Elijah Baxter
ELIJAH BAXTER 1840 - 1900
By Judge W. C. Dowdy and James E. Baxter
Elijah "Lige" was born June 10, 1840, in Cocke County, Tennessee, the youngest son of Aaron Baxter and Leaner Brown. He came to Collin County in 1869 or 1870 after inheriting his share of his father’s estate at the top of English Mountain. Elijah died September 24, 1900 at his home on the farm he bought in the Franklin Community soon after coming to Collin County, and is buried in Scott Cemetery.
"Lige" had been captured at Vicksburg, Mississippi during the Civil War but was released in about a week and returned to Cocke County where he married Aron Bryant’s daughter, Margaret. "Lige" and Margaret had three children born to them before they came to Texas....[sic]
1.) George Washington, who on August 25, 1890 married Rebecca F. Mayes, half-sister of John William Dowdy;
2.) James Lafayette; and
3.) Anna Belle Baxter. These children grew up and married in Collin County but took their families to Oklahoma while still young and lived the remainder of their lives in Oklahoma.
Three of "Lige’s"brothers-in-law were in Collin County before him: James Polk Duncan; Felix Grundy Lewis; and James "Jim" Stuart. They all married daughters of Aron Bryant. "Lige" Baxter and Aron Bryant came to Texas together.
Aron Bryant’s wife was Elizabeth Mantooth and their children were:
1.) Emiline, who married Jim Stuart and after his death a Benjamin Johnson, who was a preacher;
2.) Jane who married Samuel Baxter-Lige’s brother and stayed in Cocke County, Tennessee;
3.) Lavinia who married Grundy Lewis;
4.) Margaret, who married Lige;
5.) Elizabeth who married Jim Duncan;
6.) James;
7.) Lucinda, who married Houston Weaver;
8.) William;
9.) Harriett, who died of pneumonia when about eighteen; and
10.) Aaron.
Aron Bryant settled on Gray Branch Road in the Foote Community where some of his descendents still live. A good number of his descendents still live in Collin County.
Elijah first leased land in the Walnut Grove Community and it was here his fourth child,
4.) William Jasper was added to the family-March 27, 1871.
Elijah had the misfortune of losing his wife in August 1872. She is buried in the Scott Cemetery near her parents and younger sister. Elijah then bought a farm and settled in the Franklin Community.
In a couple of years Elijah found himself another very fine and dedicated wife in Eliza Jane Hunter, the daughter of John and Comina Hunter who had moved to Collin County from Tennessee in the 1850's. They were neighbors of "Lige" in the Franklin Community. Eliza Jane had a brother, B. L. "Lef" Hunter who was a prominent Presbyterian preacher, once pastor of the Walnut Grove Church and married many of the pioneer couples of west Collin County.
Elijah and Eliza Jane were the parents of:
1.) Samuel Houston, who married Dora Belle Profitt;
2.) Margaret Jane, who married Robert Cowan;
3.) Comina L., who married Sam Stephens, a prominent Collin County educator
4.) Charles L., who married Sarah Cowan, sister to Robert;
5.) Ida, who married Austin Hicks and after his death married Will Costello
6.) Elbert Elijah, who married Rhetta Lou Scott
7.) Amanda Lou, who married William J. Gilbert
8.) Mary Elizabeth, who married William Alonzo Stine
9.) Leota, who married Vardry P. Hill and later Roy Priest
10.) Irma, who married Ben B. Cooper.
Elijah died September 24, 1900 and Eliza Jane on November 26, 1920 and they are buried in the Scott Cemetery southwest of Bloomdale with several of their children and grandchildren. Elijah’s life of sixty years was a full one. His father died when he was just a few months old. He lived in Tennessee thirty years, then move to Collin County where he lived for thirty full years. He was proud of his farm in the Franklin Community, but his fortune was his children – fourteen–all living to be men and women of their own.
