April 12, 2011 is the 150th anniversary of the beginning of the Civil War. In recognition of this anniversary, I would like to pay tribute to my ancestors who fought in that war.
JOHN MARTIN BLANTON My great great grandfather
Company E, 23rd Texas Cavalry, Gould’s Regiment
Born 26 Nov 1827, Alabama
Died 8 Dec 1873, Cass County, Texas
Buried: Unknown
THOMAS L. DAVIS My great great grandfather
Company I, 31st Louisiana Infantry, Sparrow Cadets
Captured 4 Jul 1863 at Vicksburg, Mississippi
Born 15 Oct 1830, Fayette County, Georgia
Died 21 Jul 1863, Natchez, Adams County, Mississippi
Buried: Natchez, Adams County, Mississippi
JONATHAN J. MILLS My great great great grandfather
Johnson Cavalry, Rock Creek Guards, Johnson County, Texas
Born 10 May 1803, North Carolina
Died 10 Oct 1878, Johnson County, Texas
Buried: Prairie Springs Cemetery, Johnson County, Texas
MARTIN VAN BUREN MILLS My great great grandfather
Company C, 21st Texas Infantry, Griffin’s Regiment &
13th Regiment Texas Cavalry
Born 2 Jun 1837, Illinois
Died 8 Nov 1926, Johnson County, Texas
Buried: Prairie Springs Cemetery, Johnson County, Texas
RUFUS K. PRESTIDGE My great great grandfather
Company K, 37th Texas Cavalry, Terrell’s Regiment
Born 24 Mar 1842, Mississippi
Died 4 Aug 1918, Van Zandt County, Texas
Buried: Prairie Springs Cemetery, Van Zandt County, Texas
WILLIAM H. ROSE
My great great grandfather
Company D & Company I, 6th Missouri Infantry &
Company D, 8th Missouri Infantry
Born 7 Aug 1840, Lawrence County, Ohio
Died 18 Feb 1900, Montague County, Texas
Buried: Smyrna Cemetery, Montague County, Texas
John T. Prestidge
Born
Dec 1, 1862
Died
Mar 15, 1886
S. C. Prestidge
Born March 20, 1878
Died Jan 1, 1897
My Darling Boy Is
Gone But Not Forgotten
(Scott C. Prestidge)
Larkin C. Son of
R. K. & S. F. Prestidge
Born
Mar 13, 1883
Died
Oct 4, 1899
All three of the above were sons of Rufus & Sarah (Slaughter) Prestidge. Although John’s birth date on his tombstone is 1 Dec 1862, I believe he was actually born in 1860. His sister, Mary Jane, is always shown as being two years younger than John in every census in which they appeared together, and in the Hood County, Texas school records. According to census records and her tombstone, Mary Jane was born in Dec 1862.
5. Josephine Milam Saunders, daughter of William Henry Saunders and Mary Jane Prestidge, was born on 25 Jul 1900 in Glen Rose, Somervell County, Texas, died on 23 Aug 1986 in Farmers Branch, Dallas County, Texas at age 86, and was buried in West Bridgeport Cemetery, Wise County, Texas. Josephine married Wilbur Alexander Blanton, Sr. on 26 May 1921 in Cleburne, Johnson County, Texas. 11. Mary Jane Prestidge, daughter of Rufus K. Prestidge and Sarah Frances Slaughter, was born in Dec 1862 in Van Zandt County, Texas, died on 7 Jun 1905 in Glen Rose, Somervell County, Texas at age 42, and was buried in Squaw Creek Cemetery, Somervell County, Texas. Mary married William Henry Saunders about 1881 in Texas. 22. Rufus K. Prestidge, son of Obediah C. Prestridge and Mary Gilmer, was born on 24 Mar 1842 in Mississippi, died on 4 Aug 1918 in Grand Saline, Van Zandt County, Texas at age 76, and was buried in Prairie Springs Cemetery, Van Zandt County, Texas. Rufus married Sarah Frances Slaughter on 28 Dec 1859 in Van Zandt County, Texas. 44. Obediah C. Prestridge, son of Larkin Prestridge and Alcy Campbell, was born about 1806 in Georgia, died after 1880 in Hood County, Texas, and was buried in Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Hood County, Texas. Obediah married Mary Gilmer about 1833 in Alabama or Mississippi. 88. Larkin Prestridge, son of John Prestridge, Jr. and Elizabeth Walters, was born about 1774 in Virginia and died on 10 Aug 1858 in Cherokee County, Texas about age 84. Larkin married Alcy Campbell about 1796. 176. John Prestridge, Jr. son of John Prestridge, Sr. and Ann, was born about 1752 in Virginia and died about 1818 in Franklin County, Georgia about age 66. John married Elizabeth Walters about 1772 in Virginia. 352. John Prestridge, Sr. was born about 1730 in Virginia and died in 1791 in Pittsylvania County, Virginia about age 61. John married Ann about 1750 in Virginia.
