52 Ancestors #26 - Alcinda Alexander Bryan Hodges: Member of the RLDS Church

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Amy Crow has posted a challenge on her blog 'No Story Too Small'.

Alcinda Alexander Bryan

b. 3 Dec 1826 in Ohio  

d. 3 Apr 1908 in Limestone County, Texas

m. 25 Nov 1847 in Houston County, Texas

Spouse: Isaac James Hodges

My paternal 2nd great grandparents

Alcinda left behind a paper trail but so much is lacking. Nothing is known of her early life, siblings, and parents. She moved to Houston (Republic of Texas) in 1845. It was here that she married Isaac. There is one possible person listed on the 1850 census that could qualify as her father. His name is Lewis Bryan, born about 1782 in North Carolina. He is living alone on the census. However, the only census with Alcinda's parents birth place shows them born in Ohio.

Alcinda and Isaac were members of the Clear Creek Baptist Church in Leon County, Texas. Isaac died in 1871 leaving Alcinda a widow. She never remarried. She did make a change in her life eleven years later.

She joined the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. She was baptized on February 27, 1882 in Anderson County, Texas. Anderson and Leon are adjoining counties.

Name:	Alcinda A Hodges
Birth Date:	Dec 1826
Birth Place:	Ohio
Marriage Date:	1847
Death Date:	Apr 1908
Death Place:	Mexia, Limestone, Texas
Burial Place:	Mexia, Limestone, Texas
Cemetery:	Mexia Cemetery
Spouse:	I J Hodges
Source:	RLDS Deceased Files/ Zion's Ensign Obituaries, 19:22:7/ Early Reorganization Minutes, 1872-1905, Book D/ Elkhardt, Texas, RLDS Branch Records
Notes:	Alcinda A. (Hodges) moved to Texas in 1845. She was baptized a member of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints on 27 February 1882 by Heman C. Smith. She attended the Elkhardt, Texas Branch.

 Ancestry.com. Early Members of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2013.

I'm not sure why she made the change. Was she previously a member of the original church while in Ohio? I have not been able to obtain any other information concerning her change in religious beliefs. There is no documentation showing her children having belong to that church. Did she have siblings that were members?

Alcinda filed for Civil War Widows Pension on June 13, 1899 while living in Kosse, Limestone, Texas. The document gives much of her personal information as well as Isaac's. 

Texas State Library and Archives Commission; Austin, Texas; Confederate Pension Applications, 1899-1975; Collection #: CPA16526; Roll #: 433; Roll Description: Pension File Nos. 02913 to 09648, Application Years 1859 to 1900.

Alcinda and Isaac had nine children:

• Jacob W. Hodges 1848-1880 m. Mary H. Vardy
• Sarah Ellen Hodges 1850-after 1900 m. John Andrew Sowders (my ancestors)
• Abel James Hodges 1853-1933 m. Bernetto Rasco
• John Bryan Hodges 1854-1921 m. Lydia Margaret Holland
• Edmond D. Hodges 1855-1925 m. Alice Virginia Johnson
• Benjamin Hodges 1857
• Mary E. Hodges about 1859
• Drusilla Ann Hodges 1864-1935 m. Julius Sheldon Johnson
• Parthena Jane Hodges 1867-1955 m. William Jasper Hannah 

Alcinda is buried in the Mexia City Cemetery located in Mexia, Limestone, Texas. Who were her parents and siblings. Did she grow up in Ohio or another state? What led her to change her religious beliefs?

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52 Ancestors #24 - Isaac James Hodges: The Republic of Texas

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Amy Crow has posted a challenge on her blog "No Story Too Small".

My paternal 2nd Great Grandfather

http://www.glo.texas.gov/cf/land-grant-search/LandGrantsWorklist.cfm?PageNum_qrylandgrants=9

Isaac James Hodges arrived in the Republic of Texas about December 10, 1839. His parents are Edmund and Sarah McClain Hodges. Isaac's father died in 1830 while the family lived in Hardeman County, Tennessee. Isaac came to Texas along with his Mother and siblings.

