EVELINE ELIZABETH WATSON FISH 1851-1906
Married 26 Dec 1867 Lincoln County, Ark
PIONEER SETTLERS OF LINCOLN COUNTY, ARKANSAS
Abt 1900
(Original photo owned by Angie (Thomasson) Greer of Ozark, AR)
Compiler: Donald Earl McKinney Jr, Alma, KS
These notes were compiled from materials gathered for many years by personal research & correspondence. I am especially grateful to the following relatives, whose research, photographs, stories & oral traditions, along with my own, helped us all gain a better understanding of our family heritage.
Great-Aunt Angie Greer of Ozark, AR, a granddaughter of William & Eveline Thomasson
Great-Grandmother Ada's original family history files pertaining to the Thomasson & Owen families
Lessie Dodds of Pine Bluff AR, a granddaughter of William & Eveline
Gordon Conrad Thomasson, a great-grandson of William & Eveline
William Lafayette Thomasson's mother Elizabeth Gordon Jackson was the daughter of David & Elizabeth (Gordon) Jackson, who were born and raised near Bethel, York County, SC. According to family tradition, William's maternal grandfather, David Jackson Jr, who was the son of Scotch-Irish immigrants David & Mary (Morrison) Jackson of County Antrim, Ireland, was a cousin of President Andrew Jackson, whose parents also came from County Antrim, Northern Ireland & settled in the same area of South Carolina. Young Andrew also fought in the same battles of the Revolutionary War, Hanging Rock & Sumpters Defeat, etc as did David Jackson Sr. After the war, young Andrew attended school in Bethel, York County SC, which was very near the David Jackson place.
As a child, during the 1850's, William Thomasson settled near Cornerville, Drew County, Arkansas with his father and step mother. This later became Lincoln County. William's mother Elizabeth had died in 1852 while they were in Conway County, Arkansas and his father Passins married Almira Jones who became his step-mother.
During the Civil War, William served as a Corporal in the Confederate Army, Company A, 26th Arkansas Infantry, Morgan's Regiment of General McRae's Brigade. The day after Christmas in 1867 he married EVELINE ELIZABETH WATSON FISH, the daughter of Jason Samuel & Ann Eliza (Goings) Fish. Her father also served with the 26th Arkansas Infantry during the Civil War. She was called Elizabeth by family and friends. William & Elizabeth had 14 children all born in Lincoln County.
During the 1890's William was Captain of Camp Ben McCulloch of the United
Confederate Veterans and served as Commander of that organization for several years.
He owned a valuable estate comprising over 1000 acres of prime cultivated land and
became a well known and prominent farmer in that area. He and his family were active
members of the Baptist Church. His wife Elizabeth died August 8, 1906 and William died
March 3, 1908. Both are buried in Hickory Grove Cemetery near Cornerville, Arkansas.
The father of William and the parents of Elizabeth are also buried there. (See notes on
Eveline Elizabeth Watson Fish for more on her ancestors)
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EVELINE ELIZABETH WATSON FISH was 10 Jul 1851 in Oktibbeha County,
Mississippi. She was the daughter of Jason Samuel & Ann Eliza (Goings) Fish who left
Mississippi in 1856 and settled in Drew County, Arkansas, what is now Lincoln County.
She was called "Elizabeth" by her friends and family.
Elizabeth's father Jason Samuel Fish, was born in Fairfield Co SC in 1826 and was the son of Elias & Cynthia (McCants) Fish who left that area of South Carolina about 1834 and settled in Georgia. Elias Fish was born in New York, but resided in Connecticut in his youth before settling in South Carolina during the 1820's. Sometime during the 1830's, they left Georgia & moved on to Pickens County in northwestern Alabama, however, they drifted further west into the Itawamba & Tishomingo County area of northeast Mississippi during the 1840's. Jason's parents returned to Harris County, Georgia by 1850, eventually settling in northeast Texas.
Elizabeth's father Jason however, remained in Oktibbeha County, MS and married Elizabeth's mother, Ann Eliza Goings in 1848. Mother Ann Eliza was the daughter of Drew & Elizabeth Goings, also from northern South Carolina, who settled in Pickens County, Alabama during the 1830's. Ann Eliza's Great-Grandfather was Revolutionary War veteran Drury Goings of Chester County, SC. Ann's parents evidently later moved across the state line into Mississippi where Ann married Jason.
When Elizabeth was about 5 years she came with her parents to Mill Creek Township, Drew County, Arkansas, what is now Lincoln County, becoming prominent farmers in that area. They were all members of the Missionary Baptist Church where her father was a deacon. He later served several terms as Justice of the Peace.
During the Civil War, Elizabeth's father enlisted in the Confederate Army and was assigned to Company A, 26th Arkansas Infantry (Morgan's Regiment). After the war, Elizabeth married WILLIAM LAFAYETTE THOMASSON, who had served in the same outfit as her father. They raised 14 children, all born in Lincoln County.
Elizabeth (Fish) Thomasson died 8 Aug 1906 & ten days later, her father Jason Samuel
Fish died. Elizabeth's mother Ann Eliza had died in 1894. Almost two years later in
1908, Elizabeth's husband William Lafayette Thomasson died. All are buried near each
other in the Hickory Grove Cemetery, Lincoln County, Arkansas.
(Note: Hickory Grove Cemetery is located on Highway 11 SW of Star City, Ark about 7
miles (Cemetery is on the left).
Children of William & Eveline Elizabeth (Fish) Thomasson:
Child 1: JAMES ROBERT THOMASSON
Born: 25 Feb 1869 Lincoln Co AR///Died: 22 Dec 1877 Lincoln Co AR
Child 2: HENRIETTA BELL THOMASSON
Born: 14 Sep 1870 Lincoln Co AR///Died: 25 Dec 1933 Lincoln Co AR
Married: Robert B. Dodds
Born: 23 Mar 1872 Cornerville(Lincoln) AR///Died: 31 Jul 1947 Magazine(Logan) AR
Married: Ada Owen
Child 4: WILLIAM LAFAYETTE THOMASSON, Jr
Born: 6 Jan 1874 Lincoln Co AR///Died: 1937 Lincoln Co AR
Child 5: ADA WATSON THOMASSON
Born: 16 Oct 1876 Lincoln Co AR///Died: 13 Aug 1947 Lincoln Co AR
Married: Robert A. Collins
Child 6: GUY DEXLEY THOMASSON
Born: 22 Sep 1878 Lincoln Co AR///Died: Unknown
Married: Dora Cuthbertson
Child 7: BENJAMIN WEAVER THOMASSON
Born: 27 Oct 1880 Lincoln Co AR///Died: 1 Feb 1954
Married: Gern Gish(1); Iliff Powers(2)
Child 8: JASON SAMUEL THOMASSON
Born: 21 Aug 1882 Lincoln Co AR///Died: 30 Mar 1959 Lincoln Co AR
Married: Lottie COLLINS
Child 9: CHARLES ERNEST THOMASSON
Born: 19 Feb 1884 Lincoln Co AR///Died: 7 Aug 1949 Lincoln Co AR
Child 10: MATTIE MAY THOMASSON
Born: 22 Sep 1885 Lincoln Co AR///Died: Unknown
Married: Charles Winston Roberts
Child 11: Twin THOMASSON
Born: 22 Sep 1885 Lincoln Co AR///Died: 22 Sep 1885 Lincoln Co AR
Child 12: HARVEY WERDNA THOMASSON
Born: 5 Jun 1887 Lincoln Co AR///Died: 20 Jan 1954
Married: Lela Owens
Child 13: JOHN ALVIS THOMASSON
Born: 11 Feb 1889 Lincoln Co AR///Died: 28 Dec 1907 Lincoln Co AR
Child 14: WALTER ROY THOMASSON
Born: 18 Aug 1891 Lincoln Co AR///Died: 28 Jun 1943
Married: Birdie Haskins
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PASSINS ALVIS & ELIZABETH (JACKSON) THOMASSON