Wordless Wednesday

Law Office of John Wesley Hardin

El Paso, Texas

Wordless Wednesday

Texas saloon, about 1894.

John Wesley Hardin [my husband's 1st cousin 4times removed] is standing center.

Sentimental Sunday

Treasure Chest Thursday - John Wesley Hardin

John Wesley Hardin, one of the "bad boys" of Texas history, was my husband's 1st cousin [4 times removed]. And as such a prominent member of the family tree, if by notoriety if nothing else!

On March 16, 1894 John Wesley Hardin was pardoned, and his restoration to full citizenship was restored.

Unfortunately for Hardin, John Selman had other ideas in mind, and on 19 Aug 1895 in the Acme Saloon, in El Paso, Texas, he shot Hardin in the back of the head as he sat playing cards.

Hardin's relatives, even to this day, defend him and state he was a product of his environment and the times. And that he claimed to "never having shot a man who didn't deserve it".

Surname Saturday

After my recent photo of John Wesley Hardin's grave [see it from Tuesday, April 6th], I was asked twice how my husband was related. Below you will find his Surname Saturday ahnentafel leading to that generation:

1. Johnnie Lee HENRY was born Bexar Co, TX. He was the son of 2.Joseph Wright HENRY and 3. Betty Louise Rotge.

3. Betty Louise Rotge was born 30 Aug 1930 in Kerrville, Kerr, Texas. She died 05 Jul 2003 in Jourdanton, Atascosa, Texas. She was the daughter of 6. John Cornelius ROTGE and 7. Ora Lee
Sparks. She married 2. Joseph Wright HENRY was born on 20 Sep 1927 in Fulton County, KY. He died on 16 Nov 1993 in Batesville, Panola, Mississippi. He was the son of 4. William Lee HENRY and 5. Emma Louise PETTIE.

Children of Joseph Wright HENRY and Betty Louise Rotge are:


+ 1. i. Johnnie Lee HENRY
ii. Allan Ray HENRY was born 22 Sep 1950 in Bexar County, Texas, died 29 Jan 2001 in
Pleasanton, TX

7. Ora Lee Sparks was born 26 Oct 1914 in Bandera, Edwards, Texas. She died Aug 1982 in San

Antonio, Bexar, Texas. She was the daughter of 14. William Jacob Sparks and 15. Laura May
Clements. She married 6. John Cornelius ROTGE was born on 16 Jan 1910. He died on 09 Jun 1983 in Kerrville, Kerr, Texas. He was the son of 12. Peter ROTGE and 13. Lillie Mae Surber. He married Ora Lee Sparks in 1930.

Child of John Cornelius ROTGE and Ora Lee Sparks is:


+ 3. i. Betty Louise Rotge was born 30 Aug 1930 in Kerrville, Kerr, Texas, died 05 Jul 2003 in
Jourdanton, Atascosa, Texas, married Joseph Wright HENRY 30 Jul 1947; married Edwin
Darl CUSTER 16 Jun 1972 in San Antonio, Bexar County, TX; married Harold W.
MILLARD 16 Jan 1982.

15. Laura May Clements was born 12 May 1890 in McCullough County, Texas. She died 06 Oct 1969 in Hilltop Convalescent Home, 7602 Louis Pasteur Dr., San Antonio, Bexar, Texas. She was the
daughter of 30. James Thomas CLEMENTS and 31. Anne Caroline TENNILLE. She married 14. William Jacob Sparks was born on 11 Mar 1883 in Erath County, Texas. He died on 12 Sep 1944 in

Kerrville, Kerr, Texas. He was the son of 28. Newton Caddell Sparks and 29. Theodora Perrylee
McCarty. He married Laura May Clements on 15 Apr 1906 in Bandera, Texas.

Children of William Jacob Sparks and Laura May Clements are:


i. Beulah Bessie SPARKS was born 13 Sep 1905 in Texas, died 15 Mar 1975 in Greenville,
Huntsville, Texas, married Claude SHERMAN 21 Oct 1923.

ii. Lela V. Sparks was born 1906 in Bandera, Bandera, Texas, married Pink LEE 03 Dec
1922.
 
iii. Newton Jacob SPARKS was born 23 Oct 1910 in Texas, died 27 Sep 1991 in Hunt, Kerr,

Texas, married Pearl Elizabeth BEAVER 15 Dec 1931.

+ 7. iv. Ora Lee Sparks was born 26 Oct 1914 in Bandera, Edwards, Texas, died Aug 1982 in San
Antonio, Bexar, Texas, married John Cornelius ROTGE 1930.

30. James Thomas CLEMENTS was born on 30 May 1843 in Missouri. He died on 22 May 1897 in

Dewitt County, Texas. He was the son of 60. Emanuel CLEMENTS and 61. Martha Balch HARDIN.
He married Anne Caroline TENNILLE on 11 Jan 1872 in Gonzales County, Texas.31. Anne Caroline TENNILLE was born 11 Nov 1858 in Texas. She died 14 Oct 1936 in San Antonio, Bexar, Texas. She was the daughter of 62. George Culver TENNILLE and 63. Amanda J. BILLINGS.

