Individual Details
French Strawder Weatherly
(March 1, 1832 - February 11, 1908)
"French Strawder Weatherly and Nancy H. Greer had no children." (Jan Greer, Nacogdoches, Texas, 1997.)
"French Strawder Weatherly, son of Job Parker Weatherly and of Lucinda Parmley, was born 1 March 1832 Hardin Co., TN and died 11 Feb. 1908 Linn Flat, Tx of pneumonia, buried Linn Flat Cemetery, Nacogdoches Co., TX. He was married (1) 15 July 1858 to Sarah Gertrude Hughs; and was married (2) 16 June 1874, Rusk Co., TX to Elizabeth Catherine "Lizzy" Goldsberry; and was married (3) 31 March 1895, Appleby, Nacogdoches Co., TX to Nancy H. "Nannie" Greer by Rev Meazell.
"Nannie Greer was 48 when she married French Strauder Weatherly. She never had children of her own, but raised French's four children as herown from his (2) marriage to Elizabeth Goldsberry Cunningham. Elizabeth died 26 Oct. 1893. The children were Samuel J. Weatherly born 18 July1877, Hugh McCoy Weatherly born 26 Oct. 1879, Horace L. Weatherly born 23 Dec. 1881, and Robert Weatherly born 19 June 1884. French had a red Van Dyke beard, reddish hair, blue eyes, was small in stature, being five feet, five and one half inches tall and weighed 165 pounds. He was a prosperous farmer. French and Nannie (Greer) Weatherly were married eight years. They are listed on the 1900 Census of Nacogdoches Co., TX. French's home was situated about one mile southeast of the town of Linn Flat on the Briley Town Road just east of the present structure of which was later his home. By the 1800's he owned approximately 900 acres of land which reached from Linn Flat east to the Old Henderson Highway and south near Caro. The 1860 Nacogdoches Co., TX Census listed French as a farmer with a tanning shop, and living with him was Ben Coleman a tanner born in Ireland. French did not enter the services of the Confederate States, but helped by tanning hides and making saddles, shoes and other equipment in his tanning shop.
"Other businessess were also located on the farm which included a horse drawn cotton gin located near the tannery, but the first gin burned and when it was rebuilt a steam engine was used. A grist mill powered by a water wheel was also on the farm. The water powered grist mill was located on the Weatherly Creek which ran through the Acrey place about two miles east of the town of Linn Flat, and one mile east of the Weatherly tannery.
"While French was living with his third wife Miss "Nanny" the original log home burned. Maggie Whitehead said they had been married about two years when the home burned in about 1897 or 1898. The story goes that one day "Miss Nanny" or "Mammy" as the grandchildren called her, had finished cooking her noon meal. A low fire was still burning in the wood cook stove. She went out in the field looking for guinea's nests. She saw smoke and hurried back to the house to ring the big dinner bell to alert French and the men that were in the bottom field plowing. The house was engulfed in flames. French suddenly realized as was custom in that day that his life savings were in the house. He managed to get inside and save a small trunk in which he had much of his money stored. Evidently some of the silver was not in the trunk for many years later grandchildren found several sizeable lumps of melted silver buried in the ground. The home was rebuilt just west of the burned home and still stands on the Weatherly place (in 1994).
"French died in 1908. After his death "Miss Nannie" decided to return to her home with a nephew, Dixon Greer and a niece, Elmer Greer in Appleby and leave the home to the children. Dixon and Elmer Greer were the children of Thomas H. and Mary Jane (Legg) Greer. The Weatherly children, concerned with her welfare, agreed to give her cash for her living and in appreciation for her few years with their father. She lived with Dixon and Elmer Greer until her death, July 19, 1921. She was buried beside French in the Linn Flat Cemetery, Nacogdoches Co., TX.
"1910 Census Nacogdoches Co., TX, Precinct 7, Dwelling #250-250: Head of household, Dixon Greer, white male, age 28, single, occupation - farmer, born TX, father born MS and mother born Ala; Elma Greer, sister, age 38, single, born TX, occupation - poultry breeder, father born MS. And mother born Ala; Nannie Weatherly, aunt, age 62, single, occupation - farm laborer, born Ark., father born GA and mother born in US.
"A favorite story about Mammy was told many times. After French's death and she had moved back with the Greer's, she would visit the Weatherly children and grandchildren often. On one such occasion she came to her brother James Albert Greer's home for a visit. From there she sent word for Hugh McCoy Weatherly to send for her. Hugh sent Jake Beamon, a colored man who worked on the farm, to drive the wagon which was drawn by a beautiful newly purchased mule team. The children accompanied him on the trip. On the return home, coming over a rough, crooked road through the bottom lands, the team ran away with the wagon. Jake could not take care of the passengers and team so he motioned for all to get down in the bed of the wagon while he tried frantically to stop the mules. Finally, coming to a sharp curve in the road he decided to steer the mules straight ahead and run them directly into a pine tree where they finally stopped. Scared was a light word to describe the passengers, but the final part of the trip was safe.
"After French's death, Nannie went back to Appleby to live with nephew Elmer and niece Dixon Greer, the children of Thomas H. and Mary Jane (Legg) Greer. However, she often came to visit the Weatherlys and stay for a period of time. Apparently Nannie thought of the younger Weatherly sons as her own as she never had any children. Hollis Weatherly remembered that his father said she was obviously very strict. If the boys were late coming in to eat, they had to wait for the next meal because the food was locked in the safe and wasn't opened.
"Soon after French's death and Miss Nannie's move back to Appleby, Hugh and Fannie Weatherly moved from their home into the old home place so Hugh could be near to take care of the stock on the farm. For several years before this Hugh had done this job, getting up around 4:00 a.m. to feed the mules so they would be ready for work at day break when tenants came for them. It was told that when he left to go feed early in the morning, Maggie would make a point to have her clothes on ready to go to "Mammy's" too.If he failed to take her, Mammy would get out at day break to the back yard gate and call for her and wait at the gate. She would keep Maggie until time for bed at night, get her ready for bed, take her home and rock her to sleep or put her to bed. This wasn't spoiling the oldest grand one - just enjoying the first one. Hugh and Samuel Weatherly bought the parts of the family estate from other members after their father's death.
"Maggie Elizabeth Weatherly born 14 July 1905, was the daughter of Hugh McCoy and Fannie (Watkins) Weatherly. Maggie married Clifford W. Whitehead on April 4, 1931. Still alive in April 1997, living at Linn Flat, near Nacogdoches, Texas." ("The Weatherlys on the Move" by Jesse Parmley Weatherly, Nacogdoches, Texas.)
"French Strawder Weatherly, son of Job Parker Weatherly and of Lucinda Parmley, was born 1 March 1832 Hardin Co., TN and died 11 Feb. 1908 Linn Flat, Tx of pneumonia, buried Linn Flat Cemetery, Nacogdoches Co., TX. He was married (1) 15 July 1858 to Sarah Gertrude Hughs; and was married (2) 16 June 1874, Rusk Co., TX to Elizabeth Catherine "Lizzy" Goldsberry; and was married (3) 31 March 1895, Appleby, Nacogdoches Co., TX to Nancy H. "Nannie" Greer by Rev Meazell.
"Nannie Greer was 48 when she married French Strauder Weatherly. She never had children of her own, but raised French's four children as herown from his (2) marriage to Elizabeth Goldsberry Cunningham. Elizabeth died 26 Oct. 1893. The children were Samuel J. Weatherly born 18 July1877, Hugh McCoy Weatherly born 26 Oct. 1879, Horace L. Weatherly born 23 Dec. 1881, and Robert Weatherly born 19 June 1884. French had a red Van Dyke beard, reddish hair, blue eyes, was small in stature, being five feet, five and one half inches tall and weighed 165 pounds. He was a prosperous farmer. French and Nannie (Greer) Weatherly were married eight years. They are listed on the 1900 Census of Nacogdoches Co., TX. French's home was situated about one mile southeast of the town of Linn Flat on the Briley Town Road just east of the present structure of which was later his home. By the 1800's he owned approximately 900 acres of land which reached from Linn Flat east to the Old Henderson Highway and south near Caro. The 1860 Nacogdoches Co., TX Census listed French as a farmer with a tanning shop, and living with him was Ben Coleman a tanner born in Ireland. French did not enter the services of the Confederate States, but helped by tanning hides and making saddles, shoes and other equipment in his tanning shop.
"Other businessess were also located on the farm which included a horse drawn cotton gin located near the tannery, but the first gin burned and when it was rebuilt a steam engine was used. A grist mill powered by a water wheel was also on the farm. The water powered grist mill was located on the Weatherly Creek which ran through the Acrey place about two miles east of the town of Linn Flat, and one mile east of the Weatherly tannery.
"While French was living with his third wife Miss "Nanny" the original log home burned. Maggie Whitehead said they had been married about two years when the home burned in about 1897 or 1898. The story goes that one day "Miss Nanny" or "Mammy" as the grandchildren called her, had finished cooking her noon meal. A low fire was still burning in the wood cook stove. She went out in the field looking for guinea's nests. She saw smoke and hurried back to the house to ring the big dinner bell to alert French and the men that were in the bottom field plowing. The house was engulfed in flames. French suddenly realized as was custom in that day that his life savings were in the house. He managed to get inside and save a small trunk in which he had much of his money stored. Evidently some of the silver was not in the trunk for many years later grandchildren found several sizeable lumps of melted silver buried in the ground. The home was rebuilt just west of the burned home and still stands on the Weatherly place (in 1994).
"French died in 1908. After his death "Miss Nannie" decided to return to her home with a nephew, Dixon Greer and a niece, Elmer Greer in Appleby and leave the home to the children. Dixon and Elmer Greer were the children of Thomas H. and Mary Jane (Legg) Greer. The Weatherly children, concerned with her welfare, agreed to give her cash for her living and in appreciation for her few years with their father. She lived with Dixon and Elmer Greer until her death, July 19, 1921. She was buried beside French in the Linn Flat Cemetery, Nacogdoches Co., TX.
"1910 Census Nacogdoches Co., TX, Precinct 7, Dwelling #250-250: Head of household, Dixon Greer, white male, age 28, single, occupation - farmer, born TX, father born MS and mother born Ala; Elma Greer, sister, age 38, single, born TX, occupation - poultry breeder, father born MS. And mother born Ala; Nannie Weatherly, aunt, age 62, single, occupation - farm laborer, born Ark., father born GA and mother born in US.
"A favorite story about Mammy was told many times. After French's death and she had moved back with the Greer's, she would visit the Weatherly children and grandchildren often. On one such occasion she came to her brother James Albert Greer's home for a visit. From there she sent word for Hugh McCoy Weatherly to send for her. Hugh sent Jake Beamon, a colored man who worked on the farm, to drive the wagon which was drawn by a beautiful newly purchased mule team. The children accompanied him on the trip. On the return home, coming over a rough, crooked road through the bottom lands, the team ran away with the wagon. Jake could not take care of the passengers and team so he motioned for all to get down in the bed of the wagon while he tried frantically to stop the mules. Finally, coming to a sharp curve in the road he decided to steer the mules straight ahead and run them directly into a pine tree where they finally stopped. Scared was a light word to describe the passengers, but the final part of the trip was safe.
"After French's death, Nannie went back to Appleby to live with nephew Elmer and niece Dixon Greer, the children of Thomas H. and Mary Jane (Legg) Greer. However, she often came to visit the Weatherlys and stay for a period of time. Apparently Nannie thought of the younger Weatherly sons as her own as she never had any children. Hollis Weatherly remembered that his father said she was obviously very strict. If the boys were late coming in to eat, they had to wait for the next meal because the food was locked in the safe and wasn't opened.
"Soon after French's death and Miss Nannie's move back to Appleby, Hugh and Fannie Weatherly moved from their home into the old home place so Hugh could be near to take care of the stock on the farm. For several years before this Hugh had done this job, getting up around 4:00 a.m. to feed the mules so they would be ready for work at day break when tenants came for them. It was told that when he left to go feed early in the morning, Maggie would make a point to have her clothes on ready to go to "Mammy's" too.If he failed to take her, Mammy would get out at day break to the back yard gate and call for her and wait at the gate. She would keep Maggie until time for bed at night, get her ready for bed, take her home and rock her to sleep or put her to bed. This wasn't spoiling the oldest grand one - just enjoying the first one. Hugh and Samuel Weatherly bought the parts of the family estate from other members after their father's death.
"Maggie Elizabeth Weatherly born 14 July 1905, was the daughter of Hugh McCoy and Fannie (Watkins) Weatherly. Maggie married Clifford W. Whitehead on April 4, 1931. Still alive in April 1997, living at Linn Flat, near Nacogdoches, Texas." ("The Weatherlys on the Move" by Jesse Parmley Weatherly, Nacogdoches, Texas.)
Events
| Birth | March 1, 1832 | Hardin County, Tennessee | |||
| Marriage | July 15, 1858 | Sarah Gertrude Hughs | |||
| Marriage | June 16, 1874 | Rusk County, Texas - Elizabeth Catherine "Lizzy" Goldsberry | |||
| Marriage | March 31, 1895 | Appleby, Nacogdoches County, Texas - Nancy H. "Nannie" Greer | |||
| Death | February 11, 1908 | Linn Flatt, Nacogdoches County, Texas | |||
| Burial | Linn Flatt Cemetery, Nacogdoches County, Texas |
Families
| Spouse | Nancy H. "Nannie" Greer (1847 - 1921) |
| Spouse | Sarah Gertrude Hughs ( - ) |
| Spouse | Elizabeth Catherine "Lizzy" Goldsberry ( - ) |