Friday’s Family-Peter and Sallie (Gooding) Mauzy

With the Mauzy surname being the topic for Surname Saturday last week, I thought this might be a good opportunity to look at one of the families on this branch of my tree, trying to imagine their lives.

Peter William Mauzy was born 25 October 1792 in what was called west Virginia. I don’t think this was the state, but rather western land in the state of Virginia, and possibly land that became part of Kentucky. His father was the patriot William Mauzy, who was reportedly present at the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown, and his mother was Ursula Arnold, and English lady. In 1792, according to the Richard Mauzy book mentioned earlier, Peter’s parents were headed from Virginia to Kentucky, so perhaps Peter was born along the way.

Sallie Gooding was born 15 December 1795, probably in Fleming County, Kentucky. Her parents have yet to be determined. Ancestry trees list them as Cornelius Gooding and Margaret Scott, while a FamilySearch entry lists Abraham Gooding and Elizabeth Randall. Since one of their children was named Abram Gooding Mauzy, I think the second is a good bet. Neither of these entries are sourced, and I have yet to find other evidence online, so I’ll leave this as an open question for now.

Peter and Sallie married in Fleming County, Kentucky on or about 12 March 1813, when Peter was 20 and Sallie was 17. Together, they had 8 children who survived: Lucinda, Reuben D., William C., Abram Gooding, Martha A., Silas H., Elizabeth and Nancy. Sallie must have been a strong woman indeed! Peter is described as a “powerful preacher in the Old Christian Church”.

They moved their brood, apparently along with grandpa William Mauzy, to land near New Salem Indiana in about 1829, according to county histories. It is easy to imagine their hopes for their family on their new land, visions of the prosperity to come. Sadly, both Peter and Sallie were victims of typhoid fever, according to family lore, after entertaining travelers. Peter died in September of 1832 and Sallie followed in October. Lucinda, the eldest, and her husband Joseph Pattison are credited with shepherding the orphans as they grew up. Because of their efforts, Peter and Sallie’s children grew to adulthood to become teachers, doctors, farmers and merchants, successfully pursuing the American dream.

The Gift of Music

“I sail my memories of home….”

The words of Judy Collins’ old song run through my mind whenever I’m in the throes of this family history addiction, like Sherlock Holmes and his 7% solution.

I had no intention of participating in the Carnival of Genealogy this month, but I think it was the picture that kept calling to me, the picture of the lovely lady at the piano.

At one time, I aspired to be a lovely lady at the piano. I started lessons very young (see picture), and continued into high school. I don’t remember it being my idea. I think it was my mother’s idea, as she had both my sister and me in lessons. Lessons were expensive enough, so she didn't invest much in the instrument, a worn, old clunker that no amount of tuning would save. For years, I studied with “Professor Michaelides”, a wonderful, OLD man from Cyprus, who had settled with his wife in Norfolk and offered piano lessons. He was very patient with me, and thanks to his training, I even won second place in a piano contest in high school. I can still hear his gravely voice with the mysterious accent telling stories of accompanying singers in Europe….one lady even rehearsed bare from neck to waist, so as not to constrict her breathing. Fascinating stories! That same voice is in my head, saying “Practice, Mary Lou! Practice!” whenever I start something new, or glance at the piano in my living room that sits mostly idle now.

Eventually, I broke his heart when the excitement of high school won out over the practice sessions, and I quit taking lessons. After I had married and started teaching, I did stop by to see him once in his little house. He was so kind and happy to talk. Years later, when I saw his obituary in the paper, I went to my first Greek Orthodox funeral, and had a little cry.

My dad usually sought refuge in the farthest room in the house when I practiced, doors shut. Let’s just say he wasn’t encouraging. I don’t know whether he ever played. I never heard him. But I did find a piece or two of sheet music in his papers after he died, so maybe he did. But he always….ALWAYS…..had classical music playing as he graded papers and planned his lessons. He had a vast collection of vinyl records, and later 8 track tapes and cassettes, mostly classical, but Frank Sinatra, Harry Belafonte (for my mother) and other crooners and artists from the 40’s and 50’s. That’s where it ended. When I rhapsodized over the Beatles, he just shook his head and rolled his eyes.

This was his gift to me, a love of all kinds of music. We have it going all the time in our house. I love to listen….and sail my memories…..

Surname Saturday

Mauzy, Mauzey, Mauze, Moze
For many years, Genealogical Record of the Descendants of Henry Mauzy, A Huguenot Refugee, the Ancestors of the Mauzys of Virginia and Other States from 1685 to 1910, by Richard Mauzy, 1911, was the definitive work on this family. It boasted responses from Mauzys all across the U.S., 105 pages on the descendants of Henry Mauzy. But it was only breadcrumbs showing the way, none of it supported by documents. Still, it was something.

Since then other researchers have taken up the search. It is generally thought that John Mauzé, born in England about 1675 to Michael Mauzé of France, is the common ancestor for the Mauzys of the U.S.

Dr. Armand Jean Mauzey published his research in 1950 in an excellent article for the Virginia Magazine of History and Biography¹. He believes the Mauzé name might have come from the Arabian word “Mauz”, a plantain tree, and may have been adopted during the Crusades. He documents 10 Mauzé families that left France for the British Isles between 1681 and 1724, Huguenots who fled France on the repeal of the Edict of Nantes. The family appears to have come from lands near LaRochelle.

The Mauzys undertook the hardship of escape from France, travel to the British Isles and then to the New World in search of religious tolerance and freedom. How proud and grateful we should all be for their courage.




1. Armand Jean Mauzey, M.D., D.S.C., “The Mauzey-Mauzy Family”, Virgina Magazine of History and Biography 58 (1950), 112-119.

Destination Delmarva

Well, it has been a while since the last posting. The start of school always brings new work for me, which is a good thing, and less time for genealogy, which is not.

Saturday, I was fortunate to be able to attend the Destination Delmarva 2009 workshop at Washington College, sponsored by the Delaware Genealogy Society and the Maryland Genealogy Society. Each lecture that I attended gave me a piece of information I didn’t have before about history and resources that can help clear some of the cobwebs from my research. I knew there was a boundary dispute in the 1600-1700’s around the boundary between Maryland and Delaware, and I knew my Dehortys were on land smack in the middle of the disputed area. Russ McCabe’s presentation gave me a clearer picture of how the land was settled, a few ideas about where my folks might have come ashore, and a nifty new book to read for more information. The Deakyne twins, Sally Burke and Peggy Mealy, reminded me about the importance of investigating all the names in the Orphan’s Court records for possible family connections. Bob Barnes had a fascinating collection of “Black Sheep” ancestors…I haven’t found any yet, but I must have some and now I know where to look. Ed Wright has cataloged the churches of the early period and the records that he has transcribe. Unfortunately, my folks were Methodists, who were not known for their record keeping. But, you never know if the odd Quaker or Anglican might have married in, so, they will be worth a look. And, of course, I took home a couple of new books for the research library.

The weather was horrible, rainy and cold, but a bright spot on the day was meeting fellow blogger Kathleen Ingram. Her enthusiasm and positive spirit were infectious!

What a great day! Now to catch up on my blog reading……