Children of James Thomas CLEMENTS and Anne Caroline TENNILLE are:


i. Virginia Clements was born 10 Aug 1875 in Gonzales County, Texas, died 13 May 1957 in
Galveston, Texas, married Nathan Jesse CARTER 29 Jan 1896 in Gonzales County,
Texas.
 
ii. Viola Clements was born 26 Jul 1877 in Gonzales County, Texas, died 07 Jan 1965 in

Yarrington, Lyon, Nevada, married William Harvey PITTMAN 02 Oct 1895 in McCullough,
Texas.

iii. Crawford Clements was born 10 Sep 1879, died 07 Sep 1880.

iv. Emma Clements was born 09 Sep 1881, died 06 Jun 1962, married Thomas Henry CAFFALL 24 Jul 1901.

v. James Thomas Clements was born 26 Feb 1883 in Kimble County, Texas, died 06 May 1956 in Los Angeles, California, married Nellie Mae POACH 07 Sep 1901 in Hilto, Elk,Nevada.

vi. Ella Clements was born 03 Jul 1886 in McCullough County, Texas, died 1969 in Bishop,Nueces, Texas, married Hardy PHILIPS 23 Jun 1911 in San Antonio, Bexar, Texas.

vii. William C. Clements was born 07 Dec 1888 in Kerrville, Kerr, Texas, died 29 Aug 1928 in Kerrville, Kerr, Texas, married Stella Ellen GRIFFIN 22 Jan 1922 in Kerrville, Kerr, Texas; married Otillio Clara OEHLER 26 Jun 1918.

+ 15. viii. Laura May Clements was born 12 May 1890 in McCullough County, Texas, died 06 Oct 1969 in Hilltop Convalescent Home, 7602 Louis Pasteur Dr., San Antonio, Bexar, Texas, married William Jacob Sparks 15 Apr 1906 in Bandera, Texas; married Jack LANGFORD 1930.

ix. Lela Dee Clements was born 18 Apr 1892 in Dewitt County, Texas, died 07 Jan 1952,

x. Nancy Ann Clements was born 17 May 1894, died 05 Apr 1896.

xi. Bessie Edna Clements was born 13 Dec 1896, died 25 Aug 1925, married Plenny Louis

NELSON 22 Dec 1912.
 
And it is with James Thomas Clements that the tie is made to John Wesley Hardin. James "Jim" Clements' mother was Martha Balch Hardin. Martha's parents were Benjamin Hardin and Martha Ann Barnett. They had four children that we are aware of: Easter Mary; Martha Balch; James Gibson; and Robert Echison.
 
James Gibson Hardin was the father of John Wesley Hardin. This made John Wesley Hardin and Jim Clements first cousins.
 
Jim was considered the bad boy sidekick of John Wesley Hardin. He, too, made an untimely demise because of his "bad boy" ways.

Tombstone Tuesday

John Wesley Hardin

1853-1895

Concordia Cemetery

El Paso, Texas

John Wesley Hardin was the first cousin 4x removed of my husband, The Texican.

Black Sheep Sunday - 22 November 2009

James "Jim" Clements

1843-1897

I've written about Jim before. Many people who are "Wild West" aficionados will recognize him as cousin Jim, who accompanied famed gunslinger John Wesley Hardin throughout Texas. Jim was a well-known partner of "Wes" Hardin, as well as his first cousin. [Jim's mother, Martha Balch Hardin Clements, and Wes' father, James Gibson Hardin, were brother and sister.]

When Wes went to prison in October 1878, after killing 24 known men [although Wes always claimed it was 27], Jim was left with his wife and children for the next 16 years, his partner locked away in Huntsville.

Jim was a known abuser of his wife and children. His wife, Annie Tennille Clements, was the daughter of George Tennille, one of the original settlers in the Austin settlement in Texas. Annie was a tiny woman, and some say she never reached 5-feet in height. Yet she bore Jim 11 children, with only 2 [Crawford and Nancy Ann] not reaching adulthood.

In 1894 Hardin is released from prison. But in the very next year, his bad boy ways catch up with him when John Selman, Sr. guns him down with a shot from behind in the Acme Saloon in El Paso.

Jim, who by now is working solely as a cowboy, becomes even rougher with his family. They take the brunt of his drinking when he is home from trail drives, in his cursing and beatings.

Arriving home in the spring of 1897 from a trail drive, Jim finds his wife attempting to hide the fact that one of his daughters is pregnant and unwed. The story goes that she is expecting the child of a Mexican man. At that time the stigma was comparable to a white girl and a black man having a child in the south. Jim threatens to "stomp the kid from her belly". Annie, being the fierce mother and protector, steps in between her daughter and her husband, and takes the full force of his anger as she screams for her daughter to run.

The girl does run. And she runs to Annie's brother's home, Thomas Connelly Tennille. "Tom" gathered some men folk together and they came running to the aid of his sister, Annie, whom they feared would not survive an attack of brutal force from Jim.

And here the story becomes blurred. Official reports from the legal authorities of the day say that Jim's horse was found with blood on its saddle. But Jim was nowhere to be found.

An inquest into the death, and or murder, of James Clements, was held. Annie Clements was questioned. As was her brother, Thomas. However, both answered all questions in such a manner that no charges could be brought against either for the disappearance of Jim.

Many years later, family lore states that Annie shot and killed Jim in self-defense. Her brother, Tom, arriving to her aid, assisted her in hiding the body of Jim in wash. Later, the body is presumed to have washed away with the spring floods.

However, in more recent years, a tale has been told of a young woman, a descendant, whose father used to check on Jim's grave each year to make sure it was still covered with rock. Although it was "out away from any place where no one would find it". She states she went to the grave only once as a child, and couldn't locate it today. However, she, like Annie, was married to an abusive husband at one point. Her father and uncle took her young husband out to Jim's grave to point out that in this family this is what happens to men who beat up on their wives. She states for the remainder of their 10-year marriage, he never raised another hand to her again!,

Officially, Jim died on 22 May 1897 in Dewitt County, Texas. Although authorities stated it might have been a day or even two earlier, judging by the dried blood on Jim's saddle.

Annie went on to live a long life. She finished raising her young family [her youngest was only a year old when Jim died]. Annie died on 14 October 1936 in San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas, surrounded by her loving family.

Annie's 8th born child, Laura May Clements, was born 12 May 1890. And she could recall some things about her father, which she shared with her young great-grandson before she passed away in 1960. That 11 year old great-grandson, is my dear husband, John. So, I have been privileged to hear some of the stories directly from him.

The rest? Through thorough research in Texas inquest files, birth, death and marriage records. Through books on John Wesley Hardin. And even through JWH's own book, which he penned shortly after being released from prison. Wes spoke of his cousin, Jim, almost reverently. The two men admired, even loved, one another, as only cousins can.

John's great-grandmother stated that the men were not as they were portrayed to be. They were rough, to be sure, but they were also a product of their time. Killing "when it was needed". Laura May would not talk badly about her father, Jim, nor of Wes Hardin.

Such is the stuff legends are born from.

Not So Wordless Wednesday

This post is duo-fold. It is my post for "Not So Wordless Wednesday", and also in response to the GeneaBloggers Week #35 challenge: Share a photo that conjures mixed emotions in you. Explain why this is the case as you detail the who/what/when/where/why of the subject matter.

And so, with those two projects in mind, let me introduce you to Annie Caroline Tennille.

Annie Tennille was born 11 November 1858 in Texas. She was only 13 years old when she was wed to James Thomas Clements. "Jim", as everyone calls him, went down in history as the first cousin, and best buddy. of old west outlaw, John Wesley Hardin.

Annie's grandfather, George Culver Tennille, Sr. was born in Pennsylvania, and was among the original group of white settlers brought into Texas by Stephen Austin. He received a Mexican Land Grant.

Annie should have had a life of relative ease with position having been attained by her grandfather. But that was not to be.

Annie and Jim had 11 children between 1875 and 1896.

All the while, Jim either ran with Hardin, or ran from the Law. When he was home, he was there long enough to get Annie with child, yet once more, or to physically abuse her.

In 1897, just 2 years after the gunning down of his cousin, Wes Hardin, Jim abused Annie for the last time.

There is alot of controversy over the actual events. And even when the local officials held an inquisition to determine what happened to Jim, the truth was never brought to light.

It seems Annie had finally had enough and asked for refuge from Jim. Her family readily gave it. Jim, wild with rage, went looking for his family.

From here, we have only speculation, and family lore to depend upon. But it appears that either family members stepped in and Jim was killed, or Annie shot Jim herself defending her daughter, whom Jim threatened to harm. [Family lore says that the daughter became pregnant while Jim was gone on a cattle drive. When he found out who the baby's father was, he threatened to stomp the baby from the girl.]

Some say Jim's body was buried in a riverbank that later washed away. Still another account stated that Jim's body was buried away from all other graveyards, and covered with rocks. The men in the family would take the new sons-in-law to visit the grave to warn them that this is what happened to men who abused the family's women.

Annie lived to the age of 77. She lived to see modernity come to the Lone Star State. She died in San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas on 14 October 1936, just one month shy of her birthday, at the home of her daughter.

Annie was the mother of Virginia, Viola, Crawford, Emma, James, Ella, William, Laura May, Lela, Nancy and Bessie.

Laura May married William Jacob Sparks, another long-standing Texas family. They had a daughter, Ora Lee. Ora Lee married John Rotge. And to them was born Betty.

Betty was my sweet hubby's mother. Betty was born in 1930 and passed away in 2003.

Alot has been written around the events surrounding the death of Annie's husband, Jim. Perhaps, because I had been married to an abusive husband years ago, I find myself strangely attracted to Annie. And therefore attracted to the idea that perhaps Annie was a woman who had finally had enough, and stood up to the bully she was married to. My personal speculation is that Annie made sure she protected her children, and herself, with everything that was in her.

What a woman!