A genealogy research project conducted by Lorina Bolig
October 2009
Introduction: The Rosella Presley story is one of those mysterious pieces of the Elvis legend. Thought never to have married and having born 9 or 10 children, the hard working Rosella (Elvis's paternal great grandmother) has, until now, proven to be an elusive figure for researchers.
Genealogist, Lorina Bolig, author of Ancestors of Elvis Aaron Presley 50 Generations(read review), recently decided to do some serious detective work on Rosella and her family. Scouring through all available documentation from US Census Data to university databases and births, deaths and marriages, Rosella believes she has unlocked many of the mysteries surrounding Rosella. The sources can be viewed in detail via links in her article.
And what Lorina has discovered is stunning including clues to at least one possible marriage and a surprise son. In addition, Lorina disputes claims that Delta/Dixie Presley, one of Vernon Presley's sisters was committed to and died in a mental institution.
............The Elvis-Rosella Family Tree Connection.............
Dunnan Presley Jr., father of:
Rosella Presley, mother of 9-10 children including:
Jessie D. Mcclowell Presley, father of:
Vernon Elvis Presley, father of:
Elvis Aaron Presley
With more twists and turns than an Agatha Christie mystery, here is Lorina's account of the Rosella Presley story, beginning with her father Dunnan Presley.....
You have asked me if I was associated with Roots of Elvis Presley. I can honestly say no. I am not sponsored by or associated with Roots of Elvis Presley (ROEP). There was a false press release issued by an unknown source to several Elvis web sites, stating that Roots of Elvis Presley’s web site was “Ancestors of Elvis Aaron Presley 50 Generations Revised and Edited Edition’s” web site. My web site is not (ROEP’S) web site.
“Ancestors of Elvis Aaron Presley 50 Generations Revised and Edited Edition” by Lorina Bolig, is not associated with Roots of Elvis Presley.
I disagree with certain claims made by (ROEP), particularly about Martha Jane Wesson, William Marion Steele, Rosella, and some of Rosella’s children.
I have evidence that disputes (ROEP) claims. This will eventually lead to Rosella Presley (Elvis’ Great Grandmother), and her Story. I am not saying all information is incorrect. I am saying, records can be used to determine the facts of what is and is not correct. I may not be able to point out every one of the claims (ROEP) made that may be in error, but I will point out the most important issues, that pertain to Elvis’ direct line ancestors, particularly Rosella, her Grandmother Emily (Millie) Wesson, Father Dunnan Presley, Mother Martha Jane Wesson and proof of the Father of at least one of her children.
There are other sources that have myths about Elvis genealogy as well. We will also talk about this.
It came to my attention that (ROEP) believed that William Steele was born in North Carolina, and married Martha Jane Wesson. There are records that show us William was from Georgia, and he did not marry Martha Jane Wesson. There is a Steele – Presley connection, but it is not through Martha Jane marrying William Steele. William Steele is connected to the history of the Presley’s in a different way than (ROEP) claims, though they were very close to being correct. Fact is stranger than fiction.
Please click on this link and read what (ROEP) has to say about Martha Jane Wesson, Rosella and Rosalinda Presley’s mother, their father Dunnan, and William Steele.
I have tried to find the other rumored wives; of Dunnan Presley Jr. Below is a link with the rumored wives of Dunnan. This is at the link below. These are genealogies that are submitted by different people; these submissions may or may not be correct.
(ROEP) also claims Dunnan was married to these wives too, except Rosella. Rosella is Dunnan’s daughter, not his wife.
Martha Jane Wesson is the only wife there are records for ever having been married to Dunnan. I found one census with an Elizabeth Presley listed with some of the children named to have been Dunnan’s, but Dunnan is not listed with them. I found one with Harriet Toy/Presley on the 1900 Barry County, Missouri US Federal Census, but the children listed with her, the census says their father was from Arkansas. Dunnan was born in Tennessee. This does not mean they were not his wives but there is no proof of it with marriage records or census records. The only wife I could find proof of marriage for is Miss Martha Jane Wesson. More research needs to be done to confirm his marriage to Emily Pope. Click on the links below to see this census with Harriet Toy/Presley, and the one below it is a census with Elisabeth Presley.
