Friday, April 11, 2014
Thursday, April 10, 2014
National Siblings Day
April 10 is National Siblings Day. Since it is a day to honor the relationships of brothers and sisters, I am posting several pictures of my brother and me through the years.
Christmas 1969
Fall 1981
my brother's wedding day, November 1996
Wednesday, April 9, 2014
Workday Wednesday: Reuben A. Anderson, Dentist
My great-grandfather's brother Reuben Alexander Anderson was a dentist in Chicago, Illinois. This advertisement for his dental practice appeared on the back cover of The Bethlehem Star, vol. 45 no. 6, October 1941. The Bethlehem Star was a publication of the Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 58th and South Wells Sts., Chicago, where members of my family attended church.
Reuben was a dentist by 5 June 1917; his World War I draft registration card lists his profession. According to the 1940 United States Census, Reuben attended graduate school for three years. Since he lived in Chicago, he may have attended the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Dentistry.
My father told me that Reuben was their family dentist.
Tuesday, April 8, 2014
Talented Tuesday: Cousin Steve
April is Jazz Appreciation Month, so it is a good time to write about my first cousin Steve Slagle. Steve is a jazz saxophonist and has been recording since 1977. He has played with the Steve Kuhn Quartet, the Charles Mingus Big Band, the Carla Bley Band, Milton Nascimento, Joe Lovano, Lionel Hampton, Ray Barretto, Olivier Hutman, Charlie Haden, Jaco Pastorius, Dave Stryker, Dr. John and Eddie Blackwell, the Beastie Boys, and his own groups, including the Stryker/Slagle Band. More information about his recordings can be found on his Web site at http://steveslagle.com/Recordings/.
Steve has also published a book, Scenes, Songs & Solos: A Composition and Improvisation Workbook for the Creative Musician (Schaffner Press, 2011).
Steve has also published a book, Scenes, Songs & Solos: A Composition and Improvisation Workbook for the Creative Musician (Schaffner Press, 2011).
Monday, April 7, 2014
Military Monday: 10th Regiment, Tennessee Cavalry, Company D (DeMoss')
Several members of my family were in the Confederate Army's 10th Regiment, Tennessee Cavalry, Company D (DeMoss'). My 3rd-great-grandfather Joseph Tarkington was a private in Company D, but by May-June 1863 he was home on sick leave due to asthma and pneumonia. My 3rd-great-grandfather's brother John G. Gatlin was also a private in Company D; he was captured in December 1863 and was held prisoner at Rock Island Barracks in Rock Island, Illinois. One of the regiment's colonels, William E. DeMoss, was my second cousin 6 times removed. His father, Abraham Louis DeMoss, was the son of Abraham Louis DeMoss and Hannah Greer. Hannah's sister Sarah was my 6th-great-grandmother.
The 10th Regiment, Tennessee Cavalry was organized in February 1863, by consolidating Cox's and Napier's Battalions. The men in Company D were from Davidson County, Tennessee. Some of the regiment participated in the battles of Battle of Thompson's Station, Brentwood, Chickamauga, the Atlanta Campaign, the Battle of Franklin, and the Battle of Nashville. In February 1865, the regiment was consolidated with the 11th Regiment, Tennessee Cavalry. In May 1865, they surrendered in Alabama.
References
Confederate Tennessee Troops. 10th Regiment, Tennessee Cavalry (DeMoss'). http://www.nps.gov/civilwar/search-regiments-detail.htm?regiment_id=CTN0010RC01
Tennesseeans in the Civil War, Confederate Cavalry Units: 10th Tennessee Cavalry Regiment. http://www.tngenweb.org/civilwar/csacav/csa10cav.html
The 10th Regiment, Tennessee Cavalry was organized in February 1863, by consolidating Cox's and Napier's Battalions. The men in Company D were from Davidson County, Tennessee. Some of the regiment participated in the battles of Battle of Thompson's Station, Brentwood, Chickamauga, the Atlanta Campaign, the Battle of Franklin, and the Battle of Nashville. In February 1865, the regiment was consolidated with the 11th Regiment, Tennessee Cavalry. In May 1865, they surrendered in Alabama.
References
Confederate Tennessee Troops. 10th Regiment, Tennessee Cavalry (DeMoss'). http://www.nps.gov/civilwar/search-regiments-detail.htm?regiment_id=CTN0010RC01
Tennesseeans in the Civil War, Confederate Cavalry Units: 10th Tennessee Cavalry Regiment. http://www.tngenweb.org/civilwar/csacav/csa10cav.html
Sunday, April 6, 2014
Census Sunday: Not Just a Servant
In 1880, my great-great-grandparents Andrew and Martha (Erickson) Anderson and their children were living in Chicago, Illinois. Also in the household was a 15-year-old servant, Christine Nelson.
1880 United States census, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, population schedule, enumeration district 177, page 12. NARA microfilm publication T9, roll 198, image 360.
