Another Brick in the Wall? or Brickwall in the Tree?

This week – by sheer coincidence I am sure – the Weekly Genealogy Blogging Prompt (#12) from Thomas MacEntee’s Genea-Bloggers group and the Saturday Night Genealogy Fun assignment from Randy Seaver of Genea-Musings blog both have the same theme:  use your blog to work on a brickwall.

Though I have many, I will focus on one that has bothered me for years:  George L. Obaugh/Orebaugh of Augusta Co., Virginia.

To give some information on this line:  my grandmother’s grandfather was Owen B. Obaugh, born 4 May 1884 in Rockingham Co., Virginia, to James A. and Mary Jane (Propes) Obaugh.  James A. Obaugh was born 27 March 1854 in Augusta Co., Virginia, according to the minister’s return on his marriage to Mary Jane on 9 Sep 1880 in the same county.  Mary Jane was the daughter of David and Rebecca Virginia (Rusmisel) Propes.

James A. Obaugh was the third child of George L. and Mary (Breneman) Obaugh.  George L. Obaugh (also called Orebaugh in some records) married Mary Breneman by 1850, when they appear together in the 1850 federal census of Augusta County (as George S. Orebough).  George L. and Mary Obaugh are also named in Mary’s father Abraham Breneman’s will in Augusta County in 1847.

Also in Augusta County in 1850 was a George A. Orebaugh of roughly the same age, indicating the presence of at least two lines, my own and that of George A.  There was an older man named Adam Orebaugh, living with his (presumed) son Adam’s family.  It is unknown whether this Adam was of the George A. or George L. Orebaugh/Obaugh line.

I have also checked the Augusta County deed indexes, and have found several involving George L., but none involving him and another Orebaugh/Obaugh.  George L. and Mary both apparently died between 1900 and 1910, though their death certificates have not yet been located.

George L. Obaugh (also called Orebaugh) was born ca. 1822 (acc. to 1850 census), 1823 (acc. to 1870 census), 1824 (acc. to 1880 census), or 1828 (acc. to 1900 census) in Virginia.  Before 1847, he married Mary Breneman, daughter of Abraham and Elizabeth Breneman.  He died after 1900, probably in Augusta Co., Virginia.

George L. and Mary (Breneman) Obaugh had the following children:

1.  Samuel Obaugh, b. ca. 1848.

2.  Sarah Obaugh, b. ca. 1851

3.  James A. Obaugh, b. 27 Mar 1854

4.  William Obaugh, b. ca. 1857

Anyone who has this family in their ancestry, please contact me!

Now, the second part of this blog is to locate records groups that may help me break down this brickwall, in the Family History Library Catalog.  A few that I see that might help are listed below:

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File index to loose papers, 1745-1952

Authors
Augusta County (Virginia). County Clerk (Main Author)

Notes:  Microfilm of originals at the Augusta County courthouse, Staunton, Virginia.

Publication
Salt Lake City, Utah : Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1953

Physical
1 microfilm reel ; 35 mm.

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Personal property tax lists of Augusta County, 1782-1851

Authors
Virginia. Commissioner of the Revenue (Augusta County) (Main Author)

Notes
Microfilm of original records at Virginia State Library in Richmond, Virginia.

Augusta County had two tax lists per year. There was not tax collected for the year of 1808, the General Assembly did not pass tax collecting legislation for that year. Tax lists give the name of the person being taxed or tithed, type and amount of taxable property, amount of tax, and the county statistics.

Publication
Richmond [Virginia] : Virginia State Library, 1986

Physical
7 microfilm reel ; 35 mm.

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Now, I’ll be honest – I will probably not order these microfilms from the Family History Library.  Instead, since I live in Maryland, I will likely take the trip (2+ hours driving) down to the Library of Virginia in Richmond, Va., which serves as the state archives.  There are sure to be additional records available there that the FHL does not have listed.