His name was Notley Anderson - not Nodley

[Jim Woodall]

'Tis just a small point, but since his name is being used in some of the books (Larson and Kauffman) and now a wiki page, I thought I would pipe up and correct the record. I tend to believe that if a person is to be remembered, their rightful name should be used - might rest their soul just a wee bit easier.

The current use of Nodley (maybe initial usage) by Michael W. Kauffman in "American Brutus" seems to be the baseline being referenced. Kauffman cites from the affidavit of George Cottingham for the Committee of Claims in his chapter notes for Chapter 12, note 10.

Kauffman's usage was Nodley Anderson as the Innkeeper in Piscataway who fingered John Lloyd.

If anyone has further information on Notley D. Anderson and what he told the authorities or soldiers, I would appreciate it.

Kate Clifford Larson, in "The Assassin's Accomplice" uses Nodley Anderson and references Kauffman in her notes. The Wiki page on John Lloyd then references Larson for Nodley Anderson's name.

Please, understand I am not calling anyone out (we don't need be visiting Bladensburg or the Good Hope Tavern) but I just wish to correct its usage going forward. I presume, since I have not chased down the affidavit of Cottingham, that the error lies within that rather than perhaps in editing/typesetting.

Notley D. Anderson, of Piscataway, born about 1825 in Maryland, for several years was a constable in the area. Along with that he had the tobacco warehouse (or at least one of them, and by reference in the deeds, sounds like the only one in Piscataway). Notley was listed as a trader in the 1860 census where he went by his initials only. For many items, he went by N. D. Anderson rather than Notley D. Anderson. However, when signing his name in the Libers, (e.g. constable bonds, land sales) he used "Notley D. Anderson" in full as his signature. His signature is pretty clear being his signature and seal and not a mark.

By 1870, he is in Baltimore with his new wife working as a clerk at the port. His first wife passed away in the early 1860s. Perhaps because of that, Notley incurred debt to several individuals. In 1863/4, he put his 5 acres of land on the outskirts of Piscataway in trust to be sold to satisfy those debts. He remarried in July of 1864 to a local woman. Perhaps Notley was acting as innkeeper in 1865 since he had sold/put in trust his lands in the area and still had to take care of his new wife, any new children in that marriage, and at least one child from his first marriage. Plus, I would presume, perhaps his family stayed at the inn.

When in Baltimore, there were several news accounts of his duties as clerk at the port. Even the Germans in their newspapers mention him on occasion, usually around Octoberfest when he apparently took on a certain importance concerning the beer.

Whether he is a relative of mine, I am not sure. He would be the correct age to be a brother to my 3rd great grandfather, Thomas Anderson, who would name one of his sons, Notley Anderson. Alas, I have nothing that makes a clear linkage.

Of note, while perusing the Libers, in one of the years showing Notley D. Anderson's constable bond, I found beneath his bond the bond of one John Z. Jenkins as constable. John's bond, that year (I think it was 1857 or 1859) was backed by himself, John H. Surratt, and a David Barry. I also found a constable bond for John Z. Jenkins for 1861, also, backed by John H. Surratt. I did not locate a later bond, however.

[HerbS]

Thanks for your point of clarification-Jim.

[L Verge]

An excellent point as to how names and facts get confused or printed in error, and the error keeps on going! Notley was a very popular name during the 19th century, and I know of plantations that were named such. For some reason, I think it has history dating back to England. Another reason to know social and cultural history... Sorry, I'll keep on preaching that, however.

The David Barry that you mention happened to be a good friend of John H. Surratt, Sr. I believe he has ties to both Oxon Hill Hundred and Surrattsville. Both men worked on the construction of the Orange and Alexandria Railroad. There is also a slight mention somewhere that Barry's son, Arthur, was Annie Surratt's beau before he went to war. I can't remember if he survived the war.

[HerbS]

My last name was butchered by the immigration official.

