TAPSCOTT...."THE EMIGRANT"......Part 2

Our Tapscott Ancestry
6th Great Grandfather - The Emigrant Boy - Henry Tapscott b 1685 d 1727
5th Great Grandfather - James Tapscott b 1722 d 1770
4th Great Grandfather - Henry Tapscott b 1769 d 1832
3rd Great Grandfather - Samuel Tapscott b1777 d 1858
2nd Great Grandfather - Dr. A. B. (Arlen Byron) "Ira" Tapscott b 1835 d 1882
Great Grandfather - Dr. Charles Vaught Tapscott b1869 d1921
Grandmother - Mary Sue Tapscott b.1905 d 1984

3rd Great Grandfather - Samuel Tapscott b1777 d 1858

Our story tonight begins with Samuel Tapscott who b1777d1858, he married Winifred Hill. Winifred Hill was also a first cousin to Samuel.

Our Hill ancestry in descending order:
7th Great Grandfather - William Hill b1636d1685, married Ann Bradshaw
6th Great Grandfather - William Hill Jr. b1660d1745, married Alice Castello
5th Great Grandfather - Castello Hill b1706d1750, married Ann Webb
5th Great Grandmother - Winifred Hill b1743d1828, married Henry Tapscott
(She is also our 4th Great Grandmother on the Tapscott side)
4th Great Grandfather - Isaac Hill b1749d1806
3rd Great Grandmother - Winifred Hill b1798d1860, married Samuel Tapscott

Samuel Tapscott and Winifred Hill had seven children:
John Hill Tapscott b1812d1877, married Mary Elizabeth Hobson
Henry C. Tapscott b1813d?
George H. Tapscott b1821d1886
Dr. James W. Tapscott b1830d1862
Dr. Samuel T.(S.T) Tapscott b1832d1919, married Elizabeth McPherson
Dr. Arlen Byron "Ira" Tapscott b1835d1882, married Mary L. Jones
Amanda Tapscott b1838d1912, married James Decater Sherman

My family descends from A.B. Tapscott

This was the 1850 Census from Rockingham County, NC. As John Fox pointed out in his posted comments last week. Maybe Samuel and Winifred were deprived of education, but they knew the importance of a good education, and raised thier children with these values. Although they could not read or write, they had three sons who became Doctors. In this Census it says that James was a teacher 1850, but we know in 1862 he was a Doctor.
Lived in Rockingham County, North Carolina. 1850 US Census NC Rockingham Co page 40B:

Samuel Tabscott 59 b VA farmer unable to read and write

Winfred Tabscoot 52 b VA unable to read and write

George Tabscoot 27 b VA laborer

James Tabscoot 20 b NC teacher

S. T. Tabscoot 17 b NC laborer male

A. B. Tabscoot 14 b NC male attended school

Amanda Tabscoot 12 b NC attended school

The will of Samuel TAPSCOTT was written 10 May 1857 and was probated in the March 1859 court session of Alamance Co NC. It names
"my wife Winefred"; sons John & Henry Tapscott; "my five younger children, namely George, James, Thomas, Byron & Amanda"; and "my dec'd brother James". "Know all men by these presents that I Samuel Tapscott being of sound & disposing mind do make and declare this to be my last will and testament. Ist. I bequeath to my wife Winefred four negros & their increase, Julius, Mario, Sina, & Eliza to have and to hold so long as she remains a widow but in case she marries or dies the foursaid property is to be divided equally among my five younger children, namely George, James, Thomas, Byron & Amanda. ÊI also give and bequeath to my wife the interest I own in the estate of my dec'd brother James together with my carriage, wagon, household & kitchen furniture, farming utinsils, Stock of every discription and two horses, all of which I wand divided at her death equally among my children whose names appear above. 2nd. ÊI give and bequeath to my daughter Amanda my girl Cornelia & claybank mare to own during her natural life but if she marry & die without issue the property must revert to my four sons above named. 3rd. I give to my son George at his mother's death all the land lying west of the crop road running from Zion church in the section of Hatchie river embracing the houses in which I now live, to have and to own so long as he shall live, but in the event that he should die, I want it divided equally between my three sons and daughter, namely, James, Thomas, Byron and Amanda. The remainder of the tract which lies east of the above named road I wish my son Byron to have & to use after her death it must be divided among his three brothers & Sister himself to wit: George, James, & Thomas. 4th. In consideration of the kindness of my son Thomas in nursing & administering medicine to a sick negro, I give him fifty dollars, extra. 5th. My two other sons, John & Henry Tapscott have already rec'd more than their proportions of my estate, I therefore give them one hundred dollars. 6th. I appoint my wife & Son George executrix & Executor of my estate May 10 1857 [Signed]
Samuel Tapscott [X his mark] Witnesses: John B. Thomas, Allsen Harris MD."

