Frances married James MELSON [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. John Robert MELSON
2. Amos Lee MELSON
3. Mary Anne MELSON
4. Samuel Jay MELSON
5. Daniel Ray MELSON
6. David MELSON

Frances married Charles BLANKENBURG [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

John married Dessie Mary CUNNINGHAM on 22 Sep 1915. Dessie (daughter of Amos Blakey CUNNINGHAM and Stella Ophelia BOWLING) was born on 20 Mar 1897 in Texas; died on 9 Feb 1992 in Amarillo, Potter County, Texas; was buried in Amarillo, Randall County, Texas, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Married John Russal Gray (August 21, 1895-May 21, 1961) on Septbemter 22, 1915 and had children:
John Russal Gray, Jr., October 22, 1917-
Herman Wilson Gray, November 21, 1918-July 31, 2000
William Sherman Gray, October 23, 1923-
Frances Ophelia Gray, March 21, 1926-
James Arthur Gray, June9, 1928-

Notes:

1930 Census, Armstrong County, Texas
Justice Precinct no. 4
Enumeration District 6-5
Sheet Number 7A
Enumeration Date April 21, 1930
Line number 48, Dwelling no. 149, Family no. 157, Cunningham, AB, Head, rented house, male, white, 59 years old, 23 at first marriage, able to read and write, born in Georgia, father born in Georgia, mother born in Georgia, Code State or M.T. 78, Occupation: Farmer, Industry: General, Class of Worker: 0, actually at work: yes, not a veteran, No. of farm schedule: 129
Line number 49, Cunningham, Stella, Wife-H, female, white, 63 years old, 26 at first marriage, able to read and write, born in Tennessee, father born in Tennessee, mother born in Tennessee, Code State or M.T. 81, Occupation: None
Line number 50, Cunningham, Aubrey, son, female, white, 23 years old, single, able to read and write, born in Texas, father born in Georgia, mother born in Tennessee, Code State or M.T. 87, Occupation: Farmer, Industry: General, Class of Worker: M, actually at work: yes, not a veteran

