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Wilbur Zebual (Zeb,Zebb) Dills

My great-grandfather Zeb Dills has been a brick wall for me ever since I began researching my family. He was born in Georgia (probably Towns County) around 1883. He was the son of John Dills and Margaret Garrett. He had three known brothers, Jasper Newton Dills, Edward Dills, and James Lucius Dills. He and my great-grandmother married in Macon County, NC in Feb. 1909. They quickly moved to Towns Co., Ga. Only 11 days after my grandfather was born (Nov 1909), Zeb left my great-grandmother and no one heard from him since. I've seen info that would suggest that he went into Tennessee and possibly Kentucky but, I have no proof of this. I'm hoping that someone will see this and be able to help me. Thanks, Tina Wyatt

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Permalink Reply by Tina Wyatt on August 31, 2009 at 2:06pm
Ok, sorry I didn't provide more info up front.

I know that Zeb's name was Wilbur Zebual Dills based upon the 1900 census(copy attached) you cited in another post below. That same census stated he was born in Dec 1883. The year corresponds with his marriage certificate to my g-grandmother Addie. They married on 11 Feb. 1903 in Macon Co., NC. The marriage certificate only contains his initials W.Z. It says he was 21 yrs old and that his father was John Dills, says John was dead, and his mother was Margaret Dills, says she was living. It is also worth noting that in the 1900 census Addie was living a few houses down from Ervin Dills and Zeb Dills. They were listed as number 90 and Addie (shown as Ioa Beck on census) was number 99.

Iowa Addie Dills was born 29 May 1872 (tombstone) in Macon Co., NC and died 26 may 1933 (tombstone and death certificate). She first married James (Jim) Beck on 28 Aug 1890 in Macon Co., NC. Jim died 28 Apr 1900 (tombstone) in Macon Co., NC. She had 4 children with Jim Beck. Then in 1903 she married Zeb. After her marriage to Zeb she married James A Ledford on 22 Aug 1919.

Let me try and explain a tangled web when it comes to his parents and the other Dills family. He was living with Ervin Dills in the 1900 census. Addie Iowa Dills (Zeb's wife) was the daughter of Henry Harrison Dills and Henrietta Nichols. Henry Harrison Dills and Sidney Ervin Dills were brothers. Ervin married Zeb's mother Margaret Garrett on 12 Aug 1896. Ervin was married before to Abigail Brooks. Abigail Brooks had a sister named Tina or Christina that was married to Ervin's brother S Merritt Dills. S Merritt and Tina Dills moved to Towns Co., Ga some time between 1880 and 1900. Ervin's former wife Abigail can be found living with her sister and brother-in-law Tina and S Merritt in the 1900 census. The fact that many of Ervin's relatives, including S Merritt, lived in Towns Co., Ga makes me speculate that, that is how he met up with Margaret Garrett Dills.

Margaret was supposedly married to John Dills but I can't find a marriage record for them. I am told that John was the son of William R Dills and Mary Ann McGaha. William R Dills was a first cousin to Ervin and Henry Harrison Dills. Their fathers were brothers.

I'm also told by a descendant of Jasper Newton Dills that Zeb's father John Dills died before 1880. The 1880 census (attached) for Margaret Dills and her children list her as a widow, backing up this claim. But, If we assume that Zeb was born in 1883 then he couldn't have been dead. Either way, I have yet to find John Dills living in any census after 1870. In that census he was with his father and mother and was 16 yrs. old. So I don't have any census records that list Zeb living with his father.

Thanks for your help in tracking down Zeb. I am so excited that there is a website like genalogywise. I just discovered it and love it!

Tina
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Permalink Reply by Tina Wyatt on August 31, 2009 at 8:11pm
No I haven't.
Permalink Reply by Tina Wyatt on August 31, 2009 at 9:13pm
I am so sorry. I messed up in typing 1909. Should have typed 1903. That is why I confused you. Again, sorry.
Permalink Reply by Tina Wyatt on August 31, 2009 at 9:33pm
No, he was born exactly 9 MONTHS later. In Nov 1903.
Permalink Reply by Tina Wyatt on August 31, 2009 at 9:45pm
Yes, I got it. Will check out the info. fingers crossed
Permalink Reply by Tina Wyatt on August 31, 2009 at 9:46pm
thanks for info btw! great find!
Permalink Reply by Tina Wyatt on August 31, 2009 at 9:01pm
Here's what I think, assuming that all I have found is correct. Very Big IF, of course.

