Same Time, Same Place

So, after all these years of genealogical research, I have finally put a branch of my family and, apparently, a branch of Pete's in the same county at the same time. I was so sure that if this happened, it would be in North Carolina, sometime before 1840. But no, it's Hunterdon County, New Jersey, 1700s.

So, for probably 10 years I have been trying to determine the parents of Pete's 3g grandfather Hampton, whose name I haven't even nailed down. He usually appears as RT, but in the 1860 census he is "Rukehill". In 1850 he and a brother, WG (William), both born in VA, are living in Warren Co., MO, with another family from Virginia. I've been trying to figure out if the Jane Hampton nearby in Montgomery Co. was their mother. She is listed as head of household in both 1840 (when other household members were not named, just counted) and 1850.

Well, a wee bit of poking on ancestry.com led me to Jane's cemetery record, where she is listed as "wife of SH". More poking led to a marriage record for Samuel H. Hampton and Jane M. Godley in Pittsylvania Co, VA. Could this be them? Hmmmm.... In 1830, guess what the name of the 1 Pittsylvania Co. Godley head of household is in 1830? Rockhill Godley. Rukehill=Rockhill. He was named for his maternal grandfather.

But for the real whack with a wet noodle, guess who is 2 doors down from Jane Hampton in 1840, Loutre T., Montgomery Co, MO. Yes, Rockhill Godley. All these years, and he has been right there, and is buried in Bedford Cemetery, with several other Godley family members (including his wife Sarah). Jane is with the Hamptons in White-Hensley. S.H. is nowhere to be found, but I suspect his stone is lost from White-Hensley.

So, I haven't confirmed any of this (other than a 1700s will of Edward Rockhill, who names his daughter and son-in-law, who was a Godley), but the Godleys and Rockhills were in Hunterdon Co, NJ. As was my Kise family, also in the 1700s. The Whitenacks were in Somerset (immediately to the east) but also Hunterdon.

So, maybe we will connect yet. Though or anyone who knows our families, the funny part of all this is that this is my Collett family--the really German part of it (descended from Michael Andreas Weidknecht from Adelshofen in Germany). And Pete's Hoereth line--the really English part of it (looks like the Rockhills were Quakers)!

Other than this big breakthrough from yesterday, we have had a busy day. T-bone and I went to Tree Musketeers' Trees to the Sea, and we weeded, picked up trash, planted trees, and had some pizza. E-man and Pete played games and had a visit from pete's high school friend Chris. I ran some errands, and now I should be getting ready to go to the Mar Vista silent auction. Not for fun, to work! Though it is fun :) We help close theirs, then they help close ours. And they give us drink tickets.