Gordon History

Myrtle Fleta Mitchell Gordon, Henry Gordon’s wife

Myrtle was the daughter of M. V. and Henretta Horner Mitchell. She married William Henry Gordon 9 Aug 1908. It was a second marriage for both of them. They had 10 children, Dovie, Mack M., Dennis Melvin, William Howard, Ollie, Helen Maureen, Ellen Irene who died at birth, and three infants that died at or near birth.Henrietta M. Horner Payne, Myrtle Gordon’s mother.

Birth: December7, 1861

Died: March 13, 1949

Lamar County marriage records. Book 15 page: 505
13 March 1949 MRS. JOHN PAYNE DIES AT HOME HERE SUNDAY Mrs. John Payne 84, died at home, 1001-6th Street SE, Sunday at 9:15 a.m., after a long illness. The funeral was arranged for 2 o'clock Monday afternoon at Rockford Church, conducted by the Rev. W. E. Howell of Calvary Methodist Church. Surviving are her husband; five daughters, Mrs. Arizona Mitchell Taylor, Reno; Mrs. Oseola Mitchell Taylor (cq) Ft Worth; Mrs. Myrtle Mitchell Gordon, Rockford; Mrs. Katie Mitchell Jones and Mrs. Juanita Johnson, Paris, besides these step-children; A. P. Payne, Madill, OK.; Johnnie Payne, living in CA. and Mrs. Bell Murray, Irving.
Mrs. Payne was formerly Miss Henrietta M. Horner, daughter of the late Isaac C. and Harriett Nelson Horner, and was born in Louisville, Ky., 7 Dec 1864. (really Greenup Co., KY)
Henrietta at the age of 16, married first, Melvin V. Mitchell in Greenup County, Kentucky. Their daughters were, Arizona, Myrtle, Oseola, and Katherine.
After her husband died in 1886 Henrietta married Mr. John Payne.
Mrs Juanita Johnson was an adopted daughter, a survivor of twins that grandma took to raise.

Melvin V. Mitchell, husband of Henrietta M. Horner Payne,

Born: Sep. 30, 1844

Death: Jun. 3, 1896

Information: Family, Federal Census, Marraige records at Lewis County, West Virginia and Greenup County, Kentucky, McEwin Cemetery Lamar County, Texas.
Melvin/Melville was involved in the Civil War as a young man in Virginia, before coming to Texas.
Melvin V. Mitchell brought his family to Texas some time between 1881 and 1884 from Greenup County, Kentucky. Settling first in Fannin County at Aimby, then in Lamar County around Caviness. I am told he died of a heat stroke in the corn field. (This was told to me by his granddaughter, Pearl Taylor Chambless.)
Melvin is buried at the old McEwin Cemetery with three of his grandchildren, Clara Bell Taylor, Bulah Lee Taylor, and Claudie Emmitt Taylor, children of Alva Lee and Arizona Mitchell Taylor. His Headstone reads as follows: Born 30 Sept 1844, died 8 June 1896
On The Front Of His Headstone "Farewell my wife and children all
From you a Father Christ call Weep not for me it is in vain
To call me to your sight again"

On the back of his stone: His deeds was kind “His words were love.
His spirit humble. He rests above."

We have found evidence that before leaving West Virginia, Melvin put his three young daughters up for adoption, it is to be believed with family members. More work needs to be done. Was he forced to leave the state of West Virginia because he was in the service for the south during the Civil War. His maternal grandfather was forced to leave the state. He may have done this to protect the girls.

24 Jan 1857 4?? Deed to McEwin Cem., Lamar Co., TX
KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS; That I, William McEwin of the County of Lamar, for and in consideration of the feeling which I have for the advancement of the truth of the Christian Religion, and the sum of One Cent (the receipt of which I hereby acknowledged) to me paid by Moses M. Sumner, Robert Cabiness, and William McEwin as trustee for Mount Tabor, meeting house, have bargained sold and released and by these presents do bargain, sell and release 2 acres of land situated in Lamar County on the waters of Pine Creek and about 8 miles North from Paris and being a part of the land Located by James B S Ewin and; Beginning 53 poles (874.5 feet) North 87 degrees West from the N. West corner of James Wharton's 640 acre survey. Thence South 20 poles (330 ft) to stake, Thence West 12 6/10 poles (207.9 ft) to stake in prairie, Thence North 25 2/10 poles (415.8 ft) to stake, Thence East 12 6/10 poles to stake, Thence South 5 2/10 poles to the beginning. Unto the said Moses M. Sumner, Robert Cabiness, and William McEwin, to have and to hold all and singular the above land for the use and benefit of a union meeting House Camp Ground or other religious use, either by themselves during life or their successors & in case of the death of either of said trustees then the vacancy to be filled by the survivor with another member of the same denomination of which the deceased trustee belonged. And I do hereby bind myself, my heirs and assigns to keep open a sufficient pass way through my land adjoining to said Meeting house and in case of a sale of my land at any time hereafter will reserve the same.
State of Texas- On this 14th day of Jany. A.D. 1857 Personally Appeared before Lamar County- me Jacob Long, County Clerk of the County of Lamar, William McEwin, whose name is signed to the foregoing deed and acknowledged the same to be his own proper act and deed for the purpose therein contained and expressed, on the day and date thereof. To certify which I hereunto set my Official Signature and Seal of office in Paris the 14th day of January A.D. 1857 J. Long Clerk C.C.L.C. & ????

