[Vinson.FTW]
124 SAMUEL W. (7) BILLINGSLEA
(John 6, Francis 5, William 4, William 3, John 2, Francis 1.) Born Wilkes Co., GA December 1801. He was left an orphan at five years of age and was reared in the home of his Atkins relations. He and his brother migrated to Alabama when he was about 17 years of age. He married (1) .January 1819 Martha ,. born Georgia 1800. They resided in Shelby Co., AL to about 1835 when Martha died. He moved to Montgomery Co., AR where he married (2) in 1837 Sarah Huddleston, a widow, born Louisiana in 1809, she had a son, Eli, at the. time of this marriage, she had a sister, Fida Adaline, born Louisiana in 1820 who married John G. Stroope, born Louisiana 1815, resided Clark Co., AR in 1860, he died in 1864 and she moved to Bosque Co., TX with her brother in law after the civil war, they had six children. About 1843 Samuel moved to Clark Co., AR where he engaged in farming in addition to his trade of wheelwright and blacksmith, Sarah died in 1852 and he married (3) in 1853 Seletha, widow of George Samuel Billingsley, see Number 71, born Georgia in 1823, she was s daughter of William McCrary and had two children at the time of this marriage. During the civil war this section of Clark Co. was infested by a considerable number of bushwhackers who robbed the homes of those whose men were in service. The home. of Samuel was a constant object of prey to them and cost the lives of two of his sons and two step sons trying to defend their parents and home. After the war Samuel considered this locality unsafe and moved to Bosque Co., TX about 1866. He was appointed Postmaster at Meridian 24 November 1868 and served to 23 December 1870. Seletha was living in 1870 and he is stated to have died about 1879.
Children:
i Robert James (8) : b 7 Sept. 1819.
ii Samuel W.: b 1822 Shelby Co., AL Went to Calif. in the Gold Rush and no subsequent record. He was never heard from again.
iii Martha: b 1826 AL, died 1833.
iv John: b 1828 AL, died 1839.
v Lucy Ann: b 1830 AL, m 1846 in AR Henry S. Whitamore, b N.C. 1822. They moved to GA. then moved to TN and returned to Clark Co., AR about 1853, both were living in 1860. They had, known:
1 John H. Whitamore: b 1847 GA.
2 Lucy Ann Whitamore: b 1850 GA., died small.
3 Sarah E. Whitamore: b 1852 TN
4 Joseph H. Whitamore: b 1853 AR went to Texas with his grandfather in 1866.
5 William H. Whitamore: b 1855.
6 Woodson D. Whitamore: b 1857.
vi Martha: b 1835 Shelby Co:, AL, m prior to 1851 Thomas Morgan, b GA. 1832, she died Jan. 1857 Clark Co., AR They had:
1 Thomas Morgan: b 1851, died inf.
2 Martha Morgan: b 1854.
3 Samuel Jesse Morgan: b Dec. 1856. Children: (2d wife) vii Eli Huddleston: b 1830 AR, step son, was living in Parker Co., TX in 1860 unmarried.
viii Samuel A.J.: b 1839 Montgomery Co., AR He m in 1857 Polly, b GA. 1840. He enlisted under name of Samuel A. Billingsley 23 Oct. 1861 Pvt. Co. F, 2d AR Mtd. Rifles, C. S. A. for 1 year. Rolls for Dec. 1861 and Feb. 1862 show him on sick leave. Apr. 1862 not stated if present or absent, Oct. 1862 show present with company. Records do not show a discharge or a reenlistment. Rolls June, Aug. and Oct. 1863 show him present with company. He is not shown on any subsequent rolls of this regiment. On 14 Feb. 1864 one "Samuel A. Billingslea" enlisted as Pvt. Co. L, 4th AR Cav. U. S., born Montgomery Co., AR, age 25 years, five feet and 8 inches in height, blue eyes, and a farmer, transferred to 2d Mo. Batt. Arty., U. S. 29 May 1864. Deserted 12 Nov. 1864 at Little Rock, Pulaski Co., AR All indications that this record refers to one man. The family tradition is that he deserted and returned home to protect his parents who were being persecuted by bushwhackers and was killed by them early in 1865. Only child of record is:
1 Agatha: b 1859.
ix Sarah: b 1841 AR, m (1) prior to 1860 a Mr. McCullough, he died and she m (2) a Mr. Lashbrook, she died in 1909 in Calif. They had, known
1 R. G. McCullough.
2 Dee Lashbrook. He was living in Saunas, Calif. at last accounts.
x Wilson S.: b 1842, m 1860 Elizabeth, b GA. 1843. He enlisted 23 Oct. 1861 at Pvt. Co. F, 2d AR Mtd. Rifles, C.S.A. Rolls Feb. to Oct. 1862 show him "Absent sick." Roll Feb. 1863 shows "Left sick at Corinth, MS" Rolls June and Oct. 1863 "Absent sick in MS" No subsequent military record. The family tradition is that he returned home instead of joining his regiment in order to protect his parents, etc. It is stated that he brought with him a splendid rifle he had secured from some unstated source and that he scored "many notches on the old gum tree" before he was killed about 1864 by the bushwhackers. No record of any children.