Prairie Springs Cemetery is located on Highway 64 just a few miles southeast of Canton, Texas. According to the historical marker in the cemetery, it dates back to 1866.
I have 29 family members buried in this cemetery, mostly from my Prestridge and Slaughter lines. Most of their tombstones can be found in two rows in the northeast corner of the cemetery.
When I lived in east Texas, I was only about an hour away from the cemetery and I visited it often. It is one of my favorite cemeteries and I stopped by there on a recent trip to Longview. I don’t know why I keep being drawn back there, but maybe one day it will lead to a discovery.
Randy Seaver’s Saturday Night Genealogy Fun looked like too much fun this week, so I was forced to put aside the boxes that I am unpacking from my recent move and play along. I'm a little late as it is now Sunday night, not Saturday; but here is the list of my 16 great great grandparents: 16. John Martin Blanton, son of David Blanton and Susannah Snow, was born on 26 Nov 1827 in Walker County, Alabama, died on 8 Dec 1873 in Cass County, Texas at age 46, and was buried in Cass County, Texas.
John married Julia Ann McAnear on 10 Sep 1850 in Clarksville, Red River County, Texas. 17. Julia Ann McAnear, daughter of Alexander McAnear and Elizabeth Blanton, was born on 4 Dec 1831 in Alabama, died on 24 Oct 1915 in Johnson County, Texas at age 83, and was buried in Marystown Cemetery, Johnson County, Texas.
Julia married John Martin Blanton on 10 Sep 1850 in Clarksville, Red River County, Texas. 18. Martin Van Buren Mills, son of Jonathan J. Mills and Mary Faulkner, was born on 2 Jun 1837 in Illinois, died on 8 Nov 1926 in Johnson County, Texas at age 89, and was buried in Prairie Springs Cemetery, Johnson County, Texas.
Martin married Mary Frances Armstrong on 22 Jan 1860 in Johnson County, Texas. 19. Mary Frances Armstrong, daughter of John Armstrong and Sarah Morris, was born on 20 Jun 1838 in Kentucky, died on 31 Dec 1928 in Johnson County, Texas at age 90, and was buried in Prairie Springs Cemetery, Johnson County, Texas.
Mary married Martin Van Buren Mills on 22 Jan 1860 in Johnson County, Texas. 20. William M. Saunders, probable son of William T. Saunders and Jemima, was born about 1842 in Texas and died before Jul 1866 in Bosque County, Texas.
William married Louisa J. Scarborough on 15 Dec 1859 in Anderson County, Texas. 21. Louisa J. Scarborough, daughter of John Scarborough and Sarah, was born on 6 Dec 1840 in Union County, Arkansas, died on 11 Aug 1911 in Tolar, Hood County, Texas at age 70, and was buried in Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Hood County, Texas. She was usually called Eliza.
Eliza married William M. Saunders on 15 Dec 1859 in Anderson County, Texas.
Eliza next married David H. Eddleman on 12 Jul 1866 in Bosque County, Texas. 22. Rufus K. Prestidge, son of Obediah C. Prestridge and Mary Gilmer, was born on 24 Mar 1842 in Mississippi, died on 4 Aug 1918 in Grand Saline, Van Zandt County, Texas at age 76, and was buried in Prairie Springs Cemetery, Van Zandt County, Texas.
Rufus married Sarah Frances Slaughter on 28 Dec 1859 in Van Zandt County, Texas. 23. Sarah Frances Slaughter, daughter of William A. Slaughter and Sarah Jane Wise, was born on 24 Dec 1844 in Jasper County, Georgia, died on 31 Dec 1915 in Van Zandt County, Texas at age 71, and was buried in Prairie Springs Cemetery, Van Zandt County, Texas. She was usually called Sallie.
