Tisdale - said to have first been taken around the sixteenth century in the county of Durham, England where the families of this name had been Lord of the manors during the ancient times.

The name originates from the River Tees and translates to "Flat Land on the River Tees." The river has two spectacular waterfalls at High Force and Cauldron Snout. It flows through the upper and lower Teesdale and forms the boundaries between Durham and Yorkshire, eventually flowing out to sea just north of Middlesborough.

Tisdale families had arrived in America early on, and though the parents of William Tisdale have not been yet researched, according to records he was born in about 1764 in Virginia. His first wife, according to the Virginia marriages to 1800, was Jenny Brizentine, whom he married in Lunenburg County on 29 January 1789. Jenny appears to have been born in about 1763.

Although the county of Lunenburg was formed in 1746 from Brunswick County, no census records are available prior to 1810. A search of this first census located Henry, John, "Rennson" and William Tisdale as heads of household, each owning nine slaves.

The eldest male in Henry's household listed in the 1810 Federal Census appears to have been born between 1765-1784. His household included four younger males, five females and nine slaves. In 1820 there was a Henry listed in Hungary, his household including seven other males, three females and indicates he is a slaveholder of three.

John's household in 1810 also lists the eldest male between 26-45, his home including four other males, five females and nine slaves. No John Tisdale was listed in Lunenburg County in 1820.

The Rennson or Rennison Tisdale household's eldest male was born in 1765 or before, and included nine younger males, eight females and nine slaves. He was not listed in the 1820 census in that county.

William Tisdale's household also list the eldest male having been born by 1765 and included three younger males and four females. He is also an owner of nine slaves.

It has not been concluded whether or not these men are William Tisdale, his brother and two of his sons as he appears to have left Virginia and gone to North Carolina where his son Robert was said to have been born in 1803. Since it is probable these Tisdales were in some way related to William's family, the information has been included.

1. Henry Tisdale.

2. Edward "Ned" Tisdale - born on 22 Aug 1796; married (1) Priscilla Hurley and (2) Sarah E. Roach. He died on 15 Jan 1878 in Denton Co., Texas.

3. John Tisdale - born on 29 Jan 1800 in North Carolina. He died on 06 Jun 1881 in Mills Co., Texas and was buried in Rock Springs Cemetery. He married Deborah Ann who was born 20 Oct 1815 in South Carolina.

4. Robert Tisdale - born in 1803; died in 1870.

Although nothing is yet known of Henry, it has been ascertained that John was living in Tennessee by at least 1833, but the county of his residence has not yet been learned.

As to Edward and Robert Tisdale, they had arrived in McNairy County, Tennessee by 1830. This area of land had been occupied by the Chickasaw Indians, and became a U.S. county in 1823, having been formed from Hardin County.

Although the 1830 Federal Census only lists the head of household, the Edward listed in McNairy county is between age 30-40, fitting with his birth date being 1796. Listed in this household are three males five to ten. Two known are: Wren born in 1820 and Elbert in 1827. It can be speculated that with the age gap between these two boys, that either the third died prior to the 1850 census, or had been living on his own. Also listed in Edward's household were two females under age five, one female ten to fifteen, and one woman twenty - thirty, the latter being his wife Priscilla (Hurley) who was born about 1800. Again, two daughters are known: Chestine born 1819 and Elizabeth who was probably just an infant. The other daughter under age five is not known.

Robert Tisdale, listed in the 1830 census for McNairy County Tennessee, also fits the correct age of being between twenty and thirty as he was born in 1803. Included in this household are a young boy, and two girls - all under age five, none of whom are known to the author. His wife Tabitha, however, fits correctly as being about twenty years old.

In 1840, two Robert Tisdales are listed in McNairy County, Tennessee. The elder is listed between age sixty and seventy with only one female same age. The younger Robert Tisdale, is listed between forty and fifty, again fitting the profile of the family with wife Tabitha. Six young sons are listed in this household. Four are speculated to be William, Edward, John, and Pinkney. Besides the female who appears to be Tabitha, two other females are listed in this household but are born prior to any known daughter of Robert and Tabitha.

The 1850, which is the first census to begin listing every person in the household, clarifies the members of the household so that we follow these into the next generation.

Edward "Ned" Tisdale, son of William and Jenny, who was born 22 Aug 1796 in Virginia, is located in the 1850 census for Jefferson County, Arkansas living in White Oak. His son Elbert is living next door, and then his household includes his wife Priscilla Hurley who was born about 1800 in Virginia; I.C.B (male), George M., Margaret and John D., the latter being age six.

Priscilla died sometime prior to 1860, and Ned married the much younger Sarah E. Roach, as recorded in Hopkins, Red River Co., Texas. They were enumerated in 1860 at which time Ned was listed as a minister in Clarksville; and in 1870 as a Bee Hunter residing in Clarksville, Red River Co., Texas with the children: Jasper age 11, and Ellen listed as born in March of this year.

Ned died on 15 Jan 1878 in Denton Co., Texas and was laid to rest at Chinn Chapel Cemetery. It should be noted that another daughter, Salina, who was born about 1832 was also listed in Ned's Last Will and Testament. She married Rev. John D. Coleman on 19 Dec 1852, but the identity of her mother is not known.

