The “52 Cousins” series of biographical sketches are Artificial Intelligence (AI) compiled narratives of selected individuals from my Genealogical database. The selected AI will used documents and data from my RootsMagic Genealogical Software. All genealogical data is my research material acquired over the past 46+ years of research. Today's Biography of George E. Earnhart was compiled with the assistance of Claude Sonnett 4:
The George E. Earnhart Family
From Bedford County, Tennessee to the Missouri Ozarks
George E. Earnhart (1845–1909) & Martha Ellen “Matt” Head Earnhart (1856–1930)
Some families leave a paper trail that reads like a road map, and George and Martha Earnhart’s is one of them. A baby born in Bedford County, Tennessee, in 1845. A marriage bond signed on a February day in 1878. A land deed recorded in November 1885. And then a 1900 census page from the hills of Stone County, Missouri. Line those records up and you can follow a Tennessee farm family as they packed up and started over in the Ozarks. This is their story, pieced together from the records we have.
Quick Facts
| George E. Earnhart | Martha Ellen “Matt” Head |
Born | 6 Nov 1845, Bedford County, Tennessee | 14 Nov 1856, Lincoln County, Tennessee |
Parents | Daniel Earnhart (1809–1883) and Martha Ann Lentz (b. 1811) | David W. Head and Emily Wise (1831–1890) |
Married | 5 Feb 1878, Bedford County, Tennessee | 5 Feb 1878, Bedford County, Tennessee |
Died | 24 Sep 1909, near Brown’s Spring, Stone County, Missouri (age 63) | 10 Mar 1930, near Brown Springs, Stone County, Missouri (age 73) |
Buried | 25 Sep 1909, Wise Hill Cemetery, Clever, Christian County, Missouri | Wise Hill Cemetery, Clever, Christian County, Missouri (funeral 11 Mar 1930) |
Occupation | Farmer | Listed as a farmer in the 1900 and 1910 censuses |
Children | Six: David Edward, Daniel J., James Henry, Emma E., Louie Esban and Homer | Six: David Edward, Daniel J., James Henry, Emma E., Louie Esban and Homer |
Where George Came From
George E. Earnhart was born on 6 November 1845 in Bedford County, Tennessee, in the farm country of Middle Tennessee, with Shelbyville as the county seat. His parents were Daniel Earnhart (1809–1883) and Martha Ann Lentz (born 1811). Both show up in the census as North Carolina natives, but their older children were born in Tennessee, so the family’s move west happened well before George came along.
Thanks to the census, we can watch George grow up. In 1850, five-year-old George was living in Daniel’s household in District 18 of Bedford County, the youngest of six children in the house. In 1860 he was 15 and still at home in the Western Division of District 18. And in 1870, at age 25, he was still in his father’s household in the same district. Here’s who was under that roof:
Child in Daniel’s household | Age in 1850 | Age in 1860 |
Melinda J. | 17 | — |
Harriett | 15 | — |
Mary | 13 | 23 |
John M. (listed as “J. H.” in 1860) | 9 | 19 |
James A. | 7 | 17 |
George | 5 | 15 |
Melinda and Harriett no longer appear in the household by 1860. Birth and death dates for George’s brothers and sisters aren’t documented yet, so that’s a research project for another day.
Growing Up in Middle Tennessee
George was born the same year Tennessean James K. Polk moved into the White House, and he grew up in a farming community where the census-taker found Daniel’s household in the same civil district decade after decade. Then the Civil War arrived on his doorstep. Tennessee was the last state to leave the Union, in June 1861, when George was 15. Before long, Middle Tennessee was crawling with soldiers.
