Submitted to Brendel Brendle Brindel Brindle Forum by Tina Hicks.
1. HENRY PIERSON3 BRENDLE (JOHN DAVID2, JOSEPH1) was born 1828 in Burke Co., NC1, and died July 30, 19292. Per the 1900 Swain Co. census (Henry was married to 27 yr. old Lavina/Lavada Green Brendle at the time) he claimed to be 68 but I think he was more like 71; it was stated he was born in the month of November so his true birthdate is likely to be November 1828.
Per my copy of Henry Brendle's & Martha Pilkington's Swain Co., NC "extract" of marriage (photocopy obtained several years ago from Mormon Church FHC in Salt Lake City), she is "Patsy Melinde Pilkerton". The marriage month is quite illegible and could be read as 25 "January" as well as 25 "June" 1848. Per 'Brendle Lister' Linda Banwarth, "Patsy" was a common nickname for "Martha".
I still don't know how this Henry P. Brendle and "M.M. Chastain" marriage fits in! Can anyone provide documentation or an explanation for this one? If this marriage did occur with our Henry P. Brendle in 1866 (or was it 1868?) then his youngest 4 or 5 (of about 13) children by Martha Pilkington were not by Martha Pilkington! Don't forget Henry's Sept. 15, 1903 marriage to "Martha Brendle", the young widow of one of Henry's Brendle kin, at Bushnell, Swain Co. (she was 25 yrs. old per the marriage listing?). By the way, my husband's grandmother said that Bushnell was hardly more than a whistle stop of the Great Southern RR!
Per "Swain Co. Marriages 1871-1916", Henry claimed to be 73 at the time of this marriage but I believe he was actually more like 74 or 75. These 2 did not have any biological children between them (gosh, Henry was quite an old geezer by then!) but Martha had 'adopted' a deformed girl whom she cared for.
Henry's gravestone at Shoal Creek Cemetery in Cherokee Co. (I've seen a photo that my mother-in-law took of it) says "Thomas Legion, NC, CSA" but no DOB or DOD! This headstone was placed years after his death by a local women's auxiliary group (perhaps the DAR but we really aren't sure) with a gathering and formal ceremony. My husband's grandmother, Nannie G. Brendle Davidson, was quite disappointed the first time she saw her grandfather's 'new' headstone because there had been such fanfare about it that she thought it would be much larger and much grander than it was/is! By the way, Henry's oldest son William M. Brendle is buried nearby at the same cemetery, Shoal Creek (I also saw the photo of his headstone: dates 17 Nov 1848 - 17 Aug 1941, inscription "Gone but not forgotten".)
Per the "Swain Co., NC Marriages 1871-1916" (LDS FHC microfilm) Henry's stated age was 63 but I think he was actually more like 67 going on 68 at the time. Lavina/Lavada Green was indeed 23 at the time of her March 1896 marriage since the 1900 Swain Co. census indicates her age as 27 and her birthday as Sept 1872. This Lavina/Lavada is the wife of Henry's who "ran off with the children" per my husband's grandmother Nannie G. Brendle Davidson.
Can it be possible that William and George were both born in 1849? William was supposed to be the oldest child, and I do believe he was born Nov. 17, 1848 rather than 1849 (per the photo I saw of his headstone at Shoal Creek Cem.) - BUT this makes his parents' marriage in late June 1848 and his brother George's birth in May 1849 both very interesting! Anyone out there have any other 'light' to shed on these very-close-together dates?
3. iii. ELIZA BRENDLE, b. 1872. Per the 1860 Swain Co., NC census (Franklin Twp.) this Eliza is not listed with this family, however, she does appear listed with them in the 1870 Swain Co. census (Alarka Twp.) as being 18 years old. By 1880, she's gone again. I think 1852 is a more accurate birth year for her.
Per the 1860 Swain Co., NC census (Franklin Twp.) she was "Amanda C." age 7 so this year of birth seems to be correct, although by the 1870 Swain Co. census (Alarka Twp) she's listed as 12 yrs. old (huh?). By 1880, she's no longer listed with this family.
4. v. JOHN H. BRENDLE, b. 1854.
vi. JOSEPH BRENDLE, b. 1854. Per the 1860 Swain Co., NC census (Franklin Twp.), Joseph was 5 yrs old and John was 4 yrs old - so they were, apparently, NOT twins. By 1870, Joseph is not listed with this family but John is listed as age 11 (?).
In the 1860 Swain Co. census (Franklin Twp.) this girl is listed as "Mary J." or "Mary F." (can't really tell which middle initial) age 1. She doesn't appear again with this family in the 1870 or 1880 censuses. Perhaps died at a young age?
