52 Ancestors: Week 6 "Surprise": Nellie Cox Finally Found!

For years, I have been searching for my 2nd-great-grandmother Sarah Claire "Sadie" (Dyer) Gatlin's half-sister Nellie Cox. Nellie and her husband Owen McDonough were charged as accessories to murder after Tom Cox, Nellie's brother and Sadie's half-brother, shot and killed Ben Dowell, a police officer in 1903. A mistrial was declared. The 1906 Nashville city directory stated that Owen McDonough had moved to Birmingham, Alabama. I hadn't been able to locate Owen or Nellie since then.

Sadie died in Chicago, Illinois on 20 January 1945. Her death notice mentioned a surviving sister, Mrs. E. Goolsby. All of Sadie's other siblings were dead, so Mrs. E. Goolsby had to be Nellie.

A few months ago, I finally located Nellie's first husband, Owen McDonough. I found him listed in Lorain, Ohio city directories in the 1920s. His wife was named Jennie. Apparently Nellie's first marriage ended in divorce. I don't know when Owen and Nellie split up, but I wouldn't be surprised if it were when Owen left Nashville. Being charged as accessories to the murder that Nellie's brother committed probably put a strain on their marriage.

Since I had finally located Owen, I decided to try searching for Nellie again, although I had searched before without success. And much to my surprise, I immediately found her!

Nevada. Department of Health. Death certificate 65-1741 (1965), Nellie Dale Goolsby. Ancestry.com. Nevada, Death Certificates, 1911-1965 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2016.

Nellie died in Las Vegas, Nevada on 13 July 1965. I never expected to find her there! Her death certificate confirmed that her mother's maiden name was Mary Reynolds. My conclusion was correct. Her date of birth was consistent with the ages found in earlier census  records. And I now had her second husband's name, Ezra A. Goolsby.

I still haven't located her in census records after 1900. Ezra Goolsby was enumerated in Memphis, Tennessee in 1940. He was a hotel proprietor. Nellie wasn't listed with him. It's possible that he just didn't mention her, though. Nellie and her first husband Owen McDonough both seem to have managed to avoid the census takers for decades. They may have been afraid that they would be tried as accessories to murder again.

Ezra Goolsby's mother, Salemma W. (Harris) Goolsby, died in Chicago, Illinois on 6 May 1926. His brother, Fleming Goolsby, lived in Chicago in 1930. Perhaps Nellie and Ezra met in Chicago. Sadie and her husband and children lived there; she was Nellie's only living sibling.

Nellie and Ezra (who died in 1979) are buried in Woodlawn Cemetery in Las Vegas.

Conclusions about the Maiden Name and Family Relationships of Mary, Wife of Michael Dyer and John Cox

When I traveled to Nashville, Tennessee last September, I did some research on my 3rd-great-grandmother Mary, the wife of Michael Dyer and John Cox. After examining my findings and doing additional research, I have come to some conclusions about her maiden name and family relationships.

In a deed registered on 25 June 1868, Mary, wife of Michael Dyer, conveyed land to "my Sister Bridget Long wife of John Long". (1) In a deed registered on 19 August 1868, Bridget Long conveyed land to "my Sister Mary Dyer". (2) These deeds establish that Mary and Bridget were sisters.

Bridget Allen married John S. Long on 17 November 1861 in Davidson County, Tennessee. (3) He was not her first husband. In 1860, 22-year-old Bridget Allen and 4-year-old Martin Allen lived in the household of Thomas and Sarah Fagan. (4) Thomas Fagan and Sarah Reynolds had married in 1857. (5) Bridget's first husband was probably Michael Allen, who declared his intention to become a United States citizen on 23 March 1853 in Davidson County, Tennessee. (6) Mary's husband Michael Dyer declared his intention to become a United States citizen on the same date and in the same place. (7) Michael Dyer was from County Roscommon, Ireland. (8) Michael Allen was also from County Roscommon, Ireland. (9) A  Martin Allen also came from County, Roscommon, Ireland. (10) He was probably the brother of Michael Allen and the uncle of the younger Martin Allen. He was probably the father of Michael Allen, the nephew of Mrs. Bridget Long, who died at age 16 on 18 November 1874. (11)

