John Wesley Dial was my great-great-grandfather. He was born on March 19, 1875 in Green Hill, Lauderdale County, Alabama to Rebecca and William T. Dial. He married Martha Ada Boyd when he was 24 on September 12, 1899 in Wayne County, Tennessee.

The problem is that A LOT of family trees on Ancestry and beyond put my John Wesley Dial with the wrong set of parents. I have messaged tree creators to ask them to update their trees, but I’ve received limited responses and most people just ignore my requests. To preserve family history for future generations, I really want John’s parents to be accurate.

Yes, there WAS another John W. Dial. He lived in the Wayne County, Tennessee area also. He was also born about 1875. He’s on the 1880 census with his parents Amos Riley Dial and Anna. This ISN’T the John Wesley Dial who married Martha Ada Boyd.

Evidence

1. Take a look at the 1880 census record in Lauderdale, Alabama. You’ll find my John Wesley Dial living with his parents, William and Rebecca “Ann”, along with his siblings:William Dial 27
   Ann Dial 24
   Eddie Dial 7
   John Dial 5
   Annie Dial 3
   Pink Dial 1

2. The U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007, lists John Wesley Dial, SSN 411126766, born 19 Mar 1875 in Lauderdale, Alabama to William Dial and Beck A Hardin [Becky Ann]. For more information on John’s mom, click here.

3. I have photos of John with his siblings! Family photos…the best proof yet!

John’s siblings:
Edith Elizabeth Eddie Dial Canerday 1873–1906
Annie Dial 1877–
William Pink Dial 1878–1948
Roberta Birdie Dial Liles 1880–1955
Vernon Mary Dial Gist 1885–1960
Nannie Willie Dial Hamm 1887–1938
Lema Dial Camper 1891–1915
Reba Elizabeth Dial Davis 1893–1975