Lois Miranda Stiles

Other Events and Attributes:

• US SSN: 463-70-9364
• Occupation: School Teacher/Homesteader
• Cause of Death: Arteriosclerosis
• Census: 2 Jun 1900, Precinct 6, Williamson County, Texas, United States
• Census: 5 May 1910, Precinct #6, Williamson County, Texas, United States
• Residence: Jan 1920, El Paso, El Paso County, Texas, United States
• Census: 16 Jan 1920, Voting Precinct 24, El Paso City, El Paso County, Texas, United States
• Census: 15 Apr 1930, Precinct No. 1, El Paso City, El Paso County, Texas, United States
• Residence: Apr 1940, El Paso, El Paso County, Texas, United States
• Census: 13 Apr 1940, Divisions 183 - 190, El Paso City, El Paso County, Texas, United States
• Residence: May 1975, El Paso, El Paso County, Texas, United States

Notes:

Lois Miranda Stiles adopted her grandsons, William Cecil Herndon and Robert Frank Herndon, in 1941, about four years after the death of her daughter Elizabeth Marina in 1937. She officially changed Robert’s name to “Donald Stiles Herndon” but did not change William’s name.

In the 1930 US Federal Census, Lois Miranda (Stiles) Masten, listed herself as “widowed,” despite the fact that her husband, Merlin Douglas Masten, was still alive and living in St. Louis, Missouri. In 1940, Lois lists herself as “divorced”.

On her grave marker, Lois Miranda Stiles is listed as, “Lois Stiles Masten”.

In the 1930 US Federal Census, Lois Miranda (Stiles) Masten is listed as “Lois T. Mastin”.

Residence:
1308 Montana Street

Residence:
3231 Memphis Street

Residence:
3231 Memphis Street

Buried:
Section D-3, Lot 4, Space 12

Lois married Merlin Douglas Masten on 27 Dec 1911 in _______, Williamson County, Texas, United States, and was divorced after 17 Aug 1927 in El Paso, El Paso County, Texas, United States. Merlin (son of Horace Greely Masten and Alice Frances Stone) was born on 21 Dec 1887 in Boque Chitto, Lincoln County, Mississippi, United States; died on 5 Mar 1962 in Bellingham, Whatcom County, Washington, United States; was buried on 12 Mar 1962 in Woodlawn Cemetery, near Ferndale, Whatcom County, Washington, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

17 Aug 1927 is the date that the divorce petition was recorded in the El Paso Herald. Presumably Lois Miranda (Stiles) Masten’s divorce from Merlin was granted sometime afterwards.

The marriage license contained in source [Williamson-1911] does not list the actual location where Merlin Douglas Masten and Lois Miranda Stiles were married. It does, however, list Lois’ middle name as “Marina” rather than “Miranda”. This fact has significant implications since almost all contemporary genealogical sources and accounts of family members agree that her middle name was Miranda. The name Miranda, though, is not yet supported by any vital records. An additional primary source is required to substantiate the family’s belief.

1. Lois Masten was born about 1912 in (unknown); died about 1912 in (unknown).
2. Juanita Frances Masten was born on 4 Jan 1913 in Mimbres, Grant County, New Mexico, United States; died on 21 Jul 1994 in San Diego, San Diego County, California, United States; was buried on 26 Jul 1994 in San Diego Coast (at sea), California, United States.
3. Elizabeth Marina Masten was born on 5 Feb 1915 in Mimbres, Grant County, New Mexico, United States; died on 20 Sep 1937 in El Paso, El Paso County, Texas, United States; was buried on 21 Sep 1937 in Restlawn Memorial Park, El Paso, El Paso County, Texas, United States.
4. Frank Douglas Masten was born on 28 Apr 1921 in El Paso, El Paso County, Texas, United States; died on 24 Nov 2002 in Sun City, Maricopa County, Arizona, United States; was buried after 24 Nov 2002 in Camino del Sol Mortuary Columbarium, Sun City West, Maricopa County, Arizona, United States.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Occupation: Rancher
• Cause of Death: Bowel obstruction/Pnumonia
• Census: 25 Feb 1841, Pulaski County, Missouri, United States
• Census: 18 Sep 1850, Milam and Williamson District, Milam County, Texas, United States
• Census: 5 Jul 1860, Western District, Milam County, Texas, United States
• Census: 2 Jun 1900, Precinct 6, Williamson County, Texas, United States
• Census: 5 May 1910, Precinct #6, Williamson County, Texas, United States

