"Wingfield Notes" Jan 1982. "The Holcombs"

November 1981 and January 1982

WINGFIELD NOTES


THE HOLCOMBS
by Donna Lonon


Our Holcomb lineage begins with the marriage of Sophia Holcomb to
William Wingfield, Jr., in Sept. 1806 in Warren Co., Kty. The marriage license shows the "second" or co-signer to the marriage bond was a JOEL HOLCOMB. Who was this man, father, brother, uncle? Let's see if we can determine who he was.

In 1806, there were nine Holkum men listed on the tax list for Warren Co., Kty. Jonathan and Charles Holcomb were in the southern portion of Warren Co., south of the Green River. Harmon, John, Joel, John Sr., Hosea, Zachariah, and William were all on the north side of the Green River, as was Wm. Wingfield Sr. The tax collector visited the Wingfields on Aug 20, and visited the Holcombs on Aug 21, denoting the proximity to each other. The only Holcomb on the north side of the river to own land was Harmon, 325 acres on the Little Beaver Dam, same location as Wm. Sr. Warren Co. tax lists begin in 1797 and Jonathan and Harmon Holkum are already there. 1798 list is missing, but 1799 list shows Joel Holcomb with 200 acres w. of Green River, visited Aug 16. John and Jonathan were visited Jun 1 and Harmon visited Aug 20. Wm Wingfield was also visited on Aug 20. In 1802 Joel "Haulkum" had sold 200 acres of land to Samuel Watts on the Little Beaver Dam, bought 200 more acres which he sold to Jno. Burchfield Sr. by 1804. (The Burchfields tie in with the Marchbanks and Holcombs often in South Carolina and Kty. as we shall see.) In 1804, a Harvery O'Neal has 195 acres entered and surveyed for Wm. Marchbanks, the only time the Marchbanks name is ever mentioned in the tax lists. By 1804, John and Joel have no land, Harmon has 325 acres, all three of the men are on the north side of the river. Charles has no land, Jonathan has 300 acres, both of them on the south side of the river. It is 1806 before there are more Holcombs than the above five. In 1807 there is Charles, John Sr., Joel, Wm., John Jr., Harmon and Jonathan. In 1808 there is Charles, Preston, Jonathan, and Jeremiah all on the south side, and Joel, Harmon, John, Zachariah, Wm., John, and Enos all on the north side, and all with no land. In 1809, (contributed by Laneda Emett) John, Harmon, and Wm. are on the northside, Jonathan, Jeremiah, Charles, Preston Holcomb are on the southside, and only John Wingfield is on the north (no other Wingfields listed). In 1810 the only Holcombs left are Jeremiah, Jonathan, Preston, and Charles, while the Wingfields listed are John, James, and Joseph. As you can see, several of the Holcombs as well as our Wingfields have left the area.

Conclusions that can be drawn from this study of Holcombs tax records are 1): an acquistion of land usually meant a certain degree of ready money. Why would Joel Holcomb put up an amount of 50 pounds sterling for anyone other than his daugher, rather than a niece or sister when he had no money to buy land and there were other relatives with more money? One source says that Jonathan is Sophia's father, why then did Joel post bond when Jonathan had plenty of cattle and land and we assume more money? 2) There was only one Joel listed in the tax records, not two. If this Joel was her brother, her father had to have been dead before they came to Warren Co. in 1799, and would have to be somewhat older than she. Records for SC 1790 census, show only one Joel Holcomb and he has all girls, three. I assume this Joel was her father. (Next month: S.C. records, Mo. and Ill.)







THE HOLCOMBS (con't from Nov.)


Let's refresh our memory with some proven data on Sophia Holcomb Wingfield. She was born in Pendleton Co., S.C. (1860 LaVaca Co., TX. census) on the 15 Apr 1788 (Bible records). She was married 6 Sep 1806 Warren Co. Kty Marriage Records), and the �sec" was Joel Holcomb. Her name appears again in the 1850 Lafayette Co., Ark. census, age 62; 1860 Jackson Co. Tx. census, living with son Joel, her age 73, occupation "netting"; and lastly in 1870 Jackson Co., Tx census, age 84, still living with Joel. Bible reords show she died Jan 12, 1874.

Last time we suggested that Joel Holcomb and William Wingfield Sr. did not live that far apart, giving substantiating proof that Joel could be Sophia's father. We know Wm. Jr. and Sophia began to move away from Kty shortly after their marriage. Some sources say Mississippi Territory, according to a letter proposedly written by Wm, but of which generation of Wm.'s we are not sure. (A copy is enclosed). We also know from stories told by Charles, son of Wm. Sr. & Mary, that the family experienced the New Madrid Earthquake of 1811-12. As to whether the earthquake shook Warren Co. Kty, only we can guess, but Joel Holcomb would have felt it very strongly. For in Oct. of 1811, he bought 100 acres in New Madrid Co. Mo. from an Edward Robertson. No record has been found as to what happened to this land in further years. Today there is a Holcomb's Island in the middle of the Mississippi River in New Madrid Co. Mo.! Could Joel have been unlucky enought to have his 100 acres sink to the botton of the Mississippi?

