Charlotte & James Hitchcock Divorce and Land Division in Bledsoe Co. TN (1883)

In the process of looking for more information about my 2 great grandparents Wm  P Hale & Arminda Hitchcock Hale, I found two divorces, neither of which I'd ever heard about.  One for Wm P Hale's sister and her 2nd husband which I blogged about in an earlier post and this document, the divorce of Arminda's parents, James P Hitchcock & Charlotte Hitchcock who were in their 70s.

Included here are is a summary of the entries I found along with a partial transcription from the proceedings which granted the divorce.  There was also a drawing of the land included.

To see the full entries please visit the links given in the sources listed at the end of this post.

Summary

p 158  Image 111

Charlotte Hitchcock complainant

James Hitchcock defendant

James was subpoenaed and failed to come forward and offer a defense.  

Hearing date set.

p  175 Image 119[FamilySearch IGN 8478557]

it appears to the satisfaction of the Court, that the Petitioner Charlotte Hitchcock is entitled to the relief sought. It is therefore ordered, adjudged & decreed by the Court that the bonds of matrimony heretofore subsisting between the petitioner Charlotte Hitchcock and defendant James Hitchcock be and is dissolved and this petitioner Charlotte Hitchcock be restored to all the rights and powers of a single woman And it appearing to the satisfaction of the Court that defendant is the owner of a lot of personal property, set out in the petition in this cause a portion of which is in the possession of petitioner and the Court being of opinion that the Petitioner is entitled to a personal property, as alimony he is pleased to adjudge & decree that Petitioner keep & retain as her absolute property, the personal property shown in her petition to be in her possession, which about one half said property and if further appearing to the Court that the Deft is the owner of the following described real estate, in Bledsoe Co. Term situated in the 1st Civil district in said County, One Two Thousand Tract of land granted by the State of Tenn to James Hitchcock per grant No 11233 Registered in the register 's office Mountain District Book X pages 376 & 377 and Survey is dated 18th day of February 1854.

p 176 Image 120 [FamilySearch IGN 8478557]

Nov 12, 1883

County Surveyor and Commissioners ordered to divide the land

p. 191-193 Images 127-128 [FamilySearch IGN 8478557]

Contains a description of the division and this drawing

Sources:
Bledsoe Co TN Minute Books, Civil & Criminal Oct 1881-Nov 1889, p. 158, Charlotte Hitchcock vs James Hitchcock; image, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C39J-CQG9-5 : accessed October 6, 2026), IGN 8478557, Image 111 of 622.

Bledsoe Co TN Minute Books, Civil & Criminal Oct 1881-Nov 1889,p. 175, Charlotte Hitchcock vs James Hitchcock; image, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C39J-CQL1-8 : accessed October 6, 2026), IGN 8478557, Image 119-120 of 622.

Bledsoe Co TN Minute Books, Civil & Criminal Oct 1881-Nov 1889, p. 191-193, Charlotte Hitchcock vs James Hitchcock; image, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C39J-CQGS-N : accessed October 6, 2026), IGN 8478557, Image 127-128 of 622.

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.

Heirs of Thomas Jones(1812-1896): White County, Tennessee Chancery Records

I found a court case at FamilySearch that involved land that Thomas Jones of White Co., Tennessee, owned at the time of his death. The land was being sold, so there was a need to confirm his heirs. This was not taking place a few months after his death, but over 25 years after he had passed. Some of his children were deceased by that time as well, which necessitated naming their children, and—in cases where a grandchild was deceased—their surviving children.

This is a lot of great information for anyone researching this family. Thomas' wife, Rebecca Hitchcock Jones, was a sister to my 3rd-great-grandfather, James P. Hitchcock. The file includes 12 children, 22 grandchildren (representing the 6 deceased children), and 10 great-grandchildren (representing the 2 deceased grandchildren).

I extracted the information on the heirs from the file and have organized it in a spreadsheet, in which I also included the source citation. I plan to save it as a PDF and attach it to Thomas Jones' profile within my family tree at Ancestry.

Oscar Thomas Jones( 27 Nov 1865-14 Dec 1952)--Sparta, Tennessee, USA

Oscar Thomas Jones(my 2nd Cousin 3 times removed) is a Hitchcock & Riddle descendant(through his Mom) and doubly kin to Hitchcocks as his Dad's paternal grandmother was a Hitchcock.

He also descends from Thomas Jones and Rebecca Hitchcock.  Oscar was the son of Francis Jones. Francis was the older brother of Almedia, Omelia, and Catherine Jones—the three deaf Jones sisters I have written about previously on this blog in 2017, and most recently on Substack (see: Reconstructing a Nineteenth-Century Network: The Jones-Bronson-Fuller-Bassett Family and the Special Censuses).

Rev. O.T. Jones Killed in Wreck Sunday Morning

A car driven by J. T. Gracey, in which Mrs. Gracey and Rev. O. T. Jones were passengers, and a car driven by Mrs. Robert Poore, whose 5-year-old daughter, Betty Ruth Poore, was a passenger, collided at an intersection on the Smithville road Sunday, resulting in the death of Rev. Jones before his arrival at the hospital.

All the others were taken to the White County Hospital.

Mr. and Mrs. Gracey suffered cuts and bruises and Mrs. Gracey's collarbone was broken.

Mrs. Poore suffered a shoulder fracture, and she and her daughter suffered cuts and bruises. Mrs. Poore is still in the Hospital.

Rev O T Jones

Oscar Thomas Jones was born November 27, 1865 and died December 14, 1952; having been blessed by Our Heavenly Father with a long life of 87 years and 17 days.

When brother Jones was about 50 years of age, he was married to Miss Nola Jones, who survives him. Though he never had children of his own, he raised four children, all of whom survive. They are Mrs. L. H. Lafever, of Honolulu; Odella Anderson of Sparta; J. T. Gracey of Sparta; and Miss Nell Jones who was living in his home at the time of his death. The fact that he was unselfishly concerned to help, and to raise the children; who love him like a father, is indicative the kind of man brother Jones was.

He was concerned to help, not only these children, but all other people about him. This he did: never failing his friends and neighbors in times of sorrow such as has now come to those who loved him; and family, and other neighbors. Brother Jones was a member of the Baptist Church; and a faithful, active christian.

Source:
"Rev. O.T. Jones Killed in Wreck Sunday Morning," The Sparta Expositor (Sparta, Tennessee), 18 December 1952, vol. 77, no. 35, p. 1, col. 8; digital image, FamilySearch (
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QHV-13RR-YYQC : accessed 29 June 2026), IGN 008984674, image 375 of 1142.

Mothers of my Direct Line--Out to the 2nd Great Level

In celebration of Mother's Day I've gathered the information I have for the Mothers in my direct line out to my 2nd Great Grandmothers.  I did not include my mother as she is still living. This was a very interesting exercise and it let me see where I have opportunities for more research on these mother lines.  My Dad's mother, Pearl Gray Jakes Cooke was the only one of these women that I met.

Decoration Day where my maternal grandparents and maternal great grandparents are buried is on Mother's Day.  I remember when we would go to place flowers on the graves that the women whose mother was still living wore a red rose and those whose mother had passed on wore a white rose.

Grandmothers

Pearl Gray Jakes Cooke

Birth: 21 Mar 1891 in Bell Buckle, Bedford Co., Tennessee

Death: 1 Jul 1993 in Dickson, Dickson Co., Tennessee (Aged 102)

Burial: Jul 1993 at Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Davidson County, Tennessee

Parents

Father: James M Jakes (1857–1941) 

Mother: Telitha Ann Frizzell (1858–1920).

Husband

Thomas Dewitt Cooke (1888–1971), married 10 Mar 1912 in Shelbyville, Bedford County, TN solemnized by Brom R. Whittemore, Justice of the Peace.

Children

Magnus Elizabeth Cooke (1913–2000)

Viola White Cooke (1915–2006)

Thomas Dewitt Cooke (1918–1927)

Olive June Cooke (1923–2006)

Morris Bradford Cooke (1927–1994)

Billy Joe Cooke (1930–2011)

Living- Daughter

She survived six of her seven siblings living to the age of 102 and lost her 8 yr old son Tomie D to scarlet fever.

