missb

Richard Baxter Ledbetter

Henry Baxter Ledbetter Family

Miss B's Ledbetter Ancestors

The first picture above is Richard Baxter Ledbetter, my gg-grandfather and the people in the family picture above Henry Baxter Ledbetter with wife, Matilda Peebles and 10 of their 12 children. My maternal grandfather is the little boy sitting to the left of his father. The photo consists of my maternal g grandfather, Henry Baxter Ledbetter (b. 1862 Pickens Co., AL d. 1936 TX, probably Henderson Co.); his wife, Margaret Matilda Peebles Ledbetter (b. 8 Oct 1864 Pickens Co., AL d 13 March 1933, TX, probably Henderson Co.); and eight of their twelve children. Henry Baxter Ledbetter married Margaret Matilda Peebles 8 September 1883 in Pickens Co., AL. PLEASE NOTE: While I have tried to verify with reasonable certainty all of the information in the following outline, I have relied on others who are in possession of certain original documents and their information. This information is furnished primarily as a "starting place" and not as facts set in stone. I have placed the names of my direct lineage in another color for clarity only. I went back to Pickens County, AL and met some of my living relatives there who were very helpful. They took me to the cemetery where Richard Baxter and Emily Alice Reynolds Ledbetter are buried. I also visited the cemetery where George Reynolds and 14 of his 17 children are buried; all in unidentified graves. To see photos and images of cemeteries, headstones, and original documents you can click on the red underlined words; to get back to this page click the "back" button on your browser..

There Once Was an Immigrant

It all began with an immigrant named "Ledbetter." His given name can not be determined. Some say his name was Thomas, however, I strongly suspect that it was "Henry." Given the fact that these folks were crazy about the name Henry and Thomas never was found in the early generations leads me to believe that his name was "Henry Ledbetter." With this in mind I have tried to give as much information as I can that can be verified. I want to thank Ken Haughton for his book Ledbetters Revisited. It is a well documented and comprehensive chronicle of the entire Ledbetter Clan and covers about all of the "branches" of that tree very well.

Ledbetter

1. Immigrant Ledbetter was supposed to have been born in the "family home" in Durham Co., England. I have not done any research in England, so I can not say, however, there is information that more Ledbetters are in Yorkshire and Lancashire and other nearby counties than there are in Durham Co. This remains to be seen with more research. We do know that he was in Virginia in 1635. There is a Land record in Richmond, VA showing that Henry Ledbetter was granted 224 acres of land on the south side of the appomattox River in Charles City County at a place called Bristol, 125 acres that was sold to Henry's father by Edward Tunstall and 99 acres being a part of land received for transporting to the Colony, Margry Linsal and Mary House. 4 August 1638.

2. Henry Ledbetter was probably born in England about 1625 to the above immigrant and his wife Mary. He died in Charles City County, VA, before 1700. His wife's name is unknown, although some believe that he married Mary House. The following children are assumed to be his and his wife Mary's. There is a difference of opinion about some of these names being children or siblings. For the sake of this documentation, I am "assuming" that they are the children of this couple.

3. Francis Ledbetter (b. c 1650); daughter (married William Jones, the child Ledbetter Jones is assumed to be the child of this couple); John Ledbetter (b. ca 1653); William Ledbetter (b. ca 1656); Henry Ledbetter (b. ca 1660); Richard Ledbetter (b. ca 1664); Drury Ledbetter (b. ca 1667 in Charles City County, VA.; Martha Ledbetter (b. ca 1668)

3. Francis Ledbetter (b. ca 1643 in Charles City County, VA d. before 1743 in same place, but then named Bristol Parish, Prince George County, VA. His wife's name is unknown to me. The children attributed to this couple are:

4. Ann Ledbetter (b. ca 1675, m. Thomas Daniell ca 1693); Charles Ledbetter (b. ca 1689); Drury Ledbetter (b. ca 1694); (5) John Ledbetter (b. ca 1696); William Ledbetter (b. ca 1699). Numerous documents exist relating to Francis Ledbetter as being part of this family unit.

5. John Ledbetter (b. ca 1698 in Bristol Parish, Prince George County, VA and lived there until at least 1744. He moved to Granville County, NC about 1745. His wife's name is unknown, although there are some references to her surname being Tedstall. All of the listed children are "presumed" to be children of this couple, however, the only definite proof is that of John Ledbetter being son of this John Ledbetter. The other children are presumed to be theirs because of their presence in the same places during that same time period.

John Ledbetter; (6) Henry Ledbetter (b. ca. 1720); William Ledbetter (b. ca 1723); Edward Ledbetter (b. ca 1728); Elizabeth Ledbetter (m. Rev. James Smart children: Reuben; Henry; Rebecca; Sylvania; James; Mason; Nathan; Chloe)

(6) Henry Ledbetter (b. 19 Nov 1721 Prince George Co., VA d. 1785 Caswell Co., NC) married Edie Clark. In 1748 he joined the Upper Fishing Creek Baptist Church and was ordained to preach in 1750. A few months later he became a Calvinist and moved to SC. He returned to NC in 1781 and remained there. Children of this marriage are listed below:

(7) Joel Ledbetter (b. ca 1750); Daniel Ledbetter (b. ca 1755); Prudence Ledbetter; Elizabeth Ledbetter; daughter Ledbetter (m. Shadrack Forrest)

(7) Joel Ledbetter (b. ca 1750 probably in Granville Co., NC d. ca 1815 Madison Co., AL) married Katherine (Kitty) Brazelton. They lived in Caswell Co., NC between 1790 and 1800. They then moved to Pendleton District SC. The children are:

(8) John Ledbetter (b ca 1774); Joel Ledbetter (b. ca 1777); Lydia Ledbetter (b. ca 1777, m. Henry Brazelton, son of Jacob Brazelton and Hannah Green of Jackson Co., GA. Children: Silas M. m Margaret Middleton; J. M.; Catherine: Clemenzie S., m. Wm. S. King; Selina, m. Joseph Pickens; Elizabeth, m. Edward Vann.); Edy Ledbetter (b. ca 1780); Ephrame Ledbetter (b. ca 1784); Mary Ledbetter (b. ca 1789); Samuel Ledbetter (b. ca 1790); Daniel Ledbetter (b. ca 1792); Addy Ledbetter (b. ca 1796); Burford Ledbetter (b. ca 1798)

(8) John Ledbetter (b. 25 Dec 1774 Orange Co., NC d. 25 Jan 1831 near Providence Church, Anderson Co., SC.) married Mary Verner (b. 11 Nov 1782 Abeville, SC d. 29 Sep 1860 buried Providence Church, Hart Co., GA.) daughter of David and Estra Verner 14 Apr 1803 in Anderson Co., SC. Children of that marriage are listed below:

(9) Henry Leadbetter (1805 SC); James Verner Ledbetter (b. 1807); John Ledbetter (b. 1809) Joel Ledbetter (b. 1811); Catharine Ledbetter (b. 24 Dec 1813, d. 15 Mar 1875); Esther Ledbetter (b. 3 Jun 1816 d. 23 Nov 1885, m. John Martin); David Ledbetter; Mary Carline Ledbetter (b. 2 Feb 1821 d. 19 Jun 1881); George Montgomery Ledbetter (b. 1825); Daniel Ledbetter (b. 1 Apr 1830, d. 28 Aug 1844)

(9) Rev. Henry M. Leadbetter (note spelling of last name, b. 10 May 1805 Pendleton Dist. SC.) He first married Charity Shockley 11 Jul 1825. She was the mother of their first daughter whose name is unknown to me and Asberry (Asbury). His second wife was Sarah Winifred Hamner (born in S.C). Children are listed below:

Daughter Ledbetter (b. ca 1825); Asberry Ledbetter, son of Charity Shockley (b. ca 1826 S.C. 22 yoa in 1850); (10) Richard Baxter Ledbetter (b. 1833 Anderson Co. S.C. 17 yoa in 1850); James Ledbetter (b. ca 1835 AL 15 yoa in 1850); Preston Ledbetter (b. ca 1836 AL 14 yoa in 1850); Martha Ledbetter (b. ca 1838 AL 12 yoa in 1850); Henry Ledbetter (b. ca 1839 AL 11 yoa in 1850); David Ledbetter (b. ca 1841 AL 9 yoa in 1850); Sarah Ledbetter (b. ca 1842 AL 8 yoa in 1850, m. Robert Sanders; children: Hart, b. ca 1870; S.A., b. ca 1872; Liula, b. ca 1876).

