Archibald Stogsdill and Perlina Couch
By Mike Landwehr
Copyright 2010
NOTE: The following biography of Archibald Stogsdill and Perlina Couch is an excerpt from a book I authored in 2010, entitled "Moses Couch and William Stogsdill Families". Since that book is still unpublished, I am posting this excerpt to make the information more readily available to others who share my interest in this family.
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We believe that Archibald ‘Arch’ Stogsdill was either born in Kentucky, or more likely in Lincoln County, Tennessee, in 1819 or 1820. Archibald’s father purchased land in Lincoln County in 1819. It is possible that Archibald spent much of his early life in Lincoln County, as we know that his family were residents of Lincoln County in 1830. Archibald was probably in his early teens when his family migrated to the lands along Larkins Fork, in Jackson County, Alabama, in the early 1830’s. In January or February of 1836, Archibald was received into the church on Primitive Baptist Church on Larkins Fork, not far from the Stogsdill farm, by baptism. Archibald undoubtedly migrated to Ripley County, Missouri, with his parents about 1840 or 1841, where his father died in July of 1841. A year later, on August 7, 1842, Archibald was married to his first cousin, Perlina Couch. Archibald was about 22 years old, and Perlina was about 18. For further information about Perlina’s life before she married Archibald, see “Perlina Couch” on page 38.
During the early years of their marriage, Archibald and Perlina had at least three children, all born in Missouri. Daniel Stogsdill, probably named after his uncle, was born about 1843. Simpson Stogsdill, probably named after his uncle, Simpson Couch, was born about 1845. John M. Stogsdill was born in 1848 or 1849.
By 1850, Archibald and Perlina had migrated west, to Dade County, Missouri, along with Perlina’s parents, Perlina’s sister, and all of Archibald’s siblings except his youngest sister. Archibald and Perlina and their three children were enumerated in the 1850 Dade County census, living on their 40-acre family farm “next door” to Perlina’s parents, and to the family of Archibald’s older brother, Josiah Stogsdill. A description of Archibald’s farm is provided by Figure 8 on page 181. Like most of his neighbors, Archibald did not own the land that he and Perlina were farming, but were living as squatters on public land. I have not found any evidence that Archibald ever owned any land in Dade County.
During the 1850’s, Archibald and Perlina had at least three more children, all born in Missouri. Mary Catherine Stogsdill was born in 1851 or 1852. Josiah Stogsdill, undoubtedly named after his uncle, was born in 1854 or 1855. Malinda Angelina Stogsdill, surely named after her grandmother, Malinda (Couch) Stogsdill, and her aunt, Angelina (Couch) Evans, was born in 1856 or 1857.
At some point during the 1850’s, Archibald and Perlina moved their family back to Oregon County. A land patent issued to “Archable Stogsdale” on September 1, 1859, gave Archibald title to 120 acres of land[1] located two and one-half miles west, and slightly north, of the village of Couch. A second patent, issued to “Archable Stogsdale” on August 1, 1860, provided title to an additional 160 acres of land[2] located adjacent to the 120 acres purchased earlier. All of the 280 acres of land was purchased with cash, and was probably purchased 6-24 months prior to the issuance of the land patents. It seems a major purchase for someone who had not, to our knowledge, ever owned any land before. It would be interesting to know whether Archibald and Perlina had saved the money to buy the land, or whether they might have been backed by Perlina’s relatively well-to-do brother, Simpson Couch.
When the Archibald Stogsdill family was enumerated in Oak Grove Township of Oregon County in June of 1860, Archibald valued his farm at $1600, and personal property at $1023. The family consisted of Archibald and Perlina, their six children, as well as five-year-old "Martha J. Grisam". Another researcher reports that Martha Grisham, along with sisters Mary C. Grisham, Sarah E. Grisham, and Tennessee Grisham, were daughters of E. A. and Elvina Grisham. Elvina was reportedly killed in Oregon County in May of 1860 by jayhawkers, or bushwhackers. After her death, her four daughters, ranging in age from infancy to seven years, were reportedly taken in by four families--the Archibald Stogsdill family, the James W. Bruce family, the Gilbert Blankenship family, and the Jesse C. Morris family. Martha Grisham’s father, E. A. Grisham, reportedly died in 1862, during the Civil War, somewhere in Arkansas.
Another daughter, Susan Jane Stogsdill, was born to Archibald and Perlina sometime after the 1860 census. I have seen information indicating that Perlina had eight children. We have only been able to identify seven children, but it is quite possible that Archibald and Perlina lost a child whom we have not identified. Tragically, Perlina (Couch) Stogsdill did not live to raise her children, as she apparently died sometime between 1860 and 1864.
Archibald was approximately 41 years old, and was probably living in Oregon County, when the Civil War began in April of 1861. To date, I have not located any evidence that Archibald served in any military unit during the war. There is some evidence that Archibald remained in the Oregon County area during the first two years of the war. An article entitled "Civil War Activities at Iron County Missouri", which appeared on page 153 of MoSGA Journal, XIX, No. 3, 1999, and was submitted by John F. Bradbury Jr., lists a group of five men from Oregon County, Missouri. The list includes the name of "Archbald Stogsdill". The article indicates that the five names were on a "List of Refugees surrendering, taking the oath and giving bond". The list appears to associate the date of September 21, 1863, with the name, and indicates that Archibald was "Released, lack of charges". But, there is also an indication that this page was scratched in the original source document. The article then lists a group of six men from Oregon County, Missouri. The second list includes the names of "Archabild Stogsdill" and “Simpson Stogsdill”. I assume that the Simpson Stogsdill whose name was on the list was Archibald’s son, who would have been about 18 years old at that time. The second list appears to associate the date of October 1, 1863, with the names, and indicates that the men were "Released, proven innocent".
