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.

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.

Riddles in New Mexico Prison & Correctional Records

One of my favorite things to do outside of my own research and helping adoptees find their bio families is to find an interesting database at Ancestry and search for one of my not so common surnames.   Today I searched the New Mexico, Prison and Correctional Records, 1905-1958 for the Riddle surname.  My Riddle line ends in East TN with the marriage of Millie Riddle to George Hitchcock.  You can read more about my Riddle line by searching on Riddle using the search at the top left portion of this page.

New Mexico, Prison and Correctional Records, 1905-1958
(https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=9171)

The search for Riddle in this database returned 4 items which detailed 3 different individuals.  Two of the results were about the same person.

In addition to their Name, alias and intake date you can find a great deal of information listed for each prisoner:  photos, physical description, names of relatives or friends, previous convictions, parents. names and places of birth are just a few of the additional items included.

If you do search this database, be sure that you click thru to the second image which is an outline of the human body with notes about scars, moles and other identifying marks.  The pictures from both of Milton Crume Riddle's intake papers are shown below.

Milton Crume Riddell 1931 intake picture

Milton Crume Riddle 1934 intake picture

His family has Virginia and Kentucky connections though they lived in Texas most of his life. Check those obscure databases.

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.

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

Mitochondrial Riddle

Never say never.  I guess that somewhat applies here.  I've always said that I didn't have a question that mitochondrial dna(mtDNA--mother line DNA) could answer but as I was sending a Hitchcock researcher additional info, I realized that is not the case.

Since I began researching in 1990 other Hitchcock researchers always listed George Hitchcock's wife as Milly Combs.  I had it written in my notes but had never seen a source and still haven't for that matter. Fast forward about 15 years and I received an email from Agnes Jones about records for a George Hitchcox and Milly Riddle in Roane Co TN marriage records in 1806. In addition to that marriage I was also able to find a Riddle land owner whose land bordered the widowed Millie Hitchcock in Warren Co TN where George and Milly had raised their family.  The land had been granted to Basil Riddle around the time of George and Milly's marriage.  Now he was selling it to William Edde. William Edde's son would later marry Milly Hitchcock's daughter.  There are not many records that I've found so far which I can identify as this Basil Riddle.  The name gets reused for several generations in various areas.  I did find a statement in a wills sales, inventory book in Warren Co TN which mentioned Basil Riddle dying intestate, his meager estate and the fact that he has five heirs--none of whose names are mentioned.(see Bazell Riddle post)

A little backstory into what I feel probably brought about the story that Milly's maiden name was Combs.  While I am a descendant of George Hitchcock and Milly Riddle, I am also a descendant of John Fleming and Nancy Combs.  Two of George and Milly's children(James P and Nancy) married two of John and Nancy's children(Charlotta and Alfred P.)   This may have added to the confusion.  So while I may not be able to tell if Milly was a Combs...I can see if she and Nancy had the same mother.  I carry Nancy Combs Fleming's  mtDNA.  Milly has a lot of female descendants so I could probably find a straight line female line and I'd like for that to be thru a different line than that of her daughter Nancy Hitchcock Fleming's line(Not to be confused with Nancy Combs Fleming)  Of course the thing holding me back now would be to find the finances to pay for the mtDNA test.

An example of why we must ALWAYS check the image.

Digging thru Riddles in the Warren Co TN area I was reminded of why you should always click thru to the image for further examination.

Reading the index would make you think this household is made up of 2 Males.  That really doesn't make sense given that the head of household is female.  Even if she were a person of color she would be listed in Total All column.

I pasted the column headers in just above the snippet of Mary's entry so you could see how many in each age group and gender were enumerated. (Click image to enlarge)

The index did not include the 3 white females in the household.  

1 ------- 30-under 40

1 ------- 50-under 60

1 ------- 70-under 80

I left a comment on this entry to make others aware of the omission.  

When you think about how many people this information has passed thru it's amazing that we still have any of it.

