Happy new year to all of my Blanton family cousins and my Geneablogger friends. I truly appreciate those of you who have read and commented on my blog this year.
I’m not one to make a bunch of New Year’s Resolutions, but I have a few in mind. I have only made 31 posts to my blog this year and I will try to do better next year. I am not a writer like many of the wonderful Geneabloggers. I started this blog to give out more information about the families I am researching. I’m not sure where I will go with my blog this year, but I’m hoping to get more of my family information on here. I have the majority of it on my web site, but it doesn’t hurt to have it in two places.
I’m also hoping to join at least one of the nearby genealogical societies where many of my ancestors lived. Now that I’m living nearby, it will be possible for me to attend their meetings. I would also love to go to one of the genealogy conferences, but I’m not sure if I can make that happen this year.
Happy New Year everyone. Here’s wishing that we all make some wonderful discoveries this year and break down some of those brick walls!
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.
Randy Seaver’s Saturday Night Genealogy Fun this week is to tell about your Most Recent Unknown Ancestor and to identify what resources you might use to find him or her.
My Most Recent Unknown Ancestors are the parents of my great great grandfather, William M. Saunders. He is number 20 on my pedigree chart and his parents would be numbers 40 and 41.
William Saunders married L. J. (Louisa J.) Scarborough on the 15 Dec 1859 in Anderson County, TX. The 1860 Anderson County, TX census shows William M. Sanders, age 18, born in Texas and L. J. Sanders, age 20, born in Arkansas. Louisa’s brother, John Scarborough, age 18, born in Arkansas, is living with them. Louisa’s parents have already moved on to Johnson County, Texas by 1860. There are no other Saunders/Sanders families living in Anderson County that could be the parents of William. I have searched at the Anderson County courthouse for deeds for William and found none. More than likely, he did not own land there.
William and Louisa had two sons: William Henry Saunders (my great grandfather), born in Feb 1862 and John M., born in Sept 1863.
I believe that William and Louisa moved to Bosque County, Texas between 1860 and 1866. William Saunders died sometime before July 1866, as Louisa married David Henry Eddleman on 12 July 1866 in Bosque County, Texas.
The only reference to William's death is found in the Probate Minutes of Bosque County, Texas, Volume D1, page 619. It reads as follows:
Thursday, Nov. 1st 1866
#95 D. H. Eddleman Guardian of the minors William H. Sanders & John M. Sanders heirs at law.
This case coming to be heard and the court being satisfied Petition had been filed and notice given as the law requires It is therefore ordered by the Court that D. H. Eddleman be appointed guardian of the Person and Estate of the Minors William H & John M. Sanders and that letters of Guardianship do issue as soon as he shall have filed in this Court a sufficient Bond. Ordered this case be continued until the next regular Term. There were no other minutes on this case. Either David Eddleman never filed the bond, or it is missing from the records.
I have searched for records of Civil War soldiers, thinking that William may have been killed in the war. I have searched for deeds, probates and a Will and have not found anything telling me about the life of William, nor found even a hint as to whom his parents were.
I searched the 1850 census in Texas looking for a William Saunders born around 1842. I found one family with a William M. Saunders, age 8, which fits my William’s age exactly, as does the middle initial. The father in that family was also named William and he and his wife had several young children in 1850. I cannot find this family in the 1860 census, nor can I find any trace of them in Anderson County or Bosque County; therefore, I don’t know if this is the right family or not.
I have also searched in Arkansas where Louisa’s Scarborough family was living. That did not produce any results, either.
What to do now? I would like to go back to Bosque County and do more searching just to make sure that I didn’t miss something the first time. I also need to check the deeds to see if perhaps Louisa (Scarborough) Eddleman disposed of any land that could have belonged to her and William. In the meantime, I will keep doing periodic searches on the internet and on Ancestry with the hopes of finding another relative who is researching this line.
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.
I searched my Blanton surname and received the following results.
The United States had the largest concentration worldwide of the Blanton surname with 94.7 persons per million. Canada was second with 0.92 persons per million, then the United Kingdom with 0.9 persons per million and Germany with 0.11 persons per million.
In the United States, the three states with the highest concentration of Blantons were Kentucky with 520 persons per million, South Carolina with 518 persons per million and North Carolina with 415 persons per million.
Next, I looked at the distribution of Blantons in Texas. This was surprising. The highest concentration was in Clay County. One of David Blanton's sons, Charles Wesley Blanton, lived in nearby Wilbarger County, but his children moved to other counties. The second highest concentration was in Rusk County. These are possibly ancestors of a branch of Blantons from North Carolina who settled in Rusk County in the 1800's.
