My Line
The Crocker surname has been around Gibson Co. for many years and is believed to have started with Mark Crocker in Abt. 1830. Old Mark was born in 19 January 1788 in Spartanburg, South Carolina. After marrying his first wife, Martha E. Bates in 1812 and the birth of his eight child in 1829, Mark sold his farm that was purchased in 1810 and packed up his family. They fist moved to Lincoln Co., Tennessee, then in late 1829 or early 1830, it was on to Gibson Co. where Mark started farming and where the rest of his children were born. He bought his first land, 320 acres in 1845, for $640. Mark and Martha had a total of 14 children; Edwin H., Frances Marion, Irena M., Elias Henry, Rufus Coleman, William L., Samuel Anthony Lifus, George, Asalom P. (selling could have been Ansalem or Absolum. He was called 'Anse' by family members.), Moses Alvis, Cullen J., Alfred Gallitin, Benjamin Howard (my great-great-grandfather) and Nancy. Mark and Martha were Baptists having been members of the Cedar Springs Baptist Church in Spartanburg, South Carolina.
During the years 1830 and 1850 we find that Mark acquired considerable wealth, listing his property to be valued at $4000 in the 1850 census, a very large sum in those days. It is not known exactly what crops that he grew but we do know that his "cash crop" was most likely tobacco which was grown in the region extensively. On 9 January 1856 Martha passed away leaving Mark a widower but he soon married Martha Mourning Adams Hammons, widow of Jessie Hammons, on 10 July 1856.
On 5 April 1858 old Mark passed away leaving his wife of less that two years a widow. Mark left a will that was written in 1857 and filed at the Gibson County Courthouse at Trenton. In the will, Mourning was left a Negro girl named Mary, one good horse and several notes that Mark held valued at $153.27. She was also left three beds Steads, and furniture sufficient for the three beds, six choice chairs, one folding table, one cupboard and one bureau and the table and kitchen furniture. Benjamin was given a good horse with saddle and bridle along with a feather bed and furniture. Mark also requested that Benjamin finish school and that the cost of his education be paid for out of his estate. Asalom P. and Alfred G. were bequeathed a feather bed and furniture also.
Mark Crocker's will also specified that as soon as the planted crop can be finished and gathered that was growing on his farm, his executor sell to the highest bidder on twelve months credit, all the personal property including all his Negroes except the one given to his wife. He directed that the proceeds of the sale be equally distributed between his beloved wife and all of his children who he named: Edwin H. Crocker, F. M. Crocker, Elias H. Crocker, Rufus C. Crocker, A. L. Crocker, William L. Crocker, A. P. Crocker, Cullen J. Crocker, A. G. Crocker and Benjamin H. Crocker. Mark also provided for his two granddaughters, Martha E. and Nancy C. Hancock, the children of his daughter, Irena Hancock who was deceased. I have not been able to find the death date of Mourning nor the burial place of either her or Mark. One clue to the death date of Martha is that her son Benjamin was living with his brother Cullen in 1860. The 1860 census does not list Mourning living with Cullen.
Of interesting note is the complete name of Mark Crocker. Some have said his first name was Artimus or Marcus Artemus but in no legal document that has ever been found has that name been used. On March 11, 1984 Dr. Max Crocker of Lexington, Kentucky wrote Judge Ariel L. Crowley in Parma, Idaho, having been given that name as a possible source. Dr. Crocker asked Judge Crowley if he had documentation of who was Mark Crocker's father. The following is Judge Crowley's reply:
"It pleases me to return an affirmative answer to your inquiry.
"The full and correct name of your ancestor is Marcus Artemus Crocker commonly, and in legal documents known as Mark Crocker.
"Now for an explanation of documentation found in my files, it is necessary for me to state that my Great-grandfather William Birch Hutchens was a son of John Hutchens and his wife Elizabeth Crocker. Elizabeth Crocker was born 15 April 1793, Spartanburg, South Carolina, the daughter of William Crocker and his wife Ann (Nancy) Burk.
"William Birch Hutchens was a nephew of Mark Crocker, brother to the said Elizabeth Crocker.
" William Birch Hutchens was born in Spartanburg, South Carolina, 25 May 1828, and was one of the pioneers who crossed the plains and settled in the Valley of the Great Salt Lake."
"As part of his religious duty in the matter of genealogy, in the year 1872, 112 years ago now, William Birch Hutchens, certifying himself to be a nephew of Mark Crocker, went to the temporary temple of the church, in use while the Great Temple was under construction, and there performed a baptism for his deceased uncle Mark Crocker, in conformity with the pattern of 1 Cor. 15:29."
"Other ordinances were performed according to church ritual on behalf of Mark's wife, Martha Bates, including a marital sealing for eternity.. I mention these ordinances here only because of the solemnity attending them, and the records made at that time.'
"The facts so stated are recorded in the temple records of the church, and their authenticity is beyond question. I happen to have in my files the original documents presented to the church in 1872 on November 6th."
"The family was seated at Ashwater, Devon, before migrating to the United States."
My great grandfather, Benjamin Howard Crocker was born 13 August 1838 in Gibson Co. On 27 February 1861 Ben married Martha Ann Howard in Gibson Co. As of this writing I have not been able to prove the ancestry of Martha but I suspect her parents were Eli and Cinthia Ann Melton Howard. The 1850 census of Gibson Co. lists Eli and Cinthia having a daughter, Martha age 8 and that is the only Martha Howard I can find in Gibson Co.