[Rick Smith]

(12-16-2014 04:28 PM)L Verge Wrote:  An excellent point as to how names and facts get confused or printed in error, and the error keeps on going! Notley was a very popular name during the 19th century, and I know of plantations that were named such. For some reason, I think it has history dating back to England. Another reason to know social and cultural history... Sorry, I'll keep on preaching that, however.

The David Barry that you mention happened to be a good friend of John H. Surratt, Sr. I believe he has ties to both Oxon Hill Hundred and Surrattsville. Both men worked on the construction of the Orange and Alexandria Railroad. There is also a slight mention somewhere that Barry's son, Arthur, was Annie Surratt's beau before he went to war. I can't remember if he survived the war.

Laurie,

I seem to remember that David Barry also purchased quite a large quantity of cigars from his friend Surratt at the tavern.

My memory is that young Barry did not come home from the War, but cannot remember the source for that.

Wonder what he would think if he walked into Surrattsville today?

Interesting stuff.

[Susan Higginbotham]

(12-16-2014 04:28 PM)L Verge Wrote:  An excellent point as to how names and facts get confused or printed in error, and the error keeps on going! Notley was a very popular name during the 19th century, and I know of plantations that were named such. For some reason, I think it has history dating back to England. Another reason to know social and cultural history... Sorry, I'll keep on preaching that, however.

The David Barry that you mention happened to be a good friend of John H. Surratt, Sr. I believe he has ties to both Oxon Hill Hundred and Surrattsville. Both men worked on the construction of the Orange and Alexandria Railroad. There is also a slight mention somewhere that Barry's son, Arthur, was Annie Surratt's beau before he went to war. I can't remember if he survived the war.

Dr. Arthur Barry's obit is on 466-67 of this issue of The Confederate Veteran. After the war, Dr. Barry ended up in Texas and died there in 1903.

https://archive.org/stream/confederateve...arch/Barry

[Jim Woodall]

(12-16-2014 04:28 PM)L Verge Wrote:  An excellent point as to how names and facts get confused or printed in error, and the error keeps on going! Notley was a very popular name during the 19th century, and I know of plantations that were named such. For some reason, I think it has history dating back to England. Another reason to know social and cultural history... Sorry, I'll keep on preaching that, however.

The David Barry that you mention happened to be a good friend of John H. Surratt, Sr. I believe he has ties to both Oxon Hill Hundred and Surrattsville. Both men worked on the construction of the Orange and Alexandria Railroad. There is also a slight mention somewhere that Barry's son, Arthur, was Annie Surratt's beau before he went to war. I can't remember if he survived the war.

Laurie - I appreciate the extra information on Notley. Yes, Notley was used as a given name by many including Notley Young in the area. Also, Notley was a surname which gave us Notley Hall (from the 8th proprietary governor of Maryland, Thomas Notley) which I believe is still around although much changed from the original.

Of interest, in the 1860 census, it appears that John Nothey may be listed as John H Notley and family, 4 doors down from David Barry and family in the Surrattsville part of Prince George's County. Again, as mentioned in another thread, Thomas H Harbin was the census taker.

I was once again trolling through the Libers and came across John H Surratt Jr.'s deed to his mother in January 1865. In it, it indicated that the land on which the blacksmith shop in Surrattsville was built upon was acquired from David Barry by his father, John H Surratt, Sr.

John also acquired more of Fox Hall from William and Henrietta A Kirby. Is this the link through which Mary would later indicate a relation with William Wallace Kirby?

Interestingly, in the earlier libers where John H Surratt is mentioned, it appears that they spelled his name with an 'e' instead of the 'u'. However, he only uses his mark so one cannot see how he would have spelled it in a signature.

It is rather much fun, although a headache at times, to see names evolve and/or be misrepresented through time including in modern transcriptions from the older documents.