Elijah’s son William Jasper "Billy" was the first child born to the family in Collin County. Billy’s mother passed away when he was only a few months old and his grandmother Bryant took him for the tender years of his life and he always had a warm place in his heart for his grandmother and the old Bryant homeplace down on Gray Branch Road. When he became a man of his own he married Sarah Idella "Della", the youngest daughter of Robert H. Foster and Malinda Caroline Scott. Mr. Foster was a prominent farmer and land owner of the Bloomdale Community. Billy bought a farm from his father-in-law in the west part of Bloomdale Community on the east bank of Stover Creek. Here he and Della reared their ten children:
1.) Robert Elijah, who married Joy E. Ramey and their children are William R. "Hun" and Frances Eugene.
2.) Caroline Ophelia "Carrie" who married Henry C. "H." Reeves and their daughter was Marcella M.
3.) William Cloyd who married Iva L. Carnell.
4.) James Floyd who married Rosalie Griffin and their children are: James Edwin, Meriem Louise, Sarah Alzada, William Andrew, Rebecca Marie, Lillian Elizabeth, Kenneth Lee, David Rhea, and Paul Whitfield.
5.) Eugene Edward who married Clyde Rickerson and their sons are Ewing Fitzhugh, Thomas Benjamin, and Eugene Edward.
6.) Houston Jasper who married Carrie Mae Nelson.
7.) Henry Osborn who married Vivian Francis Freeman and their children are Melba Joyce, June Marie, and Billie Henry.
8.)Lula Susan who married Willie Lawrence Jetton and their daughters are Doris Jane and Dorothy Sue.
9.) Leona Baxter.
10.) Harold Foster who married Vivian Gertrude Renfrow and their children are Wannella Kathryn, Lloyd Wayne, Clifford Weldon and Freida Carolyn.
Billy was born March 27, 1871, which was only about a year after his father arrived in Collin County. He lived to Feb. 10, 1927 and passed away at his home which had also been his birthplace. He was fond of his farm and livestock; but cherished his position as Elder of the Walnut Grove Church. The pride of his life was his children most of whom lived out their lives in Collin County.
Della was the daughter of Robert H. Foster and Malinda Caroline Scott. Malinda Caroline was the daughter of James Preston Scott and Jane C. Caruth.
The tenth child of Elijah Baxter was Elbert E. who inherited his father’s homeplace and lived out his life in the Franklin Community. Elbert married Rhetta Lou "Lula" Scott and their children were:
1.) Velma Louise who married Jack Cottle and had a son Jack Jr.
2.) Benjamin F. "Benny" who married Ruby Alys Duncan and their children are Frankie Alice, Rhetta Maye, James Andrew, Roy Elbert, and Mary Elizabeth.
3.) Wilma Gladys who married John Thomas Jones and their children are Thomas Wayne and Sue Evelyn.
4.) Ernest Elijah who married Grace Alline Swatsell.
5.) Joseph Lewis who married Beatrice Freeman and their children are Mary Francis, Shirley, and Lewis Ray.
6.) Charles Alonzo "Lonnie" who married Neva Jean Hope and their children are Charles Ronald, Donald Ray, Connie Hope, and Bonnie Jean.
7.) Tipton Leon "Leachie" who married Evelyn Bradley and their children are Patricia Ann, Tipton Ray, and Christie.
8.) Ola Mae who married Hulan Rutledge.
9.) Wood Ferguson who married Frances Matrice Vinson.
10.) Mary Lee who married Judge Murry Dean and their children are Judge Murry Jr., and Brenda Jo.
Elbert was by trade a farmer. He was also a good mechanic and once built a hay baler that served the family for twenty years. He taught his children to appreciate music and several of them are good musicians and singers. Elbert outlived all of his Baxter Kin when he lived to be eighty-nine years one month old.
Rhetta Lou "Lula" Scott Baxter, Elbert’s wife, was the daughter of Benjamin Franklin "Frank" Scott and Mattie Andrews of Collin County. Frank was the son of John Scott and Martha Anne Barkley of Tennessee. Mr. and Mrs. Frank Scott are buried in Horn Cemetery, east of Bloomdale Community in Collin County.
