Old Franklin, Robertson Co., TX & Eli Chandler
1850 census Robertson Co.

1880 Census for Robertson County
ED 146, Vol.27, Sheet 34, Line 41
Age Born
Sarida (Serida?) Chandler 53 MS widow
Wm. H. Chandler 23 MS
Annie E. Chandler 21 MS
James A. Chandler 16 TX
Florene (Florence?) E. Chandler 14 TX

Florence Chandler married B.E. Bugg, Jamuary 8,1895 in Taylor County. The 1900 Census for Taylor County: Anne (sp? - hard to read) living with Florence & B.E.Bugg. William's brother, James A. Chandler, never married, lived with Florence & Brantley Bugg in Nolan County. They are buried in Nolan County - Coffee Cemetery.

In 1910 Census for Estancia, Torrance County, N.M. ED 274, Pg 8B:
Age Born
William H. Chandler 53 MS
Sarah F. Chandler 48
Elmus K. Chandler 16 birthplace not listed
Ona D. Chandler 13 birthplace not listed
Myrtle Chandler 7 birthplace not listed

1920 Census for Estancia, New Mexico
William H., Sarah, Elmus & Myrtle are listed. Sarah probably died in NM. William H. may have moved to California & possibly died there, but may be buried in Estancia.

William H. & Sarah F. Chandler are listed in the 1910 Census for Estancia, NM. There are 3 children listed. Sarah died in 1920 and is buried in Estancia, but this information has not been verified.

R.O. & Sallie Chandler Brown were early settlers in Mulberry Canyon. They were married in Robertson County in 1879. They died in Sweetwater and are buried in Sweetwater Cemetery. Who is Sallie Chandler Brown?
Information courtesy of Margaret Joyner. Posted Nov. 6, 2000

Elias B. HILBUN
As for Hilbuns in the wagon train, I feel it highly probable. I need to look at land records in Robertson Co., Taylor Co. and Runnels Co. Land transactions tell where the persons lived and can indicate if they moved before or after the transaction date.

Dora Ann Hilburn was born c.1834 in Lowdes Co. AL and moved to Bienville Parish, LA as a child. When about twenty-six she married Joshua Traylor. 30 April 1857. The Traylor family moved to the Beck's Prairie area of Robertson Co. TX where other Hilburn relatives from Bienville Parish had settle including Elias B. Hilburn and wife Matilda ["Mattie" C.] (nee Brantly), her mother, Mary S. (Wimberley) Brantley, brother Ezekiel G. b. 1839 and sister Ruth Jane Elvira Brantly d. 1904 Taylor Co. TX. "Dora Hilburn was a sister-in-law to old Grandmother Hilburn that lived up where Greens lived west of Moro School" wrote Cora Traylor, daughter of Frank and Liza Traylor. The wife of Elias B. Hilbun was Matilda Brantly, the sister of Adelaide W. Brantly that married David W. Hilbun, brother of Dora Ann Hilbun.

Dora's brother, Davod W. Hilbun died young and had only one child, Joseph H. Hilbun. The father of Dora was Joseph Hilbun b. 1796 in GA? d. 1 Jan 1858 in Bienville Ph. LA. He married (2nd) Mary Conway on on 11 Feb. 1829 in Montgomery Co. AL. This was before Lowndes Co. was cut out of Montgomery Co. A number of Hilbuns lived in Lowndes Co. AL. and most moved to various parts of LA. Joseph went to Bienville Parish before 1850. Information courtesy of Emma Hill

Cora Reynolds Pruitt who grew up at Elm Grove, recalls that most were Methodists. Prayer was important to these early citizens. Cora recalled hearing the story of her Grandmother Hillburn being quite ill. Family members desired that some devour Christian be called to pray with the family. Cora's future mother-in-law Mary (Mrs. George Pruitt), rode behind her father on a horse a great distance to get Elisha Pruitt, whom local folk called a dedicated Christian. Elisha Pruitt travelled about the country in a cart drawn by one horse. He prayed with the family and the grandmother recovered. Cora's father was Joe Ed Reynolds. Ref: Juanita Zachary's ‘A History of Rural Taylor County'

Cora's future mother-in-law was Mary Hilbun who married G. W. Pruitt in Robertson Co. TX. Her sister Carry m. W. W. McCrary. Mary & Carry are daughters of Elias B. and Matilda (Brantly) Hilbun. Matilda is the daughter of James Brantly and Mary S. (Wimberly) Brantly. Mary S. is the daughter of David Wimberly. Matilda was living with a son-in-law Ben F. Hawkins in Abilene on 1910 census of Taylor Co. p. 141

