Charles & Lydia G. Traynham Family (cont.)

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Caroline County, Virginia Research 1650s-1728

Iberian Publishing Company's On-Line Catalog:

Caroline County Virginia

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Caroline County was established in 1728 from the upper portions of Essex, King and Queen, and King William counties. Its name honored Caroline of Anspach, consort of King George II. Some further territory from King and Queen County was added in 1742 and 1762. There have been no further boundary changes since then. Adjoining Caroline is Spotsylvania to the northwest, King George on the northeast, Hanover to the southwest, and King William, King and Queen, and Essex to the southeast. The earliest settlers to the region came in the 1650s, attracted by the cheap land and access to the deepwater wharves of the Rappahannock River. Its population increased rapidly, and throughout the eighteenth century, Caroline county was one of the most populated counties in all of Virginia. Like many counties in Virginia during the Civil War, a number of court and official records were burned or lost during the conflict. The irony is that only a complete set of Court Order books have survived. These were not sent to Richmond for "safe-keeping" by Confederate authorities and consequently were not among the great mass of Virginia county archives which went up in flames during the retreat from Richmond in April, 1865.

https://genealogyresources.org/Caroline.html

All Traynham Books with nearly 59 years of Traynham memories can be found in South Carolina Room Reference Section of Hughes Central Greenville Library. For safety and security Becky Henderson and Marlon D. Bourque donated all copyrighted books on Saturday 19 August 2023.  They are in a central location accessible for any future Traynham family research.  

     Marlon D. Bourque, Traynham Family Historian 

Places of interest connected with the Traynham name in United States include a Traynham historical site in Coahoma MS; the historical post office at Coahoma MS associated with son of James Traynham and Mary “Polly” Taylor’s son Dr. David Anderson Traynham who settled in Sunflower and Coahoma Counties of Mississippi. David Anderson Traynham (1816-1911) married  1848 – Honea Path, SC to Malinda Elizabeth Martin (1821- 1887) , The David Anderson Traynham family left Greenville District, SC after 1860. Then found 1880 Ellistown, Pontotoc, MS employed as physician- Sun Flower County, MS. He is  widowed by 1887 in  Sumner,Tallahatchie, MS.

A James Traynham Cemetery, Laurens County, South Carolina  and the Traynham Grove Community founded by Reuben Charles Traynham in South Boston, Halifax County, VA. Father of Thomas Benjamin Traynham (1836-1910)

Note:   South of the Dan Driving Tour article highlights Thomas Benjamin Traynham

Thomas Benjamin Traynham was detail courier to General Robert E. Lee 1862-1864) Before 1873, Thomas Benjamin Traynham and wife Sally F. Lausen were living at Reuben Fourqurean and wife Mary B. Boxley “Elwood Farm” from 1842-1857, lands were near Coleman Creek and Harmony, Halifax County, VA. After Reuben Fourqurean died 1853, widow Mary B. Boxley and husband Thomas E. Owen inherited Elwood Farm, later named “Glennmary” near Traynham Grove property of Sally F. Lausen and husband Thomas Benjamin Traynham. In 1860, Thomas Benjamin Traynham and wife Sally F Lausen lived at “Oak Grove” on Traynham Grove, near his boyhood home “Three Oaks” on Alton Rd., 5 miles off Route 658 enroute to Harmony township.

                                                      (from www.oldhalifax.com/SouthoftheDanTraynham.htm) 

Surnames from 1730 thru 1740 In Virginia Along The Banks of The Roanoke ... https://youtu.be/aEbBfqibPeI                                                 

(shared by Becky Henderson)….Piedmont Trails work on James River land grants.

*1730-First settlers along Roanoke River

*German migration from Pennsylvania into Goochland VA

*Borden’s Grant Survey Maps

*John Hart- larger land grants

*John Smith- land field agent …names like James Patton, Robert and Benjamin Waller, Zachery Lewis, brothers Robert and James Beverly, William Mayo (surveyor), John Connery, Jacob Stover, Hoyce Hite, and Robert McCabe

*Roger Duff and William Green – property lawyers

1742

*settlers in valley’s below ridgeline

*The Great White Road- passage in Blue Mountains of Piedmont from range in Pennsylvania Berks County to Blue Ridge Forests of Tennessee and North Carolina

*names like Gilbert Campbell- Woods Creek, John Harrison-Lemuels Creek, Rev. George Craig-Craigs/Patterson Creeks

1745

*Gordon’s Creek settlements along upper James River

*Council Minute Records of Virginia House of Burgesses

*Land Grant surveys

*Chaulkey’s Abstracts

*Kegley’s Tributary Grant records

Families of Halifax County Virginia

http://genealogytrails.com/vir/halifax/historyhalifaxbook_families.html

This in scrolling all way through confirms lots of our info on Benjamin Vaughn Traynham’s descendants and their marriage with the Bruce , Craddock etc families. Halifax!

