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Thweatt
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The following was taken from Vol. I of the
Autobiography of Henry Coleman Thweatt, written at New Orleans, La., and dated
Jan. 2, 1853. This one volume, written in longhand, contains 321 pages and is
one of three.
Through the courtesy of Mrs. Lucie Dozier Thweatt "Henry Coleman
Thweatt was born Apr. 12, 1807, Halifax County, Va. Son of Capt. Thos. Thweatt,
grandson of Henry Thweatt. Capt. Thos. Thweatt, native of Dinwiddie County,
wounded in the Battle of Brandywine (grapeshot in the knee), was taken prisoner
and placed on board British Man of War.
Later released in exchange of prisoners. Away from home seven years in
Philadelphia. Almost helpless, taken care of by a Quaker family. Believed to
have been dead by his people, his father divided the estate between the other
children. To the amazement of relatives, Thomas came home Christmas. All offered
to share with him in the estate, but he refused, saying, you are married. I am
single. Loan me $1,000. I will make it.' In eight or ten years, in the
merchandise business in Halifax County, fifteen miles southwest of Peters
borough, he made a small fortune.
"Thos. Thweatt married Susanah Barksdale of Prince Edward County at
about the age of forty. One son born to this union, Elisha Barksdale Thweatt.
The first wife lived only a few years. Thos. Thweatt married the second
time, Lone Coleman, daughter of Capt. Williamson Coleman and Mildred Coleman.
(Mildred Williamson Thweatt was distantly related to grandfather Henry Thweatt.
She was born June 23, 1777, died a few weeks after Henry C. Thweatt was born,
being 29 years, 3 months, 3 days of age.)
"No record of Thos. Thweatt's death but survived Mildred, his wife, four
or five years. (double the age of his wife )about 60.
As an infant, Henry C. was placed in charge of Uncle Giles and Aunt Sally
Thweatt (six or eight miles from home of Thomas). About 15 years difference in
the two half brothers, Elisha B. and Thomas C. "There was enough money
accumulated by Thomas and placed in the hands of Col. Armstead A. Barksdale,
guardian, to educate both of the children. The guardian was a first cousin to
the half brother, Elisha. At about the age of eight, Henry C. was moved to the
home of the guardian. Soon he was sent to boarding school of William Britton,
who married a daughter of Giles. At the close of the year, 1814, was sent to
another school, in charge of James Eastman, husband of Henry C.'s aunt, Litzie
Coleman. Was in this private school for three or four years. I spent my
vacations with Uncle Peter and Aunt Betsy Thweatt. They and children belonged to
Baptist Church. "For the fall term I was sent to Chapel Hill, University of
North Carolina, where I was refused because of age. I then went to Hampden
Sidney one year. Back to Chapel Hill (Soph. class), 1823- 1824. Henry Thweatt,
only son of Giles, married second time, Elisha MacLeaux. Childless both
marriages, died Richmond 1843. "Remained in University through Junior year,
had to leave because of sickness. Read law five months under Judge Williamson
Leigh. Entered University of Virginia in its first year and for the sen- ior
year of Henry C. As a senior was invited to the home of Thos. Jefferson four
different times. Thomas Jefferson told me that he knew my father before and
after the war, also said there were family connections between the Thweatts,
Epps, Petersons and Goodwyns. I asked Thos. Jefferson if there was anything that
happened at the signing of the Declaration of Independence that was not recorded
in history. He said,'Yes, John Hancock signed with a large flourish- 122 THWEATT
FAMILY HISTORY ing hand and said, as he got up from the table, I hope his
majesty can read that without his spectacles. "I also saw LaFayette on his
visit to the home of Thomas Jefferson, and at the same time shook hands with
John Quincy Adams. After graduat ing from the University of Virginia I went back
(1826) to my home Petersburg, where I visited around and about 25 or 30 miles
visiting with my kinfolks, who were many by this time and many of whom I had
never seen before.
Then a friend and I made a horseback trip west as far as Tenn. and Kentucky,
after my return I courted and married Miss Amy Ann Goodwyn Boisseau. I bought
800 or 1000 acres of land from I. Yates, Esq., well improved, good house, for
the sum of $3000.00 cash. "As it was customary in those days to name the
place of residence, there was a place called 'Sweden' near by so my place was
called 'Denmark.' On this place I spent the happiest days of my life.