In her will, Bridget left property to her nieces Elizabeth Slowey and Sarah Gatlin. (12) Mary Elizabeth Slowey was the daughter of Thomas Fagan and Sarah Reynolds. (13)  Sarah Gatlin's maiden name was Dyer (14), and she was the daughter of Bridget's sister Mary. (15) Bridget and Mary must have been the sisters of either Thomas Fagan or Sarah Reynolds. Additional sources support that conclusion. A newspaper article on the death of Tom Fagan, the son of Thomas and Sarah Fagan (16), states that Tom Cox was a cousin of Tom Fagan (17); Tom Cox was Mary's son (18) from her marriage to her second husband John Cox. (19) Another newspaper item provides additional evidence. A report of the death of Sarah Fagan stated that Mrs. McDonough was notified of the death of her aunt, Mrs. Sarah Fagan, and that the mother of Mrs. McDonough and Tom Cox had left the courtroom for this reason. (20) Mrs. McDonough was Mary's daughter Nellie Cox (21), who had married Owen McDonough. (22) Although this news item alone does not provide enough information to conclude that Sarah was Mary's sister rather than her sister-in-law, an additional source supports the theory that Sarah and Mary were sisters. Mary's daughter Sarah "Sadie" (Dyer) Gatlin had a son named John R. Gatlin (23); according to John's World War II draft registration card, his full name was John Reynold Gatlin. (24) It therefore seems more likely that Sadie's mother's maiden name was Reynolds. Additionally, John Grenham's Irish Surnames web site shows that the surnames Dyer, Allen, and Reynolds are all found in Boyle Parish, County Roscommon, Ireland; the surname Fagan was not found to be associated with the surnames Dyer and Allen in County Roscommon. (25)

I therefore believe it is likely that Mary's maiden name was Reynolds and that she was the sister of Bridget and Sarah Reynolds.

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1. Davidson County, Tennessee, Deed Book 39: 443-444. Metropolitan Government Archives, Nashville Public Library, Nashville, Tennessee.

2. Davidson County, Tennessee, Deed Book 39: 554. Metropolitan Government Archives, Nashville Public Library, Nashville, Tennessee.

3. Davidson County, Tennessee, Marriage register, 1861, p. 355, record no. 4254, Jno S. Long and Bridget Allen. Ancestry.com. Tennessee State Marriages, 1780-2002 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2008.

4. 1860 United States census, Nashville Ward 6, Davidson County, Tennessee, population schedule, p. 124, dwelling 824, family 956. Ancestry.com. 1860 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009.

5. Davidson County, Tennessee, Marriage register, 1857, p. 225, record no. 2698, Thomas Fagan and Sarah Reynolds. Ancestry.com. Tennessee State Marriages, 1780-2002 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2008.

6. Davidson County, Tennessee, Declaration of intention no. 148, Michael Allen, 23 March 1853. Metropolitan Government Archives, Nashville Public Library, Nashville, Tennessee.

7. Davidson County, Tennessee, Declaration of intention no. 149, Michael Dyer, 23 March 1853. Metropolitan Government Archives, Nashville Public Library, Nashville, Tennessee.

8. Harris, Ruth-Ann M., Donald M. Jacobs, and B. Emer O’Keeffe, editors. Searching for Missing Friends: Irish Immigrant Advertisements Placed in “The Boston Pilot 1831–1920”. Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1989, p. 114.

9. Harris, Ruth-Ann M., Donald M. Jacobs, and B. Emer O’Keeffe, editors. Searching for Missing Friends: Irish Immigrant Advertisements Placed in “The Boston Pilot 1831–1920”. Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1989, pp. 373-374.

10. Harris, Ruth-Ann M., Donald M. Jacobs, and B. Emer O’Keeffe, editors. Searching for Missing Friends: Irish Immigrant Advertisements Placed in “The Boston Pilot 1831–1920”. Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1989, pp. 373-374.

11. Death notice, Michael Allen and Michael Dougherty. Republican Banner (Nashville, TN), 19 Nov 1874, p. 4.

12. "Mrs. Long's Will: Leaves Houses and Lots to Nieces, Misses Slowey and Gatlin." Nashville American, 29 March 1907, p. 12.

13. Tennessee Department of Public Health, Division of Vital Statistics. Death certificate no. 1262, Mary Elizabeth Slowey, 1943. Ancestry.com. Tennessee, Death Records, 1908-1958 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.

14. Davidson County, Tennessee. Marriage license and return, William M. Gatlin and Sarah C. Dyer, June 1881. Metropolitan Government Archives, Nashville Public Library, Nashville, Tennessee.

15. 1870 United States Census, Nashville Ward 6, Davidson County, Tennessee, population schedule, p. 20, dwelling 170, family 196. Ancestry.com. 1870 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009.

16. 1880 United States Census, Nashville, Davidson County, Tennessee, population schedule, enumeration district 36, p. 1, dwelling 3, family 3. Ancestry.com and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 1880 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2010.

17. "For Killing Tom Fagan." Nashville American, 25 Feb 1896, p. 5.

18. 1880 United States Census, Nashville, Davidson County, Tennessee, population schedule, enumeration district 43, p. 38, dwelling 288, family 428. Ancestry.com and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 1880 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2010.

19. Davidson County, Tennessee. Marriage license and return, John Cox and Mary Dyer, April 1871. Metropolitan Government Archives, Nashville Public Library, Nashville, Tennessee.

20. "Mrs. Sarah Fagan Dead." Nashville American, 14 Feb 1904, p. 12.

21. 1880 United States Census, Nashville, Davidson County, Tennessee, population schedule, enumeration district 43, p. 38, dwelling 288, family 428. Ancestry.com and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 1880 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2010.

