My great-great-grandmother was Frances Jane Elliott. Most of what is known of her family came originally from her son, Columbus Joseph Johnson, as recorded by his daughter Ila in the 1940s, and compiled by his son-in-law Elmer W. Thomas in the 1960s. According to Columbus, “Jane Elliott” (as he calls her; she is also listed in the Crawford co. tax records as “Mrs. Jane Johnson” so apparently was ordinarily known by her middle name) married John Johnson in Franklin co. AR 11 Dec. 1851 (and this is confirmed by Franklin co. marriage records, where she is named as Frances Jane Elliott). She was born 8 Apr. 1833 and died 27 Feb. 1868 in Arkansas, and her children were subsequently brought to California by their paternal uncle, William Johnson. Columbus also made the following remarks:
(1) The Elliott family was of Welsh ancestry.
(2) Frances J. Elliott’s mother’s maiden name was Booker; she (the mother) died in 1863 and is buried “on her father’s plantation.”
(3) Frances J. Elliott’s grandfather Booker was a shoemaker, tanner and cotton farmer.
(4) Frances J. Elliott’s father’s name is not known, but he apparently died early.
(5) Frances J. Elliott had at least one brother, William Elliott [known to be William Thomas Cowan Elliott, b. ca 1829, settled in California ca. 1849 and is well known in records there].
Some additional information can be gleaned from U. S. census records, federal land patent records, and Franklin co. tax records.
In 1840 in the Franklin co. census shows an Elizabeth Elliott with the following household:
Female, age 30 to 40 [i.e., b. 1799-1810], no doubt Elizabeth herself
Male, age 10-15 [i.e., b. 1824-1830]
Female, age 10-15 [i.e., b. 1824-1830]
Male, age 5-10 [i.e., b. 1829-35]
Female, age 5-10 [i.e., b. 1829-35]
In 1850 in Franklin co. AR we find:
Elizabeth Elliott 49 female b. VA
Francis J. Elliott 16 female b. TN
Francis Wright 13 female b. AR
William J. Wright 9 male b. AR
Johnana Ragsdale 55 female b. AR
And in 1860:
Eliz. Ellet 62 female b. VA
J. A. Ragsdale 14 female b. AR
And in the adjacent household:
Jn. Johnson 31 male b. MO
F. J. Johnson 27 female b. TN
William 7 male b. AR
Columbus 4 male b. AR
Alfred 1 male b. AR
Certainly the F. J. Johnson in the 1860 census is my great-great-grandmother, and it seems probable that she is also the “Francis J. Elliott” in the 1850 census, and therefore that Elizabeth Elliott is her mother. The 1850 and 1860 censuses indicate that Elizabeth was born in Virginia (confirmed by the 1900 census entry for W. T. C. Elliott, which claims his mother was born in VA, father in SC). The ages differ by a few years, with the 1850 record saying Elizabeth was b. ca. 1800/01, the 1860 indicating ca. 1797/98. The 1800/01 date is more consistent with the range noted in 1840.
The four children listed in the 1840 census would include W. T. C. Elliott (b. ca. 1829, so could plausibly be either the older boy, or the younger) and Frances Jane Elliott (the younger girl listed).
A Columbus Elliott appears in the 1858 tax list for Franklin co. He disappears from the rolls, but then a C. J. Elliott appears as a non-resident property owner in 1866-67. Could he be the other son? Note that Frances Jane (Elliott) Johnson named one of her sons Columbus.
An Elizabeth Elliott received a federal land patent for land in Franklin co. (or possibly just over the border in Crawford co.) in 1843. This is likely she. An Elizabeth Elliott (variously spelled Eliott, Elliott, Elliot, Eliot) appears on Franklin co. tax records beginning in 1846; she last appears in 1861 (but that is the last extant record until 1866, when she does not appear). Columbus Johnson claimed she died in 1863; no contemporary records have been found to confirm this, but one whimsical record may support it: the Van Buren Press of 3 March 1866, which paper probably served the Franklin co. area (though located in neighboring Crawford co.), listed Elizabeth Elliott as among those for whom a letter was sitting unclaimed as of 28 Feb. at the Van Buren post office. [Evelyn Sue Williams, Abstracts from Crawford county, Ark., Newspapers (Nov. 1994)]
The hypothesis that emerges from all these records is that Elizabeth Booker, born in Virginia, married Mr. Elliott, and that they lived for the early part of their marriage in Tennessee (where the above records for Frances Jane, and consistent records for W. T. C. Elliott, indicate they both were born, he ca. 1829 and she ca. 1833). The father Elliott apparently died either before Elizabeth came to Arkansas, or shortly after, and in any event was dead by the time of the 1840 census. Elizabeth Elliott does not appear in the census records after 1860, and of course Columbus said that she died in1863.
