52 Cousins~ A Family Man's Journey: John Henry Earnhart Through War, Peace, and Migration

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 the RootsMagic Individual Summary from my Genealogical Software, Roots Magic. All genealogical data is my research material acquired over the past 46 years of research. Today's Biography of John Henry Earnhart(1841-1896) was compiled with the assistance of Claude Sonnett 4 and is entitled:

"A Family Man's Journey: John Henry Earnhart Through War, Peace, and Migration"

Early Life and Family Origins

John Henry Earnhart was born on October 6, 1841, in Bedford County, Tennessee, to Daniel Earnhart (1809-1883) and Martha Ann "Lucy" Lentz (1811-?). He grew up in a large farming family in the rural Tennessee countryside during a time when most families made their living from the land.

John had several siblings who grew up alongside him in Bedford County. His sisters included Melinda J. (born around 1833), Harriett (born around 1835), and Mary (born around 1837). He also had brothers James A. (born around 1843) and George (born around 1845). The family remained close-knit throughout John's childhood, all living together in District 18 of Bedford County.

Growing Up in Antebellum Tennessee

John spent his boyhood in the 1840s and 1850s, a pivotal time in American history. As a young man, he would have witnessed the growing tensions between North and South that would eventually lead to the Civil War. In 1850, when John was about nine years old, he was living at home with his parents and siblings, likely helping with farm chores and attending whatever local schooling was available in rural Tennessee.

By 1860, at age 19, John was still living with his parents. This was the year Abraham Lincoln was elected president, and the nation stood on the brink of civil war. Many young men John's age would soon find themselves caught up in the conflict that would define their generation.

Marriage and Starting a Family

Around 1860, John married Evaline Wise, who was born on April 30, 1838, in Tennessee. Evaline was about three years older than John. Evaline was the daughter of Henry Wise and Margaret Brindle. The couple would spend the next 36 years together, building a life and raising a large family in Bedford County.

John and Evaline had eight children together:

Martha Elizabeth Earnhart (1861-1940)

William Daniel Earnhart (1863-1954)

Henry Jasper Earnhart (1864-1870) - tragically died at age six

NOTE: A son named "Jones" b. 1865 is listed in the 1870 Census: This is believed to be James Robert Earnhart.

James Robert "Bob" Earnhart (1867-1950)

Margaret Susan Earnhart (1870-1948)

John Wesley Earnhart (1873-1959)

Francis Matilda Earnhart (1875-1956)

Life During and After the Civil War

The 1860s were tumultuous years for Tennessee families. The state was a major battleground during the Civil War (1861-1865), with divided loyalties tearing communities apart. While we don't have records of John's specific wartime activities, he was of military age during the conflict. What we do know is that by 1870, five years after the war ended, John was back home in Bedford County with Evaline and their growing family.

The 1870 census shows 28-year-old John living with his wife and their young children: Martha (8), William (7), Jones [James Robert] (4), and baby Margaret, who was just seven months old. The family was rebuilding their lives in the post-war South, a period known as Reconstruction.

Family Life in the 1870s and 1880s

By 1880, John was 38 years old and firmly established as the head of his household in District 18, Bedford County. The census that year lists six of his children living at home: Martha (17), William (16), Robert (14), Susan (11), John (8), and Fanny (5). Like most families in rural Tennessee at the time, they likely farmed for their livelihood, with the older children helping with the heavy work.

These were the years when John and Evaline watched their children grow into young adults. The 1870s and 1880s saw America transform from a war-torn nation into an increasingly industrialized country, though life in rural Tennessee would have changed more slowly than in the cities.

Later Years and Move to Missouri

Sometime between 1880 and 1896, John and Evaline made the significant decision to leave Tennessee and move to Christian County, Missouri. Many families made similar moves during this period, seeking new opportunities or joining relatives who had already relocated westward.

Death and Legacy

John Henry Earnhart died on August 25, 1896, in Christian County, Missouri, at the age of 54. He was buried in Wise Hill Cemetery in Clever, Christian County, Missouri. Evaline lived another 17 years as a widow, passing away on June 21, 1913, at age 75. She was laid to rest beside John in Wise Hill Cemetery.

John and Evaline's legacy lived on through their children, most of whom enjoyed long lives. Their descendants continued to spread across America, carrying forward the Earnhart family name and the stories of their Tennessee roots.

John Henry Earnhart is my 2nd Cousin 4X Removed. 

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1. Find A Grave, Inc., Find A Grave, database and digital images, (http://www.findagrave.com : accessed  June 2025); Memorial page for John Henry Earnhart; (6 October 1841–6 October 1841); Find a Grave memorial # 70064390, Citing Wise Hill Cemetery; Clever, Christian County, Missouri, USA.

2. 1850 U. S. Census, Bedford County, Tennessee, population schedule, District 18, Bedford, Tennessee, Page: 185A (Stamped); Line 7, Dwelling 2, Family 2, Household of  Daniel EARNHEART; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 2 May 2022); citing  National Archives Microfilm M432.

3. 1860 U. S. Census, Bedford County, Tennessee, population schedule, Western Division District 18, Bedford, Tennessee, Page 248 (Stamped); Line 8, Dwelling 1241, Family 1195, Household of Daniel EARNHEART; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 2 May 2022); citing National Archives Microfilm M653.

4. 1870 U. S. Census, Bedford County, Tennessee, population schedule, District 18, Bedford, Tennessee, Page:#331B (Stamped); Line:#20, Dwelling:#181; Family:#191, Household of John EARNHART; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : online June 2025); citing National Archives Microfilm M593_.

5. 1880 U. S. Census, Bedford County, Tennessee, population schedule, District 18, Bedford, Tennessee, enumeration district (ED) 12, Page:#331B (Stamped); Line:#7, Dwelling:#1; Family:#3, Household of John EARNHART; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : online June 2025); citing National Archives Microfilm T9_.

6. Find A Grave, Inc., Find A Grave, database, "Record, Evaline Wise Earnhart (30 April 1838–21 July 1913), Memorial # 70064258.

7. 1870 U. S. Census, Bedford County, Tennessee, Population Schedule, District 18, Bedford, Tennessee, Page:#331B (Stamped); Line:#20, Dwelling:#181; Family:#191, Household of John EARNHART.

8.1910 U. S. Census, Christian County, Missouri, population schedule, Porter, Christian, Missouri, enumeration district (ED) 0040, Page:#21B/100B (Stamped); Line:#76, Dwelling:#76; Family:#76, Household of James M. LETT; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://ancestry.com : online June 2025); citing National Archives Microfilm T626_Roll:.