22. Tennessee, County Marriages, 1790-1950, database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X81Z-9ZY : 21 December 2016), Owen Mc Donough and Nellie Cox, 06 Mar 1899; citing , Davidson, Tennessee, United States, Marriage, p. , Tennessee State Library and Archives, Nashville and county clerk offices from various counties; FHL microfilm 200,300.

23. Nashville, Davidson County, Tennessee. City Health Department. Division of Vital Statistics. Affidavit for correcting a record, John R. Gatlin. Ancestry.com. Tennessee, Delayed Birth Records, 1869-1909 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012.

24. World War II draft registration for John Reynold Gatlin, serial no. 1326, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois. The National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; Draft Registration Cards for Fourth Registration for Illinois, 04/27/1942 - 04/27/1942; NAI Number: 623284; Record Group Title: Records of the Selective Service System; Record Group Number: 147. Ancestry.com. U.S., World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.

25. Irish Surnames. <https://www.johngrenham.com/surnames/>

Tuesday's Tip: Cemetery Web Sites

When searching for information on your ancestors, it is worthwhile to check the Web sites of the cemeteries that they are buried in. Sometimes they contain useful information.

The Web site of Calvary Cemetery in Nashville, Tennessee has a burial lookup feature. The information provided included the date of burial, the location of the burial plot, and whether the person was a veteran. Until I searched this Web site, I did not know when my 3rd-great-grandmother's second husband John Cox had died, since his name is so common and I did not know much about him. There are two men named John Cox who were buried in Calvary Cemetery, within two years of each other, but I knew which was the right person because only one was buried in the same plot as my 3rd-great-grandmother.

The Web site of Spring Grove Cemetery in Cincinnati, Ohio has even more information. Members of my aunt's family are buried there. The Web site has a genealogy search section which can be searched by name or location. When you get a list of search results, you can click on a person's name and you will see a PDF of the burial card for that person. The cards include information such as age at death, place of birth, place of death (street address), last  residence, date of death, date and time of burial, location of grave, cause of death, parents' names, name of the burial plot owner, and relationship of the deceased to the burial plot owner. When I found the burial card for my aunt's great-grandmother Mary Jane (Lewis) Oliver, I learned that her mother's maiden name was Spooner.

Thriller Thursday: Tom Cox Rescues Sister

On 13 December 1897, my 2nd-great-grandmother's half-brother Tom Cox was arrested for assault. He had gone to Jessie Shivers' "house of ill fame" at 613 Line Street, Nashville, Tennessee on Saturday, 11 December 1897. Line Street was the center of Nashville's red-light district. Jessie Shivers claimed that Tom had threatened to kill her and the other residents of the house, and that he had hit her hands with a pistol and broken her ring.

Tom had gone to 613 Line Street to rescue his sister Nellie. She had run away from home and had ended up at Jessie Shivers' house. Tom explained his reasons for coming to the house, but was refused entry. Nellie escaped out a window after hearing Tom's voice.

The officer that had been called to the scene, Patrolman Bergin, testified that he had not found a pistol when he searched Tom. Judge Anderson dismissed the case against Tom. 

Tom was frequently in trouble with the law. It seems believable that he would have been carrying a pistol. But whether he was or not, he also seems to have been trying to look out for his sister. Since Nellie escaped when she had the chance, she apparently wanted to leave Jessie Shivers' house.

References
"He Was Not in the Wrong." Nashville American, 15 December 1897, p. 5.
"She Prefers Charges." Nashville American, 14 December 1897, p. 5.
Wills, Ridley. Nashville Streets and Their Stories. Franklin, TN: Plumbline Media, 2012.

Nashville American, 14 December 1897, page 5

Nashville American, 15 December 1897, page 5

Talented Tuesday: Nellie (Cox) McDonough

My 2nd-great-grandmother's half-sister Nellie (Cox) McDonough was a good waltzer. She won a prize in a waltzing contest at Shelby Park in East Nashville, Tennessee in 1899 for being the best waltzer on the floor. Her husband Owen McDonough also won a prize in the contest.

Nashville American, 5 September 1899, page 8

Sunday's Obituary: John Cox

Daily American (Nashville, TN), 3 August 1878, page 4

DIED.

  COX –On the 2d of August, JOHN COX.
  The funeral will take place from the residence o T. Fagan, North Vine street, at 2 o'clock P.M. to-day (Saturday), to which friends and acquaintances are respectfully invited.

John Cox was the second husband of my 3rd-great-grandmother Mary, the widow of Michael Dyer. They married on 10 April 1871 at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Nashville, Tennessee. They had four children: Annie (born about 1872); Thomas (born 6 March 1875), William, (born about 1876), and Nellie (born October 1877). He died on 2 August 1878. He was buried in Calvary Cemetery in Nashville (Section 10, Lot 3, Space 2).

Wedding Wednesday: Eventful Time for the Cox Family

On 6 March 1899, my 2nd-great-grandmother's half-sister Nellie Cox married Owen McDonough in Davidson County, Tennessee. The March 7, 1899 issue of the Nashville American contains an announcement that the couple had obtained a marriage license.

