Brown Family Research - Paternal Ancestors - Segment 5

 

Oliver Martin Brown and Harriet Elizabeth Wilson

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Early Life

Oliver Martin Brown was born June 6, 1866, in Perry Co., IN. Oliver was the eldest of the three sons born to Samuel and Sarah Francis Craven Nelson Brown. Since both Sam and Sarah had been previously married and had fair sized families, the Brown household may have been quite crowded.

Samuel died when Oliver was very young (about 8), and Sarah subsequently married a man named Mathias Beard. During those early years, Oliver attended a Methodist church and became a Christian.

Marriage and Family

As a young man, Oliver is said to have earned a living in the timber business. It was then that he went to work for Joseph C. Wilson. Wilson was a man of some means and gave employment to a number of young men. While working for and boarding with Wilson, Oliver met Harriet Elizabeth Wilson (known variously as Hattie or Lizzie), Wilson's daughter. Oliver, who was over six-foot tall and had clear blue eyes, was quickly attracted to the short, gray-blue-eyed Elizabeth. Lizzie had many suitors, but over a period of time, he won her hand. Lizzie was the third child of Joseph and Isabella Wilson. Lizzie had been born in DuBois Co. on October 27, 1873. A very short time afterwards (five days according to one oral tradition), Bell was killed in a train accident.

On March 2, 1890, Oliver and Lizzie married. The location is uncertain, though oral tradition again places the event in IN. Shortly after the ceremony, the young couple, Joseph Wilson (who had remarried to Bell's sister, Nancy) and other members of the family moved from IN to KY. Tradition attributes this decision to relocate to a desire to "follow the timber".

Oliver and Hattie's first son, Willie Albert, was born on December 21, 1890.[1] It is believed that this occurred in the little town of Glendean, KY, in Breckenridge Co. From there, the families would move southward, finally settling in the Cromwell community in Ohio Co. Carl was born March 3, 1896.[2] He was followed quickly by Otto in January 1898.[3]

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[1] Willie Albert Brown, born December 21, 1890 in KY, died November 13, 1864 in Ohio Co., KY, married Cliffie Delilah Ferguson August 12, 1912. It is said that their daughter Annie Glendean was named for the small town in which Willie Albert was born. Shirley Burris says that her father's (Willie Albert Brown) birth certificate (obtained in 1942) lists Mentor, Dubois Co., IN as his place of birth, whereas many of the other records list KY. Willie Albert's death certificate 26409, death volume 64 and volume 53.

[2] Carl Alvie Brown, born 3/3/1896 in KY, died 1/5/1943, married Naomi Raymer. Carl fought in WWI with the 128th Infantry, 32nd Division; he was a waggoneer. He died January 5, 1943, in the Veterans Administration Hospital in Memphis, TN, after a 56-day stay for an intestinal obstruction. He was buried at the Baptist Church (unnamed in his death certificate) in Prentiss, Ohio Co., KY. At the time of his death, they were living in Greenbriar in Robertson Co., TN. His SSN was 410-28-8305.

[3] Otto Martin Brown, born 6/1898, died November 23, 1981, in Louisville, KY (death certificate 29970, death volume 81 and volume 060), married Elta Raymer. He was buried in the Slaty Creek Cemetery, Ohio Co., KY.

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The 1900 census lists Oliver’s occupation as a teamster. Being a teamster meant that Oliver had to be a good handler or horses. His children would later tell of an old black horse that he owned named Babe. The horse was a favorite of the kids and grandchildren.

Their first girl, Floy B., was born October 30, 1901.[4] She would be followed by Willis T. on October 5, 1904.[5] Iva on April 13, 1907.[6] The final child, Myrtle, was born on November 15, 1909.[7]

The April 2, 1915, Hartford Republican reported that Oliver had been reimbursed for $15.55 for 15 days and ½-hour labor for grading the roads in the Prentiss District plus $51.25 for 10 days’ use of his teams.

On July 26, 1918, the Hartford Republican reported that the Cardwells visited with the Browns.[8]

The January 31, 1919, edition of the Hartford Republican reported that Oliver and Lizzie were visited on Tuesday night the 28^th by their daughter, Floy Raymer, and her husband, Cefus, from nearby Hartford. On August 2^nd that year, the Hartford Republican reported that Oliver’s younger brother Lon (Alonzo), his wife, son, and daughter had come from Evansville, IN for a visit. On December 19^th that year, the Hartford Republican would report that Oliver was “on the sick list”.

On April 14, 1922, the Hartford Republican reported that the Browns had been visited by their son, Carl, and his wife, Naomi Raymer, on Sunday the 9^th.

