Jeff Cotter Ancestors Lite

Bartlett Cemetery George Evans Eliza Day

GEORGE EVANS AND ELIZA DAY

George Evans was born on March 1, 1821 in Tennessee. Eliza Day was born on October 23, 1823 in Tennessee. George and Eliza were married when he was about 22 years old and she was 20 years old. They were farmers in Claiborne County, Tennessee, which is located in the Northeastern part of the state near the Cumberland Gap.

This area is an upland region whose high mountains, thickly wooded foothills, broken-knob country and narrow valleys have made it until recent years, the most shut-in section of the state. This region is the home of the mountain folk, who built their log cabins deep among the ridges. George and Eliza’s first six children were born in this region. In the 1850 Census, George’s property was evaluated at $400.

In 1860 when George was 40 and Eliza, 38, they left Tennessee and moved their growing family to Webster County, Missouri. Here four more children were born, making a total of ten children, seven girls and three boys; Margaret Virginia, Mary E., Nancy, Lucinda Prialla, Thursa, Sarah, John Nelson, George Washington, Serenna Paralee and William.

Their farm was located in Webster County near the Good Hope Baptist Church. Eliza was an herb doctor and midwife, treating patients with herbs and delivering babies all around the area. Newton Bartlett’s son, John, helped his Great Grandmother gather herbs to make her remedies when he was just a young boy.

Most of the Evans children continued to live in the same area after marriage. Nancy Evans Duboise nursed Newton’s son, John, when he was a baby as his own Mother was unable. Nancy chewed snuff and John did not relish the thought when he was older. John played with many of his Evans related cousins when he was growing up in that area.

George Evans died in 1873 at the age of 52 years. Eliza died in 1897 at the age of 74 years. Both are buried in the Good Hope Church Cemetery near Marshfield, Missouri.

JOHN BARTLETT AND MARGARET EVANS

John Bartlett was born in 1841 in Claiborne County, Tennessee. Margaret Virginia Evans was born on December 10, 1844, in Claiborne County, Tennessee. Margaret was 16 years old when her family left Tennessee, moving to Webster County, Missouri in 1860. It is assumed John Bartlett with his brother, Hugh moved to Missouri at the same time.

A minister of the gospel, Thomas Roberts, married John and Margaret in her Father’s home on March 17, 1861. John was 20 years old and Margaret was 17 years old when they married. They settled on a farm on the Osage River about 4 miles east of Marshfield, Webster County, Missouri.

On November 1, 1863, John enlisted as a private in Company B, 16^th Missouri Calvary, Union Army at Marshfield for a period of 20 months. He was 24 years old and a Blacksmith at the time. He was recorded as having blue eyes, auburn hair, fair complexion, and being 5 feet 10 inches tall.

He was present on the Company Muster Roll from November 1, 1863 to August 31, 1864. On August 4, 1864, the organization became Company D, 16^th Missouri Calvary.

In October 1864, the Confederate General Price invaded Missouri and there was much activity all over the State. Right at this time John caught a severe cold and was treated by Dr. C.S. Wallis. John stayed with his Company, however, and due to the march and sleeping on the damp ground, his lungs became affected. He developed a bad cough and was spitting up blood.

John, however, stuck to his commitment and was promoted to Commissary Sergeant on November 1, 1864, a year after his enlistment. He was reported present on the Company Muster Roll for January, February, March and April of 1865. On the 1^st of March 1865, John again thought he had a bad cold. He was coughing and spitting blood again and was treated by Dr. Wallis from then until his discharge.

John was discharged on June 31, 1865. He retained his pistol for which he was charged $8.00. He was paid for the use and risk of his private horse and equipment which was evaluated at $140.

John returned to his farm and family, his son, Newton, having been born just a month after John had enlisted in the Army. John and Margaret eventually had six other children, but three died as babies, only Newton, Columbus, Alice and John reaching maturity.

John’s health deteriorated until November of 1874, he applied for an Invalid Pension stating at the time that he had consumption and his lungs were bleeding every day. He was too weak and wasted to perform any kind of labor. Evidently he was not given the pension as the Adjutant General’s Office stated there was no evidence of disability on his Army records.

