My email address and links to my RAGSDALE and SPEARS,SHEPPARD GEDCOM's, photos,and research documents are at the bottom of this page. Family surnames I have researched: RAGSDALE,SHEPPARD,SPEARS,UNDERWOOD,POTTS,BARNES, TRAMMELL,HENDERSON BOX,CULBREATH,RIALS,ASHLEY,BARNES,FINDLEY,BRINKLEY, HART DIVINNEY,MILLICAN,MEHARREY,WUNSCH,LIGHT,MAHURIN, TINKER MANUEL,COLLUM,VARDEN,SOMMER,MILLER,FUSSELL
RAGSDALE
Benjamin RAGSDALE(1759 Chatham,NC)m.Martha BROWN
William RAGSDALE(1782 NC) m. Pamelia
MILAM(1795 Tn or NC)
Benjamin M.RAGSDALE(1824 Hickman,Tn) m.Caroline
STOVALL (1829 Tn)
John Benjamin RAGSDALE(1852 Johnson,Ar)
m.Nancy Ann UNDERWOOD(1854 Benton,Ar)
Thomas James RAGSDALE(1880 Ar)m.Clara Lee BARNES
(1887,Talladega,Al)
Albert Abner RAGSDALE(1913 Sequoyah,Ok)m.Sybil Naomi
FINDLEY(1921 Russellville,Ar)
POTTS
Clara Lee Barnes Ragsdale m.James Tom W.POTTS 1918 Faulkner
Co,Ark
SHEPPARD/SPEARS
Susan Annie SHEPPARD or SPEARS(1851 or 1853 Randolph,Al)
m.William H.(WELLS) BARNES(1857 Al)
may be related to:
Mercer SPEARS (1790 SC or NC)
m.Elizabeth DODDS(1785 SC or NC)
Joshua SPEARS (1814 Ga)m.Mary "Polly" MITCHUM(1810 SC)
Daniel SPEARS(1810 Ga)m.Mary WATWOOD(1814 Ga/SC)
William SPEARS(1811 Ga)m.Rachael(1814 Ga)
Joshua J.SPEARS(was in Randolph Co,Al in 1840)
Daniel J.SPEARS(1843 Al)m.Mary Jane TOMLIN
Jefferson Taylor SPEARS(1872 Randolph,Al)m.Kadora
Elizabeth PIERCE(1875 Polk,Ar)
SHEPPARD
$ Jeremiah SHEPPARD(1800 NC or SC)
m._____ (mother of John F.SHEPPARD?)(1835 Ga/NC)
$ m.Jane _____(1810 SC)possible wife of Daniel J.SPEARS
who may have died in Randolph Co,Al about 1848
m.Jessy Jane______(1815-1820 Ga or SC)
$ Step-father or father and mother or step-mother of
Susan Annie SPEARS/SHEPPARD Barnes
Possible children of Jeremiah&Jessy Jane:
Millard F.SHEPPARD(1858 Al)m.________
children:William R.,Thomas J.m.Hattie,Betty m.J.D.McINVALE,
Hettie M. m.HURST
(Millard was a Baptist minister in
Ellisville/Moselle,Ms d.Aug 15,1927-
was a half-brother of Susann )
Andrew J.SHEPPARD(1855 Al)m.Delilah________
(another half-brother of Susann?)
*Note: Jeremiah's wife Jane in 1850 Randolph,Al
may have been Jane (WATWOOD???)Spears,possible wife of
Joshua J./Daniel J.Spears until abt 1848 and Susan's mother,
making her maiden name SHEPPARD and not SPEARS.
