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Descendants of Edward Ground - August 2006

12. MARGARET⁵ GROUND (ROBERT⁴, ROBERT³, EDWARD², ROBERT¹) was born 21 Jun 1813 in Mercer Co, KY; some sources say b. 2nd, and died 01 Jul 1891 in Greenwood Co, KS. She married CLAYTON STRIBLING BECKHAM 12 Dec 1832 in Barren Co, KY, son of JOHN BECKHAM and RACHEL MOSELEY. He was born 1806 in Barren Co, KY, and died Oct 1864 in or 1865; Tarrant Co, TX.

Notes for MARGARET GROUND:
Previous to hearing from Barbara Jean Hathcock, I knew only that Margaret Ground Beckham had returned to Kentucky (from?) in 1868, and lived in Barren Co, KY in 1871. The move to Kansas was new information to me, although others in the Ground family moved there. She says Margaret moved there after the death of her husband (1864).

Notes for CLAYTON STRIBLING BECKHAM:
Information on this family group obtained from Mamie (Ground) Hays by Evelyn Woods Barclay.

The middle name comes from Barbara Jean Hathcock (Ray1693@aol.com) in February 2001.

Barbara Jean says that Clayton was living with his father in 1830 on the US Census taken in Barren County, Kentucky, and in 1840 is living in Warren County, Kentucky (presumably as an adult), and in 1850 is also in Warren County. She says he moved to Tarrent County, Texas in the Spring of 1860 where he died. She shows him buried at Pleasant Valley Cemetery, but I have not found that record in the cemetery.

A biography of son Pleasant H. Beckham which appeared in "History of Warren County, Kentucky" was cited in Barbara Jean's notes. She did not give publishing information, (it states one of the sons of Pleasant, Simeon, was deceased and he died in 1871; and Pleasant's wife died in 1879), but the article, summarized, said Pleasant was the third of four sons and five daughters born to Clayton S. and Margaret Ground Beckham. The article says Clayton was born in Barren County, Kentucky, in 1806 and was a farmer. After he married, he moved to Warren County, but in the Spring of 1860 moved to Tarrant County, Texas, where he died in October 1864. He was a son of John Beckham, native of North Carolina, who married Rachel Moseley, and came to Barren County, Kentucky, about 1795 or 1800, where he was a farmer and also surveyed both roads from Bowling Green to Glasgow.

Margaret was a daughter of Robert Ground who was born in England and came to Warren County when in his teens. He married Rhoda Long whose parents were born in Ireland (doubtful), but who were among the pioneers of Kentucky. Here one of their daughters, a sister of Rhoda Long, was carried off by the Indians (erroneous -- it was a Conway daughter who was taken).

Children of MARGARET GROUND and CLAYTON BECKHAM are:

NANCY⁶ BECKHAM, b. 1834; d. Unknown.

Notes for NANCY BECKHAM:
Barbara Jean Hathcock says that Nancy was living in 1840 and 1850 in Warren County, Kentucky with her father.

ii.

RHODA BECKHAM, b. 1836; d. Unknown.

Notes for RHODA BECKHAM:
Barbara Jean Hathcock shows that Rhoda is on the 1840 and 1850 US Census living with her father in Warren County, Kentucky.

52.	iii.	PLEASANT HENDERSON BECKHAM, b. 20 Jul 1838, Easter, Warren Co, KY; d. 14 Aug 1904, Warren Co, KY.
53.	iv.	JOHN BECKHAM, b. Bet. 1841 - 1842, Warren or Barren County, KY; d. Apr 1870, Cherokee Co, KS.
54.	v.	SARAH ANN BECKHAM, b. 20 Oct 1844, Warren or Barren County, KY; d. 16 Mar 1908, Bowling Green, Warren Co, KY.
55.	vi.	MARY PHOEBE BECKHAM, b. 1847, Warren or Barren County, KY; d. 1927, Greenwood Co, KS.
56.	vii.	NATHANIEL BECKHAM, b. 12 Dec 1850, Warren or Barren County, KY; d. 03 Feb 1931, Grant Co, OK.
57.	viii.	WILLIAM G. BECKHAM, b. 20 Aug 1854, Warren Co, KY; d. 15 Aug 1927, Grant Co, OK.
58.	ix.	ELIZABETH BECKHAM, b. 25 Jan 1858, "Bettie" b. Barren Co, KY; d. 06 Jan 1937, Greenwood Co, KS.

13. ROBERT⁵ GROUND III (ROBERT⁴, ROBERT³, EDWARD², ROBERT¹) was born 07 Jun 1817 in (Some list middle initial "L"--"Letcher") b. Warren Co, KY, and died 17 May 1879 in Cedar Hill, Dallas Co, TX. He married ELIZABETH GOODNIGHT 28 May 1838 in Warren Co, KY, by Zack Emerson, daughter of ISAAC GOODNIGHT and ELIZABETH MCMURRAY. She was born 31 Jan 1820 in near Bowling Green, Warren Co, KY, and died 11 Oct 1881 in Cedar Hill, Dallas Co, TX.