1850 Census Bienville Ph. LA Family 445
1870 Census Bienville Ph. LA. pg 32/135 Ward 7 P.O.Sparta
253/253 Brantly E. G. 26 m farmer AL [he is Ezekiel G.]
Mary 50 f GA [mother of EG, Ruth Jane, Matilda, Adelaide]
Jane 21 f AL [she had married a Williams]
254/254 Hilbun E B 40 m farm AL
Matilda 35 f AL wife
Franklin 15 m LA
Thomas 14 m LA
Noamy 12 f LA
Mary 10 f LA [m. G W Pruitt]
Carry 8 f LA [m. W W McCrary]
Chance 3 m LA

1880 Census Robertson Co ED 144, SD4 page 19 family#
159: Anderson
160: Eaves, H. wife S.C.
161: Hilbun, F.P.
166: Watkins with widow Eliza Coley Smith who later married Frank Traylor.

1900 Census Taylor County , TX Justice Precinct #4
SD4, Vol. 101 ED 151 page 15 line 86
Franklin Hilbun b. Jan 1854 LA, m. 22 years, farmer. Father b. AL. Mother FL
Wife Catherine M. b. Dec. 1858 LA mother of 8, 7 living in 1900 Children:

?Jewell J. b.Oct 1884 TX (son)
James B. b. Jun 1887
John R. b. Oct. 1889
Edward B. b. Jan 1892
Daniel B. b. Oct 1894
Hiram B. b. Mar. 1880 TX m. Lillie B. b. Nov. 1877 TX

John Pruitt b. 1760 m. Mary Hopper, beget twelve children including Elijah D. Pruitt, b. July 27, 1802, South Carolina; m. Sarah Eaves, July 05, 1834, Marengo Co. AL. Elijah D. and Sarah Eaves Pruitt settled in Trinity Co. TX. Another son of John and Mary Hopper, Ezekiel Berryman Pruitt 1800-1880 m. Charity Eaves 1800-1879 and beget four children:

Burrell Eaves Pruitt b. 1819 m. Martha Criswell in Robertson Co. TX
D. Lee Pruitt
Arvissus Avie Zeona Pruitt b. 1825
Elijah Deconde Pruitt b.1832-1880

Elijah (Lige) PRUITT

Elijah Pruitt b. Feb. 1832 Marengo Co., Al. came to Taylor County from Robertson County in 1883 along with Thomas W. Stephenson and others. The families scattered over the valley extending from Cedar Gap in the extreme eastern part of the valley to the hills west and Buffalo Gap to the northwest. Mr. Pruitt settled on 360 acres of land along the foot of the hills west of Tuscola. For a time he and his family lived in a one-room log cabin which served as their home and as a relay station for stages going to the west. He later enlarged the place to an eight-room house with porches all around. Mrs. Vada Pruitt Kidd of Tuscola is one of the descendents, along with Miles W. (shine) Pruitt of Fort Worth, Texas. "Shine" was for many years typesetter and latter editor and publisher of the Tuscola paper, which in its last years was known as the Jim Ned Valley Reporter. Reference: A Baker's Dozen: We were Thirteen. The Story of the Casey Family of Tuscola by Clifford Casey. Elija died in south Taylor Co. in 1914 and is buried in Buffalo Gap Cemetery. His wife, Emily Emaline Kay b. Nov. 1829 S.C. Married Oct. 03 1850. Died 1913. Mother of eight children.

Luther Bunyan b. June 22, 1854, TX; d. Sep. 30, 1920, south Taylor Co.TX
George W. b. April 1853, Texas; d. 1938, south Taylor Co.TX
Oun D. b. May 1856, TX m. BELL; b. Oct. 1861, TX.
Charity E. b. c. 1859
Mary A. b. c. 1860 TX
?Lanora M. b. c. 1866 TX
?Sarah b.

Sources:
Jim Hutchins .
Pruitt genealogy courtesy of Nola.
Curtis Jacob's Records in Old Tyron County Historical Society in Forest City, NC. courtesy of James M. Eaves
Taylor Co. 1900 Census ED 151 SD 4 Sheet 6
Taylor Co. 1910 Census ED 270 SD 16 Sheet 6B line 98

Luther Bunyan PRUITT
Both families of Pruitts, the Chandlers, Sandells and Andersons, settled in Cedar Gap for a time. The Traylors went to near Moro; later the Sandells went to the Bethel community, Mr. Anderson and his children to Mulberry Canyon and the Bud Chandler family to Bluff Creek. The Stephenson family bought land east of the present Cedar Gap schoolhouse. Lou Pruitt bought the Guy Hawkins place and settled about a mile west of the Cedar Gap cemetery. Lou, and his wife, Mary Elizabeth, and Wash and Vie Stephenson helped establish the Cedar Gap Baptist Church in 1884, and became charter members. Pruitt sold his farm in 1892, and moved to Fisher County, where he rented land from Dot Langham. In January 1895, the family moved to a farm west of Tuscola. Later they moved to Bluff Creek and bought land.

Luther B. Pruitt b. Jun 22 1854 Trinity Co. TX married Mary Elizabeth Anderson b. July 29 1861 Robertson Co. TX on April 1 1875 in Robertson Co.TX. Mary was the dau. of George Washington Anderson & Barbara Swingler ( born in Germany ). George and Barbara were married September 29 1860 Robertson Co. TX. Lou died Sept 30, 1920, at age 66. Mary died August 11, 1927 at age 66. Their children were :
Exa b. Oct. 1879 d. 1969 oldest child, m. Wm Green, 2nd m. A.M. Daniel. Juanita Daniel Zachry is a descendant.
Hebia (Hebie) b. Aug 1882 d. 1915 m. 29 Jun 1898 L. Ed Thomas
Ottie Duma b. Oct. 1884 d. 1970 m. America McCollum
Ploma Roxie b. Oct 1886 d. 1959 m. John Moss Griffith
Eva N. b. Feb. 1889 d. 1967 m. Emmet Hickman ?m. Hill White
John Bunyan b. May 1891 d. 1960 m. Jessie Donaldson
Warren Dee b. Aug. 1893 m. Lee Spurrier
Vestus Elbert b. Dec. 21 1895 d. May 17, 1966, south Taylor Co. TX. m. Ida Mae Williamson
Vera P. b. Dec. 12 1897 d. in infancy 30 Jan. 1898 while the family was at Bluff Creek
Ava Villa b. Apr. 1899 d. 1981 m. Morris Hafner
Ola Vada b. 1902 d. 1981 m. Ernest Simmons
Miles Herman b. 1904 d. 1979 m. Allene Raulston

Only Villa and Vada were alive in 1980. Dee Pruitt's son is Warren Pruitt (Warren is now an attorney in Vernon, Texas)
Warren Pruitt b. 12 May 1917 d. 04 Aug 1996 76385 (Vernon, Wilbarger, TX)
Villa Hafner b. 23 Apr 1899 d. Feb 1981 79605 (Abilene, Taylor, TX)
Pansy Pruitt 28 Feb 1892 May 1980 79603 (Abilene, Taylor, TX)
Gaston Pruitt 18 Jul 1896 May 1985 79536 (Merkel, Taylor, TX)
Carrie Pruitt 21 Dec 1883 Dec 1981 79603 (Abilene, Taylor, TX)
William Pruitt 08 Jun 1880 Apr 1967 79603 (Abilene, Taylor, TX)
Effie Pruitt 12 Jun 1895 Nov 1992 79602 (Abilene, Taylor, TX)
Cora Pruitt 09 Jul 1892 Nov 1983 79601 (Abilene, Taylor, TX)
Eli Pruitt 07 Jul 1889 May 1971 79602 (Abilene, Taylor, TX
Willis Pruitt 10 Jan 1897 Apr 1977 79602 (Abilene, Taylor, TX)

A.M. (Matt) Daniel third marriage was to Exa Pruitt Green in January of 1913. She was widow whose husband had died five years previous, leaving her with an infant son Clarence. Matt Daniel died at Potosi, September 25 1942. Mrs. Daniel died July 4 1969. Both are buried at Potosi. (Their children are Emma Dell (Mrs Sammie Griffith), Juanita (Mrs B.A. Zachry [author of ‘A History of Rural Taylor County']) and Mattie (Mrs Roscoe Vinson) Ref: Juanita Zachary's ‘A History of Rural Taylor County' page 183:

References: Juanita Zachry page 102. ‘A History of Rural Taylor County'.
Taylor Co. 1910 Census ED 270 SD 16 Sheet 6B line 98
Nola wrote: Cora Reynolds Pruitt was the wife of the twin Elias Pruitt, they had sons T. G. Pruitt, F. M. Pruitt, Marvin Pruitt and Aulton Pruitt. F.M. Pruitt was the Chief of Police in Abilene, wife (DALE).

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George PRUITT
GEORGE W PRUITT was born April 1853 in Texas, and died 1938 in South Taylor County Texas. He married MARY JANE about 1880. She was born May 1860. George Willis Pruitt went by the name of " Bill". Children of GEORGE PRUITT and MARY JANE are: