Mary Elizabeth McDaniel (sometimes incorrectly spelled McDaniels)...

Birth & Parents:

Mary was born between 1861-1863 in Knox county Tennessee.

Some reports & family trees incorrectly state that she was born in Gibson county Tennessee between 1870 & 1872 to Francis & Emily McDaniel. This is not the same Mary McDaniel. This Mary could not have been born between 1870 & 1872, as this would have her married to her first husband at between 5 & 7 years old and having had her first child at between 10 & 12...this is nearly impossible.

After much research (census & other records), I have confirmed that Mary's parents were Elijah H. McDaniel & Mary J. Harrett (or Harrell). Locating her correct parents has been difficult, likely because Ancestry.com has had her name incorrectly transcribed from an extremely faded 1870 Monroe county Tennessee census as "Eliza Mcconnel". The 1880 census is much more legible, making her & her family easier to locate.

First Marriage & Child:

Mary Elizabeth McDaniel married first, Berry Benson Nalley on February 11, 1877 in McMinn county Tennessee. They had one child together...

James Rufus Nalley (1882-1943)

Some reports & family trees state that Berry Benson Nalley’s second wife Mahaley Elizabeth Clenden was the mother of James Rufus Nalley. This is incorrect, as stated in James Nalley death certificate and confirmed by James Nalley himself in a conversation with his grandaughter...

According to Jeanette Lee Crick, when very young, distinctly recalls a conversation with her grandfather (James Rufus Nalley) stating that Mary Elizabeth McDaniel was his mother.

Divorce:

Berry Benson Nalley left Mary in 1882 either during her pregnancy or right after James was born. By between 1883-1886, he was remarried to Mahaley Elizabeth Clenden. A variety of incorrect spellings exist for Mahaley Clenden’s last name, including: Clendinen, Clendenning, Clendenen, Clendennen, Clindening Glendenning, Glendennon, Glendoning, and Glendining.

This is further detailed in an email from Jeanette Lee Crick to Tamara McAnally…

“Yes. My grandfather, James Rufus Nalley (my mother's father) was the son of Berry B. Nalley and Mary McDaniel. According to Knox County records they were married 2/22/1877.

I do not know when Berry walked away from my great grandmother (Mary) and my grandfather, but my grandfather never knew his father. In fact, I did not even know his name until I started on the search for my family history. The first thing I learned was of the marriage of my great grandmother and Berry. I had no idea where to start but I picked up the marriage records of Knox County, Tn - 1796-1900 and found only one listing of Nalley. I knew that was my grandfather's last name, but I had no idea what his mother's name nor his father's first name was.”

Second Marriage & Children:

Mary McDaniel married second, James Madison Huffman on April 3, 1890 in Loudon county Tennessee. He was born in March 27th 1867 in Roane county Tennessee and died July 17th 1936 in Knoxville, Knox county Tennessee.

James Huffman was the uncle of Ellis Franklin Huffman, who married Mary's oldest son James Rufus Nalley. In other words, James Rufus married his step-father's niece 10 years after his mother married James Huffman.

James Huffman & Mary McDaniel had six known children together...

Ada Josephine Huffman Wyrick (1886-1958)
Edith Mae Huffman Tramell (1893-1970)
William Huffman (1894-1915)
R. Vina Huffman Price (1898-1976)
Dora Elizabeth Huffman Pass (1900-1986)
Joseph Richard Huffman (1905-1962)

Email from Jeanette Lee Crick to Tamara McAnally continued…

“It seems that Papa's mother married the second time to an uncle of the young lady that Papa later married. I have not found divorce records(yet)of Berry and Mary, nor a record of his and his second wife's marriage. But then, I don't know what name he was living under after that either. I will share any information that I have if you are interested. Papa and Mama had 6 children, my mother was the oldest of their children. My mother and all of her brothers and sisters are dead.

Sorry to make this so long, but my grandfather was a very special man in my life. He was very dear to my brothers and sisters. I am from a family of ten children and we all loved our father and we loved Papa Nalley next. My oldest sister was 83 Mar. 12 and the baby of our family, a brother, is 62. So we, too, are aging.

If you have information on Berry's family after they moved to Illinois and Mississippi, I would like to have it. Papa Nalley was born in Cumberland County, IL in 1883. I would like to keep in contact.

Thanks for contacting me.
Jeanette Crick”

Later Life:
Mary and James Huffman and their children lived out the remainder of their lives in the Knox & Loudon county areas of Tennessee.

Death & Burial:

Mary passed away on June 23rd 1922 in Knoxville, Knox county Tennessee. Her second husband, James, passed away 14 years later. They are buried together at the Shady Grove cemetery. It is located at the junction of Northshore Drive and Harvey Road in the Shady Grove community. It is in Knox county Tennessee near the Loudon county line. The church name is Shady Grove Missionary Baptist Church.

- Charles B. Lee Jr.