Individual Details
John Lewis Machen Jr.
(20 May 1833 - Aft 1880)
1833 - John L. Machen is born to John Machen and Leah Renwick, in Georgia [Laura Cleveland]
This is a rather old southern family that has its roots into South Carolina and Virginia. The only Machen family in Georgia in 1830 is John Machen [not found in Family Search] but they leave by 1840. [1850 roll 55, Georgia , 108 Pike] John Sr. doesn't show up on the 1850 census in Georgia but do have a child born there John L. Machen born May, 1833 Pike Co., Georgia ]
1850 - John L. Machen is listed as "junr" in the census for Chambers Co., Alabama under his father spelled "John Meachum" in Chambers Co. Alabama. He is 16 years old born in Georgia. He is here with his brother William (23), Nancy (18), Leonidus (14), Elizabeth Anderson (7, probable dau. of another child, Rosannah Jane who married Wm Hampton Anderson) [1850 Alabama, Chambers 269]
John L. "junr" oldest brother, James H. Machen (34), had already moved to Arkansas by 1850 with his first wife, Elizabeth (17) and no children. [Dallas Co., 045 Princeton]
1856, Jan 21- John L. Machen applied for license for marriage on January 21, 1856 to Martha A. "Mattie" Burns in Tallapoosa Co., Alabama. He should be 23 years old and Mattie is 21 years. [Early Alabama Marriages, vol. 26, p. 2.]. They were finally married on February 7, 1856.
1859-1860 The family moves to Arkansas from Alabama along with several other relatives.
John was a physician and served in the Confederate Army.
1862 -30 June - J. L. Machen is enlisted in Co. A, 33 Arkansas Infantry in Magnolia, Columbia Co, Ark for a period of three years. He enters as a private and is paid $25 for the use of his rifle. on July 2, 1862.
1863- 29 Jan, J. L. Machen writes, "For commutation of rations, having been left behind, on the retreat from Van Buren, sick and unable to travel - from Dec 28th, 1862 to Jan 29th 1863, being 32 days at 35 cents per day. --------$11.20. "
- Dec 1st, John L. Machen receives a Certificate of Disability for Discharge "on account of disease of the heart." He is described in this paper as being 30 years old, 5 feet 10 inches tall, dark complexion, dark eyes, black hair with an occupation as farmer. [Confederate States Military documents] This is probably where J. L. learned to be a physician. After the war he apparently uses his knowledge to try to make a living in Arkansas. His elder brother, James H. Machen (b. 1816) is also now known as a "physician," whereas before the war in 1850 he was a "merchant".
1870 - John L. Machen is listed in the census in Calhoun Township, Columbia County, Arkansas, as a "physician". He is here with his wife and his first six children including Eugenia (11 F , Ala) [Columbia Co, 378 Calhoun Twp.]
The life of a "physician" must not have been too easy in this era.
The Physician- The life of a physician is a life of contradictions. He is slandered, abused and derided: yet he is sought with avidity, and freely received into the bosoms of families. His opinion can blanche the cheek, or suffuse the eye with tears of joy; and his lips are as closely watched as if from them proceeded the issues of life and death. He lives by the woes of others; and while he would if constant health were the attribute of our race, he is endeavoring to banish sickness from among men, while success in his avocation would ruin him for ever. He is always engaged in war against his own bread and butter. [The Pine Woods Planter, May 5, 1838, published in Liberty, Miss., Vol. 1, No. 13]
c. 1875 - The two younger children, John W. (b 1865) and Cora (b 1870) die, which I believe, also helped him change his occupation from physician to farmer. They don't show up in the 1880 census.
1880 - John L. Machen (46 M Geo) is now listed as a farmer. His wife is still Martha (43 F Ala], besides them are their children: Ugenia (19 F Ala), Montgomery (17 M Ark), Francis (14 F Ark), John P. (5 M Ark) [Ashley Co, 141, Portland Dist.] Place of birth of his father and mother are both listed as South Carolina. Her father's birth place in not listed but the mother is South Carolina.
1876-84 - This photo of Eugenia Machen would probably have been taken from about the age of 16 to 19 years old. She marries in 1884 at about the age of 23 but looks much more like a teenager here. She's a much more mature woman in the family photo of about 1898-9 that I have on her family page. This photo is in the collection of Ernest Hollaway Jr. of Tennessee.
sources:
Confederate States Military documents, U. S. Archives, Wa. D. C.
Edwards, Laura Cleveland, Three Centuries in America: Thomas Machen of Middlesex County, VA, 816 Perry Howard Rd., Fuquay-Varina, N. C. 27526, 1999.
email - jledwards6@nc.rr.com Kelly, Pamela C.
