- This is data from Willodean Cranford Brumbachs
- book on TM or MT Cranford.
-
- Thomas Cranford, Thomas was the last of the South Carolina-born
- children. He was in reality a transition child born in Chester District,
- South Carolina. In 1820, he was brought to Morgan County, Alabama in
early
- youth. There was no doubt a big change happened when the Alabama venture
was
- made. There were more conveniences and luxuries in South Carolina.
Still
- another change came for small Thomas. His grandmother, Martha Wilkes,
- married her neighbor and left the Wilkes-Cranford home and in 1838
came the
- uprooting of the family home in Morgan County and Thomas found himself
in
- the hilly red-clay district of Walker County.
-
- The four chattering girls: Malinda, Emily, Minerva, and Lydia were
- constantly busy and giggling. Little John Monroe was at an awkard age
but
- baby, Chesley Cranford, five years old, haunted his big brother's pathway.
- Thomas noted with concern that his parents, John and Elizabeth, were
walking
- slower and resting after, and were not so lively after the hard day's
work.
-
- Thomas reacted in a typical manner. He went a-wooing and eventually
married
- pretty Caroline Townley of a well-known Walker County family. No date
for
- the marriage has been presentlly established. Land grants and deeds
have
- caused some confusion about Thomas. Some of his credentials are recorded
as
- Matthew T. or T.M. His cousin, Carlin Armstrong Cranford, made the
same
- procedures when he signed some deeds Armstrong Cranford, rather than
Carlin
- Cranford.
-
- Thomas and Caroline Cranford listed themselves as farmers in the 1850
- Census of Walker County. Thomas was 30, his wife Elizabeth(Caroline)
was
- listed erroneously as Elizabeth, 30. Their children were listed as
- Ellizabeth 7, Wesley 6, Marian 4, Martha Ann 3, Robert 2, and Lucinda
1.
-
- The Townley family branch in Walker County started with Daniel Townley
who
- entered land in 1822, and Richmond Townley who also entered land in
1822.
- John Townley also entered land in 1822 and Richmond Townley entered
- additional land in 1823. The little town of
- Townley, Alabama was first called Holly Grove, then Pleasantfield.
- Robert Townley was the first postmaster of Townley, and, when the town
was
- incorporated in 1895, John W. Guttery was its first Mayor.
- Townley, Alabama has given the country two Congressmen; Carter Manasco
and
- Tom Bevill our present represenative.
-
- Through oral history and family tradition it seems that Thomas Cranford
came
- to Arkansas from Alabama when little Lucinda was between 6 and 9 years
of
- age. In the 1860 census of Montgomery County, Arkansas, South Fork
Township,
- the Thomas Cranford family is listed as: M.T. Cranford b. in South
Carolina,
- age 40; Caroline, 37; Wesley 18; Polly Ann 13; Robert 12; Lucinda 11
and
- Eliza C. 7. The six above were listed as born in Alabama and Lewis
F. 3; was
- listed as born in Arkansas. By this time it is assumed that Elizabeth,
the
- oldest daughter, had married and left home. Elizabeth married a Sanders
or
- Saunders and she and her daughter Tennessee, were killed in Webbers
Fall,
- Oklahoma.
-
- It is through the family of Lucinda Cranford that we have gained information
- regarding the Thomas Cranford family. Lucinda first married a Denny
and
- second William B.McKnight. Lucindas children were: Jim Denny, Leoma
Denny,
- Jack Denny, Washington (William)
- McKnight, Columbus Houston McKnight, and Eudora McKnight.
-
- Eudora (Dora) married a John Holtz in 1898. After John's death Dora
- married C.H. Griffis by whom she had: Alda, Charles Howell, Velma,
- Winford Eldon, Orville Kenneth, Brice Townley, Dale Stuart, Cleda,
and
- Hattie.
-
- Mr. Winford Eldon Griffis very graciously has sent a copy of the photograph
- of his mother's 75th birthday dinner. Dora sits at the
- attractively-appointed table surrounded by her handsome sons and daughters.
- (Does anyone have this photo?? I would really like to add it)
-
-
-
- back
-
- Thanks Kennye!!!
-
- Cranford, Hinkle,
Rawls, Redwine, Spiva, Stevens, Home