James M. Propst ^{2 3 4}

  General Notes:

SPECIAL SCHEDULE of the ELEVENTH CENSUS of the UNITED STATES, 1890.
Persons who served in the during the Civil War, and widows of such persons .
From National Archives Microcopy No. M 123, Roll No. 109.
PROPST, James, Private, Company "G", 14 WV Infantry. Enlisted 11/20/1862; discharged 6/27/1865. Address: Grantsville, WV. Disability Incurred: Disease of Mouth & Scurvy.
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  Noted events in his life were:

• He has alternate birth date of 1856 and a birth location of West Virginia.

This birth year was given on his 1900 US Census.
. ³

• He appeared on the 1880 US Census in Murphy District, Ritchie, WV on 15 June 1880. ²

1880 US Census
Page 306C, District 147, Dwelling 124, Family 124, Roll 1413
Murphy District, Ritchie County, West Virginia
James M. Propst..Self..33..VA..Farmer
(Living with wife and 5 sons.)
.

• He appeared on the 1900 US Census in Center District, Calhoun, WV on 16 June 1900. ³

1900 US Census
Sheet 14A, District 21, Family 242
Center District, Calhoun County, West Virginia
farm owned, no mortgage
married 3 years
James Props..Head..1856..44..WV..Farmer
(Living with 2nd wife and 9 children.)

NOTE - If his birth date was in 1847 instead of 1856, then his age should have been 52 or 53 instead of 44.
.

• He was buried after 5 December 1902 in the Mount Zion Cemetery in Grantsville, WV.

Find A Grave Memorial #66138223
. ⁴

James married Sarah Margaret Elliott on 19 August 1869 in , Ritchie County, WV.^{1 2} (Sarah Margaret Elliott was born in 1849 in Virginia,^{2 5} died on 12 June 1892 in Calhoun County, WV ^{1 5} and was buried after 12 June 1892 in Calhoun County, WV ^{1 5}.)

  Noted events in their marriage were:

• They appeared on the 1880 US Census in Murphy District, Ritchie, WV on 15 June 1880. ²

1880 US Census
Page 306C, District 147, Dwelling 124, Family 124, Roll 1413
Murphy District, Ritchie County, West Virginia
James M. Propst..Self..33..VA..Farmer
Sarah M. Propst..Wife..31..VA..Keeps House
Henry L. Propst..Son..9..WV
James M. Propst..Son..8..WV
Philander A. Propst..Son..5..WV
Elhannan W. Propst..Son..3..W
Alonzo S. Propst..Son..3m..WV..Feb

NOTE - Where was "John W. Propst" who was supposedly born Feb 1879 and appears on the 1900 and later census records?
.

  Marriage Notes:

West Virginia Marriages 1863-1900
Name: JAMES M. PROPST
Spouse: SARAH M. ELLIOTT
Marriage Date: 19 Aug 1869
County: Ritchie
State: WV
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James next married Susanna C. Smith, daughter of Henry Beall Smith and Mary Elizabeth Barr, on 9 December 1897 in Calhoun County, WV.^{1 3} (Susanna C. Smith was born on 19 August 1863 in Calhoun County, WV,^{3 6 7} died on 29 April 1929 in Calhoun County, WV ⁷ and was buried on 1 May 1929 in Center District, Calhoun, WV ^{1 7}.)

  Noted events in their marriage were:

• They appeared on the 1900 US Census in Center District, Calhoun, WV on 16 June 1900. ³

1900 US Census
Sheet 14A, District 21, Family 242
Center District, Calhoun County, West Virginia
farm owned, no mortgage
married 3 years
James Props..Head..1856..44..WV..Farmer
Susanna Props..Wife..1863..37..WV..4/4
Filander Props..Son..Aug 1876..23..WV..Day Laborer
Ell H. Props..Son..Aug 1870..29..WV..Farm Laborer
John W. Props..Son..Feb 1879..20..WV
Mary C. Props..Dau..May 1882..18..WV
Charley Props..Son..Oct 1884..15..WV
Alice Dora Props..Dau..May 1888..12..WV
Cora Props..Dau..May 1891..9..WV
Wesley Props..Son..Jun 1895..4..WV
Ivy May Props..Dau..Aug 1899..4m..WV
.

  Marriage Notes:

There is some minor confusion about which children were born to James's second wife, Susanna C. Smith. Supposedly his first wife, Sarah Elliott, died in 1892 which would mean that only the youngest Wesley and Ivy Propst were children of Susanna Smith. However, Susanna and James weren't married until 1897 and because Wesley was born in 1896, that puts Wesley's birth mother and maybe birth father in question. There are some records which would indicate that they were first married in 1893 and it is unclear as to why they would have been married twice. If the only marriage was not until 1897, it would seem quite likely that his birth was merely illegitimate as James and Susanna were probably living together before they formalized the marriage in 1897.

In addition, this 1900 census record indicates that Susanna had 4 children and all 4 were still alive. Even if Wesley and Ivy were her children, who could the other two be? Perhaps Susanna was previously married and the two other than Wesley and Ivy were from her 1st marriage.
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