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Born 14 Mar 1837 MS
Died 24 May 1902 - buried College Mound
Md - 20 May 1854 James William Love
1820 - 1865 / son of William Love & Nancy Kirk
Md -25 Jan 1866 - David Mitchell Weatherford - divorced 1877
1843 - 1878 / son of D M Weatherford & Martha Jane Peters
Md -10 Nov 1880 - William E Thompson
Circa 1845 - 1882
Md - 12 Apr 1888 - Frederick Avery Massey
1826 - 1900 - buried Mt Olive, Scurry
HER PARENTS
Obadiah Martin "Marty" STEPHENSON
1803 - 1868
Kaufman Co Probate file # 6-B - dated 29 Mar 1868
O M Stephenson owned slaves as shown on the 1853-1861 Tax Schedules. On the 1853 & 1856 Tax Schedules his name is given as "Marty Stephenson".
1830 CENSUS - Lawrence Co AL
1840 CENSUS - Jackson Co AR
*he was Jackson Co AR Judge 1842-1844
1850 Harrirson Co TX Census as:
Stevenson O M -48 - GA - farmer, L. 43 GA wife, M. 17 -AL -son, E.J. 13 - MS -dau, Wm. 6 - AR -son, F. 1- TX - dau
1860 Kaufman Co TX Census as:
Household # 131/131 O M Stephenson 57 W M - GA -3300/4145, Eliza wife 53-GA, William son-16-AR-in school, Fidelia 11-TX- dau
Louisa "Eliza" WALKER
1807 - 1873
Md - 30 Nov 1824 Lawrence Co AL
She was enumerated living alone on 1870 Kaufman Co TX Census:
Louisa Stevenson age 61 GA HH# 2000/2000
DETAILS ON ELIZA JANE
Married James William Love - Kaufman Co TX - 20 May 1854
He had inherited land, livestock & slaves from his father's estate, including the land where the Poor Farm is situated.
CHILDREN WITH LOVE
1. Laura Francis Love
Born 1855 (She was 5 years old on the 1860 Census.)
Died 15 Apr 1865 - buried Love Family (Kaufman Pioneer)
2. Mary Nancy Love
Born 5 Jul 1856
Died 16 Nov 1869 - According to the 1870 Kaufman Co Mortality Schedule she died from Typhoid Fever. Buried Love Family
3. John William Love
Born circa 1858
Died 1879 - was run over by horses in a corral that were spooked by thunderstorm-
probably buried Love Family/Kaufman Pioneer
James Love left for more than 2 years for service in CSA in 1862- According to Tax Records he left her with 5 slaves, 30 head cattle, 11 horses & mules, 40 hogs, 10 sheep, & more than 1400 acres of land to farm.
According to memoirs of Mollie Carter Kelley (1/2 sister to D M Weatherford), during the civil war Eliza helped 2 women who had a "sick Camp" of CSA soldiers from Kaufman & Ellis Counties, near where Beck's Chapel is now located. Most of the men were members of W H Parsons' cavalry regiment who had enlisted at Rockett Springs in Ellis Co, just on other side of Trinity river, and they immediately became ill while training there.
Evidently Eliza had small pox when young and was able to nurse the men without fear of catching it.
**Billy Johnson took me to this site on his property in 1999 - there was a walnut grove there & the trees which still remain are still full on minie balls - and he has picked up buttons, buckles, etc there. That day I retrieved a minie ball from a tree & a buckle off the ground.a real neat place.
After James Love died in 1865, David Mitchell Weatherford Jr was one of the executors of James' estate. However, it is speculated that D.M. was doing more than executing his friend's probate, as on 25 January 1866 he married Eliza Jane Love, James' widow, much to his mother's displeasure. Mollie Carter Kelley told her son, William Kelley, that their mother, Matha Jane, knew what a stinker DM Weatherford was and despised the way he treated people.
