Thomas Marion Lewallen
Jay Lewallen - Jul 1, 2008
Thomas Marion Lewallen was born on December 27, 1846, in a place fourteen miles north of Pulaski, Giles Co., Tennessee and died on July 29, 1934 in the Texas Confederate Home in Austin, Travis Co., Texas. He was one of nine children by David Daniel Lewallen (David Daniel may be incorrect) and his wife, Sarah Young. He was of Scottish/Welch descent and favored the Presbyterian religion.
In July, 1863, when Thomas was still sixteen years old, he volunteered to serve in the cavalry in the Confederate Army and began that service under a General Payne. In November, 1864, as part of the Army of Tennessee, he was under General John Bell Hood’s command as they drove north toward Nashville. Then, he served under General Nathan Bedford Forrest’s command in the Battle of Murfreesboro (Thomas’ brother, James, was wounded in the right arm in this battle). Thomas served under General Forrest until the end of the Civil War. In 1865, he “just quit after Lee’s surrender, unable to compete with the enemy” (as stated in his pension application). He returned to his home, where he married Charlotte Amanda Riddell (literally the girl next door) on January 21, 1866 in Lawrenceburg, Lawrence Co., Tennessee, in her parent’s home.
Thomas and his family moved from Tennessee to Jewett, Leon Co., Texas in about 1890. In December, 1895, he bought 200 acres of farm land in Jewett, paying (pledging) 40, 500 lbs. of “lint” cotton. It was there in 1896 that his oldest son, James Franklin Lewallen wrote his younger brother, William Henry Lewallen, who had moved on to live in Hays Co. TX., a letter asking if he would like to come back to live with him and Thomas in Jewett (this letter also indicated that Thomas had become interested in reading the bible and expressing some of his own strong religion convictions). Then, in November, 1898, Thomas sold his land in Jewett and moved to Thornton, Limestone Co., TX. Shortly thereafter in 1901, Charlotte died of Pneumonia and within the year, Thomas married Martha Sephonia Ross. This marriage produced a daughter in 1903, named Linnie Marie Lewallen.
By November of 1913, Thomas was living in Mart, McLennan Co., Texas. In November, 1914, he applied for a military pension, as a soldier in indigent circumstances. By November, 1915, the Commissioner of Pensions began to suspect that Thomas had more property than the pension law allowed. In March, 1916, three friends swore that Thomas owned no property, except household furniture, four horses, one cow and a calf. In April, 1916, Thomas’ pension was re-instated and he was able to move into the Texas Confederate Home in Austin. He lived there for 18 years until his death in July, 1934, at the age of almost 88. The cause of death was acute indigestion (a large number of watermelon rinds were found under his bed). Thomas was taken back to Thornton in Limestone Co., TX for burial with his first wife, Charlotte, in the Tidwell Cemetery.
Thomas was known and visited often in the Texas Confederate Home by my father and mother, R. J. & Dorothy Lewallen. And, I have memories of them showing me the home where Thomas, my great grandfather, had once lived and then died (it was near the location of my paper route).
Compiled by Jay Mayne Lewallen in November, 2006 from genealogy information maintained in his file. Updated: June 21, 2008.
Billie Harris - Jul 1, 2008
Jay, thank you for posting the info about Thomas Marion Lewallen. It's very helpful in trying to put some of these lines together. By any chance do you know the names of his siblings?
I don't have a subscription to Ancestry any longer but there are some things on there I can still pull up. I didn't find any Lewallens, using soundex, for Giles County, Tennessee, in 1850, but did find a David Lewellen in Stewart County, TN that year. It shows he was born ca 1782. Could this have been your David? Probably not because he may have been too old. Or, could David have gone on into Alabama because Giles is right on the Alabama line? Or maybe moved to Tennessee by 1850?
There's a Sarah Lewallen in Giles County in 1840 but if Thomas Marion was born after 1840, then Giles County should show a male Lewallen and not just Sarah, wouldn't you think? Unless David was away for some reason. I have a friend who subscribes to Ancestry. I'll ask her to look and tell us what she can about Sarah in the 1840 census.
Seeing that Sarah was a Young, there's information in Giles County that a John Young was one of the first settlers there. I'm giving a separate post for Giles County, just in case we need it in the future.
Billie Harris - Jul 1, 2008
I've been looking to see if there's anything that will help with this and here are a couple of postings on GenForum and what I'm posting could simply put us off on a wild goose chase looking for info on David, but here goes:
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This one shows a marriage of a Young to a Lewallen but this Lewallen would not have been a sibling of Thomas Marian but probably an aunt, IF related at all:
Alex & Eliz(Lewallen)Young of Maury/Marshall Co,TN
Posted by: Richard (ID *****2474) Date: April 17, 2002 at 09:13:11
of 16249
Alexander Young md Elizabeth Lewallen/Lewellen Dec 8, 1828.