Historical Context: Bedford County in the Civil War Bedford County sits right next to Rutherford County, where the bloody Battle of Stones River was fought at Murfreesboro in December 1862 and January 1863. In the summer of 1863, the Tullahoma Campaign swept through Bedford County itself, and Union forces pushed the Confederates out of Shelbyville. Farms in the path of the armies saw foraging, shortages and disruption. We haven’t found a military record for George. Whatever he did during the war, he came of age (ages 15 to 19) right in the middle of it. |
Marrying Martha Head (1878)
By February 1878, George was 32 years old and ready to marry. On the 5th day of that month, he and a man named John Earnhart (who signed with his mark) put their names to a marriage bond for $1,250, made out to the State of Tennessee. That was a normal requirement in Tennessee at the time: a financial promise that there was no legal reason the couple couldn’t marry. The clerk, P. B. Singleton, issued the license the same day, and Hiram Harris, Justice of the Peace, certified that he performed the ceremony on that very same 5th of February. How John Earnhart fits into the family is a question worth chasing down.
The bride was Martha Ellen Head, known to the family as “Matt.” She was 21.
Martha “Matt” Head’s Family
Martha was born on 14 November 1856 in neighboring Lincoln County, Tennessee. According to her Find a Grave page, her parents were David W. Head and Emily Wise (1831–1890), and she had at least two younger siblings: Lewis Newton Head (1863–1915) and Ella D. Head (1874–1897). Lincoln County borders Bedford County to the south, so Martha didn’t have far to go to land in the Earnhart story.
Starting a Family in Bedford County
The newlyweds didn’t waste any time. Their first son, David Edward, whom everyone called “Eddie,” was born on 30 November 1878, less than a year after the wedding. Daniel J. followed on 11 April 1880, James Henry on 13 December 1882, and Emma E. on 16 September 1885. All four were born in Bedford County. Daniel’s death in 1883 also fell in these years, which brings us to a document that gives us a real look at the family in 1885.
Selling a Share of the Old Home Place (1885)
On 8 August 1885, George and Martha signed a deed selling their share of the Daniel Earnhart land to William Kimmons for $75. The land was a tract of a little over 170 acres in the 18th Civil District of Bedford County, “the Land known as the Daniel Earnhart Land” where Daniel lived until his death. George and Martha’s part was an undivided one-seventh of the whole tract. Both of them signed with their marks, witnessed by Jo H. Thompson.
The paperwork tells its own little story. On 12 September 1885, County Court Clerk Will J. Muse took their acknowledgment. He also questioned Martha privately, away from her husband, to confirm she was signing freely and without pressure, a legal safeguard of the day because she was giving up her right of dower. Just four days later, on 16 September, baby Emma was born. The deed was noted on 14 November and registered on 18 November 1885 by Register C. N. Allen, and it can be found in Deed Book UUU, page 309. I’ve transcribed the full deed in its own post on this blog if you’d like to read the original wording.
It’s tempting to see this sale as a step toward leaving Tennessee, but the deed itself doesn’t say so. It is the last Bedford County record we have for George.
Heading for the Ozarks
Sometime between late 1885 and the spring of 1889, the Earnharts left Tennessee for Stone County, Missouri. The proof is in the children: Louie Esban Earnhart, born 30 May 1889, was the first of the children born in Missouri. George’s 1909 obituary agrees, saying he had moved to the Brown’s Spring neighborhood from Tennessee “over 20 years ago.” They settled in Grant Township, and that is where they stayed.
Historical Context: Settling the Ozarks Stone County, Missouri, was organized in 1851 with Galena as its county seat. After the Civil War, many families from Tennessee and the upper South made their way into the hills and hollows of the Missouri Ozarks, looking for farmland and a fresh start. Life there centered on small family farms, church, school and neighbors. |
Farm Life in Grant Township: The 1900 Census
The 1900 census gives us a snapshot of the household in Grant Township, Stone County, Missouri. George (55) was listed as a farmer, and so was Martha (44), who the census-taker also recorded as a farmer. The census shows they had been married 23 years and had six children, all six living. Three of the older boys worked as farm laborers, and the three youngest were in school:
Name (as in census) | Age | Occupation |
David E. | 21 | Farm laborer |
Daniel | 19 | Farm laborer |
Henry | 16 | Farm laborer |
Ema | 14 | At school |
Louis | 11 | At school |
Homer | 7 | At school |
A full house, a working farm, and plenty of hands to help. It’s the clearest picture we have of the family at its busiest.
