• Tag Archives genealogy

  • Genealogy Mystery – Richard Wade Skaggs

    Posted on by Azrael 3 Comments


    One of my occasional hobbies is genealogy. I think of it as a very personal way to learn history and I’ve always been interested in history. I’ve been able to trace most of the branches of my family back pretty far and the Internet in most cases has made this far, far easier than it used to be. However, one of my most direct lines ends in a mystery with a man who was born in ~1824. His name was Richard Wade Skaggs. If you have any documentation on who this person’s parents really were, I would greatly appreciate it.

    Here is the information I have on Richard Wade Skaggs, some of this came from a post I made on Ancestry a few years back:

    His death certificate lists his mother as Nannie Skaggs (supposedly maiden name according to the form) and his father as “Unknown”. Based on this I would guess that he was most likely born out of wedlock and that he took his mother’s last name. However, there could be some other explanation like perhaps the person (probably son) who provided the information didn’t know her maiden name…

    Some other relevant facts about Richard Wade Skaggs:

    According to an indenture made October 4th, 1841, Richard Wade Skaggs turned 14 in March 1841 (birth year would be 1827). His age was probably fudged for this to make him older.

    In the 1850 Census of Green County, Kentucky, Richard Wade Skaggs is listed as a laborer living with Stephen and Sarah Skaggs. He is listed as being 21 years old and born in Louisiana (birth year would be ~1829). Stephen and Sarah are about 10 years older so they couldn’t be his parents though I would have to assume that they are related somehow, probably through his mother.

    In the 1860 Census of Taylor County, Kentucky, Richard Wade Skaggs is listed as being 27 years old and born in Kentucky. (birth year would be ~1833)

    In the 1870 Census of Taylor County, Kentucky, Richard Wade Skaggs is listed as being 44 years old and born in Louisiana. (birth year would be ~1826)

    In the 1880 Census of Larue County, Kentucky, Richard Wade Skaggs is listed as being 52 years old and born in Kentucky. (birth year would be ~1828)

    In the 1900 Census of Larue County, Kentucky, Richard Wade Skaggs is listed as being 74 years old and born in Kentucky. (birth year would be ~1826)

    In the 1910 Census of Buffalo, Larue County, Kentucky he is listed as being 84 years old and born in Louisiana. (birth year would be ~1826)

    The death certificate of Richard Wade Skaggs lists his birth date as March 15, 1825 and his tombstone says March 15, 1824. His mother is listed as “Nannie Skaggs” and his father is listed as “Not Known”. His birth place, and the birth place of both parents is listed as “Kentucky”. The informant on the death certificate is James Skaggs (he had a son named James so that’s probably him).

    It seems to me that “Nannie” is probably a nickname or short for something like Nancy but I’m just speculating. Richard’s birthdate is uncertain but it seems likely to have been March 15th 1824 or 1825.

    Interestingly, there was a Richard Wade married to a Mary Skaggs mentioned in a lawsuit with a bunch of other Skaggs relatives (presumably). So speculating that these may have been Richard Wade Skaggs parents I tried to do some research on them. But this means his parents were married so why would he have taken his mother’s last name? Divorce before birth? Below is what I found on them. If you have more info on these individuals that prove (or disprove) that these were the parents of Richard Wade Skaggs, I’d love to hear about it.

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    Relevant facts about Richard Wade and Mary Skaggs:

    A Richard Wade married to a Mary Skaggs was mentioned in a lawsuit in 1836 as follows:

    Green co., Ky., Order Books: Sept. 2, l836, John Skaggs vs. Jeremiah Skaggs. This day came the complainants by his counsel and filed his bill herein and on his motion and its appearing to the satisfaction of the courts that Jeremaih Skaggs, Richard Wade & Mary his wife formerly Skaggs, Wm. Graham and Sally his wife formerly Skaggs, Stephen Skaggs, James Skaggs, Nancy Skaggs, Elizabeth Skaggs, Jeremiah Skaggs, James Skaggs, John Pearce & Letta his wife, Henry Skaggs, James Skaggs, John Patterson and Jane his wife, John Jackson and Elizabeth his wife are not inhabitants of this Commonwealth. It is therefore ordered by the court that unless the sd. non resident defendants to appear here on or before the lst day of Dec. term next and file their answer to the complainants bill that said bill will be taken against them as confessed and the prayer thereof decreed accordingly.

    Then John also sues William Skaggs & the same people are listed.

