I have been looking at my notes, and it is amazing the things you find
when you read the notes you took years ago.
A cousin of mine told me that the George W. Callison who was born in
Ala., was in Texas, moved to Arkansas, married Sarah Hackett, and
supposedly died there, was a child of James & Anne Callison. Looking at
my notes, that is impossible. In the 1850 census of Houston Co., Texas
he is living with Joab Gorman, 40, S.C., Mary, 23, La., George Kellison,
21, Ala, and Roswell Gorman, 42, S.C. If he was 21 he would have been
born about 1829, and Anne Gillespie Callison was dead when her father,
Thomas Gillespie, wrote his will 26 March, 1823, probated January, 1724.
I think that he was the George W. who was the son of Robert Callison. I
think that he was the mysterious George W. that was in Arkansas, and
later went to Mo. and Tenn. He married Sarah Hackett July 1851 in
Villemont Vlg., Jefferson Co., Ark. A descendant of Sarah Hackett thinks
that she had a daughter by him, and he deserted them, but another says
he died in Ark. The dates are sure close together. He supposedly was 21
in 1850, which would have made him born 1829, but the other one was
supposed to have been born 1831???
John Gillespie Callison was in Alabama by 1817, and was the sheriff of
Blount Co. in 1819. He was the sheriff for several years and married a
widow, Margaret Renau. Some people have said she was the widow of
William (Hatter Bill) Reneau, but I don't know. She had eight children
when he married her, but only one child came with them to Texas. I have
never seen any trace of her in Texas, so I assume that she died here.
They did not have children, as far as I can tell, or at least none that
survived, unless the George that was in Houston Co. was their son and
not Robert's son.
I was definitely wrong about the grandchildren of James Callison that
were living with the Parkhills. When I got the papers out and looked at
them, it says very definitely on two papers that they were the daughters
of James Callison. These were sent to me by the Texas Land Office.
Power of Attorney July 24, 1856, Travis Co., Texas., James M. Adams for
Martha Ann Lemley, wife of David W. Lemley, Emily Elizabeth Saint, wife
of Elisha Saint, and Eliza Jane, widow of John Smith, heirs of James H.
Callison.
Power of Attorney May 3, 1856, State of Alabama, Marshall Co., Martha
Ann, wife of DAvid W. Lemley, Emily Elizabeth, wife of Elisha Saint, and
Eliza Jane, formerly married to John Smith, children and heirs at law of
James H. Callison
Affidavit of Heirship Feb. 11, 12, 14, 1857, State of Alabama,
Marshall C., affidavits of Emily Elizabeth Saint, daughter of James H.
Callison, Elisha Saint, husband of Emily Elizabeth Saint, Eliza H.
Smith, daughter of James H. Callison, and David Lemley.
There were numerous papers filed on this. There are not any papers at
the Land Bureau for Sarah Craig and John Gillespie Callison, who was the
second wife, I am sure, and his son by a second marriage. The papers
that I have are the papers where John G. Callison says that he, his
mother Sarah, and sister Emily are the only heirs of James H. Callison.
Very confusing. As I had stated previously, John Gillespie Callison
posed as their agent tried to sell the land of the girls, and there are
court papers over that. There was a Travis Callison, originally, so
James Henry Callison had a son Travis, and daughters Martha Ann, Emily
Elizabeth, and Eliza Jane by an unknown wife. She would have had to have
been a Parkhill, and probably an unknown daughter of the older David
Parkhill, because they are listed as the heirs of David Parkhill, and
are apparently living with them.
James Callison started selling land in 1812 in Rhea Co. I am going to
see if I can get the deeds and see if Anne Gillespie was alive when he
sold the land. I can order the film from the LDS on Wednesday, and it
takes about two weeks.
Any ideas on any of this???
Joyce