The beginning of the Queary-Marks celebration began more
than six generations ago. The continuous bloodline has passed through at
least seven generations that would extend to Great-Great-Great-Great
Grandparents.
The thurst for knowledge of our fore fathers has supported family members in
this long and interlocking search for family lineage. Who was Andrew
Queary, Georgia Steel, or Georgia Sorrell, and Barton Marks? Who were their
parents, sisters and brothes?
Several family members have joined the ongoing search of our family heritage.
Many days and hours were spent looking through reels of microfilm census data
and online genealogy databases. Their eyes strained trying to catch a
glimpse of a familiar name or location that might authenticate the lineage and
support old family stories.
ANDREW QUEARY
The 1870 Census data placed the Queary (Quarey) family in Union County,
Arkansas. The family heard was A. Quarey with birth of year 1830 (Born in
South Carolina), and wife Mary Quarey with birth year 1835 (Born in Arkansas),
and sons Jacob (1861), Andrew (1863), and Chesley (1867). The family
occupation was farm labors. During the 1880 Census, the Quarey family was
in Redland Township, Nevada County, Arkansas. Additional family members
were daughter Elizabeth (1870), sons Daniel (1871), and Clayton (1875).
also there was Sallie Quarey (1862) listed with the relationship as other.
GEORGIA STEEL
The first glimpse of Georgia Steel was in the 1880 U.S. Census in
Garland Township, Miller County, Arkansas. The birth year was 1868, age
12 daughter of Martha Johnson (Mulatto) widow, age 33, birth year 1847, and
birthplace Arkansas. Elder family members from many sources stated that
Georgia's maiden name was Steel. However, on November 6, 1884 a marriage
license was issued to Andrew Quary (age 22) and Georiga A.Fornell (age 18) in
Nevada County, Arkansas. The challenge today is to find the Steel &
Fornell connection or authenticate her maiden name. The children from
this union were Alice Queary-Marks, Sim Queary, Joe Luther Queary, and Katie
Queary-Joe.
The 1890 Census would have gien us much information about the Queary household,
however, it was destroyed by fire.
BARTON MARKS
Elder family members of older generations and various extended family
sources (The late Frazier Marks, a cousin, shared with Rosie Beulah
Marks-Wardlaw some of the Marks' family linkage in approximately 1947).
His story supported other genealogy information passed down through the family
indicating Barton Marks was enslaved near New Endingburg, Arkansas during 1850-1860.
Several older family sources indicated trouble occured for Barton Marks prior
to 1870 and he relocated to Ouachita County. Geneology data points to
several common links between "Marks" of Bradley County, Arkansas and "Marks"
of Nevada County.
Barton Marks (age 40) was listed in the 1870 Census with Kitty Marks (wife age
40), Nettie (daughter age 5), Henry Marks (age 22) and Nancy (wife age
20). The census data suggest Henry Marks was the son of Barton
Marks. Both birthplaces were in Georgia. The 1880 Census showed
Kitty's birthplace as Indian Territory, while the 1870 census indicated her
birthplace was Georgia.
However, a marriage license was issued to Barton Marks and Mrs. Georgia A.
Quary on December 20, 1894. The 1900 Census shows Barton Marks as head of
household with Georgia Ann as wife. The children listed were Alice, Sim,
Luther, Katie, Corrie, Billie, Oscar and Willie. Later Marshall, Rosie
Beulah and Dallas were born to the family. This identifies Alice
Quary-Marks, Sim Quary, Joe Quary, Katie Quary-Joe, Corrie Marks-Banks, Willie
Marks, Oscar Marks, Marshall Marks, Beulah Marks-Wardlaw, and Dallas
Marks. The older sisters and brothers taught the younger ones that Barton
died during the winter 1904-1905 and Georgia died months later approximetely
three weeks after the birth of Dallas. The 1910 Census showed the younger
children living in other households.
Family, let's contnue to research to find all we can about our ancestors and
our Afro-American heritage. Continue to discover all we can about the
Queary and Marks families.