xi Emily Caroline: b 1847 AR Was living in 1860 and moved to. Texas with her father, no subsequent record.
xii Martha: b 8 Aug. 1849 AR moved to Texas with her father in 1866 where she m 10 Feb. 1874 James R. Randle, b 16 Mar. 1839, his 2d wife; he was previously married to Miss M. C. Dawson, who died about 1871-72. Martha died 5 Sept. 1915 and he died Nov. 1915. Residence not stated tho they probably resided in Bosque Co., or vicinity. They had:
1 Ellen Randle: b 31 Dec. 1866, 1st wife, m a Mr. .Faulk, reside Hollis, OK
2 Thomas Randle: b 18 Aug. 1869.
3 Elizabeth Randle: b 18 Feb. 1871, died 30 Sept. 1889.
4 John Randle: b 9 Dec. 1876, 2d wife, died 9 Oct. 1906.
5 Lucy Randle: b 28 Apr. 1878, m T. J. Wilkinson, reside Rising Star, TX
6 Henry Randle: b 1 Jan. 1880, resides Whitney, Texas.
7 Alabama Randle: b 1 Aug. 1882, m P. R. Masters, reside Marietta, OK
8 Pearl Randle: b 27 Jan. 1884 Meridian, TX, m 2 Nov. 1909 at Whitney, TX, Joseph Gordon Harwell, b Iredell Co., NC 20 Dec. 1887. Reside Abilene, Taylor Co., TX They had:
a Joseph Gordon Harwell, Jr.: b 21 Dec. 1916 Georgetown, TX
b McTyeire Bishop Harwell: b 22 July 1918 Winston Salem, N. C.
c Robert Eugene Harwell: b 3 May 1921 Copperas Cove, TX
9 George Randle: b 20 Jan. 1893. Resides San Antonio, Bexar Co., TX
xiii Lucy: b 13 Mar. 1852 AR, moved to Texas with her father and m 4 July 1869 Edward Francis, b Montgomery Co., AL 6 Jan. 1837, son of John Francis, b Mass., d LA and a Miss West. Edward had brothers John, died C. S. A.; Alexander and Benjamin who were lost trace of after the civil war. Edward was previously married to Eliza R. Hardwick in 1862, she died in 1868, he had 3 children at the time of this 2d marriage. Resided Meridian, Bosque Co., TX where she died 19 July 1911 and he died 10 July 1916. They had:
1 Joseph Edward Francis: b 16 Dec. 1862, 1st wife, resides Mineral Wells, TX
2 Harvey Nicholas Francis: b 4 Mar. 1866, m , he d 28 Apr. 1920, has a son, Ernest who resides Mineral Wells, TX
3 Hettie Francis: b 24 Feb. 1868, m Thomas Gandy, reside .Meridian, TX
4 Elsie Francis: b 28 Jan. 1871, 2d wife, m A. A. Jordan, he died May 1904, she resides Dallas, Dallas Co., TX
5 Clay Francis: b 12 June 1873, m Carrie Fitzgerald, she died 10 Feb. 1930, he resides Waco, McLennan Co., TX
6 Henry Francis: b 11 Apr. 1876, m (1) Bettie Fossett, she died 10 Mar. 192? and he m (2) Ethel Snow, reside , Indian Creek, TX
7 Isaac Francis: b 30 May 1879, m Cora T. Adams, reside Meridian, TX
8 Maggie Francis: b 14 July 1882, died 20 July 1883.
9 Addie Peterl Francis: b 30 Sept. 1887, m George W. Hanson, reside Plainview, TX
10 Mary Lee Francis: b 3 May 1896, m 5 June 1924 at Waco, McLennan Co., TX Walter Lee Irvin, b Taylor Co., TX 5 Oct. 1898, reside Meridian, TX She has furnished, information on this family. They had:
a Walter Lee Irvin, Jr.: b 13 Jan. 1932 Galveston, TX
xiv George William: b 1846 GA., step son, said to have been killed by bushwhackers about 1863.
xv James: b 1848 GA., step son, said to have been killed by bushwhackers about 1863-4.
xvi Sarah Seletha: b 1854 3d wife, was living in 1870.
xvii John B.: b 1857, died small.
Source - "The Billingsley Family in America", Harry Alexander Davis, 1936.