The year 1847 was very eventful for Isaac. He enlisted for the Mexican War on May 3, 1847, age twenty-four. That same year he married Alcinda Alexander Bryan. (Alexander is her middle name.) 

1. Texas State Library and Archives Commission; Austin, Texas; Confederate Pension Applications, 1899-1975; Collection #: CPA16526; Roll #: 433; Roll Description: Pension File Nos. 02913 to 09648, Application Years 1859 to 1900
2. http://www.fold3.com/

Isaac and Alcinda had nine children:

• Jacob W. Hodges m. Mary H. Vardy
• Sarah Ellen (Sallie) Hodges m. John Andrew Sowders (my ancestors)
• Abel James Hodges m. Bernetta Rasco
• John Bryan Hodges m. Lydia Margaret (Maggie) Holland
• Edmond D. Hodges m. Alice Virginia Johnson (I may be related to Alice too ??)
• Benjamin Hodges
• Mary E. Hodges
• Drusilla Ann Hodges m. Julius Sheldon Johnson (I may be related to Julius too ??)
• Parthena Jane Hodges m. William Jasper Hannah

Isaac enlisted in the Civil War. He was listed as sick in the Hempstead Hospital during March 1865.

 http://www.fold3.com/

The family eventually settled down in Leon County, Texas. Isaac collapsed while working on the Clear Creek Baptist Church. He never recovered and died at the age of forty-eight. The Clear Creek Cemetery was started when died and Isaac was the first person buried there.

Isaac James Hodges
b. May 31, 1822 in Franklin County, Tennessee
d. April 9, 1871 in Leon County, Texas
Age 48  Find A Grave Memorial# 27977154

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52 Ancestors #23 - Minnie Lee Williams Hill: My Grandma

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Amy Crow has posted a challenge on her blog "No Story Too Small".

         

Grandma Minnie was born to James David and Rhoda Ann Ellis Williams on September 13, 1886 in Sevier County, Arkansas. Her father was from Texas. Her mother was from North Carolina. Grandma had eight siblings. Their family traveled a circuit from Arkansas to Texas to Oklahoma.

Grandma was about twelve years old when this photo was taken. Her clothing and belt were hand-crocheted by her mother. The family was living in Oklahoma at the time.







The family moved back to Texas where Grandma met and married Albert Josiah Hill on April 11, 1907 in Falls County.


Grandma gave birth to thirteen children and raised one step-son. Their names can be found here, Grandma was responsible for the eight girls and Grandpa was responsible for the six boys.

The entire family had to work the cotton farm. Grandma and the younger girls took care of the household chores as well as the animals and garden. They did laundry, cooked, cleaned, gathered eggs, fed chickens, picked vegetables, and other chores associated with farm life.

Grandma worked very hard to make a good life for her family.






Grandpa died February 5, 1942, leaving Grandma to raise the youngest children by herself. The older children who had married helped her out as much as they could.

Grandma broke up housekeeping in her later years. She moved around from one child's house to the other. I remember her coming to live with us.







It was almost bedtime one night when I slipped into her room. She was sitting at the dresser braiding her hair. Mama came in and warned Grandma that I was the "64,000 question kid". Grandma smiled and said let her ask away. I'll send her out at bedtime.

I have to say the questions poured out one after another....Who were your parents? Where did you live? Do you have sisters and brothers? How old are you?....the questions just kept coming out.

Grandma patiently answered each question as she braided her hair. She smiled the entire time. "Why do you do that to your hair?". She smiled and said, "I have been braiding my hair at bedtime ever since I was a little girl. Do you want me to braid your hair?".





Well... the questions came to an abrupt stop! I was the kid with "ants in my pants" and there was absolutely no way I would sit still that long. We said our good nights and I slipped quietly out of her room.

Grandma eventually moved back Falls County and moved in with her widowed daughter-in-law. Grandma died there on Valentine's Day, February 14, 1959. We all lost our Sweetheart.

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