My Narramore Stories


ALL OF THE SURNAMES OF THE NARRAMORE/SELF FAMILIES

Some of my Narramore stories have been handed down through generations and some of them I have received from Bryce Self who also sent me a loose leaf booklet form like I had received from Margaret Dale. I hope you enjoy these stories, please email me if any of them sound familiar or even a familiar name. I would like to connect with many more of my Narramore ancestors.

My Direct Line



Edward Narramore1. Edward was born in Kershaw District, SC. He was a farmer.

John Narramore2. Edward 1Born in Kershaw District, SC. He was a Soldier, Farmer and an Innkeeper. John moved to Jefferson Co., TN in Dec 1795 to Nov of 1796. He stated in his pension application that he lived in Knox Co., Tn, Nov 1796 to Feb 1807. He owned land where Crossville, Tn is now located. The town was known as Narramore in the 1830's, at least that is what the post office was called. He was a member of the 1st County court of Bledsoe Co., in 1808. John and Nancy, his first wife, were living in the household of their son, James L. in the 1850 census of Bledsoe Co., Tn.

Milissa Narramore3, John2, Edward1. Name also spelled Malissa. She never married and lived with her parents and later with the family of her brother, James L. Narramore. She remembered Andrew Jackson very well who would stop and visit her father, John Narramore, on his way to Washington, DC.

John Narramore, Jr.3, John2, Edward1. DAR records list him as Jr. He was listed in the 1840 Roane Co., Tn census. Then unkown but may have moved to Al as his children appeared in the Al census through the 1900's. There is a tombstone in Hamilton cemetery, Bledsoe Co., Tn for a John Narramore, dated 13 May 1827. this could be a son. They had 4 more children then have records for. His wife Isabel appeared in the 1850 Montgomery Co., Al census, later in Bibb Co., Autauga Co., and Jefferson Co., Al.


Mary J. Narramore3 John2, Edward1. Born in Lancaster Co., SC, she was married in Bledsoe Co., Tn to Jesse Self. Jesse was a plantation owner, born in NC. Jesse may be the son of Presley Self and Amelia Gunter.


Lucia Kimberlin Narramore3, John2, Edward1. Lucia was born in Knox Co., Tn. She married George Preston Smith Scarberry Line in 1804. George previously had name as Patton. DAR listed as Preston. They were located in the 1840, 1860 and 1870 census, in Frentress Co., Tn. In 1850 they were in Overton Co., Tn.


Calvin Wade Narramore3, John2, Edward1. Calvin died 1876 in Rayville Township, Ray Co., Mo. He was in the 1830 census in Montgomery Co., Mo. In Ray Co., 1850 to 1880, in 1870 he was a county judge.


Nelson Marion Narramore3, John2, Edward1. Previously listed as Nelson Marvin, DAR list name as Marion. Nelson was an Elder, possibly a minister. His name turns up as officiating at many weddings. This couple was in Platte Co., Mo in 1850 census and in Clay Co., Mo in 1870 census.


Fielding Meyers Narramore3, John2, Edward1. Fielding was a leading influential citizen of Cumberland County, Tn, from the time it was organized n 1856 until his death in 1886. He was chairman of the County Court many times and was Justice of the Peace. He held this position at the time of his death. People would go to him for legal advice although, he was not a lawyer. In fact, he didn't have much formal education. He was a good public speaker and was respected by most people. He was referred to as Esq. Fielding Meyers Narramore. One writer said that Esq. Fielding was a noted character in all parts of the county.
Esq. Narramore was used to say that he was a very temperate man even to drinking coffee. "Two good strong cups of coffee three times a day was enough for anyone." ---Now for the smutt- - Back in the mid 1830's Fielding was charged with perjury. His father, John Narramore, and some other people went on his bond, which was substantial, to keep him out of jail. I noticed an entry in the Bledsoe County Court records where he spent 10 days in jail at the cost of 37 1/2 cents a day. This perjury case was continued from one court session to another for several sessions. Finally when the jury couldn't reach a verdict, the case was dismissed. I don't know what Fielding supposedly lied about - - maybe about how much coffee he drank a day. I'm glad the young man got his act together. He married Martha Taylor. She was called "Patsy" by Fielding and "Aunt Patsy" by her friends. They moved into a new house about 4 miles east of Crossville where they lived until their death.


