Ziba Hardee and daughter Martha Ellen Hardee Butler

Ziba and Tabitha Brooks Hardee’s daughter

 Martha Ellen Hardee Butler

Ziba and Tabitha Hardee's third child is Martha Ellen Hardee. She was born June 1833 in Alabama if you go by what is written on the 1900 census or April 15, 1825 if you go by her tombstone. I believe the tombstone is incorrect as the 1850 census lists her age at 16 making her birth date about 1834.

On June 26, 1853 she married Russell Benjamin Butler in Coosa Co., Alabama.
Russell had been married before and his first wife died in 1852, they had five children.

In 1860 Russell and Martha Ellen are living in Coosa County, Alabama with four of Russel's children from his first marriage and four of their children together.

In 1870 Russell and Martha Ellen live in Weogufka, Coosa County, Alabama and have ten children together.

In 1880 they live in Fayetteville, Talladega County, Alabama and nine children live in the household.

In 1900 they live in Holy Pond, Cullman County, Alabama. Russell is listed as 77 years old and Martha Ellen is 66 years old. Their 12 year old granddaughter, Magdelena Martin lives with them. Martha Ellen lists that she had 14 children and 10 are living. Their son William and his family live next door.

Russell Butler died June 2, 1901 in Cullman Co., Alabama. Martha Ellen died Oct. 24, 1914 in Alabama.

 I have information on 13 of their children:
William Livingston "Billy" Butler b. April 4, 1854

Susan A. Butler b. Aug 1855

Levi Russell Butler b. Mar 12, 1858 in AL d. Nov. 2, 1941 in AL

Henry Dudley Butler b. abt 1860 AL d. abt 1930 AL

George Washington Butler b. Jun 22, 1862 d. Jul 1, 1955 AL (May be 1863)

Nancy Butler b. about 1863 (May be 1862)

Mary "Alice" Butler b. Feb. 14, 1865 d. Aug 11, 1951 AL

Singleton Marshall "Pete" Butler b. Mar 2, 1866

Anne Elizabeth Butler b. Dec 28, 1868

Samuel Rice Butler b. Jan 5 1873 d. Oct. 19, 1961 AL

Newton Butler b. abt 1875

Isiah Holmes Butler b. Mar 29, 1875

Thomas Monroe Butler b. abt 1877 d. May 1960 AL

The Census shown is from 1870.

Ziba and Tabitha Hardee's son, Samuel Hardee

Ziba Hardee and son William Thomas Hardee

Ziba and Tabitha Hardee’s son

 William Thomas Hardee 

 Ziba and Tabitha's fourth child is my 2nd Great Grandfather William Thomas Hardee. He was born March 10, 1836 in Hatchet Creek, Coosa County, Alabama. 

 William T. Hardee married Juda Francis Lee on November 19, 1854 in Coosa County, Alabama. Juda lived a few houses down from William T. Hardee's family, so I would guess they were childhood friends.

William and Juda (Listed as Francis) still live in Coosa County, Alabama in the 1860 census. They have four young children and Juda's younger sister Jane is living with them also.

William T. Hardee enlisted in the Civil War on April 1, 1862 at Coosa Alabama., by Capt. Walden for 3 years. He served with Company B 2nd Battalion Hilliard's Legion, Alabama Volunteers, (Confederate). That company later consolidated to Company K, 59th Alabama Infantry.

You can read about William's Civil War service here:

William T. Hardee is listed in the Alabama State Census in 1866 and the tax records in 1867. So sometime between 1867 and 1870 they moved to Texas. 

William and Juda (listed as Francis) Hardee are listed on the 1870 U.S. Census living in Van Zandt County, Texas. They have nine children, all listed as born in Alabama. The youngest is one years old so that narrows the move from Alabama to Texas between 1869 and 1870.

William's father Ziba Hardee died in 1862, but his Mother Tabitha is listed one family above his, so he moved near his Mother and siblings.