Sources

Census 

1900 Bedford Co TN Dist 4 p 12B

1910 Bedford Co TN Bell Buckle p 6A

1920 Marshall Co TN Dist 1 p 4B

1930 Davidson Co TN Dist 4 p 28A

1940 Davidson Co TN Dist 4 Old Hickory p 10B

1950 Davidson Co TN Old Hickory ED 19-17 Sheet 10

Vital Records

Tennessee Delayed Birth Records (1869-1909)

She was 60 years old when she applied for her delayed TN birth certicate. The sources on that certificate are the births of two of  her children, Jakes Family Bible and her sister's death certificate.

Pearl is listed as Mother in the US Social Security Application and Claims Index accounts of her children Magnus, Viola, June and Morris.

US City Directories

She is listed in several City Directories in the 1950s in Nashville.

Newspapers.com obituary from The Tennessean (3 Jul 1993)

https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tennessean-obituary-of-pearl-gray-ja/12003253/

Several personal items are noted, including saved envelopes from her scrapbooks that verify her various Nashville addresses. 

Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/34100383/pearl_gray-cooke : accessed May 8, 2026), memorial page for Pearl Gray Jakes Cooke (21 Mar 1891–1 Jul 1993), Memorial ID 34100383, citing Mount Olivet Cemetery, Nashville, Davidson County, Tennessee, USA.

You can read more about her in a blog post I did a number of years back on her birthday.

https://mariegen.blogspot.com/2017/03/march-21-1891-birthday-of-pearl-gray.html

DNA

atDNA matches in the expected range with cousins that descend from the Jakes & Frizzell lines and thru siblings of Pearl.

mtDNA haplogroup U3a1c8a.

Minnie Acuff Luna

Birth: October 26, 1899, in Van Buren County, Tennessee.

Death: July 5, 1957, in Lincoln County, Tennessee.

Burial: Charity Baptist Church Cemetery, Hazel Green, Alabama.

Minnie's obituary is transcribed in my blog post at

https://mariegen.blogspot.com/2026/04/obituary-of-minnie-acuff-luna-lincoln.html

Parents

Father: James Polk Acuff (1872–1939)

Mother: Emma Frances Hale (1875–1939)

Husband

William Richard Luna (1892–1994) married July 18, 1915, in Van Buren Co., Tennessee.

Children

Eustace/Huston Haskell Luna (1916–1992)

James Bertrom Luna (1919–2000)

Geneva Hortense Luna (1922–1923)

Mary Elizabeth Luna (1924–1925)

Ressie Mae Luna (1926–2015)

Otis Linel Luna (1929–2006)

Jessie Lee Luna (1932–2024)

Living Daughter

William Ernest "Bill" Luna (1937–2020)

My Mother who is still living

Roy Wayne Luna (1943–2013)

Sources

Censuses

1900 Van Buren Co TN Dist 1 p2A

1910 Van Buren Co TN Dist 1 p2A

1920 Madison Co AL Dallas p 10B

1930 Lincoln Co TN Dist 2 p 7A

1940 Lincoln Co TN p 4B

1950 Van Buren Co TN ED 88-5 sheet 3

Vital Records

She lost two infant daughters, Geneva & Elizabeth. Elizabeth's birth announcement was listed in the Huntsville Times(AL).

She was in and out of the hospital several times. My Mom remembers that they pulled fluid off of her frequently.  

She was struck by lightning and lived.

She was also hit by a stray bullet from folks hunting while sitting in her front yard in Van Buren Co TN and survived that but died at the age of 57.

Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/9335871/minnie-luna : accessed May 8, 2026), memorial page for Minnie Acuff Luna (26 Oct 1899–5 Jul 1957),.Memorial ID 9335871, citing Charity Baptist Church Cemetery, Hazel Green, Madison County, Alabama, USA.

atDNA matches in the expected range with cousins that descend from the Acuff & Hale lines and thru siblings of Minnie.

mtDNA haplogroup is H3ei2.

Great Grandmothers

Jane Bell King Cook

Birth: March 5, 1853, in Arkansas.

Death: May 7, 1921, in Rockvale, Rutherford Co, Tennessee. 

The cause of death is noted as pulmonary tuberculosis.

Burial: May 1921, at the King Cook Cemetery in Rover, Bedford County, Tennessee.

Parents

Father: William Benton King (1819–1901)

Mother: Eliza Jane Manire (1818–1896)

Husband

William Green Cook (1854–1944); Married 1876.Marriage: February 3, 1876, in Bedford County, Tennessee, to William Green Cook.

Children

John Lemuel Cook (1877–1968)

Rebecca Love Cook (1882–1928)

Eliza Amacy Cook (1885–1973)

Thomas Dewitt Cooke (1888–1971)

William Clarence Cook (1891–1962)

Laura E. Cook (1896–1898)

Sources 

Census

1860 Bedford Co TN Dist 10 Rover P.O. p222

1870 Bedford Co TN Dist 10 p 292A

1880 Bedford Co TN Dist 10 p 275C

1900 Bedford Co TN Dist 9 p 5B

1910 Rutherford Co TN Dist 12  p 14B

1920 Entire Household was missed (She had Tuberculosis)

Vital Records

Jane is listed as mother on the TN Death Certificates of her son Clarence and her daughter Rebecca.

Jane is listed as mother on the Indiana Death Certificate of daughter, Eliza.

Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/15668259/jane_belle-cook : accessed May 7, 2026), memorial page for Jane Belle King Cook (5 Mar 1853–7 May 1921),Memorial ID 15668259, citing King-Cook Cemetery, Unionville, Bedford County, Tennessee, USA.

DNA

atDNA matches in the expected range with cousins that descend from the King & Manire lines and thru siblings of Jane.

Telitha Ann Frizzell Jakes

Birth: 28 Mar 1858 in Bedford County, Tennessee.

Death: 18 May 1920 in Bedford County, Tennessee 

Burial: 19 May 1920 at Willow Mount Cemetery, Bedford County, Tennessee.

Parents

David W. Frizzell (1808–1870)

Rebecca Manley (1818–1862)

Husband

James M. Jakes (1857–1941)01 Sep 1880 in Rutherford County, Tennessee.

Children

Ella Ruby Jakes (1881–1934)

Fannie Cora Jakes (1883–1965)

Lula B. Jakes (1885–1977)

Katherine "Kitty" Jakes (1887–1963)

John L. Jakes (1889–1937)

Pearl Gray Jakes (1891–1993)

William Bryan Jakes (1897–1997)

Frank Euless Jakes (1900–1983)

Sources

Census 

1860 Bedford Co TN Dist 4 p 117

1870 Bedford Co TN Dist 4 p 171B

1880 Never Located her in this census

1900 Bedford Co TN Dist 4 p 12B

1910 Bedford Co TN Bell Buckle p 6A

1920 Bedford Co TN Dist 7 excluding Shelbyville p 1B

Vital Records

Annie is listed as Mother on son John's Social Security Applications and Claims Index and also on his TN Death Certificate as well as the TN Death Certificate of daughter Cora.

Property Records: Bedford County Deed Book 21, p 124 (Recording the sale of land to Abe Eaton in 1914).

Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/95394553/thelitha_ann-jakes: accessed May 7, 2026), memorial page for Thelitha Ann “Annie” Frizzell Jakes (28 Mar 1858–18 May 1920), Memorial ID 95394553, citing Willow Mount Cemetery, Shelbyville, Bedford County, Tennessee, USA.

DNA
atDNA matches in the expected range with cousins that descend from the Frizzell & Manley lines and thru siblings of Annie.
mtDNA haplogroup U3a1c8a.

Nancy F Pitman Luna

Birth: 1867 in Tennessee.

Death: April 1899

Burial: Indian Mound Cemetery, DeKalb County, Tennessee.

Parents

Father: David Pitman (1838–1922)

Mother: Mary D. Frances Adcock (1842–1902)

Husband

David Enoch Luna (1865–1948) on July 19, 1885, in White Co, Tennessee. 

Bond and License were issued on July 18, 1885.

Children

Minnie Frances Luna (1887–1976)

Martha Elizabeth Luna (1889–1939)

Haskell Luna (1891–1891)

William Richard Luna (1892–1994)

Mary Lee Nova Luna (1896–1996)

Samuel Douglas "Dougie" Luna (1899–1989)

Sources

Census

1870 Rutherford Co TN, Dist 6 p 298B

1880 Dekalb Co TN, p 97B

Research Note

Nancy’s residence moved between Rutherford and DeKalb counties during her youth. Notably, her final child, Samuel, was born in March 1899, just one month before her recorded death in April 1899.

When she gave birth to my maternal Grandfather Will in April of 1892 she was in Jordan, Fulton County, Kentucky.  I've always been puzzled by that because the family lived in the Dekalb, White, and Van Buren Co of Tennessee any other time I find them.  My theory is that she was visiting some of her kinfolk there and went into premature labor.  Pa was a really small baby and they did not think he was going to make it but he lived to be 101 years old--dying less than a month from what would have been his 102 birthday.

Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/57299038/nancy_florence-luna : accessed May 7, 2026), memorial page for Nancy Florence Pittman Luna (1867–1899),Memorial ID 57299038, citing Indian Mound Cemetery, DeKalb County, Tennessee, USA.

Emma Frances "Fannie" Hale Acuff

Birth: 5 Nov 1875 in Cane Ridge, Van Buren County, Tennessee.

Death: 5 Sep 1939 in Huntsville, Madison County, Alabama.

Burial: Sep 1939 at Charity Cemetery in Hazel Green, Madison County, Alabama.

Parents

Father: William P. Hale (1849–1926)

Mother: Nancy Arminda Hitchcock (1840–1887)

Husband

James Polk Acuff: Married 27 Feb 1897 in Van Buren County, Tennessee.

Children

William Elsie Acuff (1898–1981)

Minnie Acuff (1899–1957)

Ovena Acuff (1902–1975)

Ernest Odin Acuff (1904–1935)

Emma Lou Acuff (1908–1994)

Sarah Acuff (1911–1989)

Sources

Census 

1880 Bledsoe Co TN, Dist 1, p 3A HH # 50

1900 Van Buren Co TN, Dist 1, p 2A

1910 Van Buren Co TN, Dist 1, p 2A

1920 Van Buren Co TN, Dist 1, p 10A

1930 Madison Co AL, Dallas, p 10A

Vital Records:

Fannie is listed as the mother on the TN Death Certificate of daughter Minnie as well as in the Social Security Application and Claims Index for daughter, Sarah.

The Huntsville Times, 5 Sep 1939, p 8, col 3

DEATH CLAIMS MRS. ACUFF, 63 

Rites For Local Woman Will Be Held at Home Tomorrow 

Mrs. James Acuff, 63, died this morning at 4 o'clock at the residence, 319 Rison avenue, following a long illness. Funeral services will be held tomorrow afternoon at 4 o'clock at the home, with Homer P. Reeves, minister of the Central Church of Christ, officiating. Burial will follow in Charity cemetery, with Womack in charge of arrangements. Surviving are the husband; one son, William Acuff; four daughters, Mrs. Minnie Luna, Mrs. Ovena Sharp Sara Acuff, all of Huntsville, and Mrs. Emma Sanders, of Tennessee; and two brothers, Sam and Charles Hale, both of McMinnville, Tenn.

Pallbearers at the funeral will be John McBride, Bob Knowles, H. P. Patton, Lloyd Polk, Raymond Smith and Horace Anderton. 

DNA
atDNA matches in the expected range with cousins that descend from the Hale & Hitchcock lines and thru siblings of Fannie.
mtDNA haplogroup is H3ei2.

2nd Great Grandmothers

Elizabeth Putman Cook

Birth: 1814 Union County, South Carolina, USA

Death: Sept 5, 1880 Bedford County, Tennessee, USA

Burial: Sept 1880 Rover, Bedford County, Tennessee, USA

Parents

Father: Jabel Putman (1772–1835)

Mother: Nancy Tyler (1784–1870)

Husband

William Clifford Cook(1811–1882): Married on September 27, 1831

Children

Minerva Cook (1834–1900)

James Polk Cook (1836–1888)

Angeline Cook (1838–1938)

Joseph Knox "Joe" Cook (1840–1907)

Rebecca Cook (1843–1857)

Jefferson Gideon Cook Sr. (1845–1931)

Elizabeth Cook (1848–1848)

David V. Cook (1849–1857)

Lurainy Jane Cook (1852–1924)

William Green Cook (1854–1944)

Cass Buchanan Cook (1857–1908)

Sources

Census

1840 Dyer Co TN p 104

1850 Likely Enumerated in Bedford Co TN Dist 10(Dist 10 entries are lost)

1860 Bedford Co TN, Dist 10, p 222

1870 Bedford Co TN, Dist 10, p 292B

1880 Bedford Co TN, Dist 9, p 269D

Vital Records: Vital Records: Her maiden name is listed on the TN Death Certificate of Daughter Lurainy(though it is not spelled correctly.  Her full name is listed on the TN Death Certificates of son Wm Green Cook and Jefferson Gideon Cook.  I have not yet located the death certificate of Angeline Cook.

Newspapers: National Banner and Nashville Whig (December 7, 1831)announces W C & Elizabeth's Sept marriage along with others.  Note on Marriage Date: While some transcriptions list the marriage as September 29, the original license confirms the ceremony was solemnized by Lemuel Manire on September 27, 1831.

FamilySearch Records: Including a deed for 42 acres in Williamson County

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS4T-Q99F-3

Jabel’s Estate Division of Land. https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:939L-6WVD-J

Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/66488146/elizabeth-cook : accessed May 6, 2026), memorial page for Elizabeth Putman Cook (1814–5 Sep 1880), Memorial ID 66488146, citing Simpson Cemetery, Bedford County, Tennessee, USA.

DNA

atDNA matches in the expected range with cousins that descend from the Putman line thru siblings of Elizabeth.

Eliza Jane Manire King

Birth: 1818 in Williamson Co., Tennessee.

Death: April 1896 in Gainesville, Cooke Co., Texas.

Burial: Gainesville, Cooke Co., Texas.

Parents

Father: David Lemuel Manire (1792–1837)

Mother: Susanna Elizabeth Jackson (1798–1862)

Husband

William Benton King (1819–1901), married in 30 Sep 1841 in Williamson Co., Tennessee. The ceremony was solemnized by William Davis.

Children

Susanna Rebecca King (1842–1932)

Minerva Mary King (1845–1925)

W. J. King (1848–1860)

Stephen Robert King (1850–1913)

Jane Bell King (1853–1921)

Margaret Jordon King (1855–1926)

Richard Nance King (1857–1910)

Sources

Census 

1830 Williamson Co TN p 178 line 16 She is Female 10-14 in fathers Household

1840  Not yet found likely Williamson Co TN in Widowed Mother's Household

1850 Rutherford Co TN Versailles, p 245A

1860 Bedford Co TN Dist 10 p 222

1870 Bedford Co TN Dist 10 p 292A

1880 Bedford Co TN Dist 10 Rover p 275C

Vital Records

Eliza's maiden name of Manier/Manire is listed on Mary Manerva's TX Death Certificate.  Her full name is listed on the TN Death Certificate of her daughter Jane B King Cook.

Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/89397706/eliza_jane-king : accessed May 6, 2026), memorial page for Eliza Jane Manire King (1818–Apr 1896), memorial ID 89397706, citing Fairview Cemetery, Gainesville, Cooke County, Texas, USA.

DNA

atDNA matches in the expected range with cousins that descend from the Manire line thru siblings of Eliza.

Catherine Morrow Jakes

Born: About 1830

Died: After 26 Dec 1881 evidenced by her role in a deed transfer at that time.

Parents

Father:   James Morrow(1785–1839)

Mother:  Margaret Sutton(1792–1844)

Dates of parents death(year) are given in records concerning land which fell to her and her siblings after parents death.

