CHAPTER 74
The Tracy Family History
Unusual Names
(1799-1874)
Docturn Wallace
The name “Docturn” is one of our family's old
traditional names. I have in my possession an old, two page, typed family
history with this photo. Who sent it to me and when, I do not remember. I have
included it because it proves an important aspect of our family history.
I have condensed the story. The information is vague, at
times wrong... and these are obviously our people. Someday, hopefully, one of
this family will cruise the Internet, and for the first time discover their
illustrious heritage.
“Under the leadership of Docturn, The Wallaces are thought to
have come from West Va., having originally migrated from Ireland, Scotland or
Wales. During the Civil War the name was changed from Wallis to Wallace because
of disputes over land titles. It is reasonable to believe that the Wallaces or
Wallises came through the Cumberland Gap in the Blue Ridge Mts. (wrong,
Appalachian Mts.) Their church affiliations were with the Chesterfield Community
Church (Tenn.).”
“'Doc' was short for Docturn, often used as a Wallace given
name. Sam’s uncle was always known as "Doc." And the names you mention - Brice,
Serlda, Enoch, etc., were often used in Wallace families, in addition to the
common names, John, Wm. David, etc."
-- Erma Hansard, Knoxville, Tennessee.
I have had the experts search the world records for the
origins of this name, “Docturn.” The name does not exist. This means that it had
to be made up. Yet, it is a common Wallace given name and goes way back in our
family. Could it be that our people, being deeply religious, simply created the
name “Docturn” for church “Doctrine?”
Conclusion: Any family with a heritage of the first name of Docturn, or
Uncle Doc, with the last name of Wallace, has to be ours.
More unusual names in our family:
The famed Rev. James Anderson: “His grave and that of his wife, Suit Anderson,
are to the left as one enters the graveyard”
“Suity Woods, a daughter of Colonel John Woods, of Albermarle, and Susannah
Anderson his wife (the 12 year-old beauty) was married at their home in
Albermarle...”
“Charity Woods married John Woods.” 11-18-1799
“Robert Woods, a son of Andrew Woods... married first Lovely Caldwell...”
“Peter A. (Woods), who was a merchant in Charlottesville, and in Richmond,
married Twymonia Wayt...”
This one, and the two following , I believe to be a continuation in the same
family. “By his wife, Mourning Shelton Captain Archibald Woods had a family of
ten children...”
“...she being a daughter of Major Robert Harris and Mourning Glenn Harris.”
“William Reid married Mourning Thorpe...”
“Temperance Chambers, married James Gaines.” “Temperance Chambers, became the
second wife of David G. Martin.”
“James Munroe, 5th President.”
My family history web site has 79 chapters. If you would like to know more about
the other chapters then go to my
Home Page
www.thetracyfamilyhistory.net
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