Notes for ROBERT GROUND III:
"Early History of Cope Grove Community"
by I.T. Goodnight, Wellington, Texas

East of Mountain Creek were: (in the Valley Community) Robert Ground, Jacob Boydston, Isaac Lowe, Kirb Wilson, W.S. Rickets, Jim Holland, Isaac Holland and his brother Tom were just boys in those days, and Iddo Cope and his son J. B. Cope. Iddo's other sons were Tom and Rube Cope.

All the above men possessed all of the requirements necessary to overcome the hardships of settling a new country.

Information on this family group comes from:
      Records of Pleasant Valley Cemetery, Dallas Co, Texas*
      "Early History of Cope Grove Community" by I.T. Goodnight,
            Wellington, Texas
      Letter from Annie E. Ground Wilder
      Vada Grounds family records
      Roberta Dukes Notes to 1935
      Records of Ground Family Cemetery, Warren Co, KY
      Letter from R. M. Lowe
      Ellis County, Texas deeds
      Beth Ellis, Houston, Texas, family records
      Plymouth Rock to the Pacific, Wesley Mullenneix, p. 206
      US Census 1850-Navarro District, Ellis County, TX, p. 175/88**
      US Census 1860-Pct 8, Cedar Hill, Dallas Co, TX, p. 89, 608/608
      US Census 1870-Dallas Co, TX, p. 3, line 3, 15/15
      US Census 1880-Pct. 6 ED 67, Dallas Co, TX
      Land Grant Records - granted 640 Acres in Dallas Co, TX 1859

      *The graves of Robert and Elizabeth Goodnight Ground are marked with a single white marble marker. Two tablets, one with birth and death information on each, side by side under arches. Above the tablets is another saying "Father and Mother." Above that tablet is a circlet of flowers. Below all is the inscription, "Their toils are past. Their work is done, and they are fully blest. They fought the fight the victory won, and enter into rest." The stone has been broken more than once and is now (1997) set in concrete, lying flat. Near their marker is a single marker for their infant son and infant daughter. No dates on the infants' marker. It also is set in concrete, lying flat.

      **Note that Dallas, Ellis, Johnson, & Tarrant Counties in Texas meet at the area that these settlers lived, and records are apt to be found in any of the counties. Census takers sometimes failed to regard county lines, which were difficult to ascertain. The families lived in Dallas County, however.

Ellis County, Texas, Grantor Index to Deeds E-G from 1845**
Waxahachie, Texas Courthouse
(** = have deed copy)

** Book C., p. 429, 18 Apr 1848
Robert Ground from J. D. & B. P. Tyus of Limestone Co, TX
Promised to pay $160 for parcel of land in Ellis County on the Waters of Mountain Creek

** Book D, p. 13_?, 8 Feb 1859
Robert Ground receives deed from B. R. Tyus for above land, apparently has paid in full. 160 acres on Mountain Creek. (Note: this land was sold again, half in 1862 and half in 1867 to Robert's brother, Harrison Ground, and sold by Robert on Harrison's behalf again in 1870.)

Letter (typed copy) from Mrs. Annie Eliza Ground Wilder, 29 Oct 1933
Extracted and summarized

My father, Robert Ground, was one of a family of ten children. His forefather came to Kentucky from England at an early day. My father was born in Barren County, Ky., not far from Bowling Green, 7 Jun 1817. Married my mother Elizabeth Goodnight in the year 1838, May 28th. Twelve children were born to them, two died in infancy. The ten all lived to be grown and married, but in 1933, all had passed away except, Annie, Will, and Bob.

Robert Ground moved from Kentucky to Illinois with his brother-in-law, Jacob Boydstun and wife Drusilla. Also Isaac Lowe and wife, Jimmy Holland and wife. They settled near Abingdon, Illinois (in Knox County), but had quite a lot of sickness there. Robert Ground had two congestive chills and the last one "came near taking his life." He and Jacob Boydstun decided to make a change, and in the spring of 1848, they moved to Texas. They had heard of plenty of land with an abundance of game of all kind. (See Jacob Boydstun for story of "The Big Move.")

(Rosemary Filyaw adds that the Grounds had all planned to move to Oregon to establish a church and church college. They were members of the First Christian Church. However, after illness struck, they decided to move to Texas instead of waiting to go to Oregon.)

Robert Ground took land adjoining that of Uncle Jacob on the North over next to the "Big Mountain." The claim already had a one room shack on it, as it had been bought from two young men from Tennessee. Bob Ground cut lumber from down by the Trinity River and covered the shack. While he was gone, a storm brewed and the family of mother and five small children watched as one corner of the roof rose in the wind. The storm passed without serious damage to the shack.

(Rosemary Filyaw adds this item from "The Peters Colony of Texas," by Seymour V. Conner: In 1850, Robert Ground was issued a land certificate by Thomas W. Ward for 640 acres in Dallas County (Robertson Third Class #1738). The land was obtained free through Peters Colony for settlement. They were to live on it 3 years and build a cabin and farm 15 acres.)