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.
Nancy C. (Blanton) Oakes
Wife of
James W. Oakes
Born
May 27, 1807
Died
April 15, 1878
James W. Oakes
Born
June 12, 1800
Died
Feb 25, 1885
Key Cemetery
Morgan County, Alabama
This cemetery is located west of Falkville in Morgan County, Alabama, on private property off of Key Turney Road. The man who owns the house and the land where the cemetery is located was very friendly and was nice enough to open the gate so that we could drive down to the cemetery. It was a very beautiful and peaceful place. According to family records, Nancy C. Blanton was the daughter of Isaac Blanton, and is my 3rd great grand aunt.
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.
Judy Shuburt from Tennessee Memories gave me the Janice Brown Puckerbrush Blog Award. Thanks, Judy, not only for the award, but also for the kind words that you had to say about me and my blog. I really appreciate you recognizing my blog, even though I have neglected it lately. Judy is among many of the wonderful people who I have met from the Genea-bloggers group on Facebook.
The Puckerbrush Award was started by Terry Thornton of the Hill Country of Monroe County Mississippi blog to honor his friend, Janice Brown. You can read more about the award on his blog here.
As Judy stated in her blog, I have been busy preparing to sell our house and move back to my hometown of Fort Worth. If any of you have ever had your house on the market, you know how time consuming it is to get up and clean every morning just in case someone wants to drop by and look. In addition, I have also been busy creating a website for the chapter of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas to which I belong.
I am supposed to give this award to ten blogs, but I believe that all of the blogs that I read have already received the award. I have neglected reading my blogs lately, also. Thanks again, Judy, and I hope to be back blogging soon!
Sirena C.
Wife of J. W. Blanton
2 Aug 1871
22 June 1909
Marystown Cemetery, Johnson County, Texas
John Wesley Blanton was the son of John Martin Blanton and Julia Ann McAnear. He married Sirena C. Kennedy on the 7 Nov 1899 in Johnson County, Texas. They had 3 children: Leonard A. Blanton, Robert Lee Blanton, and Flora Kyrene Blanton.
Provide a list of your paternal grandmother's patrilineal line. Answer these questions:
* What was your father's mother's maiden name? Josephine Milam Saunders
* What was your father's mother's father's name? William Henry Saunders
* What is your father's mother's father's patrilineal line? That is, his father's father's father's ... back to the most distant male ancestor in that line?
William Henry Saunder's father was William M. Saunders, born about 1842 in Texas and died between 1862 and 1866, probably in Bosque County, Texas. This is one of my brick wall ancestors. I have not been able to find any information about William M. Saunders' death or his parents.
* Can you identify male sibling(s) of your father's mother, and any living male descendants from those male sibling(s)? If so, you have a candidate to do a Y-DNA test on that patrilineal line. If not, you may have to find male siblings, and their descendants, of the next generation back, or even further.
My grandmother had 2 brothers:
John Saunders b. about 1885. I know nothing else about this brother. He only appears in the 1900 census and I have not been able to find him after that. I don't know if he moved somewhere else, or died at an early age.
James "Rex" Saunders, b. 1892, died after 1960. James moved to Arkansas and had at least 2 sons and a daughter. I need to do more research on his family. It might provide some clues.
My grandmother's mother died when my grandmother was only 5 years old. She had several half-brothers:
Gene Saunders, 1910-1982, no children
Edward "Red" Saunders, 1913-1960, 1 daughter
Milton Saunders, 1916-1970, no children that I have found
Hershel Saunders, 1922-1980, no children
After doing this exercise, I see that I need to do some work on the James Saunders line in Arkansas to see if I could possibly find a living relative. Thanks, Randy, that was fun and informative.
Annie Bockman Blanton
May 20, 1856 Born Cass Co. Texas
Nov. 10, 1874 Married William A. Blanton
Sept. 29, 1884 Died Near Egan
Their Children
Lela Blanton Gober 1878 - 1924
Elmer A. Blanton 1880 - 1964
Blanton
Infant Son of
Wm. A. & Annie B. Blanton
Stillborn
Near Egan, Texas
Sept. 28, 1884
This was my great grandfather's first wife and son who died within one day of each other. Both are buried in Marystown Cemetery, Johnson County, Texas.
1) Go to http://www.wordle.net/ and create a Wordle with your surnames in it. As many as you want.
2) Post it on your blog or web page, and/or print it out and hang it on your wall. Show off your prowess!
