Virginia Holman Gaffney

Notes:

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/KS8T-RWT
name: Virginia Holman Gaffney
titles & terms:
event: Death
event date: 22 Nov 1978
event place: Houston, Harris, Texas, United States
gender: Female
age: 74
estimated birth year: 1904
birth date 1 aug 1904, Terrell Texas
Occupation Teacher Education
father: E W Gaffney
father's titles & terms:
mother: Amanda Holman Roberts
cemetery Forest Park Lawndale Houston
mother's titles & terms:
informant Betsy Ballard
certificate number: 93988
digital folder number: 004991359
image number: 00535
Collection: Virginia Holman Gaffney, "Texas, Deaths, 1977-1986"

Notes:

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/K3ZQ-WXJ
name: Eli William Gaffney
event: Death
event date: 22 Jan 1952
event place: Houston, Harris, Texas, United States
gender: Male
marital status: Widowed
birth date: 10 Oct 1866
birthplace: Clarksville, Texas
father's name: William Gaffney
mother's name: Mary Bolling
certificate number: 2095
film number: 2074928
digital folder number: 005145641
image number: 02201
Collection: Eli William Gaffney, "Texas, Deaths (New Index, New Images), 1890-1976"

Jeff, on his "Fowler Family" tree at RootsWeb's WorldConnect, wrote that "Ely was an indian scout in Texas. Lived in Missouri with indians around Oklahoma area "territory"
These are two different stories to be checked out Married to Amanda H. Roberts and have photos of both. Had 4 children - Winifred, Felicia, Virgina, Bryley. Cartwright tree adds one child, Anna Mae that was born and died in 1892."

(Research):
Census Listings:

1910 Census
Texas, El Paso County, El Paso
Enumerated 21 and 22 Apr 1910
SD 16 ED 74 Sheet 12B
North Oregon Street
1116-187-232
Gaffney, Ely W Head M W 43 m1 19 Tx NC Tx Adjuster Insurance Company
Gaffney, Amanda Wf F W 39 m1 19 4/4 Tx Tx Tx
Gaffney, Bryarle Son M W 16 S Tx Tx Tx
Gaffney, Winnifred Dtr F W 13 S Tx Tx Tx
Gaffney, Felice Dtr F W 10 Tx Tx Tx
Gaffney, Virginia Dtr F W 6 Tx Tx Tx

Eli married Amanda "Manda" Holman Roberts on 7 Jan 1891 in Terrell, Kaufman County, Texas. Amanda (daughter of Benjamin Thomas Roberts and Anna Wigglesworth Cartwright) was born on 17 Jan 1871 in San Augustine County, Texas; died on 2 Dec 1949 in Houston, Harris County, Texas; was buried in Forest Park (Forest Park Lawndale) Cemetery, Houston, Harris County, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

In 1886, the five female cousins, Columbus's Mary, age fourteen; Meck's Annie, fifteen; and the three Amanda's (Lon's, Anna's and Mary's) all fifteen, spent a year at Atheanaeum in Columbia, Tennessee. Jimmie Ingram and Lon visited the girls at Christmas and posed for a photograph. The importance the Cartwrights placed on good education continued as each child reached the proper age. (Henson and Parmelee, p. 297).

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/K3SQ-GDZ
name: Amanda Holman Gaffney
event: Death
event date: 02 Dec 1949
event place: Houston, Harris, Texas, United States
gender: Female
marital status: Divorced
birth date: 27 Jan 1871
birthplace: San Augustine, Texas
father's name: Ben Roberts
mother's name: Annie A Wright (sic)
informant W B Gaffney
Cemetery Forest Park Cemetery Houston
certificate number: 59218
film number: 2223548
digital folder number: 005145070
image number: 01519
Collection: Amanda Holman Gaffney, "Texas, Deaths (New Index, New Images), 1890-1976"

(Medical):See attached sources.

Notes:

Married:
Appears in the Terrell Times-Star, Terrell, Kaufman County, Texas, 10 January 1891...

The Gaffney - Roberts Wedding

On Wednesday evening, January 7th, at the residence of the bride's mother, Mr. Eli W. Gaffney and Miss Amanda Roberts were married, the Rev. Dr. Turner, of Dallas, performed the ceremony.

Although it had been raining all day and continued throughout the evening, a goodly number of friends witnessed the marriage of two of Terrell's beloved society people. On entering the door of the handsome residence the bad weather was forgotten in the presence of flowers and lovely women and enchanting music. The parlor was handsomely decorated with green-house plants and flowers. The bay window was beautiful having been decorated and cedar-trimmed above the sides. A "golden wedding bell" hung from the ceiling in the center which told of the happy event about to occur.

At the hour appointed the bridal party, led by the minister and Ben S. Roberts, filed into the parlor followed by Mr. and Mrs. M. C. Roberts, the brides maids and groomsmen, taking their position on either side of the window forming an aisle up which the young couple passed, taking their places in front of the minister who proceeded after the rites of the Episcopal church, to make them husband and wife, The ceremony was beautiful and impressive.

The bride, who is a daughter of Mrs. Anna W. Roberts, in her trailing roves of white duchess satin, neck brocade and quantities of real lace and lilies of the valley , was indeed a "fair bride. beautiful, blushing sweet," the long tulle veil confined to the hair by orange blossoms, while Swedish gloves and slippers were finishing touches to the beautiful bridal attire.

Miss Annie Roberts, maid of honor wore a charming gown of pink India silk trimmed with ostrich feathers of the same shade, gray gloves and slippers.

The bridesmaids - Misses Mantie and Meck Cartwright, Mary Manion, Blanche Griffith and Lela Erwin - were dressed in delicate shades of blue and pink and the harmonious blending of those colors heightened the effects of the beauty of the fair maids.

The attendants were Messrs. Ed Dew, E. Donoho, Matthew Cartwright, J. C. Fields, A. H. Dashiell and B. M. Childress Jr., all looking their best.

Mr. M. C. Roberts gave the bride away. When the ceremony was through and the minister pronounced them man and wife, they remained standing under the beautiful wedding bell and received the hearty congratulations and good wishes of their friends and relatives present.

This over, the guests were invited into the dining room where a magnificent supper awaited them. The table was beautifully decorated with flowers. At the place reserved for the bride and groom were two bridal cakes, one in the shape of the letter G and the other the letter R. The supper was a sumptuous one and consisted of all the good and palatable things.

Supper over the guests returned to the parlor and shortly the bride's cake was brought in and cut.

Mr. and Mrs. Gaffney left on the early Thursday morning's east bound cannon ball train for St. Louis where they will spend the honeymoon visiting Mr. Gaffney's sister, Mrs. John Caro Russell, formerly of this city.

Many beautiful and costly presents were received from friends and relatives. The following is a list:

Groom to bride, diamond bracelets
Mrs. M. B. Gaffney, mother of the groom $100.
Mrs. Anna W. Roberts, mother of the bride, deeds to lands, valued $3,000.
Mrs. Amanda Cartwright, grandmother of bride, $100.
L. and M. Cartwright5, one set of solid silver table and tea spoons and forks.
Mr. and Mrs John Caro Russell, set bed room furniture.
Dr. and Mrs. Johns, San Antonio, two willow rockers.
Mr. and Mrs. R. P. Epperson, Clarksville, ivory handled carving steel.
Mr. and Mrs. M. C. Roberts, French vase, gilded and burnished.
Miss Anna W. Roberts, urn, gilded and burnished gold decorations.
Ben S. Roberts, silver mounted pickle stand.
Mary Roberts, study in crayon.
B. M. Childress, J. C. Fields, E. Donoho, M. C. Cartwright, A. H. Dashiell, silver water set, gold lined.
Miss Mantie Cartwright, silver fruit stand, cut glass bowl.
Miss Mary Manion, Kaufman. gold necklace.
Miss Meck Cartwright and Ollie Smith, silver ice bowl.
Miss Lela Irwin, pair rose jars.
Miss Blanch Griffith, perfume bottles and pin cushion, hand painted.
Gen. and Mrs. Jon. S. Griffith, Dallas, pair urns, bronze and silver.
Mr. and Mrs. W. B. Martin, dozen silver after dinner coffee spoons.
Mr. and Mrs. Jno. I. Terrell, silver pickle stand.
Mr. and Mrs. J. O. Terrell, silver jelly dish.
Mr. and Mrs. J. M. Powers, silver nut bowl.
Mr. and Mrs. Sid Bass, celery stand.
Mrs. Frank Houston, silver mounted pickle stand.
Miss Ethel Cowles, silver mounted nut bowl.
Mr. and Mrs. B. L. Gill, silver fruit knives.
Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Thomas, Dallas, water decanter.
Miss Lila Gray, pair silver napkin rings.
Dr. T. B. and Miss Kate Bass, silver card receiver.
F. and Miss Walton, silver pickle stand.
T. F. Bowler, mirror, bronze mountings.
Lillie Mucklery and Miss Campbell, flower bowls.
Miss Lizzie Haskell, work basket.
T. B. Griffith and H. I. McClug, large bottle champaign cologne.
Mrs. W. P. Portwood, china olive dish.
Miss Fannie Portwood, Ft. Worth, china olive dish.
Will Lyon and Guy McClung, clock, gold mounted.
Dr. L. E. Griffith and daughter, plush album.
Mr. and Mrs. M. W. Raley, Holmes' works.
Mr. and Mrs. L. E. Griffith, Washington Irving's works.
Ham Shaw, Dave Purvine, Con McClug, S. L. Dey and Charles Simpson, silver cake basket.
Mr. and Mrs. H. P. Ruddell, bouquet holders.
Miss Fannie Scogin, Dallas, glass jewelery casket.
Mr. and Mrs. James Moore, Byron and Longfellows, poems, handsomely bound.
Miss Minnie Sage, centre table.
Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Muckleroy, centre table.
Mr. and Mrs. F. M. Phillips, flower bowl.
Mr. and Mrs. H. Brin, Smyrna rug.
Mrs. Ben H. Hodges, basket.
Mr. and Mrs. J. B. Harris, rocker, plush upholstery.
Missouri Glass Co., St. Louis, handsome vases, burnt gold decorations.
Ed Dew, toilet set

Notes:

(Research):

Census Listings:

1860 Census
Texas, Red River County, Pr. 7, P O Clarksville
Enumerated 1 Spet 1860
Page 7 Stamped 126
47-47
Eli W. Gaffney 25 M Farming 14,000 11,000 SC
Mary B Gaffney 21 F Tx
Virginia W. Gaffney 4/12 F Tx

William married Mary Bolling. Mary was born about 1848 in Texas; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

At the time of the 1910 federal census, she was living in Abilene with her daughter and son-in-law, Annie and Joe Caro Russell.

(Research):
Census Listings:

1870 Census
Texas, Red River County, Clarksville
Enuemerated 8 July 1870
Page 14
81-82
Gaffney, M B 32 F W Keeping House 10,000 2,000 Tx
Gaffney, B. W. 11 F W Tx
Gaffney, Annie 7 F W Tx
Gaffney, W. G. 3 M W Tx (this appears to be Eli William, born 1866)
Garrney, Eli 1 M (sic) W Tx (this appears to be daugther, Elia, who was at school with her sister, Annie, in 1880)
Wilson, Anne 20 F B Domestic Servant Tx

Notes:

FindAGrave indicates he was a son of Noel Gil Roberts (1813-1864) and Maria Thomas Roberts (b. 1816-), and grandson of Elisha Roberts

Henson and Parmelee have a photo of Benjamin Thomas Roberts in uniform, and note that he served alongside his future brother-in-laws, Leonidas and Americus Cartwright during the Civil War. On May 25, 1861, Lon, Meck "and twenty other volunteers rode to Shelby County, where Captain Short lived, to enlist...Short's company left in June to rendezvous near Dallas, where along with other East Texas units, they were sworn into Col. Elkana Greer's mounted regiment....(and) eventually were designated as the Third Texas Cavalry, and Short's company became Company E." (Henson & Parmelee, THE CARTWRIGHTS OF SAN AUGUSTINE, p. 200, p. 202) Upon reorganization of the regiment on May 8, 1862, Ben T. Roberts became second sergeant of Company E. (ibid, p. 215) He was taken prisoner at Iuka, and paroled, but had to remain in Iuka to care for wounded Confederatte prisoners. (ibid, p. 218).



