Sophronia Elizabeth TATE

Notes:

The Family of Thompson and Sophronia Dunnegan, compiled by Carol E. Vaughan, Lexington, KY

Thompson lived with his father, Absalom, and remaining family members in White or Warren Counties, TN until around 1835 when he started his own family. His mother apparently died before 1830. Thompson married Sophronia Elizabeth Tate, daughter of Alexander Tate and Delilah Henderson. She was born around 1810 in VA or TN. It was said that Sophronia was "born with a veil" which, according to Appalachian folklore, could mean that she may have had an extra sensory "gift" or "powers." Certainly, she was held in high esteem since two of her granddaughters were named for her. Thompson and Sophronia had seven children, six of which were born in TN.

Thompson and Sophronia made their home in Warren County, TN in the Civil District 2 community of Campaign. He appears on the Tax Lists of 1836 and 1838 which show him as having 100 acres of land. The only record of land transactions found in TN was a Trust Deed dated April 25, 1838 in which a George Cole pays off a debt Thompson owed to Miller and Pennen for interest and possible sale of property. They lived in Warren County at the time of the 1850 Census but moved to Missouri shortly after that count. Their seventh child, Leander was born in MO in 1854. In the 1860 Census they are shown living in Iron County, MO with all seven children. By 1870, the family had settled in the town of Greenville in Wayne County, MO. Jane, Mary L., and Irvin were still living with them. James Elgin and William Samuel were married and living in Iron County. Sarah C. had married George B. Wallace by that time. The 1870 Census shows a Samuel Spears, farm laborer from TN, living with Thompson and Sophronia. We believe that Samuel was the son of Nancy Dunnegan and James Spears. At this time, Nancy is thought to have been Thompson's sister.

The dates and places of death for Thompson and Sophronia are unknown. The last record of Sophronia is shown on a deed dated March 22, 1879 in which she and Thompson sold a parcel of land in Wayne County to Emmanuel Lovelace. In another deed dated June 22, 1880, Thompson and his second wife, Sarah (Sallie) E. Foquaide sell a parcel of land to Irvin George Dunnegan. No evidence has been found to pinpoint the date of his death...only that he was still living in 1880. Nor, have any cemetery records been found showing their burial in Wayne or Iron Counties. There is a possibility that both were buried in a part of Old Greenville, located on the St. Francis River, which has been under water since the creation of Wappapello Dam.

A record of Thompson's marriage to Sarah E. Foquaide was found in Iron County. They were married April 14, 1880. The 1880 Census shows Thompson as head of household, 70 years old, farmer from VA, with his wife Sarah, 48 years old from TN. Also are listed two children, John (17) son, and Frances (11) daughter. The surname Dunnegan is shown for these children, but I do not believe that Thompson adopted them since their real names show up on later records. It is possible that Thompson died in St. Louis. Sally is shown living there in the 1890 Census but, most likely, she moved there after Thompson died.

Sophronia married Thompson Dunnegan 1835, Warren Co. TN. Thompson was born 1809, Wythe Co. VA. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Elgan fought in the Civil War. He was in the Calvary, Union Army for about two years (1863-1865). His grave, at Mt. View Cemetery in Des Arc is marked with a Civil War marker.

James married Martha Hickman. [Group Sheet]

Sarah married George Wallace 1865, Missouri. George was born 1840; died 1913, Missouri. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Thanks to Linda Ramsey, llrams@swbell.net for this information. If you have more data on the Dunnegan-Alcorn family, please contact her.

William married Eliza Wallace 1868, Iron Co. MO. Eliza was born 1852, Iron Co. MO. [Group Sheet]

William married Emmeline Augusta Alcorn 1877, Wayne Co. MO. Emmeline was born 05 May 1849, Wayne Co. MO; died 07 Mar 1932, Wayne Co. MO; was buried , Wallace Cemetery, Des Arc, Iron Co. MO. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Notes from Carol E. Vaughan, great granddaughter, Lexington, KY

Irwin George, the sixth child of Thompson Dunnegan and Sophronia Tate, was born in Warren County, TN in 1849. Thompson's family had moved from VA to middle TN sometime between 1810 and 1817. After Irvin's grandfather, Absalom Dunnegan, died in White County, TN, his uncles, John and Samuel Dunnegan left that area and moved to southeast MO around 1843. After about ten years Irvin's father Thompson followed them to Iron County, MO and later to Wayne County, MO.

Irwin was a farmer and owned a sawmill in Des Arc which he sold to G. W. Graves in 1890 for one thousand dollars. He was involved in a number of land transfers in Wayne County. One of the deeds reflected an understanding between Irvin George and his father, Thompson, in which Irvin would have a parcel of land for a nominal cost and would provide elder care for Thompson. It was signed in 1880 by Thompson and his second wife, Sallie E. Foquaide.

Irvin died in 1895 of injuries resulting from a very serious accident in 1894 at a saw mill in Wayne County. Carol Vaughan remembers this version as told by her grandfather, Walter C. Dunnegan. "Granddaddy said that people would come to their house and cut off patches of their own skin to graft onto his father's are flesh in hopes that his wounds would heal. He was at home in bed a long time before he died." The following death notice in the Iron County Register paints an even more agonizing and painful death.

Iron County Register, June 20, 1895

From Des Arc

I. G. Dunnegan, who was scalded in a wreck on a log boom below Poplar Bluff last summer, was brought home last winter. All the flesh was burned off his legs from his hip down. He has suffered death a thousand times, and of late he suffered so much you could hear him hollow and take on for some distance. So the Doctors concluded to cut off one of his lets, and Sunday, Drs. Petit, Gay, Tates and Sebastian amputated his leg, but he only lived until night. Poor man! He is better off. May God help his bereaved widow and children! He will be buried at Des Arc Tuesday. June 17, 1895

Irvin married Sarah Anna Kimmel 1878, Wayne Co. MO. Sarah was born 1860, Missouri; died 1944, Arkansas. [Group Sheet]

Ira married . Unknown [Group Sheet]

Ida married Guy E. HAUSER. [Group Sheet]

Ida married Frank L. BAIRD 31 Oct 1901, Wayne Co. MO. [Group Sheet]

Walter married Genivieve Kathryn Soper 1920. Genivieve was born 12 Apr 1898, Clinton Co. NY; died 04 Oct 1942, Washington, DC; was buried , Fort Lincoln Cemetery, Brentwood, Prince Georges Co. MD. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Died at a young age.