CALLAHAN FAMILY HISTORY

It seems that our Callahan ancestors came to America from Ireland in the early 1730's. I believe they lived in Pennsylvania for several years but that is not proven. It appears that our early Callahan ancestors migrated on to North Carolina by the middle 1700's and then on to Georgia by the late 1700's.

UPDATE 10/3/2011

Latest information shows that James Hughes Callahan descended from John Callahan, who was born in Ireland about 1696.

(based on the research of T. McDonald and K.Whitehead)

Descendants of John Callahan

John Callahan was born in Ireland about 1696; married Elizabeth UNKNOWN, died between October 1766 - January 1767 in Rowan County, North Carolina.

Their son, Edward Callahan, was born about 1847 in Pennsylvania; married Mary (Polly) Nichols October 25, 1768 in Rowan County, North Carolina; died between 1820 - 1821 in Maury County, Tennessee.

Their son, James Callahan, was born December 24, 1776; around 1804 he married Mary Foley, born 1790

James Callahan was a carriage maker. He operated a successful business in Jackson County, Georgia, with some of the sons and possibly other relatives.

James Callahan died in 1852.

Children of James and Mary (Foley) Callahan:

Margaret Callahan b. November 29, 1805

John Callahan b. March 07, 1807

Nancy Callahan b. October 22, 1808

Edward Callahan b. 1810 (unproven)

William Callahan b. March 06, 1811

James Hughes Callahan b. September 10, 1814

Josiah T. Callahan b. September 06, 1816

Mary A. Callahan b. September 18, 1818

Elizabeth Ann Callahan b. January 25, 1821

Asbury H. Callahan b. April 25, 1823

Martha Caroline Callahan b. June 09, 1825

Amanda A. Callahan b. July 31, 1827

*Sanford W. Callahan b. January 12, 1830

*Wesley T. Callahan b. ca 1830 (unproven)

Sarah C. Callahan b. March 31, 1833

* Possible twin

Added to database August 25 2014: Edward Callahan & Wesley T. Callahan

James Hughes Callahan married Sarah Medissa Day March 25, 1843 in Gonzales County, Texas.

Children of James Hughes and Sarah (Day) Callahan:

Wesley Hughes Callahan b. about 1843

James Sanford Callahan b. July 5, 1844.

Josiah Ashbury Callahan b about 1847.

Armesida Catherine Callahan b. about 1849

Mahala Caroline Callahan b. about 1850

William Milford Callahan b. February 18, 1852

JAMES HUGHES CALLAHAN

I have not found a photograph of James Hughes Callahan. I made these sketches from my imagination and I believe he looked something like this when he was in his thirties. I believe he was a dare-devil of sorts and liked to live on the edge.

Based on what we know about the family, I believe this would be a physical description for James Hughes Callahan: He stood about 5 feet 10 inches tall and had a muscular build. His hair was light brown, with a reddish cast. He had deep set blue eyes, a prominent nose and rugged facial features. His complexion was ruddy - and probably had a leathery, wrinkled appearance from exposure to the wind and the hot Texas sun. Due to the hard life he lived he probably looked older than his actual age.

Men who knew him personally wrote that he was a friendly and fun loving man who got along well with the ladies. He was generally easy going but was known to have an explosive temper. Before he married, he enjoyed going to dances and other social gatherings and the ladies seemed to enjoy his company.

All in all, I believe he was a rather fierce looking man with a powerful personality and a folksy manner. He probably had little in common with the Hollywood actors we see portraying the Texans of that old west era in the movies. I don't think he was a "pretty boy". I believe he was probably more like the character Festus Hagen in "Gunsmoke" than he was John Wayne in "Rio Bravo". He was a hard man - the kind of man that other hard men of that time period followed and that says much for his character and reputation.