Nashville American, 7 March 1899, page 5

On the same page of the newspaper, there is more news about the Cox family. Nellie's brother Tom Cox was on trial for the murder of William Freeman. It was announced that his case was continued until March 27. (It ended in a mistrial.)

Nashville American, 7 March 1899, page 5

52 Ancestors: Week 50 "Naughty": Michael J. Dyer

Many members of my family would be good choices for this week's 52 Ancestors theme, "Naughty." I have written about many of them already. I keep finding more and more "black sheep." This week I will focus on my 2nd-great-grandmother's brother Michael J. "Mike" Dyer, who only recently was added to the "naughty list" of relatives after I did more research in newspapers.

Mike was born about 1868 in Tennessee, probably Nashville (his family's place of residence). He was the son of Irish immigrants Mary and Michael Dyer. In 1870, Mike's father committed suicide. His mother remarried John Cox in 1871, but was widowed in 1878.

In 1884, Mike and his friends Patrick Kane and David Hanley (or Harley) ran away from home. Mike stole $40 from his mother's grocery store and got on a train in Nashville. They stopped at Louisville, Kentucky to buy revolvers, and then got off the train in Cincinnati, Ohio. They wanted to go West. They had been reading about Jesse James and Buffalo Bill, and wanted to scalp Indians and experience the Wild West. But they were hungry and broke, so they tried to sell their guns, and were arrested. Telegraphs were sent to their families.

Daily American (Nashville, TN), 17 April 1884, page 4

The "Bound for the Plains" article, which was published in the 17 April 1884 issue of the Cincinnati Enquirer,was reprinted in the Nashville newspaper Daily American, 18 April 1884.

 

Cincinnati Enquirer, 17 April 1884, page 4

In May 1888, Mike was charged with assault with intent to kill.

Daily American (Nashville, TN), 8 May 1888, page 4

In February 1892, Mike shot at William Dunn, who was engaged in a fight with Dave Farrell, and one of the bullets hit Dunn's thigh. Mike's half-brother Tom Cox then whipped out a knife and cut Dunn's neck.

Daily American (Nashville. TN), 27 February 1892, page 3

Shortly afterward, Mike appeared in City Court on the charges of assault with and carrying a pistol and shooting in corporate limits.

 Daily American (Nashville, TN), 1 March 1892, page 3

In 1893, Mike was charged with carrying weapons.

Daily American (Nashville, TN), 6 September 1893, page 4

In September 1894, Mike was arrested for gaming and was fined $10.

Nashville Daily American, 11 September 1894, page 6

On December 12, 1895, Mike and Charles Neyman got into a fight.  Charles, who claimed that Mike started the fight, hit Mike on the head with a hammer. Mike's skull was fractured, and several pieces of bone had to be removed. It was reported that he would recover.

Nashville American, 14 December 1895, page 6

However, on 24 December 1895, Mike died at his mother's home.

Nashville American, 25 December 1895, page 5

Two days after Mike's death notice was published, an item appeared in the newspaper which provided more information. Mike died of "congestion of brain."  He must have died as a result of the blow on his head. I wonder if Charles Neylan was charged with murder. He should have been.

Nashville American, 27 December 1895, page 5

Mike's half-brother William Cox died on 2 March 1896. When William was buried, Mike's body was removed from a vault and buried at the same time.

Nashville American, 3 March 1896, page 4

Sympathy Saturday: Card of Thanks, Family of George Hanley Fant

Nashville Tennesseean, 28 November 1913, page 13

George Hanley Fant, the former brother-in-law of my 2nd-great-grandmother's half-brother Tom Cox, died on 22 November 1918 in Nashville, Tennessee. His World War I draft registration card shows that he was a resident of Paducah, McCracken County, Kentucky on 22 September 1918.

A card of thanks was published in the Nashville Tennessean by his family: his brother-in-law and sister John B. and Laura (Fant) Robinson, his sister Kate (Fant) Cox (Tom Cox's ex-wife), and his niece Annie Cox (Kate and Tom Cox's daughter).

Thriller Thursday: A Shot in the Dark

In May 1897, the Trocadero opened in Nashville, Tennessee. The theater catered to families; women and children could attend (although the women had to be escorted). High-class vaudeville artists performed at the Trocadero.

Nashville American, 1 May 1897, page 5

The opening performance on the night of 3 May 1897 was well attended, and the audience enjoyed the performance.

Nashville American, 4 May 1897, page 3

On the following night, 4 May 1897, things did not go as smoothly. While the lights were out, a shot was heard. The audience began to panic, thinking that a fight had broken out. However, there was no fight. My 2nd-great-grandmother's half-brother Tom Cox was in attendance. He had been drinking whiskey, and in his drunken state, decided to fire his pistol in the theater! He was immediately kicked out by security. He was lucky that he was not arrested.

