James Reuben Broyles (1819 - 1905)

Born 4 Jan 1819 in White County, Tenn.

Ancestors

Husband of Martha (Geer) Broyles — married about 1837 in White County, Tenn.

Husband of Elizabeth (Pierce) Broyles — married 17 Apr 1842 in Andrew Co., Missouri

Descendants

Died 11 Dec 1905 at age 86 in Contra Costa County, Cal.

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Biography

James is a bit of a puzzle. For starters his name is supposedly James Reuben, but he had a brother named Reuben. This would call his middle name into question yet his son Thomas had a son named James R., so perhaps the story is true.

According to Keith^[1] he married, had children, then left them for the California gold rush in 1849. Keith cites letters to and from his parents as proof that James was in California and indeed we do find census records that support this. Keith assigns but one son with certainty, Thomas M., but he also suggests a second marriage that resulted in a daughter Mary who married a Barefield.

James's first wife is given as Martha Geer. A Martha Broyles and children James and Vance are found in the census records back in White Co., Tenn., living with the William Mason family from 1850 onward. It does not appear that she is Martha Geer.

4 Jan 1819 - James is born in White Co., Tenn.^[1]

1836 - James Broyles is named to a road crew in White Co.^[2]

- There is no record of his marriage to Martha Geer.

- Shortly after the census of 1840 James and his father and siblings move to Missouri.

17 Apr 1842 - James Brails marries Elizabeth Pierce in Andrew Co., Missouri.^[3]

1849 - James makes his way to the Gold Rush in California and eventually settles in the Dutch Flat and Alta area of Placer Co.

1850 - There is an 1850 federal census entry for a Hendrix Lee in Page Co., Iowa. He has Elizabeth Broyles and her children in his household.

Hendrix Lee's wife was Martha Pierce, sister to Elizabeth who married James Reuben Broyles. It therefore appears that James Reuben went to California in 1849 leaving his second wife Elizabeth to move in with her sister Martha and husband Hendrix Lee. The Lees eventually moved to Kansas but Elizabeth is not found after the 1851 state census of Iowa. She probably died c. 1852, which is why James in the letter below speaks only of his children.

Elizabeth's daughter Mary was born in Iowa and her age matches the date on the tombstone of Mary Ann Barfield who is buried in Union Cemetery in Contra Costa Co. in northern California. (Keith's information is thus borne out.)

1854 - In a letter from James Broyles to his father Thomas in Laclede Co., Mo., James says he wishes he had his children with him in California.^[1]

Thomas asks his son Richard up in Nodaway Co., Mo., to locate them, suggesting they are perhaps in that area. As we saw, they were-- just across the state line in Page Co., Iowa. However, it doesn't appear that a grand reunion of the family took place. All of James's California records show him as single, but son Thomas M. and daughter Mary do eventually make their way to California, albeit not close to Placer Co.

1866 - California begins recording voter registrations and James is on the rolls in Placer Co.^[4] These records list only male voters since women were not allowed to vote. James is on many such rolls over the years.

1896 - James Broyles, 77, miner, is on the California voter registration rolls, Dutch Flat precinct in Placer Co., Cal. He is listed as 5' 7" in height with blue eyes and gray hair.^[5]

1900 - In the U.S. census he is a single head of household, born January 1819, and a widower. Placer Co.^[6]

11 Dec 1905 - Death.^[7] James is said to have died at Byron Hot Springs in Contra Costa Co., Cal.^[1]

U.S. Census

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3} Keith, Prof. Arthur Leslie, The Broyles Family, c. 1940, typescript, James Reuben Broyles, id#1123
2. ↑ various indexers, White Co., Tenn., Court Minutes, TNGenWeb.org, p149
3. ↑ Marriage records by locale, Ancestry.com
4. ↑ California voter registration rolls, Ancestry.com
5. ↑ California voter registration rolls, Ancestry.com
6. ↑ U.S. Census Records, National Archives and Ancestry.com
7. ↑ California Death Index, Ancestry.com
8. ↑ Negro Bayou Rd., Page 212
9. ↑ Dutch Platt PO, Page 730
10. ↑ Twp. 4, Alta P.O., Page 60
11. ↑ Towles Mill P.O., E.D. 73, Page 58
12. ↑ Twp. 4, Dutch Flat Pct., E.D. 60, Page 5