MINNIE C. [REDDITT] ANDREWS
Wife of
BOYD KELLEY ANDREWS
and
Daughter of
ANDREW J. REDDITT and ELIZA JANE [SMITH]
of
Smith County, Tennessee
by Francie Lane, April 30, 2007
Comments or Questions Click Here
Minnie C. Redditt was born on September 2, 1886, in probably Riddleton, Smith Co., TN, the daughter of Andrew J. Redditt, and his second wife, Eliza Jane [Smith]. (Please see the end of the article for Eliza J. Smith’s family history.)
Andrew J. Redditt was born October 1, 1847, in Sumner County, TN, the son of Marmaduke D. and Sarah Redditt. Marmaduke D. Redditt was purportedly born January 21, 1793.[1], the son of Theophilus & Rachel Redditt and grandson of Josiah Redditt (1744-1811) and Sarah [Williams]. The Redditts were long residents of Bertie Co., NC, and there are family records, dating back to 1721, Chowan Precinct, NC.
Early Sumner Co., TN shows the existence of Aquilla Redditt, who from census tracking, would seem to have moved after 1820 from Sumner Co. to Shelby Co., TN. The 1830 US census for Sumner Co., TN is the first to reflect the family of Marmaduke, showing the oldest male, age 30-40; 2 males under 5; oldest female, age 20-30; and 1 female 5-10.
1840 US Census – Sumner Co., TN, p. 6 / 356
<12/162[2]>
REDDIT, M. D. 2020101-120111
1850 US Census – Sumner Co., TN – Dist. #2, p. 278 <8/15>[3]
RIDET, Marmaduk D. 56 NC $600
, Sarah 46 TN
, William L. 20 “
, Margaret 17
, Rachel 15
, Peter 12
, Ann 8
, James P. 6
,
Andrew J. 2
Marmaduke D. Redditt wrote his LWT on August 18, 1857, and it was recorded in Sumner Co., TN in December court, 1857. His estate was to go to his wife Sarah for her life or during her widowhood, then to be equally divided among his children. His Will was witnessed by David Padgitt and T. Horsely.[4]
Note: Between the census taker’s poor spelling and the indexing by Ancestry.com, the Redditts are a difficult task to track; i.e., “RIDET” is the 1850 census taker’s spelling – yet the name is indexed by Ancestry.com as “REDEL”, so Soundex searches do not work. As you’ll see, the situation gets worse:
1860 US Census – Sumner Co., TN – Enon College, p. 70 <7/16>[5]
RIDDELL, Sarah 56 TN Farmer $1,000 / $365
, Ann 18 “
, James K. P. 16
,
Andrew J. 12
Thompson, Marth A. 17
By 1870, all the children had left home and Widow Sarah Redditt was living alone:
1870 US Census – Sumner Co.,
TN – 2nd Civil Dist. p. 17 <17/22>[6]
REDISH, Sarah 65 TN $1,500
Andrew J. Redditt first appears in Smith County on the 1870 census as a 22 year-old student, living on a farm with the Thomas family in District 17, New Middleton, Smith Co., TN.
A. J. first married in Smith Co., TN on May 12, 1872[7], to Augusta E. [Garrett], born February 28, 1853; died December 17, 1878[8], Smith Co. and she is buried in the #108 Old Carthage Cemetery. Their children were:
Xena Redditt, born April 18, 1873; died April 8, 1876[9]
Lena Redditt, born October, 1876, d. c1905, Trousdale Co., TN
m. John Cothron c1903[10]
Sallie Louisa Redditt, born June 1878[11]
m. Herbert L. Mynatte – March 6, 1901[12]
Widower A. J. Redditt remarried on June 7, 1879, in Smith Co., TN to Eliza Jane [Smith] [13] and their children were:
Annie J. Redditt, born April 15, 1880; died November 12, 1881.[14]
Andrew J. Redditt, b. October 8, 1882; died September 8, 1883.[15]
Mary P. “Mamie” Redditt, born March 1884
m. James H. Freeman, c1913, Nashville, Davidson Co., TN[16]
Minnie
C. Redditt, born September 2, 1886, Smith Co., TN; died
October 21, 1907, Wallace, Shoshone Co., Idaho.
m. August 1, 1907, Davidson Co.,
TN to
Boyd Kelley Andrews, born July 3, 1885, West,
Holmes Co., MS; died May 27,
1958, Wallace,
Shoshone Co., ID. Boyd was the
son of Alexander
Samuel Andrews and Hattie Cornelia [Boulton][17]
James M. Redditt, born November 1890[18]
Willie N. Redditt (son), born December, 1892[19]
1880 US Census – District 1, Smith Co., TN – SD2;ED114;p.17[20]
REDDITT, A. J. 33 School Teacher TN NC TN
, Eliza J. 27 wife TN TN TN
, Sara P. 77 Mother (Paralysis) TN SC IRE.
, Lena 4 Dau TN TN TN
, Louisa 2 Dau TN TN TN
, A. J. 1/12 Dau (Apr) TN TN TN
The Riddleton Church of Christ[21] was established by land deed Nov. 29th, 1887.
The church's property line adjoined A. J. Redditt, M. L. Bradley & W. D. Pope,
located at the NE corner of the Academy lot in Riddleton town.
The original enrollment, dated August 17, 1888, of the Church of Christ members included:
"Elder - A. J. Redditt", with notation he was "Removed December, 1889"
Eliza J. Redditt - Removed 1889
Lena Redditt - Removed 1888
From the “Smith County History” book[22] article T15, page 48-49, it’s learned that the Smith Co. Teachers Institute certified teachers, and for the year ending June 30, 1892, mailed certificates to the following teachers at their Carthage Post Office address: “A. J. Redditt, R. H. Lankford, J. L. West, Harrison Highers, Hughes Jordan, H. B. Geubelt, Lena Redditt, Bettie Dillard and Lavinia Burton”.
In 1900, my Grandfather, Boyd K. Andrews and his sister Mary Otheldra Andrews were living with their maternal aunt, Julia A. [Boulton] Gibbs. Julia [Boulton] Gibbs was the sister of Boyd & Mary Andrews’ mother, Hattie Cornelia [Boulton] Andrews, the daughters of Napoleon B. Boulton and his wife Lucy J. [Williams]. Both the Boultons and Williams were early settlers in Smith Co. Boyd Andrews remained friends with his 1st cousin, Gertie L. [Gibbs] Scruggs throughout his life. Gertie was born April 23, 1888, and died July 22, 1979, and is buried in the Gordonsville Cemetery, Smith Co., TN. Below is a photograph of Boyd K. Andrews and Gertie [Gibbs] Scruggs as children in 1890:
1900 US Census - Smith County, Tennessee - Civil District 22 - ED 108, Sheet 1[23] <1/11>
Morgan Gibbs was a “Boatman” for all but 2 months of the year; he owned his house free of a mortgage. Morgan & Julia had been married for 12 years; Julia had 4 children – all living. Gertie, Lillia, Willie Gibbs and Boyd Andrews were attending school. Morgan & Julia could read & write. All of the Gibbs were born in TN; Mary & Boyd Andrews were born in MS; their father b. MS and mother, b. TN.
GIBBS, Morgan 38 May, 1862
, Julia A. [Boulton] 28 July, 1872
, Girtie L. 12 April, 1888
, Lillie M. 9 November, 1890
, Willie M. (m) 6 October, 1893
, Ella L. 3 January, 1997
ANDREWS, Mary O. 16 (niece) August, 1883
, Boyd K. 14 (nephew) July, 1885
It’s not known how Boyd K. Andrews met Minnie C. Redditt. Certainly, they were not close neighbors. A. J. Redditt was a school teacher in Smith Co. as Boyd’s father, A. S. Andrews had been prior to 1890. Perhaps their fathers had been friends or perhaps Miss Lena Redditt was Boyd’s teacher. Sometime between 1892 and 1900, Andrew J. Redditt became employed in the Smith County Circuit Court:
1900 US Census – Smith Co., TN - Civil Dist. 1, SD 4; ED 90, Sheet 9[24]: <17/24>
REDDITT, Andrew J. 53 Oct, 1846 Married for 20 y. Deputy Circuit Clerk
, Eliza J. 41 Dec, 1858
, Lena 23 Oct., 1876 School Teacher
, Sallie L. 21 June, 1878
, Mary T. 16 March, 1884 At school
, Minnie C. 13 Sept., 1886 “
, James M. 9 Nov., 1890 “
, Willie N. 7 Dec., 1892 “
[Note: Next door neighbor was Newton Kemp, employed as “County Register”, so perhaps A. J. Redditt was living in Carthage, the county seat.]