New book now available

Hero to many, Villain to some

James Hughes Callahan was my great great grandfather. He was born in Georgia in 1814 (some sources show his year of birth as 1812). He came to Texas in December of 1835, as a soldier in the Georgia Battalion. Official Texian military rosters list him as "3rd Sergeant, Mechanic". The Georgia Battalion was placed under the command of Colonel James Walker Fannin and formed into three companies. James Hughes Callahan served with the Third Company, commanded by Captain James C. Winn. The Georgians were thrown into service with inadequate training and poor provisioning, to try to stop a large force of well-equipped Mexican soldiers that had been dispatched by Mexico to put a stop to the Texian Revolution. It was a desperate period for the Texians. The Alamo was brutally overrun by the Mexicans on March 6, 1836. The remaining Texians were badly outnumbered and the situation appeared to be almost hopeless for them. Still, they fought on. They faced the Mexicans in a battle near Victoria on March 23, 1836. In that action, the Texians were routed and the Mexicans captured most of the men that survived. James Hughes Callahan was among those that were captured. A few days later, on March 27, 1836, more than three hundred of the unarmed Texians were killed by the Mexicans near Goliad. It is known in history as the Goliad Massacre. James Hughes Callahan survived the Goliad Massacre because he and several other Texians with carpentry and mechanical skills had been detailed by the Mexicans to work on building a boat or barge. He escaped from the Mexicans on April 6, 1836. The Battle of San Jacinto was fought on April 21, 1836. Against all odds, the ragtag Texians defeated the mighty Mexican Army at San Jacinto and the new Republic of Texas was officially born. James Hughes Callahan was honorably discharged from military service of June 6, 1836. He settled on several hundred acres of land he was given as a grant from the Republic near present day Seguin, Texas.

We do not know much about the family background of James Hughes Callahan or his early life in Georgia. He has been described in several works written by men who knew him personally as a skilled mechanic. There is evidence that he may have been part of a Callahan family in Georgia that operated a carriage and customized wagon manufacturing business, That has not been proven yet but it could explain how he learned these special skills. He apparently had more schooling and training than most men of those times. He was apparently trained to be a craftsman - not a soldier.

Back in those days - a man did not become a Captain in the Texas Rangers because he was well educated.

Captain Callahan was a hard man and he was a leader of other hard men. The men he rode with chose him to serve as their Captain because they admired his bravery and skills as a frontiersman and Indian Fighter. They trusted him and placed complete trust in him every time they went on patrol - to lead them into harm's way and bring them back out again. He was dedicated to eliminating the bandits and outlaws that preyed on the innocent law-abiding citizens that lived within the vast area in Texas that he had responsibility over. He was sometimes cruel and seemed to have no pity for the outlaws he condemned to death. It is known that many of them were Mexicans. His way of doing things was not always humane. In carrying out his duties, he committed acts that would be considered atrocities today. But we cannot measure him by the standards of our time.

"To arrive at a just estimate of a renowned man's character one must judge it by the standards of his time, not ours." ~Mark Twain, Personal Reflections of Joan of Arc".

I find evidence that James Hughes Callahan served as a Texas Ranger as early as 1838. By 1841, he was a Captain in command of his own Ranger Company with his headquarters in Sequin, Texas. I have not found a photograph of James Hughes Callahan or anything that describes his physical appearance. He has been described as "a modest but gallant man" and "a friendly and pleasant man with great courage". While he was obviously a man with a powerful personality and strong leadership qualities - I believe he was also hot tempered and sometimes acted impulsively.

I believe it is fair to assume that James Hughes Callahan was embittered by his experiences during the Texian Revolution and he developed a hatred for the Mexican people in general that would remain with him for the rest of his life. This is evidenced by his treatment of the Mexican bandits that were captured by his troops when he served as a Texas Ranger Captain, as written about later in several reliable historical works. James Hughes Callahan lived in a time when there were few courts, and a Texas Ranger Captain was empowered with the authority to be the judge, jury and executioner. James Hughes Callahan often decided the fate of the outlaws that were captured. Justice was usually swift, and most of the cases were resolved within a few days (if not hours) after the accused men were brought in. The sentence handed down by Captain Callahan for the Mexican bandits captured by his troopers was often death by firing squad, and he almost always participated in carrying out the sentences. We know James Hughes Callahan was also a farmer, rancher, storekeeper, land speculator, Indian fighter and adventurer. He married Sarah Medissa Day March 26, 1843 in Seguin, Texas. They had six children between 1843 and 1852 - two daughters and four sons. It seems that he lived a settled life for several years after his marriage. I have found no record of him participating in the Mexican War - although it is noted in several historical works by well known authors that frontier Texas Rangers were recruited to serve as civilian scouts for the U.S. military forces invading Mexico. It is hard to believe that James Hughes Callahan stayed home to mind the store while of all that was going on but that seems to be the case. His adventurous spirit took hold again by the late 1840's and he set out to explore the then uninhabited regions of the Texas Hill Country and southwest Texas. He served as Chief Scout to guide and escort a large cattle drive from west of San Antonio, Texas to Los Angeles, California in 1853 - 54. The cattle drive was financed and formed and by Michael Erskine, who also served as the Trail Boss. A published work. "The Diary of Michael Erskine", describes the cattle drive in fairly good detail and mentions some of the exploits of James Hughes Callahan during encounters with hostile Indians and bandits. If Captain Callahan disliked Mexicans in general, he must have admired some of them for their abilities as horsemen and scouts. The Erskine Diary indicates that he hand picked several Mexicans to serve on his team of scouts.

