Late in the 20th century, I picked up several vintage copies of Frontier Times at a local used bookstore . . . one of those copies was dated January 1932 . . . as it happens . . . in Lynn, Massachusetts, in January of 1932, a baby girl was born . . . her young Mother had been born in Maine, and her Father in Texas . . . that baby girl was my Mom . . .
One of the articles in that 1932 Frontier Times was entitled "When Ghosts Walk in Courthouse Shade" . . . 
the "Ghosts" story was written by Vivian Richardson and was originally published in the Dallas Morning News in August of 1931 . . . one of the "ghosts" of San Augustine mentioned in that article is Elisha Roberts, who is a 3rd great-grandpa to my Mom . . . Vivian Richardson quoted an old Texan as saying that "I always think of the San Augustine country as the Valley of the Giants." Vivian went on to say that . . .
I think the deeds of the Giants will live on in the shadow of San Augustine's court house as long as there is a patriarch left to recount them. . . . it is on that ground one may almost always, of a likely afternoon, find the old men talking, and there I found them, that hot, singing July day, and listened reverently. . . . Sam Houston . . . and old Elisha Roberts, the last alcalde under the Mexican regime, could sit all day talking and whitling. I used to think they talked about Tennessee, where they knew each other, but I don't know. Maybe they didn't. . . . Almost every Texan who amounted to anything in the early days at one time either lived or stayed for long periods in San Augustine. . . .
This article can also be found in its entirety in the Coleman Democrat-Voice (Coleman, Tex.), Vol. 50, No. 52, Ed. 1 where it was published on Thursday, December 24, 1931 . . .
P.S. . . . it is now after 3 a.m. on the 31st . . . and as I put the finishing touches on this blog post, I sit here waiting for the "super blue moon eclipse" of which it has been written that "this rare celestial event - a blue moon, a supermoon, and a total lunar eclipse - hasn't happened in over 150 years." . . . I will call Mom in a few hours so she can see the eclipse from central Texas . . . seems that even the heavenlies are collaborating to celebrate her 86th birthday!
On this date in our family history . . . the 29th day of July . . . in the year 1837 . . . our Elisha Roberts is mentioned on the front page of the Telegraph and Texas Register . . . this Elisha is a 4th great-grandpa to the Keeper of this family history blog . . .
AN ACT
To incorporate the Trustees of Independence Academy and of the
University of San Augustine.
Be it enacted by the senate and house of representatives of the republic of Texas in congress assembled, That John P. Coles, Robert Stevenson, Asa Hoxie, M. Cummins, Shubael Marsh, James B. Miller and James G. Swisher, be and they are hereby incorporated a body politic under the name and style of the "Trustees of Independence Academy," capable of suing and being sued, pleading and being impleaded, of holding property either personal, real or mixed, of selling, alienating and conveying the same at pleasure, of having a common seal and of changing the same at pleasure, and of doing whatever else that may be necessary and proper to be done for the benefit and advancement of said institution, not contrary to the constitution and laws of this republic.
Sec. 2. Be it further enacted, That this charter and privilege shall extend to the said trustees and their successors in office, as long as they confine the benefit of the same to the advancement of the sciences, and the promotion of useful knowledge to the rising generations, which institution shall be accessible equally alike to all, without regard to opinions of religion or politics.
Sec. 3. Be it further enacted, That Elisha Roberts, Jesse Burdit, William McFarland, John Cartwright, Sumner Bacon, George Teal, Augustus Hotchkiss, Henry W. Augustine, Andrew J. Cunningham, Philip A. Sublett, Iredell D. Thomas, Albert Gallatin Kellogg, Almanzon Huston, William W. Holman and Joseph Rowe, be incorporated a body politic, under the name and style of the "President and Trustees of the University of San Augustine," and shall have the same powers and privileges which are conferred by this act on the trustees of Independence Academy.
B.T. ARCHER,
Speaker of the house of representatives.
JESSE GRIMES,President pro tem. of the senate.
Approved, 5th June, 1837.
SAM. HOUSTON.
List of property appraised 31st dec 1846 By David O. Warren James Perkins and Jackson Randol -- and belonging to the estate of Elisha and Patsey Roberts --
MALES Candy, Spencer, Daniel, John, Shedrack, Bedney?, Charles, George, Washington, Bedford, Jerdin, Nathan, Nelson, Philip, Columbus, George, Martin, Burrel, Ceasar, Massaline, Elick?, James, Alfred, Charles, Dick, Carrol, Allen, Leonard
FEMALES Betsey, Rose & child Lewis, Linda Cole, Linda Payne, Rachel, Jenny & child Philip, Clara & child Mary, Caroline & child Dick, Mary, Celia, Elon, Virginia, Vina, Clara, Agg, Louisa & child, Nancy, Gelina
These names are being listed here with the hope that there are researchers who will be assisted in their journey to find their ancestors by the sharing of the names of these individuals . . . this list is made available thanks to the research efforts of Elisha and Patsy's great-great-granddaughter, Esther . . . thanks a bunch cousin Esther!
