Individual Details

HISTORICAL INFORMATION
According to Lucille Vann Cohen, a book in the Texas State Archives stated the following about Obediah Childress:
"The Grandfather Childress was a native of South Carolina, as was the grandfather on the mother's side. Grandfather Childress was a slave owner and owned a tavern. Obed, son of John and Narcissa Childress, came to Texas with his mother in 1866. He was a farmer in Anderson County, Texas located near Blackfoot. Was a Civil War veteran, in the Battle of Vicksburg; was a prisoner."

1870 CENSUS
In the 1870 U.S. Census taken on August 15th, Obed Childress was listed as 24 years of age and married to Missouri, who was 23 years of age. He is shown as being born in Mississippi and she in Alabama. They lived at Canton (later to become known as Omen) in Smith County, and were listed as using the Troup post office.

1880 CENSUS
Obediah Childress is listed in the July 1, 1880 U.S. Census and was shown living in Anderson County, Texas. In the 1880 census, the parents of Obediah were listed as being born in Mississippi. In the June 14, 1900 census, Obediah is listed as Obie, and he and his family are still residing in Anderson County, Texas.

NOTES ACCORDING TO PAUL HOGUE
Obie lived in Anderson County in a community called Blackfoot, which is northwest of Palestine. Obie supposedly owned 5,500 acres. Obie visited Mary Childress Hogue every year, and he always gave her a $20 gold piece when he left. Her son Joe Hogue remembers that he never saw his Uncle Obie without a suit and vest, wearing a gold watch and chain. According to family memories, Obie's children - Obie Jr., Zeke, Effie, and Zeffie, never married. Lula married a Sadler, who died young. Effie and Zeffie raised Grady Childress' children after Grady's wife died at an early age.

Obediah is buried at the cemetery behind the Friendship Baptist Church, located west of Blackfoot Village. Obediah's headstone states that he was a Corporal in Company C, 3 Battalion, Mississippi Infantry, of the Confederate States Army.

As a matter of interest, Tillus Childress (assumed to be Obe's son) is buried between Martha Childress, Effie and Zeffie. According to his gravestone, Tillus was born on December 4, 1875, and died on March 13, 1936.

In the listing of confederate soldiers at the Clayton Library in Houston, Texas, there is a O. Childress listed in Company C, 3rd Battalion, Mississippi Infantry. His rank was Private. There was no date regarding enlistment, nor release from service.

NOTES ACCORDING TO ROYCE LYNNE LARSON
"Aunt Zeffie said Obe retired at 40 and sat on the porch or visited relatives until he died. Aunt Effie said he was the meanest man she ever knew. He owned 600 acres in Anderson County, where they were born. Obe offered an education to any of his children who were willing to pursue it....I remember Aunt Zeffie telling me that one of the black boys came back to the farm to see his father and Obe wouldn't go out and shake his hand even though he had become a doctor. She said she thought that he was Obe's son."

OBITUARY IN PALESTINE DAILY HERALD
Obe CHILDRESS, old time resident of Anderson County, died in Wellington, Texas Tuesday, according to advice received here Wednesday. The body is being shipped to his former home at Blackfoot and funeral services will be held from the Old Rock Church at 2 p.m. Thursday.
(Next day's paper stated he was father of Mrs. Lula Sadler of Blackfoot, former Anderson County school superintendent, and Mrs. Effie and Zeffie Childress; two sons, Grady of Blackfoot and John Childress of Oakwood.)

View a photograph of this individual by visiting the online family photo album at:

Childress/Mathi s Photo Album

Photographs of many other related individuals also are in the above album.

Birth	17 Dec 1846	Mississippi, United States
Census	1850	Winston, Mississippi, United States
Census	1860	Louisville, Winston, Mississippi, United States
Veteran	Abt 1865	Confederate Army, Pvt. Mississippi
Burial	1936
Death	11 Feb 1936	Blackfoot Village, Anderson, Texas, United States
Marriage		Georgianna Matilda Baskin
Marriage		Martha Ann Missouri Baskin

Spouse

Martha Ann Missouri Baskin (1848 - 1883)

Spouse

Georgianna Matilda Baskin (1852 - )

Father	John CHILDRESS (1816 - 1859)
Mother	Narcissa Barron (1822 - )
Sibling	Albert G CHILDRESS (1843 - )
Sibling	Ezekial CHILDRESS (1847 - 1901)
Sibling	Alexander CHILDRESS (1848 - 1860)
Sibling	Sarah Sally CHILDRESS (1849 - )
Sibling	Mary Olpha CHILDRESS (1849 - )
Sibling	William Obed CHILDRESS (1852 - 1880)
Sibling	John Thomas CHILDRESS (1856 - 1935)