Early Alabama Marriages, vol. 26, p. 2., Family Adventures, P. O. Box 290354, San Antonio, TX 78280-1754
The Pine Woods Planter, May 5, 1838, pub. in Liberty, Miss., Vol. 1, No. 13, reprinted in Family Trails, Hist. Society of Jackson, Miss., Vol. 7-3 p. 25, 1992
U S. Census
This is a rather old southern family that has its roots into South Carolina and Virginia. The only Machen family in Georgia in 1830 is John Machen [not found in Family Search] but they leave by 1840. [1850 roll 55, Georgia , 108 Pike] John Sr. doesn't show up on the 1850 census in Georgia but do have a child born there John L. Machen born May, 1833 Pike Co., Georgia ]
1850 - John L. Machen is listed as "junr" in the census for Chambers Co., Alabama under his father spelled "John Meachum" in Chambers Co. Alabama. He is 16 years old born in Georgia. He is here with his brother William (23), Nancy (18), Leonidus (14), Elizabeth Anderson (7, probable dau. of another child, Rosannah Jane who married Wm Hampton Anderson) [1850 Alabama, Chambers 269]
John L. "junr" oldest brother, James H. Machen (34), had already moved to Arkansas by 1850 with his first wife, Elizabeth (17) and no children. [Dallas Co., 045 Princeton]
1856, Jan 21- John L. Machen applied for license for marriage on January 21, 1856 to Martha A. "Mattie" Burns in Tallapoosa Co., Alabama. He should be 23 years old and Mattie is 21 years. [Early Alabama Marriages, vol. 26, p. 2.]. They were finally married on February 7, 1856.
1859-1860 The family moves to Arkansas from Alabama along with several other relatives.
John was a physician and served in the Confederate Army.
1862 -30 June - J. L. Machen is enlisted in Co. A, 33 Arkansas Infantry in Magnolia, Columbia Co, Ark for a period of three years. He enters as a private and is paid $25 for the use of his rifle. on July 2, 1862.
1863- 29 Jan, J. L. Machen writes, "For commutation of rations, having been left behind, on the retreat from Van Buren, sick and unable to travel - from Dec 28th, 1862 to Jan 29th 1863, being 32 days at 35 cents per day. --------$11.20. "
- Dec 1st, John L. Machen receives a Certificate of Disability for Discharge "on account of disease of the heart." He is described in this paper as being 30 years old, 5 feet 10 inches tall, dark complexion, dark eyes, black hair with an occupation as farmer. [Confederate States Military documents] This is probably where J. L. learned to be a physician. After the war he apparently uses his knowledge to try to make a living in Arkansas. His elder brother, James H. Machen (b. 1816) is also now known as a "physician," whereas before the war in 1850 he was a "merchant".
1870 - John L. Machen is listed in the census in Calhoun Township, Columbia County, Arkansas, as a "physician". He is here with his wife and his first six children including Eugenia (11 F , Ala) [Columbia Co, 378 Calhoun Twp.]
The life of a "physician" must not have been too easy in this era.
The Physician- The life of a physician is a life of contradictions. He is slandered, abused and derided: yet he is sought with avidity, and freely received into the bosoms of families. His opinion can blanche the cheek, or suffuse the eye with tears of joy; and his lips are as closely watched as if from them proceeded the issues of life and death. He lives by the woes of others; and while he would if constant health were the attribute of our race, he is endeavoring to banish sickness from among men, while success in his avocation would ruin him for ever. He is always engaged in war against his own bread and butter. [The Pine Woods Planter, May 5, 1838, published in Liberty, Miss., Vol. 1, No. 13]
c. 1875 - The two younger children, John W. (b 1865) and Cora (b 1870) die, which I believe, also helped him change his occupation from physician to farmer. They don't show up in the 1880 census.
1880 - John L. Machen (46 M Geo) is now listed as a farmer. His wife is still Martha (43 F Ala], besides them are their children: Ugenia (19 F Ala), Montgomery (17 M Ark), Francis (14 F Ark), John P. (5 M Ark) [Ashley Co, 141, Portland Dist.] Place of birth of his father and mother are both listed as South Carolina. Her father's birth place in not listed but the mother is South Carolina.
1876-84 - This photo of Eugenia Machen would probably have been taken from about the age of 16 to 19 years old. She marries in 1884 at about the age of 23 but looks much more like a teenager here. She's a much more mature woman in the family photo of about 1898-9 that I have on her family page. This photo is in the collection of Ernest Hollaway Jr. of Tennessee.
sources:
Confederate States Military documents, U. S. Archives, Wa. D. C.
Edwards, Laura Cleveland, Three Centuries in America: Thomas Machen of Middlesex County, VA, 816 Perry Howard Rd., Fuquay-Varina, N. C. 27526, 1999.
email - jledwards6@nc.rr.com Kelly, Pamela C.
