Green III kindly informed me that you are a descendant of Millie LYLES (~1804~1880).

>>Brannon-> My grgrgrandfather was Benjamin Dickerson who married a Millie Lyles, and though I have been in touch with Will Lyles, and Frances Lyles, no one seems to know who she was.

I know how you feel: I seem to be the only person who still knows of Nancy B. LYLES who was born on June 13, 1812 in Fairfield County, SC, and died May 20, 1895 in Fairfield.

Is it possible that Millie LYLES (~1804~1880) was a sister of Nancy B. Lyles Traylor, who was buried at Beaver Creek Baptist Church in Fairfield, about 5 miles from her husband William E. Traylor's plantation?

Good Dickerson (I think a James) neighbors now own land that may bound land that belonged to William E.Traylor's plantation, which was located a mile or two east of the Antioch ex-Methodist Church in Feasterville (near highway 215 & Dave Jenkins Road - county Road #51). I do not have a Fairfield County telephone book, so tried to locate their telephone number on Internet but failed.

Feaster is a well known name in this "Dark Corner" of Fairfield County. I think I have also heard of a family named Fee in that area. \par \par Before the Federal government's occupation of SC, a Mobley family owned about a thousand acres about 5 miles east of Blackstock, close to land my gggggrandfather James Stewart received from King George in 1767.

My grandmother Carrie Lyles TRAYLOR (4/21/1891-9/21/1980) married Joseph Beverly STEWART (and in her old age, John STEVENSON); was the daughter of Confederate soldier William Henry TRAYLOR (6/15/1847 - 4/25/1920) and Alice WIX (5/1/1861-11/18/1939); was the GRANDDAUGHTER of William E. TRAYLOR and Nancy B. LYLES (6/13/1812 in Fairfield -5/20/1895 buried at Beaver Creek Baptist Church in Fairfield) AND OF Confederate soldier William Riley WIX (11/4/1830 in Chester Co.-2/5/1906) and Mary A. EDGE (6/27/1840 in Union Co.- 10/18/1902). Robert CARTER first married William Henry TRAYLOR's sister Mary and later his widow Alice WIX Traylor.

Carrie was gentle, kind and proudly claimed descent from "Manus" LYLES. Arromanus LYLES is said to be the first non-Indian born in Fairfield Co., where the LYLES have been socially prominent.

I think the Lyles family first settled on both sides of the Broad River in the vicinity of northern Fairfield County.

Carrie's uncle Thomas Woodward TRAYLOR came back from the Civil War penniless, declared he would own a big mansion with columns like one he saw, and became the largest landowner in Fairfield Co. (was he named after or related to Thomas WOODWARD, the Fairfield County "Regulator" who defiantly established law and order in the upcountry, when the only courts were far away in Charleston?).

Please let me know what you find out about your Lyles ancestors. I hope we will be able to call each other "Cousin" one day.

Sincerely, Stewart


From: "James W. Green III" To: Stewart Tue, 08 Dec 1998 about Mobley data

Here is a letter mentioning Lyles of Fairfield Co. If you can help her, feel free to email her.
I have not mentioned you to her, since I doubt you know her Lyles
James W. Green III /

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From: VAB to to: James W. Green, III Mon, 7 Dec 1998 about Mobley

Your mail received, from the above address, and I am sorry, but I thought I was sending the data in Gedcom format. It was the first I had ever sent. If there is anything else you wish, please let me know There is one big brick wall in our research: My grgrgrandfather was Benjamin Dickerson who married a Millie Lyles, and though I have been in touch with Will Lyles, and Frances Lyles, no one seems to know who she was. We have talked with Pelham Lyles Spong who is a lovely young woman, and has given us the name of a woman who does Lyles (Liles) research. Perhaps she can help. Since Millie was born ca. 1805, she must have been the daughter of one of theearly settlers Following is a short genealogy from Benjamin down to my mother and father and father.: Descendants of James Dickerson