 Nashville American, 5 May 1897, page 2

52 Ancestors: Week 42 "Proud": Nancy Tarkington

I am proud of a recent discovery that I made. Although I do not yet have sufficient proof that the discovery relates to a direct ancestor, if my theory about my 3rd-great-grandfather Joseph Tarkington's parentage (that he was the son of Joseph S. Tarkington and Amelia Owen/Owens/Owings) is correct, I have learned more about his ancestry.

On page 118 of Probate Genealogy of Williamson County, Tennessee (1799-1832) by Albert L. Johnson, Jr. (Franklin, TN: Genealogy Pubs, 2002), there is a reference to guardianship records, minute book 1, page 267. William Tarkington was appointed guardian for Amelia (Milly) Owens, the minor orphan daughter of Elijah and Nancy Owens. Isaac Tarkington and Benjamin Tarkington [William's sons] were sureties. Page 32 of Williamson County, Tennessee County Court Minutes, May 1806-April 1812 by Carol Wells (Westminster, MD: Heritage Books, 2008) contains additional information: on 17 April 1807, William Tarkington was appointed guardian of Amelia Owings, minor orphan of Elijah Owings. Bond was $5000, and Isaac Tarkington and Benj. Tarkington were his security.

I decided to do more research on Amelia's family to try to find evidence that could help me prove my theory. When the Tennessee, Wills and Probate Records, 1779-2008 collection was added to Ancestry.com, I located the probate file for Elijah Owings. What a find that was!

In addition to Elijah's will and estate inventory, the file included documents pertaining to the sale of his land. In 1806, a portion of Elijah's land on the Big Harpeth River in Williamson County, Tennessee was sold to pay his debts. He had appointed his widow Nancy executrix of the will. Two of the parties named in an indenture dated 17 November 1806 were "Nancy Cox formerly Nancy Owings Executrix of the last will & testament of Elijah Owings deceased & James Cox husband to said Nancy."

Elijah Owings probate file. Tennessee County, District and Probate Courts. Williamson County, Tennessee. Ancestry.com. Tennessee, Wills and Probate Records, 1779-2008 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015. 

The names Nancy Cox and James Cox were familiar to me. Nancy Cox, the wife of James Cox, was the daughter of William Tarkington. William Tarkington's will mentions his daughter Nancy Cox, his son-in-law James Cox, and their children Jesse and Caroline Cox.

Ancestry.com. Tennessee Divorce and Other Records, 1800-1965 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2007. Original data: Tennessee. County records. Nashville, Tennessee: Tennessee State Library and Archives. Microfilm roll numbers 99 to 108, 115, 336 to 337, 428 to 431, 519, A-4098, A-5278, B-1 to B-9, B-44 to B-127, B-314, B-441 to B-445, B-471 to B-473, B-1607 to B-1613, and B-1781 to B-1789. Williamson County: Divorce Files, 1900-1950; Divorce, Probate, and Other Records, 1800-1899; School Censuses, 1838-1918; Miscellaneous Records (ex. Apprentice, Land Sales, Liquor Licenses, Slave Records); Birth and Death Records, 1920-1939).

Nancy Owings was Nancy Tarkington! James Cox was her second husband. No wonder William Tarkington was Amelia Owens' guardian; he was her maternal grandfather. A guardian was probably appointed for her because her mother was selling some of her father's land.

If my theory is correct, I have identified the maiden name of Joseph Tarkington's maternal grandmother, and he had Tarkington ancestors on both sides of his family.

52 Ancestors: Week 37 "Large Family": Sarah Claire "Sadie" Dyer

Since this week's 52 Ancestors theme is "Large Family," it is a good time to write about my 2nd-great-grandmother Sarah Claire "Sadie" Dyer, who was the mother of ten children.

Sadie was born in Nashville, Tennessee on 8 October 1863. She was the second child of Mary and Michael Dyer. Her older sister, Mary E. "Mollie" Dyer, was born about 1860. Mollie and Sadie had a younger brother, Michael J. Dyer, who was born about 1868.

Sadie's parents had a troubled marriage. Her father physically abused her mother. When Sadie was six and a half years old, her father committed suicide by shooting himself in the head.

Sadie's mother Mary married John Cox in 1871. Mary and John had four children: Annie Cox, born about 1872; Thomas "Tom" Cox, born on 6 March 1875; William Cox, born about 1876; and Nellie Cox, born October 1877. John Cox died in 1878.

On 26 June 1881, Sadie married John William Morton Gatlin (usually known as William M. Gatlin).

Davidson County, Tennessee marriage license, William M. Gatlin and Sarah C. Dyer. 25 June 1881. Nashville, Tennessee: Metropolitan Government Archives.

William and Sadie were the parents of ten children:

Mary Florence Gatlin (born 1 September 1882): She was probably named after William's sister Mary Florence Gatlin, who died in 1881. Also, William and Sadie's mothers were both named Mary.

Henry Brown Gatlin (my great-grandfather, born 28 June 1884): In the 1890s, Sadie's brother Michael worked for a man named Henry Brown. My great-grandfather may have been named after this man. He may have been a relative, but if he is, I have not yet discovered the connection.