Ragsdale
Who are the persons named “Ragsdale” in these census records? The family tradition doesn’t mention this name, but Columbus mentioned several sisters of his father—a list which, while essentially correct, conflates some names and includes one who was not a sister but a cousin. Included in the list is one who has not been identified in conjunction with the (rather complete) records of the Johnson family, a “Mrs. Raglyn,” who, he said, “lived and died in the East” (which presumably just means she didn’t come to California). Is it possible that he had the name and relationship slightly wrong, and that her name was Ragsdale and she was a sister of his mother? Whether that rather speculative idea is true or not, the presence in two different census years of a Ragsdale in Elizabeth Elliott’s household suggests a close connection. But who were they?
It is probable that the 1850 census listing for “Johnana Ragsdale” is mistaken in the age; it is highly unlikely that she could have been born in Arkansas in 1795. More likely she was not 55, but 5, and is the same person enumerated in Elizabeth’s household in 1860, J. A. Ragsdale age 14.
A biographical sketch (reprinted below) of one Wesley Hinson [Henson] of Crawford co. AR states that he married a Johanna Ragsdale, daughter of George and Hester Ann Ragsdale. It also states that Johanna’s mother died when she was “but a girl.” Was Hester Ann Ragsdale a daughter of Elizabeth Elliott? Was her young daughter sent to live with “Grandma” after the death of her mother? It is interesting to note that W. T. C. Elliott named one of his children Hester—perhaps after his deceased sister?
There is a Confederate pension recorded for Wesley Henson and then for Johanna Henson as his widow. It actually is under the name of John W. Forney (alias for Wesley Henson), and service is listed in Co. D, 13 Pa Cav. Invalid pension for him filed 2 Aug 1890 [application #820357]; widow’s pension for Johanna C. Henson filed 6 Nov 1893 [application# 585263]. Filed in Arkansas. Henson died 19 Oct 1893. His will, filed in Crawford co. AR, gives ““my wife John Anna Caroline Henson all of my household and kitchen furniture and all of the residue of my estate real and personal as long as she remains my widow.” After her death the estate is to pass to his brothers, sisters, and nephew, suggesting that he had no living children.
She is possibly the Annie Henson in Fort Smith Ward 5, Sebastian co., p. 1 of Enumeration District: 0132 in the 1900 census. Fort Smith is right across the river from Van Buren, Crawford co. She appears as widowed, b. April 1845, no children. She is possibly the Anna C. Hansen in Crawford co., Maxey twp., p. 3A of ED 0011, widowed, b. Ark., parents born KY and TN, no children.
Johann[a] Henson appears in the 1920 census for Mulberry, Crawford co. AR, widowed, age 74, b. Ark., father b. Alabama, mother b. Tennessee. She is likely the Anna C. Hinson, 84, b. AR, in Mulberry, Crawford co. in 1930 (father b. Ky, mother b. Tenn.). The death certificate for Joe Anna Henson is recorded in Crawford co. AR, widow of Wesley Henson, 91 years, 6 mos., 29 days, d. 25 Dec 1936, parents and birthplace blank. Her calculated birthdate would be 26 May 1845.
What can we say about this George Ragsdale? A query from a Mrs. J. R. Bush published in the Apr/May/June 1969 issue of The Arkansas Family Historian (7:2), p. 68, stated that George Ragsdale, son of Peter and Matilda Ragsdale, was b. 1822 MS, and “was a widower in 1860 census of Crawford Co., with two sons, Peter, 5, and Enos, 3.” She also indicated that other children of the elder Peter Ragsdale included James (m. Patsy Benton and Mary Hale or Hail; he and his first wife Patsy appear in the 1850 census of Franklin co. AR two households away from Elizabeth Elliott), Sarah (m. Dosier Fussell), and Susan, m. Luna Booth. She also indicated that the Ragsdale family lived at different times in TN, AL, MS and MO before coming to Crawford co. AR in 1837. These census records seem to be of him:
1850 Crawford co. Bates twp. AR p. 281 #5/5
Household of Luna and Susan [Ragsdale] Booth, George’s sister and brother-in-law:
Luna A. Booth 29 TN
Susan B. P. E. L. Booth 25 MS
Matilda E. 7 AR
Hiram L. 5 AR
George P. 2 AR
Eliza V. 9/12 AR
Matilda Ragsdale 61 KY
George W. “ 28 MS
Sarah C. Fussell 16 AL [Is this Susan’s sister, already widowed at 16?]