ID: I1310
* Name: Melville V. (Melvin) MITCHELL
* Sex: M
* Birth: 30 SEP 1845 in Lewis County, Virginia
* Death: 3 JUN 1896 in Lamar County, Texas
* Note: Served in Confederate Army, Private, (2nd) Co. G, 62nd Virginia Mounted Infantry and was captured by the enemy in Highland Co.,Virginia on 12 December 1863. He was taken to Camp Chase, Ohio but was transferred on 14 March 1864 to Ft. Delaware, Delaware. He took the Oath of Alligiance and was released on 20 June 1865. Upon release his papers describe him as being 5 feet 6 inches tall, with dark complexion, dark hair and hazel eyes. He enlisted in Braxton County, Virginia. Source: Ron Brothers and Connie Ball, 3 June 1999

1870 U S Census West Virginia.
Mitchell, Melville V, head w m age 27 VA., Mary A. wife w f age 20 VA., Mary P. dau w f age 2 WV., Martha E, dau w f age 2 WV.

In 1874 they had another daughter, Cora Bell. who later married a Sutton and lived in WV.
The 1880 Census for Greenup, County Kentucky listed him as a Collier. The dictionary describes that as a miner of coal. 1880 US Census Greenup County, Kentucky
60/60 Mitchell, Melvin w m Boarder age 30 Collier VA
He was a boarder in the home of the Pendleton Family. He states his age at 30, but actually he was 36 years of age. On 27 June 1880 Melvin V. married Henretta A. Horner in Greenup County, Kentucky. Melvin & Henretta had 4 daughters. Arizona, Osceola, Myrtle, and Katharine. Arizona Avena Mitchell Taylor, d/o Melvin V. Mitchell & Henrietta M. Horner Payne

Birth: Oct. 24, 1881
Greenup
Greenup County
Kentucky.

Death: Jul. 22, 1953
Paris, Lamar County, Texas.

A loving daughter, wife, mother, grandmother and gr-granmother. She was loved by all of her family.

She birthed 12 babies in her lifetime. One set of twins, a boy and a girl. The boy died at about three month of age.
Granny (my great grandmother) was a homemaker, a great cook and she loved her church and family.
She was the daughter of Melville/Melvin V. and Henretta A. Horner Mitchell.

This picture is with their first five children. The oldest standing died in 1917, the little girl leaning on her fathers knee died in 1913. The girl standing center, my mother, died in 1978. They raised 10 children to adulthood until 1940 when Ruby died. She is the little girl setting in the lower middle.

I am so proud of this old picture. It is the only picture that I have of Bulah who died in 1913.

'Mrs. A. L. Taylor, 72, of 961 Grove Street, died Wednesday at 3:50 a.m. at St. Joseph Hospital. The Funeral, Thursday at 2 p. m., will be held at Fry & Gibbs Chapel, and burial will be made in Meadowbrook Memorial Park. Mrs. Taylor was formerly Miss Arizona Avina Mitchell of Caviness Community, daughter of Melvin V. and Henrietta A. Horner Mitchell. Mrs. Taylor was born in Greenup County, Kentucky on 24 Oct 1881 and came to Texas with her family between 1881 and 1884. Settling first in Fannin County and then Lamar County. She married Alva Lee Taylor on 31 Aug 1898 in Lamar County. Mr. and Mrs. Taylor had 12 children. She was preceded in death by her husband and four children, Clara Bell, Bulah Lee, Claudie Emmitt and Ruby Opal Taylor Hodges.Katherine Opal "Kate" Mitchell Jones, - daughter of Henrietta M. Horner Payne

Birth: Oct. 22, 1892
Ambia
Lamar County
Texas, USA Death: Jan. 19, 1983
Paris Lamar County Texas.

Aunt Kate" THE PARIS NEWS, Thu., Jan. 20, 1983. 'Katherine Jones of Pleasant Grove Nursing Home died Wednesday, Jan. 19, at St. Joseph's Hospital. Services will be held Friday, Jan. 21, at 2 p.m. in Gene Roden's Sons Funeral Home with burial in Evergreen Cemetery. The family will receive friends at the home of Ed Rooks, 215-24th SE. Mrs. Jones was born Oct. 22, 1892, in Ambia community, a daughter of Melvin Mitchell and Henrietta Horner Mitchell. She first married Jess R. Rooks who died in 1917. She married T.P. Jones in 1934. She was a member of the Calvary United Methodist Church and its Bible class and a life member of the United Methodist Women. Surviving are her husband; two sons, Paul S. Rooks of Albuquerque, NM and Ed Rooks of Paris; six grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; and several great-great-grandchildren; and two nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by two sons, Raymond R. Rooks and Durward Rooks.'