Captain Callahan's dislike of Mexicans may have influenced his decision to lead a force of Texas Rangers into Mexico in 1855, in pursuit of a band Lipan Indians and Mexican bandits that had raided settlers in the hill country of southwest Texas. Captain Callahan's force crossed into Mexico at Eagle Pass, Texas on October 1, 1855. It is known in history as "Callahan's Expedition". There are different versions of the story. Some hold that Captain Callahan's motive was to put a stop to the outlaw bands and Indians using Mexico as a "safe haven", so they could not continue to stage their murderous raids into Texas, with no apparent attempts to stop them made by the Mexican government. Some believe that Captain Callahan's real mission was to return several runaway Negro slaves, some of them his own property. Others believe that Captain Callahan's action was a plot by him and others to initiate a military invasion of Mexico, to obtain more land for Texas. In any case, Callahan's Expedition ended in failure on October 7, 1855. The Rangers were outnumbered and outgunned. They fought gallantly but were forced to retreat from Mexico under very desperate conditions. The village of Piedras Negras, Mexico was burned as a cover for their retreat. The incident was an embarrassment for the United States and created an international incident. Captain Callahan was relieved of his duties as a Texas Ranger shortly after that by the Governor of Texas, citing that he used poor judgement, although many Texans thought he did the right thing. Captain Callahan was very bitter about it and believed that the Governor of Texas had betrayed him because of pressure from Washington.

The old saying "he that lives by the sword will die by the sword" seems to fit here. James Hughes Callahan was killed by the Blasengame family in a gunfight on April 7, 1856. It is known that the Callahan's and Blasengame's were neighbors near present day Blanco, Texas. It is believed that Woodson Blasengame leased the land he built his cabin on from Callahan and the two families had lived on cordial terms for several years previous to the incident. Calvin Blasengame, a son of Woodson Blasengame, was a hired hand on Callahan's ranch. Another son, Luther Blasengame, served in the ranger service under Captain Callahan during the expedition into Mexico. We will probably never know what caused the feud that resulted in the shooting incident. Stories passed down indicate that Woodson Blasengame, the patriarch of the Blasengame clan, made some uncomplimentary remarks about Callahan's conduct during the Callahan Expedition into Mexico to some of the other men they both knew, and word of it got back to Callahan. It is understandable to assume that he was still very touchy about that incident. There is speculation that Blasengame made uncomplimentary comments about Callahan's long absences from home and neglecting his wife and family. At any rate, Callahan considered Blasengame's comments to be malicious slander and an affront to his personal honor. As the story goes, Callahan made angry threats against Woodson Blasengame to Calvin Blasengame, who relayed this back to his father. Still angry, Callahan then enlisted the help of three friends to call on Woodson Blasengame, to settle the affair - for once and for all. In my mind, I believe that Callahan and his party intended to harm Woodson Blasengame when they rode to his cabin that day. That was not to be. It is understandable to assume that the Blassengame's were scared out of their wits. Callahan called out for Woodson Blasengame to come outside. Without warning, Callahan and one of his companions were killed by a volley of gunfire that came from inside the Blasengame cabin. One of the other men in Callahan's party was badly wounded in the action. The two survivors in the party fled the scene, and the word was spread quickly about what had happened. It is probable that Woodson and Calvin Blasengame acted in self defense that day. They were understandably frightened and saw Callahan and his companions as a serious threat to them and the other family members in the cabin. Woodson and Calvin Blasengame were arrested soon afterwards and kept in custody in a make-shift jail in San Marcos, Texas. The general feeling of the people in the area was that the Blasengame's actions were cowardly. Most people believed they opened fire on Callahan and his party with no warning and without good cause, and that it was a clear case of cold-blooded murder. As a consequence, Woodson and Calvin Blasengame were removed from the jail and brutally murdered by a mob on the night of April 13, 1856, without the benefit of a fair hearing or a fair trial. Both of them were beaten and shot many times by their assailants. It is sad to note that Mrs. Blasengame, wife of Woodson Blasengame and mother of Calvin Blasengame, witnessed the brutal murders of her loved ones. No one was ever charged with a crime in regard to the murders of the Blasengames. It is interesting to note that the land Woodson Blasengame leased from James Hughes Callahan was later deeded over to Mrs. Blasengame by the estate of the deceased James Hughes Callahan and his wife, Sarah.