In the 1880 U. S. Census the family is listed in Johnson County, Texas. Juda Francis Hardee died in 1879, but William is listed with 10 of his 13 children and two nephews. The two nephews, Joseph and Archie Favors are the children of Juda's sister Jane Lee who lived with them in 1860.

Jane Lee married Archibald Favors and the story goes that William and Archibald entered the Civil War and had a pact that if anything happened to one of them, the other would look after their children. I need to do more research on Archibald and Jane Lee Favors and the two boys.

In 1882 W T Hardee is listed in the 1882 tax rolls for Ellis Counts County, Texas. 

The shortest obituary I've ever seen was listed in the Dallas Morning News on April 14, 1893.

W. T. Hardee died last night.

His tombstone lists his death date as April 12, 1893.

I will write about his children in another post.

SIDE NOTE: There is another William Thomas Hardee who was born about 1837 in North Carolina who married a Laura and is often confused with this William Thomas Hardee. The other William Thomas Hardee is found living in Upshur Co., Texas in 1880 with wife Laura, brother Isaah and three children.

FindAGrave has two other wives listed for Willilam T. Hardee, one Laura I know is incorrect. I need to do more research on Nancy Wilkerson to determine if she was married to my William T. Hardee.

Someone sent me this copy of a photo of William Thomas Hardee. Looks like the original is in an oval bubble glass frame.

Let me know if you descend from William T. Hardee.

 

Ziba and Tabitha Hardee's daughter Martha Ellen Hardee Butler

Ziba Hardee daughter Sarah Jane Hardee Wood

Ziba and Tabitha Brooks Hardee’s daughter

 Sarah Jane Hardee Wood

Today I will tell you about Sarah Jane Hardee. She was the second child of Ziba and Tabitha Hardee.

Sarah Hardee was born about 1831 in Alabama. She married Green A. Wood on January 16, 1849 in Coosa County Alabama.

In the 1850 U.S. Census they are listed living next to her parents in Hatchet Creek District, Coosa County, Alabama with their one year old daughter Mary.

Green is listed as a farmer and on the 1850 agricultural census he lists: 18 improved and 20 unimproved acres of land, cash value of farm $100, value of farming implements and machinery $10, 1 horse, 7 milch cows, 21 other cattle, 12 swines, value of livestock $245, bushels of Indian Corn 200. [Next page] 6 400lbs bales of ginned cotton, 40 bushels of sweet potatoes, 150 lbs of butter, 3 tons of hay, value of homemade manufactures $100, value of animals slaughtered $100.

Like her parents, Ziba and Tabitha, her family is not listed on the 1860 census. The 1860 census took place June 1, 1860 so I can only guess the family along with her parents and siblings were traveling to Texas. I know both families arrived in Texas by 1861 as they are both listed on the 1861 tax rolls.
Green and Sarah Wood are listed on the 1870 U.S. Census living in Van Zandt County, Texas. Green is listed as a farmer with a personal value of $300. Their five children are all living with them.

Green and Sarah's children are:
Mary Frances Wood b. about 1849 Alabama

Matthew Wood b. Feb. 21, 1851 Alabama d. April 15, 1934 Wylie, Collin Co., Texas

David Griffith Wood b. Mar 29, 1854 Alabama d. Nov. 13, Rockwall, Rockwall Co., Texas (he had 15 children!)

Sammie A. Wood b. about 1864 Van Zandt Co., Texas

Ida Wood b. about 1869 Van Zandt Co., Texas

Green Wood died in 1878 and I am unsure of Sarah's date of death. I have not been able to find her after the 1860 census. They are both buried in the Frontier/Red Hill Cemetery in Van Zandt Co., Texas. No birth or death date is listed in the index.

 

Ziba and Tabitha Hardee's son, William Thomas Hardee

Ziba Hardee and son James Edward Hardee

Ziba and Tabitha Brooks Hardee’s son, James Edward Hardee

 

After Peggy Mitchell died Ziba married Tabitha Brooks who was much younger then he was. They had eleven children, their first born was James Edward Hardee who was born about 1825 in Alabama.

James first married a women named Susan and in the 1850 census they lived next door to his parents Ziba and Tabitha in Coosa County, Alabama. James and Susan had a one year old son named Redsin. (Unsure of spelling/hard to read on census.)
 

 In 1860 James and Susan still live in Coosa County, Alabama, but his parents are not listed on the census, or any census. No child is listed with them so I would assume the child has died.

James served in the Civil war in Company C, Stewart Battalion, Captain John McKinsey Company and Roddin Brigade of Alabama Volunteers.

James and Susan moved to Texas as they are found living next to his younger sister Caroline Hardee Littleton in the 1870 census in Van Zandt County, Texas. James is 46 and a farm laborer with $300 in personal real estate. Susan is 42 years old and keeping house. They also have a 17 year old female named Lizzie Johnston living with them. I do not know if she is related or maybe a servant.

By 1880 they are back in Coosa County, Alabama according the the census. They also have a 13 year old male living with them named Eliot Pounds and he is listed as a servant.

I do not know Susan's date of death, but I believe she died after 1880 as James married Malissa Giddens on Feb. 2, 1893 in Talladega, Alabama. I guess he followed in his father's footsteps because Melissa was 31 years old when she married James and he was 68 years old!

In the 1900 census James and Melissa live in Talladega County, Alabama and and have two sons, William S. and James T. They had twin sons named Rufus and Remus born in August of 1900. Twin Remus died later that year.

(If you are doing the math, James was 75 when he had the twins!)

James died on February 3, 1905 in Childersburg, Alabama. His widow successfully applied for a Widows Pension in 1932.

Malissa Hardee died in 1944.

  

Ziba and Tabitha Hardee's daughter, Sarah Jane Hardee Wood

Ziba Hardee and daughter Elephare Susan Hardee

Ziba and Peggy Hardee’s possible daughter

Elephare/Elafare Susan Hardee

Today I will tell you about Elephare/Elafare Susan Hardee. Her first name is spelled many ways so I am unsure of the correct spelling. I have found her in records with the spellings: Ellafare, Susan, and Ella. Some trees show her name spelled Elephare. I will use the name Ella for simplicity.

In the 1830 and 1840 census Ziba Hardee had three unknown females listed as tick marks. I believe Ella is one of the unknown daughters of Ziba and Peggy. However, Ella married John Fore on Jan. 2, 1836 in Monroe County, Alabama and John Fore is listed on the 1840 Monroe County census with two sons and a wife as tick marks which matched Ella, her husband John and their two sons. So Ella would not have been listed with Ziba and Peggy in the 1840 census.

But, we do match Ella through DNA to 12 of her descendants. (We also match Joel Hardee through 12 of his descendants.) I am still looking for documents to prove the connection but the DNA matches make it pretty convincing.

Ella Was born Oct. 24, 1822 in Monroe County, Alabama. She married John Fore on Jan. 2, 1836 in Monroe County, Alabama. They had six children: Thomas M., James Eliphas, John Franklin, Sarah Jane, George Washington, and Perry Davis, all born in Alabama.

John Fore died in 1860 in Alabama and Ella died in 1885, they seemed to live their lives in or near Monroe County, Alabama.

Below are John and Ella in the 1850 census for Monroe County, Alabama. The last name is misspelled as Four. Remember, 1850 is the first census when all the names in the household are listed.

Ziba and Tabitha Hardee's son James Edward Hardee

Ziba Hardee and son John Hardee

Ziba and Peggy Hardee’s son

John Hardee

Ziba and Peggy Hardee had a son named John Hardee. (There are a lot of men named John in the Hardee family!) John was born about 1816 in Georgia.

Like his older brother Joel, John moved to Alabama at a young age with his family.

On February 15, 1834 he married Sibithia Brooks in Monroe County Alabama. (Many people confuse this marriage with John Ziba and Tabatha's marriage since Tabitha was also a Brooks.)

In 1840 he had moved to Coosa County Alabama but was back in Monroe County Alabama by the 1850 census.

In the 1860, 1870 and 1880 census he and his wife are still living in Monroe County, Alabama. It does not look like they had children as none are ever listed with them on the census.

I have not done a lot of research on this John Hardee. I am not sure of when and where he died. He is listed as a farmer in all the census records.

The below record is John and Sabithia in the 1860 census.

John and Sabithia Hardee in 1860 Monroe County, Alabama Census.

John and Peggy Hardee's daughter, Elephare Susan Hardee

Ziba Hardee and son Joel Hardee

Ziba and Peggy Hardee’s oldest son

 Joel Hardee

Today I will tell you about Ziba and Peggy Hardees son, Joel Hardee. Joel Hardee was born June 8, 1814 in Georgia. He came to Alabama at an early age when he migrated with his parents and siblings.
Joel first married Isabella Coker on June 1, 1835 in Monroe Co., Alabama. They are found on the 1840 U.S. Census living in Lindsey, Coosa Co., Alabama with four children. Two males and two females all under age 5. (Seems they were quite busy!) I do not know if one of these were a twin, but it seems one boy died, because in the 1850 census only three children, one boy and two girls are listed as being born 1840 or before.

In 1850 Joel is now living in Monroe Co. Alabama and his wife Isabella is to believed to died as it is just Joel and six of his children.

On June 12, 1857 he married Elizabeth Devon and had three more children with her.
In 1860 they are still living in Monroe Co., AL and have seven children living at home.
It is said Joel served in the civil war but I have not researched his involvement.

In 1870 Joel is still living in Monroe Co., AL but his second wife is assumed to have died as only Mary his daughter from his first marriage and Margaret a daughter from his second marriage are in the household. I do not know what happened to his two younger children from the second marriage.

In 1880 his daughter Cynthia Sirmon and her daughter Isabela are living with Joel.
In each census Joel listed his occupation as farmer, but he did have other jobs as listed in his obituary.

Following is Joel Hardee's Obituary: Paper unknown
OBITUARY
Mr. Joel Hardee died at his home near Simpkinsville on Dec. 22nd at 13 o'clock. He had been in his usual health for some time, went into dinner, and after he had offered thanks, his daughter, Mrs. Sirmon, who lived with him, noticed that something was wrong, and upon inquiring, he said he had a pain in his back, the the same time began falling from his chair. She went to his assistance until help could be gotten to him, which was but a few minutes. After being place on his bed he lived but a few moments. Deceased was born in Georgia in 1814, came to this county at an early age, grew to man's estate, and live out his long and useful life here. He was once tax collector of Monroe County and for over fifty years he has held the office of justice of the peace in the beat in which he lived. Mr. Hardee was a man of great firmness, was a member of the Bethlehem Methodist Church, in which communion he lived for years and in which he died. He took a deep interest in all public questions, kept fully posted on current matters and questions of national character with an interest and intelligence that would have done credit to any man. He was physically a wonder, notwithstanding his extreme age, 84; he could read and write or even shoot his gun as well as a youth, without the aid of glasses. He was very large, weighing over 300 pounds, still he attended to his farm and general business that would have done credit to men much younger. About his home he was hospitable, kind and courteous; in his dealings, he was firm but pleasant and kind. He leaves a large family of children, grand-children and a wide circle of friends to mourn his loss. Peace to his ashes. W.J.M

( It is said that Joel Hardee was a big man, possibly 6'6" or 6'8" and weighed over 300 pounds. It has been stated by some who knew him that he was the biggest man they ever saw outside a circus. He is buried at Bethlehem Methodist Church cemetery in Alabama.)

Tombstone for Joel Hardee

Ziba and Peggy Hardee's son: John Hardee