William D. Gatlin (born 10 December 1866): He was probably named after William's father William Dow Gatlin. Also, his father was named William, and Sadie's half-brother was named William.

John Reynold Gatlin (born 10 April 1889): His father was enumerated in the 1860 United States Census as "John W. M. Gatlin." Sadie's stepfather and William's paternal grandfather were named John.

Anna Elizabeth Gatlin (born 3 December 1890): She may have been named after Sadie's half-sister Annie Cox.

Walter Raymond Gatlin (born 16 October 1893)

Michael Joseph Gatlin (born 9 April 1896): He was probably named after Sadie's brother Michael J. Dyer. He may also have been named after Sadie's father.

Clarence Joseph Gatlin (born 9 September 1898): He was probably named after William's brother Clarence Bateman Gatlin.

Bruce E. Gatlin (born 26 December 1900): He was probably named after Andrew Marshall, who was one of the founders of Marshall & Bruce (William's longtime employer).

Marshall J. Gatlin (born 24 June 1903): He was probably named after J. H. Bruce, who was one of the founders of Marshall & Bruce (William's longtime employer).

Sadie's son Henry and his wife had moved to Chicago, Illinois by 1910. William and Sadie and most of their children followed them there shortly afterward. Florence and her husband were living in Bloomington, Indiana, and William D. was in the Southern Illinois Penitentiary. Most of Sadie's siblings had passed away by the time that the family left Nashville  (Michael in 1895, William in 1896, Annie in 1898, Mollie in 1902, and Tom in 1905 (he committed suicide to escape execution for killing a police officer). William's father died in 1911. They may have wanted to make a fresh start elsewhere and be near their grandson Henry Cornelius Gatlin (my paternal grandfather.)

My grandfather was raised Catholic. I don't think his mother was Catholic before her marriage, and his father, who had bigamously married his mother, does not seem the religious type. I suspect that Sadie may have insisted that her grandson be raised Catholic; she was from a Catholic family.

When Sadie's son Henry filed for divorce from his first wife, Sadie testified in court on his behalf. (She did not mention that he had already remarried and had a son.)

Superior Court of Cook County, Illinois. Henry B. Gatlin vs. Rose Gatlin, case no. 320403. Certificate of Evidence. Testimony of Sadie C. Gatlin, 18 March 1916.

Sadie outlived four of her children. Her son Michael died of bronchopneumonia in 1918. In 1919, her son William was shot by a guard in the Illinois State Prison (Joliet) after he attempted to attack another guard and refused to obey orders. Her son Marshall died of tuberculous peritonitis in 1923. Sadie's husband William died of a cerebral hemorrhage in 1933, and their daughter Florence died of organic heart disease in 1944.

According to the 1940 United States Census, Sadie had completed eighth grade.

1940 United States Census, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, population schedule, enumeration district 103-2845, sheet no. 12A. Ancestry.com. 1940 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012.

Sadie died of myocarditis on 20 January 1945 in St. Joseph's Hospital, Chicago, Illinois. She had also been suffering from arteriosclerosis. Her parents' names were listed as "unknown" on her death certificate (which was very disappointing to me, since I am still searching for her mother's maiden name.) The informant was "hospital records." I wonder why none of her children supplied information.

Certificate of death, Sadie C. Gatlin. State of Illinois, Department of Public Health. No. 2015. 20 January 1945.

Chicago Tribune, 21 January 1945, page A6

Sadie was buried in St. Joseph's Cemetery in River Grove, Cook County, Illinois.

52 Ancestors: Week 26 "Halfway": Annie Cox

The theme for Week 26 of the 52 Ancestors Challenge is "Halfway." I have chosen to write about Annie Cox because she was my great-great-grandmother Sarah Claire "Sadie" Dyer's half-sister, and because her life was short (actually, less than half the length that she could have lived).

Annie was born about 1872 in Tennessee (probably Nashville, since that is where her family lived). She was the first child that my 3rd-great-grandmother Mary had with her second husband John Cox. Annie lost her father when she was about six years old; John Cox died in 1878. In 1880, Mary Cox headed the household. Annie was then known as Nannie. She and her older half-brother Mike Dyer were attending school.

1880 United States census, Nashville, Davidson County, Tennessee, population schedule, enumeration district 43, page no. 38. Ancestry.com and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 1880 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2010. 

The 1895-1897 Nashville city directories list Annie as an operator working at 180 N. College. While researching my Tarkington relatives (on another line), I learned that this was the Cumberland Telephone & Telegraph Co. Annie and my other relatives were telephone operators. Annie lived in the household of her mother, who was a grocer. They were listed at a different address in each directory.

Nashville City Directory, vol. 31, 1895. Joel Davis, comp. Nashville: Marshall & Bruce. Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1821-1989 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.

Nashville City Directory, vol. 32, 1896. Joel Davis, comp. Nashville: Marshall & Bruce. Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1821-1989 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.

Nashville City Directory, vol. 33, 1897. Joel Davis, comp. Nashville: Marshall & Bruce. Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1821-1989 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. 

Annie lost two siblings during this time. Her older half-brother Michael J. Dyer died of congestion of the brain on 24 December 1895, and her younger brother William Cox died from abscess of the lungs on 2 March 1896.

Annie died in Nashville, Tennessee on 19 July 1898. She was only 26 years old. Her cause of death was pulmonary tuberculosis. Her funeral was held at the Cathedral of Nashville (now St. Mary's Catholic Church). She was buried in Calvary Cemetery,  Section 10, Lot 3, Space 11 on 20 July 1898.

My great-great-grandmother Sadie (Dyer) Gatlin's daughter Anna Elizabeth Gatlin may have been named after Annie (whose given name was probably Anna.)

Annie Cox death record. Ancestry.com. Tennessee, City Death Records, 1872-1923 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012. Original data: Tennessee City Death Records Nashville, Knoxville, Chattanooga, Memphis 1848-1907. Nashville, Tennessee: Tennessee State Library and Archives.

Annie Cox death record (2nd half of page.) Ancestry.com. Tennessee, City Death Records, 1872-1923 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012. Original data: Tennessee City Death Records Nashville, Knoxville, Chattanooga, Memphis 1848-1907. Nashville, Tennessee: Tennessee State Library and Archives.

 Nashville Banner, 20 July 1898, page 7

Friend of Friends Friday: Will of William Tarkington

On 22 April 1831 in Williamson County, Tennessee, William Tarkington wrote his will. He died by January 1833, when the will was recorded.

Source for all images: Ancestry.com. Tennessee Divorce and Other Records, 1800-1965 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2007. Original data: Tennessee. County records. Nashville, Tennessee: Tennessee State Library and Archives. Microfilm roll numbers 99 to 108, 115, 336 to 337, 428 to 431, 519, A-4098, A-5278, B-1 to B-9, B-44 to B-127, B-314, B-441 to B-445, B-471 to B-473, B-1607 to B-1613, and B-1781 to B-1789. Williamson County: Divorce Files, 1900-1950; Divorce, Probate, and Other Records, 1800-1899; School Censuses, 1838-1918; Miscellaneous Records (ex. Apprentice, Land Sales, Liquor Licenses, Slave Records); Birth and Death Records, 1920-1939).

I have transcribed the portions of the will which mention William Tarkington's slaves.

First I give and bequeath to my grand Son William Tarkinton Son of Isaac Tarkinton one Negro Boy named America to him and his heirs forever

6th I give and bequeath to my grand Son Jesse Cox Son of James Cox one Negro Boy Named Gabriel to him and his heirs forever

8th I give and bequeath unto Catharine Phelps reputed daughter of Isaac Tillett deceased my grand Son Eighty Dollars when of age or married to be Raised out of the Sales of Morris and Peter

9th I give and Bequeath unto my Son Isaac Tarkinton Mary Hassell the heirs of Nancy Cox (as one share) Sarah Tillett Hanah Tarkinton the Heirs of Benjamin Tarkinton Deceased that is unmarried (as one share) Elizabeth Prewitt the Ballance of the price of the Sales of Peter and Morris to them and their Heirs for ever

10th it is my will and desire that after my Departure the Said Two Negroes Named Morris and Peter Shall be Sold by my Executor on a Credit of Twelve Months and he to be Careful to take Bond and good Surety for the purchase Money

Thriller Thursday: Back from the Dead?

Nashville Globe, 8 March 1907, page 7. Available from Chronicling America.

My great-great-grandmother's half-brother Thomas "Tom" Cox committed suicide in the county jail in Nashville, Tennessee on 3 May 1905, before he could be executed for killing police officer Ben Dowell. Almost two years later, the above report appeared in the Nashville Globe.

I have a copy of Tom Cox's death certificate, as well as newspaper articles about his death, including one that stated that his remains were at the home of his brother-in-law William Gatlin (my great-great-grandfather) for viewing by friends and family before his funeral at St. Mary's Cathedral. I do not think that he was still alive in 1907. It is interesting that someone reported seeing Tom in Chicago, though. My great-grandfather Henry Brown Gatlin and his brother William D. Gatlin had moved to Chicago in 1904. Henry moved back to Nashville after marrying Rose Kuenninger in December 1905, but Rose may have been from Chicago, and the couple could have returned for a visit. William was arrested for robbery and sent to Southern Illinois Penitentiary in Chester, Randolph County, Illinois. I have not yet learned the date of his arrest, but it may have been after 8 March 1907. He escaped from Southern Illinois Penitentiary twice. Maybe the person who believed that he saw Tom Cox actually saw one of Tom's nephews.

52 Ancestors: Week 3 "Tough Woman": Mary (Unknown) Dyer Cox

For Week 3 of the 52 Ancestors Challenge, Amy Johnson Crow's optional theme is Tough Woman: "Who is a tough, strong woman in your family tree? Or what woman has been tough to research?" My 3rd-great-grandmother Mary is both. Although have had some success researching her, I still do not know her maiden name, her date of birth, her birthplace in Ireland, or the date and place of her first marriage.