On an aside, I was a software engineer who spent most of my career with integration of voice recognition into the company's products. As with transcriptions from old documents, the interpretation of regional dialects were rather confounding. We would have to capture the problem pronunciations, isolate them, and forward to the company that generated the voice models for their updates. As with variations of Murphy's law, the individual in a company using our products that would have the most problems being understood would be the individual who would have to sign off on the product.

In having to deal more closely with those issues, it generated a certain appreciation for unique groups and language migration/utilization. It is interesting to note that Appalachia, because of its isolation, probably is the closest to Old English in pronunciation of sounds. However, I prefer a certain tidewater variation that is just heaven on my ears.

[BettyO]

Quote:In having to deal more closely with those issues, it generated a certain appreciation for unique groups and language migration/utilization. It is interesting to note that Appalachia, because of its isolation, probably is the closest to Old English in pronunciation of sounds. However, I prefer a certain tidewater variation that is just heaven on my ears.

Facinating, Jim!

I've been told that most Richmonders speak with a "Tidewater" Virginia accent. I was born and raised in Richmond and my dad was from Sevierville, Tennessee - so I speak with a conglomeration of both Tidewater and Appalachian . Someone once told me several years ago that the Tidewater accent was close to Old English. We still say things like "house" with the long emphasis on the "ho" or ho-se; (not "how-se") and use words which sound like "lie-berry" for Library; "chimley" for chimney...etc.

[HerbS]

Up in Rochester,NY,we speak with a nasal A.We say-Rachester-fahg[fog]-smag[smog]-frag[frog]etc.Fun eh?

[L Verge]

(12-17-2014 12:02 AM)Susan Higginbotham Wrote:  

(12-16-2014 04:28 PM)L Verge Wrote:  An excellent point as to how names and facts get confused or printed in error, and the error keeps on going! Notley was a very popular name during the 19th century, and I know of plantations that were named such. For some reason, I think it has history dating back to England. Another reason to know social and cultural history... Sorry, I'll keep on preaching that, however.

The David Barry that you mention happened to be a good friend of John H. Surratt, Sr. I believe he has ties to both Oxon Hill Hundred and Surrattsville. Both men worked on the construction of the Orange and Alexandria Railroad. There is also a slight mention somewhere that Barry's son, Arthur, was Annie Surratt's beau before he went to war. I can't remember if he survived the war.

Dr. Arthur Barry's obit is on 466-67 of this issue of The Confederate Veteran. After the war, Dr. Barry ended up in Texas and died there in 1903.

https://archive.org/stream/confederateve...arch/Barry

Thank you so much for this information, Susan. Another tiny little piece of the Surratt history fits into place.

---

(12-17-2014 07:57 AM)BettyO Wrote:  

Quote:In having to deal more closely with those issues, it generated a certain appreciation for unique groups and language migration/utilization. It is interesting to note that Appalachia, because of its isolation, probably is the closest to Old English in pronunciation of sounds. However, I prefer a certain tidewater variation that is just heaven on my ears.

Facinating, Jim!

I've been told that most Richmonders speak with a "Tidewater" Virginia accent. I was born and raised in Richmond and my dad was from Sevierville, Tennessee - so I speak with a conglomeration of both Tidewater and Appalachian . Someone once told me several years ago that the Tidewater accent was close to Old English. We still say things like "house" with the long emphasis on the "ho" or ho-se; (not "how-se") and use words which sound like "lie-berry" for Library; "chimley" for chimney...etc.

My mother was Southern Maryland through and through and always said "lie-berry" and "chimley." So does a good friend of Betty's and mine who is from North Carolina - and now trying to make herself understood in West Virginia.

---

(12-17-2014 07:36 AM)Jim Woodall Wrote:  

(12-16-2014 04:28 PM)L Verge Wrote:  An excellent point as to how names and facts get confused or printed in error, and the error keeps on going! Notley was a very popular name during the 19th century, and I know of plantations that were named such. For some reason, I think it has history dating back to England. Another reason to know social and cultural history... Sorry, I'll keep on preaching that, however.