There is evidence that Archibald moved back to Dade County during the Civil War. After Perlina’s death, Archibald married Elizabeth (Williams) Foust, daughter of Robert Williams and Jane Moore. Some of my information about Elizabeth Williams was posted to the internet by Shirley Moore, of Ten Mile, Tennessee. According to Shirley, Elizabeth Williams was born in Meigs County, Tennessee, on September 15, 1838. The Robert Williams family apparently moved to Missouri between 1845 and 1848, and was enumerated in the 1850 census of Dade County. The Williams family were neighbors of our Couch and Stogsdill families in 1850. The three families listed immediately after the Robert Williams family in the census records were the families of William and Rebecca McGehee, Josiah and Lydia Stogsdill, and Archibald and Perlina Stogsdill. Archibald’s 12-year-old neighbor in the 1850 census, Elizabeth Williams, would eventually become his wife.
Shirley Moore reports that Elizabeth’s first marriage, to John Foust, occurred on January 31, 1858. I have not been able to locate a record of their marriage, but suspect that they were married in Dade County. The couple appears in the 1860 census of Polk Township of Dade County, living “next door” to the families of Jacob and Emily Harshaw, and Emily’s parents, Josiah and Lydia Stogsdill. John reported owning real estate he valued at $350, and personal property he valued at $800. There were no children in the household.
Shirley Moore’s research indicates that Elizabeth and John Foust had at least two children, Ollie Foust and William Foust. Something must have happened to John Foust in the early 1860’s, quite possibly related to the Civil War, as Elizabeth married Archibald Stogsdill about 1863 or 1864. I have not located any record of their marriage, but suspect that they were married in Dade County. Archibald was about 44 years old when they married, and Elizabeth was about 25.
After their marriage, Archibald and Elizabeth apparently remained in Dade County. Dade County marriage records from December of 1864 and from 1865 indicate that Archibald was serving, at that time, as an ordained Minister of the United Baptist Church of Christ in Dade County. A son, James Robert Stogsdill, was born in Dade County in June of 1865.
Archibald and Elizabeth may have moved back to Oregon County in 1865 or 1866. On December 16, 1866, the Oregon County Court appointed Archibald Stogsdill as the Guardian and Curator of his three youngest children from his marriage to Perlina. His youngest children were minor heirs of the estate of Perlina’s father, Lindley Couch. Archibald was bound as principal, and Josiah Payne and James B. Old as his securities, in the sum of one thousand dollars.
Another son, Archibald Stogsdill Jr., was born to Archibald and Elizabeth in February of 1868.
As evidence of Archibald’s residence in Oregon County, and as evidence of his standing in his community, Archibald was appointed, by the Oregon County Probate Court, to serve as the Administrator of the estate of W. C. Hall. This appointment occurred in June of 1869.
We have already noted that Archibald served as an ordained Minister of the United Baptist Church of Christ in Dade County in 1864 and 1865. On September 19, 1869, “Elder A. Stogsdill” was one of three elders of the United Baptist Church who signed the Credentials of Ordination for H. C. Kirkpatrick in Randolph County, Arkansas, just across the state line from Oregon County.
On page 191 of Volume 2 of the Oregon County Probate records, there is a report on the Estate of William C. Hall. On April 15, 1870, Archibald Stogsdill asked to be discharged as the Administrator of the estate, and resigned his responsibility. He charged himself with "due estate" of $112.50. He also provided detail to support his request for credits of $142.09, leaving a balance due him of $29.59. The next day, on April 16, Archibald’s daughter, Mary C. Stogsdill, probably 18 years of age, signed a receipt for $125.00 which she received from her father as her share of the proceeds from the sale of real estate which Mary inherited from her grandfather, Lindley Couch.
I believe that Archibald was making preparations, in mid-April of 1870, to move his family from Oregon County to Texas. We believe that Archibald and Elizabeth migrated to the Sandusky area, in Grayson County, Texas, about 1870. To date, I have not located Archibald and Elizabeth in the 1870 census, but we do know that the family of Archibald’s uncle, Benjamin Couch, had been living in the Sandusky area for several years prior to 1870.
There is no entry for Archibald Stogsdill in the 1870 Grayson County tax rolls. The 1871 tax rolls for Grayson County, however, do include an entry for “A. Stogsdill”, who owned eight horses, 14 cattle, 13 sheep and 12 other livestock.
Another daughter, Dora Ellen Stogsdill, was born to Archibald and Elizabeth in May of 1871. She is reported to have been born at Sandusky. Other family researchers report that Archibald Stogsdill died at Sandusky in August of 1871, and was buried in the Mt. Tabor Cemetery near Sandusky. I am not aware of the source of this information, but don’t doubt its authenticity. There was no entry for Archibald Stogsdill in the 1872 tax rolls for Grayson County.
Following Archibald’s death, his widow, Elizabeth (Williams) Foust Stogsdill, married Posey Rogers. Posey and Elizabeth had a son, John C. Rogers, born in 1876. Some time prior to the 1880 census, Elizabeth married a fourth time. Her fourth marriage was to William Ambrose. Elizabeth died on January 9, 1912, in Duncan, Oklahoma, and was buried in the Rock Creek Cemetery near Duncan.
[1] The land was described as the NE 1/4 of the SE 1/4 and the SE 1/4 of the NE 1/4 in Section 32, and the SW 1/4 of the NW 1/4 in Section 33, all in Township 23 North of Range 4 West.
[2] The land was described as the SE 1/4 of the NW 1/4 and the NE 1/4 of the SW 1/4 and the NW 1/4 of the SE 1/4 of Section 33, and the NW 1/4 of the SE 1/4 of Section 32, all in Township 23 North of Range 4 West.