    —

    A Richard Wade and Mary Ann Skaggs are found in Louisiana as early as 1812. I’m just speculating at this point that these may be the same individuals mentioned above but it is compelling that they were in Louisiana and Richard Wade Skaggs had his birth place sometimes listed as Louisiana:

    Maritime Commerce and the Founding of Wadesboro, Tangipahoa Parish, & St. Helena Parish, Louisiana

    http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm

    HISTORIC PONCHATOULA
    Maritime Commerce and the Founding of Wadesboro

    By JIM PERRIN
    Special to The Times
    (Part Two In A Series)

    …

    On the Ponchatoula River early settler Richard Wade had established a location sometimes called Ponchatoula Landing, but usually referred to as Wade’s Landing. Richard Wade and his wife Mary Ann Skaggs (Scuggs, Skeggs) settled in St. Helena Parish by 1812, owning land on the Natalbany River, By 1819, Richard had established his landing on the Ponchatoula River. Wade was a cotton planter and also engaged in commerce at his landing. He was listed as owning 960 acres of land on tax lists in both 1824 and 1826 on the Ponchatoula River in what was then St. Helena Parish. He was also taxed as the owner of a tavern in 1826. In later years he was to lay out a town at his landing and begin the settlement of Wadesborough.

    —

    A Richard Wade is listed in the 1820 Census of St. Helena Parish, Louisiana

    —

    Richard Wade married Mary Ann Robson on March 13, 1829 in St. Helena parish, Louisiana (not sure what happened to Mary Ann Skaggs – did he really marry two different people named Mary Ann? Were these two different Richard Wades that both happened to marry someone named Marry Ann in the same parish?).

    —

    Richard Wade sold land to a Mary Ann Robertson/Robinson on November 13, 1829 (is this person related to the Mary Ann Robson he married and how? These are probably just spelling variations because of transcription errors or other reasons… Is he selling land to his wife? Maybe her mother had the same name? What’s with all the Mary Ann variations?):

    Deeds: Richard Wade to Mary Ann Robinson, St. Helena Parish, LA

    http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm

    State of Louisiana
    Parish of St. Helena

    Richard Wade to Mary Ann Robinson
    13 November 1829

    Know all men by these presents that I, Richard Wade of the parish of St. Helena and State of Louisiana, have this day for and in consideration of the sum of fifteen hundred dollars, cash to me in hand paid before the signing of the presents by Mary Ann Robertson of the said parish and State, grant, bargain, sold transferred, and conveyed and by these presents do grant, bargain, sell, transfer and convey unto the said Mary Ann Robinson one half of a section of Land containing three hundred and twenty acres situate lying and being on the Ponchatola [sic] River on the east side of, Known by the name of Wades landing place, bounded on the north by Absolom Traylors land, on the east by lands of Jon Cone?, and on all other sides by vacant Lands. To have and to hold the afore said described premises unto the said Mary Ann Robinson, her heirs, executors, administrators and assigns, and the said Richard Wade for himself, his heirs, executors, administrators and assigns unto the said Mary Ann Robertson, her heirs, and assigns shall and will warrant and forever defend the aforesaid described premises, hereby warranting and defending the aforesaid land from the claim or claims of all and every person or persons whomsoever.

    Done and passed before me Burlin Childress, parish Judge and ex officio notary public in and for said parish, on this Thirteenth day of November in the Year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty nine in presence of Samuel Rankins, and Edward Gorman, witnesses who signed with me, the said Judge and notary.

    R. Wade

    Witness
    Edward Gorman
    Samuel Rankin

    Burlin Childress, P. J. ex N. OP.

    Source: Conveyance Records – St. Helena Parish, Louisiana (FHL Film 0355804-pg.
    337)

    —

    A Richard Waid is listed in the 1830 Census of St. Helena Parish, Louisiana.

    —

    Any help in solving the mystery of where these people came from would be greatly appreciated. I doubt this information can be found online (currently) because I’ve been looking for 20 years. However, if you happen to live in any of the places where Richard Wade Skaggs might have been born (Kentucky or Louisiana most likely) and happen to do genealogy research anyway, then keep your eyes out for Richard…and remember, I’m just speculating that the Richard Wade and Mary Ann Skaggs I mention above MIGHT be Richard Wade Skaggs parents and I can’t even be sure that the ones mentioned in the lawsuit in Kentucky are the same as the ones that were in Louisiana earlier. That’s all speculation on my part…

    For some more information on Richard Wade Skaggs, see http://familytrees.genopro.com/Azrael/Skaggs/Skaggs-RichardWade-ind00023.htm which includes most of the info I have on him.


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  • How Private DNA Data Led Idaho Cops on a Wild Goose Chase and Linked an Innocent Man to a 20-year-old Murder Case

    Posted on by Azrael Comment

    The New Orleans Advocate recently published a shocking story that details the very real threats to privacy and civil liberties posed by law enforcement access to private genetic databases and familial DNA searching.

    In 1996, a young woman named Angie Dodge was murdered in her apartment in a small town in Idaho. Although the police collected DNA from semen left at the crime scene, they haven’t been able to match the DNA to existing profiles in any criminal database, and the murder has never been solved.

    Fast forward to 2014. The Idaho police sent the semen sample to a private lab to extract a DNA profile that included YSTR and mtDNA—the two genetic markers used to determine patrilineal and matrilineal relationships (it’s unclear why they reopened the case after nearly 20 years). These markers would allow investigators to search some existing databases to try to find a match between the sample and genetic relatives.