Here is what I believe.
Shortly before 1860 and the beginning of the Civil War, the Tapscotts moved South. There were many families, southern sympathizers, who smelled the fire of War, long before it started. These families would move on further South, and settle, in knowing the War was to begin shortly. In the 1860 Census of Obion, TN, I find mother Winifred Tapscott, with son A.B., and George. In another 1860 Census in Surrey County, MS, we find John Hill Tapscott, and younger brother S.T. This is also where S.T. met his wife Elizabeth "Lizzie" McPherson, she was born and raised in MS. In 1862, Dr. James Tapscott was killed in the Battle of Whitney Lane. When James died 1862, I believe that brothers A.B. and S.T., went to Westpoint AR to bury their older brother. It was then that they fell in love with this part of the country, vowing to come back here someday. It was not until after 1870 that A.B. settled in Westpoint, and two years later, S.T. opened a practice in Searcy, AR. In the will of Samuel Tapscott, he had left his lands to Winifred and the sons. I believe after the War, that Winifred and George did go back to the land and farm, although when George died they brought him back to Westpoint, AR, to be buried. So all four brothers are buried there, together, James, George, S.T., and my 2nd Grandfather A.B. Tapscott.

These are from my notes:
A brother James W. Tapscott settled in White County, AR. I recently found a Land Patent for James W.Tapscott in White County, AR, in 1861. James W. Tapscott died in 1862, in the Civil War, "Battle of Whitney Lane", around West Point, AR.

Both of A.B., and S.T. Tapscotts son's, became Doctors.

Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Eastern Arkansas Chicago: Goodspeed Publishers, 1890 Prepared by Kara Spence of the White County Historical Society
A. Byron Tapscott, M. D., although a young man, is one of the leading physicians of West Point, and has a large practice, enjoying a reputation of which many older in the professional experience might well be proud. Dr. Tapscott is a native of Tennessee, and a son of Ira and Mary (Jones) Tapscott, natives of North Carolina and Tennessee, respectively. Ira Byron was also a physician, and a graduate of the Medical College of Richmond, Va. He was a surgeon in Forrest's cavalry, in the late war, and after that struggle practiced in Tennessee until 1872, when he removed to Arkansas, continued his professional duties at West Point. He was a strong Democrat, a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and also of the I. O. O. F., and died in January, 1887, at the age of fifty-one years. Mrs. Tapscott is still living in West Point, and is the mother of five children, all living: A. Byron (our subject), Charles V. (also a Doctor), Emma J., Mary G. and Samuel F. At the age of fifteen Byron Tapscott commenced the study of medicine under his father's instruction, and in 1887 and 1888 attended the Missouri Medical College, at St. Louis. After graduating. he returned to West Point and embarked upon a career as a physician, also opening up a drug store, which he continued until October, 1889. Then he sold out, and has since devoted his whole attention to his rapidly increasing practice. He is firmly Democratic in his preferences, and a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South.

Dr. ST Tapscott, and Dr. AB Tapscott were brothers born within 3 years of each other. Cora and Winnie were ST's daughters. A.B. practiced in Kinsett, and S.T practiced in Searcy.

Here is what I believe.
Three brothers attended, at the same time, Richmond Medical College, in Richmond, VA., sometime before 1860.

Cora Tapscott, daughter of Dr. S.T, founded the Searcy female Institute.
Winiford (Winnie) 1873 1942 , daughter of Dr. S.T., returned to Searcy to
teach at Searcy Female Institute after her graduation from Ole Miss in 1904. She was also librarian, after her father donated space for the Library in Searcy.

Dr. S.T. Tapscott, his house was located in Searcy, AR. It was a big house for it's day. Dr. S.T. donated part of the house, for awhile, as a public Library in Searcy. Mother remembers that when Flora Tapscott died, her life at that time was a blur. She had just had Becky, this was 1950. Now losing her Grandmother, which she loved very much. Mamaw Rice watched Tim and Becky while mother went to Arkansas for the funeral. She stayed at Dr. ST Tapscott's house, as shown in the photo, and remembers Cora. It was a beautiful house, and she remembers waiters bringing the food to the table. She remembers the fence around it, and the 2nd level. She said they all "hung around" in the back, which is behind the right side of the photo.The house is now an historic site.