BARNES/WELLS
John W.BARNES(1829 SC or NC)m. Jemima (1835 Al)
William H.( WELLS) BARNES(1858 Al)
m. Susann SPEARS/SHEPPARD(1851- 1853 Randolph,Al)
(William was a WELLS and was taken in by the BARNES
family in Ga or Al,unknown when)
WELLS 1850 to 1860 Ga or Al
UNDERWOOD/TRAMMELL/HENDERSON/BOX
Malachi UNDERWOOD(bet 1814-1818 Green,Ky)m.Louisa
*TRAMULLE/TRAMMELL HENDERSON(bet 1818-1826 Illinois)
*LDS Family info of daughter Nancy Ann UNDERWOOD RAGSDALE
says Lueliza TRAMULLE and Malachi's Union CW pension appl
says Louisa HENDERSON. Nancy's Tx death record (El Paso 1936)
says CAMPBELL(rhymes with TRAMMELL. The informant (her
brother-in-law) was very hard of hearing according to a
grand-daughter Nelda FARRIS LAWRENCE of El Paso
then Az(2001)
Aug 2001 Letter from Dorothy Roberts Tucker,Delaware,Ark
"...I remembered hearing Grandma Mary Jane and her sister
Aunt Tennessee talking about their mother marrying a man
named Henderson and they didn't get to live together but a
short time he was killed in a hunting [accident]."
Another letter from her:
"Malachi's mother may have been a BOX of Indian ancestry. Louisa's
mother and baby brother are buried in the Indian Cemetary on River
Mtn Rd (Vernon Mtn)(near Mary Jane Underwood Roberts homestead
property) in Delaware,Logan Co,Ark. Others buried there
(36 or 37 total) are VERNON/BOX/HENDERSON of Indian ancestry."
An archeological dig was begun there in 2000 or 2001.
9/13/98 Email from Melvin BOX mbox@redriverok.com
..."I also found information in 'History of Searcy Co,Ark' that
stated that Meredith BOX was of Cherokee descent"
May be related to:
James UNDERWOOD in Green,Ky in 1810-1820
James UNDERWOOD in Madison,Mo in 1830,Johnson,Ar
in 1840-not found in a later census
William in 1810-1820 Green,Ky and 1830 Madison,Mo
William B. in 1840 Scott Co,Ark
William Berry UNDERWOOD(1826 Green,Ky)
m.Julia Burnham(1828 Mo)
Reuben UNDERWOOD(bet 1817-1823 Ky)m.Sarah(1825 SC)
Gideon UNDERWOOD(1823 Ky)m.Mary(1828 Ky)
William UNDERWOOD(1808 Ky-was in Yell,Ar in 1860
m.Malissa BROWN(1807 Tn)
Isarias/Ezerias/Azzariah UNDERWOOD(1798 NC)
m.Lucy SKAGGS(1795 Ky)
Nov 2001 Notes on Malachi's parents
I have recently received a copy of an 1880 Yell Co,Ark pension
application of Jemima Underwood, widow of Robert F.Underwood of
Johnson and Logan Co,Ark. An affadavit in it states that Malachi
Underwood was his brother. I believe this Robert F.Underwood
is the one (age 10 born Ark) in the 1850 Johnson Co,Ark census
with Ceria age 51,born NC. There are also siblings Leonard G.
age 27 b.KY, Elizabeth age 14 b.Mo,and Cynthia Ann age 16 b.Mo.
From this it would appear that Ceria is Malachi's mother also.
Another descendant in Logan Co,Ark says a sister told her that
Malachi's mother was a BOX and was Indian.In the 1880 census
Malachi gave his father & mother's birthplace as NC.
Malachi married Louisa TRAMMELL HENDERSON in 1846 in Scott Co,Ark.
I can't find them anywhere in 1850.They were in Johnson Co,Ark in
1860-1870 and Logan Co,Ark 1880.
Still looking for Malachi's father. The only family in the 1840
Scott Co,Ark and 1830 Madison Co,Mo with wife and children
that 'fit' closely to the ages of Ceria,Malachi,Leonard G. ,
Elizabeth,Cynthia Ann, and Robert F. is a William B.Underwood.
He does not appear in
an 1820 census or later than 1840. Any ideas?
From Daisy Raulston's notes from Faye & Truman
Underwood 1996
...1850 [census] Isarias Underwood born about 1798 NC Johnson Co,Ark
1840 [census] James Underwood born 1800-1810 " "
1840 [census] William B.Underwood " Scott Co,Ark
These three men were probably brothers and came from NC to
Kentucky 1820 or before according to ages of the children. Then
to where some of the children were born in Mo then on to Ark by
1840.
By 1860 Isarias had died and Lucy Underwood and Chetesler
[Chester] and Elisabeth Ashcraft were living next door to Rubin
Underwood in Delaware Township Yell County,Ark.It makes me
believe that Isarias and Lucy were the parents of Malachi,Rubin,
and William Berry Underwood.