    The cops chose to use a lab linked to a private collection of genetic genealogical data called the Sorenson Database (now owned by Ancestry.com), which claims it’s “the foremost collection of genetic genealogy data in the world.” The reason the Sorenson Database can make such an audacious claim is because it has obtained its more than 100,000 DNA samples and documented multi-generational family histories from “volunteers in more than 100 countries around the world.” Some of these volunteers were encouraged by the Mormon Church—well-known for its interest in genealogy—to provide their genetic material to the database. Sorenson promised volunteers their genetic data would only be used for “genealogical services, including the determination of family migration patterns and geographic origins” and would not be shared outside Sorenson. Its consent form states:

    The only individuals who will have access to the codes and genealogy information will be the principal investigator and the others specifically authorized by the Principal Investigator, including the SMGF research staff.

    Despite this promise, Sorenson shared its vast collection of data with the Idaho police. Without a warrant or court order, investigators asked the lab to run the crime scene DNA against Sorenson’s private genealogical DNA database. Sorenson found 41 potential familial matches, one of which matched on 34 out of 35 alleles—a very close match that would generally indicate a close familial relationship. The cops then asked, not only for the “protected” name associated with that profile, but also for all “all information including full names, date of births, date and other information pertaining to the original donor to the Sorenson Molecular Genealogy project.”

    This is when the case starts to sound like something out of the TV show “CSI.” Sorenson linked the crime scene DNA to DNA from a man born in 1952. That man didn’t fit the age profile of the murderer, so the cops used Sorenson’s genealogical information to trace his male descendant line and find his son, Michael Usry Jr., born in 1979. Then the cops searched Usry’s Facebook page and found he had some Facebook friends who lived somewhat near Idaho Falls. And then through Google searches, the cops learned Usry was a filmmaker who had been involved in making a few short films that had homicide or killings in the story line. (The cop noted in a warrant affidavit “these short films have won awards in several film festivals.”) Based on this completely circumstantial evidence, the Idaho investigators got a warrant to collect a swab of Usry’s DNA.

    They called up Usry, told him they were investigating a hit-and-run, and asked him to meet with them. Usry thought he “had nothing to hide” and agreed to the meeting. They took him to an interrogation room, questioned him without a lawyer present, and eventually collected a DNA sample. Then Usry sat on pins & needles for a month waiting for the results.

    When the results came in, it turned out Usry’s DNA didn’t match the crime scene sample—despite the close familial markers and other circumstantial evidence, he wasn’t the murderer.

    Usry was lucky. The forensic crime scene DNA sample came from semen and likely was single source (meaning it contained DNA from only one person). This means that it was relatively easy for the cops to compare Usry’s DNA against the forensic sample and determine conclusively the two didn’t match. In many cases today, however, forensic samples come instead from“touch” DNA—miniscule samples of DNA deposited on physical surfaces that people have touched. Touch DNA is less reliable and harder to match both because it may not include enough DNA for meaningful interpretation and because it often contains DNA from multiple persons—some of whom may have had no connection to the crime at all. With touch DNA, lab analysts may see a match where none exists. Just this year in San Francisco, the San Francisco Chronicle revealed a crime lab analyst had been making assumptions about poor-quality, incomplete genetic evidence and testified at trial that one of the profiles she generated matched the defendant, which was false. This analyst’s misconduct could affect as many as 1,400 cases. When touch DNA analysis expands to include familial markers, the risk of misidentification only increases.

    This risk will increase further as state and local law enforcement agencies begin to use Rapid DNA analyzers—portable machines that can process DNA in less than an hour. These machines will make it much easier for police to collect and analyze DNA on their own outside a lab. Currently, because forensic DNA analysis in a lab takes so long, we generally see its use limited to high-level felonies like rape and murder. However, Rapid DNA manufacturers are now encouraging local police agencies to analyze DNA found at the scene of low-level property crimes. This means much more DNA will be collected and stored, often in under-regulated local DNA databases. And, because most of the forensic DNA found at property crime scenes is likely to be touch DNA—this only increases the risk that people will be implicated in crimes they didn’t commit.

    Most states and the federal government don’t yet extract YSTR and mtDNA and so don’t store it in their criminal DNA databases. For this reason, even if one of your relatives already has DNA in a criminal database, the risk you would be implicated through familial searching is low. But if the cops can access private databases—especially private databases like Ancestry.com and 23 and Me that collect matrilineal and patrilineal markers—everyone’s risk increases.

    This case highlights the extreme threats posed to privacy and civil liberties by familial DNA searches and by private, unregulated DNA databases. People should be able to learn about their ancestors and relatives and about possible risks for genetic diseases without fear that their data will be shared with the cops without their consent. However, Usry’s case shows that we can’t count on private companies’ internal policies to keep our private data safe, and we should think twice before sharing our genetic information with a third party.

    https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2015/05/how-private-dna-data-led-idaho-cops-wild-goose-chase-and-linked-innocent-man-20


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