Lewis Bean Wallingford

Lewis Bean Wallingford was born in Mason County, Kentucky, on 27 July 1814. He was a son of Nicholas Wallingford and his second wife Mary Guinn Wallingford. Nicholas had had 10 children with his first wife, Alice Hays. Lewis was the third child of the 'second family'. In all, Nicholas was to be the father of 19 children, spread out over 50 years.

Wallingford family bible - see left column, page 1

Our family's interest in him relates to his younger brother Thomas Ginn Wallingford. T.G. was about 14 years younger, and maintained some contact with Lewis and his other brother Hiram throughout his life, even after T.G. moved from Kentucky to Texas in 1855. The writer of this narrative is Nicholas (Nick Wallingford), a son of John Roland Wallingford, a son of John Pinckney Wallingford, a son of Thomas Ginn Wallingford. Lewis was, then, the brother of my Great Grandfather...

MARRIAGE AND CHILDREN

Lewis married Cecelia Ellen Tolle in Mason County on 15 October 1835 by Rev. Joel Morehead (the Morehead and Wallingford families had some inter-marriages). Lewis had just turned 21; Celia was 16. The Tolle families were widespread throughout this part of Kentucky, as were the Wallingfords. Their future son- in-law, Richard Presley Tolle, served as their bondsman for the marriage. This narrative refers to Cecelia Ellen as 'Celia', as she appeared to use that name for most of her life.

Marriage record
Wallingford family bible - see left column, page 2

The couple's first child, Jerinda S., was born in Mason County on 5 June 1838. Three other girls followed in the following years: Martha (10 March 1840) , Francina L. (1843) and Parthenia J. (July 1846).

It isn't clear when Lewis and Celia separated, but by 1860, Celia was living with her daughter Jerinda's family. Jerinda had married her first cousin once removed, Richard Presley Tolle. By 1860, they had 2 young boys, but the household also had Richard's mother Harriet, Jerinda's mother Celia, and the other three children of Lewis and Celia.

Census: 1870 Mason County, Kentucky

MARRIAGES OF THE CHILDREN

From the various locations involved, it seems reasonably clear that the daughters stayed closer to Celia than Lewis. Celia lived in the households, or nearby, various of the daughters throughout their lives.

One source gives the marriage of the oldest girl, Jarinda, to Richard Presley Tolle, as happening on 18 December 1853, in Fleming County, Kentucky. I have not been able to confirm that event.

The next marriage was between Parthenia and William M. Campbell, on 25 May 1871. The wedding took place at Celia Wallingford's house in Mason County, Kentucky.

Marriage Record: Parthenia and William

Martha, the next to oldest girl, never married it would seem, and died while in her thirties.

The last marriage, that of Francina, is described below in the section relating to a 'CRYPTIC LETTER'.

THE CIVIL WAR

Lewis Wallingford Civil War records

Lewis joined up as a private in Company B, 16th Regiment of the Kentucky Infantry, on 17 September 1861, at Camp Kenton. The regiment was mustered in for a three year enlistment in January 1862 at Camp Lee.

Initial muster

Lewis wasn't present for a special muster of the regiment on 18 August 1862 - he is recorded as having deserted from Louisville, Kentucky, on (variously, in different documents) between 25 and 28 July 1862. There is no records of any enemy engagements during this period - he seems to have just decided to leave!

Special Muster - 18 Aug 1862
Muster Roll - Nov/Dec 1862

In July/August 1862 he is recorded as in jail in Flemingsburg on a charge of desertion. By the next June, he was still listed as a deserter, with the notation that he was likely to be found in Fleming County, Kentucky.

Muster Roll - Jul/Aug 1862
List of Deserters - 30 Jun 1863

He was formally mustered out at Lexington, Kentucky, on 24 July 1865 (even though he was a deserter 3 years before). He still appears to have owed $43.90 for clothing in kind or money advanced to him...

Muster Out Roll - Jul 1865

PROBLEMS WITH ALCOHOL

Lewis had troubles with alcohol for most all of his life. It could be that this was part of the problem with his Civil War service, but there is no way to know.

Through the 1870s and 1880s, every letter from or about Lewis refers to his drinking, and the fact that he had no real fixed home.

In October 1881, his brother Hiram refers to Lewis as having "fallen back to his old habits" after sobering up and doing well for several years.

Letter: Hiram to T.G., October 1881

In September 1882, Hiram says Louis (from this letter on, Hiram mostly continues with this misspelling of "Lewis") "is not doing much good still takes his sprees and has no settled home".

Letter: Hiram to T.G., September 1882

On 8 February 1884, Hiram wrote he had not heard from Brother Louis for some time, but that he was "still drinking".

Letter: Hiram to T.G., February 1884

There is some irony, or perhaps some sort of causal relationship, that Lewis' younger brother Thomas Ginn was a Brother in the Sons of Temperance movement. The Sons of Temperance was a Protestant fraternal order similar to the Freemasons, dedicated to temperance (no alcoholic drinking), but also providing something of a mutual aid and support system, and a form of insurance for members. Our family believes that T.G. kept to his pledge not to make, buy, sell or use alcohol.

T.G. Wallingford's Sons of Temperance certificate

CELIA'S LANDHOLDINGS

For the 1879 Mason County tax assessments, Celia Wallingford shows as having 57 acres near Orangeburg. Her nearest neighbor is her son in law Miller Campbell (who married daughter Parthenia), who had 43 acres. R.P. Tolle ( husband of Celia's daughter Jerinda) is shown as being in Orangeburg itself.

Tax Records: 1879 Mason County, Kentucky

In September 1882 Hiram refers to Celia as having bought land near Quintance' s old horse mill and is "doing well". The W.S. Quaintance house, well known in the area, was to the west of Flemingsburg, Fleming County. It could be that was not the place that Hiram referred to, as Celia appears to have had land to the southwest of Mt. Carmel, and slightly to the east of south of Mt. Giliad.

Letter: Hiram to T.G., September 1882
Map: Mrs. C Wallingford's property - directly above the arrow that points north

In the 1880 census, Celia as a 60 year old has a household that includes her 35 year old daughter Francina, grandson Elwood Tolle (son of R.P. and Jerinda), daughter Parthenia and son-in-law William Campbell, and their child William.

Census: 1880 Fleming County, Kentucky

LAST VISIT OF T.G. TO KENTUCKY, PROBABLY VISITING WITH LEWIS

Thomas Ginn Wallingford, the brother of both Hiram and Lewis to whom the letters were written, had lived in Texas since the middle 1850s. In the middle of 1885, T.G. made a trip back to Kentucky, principly to sort out some inheritance details relating to the death of the father of his first wife, Eveline Debell Wallingford. On the same trip, however, he married Annie Eliza Tucker! Given that he was around the Flemingsburg/Maysville area for several months, it would be likely that he would have met up with brother Lewis, but there is no record of that.

WORKING OUT A CRYPTIC LETTER REFERRING TO LEWIS' DAUGHTER

A few months later, on 11 January 1885, Eliza Jones, a daughter of Hiram, wrote quite an informative letter to T.G. She wrote that she had only heard from Louis once since T.G. had returned to Texas, and that was "under very unfaberable surstampes", as he was drunk in Mt. Carmel, Fleming County.

Letter: Eliza Jones to T.G., January 1885

Eliza said she didn't think the poor old man would ever quit that bad habit. She went on to say that one of Lewis' and Celia's daughters had been recently married.

As Martha had died in the late 1870s, the only unmarried daughter would have been Francina. Eliza said she married "George Beckel-Danelsone". After some years of misdirection, I'm now almost certain this refers to "George Becket, Daniel's son".

George W. Beckett was a son of Daniel Beckett, who had married Prudence Wallingford, one of the children of Nicholas and his first wife Alice Hayes. I have not been able to find any evidence relating to the marriage or any children. Francina died in 1887 and was buried in the cemetery at Mt. Carmel, Kentucky. The only later reference I can find is when George died in 1932, living on William Street in Flemingsburg, Fleming County.