The marriage of Ezerias Underwood and Lucy Skaggs lines up with
what my grandma Lucy Ann Underwood Rollans had wrote in the
Cortis Johnson Bible,in it she said that her grandmother on her
father's side was a Scggs[sic]/Skaggs.Chet or Chetlester that
was killed by bush whackers during the Civil War was my
grandmother Lucy Ann Underwood Rollan's uncle. I have heard her
tell about him being killed.
...A.G.Underwood living next door to William Berry Underwood in
1850 may have been another brother to William Berry Underwood
...Chet or Chester enlisted at Ft.Smith,Ark 9 June 1861
My added notes Nov 2001
There is no Chet/Chester in the Index to Ark Conf Pension Appl.
But there are two Chet Underwood's listed in the Index to Ark
Conf soldiers:
Chet Underwood Co.D,7 Ark Cav,Pvt/Pvt
Chet H.Underwood Co.H,1 Ark Mtd Rifles,Pvt/Pvt
It would help if it could be determined if one of these is the
one mentioned by Daisy Raulston.
In 1850 Clark Twp,Johnson Co,Ark:
Isarias 52 NC, Lucy 55 Ky, Chester 22 Mo, Polly 18 Mo,
Zeriah 15 Mo,Mary E.Alvis 8 Ark
Next door is Ceria (f) 51 NC and Leonard G.27 Ky,Elizabeth 14 Mo,
Cynthia Ann 16 Mo, and Robert F. 10 Ark
In 1860 Yell Co,Ark
Lucy Underwood 52 Ky, Chester 32 Mo
Reuben 37 Ky,Sarah 35 SC,Sarah Francis 7 Ark,Leonard 5 Ark,
Clementine 3 Ark,Paralee 1 Ark
W.B.Underwood 35 Ky,Judia 32 Mo,Francis M.(f) 11 Ark,
Missouri A.9 Ark,
William F.7 Ark, Margaret 5 Ark, Malinda K. 3 Ark,
Lucy Ann 1 Ark
Gideon[Leonard G. from 1850?] 37 Ky,Mary 32 Ky,John 11 Ark,
Margaret 8 Ark,
Jane 6 Ark, Lewis 2 Ark
1860 Johnson Co,Ark
Lenard Underwood 37 Ky, Sarah 24 Tn, Emily 11/12 Ark,
Caroline 3 Ark, William Redden 73 NC
From all this it appears William Berry and Chet/Chester were
brothers and Isarias and Lucy their parents. Isarias and
Malachi's father were probably brothers. If Isarias,James, and
the William B. in Scott Co,Ark 1840 are brothers (as suggested
by Daisy Raulston), then Malachi's father must be William B.
The age of James as shown in 1830 and 1840 is too young to be his
father.
Added notes Nov 17,2001
http://www.aristotle.net/~tomezell/AR_cav.htm
Following are a list of soldiers who served in the First
Arkansas Confederate Mounted Rifles. A regimental history by
the same title is available from Arkansas Research, PO Box 303,
Conway, AR 72033 for $16.00 plus $3.00 shipping.
The book lists company, date and place of enrollment, age,
miles traveled to enlistment, and remarks about activities
while in service. Introductory material includes a transcription
of T. Jeff Jobe's diary and Dr. Robert H. Dacus'
memoirs.
RAGSDALE, G. W.
[*]UNDERWOOD, CHET H.
UNDERWOOD, H. V.
UNDERWOOD, THOMAS
[* This is probably Chester, son of Isarias Underwood & Lucy
Skaggs,brother of William Berry Underwood and Uncle of Lucy Ann
Underwood Rollans]
Organized at Little Rock, Arkansas on June 16, 1861 under the
command of Colonel Thomas J. Churchill. Company A was the
"Chicot Rangers"; Company B the "Des Arc Rangers"; Company C
the "Johnson Cavalry"; Company D the "Augusta Guards";
Company E the "Conway Cavalry"; Company F the "Pulaski Lancers";
Company G the "Napoleon Cavalry"; Company H the "Dardanelle
Rangers" of Yell county; Company I the "McCulloch Rangers";
Company K the "Independence Cavalry"; and
Company L the "Desha Cavalry".
Initially assigned to McCulloch's Brigade near Fayetteville,
Arkansas, the regiment participated in the campaign to reinforce
General Sterling Price's Missouri State Guard in southwestern
Missouri in July and August, 1861, fighting in the battles at
Neosho and Wilson's Creek (called "Oak Hills" by the
Confederates). Returned to Arkansas after Wilson's Creek and
served in the Indian Territory against a number of Unionist
Cherokee units in September and October, 1861. Wintered near
Strickler's Station, and marched with the Army of the West in
late February, 1862, fighting in a number of small skirmishes
culminating in the Battle of Pea Ridge on March 7-8, 1862.
Retreated with the Army of the West to Van Buren, and from
there marched east to join the Confederate forces massing at
Corinth, Mississippi. Dismounted at DeValls Bluff,Arkansas, in
April 1862 and fought as infantry for the remainder of the war.
Reorganized at Corinth, MS on May 1, 1862, re-enlisting for three
years or the duration of the War.Colonel Churchill was promoted
to brigade command at Corinth, and the regiment was assigned to
his brigade in McCown's Division, which accompanied Kirby
Smith's army in an attempt to re-occupy Kentucky in the summer
and early fall of 1862. General Churchill was reassigned to a
command in Arkansas in July, and General McNair assumed command
of the brigade. The brigade fought in the battle of Richmond,
KY on August 29-30, 1862. Following the Battle of Perryville
fought by Bragg's army in October, Kirby Smith's army followed
Bragg back into middle Tennessee where it was merged with
Bragg's Army of Tennessee. The regiment fought at the battle of
Murfreesboro on December 30, 1862 - January 2, 1863. In the
early summer of 1863, McNair's brigade was detailed to General
Joe Johnston's forces in an attempt to relieve the federal
siege of Vicksburg, and fought in the siege of Jackson, MS.
Following the fall of both Vicksburg and Jackson, the brigade
returned to Bragg's Army of Tennessee near Tullahoma, and
fought in all of that army's battles for the remainder of the
war... at Chickamauga; Chattanooga, the Atlanta Campaign
including Dug Gap, Resaca, Peachtree Creek, Atlanta, Ezra
Church, the siege of Atlanta, Jonesboro, Lovejoy's Station and
Moon's Station; the battles of Spring Hill, Franklin, and
Nashville, Sugar Creek, the Carolinas Campaign, and Bentonville.
Consolidated with the 2nd Arkansas Mounted Rifles, 4th Arkansas
Infantry Battalion, and the 4th, 9th, and 25th Arkansas Infantry
regiments and the consolidated unit renamed as the 1st Mounted
Rifles Regiment (Consolidated)(Dismounted) at the last
reorganization of the Army of Tennessee near Smithville, North
Carolina on April 9, 1865. Surrendered with the Army of
Tennessee near Durham Station, North Carolina on April 26, 1865.
Officers: Colonel Thomas J. Churchill. Field Officers: Major
William P. Campbell; Lt. Col. Morton G. Galloway; Major
(later Colonel) Robert W. Harper; Major (later Lt. Col.)
George S. Laswell; Lt. Col. Charles H. Matlock; Major
(later Lt. Col. and Col.) Leander M. Ramsaur; Major
(later Lt.Col., Col., and Brigadier General) Daniel H.
Reynolds; Major (later Lt. Col.) George W. Wells References:
Robert H. Dacus, Reminiscences of Company "H", First Arkansas
Mounted Rifles
http://www.couchgenweb.com/civilwar/1stmtcoh.htm
FIRST ARKANSAS CONFEDERATE
MOUNTED RIFLES COMPANY H
"THE YELL COUNTY RIFLES FROM YELL COUNTY"
GENERAL THOMAS J. CHURCHILL
All enrollments were 9Jun1861 at Ft Smith, AR inless otherwise
indicated.
NAME..... RANK..... AGE..... ENR DATE..... PLACE
UNDERWOOD, CHET H. PVT - age 33
http://www.couchgenweb.com/civilwar/7cavcod.html
COMPANY D
7TH ARKANSAS CAVALRY REGIMENT
CONFEDERATE STATES OF AMERICA
RECORD OF EVENTS:Sep-Dec1863
This company engaged the enemy at Dardanelle on the 12th S
eptember 1863. Owing to the fewness of our numbers were
constrained to retreat after a sharp short action. It was also
in the engagement at Pine Bluff and had one wounded. This
action took place 28 Oct 1863 under the direction of General
Marmaduke.