This particular entry was from the Ancestry Database of the 1830 United States Federal Census.  That database was made using images digitized by FamilySearch of the census pages which were microfilmed by the NARA.  I do not know who indexed the census. Those pages of census data were collected by the census taker from someone in that household(and in some cases probably a neighbor).  From what I understand it was not uncommon for the census taker to collect the data and then write it on the census form later in his best...or sometimes worst handwriting.  I checked to see if the 1830 census pages still exist but from what I can gather the NARA only has the negative photostatic copies for the year 1830. [1]

Ancestry Database:
Ancestry.com. 1830 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Images reproduced by FamilySearch.1830; Image 141 of 158.

Family History Library Film:
Census Place: Warren, Tennessee; Series: M19; Roll: 181; Page: 367; Family History Library Film: 0024539

Original data: 

Fifth Census of the United States, 1830. (NARA microfilm publication M19, 201 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C.

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

Bazell Riddle --Warren Co Tennessee

"Tennessee Probate Court Books, 1795-1927," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:2:77TV-BV3R?cc=1909088&wc=M6Q7-YNG%3A179838801%2C180033501 : 22 May 2014), Warren > image 112 of 488; county courthouses, Tennessee.

The following is the text from the first page of the project containing the information about what was included, how the project is identified and those involved with the project.

Tennessee  Records of Warren County
Inventories, Sale Bills, Statements, etc.
Book 1 1827-1844
Part 1
Historical Records Project
Official Project No 465-44-3-115
Copied under Works Progress Administration

Mrs. John Trotwood Moore, State Librarian and Archivist, Sponsor
Elizabeth D. Coppedge,  State Director of Women's and Professional Project
Penelope Johnson Allen, State Supervisor
Caroline Small Kelso, Supervisor
Mary Cantrell, Copyist
Mary Cantrell and May Manning, Typist
April 13, 1938


So I went in search of the microfilm of the book from which the WPA made the transcription.

"Tennessee Probate Court Books, 1795-1927," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S7WF-SJQC-S9?cc=1909088&wc=M6QW-MMS%3A179838801%2C180050501 : 22 May 2014), Warren > image 74 of 328; county courthouses, Tennessee.

Not a lot of difference Indexed as Brazell Riddle pg 96 by the WPA project I was unsuccessful searching for him in the two indexes that were in the book.

From the Inventories, Sales, Wills, 1827-1844, Vol. 01 portion of the records.Between Document dated Jan 2nd 1834 and A will published April 2nd 1835

I have two questions.  Were there 3 items(Horse, bridle, and saddle) for sale or 2(Horse bridle, and saddle).  I know nothing about horses horseback riding or their value today or in that time period.  $31 seems rather low.

Also I'd like to know who are the 5 heirs?

This Bazell is likely the Bazil Riddle that I believe was either the father of Amelia "Milly" Riddle Hitchcock or an older brother.  I find him first receiving land in Warren Co TN 

Entered a claim on Aug 24th 1807

Surveyed May 21st 1808

State Granted March 1st 1809

Recorded May 5th 1809

Total Land in Grant:  93 and 1/2 acres off of Collins River

Sold:  April 10th 1810   9 1/2 acres to  John Helms $40

Land Surveyed:  May 12th 1825  Blue Springs Creek

Sold 28 acres to Wm Edde(likely father to Joseph Edde son-in-law of  Millie Riddle Hitchcock)

Bazil is indexed as Bogle Riddle in the 1805 Roane Co. Tennessee Tax list.  Milly Riddle would marry in Roane Co. TN on March 11th 1806 to George Hitchcock.

On the 1836 tax list and 1840 Federal Census, there is a Britton Riddle living in Warren County.  Could he be kin to Bazil or Milly?

My 32 Great Great Great Grandparents( 30 known, 2 unknown)

This is a follow-up to a previous post on my 16 GG Grandparents.

Paternal Lines(1-16)
Maternal Lines(17-32)


1. Cook(unknown to me)
2. Cook spouse(unknown to me)

3. Jabel Putman, b. 1772 in Culpepper Co., VA, USA; d. 1835 in Williamson Co., TN, USA. Son of James Putman and Joice Prince.
4. Nancy [?????], b. in SC USA.