Here all my children were born except one, five of them here and but one
death, servants four or five out of near forty." (Note: Without the other
two volumes, the writer will have to continue this from a letter from Mrs. Lucie
Dozier Thweatt, under date of April 19, 1937.). "Rev. Henry Coleman Thweatt
was first a member of the Arkansas Conference of the Methodist Church, later was
transferred to Louisiana Conference.
"Rev. Henry Coleman Thweatt and wife, Amy A. G. B. Thweatt were parents
of Laura lane Thweatt who married Abraham Black, merchant of New Orleans and
with whom Henry Coleman Thweatt made his home in his last days.
Second was Dr. Algetnon Sidney Thweatt, graduated from Louisville Medical
School, settled in Carthage, Texas, and married Caroline Davis.
Third was Virgil Henry Thweatt who never married. Fourth was Emma Thweatt who
married Albert Thomas and settled at Mansfield, La. Emma and Virgil both died at
Mansfield. All the children of Emma and Albert Thomas are dead. Four
grandchildren,
Laura Jessie Thomas married D. T. Norris, Mansfield, La., Earl Norris, only
child. Lucile Thomas married B. E. Jones and have two children; lessie
Ruth and R. E., Jr. Jennie Lee Thomas married George Johnson and have two
children, Shirley and Harris Johnson. Hazel Thomas married C. P. Scurlock and
have two sons, Ray and John Tom Scurlock. "Mrs. Laura Jane Thweatt, dead
many years ago, has one daughter living in Lawrence, Kansas. She is Mrs. Joseph
L. Topham and is about 80 years of age.
Mrs. Topham has two children living, Lieut. Col. Joseph L. Topham, U.S.A.,
who has one daughter, Jane Topham, and Laura Jane Topham, Louisville, Ky.,
teaches in Hamilton College. "Rev. Henry Coleman Thweatt founded a Bible
House in New Orleans, La. Also the Mansfield Female College, Mansfield,
La.
There is an inscription in this college in his honor. He died in Mansfield,
La., at about 80 years of age. "Dr. Algernon Sidney Thweatt and Caroline
Davis Thweatt had one son, Algernon Sidney Thweatt, Jrú, born Dec. 16, 1853,
Carthage, Texas, died Dec. 28, 1935. The mother died when the son was 18 months
of age. Algernon Sidney was educated in New Orleans and Mansfield, La.
After teaching school for several years came to Austin, Texas, in 1884. He
served the state for 48 years as chief clerk of State Education. In 1876 he
married Lucie Ann Dozier, and to this union were born four children,
Algernon Stephen Thweatt, single, now living with mother in Austin. Henry
Dozier Thweatt, second son, was killed in auto accident, leaving wife, Mrs.
Ethel Gorbett Thweatt, and one son, Henry Dozier Thweatt, now living in Sandia,
Texas.
The daughter Hattie Elizabeth Thweatt died just one month after graduating
from the University of Texas. The other son, Jean Elliott Thweatt, married
Rebecca Nelson, and to this union were born two sons, James George Thweatt and
Jean Elliott Thweatt, Jr. This family now lives in Dallas, Texas." .
One of the most remarkable and interesting newpaper clippings was from
"The Shreveport Times" under date of Nov. 20, 1938. "The Weekly
Dispatch," San Antonio, Texas, carried the same story, under date of Dec.
2, 1938. Before we start with this interesting story, it should be of interest
to the descendants of I. R. Thweatt to know that, the census of Williamson
County, Tenn. of 1820, lists one Isam Thweat, evidently single or a widower,
another Isham Thweath as head of family under 26, one boy under 10, two boys
between 10 and 16, wife under 26, one girl under 10 and two slaves. This is the
county of my Tennessee ancestors whom the census enumerator listed as Howard and
Rebecca Threet. The paper Carries the pictures of I. R. Thweatt, born in
Dinwiddie County, Va., and I. R. Thweatt, postmaster at Greenwood, La.
The first I. R. Thweatt was born (family Bible) Sept. 8, 1783. The second I.
R. Thweatt (son) in the picture was 73 years old in 1938. He was born when his
father was 81 years of age. Therefore, the father and son had lived during the
administration of 31 American presidents, or a span of 155 years. 1783 was the
year the treaty of peace was signed in Paris. George Washington became president
of the colonies in 1789.
So, the elder I. R. was 6 years old when George Washington took the oath of
office. The elder I. R. Thweatt's mother died when he was a child and after his
father remarried he ran away from home to live with an uncle in Tennessee and
was reared by this uncle whose name was White.