1860 Crawford co., Lafayette twp AR p. 691 620/604
Geo. Ragsdale 34 Farmer AL
Peter 5 AR
Enos 3 AR
Mary M. Teston 60 NC
Sharlott Fussell 25 NC
Adam Genes 7 AR
1870 Crawford co. Lafayette twp AR p. 202 95/95
G. W. Ragsdale 48 Farm Lab MS
N.C. 19 KH AR
E.B. 13 AR
M.A. 1 AR
1880 Washington co. AR Illinois twp. ED 202 p. 42 #400/418
Ragsdale, George 63 Carpenter MS VA KY
Nancy 29 wife AR GA GA
Martha 11 dau AR MS AR
George 9 son AR MS AR
Maggie 2 dau AR MS AR
1895 State census of Kansas, Cherokee co, Baxter Springs image 144
Ragsdale, P. 48 mw b. AR Miner [George’s son Peter]
G. W. 70 mw b. Miss. Carpenter
M. 35 fw b. AR [Peter’s wife Mary Ellen/Elizabeth]
Frank 15 mw b. MO [Peter’s children]
Sophia 12 fw b. KS
B. 10 fw b. MO
Eddie 4 mw b. MO
Bulah 2 fw b. KS
1900 US census Kansas, Cherokee co. Empire City Dct. 18 image 45
Ragsdale, Mary[?] head wf May 1863 37 mar. 22 8/6 MO AR AR Keeping boarders
Frank son wm Feb 1880 20 sing MO AR MO Teamster
Sopha dau wf Feb 1883 17 sing KS AR MO
Barbra dau. wf Feb. 1885 15 sing KS AR MO
Eddie son wm Mar 1891 9 sing KS AR MO
Bula dau wf Jul 1892 7 sing KS AR MO
Sarah dau wf Jul 1895 4 sing KS AR MO
Assuming these George Ragsdales are all the same person, and assuming he is also the father of Johnana/Johanna Ragsdale, it would appear that George was married at least three times: first to Hester Ann [Elliott?], probably about 1843, with one daughter Johnana/Johanna, Hester dying prior to 1850, when George appears single in his sister’s household]; then to an unnamed woman by whom he had Peter and Enos, and who apparently died before 1860; and then to Nancy, ca. 1867, by whom he had Martha, George and Maggie. [Enos is apparently Enos Benjamin Ragsdale, d. 25 Mar 1935, bur. Sons Chapel Cem., Fayetteville, AR, m. Tennessee Cullender https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/24599465/person/1934044204/facts; Peter is apparently Peter Jackson Ragsdale, m. Mary Ellen Roberts in Jasper co. MO 12 Aug 1877, https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/103413011/person/150027171172/facts; marriage record gives her name as Elizabeth Roberts; she subsequently married T. F. Merrill.]
Wright
Also appearing in 1850 with Elizabeth Elliott are two Wright children; could they also be grandchildren, or perhaps a niece and nephew of Elizabeth (Booker) Elliott? If grandchildren, it would mean that Elizabeth had a daughter who was already out of her household (and presumably married) at the time of the 1840 census. There is no listing for a Wright in Franklin co. in 1840, but there is a R. J. Wright in adjacent Crawford co., and his household consisted of a male and female 20-30 (i.e., b. 1810-20), and a male and female under 5. If those ages are correct, the woman could be just barely young enough to be a daughter of Elizabeth Elliott, and the children could plausibly be the Frances and William Wright in the census.
I have not identified either of these children after the 1850 census, but a William Wright, age 19 born Arkansas, died in Carroll Par. LA in 1860 (census mortality schedule).
It is interesting to note that a few households away from R. L. Wright we find an Amos Elliott, in the same age bracket. Could he be a son of Elizabeth Elliott? (A. A. Elliott is listed on tax rolls in 1855 and 1857.)
We might hypothesize, then, that Elizabeth (Booker) b. VA married Mr. Elliott, possibly in TN, and had the following children:
(1) Hester Ann Elliott, b. TN ca. 1827 m. George Ragsdale
(2) William Thomas Cowan Elliott, b. TN Sep 1829 m(1) Susan Sides
(3) Son, b. ca. 1831, likely died or removed bf. 1850; possibly Columbus Elliott or Amos Elliott? (But note that Amos and Columbus Elliott appear as brothers in 1850 census of Johnson co. AR, sons of a Nancy Elliott, a family which seems to have come from Illinois)
(4) Frances Jane Elliott, b. TN 8 Apr 1833 m. John Johnson
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