3) Tell us what you've done - either in Comments to this post or in your own blog. Brag about your creation! If you want me to post it here, send a JPG file to me at rjseaver@cox.net.
4) Can you make something else really creative or pretty? If so, show us.
On the same day in March 1836 that the Republic of Texas was born, another birth was taking place near Clarksville in Red River County. Mahaley Emaline McAnear was born on that day to Alexander and Elizabeth "Betty" (Blanton) McAnear. Alexander and Betty were my 3rd great grandparents and Mahaley Emaline was my great grand aunt. She later married her cousin, Benjamin Blanton.
On her 85th birthday, she wrote an article, probably for the local newspaper. I have a photocopy of the clipping, but the name of the publication was not included. Below is a copy of that article.
OLDEST NATIVE TEXAN LIVING
Mrs. M. E. Blanton, Munday, Knox Co., Texas
On March 2, 1921, I was 85 years old. I was born fourteen miles east of Clarksville, Red River County, Texas, March 2, 1836, the day that Texas declared her independence of Mexico. As far as I know, I am the oldest native Texan now living in Texas. My parents and family of five children came from Alabama to Texas in 1833, settling in Red River County, where I was born three years later. My father's name was Aleck McAnear. In May 1856, we moved to Johnson County, Texas, settling on McAnear Creek (named for my father), just northwest of where the town of Cleburne now stands.
On Jan. 31, 1858, I married Benjamin Blanton. We moved to Cherokee County, Texas, and the following July we moved back to Johnson County. Eight children were born to us, four boys and four girls, all of whom are now living. My husband died March 22, 1919.
We lived sixty-one years in Johnson County, when my two daughters and myself came to Munday to live with my youngest daughter, Mrs. Bettie Rodgers. Only three of my father's family are now living of eleven children. They are Mrs. Ruthy McNeil of Vera Texas, Mrs. Nancy Mathis of Cleburne, Texas, and myself. My husband was in the Civil War. He was in charge of the commissary department and was sent west to collect cattle for the army. He had several narrow escapes from death at the hands of the Indians. In August, 1874, he camped in front of the home of the Huff family in Wise County. The following night the entire family was massacred by Indians.
We old pioneers did our part in freeing Texas from the dominion of the Indians and the desperadoes, and hand the liberated State to posterity without blot or blemish, in the hope that rising generations will keep it from the sordid selfishness and greed of those who may wish to exploit it in the interest of any unworthy or unscrupulous clique, clan, or crew.
Article privately held by Debbie McCoy, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE], Texas.
One hundred seventy-three years ago, on March 2, 1836, the Texas Declaration of Independence was adopted by the Convention of 1836 which met at Washington-on-the-Brazos, thus declaring Texas as a free and independent Republic. Happy Birthday, Texas!
* 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.
The Red River Campaign was the Union's effort to capture Texas and take control of the Trans-Mississippi headquarters at Shreveport, Louisiana. Union troops under the command of General N. P. Banks, and Navy troops under Flag Officer D. D. Porter, moved up the Red River through Alexandria, Louisiana to Natchitoches. At that point, General Banks moved away from the Red River and his naval support. He was not expecting to meet Confederate troops until he reached Shreveport.
On the morning of April 7, 1864, Union troops encountered Confederate troops under the command of General Richard Taylor (son of President Zachary Taylor) near Wilson's Farm south of the town of Mansfield. At noon the next day, April 8, 1864, Confederate forces met the Union forces in battle about four miles south of Mansfield. This is where the Mansfield State Historic site is today. The Confederate forces overtook the Union soldiers, taking many prisoners, and causing the Union forces to retreat to Pleasant Hill. The next day, the Battle of Pleasant Hill was fought with both sides sustaining heavy losses and withdrawing. After the two battles, the Union army retreated back to Natchitoches and down the Red River, thus ending the Red River Campaign.
The Battle of Mansfield has been called the most important battle west of the Mississippi. It was the turning point in the Red River Campaign, and it saved Texas from the invasion of Union Troops.
Three sons of my 3rd great grandfather, David Blanton, fought at Mansfield and Pleasant Hill:
John Martin Blanton (1827-1873)
James Elijah Blanton (1842-1919)
David Robert Blanton (1844-1894)
They were members of the 23rd Texas Cavalry Regiment which was assigned to H. Bee's and Debray's Brigade, Trans-Mississippi Dept.
The Mansfield State Historic Site is operated by the State of Louisiana. Inside the Interpretive Center, visitors can watch an interesting 10 minute video about the Battle of Mansfield and view several exhibits containing artifacts from the war including weapons, uniforms, letters and diaries.
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