Person:Thomas Dillard (10)

According to Jody Dillard:

THOMAS MILTON DILLARD, SR.

The Patriarch of the Texas Dillard family. Part of his family by his first wife, Mary Baker, ended up in the state of Washington along the Baker River. Some of Lydia Dillard Stokes' children also went to Washington with their uncle Daniel. The remaining children with Manerva Jackson remained in the central Texas region in Bell County, Jones County and Concho County. Today, their family spans the entire country from Alaska to Florida.

More about Thomas Milton Dillard, Sr.

After the death of his wife Mary, Thomas was left to care for a farm and five small children. He married his neighbor Manerva Jane within a few months. She raised his children and they continued having a family of their own, having seven more children.

Thomas Milton Dillard Joined the army in the fall of 1863. He was part of the 5th Arkansas Cavalry Company C under the command of Robert C. Newton (from Texas Confederate Widow's Pension Application). The 5th fought in the battle at Shiloh and Corinth among others before becoming the 8th Arkansas Cavalry Regiment that fought in the battle of the Trans-Mississippi West. Known as the battle between the rivers. He left the army when the war ended in 1865.

The story passed down through the family about the long treacherous move from Arkansas to Falls County, Texas has been repeated many times.The following is the account relayed to me by T. M.'s granddaughter, Pearl, as well as by my father, Jack, and other members of the family.

When Thomas M. decided to move to Texas after the Civil War, he made an offer to his slaves whom had been freed by President Lincoln. Any slave that wanted to travel with him would be given a wagon, a walking plow, a walking planter and a mule. Once they reached Texas they could get their own land or work for him for wages. The convoy contained 27 wagons headed out of Sevier County, Arkansas to Texas. The Dillards, Harlans and Jacksons were filled with hope as they headed for a new life on a new land.

Upon reaching the Red River they discovered crossing the sandy, very wide river was too much for the wagons and mules. They camped on the north side of the river and began making raft-like devices out of the branches of the trees along the banks. They wove the tree limbs together until it would support the weight of the wagons. One at a time they slowly maneuvered the heavy wagons and mules across the quick sand and water. It took over a week to get each wagon across. It took them over seven months to make the crossing.

Thomas and his children, and the group of black families headed south until they came to the Brazos River, in what is now known as Falls County. The cedar trees lining the ridge above the valley housing the Brazos gave the illusion of the color blue as it came into view. Amazed at the "Blue Ridge" Thomas and the others found this place to be the one they wanted to call home. That's where his family settled and farmed the land. I have found no deed or evidence that that shows ownership of the land he farmed. I assumed the land he owned along the Little River in Arkansas had been the grant he received for his service in the Civil War. Thomas and Manerva lived in Falls County only a short time but made quite an impact on the small community of settlers, encouraging many members of his family to move to the area from both Alabama and Arkansas.

He died suddenly while on a cattle run in Falls County. The cause of death has been reported as tuberculosis, but the story goes, he fell from his horse and a lung was puctured. This injury was complicated by his illness and he died on the range near Mart, Texas. He is buried at Blue Ridge Cemetery along side his brother Odell near members of the Harlan family.

Thomas Milton (T. M.) Dillard...

1860 Census... Found in the Arkansas, Red River district near Richmond, living next door to John W. Jackson, Manerva's father, and beside Jesse and Sarah Harlan Burke. Dwelling 291, page 38, line 6. Occupation, Farmer, Real estate worth $800 and personal worth is $8000.

He is listed as age 34 Wife is Manerva age 18 Children are Catharine ... 8 Liow N. or Leon N. age 6 female James D. age 3 These are all children of his first wife, Mary Baker

Andria Kennoy - Feb 4, 2004: I found these on a Land Patent Web site. Patentee: Thomas M. Dillard Title Transfer: Issue date: 7/1/1859 Land Office: Washington Cancelled: No Mineral Reservations: No Authority: April 24, 1820, Sale Cash Entry

Survey: State: Arkansas Acres: 160 Bounds: No

Document #'S Document# 11426 Serial #: AR132_.098

PARTS: se Block: 5 Township: 12-S Range: 30-W Section: No Meridian: 5th PM State:AR Counties: Little River

Patentee: Thomas M Dillard Title Transfer: Issue Date: 7/2/1860 Land Office: Washington Cancelled: No Mineral Reservations: No Authority: April 24, 1820, Sale Cash Entry

Survey: State:Arkansas Acres: 95.19 Bounds: No

Document #'S: Document #: 15660 Serial #: AR1400_.159

Parts: SWSW and NWNW Block: 31 and 6 Townshops: 11-S and 12-S Ranges: 30-W and 30-W Section: No Meridian: 5th PM and 5thPM State:AR Counties: Little River

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} Rootsweb chart of Jody Dillard: James C. Dillard Family wc.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi op GET db jody44.