On March 6, 1901, Sallie Lou Redditt married Herbert L. Mynatte in Smith Co., TN[25]. I’ve not been able to find any further record of her.
Sometime between the 1900 census and 1903, Lena [Redditt] married a widower farmer, John Cothron, b. 1862, of Dog Branch Rd., Trousdale Co., TN. Lena had one daughter, Frances “Augusta” Cothron, born c1904. Augusta was undoubtedly named for Lena’s mother, Augusta [Garrett] Redditt. Lena died shortly after Augusta’s birth, because the 1910 census shows Cothron and his new wife Mary had been married for 4 years. From the 1930 US Census of Trousdale Co., Lena’s daughter Augusta had married at age 21 to Floyd Carman “of Lock Six Road” and had two children: Charlie J., age 2y 5 m and Margaret V., age 11 months.
In 1902, my Grandfather, Boyd K. Andrews, left Smith Co., promising to return to marry his childhood sweetheart, Minnie C. Redditt. He took her beautiful photograph with him: [Below, Minnie Redditt is on the left with an unidentified woman on the right. Minnie’s shoes are beside her and both women are fishing.]
Boyd Andrews moved to Denver, Colorado, taking odd sales jobs, while working his way through business college, learning accounting, shorthand, typing and telegraphy. He took a job as a telegrapher for the Northern Pacific Railway, winding up in 1906 in Wallace, Shoshone County, Idaho. Boyd and Minnie continued to write to each other, planning their future life together and setting a wedding date for 1907, but during this time, Minnie moved with her parents to Nashville. After saving enough money for a diamond ring, travel expenses and a wedding, Boyd returned to Tennessee in 1907, to marry and take his bride back to the new home he had made for them in Idaho. Upon his arrival, he was shocked to see her in the last stages of tuberculosis. Boyd had promised to marry her, and so he did. The marriage license was issued on August 1, 1907, by the Davidson Co., TN County Clerk, and the marriage was performed by George Livingston Beale, Minister of the Gospel of the Methodist Church in Nashville.
The wedding party photograph is below. Boyd Andrews is in the front row, second from the right; Minnie Redditt is in the front row, far right side. The other women are presumed to be her sisters with their husbands, but cannot be specifically identified.
As terminally ill as Minnie was, Boyd took his bride back to Idaho. During the warm summer months, he kept the fires burning because Minnie was so cold. Finally after a few months, she died on October 21, 1907, without ever consummating the marriage.
Boyd brought Minnie's body back to Smith Co., TN by train for burial at the "Old Carthage Cemetery", also known as the Methodist Cemetery, located at West 3rd Avenue, Carthage, Smith Co., TN.
[Photograph by and courtesy of John Waggoner]
Boyd returned to Wallace, and on 5 Dec 1907, wrote a poignant letter to his sister Mary Otheldra “Thellie” [Andrews] Smith, wife of Arthur T. Smith of Smith Co., telling of his return trip: [Note: “Boyd A.” was Boyd Andrews Smith, born 1903, son of Thellie & A. T. Smith. The mention of the Hartsville Pike may have been traveled for a visit to Minnie Redditt’s sister Lena in Trousdale Co., TN]
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Wallace, Idaho[26]
December
5, 1907
Dear Sis:
Your letter came a few days ago – was highly appreciated for it’s the first letter I’ve had from you since I came back.
I enjoyed the journey very much as it was all new to me –
and then the trip through Mohave Desert (Mojave it is spelled) was all new and
interesting. Equally as enjoyable was
the trip on the ocean and if I travel near the waters again, I shall make it a
point to take a ship – for the ride is grand.
I didn’t get sick but some of the others did and I can imagine how one
feels. The ship was running on the
right side awhile then it would turn to the left side – then make an awful
dive. We saw several sea lions, whales,
sharks and etc., in fact we were highly entertained all the way. Saw five or six ships that were sunk
recently – and they made a fellow feel rather curious – not knowing whether
your voyage would be completed or not.
We were fog bound from 2:30 p.m. to 10 a.m. in Eureka Bay and had a
delightful time visiting on board the ship.
The journey was grand – yet I missed my darling very much. I can’t see why I should care to strive for anything now since I’ve lost her – but then maybe I won’t miss her so much after awhile.
I didn’t stay at home as long as I intended to, for it
seemed as though I wanted to come back and tell her about my journey.
Mr. & Mrs. Redditt insisted on my staying with them
longer, but I cried all the time I was there – and I believe I would have died
had I remained there for a week.