Sallie married Rufus K. Prestidge on 28 Dec 1859 in Van Zandt County, Texas. 24. Harvey Griffith was born about 1818 in Tennessee and died about 1860 in Madison County, Arkansas about age 42.
Harvey married Anna Poyner about 1840 in Tennessee. 25. Anna Poyner, daughter of John Poyner and Elizabeth Griffith, was born in 1819 in Tennessee and died from 1856 to 1859 in Arkansas at age 37.
Anna married Harvey Griffith about 1840 in Tennessee. 26. Thomas L Davis, son of James G. Davis and Unknown, was born on 15 Oct 1830 in Fayette County, Georgia, died on 21 Jul 1863 in Natchez, Adams County , Mississippi at age 32, and was buried in Natchez, Adams County , Mississippi.
Thomas married Martha Emmaline Farris on 12 Jan 1854. 27. Martha Emmaline Farris, daughter of Elias Farris and Martha, was born on 15 Dec 1835 in Alabama, died on 21 May 1913 in Logan County, Arkansas at age 77, and was buried in Bethel Cemetery, Logan County, Arkansas.
Martha married Thomas L Davis on 12 Jan 1854.
Martha next married Richard M. Gilbert in 1865 in Union Parish, Louisiana. 28. William Edwin Nix, possible son of Elijah Nix and Martha, was born in 1831 in Georgia, died in 1890 in Sunset, Montague County, Texas at age 59, and was buried in Smyrna Cemetery, Montague County, Texas.
William married Georgia Ann Reid on 21 Jan 1860 in Coosa County, Alabama. 29. Georgia Ann Reid was born in 1845 in Georgia, died in 1895 in Sunset, Montague County, Texas at age 50, and was buried in Smyrna Cemetery, Montague County, Texas.
Georgia married William Edwin Nix on 21 Jan 1860 in Coosa County, Alabama. 30. William H. Rose was born on 7 Aug 1840 in Illinois or Ohio, died on 18 Feb 1900 in Montague County, Texas at age 59, and was buried in Smyrna Cemetery, Montague County, Texas.
William married Hester A. Patterson about 1866 in Missouri. 31. Hester A. Patterson, daughter of James William Patterson and Sarah Jane McHenry, was born on 16 Mar 1850 in Virginia, died on 29 Mar 1894 in Montague County, Texas at age 44, and was buried in Smyrna Cemetery, Montague County, Texas.
Hester married William H. Rose about 1866 in Missouri.
* Go into your genealogy database software program and determine which of your ancestors, if any, were born on 29 February.
* Do the same and determine if any of your ancestors married on 29 February.
* If you don't have any ancestors born or married on that day, are there any persons in your entire database born or married on that day.
I found two people in my database who were born on February 29th and no marriages. Who would marry on February 29th? You would only get an anniversary present every 4 years. My results were as follows:
Arabella Carter, Wife of my 1st Cousin 4 times removed
b. 29 Feb 1851 in Alabama
m. William Jasper McAnear 17 Jan 1871 in Red River Co., TX
d. 6 Sep 1938 in Nocona, Montague Co., TX
Sarah Margaret Prestridge, 2nd Cousin twice removed
b. 29 Feb 1908 in Roger Mills Co., OK
m. Preston W. George 8 Jul 1933 in OK
d. 18 Oct 1993 in Oklahoma Co., OK
Margaret, as she was called, was the mother of my good friend and cousin, Burnis, who has shared with me many wonderful stories and information about our Prestridge family.
Craig over at GeneaBlogie suggested the following:
List the surnames you are researching and the general localities. Then tell the names of your “Most Wanted Ancestors,” that is, the ones you most want to find behind that brickwall. (You can tag people if you want; I’ve chosen not to do that here so that all readers are included). Let’s see your lists; maybe we can each help someone out!
Below is a list of the surnames in my genealogy hunt and the places they lived.
The wife and parents of John Blanton, born 1760/1761, probably in VA; lived in east TN, Walker Co., AL, St. Francis Co, AR and Red River Co., TX. Died in Red River Co., TX in Nov. 1840.
The parents of William M. Saunders, born abt. 1842 in Texas; died before July 1866, last living in Bosque Co., TX.