(Research):

Census Listings:

1870 Census
Texas, San Augustine County, PO San Augustine
Enumerated 5 Aug 1870
Page 90
40-40
Roberts, B T 33 M W Farmer 10,000 8,000 Tx
Roberts, Anna W 26 F W Keeps House Tx
Roberts, Mathew 5/12 M W Tx Jany
Roberts, Felix G 21 M W Merchant Tx
Roberts, Maggie 17 F W At Home Tx
Kirkley, E 20 F B House Servant Ala

1880 Census
Texas, San Augustine County, San Augustine
Page 2 SD 1 EDF 80
Enumerated 7 Jun 1880
20-20
Roberts, B. T. W M 43 Farmer Tx Mi NC
Roberts, Anna C W F 35 Wf Keeping House Tx Tx/Tn?
Roberts, Mathew W M 10 Son At School Tx Tx Tx
Roberts, Amanda W F 9 Dtr At School Tx Tx Tx
Roberts, Anna W F 7 Dtr At School Tx Tx Tx
Roberts, Benjamine W M 6 Son At School Tx Tx Tx
Roberts, Felix M W M 4 Son At Home Tx Tx Tx
Roberts, Claud W M 3 Son At Home Tx Tx Tx
Roberts, Mary W F 1 Dtr At Home Tx Tx Tx
Smith, Chas B W 21 Laborer Tx Tx Tx

Benjamin married Anna Wigglesworth Cartwright on 10 Jan 1869 in San Augustine County, Texas. Anna (daughter of Matthew Cartwright and Amanda "Mandy" Holman) was born on 6 Apr 1844 in San Augustine County, Texas; died on 27 May 1903 in Kaufman County, Texas; was buried in Oakland Memorial Park Cemetery, Terrell, Kaufman County, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Married:

Anna and her sister Mary had commenced writing letters to "care-worn soldiers" other than their brothers. One of these soldiers was Benjamin T. Roberts, seven years older than Anna and a neighbor since childhood, whom had asked her to begin a "friendly correspondence." Although she "never corresponded with young gentelmen before the war...(and) said I never would, She decided it was a 'duty imcumbent of the fair sex' to contribute to the soldier's happiness." (Henson and Cartwright, p. 227) in October 1868, Anna finally gave in to Ben Roberts's ardent courtship and set the wedding for January 1869. Using money from her father's wedding gift, Anna bought the 1830 Ezekiel Cullen house in December 1869, registering the transaction in her own name, an unusual practice for married women at that time. (ibid, p. 267). As a young girl, Anna had displayed more independence of mind than many of her friends, even her mother deplored her occasional "contrariness." After her husband died in 1887, Anna applied to the court and was immediately appointed administrator. Although there was not a prenuptial agreement on file, Anna had kept her property seperate from Ben's. (ibid, p. 299). Her youngest brother, Matthew, offered to build a house for Anna on Griffith Avenue in Terrell, and she agreed to make a fresh start in an area that offered business opportunities for her sons. Within eighteen months of the move, she and her eldest son Matthew had opened a real estate and loan office with the aid of her brother Matthew, and they soon opened an insurance agency to augment their income. (ibid, pp. 300-301). Anna later also had her husband's body reinterred in Terrell, Texas.

Notes:

He began clerking and keeping books for his father's store in 1831, and in 1832 they formed a partnership, "Matthew Cartwright & Co." Each contributed $2,000 to the business. The store prospered. (Noble, pages 80 - 81).

