Robert Lee Howard and Dora Elizabeth Angel

Robert Lee Howard was the sixth child of William James Howard and Rachel Bell Howard nee Stimson. He was born on the September 7, 1867, in Plano, Collin County, TX.

R.L. Howard

When he was 21, on July 3, 1889, Robert married Dora Elizabeth Angel, who was also 21 then. Dora was a daughter of Marcus Lafayette Anglea and Mammie Erena Jones. Her older sister Isabell had already been married to Robert's brother William Monroe.

Anyway, Dora Elizabeth Angel was born on May 1, 1868, in Tennessee.

Robert was a farmer, Dora was taking care of their home.

Ethel, their oldest daughter came to this world on July 3, 1892, in Texas.

Claudie Albert was the second child of Robert and Dora's. He was born on July 22, 1894, in Plano as well.

In 1900, Robert, Dora and their two children lived at Justice Precinct 5 (west part), in Plano, Collin County, Texas (Census Records (1)).

Another son was born to the family on August 10, 1904. He was named Robert Lee Jr. (called by the family Jack, though).

Lizzie, the youngest child, was born on May 27, 1906.

United States Census records from 1910 (2)  show that the family still lived at the same address in Plano.

Household of
Robert L Howard			age 42	born in Texas
Dora E Howard	wife		42	Tennessee
Ethel Howard	daughter		17	Texas
Claud Howard	son		15	Texas
Robert L Howard	son		5	Texas
Lizzie Howard	daughter		4	Texas

Later, during the second decade of the 1900s, quite a few things changed in the family of Dora and Robert's.

23-year-old Ethel married Mr. Lenzie Cecil Richards on March 2, 1916. Lenzie was two years older than his bride - he was born on March 21, 1890. Ethel's parents-in-law were Mr. Alonzo Woodfield Richards and Mrs. Theodocia (Docie) Ellen Richards nee Liggett.

A year later, on December 12, 1917, Claudie got married. His wife was Lonnie Florence Richards (who was also his sister-in-law). Lonnie's brother was Lenzie Cecil Richards (married to Ethel). Lonnie was born on October 21, 1898, in Allen, Collin, TX.

In 1920 another Census records (3) were made. At that time, Robert and Dora lived in their family house in Plano with the two youngest children only.

Household of
Robert L Howard		age	52	born Texas
Dora E Howard	wife		52	Tennessee
Robert L Howard Jr.	son		15	Texas
Lizzie Howard	daughter		13	Texas

In 1930, Robert and Dora (aged 62) already lived on their own at Precinct 5, in Plano, TX (another Census (3)).

Lizzie must have got married before 1930 - according to the Census from that year, she had already lived with her husband Harold Arnold Trott, at a rented place in Dallas (4). Harold Arnold Trott (born October 29, 1901, in TX - d. Jan. 20, 1982, Dallas, TX) was a son of Mr. William Alexander Trott and Mrs. Lura Trott nee Byrum.

Six years later, on August 28, 1936, in Plano, Robert Lee Junior married Miss Betty Lou Rankin.

Not long after that, Robert Lee Howard Sr. passed away. It was May 13, 1938. Robert suffered from chronic, progressive paralysis. He also had an inflammation of the prostate which was removed. It was the contributory cause of his death (5).

Robert's wife Dora died at the age 92, on December 29, 1961.

Both of them are buried at the Rowlett Cemetery in Plano, Collin County, TX.

As for their children...

Ethel and Lenzie (who was a farmer) had a daughter Colene (b. May 30, 1920 in Allen, TX) and a son Cecil Howard (b. Dec.12, 1925, in Allen as well).

According to the Census of 1935 and 1940, the couple lived at Allen Lucas Road, J.P.1 in Collin County, TX.

On April 2, 1942 Colene married Rev. Joe Carl Johnson (b.March 28,1919, in Merit, TX), son of Mr. Isaac Johnson and Mrs. Dalma Johnson nee Randolph. In the same year, Lenzie was drafted (WW2).

Registration Card
Serial Number: 2368
Name: Lenzie Cecil Richards
Place of Residence: 1 Mile E of Allen Collin Texas
Mailing Address: Allen Texas
Telephone: 17 R.2 Exchange No.: Allen Tel. Co.
Age in Years: 52
Place of Birth: Allen
Date of Birth: March 21 1890
State: Texas
Name And Address of Person Who Will Always Know Your Address: Mrs. Ethel Richards, Allen  R.R.1, Mrs. A. W. Richards R. R. 1, Allen
Employer's Name And Address: Self
Place of Employment or Business: Farm, 1 Mile E. of Allen, Collin, Texas


Record Source:
"United States World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XPPW-J3B : 17 October 2017), Linzie Cecil Richards, 1942; citing NARA microfilm publication M1936, M1937, M1939, M1951, M1962, M1964, M1986, M2090, and M2097 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).

Seven years later, Ethel and Lenzie's oldest daughter Colene and her husband Joe immigrated to Brazil, to do missionary work (5). They must have come back to the US after a few years as their two daughters Carolyn and Linda Marlene were born here.

Mr. Lenzie Cecil Richards passed away in a hospital in Allen, on  February 27, 1975 due to a stroke. Ethel lived much longer. She died from a myocardial infraction in a hospital in Dallas on April 26, 1985. The couple resting place is Bridgeview Memorial Park in Allen, TX.

Robert Lee Junior worked as a mechanic. He and his wife Betty Lou had three children - son Kenneth Perry, daughter Louise, and another son James.
Robert Lee Jr. passed away in McKinney, TX, on June 23, 1972, due to cardiac arrest. Betty Lou Howard died in 1995.

It seems Lizzie and Harold had no kids. The Census records of 1935 and 1940 inform that the couple lived at 2128 North Caroll, in Dallas J.P.#1, with no children.

Lizzie died on October 20, 1968, in Dallas, TX. Her husband passed away on January 20, 1982 in Dallas. They are buried at Rowlett Creek Cemetery in Plano.

Claudie and Lonnie Howard had two children: daughter Florence (b. Jan.19, 1919 - March 30, 2012, TX) and son Richard Lee (b. Nov.16, 1923 - Nov. 22, 1998, Dallas, TX). According to my findings, Florence married Mr. Johnson, and Richard's wife was Doris Kathleen Conner (b. August 18, 1926, in Big Lake, Reagan, TX - d. Oct.12, 1994).

Claudie passed away on October 5,1975 in Plano. His wife Lonnie died in the same year, about two months earlier on July, 21.

The couple's grave is at Bridgeview Memorial Park in Allen, TX.

PS
I hesitated whether to include a birth certificate of Claudie and the death certificates of some relatives' in the post or not. Finally, I decided it is better not to. However, studying them made me feel very sad.

Credits:
Photos of gravestones: courtesy of Mr. Howard Case.

1. United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M3L3-J8C : accessed 5 October 2017), Robert L Howard, Justice Precinct 5 (west part) Plano town, Collin, Texas, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 16, sheet 16B, family 327, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,241,621.
2. "United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M2SC-F7T : accessed 5 October 2017), Dora E Howard in household of Robert L Howard, Justice Precinct 5, Collin, Texas, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 20, sheet 9A, family 140, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 1540; FHL microfilm 1,375,553.
3. "United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:CWQ7-43Z : accessed 5 October 2017), Dora Howard in household of R Lee Howard, Precinct 5, Collin, Texas, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 29, sheet 4B, line 51, family 72, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 2310; FHL microfilm 2,342,044.
3. "United States Census, 1920," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MCMS-8MW : accessed 5 October 2017), Dora E Howard in household of Robert L Howard, Justice Precinct 5, Collin, Texas, United States; citing ED 24, sheet 7A, line 17, family 137, NARA microfilm publication T625 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1992), roll 1789; FHL microfilm 1,821,789.
4. United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:HPKM-KZM : accessed 10 October 2017), Elizabeth Trott in household of Harold A Trott, Dallas, Dallas, Texas, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 70, sheet 7B, line 52, family 127, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 2318; FHL microfilm 2,342,052.

5. http://familysearch.org 

UPDATE  8/21/2019

I have been contacted by Ms. Kay M., a descendant of Robert Lee and Dora, our 3rd cousin. She confirms Lizzie and Harold Trott had no children + only one daughter of  Colene and Joe Richards' was born in Brazil.

Cousin Kay also shares the photos she took in 2016. Thank you, Kay! So glad you wrote to me!

 

Lee Family

Sarah Elizabeth Allerton (b. ≈1671, Westmoreland, Westmoreland County, Virginia), our 1st cousin 8 times removed*, connects us to the Lee family.

Around 1700 in Dividing Creek, VA, Sarah married Captain Hancock Lee (b. 1653 in Dividing Creek, Northern Neck, Virginia) who was about 20 years older than her. Hancock Lee died a few years after their marriage, on 25 May 1709 in Ditchley, Northumberland, County, Virginia, American Colony.

Sarah's father-in-law, Col. Richard Henry Lee (b. 22 March 1617 in Cotton Hall, Nordley Regis, Shropshire, England/d. 1 March 1664, Cobb Hall, Dividing Creek, Northumberland, Virginia) was the Family Immigrant who (in 1639) brought the Lee family line to America.

There are many well-known names/persons among the descendants of Col. Richard Lee including his great-grandsons, signers of the American Declaration of Independence:

Francis Lightfoot Lee (b. 14 Oct. 1734, Stratford Hall, Westmoreland, Virginia/d. 11 Jan. 1797, Menokin, Richmond, Virginia)

and Richard Henry Lee (b. 20 Jan. 1732, Stratford, Westmoreland County, Virginia/d. 19 Jun. 1794, Chantilly Hill, Westmoreland County, Virginia).

Lee "The Immigrant" was also great-great-grandfather of

General Henry Lee III - the 9th Governor of Virginia (b. 29 Jan. 1756, Dumfries, Prince William County, Province of Virginia/d. 25 March 1818, Cumberland Island, Saint Mary's, Camden County, Georgia)

and Zachary Scott Taylor.

Besides, one of his descendants is a great-great-great-son Robert Edward Lee (b. 19 Jan. 1807, Stratford Hall, Westmoreland, Virginia/d. 12 Oct. 1807, Lexington, Rockbridge, Virginia).

Our cousin Sarah Elizabeth Allerton Lee died on 17 May 1731 in Ditchley, Northumberland County, Virginia.

Other connections to the Lee family are:

1.  Mr. William Fitzhugh II (b. 1679, Eagles Nest, Stafford, Virginia/d. 1713, Ravensworth, Fairfax Co., VA) - our cousin, seven times removed*. About 1705 he married Miss Ann Mary Lee (b. ≈ 1683, Machodoc, Westmoreland County, Virginia/d. 12 Jan. 1732 in Eagles Nest, Virginia). Mary Ann was a granddaughter of Col. Richard Henry Lee I, daughter of Col. Richard Henry Lee II.

2. Another cousin of ours* - William Fitzhugh III (b. 6 Jan. 1721, Stafford, VA/d. 11 Feb. 1798, Hagerstown, Washington, Maryland) who - on 28 March 1744 - married Miss Martha Lee  (b. ≈1716 in England/d. 12 Nov. 1751, Hague, Westmoreland, Virginia). Marta was Col. Richard Henry Lee's great-granddaughter.

*based on my MyHeritage reasearch

Credits:

• Coat of Arms: By Raster uploaded by Doalfe at en.wikipedia; Vectorized by ZooFari (Transferred from en.wikipedia to Commons.) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons.

Portraits:

• Col. Richard Henry Lee I:
  
  Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=57093800;
• Francis Lightfoot Lee:
  
  Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=962355;
• Richard Henry Lee:  [CC BY 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons;
• Gen. Henry Lee III: By William Edward West (1788-1857)[1] - Transferred from de.wikipedia to Commons.,
  
  Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1654124;
• Richard E. Lee: by Julian Vannerson
  
  [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Robert Washington Carpenter

Robert Washington Carpenter was born on 29 May 1831, in Madison Virginia, to William Joel Carpenter and Mary Snyder. Robert's great-great-grandfather Christian Zimmerman emigrated to Virginia from Germany in 1717. In America, the surname was changed to Carpenter.

Robert's parents married in 1805.

Joel Carpenter
mentioned in the record of Joel Carpenter and Polly Snyder
Name: Joel Carpenter
Spouse's Name: Polly Snyder
Event Date: 14 Dec 1805
Event Place: Madison, Virginia
Spouse's Father's Name: Adam Snyder

Record Source: 
“Virginia Marriages, 1785-1940,” database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XRD9-BWT : 11 February 2018), Joel Carpenter and Polly Snyder, 14 Dec 1805; citing Madison, Virginia, reference p255; FHL microfilm 32,595.

On 18 Dec. 1851 in Oldham, Kentucky, Robert married Elizabeth Ann Mathews, daughter of Walter B Mathews and Catherine Pottof Schrader.

Robert Washington came to Texas in 1852. He rented a horse and rode out northwest Texas along Spring Creek. Since he liked what he found there, with the $900 inherited from his father, he bought some land in the Collin County area, nowadays Rowlett, (50c/ acre). He also obtained 30 acres of a timber tract ($3/acre).

Afterward, he brought his young wife Elizabeth to Texas. They had eight children, seven sons — William Joel, Gipson Edgar, John Henry, Jefferson Davis, Robert Elzie, Benjamin Owen and Robert Edwards — and one daughter Mary Katie who did not survive (1877-1878).

During the Civil War, Robert formed a cavalry company in McKinney and was chosen its Captain.

In 1873 the town of Plano came into being.

Three years later, Robert together with Cpt. W N Bush started the Bethany Christian Church in Plano. He was also the founder of the Bethany Church Cemetery (4 Jan. 1877) which was situated not far from the First Christian Church of Bethany.

The Carpenters and other local families supported the establishment of Add-Ran College (later transformed into Texas Christian University). Robert Washington Carpenter was the director of the college.

Robert W. Carpenter passed on Sunday, 24 April 1898, in the result of the road accident of his buggy.

Clipping Source:

Thompson, F. C. The Democrat. (McKinney, Tex.), Vol. 15, No. 13, Ed. 1 Thursday, April 28, 1898, newspaper, April 28, 1898; McKinney, Texas. (texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth192012/: accessed July 18, 2018), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Collin County Genealogical Society.

One of Robert's sons William Joel came to Plano in 1901 and built a house which you can still admire at 708 E. 16th Street.

W J Carpenter House - 2015

Edward Albert, the youngest son of Robert and Lizzie's, born in 1871, graduated from the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy. He ran a drugstore in Plano till 1908, when he sold his establishment to the Allen brothers.

In 1922 Gipson Edward, the second son of Mr. and Mrs. Carpenter's was elected the mayor of Plano. He served at the position for two years.

Many years later, in 1978, one of Plano middle schools was named after Robert Washington Carpenter.

Where is R. W. Carpenter in our family tree?

The connection goes via the Angel and Brown families*

Rachel Clementine Howard our grandmother
⇛ her brother Robert Lee Howard
⇛ his wife Dora Elizabeth Howard (nee Angel)
⇛ her brother James Lafayette Anglea (b. 25 Feb. 1863, Tennessee/d. 27 June 1949, Allen, Collin Co., Texas)
⇛ his wife Eliza Catherine Anglea nee Brown (b. 5 May 1869, Collin County, Texas/ d. 27 June 1964, Allen, Collin, Texas)
⇛ her father John Liter Brown (b. 8 June 1834, Oldham, Kentucky/d. 14 April 1913, Allen, Texas)
⇛ his mother Eliza Ann Brown nee Carpenter (b. 24 Sept. 1808, Madison, Virginia/d. 1 Nov. 1849, Oldham, Kentucky)
⇛ her brother Robert Washington Carpenter


 *according to my MyHeritage research


Credits:
Information Source:
Find A Grave
Carpenter Plano Middle School Website
Historic Downtown Plano by Janice Craze Cline
 

Photograph
Michael Barera [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0), CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], from Wikimedia Commons 

George Washington

According to the MyHeritage book report related to our family tree, one of the persons whom we are indirectly related to via Augustine Washington Jr is George Washington. Augustine was George's half-brother and Ann Lee (Aylett)'s brother-in-law.

Ann Lee nee Aylett (b. about 1738 in Stratford, Westmoreland, Virginia/d. 12 Dec. 1768 in Westmoreland co., VA) was the wife of Richard Henry Lee. Richard Henry was a nephew of  William Fitzhugh II's wife. William was our 1st cousin seven times removed.

Very indirect and distant relation indeed. But still a relation.

George Washington Birthplace National Monument area, Potomac River, Virginia

There is another family branch which links us to Mr. George Washington via Washington and Lee families:

George Washington

⇒ his brother John Augustine Washington (b. 13 Jan. 1736, Wakefield Plantation, Popes Creek, Washington Parish, Westmoreland, Colony of Virginia/ d. 17 Feb. 1787, Bushfield, Westmoreland, Virginia)

⇒ his son Corbin Washington (b. about 1765, Bushfield, Westmoreland, Virginia/d. 10 Dec. 1799, Bushfield, Westmoreland, Virginia)

⇒ his wife Hannah Washington nee Lee (b. about 1765, Chantilly, Westmoreland County, Virginia/d. 23 Nov. 1802, Alexandria, Fairfax, Virginia)

Ben Brenman Park, Alexandria, Virginia

⇒ her father Richard Henry Lee (b. 20 Jan. 1732, Stratford, Westmoreland County, Virginia/d. 19 June 1794, Chantilly Hill, Westmoreland County, Virginia)

⇒ his father Col. Thomas Lee (b. about 1690, Coles Point, Westmoreland County, Virginia/d. 14 Nov. 1750, Stratford Hall, Westmoreland County, Virginia)

Stratford Hall

⇒ his sister Ann Mary Fitzhugh nee Lee (b. about 1683, Machodoc, Westmoreland County, Virginia/d. 12 Jan. 1732, Eagles Nest, King George, Virginia)

⇒ her husband William Fitzhugh II (b. about 1679, Eagles Nest, Stafford, Virginia/d. about 1713, Ravensworth, Fairfax Co., VA) - our 1st cousin 7 times removed

⇒ his mother Sarah Fitzhugh nee Tucker (b. 2 August 1663, Stafford, Westmoreland, VA/d. about 1715, Eagles Nest, Stafford, Virginia)

⇒ her brother Robert Tucker (b. about 1652, Charles City County, VA/d. about 1704, Charles City County, VA) - our direct ancestor - 8 generations back

⇒ his son Robert Tucker Jr. (b. 10 May 1676, Charles City County, VA/d. 26 Sept. 1744, Amelia County, VA)

⇒ his son William Tucker Sr. (b. about 1718, Prince George, VA/d. 19 March 1791, Powhatan, VA)

⇒ his son David Tucker (b. about 1762, Amelia County, VA/d. ?)

⇒ his daughter Rachel Obelier Stimson nee Tucker - our  great-great-grandmother

based on my MyHeritage research

Photos:

• Alexandria, VA: By Taylordw - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=63207052
• Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA [CC BY-SA 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
• Chantilly: By EikwaR - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=27237840
• Stratford Hall: Internet Archive Book Images [No restrictions], via Wikimedia Commons

Tucker Family

In one of my previous posts our great-great-grandmother Rachel Obelier Stimson was mentioned. Her maiden name was Tucker. Today, I tell you more about her (and our) direct family line.

Rachel parents were David Tucker born about 1762 in Amelia County, Virginia and Miss Frances "Fanny" Old. Nothing is known about Fanny, though.

Her grandparents were

William Tucker, Sr. born circa 1718 in Prince George, Virginia, British Colonies. Before 1740, he married Miss Ann - surname unknown. William died on 19 March 1791. Probably in Powhatan County, Virginia.

Rachel's great-grandparents

Robert Tucker Junior - born in Charles City County, Virginia on 10 May 1676. Robert's wife was  Elizabeth Parham (born circa 1680 in Charles City, Charles, Virginia), daughter of Thomas Parham III and Elizabeth Parham nee Branch. Robert and Elizabeth got married in 1698 in Charles City, VA. They had five sons and two daughters. William (Rachel's grandfather) was the couple's youngest son.
Mrs. Elizabeth Tucker passed in 1718. A year later Robert remarried. His second wife was Martha Eppes (daughter of Francis Littleberry Eppes and Anne Isham).
Robert Tucker Jr. passed away on 26 Sept. 1744 in Amelia County, Virginia.

 The Governor's palace in Williamsburg. 

The city was the capital of Virginia from 1699 to 1780

Rachel's great-great-grandparents

Robert Tucker (b. ≈1652/d. ≈1704 in Charles City County, VA). Robert married Miss Elizabeth Coleman about 1676. Elizabeth's father was Mr. Robert Coleman. She was born  ≈1657 in Charles City Co., VA/d. on 21 Dec. 1722 in Amelia County, VA).
Robert and Elizabeth had nine children - six sons and three daughters.

Great-great-great-grandparents

John Tucker who was born (8 Sept. 1626), lived and died (5 May 1671) in Westmoreland County, Virginia. His wife was Rose Allerton (b. ≈1633 in Carleton Manor, Yorkshire, England), daughter of Isaac Allerton Sr. and Fear Brewster. John and Rose got married on 26 Oct. 1625.
They are our 7 times great-grandparents. Rose Allerton was also an aunt of Sarah Elizabeth Allerton Lee's.

Which ancestors of the Tucker family were the Immigrants?

The answer is: William Daniel Tucker and his wife Marye Elizabeth Thompson - Rachel's 4 times, and our 10 times great-grandparents.

William was born on 7 Jan. 1589 in Egloshayle or Plymouth, Cornwall, England.

Northeastward view of Plymouth Sound from Mount Edgcumbe Country Park in Cornwall

Miss Marye Elizabeth Thompson was born circa 1599 in Walton, Hertfordshire, England to Robert Thompson and Elizabeth Harsnett. William and Marye were married ≈ 1621 in Saint John, Hackney, London, England.

St. Johns Church - Hackney

Marye Tucker deceased around 1640 in Elizabeth City, Virginia. Her husband passed about four years later.

Credits:
Pictures
1. By Ron Cogswell - The Governor's Palace -- Williamsburg (VA) September 2012, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=47502435;
2. Cornwall - By Robert Brimacombe - Wednesday 12thMarch 2008 035, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4183228;
3. Hackney - St John's - By Tarquin Binary (Fin Fahey) - Own work, CC BY-SA 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=546396.

William Washington Gant

I have already written about a cousin of the name William Washington Gant but this time I tell you about a different ancestor of the very same first and middle name.

William Washington Gant, our 3rd cousin 4 times removed, was born on 24 October 1844 in Tennessee. He was one of the ten children of John Isham Gant and Mary Jane Cocke.

On 7 Sept. 1850, the Census recorded William lived with his family in 9 District of Maury County, Tennessee. His father John was a merchant. The value of John's real estate was $4.400. Besides William's parents and siblings, 9 other persons lived in the household - Joseph Crawford and J. O. Griffith (described in the record as teachers), and 7 boys - students. The lodgers' surnames Crawford, Griffith, Saunders, Gates, Bowles, Pope, and Dowell occur in our family tree so very likely those men were related to the Gants. However, I manage to find a G A Pope only. He was Gustavus Adolphus Pope (b. 17 Jan. 1834 in Williamson, Tennessee). William Washington Gant and Gustavus were cousins.

William Gant
United States Census, 1850
Name: William Gant
Event Type: Census
Event Year: 1850
Event Place: Maury County, part of Maury, Tennessee, United States
Gender: Male
Age: 6
Race: White
Birth Year (Estimated): 1844
Birthplace: Tennessee, United States
House Number: 357

Household
John F Gant, Male, age 37, born Tennessee, United States
Martha Gant, Female, age 30, born Tennessee, United States
Rich Gant, M, age 10, born Tennessee, United States
Sisey Gant, F, age 8, born Tennessee, United States
William Gant, M, age 6, born Tennessee, United States
John Gant, M, age 3, born Tennessee, United States
Ella Gant, F, age 1, born Tennessee, United States
Joseph Crawford, M, age 26, (teacher), born Ireland
J O Griffith, M, age 37, born Tennessee, United States
R P Griffith, M, age 22, (student) born Tennessee, United States
D D Saunders, M, age 17, born Alabama, United States
Joseph M Gates, M, age 13, born Alabama, United States
W C McQuiston, M, 18, born Kentucky, United States
A J Bowles, M, age 11, born Mississippi, United States
G A Pope, M, age 15, born Tennessee, United States
P A Dowell, M, age 15, born Tennessee, United States

Record Source:
"United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MCD5-R2C : 12 April 2016), William Gant in household of John F Gant, Maury county, part of, Maury, Tennessee, United States; citing family 357, NARA microfilm publication M432 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).

