|
|
My great-great grandfather, Bennett Hail Maxey, was born 1808, in Oglethorpe County, Georgia. He was the son of Hail Maxey and Dicey Craighead.
Bennett Hail's name first appears on the tax records of Oglethorpe County in 1830.
Bennett Hail married our great-great grandmother, Frances Eason, on October 26, 1836 in Oglethorpe County. Frances Eason was born about 1810, in Oglethorpe County, Georgia, the daughter of John Eason and (name unknown).
John Eason was born about 1780. John's wife was probably born about 1790. The couple married about 1807. John's wife gave birth to 6 children, one son and five daughters, between about 1808 and 1819. John's wife died prior to 1820, in Oglethorpe County, probably in childbirth. I found a marriage license for John Eason and Nancy Arthur, who married on December 10, 1807, in Oglethorpe County. I believe this was our John, but am not sure enough to make it a statement of fact.
John Eason appears on the 1820 Oglethorpe County, Georgia census, in Lexington District. The census shows John Eason, a male 26-44 (b. 1776-1794), one male 10-15 (b. 1805-1810), one female 10-15 (b. 1805-1810) and four females under 10 (b. 1811-1820). I believe the older female, b. 1805-1810, was our great-great grandmother, Frances.
John remained single after the death of his wife. The 1830 Oglethorpe County census shows
John Eason, a male 40-49 (b. 1781-1790), one male 20-29 (b. 1801-1810), one male 5-9 (b. 1821-1825) (probably a grandson), three females 15-19 (b. 1811-1815) (probably one of them was his son's wife and the mother of the smaller children on the census - the other two females were two of the four females for the 1830 census), one female 10-14 (b. 1816-1820) (another of the females from the 1830 census), one female 5-9 (b. 1826-1830) (probably a granddaughter - the daughter of his only son who lives with him on the census) and one female under 5 (b. 1826-1830) (probably another granddaughter - the daughter of his only son). John was shown to own 3 male slaves and 2 female slaves.
The 1840 Oglethorpe County census shows John Eason, a male 50-59 (b. 1781-1790), one male 15-19 (b. 1821-1825) (probably the grandson who appeared with him on the 1830 census), one male under 5 (b. 1836-1840) (probably another grandson, belonging to his only son) and one female 15-19 (b. 1821-1825) (probably another granddaughter). The census shows John still owned 3 male slaves and 2 female slaves. I believe John's only son and his wife both died prior to 1840, and John was raising their children.
John Eason died prior to 1850, in Oglethorpe County.
After Bennett Hail Maxey and Frances Eason married in 1836, they settled in Oglethorpe County to begin their family. The 1840 Oglethorpe County census shows Bennett H. Maxey, a male 30-39 (b. 1801-1810), one male under 5 (b. 1836-1840), one female 20-29 (b. 1811-1820) and one female under 5 (b. 1836-1840). The census shows one free colored female working for Bennett's family. Bennett was living next to his father, Hail Maxey. Living in the same area was John Eason. We found the Maxey and Eason family living near each other on the 1820, 1830 and 1840 census.
Bennett was named in his father's will, which was signed April 7, 1845, in Oglethorpe County.
The 1850 Walker County, Georgia, West Chickamauga Township census shows Bennett H. Maxey, 42, a farmer, $300 real property; Frances, 40; Delilah F., 11; John H., 9; Dicey J., 7; James F., 6 and Martha A., 4 years old. (Note: The real property valued at $300 may have been the land won by his father in the 1832 Georgia land lottery.)
Living not far from Bennett Hail's family in 1850, was John B. Eason, 24, a farmer, b. GA; Elmina, 19, b. SC and James T., 1, b. GA. I believe John was closely related to Frances.
The family moved to Arkansas prior to 1857.
Bennett Hail first appears on the Izard County, Arkansas tax records as paying taxes in Izard County in 1858.
The family appeared on the 1860 Izard County census in Sylamore Township, Blue Mountain Post Office. The census shows B. H. Maxey, age 57, a farmer; wife Frances, age 50, and children Dicey J., 18; James F., 16 and Martha A., 14 years old.
Apparently the family was missed on the 1870 census. To the best of our knowledge, they were in Sylamore Township of Izard County as that time. In 1873, Stone County was formed from a portion of Izard and surrounding counties, and Sylamore Township became part of the newly formed Stone County.
Frances Eason Maxey died prior to June 1875, in Stone County (formerly Izard County), Arkansas.
After Frances' death, Bennett Hail made a will, which he signed on June 26, 1875, in Stone County.
Bennett Hail died in Stone County in late 1875.
Children of Bennett Hail Maxey and Frances Eason
1. Delilah Frances Maxey was born about 1838, in Oglethorpe Co, GA. She appeared as a female under 5 on the 1840 Oglethorpe Co census. The 1850 Walker Co, GA census listed her as 11 years old. We have no other record of Delilah. Delilah probably died prior to 1860, in either Walker Co, GA or Izard Co, AR. (Note: We know she died prior to June 1875, as she was not mentioned in her father's will.)
2. John Hail Maxey, b. Feb 4, 1840, Oglethorpe Co, GA
3. Dicey Jane Maxey, b. 1843, Oglethorpe Co, GA; m. William T. Bridgman (my line)
4. James F. Maxey was born about 1844, in Oglethorpe Co, GA. The 1850 Walker Co, GA census listed James as 6 years old. He was listed as 16 on the 1860 Izard Co, AR census. James enlisted at Carrolton, AR on Nov 7, 1861, in CO K, 16 Ark. Confederate Inf. during the Civil War. James died from congestion of the brain on June 20, 1862 at Enterprise, Mississippi, during the War.
5. Martha Ann Maxey, b. Jan 1846, Oglethorpe Co, GA