JOHN AND ROSANNA (MASON) STULTS
OF INDIANA and TEXAS
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John Stults was born about 1803 in North Carolina. My information about this family is not complete--I need to do more research, but, I believe John married 1st on 14 Dec. 1828 in Lawrence Co., IN to Frances Fish and had at least one son, Adam, from this marriage. He married again 16 Apr. 1835 to Rosanna (Rodey) Mason. (Rodey is a known nickname for Rosanna.) Rosanna was born 8 Jan. 1812 in KY. John and Rosanna had 8 children. These are the known children of John Stults from both marriages:
- Adam (23 Dec 1832 IN - 14 Feb 1908 Roger Mills Co., OK) married 1st to Sarah Datson/Dodson or Sarah Frances Sullivan and married 2nd to Mary J. Edwards. There is some conflicting information about Adam's age. Some records indicate about 1840, while others show 1832. To me, those which indicate 1832 are the most recent and most compelling. Those records are his gravestone which has Dec. 23, 1832; the 1880 Jack County, TX census where he is shown as age 47; and the 1900 Custer Co., OK census record which clearly states his birth year as 1831 (and his brother, Martin is living with him, showing this is the same family).
However, in the 1840 census of Greene Co., IN, John Stults is shown with one son under 5 years old. And, the 1850 (Rusk Co., TX) census for the John Stults' family place his birth at about 1840 (or might that be age 16 instead of 10?). There is an 1870 Parker Co., TX census record for A. Stults (30, IA) and wife Sarah F., presumably his first wife and son John.
In addition to this, there are confederate records of 1863 showing that Adam Stults, age 22, enlisted in 1862 in the same unit, on the same date and place as George W. Stults, his supposed brother (Co. B, Griffin's 21st Regt., 3/21/1862, Parker Co., TX). Is it remotely possible that there were two Adams in this family? Or, did Adam begin presenting himself as 8 years older after the Civil War--why would he? My belief that John Stults was married previously is partially based on Adam's birth being 1832--but clearly this is up for debate.
The confederate records mentioned also show that Adam deserted in Dec. 1863, was court martialed and sentenced in June 1864, and was serving a term of 6 months hard labor with a 32 lb. ball and chain in Galveston, TX!
- Eliza (Lydia?) Jane (Jan 1836 IN - 9 Mar 1920 Cleveland Co., OK), married 1st to James Sewell and married 2nd to Wm. R. Benge
- Sarah A. (below),
- Elizabeth (ca. 1841 - unk), married Thomas Snowden
- George Washington (June 1842 IN - 12 Aug. 1930 Stephens Co., OK), married 1st to Mary Phillips and married 2nd to Martha Middleton
- Rebecca (ca. 1844 IN - ca. 1865, Parker Co., TX), married George Washington Sullivan/Sillivent
- Nancy A. (18 Jan 1847 IN - 29 Jul 1928 Stephens Co., OK), married Harrison Perry Sullivan
- Albert Martin (7 Jun 1850 Rusk Co., TX - 19 Jun 1926 Stephens Co., OK), married 1st Louisa Plumley; 2nd Arvie Sadler
- Catherine (8 Oct 1853 Smith Co., TX - 2 Apr. 1938 Stephens Co., OK), married 1st Henry Clay Sullivan; married 2nd Warren Miller Burton. This Bio tells about Catherine's life.
These 3 Sullivan men who married the Stults daughters were brothers, sons of William and Hariet C. Sullivan of Parker Co., TX.
John and Rosanna arrived in Texas (Smith Co.) before 1850. Living near them in the 1850 census (Rusk Co.) was Sarah Mason, who may be Rosanna's mother. Tax lists in neither Smith nor Rusk County show them living there in any year--even 1850, so it is unclear where they may have been living from 1851 to 1858 when they appeared in Parker County, TX tax lists. John was a registered voter in 1867 and an abstract showed he had lived in the state for 26 years and in the precinct for 12 years (the same abstract showed his son, Adam, had lived in the state 20 years, so the 26 could be a transcription error).
John purchased land in Parker County per this deed which I can't actually read! Hopefully you can get a better copy. This map shows the area of Parker County where John's land was located.
According to theProof of Heirs document John died after the war (est. about 1867) in Parker County, probably on the property mentioned above which is near Peaster (north of Weatherford). He may have been buried in the Rock Springs Cem., but no stone has been found. Some researchers show he is buried SW of Weatherford, near Anita, TX, but I have been told by a reliable source that a different John H. Stults lived and died in that area of Parker Co.
Rosanna sold the land and moved to Jack County, TX with her children after John's death. She died 24 Sept. 1887 "of dropsey" and is buried in Gibtown (Jack) TX. Most of their children moved to Oklahoma during the drought beginning in the 1880's.
A large number of researchers are reporting the parents of John Stults to be Philip Stulz and Catherine Ketner. Also, some researchers are reporting the father of Rosanna Mason to be George Mason. (According to Mary Lois Graham-Jones, family tradition gives his name as Martin). To date, my preliminary research shows her father's name may be John Martin Mason. I am reserving judgment on both of these issues until I can do more research.
The Stults descendants in Oklahoma that I have met are adamant that the name should be spelled with an 's' not 'z', so I have adhered to that standard although I have found instances where the other spelling was used in records.
SARAH A. STULTS AND REASON MOBLEY MEADOR
OF JACK COUNTY, TX
You can read more about this family in the 