Like his father and most of his brother's, Benjamin was a farmer. Ben and Martha had nine children: Hattie J., Oscar Berry, Henson "Jack", Giles Elbert, Nathaniel Gardner, Minnie Bell, Mary Benjamin, Martha Emmiline "Kate" and Robert Anthony (my great grandfather). Ben and Martha made their home in Gibson Co. until about 1864 where we find them having moved to North Carolina. The 1870 census for Gibson Co. lists Henson and Giles Elbert having been born in North Carolina. It is not known why Ben moved his family out of Gibson Co. but by early 1870 they are back home again.
Benjamin Crocker died on 24 January 1884 in Gibson Co. followed shortly after by Martha Ann on 20 October 1884. So far I have not been able to find a resting place for either.
My great grandfather, Robert Anthony Crocker was born 4 November 1879 in I believe Gibson Co. Called Mr. Bob by family and friends, he was school teacher and, like most of the Gibson Co. Crocker's, a farmer. I do not know very much about Mr. Bob having never discussed him with either my grandfather or father and in fact, I don't ever remember meeting him at all.
Mr. Bob married Bell N. Crocker 30 December 1902 in Gibson Co. Bell's maiden name was Crocker prior to her marriage but as of this date I have not been able to find her parents. This has turned into one of my tallest "brick walls" that I would like to get over soon. Robert and Bell had two children, Finis Clifton and Countess Othel before the death of Bell in 1913. Bell is buried in the Walnut Grove Methodist Church Cemetery in Gibson Co.
After Bell's death, Mr. Bob married Katie Lorene Sharp in Gibson Co. Of this union two children were born, Mattie Belle and Emily Beatrice. Katie died 14 November 1919.
Not one to stay single very long, Robert again married for the third time, Bonnie Mae Hill on 22 January 1921 in Milan. Robert and Bonnie had one child, Thelma Maurine.
Robert Crocker passed on 26 March 1959 in Martin, Weakley Co. and is buried in the Locust Grove Cemetery, Bradford, Gibson Co., Tennessee.
My grandfather, Finis Clifton Crocker was born 3 January 1903 in Gibson Co. On 9 January 1926 he married Lottie Mae McCartney, daughter of Lewis Wesley and Addie D. Browning. Clifton and Lottie had three children, Sarah Ruth, Virginia Bell and Lewis B, my father.
Clifton was a farmer for several years and then went into the grocery business, having owned Crocker's Grocery in downtown Bradford. In later years he worked as a meat cutter.
My grandmother, Lottie Mae McCartney Crocker died on 10 April 1950 in Bradford. She is buried at Shiloh General Baptist Cemetery, Gibson Co. After the death of Lottie, Clifton married Ruth Aydelotte and they had one child, Cindy. Clifton passed on 6 January 1985 and is buried at Shiloh General Baptist Cemetery.
My father and #1 hero, Lewis B Crocker was born in Bradford, Tennessee. On 7 June 1948, having fallen in love with one of the most beautiful girls in Bradford, he eloped with Helen Douglas Bevil and they were married in Corinth, Mississippi on that day. Helen is the daughter of Willie Gardner and Eula Louise Murphy Bevil of Bradford. My father was a truck driver for some time in Bradford but a good friend got him started in painting. In 1955 Dad moved us to Fresno, California where took a job as a painter for Cunnings and Cunnings Paint Contractors in Fresno. After a short time working for them he hired on with the Fresno City Schools and retired as the Paint Shop Foreman. Mother and Dad had five sons, Barry Lewis (me), David Douglas, Richard Wayne, Alan Gardner and John Mark.
Now for a little about myself. I was born one day before my parents first wedding anniversary (Mother and Dad didn't waste any time starting a family) in Martin, Weakley Co. Although mother and dad spent some time in Paris, Tennessee I have no remembrance of those days. I attended school in Fresno, CA. (except for a short time in 1st grade in Bradford) and graduated from Hoover High School in 1966. Wanting to see more of the world and drawn by a keen interest in the military, I joined the United States Air Force in June 1966. Trained as an aircraft mechanic, my first duty assignment was at Travis Air Force Base in Northern California working on the C-141A and C-5A cargo jets. During that time I married Rebecca LaMorge of Vacaville, CA and we made our home in Vallejo just up I-80. In 1972 I got orders for Clark AB, Philippines and it was there that my first son, Theron Lewis was born. After our assignment at Clark we were sent to Loring AFB, Maine where I worked on B-52's and KC-135's. Becky and I divorce in Maine and I got tired of the cold of Maine so I cross-trained into the Flight Engineer career field and was sent back to Travis flying C-141's. I met and married Susanna Johnson and we had two children, Justin William and Michelle Diane. Things didn't work out between Sue and I so we divorced here in Vacaville. I remarried for the third time to Joyce Marie Coulter Thompson in 1993 and retired from the Air Force the same year. Joyce and I make our home in Vacaville.
Although I have spent most of my adult years in California, I still call Bradford and Gibson Co. home. I have many fond memories of Tennessee and I guess no matter where I am I will always be "called" to that area of the county.
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