Husband

George Jakes married about 1845

Children

Ann Jakes (1846–1890)

Parthenia Jakes (1847–1895)

Margaret Elizabeth "Bettie" Jakes (13 Jun 1850 – 1933)

Jane Jakes (1855–1898)

James M Jakes (02 May 1857 – 1941)

William Jakes (Born ~1859)

Sources

Census:

1830 Bedford County  p 110 line 1(She is female under 5 in James Morrow's Household)

1840 Not Found likely in Bedford as she marries there abt 1845 look at guardian records

1850 Bedford Co TN Dist 1 p 80(stamped)

1860 Bedford Co TN Dist 1 Fairfield PO p 6(written)

1870 Bedford Co TN Dist 1 Shelbyville PO p 119(stamped)

1880 Rutherford Co TN Dist 24 p 372B

Court & Legal:

To determine a date of death range, the following court case was used.

George Jakes Deed to W A Kelton Rutherford Co TN Dist 24

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSTZ-H3ML-L

Tennessee Death Records (1908-1958) listed on daughter Bettie's TN Death Certificate but spelled as Marr likely from how some pronounced Morrow.

DNA

atDNA matches in the expected range with cousins that descend from the Morrow line thru siblings of Catherine.

Rebecca Manley Frizzell

Birth: 1818 in Bedford County, Tennessee.

Death: 1862 in Bedford County, Tennessee.

Parents

Father: Reuben Manley (1782–1854)

Mother: Margaret Elizabeth Frizzell (1783–1827)

Husband

David W. Frizzell (1808–1870)(source: Frizzell Bible)  15 Nov 1834

Children

Lee Andrew Frizzell (1835–1901)

Margaret Catherine Frizzell (1837–1845)

James Reuben Frizzell (1839–1912)

Mary Elizabeth Frizzell (1840–1910)

David Crockett Frizzell (1842–)

Henry Hugh Clay Frizzell (1845–1917)

Permelia Jane Frizzell (1846–1882)

John B. Frizzell (1851–1929)

Absalom Manley Frizzell (1852–1931)

Theoderick Rushing Frizzell (1854–1926)

Telitha Ann Frizzell (1858–1920)

Sources

Census

1830: Bedford Co Tennessee p  131  Line 16(Female 10-14 in Reuban Manley's Household)

1840: Bedford Co Tennessee p 20 line 1(Female 20-29 in David's Household)

1850: Bedford Co Tennessee Dist 4 p 113B 

1860: Bedford Co Tennessee Dist 4 p 116B 

Tennessee Death Records (1908-1958) She is listed as mother on her children John B, Ab Manley and Telitha Annie's Death Certificates

Frizzell Bible(published 1846) Transcribed in Bible Records of Calloway County and Adjoining Counties(1971)

DNA

atDNA matches in the expected range with cousins that descend from the Manley line thru siblings of Rebecca.

mtDNA haplogroup U3a1c8a

Keziah Rigsby Luna

Birth: May 1832 in Tennessee.

Death: 1909 in DeKalb County, Tennessee.

Burial: 1909 at Indian Mound Cemetery, DeKalb County, Tennessee.

Parent

Father: Canada Rigsby (1788–1848)

Mother: Mary Lewis (1790–1850)

Husband

Elisha Luna (1825–1889)December 11, 1851, in DeKalb County, Tennessee

Children

Samuel Turney Luna (1853–1903)

Elisha Luna (1855– )

James Dykes Luna (1858–1930)

Nancy Frances Luna (1863–1937)

David Enoch Luna (1865–1948)

Perry Green Luna (1869–1920)

Sources

Census

1850 DeKalb Co. TN Dist. 6 p 86 

1860 DeKalb Co. TN Dist. 7 Smithville PO p 129

1870 DeKalb Co. TN Dist. 7 p 177b

1880 DeKalb Co. TN Dist. 7 p 171c

1900 Dekalb Co. TN Dist. 7 p 181

US Federal Census records. These place her consistently in Civil Districts 6 and 7 of DeKalb County, Tennessee.

Vital Records

Tennessee Death Records (1908-1958) Listed as mother on the TN Death Certificate of her sons, James D, and David E.  Also listed as mother on son, Perry G. and daughter, Mary F's AL Death Records.

Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/71693814/keziah_ziggy-luna : accessed May 5, 2026), memorial page for Keziah “Kizzie” Rigsby Luna (May 1832–1909), Memorial ID 71693814, citing Indian Mound Cemetery, DeKalb County, Tennessee, USA.

DNA 

atDNA matches with cousins thru Rigsby and Lewis lines.

Mary Adcock Pitman

Birth: 20 May 1842 DeKalb County, Tennessee
Death: 30 Dec 1902 DeKalb County, Tennessee
Burial: Young Bend Cemetery, DeKalb County, Tennessee

Parents
Father: Thomas Adcock (1817–1905)
Mother: Frances Bowles (1819–1906)

Husband
David Pitman (1838–1922)
Marriage Date: 22 Dec 1859 DeKalb County, Tennessee

Children
Thomas Lucian Pittman (1861–1912)
Marshall Pitman (1865–1939)
Green Pitman (1867– )
Nancy Florence Pittman (1867–1899)
David Harlin Pitman (1869–1949)
Francis P. Pittman (1872–1947)
Mary Evelyn Pittman (1873– )
Sarah L. Pittman (1878–1961)
James M. Pittman (1880–1910)
William Horace Pittman (1883–1953)
John Tatum Pitman (1886–1970)
Robert Cecil Pittman (1886–1959)

Sources
Census 
1850 DeKalb Co. TN Dist 6 p 84A
1860 Dekalb Co. TN 7th Civil Dist p 132
1870 Rutherford Co. TN 6th Civil Dist PO Florence p 298B
1880 Dekalb Co. TN Dist 11 p 97B
1900 Dekalb Co. TN Civil Dist 7 p 175A

Tennessee State Marriages (1780-2002): Documentation for her 1859 wedding.
Her maiden name of Adcock is listed on her son David's California Death Certificate
Her full name is listed on TN Death Cert. of daughters Sarah and Pearl as well as the Social Security Application of her son Wm Horace Pittman.

Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/54762406/mary_frances-pitmon : accessed May 5, 2026), memorial page for Mary Frances Adcock Pitmon (20 May 1842–30 Dec 1903), Memorial ID 54762406, citing Young Bend Cemetery, DeKalb County, Tennessee, USA.

DNA 

atDNA matches with cousins thru Adcock and Bowles lines.

Sarah McElroy Acuff
Birth: November 28, 1847, in Van Buren County, Tennessee.
Death: July 2, 1925, in Dallas, Madison County, Alabama.
Burial: July 4, 1925, at McElroy Cemetery, Van Buren County, Tennessee.

Parents
Father: Andrew Jackson McElroy (1820–1900)
Mother: Jane Webb (1825–1867)

Husband 

William Leon Acuff: Married January 5, 1871, in Van Buren County, Tennessee.
They met while he was preaching at the Antioch Christian Church.
He preceded her in death in 1898.

Children
James Polk Acuff (1872–1939)
Andrew Jackson Acuff (1873–1942)
Mattie Ella Acuff (1877–1950)
William Howard Acuff (1880–1914)

Sources
Census Records
1850: Van Buren Co TN Dist 1 p 367B HH# 14
1860: Van Buren Co TN Spencer P.O. p 21 HH# 273
1870: Van Buren Co TN Bone Cave 1st Civil Dist p. 304a HH# 15
1880: Van Buren Co TN Dist 1 p 245A
1900: Van Buren Co TN Dist 1 p 3A
1910: Van Buren Co TN Dist 1 p 2B
1920: Van Buren Co TN Dist 1 p 1B

Vital & Legal Records
Marriage Record: Van Buren County Marriage Book (January 5, 1871).
Death Records: * Alabama Death Index (1908-1959)
Alabama Death Certificate for Mrs. Sarah Acuff.
Listed as Mother on AL Death Cert of son James
Tennessee Death Records (1908-1958)
Listed as Mother on TN Death Cert of sons, Andrew and Wm Howard & daughter Mattie

Obituary: Published in The Huntsville Times(AL) on July 3, 1925 p 1 col 2
Mrs. Sarah Acuff, age 77 years, died Thursday evening at 3 o'clock at residence No 405 Rison Ave., after a long illness.
She survived by one daughter, Mrs. M. E. Slattons, two sons, A. J. and J. P. Acuff, all of Huntsville.
The body will be shipped to Quebeck, Tenn., Saturday morning for interment with Laughlin in charge.

