WILLIAM ARMSTRONG

The following bio was taken from page 96 of the book entitled "Rusk County History" compiled and edited and used with permission of the Rusk County Historical Commission.

Transcribed by Shirley Koym

Submitted by Gloria Briley Mayfield, Rusk County TX Coordinator

William and Elizabeth Armstrong came to Rusk County from Coosa County, Alabama during the 1850’s. According to an estate settlement dated Coosa County May 19, 1843, William Armstrong had three sisters: Mary, who married John Forshee; Dorcus, who married Joshua Monk, and a sister (name unknown), who married Simon Posey. He also had four brothers: Elbert, Greenberry (or Littleberry), Robert and Moses.

William and Elizabeth Armstrong settled in the Rosin Flat area, which is south of the present-day Chapman Community. On March 29, 1869, William and Elizabeth executed a deed whereby they deeded their remainder interest in one hundred and ninety-five acres of land to their three sons: William A. J., James A., and Robert Armstrong.

William A. J. was born in 1836 in Alabama. He was a private, Company C First Texas Infantry, CSA, enlisting May 30, 1862, Rusk County, and paroled at Selma, Alabama in June, 1865. He married Sarah Elizabeth Busby October 15, 1865, Shelby County, Alabama. They returned to Rusk County where he died February 15, 1891. To my knowledge they had no children.

James A., who was born in 1845 in Alabama, married Lucinda E. Writt (Wyatt) May 14 1866 in Rusk County. I can find no other information on James.

Robert Logan, born in 1838 in Alabama, died February 21, 1900. He married Martha Ann Everett December 10, 1856, in Panola County. Martha Ann was the daughter of Aquilla and Elizabeth Everett. She was born in Tennessee July, 1838 and died February 17, 1901. Robert Logan and Martha Ann Armstrong are buried in the Ross Cemetery. Their children: Robert and Martha Ann’s son, Robert Logan, Jr., was born May, 1859. He married first; Parley Irvin (Ervin), and they had one child, Robert (Bobby), born in March, 1889. On September 1, 1892, he married his second wife, Amanda Gentry, born October, 1859. Robert Logan, Jr., his wife, Amanda and Bobby all died during the 1919 flu epidemic. All are buried in the Ross Cemetery at Pine Hill.

A second son, William (Bill) Armstrong, born January 15, 1861, in Rusk County, married October 7, 1880, Ella Bates (born November 15, 1861), in Rusk county. Ella was the daughter of William J. and Indiana (Mabry) Bates. Bill and Ella’s children, all born in Rusk County, are as follows: Mattie Louellen (1882-1916), who married James W. Weaver (1883-1964), is buried in New Prospect; William Laster (1883-1884) is buried in Ross Cemetery; Sarah Elizabeth (1885-1953), who married Oscar Ballenger (1880-1944), is buried in Strong Cemetery; Joe Lee (1887-1948), who married Carrie Uretha Conway (1898-1979), is buried in New Prospect Cemetery; Annie May (1888-1889), who is buried in Ross Cemetery; Mary Ida (1890-1976), who married David Cullen McCormack (1890-1957) and is buried in Shiloh Cemetery; I, Ola Gertrude (1892), who married Thomas John Conway (1890-1939), the latter being buried in Parish Cemetery, Orange, Texas; Alice Pearl (1895), who married Lonnie T. Young (1894-1961), the latter being buried in New prospect; Claudia Lois (1897), who married C. R. Jimerson (1900-1950), the latter is buried in New Prospect and Lois is living in Lone Star, Texas; Eva Gladys (1899-1902) buried Ross Cemetery; Arthur Thomas (1901), who married first, Lucy Chamness; second, Esther Ware; and third, Grace Grant Propes, the last and Arthur now living in Henderson.

Papa and Mama (Bill and Ella) lived in Rusk County until 1948, at which time they came to Orange to live with me, Ola Conway. Papa died March 6, 1948, and Mama died October 13, 1954. Both are buried in New Prospect. I, Ola Conway, still live in Orange, Texas.

Submitted by Ola Armstrong Conway