By Judge W. C. Dowdy and James E. Baxter
Elijah "Lige" was born June 10, 1840, in Cocke County, Tennessee, the youngest son of Aaron Baxter and Leaner Brown. He came to Collin County in 1869 or 1870 after inheriting his share of his father’s estate at the top of English Mountain. Elijah died September 24, 1900 at his home on the farm he bought in the Franklin Community soon after coming to Collin County, and is buried in Scott Cemetery.
"Lige" had been captured at Vicksburg, Mississippi during the Civil War but was released in about a week and returned to Cocke County where he married Aron Bryant’s daughter, Margaret. "Lige" and Margaret had three children born to them before they came to Texas....[sic]
1.) George Washington, who on August 25, 1890 married Rebecca F. Mayes, half-sister of John William Dowdy;
2.) James Lafayette; and
3.) Anna Belle Baxter. These children grew up and married in Collin County but took their families to Oklahoma while still young and lived the remainder of their lives in Oklahoma.
Three of "Lige’s"brothers-in-law were in Collin County before him: James Polk Duncan; Felix Grundy Lewis; and James "Jim" Stuart. They all married daughters of Aron Bryant. "Lige" Baxter and Aron Bryant came to Texas together.
Aron Bryant’s wife was Elizabeth Mantooth and their children were:
1.) Emiline, who married Jim Stuart and after his death a Benjamin Johnson, who was a preacher;
2.) Jane who married Samuel Baxter-Lige’s brother and stayed in Cocke County, Tennessee;
3.) Lavinia who married Grundy Lewis;
4.) Margaret, who married Lige;
5.) Elizabeth who married Jim Duncan;
6.) James;
7.) Lucinda, who married Houston Weaver;
8.) William;
9.) Harriett, who died of pneumonia when about eighteen; and
10.) Aaron.
Aron Bryant settled on Gray Branch Road in the Foote Community where some of his descendents still live. A good number of his descendents still live in Collin County.
Elijah first leased land in the Walnut Grove Community and it was here his fourth child,
4.) William Jasper was added to the family-March 27, 1871.
Elijah had the misfortune of losing his wife in August 1872. She is buried in the Scott Cemetery near her parents and younger sister. Elijah then bought a farm and settled in the Franklin Community.
In a couple of years Elijah found himself another very fine and dedicated wife in Eliza Jane Hunter, the daughter of John and Comina Hunter who had moved to Collin County from Tennessee in the 1850's. They were neighbors of "Lige" in the Franklin Community. Eliza Jane had a brother, B. L. "Lef" Hunter who was a prominent Presbyterian preacher, once pastor of the Walnut Grove Church and married many of the pioneer couples of west Collin County.
Elijah and Eliza Jane were the parents of:
1.) Samuel Houston, who married Dora Belle Profitt;
2.) Margaret Jane, who married Robert Cowan;
3.) Comina L., who married Sam Stephens, a prominent Collin County educator
4.) Charles L., who married Sarah Cowan, sister to Robert;
5.) Ida, who married Austin Hicks and after his death married Will Costello
6.) Elbert Elijah, who married Rhetta Lou Scott
7.) Amanda Lou, who married William J. Gilbert
8.) Mary Elizabeth, who married William Alonzo Stine
9.) Leota, who married Vardry P. Hill and later Roy Priest
10.) Irma, who married Ben B. Cooper.
Elijah died September 24, 1900 and Eliza Jane on November 26, 1920 and they are buried in the Scott Cemetery southwest of Bloomdale with several of their children and grandchildren. Elijah’s life of sixty years was a full one. His father died when he was just a few months old. He lived in Tennessee thirty years, then move to Collin County where he lived for thirty full years. He was proud of his farm in the Franklin Community, but his fortune was his children – fourteen–all living to be men and women of their own.