Early Alabama Marriages, vol. 26, p. 2., Family Adventures, P. O. Box 290354, San Antonio, TX 78280-1754
The Pine Woods Planter, May 5, 1838, pub. in Liberty, Miss., Vol. 1, No. 13, reprinted in Family Trails, Hist. Society of Jackson, Miss., Vol. 7-3 p. 25, 1992
U S. Census
Events
| Birth | 20 May 1833 | Pike County, Georgia | |||
| Census (family)-shared | 19 Sep 1850 | (John Lewis Machen Sr. and Leah Renwick) Chambers County, Alabama |  |  | |
| Marriage License | 21 Jan 1856 | Tallapoosa County, Alabama - Martha Ann Burns | | | |
| Marriage | 7 Feb 1856 | Tallapoosa County, Alabama - Martha Ann Burns | | | |
| Census (family) | 28 Jul 1870 | Calhoun, Columbia County, Arkansas - Martha Ann Burns | | | |
| Census (family) | 7 Jun 1880 | Portland, Ashley County, Arkansas - Martha Ann Burns | | | |
| Death | Aft 1880 | Arkansas |
Families
| Spouse | Martha Ann Burns (1835 - 1874) |
| Child | James Enoch Green Machen (1857 - 1925) |
| Child | Margaret Eugenia "Jennie" Machen (1859 - 1904) |
| Child | Hilliard Montgomery Machen (1861 - 1905) |
| Child | Frances Machen (1863 - ) |
| Child | John W. Machen (1865 - 1880) |
| Child | Dora Machen (1867 - 1880) |
| Child | Machen (1870 - 1880) |
| Child | John Pruce Machen (1874 - ) |
| Father | John Lewis Machen Sr. (1793 - 1883) |
| Mother | Leah Renwick (1794 - 1859) |
| Sibling | Dr. James Henry Machen (1816 - 1891) |
| Sibling | Nathan Renwick Machen (1818 - 1896) |
| Sibling | Roseannah Jane Machen (1820 - 1888) |
| Sibling | John W. Machen (1823 - ) |
| Sibling | William Simpson Machen (1828 - 1885) |
| Sibling | Nancy Mariah Machen (1831 - 1866) |
| Sibling | Franklin Leonidas Machen (1836 - 1905) |
Notes
Census (family)-shared
John Meachum M 57 South Carolina - FarmerLeah Meachum F5 6 South Carolina
William Meachum M 23 Georgia - Farmer
Nancy Meachum F 18 Georgia
John Meachum Jr M 16 Georgia - Farmer
Leonidus Meachum M 14 Georgia
Elizabeth Anderson F 7 Alabama
Marriage License
Early Alabama Marriages, vol. 26, p. 2.Marriage
1856, Jan 21- John L. Machen applied for license for marriage on January 21, 1856 to Martha A. "Mattie" Burns in Tallapoosa Co., Alabama. He should be 23 years old and Mattie is 21years. [Early Alabama Marriages, vol. 26, p. 2. ]. They were finally married on February 7, 1856.Census (family)
John Machen M 37 Georgia - PhysicianMartha A Machen F 35 Alabama
James Machen M 13 Alabama
Euginas Machen M 11 Alabama
Montgomery Machen M 9 Alabama
Francis Machen F 7 Arkansas
John W Machen M 5 Arkansas
Dora Machen F 3 Arkansas
Machen M 0 Arkansas
Census (family)
1880 - US Census, Arkansas, Ashley Co., Portland Dist. p. 141. This census does not show the three youngest children from the 1870 census and probably died. Also here we see a blank when it comes to the father of Martha. Either the person giving the census didn't know or Martha didn't know who her father was or at least where he was born.Mashan, John L. w m 46 Farmer Georgia So. Caro So. Caro
" Martha w f 43 wife keeping house Alabama [blank] So. Caro
" Virginia w f 19 dau Alabama Georgia Alabama
" Mortgomery w m 17 son Arkansas Georgia Alabama
" Frances w f 14 dau Arkansas Georgia Alabama
" John P. w m 5 son Arkansas Georgia Alabama
[1880 US census, Arkansas, Ashley Co., Portland Dist. p.141]
Endnotes
1. "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MHPT-Z9T : 9 November 2014), John Meachum, Chambers county, Chambers, Alabama, United States; citing family 71, NARA microfilm publication M432 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.)..
2. "Alabama County Marriages, 1809-1950," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:29FB-YN7 : 4 November 2017), John Machen and Martha A Burns, 1856; citing Tallapoosa, Alabama, United States, County Probate Courts, Alabama; FHL microfilm 2,217,579..
3. Alabama Marriages, 1816-1957 https://www.familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FQKD-FZG.
4. "United States Census, 1870," database with images, FamilySearch(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MNCM-XHN : 17 October 2014), John Machen, Arkansas, United States; citing p. 19, family 147, NARA microfilm publication M593 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 545,549..
5. "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MN7T-WY6 : 24 December 2015), John L Mashan, Portland, Ashley, Arkansas, United States; citing enumeration district ED 10, sheet 141A, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 0038; FHL microfilm 1,254,038..