Isham Godwin

Isham Godwin was born about 1846 in North Carolina. He first appears on the 1850 Sampson county, North Carolina census living with his parents, William and Mary Godwin, sisters Matilda and Oliph, and a brother, Ransom Godwin. About 1855, the family moved to Arkansas and they appear on the 1860 Randolph county census living in Demun Township. It is said that Isham Godwin left the family and went to Texas at age 17 (approx. 1863) and returned to Arkansas about 1872. It was here that Isham Godwin homesteaded 160 acres of land:

Homestead Application #8532 dated 22 Oct. 1872, at the land office at Dardanelle.

The East Half of the Southwest Quarter and the North Half of the Southeast Quarter of Section 14, Township 6 North, Range 26 West.

Land records show that he paid $10.00 at the time of filing and that he was living in Sarber county. When the railroad came through the area, it took a vast amount of property from homesteaders. There is no patent record shown for Isham. The entry was canceled and Isham relinquished the property to the railroad on 3 December 1874.

Isham was very ill when he returned to Arkansas and died in January of 1879. He is listed on the 1880 Logan County Mortality Records. Family sources tell me that he is buried in the Ellington, Carolan or Lone Star cemeteries. However, no grave stone has been found. I do not believe Isham Godwin ever married.