(Source: Texas University – Texshare Database – Heritage Quest)
I have not found any records showing Martha and Dunnan having ever lived together except their marriage record. To date there has been no record ever showing they lived in the same house. I would be grateful if anyone can produce a record of Dunnan and Martha living in the same house. Dunnan and Martha were married on August 15, 1861. The actual marriage record is below.
If anyone can verify with records Dunnan’s marriages to, Elizabeth Harrison, Harriett Henrietta Toy, and Emily Bryson Pope, or records of them having lived in the same home, please contact me at, lbolig@hotmail.com, please put “Elvis Ancestors” in subject line. Please attach scanned record to email verifying your claim and where you obtained this record, along with your name and contact information.
(ROEP) claims that Martha died in childbirth in 1868, as stated in The Presley Story at the link above. They also state that Martha Jane married William Marion Steele after she married Dunnan.
Below is evidence that Martha Jane Wesson was not the same Martha Jane Wesson, (ROEP) claims married both Dunnan Presley and William Steele.
Martha had been married to Dunnan (Dummis) Presley. This is a fact, and has been proven. See marriage records below. There is also a marriage record of William Steele’s claimed marriage to Martha Jane Wesson. (ROEP) has similar records of these marriages at their web site.
I noticed that the woman named here was Mrs. M. J. Wesson. Not Mrs. M. J. Presley or Miss M. J. Wesson. If this were Martha, why would she use Mrs. in front of her name, if she were still using her maiden name Wesson? She had been previously married to Dunnan. Could it be this woman is not Martha? Could this in fact be Mrs. Emily (Millie) Wesson, Martha’s mother? I believe this is the case. This would also explain the land transactions between Emily (Millie) Wesson and William Steele, and why Rosella and Rosalinda were listed on the 1870 census with this William Steele. I am not convinced that Mrs. M. J. Wesson is Martha Jane Wesson. I think this is Millie Wesson’s marriage to William.
(Source: Texas University – Texshare Database – Heritage Quest)
Not all records here are available at (ROEP). Research had to be done to verify or disprove the claims made by them.
Miss Martha Jane Wesson is listed with her parents on the Tremont, Itawamba, Mississippi 1860 United States Federal Census. She is 20 years old here and has not given birth to Rosella or Rosalinda at this point. This census was taken on September 4th, 1860. This record contains the only Miss Martha Wesson that I could locate so far, outside of her marriage record with Dunnan (Dummis) Presley.
(Source: Texas University – Texshare Database – Heritage Quest)
Martha Jane Wesson married Dunnan August 15, 1861. She gave birth to Rosella on February 16 th, 1862. Then gave birth to Rosalinda in 1864. From that point the information and records about Martha Jane, begins to fade, with one exception.
The famous photo of Elvis, aged 2, with Gladys and Vernon
The last and final record I obtained of Martha Jane Wesson/Presley, was a land patent.
(Source: Pre-1908 United States, Bureau of Land Management records)
Patentee: MARTHA PRESLEY, Survey State: MISSISSIPPI, Acres: 40.42, Metes/Bounds: No, Title transfer, Issue Date: 10/31/1896, Land Office: Jackson, Cancelled: No, U.S. Reservations: No, Mineral Reservations: No, Authority: May 20, 1862: Homestead Entry Original (12 Stat. 392)
(Source: United States Bureau of Land Management records.)
This land was not given to Martha Presley until October 31, 1896. The same year her mother Emily (Millie) Wesson died,she applied for this land May 20th, 1862, little overa month after Rosella was born. This would mean that Dunnan’s Martha did not die in child birth in 1868-1869; instead she died after October 31, 1896. She did not raise Rosella and Rosalinda, and has never been listed in the same household on any census or other record, with her daughters, Dunnan or William Marion Steele.