Eliza Jane & DM Weatherford had 1 son
3. 1. David Mitchell "Temple" WEATHERFORD
Born 1 Apr 1867
Died 18 Sep 1939
Elizabeth Jane had 2 children living from her marriage to James Love when she married D M Weatherford - Mary Nancy & John William. Mary Love died in 1869 & John in 1879 - john William was sent to live with his uncle, John K Love in 1873 because of DM Weatherford's wrath on him.
INTERESTING NOTES:
Eliza Jane was married to James W Love & Martha Jane Peters Weatherford married Robert Love, James' brother - though it was many years apart, they were sisters-in-law and best of friends.
When Eliza Jane married DM Weatherford, Martha Jane & Eliza Jane went from being Sisters-in-law to being Mother & daughter-in-law.
She was divorced from D M Weatherford on 10 Oct 1877.
Two of her husbands died on the land that is now the Poor Farm & one was killed on it. All three of her children with James love died on the same place. It appears that Eliza Jane may have sold the property to the county for more than financial gain - it could have held bad memories for her.
Her tombstone at College Mound is inscribed: "Mrs. E. J. Massey ~Mother of D M Weatherford~ Born March 14,1837 Died May 24, 1902".
Info on her marriages
#1 - James William Love
Son of William Love & Nancy Kirk
Born 2 Dec 1820- Died 15 Apr 1865
James was Kaufman County Commissioner in 1851-1852.
He served in Kaufman Militia 1861-1863, he then went to enlisted in CSA Dec. 1864, at Camp Ford, Tyler TX, but became ill with what he thought was Measles. After arriving back in Kaufman in early 1865 he was diagnosed with Smallpox. He became very weak and never recovered. He and his daughter died on the same day - 15 Apr 1865.
In 1852 he had 6 Slaves; 1853 & 1854 he had 7; 1855 he had 5; 1856 - 1859 he had 1, 1861-1862 he had 5.
THREE CHILDREN
Laura Francis 1855 -1865
Mary Nancy 1856-1869
John William 1858-1879
#2 - David Mitchell Weatherford Jr
See the Weatherford info I sent you -
ONE SON
David Mitchell Weatherford - known as Temple
#3 William E THOMPSON
Married Kaufman Co - 10 Nov 1880. Marriage License has his initials incorrectly as
"M E".
Per writings of Mollie Kelley in 1926 , he was introduced to Eliza Jane in the summer of 1880 when Mollie & Lurah Carter were staying with her. That summer Lurah was being courted by John Council Bryan, who was a carpenter and working on the Baptist rectory building with George Kelley (brother of Ed S Kelley who eventually married Mollie Carter), Wiley Edwards and William Thompson. They all went to Eliza's with John Bryan and they were introduced.
Born circa 1845-1847, he was killed on 29 May 1882 on the land that is now the Poor Farm, by a black man he had rented to for shares.
Friday - 2 Jun 1882 - Kaufman Sun
The Killing of W E Thompson
Monday morning the news was brought to town by a Negro named Newman, living on Will Thompson's place about one and one-quarter miles south of town, that Abe Thomas, a negro, had killed W E Thompson. Esquire Taliaferro summoned a jury of inquest, composed of Messr's. A J Hindman, J A Dellis, J E McMorries, B S Wood and J S Hart, who went to the spot where the dead man was and held an inquest, and the facts of the circumstances which brought the killing about are as follows; Newman and Abe Thomas. Two negroes, rented the place and a residence from Thompson, a white man, early in the spring and were to make a crop on it for shares. On the place about two acres of volunteer oats came up and promised a good yield. The negroes left them alone until last week when they started to harvest them and divide them with Thompson, according to their contract, but Thompson refused to let the negroes cut the oats, forcing them from the field with threats that the oats were solely his to cut. The negroes came to town and inquired of a lawyer whether or not they had right to cut the oats and were told they were justly entitled to their share of the oats.
Thomas then swore he intended to cut the oats or whip Thompson, and went home and cut and shucked the oats. Thompson came up about that time and told the negroes to leave, which they did. This took place on last Thursday.