The mother and children would eat and retire before dark, to avoid having a light which might attract Indians or wild animals. The Indians came often during the day, begging food. "Mother would always give them something, for she was afraid of them." The Indians were not hostile to the settlers until several years later.

To assist the settlers in finding springs, the Texas Rangers from nearby Johnson Station would assist by riding their horses through the tall grass which grew everywhere, and was as high as a man's head on horseback. When they found a spring, they would tie a rope around a big rock and fasten the other end of the rope to the horn of the saddle, and drag the rock through the grass to make a path to the spring.

Dallas at that time was a small village; the best house was made of hewn logs. Mr. Cockerel kept a ferry boat to put people across the Trinity River. Sometimes, in dry periods, the river would go completely dry. Mr. Cockerel's ferry was later replaced with a toll bridge, costing 25 cents.

Bob Ground's house was close to the mountain. Visitors were cautioned, "Look out, as you go down the mountain, or you will step right into Bob Ground's chimney."

Every fall evening, Bob Ground chopped a big log for a fire and the family sat around the fireside talking and cracking and eating pecans. Fences, fires, and homes alike were built of cedar, as it was very plentiful in the area.

The four families (Holland, Boydstun, Ground, and Lowe) lived happily in the Valley until most of them passed away and were buried in the Pleasant Valley Cemetery, close to Uncle Jacob's house, 3-1/2 miles southwest from Cedar Hill, Texas and 6 miles northwest of Midlothian, Texas. Uncle Jacob gave 3 acres for the cemetery and a church.

The church was known as Pleasant Valley Christian Church. All the neighborhood children went to school and church services on Sunday. All were baptized in "Old Mountain Creek." There was a large congregation for years which met regularly for worship in peace and harmony. "But alas in an evil hour, strife and division came into the church and tore it asunder." (Roberta Dukes Richardson notes, "Dissention in doctrine.") Robert Ground was an Elder in the church at that time. According to Annie, he took sick during this time, and worried about the conflict at the church and "died a broken hearted man." By 1933, the church house was gone and a small school house had been built in its place, but the large cemetery "is still there awaiting the Judgement Morn."

===

1850 US Census Dallas Co, TX
      Robert Ground is listed with 5 children
1860 US Census Dallas Co, TX
      Robert & Elizabeth live in household #608. In #605 was Jackson
      Rape; #609 was Jacob G. Boydstun; #610 was James Holland;
      #615 was J. B. Boydston.
1870 US Census Dallas Co, TX
      Robert Ground's neighbors were son Thomas J. Ground; Isaac Lowe;
      Isaac Lowe Sr.; John B. Holland; Thornton Davis; Charles Holland.

Children of ROBERT GROUND and ELIZABETH GOODNIGHT are:

59.	i.	EDWARD⁶ GROUND, b. 15 Mar 1839, Warren Co, KY; d. 18 Jul 1923, Denton, Denton Co, TX.
60.	ii.	ISAAC HENRY GROUND, b. 01 Jun 1841, "Uncle Ike" b. near Bowling Green, Warren Co, KY; d. 02 Sep 1923, DeSoto, Dallas Co, TX.
61.	iii.	THOMAS JEFFERSON GROUND, b. 20 Jun 1843, Warren Co, KY; d. 19 Jul 1927, Collin Co, TX.
62.	iv.	JOHN GROUND, b. 25 Jul 1845, (or 23rd) b. Knox Co, IL; d. 02 Oct 1931, Wichita Falls, Wichita Co, TX.
63.	v.	SARAH CATHERINE GROUND, b. 25 Nov 1847, Knox Co, IL; d. Abt. 1885.
	vi.	INFANTS GROUND, b. Abt. 1849, 2 infants, one male, one female bd PV Cemetery; d. Unknown, Dallas Co, TX.
64.	vii.	ELIZABETH GOODNIGHT GROUND, b. 03 Aug 1851, Kentucky; d. 31 Oct 1922.
65.	viii.	WILLIAM HARRISON GROUND, b. 12 May 1854, Pleasant Valley, Dallas Co, TX; d. 28 Jan 1936, Clarendon, Donley Co, TX.
	ix.	INFANT GROUND, b. Abt. 1856, 2 infants, one male, one female bd PV Cemetery; d. Unknown, Dallas Co, TX.
66.	x.	STEPHEN ARNOLD DOUGLAS GROUND, b. 23 Feb 1858, Texas; d. 06 Feb 1928, Baird, Callahan Co, TX.
67.	xi.	ANNIE ELIZABETH GROUND, b. 10 Jul 1861, near Cedar Hill, Dallas Co, TX; d. 21 Jan 1958, Andrews, Andrews Co, TX.
68.	xii.	ROBERT LETCHER GROUND, b. 18 Dec 1865, Cedar Hill, Dallas Co, TX; d. 01 Aug 1952, Riverside, Okanogan Co, WA.

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