Yesterday, I shared some updated information about Matthias Williams, his two known wives and ten of his fifteen known children.
Nothing (except that they existed and were alive in 1840) is known about his first three children, a son, born 1826-1830, a daughter, also born 1826-1830 and a third daughter, born 1831-1835. These are likely all children of Rebecca Davison and given that Matthias married her on 21 November 1825, the children may have been born in 1827, 1829 and 1831.
There is a female at home in the same age range (30-39) as Matthias in 1840. However, it is odd that no children born from about 1832-1840 are in his household. It may well be that Rebecca died and Matthias remarried, but learning the name of that possible wife is unlikely as he was living in Morgan County, home of the burned records, due to a fire in 1862.
Matthias and his family have not been found in the 1850 census. If they could be located, there might be new bits of information gleaned about his family.
Therefore, working off the list of remaining children, we have in the older group:
1. Simeon, born c1842 and who was at home with Matthias in 1860. No further record has been found and it is certainly possible that he died during the Civil War. No known descendants.
2. Elizabeth Eliza, born 12 October, between 1844 and 1846, depending on the record; died 4 November 1925, Roane County, Tennessee who married Henry Clay Burns, 5 March 1865, also in Roane County, Tennessee. Henry was born in April 1844 and died between the 1990 and 1910 censuses.
Henry and Elizabeth Burns were the parents of ten children, nine of whom have been identified. All were born, married and died in Roane County, unless noted otherwise.
1. Robert, born c1867; died after 1880; no further information, but appears to be one of two children that Elizabeth reported in 1900 as predeceasing her. No known descendants.
2. Sarah Elizabeth, born 28 May 1870; died 1 May 1946; married (1) John Alexander Hamilton, 1 December 1887 (divorced before 1900). They had three children, James Henry, born 31 October 1888; died 18 November 1948; unmarried; William McNutt, born 19 November 1890; died 11 February 1963; unmarried; and Susan Pearl, born 5 January 1896; died 19 December 1918; married Walter Leffew, 9 April 1916. Sadly, Walter died on the same day as his wife in the influenza pandemic. They had no children. (2) James M. Patton, married between 1910 and 1920 censuses, but appear to not have had any children. No known descendants.
3. Tennessee Adeline, born 25 November 1872; died 22 October 1953, Bingham County, Idaho; married Dudley Andrews, 16 November 1893. They were the parents of six children – Bertha Elizabeth, Crystal Hassie, Clarissa Lynn, Clifford Franklin and Elsie May, all of whom married. Descendants.
4. James Houston, born 12 February 1875; died 28 April 1935; unmarried. No known descendants.
5. Hamilton Henry, born c1877; died 29 January 1926; married Emma T. Farmer, 15 July 1908. They had one son, Robert Henry, born 1909 and seemed to have separated or divorced and it appears Robert had no children. No known descendants.
6. John Samuel, born 16 April 1880; died 9 November 1952; married Annie Eliza Smith, 21 June 1902. They had seven children – Pansy E., Lillian A., John William, Violet M., Lester P., Jesse Clifton and Edward. Descendants
7. William Franklin, born May 1892; died 7 October 1935; married Mary Elizabeth (Mollie) Farmer, 31 October 1904. They had three children, Bernard Jack, Albert Franklin (died in childhood) and Frances Elizabeth. They separated and/or divorced and William moved to Bedford County, Tennessee with BJ and Frances. Bernard and Alice both married, but whether they had children is not known. Unknown if there are descendants today.
8. Margaret M., born 19 December 1884; died 11 November 1970; married Frank Driskill, 27 August 1912. They had two daughters, Frankie Lee, who married and had one known daughter, and Archie Pauline, who did not marry. Unknown if there are descendants today.
9. Ida Ann, born c1889; died 1921; married Andrew Jackson Farmer, 2 February 1908. They had three children – Walter, who died young, Helen, who married Avery Bright and Willie Frank, who married Roy McNabb. Helen and Willie each had at least one daughter. Unknown if there are descendants today.
Of Henry and Elizabeth’s nine children, only Tennessee and John Samuel are known to have descendants. William, Margaret and Ida all married and had children, but it is not known whether they have descendants today.
Here are the children of Matthias and Millie A.E. Shackleford:
1. Malinda J., born c1858, probably Roane County. She married Dr. Brookens C. Kelsey, about 5 August 1876 (license date), However, in 1880, B.C. Kelsey, doctor, & Annie R., 14, wife, but no children were living in Giles County, Tennessee. Malinda apparently died soon and left no children. No known descendants.
2. Mary Ann Josephine, born 2 October 1859; died 21 March 1923; married Henry H. Haggard, 25 July 1888, Loudon County, Tennessee. Henry was born c1836 and Polly was his second wife. They appear to have had no children. No known descendants.
3. Martha Emaline, born 4 July 1866; died 27 February 1939; married Henry Gyddes as noted on her death certificate in Roane County. However, Henry hasn’t been found in a single census and it is not known whether they had children. Unknown if there are descendants today.
4. Delilah Palestine, born September 1869; died 18 January 1926, Loudon County, Tennessee; married James C. Mitchell, but no record found. In 1900, the family is living in Loudon County, Tennessee with James Mitchell as the married head of household, but with Delilah Williams, housekeeper, and five children all enumerated as Williams and lodgers. No marriage record has been found for James Mitchel and Delilah Williams.
In 1910, James and Delilah are listed as having been married for 25 years (c1885?). Their children at home were Thomas, Sophie, Joseph, Charlie Ebb and John Henry, all now enumerated as Mitchells.
Children (parentage unsure except they all seem to be Delilah’s so they are grandchildren of Matthias):
- Alice, born 25 June 1887; died 14 October 1955; married William Lillard Houston, 5 June 1904, Loudon County, Tennessee. They had at least six children. Descendants
- Mattie, born November 1890; died after 1900; no further information
- Thomas Franklin, born 29 April 1892; died 17 November 1965; married Martha McCullock, 24 April 1913, Loudon County, Tennessee. They had at least seven children. Descendants
- Sophia, born March 1896; died after 1910; no further information
- Joseph W., born 5 November 1895; died 21 January 1975; according to Find-a-Grave, he married Ella Russell, who is buried with him. I have not found this couple in a marriage record or any census and it is not known whether they had children.
- Ebb, born 9 August 1904; died 19 March 1980; married Bessie Lawhorn, 21 August 1927. They had at least four children as of 1940. Descendants
- John Henry, born 25 December 1907; died 31 March 1976; married Hazel Rynes, 12 November 1927, Monroe County, Tennessee. They had at least four children as of 1940. Descendants
Next, we will look at descendants of Hulda, Sophia, John F. and Deborah.