Re: COMELY, Enoch 1850's Rockcastle Co, KY
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In reply to:
COMELY, Enoch 1850's Rockcastle Co, KY
1/14/99
Marilyn - Your Enoch Graham Comely was my great great grandfather.He was born in Garrard County, Kentucky on September 7, 1817 or 1818 and died in Little Rock, Arkansas, October 10, 1881.His birthdate information came from my late brother, Wayne Montgomery, who did quite a bit of research on the family.The death date came from a newspaper clipping out of Little Rock.
Enoch was a tough guy to nail down.He was never listed in a census anywhere, and used various spellings of his name -- Cumley, Crumley, Comly, Comely and maybe others.He was married at least three times.
Records in Garrard County listed his marriage to Paulina Spratt.Permission to marry was granted by her mother, Nancy Spratt.In the estate of a David Comely, James Comely received an inheritance of $45.28 signed for by "E.G. Comely, atty" who may have been our Enoch.On 1-22-1853, Enoch G. Comely sold to Seymour Hopper for $173.33 all of his "right, title and interest in and to the estate of my father, John J. Comely, deseased (sic)."There are only three references we could find to E.G. or Enoch Comely.He is not in the Kentucky Census 1840-60.
We know little about Paulina Spratt.She and Enoch had children, Elizabeth and Malvina "Dolly" (my great grandmother).For some reason, Elizabeth and Malvina were not raised together.Malvina married my great grandfather, John B. Montgomery Jr. in 1861, and we found Enoch listed in a book of Garrard County marriages as the father of the bride.
At some point, Enoch went west into Missouri and was married to Mary Canter.We have no information at all on her.
He referred to another marriage in a letter to my Great Grandmother Melvina Montgomery, stating he was going to get married on his birthday.That coincides with public records for Mary Tabitha Wilson.Mary Tabitha was the second child of Robert and Mariah Copeland Wilson and was born May 15, 1847 in Taney County, MO.(from "The Generation of Western Pioneers" by Rev. Forrest Witt, P-70.)She was married three times.Soon after the death of her first husband -- Alfred "Dick" Hook, Mary Tabitha married George Enoch Cumley (we believe this to be Enoch G. Comley) described as a middle age man with two married daughters.He died (or disappeared)before the birth of his third daughter.I say disappeared, because that daughter is listed in "Brides of Polk Co. MO" in September 1876, five years before we know he died in Little Rock.She is listed as the daughter of Mary Hook -- E.E. Crumley (still another variation of the name.)
I have a note from a nurse in Little Rock written to Malvina shortly before Enoch's death, suggesting she should come to see him because he was very ill.He is buried in Oakland Cemetery in Little Rock.
Malvina and John B. Montgomery moved first to Texas and later to the Oklahoma Territory.They are buried in Cordell, Oklahoma.My grandfather, George B. Montgomery, and grandmother, Mattie Smith Montgomery, also are buried there, as is another of Malvina and John's sons, Enoch (there's that name again) Montgomery.
My aunt, Leona (Leo) Montgomery Green, still lives in Cordell, Oklahoma, and remembers both Malvina and Elizabeth.She is 94 years old, but still is very sharp.She was not able to help us much with Enoch Comely, unfortunately.The Montgomerys also were from Garrard, Kentucky, originally.
He was a real mystery man.I hope this helps you somewhat.
(Mr.) Gayle B. Montgomery
4804 Seapine Drive
Florence, OR 97439
(541) 997-8784