James Hughes Callahan was in his middle forties when he was killed. I have often wondered what would have happened if he had lived long enough to serve with the Confederates during the Civil War. Two of his sons served as Confederate cavalry troopers.

JAMES SANFORD CALLAHAN

James Sanford Callahan, photograph taken around 1890.

James Sanford Callahan was my great grandfather. He was born July 5, 1944 in Texas and died sometime after November of 1917. He married Sarah Elizabeth Neill January 23, 1866 in Caldwell County, Texas. They had eight children between 1866 and 1881 - six daughters and two sons. I found a record of James Sanford Callahan serving as a Texas Ranger on special assignment for a short period during the 1870's. His older brother, Wesley Hughes Callahan, died while in the ranger service in the early 1870's. By what I have read in old diaries, James Sanford Callahan made no mention of what really happened to his father. By one account, in a story told by his wife, he had always stated that his father was scalped and murdered by Indians. He was 8 or 9 years old when his parents died and it must have been very traumatic for him. His wife, Sarah Elizabeth, died in 1900 about a month after she was bitten by a poisonous snake in the Indian Territory. In 1910, James Sanford Callahan was living in the home of a son in Atoka, Oklahoma. After that he spent some time in Comanche County, Texas from 1912 to 1914. We know James Sanford Callahan was still alive in November of 1917, living in the home of a daughter in America, Oklahoma. We lose track of him after that. We do not have a record of his death and do not know where he is buried.

I believe James Sanford Callahan was a farmer, horse trainer and general laborer.

Military service: 1st Regiment, Texas Cavalry (McCulloch's) (1st Mounted Riflemen) Company D

Military service: Hardeman's Regiment, Texas Cavalry (31st Cavalry) (1st Regiment, Arizona Brigade) Company E

1870 US Census, Precinct No 3, Kendall County, Texas (Spring Branch PO), p. 124B, dwelling 19, family 24

1880 US Census, Beat 8, Stephens County, Texas, p. 500D, ED 172, SD 3, dwelling 238, family 238

1900 US Census, Town 2S R 8E, Atoka County, Indian Territory, p. 236A, ED 182, SD 73, dwelling 100, family 100

WILLIE KATHERINE CALLAHAN

Willie Katherine (Callahan) Phillips with daughter Lizzie, photograph taken about 1895. Little Lizzie was seriously retarded and lived under the care of her parents all of her life. Lizzie died in 1946.

Willie Katherine Callahan was my grandmother. She was born September 30, 1871 in Texas. She married John Wesley Phillips in 1889 in the Chickasaw Nation, Indian Territory. They had seven children between 1891 and 1903 - three daughters and four sons. From what I know about her, she was a very energetic and strong willed lady. The children had little formal schooling and several of them (my father included) later gave their mother credit for "teaching them how to read, write and cipher". Despite her small size, she ran the household with an iron hand and none of the children gave their mother any back-talk about doing their chores. She instilled a strong work ethic in all of them. When the sons grew up and took wives, "Katie" continued to be the iron fisted matriarch. When they visited the old folks on Sundays, there were always special chores Katie needed to have done, and she took full advantage of the extra help that was available from the sons wives. My mother told stories about the household always being a flurry of activity - this daughter-in-law would be tasked with churning butter, that one would be out back cooking up lye soap in a big cast iron pot over an open fire, another one would be doing some scrubbing of floors on hands and knees, and on and on. There was no sitting around "chewing the fat" on Sundays for the ladies in the Phillips household when Katie was around, even when she was an old woman. Willie Katherine (Callahan) Phillips lived a full life and died in 1950. She is buried in the White Point Cemetery in Comanche County, Texas alongside her husband and daughter, Lizzie.