John died at his home on August 28, 1875, of consumption and bronchitis. He was 34 years old.

Margaret was a widow at 30 years of age with four children ranging in age from 2 years to 10 years. In March of 1876 Margaret applied for a Widow’s Pension, showing proof that she had married John Bartlett and proof of her children’s births. She also signed an affidavit indicating John became ill while in the service. Congress had passed an Act providing for pensions on July 14, 1862, but apparently it applied only to service connected disabilities. In June of 1877 John’s Second Lieutenant, Joseph Bingman, and Sergeant, T.T. Jamieson, signed affidavits indicating John became ill while in the service. In May of 1878 these same men made a joint affidavit indicating the month and year when John became ill in the service. In July of 1880 Elizabeth Letchworth signed an affidavit stating she was present at the births of Columbus, Allis, Ada, and John. On the same date Rachel Thomas signed an affidavit that she was present and active as the Doctor at the births of Allis and John.

In December of 1882 Congress passed another Pension Act. Margaret finally received her pension on December 26, 1882. It was retroactive to August 29, 1875. She was to receive $8.00 a month for herself plus $2.00 a month per child until they reached age 16. She received $1323.93 as her retroactive pay. Newton was 16 in December 1879, so she received no more for him. She received $2.00 for Columbus until August 1883, $2.00 for Alice until 1885 and $2.00 for John until 1889. The pension was payable quarterly on the 4^th of March, June, September and December of each year by the U.S. Pension Agent at Topeka, Kansas.

Margaret continued to live on the farm and raise her family. In November 1885 Margaret deeded 1½ acres of her property to the High Prairie Baptist Church. Thompson Letchworth also deeded 1½ acres to the church, their land bordering each other.

When Margaret’s son, John, became of age he took over the running of the farm. When he married Jennie Shook, he continued to live on the farm and Margaret lived the rest of her life with John and his family.

Margaret drove a one-horse buggy and once a year she would drive to Ozark County to visit her son, Newton, and his family. Newton’s sons, Oscar and Paul, claim she was a mean old woman and they hated to see that buggy coming down the road. Paul said he didn’t dare walk too close to her chair or she would reach out with a cane, grab him around the neck with it, pull him closer and then give him a hard whack with the cane.

John’s daughter, Letha, who grew up in the same household with her Grandmother says she was not a mean old woman. She remembers her with pleasure. Perhaps this difference of opinion can be explained as the difference between John’s and Newton’s homes. John was an easy-going gentle man with only one daughter in his household. Newton was a high-strung irascible man with a family of 12 children, 10 of whom were boys.

Margaret applied for an increase in her pension in September 1916, due to another Act of Congress in that year.

Margaret died on December 5, 1924 at the age of 80 years. Both John and Margaret are buried at the Good Hope Church Cemetery, one mile east of Marshfield, Webster County, Missouri.

Keep in mind for those interested that James Jeffrey COTTER and I share the similar mitochondrial DNA. – Joe Payne

Some Additional Hurst Et Al.

Here are a couple more Hurst sketches provided by Hazel Bonner.
"Old Time Tazewell" by Mary A. Hansard, Published by Mary Lorena Hansard
Wilson, Sweetwater, TN, 1979, Kingsport Press, Inc. Kingsport, TN.
A SKETCH OF THE HISTORY OF REVEREND THOMAS HURST SR.

Page 175 - 176

Rev. Thomas Hurst, Sr. owned and lived on a farm about six miles south of Tazewell on the road leading from Tazewell to Bean Station, a few miles beyond
Big Spring Church, known at present as Springdale. He was pastor of said church for many years. He was considered an old man in my earliest recollection.
He was esteemed very highly as a minister of the gospel of the Anti-Babtist Church. He was one amongst the earlest settlers of this county. I don’t know
where he emigrated from, nor whom he married. But this I remember, that they raised a fine, respectable family. I will mention the names of those that I
recollect. Rev. Hiram Hurst is the only one of his sons that I can call to mind.
There perhaps were others. I only remember three of their daughters; Mrs Nancy Day, a widow lady; Mrs. Fetney Stone, wife of James Stone Sr.; and Mrs.
Ollie Cheek, wife of George Cheek. The most of them owned and lived on farms a few miles apart. Some of their descendants still live in that Vicinity at
present.

