Ollie Godwin

Olive "Ollie" Godwin, born 19 February 1850 in North Carolina. I believe she was born in Sampson County and was the fourth child born to William and Mary Godwin. She first appears in 1850 on the Sampson County, North Carolina census as "Oliph" at three months of age, living with her parents, William and Mary Godwin, and three siblings: Matilda born about 1844, Isham born about 1846, and Ransom Godwin, born 18 January 1848.

About December of 1855, the Godwins moved to Randolph County, Arkansas, and they are listed on the 1860 census as living in Demun Township. Ollie is 10 years old.

I am unsure what happened to the family between 1860 and 1870. Father William Godwin is said to have died about 1865, and mother Mary died approximately 1871. According the the 1870 census of Jackson County, Bird Township, Arkansas, Ollie is living in the home of Henry I. Dowell as his housekeeper. A descendant of Ollie's told me he heard that Ollie moved on into Logan county, Arkansas and was pretty well-to-do. I am not sure how the Dowell family fits into the Godwin family, but they evidently were very good to her.

Ollie lived in Logan County, Arkansas, and appears on the 1880 census living in Revilee Township. She had three children living with her: James born about 1867, Elmore born 13 April 1869, and Chester born 14 October 1873. I am not sure where James was in 1870 as he is not on the census with Ollie when she was living with the Dowell family. The census shows that the family was farming. In December 1883, Tom Godwin was born, and in 1886, daughter Allie Godwin was born. I do not know who the father of these children was. The children all had the Godwin name. I am not sure where the family resided in 1890. In 1891, Ollie married Samuel Daniel Andrew Jackson Craige. According to a descendant of Craige's, someone had set Ollie up rather well financially and she owned a farm (possibly in Benton County, Arkansas) and had a good assortment of farming implements. This minor wealth was lost, either by Craig or because of the depression. Ollie and Dan Craige had a daughter, Frances Louella Craig. It is said that Ollie had retained her maiden name after parting from Mr. Craige. She died in 1896, possibly in Crawford county, Arkansas.

I do not know much about Ollie's children. Elmore Godwin married Arminta Wall Speegle in 1896, possibly in Oklahoma. Arminta was a widow at age 21 with five children when they married. Elmore and Arminta had two children together: Fred Carl Godwin and Tennie Mae Godwin. Elmore had a cotton farm, and the five older children helped him farm it. It is not known when they parted. The children were raised by Arminta. Elmore Godwin died in Oklahoma City, OK sometime after 1916.

Chester Godwin married Sarah "Sallie" (date unknown). Together they had the following children:
Aud J. Godwin, 1895-1920, married Fay Padgett
Erwin L. Godwin, 1897-1899
Zadam Godwin, 1899-1988
Hettie Godwin, 1900-1980
Iva/Ivy Godwin 1901-1919, married Lester Workman
Teddy Fay Godwin, 1904-1994, married Hettie Gann 1994
Billy B. Godwin, 1907-?
Cecil J. Godwin, 1907-1928
Amil T. Godwin, 1909-?

In 1900, Allie Godwin is listed on the census of Logan County, Belva township, living in the home of William Burell Godwin and wife Nanny. I am not sure if she went to stay with her Uncle because of her mother's death or if she had lived with them all along. She married Charles A. Pendergraft in Logan County on 12 November 1902. I believe that she was only about 16 years old at the time, but her marriage license shows her age as 18 years.
I am told that son James Godwin left the family and moved to Texas. He died sometime after 1916.