Joshua Lawrence Horn: Out of Place Events Reveal a Well-Traveled Life

This entry is part of the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks series.  This week’s prompt is Out of Place.  To see other posts in this series, view my 52 Ancestors in 2019 index


When I think of my ancestors who lived before convenient modes of transportation, I often assume they lived in small geographic areas. With only wagons to navigate primitive dirt roads and boats or barges to cross rivers, who would stray too far from home?

My 2x-great-grandfather Joshua Lawrence Horn breaks all my assumptions. Several events in his life occur “out of place” from the expected, providing evidence Joshua traveled between Mississippi and Texas several times. Some of his travels were voluntary; others were not.


I’ve written about Joshua previously — a blog post commemorating his birthday back in 2016 — so I won’t recount all the details of his life again. Instead, I’d like to discuss the “out of place” records I’ve found for him, along with two new discoveries that confirm family oral tradition about this outlaw ancestor and some of the places he lived.

Continue reading Joshua Lawrence Horn: Out of Place Events Reveal a Well-Traveled Life

20 Aug 1842: Joshua Lawrence Horne Born in Sumter County, Alabama

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Joshua Lawrence Horne (standing) with brother William Lemuel Horn (seated), circa 1902

My 2x great-grandfather Joshua Lawrence Horne was born on this day — 174 years ago — in Sumter County, Alabama near the community of Uniontown.  He was the seventh of nine children born to Elisha Thomas Horn and Marilda Richardson.

Continue reading 20 Aug 1842: Joshua Lawrence Horne Born in Sumter County, Alabama