One Hypothesis Proven, More To Go

One Hypothesis Down, Two to Go

(Continuation of What to Do While Waiting for the Mail to Arrive)

Family History Research  –  Tennie Bray  –  Part Three

Tennie (Hobbs) Bray’s obituary listed her surviving siblings, the same children enumerated with Martha Lancaster in the 1900 census. Tennessee and her sister Sarah, were enumerated with their mother Martha Hobbs Gage in the 1880 census. Aggravatingly, when her son was asked the question about parents on Tennie’s death certificate, he answered about his own parents instead of his mother’s parents, so the death certificate listed herself as her mother and her husband as her father. 

On to prove Sarah (Narramore) Hobbs a.k.a. Sarah (Narramore) Preston was the mother of Martha J. (Hobbs) Gage a.k.a. Martha J. (Hobbs) Lancaster. Women generally changed their surname upon marriage, both of these women had three distinct names in their lifetimes:

• Sarah Redwine Narramore
• Sarah Redwine (Narramore) Hobbs
• Sarah Redwine (Narramore) Preston
• Martha J. Hobbs
• Martha J. (Hobbs) Gage
• Martha J. (Hobbs) Lancaster

This issue of two marriages leads to name combinations that may or may not have been used:

• Sarah Redwine Narramore Hobbs Preston
• Sarah Redwine Hobbs Preston
• Martha Hobbs Gage Lancaster
• Martha Gage Lancaster

RESEARCH ASIDE: If the document is not found under the most logical name, search other names known to have been used and then search under all the combinations and permutations possible not just those known to have been used, don’t forget nicknames and initials only. 

In 1910 Martha Lancaster was not enumerated with her brothers; C. C. Hobbs, Elijah Mack Hobbs, Charlie Preston, John F. Preston, Willie E. Preston, her daughters; Tennie Gage Bray, Lonia Ann Lancaster Kennedy or Julia Lee Lancaster Roberson, or her son; Curtis Avery Lancaster. Martha does not show up in the Texas Death Records which begin ca. 1903. She does not show up in the FindAGrave files or any of the transcriptions of the Titus Co. cemeteries. The direct evidence that Sarah Redwine (Narramore) Hobbs a.k.a. Sarah Redwine (Narramore) Preston was Martha’s mother has been hard to come by, so it is necessary to prove Sarah was the mother of Martha’s brothers.

1900 Texas Titus Co. Pre. 6 122-1-45 family 150, Martha Lancaster Jan. 1854 wd 7/5 Miss, Kirtus Jan. 1886 Tx, Julia Feb.1888 Tx, Tennessee Gage May 1873 Tx, Hallace Ferell March 1897 Tx.

The 1880 Texas Titus Co. census shows Sariah Preston, the mother of Martha Hobbs, next to William Narramore, a probable brother. In all other census, Sarah is listed as Sarah not Sariah, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1900 and 1910.

1880 Texas Titus Co. Pre. 2 108-12-31 family 114, Benjamin Preston 40 Ky, Sariah 42 Ga, Charles 13 Tx, Byrd L. 10 Tx, John 7 Tx, Julia Lee 3 Tx, William 9/12 Oct. Tx, Martha Hobbs 25 Miss, James Hobbs 22 Tx, Eli M. 19 Tx, Curtis C. 17, Tennessee M. 8 Tx, Sariah C. 4 Tx.

James Avery Hobbs

1900 Texas Titus Co. Pre. 2 118-10-59 family 179, James Hobbs July 1852 m 19 Tx, Emma June 1859 m 19 10/6 Tx, Agnes Dec. 1884 Tx, Press Sept. 1892 Tx, Ola Aug. 1894 Tx, Gye Nov. 1895 Tx, Hamp Sept. 1897 Tx, Clemma May 1900 0/12 Tx, Joseph Walls boarder March 1844 Al.

1910 Texas Titus Co. Pre. 2 135-5b-54 family 85, James A. Hobbs 54 m1 28 Tx, Emma C. 64 m1 28 11/7 Tx, Press H. 19 Tx, Ola 16 Tx, Guy 14 Tx, Hamp 12 Tx, Clemmie 9 Tx, Jack 7 Tx.

