The Family of John Robert Easterwood, Sr

The Family of John Robert Easterwood, Sr
and Mary Susan Brown

John Robert (Jack) Easterwood, Sr was born 10 Sept 1833 and died 5 Feb 1905 in Fannin Co, TX. He is buried at Forrest Grove Cemetery in Fannin Co, TX. His tombstone is the only record I have of a birth date. I have no been able to connect Jack definatively to parents at this time, as I haven't been able to identify him for sure in an Easterwood household in 1850 or 1860, when he was probably still living at home.
I have been stymied by the fact that I have been unable to locate this family on the 1870 census. He was married by then and had at least 2 children. According to the stated birth places of his children, the family should be living in the Calhoun/Etowah Co, AL area.
The first record I have of Jack is the 1880 Calhoun Co, AL census, when he and his family were shown living in the Peak's Hill Community. At that time, he is listed as John Easterwood, head of household, age 40, born in AL. His wife, Mary Susan "Susie" (Brown) was also listed. She was listed as age 32, born in Alabama, which is incorrect, as she was born in SC, based on previous censuses with her family. Her tombstone at Ten Island Baptist Cemetery in Ohatchee, Calhoun Co, AL lists b. 1845- d. 1885. The birth year of 1845 is probably more accurate, based on previous census records. She was the daughter of Oakley Brown and Catherine Lawrence, who also lived in the Peak's Hill Community in 1880. They had come to Alabama from the Union Co, SC area, which is probably the same place Jack had come from with his family.
After Susie's death in 1885, Jack remained in the Calhoun/Etowah Co, AL until about 1893 when he and most of his children moved to Fannin Co, TX. According to my grandmother, Nancy Ella Easterwood Malone, the family didn't live in Telephone, but Telephone was the nearest town to them. From the information she provided, I feel that the family lived in the Northern part of the county, near the Oklahoma border. She told me that they had lived so close to the boarder, there was a possibility that she'd actually been born in Oklahoma, instead of Texas. Her place of birth had always been listed as "Telephone, TX" simply because that was the nearest town.
Jack remained in Fannin Co, TX until his death in 1906.
Below is a listing of the children of John R. Easterwood, Sr & Mary Susan Brown:

1) Willie Elbert "Bud" Easterwood, b. 7 Aug 1865, Calhoun Co, AL, d. 22 Feb 1939, Riddle's Bend, Etowah Co, AL, buried at Ten Island Bapt Cemetery, Ohatchee, Calhoun Co, AL.
Md Frances Lucinda Katherine Moore, daughter of Sidney M. Moore and
Lydia E. Metcalf, 5 Jan 1890 in Etowah Co, AL. She was born 24 Nov 1872 in Etowah Co,
AL and died 28 Mar 1942 in Ball Play, Etowah Co, AL. She is buried at Pilgram's Rest
Baptist Cemetery in Southside, Etowah Co, AL.
Bud & family didn't accompany J.R. and the others on the trip to Texas, although he and his wife went to Fannin Co in 1901 or sometime thereabout. One of their children, Nancy Ella, was born there, but they returned to Etowah Co, AL when she was about 4 months old, which would have been in about Sept 1904.

2) James Albert Easterwood, b. 24 Aug 1869, Calhoun Co, AL, d. 7 Aug 1960, Ft Towson, Choctaw Co, OK. He married 1) Ollie Fuller, daughter of David & Louvenia Fuller, abt 1903. Ollie was born Dec 1885 in Arkansas. He married 2) Nora Dunn 11 Aug 1915 in Choctaw Co, OK. She was born 2 Nov 1895 in Choctaw Co, OK and died 20 Jan 1966 in Choctaw Co, OK.

3) Mary Anna Easterwood, b. 9 Mar 1871 in Etowah Co, AL, d. 1 Mar 1944 in Fannin Co, TX. Md William Frank Moore, son of David Moore & Louisa Eliza Chandler, 5 Sept 1891 in Etowah Co, AL. Frank was born 17 Jun 1859 in Cherokee Co, AL and died 28 Jul 1928 in Fannin Co, TX. Both are buried at Forrest Grove Cemetery in Fannin Co, TX.
Frank's mother, Louisa, also made the trip to Texas with the family. I'm told that she died in Fannin Co about 1899, but I have no idea where she is buried.

4) Ella Easterwood, b. 14 Feb 1872 in Etowah Co, AL, d. 14 Mar 1946, Fannin Co, TX.
Md William Neal Ritchie, son of G.W. Ritchie, 26 Dec 1892 in Etowah Co, AL.
William was born 16 Dec 1865 in Etowah Co, AL and died 3 Apr 1932 in Fannin Co, TX.
Both are buried at Forrest Grove Cemetery, Fannin Co, TX.

5) John Robert Easterwood, Jr, b. 20 Jan 1875, Etowah Co, AL, d. 27 Sept 1949,
Guthrie, Logan Co, OK. Md Louisa Lemons, daughter of Jim Lemons & Jane
Brasher, 2 Dec 1901 in Fannin Co, TX. She was born 21 Jan 1876 in
Fannin Co, TX and died 30 Jun 1968 in Guthrie, Logan Co, OK.

6) Alvin L. Easterwood, b. 20 Jan 1876, Etowah Co, AL, d. 1 Apr 1947. Md 1) Dessie Morrison, 2) Carrie Alma Huff abt 1910. Carrie was born abt 1890 in Texas.
Al is buried at Forrest Grove Cemetery in Fannin Co, TX. In the cemetery transcription of Forrest Cemetery, it shows that Al has a Confederate marker reading "Co. A, 45th Regiment KY CSA." This cannot possibly be correct because the war was over long before he was even concieved!

7) Nannie Easterwood, b. April 1880, Calhoun Co, AL. Oral family history tells that Nannie was married & had a child, but was killed in an auto accident in St Louis, MO. I doubt at least the St Louis part of the story because she is buried at Ten Island Bapt Cemetery in Ohatchee, Calhoun Co, AL with her mother and brother. It is unlikely that her body was shipped from St Louis to Alabama for burial. The Alabama burial also makes it unlikely that she made the trip to Texas with her father.

8) Lee Easterwood, b. 1882, Calhoun Co, AL, d. 1845, Choctaw Co, OK. Md Mary ____.
According to the 1920 St Louis Co, MO census, Mary was born abt 1895 in AL. I'm told they had a child, but if so, the child was born after 1920, as no children are shown with them them. I have been unable to locate Lee and/or Mary on the 1930 census.