Elijah’s son William Jasper "Billy" was the first child born to the family in Collin County. Billy’s mother passed away when he was only a few months old and his grandmother Bryant took him for the tender years of his life and he always had a warm place in his heart for his grandmother and the old Bryant homeplace down on Gray Branch Road. When he became a man of his own he married Sarah Idella "Della", the youngest daughter of Robert H. Foster and Malinda Caroline Scott. Mr. Foster was a prominent farmer and land owner of the Bloomdale Community. Billy bought a farm from his father-in-law in the west part of Bloomdale Community on the east bank of Stover Creek. Here he and Della reared their ten children:
1.) Robert Elijah, who married Joy E. Ramey and their children are William R. "Hun" and Frances Eugene.
2.) Caroline Ophelia "Carrie" who married Henry C. "H." Reeves and their daughter was Marcella M.
3.) William Cloyd who married Iva L. Carnell.
4.) James Floyd who married Rosalie Griffin and their children are: James Edwin, Meriem Louise, Sarah Alzada, William Andrew, Rebecca Marie, Lillian Elizabeth, Kenneth Lee, David Rhea, and Paul Whitfield.
5.) Eugene Edward who married Clyde Rickerson and their sons are Ewing Fitzhugh, Thomas Benjamin, and Eugene Edward.
6.) Houston Jasper who married Carrie Mae Nelson.
7.) Henry Osborn who married Vivian Francis Freeman and their children are Melba Joyce, June Marie, and Billie Henry.
8.)Lula Susan who married Willie Lawrence Jetton and their daughters are Doris Jane and Dorothy Sue.
9.) Leona Baxter.
10.) Harold Foster who married Vivian Gertrude Renfrow and their children are Wannella Kathryn, Lloyd Wayne, Clifford Weldon and Freida Carolyn.
Billy was born March 27, 1871, which was only about a year after his father arrived in Collin County. He lived to Feb. 10, 1927 and passed away at his home which had also been his birthplace. He was fond of his farm and livestock; but cherished his position as Elder of the Walnut Grove Church. The pride of his life was his children most of whom lived out their lives in Collin County.
Della was the daughter of Robert H. Foster and Malinda Caroline Scott. Malinda Caroline was the daughter of James Preston Scott and Jane C. Caruth.
The tenth child of Elijah Baxter was Elbert E. who inherited his father’s homeplace and lived out his life in the Franklin Community. Elbert married Rhetta Lou "Lula" Scott and their children were:
1.) Velma Louise who married Jack Cottle and had a son Jack Jr.
2.) Benjamin F. "Benny" who married Ruby Alys Duncan and their children are Frankie Alice, Rhetta Maye, James Andrew, Roy Elbert, and Mary Elizabeth.
3.) Wilma Gladys who married John Thomas Jones and their children are Thomas Wayne and Sue Evelyn.
4.) Ernest Elijah who married Grace Alline Swatsell.
5.) Joseph Lewis who married Beatrice Freeman and their children are Mary Francis, Shirley, and Lewis Ray.
6.) Charles Alonzo "Lonnie" who married Neva Jean Hope and their children are Charles Ronald, Donald Ray, Connie Hope, and Bonnie Jean.
7.) Tipton Leon "Leachie" who married Evelyn Bradley and their children are Patricia Ann, Tipton Ray, and Christie.
8.) Ola Mae who married Hulan Rutledge.
9.) Wood Ferguson who married Frances Matrice Vinson.
10.) Mary Lee who married Judge Murry Dean and their children are Judge Murry Jr., and Brenda Jo.
Elbert was by trade a farmer. He was also a good mechanic and once built a hay baler that served the family for twenty years. He taught his children to appreciate music and several of them are good musicians and singers. Elbert outlived all of his Baxter Kin when he lived to be eighty-nine years one month old.
Rhetta Lou "Lula" Scott Baxter, Elbert’s wife, was the daughter of Benjamin Franklin "Frank" Scott and Mattie Andrews of Collin County. Frank was the son of John Scott and Martha Anne Barkley of Tennessee. Mr. and Mrs. Frank Scott are buried in Horn Cemetery, east of Bloomdale Community in Collin County.