Sarah, age 6, appears with this family in the 1870 Swain Co. (Alarka Twp) census, and is found again at age 15 in the 1880 Swain Co. census (Charleston Twp.).
"Thomas, age 4" is listed with this family in 1870 (Alarka Twp., Swain Co.) and is listed as "Thomas, age 14" in the 1880 enumeration for this family.
She's listed as "Ruthe, age 10" in the 1880 Swain Co. (Charleston Twp.) census with this family. She married MILTON LAFAYETTE SITTON (Effie Sitton Brendle's brother) in her father's home on 19 Dec 1886 per "Swain Co. Marriages 1871-1916" (LDS FHC microfilm). Don't know a thing about her.
Per the 1900 Swain Co census, Richmon P. was 3 years old (born January) and brother James M. was 1 yr. old, (born September).
5. x. NATHAN COLUMBUS BRENDLE, b. February 14, 1868; d. June 09, 1943. This is my husband's grandmother's father. On 17 Aug 1888 in Swain Co., NATHAN COLUMBUS BRENDLE married HARRIET "EFFIE" SITTON (sometimes also called "Hattie") b. 16 Sept 1873 in Swain Co. to parents John Harvey Sitton & Nancy Mariah Garren; d. 13 Mar 1949, Murphy, Cherokee Co. NC. Swanson Cem. Cherokee Co., NC. I thought these two were buried at Shoal Creek Cemetery in Cherokee Co.?
CHILDREN of Nathan & Effie Brendle: (NOTE: Grandma NANNIE GERTRUDE BRENDLE DAVIDSON said that all of her brothers & sisters had middle names but she couldn't remember them all.)
1) FRED J. BRENDLE - b. 14 Mar 1889, Swain Co.; d. July 1985 in Etowah, TN or possibly somewhere near Mt. Vernon, WA m. BELLE WIGGINS 15 Dec 1906 in Swain Co., NC (had at least one daughter "Pearl" born late 1907 or early 1908).
2) WALTER BRENDLE - b. abt 1891, d. abt 1893.
3) BIRDIE BRENDLE - b. 9 Jul 1893 Bryson City, Swain Co., NC; d. 31 May 1988 Swannanoa, Buncombe Co., NC m. LESTER DRAKE (Birdie had bright red hair!).
4) FANNIE BRENDLE - b. 3 Apr 1895 Bryson City, Swain Co., NC; d. 19 Feb 1996 Culberson, Cherokee Co., NC m. COLE HYATT.
5) JOHN BRENDLE - b. 20 Dec 1896 Bryson City, Swain Co., NC; d. 24 Oct 1996 Culberson, Cherokee Co., NC m. VIRGIE ALLEN 2 Dec 1916 (probably NC).
6) NORMAN BRENDLE - b. abt Jul 1899 Bryson City, Swain Co., NC; d. bet 1963- 1980 in NC? m. JULIA JOHNSON bef 1926 (probably NC).
7) DEWEY E. BRENDLE - b. 20 Oct 1901 Bryson City, Swain Co., NC; d. 4 Nov 1979 Culberson, Cherokee Co., NC m. VAUD QUINN.
8) LAWRENCE "LARS" BRENDLE - b. 9 Jan 1904 Bryson City, Swain Co., NC; d. 15 Jan 1993 Hamilton, Skagit Co., WA m. MILDRED PALMATER.
9) MAGGIE MALINDA BRENDLE - b. abt 15 Jan 1906 Bryson City, Swain Co., NC; still living m. GUY SUIT.
10) NANNIE GERTRUDE BRENDLE - b. 29 Apr 1908 Bryson City, Swain Co., NC; d. 13 Feb 1999 Canal Fulton, Stark Co., OH m. OATHER WAYLAND DAVIDSON 29 Apr 1929 Akron, Summit Co., OH (yes, she got married on her birthday).
11) LILLIE BRENDLE - b. 19 Sep 1910 Bryson City, Swain Co., NC; d. 14 Dec 1992 Fort Mill? SC m. GLENN TEAGUE.
12) HORACE "HARS" BRENDLE - b. 12 Jun 1913 Bryson City, Swain Co., NC; d. 25 Apr 1997 Ducktown TN m. ETHEL POWELL (Elsie's sister)
13) JAMES BYRON "BARS" BRENDLE - b. abt 10 Aug 1915 Bryson City, Swain Co., NC; still living m. ELSIE POWELL (Ethel's sister).
Brendel Brendle Brindel Brindle Forum Web Site created by Lorraine Adams Douglass December 31, 1999.
Last updated: January 28, 2000.