The Descendants of James Lee Tate

This is information is posted so that cousins of mine that do descend from this ancestry can find other cousins. Also, so that RAGSDALE family members might benefit and add to this genealogy from Ruby Louis, email Rmlouis @ aol.com [ do not include the spaces around the @, this is an anti-spam measure ]. You may also send information to Michael Brown to be added to this page. Also, he will forward it to his cousins, the descendants of Sanford Bud & Mary Cal Ladona Ragsdale Brown. Michael does not descend from this family and has no more information than what is listed on this page and on the LDS site. ALL queries should be emailed to Ruby.

The information listed is open to much scrutiny. If you have other information which might shed light on this information, please share it so that we can have "proof" or certainity about the connection of these individuals.

1. Benjamin Franklin RAGSDALE was born Abt. 1808, and died Bet.1860 - 1870 in Lawrence County, Arkansas. He married (1) Mary Elizabeth COFFELT May 19, 1825 in Knox County, Kentucky, daughter of John COFFELT and Elizabeth ROY. She was born Abt. 1806 in Tennessee, and died Bet. 1850 - 1860 in Lawrence County, Arkansas. He married (2) Matilda HEONEY July 30, 1863 in Lawrence County, Arkansas. This family was living in the Union Township of Lawrence County, Arkansas in the 1850 census.

Their children were: i. John RAGSDALE,b. Abt. 1827, Kentucky; d. 1849, Crawford County, Arkansas; m. ELIZABETH ESTEP, June 27, 1846, Lawrence County, Arkansas. ii. Elizabeth Carolina Jane RAGSDALE, b. July 06, 1828, Kentucky; d. September 05, 1905, Carbon County, Utah; m. ABRAHAM JAMES, Abt. 1845; b. October 05, 1823, North Carolina; d. June 16, 1882, Yavapai County, Arizona. Notes for ABRAHAM JAMES: Reference: Family records written by William Cook Prows, husband to Louisa Melinda Rowena. Belonged to and was an Elder in the Morman Church and is listed in the Prominent men and Pioneers of Utah. More About ABRAHAM JAMES: Census: 1850, Crawford County, Arkansas iii. William RAGSDALE, b. January 1830, Tennessee; d. January 16, 1865, Fayetteville, Washington County, Arkansas; m. (1)GENETTA STARNES, July 23, 1851, Lawrence County, Arkansas; b. 1831, Tennessee; m. (2) NANCY JOHNSON, May 25, 1862, Lawrence County, Arkansas. Notes for WILLIAM RAGSDALE: William inrolled in the Civil War, 10 Nov. 1863 at Fayetteville, Arkansas, C. 1st Ark. Calvery, rank private. William was murdered when he was returning home on a furlough from the Civil War. iv. Eliza A. RAGSDALE, age 18, born Abt 1832 v. Silas RAGSDALE, b. Abt. 1835, Spring River, Lawrence County, Arkansas; m. ELIZABETH SHEARD. Notes for SILAS RAGSDALE: Silas enlisted in the Civil War 12 October, 1861 at Fayetteville, Arkansas, by W. H. Brooks, in Company E., 1st Battalion (Stromans). Left in Arkansas sick, musterroll, Feb. 1863. vi. George W. RAGSDALE, b. Abt. 1839, Spring River, Lawrence County, Arkansas; d. 17 Sep 1880; m. (1) MARY ???; b. Georgia; m. (2) ELIZABETH COFFEL, January 26, 1874, Lawrence County, Arkansas. (3) MARY SEWELL, born in Georgia. Notes for GEORGE WASHINGTON RAGSDALE: Geoge enlisted in the Civil war 18 March 1862, at Pocahontas, Arkansas by D.F. Shull. Served 12 months in the 25th Arkansas Infantry. Wounded slightly in arm at Murfersboro, 31 Dec, 1862 in com.. Issued clothes 7 Sept 1864." Destitute and going to the front." Ragsdale, George and A. J. Hargus A 17 Sept. 1880 inquest held over the dead bodies of these two determined that they died in the explosion of a grist mill. Ragsdale was age 30 and Hargus age 50. Also, see Notes 4 & 5 below More About GEORGE WASHINGTON RAGSDALE: Census: 1880, Lawrence County, Arkansas, page 18 Military service: Civil War Children of George Washington RAGSDALE per the 1880 Lawrence Co., Arkansas Census of Spring River Township taken June 18, 1880:

