Soloman Andrew Wadsworth Family History

by Bobby Wadsworth at <[email protected]>

 

According to one source, Andy Wadsworth was born in Birmingham, Jefferson Co., AL; however, his family is believed to have been living in Blount County at the time of his birth. He lost his mother at the age of 4 and his father some 7 years to 9 years later. An orphan, Andy was residing with the family of Jesse Bynum* at the 1870 US census and undoubtedly accompanied them to Texas in 1872. The Bynums settled in northwest Ellis County, as did numerous other families from Blount County. Jesse's cousin, Rev. Asa Bynum (1806-1886), was one of the first to settle in this area and "erected a [Methodist] church at what is known as Oak Branch camp-ground -- about 5 miles southwest of Waxahachie in 1870.

S.A. Wardsworth [sic] first appears on Ellis County tax rolls in 1881 with two horses (valued at $65), one cow ($10) and a wagon ($20). Ellis County deed records (v. 40/217) show that he paid $90 to his father-in-law for 36 acres of land on the David Reynolds survey (A.A. Stewart headright) 26 Jan 1881. Eleven months later (14 Nov), S.A. and K.J. Wadsworth sold this land to Kizzie's brother, John C. Reynolds (1856-1910), for $360 cash and notes (v. 40/218). This land was located on the waters of South Creek about 3 miles southeast of the cemetery at Mountain Peak, where Kizzie's sister Lizzie was buried in April 1881.

Andy last appears on Ellis County tax rolls in 1886** with four horses (valued at $120), four cattle and a wagon ($40). Not long after this, the family removed to Brown County, settling on a 150-acre farm one mile south of Zephyr. Andy joined the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons at Zephyr Lodge No. 591 and received his Masonic degrees 30 Jan, 27 Feb and 26 Mar 1904. He served as Tiler in 1904, 1908, 1909 and 1914 and as Steward from 1905-1906. He demitted (left) Zephyr Lodge 28 Nov 1925 and died four years later in neighboring Eastland County.

* Jesse Bynum, son of Asa Bynum and Rebecca Murphree, b. 31 Jul 1817 in TN; d. 18 Nov 1897 in Mountain Peak, TX; bur. Mountain Peak Cemetery; md. Eliza Clowdus, 17 Nov 1836 in Blount Co., AL.

** One E. Wadsworth also appears on Ellis County tax rolls in 1886 and 1887 with one horse (valued at $60), a wagon ($60) and 1/2 acre of land on the A. Newton headright ($120).

��1999, Bobby J. Wadsworth

Sources:
[1] "Wadsworth Family in America, 1663-1985, Maryland, Pennsylvania and the Southern States Book 2" (by Mary Jane Fry Wadsworth, McDowell Publications, Utica, KY, 1985)
[2] "Zephyr, Yesterday and Today" (by Avis Bettis, Mattie McKinney Baird and Pauline Glass Hochhalter, Banner Printing Co., Brownwood, TX)
[3] "History of the Bynum Family" (by Jasper E. Bynum, Oneonta, AL, 1916)