1920 Texas Titus Co. Pre. 2 167-6b-82 family 102, J. A. Hobbs 65 Tx, Emma 59 Tx, Jack 17 Tx, family 103, P. H. Hobbs 29 Tx, Bessie 24 Tx Lila Fae 5 Tx, Imogene 2 Tx. 

1930 Texas Titus Co. Pre. 2  225-7-7-24 family 152, James G. Hobbs 34 m 18 Tx, Loice E. 34 m 18 Tx, Floy M. 14 Tx, James E. 11 Tx, Joseph F. 7 Tx, Joe Marie 6 Tx, Cecil 3 Tx, Billie B. 11/12 Tx, Emma C. mother 71 wd Tx.

The death certificate of James Avery Hobbs is listed under James Hobb, while the tombstone found on FindAGrave was Jim A. Hobbs.

Mack Elijah Hobbs or Eli Mack Hobbs

1900 Texas Titus Co. Pre. 1 117-1-93 family 20, Mc E. Hobbs July 1859 Tx, Ella C. Sept. 1865 Tx, Hattie July 1884 Tx, Allie Oct. 1886 Tx, Edgar Aug. 1888 Tx, Simp Dec. 1890 Tx, Carl Nov. 1894 Tx, Millard April 1899 Tx.

1910 Texas Titus Co. Pre. 7 140-8a-31 family 159, Mac E. Hobbs 50 m1 22 Tx, Ella L. 44 m1 22 12/9 Tx, Simp 18 Tx, Carl 15 Tx, Millard 13 Tx, Morris 7 Tx, Raimon 5 Tx, David L. 4/12 Tx, Columbus W. Blackburn 22 m1 4 Tx, Mrs. Allie C. 28 m1 4 1/1 Tx, Ruby 2 Tx. 

1920 Texas Cass Co. Pre. 8 45-8a-20, Mack Hobbs 61 Tx, Ella 64 Tx, Morris 17 Tx, Raymond 15 Tx, Loyd 10 Tx, Mildred Hobbs 22 Tx, June 19 Tx,…, Edgar Hobbs 31 Tx, Lillie Mae 18 Tx, Rylon 11 Tx, Emma 7 Tx, Ottis 4 Tx, Simp Hobbs 27 Tx, Olivia 25 Tx, Dean 6 Tx, Mildred 4 Tx, Luela 2 Tx.

1930 Texas Cass Co. Pre. 8 34-25-12a-24 family 153, Elisah Hobbs 71 m 23 Tx, Ella Lee 64 m 16 Tx, Morris 27 m 21 Tx, Pearl 28 m 17 Tx, Perry J. 2 1/12 Tx, Mollie Hill 32 wd 17 Tx.

The Texas Death Certificate for Eli Maxie Hobbs

Curtis C. Hobbs

1900 Texas Titus Co. Pre. 6 122-1-34 family 7, Kirt C. Hobbs May 1865 Tx, Alice J. Jan. 1876 m9 4/2 Ga, Bob L. June 1892 Tx, Bessie M. Aug. 1896 Tx. 

1910 Texas Titus Co. Pre. 6 133-14-42 family 257, C. C. Hobbs 46 m1 18 Tx, Alice 34 m1 18 8/5 Ga, Bob Lee 17 Tx, Bessie 13 Tx, Jessie 9 Tx, Stella 5 Tx, Ernest 11/12 Tx, Chas. Cloizer hired man 17 Tx.

1920 Texas Titus Co. Pre. 4 169-15b-71 family 295, C. C. Hobbs 56 Tx, Alice 45 Al, Stella 14 Tx, Earnest 11 Tx. 

1930 Texas Titus Co. Pre. 8 225-14-8a-42 family 179, Curtis C. Hobbs 66 m 28 Tx, Alice 53 m 15 Ga, family 180, Ernest Hobbs 21 m 19 Tx, Pearl 17 m15 Tx, Elinor 1/12 Tx.

The Texas Death Certificate for C. C. Hobbs

Charlie Preston

The first brother, from her mother’s second marriage was Charley Preston.

1900 Texas Titus Co. Pre. 2 118-18-18 family 324, Benjamin Preston Nov. 1838 Ky m 34, Sarah June 1836 m 34 12/7 Ga, Charley Aug. 1867 Tx, Maggie July 1874 Tn m 10 4/3 Tx, Sallie June 1891 Tn, James Jan. 1893, Georgia June 1895 Tx, William Sept. 1871 Tx.