The David Barry that you mention happened to be a good friend of John H. Surratt, Sr. I believe he has ties to both Oxon Hill Hundred and Surrattsville. Both men worked on the construction of the Orange and Alexandria Railroad. There is also a slight mention somewhere that Barry's son, Arthur, was Annie Surratt's beau before he went to war. I can't remember if he survived the war.

Laurie - I appreciate the extra information on Notley. Yes, Notley was used as a given name by many including Notley Young in the area. Also, Notley was a surname which gave us Notley Hall (from the 8th proprietary governor of Maryland, Thomas Notley) which I believe is still around although much changed from the original.

Of interest, in the 1860 census, it appears that John Nothey may be listed as John H Notley and family, 4 doors down from David Barry and family in the Surrattsville part of Prince George's County. Again, as mentioned in another thread, Thomas H Harbin was the census taker.

I was once again trolling through the Libers and came across John H Surratt Jr.'s deed to his mother in January 1865. In it, it indicated that the land on which the blacksmith shop in Surrattsville was built upon was acquired from David Barry by his father, John H Surratt, Sr.

John also acquired more of Fox Hall from William and Henrietta A Kirby. Is this the link through which Mary would later indicate a relation with William Wallace Kirby?

Interestingly, in the earlier libers where John H Surratt is mentioned, it appears that they spelled his name with an 'e' instead of the 'u'. However, he only uses his mark so one cannot see how he would have spelled it in a signature.

It is rather much fun, although a headache at times, to see names evolve and/or be misrepresented through time including in modern transcriptions from the older documents.

On an aside, I was a software engineer who spent most of my career with integration of voice recognition into the company's products. As with transcriptions from old documents, the interpretation of regional dialects were rather confounding. We would have to capture the problem pronunciations, isolate them, and forward to the company that generated the voice models for their updates. As with variations of Murphy's law, the individual in a company using our products that would have the most problems being understood would be the individual who would have to sign off on the product.

In having to deal more closely with those issues, it generated a certain appreciation for unique groups and language migration/utilization. It is interesting to note that Appalachia, because of its isolation, probably is the closest to Old English in pronunciation of sounds. However, I prefer a certain tidewater variation that is just heaven on my ears.

I have also seen John Nothey listed as John Notley in some papers. I was able to verify the Nothey through a descendant who was still in the area - and wanted nothing to do with any conversation about that side of the family (I don't think it had anything to do with John's involvement in the Surratt story, however).

Jim, I have also seen reference to another Notley Hall here in Prince George's County. I believe the one that you are referring to is in St. Mary's County on the banks of the Wicomico River. It has been preserved as an archaeological site to protect it from development because of Native American and colonial findings in the area. A part of it was once in my family.

However, somewhere I saw reference to someone describing a Notley Hall that would be close to the Oxon Hill area, but probably in Charles County. It made it sound like it was in the vicinity of the old Marshall Hall Amusement Park - which would put it near the original Marshall Hall Plantation on which the park was constructed in the late-1800s and ran into the 1970s. Via backroads, it would not be that far from the Good Hope area of D.C.

One more tidbit. The Surratt/Jenkins tie to the Kirby family is via one of John Zadoc Jenkins's daughters (Olivia, perhaps) marrying into the Kirbys. Mrs. Surratt's lady's desk, which now resides in our parlor, came to us via a Kirby descendant, whose family inherited it from Annie Surratt's daughter, Clara, who never married and gave it to a favorite Kirby cousin.

[Susan Higginbotham]

(12-16-2014 04:28 PM)L Verge Wrote:  One more tidbit. The Surratt/Jenkins tie to the Kirby family is via one of John Zadoc Jenkins's daughters (Olivia, perhaps) marrying into the Kirbys. Mrs. Surratt's lady's desk, which now resides in our parlor, came to us via a Kirby descendant, whose family inherited it from Annie Surratt's daughter, Clara, who never married and gave it to a favorite Kirby cousin.