Burial: McElroy Cemetery Van Buren Co. TN, USA
Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/52395889/sarah-acuff : accessed May 5, 2026), memorial page for Sarah McElroy Acuff (28 Nov 1847–2 Jul 1925), Memorial ID 52395889, citing McElroy Cemetery, Van Buren County, Tennessee, USA.

DNA
atDNA matches with cousins thru McElroy and Webb lines.

Nancy Arminda Hitchcock Hale
Birth: September 6, 1840, in Warren County, Tennessee.
Death: Between April 1883 and 1887 (based on birth of last child and husband's date of remarriage)

Parents
James P. Hitchcock (1810–1897)
Charlotta Fleming (1819–1909)

Husband
William P. Hale (1849–1926) Married around 1870.

Children
Charles Forest Hale(1872–1956)
America Hale Hillis(1874–1963)
Emma Frances Hale Acuff(1875–1939)
Vesta C. Hale Hillis(1876–)
Alice Hale(1878–)
James Buchanan Hale(1880–1947)
Sam Hale(1883–1947)

Sources
Census
1840: Warren County, TN (p 366b) She was born after census date Family enumerated
1850: Bledsoe County, TN (P 411a)
1860: Bledsoe County, TN (P 381, HH# 23/23) PO: Pikeville
1870: Bledsoe County, TN (P 1b, HH# 13/13) Dist 1
1880: Bledsoe County, TN (P 3A, HH# 50) Dist 1

Vital Records
Tennessee Death Records (1908–1965). Listed as Mother on
Buck and Sam's Death Certificates
U.S. Social Security Applications and Claims Index (1936–2007) Listed as Charles' mother on his US Soc. Sec Application and Claims Index.

DNA
atDNA matches with cousins thru Hale & Fleming lines.
mtDNA haplogroup is H3ei2.

Jas Hitchcock Land--Warren Co TN(1840)

This survey was recorded in the Plat Book just before the Spring of 1840.  James and Lottie's daughter, Nancy A Hitchcock(my 2nd great-grandmother) would be born in Sept of that same year.

March 9, 1840

Jas. Hitchcock 25 acres
State of Tennessee
Warren County
by Scale of 55 poles per inch
surveyed the 18th of Feb 1840 for James
Hitchcock twenty-five acres of land. by virtue of an
entry bearing date the 1st of February 1838 No 4580 Situ
ate in said county on the waters of Collins River. Beg'G on a
white oak Wm Tucks Corner running east with his line twenty-six poles
to Walnut then north sixty (degrees) West with Mountain thirty-two poles to Poplar
on Higginbotham's lines, and with it south fifteen (degrees) west seventy-six pole to
hickory then south fifty-five (degrees) east sixteen poles to hornbeam then south
seventy-six (degrees) east forty-eight poles to red bud ___?___  a corner of a 100
acre survey in the name of George Hitchcock then north forty-four (degrees) east sixty
seven poles to white oak. Then, north sixty-eight (degrees) and west eighty-six poles are to beg. g
Lewis Thomas & Jas Hitchcock CC
A Higginbotham PS.

This entry called for 50 acres

Source:
Warren Co TN Plat Book November 1839–December 1894, Vol 4, p 13, Jas Hitchcock Plat;
FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS4Y-QRH8 : accessed 2 February 2025), IGN 7901843, image 733 of 868.

Almedia Jones Bassett--U.S. Special Census on Deaf Family Marriages and Hearing Relatives

James A Bassett and Almedia Jones

The Special Census entry for Almedia and James was the first one that I located and led me to finding those for the rest of the extended family.  In the initial post(US Special Census Find) I detailed the information for the couple so I won't repeat most of it but I would like to add additional info which was not on that form about the family.

James and Almedia were married about 1874 according to their deaf census information and their 1900 census entry says about 1875.  Their marriage took place in Franklin, Johnson Co., Indiana.  Almedia  was living in Indiana with her sister and brother in law and that is where she married James. They must have been in California by 1876 as their oldest child is listed as born there in their 1880 Sonoma Co CA enumeration.  They were in California for several years and then in Tennessee during the birth of one child before going back to Indiana and eventually on to Chicago IL area.    James was born in Pennsylvania and his parents were born in California and New York. Almedia was born in Tennessee as were both of her parents. They seem to have traveled a great deal.  James and his sister Jane Bassett Adkinson in particular and for a time the family was in Wisconsin.  There were several deaf schools in those areas they traveled to and that may have been part of the reasoning.

James and Almedia along with their families left records in so many places--- a wonderful thing because it maps out the timeline of their lives.  If you are a Bassett or Atkinson research (or a Riddle and Hitchcock researcher) I'd recommend checking out the Special census for all of the families.

Omelia Jones Fuller--U.S. Special Census on Deaf Family Marriages and Hearing Relatives

Octavus Fuller and Omelia Jones
From special census forms on Deaf Families information on the marriage date place for the couple and the name of their parents are given with listing of their children as well as siblings of Octavus and Omelia.  This one in particular left more questions than answers so I had to read over what I know of Omelia's early life and go looking for more information in various records to see if I could piece together the picture.

Omelia Jones was one of the daughters of Thomas Jones and Rebecca Hitchcock.  She and her husband Octavus Fuller are listed in the U.S. Special Census on Deaf Family Marriages and Hearing Relatives, 1888-1895.  Thomas and Rebecca raised their family in White County Tennessee  The information from the forms show that Octavus and Omelia  married in Peeled Chestnut, TN in 1874.  While the day and month are correct, they are off by a year according to White County TN Marriage records which give the year as 1875.  Octavus and Omelia were both deaf and dumb from birth.  She attended the Tennessee School for the Deaf in Knoxville during 1855-1856  and then again after the war in 1866.  It is unclear how she met Octavus.  He grew up in Maine.  Octavus appears to be well traveled as he is in San Francisco in 1870 working as a shoemaker and his deafness is not noted on that census.  In 1870 Omelia is living with her older sister, Catherine(also deaf mute) and Catherine's husband and children in Franklin Co Indiana.  Another sister, Almedia(also deaf) lived there as well. By 1880 Octavus and Omelia are in the area of Maine in which he grew up and are starting a family.  They would have two sons, both of whom could hear.  This is noted in the Special census on Deaf Family and Marriages as well as in the 1880 Supplemental Schedule of Defective, Dependent and Delinquent Classes(see snippet from below.)

Ancestry.com. U.S. Federal Census - 1880 Schedules of Defective, Dependent, and Delinquent Classes [database on-line, http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=1634, search on Octavus W Fuller in Maine]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.
Maine State Archives; Augusta, Maine; U.S. Federal Census - 1880 Schedules of Defective, Dependent, and Delinquent Classes; Year: 1880; Roll: 19-161 Paris Oxford County, Maine, USA

Their oldest son Edward dies in 1900 at age 23 from Diabetes.  Omelia is widowed in 1911 when Octavus dies from Cancer of the Liver.  I find her next in Chicago where sister Almedia and her husband live.  Omelia marries Richard Tracy in 1915 and this is where she is living when she dies Christmas Eve of 1924.    I still don't know exactly how she came to met Octavus.  I thought maybe it might have something to do with schooling or function for deaf persons.  Maybe some day.

Edward Wright Fuller--my 2nd Cousin 3 times removed

I've been on a search for those who carry mtDNA of Milly Riddle Hitchcock(my 4th Great Grandmother).  You can read more about the reason in my earlier posts.  Only females are capable of passing on the mtDNA to their children.  Although he would have never been able to pass the mtDNA on, Edward was a carrier of Milly Riddle's mtDNA.  His mother Omelia was the daughter of Rebecca Hitchcock and Rebecca was the daughter of Milly Riddle Hitchcock. He died at 23 years of age of diabetes mellitus.

Ancestry.com. Maine, Wills and Probate Records, 1584-1999 [database on-line http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=8994 accessed Oct 2, 2017 search for Edward Wright Fuller]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015.

Digital images in online database Ancestry.com. Maine, Death Records, 1761-1922 [online database http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=1962]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. accessed Oct 2, 2017.