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Robert E. Callahan [email protected]

My name is Robert Elwyn Callahan. My Great Grandfather was named Robert Price Callahan. He married Mary S. Holmes on 22 Dec 1844 in Tishomingo County, MS. Some of his family lived in Callahan County TX around 1900. My Great Grandmother, Mary S. Holmes Callahan, is buried in the cemetery about one mile west of the small community of Scranton, TX, southwest of Cisco TX. I have a photo of the gravestone of your James Hughes Callahan and know of his fame as a Texas Ranger. I do not know of any direct connection between our families. However, maybe in your research you can help with one question I have. Robert Price and Mary S. Callahan had seven children. They were Sarah, Frances A. P., Florence, Americus Alphonso, Amanda, William and Robert Steven. Robert Steven was my Grandfather and is buried at Childress, TX. We know about all those children except for William. William was born in 1854 in Upshur County, TX, but drops out of the picture at about 15 years of age. We do not know what happened to him. Our research has not uncovered any death certificate or notice. Would any information you have provide any help? Thanks. Robert E. "Bob" Callahan, San Antonio, Texas.

Robyn Newman-Jones [email protected]

My great grandfather was Albert Callaghan who was a civil engineer and ordnance surveyor. His son was also Albert, born in Pontyberon Carmarthenshire, South Wales. He was a widower when he married Elizabeth Grigg in Kingston Deverill, England. This is the only info I have about him, other than their daughters, one of which is my mother, Elsie Conroy. I am new to all of this and am keen to find some of the clan. I believe some of them may have emigrated to America as my grandparents did to Australia. My grandfather was a private in the 37th Battn. AIF.when they were married in 1918. Thanks, and best regards - Robyn Newman-Jones.

Louise Denston [email protected]

Would you happen to have information about a James Callahan married Roselinda Howell in GA? Possibly, Whitfield, Murray, Gordon Counties, somewhere around 1850 to 1854. Children: William Berry Callahan and James Thomas Callahan.James Thomas was born in 1867.

Bonnie Callahan [email protected]

My name is Bonnie Boggs, my maiden name is Callahan. I came across your web page and thought that I may have some information concerning your family, but I was wrong. My family tree started in this country around 1780. His name was Will Callahan and he settled in the Line Fork area in Letcher Co., Ky. at that time -it was later to become part of Virginia. If you come across any information regarding Will Callahan please contact me. Sorry I could not have been of help.

Carol Jo Bishop [email protected]

I am researching William D. CALLAHAN. He married Elizabeth EDWARDS, May 12,1866 in Dawson County, GA.

Kenneth Whitehead [email protected]

