Matrilineal Monday

Jacob B. Bixler

Jacob B. Bixler and Matilda Barclay are maternal line ancestors. Mother's mother was Mary Lavenia Ramsey. Venie, as she was known, was the child of Eliza Jane Burnett and Asa Ramsey. Eliza Jane's grandparents were Jacob B. Bixler and Matilda Barclay. Eliza Jane's mother, Latitia Bixler's parents. In researching these maternal line ancestors a Jacob B. Bixler from Pennsylvania is the only one that I could find. Needless to say this is quite a mystery as to how he could have come to Mississippi Territory and married a Matilda who was supposedly born in Louisiana. It is possible though, but how and why? What happened to Jacob B. Bixler after 1820?

The records found for these two ancestors reveal few clues. Is this the same Jacob. Proving this is one and the same who married Matilda has been a trial in patience and endurance. Since I have no family member in my family who can give insight into this mystery maybe there will be someone to stumble across this blog and give some insight into these two ancestors. I would very much like to have them in their rightful place in my family tree if that is where they belong.

Whether or not this is the same Jacob Bixler as the one in Mississippi is unknown. However, research is ongoing to prove or disprove that mystery.

Marriage of Jacob B. Bixler and Matilda Barclay.

There was a Jacob Bixler who owned the slave John in March 1826. He belonged to Jacob Bixler of woodville. Read the article about this slave John.

Amite County, 1820 Census with Jacob B. Bixler listed on the census. The number of family members listed for that year fits what I have for the head, wife, and three children. However, there was a daughter Matilda C.born about 1818, a son John Barclay born about 1819 , Lavenia born about 1820 all born in Amite. 

There is this J. B. Bixler living in East Feliciana Parish, Louisiana. Is that the same Bixler as the one in the 1820 Amite census? 

Matilda Bixler is head of family on the 1840 Pike County, Mississippi census. What happened to Jacob. I haven't found him. Did he abandon her and the children? Or did he die? Was he killed in the War of 1812? 

Looking at these records and analyzing the information on them I came to the conclusion that Matilda Bixler is the mother of Latitia Bixler Burnett and the grandmother of Eliza Jane Burnett. As to what happened to Jacob B. Bixler, maybe he decided to return to Pennsylvania or maybe this isn't the Jacob B. Bixler who married Matilda Barclay. More questions than answers for Jacob B. Bixler.