- This is data from Willodean Cranford Brumbachs
- book on TM or MT Cranford.
-
- Thomas Cranford, Thomas was the last of the South Carolina-born
- children. He was in reality a transition child born in Chester
District,
- South Carolina. In 1820, he was brought to Morgan County,
Alabama in early
- youth. There was no doubt a big change happened when the
Alabama venture was
- made. There were more conveniences and luxuries in South
Carolina. Still
- another change came for small Thomas. His grandmother, Martha
Wilkes,
- married her neighbor and left the Wilkes-Cranford home and
in 1838 came the
- uprooting of the family home in Morgan County and Thomas
found himself in
- the hilly red-clay district of Walker County.
-
- The four chattering girls: Malinda, Emily, Minerva, and Lydia
were
- constantly busy and giggling. Little John Monroe was at an
awkard age but
- baby, Chesley Cranford, five years old, haunted his big brother's
pathway.
- Thomas noted with concern that his parents, John and Elizabeth,
were walking
- slower and resting after, and were not so lively after the
hard day's work.
-
- Thomas reacted in a typical manner. He went a-wooing and
eventually married
- pretty Caroline Townley of a well-known Walker County family.
No date for
- the marriage has been presentlly established. Land grants
and deeds have
- caused some confusion about Thomas. Some of his credentials
are recorded as
- Matthew T. or T.M. His cousin, Carlin Armstrong Cranford,
made the same
- procedures when he signed some deeds Armstrong Cranford,
rather than Carlin
- Cranford.
-
- Thomas and Caroline Cranford listed themselves as farmers
in the 1850
- Census of Walker County. Thomas was 30, his wife Elizabeth(Caroline)
was
- listed erroneously as Elizabeth, 30. Their children were
listed as
- Ellizabeth 7, Wesley 6, Marian 4, Martha Ann 3, Robert 2,
and Lucinda 1.
-
- The Townley family branch in Walker County started with Daniel
Townley who
- entered land in 1822, and Richmond Townley who also entered
land in 1822.
- John Townley also entered land in 1822 and Richmond Townley
entered
- additional land in 1823. The little town of Townley, Alabama
was first called Holly Grove, then Pleasantfield.
- Robert Townley was the first postmaster of Townley, and,
when the town was
- incorporated in 1895, John W. Guttery was its first Mayor.
- Townley, Alabama has given the country two Congressmen; Carter
Manasco and
- Tom Bevill our present represenative.
-
- Through oral history and family tradition it seems that Thomas
Cranford came
- to Arkansas from Alabama when little Lucinda was between
6 and 9 years of
- age. In the 1860 census of Montgomery County, Arkansas, South
Fork Township,
- the Thomas Cranford family is listed as: M.T. Cranford b.
in South Carolina,
- age 40; Caroline, 37; Wesley 18; Polly Ann 13; Robert 12;
Lucinda 11 and
- Eliza C. 7. The six above were listed as born in Alabama
and Lewis F. 3; was
- listed as born in Arkansas. By this time it is assumed that
Elizabeth, the
- oldest daughter, had married and left home. Elizabeth married
a Sanders or
- Saunders and she and her daughter Tennessee, were killed
in Webbers Fall,
- Oklahoma.
-
- It is through the family of Lucinda Cranford that we have
gained information
- regarding the Thomas Cranford family. Lucinda first married
a Denny and
- second William B.McKnight. Lucindas children were: Jim Denny,
Leoma Denny,
- Jack Denny, Washington (William)
- McKnight, Columbus Houston McKnight, and Eudora McKnight.
-
- Eudora (Dora) married a John Holtz in 1898. After John's
death Dora
- married C.H. Griffis by whom she had: Alda, Charles Howell,
Velma,
- Winford Eldon, Orville Kenneth, Brice Townley, Dale Stuart,
Cleda, and
- Hattie.
-
- Mr. Winford Eldon Griffis very graciously has sent a copy
of the photograph
- of his mother's 75th birthday dinner. Dora sits at the
- attractively-appointed table surrounded by her handsome sons
and daughters.
- (Does anyone have this photo?? I
would really like to add it)
-
-
- Thanks Kennye!!!
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