I was looking over your web site on the Callahan family and I noticed that your Callahan line came from Georgia. My wife was a Callahan and her family is from Georgia. As I looked over the given names of your Callahan family tree, I noticed several names that appear in my wife's family. I have noticed in my genealogical research how common it is for cousins to have the same names since they are often named for grandparents, and other relatives. Would you please review the following information on my wife's line and see if you can see where it ties in yours? Thanks, Ken Whitehead, Douglasville, GA William Callahan and his wife Harriet A. Oslin were both born in Georgia. He was born March 6,1811, she about 1817. On May 16, 1839, they married in LaGrange, Troup County, Georgia. They had at least nine children, all of whom were born in Alabama (most likely in Chambers County). William was a carriage maker, but in January of 1860 he died of fever after five days' sickness. Then Harriet, with the help of her older children, supported the family working as a seamstress in LaFayette, the county seat of Chambers County. It is apparent from her children's occupations that she insisted that they get a good education. At the time of 1880 census she was living with her daughter and son-in-law, Ella and J. H. Murphy in LaFayette. William's parents are unknown to this writer, but there were other Callahans in Chambers County. Most likely they were related to William. One Callahan researcher referred to William's father, as "James Callahan, late of Jackson County, Georgia". There was a 30-year-old carriage maker by the name of Wesley Callahan on the 1860 census for Chambers County. Wesley and his family lived in LaFayette, three dwellings from William's widow. In 1850 Wesley had been living in Jackson County, Georgia, in the household of 73 year old James Callahan, a farmer born in North Carolina. The 1860 Jackson County, Georgia, census also shows a 53-year-old wagon maker named John Calahan (spelling on census). If you assume that Wesley Callahan was living on his father's farm in 1850 and that he moved to the same section of LaFayette to work at the same trade as William Callahan it seems logical to also assume that they were related! It was custom of the time to name the first son after the wife's father and the second son after the father's father. William and Harriet may have reversed the order since their first son was James and their second son was William. It seems possible that the family tree for the Jackson County farmer was as follows: James Callahan, farmer, born about 1777 in North Carolina (living in Jackson County in 1850). His children: - son John Callahan, wagon maker, born about 1807, living in Jackson County in 1860. - son William, a carriage maker, born in 1811, in Georgia (moved to Chambers County, Alabama, about 1839-40). - son Wesley, a carriage maker, born about 1830, living in 1850 in Jackson County, 1860 in Chambers County. It's too early to state this is fact but it presents some ideas for investigation! Harriet A. Oslin Callahan's father was William Watters Oslin, also a carriage maker, who was born September 11, 1795. Alexander Nunn's book Lee County and Her Forebears (Lee County, Alabama) shows he was born in Virginia, but both the 1850 and 1860 censuses showed he was born in South Carolina. In 1836 William and his wife Mary Stephens were members of Oak Bowery Methodist Church. The Oslin family has been traced back to John Osling, who was born February 20, 1662/63 in Cowbit Parish, England and died October 14, 1710, in New Kent, Virginia. The nine known children of Harriet A. Oslin and William Callahan were as follows: 1. James Hughes Callahan was born May 29, 1840. In 1860 James was a clerk in Chambers County. He served in Company A, 1st Alabama Cavalry during the Civil War. He married Mary Edna Rush on August 3, 1865 in Harris County, Georgia. He died on October 29, 1915. Mary was born September 23, 1844 and died November 16, 1918. She is buried next to James at the New Hope Methodist Church in Harris County, Georgia. 2. William Boran Callahan was born March 2, 1843 in LaFayette. Records indicate he went by the name "W.B.". He was a printer in Chambers County at the time of the 1860 census. On March 6, 1862, in LaFayette, he joined Company I, 37th Alabama Infantry, CSA, for "3 years or the war". W. B. was captured at the fall of Vicksburg on July 4, 1863. He was paroled six days later. His unit was exchanged and he continued to serve with the 37th . Later in the war he was transferred to the medical department. After the war he took the oath of loyalty to the Union in Chambers County. He married Janie Elizabeth Giddens September 7, 1869 in Lee County, Alabama, but they lived in Chambers County. Janie was born June 1, 1846 in Lee County. After the war he worked at The Enquirer-Sun in Montgomery, Alabama