5th Generation
FELTY VALENTINE WAMPLER AND ANGELINA RAWLINS
from Monroe Co., IN to Dallas and Parker Counties, TX
Felty Valentine Wampler's marriage record to Angelina Rawlins is recorded on April 1822 in Monroe Co., IN. According to "Pioneer Families of Dallas County" by Robert Westbrook Sears of Dallas, TX, Angelina, the daughter of Roderick Rawlins and Mildred Parks Rawlins, was born on 1 May, 1806 in Tennessee and died prior to September 1844 in Illinois. You can read more about the Roderick Rawlins Family here.
She and Valentine had 9 known children before her death. Regardless, Valentine and some of his younger children traveled with the Rawlins party to Texas. Roderick Rawlins was the leader of this party. According to a speech given by Judge Newton Fitzhugh to the Lancaster (Texas) Historical Society on 12 October 1969 and also reported by Mr. Sears in the same article as above:
"The Roderick Rawlins party (approximately 30 settlers) left Illinois in September, 1844, and arrived in Lamar County Texas, in early November, seven weeks later. here they rested for several weeks. Rawlins and two of his sons-in-law, Pleasant Taylor and Samuel Keller, went ahead to select a general area in which to settle. Apparently they came to Dallas, then only a few cabins, crossed the river and selected the Ten Mile Creek area, completely devoid of inhabitants, as a suitable location for their families. Returning to Lamar County, they got their wagons to moving in early December, some of them again riding ahead to prepare a temporary camp in which they could spend the winter. The area selected for this purpose was the high ground lying west of what is now called the Nokomis road."
This area was southeast of Lancaster, TX, near the current site of the Edgewood Cemetery. Roderick Rawlins, a lay minister for the Campbellites, was the primary founder of the Christian Church in Lancaster, TX, the oldest Christian Church in continuous service in the state of Texas. The homesites of these new settlers were part of the Peters Colony.
Valentine and his brother, Thomas Jefferson Wampler both purchased land there -- Valentine's was just north and west of Belt Line Road and Highway 35E; You can see on the map that his son, Martin J.S. Wampler also purchased land in the same area.
Valentine appears on the 1850 census for Dallas County, and is mentioned in court records there in 1856. Sometime between 1854 and 1856, Valentine moved to Parker County, TX, as he is listed as a resident in Parker County in 1856. He is also shown as joining the Christian Church in Weatherford, TX on 20 Sept. 1856. He has not been found on the 1860 census.
His land holdings in Parker County are described in Historical Sketch of Parker County and Weatherford, Texas by H. Smythe, 1877, L.C. Lavat, as being northeast of Weatherford. But, I believe that may be a mistake; this land map shows it as west of Weatherford. As will be seen below, his brother's land was Northwest of Weatherford.
The courthouse in Parker County burned in 1874. There is a reconstructed deed showing that Valentine and his wife, Fanny, sold land in Parker County in 1862. That is the only indication we have that he remarried. It has been said that he returned to Illinois during the Civil War years, and, indeed, he is found on the census in 1870, Pike Co., IL, Barry Twp. But, he is also listed on voter registration lists, tax and church records in Parker County for 1867-1868, so, he may have gone to Illinois and returned again after the war; then in his old age, perhaps his children moved him back to Illinois before 1870. He apparently died sometime after 1870, but it is unknown where he died or is buried.
His son, Martin J.S. Wampler returned to Illinois and served in the Civil War for 3 months as Pvt. Co. B, 68th Ill Inf; enlisted 1862; and then reenlisted in 1863 and served 2 years as Pvt. Co. C, 2nd Ill Cav. He married again in 1867 in IL, and so it appears he did not return to Texas again until after 1870.
5th Generation
THOMAS JEFFERSON WAMPLER AND NANCY RAY
from Monroe County, IN to Dallas and Parker Counties, TX
Valentine Wampler's younger brother, Thomas Jefferson Wampler and his wife, Nancy (Ray) Wampler arrived in Dallas County in 1847, two to three years after the original Rawlins Party. Their marriage record is also recorded in Monroe Co., IN, in April 1827. They had 7 known children, all of whom came to Texas with them.
They are listed on the 1850 census for Dallas County. T. Jefferson purchased two parcels of land in the Peters Colony, one was just west of the present town of Hutchins, west of where the old Lancaster-Hutchins road meets the J.J. Lemmons Road, and the other parcel was east of Hutchins, south and east of the intersection of Highway 20 and the Trinity River where the river bends around. His son, William Ray Wampler purchased land west of this site (see map below).