The claim that Dunnan's Martha married William Marion Steele can be shown to contradict itself from the evidence above. I am sure that Martha Jane, Dunnan’s wife is not the woman that married William Marion Steele. I believe the marriage to William is Mrs. Millie Wesson, even though she was older than him. I noticed Millie was still using the Wesson name on the 1880 census, though this census does appear to be altered. I also had great difficulty in finding this record because the database had her last name as Wessen and not as Wesson.
I have found only one census with a, William Steel, age 21 that is from North Carolina on the 1860 Fulton, Itawamba, Mississippi U.S. Federal Census. Click on this link below to see this census. He is not listed with his family here. I can not say for sure if this is the William Steele (ROEP) is referring to, but he is named William Steele and he is from North Carolina on this census. I have found no other William Steele in Itawamba County, Mississippi that was from North Carolina after this census.
(Source: Texas University – Texshare Database – Heritage Quest)
Above: Jessie Presley, one of Rosella Presley's sons and Elvis's paternal grandfather
In 1870, Rosella and Rosalinda were living with their stepfather, William Marion Steele at Tilden, Itawamba County, Mississippi. (Source: Roots of Elvis Presley)
They claim that Martha married William Marion Steele in 1868 and died in childbirth in 1869. They claim that Josephine is William and Martha Jane's daughter. This would be the child Martha is claimed to have died giving birth to. She is 2 years old on the 1870 census. There are also non record sources for this claim. These sources are more of a guild and submitted by individuals; submissions may or may not be correct.
This is the 1870 Fulton, Itawamba, Mississippi Census record that has William Steel with a Rosann, Rosalinda and Josephine. I have not found any other William Steel or Steele, in Itawamba County, Mississippi with children of these names, on a census in 1870. Here William is from Georgia, not from North Carolina. I can only assume this is the record that (ROEP) is referring to, because I have not seen the census record they speak of, on their web site. Tilden is part of Fulton.
(Source: Texas University – Texshare Database – Heritage Quest)
I do not think William was Rosella and Rosalinda’s, stepfather, I believe he was their step grandfather. I believe that Mrs. M. J. Wesson was Emily (Millie) Wesson and that Martha never married again after Dunnan left. Martha Presley’s Land record above verifies she kept the name Martha Presley. Dunnan did leave his wife and daughters, and I believe Martha soon after, did the same. Maybe she could not bare her husband leaving her with two small children, especially during war time. It has been said before that Martha’s parents took Rosella and Rosalinda to church and when they returned, Dunnan was gone. It was not mentioned where Martha was during all this. Sources vary on this. Some say Martha took them to mass and when she returned he was gone.
Edward Wesson died sometime after 1860. The last census we find Edward on is the 1860 Tremont, Itawamba Mississippi US Federal Census. Common genealogies state he died in 1880. It is possible that Millie then married William Steel and this is why Mrs. M.J. Wesson was used on the marriage record above. Millie was not listed on the 1870 Fulton, Itawamba, Mississippi Census, but Rosella and Rosalinda are. Unfortunately this census does not tell us what the relationships are. Martha Jane Wesson/Presley has never been on any census with the (ROEP’S) William Steele, and it appears that by the marriage record of his marriage to Wesson, it was not Martha he married.
The marriage between Millie and William would also explain the land transactions between them. See Transcribed record of one the land transactions below. Millie died in 1896 the same year as this Indenture took place.
Warranty Deed - Itawamba Co. – Tilden Property
Mrs. Emily Weston (Wesson) to W. M. Steel
This Indenture made on the 23rd day of March A.D. One Thousand Eight Hundred and Ninety Six by and between Mrs. Emily Weston of Itawamba County, of part of the first part, and W. M. Steel of the County of Itawamba in the state of Mississippi, party of the second part, WITNESSETH: That the said party of the first part, in consideration of the sum of Seventy five $75.00 dollars paid to her by the said party of the second part, the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, do by these presents, Grant, Bargain, Sell, Convey and Confirm, unto the party of the second part his heirs and assigns, the following described Lots, Tracts, or Parcels of Land lying, being and situate in the County of Itawamba and State of Mississippi, known and described as follows:
To Wit: the East ½ of the North East ¼ of Section (32) Township (10) Range (9) Nine.