Land Description George Hitchcock Warren Co. TN--13 March 1824

A certain tract or parcel of land, containing one hundred acres by survey bearing date the 17th day of December 1819 lying in the 3rd District in Warren County on the head of Blue Spring Creek adjoining Vincent McGuire and bounded as follows to wit...
Beginning on a white oak in corner of a survey made for Jesse Martin where on William Mayfield now lives and running with a mountain north 6 degrees east twenty seven poles to a a white oak thence north 41 degrees east 42 poles to an ash thence north 7 degrees east twenty five poles to a hickory thence north 31 degrees east twenty six poles to a poplar thence North twenty poles to pointers thence east sixty three poles to a Red bud and pointers these south one hundred and eighty two poles to a hickory thence passing said McGuire's corner and with his line west eighty poles to a hickory on the west bank of said blue spring creek thence with the mountain north 32 degrees west sixty seven poles to the beginning


Name: George Hitchcock
Record Date: 13 Mar 1824
Location: Warren County, Tennessee
Warrant Number 21772

Ancestry.com. North Carolina and Tennessee, Early Land Records, 1753-1931[database on-line accessed 9/29/2017,  http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=2882]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2013.
Original data: Tennessee. Division of Archives, Land Office, and Museum. Early Tennessee/North Carolina Land Records, 1783–1927, Record Group 50. Tennessee State Library and Archives, Nashville, Tenn.

Making Connections: How Charles met Catherine?

How does a girl from Tennessee end up meeting and marrying a guy from Ohio in the 1850s.  What is the connection?  In my blog post "Catherine Jones Bronson--U.S. Special Census on Deaf Family Marriages and Hearing Relatives" I noted that Catherine was among those on the pupil list at the Tennessee School for the Deaf in 1851.  She marries Charles Bronson(also a deaf mute) in 1856.  In the 1860 census, Charles & Catherine are living near Catherine's family.  Charles' place of birth is listed as Ohio.  A search of other pupils there yielded nothing remotely close to Charles Bronson.  On a whim I checked the teacher listing and there is a George E. Bronson(source:  Knox Co TNGenWeb--TN School for the Deaf)  listed as an instructor from 1849-1853.  

This is the same George E. Bronson who is listed as a sibling of Charles on the U.S. Special Census on Deaf Family Marriages and Hearing Relatives(see above image.)   Did George bring his brother, Charles to Tennessee with him during the time he worked at the school?  That would explain how a guy from Ohio came to know a girl from Tennessee.  

WRONG!!  

Well not completely wrong but a check of the 1850 Federal Census shows that Elijah and Fannie Bronson were already in Tennessee by the time that George takes the job at the Deaf School.  They are enumerated in White Co TN in 1650.  Elijah and his wife were both born in Connecticut.  That kind of makes me wonder if they knew the Connecticut Hitchcocks.  Charles' Mother-in-law was a Hitchcock.  In 1850 George--noted as Deaf and Dumb is in KY in what I believe is his sister Sarah Bronson Powers household(though the 1850 doesn't list relationships)  I've yet to find Charles during 1850.  So now I know that the connection was at least that they lived in the same county AND had connections to the TN School for the Deaf.  

  

Catherine Jones Bronson--U.S. Special Census on Deaf Family Marriages and Hearing Relatives

Having found one of the granddaughters of Milly Riddle in Ancestry's  Database U.S. Special Census on Deaf Family Marriages and Hearing Relatives, 1888-1895 I was able to gather so much more information which led to finding two more of Milly's granddaughters(also thru her daughter Rebecca Hitchcock wife of Thomas Jones).  Technically I found two daughters and the Charles Bronson(widower of Catherine Jones Bronson)  By the time of this census--most of the paperwork for their entries showed 1889 and 1890--Catherine had been dead for the better part of 15 years.  I've taken that into account when I am analyzing the documents in Charles Bronson's files.  I also believe that there was another Catherine Jones' information mixed up in the files as the persons who were collecting the information were trying to go over the results.

The census info was collected in the following format
Page 1--Couple Notes:  Date of marriage, children
Page 2--Husband--Parents info--List of Siblings--Additional info on deaf family
Page 3--Wife--Parents info--List of Siblings--Additional info on deaf family
Page 4--Notes on the couple and their children.

If there are multiple marriages the four page form was filled out for each couple.  There are 12 pages in the grouping for Charles.  This may be an Ancestry thing I'm not sure as each couple has a different file number. Charles Bronson (#173--contains 4 pg form Images 1-4)Charles Bronson is listed with Catherine and Catherine's date of death is noted.  Notation that this is Charles' first marriage (#1350-- contains 4 pg form--images 5-8) Edward Francis and a Catherine Jones.  She is born around the same year range as Catherine Jones daughter of Thomas Jones and Rebecca Hitchcock.  Their marriage year is listed as Jun 12th 1860.  A time at which I can place Catherine in Tennessee(White Co Dist 6) with Charles Bronson living near her father.  (#174 --contains 4 pg form  Images 9-12)Charles Bronson and his 2nd wife Sarah Willhartz.  Charles and Sarah married about 13 months after Catherine's death. There is an article about the marriage in the The Courier-Journal (Louisville, Kentucky) Thursday 11 Jan 1877  edition page 4 column 2.   There is very little information filled in for Edward Francis and Catherine Jones(they appear to be from Iowa). Just enough where the year of birth is similar to that of Catherine Jones Bronson and causing confusion.  I have to keep in mind when they were analyzing the information in the 1890s they did not have the advantage of being able to view the 1860 and 1870 census entries for this family.  See those census entries below with notations I've added. (click to enlarge)

Catherine is listed as a pupil at the Tennessee School for the Deaf in 1851 (see http://knoxcotn.org/old_site/schools/tsd/students1.htm)

Year: 1860; Census Place: District 6, White, Tennessee; Roll: M653_1279; Page: 57; Family History Library Film: 805279 Ancestry.com. 1860 United States Federal Census [database on-line http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=7667 accessed Oct 1 2017, search on Thomas Jones White Co. Tennessee]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009. Images reproduced by FamilySearch.

Year: 1870; Census Place: Franklin, Johnson, Indiana; Roll: M593_330; Page: 265A; Family History Library Film: 545829 Ancestry.com. 1870 United States Federal Census [database on-line http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=7163 accessed Oct 1 2017, search on Charles Bronson Franklin Co.Indiana]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009. Images reproduced by FamilySearch.

U.S. Special Census Find part 2

In one of my previous posts I wrote about finding Milly Riddle's Granddaughter in the Ancestry Database U.S. Special Census on Deaf Family Marriages and Hearing Relatives, 1888-1895.   I've been in the process of "digesting" all the information.


I did a search via Google for Platteville Wisconsin, the location Jas. A. Bassett mentioned and included the word deaf school.  That search returned a link to a book available for free via Google Books ---American Annals of the Deaf: Volume 65 which contains some information about a school for the deaf located in Platteville, Wisconsin.  I'm intrigued by the title and VOLUME 65.  That's a lot of information for anyone with deaf cousins ancestors etc.  Need to also check all the other locations mentioned.

Having found that much info on the Hitchcock/Jones line I couldn't resist searching within the same database for the surname Hitchcock   BINGO!!

The Amelia(spelled Omelia in most records) Jones and  Catharine Jones Bronson are sisters of Almedia.  So now I also want to go back over all the census records for this family and see if there were notations for those who were deaf.  I'm sure there will be loads more information to process and further leads in the additional special census entries I located.

In Almedia's entry it said that her parents Rebecca Hitchcock and Thomas Jones were first cousins.  I know that Rebecca's mother was Milly Riddle...at least I think I do.  So I want to find out how.  It has to be thru a male Jones marrying a female Riddle or Hitchcock.  There is an Elijah Hitchcock which signs on George and Milly's marriage bond(Roane Co TN).  I believe this Elijah Hitchcock is the same one that shows up in White Co TN census records after George and Milly are in Warren Co TN(a neighboring county) which may just have been down the road depending on what portion of White Co in which the other family lived.