Weird fact: Three of John Z. Jenkins' daughters married three brothers. Olivia married James W. Donohoe, Eugenia married Daniel T. Donohoe, and Emily married John F. Donohoe. (A fourth Jenkins daughter, Margaret, married someone named Brooke--evidently there were no more Donohoes left.) I thought this odd, but the abstract of John Z.'s will at the Hall research center does indeed name all three Donohoe brides as John's daughters, and other sources confirm that the three men were brothers.

Olivia was the first of the Donohoe brides to die (in 1898). James, sadly, suffocated in a hotel fire in 1901; he had come home late and chose to spend the night at the hotel rather than disturb his household. Their marker in Mount Olivet is quite nice:

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi...i=51251591

[L Verge]

Two or three years ago, I had the pleasure of working with Donohoe descendants as they planned a family reunion, which included a special Booth escape route tour. Very nice people and very interested in the history -- also owners of one of the largest construction companies in D.C. and a second home on the banks of the Potomac River, not far from where Booth and Herold set out.

I had previously met another Donohoe male who supposedly had inherited some of the family papers. Unfortunately, a colleague of mine made an improper comment in his presence, and we lost all contact with him about thirty years ago. Loose lips do sink ships!

The Brooke family ties into the Kirbys in some manner because one of the early supporters for the restoration of Surratt House were Mr. and Mrs. Brooke Kirby, and it was their daughter who ultimately donated Mrs. Surratt's desk, a beautiful little cordial set (that I think Herr Beckert dared to touch while on tour), and a Sheffield candlestick that supposedly came through Mrs. Surratt's granddaughter, Clara Tonry.

I have to admit to having a hard time with genealogy. I can't figure out my own family half the time! You would be amazed at how many communiques I get that simply state, "Tell me how I'm related to Mary Surratt."

[HerbS]

Laurie,And you said,what to these people!?

[L Verge]

I respond that they have to give me the name of the earliest family member that they know to be on the Surratt tree and any state in which they were known to live. There is a very limited edition book that was privately published in 1980 by Dr. and Mrs. Norman Sarratt of Capitola, California. They had traced the lineage back to France to an area near the border between France and Spain in the Pyrennes Mountains. There are still families there and geographical locations bearing forms of the name. I believe the town of Montserratt figured into the Olympics a number of years ago?

The French officials even told them that the name means "serrated" as in jagged like the mountain rims. They also said that both the spelling Sarratt and Surratt were Anglicized versions of the correct French spelling "Serratt." Supposedly, in French, the letter "u" would not have been used without a preceding "e." We have actually found at least seven different spellings of the name ranging from Ceratt, to Serat, Sarat, and others

The first record of the name in America is in a will of 1715 for an Alphonsus Surratt here in Southern Maryland. It is believed that the family was French Huguenots and may have escaped persecution via Nova Scotia and down the coast. By the mid-1700s, at least one branch of the family began migrating towards better farmland - one to North Carolina and another to Washington, Pennsylvania, and then across the Ohio River Valley. The North Carolina branch then migrated through the Cumberland Gap region into Tennessee, Kentucky, Texas and so forth. That's where my asking for states that might be in a particular family's history comes in handy.

Luckily, Dr. Norman and Laura indexed their book very well and also divided it into state chapters. Most of the time, the connections that I am able to make are from the North Carolina branch. One part of that line that I have learned a lot from is that they were slaveholders and that their former slaves took the name upon gaining freedom. I have been able to help about a half-dozen African Americans who have visited Surratt House looking for some hints as to where to start their own search.

Unfortunately, the Sarratts died shortly after publishing the book and within a year of each other. We never had any contact with their heirs and have no idea what happened to their notes. Only 500 copies were printed. I have my personal copy chained to my desk...

[HerbS]

Thank you Laurie!