Alex. & Eliz. were proably md in Maury Co, TN, and I have not yet been able to find them in 1830 Federal Census. Apparently, they had some marital difficulties, and were possibly not living together during this census.
Alex. was listed as a head of household in 1840 FC of MUTN. His wf would have been in right age group for wf Elizabeth listed with him in 1850 FC of MUTN, as follows: YOUNG, A. 45 KY, Elizabeth {Lewallen?) 42 NC, Almanza(Halmanza) 13 TN, John 17 TN, Mary 9 TN, Martha 7 TN, Newton 5 TN, BUTLER, I.(saiah)W. 26 TN & Eliza (Young) 21 TN(Isaiah &
Eliza were md Dec 4 1849 MUTN). For some strange coincidence, A.(lex'r) Youing was listed as h of h in the one volume index of the h's of h of the 1850 FC of TN, but this family was not included in the 8 vol set of the 1850 FC of TN that includes names & ages of complete household.
Apparently, Alex. & Eliz. were either missed in 1830 FC, or living in household of an unk h of h, or they were still seperated in 1830. I am assuming they got back together by 1840, and that the Eliz. in 1850 FC was Eliz. Lewallen, and not a completely different Eliz.
On Jan 30, 1851 MUTN, John C Young md Elizabeth Haley, step dau of John Adkins, and on Aug 17 1852 Marshall Co, TN, Halmanza Young md James Adkins, presumed son of John Adkins(Alexander Young's mother was MISS Adkins).
I have not yet found ANY records of this family after 1852 MSTN. I have not yet found Alex. or Eliz., or their youngest three children that I have not yet found any marriages for, in any 1860 FC. Have also not yet found Isaiah or Eliza (Young) Butler(or his presumed brothers, Eli & Marion, poss francis Marion Butler of 1850 MUTN), or John C or Eliz. (Haley) Young, or James or Almanza/Halmanza (Young) Adkins in any 1860 FC.
This whole family, along with poss Butler in-laws, completely disapeared from any further records of any area where any of their other family members were known to have lived in 1860. Thanks in advance for any clues of any kind to share with us Young fam reseachers, Richard.
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According to the following post, the Elizabeth Lewallen who married Alexander Young was the daughter of Clairborne Lewallen.
http://genforum.genealogy.com/cgi-bin/pageload.cgi?lewallen:
:young::12647.html
From what we have, Claiborne was the son of Jesse Lewelling who was the son of Daniel Lewelling. It was a quick search and I didn't find much but Claiborne had a brother Thomas who died 1787 in Prince William County, Virginia and other brothers were Moses and Jesse. These, of course, would be a couple generations before your David Lewallen.
Billie Harris - Jul 3, 2008
What my friend found on Ancestry isn't a lot of help. It does show a Sarah Lewallen in the Giles County 1840 census with two males in the 10-15 range. It could well have been that the census taker missed this family because it seems that they were missed in 1850 or maybe they had moved by 1850 to a different county.
1860 Lawrence County, TN shows:
Sarah Lewallen, 54, GA (1806)
Sarah A. Lewallen, 21, TN
James Lewallen, 18 (1842), TN
Thomas Lewallen, 14 (1846), TN
Sarah Coats, 17, TN
The 1870 census for Lawrence County, TN shows
Thomas Lewallen, 23 (1847), TN
Martha Lewallen, 21, TN
James F. Lewallen, 2, TN
Sarah Lewallen, 75, (1795) GA (she aged quite a bit from 1860)
In looking at what you have and in looking at the above census records, this wouldn't be your Sarah because I notice you said the family moved to McNairy County, TN about 1846/7 right after Thomas was born, and besides, Thomas married Charlotte Riddell, not a Martha.
Billie Harris - Jul 7, 2008
Jay, what were the names of Thomas and Charlotte's children? Sometimes the names give us clues, at least in early years. It seemed to be a fairly common practice to name your sons after your father and your wife's father so maybe that info will help.
Jay Lewallen - Jul 21, 2008
In the above 1870 census, I believe Sarah Lewallen's age is misquoted by 10 years. She was 65 at that time and I believe there may have been a subtraction error by the census taker. And, I think they also made a mistake with Charlotte Amanda Riddell's name. Perhaps, she went by Amanda and the census taker heard Martha. I have no evidence that a Martha replaced Charlotte at this time, even for a few years.
Jay Lewallen - Jul 21, 2008
By 1840 in Giles Co. TN, I think David had taken a leave of absence from the marriage, because there is no male in Sarah Lewallen's household of the right age for him. Then, in the 1850 Tippah County, MS census, I found a Sally of the right age living with a William McNiece with the Lewallen children (but with the name Lewallen spelled Lewellyn) who had the right names and ages. It seems that Sarah (Sally) may have taken up residence with William, but then moved back to Lawrence Co. TN by 1860 with three of her children and a servant (including Thomas Marion Lewallen). What do you think of all this?
Kay McKinnon - Sep 7, 2008
Wonder if these Lewellens in Tippiah Co. MS could be kinsmen
I found in MS archives
The Adams Family: Lorenzo Dow Adams, Joshua Adams and their Descendants
by Valeska Buchholz Vicars call # 929.2 Adl3v
I found no publication date on this booklet.
p.33 Margaret Jane (Adams) md. George W. Lewellen 12 Sept 1856 Tippah Co. MS
George b. 1834 Perry Co TN d. 19 April 1877 in Sandflat (Johnson Co TX)
He served in WBS Co. L 2nd MS Infantry. His father was William C.
Lewellen b. 5 January 1803 in Anson Co N C died 3 Oct 1856 Ripley MS
His mother was Sarah Fryar b. 7 Aug 1810 TN d. 24 Oct 1877 Ripley MS
(Tippah co) buried in Wiers Chapel cemetery.
p.12 1880 Typhoid epidenic took Lorenzo Dow Lewellen (grandson of LD
Adams) in Sandflat .He is in Sandflat Baptish Cemetery Margaret Jane
Adams Lewellen had Ollie (female), William & Mattie author's note For
Lewellen info - Don Martini P O Box 4 Walnut Ms 38683
Billie Harris - Jul 19, 2008
Drats ! I had a rather long and well-though out posting on this and then got booted off MyFamily. Apparently they were doing some maintenance work, which they seem to do often. Frustraating to say the least and I know I'll never be able to get my thoughts together again. I'll give a stab at it, but this will be more brief and I'll get right to the point.
What we have:
Thomas Marion Lewallen was born 1846 Giles County, TN, one of 9 children by David ? Daniel and Sarah (Young) Lewallen
In 1866 he married Charlotte Amanda Riddell in Lawrence County, TN. Lawrence County is right next to Giles.
1890 Thomas and his family moved to Leon County, Texas
1901 Charlotte died and he married Martha Ross
1913 the family was in McLennan County
1934 Thomas died.
That's basically the time frame.
We don't find the family in Giles County in 1840. There's a Sarah Lewallen who's head of the family in Giles County, but we need a male to be head of the family because Thomas wasn't born until 1846.
We can't find the family in any of the census records for 1850 UNLESS they're in Tippah County, Mississippi which is right below Giles TN on the map. There is a James (Thomas had a brother James) and Thomas who would have been the right age to have been Thomas Marion and his brother James, but they were living with a McNiece family. A Joseph Lewellyn 24 was living next door. Marriage records found in Maury County, TN show Joseph marrying Elizabeth Dew 1849. Maury is the county right above Giles.
The 1860 census for Lawrence County shows Sarah Lewallen age 54 (1806) born in Georgia. Living with her was Sarah A. Lewallen 21 born Tennessee (neither could read nor write), James Lewallen age 18 (1842), Thomas 14 (1846) and Sarah Coats 17. Living right next door to them were the Riddells: Henry 49, Mary 36, James A. 16, Elizabeth 15, Charlotte A. 12 (1848), John F. 10, William H. 8, Thomas 6 and Calvin 3.
Here comes confusion !
The 1870 Lawrence County, TN census shows: Thomas Lewallen 23 (1847), Martha M. Lewallen 21 TN, James F. 2, Sarah Lewallen 75 GA (1795). AND ... next door are the same Riddell family as found in the 1860 census - Henry 60, Mary A. 45, John F. 19, Louise C. 23 (1847), William H 17, Thomas J 15, Calvin W. 12, Nimrod 10, Mary C. or G 4, and the other side of them is James Riddell 26, Sarah J. 24, Mary 31, a male 3 months and Sarah Riddell 63.
The 1880 McNairy County, Tennessee, census shows:
T.M. Luellen 33 (1847) - this would be Thomas Marion Lewallen who was born TN, father born SC and mother born GA, C. Luellen 31 (1849), Sarah Luellen 74 (1806) marked "Mother", born Georgia, father born GA and mother SC, J.F. 11 son born TN and both parents born TN, S.C. 9 daughter, W.F. 8, son, and other children.
They were found in the 1900 Limestone County, Texas census:
Thomas Lewallen born ? 1844 or 1846, married 34 years, born TN, father born SC and mother GA, Charlotte born 8/1848 married 34 years 14 childre, 9 living; Ada 24, Alvin 15, Lonzo 13, Herbert 11, and Elizabeth Riddell 54 sister-in-law who was born TN, father born NC and mother born TN, and Linsey Sanders, male 25.
What's really confusing to me is that 1870 census. If a Sarah born GA hadn't been living with Thomas, I wouldn't think it to be the same as Thomas Marion but there was a Sarah living with a Thomas and they lived right next door to the Riddells and she was born in Georgia. Who was Martha? Is it possible this wasn't the same Sarah and the same Thomas even though they were next door to the Riddells?
Jay, I know you've studied this family thoroughly. Can you help clear up my confusion. The one thing we do know though is that Thomas Marion's father was born in South Carolina and with the children being born in Tennessee, he must have moved to Tennessee prior to 1840, wouldn't you think?
Jay Lewallen - Jul 21, 2008
Yes, Thomas did marry the "girl next door", Charlotte Amanda Riddell and I have found and photographed her gravestone (and Thomas') in Limestone Co., TX. After Charlotte died in 1901, Thomas remarried a Martha Sephonia Cox in TX, but I have no idea where she is buried.
Knowing that Thomas' father was born in SC, moved to TN and died in a Nashville, TN hospital just before Thomas was born in 1846 may help us track him down. The main problem is that all I have of his name is David and the Daniel middle name only has a weak reference.
Billie Harris - Jul 21, 2008
Getting back to Tippah in 1850, the census shows:
William McNiece 50 born KY, Sally 46 born NC., Elizabeth Lewellyn 17 born TN, Adeline 15 born TN, James 10 born TN, Thomas 5 born TN and next door is Joseph 24 born TN, Elizabeth 18 born TN. As stated above, Joseph married Elizabeth Dew 1849 in Maury County.
If Sarah Lewallen is the same as Sally McNiece, then her place of birth is shown as North Carolina rather than Georgia. This would also show that she had an older son named Joseph who married Elizabeth Dew. Joseph and Elisabeth are found in the 1860 Independence county, Arkansas, census showing him as 35, Elizabeth as 27, with children Charles 7, Ellen 5 born TN, Theodocia 4 born Arkansas and Henry age 7 months born Arkansas.
I know it doesn't always hold true, but very frequently in early days a son named his first son after his father and I see Joseph's son is named Charles although Thomas didn't name any of his sons Charles so that may not mean anything.
If Sarah married William McNiece, thn she went back to using the Lewallen name by 1860 in Lawrence County, Tennessee because it shows Sarah Lewallen 54 born GA, Sarah A 21 born TN, James 18 TN, Thomas 14 TN, and Sarah Coats.
I think knowing Thomas' father died in Nashville just before Thomas was born 1846 might help find who he was.
Jay Lewallen - Jul 22, 2008
I find it remarkable that the children living with William McNiece and Sally have the correct names and ages of David and Sarah's children (it may that Elizabeth was listed twice by accident with almost identical ages). I will email you a scanned page from my Aunt's records that show David and Sarah's children's names as Bill, Joe, Jim, Thomas Marion, Polly, Elizabeth and Adeline (perhaps the Joe was Joseph).
On a second matter, how does it help us to know that David died about 1846 in a Nashville hospital?
Billie Harris - Jul 22, 2008
It's probably just wishful thinking that we may find burial records for him somewhere there. I seriously doubt there are any medical records in existence because most medical records were probably destroyed long ago and might be confidential anyway.
Billie Harris - Sep 4, 2008
Jay, today in browsing the internet, Ancestry I believe, I found that Thomas Marion Lewallen was born in Lawrence County, Tennessee. I don't know where they found that information, but I'm passing it on for whatever it's worth.
In looking at the 1850 census for Lawrence County, I checked the names of the people living around the Riddells in case there might be a clue of some sort. I didn't see any although you may, I don't know. Here are the families (and in the census, it's spelled Riddle).
Allan Atkinson 26, and family
John Sullivan 25 and family
Edward Burgess
David Riddle 40 born N.C., Mary 25 N.C., John 5 NC, Elizabeth 3 NC and Charlotte A. 1 N.C. This would indicate the Riddells didn't come to this area from N.C. until sometime this year. The census was taken in September.
John D. Riddle 82 born N.C., Mary 50 S.C., Hugh 20 TN, ?son 19 TN, Aquilla 15 TN, Perella 15 TN, Richard 12 TN, George 9 TN
John Sullivan and family
Danl Sullivan and Family
John L. Riddle 19 TN, Mary (name scratched) 21
Parsons Rackley 57 NC, Eleanor 18 TN
William Snider 29 KY and family
David Eaton 76 NC
Isiah W. Rackley 30 and family
Ann E. Riddell 34 TN, David V 14, Martha E 13, Mary E 18, Joseph 4
Thomas Etheredge 75
Isaac Ingram 35