A Timeline for Barsheba Fleming(1834-1898) of White Co. TN & later Polk & Newton Counties of Arkansas

Found a power of attorney for Barsheba Fleming, one of my Hitchcock  & Fleming double cousins.  It mentioned the estates of her father, her paternal grandfather, and her maternal grandmother.  This led to me finding another document(a mineral lease) filed by her maternal aunt in 1865 for the land that was part of her maternal grandmother's estate. So I thought it would be a good time to fix a timeline and sources for her and save it as a PDF on my tree at Ancestry.  I can add to it as I find more.

Barsheba Fleming(1834-1898)

• c. 1834: Birth - Born in Tennessee to Alfred Patten Fleming and Nancy Hitchcock.

• 1840: Residence - Listed in the federal census living with parents in White County, Tennessee(presumably the White Female age 5-9 yrs old)

• 1850: Residence - Listed in the federal census living with her parents in District 6, White County, Tennessee.

• 1855: First Marriage- Marries George Washington Bickle in Tennessee.

• c. 1856: Migration - Moves west with her husband to Polk County, Arkansas, where her first child, John Henry Bickle, is born.

• 1856:  Death in Family - Her widowed maternal grandmother, Millie Riddle Hitchcock, passes away in Tennessee; 

• January 4, 1859: Father's Death - Her father, Alfred Patten Fleming, passes away in Polk County, Arkansas.

• 1860: Death in Family - Her paternal grandfather, John Fleming, passes away in Van Buren County, Tennessee. Likely a dower freeze on any land owned.

• 1860: Residence - Listed in the federal census living in Center, Polk County, Arkansas.

• May 29, 1861: Grandmother's Prenup & Remarriage- Her widowed grandmother, Nancy Combs Fleming, signs a prenuptial agreement protecting her separate property before marrying William Neal in Van Buren County, Tennessee. 

• c. 1865: Divorce & Second Marriage - Divorces George W. Bickle and marries Joseph Joel Canady in Polk County, Arkansas. (Note: Local courthouse records for these events were later destroyed in an 1883 fire).

• June 22, 1865: Mineral Rights Lease - Maternal Aunt Amelia "Milly" Hitchcock Pursley signs a 30-year mining lease on the Millie Riddle Hitchcock tract in Warren County, TN, set to expire around 1895.(Note: The 100 acre tract of land which was owned by George Hitchcock(Milly Riddle Hitchcock's husband) is mentioned in this document

• 1870: Residence =Residing in Prairie, Marshall Prairie, Newton County, Arkansas, working as a housekeeper.

• December 28, 1874: Mother's Death = Her mother, Nancy Hitchcock Fleming, passes away in Polk County, Arkansas.

• January 4, 1880: Widowed = Her second husband, Joseph Joel Canady, passes away in Arkansas.

• 1880: Residence - Listed in the federal census as a widowed head of household in Prairie, Newton County, Arkansas.

• January 26, 1881: Third Marriage - Marries J. W. Gamblin in Newton County, Arkansas.

• April 26, 1881: The Catalyst Death - Her paternal grandmother, Nancy Combs Fleming Neal, passes away in Llano County, Texas. 

• February 2, 1886: The Power of Attorney- Barsheba and J. W. Gamblin execute a Power of Attorney which was recorded in Van Buren County, Tennessee records, appointing William T. Murray to collect her inherited shares from the estates of her father (Alfred P. Fleming-d. 1859), grandfather (John Fleming d. 1860), and maternal grandmother (Millie Riddle Hitchcock d. 1856).

• August 12, 1894: Widowed Again - Her third husband, J. W. Gamblin, passes away in Arkansas.

• 1898: Death -Barsheba passes away in Mena, Polk County, Arkansas, and is buried in Dallas, Polk County.

Sources:

1840 US Federal Census Population Schedule, White County, Tennessee, Dist Not Stated, p 47(written) Alfred Flemming Household; Digital Images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GYB7-46Q :  accessed 5 July 2026), IGN 5154905, Image 54 of 766.

1850 US Federal Census Population Schedule, White County, Tennessee, Dist 6, p. 60(stamped), Dwelling 780, Family 780, Line 10, Barsheba Fleming in Household of Alfred & Nancy Fleming; image, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-68KL-F7 accessed 5 July 2026) IGN 4206057, Image 123 of 252.

1860 US Federal Census Population Schedule, Polk County Arkansas, Center Twp., Dallas P.O., pg 16 (written) Dwelling 409, Family 405, Line 21, Barsheba Bickle; image, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9YB6-SYXQ : accessed 5 July 2026), IGN 5165619, Image 84 of 507.

1870 US Federal Census Population Schedule, Newton County Arkansas, Prairie Twp., Marshall Prairie P.O., p. 7(written), p 187(stamped), line 11, Barsheba Canady; image, FamilySearch

(https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-6MZQ-RDJ: accessed 5 July 2026), IGN 4259274(item 3), image 76 of 117.

1880 US Federal Census Population Schedule, Newton County, Prairie Twp., p 618(stamped), Dwelling 411, Family 420, Barshby Kennedy; image FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GYYN-S2N1 : accessed 5 July 2026), IGN 5157270, image 544 of 827.

"Arkansas, County Marriages, 1837-1957," Marriage Records Book B 1879–1888, p. 37, Entry for J W Gamblin and B A Canady, 26 January 1881; image, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-DTY3-JVS : 5 July 2026), IGN 4331444, Image 318 of 623.

Warren Co TN Deed Book Vol 1 Mar 1866- July 1867, p 113-116, Mineral Rights Lease by Milly Hitchcock Pursely to W H Hart? 22 June 1865; images, 

FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS1X-M9K2-M : accessed 5 July 2026), IGN 8418856, Image 321-323 of 580.

Van Buren Co Tennessee,  Guardian Administrators & Executor's Settlements, Vol 3 , 24 Feb 1886–Jul 1951, p 1,  J.W. Murray Power of Attorney for W G Gamblin and wife Barsheba; image, 
FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S7WF-SVD1-P9 : accessed 2 July 2026) IGN 4776207, Image 164 of 745.

Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/83004612/barsheba_a-gamblin: accessed July 5, 2026), memorial page for Barsheba A Fleming Gamblin (1834–1898),Memorial ID 83004612, citing Old Dallas Cemetery, Dallas, Polk County, Arkansas, USA.