Died:
Age: 91

Amos married Stella Ophelia BOWLING on 30 May 1894 in Allen, Collin, Texas, USA. Stella (daughter of William Jones BOWLING and Mary Elizabeth KENNEDY) was born on 13 Apr 1867 in Tennessee; died on 11 Aug 1938 in Claude, Armstrong, Texas, USA; was buried in Aug 1938 in Claude, Armstrong County, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Rosebud, New Mexico
Nov. 11th 1935
Dear Alvin:---
It is with pleasure I answer your most welcome letter. I am glad you are interested in school and hope you enjoy your school days as much as I did mine. Really I think our school days are our happiest days with all their troubles and trials -- yes I had my share of "trouble & trial" in school even tho I never got a whipping.
When I went to school the schools were not "Graded" as they are now. We had classes -- sometimes 2 or 3 of a kind, I mean of the second reader we'll say as some pupils would have McGuffey's Readers while others would have another kind. I used the McGuffey's Readers. The "Old Blue-Backed Spelling Book" (Webster Spelling Book) and Alvin I don't believe I'd be afraid to "spell" with my Grandchildren to-day.
I was eight years old April 13, 1875 and started to school some time that year, at Lewisville, Denton Co., Texas. However my Mother had taught me at home, so I was in the second reader and could spell "way over in the book" and knew how to make the figures and count.
That first school house was up on a "rise" N.W. from town about 1/2 Mi. It was a large "two story" house; the upper room was used by the Mason Lodge the lower for school church and Sunday School.
Sometimes there were 75 or so pupils so had to have two teachers, but both taught in that one big room.
We sat on long benches and a class would go up to the teacher to recite and sit on a long bench, only the spelling classes would stand in a row and "turn down", when one missed a word. The pupil who was head of class to day would "go foot" tomorrow.
The house was heated by a stove and they burned wood. When it was real cold the teacher would let us go sit awhile by the stove to warm our feet. They wouldn't let us draw pictures in time of books.
When I started to school my Grandma gave me a large square framed slate and that's what I wrote on, and "figured" & (played when the teacher wasn't looking.)
In 1879 we moved way out to Wise Co. I was 12 by then, you see so had other books to study such as Geography -- Monteith's Third Part. Rag's Third Part Arithmetic and Grammar -- Smith's, I believe, was the first one I used; then later Reed & Kellogg's. So we had to parse and diagram. Yes that was hard.
That school house was a real country school about 3 or 4 Mi. S.W. of Bridgeport (the old town) Texas, in Pleasant Valley. It was built of logs (I believe) and had long home-made benches. No black-boards, so we used slates.
There was a plank "desk" on each side to write on, the boys used one, the girls used the other. Yes, we had a time to write some, had bought copy books, others used "fools cap" paper and the teacher would set a "copy". It too had a stove and burned wood. The house was in the woods so we had lots of shade to play in.
The boys played on one side of the house, the girls on the other. The boys at both these schools played ball and other similar things. The girls would play games such as base "Learner Lou" etc -- we had nothing to play with but always had fun.
Girls all wore sun bonnets -- never went bare headed but in warm weather would go bare-footed, same as the boys -- oh! the big girls didn't, of course.
Sometimes school would be only for three months, and a five month school was a long time -- I mean in the country. Then sometimes there would be a subscription school in Summer.
Sometimes the teacher would "stay a round" with the people -- not have to pay board.
My first school I had to walk alone and go about three Mi. but at this last one we lived just little over 1/2 Mi. from the school house.
While we lived there tho there were two years I did not go to that school, because the teacher did not keep good order. I went to a lady who taught in her house 2 Mi. away. There we sat by a fireplace and used her chairs. She was such a fine teacher too -- could explain things so we could understand even arithmetic. Also she had some different readers I used but I forget the names. Of course, they were the higher books 5th & 6th.
My letter is getting too long to tell about when I "went off" to school. So will close for this time and if you want the other part I'll write again.
Lovingly your Grandmother,
Stella Cunningham

Died:
Age: 71

Notes:

According to 1850 Census, living in home of Barbary (Barbara) Williams, along with his (later) wife Mary A. Anthony and Mahuldy (Mahuldah) Anthony.
A number of his wife's relatives named him executor of their wills.
Will of Barbara Williams
This is the will of Barbara Williams, dated 5 Nov. 1850. Johnson
Franklin Cunningham and Mary Ann P. Anthony, both listed in the
will, later married 9 Oct. 1851, Madison County, GA.
Record of Wills November Term 1851 Georgia
Oglethorpe County
I Barbara Williams of said County being of sound and disposing mind
and memory do publish and declare this to be my last will and
testament, hereby Revoking all other wills by me made.
1st I give and bequeath unto to Mary Ann P. Anthony daughter of
Matthew J. W. Anthony, one negro woman by the name of Louiza and
her four children to wit: Charlotte, Elizabeth, Robert, and
Henrietta and the future increase of the said female slaves to the
said Mary Ann and her heirs forever.
2nd I give and bequeath unto Mahuldah Anthony daughter of Thomas B.
Anthony one negro woman by the name of Teresa and her four children
to wit: Evaline, Lucy, Nathan, and Henry and the future increase of
said female slaves to her and her heirs forever.
3rd I give and bequeath unto Rebecca Williams Huff, daughter of
Barbara Huff, two choice cows and calves, Bed and bedsteads and bed
clothing also to Mary Ann P. Anthony and Mahuldah each a bed
bedstead and clothing for the same.
4th I give and bequeath and devise unto my friend Johnson F.
Cunningham all the rest and residue of my estate of whatever kind
or nature Real, personal, and mixed ready money and choser [?] in
action. I give and bequeath the whole balance of my property to my
said friend Johnson F. Cunningham to him and his heirs forever in
fee simple and this I do as well out of Regard & friendship for
him, as for actual services and kindness he has heretofore rendered
to me and which I know he will continue to render in the future.
Another consideration for this bequest is that I have four old
negroes that I have owned for many years. They have been faithful
servants and they will have to be supported by the said Johnson F.
Cunningham and I most earnestly request him to take care of them.
Their names are Dave, Charles, Robbin, and Lucy. Also I desire my
said friend Johnson F. Cunningham to treat With great and marked
kindness a negro girl by the name of Josephene, and the said
Johnson F. Cunningham is to pay annually or to ? ill the best
manner, for the comfort and support of___? Barbara Huff my Niece,
annually the sum of seventy dollars (70) during the natural
lifetime of this said Barbara Huff free from all control contracts
or interference of any kind of her present or any future husband.
5th I further order and direct that the negroes bequeathed unto
Mary Ann P. Anthony and Mahuldah Anthony be kept and controlled
(sic) by my said friend Johnson F. Cunningham until my said nieces
marry or become of age when either event happens then and not till
then the said Johnson F. Cunningham is to deliver the negroes
bequeathed to the said Mary Ann P. Anthony and Mahulda. The yearly
value in the meantime to be applied to the education, support, and
maintenance of the said Mary Ann P. and Mahuldah Anthony.
6th I appoint the said Johnson F. Cunningham Executor of this my
last will and testament.
signed sealed published
and declared in our presence
in the presence of each other &
in the presents (sic) of the testator.
this 5th day of November 1850.
her x Mark Barbara Williams
Benj. F. Hardeman
Rolly H. Mathews
Abel Eberhart
David Graham
Recorded 11 Nov 1851

Johnson married Mary Ann Penelope ANTHONY on 9 Oct 1851 in Madison County, Georgia. Mary (daughter of Matthew Jouett Williams ANTHONY and Ann Blakey ROBERTS) was born on 16 Dec 1835 in Madison County, Georgia; died on 13 Dec 1917 in Lewisville, Denton County, Texas; was buried in Dec 1917 in Flower Mound Cemetery, Lewisville, Denton County, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Inscription on tombstone: "Wife of J.F. Cunningham; "Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God."
1850 Census of Oglethorpe County, Georgia lists Mary Anthony as a resident in the home of Barbary (Barbara) Williams, along with Mahuldah (Mahuldy) Anthony and Johnson Cunningham. These three inherited her goods according to her will. It is unknown why Mary Anthony was living with Barbara Williams, as both of her parents were alive in 1850 and living in Madison County, where Johnson F. Cunningham and Mary Anthony later married. It is interesting to note that Johnson F. Cunningham and Mary Anthony named their first two children William Matthew after their fathers and Sarah Barbara after Johnson's mother Sarah and, presumably, Barbara Willliams.

Other Events:

• Occupation: Minister

Notes:

The Bowling family moved west to Texas in December, 1875. They came by train to Dallas, Texas, then continued their journey in a covered wagon. William Jones Bowling was a Baptist minister, an occupation he was called to while a Confederate prisoner of war in a Union prison during the Civil War.
Grave marker inscribed Rev. W.J. Bowling, "Papa, Rest in Peace." Buried in Rowe Cemetery, Donley County, Texas.
Family Bible written in the hand of Stella Ophelia Bowling Cunningham lists names and birthdates for family members listed for William Jones Bowling and Mary Elizabeth Kennedy. Copy is in possession of Mary Elder Davis.

Died:
Age: 76

William married Mary Elizabeth KENNEDY on 22 Dec 1863 in Tippah County, Mississippi. Mary (daughter of William Wesley KENNEDY and Cynthia Walker PALMER) was born on 9 Jul 1847 in Tippah County, Mississippi, USA; died on 3 Jun 1907 in Hedley, Donley, Texas, USA; was buried between 1900 and 1910 in Rowe Cemetery, Hedley, Donley County, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]