The Bailey - Pate Family (an old Chasing Our Tales column)
I found an old query that I hadn’t researched, and I thought I would endeavor to do so. However, there was so little information in the query, that I am stuck more questions than answers. Here’s the query: “Hello, I am doing research on the Bailey Clan descendants of William M Bailey, and Mary Ann Barnett. My question, do you have any information on William M. Bailey's history prior to Mary Ann Barnett.? june bailey”
Since I don’t recall who June Bailey is, and I don’t have a clue where these people were supposed to live, and I know there are lots of people with the Bailey name, I am going to try to do research using Palo Pinto County as a basis, and go from there.
However, I would like to add here that when you are asking someone to search for you, please give them as much information as possible. The more you know about places and dates of births, marriages, and deaths, the more you will help your researcher to find your ancestors!
I did find information about a William M. Bailey here. He was the son of Francis M. Bailey and his wife Margrett. He was born about 1866 in Mississippi, but by the time he was 14, on the 1880 federal census, he and his family are found on the Palo Pinto County census. I later discovered they had come by way of Fannin County, Texas.
The siblings the census listed for William are George, age 11; Clark, age 7; Eli, age 5, and John Pink, age 1. Looks like the Bailey family were raising some strong sons to help with the farm, as they are listed as being farmers.
Upon further examination, I discovered that William’s mother may have been Sarah Margarete Sanders, born about 1843, in Mississippi. She was married to Francis Marion Bailey who was born on October 19, 1840, in Marion County, Alabama. The death certificate for Francis tells us even more.
Francis was 96 when he died on March 2, 1937, in Oran, Texas, and he is buried there. He was a widower. He was the son of Wiley Bailey who was born in Georgia. His mother was unknown. The information was provided by his youngest son, John Pink Bailey of Graford, Texas. The undertaker for this funeral was E. L. Lee of Graford. It appears he died of senility, something that I believe may no longer be put on a death certificate.
Doing more research I found Sarah Margarete/Margaret/Margarett’s death certificate. But although she was born in Mississippi, it was really on May 2, 1844, and her children did not know who her parents were when the death certificate was filled in. (How sad.) She also died in Oran at the age of 90 on February 23, 1935. She died of old age, another no-no in today’s politically correct age! Her son, John Pink, was also the one who gave information on her death certificate.
The only further information I found on William M. Bailey was his birth and death dates - April 1, 1865 - June 10, 1890, so he did not outlive his parents. He was twenty-five when he died. I have no idea where Mary Barnett came into the picture, and so far as I can tell he was no buried in Oran.
Now, for some extremely interesting information. Francis Marion, known as Frank, was the last surviving Texas veteran of the Battle of Bull Run. A clipping of his obituary from the Mineral Wells Star states:
“Frank M. Bailey, 97, last known Texas survivor of the Confederate Army at the first battle of Bull Run, and the last member of Stonewall Jackson post United Confederate Veterans, died Tuesday at his home in Oran.
“Bailey participated in most of the early engagements of the Civil War but received a wound at White Oak Swamp which lamed him for life. He was on guard duty at General Robert E. Lee’s headquarters at the beginning of the seven-day battle around Richmond and saw General Lee and President Davis go up in an observation balloon to inspect the military situation.
“A native of Alabama, he came to Palo Pinto County in 1874. He was a building contractor and funeral services Wednesday were held at the Oran Baptist Church, which he built. He is survived by two sons, George F. Bailey and J. Pink Bailey of Graford.”
To take the Bailey family into the next generation, since I can find nothing more about William, let’s talk about John Pink Bailey. He was born September 27, 1878, in Honey Grove, Fannin County, Texas. His mother’s last name was White, not Sanders, at least on his death certificate, and on his death certificate her name is spelled Margaret. He died on June 14, 1965, in Mineral Wells. At the time he was living in the Crazy Water Hotel. He was listed as a farmer and rancher, and at one time the had been he tax collector and accessor in Graford. He was buried from the Baum - Carlock - Bumgardner Funeral Home. He had been widowed when he died and was 86 at his death. His sons, Rich Lawrence Bailey, Herbert Bailey, and August Embre, are also buried in the Oran Cemetery. Their other children were Mary Nell Clinton and Frank Harris Bailey.
John was married to Mary Howard Pate Bailey. She was the daughter of Roy Howard Pate and Florence Low Pate. She died on October 11, 1960, at Nazareth Hospital in Mineral Wells. She was born on February 17, 1881, in Tennessee. She was a housewife, and she died of heart problems.
The Mineral Wells Star printed the following concerning John Pink and Mary Howard’s wedding:
“At the residence of the bride’s parents Mr. and Mrs. R. H. Pate on the evening of the 15th January 1902, Mr. Pink Bailey and Miss Mary Pate were married, Rev. George W. Lewis of Millsap officiating. The bride, one of Orans most beautiful young ladies, wore a pearl gray silk trimmed in white with the brides veil and a wreath of orange blossoms, while the groom, one of our most prominent young men, was dressed in a suit of black. They received several nice presents from their many friends who predict for them a bright future and wish them much happiness through life. There was the largest crowd present that we have seen at a wedding in a long time. Besides the community, there were present Misses Nora and Estelle Longino of Jacksboro; Jno. Meeks and sister, Katie, and Miss Katie Woldridge of Whitt; Misses Mary Lasater, Sarah Davidson, and Ura Hall of Weatherford. After congratulations all were invited out to supper where was found a table loaded down with every thing good to eat. On the next day the bridal party went to the residence of F. M. Bailey, the father of the groom, where quite a number of friends had been invited to partake of one of the best dinners that it has been our privilege to enjoy for a long time.”