George’s Death and Burial (1909)
George died on 24 September 1909 at his home, about a mile and a half southwest of Brown’s Spring. He was 63. The obituary in the Stone County Oracle (Galena, 13 October 1909), signed with the pen name “BOPEEP,” said he died of “some unknown disease,” that he was about 60, and that “He was a good man.” He left a wife, five sons and one daughter, Mrs. Jim Gold of Crane. He was buried the next day, 25 September, at Wise Hill Cemetery in Clever, Christian County.
A quick note for anyone checking Find a Grave: the memorial lists George’s death as 1904. The obituary and burial records point to 1909, and a correction request has been submitted to Find a Grave.
Martha’s Later Years (1910–1930)
In the 1910 census, Martha was the head of her own household in Grant Township, a 54-year-old widow farming with several of her sons at home. By 1920, at age 64, she was living in the household of her eldest son David (41, farmer), along with her sons Daniel, Henry and Louie. The census-taker labeled her “Mother,” and that fits.
Martha died on 10 March 1930 at her home two miles southwest of Brown Springs, at age 73. Her funeral was held at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, 11 March, at Shiloh church, led by Rev. W. C. Caughron. She was laid to rest at Wise Hill Cemetery under the direction of the Wilburn Maples Funeral Home of Clever, as reported in the Christian County Republican (Ozark, 13 March 1930). She had lived through the Civil War as a child, a world war, and the stock market crash of 1929, all within the span of one lifetime.
The Children
Child | Born | Died | Notes |
David Edward “Eddie” | 30 Nov 1878, Bedford County, TN | 18 Jan 1957, Stone County, MO | Buried at Wise Hill Cemetery |
Daniel J. | 11 Apr 1880, Bedford County, TN | 2 Jun 1960, Crane, Stone County, MO | Lived to age 80 |
James Henry | 13 Dec 1882, Bedford County, TN | 21 Oct 1954, Grant Township, Stone County, MO | Called “Henry” in the census |
Emma E. | 16 Sep 1885, Bedford County, TN | 19 Jun 1964, Springfield, Greene County, MO | Married James Robert Gold (1879–1960) |
Louie Esban | 30 May 1889, Stone County, MO | 26 Dec 1976, Bedford County, TN | First child born in Missouri |
Homer | Oct 1892, Bedford County, TN † | 1910, Missouri | Buried at Wise Hill Cemetery |
† See “Still Digging” below about Homer’s birthplace.
David Edward “Eddie” (1878–1957). The oldest of the children, Eddie was head of the household in 1920, with his mother and three brothers living with him. When he died, the Springfield Leader and Press (20 January 1957) reported that his funeral would be at Shiloh Baptist Church north of Crane, with Rev. Otis Ennis officiating, and burial at Wise Hill Cemetery.
Daniel J. (1880–1960). Daniel was a farm laborer at 19 and was still in his brother David’s household in 1920. He died in Crane, Stone County, on 2 June 1960 at age 80.
James Henry (1882–1954). Known as “Henry” in the census records, he worked as a farm laborer in 1900 and 1910 and was in David’s household in 1920. He died in Grant Township on 21 October 1954.
Emma E. (1885–1964). The only daughter, Emma was born in Bedford County just days after the deed was acknowledged. She married James Robert Gold (1879–1960), and George’s obituary names her as “Mrs. Jim Gold of Crane.” She died in Springfield, Greene County, on 19 June 1964.
Louie Esban (1889–1976). Louie was the first Missouri-born child. He lived to be 87, the longest-lived of the six, and died on 26 December 1976 in Bedford County, Tennessee, right back where the family story began. How and when he found his way back is a fine question for future research.
