Find A Grave

My new favorite genealogy website is www.findagrave.com. I'm pretty sure I am late to the party as there are 36 MILLION graves listed.

My best find so far, is B. H. Shamblin. He is my husband's great-grandfather's brother. With the date of death and cemetery info, I was able to order the death certificate from the state of Tennessee. Hoping for info on B.H.'s parents.

Hardy Benson and family

This is Isaac Benson's brother, Hardy Benson, his wife Nancy and their kids.
Hardy was born in Arkansas in 1860. He married Nancy Bowser in 1883. I believe they had 7 kids, all born in Texas: Olive, Millford, Lillie, Isaac Hardy, Rosa, Charlie and Minnie Ruth.
Hardy died in 1904. He is buried in Pleasant Valley Cemetery, Dallas County.

On the 1910 Census, Nancy and her kids are living next to Isaac, Sabrina and their family. However, the head of household is listed as Nancy's son, Millford. By the 1920 Census, they seem to have a whole Benson compound and are living on "Benson Tap Road."

Nancy died in 1929. However, she is not buried with Hardy. I found her death certificate but I still haven't found where she was buried.

Here are a few pictures of some of their kids. One is a snapshot, the rest almost look like engagement photos.

This is labeled "cousin Hardy and his wife." I believe his name is Isaac Hardy Benson (b. 1890) and the wife is Mary Bayless (b. 1896). They married in Dallas County in 1913 and had 5 kids.

Charlie Benson (b.1896) and his wife Mae Haynes (b. 1902 d. 1988)

Lillie Benson (b. 1888) and her husband. His last name is Miller, don't know his first name.

Rosa Benson (b. 1894 d.1976) and her husband Robert Lee McFadden (b.1887 d.1954) They were married in Dallas County in 1910. They had one son, Cecil McFadden.

Benson Family Bible

Isaac Benson's family Bible.

Inside is stamped "Hull & Tipton Booksellers & Stationers Harrison Ark."


As you can see it is pretty bad shape. The below pages have come out completely.

Isaac Benson

My great grandfather, Isaac Benson was born 1853 in Tennessee to William Rodman Benson and Jane ______. When he was about 3 years old, he, his parents and at least one sister, Margaret, moved to Arkansas. Over the next six years, Jane had three more boys; Jackson, Hardy and William.

In 1871, Isaac's Mother died. Jane is buried at Zion Hill Cemetery near Green Forest, Arkansas. In 1872 William Benson (Isaac's Dad) married Nancy Johnson. They had three kids, Rosa, Milfred and Lottie. William died in 1876 and is also buried in Zion Hill.

In 1876, Isaac married Sabrina Florence Arney. Between 1877 and 1888 they had six children. In 1890, Isaac bought 40 acres of land in Carroll County. http://www.glorecords.blm.gov/

Around 1892, Isaac and Sabrina move to Rowlett, Texas. The story is that all the kids walked except the one boy who had a very dark complexion because Sabrina thought the Indians would believe they had stolen him.

Either Isaac's brother Hardy and his family come with them or shortly thereafter. At some point, Sabrina's Father, Henry and step-mother, Minerva Baker, also come to Texas. In 1894, Isaac and Sabrina have one more baby.

Isaac, Sabrina and their kids, probably taken around 1895.

Isaac standing in front of what I believe is his house in Rowlett. No idea who the lady is standing on the porch.

I cannot figure out where in Tennessee Isaac was born. I have not been able to find anything else out about William Rodman and his wife Jane.

This is a Spangler Family Tree that my Grandmother had. This is not her handwriting and I do not know who did this. I also do not know how accurate it is.

Also had this laminated picture labeled Jacob Spanger. Not sure which Jacob Spangler as we have more that one.

Mary Montgomery Searcy

Obit for Mary Montgomery Searcy, I scanned it for someone so thought I would post it. Hopefully if you click on it, it becomes big enough to read. Very sad, she was only 23 with two small kids and got TB.

Veterans Day

Veterans Day started as Armistice Day after World War I. This is my grandfather's letter home written the next day.

In 1954, November 11 became the day to honor all veterans. Here are my veterans:

Vietnam my cousin

Korea my Dad

World War II my Dad and Uncle, my Father-in-law and his brother. A cousin who was taken prisoner and received Combat Infantry Badge

World War I my grandfather, and my grandmother's brother (who possibly served his tour in Africa)

Civil War
Benjamin Griffith 140 Reg’t Indiana Infantry enlisted September 15, 1864
John Leachman 54th Kentucky
Charles Brooks 155 Illinois Infantry enlisted February 15, 1865
John H. Cate 3rd Tennessee Infantry enlisted February 1862, captured London, Kentucky August 1862
Elijah Cate (John’s son) 3rd Tennessee Infantry enlisted January 1863 died May 1863
Andrew DeShields 2 Reg’t Missouri Infantry enlisted August 7, 1862

Revolutionary War

Richard Lewis
Joseph Spangler

Seems like William Rodman Benson and Henry Arney should have served in the Civil War based on their ages and locations. They were both in Arkansas, although Henry went to Illinois and then came back after the war. There are also lots of Shamblin from Tennesse that served in the Civil War so probably some of those are related somehow.