and later was editor and proprietor of the Opelika Observer. Late in the century, he published the newspapers The West Point Shield and The West Point Press, in West Point, Georgia, which is across the Chattoochee River from Chambers County. In 1890 W.B. and his family moved to East Point, Fulton County, Georgia. He owned The Manchester Press (later Manchester, Georgia, changed it's name to College Park) and was listed as a newspaper editor at the time of the 1900 Federal census, living in East Point. Janie died in East Point on December 5, 1910, and W.B. died there on July 11, 1911. They are buried in the Hillcrest Cemetery, on Stanton Road, in East Point. They had five children: I. Mary Jimmie Callahan (July 17, 1870-December 9, 1896), who married Calhoun H. Austin. II. William Thomas Callahan Sr. (1873-1953), a printer, who married Annie Dodge. Their children included John H., Lillie, William T. Jr., Annie Bell, A. Dodge, Jim A., Mary, Ella, Mamie, George, and Helen. III. Hattie V. Callahan (1876-after 1900), a teacher, who married Sam W. Ramsey. Their children included Elizabeth, Sam W. Jr., and Virginia. IV. Dr. Render Blanchard Callahan Sr. (July 1879-March 1932), a dentist and city alderman, who married Claudia Lavonia Schell. Their children were Render Jr., Janie, Sara Elizabeth, Francis, William Boran, Harold Quigg, and Sidney Claude. (W.B.'s son, Wylie B. Callahan owns and operates East Point Hardware in downtown East Point), MY WIFE IS A SISTER OF WYLIE CALLAHAN!!!!!!! V. Eleanor Giddens Callahan (June 1882-1973), who married Henry S. Reese. Their daughter is Jane. 3. Andrew J. Callahan was born about 1844. On March 6, 1862, he enlisted with his brother William in Company I, 37th Alabama Infantry. He was listed as a drummer. Like his brother, he was captured at the fall of Vicksburg and was also paroled six days later. At Vicksburg, he served as a nurse and a courier at Hospital #2. His assignment to the hospital may have been an effort to keep him out of battle by his uncle, Dr. John Oslin, who was the regimental surgeon of the 37th Alabama. Dr. Oslin had also joined the 37th in March 1862 in LaFayette. After the war Dr. Oslin moved to West Point, Georgia, then to Columbus and then to Gainesville, where he died in 1906. After the Vicksburg prisoner exchange, Andrew returned to the army and on January 30, 1864 was elected lieutenant in Company F, 25th Alabama Regiment. He fought against Sherman's army in north Georgia and was wounded near Griffin, Georgia. A member of the hospital staff wrote his family that he was recovering, but then he took a turn for the worse and died August 5, 1864. He was buried at Griffin "at the soldiers graveyard in his best suit...in a pine coffin". His grave is in the Stonewall Confederate Cemetery, on Memorial Drive, Griffin, Georgia. 4. Mary E. Callahan was born about 1846. In 1870 she was a schoolteacher. Later she married Abel Lewis Robinson, II, of Chambers County. Able was born about 1840 and died in March 1917. 5. Patrick Henry Callahan was born about 1848. In 1870 Patrick was a dentist, living in Chambers County. 6. John Callahan was born about 1851. 7. Sara Callahan was born about 1853. 8. Simon Oslin Callahan was born July 3, 1856. Simon was named after his mother's brother, Simon S. Oslin, a chaplain in the Confederate Army. Simon Callahan moved to Jacksborough (later Jacksboro), Texas, in 1878. On May 4, 1880, he married to Minnie Specht, a member of one of the many families of German decent that populated the Lone Star State. She was born April 25, 1862 and died August 18, 1936. Simon was listed as a charter member of the Godfrey Commandery No. 37, Knights Templar in Jack County, Texas. He was in the sheet metal and plumbing business for over half a century. The people of Jacksboro knew him as "Chief" because he was the chief of the local volunteer fire department for 57 years, beginning in 1882. Besides his interests in the volunteer fire department and the Knights Templar, he was a member of the Jacksboro Coronet Band, in which he played the bass drum. Late in the century, The LaFayette Sun reported him visiting his sister, Ella Murphy, in LaFayette. Since the article made no mention or his mother, it is assumed that she had passed away. Simon died September 7, 1942. He and Minnie are buried in the Oakwood Cemetery in Jacksboro, Texas. Simon and Minnie had five daughters and one son, as follows: I. - Pear, who married Charley Stewart, II. - Minnie, who married a Mr. Simpson, III. - Ellie Mae, who married J. B. McMahan, IV. - Lillian, who married F. A. Farmere, V. - Mr. S.O. Callahan, Jr. (S.O.C. III currently lives in Amarillo, Texas. S.O.C. IV runs the company that S.O.C. III owned until his retirement. S.O.C. V currently works for the business). 9. Ella Callahan was born about 1857. She married Mr. J. H. Murphy. Mr. Murphy was a dry goods merchant in Chambers County.

