Crabtree Family
Photo Album
Walter Holland Crabtree and Shelby Crouch, 1925
Ephraim Crabtree
Ephraim Crabtree, 1st Corporal, enlisted on 11/19/1862 in Overton Co., Tenn.; Identified on undated muster roll labeled Document “P” at Ferguson’s trial, and in Wayne County, Ky. criminal case files.
Re-enlisted on 3/10/1863 as private in Co. K, 11th Kentucky Cavalry, CSA, at Monticello, Wayne County, Ky. Resident of Fentress County, Tenn. in 1850, age 30.
Source: http://geocitiessites.com/Pentagon/Fort/2754/Crabtree.html
These excerpts from the History of Fentress County, Tennessee, published by the Fentress County Historical Society in 1987, were transcribed by Michael Allen in 2000. See notes at the end.
Anna Catherine (Wood) Crabtree
by Reba Joan Fox
Anna Catherine Wood was born in Pickett County, July 23, 1907. The area where she was born is known as Caney Creek, in the community of Forbus, Tennessee. Her parents were John E. Wood (March 10, 1872-May 20, 1960) and Genira Jane (Crouch) Wood (Nov. 13, 1877-August 13, 1958). Anna’s maternal grandparents were James Crouch and Mary Jane (Dishman) Crouch. They had six daughters, Laura, Florida, Maud, Genira, Sophia, and Millie. They had one son, Marcus. Anna’s paternal grandparents were Pleasant Beaty Wood and Nancy (Moody) Wood. Pleasant and Nancy had seven children, Matilda, John Eddie, Gardener, Catherine, Sophia, Bates and Abbie.
Nancy (Moody) Wood’s father (Anna’s Great grandfather), was Peter Moody, a very prosperous farmer in the community. He had bought thousands of acres of land when it was ten cents an acre. People say he owned all the land from Ball Rock to Chanute, Tenn. Legend has it that he also owned quite a few slaves. He was able to give each of his children a home and substantial acreage when they married. When Nancy married Pleasant Wood she came into the marriage with quite a dowry. Moody Cemetery in Travisville is on land originally owned by Peter Moody.
Anna’s mother, Genira, married John Eddie when she was sixteen years old. They lived on the “Kidwell Place,” in the Forbus-Caney Creek area, after they were married. John Eddie farmed and hunted and trapped. Genira was kept busy being a homemaker and starting her family. Their first child, Bonnie, (Mrs. John Sharp) was born in 1895. Their next child was a son, Charles Robert, horn in 1899. They moved to Sunnybrook, Kentucky for a few rears where John Eddie worked in the oil fields. While there, their third child, Audra Dahlia (Mrs. Allen Bertram) was born in 1900. While living in Sunnybrook, John Eddie got saved at the age of twenty-one and joined the Sunnybrook Baptist church. He also joined the Masonic Lodge there. One day, while working on an oil derrick, John Eddie fell from the derrick, injuring his head. Fortunately he wasn’t hurt too bad, but it shook him up a bit and after that they decided to move back to the Forbus community. Their fourth child, Owen Herschel, was born in 1902. Lowell Lamb was their third son born in 1904. Anna Catherine was next, born July 23, 1907. Norman was their youngest, born in 1909.
John Eddie farmed and also hauled freight from the railroad at Rugby and Elgin Tenn. to stores in and around Fentress County and the county seat, Jamestown. Back then, the road from Forbus to Jamestown was dirt and gravel, and going up the mountain with team and wagon to Jamestown, and then onto Rugby and Elgin, took two days. There was no bridge at Clear Fork River so they forded it going, and coming back with their freight also. John Eddie also worked on the “Alvin York” highway, as did many men in the community, when they started making what is now U.S. 127 North. Anna and Norman were the youngest in the family so they were close friends and playmates. Her sisters, Bonnie and Aurdra, married and moved away and that left Anna the only girl at home. She helped her mother and learned how to keep house, cook, sew, etc., all the things girls were expected to learn back then. Anna attended grammar school at Thompson School in the Travisville Community. She belonged to the Methodist Church at Travisville.
In those days nearly everyone in the community were “kinfolks.” Anna’s Uncle Bates Woods lived near and he had quite a few children, among them Virgie and Bessie Woods. They were about the same age as Anna and played together as children. Anna, Bessie, Virgie, and another cousin, Marie were best friends. This friendship lasted throughout their lifetime. When Anna was eighteen years of age she met Holland Crabtree. They dated for two or three years and then were married June 28th 1929. They got married when the Great Depression was just starting. People were committing suicide, jumping from windows and everything because the country was in such a sad state. Anna and Holland didn’t Let these things stop them. They were young and in love and their future looked bright with their life together just beginning.
