I found the following in "The Memorial Record of Alabama: A Concise Account of the State's Political, Military, Professional and Industrial Progress, Brant and Fuller, 1893."

“She [Mary Ward Oates, the wife of Ephraim Oates] was a daughter of James and Melinda Ward. Her father represented Henry County in the legislature, both in the house and the senate, for many years. He died in 1859 and his widow died in 1839." "The wife of Ephraim Oates [Mary Ward] grew up in Henry County, in which county she was born in 1822."

If the above is correct, then Melinda (Malinda) and Mary Ward were also pre-1830 pioneers of Henry County. However:

1. In the 1870 and 1880 censuses Mary Ward Oates' birth place is given as SC in which case she wasn't born in Henry County in 1822. Nevertheless, if Mary was the daughter of James Ward, she would still be a pre-1830 pioneer.

2. The death date above for Malinda (1839) differs from what is included on the Abbeville Cemetery survey (i.e., September 6, 1851). Follow this link: (http://www.usgennet.org/usa/al/county/henry1/cemetery/abbeville.htm). Does anyone know the source(s) for Malinda's 1851 death date and all the other neat information about James and Malinda that is included on the cemetery survey?

Despite the two probable mistakes in "The Memorial Record of Alabama" account, I still believe Malinda and Mary were pre-1830 Henry County pioneers. Is this foolhardy?

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