Mary was born about 1835 according to the 1860 United States Census, the earliest record of her that I have found. Her date of birth varies in records and she seems to have gotten younger as the years passed!

In 1860, Mary lived with her husband Michael Dyer and their baby daughter Mary in St. Louis, Missouri. Another family also lived in their household: Martin and Anne Wallace and their children Sarah, William, Ellen, and James. Martin and Anne were both born in Ireland. Based on the women's ages, country of birth, and the names of family members, I think that Anne may have been Mary's sister. Unfortunately I have not been able to locate the Wallace family in later records.

According to the 1860 and 1900 United States censuses, Michael and Mary's daughter Mary (also known as Mollie) was born in Missouri. However, according to the 1870 United States census, she was born in Kentucky, and according to the 1880 United States census, she was born in Louisiana. The Dyer family may have lived in these states. They were in Nashville, Tennessee by the time that my 2nd-great-grandmother Sarah Claire "Sadie" Dyer was born on 8 October 1863.

In January 1866, Michael Dyer left Nashville, and left his family. Mary placed an advertisement in the Boston Pilot, beginning 6 October 1866, in hopes of locating him. Michael eventually returned to his family. Michael and Mary's son Michael was born about 1868.

On 20 June 1868, Mary was bound over for appearance before Justices Smith and Mathews for using abusive language toward Ellen Foley. The costs were paid on 26 June 1868.

On 21 October 1869, Mary's husband Michael was arrested for badly beating her. On 22 October 1869, Mary filed for divorce. On 25 October 1869, Michael stabbed Mary in the face, breast, and shoulders. She was so badly injured that it was not known if she would recover. A Kentucky newspaper actually reported that she had died! She did not go through with the divorce, but her marriage ended on 3 June 1870, when her husband committed suicide. Later that month, Mary and her three children were enumerated in the 1870 United States census in the household of Jasper Cohen.

On 10 April 1871, Mary married John Cox at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Nashville. They had four children: Nannie, later known as Annie, born about 1872; Thomas, born 6 March 1875; William, born about 1876; and Nellie, born October 1877. In the 1880 United States census, Mary was listed as a widow.

Mary ran a grocery and saloon. On 19 May 1892, she applied for a building permit for a fence.The cost was $20.

Mary outlived all but two of her children. Her son Michael Dyer died from congestion of the brain on 24 December 1895. Her son William Cox died of abscess of the lungs on 2 March 1896. Her daughter Annie Cox died of pulmonary tuberculosis on 19 July 1898. Her daughter Mary "Mollie" (Dyer) Hughes died of uterine cancer on 12 August 1902. Her son Thomas "Tom" Cox was convicted of murder and sentenced to death, but on 3 May 1905, before he could be executed, he committed suicide in the Davidson County Jail in Nashville.

By 1900, Mary was living alone. She died of capillary bronchitis in Nashville, Tennessee on 10 November 1906. Her funeral was held at St. Mary's Catholic Church, and she was buried in Calvary Cemetery in Nashville on 11 November 1906.

Nashville Union and Dispatch, 21 June 1868, page 3

Nashville Union and Dispatch, 27 June 1868, page 3

Nashville Union and Dispatch, 23 October 1869, page 4

 Pulaski Citizen, 5 November 1869, page 4. Another example of a premature obituary!

Davidson County, Tennessee marriage license, John Cox and Mary Dyer. 10 April 1871. Nashville, Tennessee: Metropolitan Government Archives.

Davidson County, Tennessee marriage license and return, John Cox and Mary Dyer. 10 April 1871. Nashville, Tennessee: Metropolitan Government Archives.

 Nashville City Directory. Vol. 26, 1890. Compiled by Joel Davis. Nashville, Tennessee: Marshall & Bruce, 1890. Page 225. Available from Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1821-1989 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.

Mary Cox death certificate, 10 November 1906. Tennessee City Death Records: Nashville, Knoxville, Chattanooga, Memphis 1848-1907. Nashville, Tennessee: Tennessee State Library and Archives. Available from Ancestry.com. Tennessee, City Death Records, 1872-1923 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012. 

Nashville American, 11 November 1906, page 17

Tuesday's Tip: City Directories May Contain Death Dates

If a person has died, the next city directory published in the community may indicate that the person has died, and it may include the person's date of death.

Nashville City Directory. Vol. 33, 1897. Compiled by Joel Davis. Nashville, Tennessee, Marshall & Bruce, 1897. Page 299. Available from Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1821-1989 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.

Nashville City Directory. Vol. 34, 1898. Compiled by Joel Davis. Nashville, Tennessee, Marshall & Bruce, 1898. Page 424. Available from Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1821-1989 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. 

The death dates of William Cox and John G. Gatlin were published in Nashville city directories. William Cox was the half-brother of my 2nd-great-grandmother Sarah Claire "Sadie" Dyer. John G. Gatlin was the brother of my 3rd-great-grandfather William Dow Gatlin.