I could also search for the area within the database and maybe get some hints about others in the area who were also deaf.  Lots of great ideas and a lesson to always check out images. It will also be interesting to compare the sisters responses to see if the information they give is the same.

U.S. Special Census Find

In search of females descendants of Milly Riddle I found a WONDERFUL resource at Ancestry.com  U.S. Special Census on Deaf Family Marriages and Hearing Relatives, 1888-1895  This find is great not only because of the amount of information but also because of the time period it covers.  It also shows that people during that time were a great deal more mobile than I would have imagined.  Below are the notes I copied from the 4-page form.  I also added my own notes in parenthesis to some.  I'll post more about this as I process the details within this entry.

U.S. Special Census on Deaf Family Marriages and Hearing Relatives, 1888-1895
accessed 25 September 2017 Search on Almedia Jones
U.S. Special Census on Deaf Family Marriages and Hearing Relatives, 1888-1895 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2009.

No. 178---Jas A Bassett(Husband) and Almedia Jones(wife)

Details relating to Marriage
Date of marriage:   Sept 10, 1867(but directly underneath it is 1874)
Place of Marriage:   Franklin, Ind.
Parties were not related before marriage

Offspring
# of children born of this marriage  8
How many were deaf:  0  How many could hear? 8
How many died in infancy? 1

Emily A Bassett, Franklin H. Bassett, Isabella J. Bassett, Bessie P Bassett, Nelson T. Bassett, Arthur D Bassett, Julia B Bassett, Hattie O Bassett.

Notes:  Records of births unattainable--mother doesn't know them.  Hattie died the last week of August 1889 under 2 yrs of a Whooping Cough.


Details relating to Husband
Father:  Albert Bassett
Mother Mary A Rose
Parties were not related before marriage.

Mother is deceased
Father is living in Chicago

Brothers & Sisters
Willard Bassett b. Mar 9, 1842
Jane A Bassett B. May 15, 1844, married D.G. Atkinson, deaf
Geo. W  Bassett b. Mar 2, 1847
Jas. A. Bassett b. Mar 25, 1849
Mary E Bassett b. Dec 25, 1850

2 deaf---3 could hear

Other deaf relatives?   Niece daughter of Jane

Notes(appears to be about Husband but dates don't seem logical)
Deafness occurred at age 5 from Scarlet Fever
Attended School or Institution Wis & Cal
Residence when admitted Platteville Wis and Santa Rosa Cal
Years admitted Wis--1843  Cal 1850 Age 10 when admitted
7 years at Wisc and 2 at Calif
Occupation:  Carpenter

Details Relating to Wife
Father:  Thomas Jones
Mother:  Rebecca Hutchings or Hitchcock(Marie Note:  it was Hitchcock)
Parents were 1st Cousins prior to marriage
Mother died at 50 yrs
Father lives in Tennessee

Brothers and Sisters(3 deaf---9 could hear--1 died under 2 yrs of age)
Frank(oldest dead)
Kate B.(Deaf & Dumb--Died of dropsy at 35)
Amanda G.
Pharazetta
Broomfield / Brownfield? J. (died 1 yr old)
Almedia (b. Set 25 1847---1851 written above yr)
Amelia F b.(blank)  (Deaf & Dumb) married Fuller
Louisa E.
Lutitia
Hugh G.
Lucetta H.
Alice D --dead

Notes--wife
Deafness occurred at age 8
Cause:  Poisonous cold remedy(eating poisoned gr_____  is written over cause)
Attended school at Tenn Institution
Residence when admitted Sparta, Tenn in 1855 at age 8
Years of instruction:  4

Remarks: Bright vigorous children.  Family not very well off.  Bassett ---bro of Mrs. Atkinson.

Date of Information August 1889 --Dec 1889
Signed J. C. Balis

Examining a Maternal DNA Circle--Mason Combs(1746-1802)

Mason Combs, while not proven beyond a shadow of a doubt, is most likely my 5th Gr Grandfather and the father of Nancy Combs Fleming.

Examining the Mason Combs AncestryDNA Circle
Members:   124
Groups:    39

Mom matches 50 members which represent 18 groups.

I match 26 members also within the 18 groups.

My sister matches 18 members also within the 18 groups.




Members of the 18 Groups represent the following connections:

• Descends from John Fleming and Nancy Combs thru their daughter Charlotta Fleming(This is the source of my Combs line)
• Descends from John Fleming and Nancy Combs thru their daughter Martha Fleming. Walling.
• Descends from John Fleming and Nancy Combs  thru their son Samuel Logan Fleming
• Descends from John Fleming and Nancy Combs thru their son William Logue Fleming.
• Descends from Martin Johnson and Sarah Combs thru their son John Clark Johnson.
• Descends from Martin Johnson and Sarah Combs thru their son Martin Johnson
• Descends from Martin Johnson and Sarah Combs thru their daughter Nancy Johnson.
• Descends from Martin Johnson and Sarah Combs thru their son Pleasant Miller Johnson.
• Descends from Simon Combs & Martha Murrell thru their daughter Ellender Combs Hammer.
• Descends from Jeremiah Combs and Charity Rhodes thru their daughter Nancy Combs Clark.
• Descends from Jeremiah Combs and Charity Rhodes thru their daughter Sarah Combs Lane
• Descends from Daniel Paine and Silvia Combs thru their son Herbert Murrell Paine.

There are several different subgroups within 3 of these groups.  Also, a group shows as descending from  Amelia Millie Combs Hitchcock thru her daughter Nancy Hitchcock Fleming.  This group is totally misnamed and attributed because of a long-standing belief that the Millie who married George Hitchcock was a Combs.  She was not. She was a Riddle.  The marriage record was found by Agnes Jones over 15 years ago in the  Roane County Tennessee marriage records.  Given that Millie was fairly young when she married George it is highly unlikely that this could have been a second marriage for her.  Nancy Hitchcock(sister to James P.) mentioned above married Alfred Patton Fleming a brother of Charlotta(and child of Nancy Combs Fleming)  and that is the source of the Combs DNA thru the Combs Fleming Connection and not thru a Hitchcock/Combs(which is actually a Combs/Riddle connection.)

I should mention that I descend from George Hitchcock and Amelia Riddle as well as John Fleming and Nancy Combs so those who descend thru Alfred Patton Fleming and Nancy Hitchcock would be Double Cousins with me as Alfred is the brother of Charlotta and Nancy is the sister of James P. Hitchcock my 3rd Gr Grandparents.

Of course just being in the circle doesn't prove kinship to everyone in the circle.  We could just have common matches or lines on our trees could be attributed to the wrong ancestors and we could share DNA thru another ancestor.   The will of Mason Combs who dies in 1802 only mentions 2 sons Simeon and Jeremiah who apparently are not yet of age.  More research is necessary in order to draw solid conclusions.

Inventory--AncestryDNA circles- reinforcement of the importance of uploading to GEDmatch

When I worked in Retail, February was our Inventory time so it felt like a good time to take inventory of my Ancestry DNA Circles.

Ancestry DNA Circle Inventory  57 Circles:
Maternal:  29
Paternal:  23
Non-Direct: 5(Shipman/McMurry, Acuff/Harmon/Pharris. Nathaniel Haynes)

Largest Membership is Mason Combs(maternal) circle containing 112 members
Yep! No Television back then and the Combs are known for testing.  I do think that some
of these are attributed to the wrong group and should be in a Riddle circle. If they
claim to descend thru Amelia "Milly" Combs who was thought to be a COMBS for many years.  Many people still have her as a Combs.  She was a Riddle

The next largest is that of Jabel Putman with 62 Members.

Honorable mentions
Paternal:  Ann Knox(39 members)
Paternal:  Mark Lambert Jackson(36 members)
Maternal:  James Hatfield(50 members)
Maternal:  Peter Luna/Looney (55 members)

My sister(full sibling) has 58 Circles  She loses two of the Non-Directs but gains 3 Non-Directs.  Felix Grundy Crick, Susan Frances Putman and Wade Henry Carlton.  These are from our Paternal Grandfather's side who is a descendant of Cook, King, Putman, Manire, Harris, Ogilvie, Jackson.