Anna and Holland lived with Holland’s parents until he finished school and then they moved to Jamestown where they lived and raised their family. They had seven children, five girls and two boys. The girls are Reba Jo, Norma Jean, Franklin Jeanette, Patricia Hay and Kathryn Pay. Patricia and Kathryn were twins born in 1950. Patricia died at birth and Kathryn died at ten months. Their sons are William Holland and Robert David. In 1960 Holland and Anna moved to New Castle, Indiana where Holland was employed at Chrysler Corporation. He worked there until his death in 1969. Anna still lives in New Castle.
Source: https://homepages.rootsweb.com/~bp2000/fentress/crabtree.htm
Walter Holland Crabtree
by Reba Joan Fox
Walter Holland Crabtree was born in Fentress County, ? 12, 1907. The area where he was born is known as the Wolf River Valley, in the community of Pall Mall, Tennessee. His parents were Fountain P. Crabtree (1877-1953) and Jenny (Patton) Crabtree. (1882-195?). Holland’s maternal grandparents were Jesse Patton and Vina (Delk) Patton. Jesse and Vina had nine children, Jenny, Willie, George, Harrison, Queen, Nan, Ellen, May and Proctor. Holland’s paternal grandparents were Bailor and Amanda Crabtree. Bailor and Amanda had six children, Fountain, John, George, Florence, Lucy, and Sarah Ann.
Fount and Jenny had eight children but only four survived. The deceased children were, Mendy, born Jan. 17 1902, Infant born Dec. 12 1905, Oma born March 28, 1909 and Willis born April 2 1924. Holland was the oldest of the four living children. After Holland came a sister, Reva (Mrs. Francis Abel, Columbus, Indiana) born Aug. 11, 1911. Then came a brother Willard, born Jan. 30 1914. Willard also lives in Columbus, Indiana and has been married to Lula (Beaty) Crabtree for over fifty years. Then came a sister, Gladys (Potter-Lee) born Dec.1, 1921. She lives in Pikeville, Tenn with her husband, Charles.
Holland met Anna Wood when he was about eighteen years old. She had moved from Caney Creek over to the Pall Mall community. Holland was a handsome young man with a new T Model Ford who really took a shine to Anna. They dated for a few years and were married June 28th 1929 when they were both twenty-two years of age. They lived with Holland’s parents until he graduated from York Institute.
Their first child, Norma Jean, was born April 18 1930. After Holland got out of school they moved to Jamestown. They rented a small apartment there and Holland went to work in the lumber yards. In 1933 their second daughter, Reba Jo was born. Norms Jean was three and telling everyone who would listen about her new baby sister. The Great Depression had a grip on the whole country but Holland and Anna were young and strong and through trial and error learned how to stretch their dollars. They even managed to save enough money to buy a small home about two miles from Jamestown on the road to Allardt.
In 1935 their third daughter, Franklin Jeanette was born. Holland’s father and mother bought a small farm just up the road, and Willard and his family lived near.
In 1938 their first son, William Holland was born. The children all attended grammar school at Allardt, Tenn.
In 1940 the family moved to Lenior City, Tenn. where Holland worked with TVA. They lived there for two years before moving back to Jamestown. Holland worked for TVA during the World War II years. Working on most of the TVA projects in Tenn and North Carolina.
In 1945 their second son Robert David was born. In 1950 Anna delivered twin girls, Patricia Key and Kathryn Fay. They were premature and Patricia died after a few hours of life. Kathryn Fay lived for ten months and died of pneumonia.
The children grew up and married. Norma (Mrs Carl Strunk, Seymour Tenn.), Reba Jo (Mrs Nelson Fox, Fairfield Glade, Tenn.), Frankie (Mrs Arnold Poland, Coffeyville, Kansas), William (Bud) married Gail Ledbetter and they live in New Castle Indiana. Robert married Patsy Rich and they live in New Castle, Indiana.
In 1960 Holland and Anna moved to New Castle, Indiana where Holland was employed with Chrysler Corporation. He died on Dec. 30, 1969. He belonged to the Masonic Lodge in New Castle and was a member of First Baptist church of Allardt. He is buried at Wolf River Cemetery.
Holland and Anna also have twelve grandchildren, Donna Jean and Joseph Scott Strunk; Anna Catherine, Michael Nelson and Victoria Lynn Fox; Daniel Reece, Ruth Ann, Sean and Melissa Roland; Heidi, Hilary and Holland Issac Crabtree. They have six great-grandchildren, Travis and Seth Srunk; Jeremy and Jason Brock; Luther and Elissa Epperhart.
Fount and Jenny raised their family on their farm in Pall Mall. Fount was busy farming and he also hauled freight from the trains at Elgin, Tenn. to the stores and businesses in and around Jamestown. Jenny was busy raising her family and making a home for them. In those days women had many more responsibilities and worked much harder than they do today. The women had their babies at home with a midwife in attendance. With such a great distance to the hospital this was the practical thing to do. Dr. A.H. Crouch was the community doctor. He lived in Forbus, Tennessee.
