A GENEALOGICAL MISCELLANY, MADISON COUNTY, TENNESSEE
By Jonathan K. T. Smith
Copyright, Jonathan K. T. Smith, 1996

CERTAIN RECORDS REGARDING BLACK CITIZENS OF MADISON COUNTY, TENNESSEE

(Page 42)

Found in "Select Records of the Tennessee Field Office of the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen and Abandoned Land." National Archives: Microcopy T-142, Roll 69.

April 1, 1868, appearing before P. C. McCowat, Madison County Court Clerk, "came JOSEPH ANDERSON and JACK BROWN, both colored, who being by me first duly sworn do say — that they and each of them were well acquainted with THOMAS HOWARD, colored, late a private soldier in 'Co. K', 55th Regiment of U.S. Colored troops & that he died of cholera in Memphis, Tennessee about the month of July 1866." They had also been long acquainted "with EMELINE HOWARD, colored, who is the mother of said THOMAS HOWARD and who resides in Madison County, Tennessee; that his father was separated from his mother & the other children some 15 or 16 years ago & if living his whereabouts are unknown. We have every reason to believe from our long acquaintance with EMELINE & THOMAS HOWARD, that they are mother & son." They signed this deposition with "x" marks.

June 24, 1867, appearing before justice of the peace, WILLIAM GOODOE COCKERELL, Madison County, Tennessee, Mr. THOMAS WRIGHT who took an oath declaring that he lived in Civil District 9 of this county about 7-8 miles from residence of J. Q. A. McCLELLAN whom he had known for many years. Said that McClellan had moved to Arkansas in 1854 "taking with him a negro boy, a child named Sydney, born on his plantation in the county and state above mentioned. Said McClellan remained in Arkansas about one year when he accompanied the said Thomas Wright to Texas in which state he remained 10 or 11 months and afterwards returned to Tennessee. During all of which time the said child, Sydney, was in his possession. Said Thos. Wright further testifies that it is his belief that the child in question is at present not less than 14 years old."

 

Marriage Records

DAVID FOOTE and CATHARINE KEELEN, both blacks, were married at Denmark, Tenn. on December 27, 1866 by F. A. Keelen, J.P.

JEFFERSON SROPSHIRE and LUCY DUNAWAY, both blacks, were married March 8, 1866 by Galen S. Green, Superintendent, Freedmen' s Bureau, Jackson.

JORDAN MERIWETHER and FRANCES LONG, both blacks, were married January 27, 1866 by the Reverend Isaac Lane, who signed certificate with an "x" mark. /Meriwether was himself a minister of the gospel who performed many marriage ceremonies in Madison County in the 1860s./

WILLIAM FRENCH and CELIA BLUE, both blacks, were married Feb. 11, 1866 by the Reverend Isaac Lane, who signed certificate with an "x" mark.

 

Return to Contents