Isom TERRY George Washington WOODWARD Presley BOWMAN Seatha SLONE Mini tree diagram
Caroline TERRY

Caroline TERRY1,3,4,4,5,2,6

25th Mar 18591,3,4,4,5,6 - 8th Nov 19321,3,2

Life History

25th Mar 1859

Born in Madison County, Arkansas.1,3,4,4,5,6

16th Aug 1877

Married George Washington WOODWARD in Johnson County, Arkansas.4

Caroline Terry Woodward and and George W Woodward are both reported in the 1880 census as widowed.  Yet they are living in homes next door to each other!  Caroline is in her widowed and remarried father's household, reported as Caroline Woodward, widow.  George is head of the household next door, also reported as widowed.  In 1910 they are living three doors apart, when George is married to Caroline's sister Mary Terry Selph.

1st Mar 1882

Married Presley BOWMAN in Johnson County, Arkansas.4

before Mar 1888

Divorced from George Washington WOODWARD in Johnson County, Arkansas.4,7,3

after 1910

Death of George Washington WOODWARD in Johnson County, Arkansas.7

8th Nov 1932

Died in Johnson County, Arkansas.1,3,2

after 8th Nov 1932

Buried in Fort Douglas Cemetery, Fort Douglas, Johnson County, Arkansas.1,2

Notes

  • Caroline';s mother could have been Isom's first wife name Hughes (first name unknown).  Or it could have been his second wife, Seatha/Ceatta  Slone, whom he married before the 1860 census.   In the 1860 census with Isom and Ceatta, Caroline is reported as 1 year old.

    We know from common census ages that this might mean she was over one year or not quite one year.  She was probably born some time in 1859.  Somewhere after the birth of the previous child Mary in about 1857 and the 1860 census, the Hughes wife died.

    1860 Federal Census, Madison County, Arkansas, 3 July, PO St Paul, Hilburn Township, page 50, Hse/Fam #326
    Isham Terry 26 M Farmer $0 Real Estate $15 Personal born KY Cannot read or write
    Ceatta Terry 29 F born KY Cannot read or write
    Caroline Terry 1 F born AR

    In the 1880 census, Caroline is in the household of her parents, reported as a widow under the name of Caroline Woodard.  There is a marriage record for a Caroline Terry and George W Woodward, reporting their marriage in 1877.

    1880 Federal Census, Johnson County, Arkansas, 5 June, Pilot Rock Township, District 88, page 6A (scan 260A), Hse #44, Fam #52
    Terry, Isham  W M 52  Farmer Cannot read or write KY KY KY
    Terry, Celia  W F 37 Wife Keeping House Cannot write AR TN TN
    Woodward, Caroline  W F 20 Dau Widowed Helps work on farm AR AR AR

    This appears, however, to be the same person named George Washington Woodward, who later married Caroline's sister Mary E Terry Self on 20 Aug 1881, after she was widowed.  So how could Caroline be a widow in 1880?  Was that just an error on the part of the enumerator?  A George Woodard is living next door to Terry, Celia and Caroline in 1880.  George matches Caroline's husband, but he is also reported as widowed.

    In George W Woodward's household is one widow Mary Self.  This Mary appears to be Isom's daughter and Caroline's sister Mary E Terry (first husband Nathaniel Selph).  But Mary Self is reported as a niece of George Woodard.  I have not discovered the basis of that relationship.

    Complicating this, however, is the conflict of dates for Mary Terry, with the marriage record for Mary and George reporting their marriage on 20 Aug 1881, while the date of death of Mary Woodard's gravestone is 1 Apr 1881.  But family sources report that this is the same Mary Terry Woodard, and her husband as George Washington Woodard.  So were there two George W Woodwards?  Was Caroline divorced instead of widowed?

    Arkansas, County Marriages Index, 1837-1957
    George W Woodward
    Age 30, Birth Year abt 1847
    Residence Fort Douglas, Johnson, Arkansas
    Spouse's Name Caroline Terry
    Spouse's Age 18
    Spouse's Residence Fort Douglas, Johnson, Arkansas
    Marriage 16 Aug 1877 Johnson County

    Caroline later married Presley Bowman in 1882.  But on the marriage record Presley's bride is named Mary Terry.  But the date of marriage matches the 1910 census report that Caroline and Presley have been married for 28 years.

    Arkansas, County Marriages Index, 1837-1957
    Presly Bowman
    Age 19, Birth Year abt 1863
    Residence Fort Douglas, Johnson, Arkansas
    Spouse's Name Mary Terry
    Spouse's Age 24 [b abt 1858]
    Spouse's Residence Fort Douglas, Johnson, Arkansas
    Marriage 1 Mar 1882 Johnson County
    Marriage License Date 28 Feb 1882

    1900 Federal Census, Johnson County, Arkansas, 15 June, Pilot Rock Township, District 42, page 6A,  Hse #75, Fam #77
    Bowman, Presley Head  W M Aug 1862 37 Married 18 year KY KY KY Farmer Rents
    Bowman, Carolina [sic] Wife W F Mar 1859 41 Married 18 year 10 children/8 living KY KY KY
    Bowman, Arch P  Son W M Oct 1882 16 Single AR KY KY Farm Laborer
    Bowman, Oscar H Son W M Mar 1884 35 Single AR KY KY Farm Laborer
    Bowman, Walsie A Dau W M Mar 1886 14 Single AR KY KY Farm Laborer
    Bowman, Josie Dau W M Sept 1888 11 Single AR KY KY Farm Laborer
    Bowman, John L S Son W M Dec 1894 5 Single AR KY KY
    Bowman, Leora Dau W M Dec 1896 3 Single AR KY KY
    Bowman, Doc D Son W M Dec 1899 5mos Single AR KY KY
    Terry, Holly s(ister)-in-law W M Feb 1885 15 Single AR KY AR Farm Laborer