Stephen Jordan Zulli…. The journey to find his Traynham roots ….. This story begins on January 5, 1960 in Long Island, New York. A baby boy was born weighing 6 lbs. 15 oz. to a seventeen year old girl who, because of her family situation (her mother 5 had just recently passed away and her father – the Traynham - was not in the picture) would be giving him up for adoption. The adoption was helped along by a Dr. Henry Thayer. His birth mother had selected a name – Donald Edward. She was a Traynham from South Carolina according to the adoptive parents who named the baby Stephen Jordan Zulli. His birth mother went to New York to live with a single Aunt who was a nurse working for Dr. Thayer. After his birth, the story goes that she was sent to California to live with a relative and complete high school. His birth father’s name was not on record at the time of his birth. Stephen knew from a very early age that he was adopted. He shared a very happy, privileged life growing up with three siblings – one younger sister who was also adopted and another brother and sister who were born to his adoptive parents. In 1991 Stephen was anxious to locate his Traynham family so he hired an investigator - to no avail. However, he never lost sight of his journey to find his roots. For twenty-six years he posted information on the parents/children sites for those looking for their birth parents/children – to no avail. Over the years Stephen would see people who looked like him and wonder if they were a Traynham. For those of us who have distinguishing Traynham features, it might be difficult to understand Stephen’s need deep in his heart to locate his birth parents. He wanted to find others who looked like him and ancestors he could celebrate as being his own. DNA testing came along thru ancestry.com and Stephen knew this might finally be his opportunity to find his birth family. On February 16, 2016 he left a message in my message box on ancestry.com. We showed up as 4 th cousins and I had Traynham in my name. I submitted a DNA test in 2014 and was certainly not an active participant on the web site. By “divine design” I signed into ancestry.com on February 21, 2016 and saw that I had 14 messages dating back over 12 months. The first message that came up was from Stephen: “Traynham Adoption… my name is Stephen J. Zulli …” he relayed the story above adding … “the story goes that a nurse in Dr. Thayer’s practice was related to my birth mother and she made arrangements to get her to New York … I haven’t been able to get very far with my research … I live in Connecticut with my wife, dog (Calvin) and some honeybees … if you have any information that could help I’d really appreciate it.” My heart jumped up into my throat. A “lost” Traynham has been trying to find his family for twenty-six years – tears came to my eyes. I immediately wrote back telling him about the Traynham Family Reunion of South Carolina and the large data base of information available to possibly help him in his search. Thanks to the tedious work of J. Carroll Traynham over the last many, many years to document our Traynham beginnings in Halifax County, Virginia in the 1700’s and their journey to settle in South Carolina in 1792, I felt certain that with that information and with the help of the many DNA profiles that Stephen and I shared we would eventually have success in finding the Traynham arm of his family. I must say that I have learned more about the Traynham family and have connected with relatives I did not know even existed. Everyone has been welcoming and warm in their response to my pleas for help. Some have even agreed to take DNA tests themselves to aid in Stephen’s search. Those tests have been very helpful. Our search has lead us thus far to the John Lewis Traynham family. John Lewis was the son of Jasper James Traynham and the brother of James Henry and Anderson Traynham. Based on DNA profiles available to us and months of eliminating individuals, we need to find the family of Uyuless Clinton Traynham, John Lewis’ youngest son. Uyuless was born in 1907 in Greenville County, S.C. and left for New York around 1924 at the age of 17. He married a Monica in 1930 in New York – he was 23 she was 16. She died in 1931 at the age of 17. Uyuless completely disappears after this date. We can find no footprint for him. Since there is strong DNA evidence that Steve’s mother resides in this family line, we are hopeful that we can find the Uyuless Traynham family by a second wife. Stephen and his beautiful wife, Alyse, attended our Traynham Family Reunion of South Carolina this year where they found many warm hugs, kisses and reflections of himself in so many Traynhams. He visited our David Traynham Cemetery and was able to spend some quiet time with those ancestors he has been looking for over the last twenty-six years. The perfect ending to Stephen’s journey would be for him to be reunited with his Traynham birth mother. Update: Stephen located his birth father, Donald Edward Hensley, thru Family Tree DNA in midSeptember. Unfortunately, he died in an automobile accident in 1967 at the age of twenty-five. He never married. His birth mother left Steve a wonderful, heartfelt clue to his identity by choosing his birth father’s name for him and insuring that his adoptive family knew the name she had chosen. Then on October 20th he found his birth mother! She is the daughter of John “Uyuless” Clinton Traynham. Her name is Darrell Traynham Ruppert. She lives in the State of Washington. She has three lovely daughters and seven grandchildren. Let’s all celebrate with Steve as his journey has come to the happiest end possible! Mother and son reunited! 

…. lovingly written by Elaine Traynham Zimney

From Stephen Zulli: 

Embraced, I was…I can never express the warmth, passion and just pure love that the Traynham family showed me and my wife Alyse this part weekend. We were invited into their hearts and homes with open arms. The search for my birth Mother is a journey that has been an emotional roller coaster. Thrilling highs and devastating lows. The Traynhams could have just shrugged and moved on. But instead, they took my search to heart and have never let go. It’s all little overwhelming, but in a good way. I’m so very grateful to have met so many of you. Your kind words of love and support are still ringing in my ears. Thank you all (or Y’all, as I’ve been reminded many times.) I’ll never forget seeing people who look like me for the 1st time. There are too many people to thank, but I owe so much to your reunion President, Elaine Zimney. You should be very proud of the countless hours, emails and phone calls she put in (with help from all of you.) She gave me a very private and very emotional tour of the cemetery, it remains a touchstone memory that I will never forget. Thank you for taking me in. You’ll be seeing more of us in the future. Love, Stephen “Traynham” Zulli

After twenty five years of searching for his Traynham birth mother, Stephen Jordan Zulli aka Donald Edward Traynham has located her in Washington State. She is the daughter of Kathryn Russell and John Uyuless Clinton Traynham, Granddaughter of Anna Woods and John Lewis Traynham and Great Granddaughter of Celia Henderson and James Jasper Traynham. A reunion with her and his three half sisters is in the works! An update on Steve's miracle journey will follow sometime in the near future!