David Elias Elston, born January
19, 1825, brought his wife, Nancy Jane Winford, born February 25, 1829, from Missouri to Texas
about 1844, when he was nineteen years of age.
He settled on a tract of land east of present day Keller but did not
file for ownership. This grant of land
was homesteaded later by Sam Houston Thompson.
During these years of residence, the wife and two small children
died. They are believed to be buried in Mt. Gilead
Cemetery in unmarked
graves. The husband returned to Missouri where he lived
several years.
On November 22, 1854, he was
married to fourteen year old Hannah West, born June 10, 1840. With his wife he moved to Arkansas and lived near Gearcy. Being a farmer, he needed tools which were
not easy to come by. At his request, his
father shipped the most necessary items by boat from Missouri.
A letter still in the possession of a grandson, Verda Leo Elston, gives
a detailed list of the cargo, some of which is still on the Elston farm after
more than one hundred years.
The Elston’s first child, Jessie
Francis, was born March 24, 1856. When
the baby was six weeks old, the family moved to Tarrant County
and settled in the Lone Elm Community.
The land they chose as situated in the south west corner of the
intersection of roads known now as 1709 and Pearson Lane. The first log cabin was in a timbered grove
about one quarter of a mile south of 1709.
The first chimney of clay and sticks served for many years, but was finally
replaced with one of stones. The second
cabin was near the well, which still stands on the Wendell Berry lawn. Perhaps because of slow transportation and
the stress of pioneer life, David Elston did not file for the ownership of his
land until February 4, 1871.
Members of the Elston family were
active in the affairs of Mt.
Gilead Baptist
Church. David Elston helped build the second church
after the first log building was burned by Indians in 1859. His daughter, Martha Ellen Elston, was the
first woman to hold the office of church clerk.
In 1907, she was sent as one of six messengers to the Baptist
Association. The house of worship served
as a school for the children on week days.
Mt. Gilead Cemetery became the family burial
ground. The Elston lot, marked by hand
hewn sand stones, lies near the entrance.
At one corner there are graves of two Negro trail drivers who were
stricken with a fatal illness and buried there with the permission of David
Elston.
In 1894, David Elston built a third
residence on his land, this time a story and a half frame house on the hilltop
location owned now by the Ted Dwayne Millers.
It was at this home that he and his wife spent the remainder of their lives. He passed away February 14, 1896. She followed him in death June 18, 1913. Both are buried in Mt. Gilead Cemetery.
The children of David E. and Hannah
West Elston are as follows:
1)
Jessie Frances, born March 24, 1856, was married to
Betty Finlay,
January 31, 1886. Their children are:
a)
Eliza, married Joe Turnbow and Mr. Castleberry.
b)
Jeff married Myrtle Stewart.
c)
Jim married Jeanette Castleberry.
d)
Mary Ellen married George Alexander.
e)
Carl married Naomi Jones.
f)
Roy
married Luna Palmer.
This branch of the family lived in
the Florence Community. In later years,
the parents moved to Henrietta. Both are
buried there.
2)
Zephaniah Ephriam, born March 13, 1858, moved to Henderson County.
3)
Caroline, born April 25, 1860, died May 1, 1860.
4)
Jefferson Davis, born August 7, 1862.
5)
Mary Elizabeth, born February 26, 1864, died February 27, 1876.
6)
John David, born April 10, 1866, died January 19, 1885.
7)
Crenshaw Bates, born January 17, 1869, died February 21, 1905.
8)
James William, born April 7, 1872, died May 22, 1939.
9)
Lucinda Jane, born April 5, 1874, died September 30, 1894
10)
Olivia Dora Ann, born August 6, 1876 and died August 4, 1952. Olivia was married December 5, 1897 to Arthur
Giles, born April 23, 1876, a native of Nottingham,
England. He was brought to America at the age of seven by an
uncle, Henry Giles, who was also his foster father. Children of the Giles family were:
a) Lucy Elizabeth, born January 24, 1899 and
died April 11, 1935. She was married
November 30, 1920 to Willie Thomas Markham.
b) Hanna Mae, twins born September 24,
1900. Hanna died May 11, 1953
c) Anna Mae, twins born September 24, 1900. Anna died in infancy.
d) Theron Earnest, born March 28, 1904, was
married to Cassie Mae Newton September 20, 1925.
e) Bessie Ellen, born October 5, 1908, was
married to Willie Thomas Markham October 15, 1935 in Sturgis, Kentucky.
The Giles’ were farmers in the
Keller Community. They attended the First Baptist
Church and the children
attended the local school. In 1936, the
parents retired and moved into the village
of Keller. After the death of the mother, August 4,
1952, the father made his home with the son, Theron E., in Fort Worth, where he passed away March 12,
1959. Both are buried in Bourland Cemetery.
11)
Coonie, born January 1, 1879, died March 4, 1879.
12)
Martha Ellen, born August 17, 1881 and died March 4, 1960. She married Augustus Oliver (Gus) Sparkman,
born December 5, 1874 and died December 26, 1941 on September 6, 1911. Augustus was the son of John and Martha
Mooneyhan Sparkman. The children of Gus
and Martha Ellen Sparkman:
a)
Earl Hulen, born September 15, 1912 at Rockdale, Texas. Married Pearl Doss, daughter of James Lee
Doss and his wife Fannie Evelyn Monk.
b)
Leon,
born December 25, 1913. Leon was a
member of the National Guard unit of Jack County, Texas. During World War II, he served in Battery F,
131st Field Artillery and died in the ill fated Bataan
March.
c)
Dorothy June, born July 26, 1915. Married George Burrell, born in Peroia, Illinois,
the son of George and Lazella Lincoln Burrell.
Lives at Wickes, Arkansas.
d)
Charles Leonard, born June 10, 1918. Married Iva Lavonne Hallmark, born at LaRue, Texas
June 14, 1920, the daughter of Levern and Iva Marie Watts Hallmark.
