Betty Tolbert Nesbitt
and
her descendants

Please remember that SOME of the information below is not documented, is a work in process, and I appreciate any corrections.

A big THANK YOU to Travis McClure for transcribing the Clay County, Texas census and North Texas Genealogical Associaton for posting the valuable records online. Old handwriting is hard to read and the microfilm is not always in the best shape. Transcribing census records is a monumental task. Travis must be a very special person!

Betty Tolbert was born Nov. 9, 1857. If we can believe census records, her birth took place in Tennessee. According to census records, her given name was Mary Elizabeth; most likely shortened to distinguish her from her mother who appears to bear the exact given name. I do not know the name of Betty's father since he was missing from 1870 & 1880 census enumerations. Woodruff County was created on November 26, 1863 from Jackson and St. Francis counties. I did not find our Tolbert family in the 1860 Jackson County census and have not checked the St. Francis county census for that year.

Bettie TOLBERT, age 19, and H. D. NESBITT, age 21, both of Woodruff, County, Arkansas; married 21 March 1878. (Book B Page 181) According to Wynell Tate Davis, Henry Davenport Nesbitt was born January 1858; most likely in Georgia.

Henry Davenport and Mary Elizabeth "Betty" (Tolbert) Nesbitt
- 1880's -

Thank you, Wynell Tate Davis, for sharing the photo of Henry and Betty (above) and Nesbitt data.

"Betty", Henry, and daughter Ada were enumerated in the 1880 Woodruff County, Arkansas census.

The Nesbitt family moved from Arkansas to Riverland, Clay County, Texas by 1900. Henry and Betty had nine children. Ada , their oldest daughter was married to Jasper L. Reedy; lived in Clay County; and was not listed in the 1900 census with her parents.

Henry, Betty, and three daughters....... date unknown. I have the original photo, it belonged to my great - uncle, R. L. Tolbert. I sent a copy of the photo to Wynell Tate Davis and willing to make another hard copy for any interested descendants of Henry and Betty.

Henry D. Nesbitt died 30 November 1939 in Riverland, Clay County, Texas.
Elizabeth "Betty" Nesbitt died 13 January 1940 in Byers, Clay County, Texas.

Children of Henry Davenport Nesbitt and Elizabeth "Betty" Tolbert are:

1. Ada Nesbitt b. 1879
2. Emma Ida Joella "Addie" Nesbitt b. Oct.1881
3. Myrtle M. Nesbitt b. Feb. 27,1883
4. Maude Cecille Nesbitt (twin) b. Aug.19,1886
5. Henry Walter "Pockets" Nesbitt (twin) b. Aug.19,1886
6. Johnie Nesbitt b. Aug.1892
7. Beulah Nesbitt b. 1893
8. Jimmie Nesbitt b. Sept.1895
9. Lena Nesbitt b. 1899

Ada Nesbitt
Born 1879 in Hope Arkansas, Hempstead, County.

Ada married:

1) Jasper L. "Jake" Reedy born about 1877, son of David Watkins Reedy and Mary Irby. Jake Reedy and Ada Nesbitt married 20 March 1898 in Clay County, Texas. The couple had three children, two natural; one adopted.

Children of Ada Nesbitt and Jake Reedy are:

1. Pearl Madeline Reedy ca. 1904 in Clay County, Texas. According to a Wedding invitation found in my grandmothers old scrapbook, Pearl Madeline was to marry Mr. William E. Garrett Thursday, October thirtieth, nineteen hundred thirty; three-thirty o'clock P.M. in Henrietta, Texas
2. Clarence Edward Reedy b. 23 December 1908 in Clay County, Texas.
3. Betty Pepper b. 1921, the daughter of Jimmie Nesbitt Pepper; adopted by Ada and Jake after Jimmie died.

Jake Reedy died 28 October 1941 near Henrietta, Clay Co in a car accident. He is buried in Hope Cemetery in Henrietta, Clay County sec. D-7.

Ada married:

2) Thomas "Tommy " Thompson ........ no children.

Ada Nesbitt Thompson died 11 January 1973, is buried in Hope Cemetery, Henrietta, Clay County, Texas.

