Person:Sebastian Stanley (1)

Sebastian Cabot Stanley, called "Doc" by most ("Uncle Doc" or "Grandpa Doc" by children), was born in Arkansas to the union of Bythania (also known as Martha) whose maiden name is unknown, and her second husband, Richard P. Stanley (son of Shadrach Stanley and wife Rachael).

Bythania Martha had been married first to Jacob Averitt (or Averett) in Morehouse Parish, Louisiana, where they can be found on the 1850 census with their two sons Andrew Jackson (b. c. 1847 LA) and Marquis Lafayette (b. c. 1849 LA). Jacob Averitt is presumed to have died c. 1850-1852, as Bythania Martha remarried on 3 Jan 1853. She and Richard had two children together; Pike (b. c. 1854) and Sebastian Cabot (b. c. 1856). They can be found along with her older sons Jackson and Lafayette on the 1860 Ashley County census, living next door to Richard's parents.

Doc Stanley spent his youth and young adulthood in Arkansas, but was living in Louisiana by 1900, with wife Martha (née Pace b. c. Jan 1852 AR) and four of their children: Mary, Jettie (sometimes spelled "Jeddy"), Kelly Cameron (recorded as "Kelsey") and Jack Sebastian. (Youngest daughter Mona, b. c. 1900, makes an appearance on the 1910 census, although the entry looks rather more like "Moses".) Martha Pace had been married very briefly before to C. C. Spirs (Spiers, Spires, Spears, Spiars) in 1877, and had a son (Charley Spires b. 1879). She was widowed by the time of the census in 1880, however, and married Doc Stanley (recorded as S. C. Stanley) on 10 Jan 1881 in Ashley County, AR.

Doc lost his left arm just below the elbow when his grandson Zachary Stanley (then a young boy) remarked that he wanted a "blackbird pie" as they were passing a field of blackbirds alight in a field. Doc said amiably, "Well, I'll shoot you some." He started to climb over the stile to get to the other side of the fence, but he tripped and fell. The gun went off, blowing off the lower half of his left arm. Remarkably, he lived through this trauma. He was carried to the doctor in a mule-drawn wagon and the doctor was able to save his life (but not his arm).

Doc passed away in June 1935, just a few months short of his 79th birthday.

1. ↑ 1860 Census, in United States. Census Office. 8th census, 1860. Arkansas, 1860 federal census : population schedules. (Washington [District of Columbia]: The National Archives, 1950, 1967)
   p. 43, July 1860.
2. ↑ 1870 Census, in United States. 1870 U.S. Census Population Schedule. (National Archives Microfilm Publications M593 and T132)
   p. 31, 31 Jul 1870.
3. ↑ 1880 Census, in Arkansas, Arkansas, United States. 1880 U.S. Census Population Schedule. (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration Publication T9)
   4, Jun 1880.

   Family #30 - (living with Frank Johnson and family - Portland District, AR)
   Sebastian Stanley, 24, b. c. 1856 AR

4. ↑ 1900 Census, in United States. Census Office. 12th census, 1900. Louisiana, 1900 federal census : soundex and population schedules. (Washington, District of Columbia: The National Archives, 19--?).