(Source: Itawamba County Mississippi Archives)
Here is a list of census records for William Steele.
Here William Steel listed with Rosella, Rosalinda and Josephine.
(Source: Texas University – Texshare Database – Heritage Quest)
William with his wife Sarah and children. Take note of son Joseph, age 2. It is important to remember this child; he will be an important part of Rosella and her story. Please take note that Josephine is not listed here with her father. What happened to Josephine?? Perhaps she passed away. She has never been on a census with her father since the 1870 census. We know Rosella and Rosalinda are in Millie Wesson’s household in 1880, and no longer living with William Steele as they were on the 1870 census. Note that both Millie and William are on the same 1880 census, BT-5, Itawamba, Mississippi. They lived very close to each other.
Vester Presley on the driveway at Graceland holding his popular book, A Presley Speaks
(Source: Texas University – Texshare Database – Heritage Quest)
1890 US federal Census has been destroyed by fire. Only very small fragments survived. There are not any records for William Steel or his family in the surviving records. Or any of the other individuals mentioned here.
(Source: Texas University – Texshare Database – Heritage Quest)
As you can see William was born in Georgia. The 1900 census tell us he was born Sept. 1840. (ROEP) did not have his birth year or place of birth correct. William’s parents where born in North Carolina. It seems that they may have based their information on non record sources for William’s information. They have his birth place as North Carolina, his birth year as 1839. Some census such as the 1900 Fulton, Itawamba, Mississippi US Federal Census, gives us the month and year he was born as well as his mother and fathers place of birth. He was born in September and the census was taken in June. That is why he is 59 years old on this census. Unfortunately the 1900 census does not tell us if the person is married, widowed or single.
I also noticed that (ROEP) believes William Steele had 2 sons born the same year of 1878, one son was Joseph Walker Steele, and the other Valley Joseph Steele. Both died in separate years, but if you look at the census record you only ever see one son by the name of Joseph age 2 on the 1880 census. He is the child I asked you to remember because he is an important part of Rosella and her story. We know one of these sons, is the son listed on the 1880 census with his father William. None of the other census with William Steele is either Joseph listed. I believe this Joseph is Valley Joseph Steele. I will show you the reason I believe this, as we continue. Joseph is on the census below. (ROEP) states that Valley died 1942. Joseph Walker died 1892 when he would have been about 14 years old, But only one of them is listed on the 1880 census. The 1890 census was destroyed by fire.
(Source: Texas University – Texshare Database – Heritage Quest)
Rosella Presley and Her story
Rosella was Elvis Presley’s Great Grandmother, daughter of Dunnan (Dummis) Presley and Martha Jane Wesson, Grand daughter of Emily (Millie) Bowen and Edward Wesson. Her Grandmother Millie raised Rosella and her sister Rosalinda probably since infancy. Her father Dunnan Presley vanished from their lives when they were very young. It appears their mother did too.
Of all the stories told about Rosella none of them talk much about Martha Jane. From the records of her land we know she lived at least until 1896. She is never listed in the same house with Rosella, Rosalinda, or Dunnan. Martha is hardly mentioned. We may never know much about her except what you have seen here.
Rosella was a hardworking sharecropper, who had 9 or 10 children. Rosella was a good mother and loved her children. Many claim she never married. Yet there is one record that verifies she may have been for a short time. On the 1880 and 1900 census she was listed as single. The 1910 census she is listed with her son Noah P. Presley, as a widow. I have not located a marriage record for Rosella, yet this record says she was a widow. It is hard to say for sure if she was married but this is a start.
