Andrew Jackson DEMPSEY Mary Henrietta DEMPSEY Frank B DEMPSEY Roe Andrew DEMPSEY Nocensusname DEMPSEY Linnie O'Dell DEMPSEY Azalia DEMPSEY Unknown MIDDLETON Whoknows NOSURNAME Mini tree diagram
Andrew Jackson DEMPSEY

Andrew Jackson DEMPSEY1,2,3,4,5,6,7

also known as Jack DEMPSEY5

11th Aug 18575 - 21st May 19406

Life History

11th Aug 1857

Born in Mississippi.1,2,3,4,5,6

(most likely)

about 1858

Born.5

(less likely)

1880

Birth of son Frank B DEMPSEY in Arkansas County, Arkansas.7,8,9,10,11

5th Feb 1887

Birth of son Roe Andrew DEMPSEY in Arkansas.7,13,1,3

about 1900

Birth of daughter Nocensusname DEMPSEY in Arkansas.14

5th Jan 1902

Birth of son Linnie O'Dell DEMPSEY in Arkansas.15,16,5,17,7

14th Jan 1906

Birth of daughter Azalia DEMPSEY in Arkansas.18,19,20,7,14

before 1930

Death of Unknown MIDDLETON in Arkansas County, Arkansas

24th Jun 1937

Death of son Roe Andrew DEMPSEY in Arkansas County, Arkansas.12,7

21st May 1940

Died in Arkansas County, Arkansas.6

after 21st May 1940

Buried in Chute Cemetery, St Charles, Arkansas County, Arkansas.6

Other facts

 

Married Unknown MIDDLETON

Notes

  • A census record in Bolivar County, Mississippi for an Andrew Demsey may be a record for Andrew Jackson Dempsey.  The age matches our Andrew Jackson Dempsey who lived later in Arkansas County, Arkansas.

    One discrepancy is that this record reports Andrew as born in Arkansas, rather than Mississippi, as later Arkansas censuses report.  But James C Dempsey, who is likely his brother, was born in Mississippi.

    Many families in the Ethel, Arkansas, area were back and forth to counties in Mississippi across the river, from which they moved to Ethel.  Other families with a presence in Mississippi border counties on their migration westward, and where some stayed, are Jenkins, Butler and Davidson.

    1850 Federal Census, Bolivar County, Mississippi, 9 November, Bolivar District, scan p 382, Hse/Fam #73
    Benjamin Perryman 71 M Farmer  Tennessee [born abt 1779]
    Mary Rachel Perryman 50 F Kentucky [born abt 1800]
    Albert Smith 30 F Laborer Kentucky [born abt 1820]
    Mary E Smith 18 F Mississippi [born abt 1832]
    Rachel Smith 17 F Mississippi [born abt 1833]
    Andrew Demsy 26 M Laborer Arkansas [born abt 1824]
    James C Demsy 22 M No Occupation Mississippi [born abt 1828]

    The 1850 census does not report the family relationships of individuals.  Looking at the configuration of this household, I would guess that Mary E Smith is the daughter of Ben and Mary Perryman, and Albert her husband.  Andrew and James are likely brothers.  It would appear that Andrew is working for Mr Perryman on the farm.  I have found no earlier information on Andrew Jackson Dempsey's parents or family to confirm this fraternal relationship with James.

    1870 Federal Census, Arkansas County, Arkansas, 2 July, Prairie Township, PO St Charles, page 13, Hse/Fam #98
    Dempsey, Jackson  47 M W Farmer $300 Personal  b Mississippi
    Dempsey, Mary 16 F W Keeping House born Mississippi  Cannot read or write
    Dempsey, Jackson 12 M W born Mississippi  Cannot read or write [b abt 1858]

    Both Jack and his father are enumerated here as Jackson.  In 1850, his father was listed as Andrew.  Neighbors knew the son as Jackson, but his full name was Andrew Jackson Dempsey, like his father.  His gravestone has his full name, as does his father's.

    In 1880, Jack is living with his sister Mollie (Mary) Henderson, next door to a family named Vanderford, with whom their father Andrew Jackson Dempsey is living and working.

    1880 Federal Census, Arkansas County, Arkansas, 3 June, Prairie Township, District 2, page 21 (scan p15C), Hse #24, Fam #28
    John Henderson  W M 21 (Head) Farmer AR MS AL
    Mollie Henderson  W F 25 Wife Keeping House MS MS MS
    M J Henderson  W F 19 Sister Single AR MS AL
    Jack Dempsey W M 23 Bro-in-law Single Farming MS MS MS  [born abt 1857]
    Wilfred Hargraves W M 6 1/2 Bro Single AR AL AL

    It appears that Jack married about 1884.  No marriage record has been found.

    In 1910 Jack and his family are living on the White River.  Most people in this section of Prairie Township are fishermen.  Note that both Andy Middleton and Jackson Dempsie are reported as Head of this household and owners of their home.  For some odd reason, the enumerator has recorded no first name for the Jack's wife or his two daughters.  No firm documentation has been found for Jack's wife, not even a marriage record, but there are some indications that she was a Middleton.  That matches their residential situation in 1910, being resident in the household of one Andy Middleton.  Andy is reported as a 50-year-old  widower.  He is likely the brother odf Jack's wife.

    1910 Federal Census, Arkansas County, Arkansas, 26 May, Prairie Township, District 13, page 11A, River Division, Hse/Fam #17
    Midleton, Andy Head M W 50 Widow US Unknown Unknown Fisherman Owns
    Dempsie, Jack Head M W 40 Married 23 years AR IL IL Fisherman Owns [born abt 1870]
    Dempsie, ---  Wife M W -- Married 23 yrs 6 children/3 living AR MS US
    Dempsie, Roe Son M W 20 Single AR AR AR Fisherman [born abt 1890]
    -- page11B --
    Dempsie, ---  Dau F W 10 Single AR AR AR [born abt 1900]
    Dempsie, ---  Dau F W 5 Single AR AR AR [born abt 1905]
    Portwood, Andrew Boarder M W 35 Single US US US Fisherman

    Justin Dempsey has very complete information on Jack's family with exact dates for all his children, including those who died young, unidentified in the censuses.  Howsever, note that he identifies Jack's wife as Emma Vanderford.  Justin has no documentation on his genelaogy, so we have no way of evaluating the validity of his information..

    Andrew Jackson DEMPSEY Jr.
    BIRTH 20 NOV 1857 Alligator (Bolivar) MS, USA
    DEATH 21 MAY 1940 Arkansas County AR, USA
    Spouse Emma (VANDERFORD) DEMPSEY
    Children:
    Henry Harrison DEMPSEY 1885-1903
    Roe Andrew DEMPSEY 1888-1937
    Maxie Wilson DEMPSEY 1890-1893
    William Carrel DEMPSEY 1892-1910
    Thomas Benjamin DEMPSEY 1894-1900
    Lueisann DEMPSEY 1896-1917
    Linnie O'Dell DEMPSEY 1902-1972
    Azailiar (DEMPSEY) PADGETT 1906-1967
    --  Justin Dempsey, Ancestry, https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/53297762/person/13486460222/facts

    Ancestry transcribes the 1910 census name of Roe as Roc.  From early indications, I thought Roe was the son of Jackson Dempsey, born in 1858.  The I found this 1910 census, indicating that Roc's father Jackson reported as age 40 was born about 1870!  Yet in 1930 Roe/Roc's father Jack is reported as 72, a gain of 30 years in 20!.  All the other census ages make him born about 1858.  So for some reason, Jack was reported as about 10 or 11 years younger than he was.

    By 1930, Roe had married, they had moved inland and he was then raising cotton.  This census also has his name as Roc.

    1930 Federal Census, Arkansas County, Arkansas, 12 April, Prairie Township, District 24, page 3B, Public Road, Hse #51, Fam #52
    Dempsey, Roc (Roe?) Head Rents M W 42 Married at age 30  AR MS AR Cotton Farmer
    Dempsey, Josie F W 30 Married at age 18  AR AR AR
    Dempsey, Harrison Son M W 11 AR AR AR
    Dempsey, Thelmer (Thomas?) Son M W 9 AR AR AR
    Dempsey, Elvis Son M W 7 AR AR AR
    Dempsey, Jack Father M W 72 Widowed  MS MS MS [born abt 1858]

    Someof the missing pieces in my knowledge of the Dempsey line fell into place in November 2012, when I found the 1940 census entry that confirmed that Linnie Dempsey was Jack's son.  Jack, age 82, is in the household of Linnie and Gladys Dempsey, confirming that my Jackson Dempsey, father of Roc, is the same person as Jack Dempsey, father of Linnie, whose connections we knew otherwise.

    1940 Federal Census, Arkansas County, Arkansas, 15 April, Ethel, District 1-26, page 7B, Oak Flat Rd, Hse #113, Rents $400
    Dempsey, Linnie Head M W 28 Grade 4 b Ark same place in 1935 Fisherman
    Dempsey, Gladys Wife F W 21 Grade 7 b Ark same place in 1935 Housekeeper
    Dempsey, Annella Dau F W 8 Single Grade 2 b Ark same place in 1935
    Dempsey, Carew Son M W 6 Grade 1 b Ark same place in 1935
    Dempsey, Lanell Dau F W 5 Grade 0 b Ark same place in 1935
    Dempsey, Arvin Son M W 2 Grade 0 b Ark
    Dempsey, Jack Father M W 82 Grade 4 b Miss same place in 1935 [b abt 1858]

    Gravestone of Andrew Jackson Dempsey
    Andrew Jackson Dempsey  Aug 11, 1857  May 21, 1940
    Chute Cemetery, White River, on the CCC Camp Rd, south of St Charles, Arkansas
    Photo by Orville Boyd Jenkins 13 May 2017

    ---------------------
    Andrew Jackson “Jack” Dempsey
    BIRTH 11 Aug 1857 Mississippi
    DEATH 21 May 1940 (aged 82) Arkansas County, Arkansas, USA
    BURIAL Chute Cemetery, De Witt, Arkansas County, Arkansas

    Andrew Jackson Dempsey's father was also Andrew Jackson Dempsey. The son commonly went by Jack. Some records have his name as Jackson. In the 1870 census, both Jack and his father were enumerated as Jackson. In 1850, his father was listed as Andrew. His gravestone has his full name, as does his father's.

    Chute Cemetery is on a cliff above the White River Chute, on the CCC Camp Rd, south of St Charles, Arkansas. It is about 15 miles east of DeWitt, the county seat.

    Parents:
    Andrew Jackson Dempsey 1823-1890

    Children:
    Linnie O'Dell Dempsey 1902-1972
    Azaliar Dempsey Padgett 1906-1967

    Created by Orville Jenkins 12 Aug 2019
    --  Find A Grave Memorial 202078011, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/202078011/andrew-jackson-dempsey
    ---------------------

Sources

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