There are some difficulties here. First, the news story says that the elder
Thweatt arrived in Tenn. before the turn of the 18th century. Tennessee was
admitted in 1796. Williamson County, where several Thweatt families settled, was
created in 1799. Referring back to the census of 1820, the head of family, by
the name of Isham Thweatt, was listed as under 26, with four children. This
would rule out the elder I. R., for he was born in 1783. He would have been 37
when the census was made.
However, there was another Isam Thweatt listed in the same census, no age
given. It is possible that the single Isham could have been father to the head
of family Isam. I have had the marriage records of Williamson County, Tenn.
searched from the years 1800 to 1837 and find that Isham R. Thweatt married
Sarah Davis, Dec. 24, 1816. Now we have an I. R. Thweatt instead of Thweatt.
The question is, which of the two, Isam or Isham? The census says, Isham was
26 or under, had four children, two between 10 and 16. The marriage record of
1816 would not allow two boys between 10 and 16 in the census of 1820.
If the descendants of this family wish to work this out they have the
following documentary facts to base their research. First, the family Bible,
birth dates of the father and secondly, the elder I. R. came to Tennessee,
Williamson Co., census establishes the name Isam and Isham. The marriage record
establishes the name, Isham R. Thweatt, marriage to Sarah Davis in 1816.
The news article states the elder I. R. married three times. We do know Sarah
Davis was the second wife. We do know the Greenwood I. R.'s mother was married
to his father at Tupelo, Miss., about 1840. There were two girls, sisters to I.
R., Jr.; Mrs. J. M. Dunn and Mrs. Belie Hamilton, who died in 1887. In
correspondence with I. R., Jr. under date of Dec. 29, 1938, there is
confirmation that Sarah Davis was his father's second wife and had a daughter
Dora.
The marriage records of Williamson Co., Tenn., gives the date as Dec.
24, 1816. So, we must conclude that, if he came to Tenn. as a boy, he was
married twice in Tenn. I. R. Jr.'s mother's maiden name was "Mary Nunlie
who first married a (?) Teams, two sons and husband drowned in Tombigbee River,
Ala. She then moved to Tupelo, Miss., where she married my father sometime in
1840."
The descendants of this family will have to work out the puzzle of how the I.
R. Sr. could have married a widow, with two children, in 1840 and then have her
give birth to I. R. Jr. in 1865. Mr. Thweatt, of Greenwood, states further,
"I have been married twice. First to Sallie Bradford, she bore me two
girls, Marie Thweatt Smith and Marguerite Thweatt Ingouf, and three boys,
Henry C., J.B., and Roger. My second wife was a Miss Emma Brewer of which there
are no children."
Mr. Thweatt further speaks of Henry C. Thweatt, D.D., of this section, who
died 60 years ago, as being a distant relative, and his issue, of Texas . Under
date of June 24, 1949, I had a letter from H. C. Thweatt of Shreveport, La., in
which he states his father was Isham Reese Thweatt of Greenwood, La., and that
he was born in Victoria, La., Dec. 27, 1900; that he married Thelma Weaver, who
was born in Terrell, Texas, in December, 1903. Issue: William H. Thweatt, born
July 25, 1925, who married Gloria Hall, born in Central La., they have one
little daughter, born July 22, 1947.
I am sure the one "little daughter," then two, would scold her
grandfather today, she is now eleven, for not mentioning her name. I am more
than happy to know that the son, William H., is a Baptist pastor, who graduated
from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Ky.
Isham Reece Thweatt, b. Dec. 4, 1865, d. Oct. 31, 1939; m. Feb. 1, 1888 Sally
Bradford, b. June 3, 1869, d. Apr. 29, 1907. I5 - sue: l-Marie Thweatt, b. Aug.
24, 1889; m. Albert M. Smith, 2- Isham Roger Thweatt, b. Jan. 21, 1893; m. Susie
Bell Dyes, 3-John Bradford Thweatt, b. May 2, 1836; m. Betty (?), 4-Margarette
Thweatt, b. July 2 1898; m. Eddie Ingouf, 5-Henry Clay Thweatt, b. Dec. 27,
1900. Henry Clay Thweatt; m. Sept. 13, 1924, Thelma Weaver, b. Dec. 14, 1903
Issue: 1-William Henry Thweatt, b. July 25, 1925; m. Gloria Hall, 2-Roger Clay
Thweatt, b. May 10, 1930; m. Eunice Holland
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