21 Dec 2009

Proctor Family History

(Extended Family)

oses Proctor and several of his adult children, including Adelia, Washington, Barilla, William, Matilda, and John Proctor were all among the earliest settlers of Brown County, Kansas. Originating in Kentucky, he gradually moved his family across Missouri before finally settling in Kansas.

Adelia Proctor

Proctor Family Migration to Kansas
1. Kentucky
2. Callaway, Cole, & Moniteau Counties, Missouri
3. Holt County, Missouri
4. Brown & Doniphan Counties, Kansas Adelia D. Proctor was the eldest child, born 29 Sep 1828 in Kentucky or Missouri. She married James Bridgeman / Bridgman 18 Aug 1847 in Moniteau County, Missouri. She and her husband were among the earliest settlers of Brown County, Kansas, when they moved here in 1855, but they didn't remain. They were enumerated in Brown County during the Kansas Territorial Census of 1857, but they were living in Benton Township, Holt County, Missouri by 1870. James then must have died by about 1875.

Adelia remarried to Henry N. Reynolds sometime before March 1876, and moved back to Brown County. By 1885, she was again a widow and living with her son, John. Adelia died 12 Apr 1901 in Robinson and was buried in nearby Rose Hill Cemetery.

According to Adelia's obituary she had seven children in total, some of whom must have died in childhood. It is assumed that they were all by her first husband since she was in her early to mid-forties when she remarried, but of course, that may not be the case. Those who are known were all children of James Bridgeman:

1. William (c.1848).
2. Eliza J. (1849) who married Taylor O'Neal c.1871.
3. Frank who lived in Sabetha, Kansas, in 1901.
4. John (1854).

Washington Proctor

Washington J. Proctor was born 15 Sep 1832 in Missouri. He married Malissa Ann Decker 26 Apr 1855 in Holt County, Missouri. They moved to Brown County that same year to what would become Claytonville Township. They remained in the county until at least 1875 and had the following children here:

1. Frances Marion (male) (1856-1875).
2. William Andrew (1857) who died at birth.
3. Susan J. (1859-1875).
4. George E. (1863-1889).
5. Maggie D. (1864) who died an infant.
6. Francis O. "Fanny" (1868-1942).
7. Henry (c.1869).
8. Benjamin (c.1870) who died after 1930.
9. Emma A. (1871-1892).
10. Lottie A. (1875-1887).

By the time of the census in June 1880, the family had moved on to Pottawatomie County, Kansas, where Malissa died later that year on November 4. Washington died 26 Apr 1889 or 1899. They were survived by only 2 to 4 of their 10 children.

Barilla Proctor

Barilla W. Proctor was born c.1833 in Missouri. She married James Lee Wilson on 26 Apr 1855, the same day that her brother, Washington, was married. They then moved to Brown County, where they had the following children:^note1

1. John William (c.1856).
2. Susanah (c.1858-1955).
3. Mary M. (c.1860).
4. Francis (or Franz) Seigel (1862-1936).
5. "Nettie" Isabel (c.1865).
6. [See Wilson Family History for more details on these children.]

Barilla is last known appearing on the 1865 census in October not long after having her last child. It is assumed that she passed away sometime between this date and early 1870.

William Proctor

William P. Proctor was born c.1836 in Missouri. He too moved to Brown County in 1855. William married Matilda F. Crawford here 20 Sep 1860. They had the following children:

1. Ella S. (c.1862).
2. Ida B. (c.1864) who died young.
3. John M. (1866-1903) who married Cora J. Martindale about 1888. He was the current postmaster and mayor of Willis, Kansas, at the time of his death.
4. Effie (c.1871).

Matilda Proctor

Matilda C. Proctor was born c.1838 in Missouri. She married Thurston Chase 16 Nov 1856 in Holt County, Missouri, after his first wife had died earlier in the year. According to the 1883 book, William G. Cutler's History of the State of Kansas, Thurston has a claim to being not only one of the first settlers of Brown county, staking a claim on 11 May 1854, but also perhaps the very first settler in Doniphan county. Matilda and Thurston had the following children:

1. George W. (c.1856).
2. Mary Eliza (c.1860) who married Jesse Miller.
3. John Charles (Charles).

Matilda died in Brown County 19 Mar 1864. Their niece, a daughter of Barilla and J.L. Wilson, married at the home of Thurston and his third wife in 1882. Thurston is last known marrying for a fourth time in 1892.

John Proctor

John Wesley Proctor was born 12 May 1841 in Moniteau County, Missouri. He moved to Brown County on 10 Apr 1856. John married Clara Gibson 26 Mar 1871 in the same county, and she died 4 Dec 1881. He remarried to Annie Spencer who died 20 Feb 1899. Both wives were buried in the Claytonville Cemetery. By 1900, John had remarried to Eva LaBelle Anderson, and by 1920 they were living in Topeka Township, Shawnee County, Kansas. John and Eva had three children:

1. William M. (c.1903).
2. Clara May (c.1906).
3. Oscar (c.1916).

Moses Proctor

Moses P. Proctor was born 26 Jun 1800 in Kentucky. He married Eliza Duncan 31 Aug 1827. Moses and his family didn't seem to stay in any one place for very long. In 1830, they were in Callaway County, Missouri. In 1840 they were in Cole County, and their youngest child was born 1841 in Moniteau County. In all, they had the following children:

1. Adelia D. (1828-1901) previously discussed.
2. Dalcenia (c.1829).
3. Marion (c.1831).
4. Washington J. (1832-1899) previously discussed.
5. Barilla W. (c.1833) previously discussed.
6. William P. (c.1836) previously discussed.
7. Matilda C. (c.1838-1864) previously discussed.
8. John W. (1841) also previously discussed.

Eliza died sometime between the birth of the youngest child and when the family appeared in the 1850 census for Holt County. Moses then moved to Brown County, Kansas, in 1856, about the same time as most of his children. He was elected as the first county treasurer in October 1857, but he resigned by the end of the year. Moses remained in Brown County for several years after this time. He remarried to Mrs. Jane Brazelton in Doniphan County, Kansas, between 1860-62, but she too soon passed away. He married for a third time 09 Jul 1863 to Caroline C. Willis in Brown County. They had two daughters together:

1. Eliza D. (c.1864).
2. Phillisany "Phillis" (c.1867).

His current family still lived in Brown County during the 1870 census, but Moses died February 1873 in Doniphan, Doniphan County, Kansas. His probate records are found in this county.

William Proctor

Moses' parents were William B. Proctor and Phillisany Pinkston. William was born 25 Apr 1775 and Phillisany was born 22 Jan 1780. They had the following children:

1. Sally (1798).
2. Moses P. (1800-1873) previously discussed.
3. Mary Ann "Polly" (1802).
4. Joseph (1804).
5. Keziah (1807).
6. Milly (1809-1809) who died as an infant.
7. Benjamin (1810).
8. Anny (or Amy) (1812).
9. William D. (1817).
10. Matilda (1818).
11. Elizabeth (1819) who married Thomas H. Thorpe 1839.
12. Frances (1821).
13. Nancy P. (1823).

Notes

1. [The Proctor family is related to others in this work through the marriage of Barilla Proctor and James L. Wilson. Find more details of this family in the Wilson Family History.]

Links

• Barilla Proctor {fam group, Wilson line, Wilson hist, Proctor line, Proctor hist}
• James Lee Wilson {fam group1, fam group2, lineage, fam hist, query?}
• Moses P. Proctor {fam group, lineage, fam hist}