Isaac C. Horner, Husband of Henrietta M. Horner PayneBorn: December 25, 1840 in Lawrence County, Ohio

Died: September 4, 1908 in Payne County, Oklahoma

Isaac C. Horner and Harriet Nelson were married 6 Dec 1860 in Greenup County, Kentucky. Their children; Mahala, Henrietta A., Harriet A., William Peter, Frances Elizabeth "Fanny", Brazella "Ella", Albert T., Noah/Noel, Moses S., Malinda, Dixie, and Middies.
Louisa F. Fleece, William Henry Gordon’s mother.

THE PARIS NEWS, Thursday, December 29, 1938: 'Funeral services for Mrs. Louisa F. Fleece, 96, who died at 5 a.m. Thursday at the home of her son, W. H. Gordon, on Route 1, Biardstown, were set for Friday at the Rockford church at 2 p.m. with Sister Virgie Hunter officiating. Emberson-Brown-Roden funeral home had charge of arrangements. Mrs. Fleece was born Sept 4, 1842 in Alabama. She leaves two sons, J. A. Gordon and W. H. Gordon, Biardstown; two daughters, Mrs. Fannie Smith, Clarksville, and Mrs. Katie Eaton, Knobel, Ark.; 24 grandchildren and 71 great-grandchildren. Pallbearers will be her grandsons.' *Tombstone is inscribed, 'Frances L. Fleece.' Buried between Ella Gann Casey and Mollie Lee Gordon. *Louisa Francis Gordon Fleece received a pension from the State of Texas for service of husband Archabel Johnson Gordon in the Confederate Army #49378. *Lamar County Marriage Book 8, page 89 shows J. F. Fleece married L. F. Gordon on 8 Jan 1880. *Lamar County Marriage Book 3, page 206 shows A. J. Gordon married L. F. Grammer on 8 Dec 1863. *Widow's Application For A Pension #49378 of Mrs. Louisa F. Fleece, Lamar County, Rt. 1, Biardstown, Texas, filed 3 Mar 1931, approved 3 Mar 1931: 'I am a widow of A. J. Gordon deceased, who departed this life on the 22 Nov 1874 in the county of Lamar in the State of Texas.. I was married to him on the 8 day of January 1863 in the county of Lamar, in the state of Texas. My husband... served as a Confederate soldier... he was paroled in April 1865. I have been a bona fide resident of this State continuously since... September 1855. (I was born) 4 Sep 1842... lived at present residence for 75 years at Biardstown, Texas Route #1... husband did not draw a pension... he enlisted in Lamar County... his full name was Archabel Johnson Gordon... he enlisted 1 Sep 1863 to April 1865 in Co. G, 23rd Texas Cavalry, transferred 27 Jan 1864 to Capt. McMahan's Battery (2nd Texas Field Battery, CSA). R. M. Robinson and Lee Smith deposed they knew her. War Department reply dated 31 Jan 1831: The records show that one A. J. Gordon, Co. G, 23rd Texas Cavalry, CSA (Gould's Regiment), Capt. N. S. Liddel's Co., enlisted 1 September (probably) 1863, in Lamar Co. Muster roll dated Jan. - Feb. 1864, shows him transferred to Capt. McMahan's Battery of Horse Artillery on 27 Jan 1864 as a Private. M. V. McMahan was Captain of the 2nd Texas Field Battery, CSA, but no record has been found of the service, capture or parole of A. J. Gordon, as of that organization. Archabel Johnson Gordon, Henry Gordon’s father.

Widow's Application For A Pension #49378 of Mrs. Louisa F. Fleece, Lamar County, Rt. 1, Biardstown, Texas, filed 3 Mar 1931, approved 3 Mar 1931: 'I am a widow of A. J. Gordon deceased, who departed this life on the 22 Nov 1874 in the county of Lamar in the State of Texas... I was married to him on the 8 day of January 1863 in the county of Lamar, in the state of Texas. My husband... served as a Confederate soldier... he was paroled in April 1865. I have been a bona fide resident of this State continuously since... September 1855. (I was born) 4 Sep 1842... lived at present residence for 75 years at Biardstown, Texas Route #1... husband did not draw a pension... he enlisted in Lamar County... his full name was Archabel Johnson Gordon... he enlisted 1 Sep 1863 to April 1865 in Co. G, 23rd Texas Cavalry, transferred 27 Jan 1864 to Capt. McMahan's Battery (2nd Texas Field Battery, CSA). R. M. Robinson and Lee Smith deposed they knew her. War Department reply dated 31 Jan 1831: The records show that one A. J. Gordon, Co. G, 23rd Texas Cavalry, CSA (Gould's Regiment), Capt. N. S. Liddel's Co., enlisted 1 September (probably) 1863, in Lamar Co. Muster roll dated Jan. - Feb. 1864, shows him transferred to Capt. McMahan's Battery of Horse Artillery on 27 Jan 1864 as a Private. M. V. McMahan was Captain of the 2nd Texas Field Battery, CSA, but no record has been found of the service, capture or parole of A. J. Gordon, as of that organization. *Lamar County Marriage Book 3, page 206 shows A. J. Gordon married L. F. Grammer on 8 Dec 1863.