Before I could even print out my handy new postcards (see previous post), I found a Handy relation on ancestry.com with a bunch of familiar names in his tree.
I sent him a nice email, told him about the copy of the letter I have from A. H. Handy to my second great-grandfather, and invited him to reply with hopes that we can help each other out. Who knows…he could have the originals of the Stuart Papers up in his attic! And if he doesn’t know about the Stuart Papers, I hope alerting him to their existence will help illuminate his family history.
Speaking of the Stuart Papers, those 600 sheets of letters, poems, sermons, etc. that belonged to my third great-grandfather William R. Stuart, Sr. and were preserved by a Ms. Lillian Handy, I need to make a correction. I was wrong about the intention of A. H. Handy’s letter to my great great-grandfather. (A. H. stands for Alexander Hamilton by the way). It was definitely a condolence letter but not a marriage proposal. Had I read the letter more closely, I would have realized that at the end, he mentions that Susan sends condolences as well and that the new widow would be very welcome to visit and give Susan some company. Handy was in the midst of trying to move up the career ladder when this letter was written. Indeed he sounded a little guilty that his long hours vying for a judgeship were keeping him away from the misses. Susan was Handy’s wife. Her maiden name was Stuart.
Now, I just need to find out how Susan Stuart Handy was connected to my great great-grandfather. (I’m betting she was his sister). Then, I’ll cross my fingers and hope that my newfound Handy cousins won’t mind searching their family relics for any mention of a Temple Burton, slave woman, date of birth around 1820, parents unknown.
Finding Josephine 