In his August 30, 2007 column in the San Augustine Tribune, Harry Noble writes that Matthew was the richest man in San Augustine and the sixth wealthiest in the State of Texas in his era. In 1860, he owned so much land scattered across the state that as he traveled on his big sorrel horse "Red Buck," it was said that no matter where he was, that he could spend the night on his own land.

Noble went on to write that Matthew exhibited maturity at an early age. When he was 14, his father sent him to the unsettled frontier of Texas with one servant to clear land John had acquired two years earlier. John also gave his son power of attorney at age 18 and sent him to Tennessee and Mississippi to settle family affairs.

At the age of 21, Matthew traveled to Wilson County where he enrolled in a local college...late in 1829 Matthew rejoined his father in Texas who was then operating a family farm, cotton gin and store.

Matthew's paid $900 in 1849 for the two-story Isaac Campbell home on Main Street. The New England style home had been built by Augustus Phelps, a master carpenter, in 1839. The palatial dwelling was still standing in San Augustine, and is owned by Matthew's direct descendants, as of 2007. Never a large slaveholder, Matthew's slaves were all employed inside or around the house, taking care of the livestock, firewood, garden and orchard.

The home was purchased by Americus "Meck" H. Cartwright and his wife, Minnie Clementine Sublett in 1898, after Amanda was forced by ill health to move in with her son Lon, and remained in the hands of Meck and Minnie's descendants. (Henson and Parmelee, p. 302).

At the time of the 1850 census Matthew's land alone was worth $165,000, and he had only seven slaves, considerably lower than most other wealthy families. The 1850 slave schedule listed the number of male and female slaves, as well as their ages, but not their names. Matthew Cartwright's bible, however, shows them as Nancy, b. 1810 and her four children, Dick, b. 1836, Emeline b. 1838, Virtue b. 1840 and Walker, b. 1846. It also lists Jane, b. 1830 and her daughter, Harriet, b. 1849.

In 1860, Matthew's occupation was listed as "land trader" and it was estimated that his real estate was worth $500,000 and personal property near $75,000, with 13 slaves. Henson and Parmelee point out by way of contrast that brother-in-law and "planter" William Garrett had a $171,651 estate, including 132 slaves, and that "Farmer-Merchant" Iredell D. Thomas had $166,000 in accumulated wealth, and 52 slaves. (Henson and Parmelee, p. 191).

After the war, the president Andrew Johnson issued an amnesty proclamation restoring citizenship to those who would pledge future loyalty to the United States; however, those holding high military or civil offices in the Confederate government, as well as those with taxable property valued over $20,000, would have to petition him directly for individual pardons. Matthew, the pragmatic businessman, wanted to get his special pardon as soon as possible so that he could resume his activities and protect his property. He took his amnesty oath on August 28, 1865 in the Caddo Parish District Court and received a copy to carry with him in order to conduct business. He later recorded this in the San Augustine District Courty. (ibid, pp. 239-243). Unlike many of their neighbors, the Cartwrights survived the Civil War without the loss or maiming of a son. The emancipation of their few household slaves was not an economic loss comparable to those suffered by neighbor planters who possessed numerous field hands. And by carefully guarding their gold and silver reserves, as well as utilizing his long business experience to carefully buy, sell and barter during the war, the family was able to resume business activities relatively unhampered. (ibid, p. 247).

His funeral notice card read:

The friends and acquantances of
MATTHEW CARTWRIGHT, Sr.
are respectfully invited to attend his funeral tomorrow
morning at 10 o'clock, A.M. He will be buried with Masonic
honors, at this late residence in the town of San Augustine.
SAN AUGUSTINE, TEXAS, April 2, 1870

Amanda chose a burial plot several hundred feet east of the house.

No copy of the obituary that surely ran in the San Augustine paper can be found. The San Antonio Daily Express carried a brief obituary on May 1: "DIED at his home in San Augustine, first day of April, Matthew Cartwright, one of the pioneers of Texas, and one of the largest, if not the largest, land holder in the state." (ibid, p. 275).