Texas is the finest portion of the Globe
that has ever blessed my vision.
The above poetic statement was penned by Sam Houston in an 1833 letter to a cousin, shortly after Sam had crossed the Red River and stepped onto Texas soil for the first time, i.e. . . .
On December 2, 1832, an imposing figure stood on the north bank of Red River. His passport read: "General Sam Houston, a Citizen of the United States, thirty-eight years of age, six feet, two inches in stature, brown hair, and light complexion."
Sam would soon become a frequent visitor in the homes of some of the men later described by Alexander Horton as . . . some of the noblest men to be found in any county. They (were) generous, kind, honest and brave . . . Elisha Roberts* . . . Philip A. Sublett* . . . These were the most earliest settlers of East Texas. . . .
*This Elisha is a 4th great-grandpa to the Keeper of this family history blog . . . Sublett is married to Elisha's daughter, Easter Jane . . .
Before Sam left Tennessee, he served as a commander in the Tennessee volunteer militia of General Andrew Jackson during the War of 1812 . . . among those serving under Sam were the Parker brothers, Daniel and Isaac . . . by August of 1833, this Daniel and Isaac were members of a wagon train leaving Illinois, their destination being Texas . . . regarding the people on this wagon train (including a young girl known as Cynthia Ann), according to Glenn Frankel in his book, The Searchers, The Making of an American Legend . . .
In mid-November they reached the brown, placid Sabine River, bordered by pine trees as tall and erect as sentinels, and crossed over into Texas. They camped that first evening, November 12, 1833, near San Augustine, twenty miles deep inside their new promised land, just in time for one of the most awesome celestial events in human history.
On the Night the Stars Fell, the heavens blazed with shooting stars as large as moons trailing clouds of bluish light like divine afterthoughts. Although well past midnight, the bright burning sky illuminated the wide, awestruck faces of the pilgrims as if it were high noon. . . .
As it happens, during the year the stars rained all over the sky, Grandpa Elisha and a large assortment of his kith 'n kin lived near San Augustine, just about Twenty miles deep inside their new promised land . . . i.e., just east of San Augustine and about 20 miles west of the Sabine River . . . so it is quite possible this group of travelers actually camped on land owned and / or occupied by some of our Roberts kith or kin . . .
Meanwhile, in another part of Texas in 1833 . . . a family by the name of O'Docharty is residing in San Patricio County during this year of the Plenty Stars Winter . . . as the years passed and their lives on this earth came to an end, many of these family members were laid to rest in the Old Cemetery on the Hill (FYI, it is believed by some that our Elisha's son-in-law, Bryant Daughtry, might be buried in the same cemetery) . . . the matriarch of the O'Docharty family was Susanna, who was tall and slender with a shock of red hair . . . it has been said of her that she accurately predicted her own death . . . the following is a portion of what is referred to as her epitaph . . . it is from a collection of stories handed down through generations by oral tradition . . .
And now I lie with them upon this hill
Mingling with Texas earth as seasons come and go.
Chilling northers bend grasses almost to the ground;
Low-hung clouds are misty blankets
Dropping days of rain upon the earth.
Then wild flowers make sweet the air in spring;
At dawn birds chirp and trill as if to wake us,
But we lie immutable, insensible to summer heat and winter cold . . .
While we lie here a segment of a forgotten colony.
Here I lie beside my own --
A hundred springs have come and gone
Since first I lay upon this lonely hill. . . .
This blogpost was researched and prepared specifically for The Fifth Annual Great Genealogy Poetry Challenge over at cousin Bill's blog which is known as . . . West in New England . . .
Mrs. Silence J. Soule penned the following words . . . I have observed that old people live much in the past. As I grow older I find myself turning oftener to the days in the old home. I hear the patter and the prattle of childish feet and voice ; light step of youth and maid; sober footfall and serious word of man and matron; the slowing step and failing voice of age. All, all are gone! I alone am left of . . .
The dear home faces whereupon
The fitful firelight paled and shone.
Henceforward, listen as I will,
The voices of that hearth are still.
How strange it seems with so much gone
Of life and love to still live on.
These few lines of poetry were adapted by cousin Silence from
Snow-Bound
by
John Greenleaf Whittier
The version linked here is dedicated as follows . . .
To the Memory of the household it describes :
On this date in our family history . . . the 3rd day of November . . . in the year 1816 . . . Mahala Lee Roberts is born in Washington Parish, Louisiana . . . she is the 7th of nine children known to have been born to Elisha Roberts and Patsy Gill . . .
By 1830, Mahala is living in San Augustine County, Texas with her parents and siblings . . . in 1833 her father signs his name to a document establishing the town of San Augustine . . . in 1836 Mahala marries John M. Sharp in San Augustine County . . . and at least two children will be born to them . . . Samuel Houston Sharp and Margaret Sharp . . . John Sharp is presumed to have died before 1846 . . .
In 1851, Mahala marries Joshua James Hall in San Augustine County . . . and they have at least two children . . . Roberta Hall and Toby Hall . . .
On Mahala's 53rd birthday . . . the 3rd day of November . . . in the year 1869 . . . Mahala's granddaughter, Margaret Elizabeth Sharp, is born in Liberty County, Texas . . . another two years later . . . on the 3rd day of November . . . in the year 1871 . . . another granddaughter, Ida Mae Sharp, is born in Houston County, Texas . . . Mahala would live to share another thirteen birthdays with these two granddaughters before her death in June of 1885 . . .
We are blessed to have access to a portrait of our Mahala . . . as well as photos of some of her grandchildren . . . the little one in the collage is a four-year-old version of the Keeper of this family history blog . . . in the arms of her great-grandma, Berta Mary . . . Mahala was grandma to Berta Mary . . . and is a 3rd great-grandma to the four-year-old in the photo . . .
A hundred-year-old photograph
stares out from a frame.
And if you look real close you'll see
our eyes are just the same.
I never met them face-to-face
but I still know them well
From the stories my dear grandma would tell.
They're my Guardian Angels
and I know they can see,
Every step I take they're watching over me.
I might not know where I'm going
but I'm sure where I come from.
They're my Guardian Angels
and I'm their special one.
A hundred-year-old photograph
stares out from a frame.
And if you look real close you'll see
our eyes are just the same.
This blogpost containing poetry as well as song lyrics was researched and prepared specifically for The Fifth Annual Great Genealogy Poetry Challenge over at cousin Bill's blog which is known as . . . West in New England . . .
On this date in our extended family history . . . the 19th day of September . . . in the year 1891 . . . Easter Jane Sublett nee Roberts dies at her residence, three miles east of San Augustine, Texas [click HERE to read what some of the 1891 papers had to say about Easter and her family] . . .
Easter Jane is an older sister of Mahala Lee Roberts . . . who is a 3rd great-grandma to the Keeper of this family history blog . . . this Easter Jane and Mahala are two of nine children known to have been born to Elisha Roberts and his wife, Martha "Patsy" Gill . . .
By the time Mahala was 16 years of age, in 1833, Easter Jane had already been married for five years, to Philip Sublett . . . and that was the year when Elisha, as well as this son-in-law, were two of the twenty-one men who signed the original founding document of San Augustine . . . those twenty-one men, and their place in the family tree of the Keeper of this family history blog (if any), are listed below . . .
- John Cartwright || findagrave [paternal grandpa of wife of 1st cousin four times removed, Benjamin Thomas Roberts]
- Chichester Chaplin || findagrave [son-in-law of Haden Edwards and Martin Parmer]
- Samuel Davis, Jr. || findagrave, and his sister Mary Richardson Willson nee Davis, wife of Dr. Stephen Pelham Willson [these Davis siblings are my 2nd cousins five times removed . . . this connection is via a different maternal line which our Roberts descendant, Berta Mary Henry nee Sharp, marries into in 1895]
- William English
- Claiborn Garrett
- William Garrett || findagrave [father-in-law of 1st cousin four times removed, Henry William Sublett]
- James S. Hanks [brother of Wyatt Hanks]
- Wyatt Hanks || findagrave
- Alexander Horton || findagrave [entered Texas with Elisha Roberts, and served as Sheriff when Elisha was Alcalde]
- Benjamin Lindsay
- L.H. Mabbitt [stepson of Wyatt Hanks]
- Thomas McFarland || findagrave
- William McFarland || findagrave
- Elisha Roberts || findagrave [4th great-grandpa]
- Philip Sublett || findagrave [husband of 3rd great-grand-aunt, Easter Jane]
- Charles Stanfield Taylor || findagrave
- Edward Teal [father of Henry Teal; brother of George Teel]
- Henry Teal
- George Teel / Teal || findagrave [father-in-law of nephew of wife of 3rd great-grand-uncle, Noel Gil Roberts]
- I D Thomas [brother-in-law of 3rd great-grand-uncle, Noel Gil Roberts; grandpa of the renowned artist, Seymour Thomas, who was also a grandson of Stephen W. Blount, signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence]
A special invitation has been issued to descendants of the above men to gather in San Augustine during the annual Sassafras Festival for an event hosted by San Augustine Main Street . . . during this annual festival, at 2 p.m. on the 26th day of October . . . there will be a gathering at the Historic Museum Theatre on Columbia Street in downtown San Augustine . . . regarding this special event it has been stated that . . .
Historic San Augustine is celebrating its 180th birthday with a presentation of the newly discovered deed dated July 11th, 1833 purchasing the land where the town of San Augustine was laid out by Thomas McFarland. The document is signed by these 21 Texas patriots who established the town.
If you are a descendant of one of the twenty-one signers listed above, please contact Connie at . . . deed dot descendants at gmail dot com . . . for more info about the Sassafras Festival, please call 936-275-3172 . . .
Colonel Stephen F. Austin
Nacogdoches.
July 21, 1826
SIR,- After an absence of several months from this province to the United States, where I was detained much longer than I had anticipated in consequence of continued and serious indisposition, I returned to this place about the 1st of April last, and much to my astonishment and mortification found everything in disorder and confusion in this section of the province. . . . We have just heard that he [James Gaines] has decreed the expulsion of Judge Williams and Mr. Elisha Roberts [*], two of the most wealthy, intelligent, industrious, and useful citizens in the whole province. . . .
B.W. Edwards
The above information was found at
Haden Edwards & The Fredonian Rebellion 1826-1827
*Elisha Roberts is a 4th great-grandpa of the Keeper of this family history blog
From September 28, 1840, to November 18, 1851, Nicholas Adolphus Sterne kept a diary of his daily activities, which is a valuable source of information on the period of the Republic of Texas (1836-1846). The names of some of our kith 'n kin are scattered through the pages of his diary . . .
On this date in our extended family history . . . the 13th day of July . . . in the year 1842 . . . Nicholas Adolphus Sterne (ca. 1801-1852) penned the following words in his diary . . .
Wednesday the 13th Send off Eastern Mail, Mr A. McDonald his Lady, and Mr Miss Edwards, a niece and nephew of Mrs Elisha Roberts arrived, spend the day very agreably,-- made a Sale to Moses L. Patton of the Land I purchased from Jose Ygnacio Ybarbo's Heirs, got my note for $71.00 I gave Doctor Starr, also a receipt I gave Patton for $90.00— spoke to Ned Taliafero respecting some Land, he wants to purchase of me on the Loco, but it is no go, as he wants it on a credit--
Thursday the 14th July 1842 fine weather, done some business at the Office, gave Mr McDonald a Ball in the Evening was well attended, and every body enjoyed themselves--
- Mr. A. McDonald his Lady = Alexander McDonald (ca. 1814-1852) and his wife, Margaret S. Roberts (1822-1892), who is the youngest sister of my 3rd great-grandma, Mahala Lee Sharp Hall nee Roberts (1816-1885)
- Mrs. Elisha Roberts = my 4th great-grandma, Martha Roberts nee Gill (1781-1854) aka Patsy Roberts
My still unanswered* question is . . .
"Who is this niece and nephew with the last name of Edwards?"
We have not been able to find them on either the ROBERTS side or the GILL side of the family. This question has already been posed (in 2006) to a study group composed of descendants of George Roberts and Rhoda Payne . . . who are Elisha's parents . . . and my 5th great-grandparents . . . with no results so far . . .
. . . . . . . . . .
*UPDATE . . . April 2019 . . . These Edwards kinfolk are apparently two of the children of Patsy's sister, Hester / Ester Gill, who married Robert Edwards in 1819 in Louisiana . . .
On this date in our extended family history . . . late in the day on the 10th of May in the year 1902 . . . John Connell, Jr. bleeds to death from a knife wound following an unfortunate domestic disagreement with his son and namesake, John Connell III . . . the decedent is a 1st cousin four times removed to the Keeper of this family history blog . . . the Connell killing and subsequent legal proceedings are mentioned in numerous issues of the Dallas Morning News . . . the following biography is from A Memorial and Biographical History of McLennan, Falls, Bell, and Coryell Counties (Chicago: Lewis, 1893; rpt., St. Louis: Ingmire, 1984) . . .
J. H. Connell, a capitalist of Belton, was born in San Augustine county, Texas, when Texas was a province of Mexico, April 3, 1833, son of John H. and Matilda T. (Roberts) Connell, natives of Pennsylvania and Kentucky respectively.
John H. Connell's father, a native of Ireland, came to America at an early day and settled in Pennsylvania, where he followed his trade, that of blacksmithing. John H., leaving home when a youth, came in 1826 to Texas and engaged in the mercantile business near Austin, where he was married in 1830. Mr. Connell came to Texas with Sterling C. Robertson, and both secured large tracts of land.