5. John King, b. Mar. 04, 1799; d. Sept. 18, 1876. Son of John King and Nancy Brandon. .
6. Rebecca Upshaw, b. Aug. 08, 1800 in Elbert Co. GA; d. Apr. 23, 1877 in Bedford Co. TN. Daughter of Adkins Upshaw and Charity Ann Patton.

7. David Lemuel Manire, b. Jan. 18, 1792; d. Jan. 29, 1837 in Williamson Co., TN,USA. Son of John William Manire and Patty Ogilvie.
8. Susan Ann Elizabeth Jackson, b. Aug. 14, 1798; d. Feb. 19, 1862. Daughter of Mark Lambert Jackson and Durcilla Sarah Rainey.

9. James Jakes, b. Feb. 10, 1788 in Franklin Co., VA, USA; d. Sept. 05, 1847 in Bedford Co., TN, USA. Son of John Jakes.
10. Nancy Harger, b. 1790 in Franklin Co., VA, USA; d. Aft. 1850 in Bedford Co., TN, USA.

11. James Morrow, b. Bet. 1780 - 1790; d. June 1839.
12. Margaret [?????], b. Bet. 1790 - 1800; d. Bet. 1835 - 1839.

13. James M. Frizzell, b. Sept.r 21, 1787 in Anson Co., NC, USA; d. Jan. 30, 1862 in Calloway Co., KY, USA. Son of Nathan Frizzell & Ruahama Weaver.
14. Mary Kennedy, b. Jul. 02, 1790 in , , NC, USA; d. Jan. 19, 1875 in TN, USA. Daughter of Hugh Henry Kennedy and Ann [?????].

15. Reuben Manley, b. Oct. 14, 1782; d. Oct. 07, 1854.
16. Margaret Elizabeth Frizzell, b. Jan. 17, 1783; d. Jul. 25, 1827. Daughter of Nathan Frizzell and Ruahama Weaver.

17. Elisha Luna, b. 1784; d. 1842 in Dekalb Co., TN, USA. Son of Peter Luna and Mary Pitman.
18. Mary Ann Lennox, b. 1785; d. Aft. 1860.

19. Canada Rigsby, b. Abt. 1788; d. Bef. 1850. Son of Thomas Rigsby.
20. Mary Lewis, b. Abt. 1790; d. Bet. 1850 - 1860.

21. Daniel Pitman b. 1803 in NC, USA; d. Bet. 1860 - 1870. Believed to be son of John Pitman(Marion Co TN)
22. Comfort Hatfield, b. 1808 in KY, USA; d. Aft. 1870. Daughter of James Hatfield and Annie Rice(of the Ross Indians).

23. Thomas Adcock, b. Apr. 09, 1817 in Jefferson, Dekalb Co. TN, USA; d. August 30, 1905 in Dekalb Co., TN, USA.
24. Frances Bowles, b. March 11, 1819; d. Bet. July 1906 - 1910. Daughter of John M. Bowles and Frances Bolling.

25. Jonathan Acuff, b. Abt. 1809; d. Bet. 1880 - 1900. Son of William Acuff and Magdaline Hall.
26. Eleanor Curvin, b. 1817; d. Bet. 1870 - 1880.

27. Andrew Jackson McElroy, b. Apr. 24, 1820 in Warren Co., TN, USA; d. Aft. 1900 in Van Buren Co., TN, USA. Son of Andrew McElroy and Martha Shropshire.
28. Jane Webb, b. 1825 in White Co. TN; d. 1867. Daughter of Jeremiah Webb and Sarah Copeland.

29. William Taylor Hale b. 1820; d. 1861 in Collins River, Warren Co., TN, USA. Son of John Nathanel Hale and Catherine [?????].
30. Eliza Adeline Elzie b. Apr. 15, 1820 in , AL, USA; d. Apr. 20, 1906. Daughter of William Elzie.

31. James P. Hitchcock, b. Mar. 08, 1810 in Warren Co., TN, USA; d. 1897 in Bledsoe Co., TN, USA. Son of George Hitchcock and Millie Riddle.
32. Charlotta Fleming, b. Sept. 23, 1819 in Warren Co., TN, USA; d. Apr. 24, 1909 in Bledsoe Co., TN, USA. Daughter of John Fleming and Nancy Combs.