Christine was not just a servant. She was Andrew's niece. Andrew's sister Elna married Nils Jonsson, and their first child, Christina, was born in Grevie, Skåne, Sweden on 5 November 1864. Her surname would have been a patronymic derived from her father's given name, Nils. In the United States, other members of her family used the surname Nilsson instead of Nelson. Christina came to the United States before her mother did, and she would have been 15 years old at the time of the 1880 census. Her father never came to the United States; he died in Sweden in 1892. Because Christina came to the United States without her parents, it makes sense that she would live with her uncle and his family.
Christine was not just a servant. She was Andrew's niece. Andrew's sister Elna married Nils Jonsson, and their first child, Christina, was born in Grevie, Skåne, Sweden on 5 November 1864. Her surname would have been a patronymic derived from her father's given name, Nils. In the United States, other members of her family used the surname Nilsson instead of Nelson. Christina came to the United States before her mother did, and she would have been 15 years old at the time of the 1880 census. Her father never came to the United States; he died in Sweden in 1892. Because Christina came to the United States without her parents, it makes sense that she would live with her uncle and his family.
Saturday, April 5, 2014
52 Ancestors: #13 Joseph Tarkington
My 3rd-great-grandfather Joseph Tarkington was born in Tennessee on 8 November 1830. He married Amanda Russell on 12 June 1849, at Amanda's family's home in Davidson County, Tennessee. They had twelve children; their first child, my great-great-grandfather James William Tarkington, was born on 28 May 1850. At first they lived in Davidson County near Amanda's mother, grandmother, and other members of her family, but by 1860 they had moved to Williamson County, Tennessee. Amanda's mother Sobrina Russell's brother James Russell had purchased land in Williamson County, Tennessee as trustee for Sobrina in 1858, and Sobrina lived with the Tarkington family in Williamson County, so they probably moved at the same time that she did.
Joseph enlisted in the Confederate army on 5 December 1862. He was a private in the 10th Regiment, Tennessee Cavalry, Company D. On the company muster roll for May-June 1863, he was noted as absent sick. In Amanda (Russell) Tarkington's Confederate widow's pension application, William M. Tillett stated that Joseph Tarkington was sent home on sick leave because of asthma and pneumonia, and that Joseph was never again a well man.
Joseph was a farmer, and at times also worked as a watchman. According to Nashville city directories, he was a watchman at the Tennessee State Penitentiary in 1888, and was a watchman for the Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railway in 1895.
Joseph died at his home at 140 Hardee Street, Nashville, on 19 April 1903. According to his death certificate, he was 70 years, 5 months, and 11 days old, but that age is not consistent with his date of birth; he would have been 72 years old, not 70 years old. He was buried at Mount Olivet Cemetery in Nashville, in Sec. 13 Lot 75. His grave is unmarked.
I have not yet proven the identities of Joseph Tarkington's parents. It has been suggested that Asbury Tarkington and Louisa McDowell were his parents. Louisa's second husband was James Sawyer, and my great-great-grandfather James William Tarkington was listed in the 1880 United States Census as a grandson. Louisa's will also called him a grandson. However, Asbury and Louisa did not marry until 1832. Joseph married Amanda (born in 1830) in 1849; I think that Joseph's 1830 birth year is correct. I believe that James William Tarkington was actually the grandson of James Sawyer, who I believe to be Amanda's father. (I will discuss this in more detail in a future post.)
I have looked at the other Tarkington families in the area and have ruled out most of the possibilities. I think I know who his parents are, but it is difficult to conclusively build a case with only indirect evidence when there is a contradictory piece of evidence.
I believe that Joseph's parents were Joseph S. Tarkington and Amelia Owen, who married in Williamson County, Tennessee on 6 June 1818. They had a son, Thomas J. Tarkington, who was born about 1824. In 1830 they were living in Giles County, Tennessee. Joseph S. Tarkington married Nancy (Sanders) Theall in St. Mary Parish, Louisiana on 11 August 1833. His son Thomas did not live with them in Louisiana; I have not yet been able to determine who he lived with, but he appears to have stayed in Tennessee, since he married there in 1843. In his Southern Claims Commission approved claim, Joseph S. Tarkington stated that his only children were a daughter who died as an infant and a son who was killed at the Battle of Buena Vista in Mexico (Thomas). However, I believe that he lied so that his claim would be approved. He may have thought that his claim would not be approved if he admitted that his son had been in the Confederate army. He had already admitted that he had heard that his half-brother was in the Confederate army, but he added that he had not seen him in 25 years. He did not raise Thomas; if Joseph was his son, he did not raise Joseph either. He and Joseph share a given name. One of Joseph's sons was named Thomas. William M. Tillett, who gave a statement in support of Amanda (Russell) Tarkington's Confederate widow's pension application, was the grandson of Sarah (Tarkington) Tillett. Sarah was the daughter of William Tarkington, a cousin of Joseph S. Tarkington. William Tarkington had been Amelia Owen's guardian. William M. Tillett was present at Joseph and Amanda's wedding and he said that he had known Joseph for practically Joseph's entire life. William Tillett was slightly older than Joseph. If Joseph had been born in Giles County, Tennessee and moved to Williamson County as a very young child, it would explain why William Tillett said "his entire life, practically", not "his entire life". Joseph Tarkington's marriage bond is another piece of evidence: the bondsman was R. O. Owen.
People may lie if they have something to gain financially. I hope to eventually prove that Joseph S. Tarkington lied and that my Joseph was his son. I believe that the indirect evidence supports my theory.
Davidson County, Tennessee Original Marriage Bonds. J. P. C. Tarkinson to Amanda Russell. Nashville, Tennessee: Metropolitan Government Archives.
Joseph enlisted in the Confederate army on 5 December 1862. He was a private in the 10th Regiment, Tennessee Cavalry, Company D. On the company muster roll for May-June 1863, he was noted as absent sick. In Amanda (Russell) Tarkington's Confederate widow's pension application, William M. Tillett stated that Joseph Tarkington was sent home on sick leave because of asthma and pneumonia, and that Joseph was never again a well man.
Joseph was a farmer, and at times also worked as a watchman. According to Nashville city directories, he was a watchman at the Tennessee State Penitentiary in 1888, and was a watchman for the Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railway in 1895.
Joseph died at his home at 140 Hardee Street, Nashville, on 19 April 1903. According to his death certificate, he was 70 years, 5 months, and 11 days old, but that age is not consistent with his date of birth; he would have been 72 years old, not 70 years old. He was buried at Mount Olivet Cemetery in Nashville, in Sec. 13 Lot 75. His grave is unmarked.
I have not yet proven the identities of Joseph Tarkington's parents. It has been suggested that Asbury Tarkington and Louisa McDowell were his parents. Louisa's second husband was James Sawyer, and my great-great-grandfather James William Tarkington was listed in the 1880 United States Census as a grandson. Louisa's will also called him a grandson. However, Asbury and Louisa did not marry until 1832. Joseph married Amanda (born in 1830) in 1849; I think that Joseph's 1830 birth year is correct. I believe that James William Tarkington was actually the grandson of James Sawyer, who I believe to be Amanda's father. (I will discuss this in more detail in a future post.)
I have looked at the other Tarkington families in the area and have ruled out most of the possibilities. I think I know who his parents are, but it is difficult to conclusively build a case with only indirect evidence when there is a contradictory piece of evidence.
I believe that Joseph's parents were Joseph S. Tarkington and Amelia Owen, who married in Williamson County, Tennessee on 6 June 1818. They had a son, Thomas J. Tarkington, who was born about 1824. In 1830 they were living in Giles County, Tennessee. Joseph S. Tarkington married Nancy (Sanders) Theall in St. Mary Parish, Louisiana on 11 August 1833. His son Thomas did not live with them in Louisiana; I have not yet been able to determine who he lived with, but he appears to have stayed in Tennessee, since he married there in 1843. In his Southern Claims Commission approved claim, Joseph S. Tarkington stated that his only children were a daughter who died as an infant and a son who was killed at the Battle of Buena Vista in Mexico (Thomas). However, I believe that he lied so that his claim would be approved. He may have thought that his claim would not be approved if he admitted that his son had been in the Confederate army. He had already admitted that he had heard that his half-brother was in the Confederate army, but he added that he had not seen him in 25 years. He did not raise Thomas; if Joseph was his son, he did not raise Joseph either. He and Joseph share a given name. One of Joseph's sons was named Thomas. William M. Tillett, who gave a statement in support of Amanda (Russell) Tarkington's Confederate widow's pension application, was the grandson of Sarah (Tarkington) Tillett. Sarah was the daughter of William Tarkington, a cousin of Joseph S. Tarkington. William Tarkington had been Amelia Owen's guardian. William M. Tillett was present at Joseph and Amanda's wedding and he said that he had known Joseph for practically Joseph's entire life. William Tillett was slightly older than Joseph. If Joseph had been born in Giles County, Tennessee and moved to Williamson County as a very young child, it would explain why William Tillett said "his entire life, practically", not "his entire life". Joseph Tarkington's marriage bond is another piece of evidence: the bondsman was R. O. Owen.
People may lie if they have something to gain financially. I hope to eventually prove that Joseph S. Tarkington lied and that my Joseph was his son. I believe that the indirect evidence supports my theory.
Joseph Tarkenton compiled service record. Compiled Service Records of Confederate Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the State of Tennessee. NARA microfilm publication M268A, roll 0045 . ARC ID: 586957. War Department Collection of Confederate Records, Record Group 109. The National Archives at Washington, D.C.
Tennessee City Death Records: Nashville, Knoxville, Chattanooga, Memphis 1848-1907. Nashville, Tennessee: Tennessee State Library and Archives. Death certificate no. 503, Joseph Tarkington.
Joseph Tarkington death notice, Nashville American, 20 April 1903
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