DRUMMOND-L Archives

From:
Subject: Re: Jasper Newton Drummond
Date: Fri, 30 Jun 2006 20:03:08 EDT

Greetings, Sue---

Your grandfather is certainly hard to trace! My bet is that "Amanda
Drummond" is one "Normandy Drummond", b. abt. 1868 in Harrison Co., W.Va. . She was
the daughter of JASPER DRUMMOND, b. 1835, and Rachel ASHCRAFT, b. abt. 1836.

The name Jasper as rare enough as to make it very likely that this was the
grandfather of your grandfather. He was called "Joseph Drummond" in the 1860
census for Clarksburg, Harrison Co., [West] Virginia; so it may have Joseph
Jasper Drummond. In 1860 he was already married to Rachel, and the son Lamar
appears, as well as a "Jefferson Drummond", who apparently did not survive.

1870 Federal Census, Hefsville, Eagle Twp., Harrison Co., West Virginia, Page
29, Image 29 of 49 at Ancestry.com.
Normandy has two older brothers: Lemoir [Lemar], b. approx. 1859; and Alex
J., b. abt. 1865.

Rachel Drummond re-married, on 6 May 1880 (according to the West Virginia
Marriage Index), one William SPROUT, in Harrison County.

William Sprout was b. Pennsylvania in 1828, and apparently had brothers
living in the area in the 1880 census. Normandy apparently was sent to live in the
household of Carter L. Griffin and family. The other two siblings, noted as
stepchildren of William Sprout, are nevertheless re-named with the Sprout
surname. They are listed as "Lemar" and "Ailsie" (she's a female now), plus one
"Nancy A. Sprout", stepdaughter, b. 1871 (this girl may have been living
elsewhere in the 1870 census).

1880 Federal Census, Eagle Twp., Harrison Co., West Virginia, ED# 108, Page
27, Image 27 of 39 at Ancestry.com.

On 20 Feb. 1883 in Harrison Co., Rachel married again, to Davis Minnigh.
There is no "Minnigh" listed anywhere except in the W.Va. marriage index, so I'm
sure that the name is misspelled.

I can't find any of this family yet in the 1900 census---not Amanda; not
Lamar, nor any Drummonds living in Harrison Co., who would be likely siblings of
your grandfather.

I believe that "Normandy" was unmarried when your grandfather was born, and
we may not be able to trace the father's name, unless we can find some old
local newspaper items about mining accidents in Harrison Co., between 1888 and
1893. That should not be impossible.

I did find the World War 2 Draft Registration for your grandfather, and
indeed, he was calling himself Newton Jasper Drummond. He was working for DuPont
Chemical, as a welder, in Anmoore, W. Va. He gives his exact place of birth as
"Lumberport, Harrison County, West Virginia". So there's your starting
point.

I have no idea why he can't be found in the World War ONE draft index, but
you know of course that he was already married by that time, to one Bonnie
Fesler (sp??). Bonnie's mother, Florida, shows in the 1930 Census.

As to knowing about one's parents while growing up in an orphanage, he
probably had some clues, especially if the orphanage was located in the same
community. His mother Amanda, or another relative may have even visited him! There
are Ashcraft relatives living in the area at the time.

I'll work on this some more this weekend.

---Bob (Robert Drummond) Robertson




In a message dated 6/30/2006 11:06:17 AM Pacific Standard Time,
writes:

Got death certificate and found that grandfather was using middle name.
Birth name was Jasper Newton Drummond May 27, 1888. Mother Amanda Drummond no
father listed. He said father was killed in coal mine. I don't know how he knew
that since he was only 5 when placed in orphanage.
Sue

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