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These lines have married into my family (primary and secondary lines of research seen above) and are included here to aid other researchers. I am not currently researching these names; however, the pages are updated as information becomes available.

Walking with Ghosts..........

a website for the descendants of Angus and Nancy McCutchen MacLeod~~

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Blyther Families of Sumter/Kershaw District South Carolina

This web page has been updated in May/June of 2011. The original intent of this site is the same as it has always been; to provide a FREE tool for researchers to help each other by the sharing of information - please support this intent by helping to keep it as accurate as possible. The information on this page represents the combined efforts of several researchers. I have verified the information by Wills, Equity, Deeds, Census and Cemetery Records where possible. Where no source is given, the information is unproven/unverified. Additions and corrections are welcome (rude emails are not). When writing, please include the Page Title and Web Address. Proper credit is always awarded to the provider of information. Happy Researching! Keep the circle of sharing intact, include the following if you take information for your own records: !Source: Lori McLeod Wilke; "Walking with ghosts", Research 2000 - 2011

First Blyther Family -

William Blyther born unknown died by October 17th 1823 husband of Sarah (--?--), died after October 17th 1823

Will of William Blyther
The State of South Carolina

In the name of God amen, I, William Blither, of Sumter District and State aforesaid being very weak in body and in a low state of health but in my perfect senses -- calling unto mind the mortality of my body and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die -- do make and ordain this my last will and testament

First, I give and bequeath to Sarah Blither, my dearly beloved wife, my plantation houses, plantation tools and all the utentials belonging thereunto -- to have, hold and enjoy during her lifetime or widowhood -- and my Negro girl, named Sinda, I bequeath to my wife to have and to hold during her lifetime -- at her decease the said girl to belong to Charity -- Also, I give to my well beloved daughter Charity one feather bed and furniture which is now claimed by her -- and if in case the said girl Sinda shall have a child then and in that case I will and bequeath it, her first child, to my grandson John Kelly. Also, a tract of land and plantation where his father Redic Kelly formally lived -- and I nominate and appoint my son John, his guardian -- Also, I give to my beloved son, John, this tract of land which I now live on containing one hundred and sixty acres with the exception of this plantation as aforesaid to his mother during her lifetime and at her decease he is to have the whole of the tract -- and at the decease of my beloved wife it is my will and desire that all my estate then remaining -- horses, cattle, hogs, household and kitchen furniture and herd of all kinds to be equally divided between my three children namely, my daughter Charity, my grandson John Kelly, and my son John Blither, the latter, whom I constitute make and ordain the executor of this my last will and testament and for his assistant I nominate and appoint Jesse Peebles -- and I do hereby utterly disallow revoke and disannul all and every other former will or testament made by me -- witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 14th day of October 1822

William X Blither [Seal] [his mark]
John Bateman
Thomas X Davis [his mark]

Recorded in Will Book D1 page 36 Recorded October 17th 1823 William Potts, Ordy SD - Will found at SCGENWEB Sumter site maintained by Cynthia Ridgeway Parker.

Children of William Blyther and Sarah

1. Charity Blyther was the wife of William Arrants b. Oct 19, 1795 in Queen Anns County, Maryland d. Feb 14, 1860 in Sumter County, South Carolina.

i. James William Arrants married first to Lavinia Lockhart and second to Frances Judith Huggins

ii. Eliza Ann Arrants married first to Angus McLeod II and married second to Col. Stephen Madison Boykin

2. (--?--) Blyther b. unknown d. before October 14 1822 married to Redic Kelly

i. John Kelly

3. John Kelly b. unknown d. aft. October 14 1822

Second Blyther Family

This second Blyther Family is headed by a John Blyther married to Fanny Turner - is this John the son of William and Sarah who is named in the Will shown above? Please email if you have documented a connection between these two Blyther Families.

John J. Blyther b. Jan 02, 1797 d. Feb 09, 1881 buried Antioch Baptist Church Cemetery married to Fanny Turner birth and death dates unknown.

