The Mystery of Zora
I have been researching the family history of one of my coworkers, who is a Claborn. I am certain that they connect to one of the main brnaches of the tree, but I have run into a strange situation surrounding the life of ONR Zara D Claborn. (Alternately spelled Zora, Zarra, and Zera).
Other people named Zara are women, but this Zara is clearly a man. There are at least 5 Zaras in the record:
-Zera Claiborne (b. 1861, KS) living in KS.
-Zora D Claborn (b. 1863, AR) living in KS.
-Zora D Claborn (b. 1860, AR) living in MO.
-Zara D Claborn (b. 1862, AR) living in AR.
-Zara Claborn (b. 1862) living in NE.
Of these, Zera is a unique person, but the others all seem to be one and the same.
I have arrange the records in Chronological order to try to make sense of them.
1862
-3 Nov - Zara is born in Sugarloaf, Sebastian County, Arkansas. There are no obvious birth certificates for Zara and at this time it os not known who his father is other than he was born in Tennessee. Zara's mother was Lucy. At this time I have been unable to locate a marriage record in TN or AR for a Lucy and a Claborn man.
1870
By 1870 it assume that Zara's father is deceased. His mother, Lucy, has remarried and moved north.
Pettis County, Missouri
Lantzford Worrhington - head of house
Lucy Worthington - wife
Zarro Claborn Worthington - stepson
The census taker butchered his name, but it is the same person. His mother, Lucy, married Mr. Worthington.
Over in Sugarloaf, AR, Charles H Wilson is living with his wife Annie, his step-daughter Eliza, and his daughter Mary.
1874
For some reason Zara and his family have moved to Gibbon, Nebraska. 12 year old Zara (b. Abt. 1862) has run away from home and any sightings should be reported to his mother, Mrs. L. Worthington.
1880
Fawn Creek, Kansas
Launsford Worthington- head of household (b. 1819, TN)
Lucy B. Worthington - wife (b. 1839, TN)
Zara D Claborn - stepson (b. 1863, AR)
1881
Launsford Worthington dies on 26 Apr in Crestline, Kansas. Lucy is a widow.
1882
By this point Annie Wilson has died. Lucy Worthington marries Charles H Wilson in Sebastian, Arkansas.
This is an interesting moment because 20 year old Zora would have come with his mother to his new step-dads house where he met Eliza J Moore, Charles stepdaughter.
Zora and Eliza marry on 17 Dec 1882in Sebastian County, Arkansas.
1883
Zora is listed on the birth certificate of Eunice Claborn in Mansfield, Arkansas.
1886
Zora is listed on the birth certificate of Grace Claborn in Mansfield, Arkansas.
1890
Zora is listed on the birth certificate of Buford Claborn in Mansfield, Arkansas.
Disappearance
The 1890 birth certificate is the last record I can find for Zora in Arkansas. He disappeared. By 1900 his wife and children are living back Charles Wilson. Interestingly, she is hereafter listed as a widow on the records, but there is no death certificate for Zora. Curiously, even his entry in the family bible is blank.
Second Zora
A second Z. D. Clayborn appears in 1894 in Dunklin, Missouri where he marries Francis M. Wright on 15 Jul.
They appear again on 1900 census in New Madrid, MO. This Zara also liatshis birthplace as Arkansas, and his birth month as Nov, but lists 1860 instead of 1862. The couple has two children; Mart (b. 1896), and John (b. 1897).
This Zora also disappears from the records.
Hypotheses
1. Hypothesis: the first Zora may have faked his death and relocated to Missouri. Neither Zora appear in the records at the same time.
2. These may be two separate Zoras and they may both be missing records.
A Y-DNA sample from one male descendant of each group would confirm or disprove either Hypothesis.
Questions that remain is how and when did Zora die? (Either of them). There were no wars in the 1890s. The second Zora would have been in his mid-50s when WW1 broke out, but theres no record of him being in the military and no record of him in the 1910 census.
1874
For some reason Zara and his family have moved to Gibbon, Nebraska. 12 year old Zara (b. Abt. 1862) has run away from home and any sightings should be reported to his mother, Mrs. L. Worthington.
1880
Fawn Creek, Kansas
Launsford Worthington- head of household (b. 1819, TN)
Lucy B. Worthington - wife (b. 1839, TN)
Zara D Claborn - stepson (b. 1863, AR)
1881
Launsford Worthington dies on 26 Apr in Crestline, Kansas. Lucy is a widow.
1882
By this point Annie Wilson has died. Lucy Worthington marries Charles H Wilson in Sebastian, Arkansas.
This is an interesting moment because 20 year old Zora would have come with his mother to his new step-dads house where he met Eliza J Moore, Charles stepdaughter.
Zora and Eliza marry on 17 Dec 1882in Sebastian County, Arkansas.
1883
Zora is listed on the birth certificate of Eunice Claborn in Mansfield, Arkansas.
1886
Zora is listed on the birth certificate of Grace Claborn in Mansfield, Arkansas.
1890
Zora is listed on the birth certificate of Buford Claborn in Mansfield, Arkansas.
Disappearance
The 1890 birth certificate is the last record I can find for Zora in Arkansas. He disappeared. By 1900 his wife and children are living back Charles Wilson. Interestingly, she is hereafter listed as a widow on the records, but there is no death certificate for Zora. Curiously, even his entry in the family bible is blank.
Second Zora
A second Z. D. Clayborn appears in 1894 in Dunklin, Missouri where he marries Francis M. Wright on 15 Jul.
They appear again on 1900 census in New Madrid, MO. This Zara also lists his birthplace as Arkansas, and his birth month as Nov, but lists 1860 instead of 1862. The couple has two children; Mart (b. 1896), and John (b. 1897).
This Zora also disappears from the records.
Hypotheses
1. Hypothesis: the first Zora may have faked his death and relocated to Missouri. Neither Zora appear in the records at the same time.
2. These may be two separate Zoras and they may both be missing records.
A Y-DNA sample from one male descendant of each group would confirm or disprove either Hypothesis.
Questions that remain is how and when did Zora die? (Either of them). There were no wars in the 1890s. The second Zora would have been in his mid-50s when WW1 broke out, but theres no record of him being in the military and no record of him in the 1910 census.