McMahan Silver Connections

I wish I could share the photo posted today of the family of Greenberry Silver's son Thomas and his wife Nancy Silver, who was daughter of our ancestor Thomas Silver and his wife Ellendor. Obviously, Greenberry and the elder Thomas were brothers whose children, cousins, married. Not uncommon in the world at the time. But, Thomas, their son, is named for his mother, a McMahan. Without knowing I cannot discuss if he was from a former marriage, or if he adopted his mother's name, through divorce or birth.
But the photo, itself, is so fascinating for the following reasons:
it is a landscape size photo, extremely well done, circa 1890 to 1910...(without looking it up exactly) which includes the mountainous hills behind the small log home, in front of which the large number of family members stand.  There is a lovely picket fence around the cabin, and a real Conestoga wagon, fully "tarped" to the left of the house, like a modern RV might be parked today. LOL The log home has a traditional posted porch which runs the length of the house, and a lean to style add on to the back of the rectangular building, much like we see in the George Silver home still standing in Kona. There is one huge chimney on the home.

That photo is posted on the private page of Yancey Co. NC Genealogy page, hosted by Mike Shelton, by Paul Chrisawn.

Among the family members, Paul Chrisawn, notes "There are Wilson and Briggs men in this pic who married some of the McMahan girls. Dullie McMahan was my great great grandmother and she married Eddie Moore Wilson."

The Dullie he speaks of is listed among cousins listed in either, Aunt Marie's or Grandmother's Bible, which Teresa Jordan now possesses.  When I was early doing research on our Silver families, those notes more than any helped me put together the family structure. After finding it, and tying it to information in cemeteries. I was able to put together the tree which was the basis for my bringing our family history forward the two generations that connect us to all of them.

This information from Paul's post also mentions that Greenberry's son and his wife are named Thomas Silver McMahan and Nancy Silver.  It is possible to see there would be confusion, knowing that our direct ancestors were Thomas Silver and Nancy Ellendor. But we see that both the children were named for family members. Thomas for his uncle Thomas, and Nancy for her mother, Nancy Ellendor. An interesting connection for these two, beyond the fact that they were cousins. 

Paul notes that the family picture is from the Thomas and Nancy McMahan family home, and they are the elder persons at the center of the photo. It was located in the Bodwitch community. You might view this and other photos and information as it comes up by becoming a member of the Yancey Co Genealogy Facebook community. Joining is by request to the page, Mike Shelton.

Paul also gives their burial place as in the Robinson Cemetery in Yancey Co., NC.

I haven't looked back, but I feel sure I don't have this connection of Thomas Silver McMahan being Greenberry Silver's son. And I will not make it formal in my tree without more information.  But it is noteworthy.  I may find upon looking that there is a son named Thomas named among Greenberry's sons.  I will note this post there, if that proves to be so.
Why only note it? Because it helps me remember to do further research and allows that I not forget the research of another person, which allows me to question and resolve for myself a truth.  I am sure when I die there will be more notes needing resolution, than truths confirmed. But it allows for anyone interested to ck it out for themselves.