Person:Sarah Morgan (87)

Migration of Reeves, Samples, Morgan, and Rudd Families

Notes I Have from Bobby Joe Lamm dated March 2, 1997

One of my interest in genealogy is the migration info on my family - how and when they got where they are. I've got the Samples figured as follows, please correct me where you can. In the 1840's they lived on the Graves - Ballard county line in Western Kentucky. Their neighbors were the Reeves, Morgans, Rudds, Gills, Ransoms and Lamms. Matthew Richey Samples and Rachel Susan Morgan married in the late 1840's in Graves County. They had two or three children before moving to Ballard County in about 1854. I bet that their move wasn't more than 3 or 4 miles. Matthew's Mother, Mary Ransom Samples along with one of Matthew's younger brothers, were living with them when the 1860 census was taken. Rachel died mid 1860's and Matthew married Nancy Hilton Gill (one of his brothers was married to Nancy's sister). Matthew died in the 1870's and Nancy married Jack Morgan.

My grandmother, Ardella Samples married George W Reeves in 1872. In 1878 they left for Texas probably accompanied by Ardella's younger and single sister, Serena. They went by wagon across the Mississippi where they sold their team and wagon and caught a train for Dallas. They were met there by a family member who took them to Grayson County. Matthew's brother Moses B Samples was already in the area so it may have been him. Serena married Andy Lytle there the following year. In 1883 George and Ardella relocated to Hunt County where they purchased some acreage from James H Lamm (my g-grandfather). Another brother, Alfonso Jasper Samples, came by covered wagon in 1890 or 1891.

Jack and Nancy Hilton Morgan left Ballard County for Hunt County Texas sometime prior to 1889. Nancy's four children by Matthew Richey Samples (Safronia, Roscoe, Charles and Steve) all married in Hunt County in 1889 or 1890. She and Jack Morgan had some children also, but I don't know their names. I don't know what happened to Jack Morgan, but Nancy died in 1930 and is buried at Money Cemetery in Hunt County.

Several of the older children of Matthew and Rachel stayed in Kentucky and I know almost nothing about them. One of Serena's daughters is still living. She's mentally incompetent now, but several years ago when she had a better memory, I asked her about any siblings that her mother had back in Kentucky. She said that Serena had never mentioned them. I talked to a Jimmie Samples when I was in Graves county several years ago and he didn't know anyone beyond his grandfather. He did have a bunch of old pictures, probably from the 1800's with some that were identified as Samples and Rudds. A couple were identified as studio photographs made in Wolfe City and Greenville, Texas.

Migration Push Factors from Kentucky to Texas

Posted by: Tina Harvey

Date: October 21, 2005 at 11:02:46

In Reply to: Re: Rudds in Greenville Texas by Tammy Rudd

One important figure head in the Atherton family was Elisha Paschall Morgan. The history of Elisha works its way in and out of several families. Elisha's Daughter married the Atherton son's of Charles Atherton & Nancy Jayne Atherton nee Rudd. These two sons Calvin Acie Atherton & Richard Paschall Atherton worked for him also along with someone from the Sams family. A message from Doug Miller tell of a "firm" by the name of Morgan, Daniel, Sams. I havn't been able to make contact with Doug Miller, but I do know that he has lots of legal paperwork that belong to Elisha Paschall Morgan who was a constable of Ballard county and we believe he was a lawer. Old family tales echo back this informaion. Several of the Morgan & Atherton children told how they lived above the Jail and could watch the hanging. Several of Elisha's items made thier way to Texas, these were his Safe, handcuffs, and the legal papers. When looking at the census information it lists Elisha as a jailer. Word is that the families got into legal or financial problems. I have heard the words "debts" used and "skip out on them" . This is the "push factor" and reason for the trip to Texas. I heard that when the Atherton left they were 100 strong, whether that meant the 100 were just Atherton's or all the different families. There are two stories about the travel to Texas one is family lore told by Irene Watson the other is an Interview between Grace Bench and Mary Adline Atherton Bench.

Irene's information:

When the family was traveling they cross the Missippissi River and one of the children fell into the water and all most drowned, this little girl was red head. (Later after interviewing several family members (Bench family) I was told the the red head girl was Mary Adline Atherton Bench.

Grace Bench & Mary Adline Atherton Bench Interview: What we know of the journey to Texas comes from the information Mary Atherton Bench leaves behind. Mrs. Hazel Bench notes this peace of history in Fannin County Folks and Facts and relays this history to us. Mary Ann Atherton was born in Kentucky and came to Missouri with her parents in a caravan of 18 covered wagons. The men took turns with two men each night to keep guard of their possessions. They were three weeks making the trip. The family lived there (Missouri) a few years and moved to Texas.I don't think your Rudd family married into the Morgan families. Rudd's do marry into the Samples and Sams families for sure. Other places to look is the Williams (this family connected to the Atherton several times) and Reeves (they connected to Morgan's & William) families. Other places to check are Huey, Webb, Goode. I let me know if you have or if you need any other information.

1. ↑ ^1.0 1.1 Sarah Frances Morgan Atherton, in Find A Grave.
2.   Patrick Hogue (Samples). The Samples / Semples Family.