    1910 Federal Census, Johnson County, Arkansas, 7 May, Pilot Point Township, District 63, page 9B, Hogansville & Ft Douglas Rd, Hse #154, Fam #160
    Bowman, Presley Head M W 48 Marriage 1 Married 28 yrs [abt 1882] KY KY KY Farmer Owns [b abt 1862]
    Bowman, Carolina [sic] Wife F W 51 Marriage 2 Married 28 [abt 1882] yrs 9 children/8 living KY KY KY [b abt 1859]
    Bowman, Josey M Dau F W 20 single AR KY KY Farm Laborer [b abt 1890]
    Bowman, Elsie C E Dau F W 19 single AR KY KY Farm Laborer [b abt 1891]
    Bowman, John S Son M W 16 single AR KY KY Farm Laborer [b abt 1894]
    Bowman, Norma L O Dau F W 13 single AR KY KY Farm Laborer [b abt 1897]

    The puzzle of Caroline and George Woodward being reported as widowed in 1880 is clarified here.  The census reports this is the first marriage for Presley and the second for Caroline.  Caroline (spelled Carolina here) and her second husband Presley Bowman living only three houses away from George and Caroline's sister Mary.

    1910 Federal Census, Johnson County, Arkansas, 7 May, Pilot Point Township, District 63, page 9B, Hogansville & Ft Douglas Rd, Hse #151, Fam #157
    Woodward, George W Head M W 65 Marriage 4 Married 28 yrs [abt 1882] AR NC MO Farmer Rents [b abt 1845]
    Woodward, Sarah E Wife F W 63 Marriage 2 Married 28 yrs [abt 1882] 3 children/2 living AR MO MO [b abt 1848]

    This seems to confirm that George and Caroline were divorced.  This means the report in 1880 that they were widowed was incorrect as surmised.  And Mary Terry Selph does seem to have married George despite the fact that he and her sister Caroline had divorced.

    Gravestone of Presley and Caroline Bowman, Cemetery, Clarksville, Johnson County, Arkansas
    Bowman
    Father Press
    Aug 22, 1863  June 30, 1942
    Mother
    Caroline
    Mar 25, 1859  Nov 8, 1932

    It was originally thought that the cemetery is in Clarksville, Johnson County, Arkansas.  The person posting the photos of the gravestone did not report what cemetery it was in!  Death was reported as occurring in Clarksville.  The memorial on Find a Grave clarifies this and fills the gap on some details, although it includes some factual errors as noted in brackets.  Since no comment was made about the differences, I am assuming that these differences are not stated here as corrections to the carved dates in the gravestone but are just careless transcription errors.  No photo of the gravestone is included with the memorial on Find a Grave.

    ------------------------------
    Caroline Terry Woodward Bowman
    Birth Feb. 25, 1859 [Grave says Mar 25] Kentucky
    [family facts indicate she was born after the family was living in Madison County, Arkansas, as reported in the 1860 census when she was 1 year old and the 1880 census.]
    Death Nov. 8, 1932

    First Husband, George W. Woodard, Married 16 Aug 1881 Johnson CO. AR [? Ark Marriage record reports they married in 1877, and in the 1880 census she has the name Woodward, and is already separated from her husband George Woodard, who married her sister Mary on 20 August 1881]

    Father Isom Terry (1830 - 1888)
    Siblings:
    Mary Terry Woodard (1857 - 1881)
    Jack Terry (1865 - 1925)

    Spouse Presley Bowman (1862 - 1942)

    Children:
    Arch P Bowman (1882 - 1944)
    Oscar Bowman (1884 - 1922)
    Josie May Bowman (1888 - 1968)
    John Sullivan Bowman (1893 - 1952)

    Burial Fort Douglas Cemetery, Fort Douglas, Johnson County, Arkansas

    Created by Bea Smith Daniel Nov 06, 2008
    --  Find A Grave Memorial #3116731, http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=31167317
    ------------------------------

Sources

  • 1. Gravestone of Presley and Caroline Bowman, Cemetery, Clarksville, Johnson County, Arkansas
  • 2. Find a Grave Memorial Registry
    • Memorial #3116731, http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=31167317
  • 3. 1910 Federal Census, Johnson County, Arkansas
    • 7 May, Pilot Point Township, District 63, page 9B, Hogansville & Ft Douglas Rd, Hse #154, Fam #160
  • 4. Arkansas, County Marriages Index, 1837-1957
  • 5. 1880 Federal Census, Johnson County, Arkansas
    • 5 June, Pilot Rock Township, District 88, page 6A (scan 260A), Hse #44, Fam #52
  • 6. 1860 Federal Census, Madison County, Arkansas
    • 3 July, PO St Paul, Hilburn Township, page 50, Hse/Fam #326
  • 7. 1910 Federal Census, Johnson County, Arkansas
    • 7 May, Pilot Point Township, District 63, page 9B, Hogansville & Ft Douglas Rd, Hse #151, Fam #157

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