Mr. Redditt bought my ticket & Minnie’s to Carthage and paid the expenses of digging the grave and hearse hire. I asked if I might pay them, but he said he would settle them. I still owe $288.00 for her casket & etc., but I can soon pay for that as I make good money here. I spent over $700.00 on Minnie while she was with me and I am not sorry in the least. I’ve felt as though I did everything I could for her. I wish she could have lived so that our little home we had planned would have been a reality instead of a fanciful dream.
I didn’t send you any of Minnie’s clothes, as I had
intended doing. I gave Mamma a few of
them and took the rest to Mrs. Redditt for it seemed like casting lots for her
garments and then I knew she would not want her clothes scattered around. When I come back again I’m going to have
more money than at any time yet and I’ll take you and Boyd A. down to
Mississippi to see our old homestead.
Wouldn’t that be grand – yes, as grand as our ride down the Hartsville
Pike last summer. I had a nice time,
though, didn’t you? Sometimes I think I
will come back and stay at home for I don’t think it hardly fair for me to stay
away so long. Do you?
Will try to arrange my visit so I can get two gallons of chestnuts and walk from Gordonsville to Bluff Creek to take Poot Eye one Gallon and have a little romp with him. Wish I could see him now.
Shall
close now for it’s 11 p.m.
Love and best wishes to all
Your devoted bud,
Boyd K. Andrews
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1910 US Census – Davidson Co., TN – Civil
Dist #11 – SD279; ED108; Sh3B
#57 on Porter Pike[27]
REDDITT, Andrew J. 62 2nd marriage – 30 yr Farmer
, Eliza J. 51 1st marriage – 30 yr 6 children/ 3 living
, Mary P. 25 single
, James 19 single
, William B. 17 single
Andrew J. Redditt died on March 3, 1918[28], in Nashville, Davidson Co., TN, but was brought back to Smith Co. to be buried in the old Carthage Cemetery. Widow Eliza Jane [Smith] Redditt lived with her married daughter Mary [Redditt] Freeman. Mary P. [Redditt] married c1913 to James H. Freeman, born c1877 in Arkansas and had at least 2 children: James H. Freeman, Jr., b. c1916; and Edna K., born 1919. The family lived on Greenwood Ave / Porter Rd., Nashville.
1920 US Census – Davidson Co., TN – Civil Dist #11
(N.E. Eastland); Greenwood Avenue & Porter Road – SD320;ED125;Sh30b[29]:
FREEMAN, James H. 42 AR TN TN Commercial Trav. Portrait Co.
, Mamie 35 TN TN TN
, James H. 3 6/12 TN AR TN
, Edna K. 10/12 TN AR TN
REDDITT, Eliza J. 61 Widow “Mother-in-law” TN TN TN
Eliza Jane [Smith] Redditt died in Nashville, Davidson Co., TN on June 16, 1922[30], and was buried in the old Carthage cemetery beside her husband, and along with her deceased children: Infants Annie J. and Andrew J. Redditt, Jr. and Minnie C. [Redditt] (Mrs. Boyd K.) Andrews.
In the 1920 census, there is a James M. Redditt, born c1890, TN, living in Perrysburg Village, Wood Co., Ohio, employed as a bookkeeper, married to a Clara B., age 25, born Ohio and daughter Arlene C. Redditt, age 4. In 1930, this same James M. Redditt was living in Monclova, Lucas Co., Ohio, stating he had married at age 24, and still employed as a bookkeeper. He stated he and his parents were all born in TN[31]. This could well be the son of A. J. & Eliza J. [Smith] Redditt.
I’ve not found any further record of Minnie Redditt’s brother William B. Redditt.
For further detailed information regarding the family of James Hargrove Smith (1823-1900) and the Lewis Joshua Young family, please refer to articles, authored by Loyd D. Young, a James Hargrove Smith descendent, published in the “History of Smith County[32]”: [Smith: F717, p. 702-703] and [Young: F838, p. 772-773]
Below is a compilation of data / records held by Francie Lane <francielane@Comcast.net>, derived from census research, Smith County’s web page for on-line cemetery and marriage records, and letters from “cousin” Carlene [Smith] Hayes, dated November 7, 1978, on a research trip to Smith County, TN. Mrs. Carlene Hayes was the daughter of Mary Otheldra [Andrews] and Arthur Thomas Smith, son of James Hargrove Smith and Harriet Jane [Tucker].
