My Genealogy Home Page:Information about Ananias William Cothern
Ananias William Cothern (b. 14 Sep 1824, d. 01 Dec 1891)
Notes for Ananias William Cothern:William Ananias Cothern went by Bill.After a short marriage, Bill was left a widow with a small baby daughter, Josephine. He then moved to Louisiana where he again married. When Thomas Cothern was asmall baby in the fall of 1851, his family of four plus his "Granny Anna" moved back to Texas.After a long trip they reached Bill's brother (Andrew Jackson Cothern's) 320 acre place in Leon County, Texas.This land bordered on Limestone County, according to the Texas General Land Office.Bill settled on a farm near Jack's place,butby 1860 they moved much further south, near Corpus Christi in Bee County. There Bill filed for a stategrant on a "scrap" of land that was 34 acres.It lay justoff Blanco Creek, with Flag Creek running through the property.In a letter dated January 26, 1861, and signed AnaniasCothern, he asked for a re-survey of this land.During the Civil War, Bill decided to move his family near Galveston Bay, perhaps in an effort to help the Confederate cause by hauling supplies to and from that established southern supply point.No record hasbeen found to support the oral tradition that Bill served in the Civil War. They settled at Bolivar's Point which is probably Port Bolivar, Texas today. After the war Bill moved his family to Fannin County, Texas.About 20 miles northeast of Bonham where he bought land near hisbrother, John J. Cothern for $550 cash, Bill bought 160 acres from Freeman Little on April 23, 1868. By then he probably already owned 120 acres of the Little survey.His land corneredon the same acreage that John J's land bordered on.Next door to him was Amos Cothran, one of John J. Cothern's sons.In 1870 he is listed as a farmer owning $750 of real property and $300 of personal property.The next year, Bill and Mandy sold 160 acres for $50 GOLD and a promissory note for $350 at 10% interest.The note was paid off in1873.This may have been the 160 acres that their son, Thomas bought? On November 24, 1874, they once again signed a deed in Bonham, selling 120 acres for $250 and a promissory note from. W. Mullins for $250 in GOLD or Green backs at 10% interest.In the late 1870's Bill moved his family for the last time to Williamson County, north of Austin.They lived in Gabriel Mills.According to the Texas State Historical Association, Gabriell Mills was on the North San illiamson Co. . An Englishman, Samuel E. Mather, built a water-powered gristmill at the site about 1849 The community was augmented by a number of families in the early 1850's and had a MasonicLodge and a two-story combination lodge-church-schoolhouse by 1856. Farmers came from a wide radius to use themill and the stores that were established in the later 1850's. A post office was opened in the town in 1858. By 1884, Gabriel Mills had seventy-five inhabitants, a mill, a gin, a school, and two churches.The community reached its peak population of eighty in 1890 and thereafter declined rapidly.By 1988, all that survived of Gabriel Mills was a cemetery.
ed Andice Missionary Baptist Church. An old tree at Gabriel Mills, which hadbeenbent to grow horizontally as a water marker by the Indians, ore the initials of an old Bill Cothran.His place had a grove of China Berry trees which was the old name for Mimosa trees.
, Route 1, Box 125, Liberty Hill, Texas 78642. "Last Saturday night at a schoolreunion I talked to Ralph Dixon Love, a historian of this section.He has lots of information that he received from his grandfather, HurchLove. I asked Dixon if he ever heard his grandfather speak of William Cothern. He said he had and his grandfather called him Bill Cothern.
(Research):See attached sources.
More About Ananias William Cothern:
Record Change: 09 Dec 2006
More About Ananias William Cothern and Unknown unknown:
Record Change: 05 Jul 2003
More About Ananias William Cothern and Amanda Elizabeth Stapleton:
Marriage: 1850, Louisiana.
Record Change: 28 Nov 2004
Children of Ananias William Cothern and Unknown unknown are:
- Josephine Cothern, b. 1849,d.,.
Children of Ananias William Cothern and Amanda Elizabeth Stapleton are:
- Thomas Jackson. Cothern, b. 04 Jul 1851, Breckenridge, Texas, d. 27 Jun 1934, Collingsworth Co. Wellington, Texas.
- John J. Cothern, b. 11 Sep 1856, Breckenridge, Texas,d.,.
- +Emily Jane Cothern, b. 27 Oct 1858, Lamar Co. Texas, d. 19 Oct 1896, Lamar Co. Texas.
- Lorine D. Cothern, b. 22 May 1862,d.,.
- Josiah D. Cothern, b. 25 Sep 1862, Lamar Co TX, d. 1925, California.
- Sarah Sally Cothern, b. 17 Aug 1865, Fannin Co TX, d. 1957, Crosby Co, Ralls, TX.
- Nancy Ella Cothern, b. 16 May 1869, Fannin Co TX, d. 1955, Cook Co Gainsville TX.
- Kate Cothern, b. 1871, Fannin Co TX,d., Belle Co Killeen TX.
- Ada L. Cothern, b. 1873, Fannin Co TX, d. 1925.