Holland and his brothers and sisters attended grammar school in Pall Mall. Usually school was in session during the fall and winter months. Children in the community could go as long as they weren’t needed at home to help out with the work. Most of the children carried their lunch in a tin pail. Lunch usually consisted of wholesome food from home including biscuits, butter and molasses, an ear of corn maybe, and a fried pie of dried fruit. Usually enough food was cooked for the evening meal to have enough left over for the next days lunches. Eggs were usually saved to take to the store to trade for staples such as coffee, tea, sugar etc. In those days nearly everyone in the community were “kinfolks.” All the families or “clans” stuck together and helped each other. If there was sickness in the family, or if a crop failed, or a barn burned, there were always helping hands there to do whatever they could to help out.
Source: https://homepages.rootsweb.com/~bp2000/fentress/f154.htm
Henry and Savannah (Doss) Crabtree
by Novella S. Cravens
According to Fentress Co. 1880 Census, Henry P. Crabtree, son of James and Martha Miller Crabtree was born 1872. His grandparents were Hiram Crabtree, Sr., and Neva Delk Crabtree. Neva was the daughter of John and Nina Adkins Delk.
James was married three times. He had two children — Ephriam and Eleg by his 1st wife. He and Nancy (b. 1814 – TN); were the parents of Sarah (mar. “Little” Henry Crabtree; Lissa; Margaret; Darca: Jackson; Alexander; Bernetta; Peggy (mar. “Pepper” Jim Crabtree); Vina (mar. Jesse Patton); Simps (mar. ? Cook); and Alvin. After Nancy died, James married Martha Miller Hinds, a widow, and mother of John and Joel Hinds.
James and Martha’s children were: George mar. Frankie Reagan; Hiram married Delphie Blevins; Henry P. married Savannah Dose; Polly married Jim Malone; and Mendy J. married Joe Anderson.
Henry’s wife Savannah was the daughter of Enos and Rutha Doss.
Henry and Savannah’s children were:
Ethel Jane b. 11/29/1900 d. 7/1980 buried at Sharp Cemetery; one son, Enos married Bonnie Pile; a daughter, Ressie married Earnest Hughes.
Robbie married Gertie Pierce, daughter of Will Pierce.
Ruth Emmaline married Lee Cravens.
John Cal, b. 4/20/1908 – d. 12/4/1938, married Mertie Mae Upchurch, daughter of Sheriden Upchurch.
Mary married 1) Stanton Pippin, and 2) Merlie Hughes. They now live in Indiana.
Welter married Eddy Hill but because her father disapproved of him, they never lived together.
([Information] Source: Ethel Crabtree)
Source: https://homepages.rootsweb.com/~bp2000/fentress/crabtree_h.htm
Raymond Oscar Crabtree
by Ilene Goad
Raymond Oscar Crabtree, son of George and Martha Smith Crabtree was born in Fentress County in 1911. He married Lona Opal Jones, daughter of Harrison and Esther Goad Jones on February 28, 1935.
Opal was born in Fentress County June 2,1918. Her parents were both dead by the time she was six years old and she was reared by her grandparents, Granville J. and Rosa Jane Goad.
Oscar and Opal bought a home near the Armathwaite School, shortly after their marriage and their son, Oscar Wayne, was born there October 3, 1938. Oscar was principal of the Armathwaite School for several years.
They sold their home in Armathwaite and moved to Jamestown about 1948 or 1949. Oscar was principal of the York Elementary School until about 1954. He then moved to Rockwood, Tennessee then later to Ducktown, Tennessee and taught in the school system in that area for a number of years. He died in November of 1983 and is buried in, or near, Cookeville, Tennessee.
Wayne married Bessie Beaty, daughter of Mese and Nina Anderson Beaty, July 7, 1958. They had one son, Jerry Dale, born November 11, 1962 in California. Wayne later married Eleanor Ryland Green and they live in Fort Myers, Florida.
Jerry Dale married June 4, 1983 and he has a daughter, Nicole, born in March, 1986. He and his family live in Crystal Lake, Illinois.
Opal worked in the county court clerk’s office for nine years. She lived for a while in Illinois, then returned to Jamestown and worked at Jamestown Manufacturing for nineteen years. She quit her job there in the spring of 1983, sold her home, and moved to Fort Myers, Florida.
Source: https://homepages.rootsweb.com/~bp2000/fentress/f153.htm
Transcriber’s note: Most, but not all, [transcribed] excerpts relate to Beaty families. Don’t forget the first rule of genealogy — everything should be backed by primary documentation — This book was written by the Fentress Co. Historical Society. It’s mainly a collection of personal histories told from memory and family tradition with little documentation, and should be taken as such.
TNGenWeb Coordinator’s note: Curtis Media Corp. gave permission to post this material originally, and it was uploaded in a free account at Rootsweb. We do not intend copyright infringement on anyone. However, Rootsweb has experienced viability issues in the past. We want to make sure the information is retained and available for Fentress County researchers.