The transcription contains some errors. In the record there is John I Gant, not John F. Another thing - it is not Sisy but Lucy.

It seems John Isham Gant provided a good educational environment to his children and the sons of relatives. Gustavus Adolphus Pope became a pharmacist (1), R. P. Griffith was later a teacher (2).
D. D. Saunders could very likely Dudley Dunn Saunders - a future physician and surgeon (3).

Young William Washington was with the G Company of the 4th Mississippi Company Confederate Army during the Civil War. He was promoted to Corporal. (4)

After the war, on 28 May 1866 (5), 21-year-old William got married to 3 years younger Miss Alethia Ann Norwood. She was born on 23 October 1847 in Alabama. I do not know who her parents were however, there are other Norwood people in our family tree as well.

William and Alethia had ten children - eight sons and two daughters.

• Norwood Isham b. 25 April 1868, TN /d. 12 April 1919, Memphis, Shelby, TN (6)
• O. R. - b. 1 Sept. 1868 / d. 26 July 1935, Fort Worth, Tarrant, TX (7)
• William Irl b. 1871, Water Valley, MS/d. 16 Dec. 1935, Norwood, East Feliciana, Louisiana (8)
• Mattie Desha b. 6 August 1873, Mississippi/d. 19 Jan. 1951, Dallas, Dallas, TX (9)
• Robert Lee b. 23 Luly 1876/ d. ?      (5)
• Albert S b. 14 May 1879, Panola, MS/d. 23 Oct. 1931, Crystal Spring, Copiah, MS (10)
• Nelli Mae b. 22 May 1883/d. 15 Oct. 1946, Dallas, Dallas, TX (11)
• Walter Stewart b. 1885, MS/d. 5 Jan 1936, Memphis, Shelby, TN (12)
• Charles Dewitt b. 8 Oct. 1888, Eureka Springs, MS/d. 27 Dec 1946 (13)

You can see the years 1935/36 and 1946 were quite tragic to the family. Five of William Washington's children died with quite a short time period.

Anyway, in 1880 the Gant family still lived together in Mississippi. After the death of Martha Jane, Billy's mother, his father John Isham lived in his household. William worked as a farmer.

Name: W W Gant
Event Type: Census
Event Date: 1880
Event Place: Eureka and Williamson, Panola, Mississippi, United States
Gender: Male
Age: 35
Marital Status: Married
Race: White
Race: W
Occupation: Farmer
Relationship to Head of Household: Self
Relationship to Head of Household: Self
Birth Year (Estimated): 1845
Birthplace: Tennessee, United States
Father's Birthplace: Tennessee, United States
Mother's Birthplace: Tennessee, United States
Sheet Letter: D
Sheet Number: 190
Person Number: 0
Volume: 1

Household

W W Gant, Self, Male, 35, born Tennessee, United States
A G Gant, Wife, Female, 32, born Alabama, United States
N I Gant, Son, Male, 12, born Mississippi, United States
O R Gant, Son, Male, 10, born Mississippi, United States
W I Gant, Son, Male, 9, born Mississippi, United States
M D Gant, Daughter, Female, 7, born Mississippi, United States
R E Gant, Son, Male, 4, born Mississippi, United States
A S Gant, Son, Male, 2, Mississippi, United States
J I Gant, Father, Male, 70, Tennessee, United States

Record Source:
"United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M4G1-3HZ : 22 August 2017), W W Gant, Eureka and Williamson, Panola, Mississippi, United States; citing enumeration district ED 158, sheet 190D, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 0661; FHL microfilm 1,254,661.

It is interesting that in the above census record, Billy's wife is listed as A G Gant - the G part is unknown as in other records Mrs. Gant appears as Alethia Ann. Also, O. R., the son, seemed to be born in 1870/69, not in 1868 as it was stated much later in his death certificate (6).

Liberty Hall - Crystal Spring, Mississippi

Cousin Billy ran a private plantation for 25 years. He retired around 1905 (15). What happened to his plantation I do not know. William's wife passed on 11 October 1906. After that, he moved to Crystal Springs and lived at the house of his fourth son Robert L (Lee?).

William W Gant
United States Census, 1920
Name: William W Gant
Event Type: Census
Event Date: 1920
Event Place: Crystal Springs, Copiah, Mississippi, United States
Gender: Male
Age: 76
Marital Status: Widowed
Race: White
Race: White
Can Read: Yes
Can Write: Yes
Relationship to Head of Household: Father
Relationship to Head of Household: Father
Birth Year (Estimated): 1844
Birthplace: Mississippi
Father's Birthplace: Tennessee
Mother's Birthplace: Tennessee
Sheet Letter A
Sheet Number 7

Household

Robert L Gant, Head, Male. age 47, born Mississippi
Lillie Gant, Wife, Femle, age 36, born Mississippi
Jamie D Gant, Son, M, age 17, born Mississippi
Alethia Gant, Daughter, F, age 12, born Mississippi
William W Gant, Father, M, age 76, born Mississippi

Record Source:
"United States Census, 1920," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M4SL-JR4 : accessed 19 November 2018), William W Gant in household of Robert L Gant, Crystal Springs, Copiah, Mississippi, United States; citing ED 62, sheet 7A, line 24, family 153, NARA microfilm publication T625 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1992), roll 874; FHL microfilm 1,820,874.