Ragsdale, Geo W. 35 Farmer AR NC TN Mary 30 wife GA GA GA * James T. 12 son AR AR MS * Sarah F. 10 dau AR AR MS Alice L. 3 dau AR AR GA Mary C. 5/12 dau AR AR GA m. Sanford Brown * James & Sarah may have had different mothers than Alice & Mary vii. Nancy RAGSDALE, b. August 04, 1841, Lawrence County, Arkansas; d. April 17, 1913, Santa Ana, Orange County, California; m. (1) ZACKARY/ZACHIAS WILKINSON/WILKERSON, September 1861, Springfield, Greene County, Arkansas; b. Bet. 1810 - 1815, Tennessee; d. 1876, California or Cook County, Texas ??; m. (2) LARKIN FLEMING REEDER, Abt. 1879, San Bernadino County, California; b. August 20, 1832, Arkansas; d. June 01, 1912, Chino, San Bernadino,California. Notes for NANCY ANN RAGSDALE: Some records says Nancy was born in Alabama or Illinois. I think they are not correct because her family lived in Lawrence County Arkansas since the early 1830s. In all family correspondence, it says Nancy was 1/4 Indian. I hadn't been able to prove or disprove this. More About NANCY ANN RAGSDALE: Cause of Death: Senility and Fracture of Hip Medical Information: Death Certificate Notes for ZACKARY/ZACHIAS WILKINSON/WILKERSON: In a letter written in the 1960's, it states," Zackary deserted the Union Army during the civil war, shot and killed a man in a poker game, and spent five years in Jail." I haven't been able to verify this. It also states he left children in Missouri viii. Benjamin Franklin RAGSDALE Jr, b. May 04, 1844, Imboden, Lawrence County, Arkansas. Notes for BENJAMIN FRANKLIN RAGSDALE JR: Benjamin enlisted in the Civil War, January 15, 1862, at Pochahontas Arkansas, by Capt. Brown for three years. Last paid, 31 Oct, 1863. viv. Joseph RAGSDALE, b. Abt. 1845, Imboden, Lawrence County, Arkansas. Notes for JOSEPH G. RAGSDALE: Also called "Knight" Joseph enlisted in the Civil War as a private in Co. F, 25th Infantry, 18 Mar, 1862, at Pocahontas, Arkansas by Major D.F. Shell for 12 months. Sent to Knoxville sick, 12 August, 1862. No further record. x. Anda Andrew J. RAGSDALE, b. Abt. 1846, Imboden, Lawrence County, Arkansas. Notes for ANDREW/ANDA JACKSON RAGSDALE: Andrew enlisted in Civil War 9 October 1861 in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Company E., 1st Batalion (Stirmous) Arkansas Calvary. In Gandell Hospital, 7 Jan 1863, fate unknown. xi. James Newton RAGSDALE, b. August 02, 1850, Imboden, Lawrence County, Arkansas; d. April 01, 1890; m. (1) MARIA E. FREER; m. (2) MARTHA L. COFFEL, January 18, 1877, Imboden, Lawrence County, Arkansas; b. December 09, 1859, Arkansas; d. Bet. 1926 - 1927. Notes for JAMES NEWTON RAGSDALE: James was killed by a train between Black Rock and Imboden, Arkansas. Information was from a letter written in by Lou Munkus in 1960's. Lou was the daughter of Silas Ragsdale, a cousin to James. She wrote: "I know something about Jim Ragsdale, he and my dad were together the night that James was killed. They had been drinking together and on the way home got separated, when my dad got home and Jim wasn't there, my dad went back to find him and bring him home. "Mother told him he couldn't leave the house in his condition. He told mother if she would let him go back to find Jim he would never drink again. He went back to the railroad and learned of the train accident. My dad quit his drinking that night ." She said she believed her Aunt Martha was with her mother that night (Mary and Martha were sisters) Notes for MARTHA L. COFFEL: Martha was the sister to Mary Henry Elizabeth Frances Coffel that married Silas R. Ragsdale. Martha was named after her four grandparents, because her sister was named after her four grandparets? Martha was loud, blustery and hard as nails according to her neice, Lou Ragsdale

2. William RAGSDALE, born 1814 in NC. He was living in the Black River Township in the 1850 census. Per 1850 Census NC/AR dwg 380 i. Andrew J. RAGSDALE, born Abt 1842 AR ii. Nancy J. RAGSDALE, born Abt 1844 AR

3. Calvin RAGSDALE was born Abt. 1821, and died March 16, 1871 in Lawrence County, Arkansas. He married Jane SOUTHERNS/RUSSELL September 30, 1847 in Lawrence County, Arkansas. She was born Abt. 1828, and died 1871 in Lawrence County, Arkansas.

Notes for Calvin RAGSDALE: It is not documented proof that this is the brother to Benjamin Ragsdale, but places and names and family history would point to this being his brother, or at least a very close family member.

Calvin RAGSDALE d. date not included Gdn.: In 1872, George W. BROWN was the gdn for the minor heirs of Calvin Ragsdale, dec'd. Date of appointment not included. These minor heirs appear to have been Robert W., Cilas, George W., and Polly A Ragsdale.