UNDERWOOD, CHET Pvt - Enl 14 Feb 1863 at Dardanelle, AR.
Detailed as wagonmaster
4 Jun 1863.
FARRIS/BLAYLOCK
Marion D.(Meggs)FARRIS(1834 Tn) m.Margaret S.Adeline
BLAYLOCK(1849 Ar or Ga)
Levander (Van)Decatur FARRIS(1875 Ar)m.Louisa(Eliza
)Caroline RAGSDALE(1875 Ar)
Henry Everett FARRIS(1902 Ar)m.Alamay McKnight
(1906 Jonesboro,Tx)
Henry Everett FARRIS,Jr(1925 Gomez,Tx)
m.Adolphia Estelle STEWART
FINDLEY
Joseph/Joel(Joseph Lewis???)FINLEY(1792-1793 Tn or Pa)m.Susan
BLAIR(1798-1799 Tn or Pa)
Findley research notes 1994
Traced thru census records:
1930 Pope Co,Ark,Illinois Township-"May have lived near Bethel
going towards Pottsville from Russellville"- Sybil Findley Ragsdale
Oct 2004
1910 Pope Co,Ark 50-0087-246
William Warren FINDLEY 40
Emmett FINDLEY 15
1880 Pope Co,Ark ED 137-22
Lorenzo Dow FINDLEY 53
Josiah 12
William W. 10
1870 Pope Co,Ark p.375
Lorenzo D.FINDLEY 45
Josiah 12
1870 Pope Co,Ark p.374
Josiah 36
Joseph M. (LDS IGI,Ark shows Joel M.) 10 1/2
John W. 42
1860 Sevier Co,Ark p.77
Lorenzo 34
Susan (mother)
John (brother of Lorenzo)
1850 McNairy Co,Tn p.101
Lorenzo 23
Susan 50
Brice M.31
Martin 32
1850 McNairy Co,Tn p.98
John 57 b.Va
Mary 55 b.Tn
Jeptha POND 23 Tn,Eliza 26 Tn,Caledonia 1/12
Joel 24 Tn (1860 census says Joseph)
1840 McNairy Co,Tn
Joel,Brice M.,Martin FINDLEY
1840 Lincoln Co,Tn
John FINDLEY
1830 Lincoln Co,Tn
Joel age 30-40
John age 30-40
1820 Lincoln Co,Tn
Joseph age 26-45, 2 males to age 10 (Martin 2,Brice 1)
John age 26-45, no wife or children
No 1810 or earlier census for Tn
From 'The Clan Finley' by H.F.Stout,1956 and LDS IGI:
Joel FINLEY m.Susan BLAIR 1816 Tn (Tn IGI)
Joel FINLEY b.1792 (Tn IGI)
Susan BLAIR b.1799 (Tn IGI) or 1798(Pa IGI)
Joseph Lewis FINLEY b.1753 Chester,Pa (Pa IGI) father of John Blair,
Joseph Lewis,Ebenezer,Michael,James,Samuel Blair FINLEY
John Blair FINLEY b.1791(Pa and Ohio IGI)probably Westmoreland,Pa
Joseph Lewis FINLEY b.1793 Adams,Ohio(Ohio IGI) or Westmoreland,Pa
(Pa IGI)
Ebenezer FINLEY b.1798 Adams,Ohio(Ohio IGI) or Westmoreland,Pa
(Pa IGI)
Michael Lewis FINLEY b.1785 Adams,Ohio(Ohio IGI) or Westmoreland,Pa
(Pa IGI)
James FINLEY b.1796 Adams,Ohio(Ohio IGI) or Westmoreland,Pa
(Pa IGI)
Samuel Blair FINLEY b.1803 Adams,Ohio(Ohio IGI) or Westmoreland,Pa
(Pa IGI)
Jane BLAIR b.1762 Chester,Pa.Father Samuel BLAIR (Pa IGI)
Jane/Jean BLAIR m.Joseph Lewis FINLEY 1782 Philadelphia,Pa (Pa IGI)
('The Clan Finley' book says she was Rev.Samuel BLAIR's daughter)
Susan BLAIR b.1798, Bedford,Pa, parents Brice BLAIR & Nancy McCOY (Pa IGI)
Joseph Lewis FINLEY b.1753 Chester,Pa (Pa IGI) Parents Michael FINLEY &
Agnes KENNEDY b.Ireland moved to Pa about 1734
It appears Joseph Lewis FINLEY (b.1753) moved to Adams,Ohio about 1807
1820 Lincoln Co,Tn shows a Joseph FINLEY
1830 Lincoln Co,Tn shows Joel FINLEY
1840 McNairy Co,Tn shows Joel FINLEY
John B.FINLEY (Pa/Ohio IGI says John Blair) is in 1850-1860 Census,Lewis,Ky
The 1850,1860 Ohio census did not show a John B.FINLEY. This probably
is Joseph Lewis FINLEY (b.1753)'s son