James L. Narramore3, John2, Edward1. He was a Federal soldier during the Civil War. He tried to join the 2nd East TN Volunteer Infantry, Co. D, on 16 July 1863, but was rejected. In 1850 he was living next to his brother, Fielding Narramore. After his first wife died, in 1860's, he married a woman who had 4 daughters by a previous marriage. They were Nancy, Mira, Catherine and Anna. In the 1870's these girls were listed as Narramores.



Jesse Wyatt Adkins4, Serepta3, John2, Edward1. Died at the age of 6 months, in July of 1849, Crossville City Cemetery, Crossville, Tn. First person buried in this cemetery. Land for the cemetery was donated by his grandfather John Narramore who was the first adult buried in this cemetery in 1851.


Michael B. Narramore4, Frederick3, John2, Edward1. He was a Union Army Doctor. There is a M.B. Narramore listed as a 1st Corporal in the Highland Battalion Mounted Volunteers in the GA troups in the Cherokee Disturbance and Removal of 1836, for 3 months. Michael served in Co. E. 6 Tennessee Inf. Priv. He also had 3 sons who served, 2 for the Union and 1 for the Confederacy.


Joseph L. Self4, Mary3, John2, Edward1. Joseph died 1899 near Waldron, AR, buried mt. Pleasant Cem., Scott Co., Ar. He was a business man and civic leader; owned a general store, a saw mill, a cotton gin, and grist mill. He donated the land & sawed the lumber for the Greenridge school and church. He had a retarded son, James, and records show he provided for the son in his will. Ellen and Frank Bottoms took over the business after Joseph's death and they took care of James. Joseph was in the Civil War and was captured at Vicksburg, MS. He homestead 120 acres in 1876, Scott Co., AR. 1870 Catoosa Co., Ga. Census, a Margaret (Duke?) Dyke, age 72, was living in the household, possibly Joseph's second wife, Mary J. Dykes, mother.


John Taylor Narramore4, Fielding3, John2, Edward1. John died 1894, Cotton Plant, AR. The only son named for his maternal grandfather, John Taylor and paternal grandfather, John Narramore.They spend most of their married life east of Crossville near th old home place of his parents. He was Circuit Court Clerk of Cumberland county, TN for ten years following the Civil War, making a fine record as an effecient and popular official. He served in both the Confederate and Union Armies in the Civil War. He served in the confederate army co. D, 16 battalion (Neal's) TN Calvary as a private and then 2nd Lieutenat. Records say he was "left ill at Holston, TN" on 19th Feb 1863, and was listed as a deserter 12 March 1863. Union Army records say he enlisted 18 Feb 1863, age 20, at Murfeesboro as a private in the 2nd East TN Volunteer Infantry, Company D. He was captured by the Confederates but quickly escaped and served until mustered out at Nashville in Aug 1865. It is theorized that John T. was taken by the troops and either pressed into service, or that he was talked into enlisting by his Uncle James L. Narramore who was already serving in the same outfit, the 2nd TN Infantry (US). Although records show that James L. Narramore was rejected on 16 July 1863, age 24.
John T. bought a 30 acre tract of land on the Grassy Cove to Crossville Road in (1913?: John died before this date), from E.B. Jones which had formally belonged to James Dayton. He also taught school at Haley's Grove. He may possibly be the T. Narramore who is listed as postmaster in Crossville on 3 April 1868. They moved to Cotton Plant, AR, where he died in 1894.


Nancy Purlina Narramore4, Fielding3, John2, Edward1. Nancy married a Frenchman, Louis DeSalba, whose family belonged to the nobility before France became a republic, a Marquis if he lived in France with the reputation of being able to speak five languages. He is said to have made his wife go off to finishing school before he would marry her. After their marriage, they settled on the Old Sparta Road, about three miles from Crossville, long since abandoned as a highway. Later they moved to Kentucky, then back toTennessee, at Crossville, Rockwood and at the foot of Missionary Ridge, near East Lake, and then three miles from Chattanooga. They had many friends in Chattanooga. Nancy was equally as fine at entertaining as Louis. The CUMBERLAND COUNTY'S FIRST HUNDRED YEARS states that the county was about equally divided between the Confederates and Union on the Civil War issues. Guerrillas from both sides would raid the residences of Cumberland County and take their supplies and burn houses. The article also said that the citizens who ate regularly while these guerrillas were harrasing the countryside were only those foxy ones who found ways of hiding their food supplies from the hungry raiders. Louis DeSalba took his bacon, ham and etc. to a bluff along Spears Branch. It was low and inconspicuous and had a small cleft that ran in some ten feet. He mounted his pieces of meat on a sled, which he pushed in to the cleft, clear out of sight. When he wanted meat, he'd go there and remove his camouflage and fish out his supplies with a hook mounted on a long stick. Louis is recorded to have committed suicide after the death of his wife.


