Individual Details

1850 CENSUS
In the 1850 Census, Zeke is not listed with the John Childress family. A son named Alexander was listed as 2 years old, and Obediah was listed as 3 years old. In the 1860 Census, Ezekial was listed as 13 and his brother Obediah as listed as 15. His mother was named Narcissa, and his father was John Childress.

1880 CENSUS
In the 1880 Texas census, Zeke is listed as living in Anderson County and he and his brother Obediah are listed on census record 192 E.D. 6.

PURCHASE OF LAND, 1901
From the Anderson County probate records, it appears that Zeke purchased sixty acres of land from his brother Obie on October 24, 1901 shortly before his death. In 1905, there is another probate record that shows Zeke's widow, Bettie Childress, having to return the land to a Mr. D. R. Murchison, who had financed the purchase. Zeke was to have paid Mr. Murchison $120.00 before the first day of November in each of the years 1902, 1903 and 1904.

BURIAL OF EZEKIEL
Zeke is buried in the Friendship Baptist Church cemetery located west of Blackfoot Village, Texas in Anderson County. His gravestone was still standing as of July 5, 1995. At the top of his stone is a Masonic Lodge symbol. His name is listed as Ezekial Childress, Born December 25, 1847, and Died February 4, 1901. These words are at the bottom of the stone: "Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God." Zeke is buried next to his first wife, Mary Lynn Hill. His second wife's grave is not marked, if in fact she is buried in this cemetery. According to family history, Zeke's second wife Betty Weir is buried in Valley Mills, Texas. It is believed her clothes caught fire while she was doing her washing, and she died as a result of her burns (see her biographical notes for more on this matter).

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	25 Dec 1847	Mississippi, United States
Census	1860	Louisville, Winston, Mississippi, United States
Death	11 Nov 1901	Blackfoot Village, Anderson, Texas, United States
Marriage		Martha Elizabeth Weir
Marriage		Mary Lynn Hill

Spouse

Mary Lynn Hill (1853 - 1885)

Spouse	Martha Elizabeth Weir ( - )
Child	Mary CHILDRESS (1885 - 1970)
Child	Lena CHILDRESS (1890 - 1971)

Father	John CHILDRESS (1816 - 1859)
Mother	Narcissa Barron (1822 - )
Sibling	Albert G CHILDRESS (1843 - )
Sibling	Obediah CHILDRESS (1846 - 1936)
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)