Mom has 33 circles 4 non-direct(Includes the one maternal sis & I share and 3 ones which come and go on mine)
2 of the Non-Directs on Mom's can be attributed to Double Cousins testing--Two Hitchcock siblings marrying two Fleming siblings.  The other two are Acuff/Campbell cousins

My daughter has 62 AncestryDNA circles

Maternal:  52

Paternal:  7

Non-Direct:  3

She has all 52 of my Circles.  I have done a good bit of research on her Paternal lines and she would probably have more circles but the majority of those families had  less children than most of mine did which may account for the lower amount of circles--less descendants available to test.  The Hogland and Demonia lines are the exception.

Also while all three of the Non-Directs she has are from my lines she has only one of them in common with me(the Acuff cousin)  The other are the Hitchcock/Fleming ones that my Mom has from the Double cousins.  I should also note that my daughter, my Mom and my sister all have New Ancestry Discoveries.  I have none at this time.  I have had several appear in the past but they didn't stay long.

To me this reinforces the importance of working your circles and asking if the members will upload to GEDmatch.

My November Blog Post on How To Upload to GEDmatch

Why I have not tested my mtDNA path

After reading Roberta Estes' blog post about mtDNA The Forgotten Test, I thought about the reasons why I haven't mtDNA tested.  Let's face it....I'm cheap.  I repurpose many fabrics and mend clothes til they are thread bare.  I save seeds and divide plants and bulbs every chance I get.  So my reason would be a financial one in that I can't justify the amount of money spent on a mtDNA test because it doesn't answer as many questions for me as an autosomal test.  If I did do the mtDNA testing I would want to do more than the minimal test and I don't have that kind of extra money available. The atDNA testing is all I have had and all I have bought for several others while they were on sale.  Thinking about this also made me want to recognize the ancestors who are responsible for passing me my mtDNA

Until then I remain a mtDNA carrying descendant of:
Beatrice Luna Cooke
Minnie Acuff Luna
Emma Frances Hale Acuff
Nancy Arminda Hitchcock Hale
Charlotta "Lottie" Fleming Hitchcock
Nancy Combs Fleming
Wife of Mason Combs Jr.

Lessons & the search for something positive among the negatives

Things I think Ancestry should have done before launching the New Ancestor Discoveries.

• Proofread all press releases and ad banners twice.  Proofread them again for good measure.
• Checked terminology.  An Ancestor is a person from whom one is descended
• Not assumed that the researchers didn't want to research to discover....some of us like the thrill of the chase and finding the documents to prove or disprove our theories.
• Be realistic in what you can deliver.  I love enthusiasm about a new product or service..but overstating what can be done...and adding more detail than necessary makes me doubt any future products or services..moreso if that detail actually shows the shortcomings of the product.

If there is anything positive coming out of Ancestry's New Ancestor Discoveries campaign, I think that it forces me to examine my research more closely which is always a good thing.  I'm reminded of the Logic Puzzles that used to be in the Dell Crossword Puzzle books.  What do the New Ancestor Discoveries tell me.

• My Mom shares a good bit of DNA with Descendants of Alfred Patton Fleming & Nancy Hitchcock Fleming(because their children were double cousin with her GG Grandparents) This would be Hitchcock and/or Fleming DNA.
• I share a good bit of DNA with Descendants of Milton  M Rushing because my GG Grandparents are both kin to him.  This would be Frizzell and/or Weaver DNA.

I will be looking forward to new discoveries.  I can't wait until it scans the Eoff, Jakes, Sutton, Craig, Knox and Morrow families.  I know that I have DNA from those as I had an X segment match with 6 distant cousins from those families.

A Genealogist's Holiday Wish list

The holidays are drawing near and about this time every year people are wondering what to get the genealogist on their list. I've read articles on this subject which have suggested

• Subscription to Family Tree Magazine, Heritage Quest or another genealogy related magazine
• Database Subscriptions(Footnote.com, Ancestry.com, WorldVitalRecords etc.)
• Week long trip to the FHL in SLC
• A Genealogy Conference
  

All of those are wonderful ideas. I love my subscription to Family Tree Magazine as well as my Footnote.com subscription.

Now if Santa is wondering what I'd like for Christmas:
(Cue the "Santa Baby" music)

• William Clifford Cook's parents' names(he married in Williamson Co TN and lived in Bedford Co. TN)
• Census Entries for the Wm. Taylor Hale family in 1860 & 1870(minus Wm.) they should be in Van Buren Co. TN
• Thomas Adcock's parents' names--(Warren Co TN area)
• Records from Annie Pitman Dunham's visit to Talequah in 1866
• Pictures of the six GG Grandparents( I have pics of 2 sets): Wm C. & Elizabeth Putman Cook, George & Catherine Morrow Jakes, David & Rebecca Manley Frizzell, Elisha & Keziah Rigsby Luna, David and Mary Adcock Pitman, Wm P. & Nancy Arminda Hitchcock Hale.

These should all be fairly easy for Santa. After all, at one time he had to know where these people were in order to deliver Christmas goodies(or perhaps their lump of coal).

My 16 GG Grandparents(better late than never)

I've been meaning to make this post ever since Randy Seaver's Sat. Night Genealogy Fun idea to
Post your 16 GG Grandparents

Just now finding time. I've not attempted to determine exact percentages for my ancestral ethnicity mainly because I have very few of them back to their immigration date. Most of them were in what would become the US by 1770s and some of them earlier than that. I'd say that I'm probably over 90% a combo of English Scottish and Irish.

Paternal Lines(1-8)
Maternal Lines(9-16)

1. William Clifford Cook: born 4th April 1811 in NC, USA; married 27th of Sept 1831 in Williamson Co., TN, USA; died 1 Jan 1882 in Bedford Co., TN, USA.
2. Elizabeth Putman: born 1814 in Union Co., SC, USA; died 5th Sept. 1880 in Bedford Co., TN, USA.
3. William Benton King: born Feb 1819 in Bedford Co., TN, USA; married 30 Sept. 1841 in Williamson Co., TN, USA; died 1901 in Gainesville, Cooke Co., TX, USA.
4. Eliza Jane Manire: born 1818 in Williamson Co., TN, USA; died April 1896 in Gainsville, Cooke Co., TX, USA.
5. George Jakes: born abt. 1820 in Franklin Co.,VA, USA; married abt 1845 in Tennessee; died after 1880 census in TN, USA.
6. Catherine Morrow: born abt. 1830; died after 1880 census in TN, USA.
7. David Frizzell: born 23rd Oct. 1808 in Bedford Co., TN, USA ; married 15th Nov 1834 in ; died 27th Dec 1870 in Bedford Co., TN, USA
8. Rebecca Manley: born 1818 in Bedford Co., TN, USA ; died 1862 in Bedford Co., TN, USA.
9. Elisha Luna: born 5th Nov. 1825 in Smith Co., TN, USA; married 11th Dec 1851 in Dekalb Co., TN, USA; died 19th June 1889 in Dekalb Co., TN, USA.
10. Keziah Rigsby: born 1832 in White Co., TN, USA ; died 1909 in Dekalb Co., TN, USA.
11. David Pittman: born April 1838 in Jackson Co., AL, USA; married 22th Dec 1859 in Dekalb Co., TN, USA; died 11th Feb 1922 in Dekalb Co., TN, USA.
12. Mary D. Frances Adcock: born 20th of May 1842 in Dekalb Co., TN, USA; died 30th of Dec. 1902 in Dekalb Co., TN, USA
13. William Leon Acuff: born 25th of Jan. 1842 in Bledsoe Co., TN, USA; married 5th Jan. 1871 in Van Buren Co., TN, USA; died 3 Feb. 1898 in Van Buren Co., TN, USA.
14. Sarah McElroy: born 28th Nov 1847 in Van Buren Co., TN, USA; died 2nd July 1925 in Dallas, Madison Co., AL, USA.
15. William P. Hale: born 1849 in Van Buren Co., TN, USA; married abt 1871 prob. in Bledsoe Co., TN, USA ; died bet. 1920-1930 in Warren Co., TN, USA.
16. Nancy Arminda Hitchcock: born 6th Sept 1840 in Warren Co., TN; died before 1887 in TN(prob. Van Buren Co.), USA