Tillman Barge Arledge was born to John Hugh Arledge and Isabelle Thompson on 23 June 1876 in Rockdale, Milam Co, TX. He was descended from the Arledge family of Edgefield County, SC through John "Jack" Arledge, Isaac Duke Arledge, John Herrington Arledge and John Hugh Arledge, who came from Wilcox County, AL through Jasper County, MS to Rockdale, Texas in 1860. He was the brother of Elbert Hugh Arledge and John Richard Arledge, as well as E. M. (Ethel M.) Arledge [whose son Grady is pictured below]. He married ORA MAE TIDWELL about 1902, and they had two children, Emma Deloreze and Tilman Barge (Jr), who was born after his father's death.

Tillman Barge Arledge died tragically on September 17, 1906 in Ft. Worth, Tarrent County Texas:

NEWSPAPER ARTICLES - from Fort Worth Record & Rockdale Paper.

TILLMAN ARLEDGE KILLED - Fall From Top of a Thirty Foot Pole. - T. B. Arledge, a lineman for the Southwestern Telephone company, died at his home 1903 College ave. at 6 o'clock last evening from injuries received early yesterday morning while working at the corner of Pennsylvania avenue and Hill street.  Arledge was about thirty feet above the ground when he received an electric shock which caused him to lose his hold and fall, receiving internal injuries.  Drs. Barber and McLean were called at the time of the accident but the injured man was beyond medical aid.  The deceased was 30 years old and is survived by a wife and 3-year old daughter. The remains will be shipped this morning to Rockdale for burial.

This News was a severe shock to the entire town.  Tillman Arledge was born and raised in this county, and all who knew him loved him.  Possessed of that amiable disposition that made him friends with all with whom he was thrown.  Tillman was the first lineman for the Southwestern Telephone company when it first opened an office here.  He was especially loved by all the children of town, who always affectionately called him "T.B." and many a little heart was saddened when it was reported that "T. B." was dead  One of the best indications of a lovable character is to gain and maintaine the love of the little ones, and Tillman was universally loved by these.  Children and the dumb animals rarely bestow their affection upon a cruel or unlovable man, and to retain the love of children is a true sign of an amiable character.

The remains reached Rockdale over the I. & C. N. Wednesday morning and were taken to the home of his brother, Mr. E. M. Arledge, where the funeral took place.  Interment was at the New City cemetery, where a large number of friends paid their last respects to their dead friend and listened to the consoling words that fell from the lips of Rev. W. E. Copeland, who had been the spiritual adviser of the family for a number of years.

TILLMAN BARGE "T.B." ARLEDGE  (a.k.a. James Franklin Koogle):

T.B. was born on February 27, 1907, more than five months after his father's death.  He remembered being taken "all around the country" to blow his breath into the mouths of other children's who had the hives; because it was thought that a person who had never seen their father possessed the ability to cure the ailment in this way.

His mother was remarried to Henry Goodrich Koogle in 1909.  He didn't know if he was formally adopted, but he was raised as James Franklin Koogle.  His Step-Father worked for the Railway Post Office, and was away from home two every other day so as he grew older, he was given many of the chores to perform.

One of his chores was to draw water from the well and heat it for bathing in a large metal tub, in the cellar. For doing this, he was the first "kid" who got to use the water.  Later, when he was in high school, his Step-Father made a deal with the livery stable in town, to get all of its manure (which was then spread over the fields on the farm) in exchange for cleaning the stables.  Dad was given this chore to do before going to school each day, He would hitch the horse to the wagon and drive it to town, clean the stalls and load the wagon before going to school.  Needless to say, this caused a smelly problem.  So his teacher arranged for him to be able to take a "Hot" shower in the school gym each morning and put on "clean" clothes.

He told me that after his Mother's death, he "left home" on several occasions for short periods (once he left home to work for a circus).  But when he was about 16, he took a team of mules he had acquired and left home for several months to follow the wheat harvest.  He later came back home after making good money and selling the mules up north.  His Step-Father welcomed him back and put the money in the bank for him.  He later bought another team of mules, and the next year he left home again for the wheat harvest.  This time when he came back, his Step-Father told him that he was setting a bad example for his younger brothers by leaving home before graduating from school, but that he was still "glad to see him, and that in the future he was welcome to come back to visit anytime."

T.B. got the message, and went to Beaumont, Texas, where his Sister Deloreze was working and living with their uncle E. M.  Arledge.  His Arledge uncles insisted on calling him  "T. B."  (that was his natural father's initials and it may have been his original name). Since he had decided to stay in Texas, he ask his Step-Father if he could "officially" chance his name.  The request was granted, and his name was "officially" changed to Tillman Barge Arledge by a Judge in Court in McAllister, OK.  Dad went back to "visit" many times.

Grady Arlege (1896-1922),                                         Morton Arledge of Rockdale, TX, son of T.B., c 1936
son of Ethel M. Arledge of Rockdale, TX