The Roberts family were also among the pioneers of this section of the country. Elisha Roberts [4th great-grandpa of the Keeper of this blog] went from Kentucky to Louisiana in 1819, and in 1820 came to San Augustine, Texas. Elisha Roberts was one of the earliest settlers within the confines of the State.
Mr. Connell died at Viesca in 1834. He was truly a self-made man, and during his lifetime acquired considerable property. Belton is located on a portion of the land on which Mr. Connell once lived. Mrs. Connell having donated to the county of Bell 120 acres, in 1850, on which to establish the county seat. John H. Connell and his wife were the parents of two children: Josephine, wife of Anderson Hamblin, both being now deceased; and J. H., the subject of our sketch.
After the death of Mr. Connell, Mrs. Connell was married in 1835, to Samuel T. Allen, of New York, and their union was blessed in the birth of two children: Thomas R., deceased; and Eunice A., widow of Colonel John T. Coffee, of Missouri. Samuel T. Allen was killed by the Indians at the three forks of the Trinity, in November, 1838, and in the fall of 1847 Mrs. Allen married his brother, Thomas J. Allen. Her death occurred April 3, 1879, at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Coffee, in Georgetown, Williamson county, this state.
The subject of our sketch was reared amid the frontier scenes of what is now San Augustine, Milam, Williamson and Galveston counties. In 1854 he went to California, making the trip from Galveston by water; spent two years in the southern part of the Golden State, and while working in the mines lost his health. He was, however, financially successful. Returning home in the latter part of 1855, he engaged in farming and stock-raising in Texas up to the year 1861. The war coming on in that year, he joined the Confederate forces; was in the Trans-Mississippi Department, and participated in numerous skirmishes and battles.
Returning to his home in the latter part of May, 1865, Mr. Connell set about repairing his wasted fortune, and with renewed energy engaged in his old occupation of farming and stock-raising. He continued his operations in Williamson county till January 28, 1884, when he rented his farm and moved to his property in Belton. He owns considerable valuable real estate, his Belton home place consisting of some 250 acres adjoining town. He has a handsome residence, an intelligent family, and is comfortably situated to enjoy life, having practically retired from active business.
Mr. Connell was married September 15, 1869, to Miss Jennie Howlett, a native of Texas, born in Milam county, October 5, 1844, daughter of James and Sarah (Moore) Howlett, natives of Kentucky and Tennessee respectively. Both the Howletts and the Moores were among the early pioneers of Texas.
Mr. and Mrs. Connell are the parents of five children: John H., Jr., T.E., Susan, May T. and Albert L. T.E. is now a student at the State University of Texas. Mr. Connell and his wife are consistent members of the Methodist Episcopal Church South, and are held in high esteem by all who know them.
On this date in our family history . . . the 9th day of February . . . in the year 1800 . . . Elisha Roberts and Patsey Gill were married in Green County, Kentucky . . . this Elisha and Patsey are 4th great-grandparents to the Keeper of this family history blog . . .
Know all men by these presents that we Elisha Roberts and John Abney are held and firmly bound unto his Excellency the Governor of the Governor [SIC] of Kentucky in the sum of L50 current money for the true payment where of to be made to the said Governor and his successors we bind ourselves our heirs etc. Jointly and Severally firmly firmly [SIC] by these presents. The Condition is such that whereas a Marriage is shortly intended between the above bound Elisha Roberts and Patsey Gill. Now if there be no lawfull cause to obstruct the said Marriage then this obligation to be void else to remain in full force.
On this date in our family history . . . the 19th day of October . . . in the year 2002 . . . assorted kith 'n kin of William Paschal and Josephine Wingfield (Davis) Henry gathered in Rockdale, Texas for a family reunion . . .
The Rockdale Reporter. Rockdale, Texas. November 14, 2002. In the 1992 bestseller Colony, the granddaughter, Darcy, says that . . .
. . . there should be, in every life, a place
. . . where you could come and visit your past,
and the past of your people,
and know that whatever happened outside,
here timelessness lived.
A cozy room on a rainy Saturday in Rockdale was just that sort of gathering spot for assorted kith 'n kin of some early 19th century Milam Co. residents. As the family members arrived they were beckoned into the past of their people by a large display of their family history spread out on quilt-covered tables.
Here they read about how 17-year-old Josephine Wingfield Davis migrated c. 1859 with her family from Morgan Co., GA to Brazoria Co., TX (where she would marry William Paschal Henry in 1864). This time of change was the beginning of a new season for Josephine and her family -- for they left behind a way of life in a time and a place that has often been described as gone with the wind country.