Gitta (Callahan) Anderson [email protected]

I want to thank you for the web site you have. Because of it other family members have signed your guest book and listed the lineage which helped me find my family that I have researched for 35 years. Even though there doesn't seem to be a connection between James Hughes Callahan and my Callahan line, the picture of my father shows a strong resemblance between the two. Take care and I hope that more people are able to make the connections that I made.

P. K. Murphy [email protected]

Greetings from Canada and many thanks for the Callahan Registry! I am researching kin to the Ella L.Callahan and her husband Jeremiah H.Murphy, mentioned in Mr. Whitehead's posting. Ella L. Callahan and Jeremiah H Murphy are my great-grandparents and til early May 2002 had been untraceable, largely because Ella was known to subsequent generations of Murphys only as Mammie and because Texas - indeed the South of the time - abounded with Jere Murphys, many of whom were unrelated. Ella L. appears as Lizzie on the Fayette Co., Texas, Federal census for 1900, and Jeremiah H appears only as Jere. By then he was a dentist. The family later to moved to Temple, Bell Co., Texas, where he had dental office. Most of their descendents remain in Texas In 1880, while Ella L. and Jeremiah were still in Chambers Co., Alabama, Ella L's a five-year-old niece (Lucia Sharp) and Ella L.'s 62-year-old mother (HA Callohan) lived with them. Ella L's children are Maude Murphy, born 4 November 1880 in Alabama, died 15 August 1966 in Temple, Bell Co., Texas; Averlene Murphy, born October 1883 in Alabama, died 1958 in Temple, Bell Co., Texas; and Jere W. Murphy, born December 1987 in Texas, died 11 April 1952, either in Temple or in San Antonio, Texas. Maude Murphy worked for the city manager of the City ofTemple for 35 years, Averlene Murphy was a public stenographer, with an office in a hotel in Temple, and Jere W. Murphy became a dentist, practicingin McGregor, Waco, and Temple. He also served as a dentist at Ft. Hood, but as a civilian employee. In his later years, he lived in San Antonio, Texas. Ella L. Callahan, her husband, her children, and her sister-in-law (Eva Faires Murphy, nee Routh) are buried in Temple. But I have yet to locate the cemetery. Best regards, P.K. Murphy, Toronto, Ontario, Canada - great-granddaughter of Ella L. Callahan and Jeremiah H Murphy.

Elsie [email protected]

I have a mystery I am trying to solve, I had a uncle by marriage who I thought was named Charles Miller, but after he and my aunt died, my cousin, their son told me that he was really a man named David Ross Callahan, who was born in 1890 -he often told the story that he was once a jockey and that he got thrown from a horse and had a steel plate in his head, my cousin told me that he had killed a man when he was young and changed his name and ran away, he did fight in ww1 under the name Charles Miller or so I am told, would l ike to find out more about him, if anyone sees this has info please do drop me a line ,,, thank you
http://community.webtv.net/william736/Spooks

Cathy Hudson [email protected]

I am Cathy and my mother Jean Callahan Hudson is from Ky. I am researching Callahan, Spurlock, Day, Maggard, Lewis, Sizemore, Ingle, Boggs, and Shepherd. I am searching in Ky, Va, WVa, NC, SC and Tx. look forward to exchanging information.

Karen Luke [email protected]

My name is Karen Callahan Luke.... I'm the daughter of Bill Murray Callahan of Sallisaw, Ok... my grandfather was Benjamin Paten (Paden) Callahan.... my great grandfather was Greenberry (Green) Callahan (Calihan) who was married to Martha Thomas in 29 Oct 1882... we have long had family lore of a missing brother who settled in Texas... makes ya wonder. Green had 9 siblings... Sarah, Elizabeth, James, Jonathan, Arte, John, Mary, Nancy, and Drury.... Green's father was Drury I,... he had 2 brothers William Callahan Jr. and John H. Does any of this sound familar.... I'm really just a beginner at this... but my family lives long.... my dad is the baby at 75... all brothers and sisters lived until just 5 years ago and now we've lost 6. Makes our history much more precious when those who have always known the oral history begin to leave us.... and maybe we are just realizing that we didn't listen as well as we should have.... Thanks for listening to the rambling...

Rowena Combs [email protected]

I am a descendant of Jacob Callahan, Social Circle, Walton County, GA, b. Feb. 10, 1788 in GA, died before Feb. 2, 1864, Walton Co, GA. Married Jane T. (Jenny) Anderson, Dec. 11, 1817 in Putnam Co, GA. They had 6 children, William Anderson Callahan, b. abt. 1819, Jacob Josephus Callahan, b. Mar. 17, 1827, John Lewis Callahan, b. abt. 1830, Jane Caroline Callahan, b. 7-26-1832, Martha Susan Callahan (my gg-g'mother) b. Apr. 16, 1836 and Benjamin Franklin Callahan, b. abt 1840

Elsie Retzer mailto:[email protected]%3E

My Email has changed since last I wrote you, but I still don't have any info on my David Ross Callahan. He lived most of his life as Charles E. Miller ( Shorty). He was a very short man. His son told me in his younger life he killed a man and then changed his name. He went in the service in WWI
as Charles Miller.
Elsie Retzer