Homer (1892–1910). The youngest, Homer was 7 and in school at the time of the 1900 census. He died in 1910 at the age of 17 or 18 and is buried at Wise Hill Cemetery near his father.
Timeline
Date | Event |
6 Nov 1845 | George Earnhart born, Bedford County, Tennessee |
1850 | George (5) listed in Daniel Earnheart’s household, District 18 |
14 Nov 1856 | Martha Ellen Head born, Lincoln County, Tennessee |
1860 and 1870 | George (15, then 25) still in Daniel’s household |
5 Feb 1878 | George and Martha marry (bond, license and ceremony all dated this day) |
30 Nov 1878 | Son David Edward “Eddie” born |
11 Apr 1880 | Son Daniel J. born |
13 Dec 1882 | Son James Henry born |
1883 | George’s father, Daniel, dies |
8 Aug 1885 | George and Martha sign the deed to William Kimmons (registered 18 Nov) |
16 Sep 1885 | Daughter Emma E. born |
30 May 1889 | Son Louie Esban born in Stone County, Missouri |
Oct 1892 | Son Homer born |
1900 | Census: family farming in Grant Township, Stone County, Missouri |
24 Sep 1909 | George dies; buried 25 Sep at Wise Hill Cemetery |
1910 | Martha is a widow and head of household; son Homer dies |
1920 | Martha (64) living in son David’s household |
10 Mar 1930 | Martha dies; funeral 11 Mar, buried at Wise Hill Cemetery |
Still Digging: Notes for Future Research Find a Grave dates. George’s memorial says he died in 1904, but the obituary and burial record show 1909. Find a Grave also gives the marriage as 2/5/1877, while the bond, license and minister’s return are all dated 5 February 1878. The FamilySearch index entry lists 3 February 1878, but the documents themselves say the 5th. FindAGrave has been Corrected. Census age wobbles. In 1900 the census recorded George as born April 1845 and Martha as born December 1855, and Daniel and Henry a year later than the family group sheet. Ages reported to census-takers often drifted a bit, so the sheet’s dates are used here. Homer’s birthplace. The family group sheet lists Bedford County, Tennessee, but the 1900 census says Missouri, and the family had left Tennessee by 1889. The 1910 census also counts five of six children living, which suggests Homer died before census day in April 1910. Corrected. Other people in Daniel’s 1870 household. Susannah (54) and Margaret (10) are listed, but the 1870 census doesn’t state their relationship, so they are left out of the sibling list. Open questions. How John Earnhart (the 1878 bondsman) fits in, who the other six-sevenths owners of Daniel’s land were, what became of George’s siblings, and when Martha Ann Lentz died. |
George E. Earnhart is my 2nd Cousin 4X Removed.
Sources
1850, 1860 and 1870 U.S. Census, Bedford County, Tennessee, District 18, household of Daniel Earnhart (various spellings). Bedford County, Tennessee marriage bond, license and return, 5 Feb 1878 (FamilySearch). Bedford County, Tennessee, Deed Book UUU, p. 309, Geo. E. Earnhart & wife to Wm. Kimmons (registered 18 Nov 1885). 1900, 1910 and 1920 U.S. Census, Grant Township, Stone County, Missouri. “Mr. George Earnheart,” obituary, Stone County Oracle (Galena, Missouri), 13 Oct 1909, p. 1, col. 5. Martha Earnhart obituary, Christian County Republican (Ozark, Missouri), 13 Mar 1930, p. 8, col. 4. “Eddy Earnhart,” obituary, Springfield Leader and Press (Springfield, Missouri), 20 Jan 1957, p. 41/D7, col. 6. Find a Grave memorials: George Earnhart #99528824; Martha Ellen “Matt” Earnhart #99527932; Eddie Earnhart #99527812; Homer Earnhart #99530832. Family Group Sheet, 5 October 2026.
Prepared by Charles Purvis ·