I think Zeb Dills went to Polk Co., TN and married Addie Bell on 19 Sept 1904, sister of Josie Bell. Josie was wife to Zeb's brother Jasper Newton.

Then I think he married Zerelda Williams in Nov 1910 in Anderson Co., TN after the 1910 census was taken. Jasper was living in Anderson Co., TN around this time also.

Then in 1920 there is a census in Whitley Co., Ky (the one we referenced before) for a :
Zebedee Dills age 39 nc,nc,nc
Marilda age 30 tn,Scotland, Scotch

Next door to this family is:

John Bunch age 67 ky,ky,ky
Mary 44 ( all say they were all born in KY with parent born in Ky)
MINNIE age 24.
Charles 28
Elizabeth 16
Sarah W 15
Harvey 10
Martha 10

By 1930 Perry Co., Ky Hazard (I think you already posted this)
Zebb Dills age 54, first marr. @ 20 nc,nc,nc coal miner
Minnie 34 ky,ky,ky 1st marriage at 25 (9yrs from this census)
Roxie age 8
Marit or Marie 3 ky,ky,ky
m-in=law Mary Bunch age 54 widowed married at age 16

What I wonder about this is; was he living next to Minnie Bunch and later married her and what happened to Zerelda or Marilda?
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Addie was living in Macon Co., NC with some cousins of hers in 1910.

1910 Macon Co., NC Cartoogechaye Community

Bartlett I Patton age 35, married 14yrs, nc,nc,nc farmer
Martha C age 33, married 1 time, 5 children 4 living, nc,ga, nc
Charles W 12 nc,nc,nc
Willie T 6 nc,nc,nc
ADDIE DILLS (COUSIN) AGE 36 MARRIED 2 TIMES, WIDOWED (DOUBTFUL) NC,NC,NC
BENBOW (MY GRANDFATHER) 6 NC, GA,NC
NELLIE M 11/12 MONS, NC,NC,NC
(I don't know who Nellie's father was. No one in the family does).

In 1920 she was already married to James Ledford. They were in Macon Co., NC. They married in 1919.
1920 US Federal Census Macon Co, NC Franklin

Jason A Ledford b 1854 NC,NC,NC
Addie b 1874 NC,NC,NC
Joseph b 1880 NC,NC,NC (step son to Addie)
Sallie b 1882 NC,NC,NC (step daughter to Addie)
Nellie b 1910 NC, NC, NC (Addie's child, not Jason's)
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"Certainly feels like you are close to cracking this one! --GJ"

He's been a real pain in the behind to find. I am so sure that this is the same fellow yet I have not been able to find documents and the right dots to really prove it's him.
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Permalink Reply by Tina Wyatt on August 31, 2009 at 9:22pm
In Georgia this is what they say regarding divorce records:

No divorce records are on file at the state office, however, an index of divorce events from 1952 to the present is available. Some counties may have older birth, death, marriage, or divorce records in their files, but county files only contain records of vital events that occurred in that county.

Would have to look at Towns Co., Ga and possibly Macon Co., NC.
Permalink Reply by Tina Wyatt on September 1, 2009 at 6:51am
It's Addie Dills in 1910 census. I see two kids. Benbow and Nellie M.

The Addie Dills that died 27 Mar 1920 was actually Abbie (Abigail Brooks Dills) former wife of Sidney Ervin Dills. I'll attach her death certificate. It lists her parents as Elisha Brooks and Nancy Beaver.
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Permalink Reply by Tina Wyatt on September 1, 2009 at 7:01am
She was Ernest's daughter. Her full name was Nina Alice. Her mother's name was Texie. I bet that should read Tex instead of Lex.
Permalink Reply by Tina Wyatt on September 1, 2009 at 6:57am
Yes, he was her son. James (Jim) and Addie had several children. Ernest, Lexie ( married Oscar Sanders), Robert (never married), Lawrence (married Anna Kell). I think Vernie Mae was Ernest's step-daughter. Her father was a Collier. Vernie May had a brother named Charles. Vernie Mae and Charles were born in California. Charles actually married another relative of mine.
Permalink Reply by Tina Wyatt on August 31, 2009 at 2:11pm
I have seen this census. I will attach. I thought that this might be the Zeb I'm looking for.
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