Death Certificate: George W. Beckett

SOME SOBRIERTY

A year and a half after Eliza wrote, brother Hiram wrote to T.G. on 27 September 1886. He refers to Brother Lewis "keeping sober and still at Wash Reeder". Wash Reeder was George W. Reeder, a son of Benjamin Reeder and Elizabeth Wallingford. Elizabeth was another of the 'first family' that Nicholas had with the first wife Alice Hays.

Letter: Hiram to T.G., September 1886

LEWIS' LAST YEARS

Our family has 3 letters from Lewis to brother T.G., all written in these last few years of his life.

In one of 3 surviving letters from Lewis himself to T.G., Lewis wrote on 16 April 1888 (from Burtonville, Lewis County) that he appreciated that T.G. had invited him to come down to Texas, but that unless he could "get the means" he would not be able to afford it. He says that brother Hiram might pay him for the trip, just to get rid of him, were he to show up at Hiram's door in Ohio!

Lewis believed that Dr. Alvin M. Wallingford (a son of Mark Wallingford, one of the boys in that first Nicholas/Alice Hayes family) would also help him. T. G. had, just a year or so before, named his own son "Alvin Monroe Wallingford", presumably after this relation.

While referring to many friends and families, most wanting to get news of T. G., Lewis refers to his right hand being so crippled he can barely grip the pencil, and spends quite a bit of the letter sounding like he was preparing for his own death.

Six months later, on 24 October 1888, Lewis wrote to T.G. that he was staying at R.P. Tolle's house. Lewis' daughter Jarinda had died on 13 May 1885, and R.P. had remarried to a widow that Lewis said was kind to the children. " Pres" (Robert Presley) was selling goods, as a merchandiser/storekeeper. Again, Lewis refers to reconciling himself for when "the time comes".

The last letter we have from Lewis to T.G. is dated 3 October 1889, from Orangeburg. R.P. is still selling goods, but making a living, but "laying up no money" from it. Lewis seems to say that he had quit drink at this stage, though admits he is a "Drunkerd".

Letter: Lewis to T.G., April 1888
Letter: Lewis to T.G., October 1888
Letter: Lewis to T.G., October 1889

In the 1890 census of surviving soldiers, Lewis is shown as living in Precinct 7, near Bentonville, Lewis County, Kentucky. He stated that he had been in the service from 6 April 1861 until 18 September 1862 - 1 year, 5 months and 12 days. This is quite an exaggeration, and omits the fact that he deserted rather than served! His disability is not legible, but appears to say "granell".

1890 Census of Surviving Soldiers

On 8 August 1890, Lewis applied for an invalid's benefit, based on his service in the Civil War. On 23 May 1892, his application to have his charge of desertion replaced with an honorable discharge was denied. That is the last bit of information our family has on Lewis - he very likely died soon after, being almost 80 and not of good health generally.

Application for pension
Rejection of pension application

CELIA AND THE DAUGHTERS

By 1890, three of Lewis and Celia's four girls were dead - Martha in the late 1870s, Jarinda in 1885 and Francina in 1887. Both Martha and Francina were buried in the Mt. Carmel Cemetery. Jarinda was either buried there, or more likely, in the Tolle Family Cemetery on Route 1237 in Lewis County, Kentucky.

Martha Wallingford's tombstone

In 1891, Celia Wallingford (she continued to use the Wallingford name for all her life) died and was buried in Mt. Carmel Cemetery. Elder William Morrison preached the funeral sermon at the Christian Church in Orangeburg, Lewis County.

Newspaper: Evening Bulletin, Maysville, Kentucky, 2 June 1891

Celia/Cecelia Wallingford's tombstone

LATER GENERATIONS

Only two of the daughters had children of their own. Jarinda Wallingford, who married Richard Presley Tolle, had somewhere between 10 and 13 children - including one she named "Lewis". Parthenia, the last surviving in the family ( she died between 1900 and 1910) had a boy and a girl.

Our part of the family has never had any contact into the descendents of Lewis and Celia, and we are not aware of any photos either Lewis, Celia, or any of their children. One might assume he may have resembled either his older brother Hiram or his younger brother Thomas Ginn. We may never know...

Hiram Wallingford

Thomas Ginn Wallingford (with two of his children)