The mother of Minnie C. [Redditt] Andrews was Eliza Jane [Smith] Redditt, born December 6, 1858, the daughter of James Hargrove Smith (b. July 25, 1823; d. January 14,1900) and his wife Harriet Jane [Tucker] (b. May 16, 1828; d. July 25, 1914), the daughter of W. Reid & Henrietta Tucker. W. Reid Tucker, b. c1800, was living in White Co., TN in 1860 with his wife, born c1800, but after her death, was taken into James H. Smith’s household by the 1880 census [shown as 80 year old father-in-law].
James Hargrove Smith’s parents, shown in his 1870 census household, were William Smith, b. 1800, NC, a blacksmith and his wife Harriet, b. 1800, TN.
James Hargrove & Harriet Jane [Tucker] Smith married at her family home in White Co., TN on September 13, 1845. The children of James H. Smith and Harriet Jane [Tucker] were:
1. John “William” Smith, born August 17, 1849; died March 15, 1929
married October 12, 1872, Smith Co., TN to:
Susan Frances Trousdale, b. July 7, 1851; d. April 7, 1926,
daughter of James Trousdale [1860 census “of Dixon Springs, TN”].
Their children:
Arthur Thomas “A.T.” Smith, b. April 7, 1875, Smith Co., TN; died
January
13, 1953, Wallace, Shoshone Co., Idaho
m. c 1901 to Mary Otheldra “Thellie” Andrews, b. August 3,
1883, West, Holmes Co., MS; died April 24, 1941, Wallace,
Shoshone Co., Idaho.
Evelyn Jane “Evie” Smith, born July 12, 1878; died June 24, 1956
m. Lewis Joshua “Josh” Young on November 3, 1895
Betty Ellen Smith, born December 8, 1882
m. Lee Robinson on October 28, 1913
2. Samuel V. Smith, b. February 4, 1851; d. August 17, 1890
married May 16, 1880, Smith Co., TN, to Sarah M. Turner
1880 Census, Dist. #17, age 29, stated occupation: Wool Carder
3. Harriet Unicy Smith, b. January 2, 1853; d. March 19, 1954.
4. James Hargrove Smith, Jr., b. April 6, 1854; d. November 5, 1937
married May 14, 1889: Carrie D. Brim, b. Jan. 1, 1864; d Aug. 28, 1934
5. Hetta Katherine Smith, b. December 7, 1856; d. May 3, 1915
married on January 29, 1902, to Riley C. Richardson
[Note: Marriage transcription gives her name as “Kittie K. Smith” ]
6. Eliza Jane Smith, born December 6, 1858; died June 16,
1922
married Andrew J. “A. J.” Redditt in Smith Co., TN on June 8, 1879.
Their children were:
Annie J. Redditt, born April 15, 1880; died November 12, 1881.
Andrew J. Redditt, b. October 8, 1882; died September 8, 1883.
Mary P. Redditt, born March 1884
m. James H. Freeman, c1913, Nashville, Davidson Co., TN
Minnie C. Redditt, born September 2, 1886, Smith Co., TN; died
October 21, 1907, Wallace, Shoshone Co., Idaho.
m. August 1, 1907,
Davidson Co., TN to:
Boyd Kelley Andrews, born July 3, 1885, West, Holmes Co., MS; died May 27, 1958, Wallace, Shoshone Co., ID
James M. Redditt, born November 1890
Willie N. Redditt (son), born December, 1892
7. Jefferson D. Smith, b. June 13, 1861; died March 31, 1883.
8. Joel F. Smith, b. March 26, 1863; died November 4, 1886.
9. Robert P. Smith, b. January 18, 1865; died March 7, 1920 and buried with his
wife in Ridgewood Cemetery, Section III
married December 15, 1901 to Callie Richardson, b. May 3, 1874; d. Oct.
31, 1964. [Note Marriage transcription gives his name as “Robert
R. Smith”]
10. Daniel F. Smith, b. January 26, 1867
married #1 L. E. Porter – October 16, 1890, Smith Co., TN [Note: Marriage
transcription gives her name as “S. E. Porter”]
#2 Docia A. Richardson – September 18, 1901, Smith Co., TN
11. Crockett W. Smith, b. February 17, 1870
married on January 1, 1899 to Eva B. Perkins [Note: Marriage
transcription gives names as: “C. W. Smith and “Bettie Perkins”]