Keziah Frances Cargill

Keziah Frances Cargill was born February 22, 1807, in Christian County, Kentucky.  She was the daughter of John Cargill, III and Nancy Elizabeth Lewis.

Keziah married Benjamin Palmer, Jr. on September 8, 1825, in Muhlenberg County, Kentucky. Benjamin Palmer, Jr. was born about 1804, in Kentucky, the son of Benjamin Palmer, Sr. and Mary (last name unknown). (Keziah's younger brother Thomas H. Cargill married Benjamin's sister Mary Palmer.)

      It appears from census records that Benjamin and Keziah lived in Tennessee and Kentucky before moving their family to Arkansas about 1837.  The Cargill family moved from Kentucky to Arkansas about that same time.           

     Benjamin's family settled in Searcy County, Arkansas where they appear on the 1840 Searcy County census.   The census shows one male age 30-40, one male 5-10, one male under 5, one female 30-40, one female 10-15, two females 5-10 and two females under 5.   Living nearby to Benjamin and Keziah were the families of Benjamin Palmer, Sr., John Cargill, III and Nenion Cargill.

Searcy County, Arkansas tax records show that Benjamin Palmer, Jr. paid a poll tax in Searcy County in 1839, 1840, 1841, 1842 and 1843.  Benjamin, Sr. paid a poll tax in Searcy County in 1840.

Benjamin moved his family to Conway County, Arkansas prior to 1850.  The 1850 Conway County, Benton Township censu shows Benjamin, 46, a farmer; Kezsiah, 44; Nancy, 17; William, 20; Sarah, 16; Martha, 14; Margaret, 12; Mary, 9; Benjamin, 7; Parlee, 6; Susan, 3 and Robert, 1 year old.    Listed next on the census was the family of Nenion Cargill, Keziah's brother.  

The 1860 Conway County census shows the family still living in Benton Township. The census shows Benjamin, 55; Kiziah, 54; Margarett J., 22; Mary, 20; Benj. F., 17; Minerva, 15 and Susan K. A., 13 years old. The family was living near Keziah's brother William Cargile and his wife.

Benjamin Palmer died between 1861 and 1869, in Benton Township of Conway County, near Quitman.  (That area is now in Cleburne County.)

Keziah appears on the 1870 Conway County census as head of the household.  She was in Benton Township, near Quitman (in present day Cleburne County), with her daughter Susan, age 22. Living nearby was Keziah's brother Nenion Cargile.

Keziah died October 18, 1879, in what at that time was Benton Township, Conway County, Arkansas.  (In 1873 that area became part of the newly formed Faulkner County and later became part of Cleburne County when it was formed in 1883).

Children of Benjamin Palmer and Keziah Cargill

1. Mariah L. Palmer, b. Feb 6, 1828, TN; m. John Houston Moore abt 1850.  John Moore, b. 1819, TN, was the son of Nathan Moore & Elizabeth Weatherly.  Children (all b. in AR) included: (1) Benjamin Moore, b. 1851; (2) Elizabeth Moore, b. 1852; (3) William Howard Moore, b. 1853; (4) Thomas Moore, b. 1854; (5) John Moore, b. 1855; (6) Samuel W. Moore, b. 1857 and (7) Martha L. Moore, b. 1859; d. 1879.  (The family appears on the 1850 Conway Co, AR and 1860 Searcy Co, AR census.)

2. William Hosea Palmer, b. Nov 30, 1829, TN; m. Elizabeth P. Holland, daughter of Malden Holland & Susan Hartwick.  Children (all b. in AR) included: (1) Mary Caroline Palmer, b. 1855; (2) Maldon L. Palmer, b. 1857; d. bef 1870; (3) Benjamin Franklin Palmer, b. 1859; (4) William Palmer, b. 1862; (5) Harphry W. Palmer, b. 1865; (6) Joshua Wakefield Palmer, b. 1868; (7) Jacob Palmer, b. 1869; (8) James David Palmer, b. 1872; (9) Ninion Leonard Palmer, b. 1874; (10) Delilah Palmer, b. 1876; (11) Matilda M. Palmer, b. 1879 and (12) Rose Anna Palmer, b. 1880.  (The family appears on the 1860 & 1870 Conway Co, AR census and on 1880 Faulkner Co, AR census.)

3. Unknown Son Palmer, b. abt 1830, TN; d. 1841-1849, Searcy Co, AR or Conway Co, AR

4. Nancy Elizabeth Palmer, b. July 8, 1831, TN; d. Apr 1865, White Co, AR; m. Lewis Jackson Norman on Dec 26, 1858, Conway Co, AR.  Jackson Norman, b. Oct 6, 1839, KY; killed Sept 27, 1900, Bradley Co, AR, was the son of Thomas Norman and Catherine Margaret Kaylor.   After Nancy Elizabeth's death, Lewis m. her younger sister Minerva Paralee Palmer.   Child of Nancy & Lewis: Keziah Catherine Norman, b. 1860, AR  (Nancy & Lewis appear on the 1860 Van Buren Co, AR census.)

5. Sarah Ann Palmer, b. Feb 19, 1833, KY; d. abt 1880, AR; m. Jesse Edwards on Sept 23, 1852, Conway Co, AR.  Jesse Edwards b. Sept 23, 1831, SC; d. abt 1872, AR, son of Thomas Edwards (b. 1786, NC; d. 1843, Van Buren Co, AR) and Mary Ann McClure (b. abt 1811, SC; d. abt 1850, Van Buren Co, AR).  Sarah Palmer and Jesse Edwards were married by Sarah's uncle Nenion Elijah Cargile, J. P.  Jesse's sister Cassandra Edwards m. Sarah's brother Benjamin Franklin Palmer.

6. Martha M. Palmer, b. Mar 31, 1835, KY; m. Joshua B. Hendrickson on July 18, 1859, Conway Co, AR

7. Margaret J. Palmer, b. abt 1838, AR; d. abt 1862, AR; m. Isaac A. Reynolds on Dec 2, 1860, Conway Co, AR

8. Mary Cynthia Palmer, b. July 14, 1840, Searcy Co, AR; m. Isaac A. Reynolds on Mar 3, 1863, Conway Co, AR (after the death of her sister Margaret)

9. Benjamin Franklin Palmer, b. Mar 1842, Searcy Co, AR; d. Dec 4, 1905, Sequoyah Co, OK; m. Cassandra Levina Katurah Ann McCoy Edwards on Dec 8, 1864, Van Buren Co, AR.  Cassandra Edwards b. July 1843, Van Buren Co, AR, dau. of Thomas Edwards (b. 1786, NC; d. 1843, Van Buren Co, AR) and Mary Ann McClure (b. abt 1811, SC; d. abt 1850, Van Buren Co, AR).  Cassandra's brother Jesse Edwards m. Benjamin's sister Sarah Ann Palmer.

10. Minerva Paralee Palmer, b. Sept 16, 1844, AR; d. Oct 31, 1894, AR; m. Lewis Jackson Norman on Dec 3, 1865, Conway Co, AR (after the death of her sister Nancy Elizabeth).  Lewis Jackson Norman, b. Oct 6, 1839, KY; killed Sept 27, 1900, Kingsland, AR, son of Thomas Norman and Catherine Margaret Kaylor.  Minerva Palmer and Lewis J. Norman were married by Minerva's uncle Nenion Elijah Cargile, J. P.  

11. Susan Keziah A. Palmer, b. Jan 1, 1847, Conway Co, AR

12. Robert Lewis Cargile Palmer, b. Mar 6, 1849, Conway Co, AR; d. 1851-1858, Conway Co, AR