Martha Lodema Naramore4, Fielding3, John2, Edward1. Martha and her sister, Mary Angeline married brothers, Elijah Franklin Patton and Owen W. Patton, respectively. Martha and Elijah spent their married life in Sequatachie Valley, in the upper portion of Bledsoe Co., TN. He began farming as a renter making a one horse crop. Afterwards owned 3 to 5 farms. He was one of the well to do famers of Bledsoe County. Both died on the upper farm, first purchased. Elijah changed his middle name from Fielding to Franklin.


Julia Ann Narramore4, Fielding3, John2,Edward1. Married D.G. Hedgecoth. The initials D.G. stands for "Doctor Gun". He was believed to have been named for a physician and author of a doctors book popular with the country people. They lived for a while in Cumberland Co., then in Bledsoe Co. for a short time in Roane Co., near Rockwood where Julia died. D.G. had been a federal soldier in the Civil War and became unable to work after his wife's death, he became a resident of the Soldier's Home at Johnson City, where he died.


Thomas D. Self5, John4, Mary3,John2,Edward1. Occupation: Preacher - Farmer. Thomas died 7 April 1908, Waldron, AR; buried Mt. Pleasant cementery, Scott Co., AR. Thomas fought in the Confederate Army during the Civil War as a private in Company E Geogia Volunteer Infantry, Army of Tennessee. He entered the Army on 4 March 1862 an was captured 4 July 1863 at Vicksburg, Mississippi along with several thousand other Confederate soldiers. He signed an oath that he would not take up arms against the Union forces again and was paroled on 8 July 1863. He was captured again on 13 Sept 1863, in Walker Co., GA and this time he was sent to prison at Camp Morton, IN., for the duration of the war. He was released on 12 June 1865. He went back to the Lookout Mountain area in Georgia where the most bloody and destructive fighting took place.
The destruction of their land and the blockade of food and supplies from the north probably influenced their decision to move to Arkansas. Thomas, his family and a group of other peoople, mostly relatives, (70 in all) moved by wagon train from Ringgold, GA in 1870, to Scott Co., AR. Thomas was a Church of Christ preacher. He was active in organizing the first churches in Waldron. He farmed and was a circuit riding minister. He and his wife, Nancy, would leave home by noon on friday and travel by horse and buggy to churches in the Waldron and Dutch Creek area to preach and return home on Monday. He would not accept money for preaching. He performed many weddings in Scott County. There is a question what the "D" stands for in Thomas's name. Some say Dennis while others say Dean. The Mormon church has his name listed both ways. Thomas signed his name as Thomas D. on his parole papers and as a Church of Christ elder.



Susan Elizabeth Self5, Joseph4, Mary3, John2, Edward1. Susan and husband Alfonso "Fonzy" Neal married in Georgia and had two children. After the Civil War they migrated to AR. The 1870 census of Franklin Co., AR showed they settled briefly in the White Oak Community. The 1880 census of Scott Co., AR showed them in the Hickman Tnship, about 5 miles north east of Waldron. They homesteaded 160 acres there (which was signed by Ulysses S. Grant) Susan and "Fonzy" had 9 other chilren after settling in Scott Co. After "Fonzy" died in 1915, Susan and her youngest son moved to Dike, Texas to be near her other children. Alphonzo, Susan and their two children along with Alphonzo's brother, Obediah Davidson Neal, left Gordon Co., GA to settle in AR. It is assumed that they were among the group of 70 people that came with Joseph and Thomas Self in 1870.


