Family Record of the James B. Collins & Martha J. L. (Endsley) Family

James B. Collins                                              Martha J. Endsley

Birth date:  ca. 1859__                                    Birth date:  10 Oct 1859

Death date:  before 1900                                 Death date:  10 May 1939

Burial place:  Unknown                                  Burial place:  Round Hill

                                                                               Cemetery, Belfast, TN

James B. Collins & M. J. L. Endsley

Were married 12 Nov 1885 in

Marshall County, Tennessee

by J. T. McAdams, J. P.

Children:

____________________________________________________________________

1.  F.  Sallie Endsley         17 Dec 1886-21 Mar 1967   m. Enoch C. London         

____________________________________________________________________

Parents of Husband:                                   Parents of Wife:

Ezra Collins                                                 Father:   Isaac Newton Endsley

Cynthia A. Collins                                       Mother:  Sarah M. Ladd  

Notes:  I am "guessing" at husband's parents' identities.  The only James B.

             Collins I found in close proximity to the Isaac Newton Endsley

             household in the 1880 Census was   James B. Collins, S., 21, Laborer,

             in the Ezer Collins household also in the 5^th Civil District of Marshall

             County.  Note that he and Martha J. Endsley were very near the

             same age. [NA Film No. T9-1269, page 362 C. ]   This is a frustrated

             guess, not genealogical research.  Further information wanted!

             NOTHING FURTHER KNOWN ABOUT JAMES B. COLLINS.

             In the 1880 Census of Marshall County, Martha J. Endsley, daughter, is

             In the Isaac N. Endsley household.  Her age was 20.

             In the 1900 Census of Marshall County, Mattie Endsley was 41, born

             Oct 1859, (wd?).   Daughter, Sallie, b. Dec 1886 was in the house-

             hold.  Her surname was given as "Endsley."

             Sallie married Enoch C. London in 1903.  I've not been able to locate

             "Mattie" in the 1910 census but Enoch & Sallie were enumerated.

             Enoch London died in 1914.

             "Matt" Endsley was enumerated as head of household in the 1920

             Census as Female, 60, widowed.  Sallie and her living children were

             also in Matt's household.  They were enumerated as:

                                London, Sallie               Female, 31, daughter, widowed

                                ______,  Zettie               Female, 13, granddaughter

                                ______,  Jewell               Male,     10, grandson

                                ______,  Georgia Kate  Female     8

              An elder relative who knew her when he was a boy, told me that she

              went by the name "Matt" Endsley and was universally referred to by

              that name.

              In the 1930 Census, Sallie London, 44, was the head of household and

              Matt was living with her.

              Matt died 10 May 1939.  Her Tennessee Death Certificate # 10903

              Gives the following information:  "Mrs. Mattie Endsley, widowed.

                                                                       Old 5^th Dist, Marshall County

                                                                       Rt 5, Lewisburg

                                                                       Date of birth:  10 Oct 1859

                                                                       Informant:  Zeda London

                                                                       M. D.:  ?? Leonard

                                                                       Burial place:  Round Hill

This was a frustrating one.  For years we thought "Matt" (as she preferred to be called) had had an out of wedlock child and was never married.  From the 1900 Census on, she referred to herself as "widowed" and so does her death certificate but she retained her maiden surname in all the census records and on her D/C.

Last week I found her daughter's modest horizonal tombstone at Round Hill.  It specifically said:  Daughter of James B. Collins and of Mattie Endsley.

So.  Jump back in the car and dash to the courthouse yet again and, sure enough, there's the marriage record.  "Sallie"  wasn't an out of wedlock child after all.  They referr to them as "woods colts" in Marshall County.

 Submitted by Dick Wood, Dec 2004