BROWNING FAMILY
The whole family moved in the fall of 1845 to Miss., but unable to learn just where they settled. Abner Shettles settled at the settlement of Cherry Creek Village about 8 miles north of Pontotoc on the road which ran from Pontotoc to Ripley. J. D. Browning, William Harrison, and James L. Smith all lived in the same neighborhood, and others were Cal and Al Burks.
After living there for 5 years, Rev. Elijah moved most of his family in the fall to Texas, Settling in Rush Co. (Texas does not have or never had a Rush Co. (This should be RUSK CO, TEXAS)near Bellevievu Post Office.For some reason he did not like Texas and in the fall after gathering his crops they returned to Miss., settling on the Rocky ford Road 11 miles from Pontotoc. He organized the shady Grove Baptist Church and built the first meeting house in (1857). Grandfather sold his place about 1858 to Jim Buff Smith and bought another farm from Mr. Kidd.
He was a man of dark complexion, having a strain of Cherokee Indian blood in his viens. Most of his sons showed Indian characteristics, such as great love of the woods, hunting and fishing. One or two of them were bee hunters. Two or three of the Browning boys might have drunk to excess at times: Uncle Guide played the fiddle: and maybe some of them occasionally "cut the pigeon wing", Henry High... Dr. Thomas A. Browning, a country doctor with limited faith in his knowledge and ability...Jim Buff Smith called Buff because he was as big as a buffalo.
Grandfather Browning was against secession, and he and Grandmother were somewhat ostracized...he lost his church. But before the end of 1861 five of his sons, three son-in-laws and a grandson were in the Confederate Army. On 17 Sept. 1862, Guide Browning, Lt. Dufley Nixon, and Joseph Shettles were killed. 1st. Lt. James (Jim Buff) Smith, son of James and Sarah Teague Smith, was promoted to Capt. in 1863...killed near Jonesboro, GA July or aug. 1864, buried Old Cherry Graveyard.
Grandfather Browning died 2 Nov. 1870 Buried in Shady Grove Cemetery.
Grandmother Crawford Browning was born and reared in Greenville District, SC. she was of florid complection and very active in her early life, but suffered greatly from rheumatism later. Her sister, Aunt "Sukie" Crawford, lived with her most of her married life and helped rear her large family. She lived with a son John Browning, after Grandfather died, and moved with him in the fall of 1875 to Faulkner Co., Ark. Died there in 1883:buried at Pleasant Valley, seven miles north of Conway, Ark.
The name "Shettle" was formerly Shuttleworth, and possible Shettlesworth in SC.the ones that went to GA. are now know as Shuttles; Miss. as Shettles; the ones who went to Ala. and Texas have retained the original form.
The author of the above story was Elijah Leroy Shettle . He was born in Flatwoods county of Mississippi on March 22, 1852. He was the son of Abner & Caroline BROWNING Shettle. This book was made from copies from the Orginal Publication in the PONTOTOC PROCESS 1935-1936, was given to me by a very nice Lady in July, 1979.
From the cover sheets of "Recollections of a Long Life", by the Rev. Elijah L. Shettle. Edited with introduction by Archie P. McDonald. Forward by J. FRANK DOBIE. Nashville: Blue and Gree Press, 1973. 199pp, index, $7.95
What ARCHIE P. McDONALD, had to say about Rev. Elijah Shettle, expert bibliophiles and historian, as well as a pastor. For he was (20) twenty years a professional gambler, for (30) thirty years an active Methodist pastor, and, lastly, for (20) twenty years a collector of rare books and pamphlets on Texas and South history, and on Methodist history, especially in Texas.
Children of Elijah Browning and Mary Crawford are:
Joseph Homer Browning was born April 1, 1848 in Mississippi, and died January 4, 1909 in Rucker, Comanche Co., Texas. He married Mary "Mollie" N. DOWDY about 1872, daughter of William Dowdy and Bannestine Herron. They are both buried in the DeLeon Cemetery, DeLeon, Comacnhe Co., Texas.
Children for Joseph Homer "Joe" Browning and Mary "Mollie" N. Dowdy are:
Lizzie Lee Browning was born January 23, 1885 in Servier Co., Arkansas, and died November 15, 1971 in Gorman, Eastland Co., Texas. She married Henry Franklin Clements Skaggs June 8, 1902 in Comanche Co., Texas. He was the son of William Julius "Willie Joe" and Francis Jane "Fanny" SMITH Skaggs.
Children of Lizzie Lee Browning and Henry Franklin Clements Skaggs are:
Myrtle May Browning was born April 8, 1888 in Arkansas and died November 5, 1933 in DeLeon. Buried in DeLeon Cemetery, DeLeon, Comanche Co., Texas. She married John allen Grisham September 1, 1907 in the rock bluff Community, Comanche Co., Texas. He was the son of Thomas Frnklin Grisham and Manda Melvina Allred.
Children of Myrtle May Browning and John allen Grisham are:
Oscar Quienton Grisham was born December 20, 1918 in Ryan, Jefferson Co., Oklahoma, and died July 25, 1982 in Houston, Harris Co., Texas.
PLEASE VISIT MY SITE AGAIN AS I HAVE NOT FINISHED ADDING INFORMATION ON THIS FAMILY.