An article about a Henry family reunion at the old Hamilton homeplace was published in The Rockdale Reporter in the autumn of 1931. It recorded the following about the arrival of Josephine and her family in the then-new town of Rockdale . . .
On Oct. 3, 1876, the Henrys arrived in Rockdale to visit a sister and family of Mrs. Henry's [Josephine], it being Dr. and Mrs. M. F. Anthony, who at that time had the post office and drug store combined on the corner where the Wolf Hotel now (1931) stands.
Of that time period The Galveston Weekly News reported that . . .
Every day or two some very interesting scenes occur in the pettifoggeries of Rockdale . . . there are street fights occurring almost every day . . . where a population of eighteen hundred now thrive, was ten months ago the home of the deer, and the pleasure ground of the black bear.
Twenty-three years later -- on Oct. 28, 1899 -- Josephine died a tragic death in an accident that was graphically described in 1899 issues of The Rockdale Reporter as well as The Rockdale Messenger. The Messenger article specifically mentions the grey mare that was pulling her buggy on that autumn afternoon when it collided with "a light spring wagon" as she drove "over the hill at the home of George Banzhaf."
Josephine apparently fell from her buggy "with her head between the left fore wheel of the buggy and shafts and was so held that her hair was wound around the buggy hub and spindle. . . . some young man met the buggy at the gate near the old Ferguson place, more than a half-mile this side of where the accident occurred. She was dead when found as her neck was broken."
The article concluded with the following -- "Brother [Wm. P.] Henry does not blame the drivers of the wagon for the accident but thinks they should have ascertained the results before driving home."
103 years after her death, Josephine and Wm. P. were well-represented in the most recent gathering that included descendants of three of their five children --
- Wm. P. & Annie (Calvert) Henry, Jr.
- Edgar & Berta (Sharp) Henry
- Ella (Henry) & J. D. Hamilton
Descendants of Jerome & Sudie (Criswell) Henry and Emma (Henry) & Sam Sharp were not able to attend.
New to the reunion in 2002 were Esther (Hall) & John Biggers of Lake Jackson TX, and Susie (Deen) Hagler of Wills Point TX -- who were kin to the majority of those attending through their connection to Josephine's daughter-in-law, Berta (Sharp) Henry, as well as her son-in-law, Sam Houston Sharp, Jr. Berta and Sam were siblings from Houston Co. TX, and they married the Henry twins, Edgar and Emma.
Berta and Sam were grandchildren of Mahala (Roberts) Sharp Hall, who was a daughter of early Texas alcalde, Elisha Roberts. As alcalde, Roberts held court on the broad front gallery of his house; Sam Houston, James Bowie, David Crockett, William B. Travis, and Stephen F. Austin all boarded there. In 1833 Roberts was elected delegate to the convention in San Felipe.
One of Mahala's sisters was Matilda Connell Allen, whose first husband, John Connell, died in 1834 at Viesca, Milam Co. Matilda's second husband was Samuel Tabor Allen, who was a delegate from Milam (Viesca) to the Consultation of 1835, and also represented Milam in the House of Representatives of the 1st Congress, 1836-1837. Samuel was killed by Kickapoo Indians in 1838 in the Battle Creek Massacre. In 1850 Matilda donated 120 acres of the family estate to Bell County (created & organized from Milam in 1850) as the site for the new county seat -- now known as Belton.
More than 150 years later, kith & kin of these strong early Texas women -- this Mahala and Matilda and Josephine -- shared a noon meal that was "spread in picnic style." Afternoon activities including taking photos, concluding the silent auction, and giving prizes for --
- Oldest . . . Iola (Christian) Avrett
- Youngest . . . Trey Hill
- Longest road-trip . . . Charlotte (Christian) Walraven of San Angelo
The guessing games for the children were won by Madison Smith (candy) and Josh Landi (pennies).
Proceeds from the fund-raising efforts more than covered the expenses for the 2002 reunion. Top selling items included:
- the "Henry" teddy bear donated by Carla (Henry) Schomburg
- an assortment of items brought by Susie (Deen) Hagler from Eddie Deen & Co.
- a large print of a photo of Wm. P. and Josephine donated by Peggy (Ferguson) Skeeters (the original of which hung in the hallway of the Hamilton home in Rockdale for many years)
- two reproductions of a photo of Mahala (Roberts) Sharp Hall donated by Esther (Hall) Biggers
- a family history notebook from the files of Vickie (Pounders) Everhart
- a ribbon-bound copy of a 19th-century autograph album that belonged to Berta (Sharp) Henry donated by Roberta (Henry) Pounders
The 2002 gathering was organized by Susan (Henry) Aigner, youngest daughter of Robert E. & Ann ( Howard) Henry. In the autumn of 2003 this gathering will take place at the home of J. D. and Susan (Henry) Aigner in Sinton TX.
