Christopher and Lucinda Hix

Our 2nd-great-grandfather Christopher Colombus Hix was born 22 October 1848 in Flat Creek City, Bedford County, Tennessee to parents Joshua and Caroline Hix, also native Tennesseans. Christopher grew up in Bedford County, eventually becoming a farmer by 1870.

According to “Land Deed Genealogy of Bedford County Tennessee 1807-1852” compiled by Helen C. Marsh and Timothy R. Marsh, William Hix (Christopher’s grandfather) in 1845 sold 103 acres to Joshua R. Hix (Christopher’s father), which included land in Bedford County on the waters of Big Flat Creek. Nearby, according to online records, there is the Hix cemetery of Bedford County, which is located between Flat Creek and Shelbyville on the farm of Dr. Sara Womach, who bought the farm from the Hix heirs in 1966. William Hix is listed as being buried there.

What Christopher might have farmed:

The agricultural census for 1860 in Bedford tallied only 33 farms of plantation size, 500 acres or more. The largest category of farm size was 100 to 500 acres, but the majority of Bedford County farms in the late antebellum period were small, less than 100 acres. In comparison to other counties in 1860, neither of the cash crops, cotton nor tobacco, was a mainstay of Bedford County agriculture. In its position relative to other counties, Bedford’s production of oats fell off between 1850 and 1860, but the county continued among the leaders in corn production, and heads of cattle, sheep, and swine. In 1860, the county was among leaders in production of butter and wool. In valuation of animals slaughtered, Bedford led most counties, probably because of a “large Pork-packing establishment” operating in Shelbyville by at least the mid 1850s.

Excerpts from an online PhD dissertation from Middle Tennessee State University.

Lucinda C. Stanfield

Our 2nd-great-grandmother Lucinda C. Stanfield was born around 1855 in Tennessee. Her parents were Thomas J. Stanfield and Ellen Hix (also listed as having been buried at the aforementioned Hix cemetery). They had just one child, Lucinda, and Ellen died shortly after the birth or possibly during childbirth. As of 1870, Lucinda was living in Bedford County with Marcus Hix (possibly her grandfather) and his family, according to census data.

According to an unverified online family history, Lucinda and Christopher were first cousins, once removed. Their common ancestor was William Hix, who had two wives, Alcey Dews and Sarah Collins. Sarah and William were Christopher’s grandparents. Alcey and William were Lucinda’s great-grandparents.

Marriage and children

Christopher married Lucinda on 25 May 1871 in Tennessee. Together, they had the following children:

• Naoma (about 1872- )
• Ella (about 1873- )
• Thomas J., our great-grandfather (1875- 1935)
• Rosa (about 1877- )
• Fannie F. (1879- )
• Will R. (1881- )
• Ervin (1884- )
• Christopher C. Jr. (1886- )
• Frank (1889- )

This large family lived in Bedford County and Christopher worked as a farmer. Aside from farming, Christopher spent some of his free time as an officer (mason) of Tannehill Lodge, No. 133 in Gainesboro, Jackson County, according to local press.

Between 1889 and 1900, Lucinda died, leaving Christopher a widower. Christopher died in 1902 in Prairie Grove, Washington, Arkansas, according to census data. It remains unclear when Christopher moved to Arkansas.