Notes:

Every census record from 1850 though 1910 in addition to [TxDoSHS-1911a] lists an age for Francis Newton Stiles’ consistent with a birthdate in 1837 or 1838. In fact [US-1900-1f], the only US census to list the month and year of an individual’s birth, reports his birthdate as “Dec 1837”. Despite this, 15 Sep 1841 (probably derived from Francis Newton Stiles’ headstone) is widely reported to be his birthdate. But if Francis Newton Stiles is accurately enumerated with his father’s family in 1840, as suggested by [US-1840a], then he cannot have been born in 1841. Moreover, [US-1840a] is the only census record discovered for Seaborn Stiles and his family in 1840...thus far, and is only consistent with the known number of children at the time if the 1837 birthdate for Francis Newton Stiles is accurate. Consequently, this database uses a birthdate of “Dec 1837” rather than 15 Sep 1841, since the latter isn’t consistent with any of the known facts of Francis Newton Stiles’ life.

[Stiles-1998] has birth place listed as “Middle, Tennessee”, but this is contradicted by many other sources.

[US-1880-1d] has a listing for a Frank and Pomfie Stiles having two children of the correct age matching Frank Elmo Stiles and Villa Ernest Stiles. This may be Francis Newton Stiles and Marina Floyd Thomas, but numerous facts don’t match including Francis’ age in 1880, his birthplace which is listed as North Carolina, and the children’s names.

Francis married Marina Floyd Thomas on 24 Feb 1875 in Sabine, Milam County, Texas, United States. Marina (daughter of James T Thomas and Marina Clarinda Grice) was born on 29 Oct 1857 in Selma, Dallas County, Alabama, United States; died on 28 May 1898 in Thrall, Williamson County, Texas, United States; was buried after 28 May 1898 in Stiles Cemetery, near Thrall, Williamson County, Texas, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Census: 22 Jun 1860, Selma, Dallas County, Alabama, United States
• Census: 24 Aug 1870, Beat No. 4 (Benton), Lowndes County, Alabama, United States

Notes:

[Stiles-1998] has birth year as 1847, but [McCown-1998] has birth year as 1857. The latter year also corresponds to information in [Stiles-1971] stating that the girls (Eliza J, Marina Floyd, Amanda, and Miranda) where all between the ages of 13 and 17 when they undertook the trip to Texas with their grandmother, in 1872.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Census: 25 Feb 1841, Pulaski County, Missouri, United States
• Census: 18 Sep 1850, Milam and Williamson District, Milam County, Texas, United States
• Census: 5 Jul 1860, Western District, Milam County, Texas, United States
• Residence: Jul 1867, Precinct 4, Milam County, Texas, United States
• Census: 26 Aug 1870, (unnamed district), Milam County, Texas, United States

Notes:

It is not known where exactly in Milam County Seaborn Stiles and his family lived, but secondhand sources occasionally refer to “Brushy, MIlam Co.”. No such town exists in modern Milam County, Texas, but Brushy may be a reference to Brushy Creek which runs from southwest to northeast across Williamson and Milam counties and crosses the county line approximately 2 miles south of Thorndale. Given census records from 1850 through 1870 which consistently place Seaborn Stiles and family in western Milam County, it’s likely his farm was located along Brushy Creek south or just east of Thorndale.

[LDS-AF-1999f] actually lists Seaborn Stiles’ birth place as merely “Laurens, S.c.” It is not known if he was actually born in the town of Laurens. This source also lists his death at Brushy, Milam County, Texas.

[US-1850-1a] has ages for Seaborn Stiles’ children (by Rebecca Fincher) that don’t correspond to the birth dates derived from sources [Stiles-1999] and [Dempster-2000].

Both [Stiles-1986] and the Williamson County Historical Commission have inaccurate locations for Lawrence Chapel Cemetery. The cemetery is actually located on County Road 473, 2.8 miles south of the junction of 473 and Texas Farm Road 112.

The given name for the individual referenced as the head-of-household in [US-1840a] is very difficult to read. It is likely to be a poor transcription of “Seaborn”, indicating that this is indeed the record for Seaborn Stiles and his family. Additional facts that lend themselves to this conclusion include the enumeration of a “William Styles”, likely to be William Stiles and his wife Piety Ellis, on the line above and the fact that the number and ages of the listed children are consistent with Seaborn Stiles’ family in the 1840s.

Despite being widely used and reported by a number of second-hand sources including [Stiles-1998] and [Stiles-1986], there are no references to the given name, “Francis”, in any first-hand sources or vital records. Consequently, Lindell-Herndon Genealogy uses “Seaborn Stiles” as this individual’s name.

A “Sibourne Stiles” is enumerated with his family in Franklin County, Tennessee in 1830. [US-1830a] lists one woman between the ages of 20 and 30 (Rebecca Fincher?) and one woman under the age of 5 (Amanda Stiles?). If this record actually refers to Seaborn Stiles, then the marriage date for Seaborn Stiles and Rebecca Fincher, derived from [Stiles-1998], is almost certainly inaccurate.

Seaborn Stiles had been a resident of Texas for 18 years and of Milam County for 17 years at the time his name was entered in the Milam County voter rolls. Consequently, he probably moved from Missouri to Texas with his family in 1849.

Census:
Millertown Post Office

Seaborn married Rebecca Fincher in 1834. Rebecca was born in 1810 in _______, _______, Tennessee, United States; died about 1843 in _______, _______, Tennessee, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Numerous sources, including [Stiles-1998] and [LDS-AF-1999f] list the name of Seaborn Stiles’ first wife as “Rebecca Fincher Newton”, but there are no first hand sources that support this assertion. Rather, [Lewis-1893a] claims that Seaborn Stiles’ first wife was Rebecca Fincher, presumably the daughter of Francis and Sarah (Flewellyn) Fincher, a family that also lived in Franklin County, Tennessee at about the time Rebecca married Seaborn.

[LDS-AF-1999f] lists Rebecca Fincher’s birthplace as South Carolina. However, in [US-1910-1d] both James Ellen Stiles and Francis Newton Stiles lists their mother’s birthplace as Tennessee. So, considering the notorious inaccuracy of the LDS Ancestral File database, this database uses the Tennessee location.

[LDS-AF-1999f] lists Rebecca Fincher Newton’s death year as 1874, but this is almost certainly not correct since Seaborn Stiles had married his second wife, Matilda Helena Moore around 1844. More likely Rebecca died in childbirth or of an illness around 1843.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Census: 18 Sep 1850, Pine Flat Beat, Dallas County, Alabama, United States

Notes:

The information on James, his parents, and siblings is based on the only matching record of a “James Thomas” in the 1850 Federal Census for Dallas County, Alabama. It is also assumed that the family was likely to have been in Dallas County in 1850 due to James’ marriage to Marina Clarinda Grice in 1853.

James Thomas does not appear in the Eighth Census of the United States for Selma Dallas County, Alabama, and his wife Clarinda, as well as his two eldest daughters, are enumerated in the household of his in-laws. Although there is no record of James Thomas having served with the Confederate States Army, and despite the fact that the start of the Civil War was still 6 months away, his enlistment is a likely explanation for his absence.

James married Marina Clarinda Grice on 3 Nov 1853 in _______, Dallas County, Alabama, United States. Marina (daughter of Lindsey Baker Grice and Elizabeth Todd) was born on 11 Dec 1834 in _______, Lowndes County, Alabama, United States; died on 27 Jun 1867 in _______, Lowndes County, Alabama, United States; was buried after 27 Jun 1867 in Bethany Baptist Church Cemetery, near Collirene, Lowndes County, Alabama, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Census: 15 Oct 1850, Lowndes District, Lowndes County, Alabama, United States
• Census: 22 Jun 1860, Selma, Dallas County, Alabama, United States

Notes:

The first 9 children of John Stiles and Margaret Lynch (Aaron, John R, John (?), Francis Seaborn, James, William Jesse, Margaret, and Jane) were all born in Laurens (Laurens County, South Carolina). Sometime between the birth of Jane in 1816 and the birth of Samuel in 1821 the family moved to Lincoln County, Tennessee.

[LDS-AF-1999f] actually lists John Stiles birth place as “Laurens, Laurens, S.c.” But, at the time, the area that eventually became Laurens County was part of the old “Ninety-Six District.” Laurens District was not organized until 1795 and Laurens County almost 70 years later.

It is not know which cemetery in Franklin County is “Cemetery No. 1”.

John married Margaret Lynch in 1800 in _______, Warren County, North Carolina, United States. Margaret (daughter of Aaron Lynch and Polly Lynch) was born before 1790 in Huntland, Franklin County, Tennessee Territory; died in 1838 in _______, Lincoln County, Tennessee, United States; was buried in 1839 in Cemetery No. 1, Huntland, Franklin County, Tennessee, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

It is not know which cemetery in Franklin County is “Cemetery No. 1”.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Occupation: Farmer
• Census: 18 Sep 1850, Pine Flat Beat, Dallas County, Alabama, United States
• Census: 22 Jun 1860, Selma, Dallas County, Alabama, United States

Notes:

The information on George Thomas and his family is based on the only matching record of a “James Thomas” in the 1850 Federal Census for Dallas County, Alabama. It is also assumed that the family was likely to have been in Dallas County in 1850 due to James’ marriage to Marina Clarinda Grice in 1853.

George married Mary Thomas before 1828. Mary was born about 1808 in _______, _______, South Carolina, United States; died after 1860 in (unknown). [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Census: 18 Sep 1850, Pine Flat Beat, Dallas County, Alabama, United States
• Census: 22 Jun 1860, Selma, Dallas County, Alabama, United States

Notes:

“Thomas” is Mary’s married name. Her maiden name is not known.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Census: 15 Oct 1850, Lowndes District, Lowndes County, Alabama, United States
• Census: 22 Jun 1860, Selma, Dallas County, Alabama, United States
• Census: 24 Aug 1870, Beat No. 4 (Benton), Lowndes County, Alabama, United States

Notes:

The record of Lindsey Baker Grice’s family, obtained from the 1850 US Federal Census for Lowndes County, Alabama, is listed under the name “Linny Grico”.

In 1837, Lindsey Baker Grice owned a small parcel of land adjoining the farm/estate of Josiah Todd and his sons: Northwest corner of Section 14, Township 14N, Range 12E (St. Stephens).

Lindsey married Elizabeth Todd on 4 Apr 1833 in _______, Lowndes County, Alabama, United States. Elizabeth (daughter of Josiah Todd and Zilpha Thomas) was born on 1 Oct 1815 in _______, Edgefield District, South Carolina, United States; died on 26 Dec 1899 in Thrall, Williamson County, Texas, United States; was buried after 26 Dec 1899 in Stiles Cemetery, near Thrall, Williamson County, Texas, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Census: 15 Oct 1850, Lowndes District, Lowndes County, Alabama, United States
• Census: 22 Jun 1860, Selma, Dallas County, Alabama, United States
• Census: 24 Aug 1870, Beat No. 4 (Benton), Lowndes County, Alabama, United States

Notes:

The birth date listed on Elizabeth (Todd) Grice’s headstone conflicts with the date listed in [Todd-1998], 4 Oct 1815.