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Terry Mason's Family History SiteMajor lines: Allen, Beck, Borden, Buck, Burden, Carpenter, Carper, Cobb, Cook, Cornell, Cowan, Daffron, Davis, Downing, Faubion, Fauntleroy, Fenter, Fishback, Foulks, Gray, Harris, Heimbach, Henn, Holland, Holtzclaw, Jackson, Jameson, Johnson, Jones, King, Lewis, Mason, Massengill, McAnnally, Moore, Morgan, Overstreet, Price, Peck, Rice, Richardson, Rogers, Samuel, Smith, Taylor, Thomas, Wade, Warren, Weeks, Webb, Wodell, Yeiser. |
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BIRTH-DEATH-MARRIAGE-RESIDENCES: Letters from Ida P. Wade Thomas to T.Mason; ; dated 14 Jul 1959; In poss of T.Mason (file William P. Wade); EXTRACTION: Mamie's oldest child, Mariam died. The other, Marie is deaf, married and has a boy and a girl, live near Atlanta, Ga.
BIRTH-DEATH: Certificate of Record; 16Apr1984; issued by Registrar, County of Fulton, Atlanta, Georgia; # 92288; xeroxed copy in poss of T.Mason (file - James Wade); Note: address 1860 Headland Ave, East Point. Informant: Mrs. Marie S. Taylor, daughter. Funeral home: Howard Carmichael & Sons, East Point. Certified on Apr 12, 1984 by Dr. Jorge Rodriguez.
July 1959 letter from Ida Pauline Wade Thomas.
Records of Ida Pauline sent by Phil Rodgers, states Melvina was born in 1894.
Information sent to T.Mason by Sheila Phillips, Ballymartin, county Down, Ireland on 19 September 2009.
DEATH: Date on tombstone. (See attached image)
DEATH: Tombstone - Death: 29 Dec 1902
Burial records: 30 Dec 1902
DEATH: Tombstone - Death: 20 Feb 1902
Burial Records: 22 Feb 1902
Was identified just as James in the 1911 census. The firstborn James had died.
Information sent to T.Mason on 29 Sep 2009 by John Orr. "Uncle Jim fell down the stairs and died in the hospital a few days later. He was in the police force and he actually fell down the stairs in Omagh police station, not at home.."
DEATH: Date on tombstone. (See attached image)
Information sent to T.Mason by Sheila Phillips, Ballymartin, county Down, Ireland on 19 September 2009.
Dorothy, as she was not at home for the 1911 Census. She was staying with an Annett family in Brackenagh East, Kilkeel, at the time. Dorothy was a neice to Alexander Annett. I do have Dorothy's death in 1914 in the Undertakers records - she was apparently burnt.
DEATH: Date on tombstone. (See attached image)
Granddaughter Pat Flow says Houston was a Texas Ranger.
BIRTH & DEATH: Provided by grandaughter in Jul 1989.
BIRTH & DEATH: Information provided by Martha Pauline Irwin in Jul 1989.
BIRTHPLACE: Possibly Bangor, Down, Ireland.
TOMBSTONE: Viewed by Dianne King, Dec. 1999. Lists birth & death dates. Death is listed as 1908 but he is listed as living in 1910 census. Assume he died in 1918 instead.
REFERENCE: History of Jack County, Texas. Well referenced book.
"The Fenter Family - An American Frontier Experience" by Edgar Hugh Williams, Jr."BIOGRAPHY: In the year that William Henry Fenter was born, a great comet was seen in the skies over the Mississippi Valley from April to October followed by a mass migration of northern squirrels to the south by the tens of thousands. The great comet was followed by floods and a series of earthquakes and thus in these series of cosmic disruptions, Bill Fenter was born. His parents were Missouri frontiers people having come to that Territory in 1804 from North Carolina shortly after the Louisiana Purchase. His father, Christian Fenter was of German stock and his mother according to family tradition was a full blood Chickasaw Indian. Billy Fenter was the youngest of his fathers sons and was born on Christian Fenter's river bottom plantation at Bois Bruile, Ste. Genevieve County, Missouri Territory. Actually Bill Fenter was born in Upper Louisiana Territory with Missouri not being made a territory until 1812. When Bill Fenter was seven years old, his father's family left Ste. Genevieve county, Missouri for less sparsely settlements in the newly opened up Arkansas Territory.
Bill Fenter was half Indian and half German, but along the back country of the Mississippi Valley settlements such relationships were not looked down upon as in the more East Coast communities. As a young boy growing up in the woodlands of central Arkansas, Bill Fenter participated in games such as wrestling and foot races with the other boys from neighboring farms when ever he was not busy with his chores at home...which were many. They included helping with the plowing, and planting of fields, feeding livestock and also the incessant need of chopping wood. Since Arkansas was still Indian country. Bill Fenter also knew the value of keeping a long rifle near him, for it wasn't until the 1830's that the Osage Indians pushed into Indian Territory.
The 1830 census of Hot Springs County, Arkansas lists Billy Fenter as living in the household of his father, Christian Fenter near the town of Rockport. He is listed in this census as being between the ages of 16 - 20. His actual age in 1830 was 19.
In 1833, Bill Fenter fell in love with a young widow by the name of Eliza Ann Dean. Eliza Dean was the daughter of Jesse Dean of Hot Springs County, Arkansas. She was born in November of 1816 either in Pennsylvania or Georgia. Different censuses lists different places of her birth. Wherever she was born, she was brought to Arkansas by her pioneering parents. When she was a young girl, she first fell in love with David Fox, a young man from Ohio. Her parents opposed the relationship and she and David ran away together. From their union was born Jesse F. Fox. David Fox died in 1832 leaving Eliza a widow on the Arkansas frontier.
Billy Fenter met Eliza at a Church of Christ camp meeting and began courting her. Soon they were deeply in love and they took a vow that their love would endure until the stars fell from the sky. Well, they must have been tested, for upon their wedding night, the 13th of November, 1833, the Earth passed through one of history's greatest meteorite storms, and it did seem as if the stars were falling from the sky as if by the thousands. However, Bill and Eliza then vowed that their love would endure even after the stars fell from the skies and both Heaven and Earth pass away. They wanted this story to be told and passed down to their children and from generation to generation.
After Bill and Eliza were married, they set up housekeeping in Hot Springs County and Bill went to farming. Bill had to clear fields of ancient forest flora and fauna. Trees from the abundant woodlands were used to build a log cabin for shelter. After the logs were cut, they were rolled into place, notched, and then lifted into place. Openings were cut for a plank door and a fireplace. Eliza would have to sweep the hard dirt packed floor which was covered most likely by rugs made from tied rags. Usually behind these cabins would be a lean-to shelter for hogs, chickens and a milk cow.
As stated before, Bill and Eliza Fenter were members of the Church of Christ or Disciples, as the church was known prior to the War of the Northern Aggression. They were commonly called Campbellites from the teachings of Alexander Campbell. Bill and Eliza went to church at camp meetings where frontier Gospel preachers stirred many hearts to an acceptance of Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. One such preacher, named Andrew Hunter, baptized both Bill and Eliza and they named one of their sons after him - Andrew Hunter Fenter. Almost all of the descendants of Bill and Eliza Fenter were raised in the Church of Christ.
In the 1850 census (Roll: M432_26, pg 289) of Clear Creek, Hot Springs Arkansas, Bill Fenter is listed as the 231st resident enumerated in the county. He said he was born in Missouri. All other censuses of his children states that he was born in Tennessee. In that 1850 census, Bill Fenter stated that he was a farmer by occupation and had property worth $360. Eliza Fenter's place of birth in this same census is listed as Pennsylvania, however in all other censuses, she is listed as being born in Georgia. According to this census, Eliza was completely illiterate, being neither able to read or write.