Rev. Hiram Hurst was a fine citizen and a notable man. He was elected two terms to the office of register of this county and occupied a room and kept his
office at Father’s for a number of years. Father acting as deputy. He spent a great portion of his time at Father’s for the space of eight years. I was
taught by my parents to call him uncle. I entertained as kind a feeling toward him as if he was a near relative. He was a minister of the gospel of the
Anti-Babtist faith. His wife was Miss Polly Thompson of Knox County Tennessee.
She was a nice high-minded lady and descended from a fine family of people. They raised several sons. I can only call to mind: Thompson, William Henley and
Nathan McDowell Hurst. The daughters were Mary and Fannie. It has been over 50 years since I have been in their company and their history has faded from
my memory. I hear that Nathan McDowell Hurst is a very prominent preacher of the gospel of the Anti-Babtist Church at the present time. Uncle Hiram and
Aunty Polly Hurst have passed away but there were but few, if any better citizens ever lived in our county.

Fetney Hurst, the wife of James Stone was a fine lady, one that was highly esteemed by her neighbors. Her husband was a fine man also. He was one that
his word could be depended on in all business transactions. He supplied us with flour and other products of his farm while we lived in Tazewell, which always
proved to be of the best quality. I can truthfully say that he was a good honest man. He was the brother of Thomas Stone Sr. He was a cripple. I am
told that they raised a respectable family. I have no acquaintance with any of his family except Mrs. John Webb. She was a fine lady and much respected. She
died in Middlesboro, Kentucky, a few months ago, leaving three small children in care of her husband. Kelly Stone, a son of James and Fetna Stone, was a
nice polite man, when he left Tennessee a number of years ago. I hear he settled in Webster County, Missouri, near Marshfield. This is all I know of their
family. Their parents have passed away.

Mr. Jessee Evans married a daughter of Rev. Hiram Hurst. They owned and lived on a farm a few miles beyond Springdale. He followed blacksmithing for a
livelihood. He was the son of John Evans Sr. Mrs. Nancy Day, the widow of Ransome Day Sr., was a daughter of Rev. Thomas Hurst also. I remember two of her
daughters, Ollie and Eliza Day, who were schoolmates of mine nearly 60 years ago. I think one of them married Mr. Andrew (Most Probably my Great Grandfather Anderson Payne – Joe Payne) Payne a well known citizen of Lone Mountain. Ransome Day, a son of Widow Day was a very fine looking man. He went west and was a volunteer in the Mexican War to assist the United States in the annexation of Texas to her borders, and never returned back to Tennessee.
I hear that he died a few years after he left.


A SKETCH OF THE HISTORY OF JOHN HURST SR. AND FAMILY

Page 221 - 222

John Hurst, a son of Elijah Hurst, a very prominent citizen of Grainger County, owned and lived on the farm, in an early day, known as the Abraham Fox farm
at present. Nearly sixty-three years ago he erected the old buildings that are still standing. It is very desirable place to live on account of the large
pure spring of water that flows so near the home. His wife, Sallie Warren, a very tall, fine looking lady. He was a very tall man also and they were
called Long John and Long Sallie Hurst as they were other Hursts named Sallie and John who lived a few miles away. The history of their family has faded from my
memory. I only remember the names of two of their family, Allen and Serena.
Allen was a fine looking man. He Married and settled in Grainger County, at the iron works, a few miles distant from Robert Huddleston, about fifty years
ago. This is all that I remember of his history. I do not recollect whom Serena Hurst married or where she settled. In a few years Mr. John Hurst died
and his widow married Mr. Stewart, a very wealthy widower and went with him to his home in Kentucky. I hear that she died several years ago.
Garland,

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