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Thomas Marion Hess was born October 31, 1834, in Independence County, Arkansas, the son of William Hess and Permelia Sutton.
Thomas appears as a male age 5-10 years old on the 1840 Independence County census, Washington Township. The 1850 Independence County census, Wallace Township, lists him as 16 years old.
Thomas' mother, Permelia, died between January 1855 and December 1858. Thomas' father, William married Angeline Roberts in 1860. William's second wife, Angeline, was about 28 years younger than he was, and about five years younger than Thomas.
The 1860 Independence County, Wallace Township census shows Thomas, age 23, living with his father and step-mother.
Thomas's father, William, died in 1861, leaving a will in which Thomas was appointed to be the executor of his father's estate. In his willl, William named his wife, Angeline, minor daughter, Gertrude, and other children: Thomas, Binks, Lucy and Fanny.
Information provided by Pauline Mitchell Pierce says that Thomas married Eunice Lorene Decker about 1862 and they had a son, Riley Jenkins Hess, born February 1863. We have found no record of this marriage, however. According to the 1910 census, Thomas was married only once.
On July 9, 1867, Thomas married his step-mother, Angeline L. Roberts Hess, in Independence County. Angeline Roberts Hess was born November 23, 1840, in Tennessee.
The couple settled on property near Marcella, in Independence County, that Thomas had received in his father's will. The area was referred to as "Hesstown".
History and Architectural Heritage of Stone County, by Don Brown, pg. 9, states, "The town of Marcella began as a result of the White River commerce. Thomas M. Hess established the town, then known as Hesstown, soon after the war. Hess inherited the family business and expanded it to include a river port and ferry operation, cotton gin and warehouses, and retail and wholesale businesses as well as sizeable land holdings."
Thomas applied for guardianship of his minor brother and sisters at the October 1867 term of the Independence Co., AR, Probate Court. Guardianship was granted.
The 1870 Independence County, Wallace Township census shows Thomas M. Hess, 34, a farmer, real estate valued at $10,000, personal property valued at $10,000; Angeline, 26; Riley J., 7; Caledonia, 2 and Baby, 3 months old, born in March. Living with the family was William Hess, 21, working on farm; Binks Hess, 20; Lucinda R. Hess, 11; and Fannie F. Hess, 15 years old. (Note: William Hess was Thomas' cousin, son of Thomas' deceased uncle Thomas Wright Hess. Binks, Lucinda and Fannie were Thomas' younger siblings.)
In 1873, the area of Independence County in which the Hess families lived was combined with portions of Independence, Izard, Searcy and Van Buren County to form Stone County.
The 1880 Stone County, Arkansas, Wallace Township census shows Thomas Hess, 46, a farmer; Angeline, 40, wife; Cally, 12, daughter; Matilda, 10, daughter; Thomas, 7, son; Rosa, 5, daughter; Cleo, 3, son; and Minnie M., 1, daughter. Living with the family were Rola Hess, 26, sister; Evaline Roberts, 34, boarder; John Roberts, 6, boarder; and Mary D. Hail, 24, boarder.
Stone County Circuit Court records show that in March 1888, Thomas M. Hess was charged with "Sabbath breaking". He was listed in the docket again as being in contempt of court and was fined $5.
The 1900 Stone County census, Wallace Township, shows Thomas M. Hess, 65, born October 1834, married 33 years; Angeline, wife, 59, born November 1840, married 33 years, had given birth to 11 children, 6 children still living; Cleo, daughter, 22, born December 1877; and Minnie, daughter, 21, born March 1879.
The 1910 Stone County census, Wallace Township, shows Thomas M. Hess, 75, married 1 time, married 42 years; Angeline L., wife, 69, married 2 times, married 42 years, had given birth to 10 children, 6 children were still living; John H. Gray, Jr., son-in-law, 27, married 1 time, married 1 year, a farmer; Cleo E. Gray, daughter, 32, married 1 time, married 1 year, had given birth to 0 children; and Elvira Gray, servant, 26, widow, had given birth to 0 children, a cook for a private family. Thomas' brother, Brinks Hess and his family were living next to Thomas.
Angeline died November 1, 1913, at Marcella, in Stone County, and is buried in Marcella Cemetery.
Thomas died at Marcella on November 1, 1921, and is buried in Marcella Cemetery with Angeline.
Children of Thomas Hess and Angeline (Roberts) Hess
1. Riley Jenkins Hess was born Feb 1863, probably in Independence Co, AR. Riley, age 7, appears on the 1870 census. We found nothing more about him. He may have died prior to 1880.
2. Caladonia "Cally" D. Hess was born Oct 3, 1867, in Independence Co, AR. She married Jesse Malone Abernathy on July 27, 1884, in Stone Co, AR. Jesse Abernathy was born July 29, 1853, in TN. The 1910 census shows Cally had given birth to 6 children, but only 4 were still living. Jesse died Apr 29, 1928, in Stone Co. Cally died there Apr 11, 1964. Cally and Jesse are buried in Marcella Cem, at Marcella, in Stone Co. Children included: (1) Rosa L. Abernathy, b. Aug 1888, AR; (2) Ernest E. Abernathy, b. Mar 1892, AR; (3) Frank Howard Abernathy, b. Apr 1893, AR; and (4) Ross Abernathy, b. Nov 1894, AR
3. Matilda Hess was born Mar 8, 1870, in Independence Co, AR. Matilda married Andrew J. Casey on May 17, 1887, in Stone Co, AR. Andrew Casey was born Feb 26, 1865, in AR. Andrew was a medical doctor. Andrew died June 3, 1907, at Marcella, in Stone Co, and is buried in Marcella Cem. The 1910 census shows Matilda had given birth to 7 children, 6 of them were living at that time. Matilda died Dec 16, 1953, at Marcella, and is buried in Marcella Cem. Children included: (1) Thomas M. Casey, b. Mar 1888, AR; (2) Earl C. Casey, b. Apr 1889; (3) Elmer Ray Casey, b. July 1891; (4) Vaughn Casey, b. Feb 1894, AR; (5) Mamie Casey, b. Jan 1897, AR; (6) Merle L. Casey, b. July 1903, AR; and (7) Angie Casey, b. July 1907, AR
4. Thomas Ecliastine "Turk" Hess was born Jan 25, 1873, in Independence Co, AR. He married Nellie K. Knight on Sept 9, 1899, in Stone Co, AR. Nellie Knight was born June 2, 1879. Nellie died Nov 29, 1965, at Marcella, in Stone Co and is buried in Marcella Cem. Turk died at Marcella on Mar 9, 1974, and is buried in Marcella Cem with Nellie. Children: (1) Marie O. Hess, b. 1900, AR; and (2) Ewell G. Hess, b. 1902, AR
5. Rosa Bell Hess was born Jan 18, 1875, in Stone Co, AR. She married Owen H. Martin on Oct 23, 1890, in Stone Co. Owen Martin was born Nov 1865, in AR. The 1910 census shows Rosa had given birth to 8 children, but only 5 were still living. Owen died July 1942, in Stone Co. Rosa died Mar 1963. Children included: (1) Eunice Martin, b. Oct 1890, AR; (2) Ewing Martin, b. Feb 1895, AR; (3) Bernice Martin, b. Mar 1896, AR; (4) Maud Martin, b. Sept 1898, AR; and (5) Nelse Martin, b. 1900, AR
6. Ellen Cleo Hess was born Dec 18, 1877, in Stone Co, AR. Cleo married John H. Gray on Nov 22, 1908, in Stone Co. John Gray was born Dec 1882, in Stone Co. He was a judge in Stone Co and a Stone Co Representative. John died Oct 15, 1947, in Pulaski Co, AR. Cleo died Apr 1, 1982, in Stone Co, and is buried in Marcella Cem. at Marcella, in Stone Co. The couple had no children.
7. Minnie Mae Hess was born Dec 6, 1879, in Stone Co, AR. She married James Ed Sherrill, on Aug 28, 1904, in Independence Co, AR. Ed Sherrill was born Oct 1874, in AR. The couple settled at Batesville, in Independence Co. Ed died there in Feb 1945. Minnie died after 1940. The couple had no children.
8. David Hess was born Feb 17, 1882, in Stone Co, AR. We have no information on David. He may have died prior to 1900.