Wynell Tate Davis wrote: "I remember Ada from my childhood, we would visit her, in her large home, which was a boarding house for men who worked on the railroad. Ada was a bighearted woman, that the whole family turned to, in thier time of need. She was always ready to help anyone , and did".

Deepest appreciation to Karyl Aronoff for sharing information on Jasper "Jake" Reedy.

Emma Ida Joella "Addie" Nesbitt
Born Oct. 1881 in Hope, Hempstead County, Arkansas.

Emma married Charles Alonzo Tate 13 September 1902 in Henrietta, Clay County Texas. Charles Tate was born 20 August 1881 in Handley, Tarrant County, Texas. The couple had six children.
Emma was 36 years old when she died from a combination of childbirth and Spanish influenza that resulted in pneumonia. She died 1 March 1918. Charles died 27 April 1961 in Exeter, Tulare County, California.

Children of Emma Nesbitt and Charles Tate are;

1. Cleveland Leon "KY" Tate born 27 August 1903
2. Henry Davenport Tate born 12 May 1905
3. Beulah "Bloss" Tate born 1909
4. Opal Tate born 1912
5. Pauline Tate born 1914
6. Beatrice Tate born 1918 and died in 1919

Note: Wynell Tate Davis researches this line.

Myrtle M. Nesbitt
Wynell wrote: born: I have two dates for her..Feb.27,1883, and Dec.1885-? in Hope, Arkansas, Hempstead County. died Apr. 3,1946. NOTE: 1900 census has her listed as 16 yrs. Her sister, Ella was 18 in 1900, census taken in Spring, Ella was 19 in Oct. 1900, Myrtle was two years younger than Ella. So the Feb. 27, 1883 is most accurate; She married, HUGH G. CALLAWAY. They had three children. Myrtle and Hugh ran a General Store, in Riverland, Texas; NOTE; The town of Riverland, Texas no longer exists. The buildings were all torn down, and the property was turned back into pasture land".

Children of Myrtle Nesbitt and Hugh Callaway:

1. Ansil "MO"Callaway born circa 1902
2. Ruby Callaway born circa 1905
3. Olen "Weavil" Callaway born circa 1914

Myrtle M. Nesbitt Callaway died 03 April 1946. Hugh G. Callaway died 19 May 1959. They are buried in the Riverland Cemetery - Clay County, Texas

Maude Cecille Nesbitt (twin)
Born: 19 August 1886 in Hope, Hempstead County, Arkansas.
Died: 25 November 1961
Buried: Riverland Cemetery - Clay County, Texas

Maude married Henry James Callaway, a brother to Hugh Callaway. Maude and Henry had three or four children....... names and birthdates unknown.

Henry Walter "Pockets" Nesbitt
Born 19 August 1886 in Hope, Hempstead County, Arkansas.
Henry married Maude Morgan. They had three known children.

Children of Henry Walter Nesbitt and Maude Morgan are:

1. Jack Nesbitt born circa 1926
2. James Nesbitt born circa 1929
3. Daughter born circa 1932

Beulah Nesbitt

Born 1892 in Hope, Hempstead County, Arkansas, married Max M. Rutledge; no known children; died 10 July 1980, buried in Hope Cemetery; Henrietta, Clay County, Texas.

Jimmie Nesbitt
Born September 1895

Jimmie married Roger Pepper.

Child of Roger and Jimmie Nesbitt Pepper:

We have two viewpoints on this issue, one of which is that of Wynell Tate Davis. She wrote: "They had one child, a daughter: Pearl Pepper born in 1921. Jimmie died was 26 years old when she died in 1921. Ada, Jimmie's sister, raised Pearl and may have adopted her. "

The other is Betty Pepper was Jimmie's child and she was adopted by Ada and Jake Reedy. My understanding is that Jake's will backs up this theory. I do not have a copy of the will. Jimmie's child, according to Wynell's notes, was born in 1921. Pearl, according to the 1910 census records, was born circa 1904. Ahhh, genealogy... Isn't it wonderful! Please write to me if you knew this family. I would love to hear more about them. I will be updating this page as I learn more.

Johnie Nesbitt
Born August 1896.
No other information.

Lena Nesbitt
Born 1899 in Hope, Hempstead County, Arkansas,
No other information.

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Visit Wynel Tate Davis's site for more information on the Tate and Nesbitt families.

Clay County, Texas GenWeb