Left Behind and Taken In
Ticy’s childhood was not an easy one. Her father died around the time she became a teen in 1861. After her father’s death the family struggled in poverty. A court case (I have yet to get my hands on) came about that details their hardships. Her mother remarried, and for reasons still unclear, seems to have abandoned Ticy and her siblings. The rumor mill says Ticy and her siblings were passed around on their father’s side of the family. Some say they went to live with their paternal grandfather William Joplin until his death in 1866, then moved around between their father’s siblings. While I do think this is partly true the paper trail tells a different story.
After the death of William Joplin in 1866 a Guardian Bond appears with some unsuspecting names in November of 1866 meaning William Joplin had to pass away prior to the bond.
Here is the transcription of the Guardian Bond:
GUARDIAN BOND—Printed and for sale at the Standard Office, Raleigh.
State of North-Carolina,
[Blank] County.
Know all Men by these presents, That we, Willis Smith, William C. Mangum, & C. M. Rogers,
all of said county, in the State aforesaid, are held and firmly bound unto the State of North Carolina, in the sum of six hundred dollars
current money, to be paid to the State of North Carolina in trust, for the benefit of the child now hereinafter named, committed to the tuition of the said Willis Smith,
to which payment well and truly to be made we bind ourselves, and each of us, each and every of our heirs, executors and administrators, jointly and severally, firmly by these presents, sealed with our seals and dated this 19th day of Novemberin the year of our Lord, 1866.
The Condition of the above Obligation is such, That whereas the above bounden Willis Smith is constituted and appointed Guardian to Tyson, William, James, Elizabeth, Ransom, Mary, Emma, Susan, Elizabeth Joplin minor orphans:
Now, if the said Willis Smith shall faithfully execute his said guardianship, and particularly shall well and truly secure and improve all the estate of the said Wards until they shall arrive at full age, or be sooner thereto required, and shall render a plain and true account of his said guardianship, on oath, before the Justices of our said Court, and in all cases as required by act of Assembly, and deliver up, pay or possess the said Wards of all such estates as they ought to be possessed of, when lawfully required by said Wards or to such other persons as shall be lawfully empowered or authorized to receive the same and the profits arising therefrom, then this obligation to be void; otherwise, to remain in full force and virtue.
Signed, sealed and delivered in presence of:
Willis Smith (SEAL)
C. M. Rogers (SEAL)
W. C. Mangum (SEAL)
This Guardian Bond suggests Willis Smith became the guardian of Ticy and her siblings. (Fun Fact: Ticy’s son Walter James Choplin’s father in-law is Willis Norman Smith. I have not verified the two Willis Smiths are the same person. I don’t believe they are. The age of his father in-law doesn’t seem to match up. But I am curious if there is some relation!) I have found no record of Ticy or her siblings living with any of the men listed on the Guardian Bond or their families. But I’m still digging!
The 1870 census lists a Tyson Geoplin-22 years old (note the spelling of the surname) head of household and living with three of her siblings; Mary Geoplin (12), Susan Geoplin (11), and Emmer Geoplin (9). Despite the spelling of the last name I am pretty confident Tyson Geoplin and Ticy Joplin/Choplin are the same person.
Not long after the 1870 census was recorded Ticy must have gone to live with Lurectia Joplin Davis, her father’s sister. It is unclear if her siblings went to Lurectias too.
It was in Lurectia’s household that Ticy’s life took a scandalous and mysterious turn.
An Affair
By all accounts--oral histories, land deeds, and whispered stories passed down for generations--Ticy and Allen Davis, Lucretia's husband, began a relationship. Whether it was forced, a secret or simply unspoken, their union produced at least 8 sons and potentially 9 over the years. I do get the feeling this relationship was more of an unspoken one. After speaking with a distant relative I learned Ticy and Allen’s relationship continued until his death in 1906, but there is no marriage record, no legal acknowledgment--only the lives and land that followed.
In 1902 Allen Davis deeded 200 acres of land to Ticy and their children citing only “services rendered”. On November 19,1906, three days after Allen Davis’s death, this document was officially recorded in Granville County Register of Deeds office. It's a vague phrase, “services rendered”, that doesn't begin to capture the complexity of their connection. What we do know is that the land has remained in our family ever since. It's the very ground I was raised on--a daily reminder of a woman who refused to be erased.
I have only been left with more questions. What was Ticy’s relationship like with her Aunt Lucretia, or Seny as most knew her? Where did Ticy and her sons live during this time? Did Allen have a relationship with his and Ticy’s sons? There are simply too many questions to list with answers that have been lost to time.
Timeline of Allen Davis and Frances Tyson Joplin/Choplin Known Relationship
1870 Census record for Ticy and siblings
1870 Census record for Allen Davis
July 28, 1871: Genadious Choplin born (first son of Allen Davis & Ticy Choplin
October 17, 1871: Ticy marries Burwell H. Perry (they are married by A.S. Davis J.P.—I have not yet identified this person. Is this Allen Davis?
1872: Birth of Allen Davis—son of Allen Davis & Lucretia “Seny” Joplin/Choplin
1874: Birth of Louisa Davis—daughter/last child of Allen Davis & Lucretia “Seanie”
1876: Birth of John Foster Choplin—2nd son of Allen Davis & Ticy Choplin
1877: Birth of James Walter Choplin (My great-grandfather)—3rd son of Allen Davis & Ticy Choplin
1880 Census record for Allen Davis and family
No record of Ticy or her sons has been found in the 1880 census
1881: Birth of Henry Choplin—4th son of Allen Davis & Ticy Choplin
1884: Birth of William Eden Choplin—Allen Davis & Ticy’s 5th son
1887: Birth of Joseph Presley Choplin—6th son of Allen Davis & Ticy Choplin
1888: Birth of Albert Luico Choplin—7th son of Allen Davis & Ticy Choplin
1891: Birth of Ollie Choplin—8th son of Allen Davis & Ticy Choplin
1900 Census record for Ticy
1900 Census record for Allen Davis
1901: Death of Lucretcia “Seanie” Choplin
November 13, 1906: Death of Allen Davis
1906: Land sees files in court.
April 27, 1910: 1910 Census—Grissom Precinct, Granville, North Carolina Household Members Walter Choplin (33/head) Henry Choplin (25) Frances (64/9 children born, 7 living)
Have answers to any of these questions? Or a similar story in your family tree? Leave it in the comments—I’d love to hear from you!
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