Dr. A.B. Tapscott, my second Great Grandfather, was a surgeon for General Bedford Forrest during the Civil War. He had such admiration for the General, and had told many stories of the Great General to my Great Grandfather, Dr. Charles Tapscott, that he then named one of his son's Bedford Forrest Tapscott. Bedford Forrest Tapscott was born in 1910, and just recently past away in 2003. Bless Him!

We also know that A. B. probably told Civil War stories about the "Forrest Calvary", for which he served as a surgeon. Then Charles V. named one of his son's Bedford Forrest after the great General. Also our Grandmother was named Mary after her own grandmother named Mary who married A.B. Sr.

I am listing below my Tapscott family and where they are buried. It all falls into place now. That George H. Tapscott buried here is my A.B.'s brother, and I believe we have also found James. He is listed here as James W. Tapscott M.D. He died in the Civil War. The MD's of White County Arkansas Honored him with a eight ft. Obelisk at his gravesite in 1999. We did not know whether he belonged to us or not. I'm now convinced that in this 1850 census it shows he was 20 years old in 1850, and born 1830 on his gravestone. His occupation says he is a teacher on this census.
A brother James W. Tapscott settled in White County, AR. I recently found a Land Patent for James W.Tapscott in White County, AR, in 1861. James W. Tapscott died in 1862, in the Civil War, "Battle of Whitney Lane", around West Point, AR. Here is the way things worked in those days. If a local War Battle was eminent. The Commanding General would ride into nearby towns, and recruit Doctors for the Battles. They were in a sense contracted laboror's. They were not regular military soldiers. When the battles were over they would go back to thier practice in their nearby towns. Although after extracting, A.B. Tapscott military record, I believe he stayed with General Bedford Forrest for quite sometime, battle after battle. Some say he was the Generals personal physician. Back to the Battle of Whitney Lane. Here was James Tapscott, a volunteer Doctor, there on the battlefield only to nurse those who are sick and injured, and he was brutally stabbed in the back by a Union soldier. This is a very sad story, but well documented to this day.

Sometime between 1850 and 1860, the three brothers, James, S.T., and A.B., all went to Medical College in Richmond Virginia. I surmise that all three brothers served as Physicians during the Civil War with loyalty to the CSA. Amazing as it seems, all of these brothers are buried, together, there in Arkansas.

Here is the story of Dr. James W. Tapscott, who is a hero in the "Battle of Whitney’s Lane" on May 19, 1862.

All of the Tapscott Family members are all Buried at WestPoint Cemetery, WestPoint, Arkansas, and others are buried at Oak Grove Cemetery Searcy, Arkansas.

Great Grandfather - Dr. Charles Vaught Tapscott b1869 d1921

Dr. Charles Vaught Tapscott married Flora Louise Foster b1875d1950. Charles and Flora had five children:
Charles V. "Uncle Tarls"
Clinton Houston "Uncle Coochie"
Bedford Forrest "Uncle Buffa"
Mary "Sue"
George S.

Here is the census of 1920:
1920 U.S. Census • Arkansas • White • Kensett •ED# 171TAPSCOTT,
Charles V. Head 50 TN. N.C. TN.
Flora Lorette(Foster) Wife 44 Ark. TN. TN.
Charles E. Son 22 Ark.
Clinton Son 17 Ark.
Mollie J. Daughter 14 Ark.
Bedford F. Son 10 Ark.
George S. Son 5 Ark.

Dr. Charles and his wife, Flora, would be called out many times during the middle of the night for house calls, infant deliveries, e.t.c.; They had a
horse and buggy, and Dr. Charles carried a big black bag with him. When the automobile was made, he sweared at them. He never bought one till later years. He said they would never make it down to the river bottoms, which is where most farm folks lived back then. Dr. Charles died about four years before my mother was born. But she fondly remembers Flora, her grandmother. For a time Flora lived with my Grandfather and Grandmother.

It is Flora Foster Tapscott that I have found our ancestry back to Adam and Eve on my mothers side. She descends from Royalty. If anyone is interested in seeing this ancestry, let me know, it goes back some 93 generations.

Song of the Week

After researching the Tapscotts family for some fifteen years. There is one thing I have found to be constant. They were a very close family, that watched after each other, and shared their love with each other. This is an old song by Johnny Rivers called "Mountain of Love".

Have a good Week

Daniel