There is a John FINLEY b.1792 Augusta,Va who is a son of David FINLEY of
Lincoln,NC (moved to Augusta,Va 1791). This John FINLEY married Nancy BARNES
or BROWN in either Va (LDS Film 0863977 'Finley's of Va')or Jefferson''Tn
(LDS IGI for Tn). This is the only John FINLEY I can find born around
1792-1793 in Va who was later in Tn.
There is another John FINLEY (Ky GI says John Blair FINLEY) b.Lewis,Ky 1783.
Father Joseph FINLEY b.1759 Kent,Md. Joseph's father George FINLEY
1723 Ireland.'The Clan Finley' book says this John d.1837 Scott,Ky. LDS IGI says
1852,Ky
Joel FINLEY's second son was named Brice M. This Brice named a daughter Nancy.
The Susan BLAIR b.Pa 1798 parents were Brice BLAIR & Nancy McCOY.
The LDS web site shows a Joel D.FINLEY b. Chester,Pa 1859, parents Samuel FINLEY
& Sarah M. HOOPES
It appears the names Joel and Joseph were used interchangeably, like John and
Jack.
1998 Notes
In the 1970's, John W.FINDLEY of Batesville,Ark corresponded with his cousin,our
Grandmother Mae FINDLEY of Essex,Mo.(originals in possession
of Wayne A.Ragsdale,Birmingham,Al).John W.had not found who Joel's parents
were yet. He mentioned in one letter about a book. I had not been able to
find any more info on this or about him. In Sep 1998 I emailed several
FINLEY/FINDLEY's in Batesville. Cathy Finley Bufford (email bufford@cei.net,
Randall & Cathy)found info that John W. had died Nov.1991 and was buried at
Lee's Chapel Cemetery. She gave me the names of his daughters:
Annette Findley Cleveland,June Findley Wilson,Dannalee Findley Watkins. I
wrote Annette and Dannalee but have never received a reply.
In Nov 1998 I found a Preston W.BOLTON who had submitted Joel FINDLEY to
WFT. I got his address from Family Tree Maker:
9307 Saffron Hill Ct.
Manassas,Va 22110
He emailed back (email BOLTON_WOODY@prodigy.net). He was a descendant of
Brice M.FINLEY, the son of Joel & Susan. He had a copy of the book from
about 1988. Following is one of the pages in the book about the Findley
family:
"Our common ancestor as far back as I have been able to trace is Joel
Findley.The first place I was able to locate him was Lincoln Co,Tenn in the year
1820.At this time he was married and had two sons, both probably born there.
After this time there were three more sons, all born in Lincoln Co.
In the year 1840 the family moved to the northeast corner of McNairy Co,Tn
on the waters of the White Oak.
Joel was born April 14,1797 in Tenn, supposedly of Irish parents of Va
blood line of Findleys that moved to Tenn sometime between 1794 and 1797.
He was married to Susan BLAIR about 1816 or the first part of 1817. Susan
Blair was born Apr.20,1799 in Tenn. Joel died Jan 19,1842 with winter fever
(pneumonia)and was buried in Mt.Zion cemetery in McNairy Co. near Enville,
Tenn.
After Joel's death Susan continued to live with her three youngest sons
on the home place, since the two eldest sons Martin and Brice M.were already
married.About 1849-1850 the next son Lorenzo Dow married leaving the two
youngest sons John W. and Josiah S. at home with Susan.