After Ned's death, his widow Sarah married James Taylor on 22 Feb 1880 in Denton County. They were enumerated in 1880 with her children by Ned (Joseph, Martah, Ada, Benjamin and Charley), residing in Justice Precinct #4. Sarah died in Dawson Co., Texas on 30 Dec 1927.

Photo of Ned contributed by Carol Tisdale Barge

1. Chestine Tisdale - born 28 Jul 1819 in Tennessee; died 15 Feb 1891 in Texas.

2. Ren Tisdale - born in 1820; also known as "Wren" married Margaret Verner and died on 12 Feb 1867.

3. Elbert Tisdale - born in 1827 in North Carolina. He died on 30 May 1864 in Rock Island, Illinois of the measles during the Civil War. He married Frances Smith, daughter of Abraham Smith and Nancy Parker Ragsdale.

4. Elizabeth Tisdale - born about 1831.

1. Joseph Edward Tisdale - born March 1859 in Texas; married Sarah and had six children; died in Hidalgo Co., TX on 19 May 1935.
2. Martha Ellen "Cub" Tisdale - born 1870 in Texas; married Henry N. Taylor 27 Dec 1888; died 01 Dec 1949 in Dora, New Mexico.
3. Ada Lula Tisdale - born 1874 in Denton Co., TX; married John W. Card.
4. Benjamin Franklin Tisdale - born 17 Feb 1876 in Texas; married Gertrude Ellen Daniel.
5. Charley Tisdale - born 14 May 1878 in Bartonville, Denton Co., TX; married Ellen E. Maginnis 15 Aug 1896; died 31 Jul 1955 in Hidalgo Co., Texas.

Rev. John Tisdale (William) was born on 29 Jan 1800 in North Carolina. He married Deborah Ann who was born 20 Oct 1815 in South Carolina. By 1833 he was living in Tennessee where according to the 1850 census his children Margaret, Isabella and Robert were born. In 1850, he and his family were living in the 8th Judicial District of Bowie County, Texas - an area which was at one time thought to be a portion of the Old Miller County of Arkansas between the years of 1820 and 1836. The county ceased to exist by 1836 and records were then removed to Lafayette County, Arkansas where a search into those early records may locate John prior to 1850.

Enumerated in September of 1850, living in Bowie County, TX in addition to himself and his wife were three children already mentioned, and an addition of five more sons: Robert, William, Charles, Clem, and Andrew all who were listed as born in Texas. These dates then indicate that the family had been in Texas by about 1839.

John was last enumerated in Brown Co., Texas in 1880. He died on 06 Jun 1881 in Brown County, Texas, an area which later became part of Mills County in 1887. Rev. Robert was laid to rest beneath a large oak tree in the Rock Springs Cemetery.

1. Margaret E. Tisdale - born 22 Jan 1833 in Tennessee.
2. Isabelle F. Tisdale - born 13 Jul 1836 in Tennessee.
3. Robert Tisdale - born about 1837 in Tennessee.
4. John R.B. Tisdale - born about 1839 in Texas.
5. William B. Tisdale - born about 1840 in Texas; died in the Civil War.
6. Charles B. Tisdale - born about 1844 in Texas.
7. Clem R. Tisdale - born about 1846 in Texas.
8. Andrew D. Tisdale - born about 1849 in Texas.
9. Josephine C. Tisdale - born about 1853 in Texas.

Rev. Robert Tisdale married (2) Sarah Beauchamp on 24 Sep 1860 in Hot Springs, Garland Co., Arkansas. Sarah was born about 1820 in Virginia and was enumerated with him in the 1870 in Prairie Twp., Hot Springs P.O., Hot Springs Co., Arkansas.

1. William G. Tisdale - born in 1832; died on 21 Aug 1862.
2. Edward H. Tisdale - born in 1834. He died in 1862.
3. John W. Tisdale - born on 07 Dec 1835 in Tennessee.
4. Pinkney V. Tisdale - born on 22 Dec 1839; he died on 29 Jun 1917.
5. Sarah E. Tisdale - born in 1842.
6. Martha Jane Tisdale - born on 13 Jul 1843 in Tennessee. She died before 1877 and was buried in Burnett Cemetery, Hot Springs, Arkansas. She was counted in a census in 1850 in 8th Dist., McNairy Co., TN; and in a census in 1860 in Prairie Twp., De Roche P.O., Hot Springs, AR listed in her brother Edward's household along with her father in 1860. She is said to have married Elijah Hall on 22 Jun 1862 in Garland Co., Arkansas.
7. Margaret Isabell Tisdale - born about 1847 in Tennessee. She was counted in a census in 1850 in 8th Dist., McNairy Co., TN; listed in her brother Edward's household along with her father in 1860. She married Conway Sullivan, son of Smith Sullivan and Nancy Ann (Harden) on 05 Oct 1862 in Clark Co., AR. Conway was born about 1845 in North Carolina and counted in a census in 1850 in 4th Dist., McNairy Co., TN.

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