The Estate of James M Lemmond

James McCullough Lemmond(s) was my 5th great grandfather. He was born around 1779 and is the son of Robert Lemmond and Elizabeth Jane McCullough.

I haven't found many records for James that document his life other than he is mentioned in his father's Will, along with brothers, William, John, Robert, Cyrus and Mars and sisters, Elizabeth, Nancy and Ann. There is a marriage record for him in Mecklenburg County, NC, where he and James Todd were bound for the sum of 500 pounds and he made application to marry Elizabeth Moore 26 March 1811.  And in 1820 I think he is enumerated with the middle initial 'P' next door to either his widowed mother-in-law Margaret Moore.

James most likely succumbed to an epidemic known as 'the fever' that started in Schuylkill River and spread across the nation sometime in early 1824 around the age of 45 and his wife died soon after in 1828 A child also died in this time frame but I'm getting ahead of myself.

I wanted to use the post to show you how Will's and Estate records can fill in the blanks and provide hints and sometimes confirm theories. But you have to read every little snippet and name that you can make out.

Let's start with the Will of James M. Lemmond.

In the name of God amen.  

                                     I James M Lemmond ? being in a declining state of health in body but of a sound disposing mind and memory do make and ordain and constitute this my last will and testament. 1st - I will that all my just debts be paid by my executor hereafter to be named. 2nd - I will and allow my beloved wife Elizabeth Lemmond to have my land where I now live for the purpose of raising my family and when the youngest comes of age then an equal division to be made amongst them.  I also allow her to have all my household furniture consisting of all my beds and one cupboard and stand of drawers and one table with all things belonging to the house for her use and the family. I also will that my wife shall have my black mare and I also allow her to have all my farming utensils for her own use and my familys. I also allow her to have all my stock of cattle for her use and my family's use. I also all her to have six yearlen hoggs for her use and familys. I also will that Rebecca Moore live in her house. 3 dly - I will that my smith tools be sold at publick sale with some turning tools to the highest bidder. 4th - I will that my clock with one rifle gun with pouch be sold. 5th - I will that my shot gun be sold and one grindstone and hangings be also sold with my saddle also. 6th - I will that one middle sized pot and one large dutch oven be sold. 7th - I will that all my barrels and some kegs be sold but one meat barrel and one meal barrel with one salt barrel to be for the use of my family. 8th - I will that my riding chair and one two gallon jug be sold. 9th - I will that my steele trap be sold with one trunk also. 10th - I will that a watch that was given to my son John Lemmond be sold and that money put out upon interest until he becomes of age. Lastly I do hereby ordain appoint and constitute Andrew Moore my executor of this my last will and testament hereby revoking and disannulling all other wills making and appointing this and this only as my last will and testament. Given under my  hand and seal this 24th day of January 1824.     Signed by James M. Lemmond and witnessed by Joseph Flinn and WMK Lemmond

 First thing we need to do is take note of the names and any relation given to us. We know his wife's name is Elizabeth. That corresponds with the marriage record. Then two individuals with the last name Moore (wife's maiden name) are mentioned, Rebecca and Andrew. Third is an individual with the same last name as James, WMK Lemmond. And lastly Joseph Flinn.

Luckily, I was working on Elizabeth Moore's line earlier this week and a few names are fresh on my mind. Joseph Flinn married Hannah Moore 19th of Oct 1812 in Mecklenburg County, NC. I believe Hannah to be a sister of Elizabeth. I suspect Rebecca and Andrew are also siblings. And WMK Lemmond is James' brother, William K Lemmond who married Betsey Todd. (Remember James Todd was a bondsmen to James and Elizabeth's marriage - note - look for connection).

Next thing to notice is that James and Elizabeth have a son named John who is NOT of age, meaning he is not 21 as of 1824 and that there's possibly others that are young as well as he mentioned that the property would be divided once the youngest child comes of age.

Now for the daunting task of going through his Estate with a fine tooth comb. His estate is made of a file with lots of scrap pieces of paper as well as a few ledgers.

• The first piece is a receipt dated May 23 1829 and it says $6.38 was paid in full by Andrew Moore the executor to Dan Alexander
• The second is a receipt for the tuition of the children of Betsy Lemmond dated 10 Nov 1828. Names mentioned: Dan Alexander and Mary V. Towle
  
• Next is a ledger receipt from Josiah Montgomery against the Estate of Elizabeth Lemmonds 6 March 1828 and on the bottom for Andrew Moore paid in full dated Feb 1829
• Next is a continuing ledger from Josiah - many things are hard to make out but it would appear he was a blacksmith. I can make out that he made shoes, welded shoes, mended a saddle..... mending a wheel....sharpening a shovel. 
• Next is a ledger that mentions James P. Henderson as the guardian for 'said heirs' though so far it doesn't say who those heirs are.... also mentioned are notes for John Howel(?) and Milley Tarlton(?) other names mentioned on this ledger are Wm Lukey, John Sloan, Levy Parker, Dan Alexander is the JP as well as an Abner Hunter? (last name illegible) 
• Next couple pages tell us they were still dealing with his estate in 1831 & 1832 and James P Henderson is still mentioned as a guardian.  
• Another ledger mentions the names John Sloan (sherrif?) Isaac Alexander (clerk) Jos Walker and wife, John Irwin (muslin for burial), Cooper & MGin, Wm Smith, David Parks, John MGins (for schooling), Prichard & Neckley (making coffin) another receipt says Prichard & Nichols, Andrew McNeely, Alenson Alexander (lease of horse), Alexander Robinson (for a bushel of corn), Josiah Montgomery, Margaret Ripley (another says Riley - for the clearing of fence by S M Riley and one iron bound cage), John Irwin (funeral Articles), James Asbury, Calvin G. Alexander (schooling), John Sloan (tax), William K Lemmond (schooling), Thomas Hunter, John A. Howel (pull and hull corn), Joseph R. Sample (pull and hull corn), 
• Next is a ledger against the Estate of Mrs. Lemmond, James widow: most likely from the mercantile ran by William Smith. Items purchased are silk, calico, sugar & coffee, ribbon, Moroco hat, book muslin, quart of wine ....
• A receipt for Elizabeth's coffin dated Feb 24, 1829
  
  
  

• Receipt for promising to pay Andrew McNeely also named John F McNeely signed Betsy Lemond
• Next up is a receipt for the schooling of my 4th great grandmother Margaret Adaline Lemmond. 
  

• Next is a receipt for cambric muslin for the burial of an unnamed child of James and Elizabeth
  

• March of 1824 a receipt promising to pay Andrew Moore $16.66 signed by Betsy Lemmond and Joseph Flinn
• A March 1827 ledger from Thomas Hunter for purchases made... pound of tobacco, bushel of salt, sugar and coffee, quart of whiskey, one and a half bushels of oats, more tobacco, 
• Next a receipt that tells us that James P Henderson is guardian of five children. 
  

• There's a receipt dated 30 Jan 1830 for $7.50 paid to John Howel for covering a shed and clearing land belonging to the heirs of James M. Lemmond.
• Next is an inventory of items belonging to James M. Lemmond and what they brought at auction. 
• There is a receipt dated 7 Jan 1824 signed my James M. Lemmond to Andrew McNeely. 
• Next is a receipt with several dates; 13 March 1828, 31 March 1824, 25 Oct 1827, dealing with Andrew Moore executor of James Lemmond. This tells me that James died before 31 March 1824 if Andrew as already dealing with his debts.
• Next is another receipt signed by the widow Betsy Lemond to her brother Andrew for the same date as above, 31 March 1924
  

• There's a receipt for $1.26 for beef supplied to the family by Allen Baldwin. 
• Dated 16 Sept 1824 a receipt for $.80 for schooling signed by James Parham. 
• Dated 18 Nov 1825 a receipt for $7.59 for family expenses of Elizabeth Lemmond, widow... signed by Joseph Flinn
• Next is a ledger from William Smith, the earliest date is 1819 and ends 1823. Items purchased: Wash bowl, white flannel, allspice, cheese, rum, postage for pamphlet, sugar & coffee, calico, shawl, more sugar and coffee, and a quart of wine, and dated 1824 it says sugar for widow. I'm attaching an AD from The Charlotte Journal from 1831, that I believe speaks of this same William Smith: 
  

• Next is a receipt dated May 1824 to William Cromwell for making coffin.
  
    

• Next is a receipt dated 29 June 1821 while James was still living, promising to pay $15 by 1 Jan 1822, I'm including it because of his signature.
  
   
• Next is a paper dated Feb 1832 and mentions former guardian James Henderson resigned and  Joseph Walker is appointed. *Note* Joseph Walker married Jane Lemmond 28 May 1831 in Mecklenburg County, NC.
• Next is another paper dated  27 Feb 1832 where Joseph is specifically appointed guardian of Joseph M. Lemmond, orphan of Joseph M. Lemmon.
• Next is a paper exactly like the previous dated 27 Feb 1832 except it pertains to my branch. Thomas Rutherford is appointed guardian specifically of  Robert and John Lemmond. *Note* Thomas Rutherford married Margaret A. Lemmond that very same day in Mecklenburg County, NC
• Obviously you can see these papers are not in chronological order because the next one is the guardianship papers of James P Henderson being appointed guardian of all 5 children Adaline, Jane, Robert, John and James dated 29 Feb 1828 (We were told earlier that there were 5 Lemmond children - We finally have them named. Margaret Adeline, Jane, Robert, John and James ) 

• After this is another guardianship paper dated 24 Feb 1824 and a Robert Lemmond (a brother to James M. Lemmond Sr) is appointed guardian of John Lemmond. And that's the last paper in the file. I didn't include every single paper, only the one's that I felt held any pertinent or interesting information. 

From the information provided I have been able to confirm hunches on Elizabeth's family and piece together the siblings of my ancestor Margaret Adaline. I discovered that she and her sister were living with their spouses in Union County, GA by 1840 and then both families (Rutherfords and Walkers) migrated to Tippah County, Mississippi. These names would explain names you see in the children of Margaret Adaline Lemmond Rutherford: (1)William Williamson Rutherford (middle name comes from Thomas's mother's maiden name) (2) James McCullough Rutherford (middle name comes from James Lemmon's mother's maiden name) (3) Thomas Franklin Rutherford ... hmmm this is my ancestor. Who is he named after??? (4) Elizabeth Jane Rutherford (Elizabeth for Adaline and Thomas's mother and Jane for James Lemmond's mother and Adaline's sister)  (5) John Lemmond Rutherford (for his mother's maiden name) (6) Robert Walker Rutherford (for his Uncle who was married to Adeline's sister Jane) (7) David Flynn Rutherford (for James Flinn who was Margaret Adaline's uncle by marriage)

No to try to hunt down those pesky brothers. There's a John Lemmons married to a Nancy with 4 children living in Tippah County in 1850. I believe this to be brother John.. He ends up in Gonzales Texas. Robert can be found in 1841 in the Mississippi State census living in Tippah County but I never find him again and James Jr. can be found with wife Frances and three children living in Yalobusha County, Mississippi.... maybe... it could be a cousin with the same name as there is a grown 24 year old Cyrus Lemmond living there as well.

I hope I've left you understanding the benefits of wading through all the receipts and what can come of  trying to make out the terrible handwriting of the 19th century. I love being able to see exactly who handcrafted the coffins of my 5th great grandparents and how communities come together to care for the widows and orphans. I also love that I was able to find signatures for both of them and take note of the fact that they spelled their name L-E-M-O-N-D. The benefit of blogging this out is that I can come back later if I need to search through the various names mentioned throughout. I wish I could find more records on this family but for now I am satisfied at the progress I've made.

Until next time,
Becky 

Thomas Franklin Rutherford - Confederate POW

I haven't really been keeping up with the 52 Ancestors prompts this month for a litany of reasons. Mainly I haven't had much time for research with the kids home during the summer. This morning when I checked my Facebook there was an invitation to submit stories to a webpage chronicling the lives of Tippah County Confederate Soldiers. I have one of those! But I haven't written about him yet. So this post will be about my 3rd great grandfather, Thomas Franklin Rutherford. I have written about his mother here, and his great grandmother here.

Thomas Franklin Rutherford was the third eldest son of Thomas Rutherford and Margaret Adeline Lemmond. He was born 27 Oct 1836 in Union County, Georgia. In 1840, Thomas would've been listed with his father. In Union County GA 1840 census there is the Thomas Rutherford family with two boys under five (Thomas Franklin and younger brother John Lemmond), two boys ages five through nine (William Williamson and James McCullough) then two males  ages 20-29 (Most likely the younger brothers of Margaret Adeline as Thomas became the guardian of Robert and John Lemmond the same date as his marriage to Margaret Adeline 27 Feb 1832 ). Then Thomas Sr. 30-39, one female under five (Elizabeth) and one female 20-29 (Margaret Adeline).

Presumed to be a pic of Thomas Sr.

When Thomas was about 12 years of age his family moved to Falkner,Tippah County, Mississippi. At the age of 14 he is found by name (Franklin) with his parents in the 1850 Tippah County census with siblings William, James, Elizabeth, John, Robert, Flynn, Alexander, and Mary Ann. At the age of 24 he married Martha Ann Wright on 22 Nov 1860. She was the daughter of Nathaniel Wright and Dorothy Blair.

On 25 February 1862 Thomas Franklin, along with three of his brothers, James M, John L and Robert W, as well as his brothers-in-law, George W. and William C. Wright, along with 70 other men, met at James Childer's and enlisted with Co. A of the 37th Mississippi Infantry. This company later became Co. A of the 34th Mississippi Infantry. There is a book written by David B. Boone, Jr. titled Honor Without A Stain; The 34th Mississippi Infantry Regiment, 1862-1865 with a lot of information in it. It mentions Thomas Franklin by name on pages 12, 87, and 92. Also if you have a subscription to Fold3 his military records can be found here.

According to Fold3 records his regiment was organized in April of 1862. They saw their first battle just 20 days later at Corinth/Farmington on 9 May. Thomas first appears on the Muster Rolls for July & Aug of '62 as Present. After the Battle at Farmington Thomas's Company was sent 221 miles (he would've marched on foot) to Chattanooga where, joined with Gen. Bragg's army they marched another 271 miles to Kentucky where they engage in the Battle of Perryville. In his records it mentions that he was severely wounded at that battle, which was fought on the 7th & 8th of October 1862. Four days later, back at home, his wife would give birth to their first son, Thomas Nathaniel Rutherford.

It's here that I want to pause for a moment, considering all the debate that is taking place across this Nation about the Confederate flag, and what it means today to many people who defend it. And what it meant then, to some.

While researching this line and finding that Thomas Franklin and 5 of his brother's all fought on the side of the Confederacy, one has to ponder their motives. Was it slave related? Was it to protect their homes/land/way of life? Why Thomas Franklin and his brothers fought for the Confederacy may never be known, but I do want to give some history on his family so that we get a bigger picture.

I'll start with the name Thomas. Thomas was a family name. We have Thomas Nathaniel, son of Thomas Franklin. Thomas Franklin son of Thomas (no known middle name) so I'll say Thomas Sr.  Thomas Sr. was the son of David Rutherford who had a half-brother named Thomas Todd. Thomas Todd mentions David's children in his Will.

David Rutherford died when Thomas Sr. was only six or seven years old. David's widow, Elizabeth Williamson Rutherford didn't remarry until Thomas Sr. was 18.  And while Thomas Todd mentions his half-brother's children in his will, it's the other contents of this will that are so interesting to me.

Thomas Todd, of Rowan County, NC, wrote out his will in 1858. He didn't die for another 11 years.

In his will Thomas makes provisions for his slaves to be set free. Their names were listed in the following order: July, Bob, Tom, Summer, Eliza, Rachel and Parker. In the 1860 slave schedules there are seven slaves listed under the ownership of Thomas Todd. Two males age 50. One female age 50. One male age 20. One male age 18. One male age 15. And one female age 13. If the above named individuals were listed by age that would mean July, Bob and Eliza were born about 1810, Tom about 1840, Summer about 1842, Parker about 1845 and Rachel about 1847.

Here is the transcription of Thomas Todd's Will:

In the name of God, Amen - I Thomas Todd being in good health and sound mind and memory but knowing the uncertainty of human life, do make and constitute this my last Will and Testament at the same time revoking all former wills which may have been made by me.

Item 1st: In the first place, I desire that all my just debts be paid and that my executors cause a Tomb Stone of a respectable article to be erected over my grave; and pay all of my burial expenses.

Item 2nd: It is my will and wish that all my slaves be emancipated and released from servitude but knowing that this cannot be accomplished without their removal from this State, I declare it to be my will, and I hereby expressly direct my executors that as soon after my death as it can conveniently be done they cause all my negroes to wit: July, Bob, Tom, Sunnon (possibly Lunnon), Eliza, Rachel, and Parker and the increase of Rachel and Eliza if they should have any from this date to be removed and settled in some free State or States. But if it should happen that my said slaves cannot be removed and settled in a free State or States either in consequence of the law of such State or States prohibiting their introduction & settlement or rom any other sufficient reason then and in that even it is y will and direction that my said slaves be sent to Liberia in Africa and for the purpose of enabling my executors to carry out my will in regard to my slaves I will and bequeath to them eight hundred dollars to be raised out of my personal estate and if my personal is insufficient to make the sum then take out of my land property and to be held by them in trust and applied in discharge of their expenses of the removal of my said salves to a free State or States or to Liberia as the case may be and if there should be any balance of the trust fund herein created remaining after paying the expenses of the removal of my slaves as aforesaid then to pay over such balance to my said slaves to be equally divided among them. If my executors should find in impractical to remove my slaves immediately after my death and it should become necessary to hire them out for a time it is my will that all money received by them for hire be held used and paid over as herein before directed in regard to the fund of eight hundred dollars. If the fund I have herein set apart to defray the expenses of the removal of my slaves in manner as above directed should prove to be insufficient, I hereby authorize my executors to appropriate such further sums or sums from my estate ass may be necessary to cover the expenses of the removal.

Item 3rd: I will and direct three hundred dollars to be paid out of my Estate to my niece Mary Ann Gheen.

Item 4th: I will and bequeath all the remaining part of my estate which may be left after complying with the above bequeaths to my Brother John B Todd and my sisters Nancy S. Thomason, Elizabeth P Trott and Mary Kerr* or their heirs or assigns should make any effort to brake or set aside this my last Will and testament as I have directed It is then my will that part I have allowed to go to my Brother and Sisters as above mentioned go to my half Brother David Rutherford's children vis, James Rutherford, Thomas Rutherford, William B Rutherford and Mary Ann Gheen. But if my Brother and Sisters or their heirs or assigns admit this my last will and testament to stand as I have directed it I allow them to have above mentioned, Share and Share. I appoint DA Davis and Archibald H. Caldwell executors of this my last will and testament.

*to be divided equally among the four share and share; now if my brother John B Todd and my sister Nancy S. Thomason, Elizabeth P Trott and Mary Kerr

6th: It is my will that my Executors sell all my property and personal except my slaves and make the distribution herein before directed in money.

Witness my hand and seal this 16th day of January AD 1854

Witnesses N F Hall & J C Gillespie

I hereby decline to qualify as Executor of the will of Thomas Todd as above appointed and relinquish all claims to qualify as such Executor. July 29th 1869 signed DA Davis

Witness SH Wiley

 To find out more you can read through his Estate File here . For anyone researching their African American/Slave ancestors I would like to note that in the Estate File last names for the former slaves are given as July Todd, Lunnon alias Lane Henderson, Bob dies no last name given, Tom Henderson, Eliza Henderson, Rachel marries a Caesar Robertson and Parker dies no last name given.

So from this we know that Thomas Sr.'s Uncle was an Abolitionist. Thomas Sr. was a mill right and while he didn't have any slaves listed with his family in 1840 he did have 3 listed under his name in 1850. A 40 year old woman and two young female babies age 2 and 10 months. In 1860 he is not found in the slave schedules. Thomas Franklin doesn't show up anywhere in 1860 other than his marriage record. Non of Thomas Franklin's brothers show up in the 1860 slave schedules. And his Father-in-law Nathaniel Wright isn't listed in the slave schedules either. There is a record for Thomas Sr. with the Southern Claims Commission where he states that he didn't vote for succession. He said there was not a Union Candidate so he did not vote. He goes on further to say:

"I was a Union man at the commencement of the war, still I can't say I did not sympathize with my sons in the Confederate Army."

From there he goes on to list what was taken from his mill - bacon, corn meal, horses etc. and in closing says,

"I believe the property taken was necessary for the use of the US Army, was taken under circumstances that justifies the taking and would justify the US Gov in paying for the same."

 A witness to Thomas Sr.'s claim, a teacher named J W Thompson, says that Thomas Sr. was a "Union man in theory".

Due to his sons' enlistment with the Confederacy, Thomas Sr.'s claim was denied.

So with a father who was a "Union man in theory" and a great uncle who was an Abolitionist, what would motivate these six young men to volunteer for the Confederacy? ** Here is a newspaper article about Thomas' daughter Lillie that also says, though he was against slavery, he fought for the confederacy.. The Odessa American

At the time of their enlistment William would've been around 30, James 28, Thomas 26, John 22, Robert 20 and David Flynn only 18.

Now to continue with the rest of Thomas Franklin's military story:

After being severely wounded at the Battle of Perryville, Thomas Franklin continued in the fighting. He would travel to Shelbyville, TN, where he was 'Present' for Nov & Dec of '62. On the 31st of December,  the 34th would engage in the Battle of Stones River at Murfreesboro, TN. Again Thomas Franklin shows as 'present' for Jan & Feb of '63. For March & April '63 he was 'present' and promoted from Private to 5th Sergeant on the 15th of April.

A little online research provided the following information on the rank of 5th Sergeant:

5th Sgt was the most junior Sgt in the Company & not all CS units had a 5th Sgt as some of the CS units only alowed for 4 Sgt's. If there had been a 5th Sgt prior to that point he would likely have been demoted to 1st Corporal. In the ranks he would have stood behind the battle line as a file closer in the middle area of the battle line IIRC.

As to their duties, the NCO's had varying degrees of responsability w/ the 2nd Corporal being responsible for 6-12 men depending on the situation. The 5th Sgt would typically have been responsible for 2 Corporals and about 20 men. But as casualties, attrition and detachments quickly dropped a 1000 man Regiment to often less than 300 you can see why 5th Sgt's were dropped from the establishment. They just weren't needed anymore, eliminating them from the organization saved some coin and unneeded rank.

For the months of July & Aug, Sgt Thomas Franklin Rutherford was 'present'. It would seem there was quite a bit of down time (about 8 months) between the battle of Stones River and the last two battles Thomas Franklin would take part in. On 18 September 1863 he would fight in the Battle of Chickamauga and then moved to Look Out Mountain where he and his brother Robert Walker were captured and taken prisoner on 24 Nov 1863.


Regimental flag of the 34th Mississippi Infantry captured at Lookout Mountain Nov. 24, 1863 by the 149th N.Y.

The two brothers were first taken to Nashville and from there taken to the Union Military Prison in Louisville, KY for holding. They were kept until Dec 3rd when they were then loaded onto the train and shipped to Rock Island. They arrived December 5th. He and his brother appear to have been able to stay together through this ordeal. Both were "housed" in Barracks #9; Thomas Franklin registered as #36 and Robert Walker as #37.

To read a first person account of what it was like at Rock Island Prison please click here.
On the 18th of March 1864 Thomas Franklin Rutherford signed his Oath of Allegiance and he, his brother, and over 1,000 other soldiers were transferred for exchange of Union prisoners on March 20, 1864.

In his service records where his name appears on the rolls of soldiers who took the Oath of Allegiance in the remarks it says "Wishes to go home."

Nothing remains of the prison buildings today. Visitors on the island, as they view the island's beautiful scenery, see nothing to recall this period in the island's history. Where once the Headquarters buildings of the prison was located stands the mansion of the Commanding General of the Ordnance Weapons Command. The stockade and the prison barracks area is now a part of the Rock Island Arsenal Golf Course and officers quarters. The non-contagious disease hospital is the present site of two Arsenal shop buildings. The pest houses of the day have given way to a huge shop building. All that remains of the period of the island's history are the Confederate and National Cemeteries, which lie in quiet and peaceful groves of elms and oak trees. Perpetual care of the graves give these peaceful sites with their rows of white headstones in long straight rows, completely encircled by the towering trees, a serene and peaceful resting place for those who died so far from home and friends.

 After his release I'm not sure what happened as the war didn't end for the 34th for another year, when they surrendered 26 April 1865.

After the war Thomas Franklin returned home to Tippah, Mississippi where he fathered five more children, Grandville Gregory, Mary, Alice, Margaret, and my ancestor James Walter Rutherford who was born in 1877.

By 1880 Thomas, with his wife and children, left Mississippi and settled in Ellis County, Texas. And by 1900 he was in Coleman County where he died in 1906 and is buried at Santa Anna Cemetery. Children born to him while living in Texas were, David Williamson*, Minnie Elizabeth, and Lillie Carl. I have never been able to find a military pension or a widows pension.  From all of the census records his occupation was always listed as farmer. I wish I could find out more from his life in Texas. Maybe I will in time.

Until next week,
Becky

*Williamson was also a family name. It was his paternal grandmother's maiden name. Her first name was Elizabeth. When her husband David died, her father William became guardian of Thomas Sr. and his siblings, James, William Brandon, Mary Ann, and David.

As always please check out my Sister-in-law's blog at Days of Our Lives. And for more on the Tippah County Rutherford's you can check out this page.