Margaret Ellen Self5, Joseph4, Mary3, John2, Edward1. Married to Francis "Frank" Marion Bottoms, Ellen (as known) d. 19 Jan 1951, buried in Mt. Pleasant Cemetery, Scott Co., AR. frank lived in Catoosa, Ok for awhile and ran a store. He moved back to Arkansas when his wife's father, Joseph L. Self died to take over the family business. In 1900 - 1910 - 1920 brother-in-law James was living in his household. Also in 1910 and 1920 was Edna Black, granddaughter and Erma Black, granddaughter.


Virginia Carol Farnsworth5, Martha4, Mary3, John2, Edward1. Virginia died 19 July 1894, buried Star Cemetery, Briar Town, OK. Married by Thomas D. Self. Husband; John Daniel Clarkson. His father, Daniel B. Clarkson, a brother to Nancy Choyce Clarkson Self, was killed by the Gatewood Raiders. William Clarkson, a great uncle was killed at the same time. They were killed by this Outlaw Gang in front of their family, in their yard.


Arvil Amos Self6, Alvin5, Joseph4, Mary3, John2, Edward1. Arvil died 12 Feb 1993, at the age of 101 years, 3 months and 11 days, at the Waldron Hospital, Scott Co., AR and buried Mt. Pleasant Cem., Scott Co., AR. Arvil's early years were spent working at sawmills all over Scott Co. When the timber was cut in one area, he would move his sawmill to another area. Then he moved to Kansas City where he lived for 11 years. He drove a streetcar in Kansas City and worked at the Ford Motor factory. After moving back to Scott Co., Arvil became a trader and bought and sold cattle, horses, mules and dogs. After his wife died in 1987 he lived alone near his children Bill and Freddye. He enjoyed going to the Senior Citizen Center.


Sarah Hansford Self7, Thomas6, Thomas5, John4, Mary3, John2, Edward1. Born 18 July 1892, Waldron, AR, m. 24 Sept 1911, in Waldron, AR. by: Free Malone, Fentes Clay "Bud" Gibson. Bud was b. 03 feb 1889. Occupation; Farmer, d. 15 Sept 1975, Poteau, Ok. Bur: Oakland Cem., Poteau, Ok. Sarah died 20 Jan 1968, Poteau, OK; buried beside husband.

HOW FORREST SELF MET HIS AUNT SARAH FOR THE FIRST TIME

About 1948-49, Tom Self, son of Robert Lee Self, saw my dad, Kelly Self, for the first time. He said, "You look like a Self". My dad replied " I should, I am a Self". Tom told him his sister, Sarah was living in Poteau, Ok. He couldn't wait to see her and persuaded me to take him to Poteau. When we arrived at their farm outside of Poteau, a teenage girl (Helen) answered our knock. She informed her mother that someone by the name of Self wanted to see her. Aunt Sarah came to the door and when she saw dad she almost fainted. She looked so much like her brother, Edgar, who passed away in 1945. She had also heard that dad had passed away. They had a happy reunion and visited back and forth until dad's death in 1954. My brothers Charlie, J.B. and I attended aunt Sarah's funeral in 1968. Aunt Sarah was the most pleasant, friendly and courteous person I had ever met. She knew how to make her newly found nephew feel special. My wife, Bea, and I would visit with her and uncle Bud in Poteau until her death. Bea attended church with them. They were members of the Poteau Church of Christ. Aunt Sarah lived with her grandparents, Thomas D. and Nancy Self after her father died when she was 8 years old.
I have a letter that aunt Sarah wrote to her grandmother in 1914. Maud Gibson Rice tells the story of how uncle Bud and aunt Sarah's courtship began. He had a friend who ask him to look after his girl friend while he went to a singing school. He obliged and spent the next 57 years looking out after her. Aunt Sarah had a spool cabinet that her father, Thomas D. Self, Jr., gave to her mother, Laura Doughty Self, in 1884. This cabinet is to be passed to the surviving daughters, granddaughters, grat granddaughters and etc. as long as one survives. At this time it is in the possession of Maude Gibson Rice.


Kelly Roscoe Self7, Thomas6, Thomas5, John4, Mary3, John2, Edward1. Kelly died 27 Dec 1954, Paris Hosp., Paris, AR. Bur: 29 Dec 1954, Moores Chapel Cem., Waveland, AR. Kelly Roscoe Self was the only child of Thomas D. Self, Jr. and Mary Florence Annesley. After Kelly's dad and one of his half sisters died of typhoid fever in 1900, his grandfather and grandmother Self took the 2 remaining children by a previous marriage to Waldron to live with them. For some reason this family did not stay in touch. Kelly did not see his half brother, Edgar, again. Edgar died in 1945. He didn't see his half sister, Sarah again until the late 1940's. Kelly and his mother, Mary, stayed in the Waveland, AR area. She later married James Pressley Caldwell. After Kelly married, he worked on farms, cut logs and worked at a sawmill. He also worked as a section hand on the Rock Island Railroad. During the depression, work was scarce and he worked at anything that would provide food for his large family. He had a bad heart and had blood clots in both legs and had to have them amputated. They cut his legs off so close to his body that he did not have any balance and had to be tied in a chair so he could sit up. He died a few months after the operation. Kelly was a quiet man, easy going and seemed to be liked by everyone. He was about 5' 10" and 140 lbs., dark hair and dark complexion and brown eyes. You might think he was part Indian but records do not indicate any Indian blood. His sister, Sarah, also had the same features.


Charlie William Self8, Kelly7, Thomas6, Thomas5, John4, Mary3, John2, Edward1. B. 13 Aug 1917, Waveland, AR. Charles is a jack of all trades. He is about average in carpentry, electrical, plumbing, welding and auto mechanics. He is willing to assist his neighbors and friends in the above skills. In his younger years he farmed with a team of horses, woked in a filling station, owned and operataed an auto repair shopo and drove a truck. Most of his working career was in the shipfitter's union as a welder. He traveled from job to job and state to state appling his trade. Charlie is now retired and living in a lage new house in an exclusive neighborhood. You can still see him working in his garden or "truck patch" and helping his son in his building construction business. Charlie has another son, Glendon, who is an engineer and lawyer and was Ross Perot's Vice President for many years. He is now one of General Motor's Vice President's. Charlie generally weighed about 150 lbs., blue eyes, fair complexion. Charlie, like his other siblings, has a heart condition.
Charlie had a short but note worthy stint in the Navy. He entered the service in April of 1944. After basic training, was assigned to the USS Higland #119. It was an amphibius troup transport ship. He took part in the invasion of Iwo Jima and Okinawa and was in sight of the battle ship Missouri when the peace treaty was signed with Japan. His ship was the first to dock at Tokyo Bay after the peace treaty was signed and also cruised within sight of Hiroshima where the atomic bomb was dropped and could clearly see the damage it caused.


James Forrest Self8, Kelly7, Thomas6, Thomas5, John4, Mary3, John2, Edward1. Forrest served in WWII, 32 months in the Navy as a gunner aboard a merchant vessel. He made several trips overseas and one trip around the world. He was a graduate of Havana High School and Akansas Tech University. He seved as a classroom teacher, high school principal, Yell County Supervisor of Schools and Superintendant of schools. He owns a farm at Belleville, AR where he and his wife Bea, still reside (1995). He bought and sold cattle and raised broilers. Forest had a heart attack in 1987 and had to retire from all strenuous activities. In 1994, he had open heart surgery and had 4 by passes. In the summer of 1995 he had another heart attack with major damage. November 1, 1996 he had a pacemaker installed. He s 5' 10", 160 lbs., bald headed. Losts his hair fairly young. Hazel eyes and fair complexion.


Stephen Lee McDonald8, Claud7, Roxanna6, Thomas5, John4, Mary3, John2, Edward1. Occupation: Proffesor of University. Stephen Lee entered Lousiana Polytechinin Institute (now Lousiana Tech University) in 1941, but had his college years interrupted by WWII. He served in the U.S. Navy 1943-46, where he was communications officer on the destroyer U.S.S. Brinkley Bass, DD887. After the war he returned to LA Tech and received his B.A. in 1947. He received his M.A. in 1948 and his PhD in 1951 from the University of Texas. Except for a period of five years when he was an economist for Humble Oil in Houston and was head first of the Finance Department and then the Economics Department at Louisiana State University, he has been a professor in hte Department of Economics at the University of Texas. He served as chairman of the department from 1972-76 and 1988-90. He held the Josey professorship in Energy Studies from 1983-85 and from 1985-94 held the Addison Baker Duncan chair. He has had numerous articles pulblished in professional journals and is hte author of several books primarily in the energy field. He has been semi-retired since January 1990, but still teachers one semester each academic year.








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