About the latter part of the 1850's Susan along with the unmarried sons
and Lorenzo Dow who was married and part of his family already born moved
to Pope Co,Ark and settled in the Gum Log community. Later moving to the
Center Valley community,where she remained making her home with the youngest
son,until her death on Aug 21,1866. Susan was buried in Center Valley
Cemetery, Pope Co,Russellville,Ark.
In Lincoln Co,Tn Joel and a John W.Findley lived neighbors for 20 years. It
is not known if they were related, but it is believed they were brothers.
John W. was three years older than Joel, had three daughters, and a son by
the name of Joel.Joel and Susan had five sons, one of whom was named John W.
John W.'s son Joel married a girl named Lucinda. Joel and Susan's son
Martin named his daughter Lucinda and his son John W. and a daughter Mary
which was the name of John W.'s wife.
After Joel died John W. and his wife Mary, with their family, moved from
Lincoln Co,Tenn to McNairy Co,Tenn, settling in the same area as Susan and
her children. One of John W. and Mary's daughters married Jeptha Pond. It
is believed another daughter married John Meek in Lincoln Co and came to McNairy
Co with the Meek families. She was called Aunt Polly Meek, also
Aunt Polly Findley. She lived to be 105 years old and is still remembered
by some.
John W. and his wife Mary are buried in the Mt.Zion cemetery, McNairy Co,
near Enville,Tenn. Their son,Joel and daughter Sarah Elizabeth,who married
Jeptha Pond,moved to Randolph Co,Ark where it is presumed they are buried
along with, the family members who died there. Daughter Mary (Polly) who is
thought to have married John Meek is buried somewhere in Mt,Zion cemetery
near Enville.
Thus in these following pages we shall see the generations as they have
multiplied and passed our way never to return and fill us in on many things long
forgotten. "
Note added Mar 2006:
In one of his letters to Mae Findley, John W.Findley wrote:
....one family came to America in 1720 the other 1734 and members of both
families were in Augusta Co,Va at the same time and both families used the same
usual family names, Robert,John,James and Samuel, every family had sons by these
names. I am trying now to connect us with James and Elizabeth Patterson Findley
both born and married in Ireland had six children one son John Findley married
Thankful Doak had son John Findley,Jr married Mary Caldwelland had son James
Findley born 1745 in Augusta Co,Va married Keziah Martin and had sons James,
Robert,Samuel, and Travis and I believe Joel my great grandfather to be son of
one of these boys Joel born 1792 and I have a direct line from Joel to the
present. Joel had son whose name was Martin Findley this was my grandfather....
My comments: I have since then found info in 'The Clan Finley' that these sons
were either too young or moved elsewhere than Tenn but they also may have had a
son John Findley born 1770 Augusta Co,Va, married in 1791 Katherine Walker
(born 1770 also in Augusta Co,Va), unknown where. He died in Davidson Co,
Nashville,Tn in 1838. I have not been able to get a response from the person who
provided this info. I have also been unable to find anything else at the Tenn
Archives in Nashville..... yet. Maybe some day???
Al Ragsdale
Update August 7,2006:
Joseph Joel Findley b.1792 Tn* or Pa d.1842 Tn (birth year is according to his
gravestone at McNairy County,Enville,Tn)
* Tn did not become a state until 1796
I have never found proof that he is the son of Joseph Lewis Findley
(b.1753 Pa d.1839 Adams,Ohio). This Joseph Lewis Findley had a son named Joseph
Lewis Findley b.1793 according to the book 'The Clan Finley' by Harold Stout.
Nothing further is shown.
My original thinking was that the name Joel came from Joe(for Joseph)
+L.(for Lewis). But it appears that the name Joel is far more common
(in Pa and Tn) than I had thought in 1995. A search on ancestry.com census
records reveals this.
However, Joel Findley is shown as Joseph in 1820 Lincoln,Tn then as Joel in 1830
and 1840. Another Findley descendant was shown as Joseph and Joel in Tn and
Ark. So the names could just be interchangeable, like Jack and John.