Wm. Jr. and Sophia are next located in St. Clair Co., Ill, where in 1813. Wm. enlists for the War of 1812. First son, Wm. Marchbanks states he was born in Ill, and does Joel, b. 22 May 1814, and Jane 1817, and James. Who should also appear in St. Clair Co., but the Holcombs, in 1818, Wm. and Zachariah in St. Clair, and Katy and another Zachariah in Madison Co. In 1820 St. Clair there is William: 3 males (-21) 1m(21-45) 1m (45+) 2f (-18) 2f (18-45) 1f (45+); Joel 1m (21-45) 1f (18-45); and Zachariah, no details (1830 Z. was between 80-90 yrs. old.) The above Joel can not be Sophia's father, too young, more likely a brother.

The greatest amount of information pertaining o the Hocombs is a book entitled HOLCOMBS: NATION BUILDERS, which contains 1400 pages of information on the Holcomb family, none of which is to be taken as gospel. The man who wrote the book compiled his work from descendent's memory rather than documented proof, therefore there are many discrepancies in its recounting. For instance, on one page he states that the Holcomb marriages listed in the Warren Co., records are those of the children of Jonathan Holcomb. I despute this. Sophia names her own children names of Joel's children; John Wesley, Lewis Garrett, Joel, Susan, Elizabeth, and Jane, while Jonathan's children were names of Doshia, Jeremiah, Preston, Charles, Minerva, Ester Elizabeth, and Neville. These names are not repeated in future generations. It couldn't be just co-incidence that would make Sophia name her children after her cousins rather than her own brothers and sisters. Also Jonathan remained in Warren Co., he never moved, he lived on the south side of the Green R. Joel lived on the northside, as did the Wingfields, and followed the same migratory trails as the Wingfields with his brothers Zachariah and Harmon. Therefore, taking in account A) the name on the marriage bond B) the proximity to the Wingfields in Warren Co. C) the same migratory trails D) the earthquake story E) the names of the children, I propose Sophia's father was Joel Holcomb.


Dear Friends,

Hope that each of you are well, and that bad weather has not been unkind to you. Wonder what cure our ancestors had for Cabin Fever, for we all seem to be going stir-crazy being kept indoors.

Enclosed this time is a copy of a letter that Mrs. Owens sent me some time back. She says that the W. F. writing this letter is the great grandfather of our Cecil who contributes so much to our newsletter. I've typed out what appears to be on the note, to aide in your deciphering.

"Died at 70. William Wingfield (--55?)
With five brothers came to Ohio, Ill, then Kentucky. Ran from Indian massacre with wife and two children, having been warned by Indian woman, went to Missippi (sic).
But had a chill, and moved to Mo. "Be banged" if he'd live any place where people would freeze to death in hot weather. Came to Arkansas, settled in Hemstead county with five brothers. Then to La., and then went to Texas. Never known to get three miles away from home without overcoat, was frozen to death in Texas. Northerner. Never was known to ride over bridge.

John Wesley, son....."

The note turned sideways goes....

"William Wingfield's wife (Holcomb) (Marchbanks) heard battle of cowpens. Own cousin of Green Nathaniel Green.
Johnson from S. Carolina.
William's brothers (Charley, Jim, Jake,.... the rest is too faded to read)
________________________________________________________

THE CHAMBERS, LOGANS, WIN(G)FIELDS


The marriage of Catherine Clark (1763/1849) to Jacob Chambers (1759/1819) on November 25, 1783, begins the earliest recorded ancestoral life of the Longan/Win(g)field line in the New World. Whether or not these two relatives were born in America is not known, even though the dates are. But it is here that I start my genealogical search; and with great pride, I might add, do I pass it on to the reader.

What was considered present-day life to our early ancestors is all in history books. Our direct ancestors Clark and Chambers left no recorded activities, save cold dates in a family Bible. It is from there that the birth dates of Catherine and Jacob come to us. Unfortunately, no other records are available. It is safe to assume they were first or second generation Americans, but no further, and were probably from an English lineage. The Clark/Chambers union produced only one child, a daughter Elizabeth (1785/1856), birthplace possibly Pennsylvania.