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According to family stories, during the civil war bushwhackers would raid and terrorize their home. What they did not steal, they would try to destroy. They would pour molasses all over their bed mattresses, spread feathers from pillows all over the place, and ransack the home. Samuel's sons Samuel A. J. & Wilson S., and also step-sons, George William & James Billingsley, were killed trying to defend the homeplace on different occasions. They're bravery was held in high regard by the family.
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Dec 1801 - born in Wilkes Co., GA
May 1807 - orphaned by death of father, raised by Atkins relatives.
Abt. 1818 - migrated to Alabama, with his brother, Asa Atkins Billingsley.
Jan 1819 - married Martha "Ester" Gamble (Marriage records - Shelby Co., AL show Samuel Billingslea married Ester Gamble, 11 Dec 1818, by Rev. James Walker M.G.)
20 Mar 1824 thru 13 Aug 1825 - served as Justice of the Peace, Shelby Co., AL. (Civil Register of County Officers Vol 1, pg.282, "Sam W Billingslea J.P. Shelby Co., Commissioned 20 Mar 1824; Resigned 13 Aug 1825".)
1830 - listed in Shelby Co., AL Census. (Saml W Billingslea; free; white; persons 1 - male 0-5, 2 - male 5-10, 1 - male 20-30, 1 - female 0-5, 1 - female 20-30; total 6; no slaves)
Bet. 1835-1837 - moved to Montgomery Co., AR.
08 March 1838 - married Sarah (Stroope) Huddleston, in Clark Co., AR
Abt. 1843 - moved to Clark Co., AR (Samuel was a farmer, while also a wheelwright & blacksmith)
1850 - Census, Clark Co., AR, Tucker township, pg. 191,
1850 - Slave Schedule, Clark Co., AR, Tucker township, pg. 217
1853 - married Seletha McCrary in Clark Co., AR.
Abt. 1866 - moved to Bosque Co., TX
Billingslea, Sam'l. W., 26 Nov 1866 - appointed Postmaster at Meridian, Bosque Co., TX
24 November 1868 thru 23 December 1870 - appointed Postmaster at Meridian, Bosque Co., TX.
2 Apr 1870 - deed for property Bosque Co., TX, 1/16th of an acre; 1/4 of lot 1; in block 15 in the S 1/4 of said lot fronting on Main Street; to S. W. Billingslea & J. J. George from Henry Fossett.
1870 - Census, Bosque Co., TX, Meridian, pgs. 93,94
1879 - died in Bosque Co., TX
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Early Records of Georgia vol.1 and 2, by Grace Gillam Davidson
Page 141--Mar. 6, 1809.
Jeremiah Miles appointed guardian of Samuel and Asa Billingslea, orphans of John Billingslea, dec'd. Richard Peteet, Security.
Page 374--Mar. 6, 1809.
Jeremiah Miles appointed guardian of Samuel and Asa Billingslea orphans of John Billingslea, dec'd.
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Will Book 1818 - 1841, Shelby Co., AL
Page 25; 25 September 1820, JOHN BILLINGSLY, Intestate, late of State of Georgia, Wilks Co., William Gamble appointed guardian by choice of Asa Billingsly, orphan. Samuel Billingsly, William and Robert Gamble bound in sum of $500
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1830 - Census Shelby Co., AL
Saml W Billingslea; free; white; persons 1 - male 0-5, 2 - male 5-10, 1 - male 20-30, 1 - female 0-5, 1 - female 20-30; total 6; no slaves)
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1850 Census - Clark Co., AR
Dwelling/Family: 30/30
Billingsley, Samuel W. 47 M Farmer Georgia
Billingsley, Sarah 41 F Louisiana
Huddleston, Eli 20 M Farmer Arkansas
Billingsley, Samuel 11 M Arkansas
Billingsley, Sarah 9 F Arkansas
Billingsley, Wilson 6 M Arkansas
Billingsley, Emily 3 F Arkansas
Billingsley, Martha 1 F Arkansas
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"POSTMASTERS & POST OFFICES of BOSQUE COUNTY, TEXAS 1856 - 1930"
MERIDIAN (Bosque)
Billingslea, Sam'l. W., 26 Nov 1866
Billingsley, Saml. W., 24 Mar 1868
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1870 Census, Bosque Co., TX,
412a, pgs. 93,94; dwelling 686 / family 686
Billingsley, Sam - 68y/o, Wheelwright, Land 1400, Personal 120, born GA
Ceyle - 45y/o, Keeps House, born GA
Joseph - 17y/o, born GA
Selletha - 15y/o, born AR
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Reference:
The McLaurin - McMahon Family Research Page
http://www.my-ged.com/mclaurin/
Samuel W. Billingslea 
- b.1780 in Harford County, Maryland d.May 1807 in Georgia
- b.1782 in Georgia d.~01 Oct 1806 in Georgia