Thomas Anderson Arledge

From the files of Pam Wilson's Arledge Family History Project:

(Most of this research was carried out by Joy Moore)

Thomas Anderson Arledge was the 5th child of Allen W. Arledge and Eliza Anderson. Thomas was born March 7, 1860 in Fairfield, Freestone co., Texas and died Sept 14, 1944. Thomas is listed on the 18810 census in Newton co, Tx as Thomas A. Aldrich, He was residing as a boarder with Edmond Bailey and his wife Martha. This is Martha Hamilton, who is the daughter of Eliza Anderson Arledge Hamilton and is a half sister to Thomas. On this Census Thomas is 20 and Martha is 15, altho she is already married.

She is the mother of John Bailey who committed suicide in the Newton co Jail at a later date.

Thomas took a wagon and went back to Freestone county, TX to get a wife. There he rode up to the home of Jack and Ellen Chancellor, and when he left he had their daughter Ada. Ada was only 13 at the time. She was born in Freestone on Nov 19, 1870 and died April 1, 1961. She told her nephew Hollis O'Neal that she didn't know anything about being married. This marriage took place on Feb 21, 1884.

Tom and Ada resided in Newton co, TX for many years before moving to DeRidder, LA. residing at 607or609 Bryant Street just across the street from Henry Allen's oldest son, Bill Arledge.

Ada's great grandson told me that she was a mean woman and very hard to live with. She seemed to rule the place and made her children mind. Maybe that was because she was married so young. She was only 16 when her first Ema Elizabeth was born in 1886

Family stories have it that Thomas Anderson did not want to be buried in the same cemetery with "Black" Tom Holmes, but he is only a stones throw from the grave of Tom Holmes. They must have had some disagreements when they were young. The family tried to get Ada not to but him there but she was adamant so they lie for eternity near each other.Two of these brothers bought land in Newton Co, TX:

CNIDR Isearch-cgi 1.20.06 (File: newton.txt)

NEWTON County Texas

Survey - Person or Concern bearing the land certificate at time survey filed.

Block - Block number.
Grantee - Person or Concern to whom the land was actually awarded.
Leag - League Flag. L = 4,428 acres, B = League + Labor. Labor = 177 acres.
Section - Section Number
Abs - Number of the Abstract on file at county courthouse and at the

         Texas General land Office in Austin.<br/>

Survey Blk Grantee Leag Section Abs

-------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------

H&TC RR CO 1 H. ARLEDGE 14 910

H&TC RR CO 1 T. ARLEDGE 14 911

Texas Land Title Abstracts Texas Land Title Abstracts

Grantee: T. A. Arledge

Certificate: 912

Patentee: Jeff Roberts

Patent Date: 30 Nov 1910

Acres: 132

District: Jasper

County: Newton

File: 61069

Survey/Blk/Tsp: S.Pt. 14 H & TC-

Patent #: 420

Patent Volume: 41

Class: School

This is Marthann Hamilton -- Thomas A. Arledge lives with them.

1880 census LDS

Household:

Edmond M. BAILEY    Self    M    Male   W   28   TX    Teamster   MI   LA

Martha BAILEY          Wife    M    Female   W   15   LA   Keeping House

LA LA

Thomas A. ALDRICH   Other   S    Male   W   20   LA   Laborer   LA   AL

William M. SESSIONS   Other   S           Male   W   25   TX   Teamster

MI AR

Edna BAILEY   Mother   W     Female   W   51   LA   At Home   LA   LA

William BAILEY   Brother   S                 Male   W   14   TX   At Home

TX LA

Columbus BAILEY   Brother   S    Male   W   12   TX   At Home   TX   LA

Philander SAMUEL   Other   S    Male   B   23   TX   Laborer   TX   LA

 Census Place Precinct 4, Newton, Texas -  Family History Library Film

1255321

 NA Film Number   T9-1321 -  Page Number   526B

Joy Moore writes (letter, 1999): "Tom Anderson Arledge was born in Freestone Co, TX. In 1884 he returned there and the story goes, took Ada Chancellor on his horse and rode away with her. She was 12. We have a photo of Tom and Ada with several children. Hard to tell which is wife or daughter! THey say (and photo shows) she was very small but very "ornery" and hard-headed."

1920 LA Soundex:

Beauregard

Vol ED 26 Sht 28 L 36

Arledge, Thomas A. 59 LA

          Ada  w.  49  TX

          Ada   d.   19  TX

(this is interesting because all other records on Thomas A show he was born

in Freestone co TX)

LOUISIANA

1920 Beauregard Parish

Arledge, Thomas J. 29 TX LA TX carpenter

Lovonie 25 LA LA LA

Dessie 6 LA TX LA

Jack 1 4/12 LA TX LA

Arledge, Thomas A. 54 LA carpenter

Ada 48 TX

Ada 19 TX