A Wilson Family Tree
Notes for James Miles Madison Gathright
There is a lot of confusion about Miles Madison Gathright and his marriages. Apparently he went by James Miles Gathright (in a marriage record and a "family data" record on Ancestry.com; James M. Gathright in 1860 and 1870 censuses). P.D. Gathright and others call him Miles Madison Gathright. His son Jesse Franklin's death certificate lists him as Miles Gathright. Possibly James was a nickname. However, Craig Gathright lists his name as James Madison Gathright and Miles as a nickname. James Madison makes a lot of sense, given that two of his brothers are also named for presidents. Very confusing.
There is also a wide variety of listings of his marriages and children. Here are various versions:
Gaylon Gathright (Gaylon Gathright GEDCOM): Miles Madison Gathright.
One marriage, to Mary A. Newsome, with children Jessie Franklin, James Henry, Miles, Davis, Spencer, Ellen, Mary, Dorsey, Ida, and Loemie.
WFT 5 # 1179 (Janice B. Craven): Miles Madison Gathright.
Three marriages, to Mary Smith, Mary A. Newsome, and Susan Jane Welborn. No children listed.
WFT 5 # 1346 (Donald W. Smith): James Miles Madison Gathright.
Three marriages --
Mary A. Smith, with children William Spencer, James Henry "Jimmy", Robert Milton, Sarah Elizabeth, John T., and Martha A.
Mary A. Newsome, with children Mary Henrietta "Etta", Miles Madison, George Davis, Jesse Franklin, J. Dorsey, Manen Quiency, and Mary M.
Sara "Susan" Jane Welborn, with children Ellen, Ida M., and Lorena.
Carolyn Gathright: Miles "James" Madison Gathright.
Three marriages --
Mary Smith, with children William Spencer, James "Jimmy" Henry, Robert "Bob" Milton, Sarah Elizabeth, John Thomas, and Martha A.
Mary Ann Newsome McDonald, with children Mary Henrietta, Miles "Buddy" Madison Jr., George Davis, Jesse Franklin, Jefferson Dorsey, Manen Quincy, Mary Magaline, Ellen Valentine, Loemy Perry, Ida Malissa, and Loerna.
Susan Jane Norsworthy, with child Beaulah.
Dallas Gathright tree (Craig Gathright): James Madison Gathright (nickname Miles).
Three marriages --
Mary A. Smith, with children William Spencer, James Henry, Robert Milton, Sarah Elizabeth, John Thomas, Martha A., and Mary Henrietta
Mary Ann Newsome, with children Miles Madison Jr., George Davis, Jesse Franklin, Jefferson Dorsey, Manen Quincy, Mary Magdalene, Ellen Valentine, Loemy Perry, Ida Malissa, and Lorena M.
Susan Jane Norsworthy, with child Beaulah.
As can be seen, some of the trees list children Loemy, born in 1874, and Lorena, born about 1875. It appears to me that this is confusion from the 1880 census, which lists a child, pretty much unreadable but Ancestry has it transcribed as Loren C. (though Craig Gathright had a middle initial of M). The thing is, the sex is listed as male, so I think it's Loemy. There is no other child in the 1880 census who could be Lorena, which makes me think there was no Lorena. I am deleting Lorena from my listing, but for the record, she was listed as born about 1875 in Union Par., LA, and died in 1900 in Grayson Co., TX. I would like to know where that death information comes from.
WFT Volume 5, Tree 1346:
James and Mary A. Gathright were Listed in the 1860 census, Union Co., Ark. Some of the children also, and some that may have just being there, but not theirs. There is some confusion about his name, it could be James Miles Madison Gathright or Miles Madison Gathright, James could be a nick-name.
WFT Volume 5, Tree 1179:
census has him as James Miles
P.D. Gathright letter:
Moved to Arkansas in 1854
From Craig Gathright (Dallas Gathright family tree):
James Madison “Miles” Gathright was born in Georgia on November 4, 1822. It is possible that he was born in Marion County or Twiggs County, but there is not conclusive evidence for either location. James was a farmer as was his father, James Collins Gathright, and it is likely that he learned this vocation early in life.
James was married three times and he married his first wife, Mary A. Smith, sometime prior to 1844. It is likely that the couple was married in Macon County, Georgia because their first child was born there in January of 1844. James and Mary would have a total of seven children before her death in July of 1858.
It is difficult to reconcile James’ migration pattern because his children with Mary Smith seem to have been born all across the American south. Until 1852 the couple seems to have resided in Marion County, Georgia. Their daughter Martha was supposedly born in Union County, Arkansas around 1854 and their final child was supposedly born in Louisiana in 1857. I have doubts about both of these birth locations, but the 1860 Census listing seems to confirm these locales.
No record has been found to document James’ marriage to his second wife, Mary Ann Newsome, which probably occurred in Arkansas. It is said that the couple had their first child in 1857 and their second child in 1860. Many researchers speculate that the couple was married before 1857. However I doubt both the date of marriage and the 1857 birthday for their first child. I doubt these dates because James’ first wife was alive until July 10, 1858. Mary and James had at least nine children together and some researchers believe that they may have had as many as eleven. Many researchers believe that Mary Henrietta Gathright was a child of Mary and James. Others say that James had daughters named Mary with both Mary A. Smith and Mary Ann Newsom in 1857, but I find this difficult to believe. It is most likely that Mary Henrietta was a child from James’ first marriage. I also believe that she was the only Mary born to him in or around 1857 and census records seem to confirm this.
It seems James and Mary spent time in Union County, Arkansas and in Union Parish, Louisiana just across the state line. On June 20, 1863 James assisted in purchasing land in Union Parish, Louisiana for Springhill Baptist Church. James was serving as a Deacon for the Church and may have still resided in Union County, Arkansas when the land was purchased. As late as June, 10 1870 the family was residing in Lapile Township Arkansas where they appeared in the 1870 Federal Census. Census and land records seem to indicate that James resided in both states primarily in and around Lapile, Arkansas and Oakland, Louisiana. James’ land in Louisiana was north of Oakland very close to the Stateline while his land in Arkansas was probably south of Lapile. Old Lapile and Oakland are only 12 miles apart so the distances involved are not as great as they might first appear. Nevertheless these migrations make it difficult to nail down birth locations for many of their children, but the family was probably living in Louisiana when Mary died in the early 1870s.
James married his third wife, Susan Jane Norsworthy, on December 18, 1876 in Nevada County, Arkansas. James and Susan had at least one child giving James a total of at least nineteen children. On January 7, 1897 James “Miles” Maddison Gathright secured 74 acres in Union Parish, Louisiana, but he seems to have moved back to Arkansas at least once. Other records for James for the period between 1880 and his death in 1902 have been elusive, but it is believed he was living in Arkansas most of this time.
James was a Baptist and a member of Antioch Baptist in Nevada County, Arkansas as well as the aforementioned Springhill Baptist Church in Union Parish, Louisiana.
James died in Strong, Union County, Arkansas on July 6, 1902 and was buried at Springhill Cemetery in Oakland, Union Parish, Louisiana.
From Carolyn Gathright:
[PD notes]- moved to Arkansas in 1854 when James was 8 yrs old Also Known as James Miles GATHRIGHT
[Census1860]- est value of property 1000/1000 personal
[JLG]- letter to Clyde L from PD: Miles Madison Gathright was my grandfather, whom I well remember. ... Grandfather was employed by the Confederate forces as a civilian blacksmith during the Civil War, mostly shoeing horses. After the war he was a farmer, a Blacksmith, and owned and operated a cotton gin and grist mill. He was a Baptist by faith and was affiliated with the Masonic Fraternity. When Grandfather was old, my Father (James Henry) built a house for him across the road from our home in the country and moved "Grandma Sue" as we called her and him into it and cared for them as long a grandfather Lived. After his death, "Grandma Sue" went to live with her people.
[BLM]- Miles M. Gathright, Homestead Certificate # 6595, application # 11494, issued 7 Jan 1897, by New Orleans Land office, 74.04 acres, NW sec 4, twnship 23-N, range 1-E, fractional sect. Louisiana meridian, Union county LA.
Note: Some of the information in these pages is uncertain. Please let me know of errors or omissions using the email link above. ...Mike Wilson
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