1910 Louisiana Caddo Parish Ward 1 29-4a-16 family Chas. Preston 49 m1 21 Tx, Maggie 36 m1 21 7/7 Tx, Jennie Perryman 17 w Tx, Georgia Preston 14 Tx, Ben 9 Tx, Flora 8 Tx, Cora 8 Tx.

Charlie Preston Texas Death Certificate 1927

Julia Lee Preston

Byrd Lewis Preston

John Franklin Preston

1900 Texas Titus Co. Pre. 1 116-7-89 family 452  John Preston Aug. 1873 26 Tx, Annie Sept. 1881 18 Tx, Boby Feb. 1900 2/12 Tx.

1910 Texas Titus Co. Pre. 1 132-2-62 family 34, John F. Preston 36 m1 12 Tx, Emmer 29 m1 12 5/4 Tx, Almer 10 Tx, Avery 6 Tx, Lola 3 Tx, Clifton 6/12 Tx.

1920 Arkansas Lafayette Co. Roane 119-7-8, Emma Preston 39 wd Tx, Abra 15 Tx, Lola 13 Ok, Clifton 10 Tx, Eula M. 8 Tx, Nellie 5 Tx, J. D. 3 Tx, Charles Denman sil 23 La, Alma 20 Tx, Lulu F. 2 3/12 Ark.

1930 Texas Titus Pre. 1 225-6-2b-89 family 35, C. T. Coley 65 m 20 Al, Emma 49 m 18 Tx, Obie 21 Tx, Nellie P. 16 Tx, J. D. 12 Tx. 

Willie Ednie Preston

1910 Texas Titus Co. Pre. 1 133-13b-57 family 239, Will Preston 29 m1 8 Tx, Angie 28 m1 8 5/5 Al, Jimmie 7 Tx, Sarah 5 Tx, Mae 4 Tx, Lutie Belle 17/12 Tx, Willie 6/12 Tx, Sarah mother 73 wd 3/2 Ga.

In 1917 Willie Edna/Elna Preston registered for the draft from Winfield, Titus Co., Texas. He has not be located yet in the 1920 census.

1930 Texas Bowie Co. Texarkana W4 19-7-18b-91 family 53, Willie Preston 50 m 22 Tx, Angie 52 m 24 Al, Willie 20 Tx, Ludie 21 Tx, Cleo 19, Louie 17 Tx, Lee 13 Tx, Era 11 Tx.

Marnerva A. Preston Death Certificate 1934

Willie E. Preston Texas Death Certificate 1934

Death certificates could be obtained for the remaining half-siblings, the Preston children, however it is clear from the Hobbs children’s death certificates that their mother was Sarah Narramore. Sarah Redwine Narramore was born in Georgia ca. 1836. She probably died in August of 1919 in Titus Co., Texas. She married (1) Curtis Hobbs. They had children; Martha, James Avery, Eli Mack, and Curtis C. She married (2) Benjamin Franklin Preston. They had children; Charlie, Byrd Lewis, John Franklin, Julia Lee and Willie Ednie.

While Tennie (Gage) Bray was married to William Bray for decades, her mother Martha had two marriages, a divorce, a death and two sets of children, and her maternal grandmother Sarah had two marriages, two deaths and two sets of children making these lines convoluted. In addition just to keep the lines tangled, Martha (Hobbs) Lancaster was the step-mother of Emma Jane Lancaster, daughter of Louis Henry Lancaster. Emma married first Martha’s younger half-brother John Franklin Preston and second C. T. Coley. Neither Tennie, Martha nor Sarah seem to be of Cherokee or other Native American background, however, the Gage, Hobbs and Narramore lines still need to be investigated. 

RESEARCH ASIDE:

In addition to the Ohio,Texas and Tennessee death certificates available on FamilySearch.org, digital copies of Kentucky, North Carolina and Tennessee certificates from some years are available on Ancestry.com. West Virginia, Ohio, and Missouri State Archives have digitized state death certificates indexed on their website. Minnesota’s are available from the Minnesota Historical Society. Digitized copies indexed by both the father’s name and mother’s maiden name are the most helpful. Availability, places and years are constantly changing, so keep checking.