FRANCIS  MARION  WILLINGHAM
(1813 - 1852) 

Francis Marion Willingham, son of Archibald and Eleanor Belcher Willingham was born l Mar 1813 in Columbia Co., Georgia, USA. He married 1838 in Harris County, Georgia, USA to Mary Ann Milner and had one daughter, Nancy Willingham. F.M. and Mary  parted.
Archibald moved with his family to Jasper Co., Georgia, USA shortly before 1820. By 1823 the family was in Monroe Co., Georgia, USA and by Feb. 1827 was in Newton Co., Georgia, USA. and continued on to live in Kings Gap, Harris County, Georgia, USA [1,2] until about 1837 when they headed to The Republic of Texas through Montgomery, Alabama, USA.[3]

Archibald Willingham, father of Francis Marion, was granted a Conditional Head-right Certificate [4] in Sabine County, The Republic of Texas in Dec 1839. The family quickly moved on to Independence, Washington Co., TX where they resided until Archibald sold his land in Washington County.  Archibald, along with his wife Eleanor, their sons Marion, Alfred, Wilson, and Sterling  moved to now Salado, Texas, USA in that part of Milam County [5] to later become Bell County.   

Marion served in the U.S. Army [6] as a Texas Ranger. He died 26 Mar 1852 at Waco, McLennan County, Texas, USA.   We assume from the letter from Waco Villiage that he is buried at Waco Villiage, in a military grave.

The following shows a timeline for locations in Texas and activities of Francis Marion Willingham that were determined from letters written by him and that he received.[7]