The Susan Blair b.1798 Bedford,Pa had parents named Brice and Nancy (McCoy)
Blair. Joel and Susan Findley named a son Brice. That Brice named a daughter
Nancy. Joseph Lewis(b.1753 Pa) and Jean(Blair) Finley had a daughter named Nancy
also. The name Brice is much more common than I had thought, in Tn and Pa. An
ancestry.com search as above shows this. There were also several Blair families
in Tn in 1820 in Lincoln Co. Only two Blair families are in 1810 in Rutherford
Co,Tn. There are no Finley or Findley families in 1810 but the census for Tn
only shows two townships in Rutherford Co.
The 1850 Tn and 1860 Ark census shows Susan Blair Findley was born in Tn. All
the 1880 Census records of her children say she and Joel were born in Tn not Pa.
I know this is subject to who gave the info to the census taker, but it bothers
me that not one ever said Pa.
An article about Joel Findley in the Pope Co,Ark history by Mrs.Reese Bowden
(Lucille Findley?) says he was from Lincoln Co,Penn. There is no Lincoln Co,Penn
so did they make a typo, or did someone have this info? I have never been able
to find out. Other than my reasons above about Joseph Lewis Findley of Pa, I
have never seen any other info. Another descendant of his son John D.C.Blair
(of Ky)told me no one had ever found a Tn connection to the Pa or Ohio Finley's.
My grandmother's second cousin John W.Findley of Batesville,Ark researched this
line from the 1970's until his death in 1991. He never found who Joel's parents
were but thought that they were from Va. Joseph Joel and John W.Findley
(b.1797 Va) were next to each other in the 1820 and 1830 Tn census. The name
John W. was used by several of Joel's descendants and Joel was used in
John W.'s. John W. (Batesville) thought that Joel and John W. were brothers but
could never prove it.
Note added Mar 2006:
In one of his letters to Mae Findley, John W.Findley wrote:
....one family came to America in 1720 the other 1734 and members of both
families were in Augusta Co,Va at the same time and both families used the same
usual family names, Robert,John,James and Samuel, every family had sons by these
names. I am trying now to connect us with James and Elizabeth Patterson Findley
both born and married in Ireland had six children one son John Findley married
Thankful Doak had son John Findley,Jr married Mary Caldwelland had son James
Findley born 1745 in Augusta Co,Va married Keziah Martin and had sons James,
Robert,Samuel, and Travis and I believe Joel my great grandfather to be son of
one of these boys Joel born 1792 and I have a direct line from Joel to the
present. Joel had son whose name was Martin Findley this was my grandfather....
My comments: I have since then found info in 'The Clan Finley' that these sons
were either too young or moved elsewhere than Tenn but they also may have had a
son John Findley born 1770 Augusta Co,Va, married in 1791Katherine Walker
(born 1770 also in Augusta Co,Va), unknown where. He died in Davidson Co,
Nashville,Tn in 1838. I have not been able to get a response from the person who
provided this info. I have also been unable to find anything else at the Tenn
Archives in Nashville..... yet. Maybe some day???
Al Ragsdale
I recently researched all the Westmoreland Co,Pa indexed microfilms I could find
at the Pa Archives, hoping to find mention of Joseph Lewis Finley
(the son b.1792). I also researched all the cemetery and marriage and other
books I could find at the Pa State Library. No mention of Joseph Lewis Finley.
The 1800 Census lists only 108 Finley and 37 Findley families. The majority were
in NC and Pa. This census does not include Tn or Va.
The 1790 Census lists only 54 Finley and 33 Findley families, again with the
majority in NC and Pa. This census also did not include Tn (statehood was 1796)
or Va (statehood 1788).
My questions:
If Joseph Joel Findley was born in Tn, who are his parents? And siblings?
If Susan Blair was born in Tn, who are her parents? And siblings?
If Joseph Joel and Susan were married in Tn, where?
If they were born in Pa, how did they end up in Tn?
I hope to go to the Nashville,Tn State Library & Archives and Lincoln County,Tn
Library soon and then maybe Ohio and Va someday.
I personally do not have any problem with anyone showing any connections to
people but others have questioned my logic on assuming this connection. I have
dropped it from my personal GED and tried to note it to all the websites I can
do so on.
Thank you.
Al Ragsdale
May 25,2005
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August 7,2006 Update:
Gmail Wayne Ragsdale 
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