When the inventory of his estate was compiled, it was shown that he owned 298 parcels of land in 56 counties, totalling 361,632 acres with a value of $356,304. Amanda inherited one-half as his widow, and the rest was to be divided equally among his six children.

At the time of the 1870 census, Amanda reported owning real estate worth $343,281, and personal property valued at $75,529, which ultimately placed the Cartwright estate as the fourth-largest in Texas, following those of Richard King in South Texas and Galveston Merchants, J. J. Hendley and George Sealy. (ibid, pp. 278-279).



(Research):
Census Listings:

1860 Census
Texas, San Augustine County
61-61
Cartwright, Mathew 52 M Land Trader 500,000 75,000 TN
Cartwright, Mandy 42 F TN
Cartwright, A.P. 20 M TX
Cartwright, Leonidas 17 M TX
Cartwright, Anna 15 F TX
Cartwright, Mary 14 F TX
Cartwright, Mathew, Jr. 4 M TX

Matthew married Amanda "Mandy" Holman on 18 Oct 1836 in San Augustine County, Texas. Amanda (daughter of Col. Isaac Holman and Anne Wigglesworth) was born on 24 Jul 1817 in Shelbyville, Bedford County, Tennessee; died on 26 Jun 1894 in San Augustine County, Texas; was buried in Oakland Memorial Park Cemetery, Terrell, Kaufman County, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

In both 1870 and 1880. Amanda Cartwright was living in a household with her son Leonidas "Lon" and his family.

Amanda died in Lon's home at age seventy-seven. The family gathered for her funeral and, as she had wished after almost a quarter century of widowhood, she was buried next to Matthew in the little private graveyard east of her old house. Lon composed suitable facts about her life on a sheet of paper entitled "In Memoriam" for use of the minister. Besides providing her birthdate, parents' names, date of arrival in San Augustine, and marriage dated, and noting the loss of one of her six children, Lon added, "She was one of the Kindest of Mothers and devoted wife, a faithful Christian, charitable to all in need and beloved by all who know her. She had joined the Methodist Church in 1858, and, he added, she had been a faithful and consistent member...Two weeks later, Lon, who once wrote poetry for Ludie, wrote six stanzas praising motherhood. (Henson and Parmelee, p. 305).



(Research):
Census Listings:

1870 Census
Texas, San Augustine County, PO San Augustine
Enumerated 6 July 1870
Page 20
121-121
Cartwright, A 52 F W Keep House 343291 15529 Tenn
Cartwright, M 14 M W At School Tx
Cartwright, A. P. 30 M W Merchant Tx
Cartwright, Ophelia 23 F W Tx
Cartwright, Mathew Jr 7/12 M W Tx
Jones, Tom 20 M B Svt Tx
Burl, Elvira 15 F B Svt Tx
Sexton, Qunn? 10 F B Tx

Notes:

Married:
In "The Cartwrights of San Augustine,' a transcription of a stilted, formal note written by Matthew Cartwright to his future bride reads as follows:

Miss Amanda Holman,

Please allow me to address you for the first time with the most profound respect. I admire your person, your addrss and appearance....I have come to the conclusion that of all other objects met with in this life...you are the one. Therefore I now address you for the purpose of requesting permission to pay my suit on that of which is the most importance to me and I hope not indifferent to you. Please reply as soon as convenient and relieve the suspense of one who is desiorous to unite his fate and happiness in life with yours.
Your obedient servant,
Matthew Cartwright

Amanda soon accepted Matthew's proposal, scheduling the ceremony for Octobe 18, 1836. Some months prior to the wedding she bought seven yards of French muslin and two bonnest at Matthew's store, and later pink silk and gauze ribbon, all suitable for a wedding.

The couple was married nearly thirty-five years before Matthew's death, and Amanda survived him for nearly twenty-five additional years. They were buried side by side in a small family plot near their home in San Augustine. Youngest son Matthew later made arrangements to have his parents reinterred in Terrell, Texas, with a suitable marker, in September 1896. (Henson and Paremelee, p. 308).