Date

Place

Event
1845 03 Dec   Letter of introduction of Mr. Willingham to Capt. G.H. Grossman, A.Q. Mstr., U.S. Army, written by H.G. Catlett of Corpus Christi, Texas, USA.
1845 23 Dec  Response from G.H. Grossman to H.G. Catlett informing him that he had a place for Mr. Willingham as wagon worker and that Mr. Willingham wishes the appointment.
1846 13 May   Mexican War declared by President Polk [8].
1846 F. M. (Francis Marion) Willingham in Washington County [9].
1846 24 Aug Independence Letter of introduction of Mr. F.M. Willingham of Independence to J.M. Westerwell written by E.W. Taylor of Independence
1846 18 Oct F.M. Willingham ,Pvt., age 34, and his brothers, Alfred Willingham ,Pvt., age 22, and Eli Willingham Pvt., age 20 were mustered
into federal service on October 18, 1846 into the Company of Captain Shaply P. Ross, age 35. Most of this company was composed of personnel recruited primarily at Bushy Creek, Texas, USA.[10]
1847 24 Sept Waco Village Waco Village on the Brazos--letter from F.M. to his father A. Willingham of Independence, TX.
1847 17 Oct F.M. Willingham and his brother, Alfred Willingham (brother Eli Willingham died January 20, 1847 at Independence, Texas, USA) mustered out of federal service under Capt. Shaply P. Ross on October 17, 1847.[11]
1847 18 Nov Francis M. Willingham, First Lieutenant, age 35, and his brother Alfred Willingham, Pvt., age 23 mustered into federal service in the Company of Capt Shaply P. Ross. This company was composed of personnel recruited primarily at Milam and Robertson Counties. [11]
1847 01 Dec Waco Village Orders to Lieut. F.M. Willingham to take up the line of March with the company under his command for the station at or near the Waco Village from S.P. Ross, Capt. Conners Co., F.M. Vols., Austin, TX. These orders being given to Ross by Col. T.H. Bell.
1847 15 Dec Waco Village  Receipt to F.M. Willingham A.A.Q.M. for ordinance signed by S.P. Ross, Capt. Com. of Co., F.
1847 21 Dec  Waco Village Letter to Lieut. M.F. (sic) Willingham, RANGING SERVICE from John B. Root of Independence, TX.
1848 02 Feb   Mexican War ended[12].
1848 30 Mar Leon Station Receipt to John McLennan from Maurice Moore, Lt. Com. of Detachment, for the use of detachment of Capt. S.P. Ross¹s Company at this place.
1848 22 Feb Waco Village Letter to M. Willingham, Capt. Company TEXAS RANGERS, Waco Village from C. Covington of Independence.
1848 10 Jun Waco Village Receipt:...to Lieut. F.M. Willingham A.A.C.S. of Capt. S.P. Ross¹s Company of MOUNTED RANGERS on the Frontier of Texas.
1848 16 June Waco Village Receipt to Lieut. F.M. Willingham A.A.C.S. from S.P. Ross, Capt. Commanding Station of Bosque Station Texas
1848 25 June Testament of S.P. Ross, Captn, Conners Station, Bosque Station that animals in charge of Lt. F.M. Willingham A.A.Q.M. died of disease.
1848 31 Aug Capt. Ross' Station Letter to Lieut. F.M. Willingham, Capt. Ross's Station concerning rations from Chas. B. Fletcher, Capt. ACS USA of Conner¹s Station.
1848 18 Nov First Lt. Francis M. Willingham and his brother Pvt. Alfred Willingham mustered out of federal service in the Company of Capt. Shaply P. Ross on November 18, 1848. [11]
1848 06 Oct Bosque Station Letter to Marion Willingham, Lieut. Commanding, Bosque Station concerning illness of James Wilkinson of ³your Command² from (unidentifiable signature) of Caldwell.
1848 26 Oct Bosque Station Letter to Bosque Station, Lt. F.M. Willingham concerning supplies from H.G. Catlett of Conner's Station.
 1848 16 Nov Bosque Station Letter to Lt. F.M. Willingham, Bosque Station stating that Capt. Erath is leaving to muster you out and informing him that he has written to Capt. Ross concerning the stores, etc. to be turned over to Sutton as his agent, from H.G. Catlett at Austin.
1848 02 Dec Austin Document conveying land on the Salado in Milam County at the crossing of the Catlett Road running from the City of Austin to Ross¹s Station on the Bosque to F.M. Willingham from E. Sterling C. Robertson.
1849 01 Sept Cameron Letter from F.M. to his father at Independence urging his father to decide whether he was going to move to the Salado land. [13]
1849 07 Oct Cameron Letter to F.M. Willingham, Esq., Cameron, Milam Co., TX with personal news and news of different companies that are stationed in this section of the country from F.M. Harris of Corpus Christi, Texas, USA.
1851 26 Dec Waco Village Personal letter to Mr. F.M. Willingham, Waco Village, Lt. in Capt. S.P. Ross Co. from James Price of Washington County, Texas, USA..
1852 25 Mar Waco Village Letter from H. Barnard of Waco Village to Mr. (Archibald) Willingham, Nolansville, TX informing him of his son Marion¹s illness.
1852 30 Mar Waco Village Letter to Mr. A. Willingham, Salado, Belton P. Office from H.G. Catlett of Waco informing Archibald of his son Marion¹s death-died Friday night last...buried...in the most respectable manner that the country would admit of. [14]
Compiled by:  Dr. Katherine Willingham Woerner, Pontotoc, Texas, USA, September 2000
2. Francis Marion WILLINGHAM2(Archibald1)was born  l Mar 1813 in Columbia Co., Georgia, USA. He married 16 Sept 1838 in Harris County, Georgia, USA to Mary Ann MILNER born 30 Nov 1818, died 19 June 1887. F. M. and Mary Ann parted.  F. M. never re-married.  She married 2nd 23 February 23, 1846[16] in Harris Co., GA [16]to Absalom A. MEADOWS[16].
Child of F. M. and Mary Milner was:
 

i.

Nancy WILLINGHAM3((Marion2Archibald1) [15] was born Nov 1839 [17]in Georgia.  She married in 1858.[18] in Tallapoosa Co., Alabama, USA.[18] to Erastus O'NEAL.[18]
    Children [19] of Nancy and Erastus O'Neal were:
    i. James A O'NEAL4(Nancy3Marion2Archibald1)  was born Feb. 1859 in Alabama, USA and died 1910.  He married in 1888 to  Emma N BULGER who was born Sept 1869.
Child of James and Emma O'Neal was:
         [NOTE: This couple had one child who died by 1910. In 1910 Emma Oneal, daughter, 42, WIDOW, 1 child, 0 living AL AL GA, is living with her mother #234 Bulger, Amanda E. 62 widow 10 children 6 living GA GA GA in Dadeville, Tallapoosa Co., AL.
    ii. Joseph O'NEAL4(Nancy3Marion2Archibald1) was born 1866 in Alabama, USA [See census for 1900 Wolfe City, Hunt Co., TX below for a candidate for Joseph, can't prove.]
    iii. Hixie L O'NEAL4(Nancy3Marion2Archibald1) was born 1874 in Alabama, USA married 1892 in Alabama, USA to John R. HERREN.
Child of Hixie and John Herren was:
Emma Neal HERREN5(Hixie4Nancy3Marion2Archibald1) was b. Apr 1893 Alabama, USA.  She married ca. 1917 in Fulton County, Georgia, USA to Grady F. YORK who was born ca 1890 in Georgia.
Son of Emma Neal and Grady York was:
       

i.

G. Edward YORK6(Emma5Hixie4Nancy3Marion2Archibald1) was born about 1920 in Georgia. 
    iv. Unknown O'NEAL4(Nancy3Marion2Archibald1)
    v. Unknown O'NEAL4(Nancy3Marion2Archibald1)

Sources:
01. 1830 Harris Co., GA census
02. Letters that Francis Marion received were written to Mr. F.M. Willingham at Montgomery, AL on 19 Dec 1837 and 29 Jan 1838; the first letter was from Wm. Switzer? at Hamilton, Harris Co., GA and the other was from Aaron Goodman of Meriwether Co., GA and postmarked at Hamilton, Harris Co., GA [Original letters still held by the family in 2004 in the keeping of Dr. Douglas Barton Willingham of Salado, Texas, USA.
03. Family records, tax records, land records, federal census
04. Texas Land Office, Washington Co., TX land records, tax records, federal census
05. 1850 Milam Co. census taken 26 Oct 1850
06. Family records, original letters in possession of Douglas B. Willingham.
07. These letters were saved by him, his mother, and then his sister-in-law and her descendant. The originals are now in 2009 in the
keeping of Dr. Douglas Barton Willingham of Salado, Texas, USA.
08. Online Encyclopedia
09. F. M. Willingham is on the 1846 Republic of Texas Poll Lists, as is his father, Archibald, and his brother, Alfred.
10. TEXAS VETERANS IN THE MEXICAN WAR, MUSTER ROLLS OF TEXAS MILITARY UNITS compiled by Charles D. Spurlin, Victoria College, from the Compiled Service records of Volunteer Soldiers who Served During the Mexican War in Organizations from the State of Texas, National Archives Microcopy No. 278.
11. TEXAS VETERANS IN THE MEXICAN WAR, MUSTER ROLLS OF TEXAS MILITARY UNITS compiled by Charles D. Spurlin
12. Online Encyclopedia
13. The father, Archibald Willingham, did indeed move onto the Salado land and is given credit for being the first Anglo-American settler there in 1851. [Texas Historical Marker, Salado, Texas, USA]
14. NOTE: Since this burial was a military one, the family of F.M. Willingham expects that there are military records of the burial, but none have been found.
15. A Bell Co., TX court records dated 22 July 1942 which is a testimony of two of the grown grandchildren of Archibald
Willingham, Marion¹s father, that says, Marion Willingham, who was one time married in Alabama, USA, and who lived in Texas;...died more than 75 years ago, and left surviving him one daughter who lived in Alabama, USA, but we do not now recall her named. She was living last time we heard from her, but that has been 60 years ago.
16 Georgia marriage records.
17
1850 census Harris Co., GA Waverly Hall Dist. [scan 2 of 4] #129 Absalom Meadows.  Nancy is in the household
18 [USGenWeb Tallapoosa Co., AL marriages p. 176].
19 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900 Tallapoosa Co., AL census
20 Harris County, Georgia, USA Marriage Records

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Some census:
 

1850 census Harris Co., GA Waverly Hall Dist. [scan 2 of 4]
#129 Absalom Meadows 25 Overseer GA
, Mary 32 f GA
Nancy W. 11 f GA (Nancy Willingham, dau of Francis Marion Willingham)
James 5 m GA
Mary Jasu 2 GA
William I. Dewberry 9 m
ALSO A SECOND TIME
#144 Absalem A. (Austin?) Meadows 25 GA
, Mary 32 GA b. 1818 (Mary Ann Milner Willingham Meadows)
, Nancy 11 GA b. 1839 (Nancy Willingham, dau of Marion Willingham)
, James 5 GA b. 1845
, Mary J. 2 GA

1860 Beat 5 Tallapoosa Co., Al PO Desoto

 (By 1860 this A.A. and Mary Meadows are in Tallapoosa Co., AL and Nancy is no longer in the household.)
#310 A. A. Meadows 35 AL
, Mary 42 AL
, James M. 14 AL
, Bollng W. 7 GA
, Toby 4 m GA
, Elizabeth 1/12 AL
Gorge W. C. Eews? 12 m GA

1860 Tallapoosa Co., AL census Beat 5 PO De Soto
# 268 Erastus Oneal            24 GA Grocer [scan 17 of 23] b. 1836
Nancy A Oneal            19 GA
James A Oneal            1 AL
NOTE:  #260 Gilbert Meadows 32 GA is one family away.
NOTE: The family of A. and Mary (Milner Willingham) Meadows is # 310 [scan 23 of 23]
NOTE: Family of H.P. Milner 31 GA is #274 [scan 18 of 23]
NOTE: William Milner 45 GA #277 [scan 19 of 23]
NOTE: W.E. Milner 50 GA #262 and Wooten O’Neal #259 [scan 16 of 23]
 
1870 Red Ridge, Tallapoosa Co., AL, PO Dadeville
# 42 Erastus Oneal 35 GA farmer b. 1835
, Nancy 29 GA
, James 10  b. ca 1859 AL [J.A. 21 AL clerk in dry goods store 1880 Tallapoosa Co. ,AL]
, Joseph 4 AL b. 1866
 
1880 Red Ridge, Tallapoosa Co., AL
#108 Eastus O Neal            44 GA GA GA farmer [scan 12 of  17]
Nancy A. O Neal            40  GA GA GA
Joseph O Neal            14  son AL GA GA b. 1866
Hixie L. O Neal            6 dau b. 1874 AL GA GA
William Guthrie            19  w servant AL GA AL
Mary Ross            13  b f servant AL AL AL
William Ross            8 b m servant AL AL AL [page 3]
 
1900 Dadeville, Tallapoosa Co., AL [scan 10 of 35] [page 6]
# 87 Erastus O'Neal              64 b. Oct 1835 GA marr 42 years (m. 1858)       GA  VA GA
Nancy A O'Neal  60 b. Nov 1839 m. 42 years 5 children, 3 living            GA TEXAS GA
Hixie L. Herren 26 daughter b. Aug 1873 marr 8 years 1 child, 1 living           AL GA GA
Emma N Herren            7 g daughter Apr 1893 AL AL AL
Daniel O'Neal                        20 black male b. Nov 1879 AL AL AL
NOTE: Three of the five children identified by 1860-1900 census would be James A. b Feb. 1859 AL, Joseph b. 1866 AL, and Hixie L. b. Aug 1873 m. 1892 John A. Herren; the other two are unknown.  The three living in 1900 are daughter, Hixie L. m. John A. Herren, James A. m. 1878 Emma (1900 AL census), and PROBABLY Charles Joseph b. Jan 1867 m. 1894 Minnie (1900 Hunt Co., TX census).
 
1910 Atlanta, Fulton Co., GA [scan 26 or 69]
#283 Herren, John A. 39 marr 18 years m. 1892 AL AL GA
, Hixie wife 36 m 18 years 1 child, 1 living AL GA GA
, Neal dau 16 b. 1894 AL AL GA [Emma Neal Herren]
, James S. (Herren) brother 22 AL GA GA

1900 Dadeville, Tallapoosa Co., AL [scan 11 of 35]
# 101 James A O'Neal  41 b. Feb 1859 AL GA GA m. 12 years; James A. died before 1910.
Emma N O'Neal            31 b. Sept 1869 marr 12 years m. 1888, 0 children AL AL GA
NOTE: Family next door # 100 Thomas Herren b. Oct 1868 AL AL AL
NOTE: In 1910 Emma Oneal, daughter, 42, WIDOW, 1 child, 0 living AL AL GA, is living with her mother #234 Bulger, Amanda E. 62 widow 10 children 6 living GA GA GA in Dadeville, Tallapoosa Co., AL.

1900 Wolfe City, Hunt Co., TX [scan 11 of 31]
# 102 Charles J (Joseph?) Oneal            33 b. Jan 1867 marr 6 years m. 1894 AL GA AL
Minnie Oneal            23 b. Mar 1877 marr 6 years, 4 ch, 3 living TX MO AL
Ruby Oneal            5 b. Dec 1894 TX AL TX
Pearle Oneal            2 b. Jan 1858 TX AL TX
Bristol Oneal            3.12 b. Feb 1900 TX AL TX
NOTE: Charles Jackson O’Neal b. 4 Jan 1867 AL resided Gainesville, Cooke Co., TX, see more below.

This Charles J. O’Neal moved to Gainesville, Cooke Co., TX and is still there through the 1930 census. He had only one son, Bristol Fred Leon O’Neal b. Feb 1900.

1910  Gainesville Ward 5, Cooke Co., TX [scan 18 of 27]
#214 Charles J Oneal            43 AL GA AL marr 16 years
Minnie Z Oneal            33 wife marr 16 years 6 ch, 4 living TX MO US
Ruby C Oneal            15 dau 15 TX AL TTX
Fred L Oneal            10 son TX AL TX Fred Leon Right age to be Bristol b. Feb 1900. Bristol Fred Leon O’Neal
Jewel Oneal            7 dau TX AL TX
Trula/Paula B Oneal            4 dau TX AL TX
NOTE: Charles Jackson O’Neal b. 4 Jan 1867 AL d. 23 Feb 1951 Gainesville, Cooke, Co., TX, burial 2 Mar 1951 Gainesville, TX. Parents George Washington O’Neal m. Catherine Frizzell. [pilot.familysearch.org/
 
1920 Gainesville Ward 4, Cooke Co., TX [scan 13 of 43]
#166 Charles J Oneal            52 Al VA AL cotton buyer
Minnie Oneal            42 TX MO TX
Leon Oneal            19 TX AL TX Cotton buyer b. 1901 Bristol Fred Leon O’Neal
Jewel Oneal            17 TX AL TX
Paulebelle Oneal            13 TX AL TX
 
1930 Gainesville, Cooke Co., TX [scan 1 of 27]
#13 Charles J Oneal            63 married at age 27 AL GA AL Cotton dealer, cotton buyer
Minnie Oneal            53 married at age 16 TX MO TX
Robert Cooke            28 roomer single TX TN MO newspaper reporter
 
1930 Gainesville, Cooke Co., TX [scan 12 of  27]
Leon Oneal            29 b. Feb 1900 married at age 23 (m. 1923) TX SC TX cotton buyer, veteran of WW I
Alma Oneal            24 married at age 18 TX OH TX b. 1912
Bettie J Oneal            3 3/12 dau TX TX
NOTE: Leon Fred O’Neal b. 2 Feb 1900 TX resided Gainesville, Cooke Co., TX d. 17 Dec 1955 Gainesville, TX burial 18 Dec 1855 Gainesville, TX. Parents: C. J. O’Neal m. Minnie Old. [pilot.familysearch.org/NOTE: Alma O’Neal b. 4 Sept 1905 TX d. 12 Feb 1958 Gainesville, Cooke, TX, burial 14 Feb 1958 Gainesville, TX. Clerk, widowed. Parents: John Gerlach and Laura Worley. Informant: Peggy O’Neal
Conclusion:
There is no descendant line from son, James A. O’Neal, of Nancy A. Willingham O'Neal.
There is at least one daughter, Emma Neal Herron, descendant from Hixie, daughter of Nancy A. Willingham O'Neal.
There is one son and some daughters who are descendants of Joseph O’Neal / Charles J. O’Neal of  Alabama, USA and Texas
 
1910 Atlanta, Fulton Co., GA [scan 26 or 69
( 1910 census for daughter, Hixie m. John A. Herren.)
#283 Herren, John R. 39 marr 18 years AL AL GA
, Hixie wife 36 m 18 years 1 hild, 1 living AL GA GA
, Neal dau 16 AL AL GA [Emma Neal Herren b. Apr 1893]
, James S. (Herren) brother 22 AL GA GA
 
1920 Cooks, Fulton Co., TX
1920 census for daughter, Hixie m. John A. Herren/Herran)
(John Herran/Heren/ 49 AL AL AL
Hixie, wife, 45 AL GA GA
Where is daughter, Emma Neal age 26; she married at 23 m. ca 1917; see next
 
 1920 Atlanta Ward 9, Fulton Co., GA
#349 York Grady F. 30 GA GA GA
, Nina (Neal), wife 26 AL AL AL [Emma Neal Herren]
, Edward, son 3/12 GA GA AL
Thomas, Rufus I. brother-in-law 40 GA GA GA
, May, sister 40 GA GA GA
York, Kathleen, sister 27 GA GA GA
York,, Joseph C. father 78 widow GA GA GA
 
1930 Dist 146, Buckhead, Fulton Co., GA
NOTE: 1930 census for daughter, Hixie m. John A. Herren
#538 Herren, John R. 57 m. at 21 AL AL GA Dealer, line stock
Hixie, wife, 56 m. at 20 AL GA AL
York, Grady F. son-in-law 39 b. 1891 m. at 26  GA GA GA
Neal H. York daughter 36 m. at 23 m.  AL AL AL [Emma Neal Herren]
G. Edward York grandson 10 b. 1920 GA GA AL
Herren, James C. nephew 19 GA GA GA
Herren, Idell S. niece 42 Widow GA GA GA

 

I have now found the following:
“http://michalfarmer.com/meadows/page1.html
Daniel & Isham Meadows Family ©2004 Michal Martin Farmer
80.   iii.    Anselem Anthony Meadows, born circa 1825, died 1861, C.S.A., Marion County, Tennessee, USA, married 23 February 1846, Harris County, Georgia, USA, Mary Ann Milner, born 30 November 1818, died 19 June 1887. She married first, 16 September 1838, Marion Willingham. A. A. Meadows lived in Tallapoosa County, Alabama, USA, in 1860. Mary Meadows lived in Tallapoosa County, in 1870, as did her son, James Meadows.”
REFERENCE: Nunn.  Yesterdays in Loachapoka and Communities Nearby, p. 143. Mary Ann Meadows, wife of A. A. Meadows, b. 30 Nov. 1818, d. 19 June 1887, buried at Old Canaan Primitive Baptist Church on Waverly Road in Lee Co., Ala., just over the Tallapoosa Co. line.
REFERENCE: AL census

Information researched and supplied by: Dr. Katherine Willingham Woerner, Pontotoc, Texas, USA, June 2009

 


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