Chasing Our Tales in Erath County: The Pendleton Family

For many years now I have been chasing the tales of my family and other families as they have migrated from Europe, across the Atlantic, to settle on the East Coast and slowly make their ways to Texas. The journeys have been long, both theirs and mine, but they have certainly been worthwhile.

I hope to share with you, in these genealogical pieces, tales of your families and mine, and as I share with you I hope you will pass on to me some of your family tales.Although my life began in Stephenville, my tale goes back to Ireland, England, Scotland, and Germany. Where does your tale begin?

I recently heard from Doris Pendleton, dpendleton@neto.com, of Windom, Texas. She is searching for the Carter and Teague families of Brown and Palo Pinto Counties, but in emailing back and forth I learned that her husband's family is from Stephenville. They attended Oak Dale Methodist Church, and while I grew up knowing the Vern Pendleton family, his brother lived in Stephenville, too. They were descended from Allison Osborne and Rebecca (Lawson) Pendleton of Rye Cove, Scott County, Virginia. Allison was the son of the Reverend John, a Methodist preacher, and Jemima (Kilgore) Pendleton.

In the fall of 1858 Allison came to Collin County Texas with his family, including his mother, father, and nine siblings. They made the trip by wagon train in 64 days. Two of John's children stayed in Virginia and one went to Kentucky. The home place and some Pendleton cousins are still in Rye Cove.

Many Pendleton descendants settled around Farmersville in Collin County. An old Pendleton Cemetery is located just east of Farmersville on land once owned by the Pendleton family. John, Jemima, and many other family members are buried there.

Vern Pendleton's line migrated to the Gatesville area and then on to Erath and Stephens counties. Many of this line are buried in the Moon Cemetery near Breckenridge.

The 1820 Scott County Virginia Census lists three Pendletons, James, John, and Reuben, and I have found that Richard Flanery, SIRFLAN@aol.com, is researching the Pendleton family of Scott County.

I discovered much Pendleton information on the internet. In 1842 John and Jemima sold 16 acres of land to Evelina and Lurina Falins. Further, William M. Pendleton was the treasurer of Scott County in 1888, and R. Q. Pendleton is listed as a Civil War veteran from Collin County. The internet is a wonderful research tool, and the best Pendleton site I found was http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~ozarkgal/Pendleton_VA_Scott.html which listed all the Pendleton Vital Records in Scott County in the 1800's.

If you have information regarding the Pendleton family, or if you would like to tell me the tale of your family, you may write me, Sue Seibert, P. O. Box 61, Mineral Wells TX 76068-0061; or email me at siouxcitysue@cox-internet.com. Until I see you again, you all take care, now!