This closely knit, Catholic family must have been a courageous bunch, as they left Pennsylvania and did a lot of relocating between 1783-1801-1817, when relocating meant many months of on-the-prarie existence and lack of roots and rivacy. After having left Pennsylvania, we find them again in Potosi, Missouri in 1801 at the marriage of their daughter and Matthew Logan (1772/1820) on December 29, at "Mine a Breton" on the property of Moses Austin. It is not known if Matthew worked for Austin or was merely a friend, but Austin also left to travel south about this time and it is felt our Logans followed this man who signed as a witness to their marriage license.

Matthew Logan's parents are listed on the marriage certificate as being James Matthew Logan from Augusta County, Virginia and Mary McLain (or McLean). An old-timer and far distant relative from Arkadelphia, Arkansas siad he hear stories of two brother- Benjamin Logan who went to Kentucky to fight Indians with Daneil Boone and later had a county named for him, and Matthew Logan. Matthew picked the less glamorous life of farmer and homesteader and in 1817 began an exodus south. A mile-long wagon train left Missouri destined for Arkansas with Matthew, Elizabeth, five of their children and the Chambers. Our clan dropped off the train in Magnet Cove, Missouri, for a year while they added another child to their ranks. In 1819, they moved down the Caddo River by themselves. While camped at the Old Military Road Crossing, their horses were either stolen or ran away. Jacob Chambers and his oldest grandson, John C., 13, searched as far back as Magnet Cove for their animals. Failing to find them, they endeavored to return home by the waters of the Ouachita and Caddo Rivers on a homemade raft. Where the rivers converge, the waters capsized their raft and on May 10, 1819, Jacob Chambers drowned. John C. swam ashore and returned the news to the family who found the body washed ashore. They buried him in an unmarked grave on the west side of the Ouachita and solemnly recorded another date in their Bible.

Saddened and tired, they settled in southern Arkansas, Clark County, rather than travel farther south. Public spirited Matthew served as sheriff at the first court in Clark County and was appointed county coroner until and untimely death in 1820, leaving a wife and 10 children. (Note: Elizabeth later remarried George Overbaugh on May 6, 1830. George died April 23, 1855.)

Of their children John Clarck, William W., Elizabeth, Jacob, Absolom, James L., Elenor, Catherine, Mary L., and Benjamin, it is the latter I lay claim to as a direct ancestor. Benjamin Chambers Logan (1809/1888) was born in Wayne County, Missouri, made the aforementioned disasterous trek south and grew up in Clark County, Arkansas. He married Sarah Ann Hillman Chambliss on January 30, 1834. She was a New Jersey girl, daughter of Sarah and Hillman Chambliss, having been relocated in Arkansas in 1828. Sarah and Benjamin were Methodists, God-fearing folks, raised their children in a strict manner, and were also of the public-spirit minded blood passed to them. Their children listed below, produced on the the largest living Arkansas families of the time. Issue: Elizabeth Jane (1834/1875), William Franklin (1837/1890), Nancy Katherine (1838/1908), James McLain (1840/?), John Clark(1843/1882), Thomas Jefferson (1844/?), Jacob Chamberlain (1847/1909), Sarah Ann (1848/1927), Mary Ellen (1851/?), Benjamin Hamilton (1854/1928), Absolom Fletcher (1856/1929), and Martha (1862/1868). Besides raising their own, they also helped raise an occasional granchild. Sarah died first of a heart attack while cooking the Sunday meal early on Saturday. Her funeral was preached by the Reb. A. B. Wingfield, family friend and later undoubtedly related by marriage. Benjamin died soon thereafter, being confined to the house and grieving longingly for his wife. He was a Mason and was buried next to his wife in the Caroline Cemetary next to the Caroline Presbyterian Church in Dobyville, Arkansas-- the community where they had spent their entire married life. His epitaph is the "Arkansas Methodist", May 15, 1888, said he "looked forward with anziety and anticipation of the great joy when God would call him to rejoin his dear wife... but was willing to wait and suffer the will of God."

Their daughter, Elizabeth Jane (1834/1875) was born, lived and died in Clark County, Arkansas. Precious little is known of her union to John Jackson Wingfield. They were married in Clark County, March 22, 1855; he was 15 years her senior. Jackson Wingfield was born in Warren County, Kentucky to a family of five children to Jacob Wingfield and Sally Hanes. He married young and farmed where Dallas, Texas is presently. An unknown tragedy killed his wife and children, so he returned home to his parents' home in Okolona, where he met and married young Elizabeth.

Jacob Wingfield was the son of William Wingfield, Sr. who was born in England and married Mary Messer, born in Germany. They lived in or near Bethania, North Carolina in Surry County in 1781 and 1783. They moved from N. Carolina to Warren County, Kentucky in the 1790s. He served in the War of 1812 under Captain William R. Payne's Command. He entered the armey on 13 or 18th of August 1813 and was discharged November 16, 1813. Neither he nor his siblings could read or write-- all signatures are accompanied by their "marks" while actually signed by someone else on all legal work handed down to us.

Jackson and Elizabeth produced five offspring, but both parents died within 20 years of the wedding (Jackson died December 30, 1865) and the youngest children returned to relatives to be raised. One daughter, Catherine Elizabeth (1865/1939), at age 10 or so went to Benjamin and Sarah Logan, along with her brother, John, who soon died or vanished, upon their mother's death in 1875.

Catherine Elizabeth Winfield (Note: this generation dropped the "g" from "Wingfield") found her way to Brady, Texas to live with her sister's family, named Jordan. At age 19 she married a promising young minister Joseph Sovereign Evans (1853/1910) from Louisiana. They were married October 6, 1884, probably in the Brady church where he was a new Baptist minister.

Catherine ("kate") was a thin, quiet, demure, old-fashioned, and extremely proud woman, devoted to her family, her church and especially her husband. They had three children-- Bessie (1886/1888), Joseph Logan (1891/1942) and Nannie Amelia (1889/1977). It is not known how Bessie died, but it was wvidently a traumatic experience for the entire family since the details were never discussed or recorded. She was muchly loved, and Joseph asked that when he died he be buried next to he beloved baby girl back in Brady.

Kate Winfield Evans traveled around Texas with her prominent and infamous husband, living in Brady, Moffat and Waxahachie and stopping places in between. It is not known where the homesteads were exactly-- perhaps they never owned much land. She died in Waxahachie while living at 512 College in the home belonging to her daughter, Nannie, and is buried at the Waxahachie, Texas cemetery. Most of the pictures passed down to this generation show Kate with either (1) her family, or (2) looking at the graves of Bessie and husband, Joseph.

JOSEPH SOVEREIGN EVANS    CATHERINE ELIZABETH WINFIELD
B: June 30, 1853
BP: Covington, Louisiana
M: Oct 6, 1884
MP: Brady, Texas
D: Nov 10, 1910
DP: Waxahachie, Texas
B'd: Brady, Texas
B: July 3, 1865
BP: Clark County, Arkansas
M: Oct 6, 1884
MP: Brady, Texas
D: June 2, 1939
DP: Waxahachie, Texas
B'd: Waxahachie, Texas


ISSUE:

Bessie Lee Evans B: Feb 12, 1886, Brady, Texas
D: July 10, 1888, Brady, Texas
B'd: Brady, Texas
Nannie Amelia Evans B: Apr 12, 1889, Brady, Texas
D: Nov 6, 1977, Dalas, Texas
B'd: Waxahachie, Texas
M: Edgar Roy Evetts on Dec 24, 1909.
    Edgar Roy: Feb 7, 1888/Aug 14, 1928
Joseph Logan Evans B: Oct 3, 1891, Minard, Texas
D: Sept 10, 1942 of leukemia
M: Katie marie Aldridge on Feb 24, 1920
    Katie Marie: B: Oct 29, 1897

Issue:

Patrick Evans/ Oct 26, 1935
Unmarried

Dr. Joseph Logan Evans, Jr.
B: Jan 30, 1921
M: Elizabeth Nelson on Feb 28, 1952






JOHN JACKSON WINGFIELD    ELIZABETH JANE LOGAN
B: Nov. 30, 1818
BP: Warren County, Kentucky
M: Mar 22, 1855
MP: Clark County, Ark
D: Dec 30, 1865
DP: Clark County, Ark
B'd: Caroline Cemetery
    Dobyville, Arkansas
B: Nov 28, 1834
BP: Probably Arkansas
M: Mar 22, 1855
MP: Clark County, Ark
D: Sept 16, 1875
DP: Dobyville, Arkansas
B'd: Caroline Cemetery
    Dobyville, Arkansas


     ISSUE:

John Winfield B: Died young
Charlie Winfield Issue: Edna Winfield of Greenville
         Kate Winfield Scott, Hope Ark.
         Ernest Winfield
James Benjamin Winfield Issue: Ben Clayton, Henry, Fontaine, Louise.
          Lived in San Antonio, Texas.
Nannie Winfield Issue: Henry, Tom, Mary, Wa____, Charlie,
          Louis (or Lois), Kate, Vivian.
          Married ______ Jordan and lived
          in Brady, Texas.


NOTE: Some of this generation changed the name of Wingfield to Winfield, dropping the letter "g".


NOTE: This issue of the "Wingfield Notes" contains photographs of some of the people mentioned. However, I have only a copy of a copy and the photos are very grainy and are not suitable for viewing on this page.


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