[map of Polk Co, Missouri]
The Woodard family lived on the headwater branches of White's Creek in Davidson Co. Tenn., near the old Woodard Camp Grounds. In 1821 the family, with kin and friends migrated to Cooper Co. Mo. and later, they moved to and settled on Little Sac. River, about 3 miles South east of Morrisville, Polk Co. Mo. where they were charter members of Pitt Woodard's bible class, established March 27, 1837. Pitt and Thomas Woodard and their families were in the Polk Co. census of 1840 and later ones. They had settled in Polk Co. in 1836. During the war between the states, several of Thomas Woodard's sons joined the Confederate Army and after the war their home and land were lost and members of the family moved to new homes and are now in Mo., Okla, Texas and New Mexico and elsewhere.Persons who had family records and supplied them for use in this book were: Miss Roma Jane Ross of Springfield, Mo; Mr. Monroe Woodard of Albuquerque, N. Mex; E.T. Stonecipher, of the U.S. Navy, and wife; Berlie Jane McMasters-Russell of Henrietta, Clay Co. Texas; and Miss Mary Louise Woodard of Olustee, Jackson Co. Okla; and Mr. Charles W. Woodard of Morrisville, Polk Co. Mo.
Good reading is included in the Centennial Volume of Missouri Methodism by Gray and Baker, in 1907., and the History of the Hickory Grove Church by Virginia Benge Stokes as published in the Bolivar Mo. Herald of Jan. 2, 1936.[photo] April, 3, 1955. The Old Woodard Camp Ground, near Southeast Junction of Old Hickory Blvd. and Brick Church Pike in the northern section of Dav. Co. The site is on the South side of Little Cr. a branch of White's Creek.
[photo] Site of the Pitt Woodard Mill and Dam on Little Sac River. It was washed by the great flood of July 1864. Photo furnished by Charles William Woodard, Rural Route from Morrisville, Polk Co. Mo. (April 1955).The finding of this lost Woodard-Fambrough family was one of the most unusual cases in all of my research. There was a Davidson Co. marriage of Thomas Woodard to Susan Fambrough on Oct. 26, 1825. Land transfers were ... continued on page 213
[page of photos and copies] Gravestones of Thomas Smith Woodard and Susan White Fambrough in the Hickory Grove Church yard, near Morrisville, Polk Co. Mo.
Sheets from the old Woodard Bible loaned to the author by Miss Mary Louise Woodard of Olustee, Jackson Co. Okla. By the use of special lighting and magnification the letters and numerals were deciphered for this book. [four sheets, but not readable in the copy]...examined and it was found that Woodard famillies lived in the headwater branches of White's Creek. However a visit to that section failed to find any one of that name or a graveyard with Woodard names on the stones. Deeds seemed to indicate that the Woodards had sold out and left many years ago. One thing that the research did disclose was the location of the old Woodard Camp Ground.
Mrs. Lillian B. Cady, who did research work, for the author, in the Bureau of the Census in Washington D.C. was requested to keep the name of Woodard in mind so that, in her research work, if she saw the name, to let me know about it.
Several years passed with no results, until one day in 1953, Commander E.T. Stonecipher, of the U.S. Navy, and his wife met Mrs. Cady in the National Archives, and brought up the names of Woodard and Faulkner. Mrs. Cady told them that there was a man in Nashville Tenn. who was trying to find out about a Woodard family. Correspondence brought out the fact that Stonecipher and his wife were working on the same Woodard family.
One thing led to another, including a visit to Nashville by Stonecipher, to search the Davidson Co. records and to see the author. This was truly the "open sesame" password, for after many letters to and from Missouri, Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico a good record was compiled of the family, who had been "lost" for more than a hundred years.
He was one of a few of the Fambroughs who used the short spelling.
The first record of William was when he was mentioned in his father's will of April 6, 1816, as receiving the landed estate when he became 21 years of age.In the Davidson County Tenn minutes 1819 - 21 p 2 in April term of 1819 court, "Wm. Fambrough, an orphan boy of the age of 14 years, on the 1st day of October 1819 is bound to Peter Terhune until 21 years of age, to be trained in the mistery of waggon making and at the experation of his apprenticeship is to be given a good suit of Clothes and fifty cents in cash." Fambrough evidently did not think much of the wagon making business, for we find him later in Cahawba, Dallas Co. Ala as a prominent lawyer, Judge and Editor.
Davidson Co. deed R p 409, dated July 17, 1827, shows Wm. Fambrough selling to Orman Simpkins for $303, the four tracts of land which had been granted by Tennessee to his father, Stewart Fambrough, and which had been willed to William. It is not entirely clear by the wording of the deed; however, it appears that Fambrough was living in Davidson County at the time of the sale.
The first record of Fambro in Dallas Co. Ala. was shown in a letter dated at Cahawba Ala. on May 13, 1836, to Col. Robert Weakley in Nashville Tenn. This letter was in the files of the Litten Hickman papers and read as follows, in part: "yours of April, 3, was duly received. I have been from home on the circuit which has prevented me from responding sooner". Fambro spoke in the letter about a prospective trip to Texas to purchase land but probably would not go. He also spoke of the large number of negroes being brought into the south and sold at extravagant prices. Also about editing a newspaper and practicing law in Dallas and surrounding Counties --- "Give my best love to aunt and, dear sir, receive my kindest wishes for your welfare."
yours truly
W.W. Fambro.
This letter would certainly indicate that Fambro had been in Dallas Co, and probably in Cahawba, for some time prior to 1836.Fambro's name appears in the deed books of Dallas Co. several times in 1837. He purchased his first lots in Cahawba on July 18, 1840 when he bought lots 9, 10, 11, and 12. It was on lot No. 11 where his first home was located. These lots were located between Oak Street and Mulberry Street and Capitol Ave and 1st North Streets. In the history of Prominent men in Alabama by Garrett printed in 1872, the name of W.W. Fambro is mentioned as an Attorney at Law.
[two photos and an aerial photo] Sept 6, 1949 The Fambro Home on the Southeast corner of Oak St. and 1st North Street. Notice the first floor built so as to be above high water stages. Artesian Spring and fish pool in the yard of the Fambro home after more than a 100 years.
Cahawba, Alabama.The story of Cahawba, now a ghost town, is fascinating. The town was established in 1818 and became the seat of Government and the first Capitol of Alabama in 1820 and continued as the capitol city until 1834. Gen. Lafayette, while on his visit to America, was entertained in Cahawba, in 1825.
The town was subject to overflow by the high floods in the Alabama River and this, plus losing the Capitol and then the county seat of Government was the beginning of the end.Cahawba was a rich and influential town and was the site of beautiful and expensive homes and gardens. But it is all gone now, every brick and stone of the original homes. A fancy bush in the flower gardens was the Cherokee Rose, but in all of these years it has grown wild and spread everywhere, with its sharp and uncinate thorns. (see photos on next page, 215)
The destructive and discouraging floods on the River did not dim the people of Cahawba from being public spirited and advocates for river improvement. "Knoxville, Tenn. Register, June 13, 1823. The Canal --- a reprint from the Cahawba Press --- A meeting of citizens of Cahawba, Selma and in fact the whole county of Dallas is requested at the State House on Tuesday next, the 21st, for the purpose of taking into consideration the advantages and practibility of opening communicatin between the waters of Tennessee and Mobile Rivers --- the Canal to follow Okoa, a branch of the Tennessee and the Conasauga, a branch of the Coosa, with a portage of only 9 miles ---"
(Note: the Alabama River would have been an integral part of this improvement.)
(A map of this canal route is in the Tenn. State Library.)
Public organizations and those interested in preserving historic places have begon to give thought to developing the site of old Cahawba as a tourist attraction. It is understoood that street-corner markers are to be, or are already erected and the cemetery where many of the early pioneir citizens were buried will be given a face lifting. On my last visit to Cahawba, some improvements had already been made.
It is almost certain that some of the gravestones, Fambro's for one, have fallen over and been covered by the accumulation of humus andsoil.
Interesting articles, have been written about Old Cahawba by those who lived there in its days of glory. "Memories of Old Cahawba" by Anna M. Gayle Fry in 1908 is a good and interesting one.[five photos] Street scenes on Sept. 5, 1949.
Oak Steet looking north, towards "town" from near the Cemetery.
Vine Street was the business St. of town. It was lined with business houses.
Oak St. looking south from 2nd South Street, showing the density of the Cherokee Rose.
September 5, 1949. The columns of the old Dallas Academy, north of town.
September 6, 1949. The Methodist Church, the only building remaining. On East side of Mulberry St. between 1st and 2nd South Streets (It can be seen on the aerial photo).Elizabeth Fambro owned two lots in the town of Cahawba on the south side of 2nd South St. and between Walnut and Vine steets. It was in th home at this site where she and her husband are said to have died. She willed the property to the Presbyterian Church.
RESEARCH: The Fambrough Family Society states:
A marriage license was issued in Dallas County on 26 May 1842 to William W. Fambro and Elizabeth J. Jacob. This could be William's only marriage but William is listed on page 268 Dallas County, Alabama 1850 Federal Census, with two older Fambro children, a large assortment of other children and adults. We believe that the two Fambro children, born in Alabama, were possibly adopted by William and Elizabeth, or possibly wards of the court. Elizabeth J. Jacobs was born about 1822 in Mississippi.RESEARCH: The Will of Wm. W. Fambro was filed in 1862 by Elizabeth Fambro, the extrx., witnessed by A.W. Ellerbe, C.C. Pegues, and Edmund W. Pettus. Mrs. E.J. Fambro, the extrx., died in 1865 and B. H. Craig was then appointed administrator "do bonis non." Craig represented the estate as "insolvent and no list of heirs." We list these two possible
CHILDREN:
2243. William Davis Fambro b. ca. 1834
2244. Arch Fambro b. ca. 1839.
After Eliza's death Alfred married Mrs. Mary Frances Walker (James T.) Camp on May 18, 1837 in Davidson Co. Tenn and had a family.
Died in childbirth of her twins.
Mr. J.R. Enochs Sr. of near (west of ) Newbern, Dyer Co. has a bible record of the family.
Methodist Minister, wrote a history of Methodism in Missouri
Went to California.