The May 12, 1922, edition of the Hartford Republican reported that son Willie, along with wife Cliffie and the children (Shirley and Adril), had visited Oliver and Lizzie on the preceding Sunday (May 7^th). It’s not clear why this would be news, as they lived in the same community. On November 10^th, the same paper would report that Oliver had been seriously ill but was now doing much better.

As Oliver aged, he had a full head of gray hair, which was very wavy. Elizabeth's dark hair was almost untouched by gray even when she died. By late life, both would wear glasses.

Decline and Death

On October 13, 1939, Oliver experienced problems that were later diagnosed as an intestinal obstruction. After attempts at resolution over about a four-day period in the local hospital, he was transported and admitted to the Owensboro City Hospital in nearby Daviess Co., KY on about the 21^st. With his condition steadily worsening, his Doctor operated on the 26^th, performing an enterostomy

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[4] Floy B. Brown, born 10/30/1901, died April 23, 1990, in Jefferson Co., KY. She married Cefus Raymer. The 'B' in Floy's name was said to not stand for anything. Her SSN was 400-30-7993.

[5] Willis T. Brown, born 10/5/1904, died 10/6/1971 in Ohio Co., KY, (death certificate 26723, death volume 71 and volume 53), married Agnes Marie Raymer, born 2/14/1910. The 'T' in Willis' name did not stand for anything. His nickname was Mandy.

[6] Iva Brown, born 4/13/1907, married John Frizzell, born 6/20/1901, died 8/6/1964.

[7] Myrtle Brown, born 11/15/1909, married Edward Railey, died January 31, 1978.

[8] Lizzie was the stepdaughter of Nancy Wilson Cardwell. The paper incorrectly lists her as the ‘daughter’ of the Cardwells.

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and severance of adhesion. The Doctor reported that he found “an obstruction of the terminal ileum in the left inguinal hernia”. In spite of the surgery, the 73-year-old Oliver died at 11 pm on October 27^th of broncho pneumonia.[9] He was buried on October 28^th in the cemetery at the Slaty Creek Baptist Church in the Prentiss community in Ohio Co.[10]

Sometime after Oliver’s death, Hattie moved to Louisville, KY to be near daughters Floy and Myrtle. She lived with Myrtle at 565 E. Adair Street just north of the Standiford Field airport and the Fairgrounds on land that is very close to the present-day (2012) rollercoaster. In the fall of 1956, the 83-year-old Hattie came under a doctor’s care for what was ultimately determined to be stomach cancer.[11] She died at her home, also at 11 pm, on Sunday, December 9^th.[12] She was buried back in Ohio Co. next to Oliver at the Slaty Creek Cemetery.[13] The couple shared a tombstone just as they shared life. The inscription reads, "Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God”.

End Notes and References

1. 1900 Ohio Co., KY census, Cromwell precinct, page 82. The couple has been married for 11 years, and all their children are living. Oliver is listed as a teamster who has been unemployed for four of the last twelve months. Hattie can neither read nor write. The Brown's do not own their home but rent. The property is listed as a house rather than a farm.

·         Oliver, head, born 6/1868, age 31, born Ind., father born Ind., mother born IN

·         Hattie, wife, born 10/1873, age 26, born Ind., father born Ind., mother born IN

·         William, son, 12/1890, age 9, born KY, father born Ind., mother born IN

·         Carl, son, born 3/1896, age 4, born KY, father born Ind., mother born IN

·         Otto, son, born 6/1898, age 2, born KY, father born Ind., mother born IN

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[9] Oliver’s death certificate Volume 49, number 24480, Daviess Co., KY, October 27, 1939.

[10] Ohio Country Messenger, November 3, 1939, page 1. Oliver M. Brown Is Called by Death, Oliver M. Brown, age 73, died at the Owensboro City Hospital, Friday, October 27. Death was due to internal obstructions, of which he had been ill for ten days. Mr. Brown was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth Wilson on March 2, 1890. He was a member of the Methodist Church, having professed faith with that denomination when he was a youth. He was known as a good husband, father, and neighbor. He was a successful farmer in the Prentiss community. Survivors include his wife, three daughters, Mrs. Cefus Raymer and Mrs. John Frizzel, Prentiss, and Mrs. Edward Railey of Detroit, Michigan, four sons, Willie, Otto and Willis, Prentiss and Carl of Green Brier, TN; twenty-three grandchildren, three great-grandchildren; one brother, Lon Brown of Evansville, IN. Funeral services were conducted at Slaty Creek Baptist Church at 2pm Saturday, October 28. The Rev. Meadows was in charge. Interment was in the church cemetery.

[11] Her grandson, Adril Brown, would succumb to the same disease.

[12] Hattie Elizabeth’s death certificate number 25698, death volume 56). December 9, 1956, Jefferson Co., KY.

[13] Ohio County News, December 14, 1956, page 3. Mrs. Elizabeth Brown Dies in Louisville, Mrs. Elizabeth Brown, 83, died at 11 p.m. Sunday, December 9, at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Edward Railey, in Louisville. Mrs. Brown was born October 27, 1873, in DuBois County, Indiana, the daughter of Joseph and Bell Fitch Wilson. She was a member of the Slaty Creek Baptist Church. She married Oliver Martin Brown, who preceded her in death. Survivors include three daughters, Mrs. Floy Raymer and Mrs. Edward Rally, of Louisville, and Mrs. Iva Frizzel, Prentiss; three sons, Otto Brown, Louisville, Willie and Willis Brown, both of Beaver Dam; a brother Willie Wilson, Arkansas; a half-sister Mrs. Belle Douglas, Norwalk, Ohio; two half-brothers, Clark Wilson, Missouri and Henry Wilson, Bowling Green; 24 grandchildren and 36 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren. Funeral services were held at 11 a.m. Wednesday at the Slaty Creek Baptist Church by the Rev. E. H. Macklroy, pastor of the Highland Park Baptist Church, Louisville. Burial was in the church cemetery. Grandsons were pallbearers. The body was returned to the Casebier Funeral Home in Beaver Dam.

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        2. 1910 Ohio Co., KY census, page 88. The family rents its home, lives on a farm, all seven kids are living,                 and Oliver is self-employed.

·         Oliver, head, age 47, born Ind, father born?, mother born IN, cannot read

·         Lizzie, wife, age 36, born Ind, father born Ind, mother born IN, reads

·         Willie, son, age 20, born KY, father born Ind, mother born IN, reads

·         Carl, son, age 14, born KY, father born Ind, mother born IN, reads

·         Otto M., son, age 12, born KY, father born Ind, mother born IN, reads

·         Floy, daughter, age 8, born KY, father born Ind, mother born IN, cannot read

·         Willis T., son, age 6, born KY, father born Ind, mother born IN, cannot read

·         Iva, daughter, age 3, born KY, father born Ind, mother born IN, cannot read

·         Myrtle, daughter, age 3, months, born KY, father born IN, mother born Ind, cannot read

3. 1920 Ohio Co., KY, census, page 70. The Browns own their own home, mortgage-free. Willie Albert Brown is two houses away.

·   Oliver Brown, age 56, cannot read or write, born KY, father born KY, mother born KY, occupation _________________

·         Lizzie, age 46, can read and write, born KY, father born IN, mother born IN

·         Carl, age 24, can read and write, born KY, father born KY, mother born KY

·         Otto, age 22, can read and write, born KY, father born KY, mother born KY

·         Willis, age 15, can read and write, born KY, father born KY, mother born KY

·         Ivy, age ___________, can read and write, born KY, father born KY, mother born KY

·         Myrtle, age 10, can read and write, born KY, father born KY, mother born KY

4. Oliver's family:

·         Samuel Brown, born between 1823 and 1826 in IN and died June 7, 1873, in Bristow, Perry Co., IN. Married Sarah.

·         Sarah Francis Craven Nelson, remarried in May 1875 to Mathias Beard. She died in May 1895 in Mentor, Dubois Co., IN.

1.      Oliver Martin, born June 6, 1866, in Perry Co., IN

2.      Alonzo (also known as Lon), born in IN in 1867. In 1939, when Oliver passed away, Lon was living in Evansville, IN. He died in Evansville, Vanderburgh Co., IN on November 18, 1942.

3.      Samuel, born in 1870 in IN. Samuel is most likely the key to finding the full story on the Brown's in IN and their migration to KY. Samuel married Bell Grant. By tradition, she was a 'loose' woman. Samuel caught her and a lover, killed the lover, and then burned his body. After discovery, Samuel was said to have been sentenced and executed. The scandal seems to have greatly shamed many of the members of the Brown family and caused them to refuse to discuss the particulars. Some of my great-aunts knew the story but stubbornly carried the secret to their graves.

            5. The family of Joseph C. Wilson.

•         James A., born 1869 in IN.
•         Willie Alonzo, born June 1872 in IN, died of pneumonia in Hot Springs Co., Arkansas, in the town of Malvern on May 13, 1961. In about 1891, he married a woman named Fanny. Together they had at least three children: May, born 1893, James, born 1898, and a third, who died prior to 1900. Harriet Elizabeth's son Willie Albert Brown was named after him. In 1900, Willie Albert and Fannie were still living in Ohio Co., KY, near Oliver and Elizabeth.

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·         Willie Alonzo’s death certificate lists his occupation as ‘sawmill operator’. He is buried in the Harp Cemetery in Malvern. His middle name is sometimes spelled ‘Alanzo’.

·         Hattie Elizabeth, born October 27, 1873, in DuBois Co., IN, died December 9, 1956, in Jefferson Co., KY (certificate number 25698, death volume 56). Married Oliver Martin Brown on March 2, 1890.

 

Areas for Further Research

1. Check the 1890 IN marriage records, Dubois, Crawford, and Spencer Co.
2. Check Louisville papers for Elizabeth's obituary.
3. Check Ohio Co. real estate records, post-1890.
4. Check Ohio Co. tax records, post-1890.
5. Check Breckenridge Co., KY tax and real estate records, 1889-1890.
6. Check Ohio Co. court records, post-1890.
7. Find a death certificate or an obituary on Lon (or Alonzo) Brown in Evansville, IN.
8. Check DuBois Co., real estate and tax records to determine date of departure.
9. Did Oliver or Lizzie have wills?

Brown Family Research - Paternal Ancestors - Segment 4, Part 2

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With Tobe resting in his grave, the War Department, swamped with affidavits, recognized its error in classifying him as a deserter. As a result, the charge was rescinded by Special Order number 114.[36] The S.O. was issued by the Headquarters, Department of the South in Louisville, on June 17, 1873. While other sections were unrelated to Tobe's case, paragraph II stated, "The charge of desertion recorded against Private Tobias Furgerson, Company "C", 11th KY Volunteers, appearing upon investigation to be unfounded, is hereby removed".[37] Subsequently, the Army furnished Tobe an honorable discharge, to date March 1, 1862.[38]

Rachel and the Children

Sometime shortly after Tobe's death, Rachel and her children moved a few miles north to Ohio Co. There she was to reside for the next fifty years. It is impossible to say exactly why the family moved. Tobe's younger brother James, who seems to have always lived close by, also moved to Ohio Co. James probably helped the family during Tobe's illness, and Rachel may have moved to Ohio Co. to stay close. There was also a John Ferguson boarding with the family and farming in 1880. His relationship to Rachel is not known.[39]

Oral tradition has bequeathed Rachel a reputation as being hard-edged, yet the Ohio Co. Court Orders of 1881 tell a different story. In October that year, she was allowed the sum of $25 for ‘keeping a pauper’. It's not clear why the County was doing this, as they were running a Poor Farm/House just east of Hartford. Whatever the circumstances, the individual likely felt blessed to be in a home rather than being warehoused at the County facility.[40]

Having cleared her late husband of the charge of desertion, Rachel was awarded a pension beginning in March 1887, in the amount of $12 per month, plus an additional $2 per month for Lena until she reached the age of 16. Rachel also received back payments to February 1873, at the rate of $8 per month, plus $2 per month for each of the children until they turned 16. The back payments reflect the length of Rachel’s battle.[41] Several individuals provided affidavits in Rachel’s survivors pension file:

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[36] According to the National Archives, the original of Special Order #114, Headquarters, Department of the South, June 17, 1873, “No longer exists”. Tobe's copy has been carefully preserved by the family and was in the possession of Michael Brent Ferguson, of Orlando, FL at the time of his death (born October 18, 1950, and who was descended from Tobe’s son, James Alexander Ferguson, through Arthur Alano Ferguson and Marvin Ferguson). A copy of the Special Order was also in Tobe's military record (the portion known as the Bookmark File).

[37] Without a doubt, the clearing of Tobe's name was significant to the family. Shirley Brown Burris recalls that James Alexander Ferguson had his father's discharge papers framed and prominently displayed.

[38] The date of March 1, 1862, seems odd at first since Tobe returned to Butler County at the end of January that year. It appears that the date is based on testimony given by Tobe in his affidavit to clear the desertion charge, a decade after the event. The Army, having accepted that an honorable discharge was warranted, seems not to have spent a lot of time determining the proper date.

[39] The relationship with John Ferguson is not clear. Tobe had a younger brother of this name who died in 1856 at about 3 or 4 years of age. Brother James M. Ferguson was living nearby in the 1880 census.

[40] Ohio Co., KY, Court Orders, Vol 15, 1879-1882, page 445, October 3, 1881.

[41] Survivor's Pension Record, Tobias Ferguson, 11th Regiment of the KY Voluntary Infantry, Company C, 48 sheets. Certificate number 235593, file number 268102. Included therein is a copy of Rachel's application for pension, certified transcripts of their 1860 Butler Co. wedding license and certificate, numerous affidavits, a note from the War Department regarding his health while in service, and a "drop" card. This latter document was filed at the time of Rachel's death.

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·     James M. Ferguson - Tobe's younger brother, who served in the same company. By the time of his 1886 affidavit, James lived in Cromwell in Ohio Co. He cited February 11, 1873, as the date of Tobe’s passing and gave testimony regarding the date of Laura’s birth.

·    Dr. Robert B. Morehead - He was a physician in Butler Co., both before and after the war. The 11th KY elected him as their Assistant Surgeon at the outbreak of the war, but he declined. He first treated Tobe in the hospital at Camp Calhoun. He returned to Butler Co. and again treated Tobe, who stayed at his father’s house at the time. He said that Tobe moved during the winter of 1864/1865, and he ceased to see him for several years.

·    Benjamin F. Morris - Ohio Co. resident who said that he knew William F. Ferguson, commonly known as "Tobias" before the war, when as neighbors they both lived in Butler Co. Morris said that he occasionally employed Tobe for a few days at a time, though he could not do a good day’s work.

·   William R. Day - A resident of Aberdeen in Butler Co. who had been the color bearer for the 11th. Day knew Tobe for several years prior to the war. After Tobe took ill at Calhoun, Day visited him in the hospital. After the war, they were near neighbors who worked together from time to time in timber and farming and at various small jobs.

·    William C. Rogers - An elderly resident of Aberdeen in Butler Co. Rogers had known Tobe for several years prior to the war and was present at Dr. Siegler’s when Tobe was brought in from Calhoun.

·    Clark T. Porter - A resident of Morgantown in Butler Co., who knew Tobe for several years prior to the war. Porter knew of the marriage to Rachel’s sister Nancy and her subsequent death. Porter signed the marriage bond as "surety" (or what we would call "best man"). Tobe had worked for Porter before the war and seems to have done some work for him after his return from Calhoun. Porter said that Tobe was brought home in a "sleigh". Porter also stated that Tobe lived on "Mr. Moore’s land". Finally, Porter claimed that Rachel’s parents (which would actually be her father and stepmother) remained "loyal" during the war.

·     Dr. J. N. Howard - A Butler Co. physician who attended Tobe during his last couple of weeks.

·    J. J. Mitchell - Ohio Co. neighbor of Rachel Ferguson who attested that she had not remarried since Tobe’s death. In his May 1887 affidavit, Mitchell claimed that he had known her for 14 years, which implied that Rachel moved to Ohio Co. immediately upon Tobe’s death.

·    J. M. Peters - Ohio Co. neighbor of Rachel Ferguson who attested that she has not remarried since Tobe’s death. In his May 1887 affidavit, Peters also claimed that he had known her for 14 years. As above, this implied that Rachel moved to Ohio Co. immediately upon Tobe’s death.

·    Alonzo Neel - Butler Co. resident who was a member of Company E of the 11th KY Infantry Regiment. Neel noted that Tobias married Rachel under the name of William F. Ferguson, though his proper name was William Alexander Ferguson. Neel claimed to have had a long acquaintance with Tobe and knew of his previous marriage to Nancy. In what may be the most personal statement in this file, Neel was able to attest that Rachel has not remarried since Tobe’s death, "... because he don’t think anybody would have her....".

·     Abraham A. Frizzell - A fellow Private in the 11th KY from Prentiss in Ohio Co. who served in Co. D and husband of Hannah Elizabeth Ferguson. Frizzell gave testimony regarding the date of Tobe’s death and Laura’s birth. Frizzell also later provided a statement regarding the age of the Ferguson children.

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 ·  J. B. Biss - Ohio Co resident who provided a statement regarding the age of the Ferguson children.

·  George F. Mitchell - Ohio Co resident who provided a statement regarding the age of the Ferguson children.

Rachel’s persistence and ultimate victory was significant enough that the news of the award made the local paper.[42]

The presence of family nearby must have been a great comfort when her son, Clark T., died February 1, 1889. That Friday night he went out drinking with friends Will Chinn and Doc Bunch. They loaded up on ‘mean Caneyville whiskey’. All became seriously ill. Clark collapsed behind the Shevan’s livery stable and was subsequently found dead. Chin and Bunch were saved by quick medical intervention.[43] Clark was buried in the cemetery at Beaver Dam Baptist Church, where his mom was a member.

Somehow Rachel prospered. By 1889 she owned three lots in Beaver Dam.[44] The 50' by 150' adjacent lots, located in the southeast corner of Broadway and Third, were purchased from Mr. and Mrs. I. P. Barnard of Louisville for a total of $250.[45] In 1894, Rachel added to her holdings, purchasing two more Beaver Dam lots located on Lafayette Street. These she purchased from her daughter Lena Catherine and son-in-law, W. T. Taylor, for $350.[46]

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[42] The Hartford Herald, July 20, 1887, page 3.

[43] Clark and his mom share a headstone. It would be interesting to know if the 'T' stood for Timothy or Tobias or something else. Clark’s death was covered in some detail in two articles in The Hartford Herald, February 06, 1889, on page 3.

[44] 1890 Ohio Co., KY tax rolls, three city lots valued at $550.

[45] Ohio Co., KY Deed Book 9, pages 181 and 182

[46] Ohio Co., KY Deed Book 15, page 135. 

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Rachel began to decline in health sometime in the early 1900s. Understandably, her primary care had shifted from brother-in-law, James Ferguson, to one of her own children, Elizabeth.[47] By 1913 she was confined to a wheelchair. Though failing in health and strength, her eyes were not dimmed. Rachel kept up with her needlework throughout her life and never wore glasses. Those who remembered her also said that the strength of her personality never slackened. Even in her 90s, Rachel continued to be demanding, perhaps confirming the testimony given by Alonzo Neal some fifty years before.

Her pension was increased to $20 per month in 1916, to $30 per month in 1920, and to $50 in 1926. She continued at this latter rate until her death.

In early June of 1927, Rachel became seriously ill and was placed under Dr. P. T. Willis' care. Weakened by 3 straight days of ‘the flux’, she passed away on Friday, July 8, 1927, around 3:30 p.m. at her daughter Lizzie's home. Dr. Willis identified senility as a secondary cause of death.[48] Rachel was buried at Beaver Dam Baptist Church beside her son, Clark, Saturday the 9^th at 3:30 in the afternoon. Her Pastor, Rev. C. C. Daves, led the service.[49]

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[47] 1900 Ohio Co., KY census, page 187, east Beaver Dam precinct. Warren H. and Lizzie Stevens lived next door to her. Rachel was shown as being 63, having six children, four of whom are still living. She states that she was born in KY, as were both of her parents. She states that she cannot read or write and owns her own home mortgage-free.

[48] Rachel Jones Ferguson, Directory of Births and Deaths, KY State Board of Health, Volume 44, certificate 21562. KY.

[49] Ohio County News, July 1927.

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In early 1924, Rachel must have sensed that her health was failing and had prepared her will. It was a one-page document of a simplicity certain to make any late 20th-century lawyer shiver. Rachel wanted her debts paid, a dollar given to her children James, Lena and Laura, and the balance given to Lizzie. This she desired, having made her home with Lizzie for several years and having received support and care during those years.[50]

End Notes and References

1.     Butler Co., KY census for 1850, p. 275. We know that Moses married again in 1872 to a Sallie F. Nostril (Butler Co. marriage records, Book 7, page 299). He states that his marriage to Sallie is his second, which is good confirmation that Malinda Ferguson is Tobias' mother. The known children of Moses and Malinda are;

·         Catherine, born about 1833 in TN.

·         William Alexander ‘Tobias’, born about 1839 in KY.

·   Timothy V., born October 27, 1840, in KY. In June 1880, he married a Betsy Jane Runnals in Ohio Co. He died of a brain hemorrhage on July 18, 1917, in Ohio Co. Also served in the 11th KY.

• James M., born April 14, 1845, in KY. He later married a woman named Nancy and moved to Ohio Co. Also served in the 11th KY. Was captured at Bowling Green by John Hunt Morgan’s unit on December 31, 1862, and was paroled. He reported to Company K, 4th Regiment of Paroled Forces at Camp Chase, OH on January 2, 1863. After presumably being exchanged, he returned to duty in the 11th KY on March 13, 1863. Camp Chase (4 miles west of downtown Columbus, OH) served as a training camp, parole camp and prisoner of war camp.

·    Thomas, born about 1848 in KY. He was still living with the family in 1860 and was mentioned in the letter home during the war by Timothy and James.

·   Hannah Elizabeth, born about October 23, 1849, in KY. She married Abe Frizzel, who also served in the 11th and supported Tobe's and Rachel's claims with affidavits.

• John A., born about 1852 in KY. Died December 2, 1856, of scarlet fever. Butler Co., KY, death records, 1856, page 2.
• Eleanor, born about 1854 in KY. Died December 4, 1856, of scarlet fever. Butler Co., KY, death records, 1856, page 2.
• Elmore, born about 1856 in KY. Died 1857 of scarlet fever. Butler Co., KY, death records, 1857, page 2.

Moses’ place of birth is based on Butler Co., KY census for 1860 (p.873), 1870 (p. 334), and 1880 (p. 364), though in Moses' 1872 marriage license to Sallie F. Nostril he states he was born in Tennessee, that his father was born in NC, and his mother in VA. In 1860, Moses' personal property was estimated at $200 (in an almost illegible scrawl that misled me for years) compared to Tobe's $50 personal property. According to the census, neither had any real estate. Rachel's father, Philip Jones, appears on the preceding page in the census (Butler Co., KY, 1860, page 872) so there was no shortage of family close at hand. The 1860 census also records the fact that Rachel also can neither read nor write, this in spite of the fact that the 1850 census for Edmonson Co. notes that the 11-year-old and her 9-year-old sister, Nancy, are in school. In 1883, Rachel does submit one document in her own handwriting to the War Department as a part of her Widow's Pension application. It shows that  her skills are marginal

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[50] Last will and testament, Rachel Ferguson, Ohio County Court Records, volume E, page 58, two pages. Ola (Viola) Ferguson Oller was one of the witnesses. She was the granddaughter of Rachel Ferguson through her son James Alexander Ferguson. Ola would not die until 1976. She was a favorite great-aunt of my family. Blind near the end of her life, she remained the happiest and funniest person I knew in my youth. Our tradition was to always take Ola peppermint candy. I interviewed Ola in 1961 or early 1962 for a school family tree project. Wish I’d taken better notes.

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     at best. As time passed, she continued to respond negatively to census inquiries regarding her ability to read and write.

3.   Moses Ferguson and Malinda Goff were married in Sumner Co., TN on July 19, 1832 (page 474 of the book, 35,000 Tennessee Marriage Records and Bonds, 1783-1870, Vol 1, A-F, edited by Rev. Silas Emmett Lucas, Jr. and Mrs. Ella Lee Sheffield, Southern Historical Press, Easley, SC, 1981). Malinda's place of birth is based on her 1850 response to the Ohio Co., KY census. In 1830 in Sumner Co., TN, there was only one Ferguson family (spelled Furguson in the census). It is the family of Edward Furguson, aged between 70 and 80. One of those living in this household is a male between 20 and 30 years of age. Moses would have been between 20 and 30 at this time. Except for the one statement given by Moses in his old age, the date of birth would correspond to that of the male in the Edward Ferguson household in the 1830 Sumner Co., TN census. It is possible that Edward is his father, though Edward would have been between 50 and 60 at the time of Moses' birth. Also, in Edward's household was one male less than 5, one female between 5 and 10, one female between 15 and 20, and one female between 60 and 70. The 1820 Sumner Co. census has three Furguson families, Edward, Polly, and John, all appearing on page 153 of that document.

4.   Butler Co., KY marriage records, Book A, page 114. William A. Ferguson to Nancy Jones on March 8, 1857. This is without a doubt Tobe. Rachel had a sister named Nancy. Philip Jones was at both weddings, and both occurred at Moses'. Rachel states in her Widow's Pension application that Tobe had been previously married and mentions 1858 or 1859 as the approximate date. She does not name the first wife, who she notes died childless. Tobe is listed as William F. on his marriage license and certificate to Rachel. We know that this is their marriage since a certified copy was submitted by Rachel to the War Department as part of her effort to secure a Widows Pension. Clerical mistakes are not unknown (they are well known to this researcher). It certainly was not unusual for a man to marry his deceased wife's sister in that day. A similar case exists in the Wilson branch of the family tree. In support of Rachel's application for a Widow's Pension, both Ben F. Morris and Alonzo Neel comment on Tobe's various names, and both Neel and CT Porter mention his earlier marriage to Nancy Jones.

5.     In the 1850 Edmonson Co., KY census, the Phillip Jones family appears on page 29 as follows:

Name	Age	Occupation	Worth	Place of Birth
Phillip Jones	37	farmer	$100	KY
Elizabeth	34			KY
Rachel	11			KY
Nancy	9			KY
Louisa	7			KY
John W.	5			KY
Solomon 4	4			KY
Shredreck				KY

Shirley Brown Burris recalls that Rachel had a brother who was known as "Wash". It may be that the middle name of John W. Jones was Washington or Washburn. Since Rachel’s mother’s maiden name was Decker, it is interesting to note that when the War Department compiled a list of pensioners in 1835 (Pension Roll of 1835, page 97 of the KY section of Volume 3), there were two Deckers in Grayson Co. One is named William (age 89), the other is a John Decker (age 82). Both served as Privates in the VA Militia in the Revolutionary War.

6.     Ohio Co. KY 1880 census, page 514. James Ferguson and his family are on the next page of the census.

Name	Age	Occupation	Born	Father Born	Mother Born	Misc.
Rachel Ferguson	44	Widow	KY	KY	KY

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Elizabeth	19		KY	KY	KY
Jamie	17		KY	KY	KY
Clark	13		KY	KY	KY	in school
Laura	11		KY	KY	KY	in school
Lena	9		KY	KY	KY	in school
John Ferguson	25	Farmer	KY	KY	KY	boarder

7.     The family moved to Butler Co. sometime in the 1850s, Elizabeth seems to have died, and Phillip has taken a new and much younger wife, the Tennessee born C. Annie. From page 872 of the 1860 Butler Co., KY census it can be deduced that three children were born to the two women in the 1850s.

Name	Approx. Year of Birth	Gender
Ditto	1851	Male
Mary E.	1855	female
Eluisa E.	1859	female

The Jones and Ferguson families are on adjacent pages in that census, perhaps indicating that they still live near one another. Per page 283 of the 1870 Butler Co., KY census it can be determined that at least five more children are added to the Jones family in the 1860s after both Nancy and Rachel have left home;

Name	Approx. Year of Birth	Gender
William	1863	Male
Timothy	1864	Male
James	1866	Male
Reansian (?)	1868	Male
Ruthy	1869	Female

8.     The 1870 Butler Co., KY census, page 294, in the Brooklyn post office district, shows William and Rachel with their              children Margaret (9), James (8), Clark (1), and Louvania (1). Clearly, this implies that the latter two are twins.

9.     The 1920 Ohio Co., KY census, page 47, shows Rachel living in the east Beaver Dam precinct with Warren and Elizabeth Stevens. Rachel is 84 years old. As with previous census responses, she states that she cannot read or write and that she and both parents were born in KY. Warren, 66, is retired.

10. During the war, brothers James M. and Timothy V. Ferguson wrote a letter home to their parents and brother Tobias. The letter has been preserved by family members. A descendant of Timothy Ferguson, Gayle Edge, Ancestry.com screen name rgedge78, obtained a transcript of the letter many years ago but is no longer certain who had the original. The letter mentions a battle on the 4^th of July. Family tradition states that it was in the vicinity of Murfreesboro, TN. However, according to unit records, July 2-5, 1864, was spent at Nickajack Creek in GA (northwest of Marietta as part of the Kennesaw Mountain campaign). They mention that they have “marched near to Georgia,” but this is actually ‘in’ Georgia. The 4^th saw a day-long artillery duel of some magnitude involving an estimated 200 cannons. In a letter home, Confederate Private Sam Watkins described it as being the most severe he had seen and it seemed

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1.  like both sides were celebrating the 4th.[51] Records of the 11 Ky show no other heavy engagements on or around a 4^th of July. The other confusing statement is about their brother, Thomas, whom they described as ’one of only 13 years’. Census records place his birth around 1848, which would make him perhaps 15 or nearing 16 in 1864. The text reads as follows:

To all the folks at home

We just heard bout all the raiders given ya'll a hard time. Tell pa to give Tom my gun he's a good shot for one of only 13 years. Give them theaving rebs something to remember or at least somethin to run from. We have marched near to Georgia so far as we reckon and I (James) Need new boots. Our forth was monnsteously loud and the smoke was fierce from the cannons. Add the dust and heat and it will not be a day We want to live again. We had a ringing in our ears and body for days. Our fighting has been not so bad, we loose more to sickness than fighting. On that note we be glad to hear Tobias is less poorly. Tell him that they listed him as a deserter, but we put them straight. This has been a long summer, but we have them on the run. If God see fit for us to live we will never walk more than 10 mile from home. This be a grand big country, but seeing it this way we would not recomend. We will write again when able I (Tim) have duty soon.

your loving sons J & T

Wish List

·         I would like to find where Tobe is buried (a review of the available Butler Co. cemetery index, dated 1975, did not yield anything). Since it is known that they lived near Aberdeen, it is likely that Tobe is buried nearby. As I mentioned, finding Nancy Jones, or a cemetery used by the Ferguson or Jones families, would be a good start.

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[51] History of the 11^th KY Volunteer Regiment – Union Army, p. 194 (cited above).