The Rockdale Reporter
November 14, 2002
Written & submitted for publication
by
Vickie (Pounders) Everhart
With much love and appreciation to Aunt Ida and cousin Stuart . . . and to cousin Esther in Lake Jackson . . .
The woman I knew as Aunt Ida was an older sister of my great-grandma, Berta Mary Henry nee Sharp (1873-1955) . . . so she is actually a great-grand-aunt. (Both Ida and Berta Mary are pictured in the collage on the left.) I do seem to remember going to East Texas to visit Aunt Ida when we were kids, but unfortunately I do not have any concrete memories of her.
It is said that it was someone in the Hall family who took the time and made the effort to arrange to record a 90-year-old Aunt Ida's memories of growing up on the Hall Plantation in Houston County, Texas. I am not sure why, but as far as I have been able to determine, not one of Berta Mary's descendants knew anything about this document, or about the stories of the Hall Plantation. I know my first knowledge of most of this information was through this 1962 deposition, which I first laid eyes on twelve years ago [1998]. Whoever did it, and for whatever reason, I am eternally grateful to my 2nd cousin once removed . . . Stuart Arlington Leaverton (1908-2001) . . . for sharing that document with me back in October of 1998 . . . exactly one month after his own 90th birthday.
Earlier this year [2010] I posted a tribute to our Mahala in which I talked extensively about that small packet of information shared by cousin Stuart. That small envelope contained the four pieces of paper referred to above, and shown in the collage. Each of the four is available for viewing as an individual page by clicking on the links below. Shortly after that post about our Mahala, I wrote of my very first hands-on encounter with the 150-year-old original of the 1860-1866 Journal of James Madison Hall (1819-1866). My very awareness of the existence of this Journal was also the result of receiving these four pages of typewritten paper. The notes in italics and [brackets] were added by me . . . the Keeper of this blog . . .
Page 1 of 4 pages :: most of the information on the following page was familiar to me . . . no big surprises here . . .
BEFORE ME, the undersigned authority, on this day personally appeared, Mrs. Ida Mae Sharp Halyard, known to me to be a credible person, who being by me duly sworn, deposes and says as follows:
My name is Ida Mae Halyard and I am 90 years of age. I was born November 3rd., 1871, on the old J. J. Hall Plantation, which is situated about twelve miles Northwest from the town of Crockett in Houston County, Texas, on Elkhart creek.
My father was Samuel H. Sharp and my mother was Mary Alexandrien Lamar [Lemaire] Sharp [my 2nd great-grandparents]. They were married but the one time and then on July 11th., 1861, and there were only six (6) children born to this union, namely:
1. James Hall 'Major' Sharp, a boy, born in the year 1863, and died in the year 1936, and he is buried with his wife, Emma Brightman Sharp, in Glenwood Cemetery in Crockett, Texas.
2. Sam H. Sharp, Jr., born in the year 1867, and died in the year 1921 and he is buried with his wife, Emma Henry Sharp in Lovelady Cemetery at Lovelady, Texas.
3. Maggie Sharp, born November 3rd., 1869, and died in the year 1935. She was married twice; first to John McCann, who was killed by being thrown from his buggy when his horse bolted and ran away, and secondly, to Frank Ward. She is buried in Glenwood Cemetery in Crockett, Texas. There is no marker on her grave, but she is buried next to, and to the left of her son, Earl McCann, whose grave is marked.
Page 2 of 4 pages :: I was not aware of the little girl named Willie before I saw the following page . . . and this is the very first time I heard of our Mahala [my 3rd great-grandma] . . . investigating who Mahala was led me to her father, Elisha Roberts [my 4th great-grandpa] . . . who is mentioned in the pages of Texas history . . . according to the history records on her father, Mahala grew up with the likes of Sam Houston, James Bowie, David Crockett, William B. Travis, and Stephen F. Austin sitting around the dinner table . . . and further investigation into Mahala led me to the lady / cousin in Lake Jackson, Texas who introduced me to a photo of our Mahala as well as to James Madison Hall and his 1860-1866 Journal which makes frequent mention of an assortment of my kith 'n kin in its pages . . .
4. Ida Mae Sharp Halyard, this affiant, born November 3rd., 1871 as stated above. I married George W. Halyard, and he is buried in Glenwood [sic] Cemetery, Crockett, Texas.
5. Berta Sharp, a girl, was born November 10th., 1873, and died in Rockdale, Texas. She was married to Edgar Henry who is also deceased. [my great-grandparents . . . I was born on her 78th birthday]
6. Willie Sharp, a girl, was born in the year 1875, and died about the year 1885. She is buried in the Hall Cemetery on the Ramon de la Garza grant in Houston County, Texas, near Elkhart creek.
My father, Samuel H. Sharp (Sr.), was the son of Mahala Lee Roberts Sharp Hall. I do not know my Grandfather Sharp's given name. My paternal grandparents had one other child, Margaret 'Sis' Sharp, and if there were any more children born of this union, I never heard of them.
My mother, Mary Alexandren [sic] Lamar [Lemaire] Sharp, was born in France [sic] and was of French extraction, but I know nothing about her family history, except that she owned land on the Robeson Survey, Liberty County, Texas, and I still own my inherited interest in this land.
My mother died when I was four years old, and is buried in the Hall Cemetery on the old Hall Plantation on Elkhart Creek, where I was born. There is a marker at her grave. My father never married again again after my mother's death, and died when I was above fourteen years old. He is buried next to and on the right side of my mother, but there is no marker at his grave. My sister, Willie is also buried beside my mother.
Page 3 of 4 pages :: all of the information on the following page 3 was new to me . . . this was the first mention of James Madison Hall . . . I am now in the first year of what will be a seven-year journey with this man and his kith 'n kin . . . transcribing on a daily basis the entries from his now 150-year-old Journal . . .
My Grandmother [Mahala] and my step Grandfather [J.J. Hall] are also buried in the Hall Cemetery, but I do not know where their graves are located.
My Grandmother [Mahala] came from San Augustine to Houston County, and I believe that my father [Sam] and aunt were born there before she came to this County. I do not know anything about her family, except that she had a sister named Margaret, who married a McDonald and lived in Houston County, Texas.
My Grandmother, Mahala Lee Roberts Sharp, married Col. J. J. Hall about the year 1850, and there were only two children born to this union; Roberta Hall, a girl and Horace O. Hall, a boy. J. J. Hall had been married before and had a son named James Madison Hall. If he had any children except these three, I never heard of them.
Horace O. Hall married Florene Kirkpatrick when I was about eight years old, and brought her to the Hall Plantation to live. They are both now dead and are buried in Glenwood Cemetery.
Berta Hall, who was one and the same person as Roberta Hall, married John Downes about the same time her brother married, but she and Downes did not live together very long. She then married Marcus M. Halyard, my husband's uncle, and moved away from Houston County in about the year 1902.
James Madison Hall married my Aunt Margaret Sharp about the year 1860, but he died before I can remember [1866] and left Aunt Margaret with one child, named Florence.
Page 4 of 4 pages :: I had heard of Lou Stewart but did not know how he connected . . . the following page explained who he was . . . the rest of the information on this page was new to me as well . . .
Margaret Sharp Hall, the widow of James Madison Hall, married Frank Stewart and they had two children named Ed Stewart and Lou Stewart. She died about the year 1878, but I do not know where she was buried.
Florence Hall married James Christian who was killed by a man whose name I do not recall. She later married again and moved to a place near Dallas and I never heard of her again.
I have been personally acquainted with the facts set forth in this affidavit both from personal knowledge and from family history. At one time I lived in the old Col. J. J Hall home on Elkhart Creek. This was a story and half house and had two large fire-places."
(Signed by Ida Mae Halyard)
Sworn to and subscribed before me, this the 13 day of September, A.D. 1962.
(Signed by Dennis C. Frazier) Notary Public, in and for Houston County, Texas.
THE STATE OF TEXAS
COUNTY OF HOUSTON
BEFORE ME, the undersigned authority, on this day personally appeared, Ida Mae Halyard, known to me to be the person whose name is subscribed to the foregoing instrument, and acknowledged to me that she executed the same for the purposes and consideration therein expressed. GIVEN under my hand and seal of office, this the 13 day of September, A.D. 1962.
(Signed by Dennis C. Frazier) Notary Public, in and for Houston County, Texas."
This blogpost was prepared for the 98th edition of the Carnival of Genealogy . . . hosted by Jasia at Creative Gene . . . who asked us to discuss a document that helped us break down a brick wall on your family tree . . . and to discuss the information that appears on the document and how it contributes to your family history . . . poster courtesy of footnoteMaven . . .
the "Ghosts" story was written by Vivian Richardson and was originally published in the Dallas Morning News in August of 1931 . . . one of the "ghosts" of San Augustine mentioned in that article is Elisha Roberts, who is a 3rd great-grandpa to my Mom . . . Vivian Richardson quoted an old Texan as saying that "I always think of the San Augustine country as the Valley of the Giants." Vivian went on to say that . . . 