Robert L was called Bob. For over two decades he worked as a professional tracker of criminals on the run. Bob raised Bloodhounds which he used in the chasing business. Robert was quite successful in what he was doing - meaning training the animals and tracking the evildoers. Both Robert and his dogs were well-known in the Mississippi area where they lived.

Lake Chautauqua, Crystal Springs

Actually, due to the amazing skills and the intelligence of the Bloodhounds (commonly known as Gant Bloodhounds), Bob became a sort of local celebrity. A series of articles which told about his "professional adventures" was published in The Monroe-News Star (a New Orleans newspaper) in the 1920s. According to the newspaper articles, Robert cared for the dogs with love, he fed them with eggs, bread and milk. They were also taught not to take the food from anybody else than their owner. (13)

Bloodhound puppy

In April 1920 Bob Gant and his dogs were part of a posse led by Sheriff Nicholson which was set to track and chase the man who killed Charlie McCoy and wounded quite a few others including the murderer trackers. When approached by the Sherrif, Bob and his Bloodhounds, the culprit did not wish to surrender and started shooting again. Sheriff Nicholson was wounded in the forehead, above the right eye, our Bob got a shot in the back of his neck. They managed to catch the shooter anyway. Luckily, the wounds were not fatal and both the lawman and our cousin recovered later. (14)

Chasing the criminals was a dangerous business and Robert jeopardised his life and health doing his job. One time Bob was seriously wounded due to a dynamite explosion. He wrote a note which he fixed to the dog collar of one of his Bloodhounds and told the dog to go and get help. The animal came across two men - it grabbed the jeans of one of the passer-byes and made him go toward the place where his injured carer was. The very same man found the message written by Bob and followed the dog then.

Bob Gants bloodhounds 23 Jul 1922 Brooklyn Daily Eagle NY Sun, Jul 23, 1922 – Page 80 · The Brooklyn Daily Eagle (Brooklyn, Kings, New York) · Newspapers.com 


In the 30s, William Washington Gant moved to Texas where two of his children Oscar and Mattie lived. Maybe the move was related to Oscar's death who passed in 1935.

William stayed in Dallas at the house of Mattie Desha and her husband Sampson Jackson. As I mentioned before, in the year 1935 and 1936 there were three deaths in the family. William's sons William Irl, Oscar, and Walter Stewart died one by one which probably influenced our Cousin Billy's health as well. He passed on 21 July 1939 at Mattie and Sampson's house which was situated at Cabell Drive in Dallas. The reason of his death was hypostatic pneumonia which means he had been staying in bed for a long time not being able to move from one side to another. Maybe he had suffered from a stroke and paralysis?

William Washington Gant was buried in Crystal Springs, Mississippi, a day later. (16)

Sources:

• (1) "United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MGFG-HNM : accessed 16 November 2018), Gustavus A Pope, Civil District 7, Giles, Tennessee, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 21, sheet 8B, family 157, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 1500; FHL microfilm 1,375,513.
• (2) "United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M8TV-VXW : 12 December 2017), R P Griffith, 1860.
• (3) "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MDW8-4XD : 15 July 2017), D D Sanders, Memphis, Shelby, Tennessee, United States; citing enumeration district ED 144, sheet 183C, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 1279; FHL microfilm 1,255,279.
• (4)"United States Headstone Applications for U.S. Military Veterans, 1925-1949", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VHZC-WHQ : 12 March 2018), William Washington Gant.
• (5) The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, "Ancestral File," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/2:1:M473-41H : accessed 15 November 2018), entry for Robert Lee GANT (1L3R-FC8); submitted by bgantt3511831
• (6) "Tennessee Deaths, 1914-1966," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NSLJ-1TB : 15 October 2018), N.Isom Gant, 12 Apr 1919; Death, Memphis, Shelby, Tennessee, United States, Tennessee State Library and Archives, Nashville.
• (7) "Texas Deaths, 1890-1976," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K3MM-TH8 : 13 March 2018), O R Gant, 26 Jul 1935; citing certificate number 35366, State Registrar Office, Austin; FHL microfilm 2,116,623.
• (8) "Louisiana Deaths, 1850-1875, 1894-1960," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FSBR-GTG : 10 March 2018), W W Gant in entry for William Irl Gant, 16 Dec 1935; citing Norwood, East Feliciana, Louisiana, certificate number 14764, State Archives, Baton Rouge; FHL microfilm 2,203,526.
• (9) "Texas Deaths, 1890-1976," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K3CN-6KR : 13 March 2018), W W Gant in entry for Mattie Desha Johnson, 19 Jan 1951; citing certificate number 1339, State Registrar Office, Austin; FHL microfilm 2,074,651.
• (10) "Find A Grave Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVVY-QD6K : 13 December 2015), Albert S Gant, 1901; Burial, Crystal Springs, Copiah, Mississippi, United States of America, Crystal Springs Cemetery; citing record ID 27159820, Find a Grave, http://www.findagrave.com.
• (11) "Texas Deaths, 1890-1976," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K7DZ-DG6 : 13 March 2018), Alethia Anna Norwood in entry for Nellie Mae Puryear, 15 Oct 1946; citing certificate number 44593, State Registrar Office, Austin; FHL microfilm 2,218,424.
• (12) "Tennessee Deaths, 1914-1966," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NSH4-6S9 : 15 October 2018), Walter Stewart Gant, 5 Jan 1936; Death, Memphis, Shelby, Tennessee, United States, Tennessee State Library and Archives, Nashville.
• (13) "Texas Deaths, 1890-1976," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K39F-KRL : 13 March 2018), Charles Dewitt Gant, 27 Dec 1946; citing certificate number 55895, State Registrar Office, Austin; FHL microfilm 2,218,504.
• (14) The Monroe-News Star, 16 August 1924, Sat., Page 1
• (15) The Columbian, 22 April 1920, Columbia, Marion Co., MS
• (16) "Texas Deaths, 1890-1976," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K3M2-DC4 : 13 March 2018), W W Gant, 21 Jul 1939; citing certificate number 32269, State Registrar Office, Austin; FHL microfilm 2,118,256.

Photos:

• Photo of the gravestone: Natalie Maynor
• Liberty Hall: GilbertThompson [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], from Wikimedia Commons  
• Lake Chautauqua Crystal Springs: Mississippi Department of Archives and History [No restrictions], via Wikimedia Commons
• Bloodhound: By Gilliamhome's Olympus E3 and Evolt 500 Page - Flickr: Hoss, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=21292208

Found in Family Tree: President Zachary Taylor

According to my finds, Zachary Taylor appears in our family tree as the fourth cousin five times removed.

Governor William Brewster is Z. Taylor's direct ancestor (and ours as well).

Here is Zachary Taylor's direct family line:

Gov. Elder William Brewster → his daughter - Fear Allerton (born Brewster)  → her brother - Isaac Allerton Jr. → his daughter - Sarah Lee (born Allerton) → her daughter - Elizabeth Taylor (born Lee) → her son - Richard Lee Taylor﹢Sarah Dabney Taylor (born Strother) → Zachary Talor.

Zachary Taylor was the third son of Richard Lee and Sarah Dabney's. He was born on November 24, 1784, in Orange County, Virginia.

Since you can read his biography in every encyclopedia, I am not going to repeat it here. However, I need to mention that Zachary Taylor was a war hero (War of 1812, the Black Hawk War, the second Seminole War, Mexican-American War) and a national hero at his own time. He was 12th President of the USA (elected 1848).

Major General Zachary Taylor was a military commander who led his troops to victory, had glorious military achievements and a brilliant military career.


Zachary Taylor married  Margaret Mackall Smith on June 21, 1810, in Louisville County, Kentucky. The couple had six children.

Sadly, Mr. Taylor died of serious digestion system disorder after eating a lot of fresh cherries, accompanied by drinking cold milk. Quite an irony you could say, considering the dangers of the wars he had survived and had gone through.

President Taylor died on July 9, 1850, after five days of suffering from acute gastroenteritis.

God bless his soul.

---

These days it seems quite obvious that such a diet composition, meaning having fruit and milk at the same time is likely to cause stomach and bowels 'revolution'. At least I was taught it by my mom. On the other hand, maybe our contemporary knowledge is a result of such lethal experiences of our ancestors. Who knows.

Remember - never drink milk when you eat fruits, including tomatoes. It is better to avoid any other cold drinks then. I have known someone who did have a tomato and milk and regretted it very badly. No, it was not me. Just someone I used to work with. Luckily, that person did not die, though.

Family Line:
Zachary Taylor
⇒ his father Lt. Colonel Richard Lee Taylor (3 April 1744, Rapidan, Orange County, Virginia/d. 19 Jan. 1829, Louisville, Jefferson County, Kentucky) - served in American Revolutionary War and Northwest Indian War
⇒  his mother Elizabeth (Lee) Taylor (b. 25 May 1709, Hadleigh, Suffolk, England/d. April 1750, Lancaster, Virginia)
⇒  her mother Sarah Elizabeth (Allerton) Lee (b. about 1671, Westmoreland, Westmoreland County, Virginia/d. 17 May 1731, Ditchley, Northumberland, Virginia)
⇒  her father Isaac Allerton Jr. (b. 22 May 1627, Plymouth, Plymouth County, Virginia/d. 25 Oct. 1702, Narrow Plantation, Cople Parish, Westmoreland, Virginia)
⇒  his sister Rose (Allerton) Tucker - our direct ancestor 9 generations back
⇒  her son Robert Tucker
⇒  his son Robert Tucker Jr. 
⇒  his son William Tucker Sr.
⇒  his son David Tucker
⇒  his daughter Rachel Obelier (Tucker) Stimson - our great - great grandmother

Credits:

Picture:

By Zachary_Taylor_half_plate_daguerreotype_c1843-45.png: unknown, possibly Maguire of New Orleans derivative work: Beao [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons