The Gatlin Tree Branch

Descendants of  Jack and Alice Conerly Gatlin

The surname Gatlin is common in Pike County, Mississippi. My research in this blog  post relates to the Gatlin family of African lineage.  Jack Gatlin and Alice Conerly Gatlin were thought to have been married in 1873 in Pike County, Mississippi. I have been unable to identify the parents of Jack Gatlin.  The parents of Alice Conerly Gatlin were Jeremiah Conerly and  Lethia . Her paternal grandparents were William Conerly and Harriet. It was the children from this union that some of the connections of other families were established.   The  Sartin, Gatlin, Downs, Caston, Magee and Brumfield families are linked together by matrimony from the children of Jack Gatlin and Alice Conerly Gatlin. 

Jack Gatlin and Alice Conerly children and known spouses

1.      Harriet A. Gatlin married Jacob Ellzey

 2.     Edmond Gatlin married  Elnora (Nora)Magee  January 1, 1899 (daughter of Washington and Betty Magee)

 3.     William Gatlin spouse not identified

 4.     Emmitt Gatlin married first wife Alfa (last name unknown) and second wife Roxie Johnson

 5.     Nethia Gatlin married Willis C. Brumfield (The son of Thomas Brumfield Sr.  and Rosa Coward aka Cowart)

 6.     Lumendy Gatlin 1903 married Jessie K. Brumfield (The son of Robert  and Ann Brumfield) 

 7.     Katy Gatlin married Henry Sartin March 5, 1906 first husband in Pike County , Mississippi and Cal Rayborn  January 5, 1916 second husband in Pike County, Mississippi 

8..     Rosa Gatlin   married Eugene Commodore  January 26, 1906 in Pike County, Mississippi

9.     Zella  Gatlin married John Downs (son of Francis Downs and Thursdann Lampkin Downs married January 25, 1883, grandson of Edmond  and Caroline Downs)

10.  Julia Gatlin married Joel Downs December 11, 1911  in Pike County, Mississippi (The son of Edmond and Caroline Downs )

11.   Jethro Gatlin 1918 married Bertha Collins September 9, 1918 Pike County, Mississippi (The daughter of Tony and Luvinia Collins)

12.  Mary Gatlin 1919 married Herbert Caston December 24, 1919  (Grandson of Liddie Brumfield Caston and Calvin Caston)

13.  Sarah Jane Gatlin married Ellis Caston July 31, 1920 (son of Green Caston, Grandson of Liddie Brumfield Caston and Calvin Caston )

14.  Ann(Annie) Gatlin married Thomas Brumfield  December 29, 1892 (son of Liddie Brumfield Caston  and Louis Brumfield )

The information was gathered from several sources. I received a program from the late Roger Dale Wilson The First Jack and Alice Gatlin Reunion  July 23, 1988. This program lists the known spouses and gives a brief biography of each of the children.  The  Pike County, Mississippi website: co.pike.ms.us , Ancestry.com and obituaries were my other sources. From these sources I was able to identify the ancestors of some of the spouses.


I have made prior blog posts about Edmond Downs, Thomas Brumfield, Liddie Brumfield Caston and Calvin Caston who are the parents of some of the Gatlin  children spouses.

------- The Tree Gardener

Alice Conerly Gatlin Part 2

Alice Conerly Ancestors

Alice Conerly was the daughter of  Jeremiah and Leathia Conerly.  It is though the homestead testimony  for Jack Gatlin by Jeremiah that this relationship is identified.  Jeremiah was enumerated with William Conerly in the 1870 Pike County, Mississippi Federal Census. No familial relationships are identified in 1870 census. In the 1870 census William age is 68 and Harriet is 60. It is in the 1880 Pike County, Mississippi Federal Census that the probable father and grandfather of Jeremiah and Alice Conerly are identified.  In the 1880 census, William Rials and Dinah Rials are enumerated with their children and a father Will Conerly.

Source Citation

Year: 1870; Census Place: Township 2 Range 10, Pike, Mississippi; Roll: M593_745; Page: 153A; Family History Library Film: 552244

Source Citation

Year: 1880; Census Place: Pike, Mississippi; Roll: 662; Page: 348A; Enumeration District: 037

The father enumerated in the 1880 census is Will Conerly on the last line of image. This suggest that Will Conerly or William Conerly in the 1870 is the father of Dinah Rials. Dinah Rials is 28 years old in the 1880 census with date of birth 1852. Dinah was not listed in the 1870 census with William Conerly possibly because she was already married and living with her husband William Rials. From the information I found Alice Conerly parents were Jeremiah Conerly and Letha "Neathie" and paternal grandparents William Conerly and Harriet.  I have been unable to determine the parents of Jack Gatlin.

----The Tree Gardener

Alice Conerly Gatlin Part 1

Family Ties

The Conerly, Gatlin, Downs, Caston and Brumfield families are linked together by heredity and matrimony. From homestead records, the families lived in close geographical locations.  I have been unable to find the parents of Jack Gatlin.  I have however been able to find more information about Alice Conerly's family.

Alice Conerly was the wife of Jack Gatlin and the daughter of Jeremiah (Jerry) and Lethia "Neathie"  Conerly. I was able to obtain this information from the Jerry Conerly testimony for Jack Gatlin’s homestead application. Jerry Conerly states that Jack Gatlin is his son-in-law. It is my intent to try to identify Alice's family members. Alice is listed in the 1870 Pike County, Mississippi federal census with Jeremiah Conerly and other probable family members.  The 1870 census however does not designate familial relationships.

Source Citation

Year: 1870; Census Place: Township 2 Range 10, Pike, Mississippi; Roll: M593_745; Page: 153A; Family History Library Film: 552244

Transcribed portions
Name                       Age           Place of Birth

William Conerly     68              N. Carolina

Harriett Conerly     60                     "

Jeremiah Conerly   35              Mississippi  

Lethia S.                   27                      "

Alice                          12                      "

Moses                         9                      "

Roda                           7                      "

Issac                           6                      "

Richard                      5                      "

Eddy S                        1                      "

In the 1870, 1880, 1900 Federal Census, Alice is listed as 12, 21 and 44 years old respectively. These dates would make her year of birth 1858, 1859 or 1856.  I have been unable to locate any additional birth information. Because of her year of birth and geographic location,  at birth she  and her family were probably enslaved.  It is from the federal census and school records that the siblings of Alice Conerly were identified.   In the Pike County 1880 federal census, Jerry Conerly with identified family is listed. Alice is not listed with her parents in 188o but with her husband Jack Gatlin.

Source Citation

Year: 1880; Census Place: Pike, Mississippi; Roll: 662; Page: 348A; Enumeration District: 037

Transcribed

Name                 Age  
Jerry Conerly       42      
L.....          "             35         wife
Moses      "             19          son
Richard   "             14          son
Eddie       "             12          son
Jimmie    "             10          son
Ellen        "               8          daughter
Joe           "                5          son
Noah        "               3          son
Vica J.      "               2          daughter


In the 1885 Pike County school census, Jerry Conerly  is listed with  several  children. It is important to note that Jerry could possible be a guardian and not parent. His name appears on two locations on this list.

"Mississippi Enumeration of Educable Children, 1850-1892; 1908-1957," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1-14208-41161-22?cc=1856425 : 18 September 2015), Pike > 1885 > image 7 of 178; Government Records, Jackson

Transcribed portiona

Name                        Age           Parent/Guardian

Conerly  Sarah          9                      Jerry Conerly
     "         Eddy         16                      Jerry   "
     "         James        14                                 "
    "          Ellen         12                                 "

Jerry Conerly is listed with his children in the Pike County 1890 school census. This record is especially important because most of the 1890 federal census was destroyed in a fire. Unfortunately, I did not record the citation for the 1890 and 1896 school census.  I obtained the information at the Allen County Library in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

1890 Pike County, Mississippi School Census

Transcribed

Parent/Guardian                Name          Age
Jerry Conerly                 Jimmie        17
                                          Ellen             16
                                          Joe                14
                                          Cunnigin      12
                                           George          6

1896 Pike County, Mississippi School Census

Transcribed

Parent/Guardian                   Name of Children       Age
Jerry  Conerly                            Joe                               20
                                                      Cunnegan                   18
                                                      Vica                              14
                                                      Wash                            10
                                                      Lee                                 7

More information to follow.

---- The Tree Gardener

Jack Gatlin Part 5

Jack Gatlin and his wife Alice Conerly Gatlin were homesteaders of land in Pike County, Mississippi. Jack Gatlin made homestead entry number 103.23 on July 1, 1880.   The requirement to obtain a land homestead was the final proof. Jack failed to file his proof before the expiration of the seven years after homestead entry.  Written notice was given in the Pike County, Mississippi newspaper The Magnolia Gazette for six publications from June 3, 1887 to July 9, 1887.

The actual reason for his failure to file is not given.    The county clerk however states as I have transcribed ”....he  is a colored man and uneducated and has to depend on others to illegible him in such matters, that he has acted in good faith of his homestead and has complied with the law as far as he was able to understand same. The promises considered he prays the department of public lands to allow illegible his final proof to be received and final receipt & patent issue to him…”

He successfully received his homestead of eighty acres  October 10, 1887.

----The Tree Gardener

Jack Gatlin Homesteader Part 4

Robert Brumfield Testimony

In the process of a homestead application, it was necessary to have at least two people to testify that the applicant had lived on the land.  Robert Brumfield was the second witness to verify that Jack Gatlin was a homesteader.  Jerry Conerly was the other witness. At the time of Robert Brumfield's testimony, he was a 51 year old farmer. His birth year would have been 1836. 

There were a series of testimony questions.  In question 3 Are you related to the claimant or in any way interested in the claim, or are you connected with him in business of any kind?   "I am not--- no way interested or connected with him. I am only a neighbor of his." 

 In questions 4 through 8,  Robert explains that he lives about a half mile away from Jack and he has lived on his property for 16 years which would have been in 1871. Two other neighbors are Tom Magee and Gail Brumfield live  further away.  He lives nearer to him than any one else. Robert can not give a description of the land. He has known Jack Gatlin for 17 years.

Robert Brumfield's testimony agrees with that of Jerry Conerly. Jack Gatlin a farmer, has lived with his family on his land  since March, 1879. He has seen him working on the land.  "Saw him many times, too many to remember and every time I passed,  I saw him at work ... I saw him building his house there. He has lived there seven years and lives there now." 

 His description of improvements made on the homestead correspond to that given by Jerry Conerly. In question 23, Robert states "I think the land is worth $300.00 and has never offered for sale that I know of." The value of three hundred dollars in 2017 is $7468.05.  Robert Brumfield states in questions 26 through 28  Jack has planted crops for the season and "I think he intends to remain on the land after making final proof. 

Jack provided witnesses concerning his homestead yet almost failed to receive his homestead. More information to come.

----The Tree Gardener