There are many claims Rosella’s children were fathered by various men. I will show you the evidence that points to at least one child’s father. Roots of Elvis Presley may have also been wrong about, one of William’s children, and who that child’s mother really is. (ROEP) claims that Sarah, William Steele’s wife is Valley (Vollie) Joseph Steele’s mother. There are records showing differently. At first anyone could make this mistake because it my have been hidden and later revealed, that Sarah was not Valley’s mother. I asked you earlier to remember Joseph, William Steele’s son, listed with him on the 1880 census. Here William is married to Sarah and Joseph is listed as son. From this we would think Sarah is his mother.
(Source: Texas University – Texshare Database – Heritage Quest)
1890 census destroyed by fire. Only fragments remain. Records not found for William and his son, Joseph.
By 1900 we have Valley Steele on the Fulton, Itawamba, Mississippi census as a Hired hand, with Mary Arkins and her family. Here he is listed as single, age 21. He was born February 1879 according to this census. (ROEP) says he was born March 1878.
(Source: Texas University – Texshare Database – Heritage Quest)
In 1910, Valley is on this census with his wife Cleo and 4 children. Look at who Valley’s neighbors are. Walter G. Pressley with his wife Samantha, and son Carrol. Just below Walter and his family is William M. Steele, his wife Sarah, and two of his son. Just below him is William’s son, Charley. This is why I feel that Joseph on the 1880 census was Valley. Here on the 1910 census, he is listed as neighbor to his brothers and Father. Walter was his brother too but Valley may or may not have known it at this point.
(Source: Texas University – Texshare Database – Heritage Quest)
And now the evidence that show Valley’s mother was not Sarah. On the 1920 census we have Walter and his family. Listed just below him we have STEELE VALLEY J. PRESLEY. This is Valley J. Steele, William’s son, but he is calling himself Steele Valley J. Presley. Keeping both his father and mother’s name. He is Rosella and William Steele’s son.
(Source: Texas University – Texshare Database – Heritage Quest)
Take note of Dee, Rosie, Walter, and Steel Valley J. Presley. The locations are extremely close. They are on the same series, roll, and Page of this census. This is the 1920 census compilation of Presley’s
ROSIE PRESLEY 55 W ITAWAMBA 4-BT MS - Series: T625 Roll: 877 Page: 240A
DEE PRESLEY 23 W ITAWAMBA FULTON MS - Series: T625 Roll: 877 Page: 253A
WALTER G. PRESLEY 40 W ITAWAMBA TILDEN MS - Series: T625 Roll: 877 Page: 268A
STEELE VALLEY J. PRESLEY 41 W ITAWAMBA TILDEN MS - Series: T625 Roll: 877 Page: 268A William Steele is also on the same 1920 census as Rosella and her sons.
WILLIAM STEELE 79 W ITAWAMBA TILDEN MS - Series: T625 Roll: 877 Page: 267A Who is Steele Valley J. Presley's mother?
We can see from the evidence that Valley J. Steele is in fact Steele Valley J. Presley, Rosella Presley and William Steele’s child. This evidence is more than circumstantial. William could possibly be Walter’s father as well some of Rosella’s other children. Walter was born 1 year after Valley. But because this would be circumstantial evidence we can not say he is Walter’s father for sure. Valley is the only child so far with evidence that once he had his father’s name and then took his mother’s name. Sarah was not Valley’s mother, Rosella is. This is why Valley is living near his brother Walter, Mother Rosella and his Steele family. Using both his father and mother’s name on the 1920 Tilden, Itawamba, Mississippi US Federal Census.
(ROEP) does say that Walter G. Presley is William Steele and Rosella’s son. There is a chance that this is true, but we have no real way of knowing without records of some sort. More research will be needed to determine if there is a relationship and if William could be the father of any of the other children of Rosella.
The link below is to a suggested genealogy that says Valley was Rosella Presley’s child. The birthdates are not correct for some of Rosella’s children. But these are her children. Steele Valley J. Presley was one of the children listed as Rosella’s child.
It appears that William Steele lived very close to Rosella and her son’s nearly all his life. He first married Mrs. Millie Wesson, then Sarah, and had at least one child with Rosella. (ROEP) says he had a child with Rosalinda. The child’s name is Martha Jane Presley born 1880. It seems by the evidence of dates according to the census, that Rosella had a child by William when she was 16 years old. I have not found any evidence of Rosalinda having a child by William Steele. More research will also be needed to determine this.
(ROEP) is correct about Rosalinda’s name Mary. She did call herself Mary Presley where she is listed with her son Canan Presley on the 1920 Lee, Mississippi US Federal Census. Here Mary is said to be a widow. She too may have been married at some point in her life, or t least considered herself as married.
Noah E. Presley, one of Rosella's sons.
Noah was elected Mayor of East Tupelo in 1936.
A posting on Find a grave lists his father as Tom Hussey. Apparently he married twice and raised 17 children!
(Source: Texas University – Texshare Database – Heritage Quest)
Rosella’s name appears to be Rosie M. Presley on the 1900 Pleasinton Pct. Itawamba, Mississippi US Federal Census. Her name is in the Heritage Quest database as Rosie M. Presley when searching her name. Many common genealogies state her middle name was Martha. (ROEP) believes her middle name to be Elizabeth, according to a headstone that has Rosie Elizebeth Presley Feb. 16, 1861 – July 30, 1924 on it. On the 1900 Pleasinton Pct. Itawamba, Mississippi US Federal Census states Rosella was born Feb. 1862. 1900 Pleasinton Pct. Itawamba, Mississippi US Federal Census
(Source: Texas University – Texshare Database – Heritage Quest)
The International Gen ealogical Index at FamilySearch™ http://www.familysearch.org These are genealogies in the IGI that suggest Rosella was married to the following men.
John Wallace born Aug 01 1853 Itawamba County, Mississippi
William Marion Steele born September 1840 Georgia
So far William from Georgia is the only one so far that we have records to prove that he was the father of at least one of Rosella’s children, Valley J. Steele/Steele Valley J. Presley.
More research will be needed to verify the other named men above.
There is many more myths connected to Rosella. We could not cover all of them here.
I have found other web sites and books that have information that can be verified as false. A few examples are:
Martha’s mother’s maiden name is Emily Bowen and not Emily Ferguson. Emily’s father was William Bowen/Boon from Northampton, NC.
(Delta Presley Biggs, shown above at Graceland in 1960 with her brother Vester, mother Minnie Mae and cousin Mackey Hargett - Source: Elvis2001.net)
The Delta/Dixie Presley Claim
The next example is the book, “Elvis a Biography by Kathleen Tracy.” In her book she states that Delta (Dixie) Presley , Vernon’s sister, was committed to a mental institution, because she had syphilis. That she was married to Tom Greenwood. That she contracted the disease from infidelity.
I have looked for a mental institution in Jackson, Mississippi where she was said to have been committed and as far as I can see, no mental institution in Jackson during the time frame. Also Most Elvis fans know that Delta (Dixie), Vernon’s sister lived at Graceland* until she died. I would hardly call that an institution. They called her Aunt Delta. She was married to a man named Biggs**. No record so far can be found of a marriage or other record to Tom Greenwood. Tracy claims that this information came from Earl Greenwood. Delta never had Syphilis. She liked to drink and swear, and had diabetes. She died at Graceland.
Real and accurate sources of the Records of Elvis’ "ancestors” can be found in “Ancestors of Elvis Aaron Presley 50 Generations Revised and Edited Edition” and some records of his Presley ancestors that were from Palatine, Germany are on my web site. The Bressler’s/Presley’s were vine dressers and a very unique part of history. Arriving in New York in 1710 on a ship named FAME. Links to these records and sources are at my web site. To learn more about this please visit - http://Elvisancestors.0catch.com
EIN Notes:
* That Delta/Dixie lived at Graceland is confirmed by various sources including in her sister, Nash Lorene Presley Pritchett's 's book, One flower while I live (Shelby House, 1987)
** Delta's husband was Pat Biggs who died in 1967. After Pat's death Elvis asked her to come and live at Graceland where she took over the duties of housekeeper and later caring for her mother, Minnie Mae, in her final years. (Source: One flower while I live)
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