In 1854, Bill and Eliza Fenter were still living in Hot Springs Co., Arkansas when he died. He died in the fall of 1854 from wounds of a rifle backfiring that he was cleaning. His accidental death left Eliza a widow for the second time and the sole support of her nine children still at home. In December of 1854, Eliza sold her farm to a slave owner named John Guest for $5 in cash and in trade for teams, wagon and supplies. Eliza wrote to her brother, Levi Dean, who was a successful horse rancher in Texas for help. He advised her to move west to Texas where he could assist her and his nephew and nieces. Eliza Fenter left Rockport, Arkansas in January 1855 in the company of a wagon train with Jesse Fox and her son-in-law, Fate Rucker driving the oxen teams. The younger children looked after the cattle and other livestock. After reaching the Dean Ranch in Red River County, Texas, Jesse Fox and Fate Rucker continued on to Cooke County where they settled near the community of Antelope in what was soon to be come Jack County. Eliza Fenter and her unmarried children continued to live with her brother until 1860 when Jesse Fox sent for his mother and his younger half-brothers and sister.
In 1860 Eliza Fenter and her brother, Levi Dean, and their families left Red River County and moved to Jacksboro in Jack County, Texas, settling in around Lost Creek. At the outbreak of the War of the Northern Aggression, Eliza Fenter saw her sons grow up to become Soldiers in the Confederate Army. Two of her sons were killed in the bloody conflict - Jesse Fox and Bradley Fenter, and two of her sons, Duke and Bob Fenter, left to go to California to avoid conscription. Eliza was never to see her son, Duke Fenter, again. However, Bob Fenter came back to Texas after several years. After the War was over, her remaining sons returned to Jacksboro and worked on neighboring cattle ranches while not out chasing Indians back to Indian Territory (Oklahoma). In 1867, Eliza's youngest daughter, Ellenfair Fenter was killed during an Indian raid.
The 1870 census of Jack County, Texas enumerates Eliza Fenter in the household of her unmarried son, Andy Fenter. In the 1880 census, Eliza is listed as living with her son, Robert Fenter, in whose home she died after a long and useful life. While never learning to read or write, Eliza Fenter was a true frontier mother, a Christian woman, and was devoted to her children whom she raised single handed on the Texas Wilderness after the death of her 2nd husband, William Henry Fenter. The exact date of Eliza Fenter's death is unknown, however, it is most likely that she was buried in the Fenter Cemetery on the Lindsey Ranch in Jack County, Texas.
The following is a typed rendition of a DEED RECORD:
This deed of conveyance made and executed at the town of Rockport within the County of Hot Springs in the State of ARKANSAS this day the 23rd day of December in the year of our Lord, One Thousand Eight Hundred and Fifty-four by and from Elisa Fenter of the County of Hot Springs and State of Arkansas of the first part hereto unto and with John Guest of the County and State aforesaid party of the second part hereto. Witness that the said party of the first part for and consideration of the sum of $5.00 by the said party of the second part at and before the ensealing and delivery of those presents unto them in hand paid the receipt whereof she does hereby acknowledge has granted bargained and sold aliened and conveyed and do hereby grant, bargain, and sell, alien, and convey unto the said party of the second part the hereinafter described tracts and parcels of land namely the West half of the South East quarter of fractional section five in township Six south of Range 15 West containing 80 acres and the South East quarter of the said Section Five in township 65 of range 16 continuing 40 acres. To have and to hold the above granted tract of land and premises unto said party of the second part , his heirs and assigns forever and the said party of the first part, his heirs shall and will warrant and defend the same unto the said party of the second part , his heirs and assigns forever against the lawful claims of all persons whatsoever ever. In witness whereof the said party of the first part has herewith unto set her hand and affixed her seal at the county aforesaid the day and year herein before first written.Eliza Fenter
X
Attest:
Wiley Patterson
A. D. Hardy
BIBILOGRAPHY: See notes under her second husband.
BIRTH: In 1880 census birthplace is listed as Georgia
DEATH: Date of 1883 is unsubstantiated. It would be of worth to find her gravesite and see if there is a date on her tombstone. In the biographical sketch for William Henry Fenter in the "The Fenter Family - An American Frontier Experience" by Edgar Hugh Williams, Jr." it says, "The exact date of Eliza Fenter's death is unknown, however, it is most likely that she was buried in the Fenter Cemetery on the Lindsey Ranch in Jack County, Texas."
There is an entry in the Oakwood cemetery, Jacksboro, for an Eliza Fenter 67 years 1883 which would make the birth year correct with this Eliza.
Murdered by indians.
RESEACHER: Nina Atkinson sent information to T.Mason on 9 Jun 2005.