One Man of Polk County, TX

 A note dedicated to one Polk County man (a non-relative of ours) to help him be remembered.

George W Goodwin was born on 15 November 1826 in Georgia. Who his parents were, I do not know.
George moved to Alabama, where he married 17-year-old Nacy J Bigham Shropshire (born on 26 March 1830 in Alabama). The marriage ceremony took place on 5 November 1847. in Tallapoosa (1). 

Marriage bond issued for George

Marriage record

About a year later, on ♦ 3 December, George and Nancy's first son James Thaddeus was born (2). 

17 October 1850 - Census clerk recorded George W, a 22-year-old carpenter, Nancy - age 20, their son - age 1, and a 25-year-old lodger by the name of Thomas Heard, born in Scotland. The latter was a carpenter as well. They lived in Coosa District, Alabama (3). 

Next month on the ♦ 15th day of November, the second son Joseph E. was born to George.

♦ 28 November 1852 - daughter Mary Elisabeth Missouri was born to the young couple. 

By 16 August 1860, George Goodwin and his family had relocated to Justice Precinct#1, Polk County, Texas. The census of that year recorded a new family member, a baby girl by the name of Francis M Taylor, who was born 9 months earlier (4).

Soon, in November 1860, in Moscow, TX, George was enlisted in the Confederate Army. Private Goodwin served with the Moscow Guards Cavalry, Texas State Troops. The company was drilled under the agreement to join the active service when needed. 

Sadly, on ♦ 12 February 1861, George died (5) after a few months in the cavalry.

George W Goodwin's life was cut short at the age of 34. He was born, lived, and died, and he was someone special to the people who loved him. 🌸

PS
I have also found a record of George W Goodwin, Private, who served in Texas (6) with Company  H, 1st Regiment, Texas Cavalry (Yager's) (1st Mounted Rifles) and Company E, 8th Battalion, Texas Cavalry (Taylor's Battalion, Mounted Rifles).       

       
Source:
1. "Alabama County Marriages, 1809-1950," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:29F2-K31 : 19 February 2021), George W Goodwin and Nancy J B Shropshire, 05 Oct 1847; citing Tallapoosa, Alabama, United States, County Probate Courts, Alabama; FHL microfilm 1,302,444.
2. familysearch.org
3. "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MHPB-SVX : 19 December 2020), George W Goodwin, Coosa, Alabama, United States; citing family , NARA microfilm publication (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
4. "United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MXFG-JH7 : 18 February 2021), George W Goodwin, 1860.
5. "There never were such men before: the Civil War soldiers and veterans of Polk County, Texas, 1861-1865" by Ruth Peebles, Polk County Historical Commission, Livingstone, TX, 1987.
6. Soldiers and Sailors Database - National Park

Benjamin Franklin Mayo & Family

Benjamin Franklin May was born on 17 Oct 1870 in Freestone, Texas. He came to Mason County with his parents and siblings in 1893.

Three years later, he married Miss Minnie Moslete Coats. It happened on Sunday, 23 October at 4 PM, the ceremony was led by Judge McKnight. Minnie was born on 23 August 1874 in Nacogdoches, TX. The bride was the daughter of Mr. Daniel Franklin Coats and Miss Harriett Burrows.

 At first, Ben was a farmer, and also a teamster in the summer. In 1915 he bought his first truck he started his own trucking company. He drove his hauling truck from Mason to Llano. Then he bought another truck - those were the first trucks in Mason. Ben hired Mr.Jesse Schmidt as a driver and they also drove to Brady. Benjamin Franklin's retirement day came in 1946.

He and Minnie had seven children, two died when they were little. Other children were
Leon Franklin,
Lenora Odelia who married Mr. Martin Behrens,
Wenona Mae who married Mr. Frank Polk,
Audrey Beatrice who married Mr. Walter Grobe,
and John Ervin.

Ben passed due to endocarditis, on 23 August 1935. The man died in his home at 104 Schmidt Str. in Mason (1).

Ben's parents were Mr. Benjamin Manning Mayo (b. 16 March 1835 in Washington, Georgia/d. 3 June 1906, Mason, Mason, TX), who was a farmer, and Miss Mary Jane Hogues (b. 30 June 1842/d. 2 March 1930, Marion County, TX).

The couple had eleven children. Two died when they were infants. The ones who lived till adulthood were: sons
Ervin James, Silas, Ben, Newton
and daughters
Almeda, Larissa, Caroline, and Lillie.

Silas was once Mason House Livery Stable manager and a tax collector of McCulloch County.

In In 1870 the family lived in Beat No. 3, Navarro, TX (2). Ten years later, they were registered during the census in Precinct No. 4, Navarro County (3). In 1900 Ben rented a farm at Mason Township, Mason County, where he lived together with his wife Mary, four sons, and a granddaughter (4).

The family line goes from Benjamin Franklin Mayo to Andrew Morgan Gant - our 2nd cousin twice removed - grandson of our great-great-grandfather's brother (see below)

 Ben F Mayo
⇒ his father Ben Manning Mayo
⇒ his brother Christopher Columbus Mayo (b. 15 July 1851, Georgia/d. 21 Sept 1921, Voca, McCulloch, TX)
⇒ his wife Mary Elizabeth (Leddy) Mayo (21 July 1861, Jerseyville, Illinois/d. 21 Oct. 1931, Sipe Springs, Comanche, TX)
⇒ her mother Miriam Burban (Anderson) Leddy (b. 4 Oct 1842, Sumner, TN/d. 18 August 1923, Marlow, Stephens, Oklahoma)
⇒ her brother John Austin Anderson (b. 8 Oct. 1826, Sumner, TN/d. 26 Dec 1871, Portland, Sumner, TN)
⇒ his daughter Johnnie Isabella (Anderson) Gant (b. 8 May 1872, Sumner, TN/d. 30 Jan 1952, Dallas, Dallas, TX)
⇒ her husband Lucillious Lee Gant (b. 6 March 1868, Sumner, TN/d. 26 Feb. 1928, Wylie, Collin, TX)
⇒ his brother Andrew Morgan Gant - our 2nd cousin twice removed
⇒ his father James Abram Gant
⇒ his father Benjamin Thomas Gant
⇒ his brother Jacob Rippy Gant - our great-great-grandfather


Sources:

1. "Texas Birth Certificates, 1903-1935," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VX99-5HC : 4 April 2020), Ben Mayo in entry for John Irvin Mayo, 18 Nov 1907; citing, Mason, Texas, United States, certificate 104440, Texas Department of Health, Austin; FHL microfilm 2,371,100.
2. "United States Census, 1870", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MXGW-YM7 : 18 March 2020), B M Mayo, 1870.
3. "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MFNZ-ZYH : 15 July 2017), Benjamin M Mayo, Precinct 4, Freestone, Texas, United States; citing enumeration district ED 54, sheet 537D, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), FHL microfilm 1,255,304.
4. "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M3P2-M7B: accessed 22 July 2020), BM Mayo, Mason Township Mason, Mason, Texas, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 53, sheet 12B, family 229, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,241,658.

• Mason County Historical Book, Mason County Historical Society, Mason County Historical Commission, 1976.
• Findagrave.com