1847 - On January 23, John N. McLeod had 176 acres in Kershaw District/County surveyed by Stephen H. Boykin. This acreage was bounded by James Corbett, Issaic Lenoir's land, and John Blyther and was located on the Reedy Branch of the Black River. According to a later deed in which he and his first cousin, John R. McLeod are selling this property the land was "granted to the said John N. McLeod on the 17th day of February 1847". How John R. McLeod became a joint owner is unknown but there was obviously more land than the 176 acres jointly owned by the two men because in the 1890's, John's sister in law, Harriet Yates McLeod, sells another portion in which deed she states that sold land was part of that which had belonged to John and John Robert. South Carolina Plats Online, Series Number S213192 Volume: 0054 Page: 00490, Date: 1847/01/23Description: MCLEOD, JOHN N., PLAT FOR 176 ACRES ON REEDYBRANCH, KERSHAW DISTRICT, SURVEYED BY STEPHEN H. BOYKIN. accessed by Lori McLeod Wilke on August 27 2004

1856 - On August 28th Alexander E. McLeod sold a tract of land containing 100 acres on the Horsepen Branch. The land was bounded by Robert Arrants on the south west and East by himself, northwest by John Blyther. He retained the rights to raise a mill dam and flood the 100 acres if he should ever chose to do so. The land was sold to Michel Watson who was a neigbor of Alexander's according to various census records. This land was likely part of the inheritance Alexander received in 1835 upon the settlement of his father's estate and upon his reaching his majority. The Beaverdam land mortgaged in 1841 to Roxanna James was also likely part of his inheritance. The witnesses to the deed were his brother, John N. McLeod and Harmon Arrants a close family friend. Sumter Deed Book T page 271 - Conveyance August 28 1856 - Alexander McLeod to Michel Watson accessed and copied by Lori McLeod Wilke, David J. Wilke and Trish and Elizabeth Brown on June 25th, 2004 at the Camden County Courthouse, Kershaw County, South Carolina. Delivered to E. Barnes Dec. 4th/58

1. William Blyther b. Apr 03, 1829 Sumter County, South Carolina d. Jul 02, 1901 Sumter County, South Carolina buried Antioch Baptist Church Cemetery married to Elsie Ann Arrants b. Jan 24, 1835 Sumter District, South Carolina d. May 23, 1917 Sumter County, South Carolina buried Antioch Baptist Church Cemetery

1860 Sumter Co. Census HH #842

William Blyghter, Sr. 30 m Farmer, Elcey A. 25 f, Victoria 6 f, Jaon 4 m, William 2 m, Robert 6/12 m, all born in SC.

1880 Census Place De Kalb, Kershaw, South Carolina Family History Library Film 1255232
Page Number 62D

William BLYTHER M Male 50 SC Farmer
Elsey BLYTHER M Female 45 SC Keeps House
Victoria BLYTHER Female 26 SC Keeps House
John BLYTHER Male 24 SC Works On Farm
William BLYTHER Male 23 SC Works On Farm
Robert BLYTHER Male 20 SC Works On Farm
Eliza Alice BLYTHER Female 17 SC At Home
Thomas Benjamin BLYTHER Male 15 SC Works On Farm
Mary Ann BLYTHER S Female 12 SC At Home
Jesse BLYTHER S Male 10 SC
Anna BLYTHER S Female 8 SC
Nancy E. BLYTHER S Female 6 SC

Children of William Blyther and Elsie Ann Arrants

1. Victoria Blyther b. Feb 15, 1854 Sumter County, South Carolina d. Jul 02, 1937 Sumter County, South Carolina

2. John J. Blyther b. Dec 14, 1855 Sumter County, South Carolina d. Feb 24, 1935 buried Antioch Baptist Church Cemetery Sarah Isabelle McCaskill b. Aug 27, 1866 d. Nov 22, 1921 buried Antioch Baptist Church Cemetery daughter of Charles Wesley McCaskill and Mary Murchison

i. Beulah Christian Blyther b. unknown d. Jun 13, 1953 buried Antioch Baptist Church Cemetery

ii) Jane "Janie" Blyther b. Sep 06, 1887 Aug 28, 1946 Tuomey Hospital, Sumter, SC buried Antioch Baptist Church Cemetery married to Robert B. Laney

iii) Anna E. Blyther b. 1892 d. Oct 30, 1961

iv) Eller Belle Blyther b. 1893 d. 1977 buried Antioch Baptist Church Cemetery married to Harry J. Forcanser

v) Charlie McCaskill Blyther b. Aug 17, 1895 d. Oct 11, 1896 buried Antioch Baptist Church Cemetery

vi) Walter Kenny Blyther b. Aug 17, 1895 d. Oct 11, 1896 buried Antioch Baptist Church Cemetery

vii) James Murdock Blyther b. Aug 09, 1897 d. Mar 22, 1960

viii) Hosea Blyther b. Oct 21, 1901 d. Aug 02, 1902 buried Antioch Baptist Church Cemetery

ix) Clyde Lucine Blyther b. Sep 22, 1903 d. Oct 03, 1904 buried Antioch Baptist Church Cemetery

x) Robert B Blyther b. 1905 d. Sep 13, 1976 buried Antioch Baptist Church Cemetery married to Vera Britton 1905 1979

1. Ray Britton Blyther b. 1926 d. 1931

3. William Blyther b. May 03, 1857 Sumter County, South Carolina d. Jun 12, 1914 Sumter County, South Carolina buried Antioch Baptist Church Cemetery

4. Robert Alexander Blyther b. Sep 04, 1859 Sumter County, South Carolina d. Oct 25, 1929 Sumter County, South Carolina buried Antioch Baptist Church Cemetery

5. Eliza Alice Blyther b. Aug 04, 1862 Sumter County, South Carolina d. Aug 08, 1943 Sumter County, South Carolina buried Cedar Creek Baptist married G. Preston Ford b. Feb 28, 1863 Sumter County, South Carolina d. Jul 03, 1938 Sumter County, South Carolina buried Cedar Creek Baptist

6. Thomas Benjamin Blyther b. Sep 06, 1864 Sumter County, South Carolina d. May 19, 1943 buried Cedar Creek Baptist married Minnie Crosswell, Mrs. Geneva Arrants, Dec 07, 1942 Savannah Advent Christian Church, Lee County SC to Estele Pate b. Apr 01, 1881 d. Sep 23, 1963 Lee County, South Carolina buried Savannah Advent Christian Church, Lee County SC Blyther, Thomas Benjamin DOB-9/6/1864 DOD-5/19/1943 Parents-William B. & Elsie Ann Arrants Blyther Spouse- Estele Pate Blyther POB-Sumter County, South Carolina Interment-Cedar Creek Baptist http://members.tripod.com/~PittmanS/kornegay4.html

7. Mary A. Blyther b. Sep 13, 1867 Sumter County, South Carolina d. May 06, 1949 Sumter County, South Carolina buried Bethel Methodist Church married Camden Moscow Jr. Boykin b. Jan 12, 1860 Sumter County, South Carolina d. Oct 15, 1944 Mayeville, South Carolina buried Bethel Methodist Church

8. Jesse W. Blyther b. Sep 18, 1869 Sumter County, South Carolina d. Feb 25, 1911 Sumter County, South Carolina buried Cedar Creek Baptist married Mary Sue Mathis b. 1880 d. 1961 buried Cedar Creek Baptist

9. Elsie Anna Blyther b. Sep 30, 1871 d. Dec 31, 1950 Sumter County, South Carolina buried Cedar Creek Baptist married Vernon Levi Pate b. 1869 d. 1948 buried Cedar Creek Baptist

10. Nancy E. Blyther b. Oct 15, 1874 Sumter County, South Carolina d. Dec 20, 1957 Sumter County, South Carolina buried Cedar Creek Baptist married John William Joshua Boykin, son of James William Boykin and Mary Ann Matilda Myers, b. 1874 d. 1951 buried Cedar Creek Baptist - no children

11. Joseph Blyther b. Jun 26, 1876 Sumter County, South Carolina d. Jul 22, 1877 Sumter County, South Carolina buried Antioch Baptist Church Cemetery

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~formyfamily/index.htm
!Source: Lori McLeod Wilke copyright © 2000-2011 All Rights Reserved