In 1860, they are listed in Parker County, TX. They sold their land in Dallas County in 1862. This advertisement appeared in the Dallas Weekly Herald of 1858. T.J. Wampler is also shown as having joined the Christian Church in Weatherford in April, 1860.
Nancy and T. Jefferson both died sometime before 1870, but the estate apparently was not settled until much later. The Estate papers for Archibald M. Lavender, dated July 1869 (the date at the bottom of the page is more legible) in Dallas County show that T.J. Wampler of Parke (sic) County died before that date owing money to the Lavender estate. (Aside: You might wonder how I found that document--I have so far identified 7 male ancestors--five from my maternal and two from my paternal lines, who purchased land in the Peters Colony--A.M. Lavender is one of my paternal line; the Wamplers are from my maternal line. These families went different places, but their descendants ended up meeting anew later in New Mexico.)
In Trails West, Abstracts from Probate Minute Book 1, Parker Co., TX, Vol. III #2, the newsletter of Parker County Genealogical Society, it is written "P.16 #19, 6 Feb. 1875, Estate of T.J. Wampler, Dec'd. Albert M. Wampler, Adm. to submit destroyed papers and to amend motion." This estate document for Thomas Jefferson Wampler in Parker County lists his heirs. No gravestone has been found, but there is an old cemetery northwest of Weatherford called the Wampler Cemetery. I assume it is on their land, and both Nancy and Jefferson were probably buried there.
6th Generation
WILLIAM RAY WAMPLER AND MILLY JANE WAMPLER (cousins)
of Dallas and Parker Counties, TX
Per this marriage record, William Ray and Milly Jane Wampler were married in April 1850 in Dallas County, TX. They were cousins, he was the son of T. Jefferson Wampler and she was the daughter of F. Valentine Wampler. William Ray Wampler was about 18 when they arrived in Dallas County in 1847; she was about 13 in 1844 when she arrived with her father. William soon purchased a piece of land in the Peters Colony. On this map, it can be seen that his brother, Austin, also had land adjacent.
Like their parents, Wm. Ray and Milly soon moved to Parker County, TX near Weatherford. Wm. Ray enlisted in the CSA, 1863, Pvt., Capt. N. White's Co., McCord's Frontier Regt., Texas Mounted Volunteers, per this pay slip.
Wm. Ray died 11 Aug., 1903 (see his obituary) and death certificate. Milly died 3 Jan. 1916. Per her obituary, and death certificate, they must have been still living at or near the land purchased by his father, T. Jefferson. They had 12 children--two died young. This Proof of Heirs document shows the sale of the land and gives their descendants.
7th Generation
DAVID IRVIN WAMPLER AND SURFINA EMMALINE GRAGG
of Parker and Jack Counties, TX
My Great-Grandfather, David Irvin Wampler, son of Wm. Ray and Milly Wampler, married in Dec. 1875, Parker County to Surfina Emmaline Gragg, daughter of William Monroe Gragg and Nancy Jane (Holder) Gragg settlers from North Carolina. Her father had died about 1870, probably in Parker County. Read more about the William Gragg family here.
Irvin and Surfina, along with her mother, Nancy Gragg, moved north, across the county line into Jack County, TX before 1880 where they are found on the census. They lived near Joplin; the location is still called Wampler Hill by the locals. When I visited there in 1989, the house had recently been torn down by their grandson, Bill, but you could still see the wagon wheel tracks that came up near the house. The Jacksboro News, Vol XI, #34, Aug. 2, 1906 reported that Irwin (sic) Wampler was running for County Clerk on the People's Party Ticket. (No idea whether he won or not).
Irvin died in March, 1926; Surfina died in Nov., 1932, Knox Co., at the home of her son, Lee. They had 13 children; only 9 lived to adulthood. Their heirs are listed on this document.
8th Generation
My Grandmother, Cora Belle Wampler, born July, 1888, was the daughter of Irvin and Surfina (Gragg) Wampler. She married William Thomas Meador in Joplin, Jack County, TX in 1906. Read more about this family in the Meador Family Story.
Check out the graves of some of these people on my virtual "Meador Cemetery" with Meadors, Wamplers, Graggs, Stults, Curtis, Littons and others on www.findagrave.com