Thompson then made threats to kill Thomas, and it is rumored he laid in wait for the negro last Friday night near Dr. Snow's field between his home and that of the negro, with intent to ambush thomas. The reports are that the negro and Thompson both carried arms for each other after the initial confrontation.
Monday morning Thompson went to Newman's home and stopping at the gate, about twenty five yards from the house, he called Newman to come out to him. Newman went to him and Thompson began to curse him and other negroes who were there in the yard, saying he had been run over by all the negroes as long as he intended to be. While Thompson and Newman were talking, Abe Thomas came to the door of Newman's house from the inside, and immediately upon seeing him there Thompson leveled his gun on the negro and fired, the ball hitting the home about one foot from Thomas' head. The negro reached back inside the house and got a double-barreled shotgun and fired at Thompson, missing him. Thompson then broke into a run when Thomas fired again, one bullet taking effect just above the left ear on Thompson's head, ranging downward to his neck. Thompson had a needle-nose gun, a full set of cartridges and a five-shooter on him. When shot he was attempting to get through a barbed wire fence, his gun falling to one side of the fence and his body to the other side. He died instantly and without struggle.
The jury of inquest justified Thomas in killing Thompson. The negro came in and willingly gave himself up Monday evening. The bond was set at $500.00, which Thomas readily gave. Thomas is about thirty years old and is regarded as a very good negro and a hard worker. It is generally admitted that he will be acquitted.
William E. Thompson was about thirty-five years old, married and possessed considerable property. Mrs. Eliza Thompson, upon learning the report of the shooting and her husband's death, fainted and was insensible for hours. She being a very nervous lady, the remains of Thompson were not taken back to her home, but carried to the home of the nearest neighbor's.
*Details on Thomas' acquittal are in the Kaufman Sun - 8 Dec 1882 & 15 Dec 1882 editions.
Thompson is believed to be buried in the Kaufman Pioneer cemetery.
1880 TAX ROLLS
Mrs. E J Weatherford - 520 ac-D Falcon Survey - $2000.00/ 202 ac- Thos. L Williams Survey -$200.00
1881 TAX ROLLS
W E Thompson - 500 ac D Falcon Survey - $3000.00 / 80 ac J Gonzalez Survey -$100.00
1882 TAX ROLLS
W E Tompson - 500 ac D Falcon Survey - $3000.00 / 80 ac J Gonzalez Survey -$100.00
1883 TAX ROLLS
Mrs E J Thompson 100 ac-B Kimberling Survey - $1000.00/ 540 ac D Falcon Survey -$4000.00 / 40 ac J Gonzalez Survey - $80.00.
# 4 Frederick Avery MASSEY
Born 31 Jul 1826 in VA, died 8 Feb 1900 in Scurry - buried Mt Olive Cemetery.
Married Eliza Jane in Kaufman Co - 12 Apr 1888.
He was first married to Lucy Ann in TN, had 2 children with her. She died in 1855.
Second married Margaret Boles here in 1856, daughter of Rolin Boles, early Kaufman pioneer. She died 1885. They had 5 children.
Per Tax Records he owned slaves. He served in Militia 1861. In summer of 1862 he enlisted in CSA in 12th TX Cav, but deserted & returned to Kaufman Co in late 1863, citing his age & health were keeping him ill all the time. He was told he had to return to CSA duty (his argument was still his age & health) or be tried for desertion. He joined Co K, 2nd Partisan Rangers/Texas Cavalry & was sent to the Texas Coast where he remained until July 1865, when the men there were finally informed the war was over.
RECORD:
Massey, F.A. (pvt): joined from desertion 30 Apr 1864 - Co K 2nd Partisan Cav
Kaufman Census 1860-23/23 F.A. Massey, 33, VA; F.A. Massey, Kyser's 1861 Militia Co; Fred Massy, 1862 Militia Roll, Prec 7
He was a wealthy merchant who built one of the first brick buildings in Kaufman Texas in 1870 for his mercantile. It still stands in 2008, situated on Washington Street, behind the Floor store on the corner of Washington & Mulberry, on the town square.
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