(10) Richard Baxter Ledbetter (b. 1833 Anderson Co., SC d. 1877 AL) He married Martha "Polly Ann" Stewart (b. 1808 VA, 1 child known to be of this marriage: Asbury Ledbetter) and Emily Alice Reynolds (b. 1845 AL d. 1925 AL) daughter of George Reynolds (b. 1804 KY). Richard Baxter Ledbetter, Emily Alice Reynolds Ledbetter and one of their children, Udora are all buried in Holly Springs Cemetery, Pickens County, AL. Children of the marriage of R. B. Ledbetter and Emily Alice Reynolds are listed below:

(11) Henry Baxter Ledbetter (b. 1862 Pickens Co., AL); William Henry Ledbetter (b. Dec1868, m. Florence); David Ledbetter (b. 1870); 13. Mary Ledbetter (b. 1873); 14. Luther Ledbetter (b. 1875); 15. Udora Ledbetter (1878)

(11) Henry Baxter Ledbetter (b. Jan1862 Pickens Co., AL d. 1936 Texas). married Margaret Matilda PEEBLES (b. 1864 AL d. 1933 Texas) daughter of John Peebles (b. 1826 AL d. 1905) and Harriet Jane Elledge (b. 1835 d. 1879) 8 Sept 1883 in Alabama. Children of this marriage are listed below:

Mary Virginia Ledbetter (b. 1884 AL d. 1931); Cordelia H. Ledbetter (b. 1887 AL d. 1940); Josie Laveia Ledbetter (b. 1889 AL d. 1901); Isom Robert Ledbetter (b. 1891 AL d. 1957 CA); Ionia Virge Ledbetter (b. 1893 AL d. 1894); Luther Baxter Ledbetter (b. 1895 AL d. 1950 CA); Oscar Henry Ledbetter (b. 1897 AL d. 1953 CA); (12) Columbus Clear (Tab) Ledbetter (b. 1899 AL d. 1959 Texas); Sherman Patrick Ledbetter (b. 1901 AL. d. 1973 CA); Ballie Mae Ledbetter (b. 1903 AL d. 1983 TX); Cecil O'Rastus Ledbetter ( 1905 TX d. ??); Beedie Thelma Ledbetter (b. 1909 TX d. ??)

(12) Columbus Clear (Tab) Ledbetter (b. 1899 AL d. 1959 Dallas Co., TX) buried in Van Zandt Co., Texas. married Mattie Viola Hodge (b. 1903 Henderson Co., TX d. 1991 Van Zandt Co., TX) (see Hodge page for other information) Children of this marriage are listed below:

Cecil Horace Ledbetter (b. Henderson Co., TX d. Smith Co., TX 1995) m. Jerline Reynolds (daughter of Henry & Ruthie Gilliam Reynolds) with following children born to this union:

i. Gary Lee Ledbetter; ii. Don Allen Ledbetter; iii. Laura Ledbetter (1967 Dallas Co., TX)

Oma Adell Ledbetter (b. Henderson Co., TX d. Upshur Co., TX. 1989) m. 1st. John C. Orchard in California with following children born to this union:

iv. John Co. Orchard (b. 1946 CA); v. David Raymond Orchard (born CA); vi. Lynda Joyce Orchard (born CA); vii. Timothy James Orchard (born CA).

m. 2nd. Jim Hamilton in California with following children born to this union:

viii. Isaac James Hamilton (born CA).

(13) Edna Ruth Ledbetter ( b. 1925 Henderson Co., TX d. 1993 Van Zandt Co., TX) m. Billie Joe Teal (b. 1921 Van Zandt Co., TX) in 1945 with following children born to this union:

ix. Betty Louise Teal (b. 1946 Van Zandt Co., TX) m. Delton Wayne Miller (b. 1946 Van Zandt Co., TX) 19 October 1965. with the following children born to this union:

...Bobby Wayne Miller (1966-1966); Billy Wayne Miller (1967); Brenda Gail Miller (1970; children, Ashley Gayle Pickle [b 1989;child, Rylie Ashton Wade], and Bobby Earl Pickle [b. 1990]).

Roy Patrick Ledbetter (b. 1925 Henderson Co., TX d. Dallas Co., TX) m. LaVerne Davis (b. VZCo., TX) with the following children born to this union:

x. Roy Phillip Ledbetter (1948 VZCo., Texas); xi. Joe Kevin Ledbetter

Additional Information

Richard Baxter Ledbetter was found living in the household of his future in-laws. The household was listed as: Reynolds, George (age 56, male, occupation farmer, property value $1,200. Personal property value $1,000. born in Kentucky); Reynolds, Martha (age 52, female, no occupation, born in Virginia, listed as blind, cause unknown); Reynolds, Caroline (age 21, female, occupation homested, born in Alabama); Reynolds, James (age 20, male, occupation farm labourer, born in Alabama); Reynolds, Melinda (age 17, female, occupation home, born in AL), Reynolds, Penetta (age 15, female, born in AL attending school); Reynolds, Emily ( age 14, female, born in Alabama; attending school); Reynolds, John C. (age 12, male, born in AL, attending school); Reynolds, Matilda T. (age 11, female, born in AL, attending school); Reynolds, George W. (age 9, male, born in AL, attending school); Reynolds, Charles W. (age 7, male, born in AL; attending school); Welch, Nancy (age 33, female, occupation housewifery, property value $400. personal property value $300. born i AL, attending school); Welch, George K., (age 11, male, born in AL, attending school); Welch, Mary A. (age 10, female, born in AL, attending school); Reynolds, Sarah (age 19, female, occupation domestic, born in AL); Stewart, Nancy (age 77, female, born in North Carolina); Ledbetter, Richard B. (age 27, male, occupation teacher, personal property value $200. born in SC) Richard Baxter Ledbetter was a member of Alabama Company B "The Pickens Planters" during the Civil War.

Edna Ruth (b. 23 December 1925 Henderson Co., TX d. 3 November 1993 Van Zandt Co., TX, buried in Haven of Memories Cemetery, Van Zandt Co., TX. married Billie Joe Teal 22 December 1945); Roy Patrick (b. 23 December 1925 Henderson Co., TX twin to Edna Ruth, d. 1973 Dallas Co., TX buried in Haven of Memories Cemetery, Van Zandt Co., TX; married LaVerne Davis).

A Little Bit About My Maternal Grandfather

My mother's father, Columbus Clear (Tab) Ledbetter was a simple farmer. He was poorly educated, but managed to acquire the farm where my family and I live, a lot of cattle, a tractor and a pickup truck. The last two items were uncommon in those days. He worked very hard all of his life and he had a difficult life. His mother was very abusive to her children, therefore he was abusive to his. My mother told horror stories all of my life about things that my grandfather did. However, that was a side of him that I never saw. To me he was a knight in shining armour. He caught me baby squirrels in the spring time; took me hunting raccoons at night (even though we usually found skunks not 'coons); let me ride his plow horse while he plowed; and was the most wonderful man that I knew as a child.

Some of my earliest memories are of him taking me with him to the barn VERY early and harnessing up Ole Bess and hooking her to some sort of plow. Ole Bess was a coal black Percheron with feet as big as saucers and a back so wide I could barely sit on it. He would lift me up on Ole Bess and sit me behind the 'haimes' where I would sit all morning. The swaying of the walking horse would rock me to sleep and at 'dinner time' my mother would come out to the field to help him get me and Ole Bess home. She would take me in her arms and carry me to the house. I would wake up just long enough to eat and then "Paw" would tell me that he wanted to take a nap before going back to the field. He and I would go lay down on the bed and when I was asleep, he would slip up and go back to work. When I awoke, my mother would take me back to the field and "Paw" would once again hoist me up behind the 'haimes' and there I would stay until just about dark when my mother would come back out and get me and take me to the house.

When I was just 12 years old he became ill with brain cancer and spent many days in Baylor Hospital, Dallas, TX. He had brain surgery to remove the cancer and after that he wasn't the same person. His personality completely changed (oh not so much toward me and my cousins, but toward his children). He was so kind and gentle toward them and they got to see what I had known all along. He died in 1959 at the age of 60 years. He was born in Pickens County, AL and died in Dallas County, TX. He, as well as several of my other relatives, is buried in Haven of Memories Cemetery in Canton, TX.

I am truly blessed to have had a mother and grandfather who loved me so much and I have such wonderful memories of both of them.

Family Photos

Click on the names below to view photos of my mother, Edna Ruth Ledbetter Teal and other "Ledbetter" relatives.

Columbus Clear Ledbetter, with wife "Ola" and grandchildren Betty Teal Miller and Roy Phillip Ledbetter (eldest son of Roy Patrick and LaVerne), taken about 1955.

Roy Patrick "Didjum" Ledbetter, with wife, LaVerne (center) and brother in law, Bill Teal about 1955.

Roy Patrick "Didjum" Ledbetter about 1947 with Betty Teal Miller and in the background, uncle, Robert Featherston.

Roy Ledbetter about 1944-1945 on leave from Merchant Marines.

Edna Ruth "Tater" Ledbetter Teal in 1945.

Ruth and daughter Betty Louise Teal (that's me!) about 1953.

Ruth Teal about 1957

Ruth and Betty gardening about 1956.

Cecil Horace "Poke" Ledbetter about 1944-1945 on leave from army.

"Tab" with grandchildren, Gary Lee Ledbetter (Cecil Horace's oldest son) and Betty about 1950.

Mattie Viola Hodge Ledbetter in about 1964.

Ruth and Betty in 1967.

Ruth and Betty in 1965 at High School Graduation.

Edna Ruth Ledbetter Teal in March, 1993 before her death from colon cancer 3 Nov 1993.

Ruth in April, 1993 in Houma, LA on a Swamp Boat Tour.

Nancy "Aunt Nan" Ledbetter, wife of Asberry Ledbetter. Photo courtesy of Gail House from family photos of Addie Elmore Lee.

Descendants of Ledbetter's and Reynolds. Left to right: Daisy Friday, Bobby Ledbetter (descendant of Asberry Ledbetter), Gail House, Gayle House, Betty Miller and unknown Reynolds descendant.

Tombstone of Richard Baxter Ledbetter set 11 November 2001 by descendants above in Holly Springs Cemetery, Pickens Co., AL.

Tombstone of Emily Alice Reynolds Ledbetter, in Holly Springs Cemetery, Pickens Co., AL.

William Henry Ledbetter and second wife, Iva Mae Moore Friday Ledbetter.

Lela Ledbetter Benson (daughter of Luther Ledbetter) and daughter Virginia Benson Thomas.

Edgar Ledbetter (son of Luther Ledbetter) with wife Mamie and daughter.

Obituaries

Grand Saline Sun; 26 March 1959: C. C. LEDBETTER DIES MONDAY: Columbus Clear Ledbetter, 60, a Van Zandt County farmer, died in Dallas Monday morning following a long illness.

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Tuesday in Creagleville Methodist Church with the Rev. D. B. Doughty officiating.

Burial was in Haven of Memories Cemetery in Canton under direction of Grand Saline Funeral Home.

He was born in Alabama, but had lived in Van Zandt County for 16 years.

Survivors include his widow, Mrs. C. C. Ledbetter; two sons, Horace and Roy Ledbetter, both of Dallas; two daughters, Mrs. Ruth Teal of Dallas and Mrs. Oma Orchard of Pasadena, CA; two brothers, Pat Ledbetter of California and Pete Ledbetter of Tyler; two sisters, Mrs. Ballie Kinsen of Tyler and Beedie Richardson of Tennessee and nine grandchildren.

Pass bearers were Malcolm Smith, Lit Bunch, R. C. Jordan, Elzie Simpson, J. D. Wells and John Fisher.

Know any of these folks? Let Miss B know!

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Last update 13 October 2007