If you have more information on the Bailey family, especially what happened to William M. and Mary Barnett Bailey, please contact me through email, sue_seibert@att.net.
Since I don’t recall who June Bailey is, and I don’t have a clue where these people were supposed to live, and I know there are lots of people with the Bailey name, I am going to try to do research using Palo Pinto County as a basis, and go from there.
However, I would like to add here that when you are asking someone to search for you, please give them as much information as possible. The more you know about places and dates of births, marriages, and deaths, the more you will help your researcher to find your ancestors!
I did find information about a William M. Bailey here. He was the son of Francis M. Bailey and his wife Margrett. He was born about 1866 in Mississippi, but by the time he was 14, on the 1880 federal census, he and his family are found on the Palo Pinto County census. I later discovered they had come by way of Fannin County, Texas.
The siblings the census listed for William are George, age 11; Clark, age 7; Eli, age 5, and John Pink, age 1. Looks like the Bailey family were raising some strong sons to help with the farm, as they are listed as being farmers.
Upon further examination, I discovered that William’s mother may have been Sarah Margarete Sanders, born about 1843, in Mississippi. She was married to Francis Marion Bailey who was born on October 19, 1840, in Marion County, Alabama. The death certificate for Francis tells us even more.
Francis was 96 when he died on March 2, 1937, in Oran, Texas, and he is buried there. He was a widower. He was the son of Wiley Bailey who was born in Georgia. His mother was unknown. The information was provided by his youngest son, John Pink Bailey of Graford, Texas. The undertaker for this funeral was E. L. Lee of Graford. It appears he died of senility, something that I believe may no longer be put on a death certificate.
Doing more research I found Sarah Margarete/Margaret/Margarett’s death certificate. But although she was born in Mississippi, it was really on May 2, 1844, and her children did not know who her parents were when the death certificate was filled in. (How sad.) She also died in Oran at the age of 90 on February 23, 1935. She died of old age, another no-no in today’s politically correct age! Her son, John Pink, was also the one who gave information on her death certificate.
The only further information I found on William M. Bailey was his birth and death dates - April 1, 1865 - June 10, 1890, so he did not outlive his parents. He was twenty-five when he died. I have no idea where Mary Barnett came into the picture, and so far as I can tell he was no buried in Oran.
Now, for some extremely interesting information. Francis Marion, known as Frank, was the last surviving Texas veteran of the Battle of Bull Run. A clipping of his obituary from the Mineral Wells Star states:
“Frank M. Bailey, 97, last known Texas survivor of the Confederate Army at the first battle of Bull Run, and the last member of Stonewall Jackson post United Confederate Veterans, died Tuesday at his home in Oran.
“Bailey participated in most of the early engagements of the Civil War but received a wound at White Oak Swamp which lamed him for life. He was on guard duty at General Robert E. Lee’s headquarters at the beginning of the seven-day battle around Richmond and saw General Lee and President Davis go up in an observation balloon to inspect the military situation.
“A native of Alabama, he came to Palo Pinto County in 1874. He was a building contractor and funeral services Wednesday were held at the Oran Baptist Church, which he built. He is survived by two sons, George F. Bailey and J. Pink Bailey of Graford.”
To take the Bailey family into the next generation, since I can find nothing more about William, let’s talk about John Pink Bailey. He was born September 27, 1878, in Honey Grove, Fannin County, Texas. His mother’s last name was White, not Sanders, at least on his death certificate, and on his death certificate her name is spelled Margaret. He died on June 14, 1965, in Mineral Wells. At the time he was living in the Crazy Water Hotel. He was listed as a farmer and rancher, and at one time the had been he tax collector and accessor in Graford. He was buried from the Baum - Carlock - Bumgardner Funeral Home. He had been widowed when he died and was 86 at his death. His sons, Rich Lawrence Bailey, Herbert Bailey, and August Embre, are also buried in the Oran Cemetery. Their other children were Mary Nell Clinton and Frank Harris Bailey.
John was married to Mary Howard Pate Bailey. She was the daughter of Roy Howard Pate and Florence Low Pate. She died on October 11, 1960, at Nazareth Hospital in Mineral Wells. She was born on February 17, 1881, in Tennessee. She was a housewife, and she died of heart problems.
The Mineral Wells Star printed the following concerning John Pink and Mary Howard’s wedding:
“At the residence of the bride’s parents Mr. and Mrs. R. H. Pate on the evening of the 15th January 1902, Mr. Pink Bailey and Miss Mary Pate were married, Rev. George W. Lewis of Millsap officiating. The bride, one of Orans most beautiful young ladies, wore a pearl gray silk trimmed in white with the brides veil and a wreath of orange blossoms, while the groom, one of our most prominent young men, was dressed in a suit of black. They received several nice presents from their many friends who predict for them a bright future and wish them much happiness through life. There was the largest crowd present that we have seen at a wedding in a long time. Besides the community, there were present Misses Nora and Estelle Longino of Jacksboro; Jno. Meeks and sister, Katie, and Miss Katie Woldridge of Whitt; Misses Mary Lasater, Sarah Davidson, and Ura Hall of Weatherford. After congratulations all were invited out to supper where was found a table loaded down with every thing good to eat. On the next day the bridal party went to the residence of F. M. Bailey, the father of the groom, where quite a number of friends had been invited to partake of one of the best dinners that it has been our privilege to enjoy for a long time.”
If you have more information on the Bailey family, especially what happened to William M. and Mary Barnett Bailey, please contact me through email, sue_seibert@att.net.
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