Gilbert Cyril Ward Ancestors
by Jimmy Ward January 2013
Colonial Wards - Stallings, Perrys, Robertsons
My father was Gilbert Cyril Ward, son of Gilbert Russell Ward and Willie Ann Wright. Gilbert
Russell Ward was the son of Thomas Ward and Sarah Stallings. Thomas was the son of John
Ward and Nancy (possibly Caldwell). I know little of John's and Nancy's ancestors except that
they came from North Carolina. John and Nancy both were born around 1791, so their parents
likely lived during colonial times in North Carolina. I also know little about the Wrights.
Sarah Stallings, mentioned above, was the daughter of Humphrey Stallings and Cynthia
Robertson. Both Humphrey and Cynthia (little is know of the Robertson ancestors, although some
web posted trees list some Robesons and Robasons back to Virginia) were born in North
Carolina and moved to Tennessee. Humphrey Stallings was the son of Jesse Stallings whose wife
was named Lydia. Jesse Stallings was the son of Hardy Stallings and Hepsabeth Perry. Hardy
and Hepsabeth were born in the mid 1700s, the late colonial period, in northeast North Carolina.
Hardy Stallings was the son of Elisha Stallings and Mally Jones.
Hepsabeth Perry, mentioned above, was the daughter of Jacob Perry and wife Ann. Jacob Perry
was the son of John Perry and Mary. There is conflicting information about the ancestors of John
Perry.
The main immigration of people into northeast colonial North Carolina was from southeast
colonial Virginia. Evidence suggests that our ancestral Wards came from England to colonial
southeastern Virginia in the 1600s and migrated to colonial northeastern North Carolina by the
early to mid 1700s. The Perrys likely came from the Isle of Wight County Virginia area west of
Portmouth to Perquimans County (around Hertford) North Carolina. Both the Perrys and Stallings
ended up in Edgecombe County (around Tarboro) North Carolina.
Gilbert Cyril Ward Ancestors  1
U.S. Census records go back to the first census taken in 1790, as required by the new U.S.
Constitution. Before 1790 we rely primarily on tax lists, jury lists, court hearings, marriage
records, baptisms, etc. But the most valued legal records before the census are the probated wills
and land records.
The Perry line seems to go back to the Isle of Wight County area of southeastern colonial Virginia,
perhaps even to some of the first founding towns. But the earliest best records are wills by Jacob
Perry, Elisha Stallings , and Hardy Stallings . Jacob Perry, in his 1775 will, mentions his daughter
Hephzibah Stallings, wife of Hardy Stallings. Elisha Stallings, in his 1790 will, mentions his son
Hardy. And Hardy Stallings, in his 1813 will, mentions his son Jesse Stallings.
Gilbert Cyril Ward Ancestors  2
Will of Jacob Perry, Perquimans Co., NC Wills
In the name of God, amen, March 4, 1775, I, JACOB PERRY, of Perquimans County in the
province of North Carolina, being weak in body but of sound and perfect memory thanks be given
to God for the cause and calling to mind the mortality of my body and knowing that it is appointed
for all men once to die, do make and ordain this to be my last will and testament. That is to
say...First and principally of all I give and recommend my soul into the hands of God that gave it
me and for my body I recommend to the earth to be buried in a Christian-like and decent manner,
according to the directions of my executors hereafter named, nothing doubting but at the general
resurrection I shall receive the same by the almighty power of God and as touching such worldly
estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me within this life, I give, devise and dispose of the
same in the manner and form the following--- that is to say in the first place... I give and bequeath
to my son JACOB PERRY the land and plantation whereon he now lives in Perquimans County
aforesaid to a line of marked trees mentioned in a deed of gift to my son ISRAEL PERRY which is
supposed to contain about 187 1/2 acres to the same more or less to him, his heirs or assigns
forever also such part of my personal estate with which he is now possessed with to him and his
disposal.
Then I give to my son ISRAEL PERRY all such part of my estate as he is now in actual possession
of meaning among other things, 50 acres of land for which some years past acknowledged a deed
of sale to him that through mistake happened to be without date, to him and his disposal. Then I
give to my son REUBEN PERRY all such part of my estate as he is now in actual possession of to
him and his disposal. Then I give to my daughter, PRISCILLA WELCH, wife of DEMPSEY
WELCH, all such part of my estate as she is now in actual possession of and her own disposal.
Then I give to my son DEMPSEY PERRY all such part of my estate as he is now in actual
possession of to him and his own disposal. Then I give to my son JOHN PERRY, named Dick...
and also such part of my estate as he is now in actual possession of to him and his own disposal.
Then I give to my daughter HEPHZIBAH STALLINGS, wife of HARDY STALLINGS, all such
part of my estate as she is now in actual possession of to her and her own disposal. Then I give to
my daughter ANN WINSLOW, wife of CALEB WINSLOW, land and plantation and
improvements whereon I now live, also one plantation and improvements which I bought of
ZACHARIAH LILLEY, also one plantation which I bought of my son JACOB, to her and her
heirs forever, only my will is that the true intent and meaning of these presents also is that my well
beloved ANN PERRY shall have the use of the said lands during the time of her natural life
without molestation.
Then I give to my grandson ISAAC WILSON, son of ISAAC WILSON, a parcel of land lying on
the northwest side of a place called the Little Beaver Dam in Chowan County, containing by
estimation 100 acres to him and his heirs and assigns forever. Then I give to my well-beloved wife
ANN PERRY one horse called Spring..., one woman's saddle and bridle, one featherbed and
furniture, also the use of the labor of my Negro man named Tom and Negro woman named Pat
during the time of her natural life or widowhood, also the use of my copper still for the same time.
Then I give to my 8 children sig: JACOB, ISRAEL, REUBEN, PRISCILLA, DEMPSEY, JOHN,
HEPHZIBAH, and ANN my copper still and Negroes Tom & Pat to be equally divided among
Gilbert Cyril Ward Ancestors  3
them after the expiration of the time above limited to them and their disposal.
Then I give all the rest of my estate to be equally divided between my wife ANN PERY, and my
youngest daughter ANN WINSLOW, wife of CALEB WINSLOW, to them and their disposal.
Then, lastly I do hereby nominate and appoint my well-beloved wife executress and JACOB
PERRY and ISRAEL PERRY and CALEB WINSLOW exectors of this my last will and
testament, hereby disannulling and disallowing all and any other forms, wills and testaments,
legacies, bequeaths, or executors before this time by me named, willed and bequeathed, ratifying
and confirming this and no other to by my last will and testament. In witness thereof I have
hereunto set my name, seal the day and year first above written. Recorded November 24, 1779
Extract from will of Elisha Stallings: Dated 23 Feb 1790, in Edgecombe Co., NC, probated Feb
court, 1792, lists Wife & Extx: Mary Children, Hardy , Orpha, Redick, Lott, Joseph, Elijah and
Nathan Stallings, land, utensils, etc;
Exr: William Broadribb, William Fort.
Wit: John Murphree, Elijah Stallings, Moses Woodard
Will of Hardy Stallings, grandfather of Humphrey:
Hardy Stallings will Martin Co., NC Dated 25 Aug 1813 (transcribed as written)
In the Name of God Amen. I Hardy Stallings of the State of North Carolina Martin County being
of perfect mind and memory Blessed be God do this the 25th day of August in the year of our Lord
one Thousand Eight Hundred & thirteen do make and publish this my last will and testament in
manner as follows that is to say first - I Lend unto my well beloved wife the Land and Plantation
where I now live and all the rest of my property as long as she remains a widow.
I give unto well beloved son Cannah Stallings the Land and Plantation where I now live - I give
unto my well beloved Daughter Penny Stallings one feather Bed that is called her ben Sted and
furniture in full that doth Belong to the same and one Desk one Chest one Woollen sheet and one
Linnen sheet and three Chairs and on Heiffer and pair of flat irons. It is my will and desire that all
my tools of every sort plows hoes and axes should be equilly Divided Betwent and Between my
two sons Jess Stallings and Cannah Stallings. Item I give unto my Daughter Sarah Leggett heirs
five shillings.
I give unto my Daughter Penny Stallings one Large Pewter Bason and six spoons and one Chappon
? Roufs ? case and one set of tea cups and sausers and one pitcher and three Pewter plates. I give
unto my Daughter Absilla Robason one Pewter Dish and six spoons. It is my will and Desire that
all the rest of my Property that hath not been named should be leguilly divided among my children
as follows Jesse Stallings, Cannah Stallings, Mary Mizles, Absilla Robason, Naomi Woolard and
Gilbert Cyril Ward Ancestors  4
Penny Stallings - I hereby ordain Jesse Stallings & Cannah Stallings executors of this my last will
& testament.
In witness whereof I the said Hardy Stallings have here unto set my hand and fixed my seal the day
and year above written signed, sealed and published & ordained by Hardy Stallings the testator his
last will and testament in the presents of us.
Noah Perry Hardy Stallings (Seal) Milly Perry (her mark)
North Carolina (March Term 1821 the written paper writing Beaufort County ) purporting to be the
Last will and testament of was proved in open court by the oath of Noah Perry and Milly Perry
witnesses thereto. (blur) to be
RecordedH. B. ? Clk by Jn. Biggs DPMartin County, north Carolina Will Book #2, page 72
Gilbert Cyril Ward Ancestors  5
Early Tennessee Ward Ancestors
The Ward Ancestors moved from North Carolina to Tennessee in the 1840s. John Ward was my
great great grandfather, and his family can be traced through the U.S. Census from North Carolina
to Tennessee. Since John Ward can be found in the 1840 North Carolina census, and since the
1850 census indicates that his oldest grandchild was born in 1844 in Tennesse, we can narrow the
journey from North Carolina to Tennessee between 1840 and 1844.
Nashville Road
The main migration route of Tennessee settlers from North Carolina and Virginia was via the
Great Valley Road, with one branch westward being the Wilderness Road into Kentucky and one
branch being the Nashville Road to Knoxsville and Nashville, and on westward to the Memphis
area. Excellent farmland in Kentucky and Tennessee lured people from the depleted soils of the
farms in eastern North Carolina. Below is one depiction of these early roads as assembled by the
University of Texas. The Ward ancestors traveled from just east of Raleigh, NC, to just northeast
of Memphis, TN.
Also note that the Western Road came southward from Richmond, Virginia into central North
Carolina. My great great grandfather John Ward likely used the Western Road and took one of the
southern routes into Tennessee to the Nashville Road, or at least that way appears to be the
shortest. Actually, the first main push into Tennessee occurred from 1790 through 1820.
Gilbert Cyril Ward Ancestors  6
John Ward married a woman named Nancy, the same age as John, as indicated in several U.S.
Census. My great grandfather, Thomas Ward, son of John Ward, was born in 1828, in North
Carolina.
The 1830 John Ward Census
Before the 1850 census, only the head of a household was listed. Sex and age ranges of other
members of a household were checked in columns on the census form. I have searched all of the
John Ward's listed in the 1830 census, and only one household matches the ages and sex of the
family of John Ward. That listing is from Martin County, NC. John and his wife would have
been about 39, and their son, Thomas Ward, my great grandfather, would have been 3. Martin
county was the county where the Stallings (Thomas Ward's wife was Sarah Stallings) lived about
that time, which further gives me confidence that the Martin county listing is indeed my great great
grandfather.
Below is the 1830 census of John Ward of Martin County, North Carolina. Thomas (under 5),
John (30-40), and Nancy (30-40) are underlined in red. Note that there were 2 males older than
Thomas listed, one 10-15 years and one 15-20 years.
Gilbert Cyril Ward Ancestors  7
The 1840 Census
The John Ward household found in Martin County, NC, in the 1830 census, also was listed in the
1840 census. Below is that 1840 census. Thomas (10-15 years), John (40-50 years), and Nancy
(40-50 years have been underlined in red. Note that the oldest male from the 1830 census is no
longer in the household. In the John Ward below, he is indicated as a "Senior", which hints
that one of the two older sons likely was named John as well.
The 1850 John Ward Census
The John Ward family can be found in the 1850 Dyer County U.S. Census. This census is very
important to the Ward line in that it lists the John Ward household, which included my great
grandfather Thomas Ward, and my great grandmother Sarah Stallings Ward. Below is a copy of
the census. Notice that John, Nancy, Thomas and Sarah were born in North Carolina, while the
children were born in Tennessee. John and Thomas were listed as farmers, with the real estate
value at $1100. The last column was for adults who could not read nor write - Sarah's name was
checked. Also notice that a young "labourer" named Edwin G. "Stallians" was listed in the
household; I suspect that he was a brother of Sarah Stallings Ward.
Gilbert Cyril Ward Ancestors  8
The 1850 Slave Schedule
John Ward had moved from a large farm in North Carolina to a large farm in Dyer County,
Tennessee. Both states were slave states, and John Ward did have several (14) slaves. The 1850
U.S. Census included a listing of slaves at each household - the listing was called a Slave
Schedule. Below is the listing of slaves "owned" by John Ward. I suspect that the older slaves
moved with John Ward from North Carolina.
Gilbert Cyril Ward Ancestors  9
,
Humphrey Stallings and Cynthia Robertson Stallings
My great great grandfather Humphrey Stallings can be found in the 1840 U.S. Census in Martin
County, North Carolina. Humphrey was in his 30s. Cynthia was 35 years old at that time. There
were several children in the household. Sarah Stallings, my great grandmother was born into the
family around 1828, in North Carolina, so she likely was the female between 10 and 15 years
indicated in the census.
Gilbert Cyril Ward Ancestors  10
,
The Humphrey Stallings and Cynthia Robertson Stallings family also is found 10 years earlier in
the 1830 U.S. Census of Martin County, North Carolina.
By the 1850 U.S. Census, the Humphrey Stallings family is found in Dyer County, Tennessee, so
they moved during the 1840s similar to the Ward family. However, Humphrey is no longer listed
in the family. Other cousin records indicate that he probably died before 1848 in Dyer County
Tennessee, but I do not know their sources. The census taker spelled Stallings as
"Stallians." That census is below
Gilbert Cyril Ward Ancestors  11
Cynthia Robertson Stallings, my great great grandmother, mother of Sarah Stallings Ward,
husband of Humphrey Stallings, connected the three families. "Cynthy" as she was named on her
tombstone, was buried in the Mount Mariah Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery near Friendship,
Tennessee. A photo of her headstone is shown below. I have visited this small cemetery, which is
out in the countryside. A link to the cemetery listing, along with photographs of the cemetery and
present church, is at:
http://www.tn-roots.com/tncrockett/cemetery/mtmoriah.html
Gilbert Cyril Ward Ancestors  12
The Robertsons
The Robertsons also moved from Martin County to western Tennessee about the same time as the
Wards and Stallings. A distant cousin informed me that Cynthia Robertson's father was John
Robertson of Martin County, North Carolina, but another distant cousin indicated that Cynthia's
father was a Jesse Robertson. So more investigation is needed to determine the earlier
Robertsons.
James Wright, my Great Grandfather
My father's mother was Willie Ann Wright of Tennessee. Willie Ann Wright, my
grandmother, was born into the family of James H. Wright. James Wright can be found in the
1850 U.S. Census in Haywood County. Haywood County was just south of Dyer county, a few
miles from Friendship, Tennessee, home area of the Wards. Both areas would become part of the
new Crockett county in the 1870s.
James Wright was a Blacksmith, and he did not own any land. He married a woman named
Martha, but I have not been able to discover her maiden name. The couple's first and only child at
the time listed in the 1850 census was Mary Wright. Below is that census listing from Haywood
County, around Johnson Grove. The script is difficult to read, unless you know what you are
reading ("James Wright, Martha, Mary, Blacksmith"). James was born about 1824 and Martha
was born about 1830. Both were born in Tennessee.
Gilbert Cyril Ward Ancestors  13
,
Dyer County
[Source as The Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture - Tennessee Historical
Society]
The Tennessee General Assembly established Dyer County in 1823 and named it in honor of
Colonel Robert H. Dyer. John McIver and Joel H. Dyer donated sixty acres for the new county
seat, named Dyersburg, at a central location within the county known as McIver's Bluff. In 1825
Joel Dyer surveyed the town site into eighty-six lots; the first courthouse was built on the square in
1827. The present Classical Revival-style courthouse, designed by Asa Biggs in 1911, centers a
downtown historic district listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The county's
population in 2000 was 37,279.
Fertile soil and plentiful stands of timber made Dyer County rich farming country. The early
profitable crops of corn and tobacco were replaced in the post-Civil War era by a reliance on
cotton, and the timber industry expanded. Situated at the head of steamboat navigation on the
Forked Deer River, Dyersburg grew as a river town, especially once the Grey Eagle made the first
successful steamboat trip in 1836.
Note: the southeastern part of Dyer County, where the Ward ancestors lived, became part of the
new Crockett County, formed in 1872. They lived in the Friendship, Tennessee, area, underlined
southeast of Dyersburg. The Dyer-Crockett county line is the dashed line just northwest of
Friendship. Also note that the area is along/near the Mississippi River where Missouri, Arkansas,
and Tennessee meet.
Gilbert Cyril Ward Ancestors  14
,
The Rootsweb genealogy site is found at:
http://www.rootsweb.com/~tndyer/
Natalie Huntley, who maintains/coordinates the site is a distant cousin, descended from the
Stallings/Robertson line.
Gilbert Cyril Ward Ancestors  15
The Tennessee Ward Ancestors During the Civil War Era
John and Nancy Ward had moved their family from North Carolina to Tennessee in the 1840s.
Their youngest son, Thomas, had moved with them. Thomas, my great grandfather had married
Sarah Stallings. The Stallings moved from North Carolina to Dyer County Tennessee like the
Wards. I do not know if Thomas and Sarah were married in North Carolina or Tennessee. John was
only 17 years old and Sarah was only 16 years old when they married and had their first child, a
daughter named Asenith, born in Tennessee.
The Ward 1860 Census
The 1860 census always was an interesting census for me. The census was taken in the summer of
1860, and soon thereafter Abraham Lincoln was elected president. Little did the people know how
much life would change over the next decade.
By 1860 my great grandfather Thomas Ward had moved away from his parents' farm and had
started a farm of his own. He lived beside many of his relatives, mainly the Robertsons and the
Stallings of the Sarah Stallings Ward ancestry.
Glancing through the 1st Civil District of the 1860 census of Dyer County several facts can be
determined. There were 130 families listed in the district, and most were farmers. The few other
occupations listed overseers(of large farms), blacksmith, brickmaker, shoemakers, and a
"gentleman." Farms varied in sizes, and some families which were listed did not own property.
Most real estate was valued under $2000, but the Perry's, Ward's, and Robertson's had large
farms. The Stallings' farms were smaller and varied in value. Thomas Ward's father, John, lived
in the nearby 14th district. John had no children left in his household, and was 68 years old at the
time of the census. Thomas Ward was building a large family, and his farm was worth near
$7000, one of the largest in the district. Perhaps he had inherited this farm from his father, or they
had built up the wealth through proceeds of the farms.
By the way, the second largest farm in the district was owned by a W. B. Ward, perhaps the older
brother of Thomas. W.B.'s farm was valued at nearly $15,000. Below is the census listing for the
Thomas Ward family. My grandfather, Gilbert Russell Ward, had yet to be born into the
family. I have entered in red the names in the Thomas Ward household. Note that some Stallings
lived on one side of the Ward's and some Robertson's lived on the other side.
Gilbert Cyril Ward Ancestors  16
The 1860 Slave Schedule
As in 1850, the 1860 U.S. Census included a census listing of slaves, known as a Slave
Schedule. The Ward's, Stalling's, Robertson's, and Perry's listed in Districts 1 and 14 of the
census held slaves. John Ward still owned 10 slaves, and Thomas Ward owned 4 slaves. W.B.
Ward owned the most slaves, 18.
The Civil War in Western Tennessee
Dyer County was close to the border States of Missouri and Kentucky, and was not far from the
Union State of Illinois. Most of the residents in Dyer County sided with the Confederacy, but
some joined Union forces. Some of the earliest conflicts of the war occurred around Dyer County,
but not in Dyer County itself.
Gilbert Cyril Ward Ancestors  17
Some of the first battles involved the early leadership of Union Brigadier General U. S. Grant, as
his forces ousted Confederate troops at Fort Henry and Fort Donelson in February 1862. Those
forts are just northeast of Dyer County. And by May 1862 Federal forces had taken over
Memphis and controlled the Mississippi River down to Memphis. With the Union controlling
important rail lines and the Mississippi River, western Tennessee remained in the hands of the
Federal troops throughout the remainder of the long war. Brigadier Bedford Forrest did attack
some areas of western Tennessee throughout the remainder of the war, but overall control by the
Federal troops held.
It appears that the men around Friendship, Tennessee, where the Wards lived, joined the 12th
Tennessee Infantry Regiment of the Confederacy. That regiment fought in areas other than
western Tennessee. The Regiment fought, retreated, reorganized, joined different groups, and
ended the war in Georgia and back in Tennessee. I have not checked the muster rolls to see if any
relatives served in the Regiment.
For a summary of the regiment check out: http://www.tngenweb.org/civilwar/csainf/csa12.html
A summary of conflicts around Tennessee during the Civil War is summarizes at:
http://americancivilwar.com/statepic/tn.html . Note that Dyer County near the
Arkansas/Missouri border was away from the main conflict areas.
The James and Martha Wright Family
My great grandparents on my father's mother's side of the family were James Wright and his wife
Martha. The James and Martha Wright family in the 1850 U.S. census in Haywood County
Tennessee, was shown in the previous section of Early Tennessee Wards.
The subsequent 1860 census showed that the family had grown, and that they owned some real
estate. James' professions were listed as a Blacksmith and a Farmer. Below is that 1860
census. The script is fairly easy to read. There were several years between some births, which
makes one wonder if some of the children had died at birth or at a very young age. My
grandmother, Willie Ann Wright, would not be born into the family for another 10 years, in
1870. A young girl, Eliza D. Bess, age 6, also was listed in the household. The 1850 and 1860
Slave Schedules showed that James Wright did not own any slaves.
Gilbert Cyril Ward Ancestors  18
,
The Birth of My Grandparents, Gilbert Russell Ward and Willie Ann Wright
My father's father, Gilbert Russell Ward, was born in 1866, and his future wife, Willie Ann
Wright, was not born until 1870. Therefore neither of these grandparents experienced life before
the Civil War, nor the period of the Civil War. They would grow up in a totally different society
than that of their parents.
A related personal note: I remember growing up in a racially segregated society in Texas, and I
remember vividly the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. Although the 1960s revolution does
not compare favorably with the end of slavery and the loss of 600,000 American lives, I did
witness a large change in the American society. My younger nieces and nephews grew up in
a more integrated society. Just as I have trouble understanding slavery, my younger nieces and
nephews have trouble understanding racial segregation. I would think that my grandparents
Gilbert and Willie Ann had trouble understanding the slave society as well.
Gilbert Cyril Ward Ancestors  19
Tennessee Ward Ancestors During the Post Civil War Era
My grandparents, Gilbert Russell Ward and Willie Ann Wright, were born in Tennessee just after
the Civil War. They met and married by the 1880s, and began their family in western Tennessee,
before moving to southeast Texas in the 1890s. This discussion will cover the 1870 and 1880
U.S. Census, the formation of Crockett County, Tennessee, my grandparents' marriage,and their
first children born in Tennessee.
Thomas Ward Deeds Land for Church
In May of 1869 my great grandfather Thomas Ward gave one acre of his property to the Mount
Mariah Primitive Baptist Church, where the meeting place already stood. The deed was recorded
in the Dyer County courthouse on February 3, 1870. Part of the land was used for a cemetery
behind the meeting place, where several Robertsons, Wards, and my great grandmother Cynthia
Stallings are buried. A link to the full wording of the deed is at:
http://tn-roots.com/tncrockett/deeds/mtmoriah.html
A link to the cemetery listing is at:
http://tn-roots.com/tncrockett/cemetery/mtmoriah.html
The Ward and Wright 1870 Census
The 1870 U.S. census was the first full census following the Civil War. The Friendship,
Tennessee, post office area of the 1870 census lists my great grandfather, Thomas Ward,
household which included my grandfather as Gil, age 8. That census is shown below. Thomas'
mother, my great grandmother Cynthia Stallings and Cynthia's sister, Silla (probably short for
Priscilla), also lived in the household.
Gilbert Cyril Ward Ancestors  20
Below is the 1870 U.S. Census in Johnston Grove post office area, Haywood County, Tennessee,
for my great parents, James and Martha Wright. Johnston Grove is just south of Friendship by
about 10 miles. James still is listed as a Blacksmith. The oldest daughter Mary still lived with her
parents, along with son John, daughter Joanna, daughter Lucilla, and son Robert. A young woman
Eliza Best also lived with the family (she also was listed 10 years earlier in the household
census). The baby Moore in the 1860 census was no longer listed in the family. Perhaps he had
died (likely), or he was not a son of the the Wrights (unlikely). My grandmother Willie Ann
Wright was born about the time of the census. The census below is dated August, and Willie
Ann's birth is thought to be in June, so she should have been listed. She is listed in the 1880
census as age 10.
Gilbert Cyril Ward Ancestors  21
The Formation of Crockett County
The people living on the edge of Dyer, Haywood, Gibson, and Madison counties in western
Tennessee wanted a county seat closer to their homes. Trips to the county seats could be difficult
in a day, using horsedrawn wagons and buggies. The people petitioned and elected to have their
own county. The new county was formed in 1872 and named Crockett county in honor of the
Tennessean who had helped settle Tennessee, been elected to Congress, and died in the Texas
Revolution. The county seat was named - you guessed it - Alamo.
Both the Thomas Ward family and the James Wright family lived in this new county. One good
genealogy link for Crockett County is at:
Gilbert Cyril Ward Ancestors  22
http://tn-roots.com/tncrockett/
The coordinator of the Crockett County site is Natalie Huntley, a distant cousin of mine, descended
from the Robertsons/Stallings branch of my family tree.
The 1880 Crockett County Census
The Thomas Ward household was listed in the 1880 U.S. Census. Most of the data are consistent
with the 1870 census. The quality of the script is fairly poor and blotted. That Thomas Ward
listing is shown below. Relationships to the head of household are listed, which helps greatly in
determining how people are related. Wife "S" is Sarah, son "C" is Columbus, daughter "V ?" is
Viola called Ola, son "G. R." is my grandfather Gilbert Russell, daughter is Naomia, son is Walter,
and the youngest son, age 6, appears to be "J. O." Thomas' aunt also resides in the household,
name P. Stallings, likely Priscilla, sister of Sarah's mother Cynthia. Cynthia, listed in the 1870
household, did not die until 1889, but I do not know where she resided in 1880.
Gilbert Cyril Ward Ancestors  23
By 1880 it appears that my great grandfather James Wright had died, since the head of household
was listed as Marthy Wright, James' wife, my great grandmother. Children were listed as "Lue C"
who was daughter Lucilla, son "Robert", and daughter "Willie A.", my grandmother Willie
Ann. Marthy was listed as being a farmer.
The Marriage of Gilbert Russell Ward and Willie Ann Wright
The marriage of of my grandparents, Gilbert Russell Ward and Willie Ann Wright is recorded in
the Crockett County records. They were married on December 23, 1887. Since the two lived less
than 10 miles apart, they likely met through social functions, or they attended the same church,
such as Mt Moriah Primitive Baptist Church just southwest of Friendship, Tennessee (where
Gilbert Cyril Ward Ancestors  24
several Stallings/Wards are buried).
Gilbert Russell and Willie Ann started to build their family there in Tennessee. Their first son,
Russell was born November 1888, and their second son Roy was born in Feb 1892. According to
the 1900 census Russell and Roy were born in Tennessee.
Unfortunately nearly all of the 1890 U.S. Census was destroyed in a fire at Washington D.C. in
1921, including the Tennessee records. Fortunately the 1900 census listed month, year, and place
of birth of all entries. Since the census listed the third child of Gilbert Russell and Willie Ann,
Ernest, as having been born in Texas in February 1894, we can assume that the family lived in
Tennessee until the 1892-1894 period.
This narrative ends the period before my father was born. My father, Gilbert Cyril Ward, was born
soon after the family moved to Alief, Texas.
Gilbert Cyril Ward Ancestors  25