Martha "Mattie" Teal - Fresh Start

In 2015 -  thanks to my SIL who shared this post with me - I hope to blog about 52 of my ancestors in 52 weeks.

The first week's theme is "fresh start". I feel I have an ancestor that meets this criteria quite well, for I could use a fresh start on her and from what I know of her, soon after her first marriage and the birth of her son in 1860, her husband UNKNOWN Jones died, and she had to make a fresh start by remarrying a Mack Hughes, and moving west. I am not certain if she married Mr. Hughes before the move west or after.

I've spent years trying to find the parents of my 2nd great grandfather, John Calvin Jones, until recently when my father's cousin sent me some information from a 'cousins book' that was compiled by a few of my grandmother's cousins. It's actually not a book, but a binder with information and pictures that they were able to piece together. Imagine my joy when she told me they knew John Calvin's mother's name. You can't imagine how difficult it was trying to use census records to find the family of a man with such a common given and surname. The following is from their records:

"According to family information, John Calvin was born in Columbus, Muscogee County, Georgia, 28 July 1860. His father's name is unknown. A family story is told that he died or was killed during the Civil War when John C. was a young child. John Calvin's mother was Martha Teal. She was born 4 July 1841 (1838?) in Georgia. Her parents were Bradberry Teal Sr. and Nancy Robinson who married in Jasper County, Georgia, 22 Sept 1825. Bradberry was born about 1796 in North Carolina and Nancy was born about 1807 in North Carolina"

I'm hoping through this blog post, I may be able to ascertain who her first husband was or, even better, to find more records for her. I may make this a 2 part series, starting with what I know now and ending with what I learn along the way. For now, meet Martha "Mattie" Teal/Teel:

 

Notice this picture was taken in Mobeetie, Texas. Wheeler County was created 21 August 1876 from Bexar and Young Land Districts and was organized in 1879. County seat: Mobeetie (formerly Sweetwater)(1879-1906); Wheeler (1906-present). Wheeler County was the first to be organized in the Panhandle area, and 14 other counties were attached to it for judicial purposes until 1881. Sweetwater was established in 1876 as a trading post.

Mattie was born in Georgia on the 4th of July 1838, to Bradberry and Nancy (Robinson) Teal. I first find her living in Russell, AL, in the 1850 census with her parents and the following siblings: Kipiah  (17), Bradberry Jr. (15), John (10) and Vesty (8).

The above is the only record I have found so far that I feel certain is her. Her family is found in two places: Russell Co. Alabama, and Columbus, Muscogee, Georgia. These two places are less than 5 miles apart. In 1860 in Columbus, Muscogee, Georgia I find a Martha Teal (19) living with a R S Calloway (31), Mary Calloway (26), and a Barty T Teal (16). This could very well be her, considering her son, John Calvin Jones, was born in Columbus, Muscogee, Georgia that very year and her brother (?), Burrel K Teel was married to a Calloway. But why isn't her last name listed as Jones? Was she not married to John Calvin's father? **New information** In the estate papers of Bradbury Teel in Russell Co. Alabama several heirs are mentioned contesting his will. There is an Arnold Teel, JD Hadley on behalf of his wife Minta D Hadley, William Tillery on behalf of his wife Lucinda Tillery, Jesse Holt on behalf of his wife Louise Holt, and Riley S Calloway on behalf of his wife Polly. This new information makes me certain that the above census is my Mattie living with her sister Mary "Polly" (Teel) Calloway.

Keeping in mid that John Calvin was born the 28 of July 1860 in Columbus, Muscogee, GA, and that the enumeration date for the 1860 census was 2 months earlier on 1 June 1860, if I search the 1860 Georgia census for a 'Martha Jones' I should be able to deduce who his father was, but I can't be certain. I did find a record for Martha's sister, "Kissie",  who married 2 years earlier, a Christopher Columbus Jones in Russell Co, Alabama. This makes this location a possibility for the young family as well. My grandmother's cousins suspected that Martha could've married one of her BIL's siblings but I don't think that John Calvin's dad was a brother of his Uncle Columbus Jones. The reason being that their death dates are all too late in life. For the story to match up they would've needed to have died in the 1860's early 1870's and none did except for one who was 17, Theron Sherrad Jones.   I found in 1860 in Russell, AL an Uriah and Martha Jones both 21 years of age. But keep in mind Martha at this point in 1860 is 7 months pregnant and baby John Calvin ends up being born in Columbus, Muscogee, GA. But then again, as I stated before, these two communities are only 5 miles away by today's maps. In Columbus, Muscogee, GA, the only Martha Jones I find is one who is 24 and living with 8 other Jones', the oldest being Female and 27. There are two possible men that could be her spouse, one is 26 yr old James the other 22 year old George W. They are all listed as 'Factory Operators' and this seemed odd to me so I did a little research and found that there was a Clapp Factory  with a village and cemetery. Since, John Calvin's dad is said to have died when Calvin was young. Maybe he's buried there?

I have also NEVER found any records for Mattie and her second husband 'Mack' Hughes. Mattie's brother, Bradberry Jr ends up moving to Texas, where my John Calvin and his mother spend the remainder of their days.  I found her brother with his family in Precinct 1, Cass Co., Texas in 1880. Also, in this same location is a Martin T Hughes and Martha Hughes and several children with the oldest being a John Hughes (17).... is this my John Calvin with his mother and step-father?

John Calvin ends up marrying my 2g grandmother, Leona Bass, in 1891 in Cooke Co. Texas. I have searched those communities around that date and haven't found any evidence that I feel is close enough to be John Calvin or his mother, Mrs Hughes. It's such a misfortune that the 1890 census was burned up.

At the end of this road is Mrs. Mattie Hughes being buried in the same cemetery as her son, John Calvin Jones. You can find them in Truscott Cemetery, Knox Co. Texas. There are no other Hughes in this cemetery. I've often wondered if John had any half or step siblings and was Mack his step-father's name or a nickname **New Information: It's speculated that Mac Hughes real name was Anguish McAllister Hughes - no records as of yet to prove this**. John Calvin's own death record lists both his parent's names as UNKNOWN. So this ancestor will remain a puzzle with several pieces missing I'm afraid. I do wish I could get a copy of this cousins book. I am forever grateful for the snapshots of useful information that my distant cousin sent to me via a Facebook message.

She sent me picture of John Calvin and a bit of information surrounding the image triggered my memory of a story that I can remember my grandmother, her Aunt, telling me. Apparently, Mrs. Mattie Hughes was a regular Annie Oakley.  She owned a gun with an octagon barrel and it was stated that she could shoot a white button from 100 yards away.


Also be sure to check out my SIL's  'Fresh Start' post.