Petition: On 9 March 1872 the following persons petitioned the Court asking that the Ragsdale real property be sold, towit: George W. BROWN as gdn. of Jane Ragsdale, dec'd., heirs Bengamin Ragsdale; Jacob Sharp; Samuel H. Ball; J.A. Bottoms; William Ragsdale; Willis Ragsdale; G.H. Blackwell; and D.R. Campbell.

Children of Calvin RAGSDALE and Jane SOUTHERNS/RUSSELL are: i. William RAGSDALE, b. Abt. 1852. ii. Willis RAGSDALE, b. Abt. 1852. iii. Silas RAGSDALE, b. June 12, 1853, Imboden, Lawrence County, Arkansas; d. September 16, 1935, Lexington, Oklahoma; m. Mary Henry Elizabeth Frances COFFEL, July 13, 1878, Imboden, Lawrence County, Arkansas; b. March 11, 1862, Lawrence County, Arkansas; d. December 05, 1921, Trousdale, Pottawattomi, Oklahoma. Notes for Mary Henry Elizabeth Frances COFFEL: Sister to Martha Coffel that married James Newton Ragsdale. Mary's father died during the war and left her mother with three little girls. Mary Coffel according to her daughter Lou was a kind, soft spoken, and considerate. iv. Benjamin RAGSDALE, b. September 15, 1855, Ark; m. Sarah Ann HOLDER, September 23, 1875, Imboden, Lawrence County, Arkansas; b. November 27, 1851, Tennessee; d. January 14, 1919. v. Mary Ann⁶ RAGSDALE, b. Abt. 1860. vi. George W. RAGSDALE, b. Abt. 1862. vii. Robert W. RAGSDALE.

THOMPSON, Henderson 54, Martha E. 43, COFFELT, Henry 12, RAGSDALE, Lucinda 21, McCARROLL, Mary E. 5, VA/VA dwg 646, Spring River Twp.

RAGSDALE, William 36, Andrew J. 8, Nancy J. 6, NC/AR dwg 380, Black River Twp.

WILLIAMS, James O. 27, Elizabeth 25, William E. 6, John 5, RAGSDALE, James 7, TN/KY dwg 744, Union Twp.

RAGSDALE, Lancaster 60, William 24, Rick 22, Benjamin 18, Charles 15, Mary 14, Louisa 4, WORDALL, Thomas 6, NC/TN dwg 1, Breckenridge Twp.

RAGSDALE, Calvin 25 to RUSSELL, Jane 19 on 30 Sep 1847 A2-188
RAGSDALE, William to HUDSON, Nancy on 23 Jul 1837 A2-007
RAGSDALE, William to ROSS, Sarah on 5 Feb 1851 A2-279
RAGSDALE, William to STARNS, Enetta on 25 May 1851 A2-285
WILLIAMS, James O. 20 to RAGSDALE, Elizabeth 18 on 29 Dec 1844
RAGSDALL, Ellis L. to SMITH, Zilpha on 25 Apr 1830 A1-016
WILLIAMS, William to RAGSDALE, Jane on 24 May 1835 A1-047

Note 4: "Loose Probate Papers" by Marion Stark Craig, MD. Lawrence Co, Arkansas.

Ragsdale, George and A. J. Hargus
A 17 Sept. 1880 inquest held over the dead bodies of these two determined that they died in the explosion of a grist mill. Ragsdale was age 30 and Hargus age 50.

Last Name	First Name	Age	Occupation	Person Born	Father Born	Mother Born
Ragsdale	Geo W.	35	farmer	AR	NC	TN
Ragsdale	Mary	30	wife	GA	GA	GA
Ragsdale *	James T.	12	son	AR	AR	MS
Ragsdale *	Sarah F.	10	dau	AR	AR	MS
Ragsdale	Alice L.	3	dau	AR	AR	GA
Ragsdale	Mary C. **	5/12	dau	AR	AR	GA
Note: * James & Sarah may have had different mothers than Alice & Mary Note: ** Mary Cal Ladonia Ragsdale, wife of Sanford Bud Brown, was born on Dec 2, 1879 at Smithville, Ark. Her Death Certificate from Wagoner, OK states that her mother was a Mary Sewell. Sanford B. & Mary C. Ragsdale Brown are both buried in Wagoner, OK.

Note 6: LDS Online information. Another Researcher to this line is L Vadeina Whitney,
35066 Ede Rd, Lacomb, OR 97355-9139; Submission to LDS: AF83-071816

This information must not be used for any commercial adventure without the expressed written consent of Ruby Louis at the email address above. If you have other information to share, please let me or Ruby know. Ruby would like to have more information on this RAGSDALE family ancestry. If you copy or print this information, please keep the following address with this information: