Samuel H Birdwell, born in Illinois, was the son of Henry Landrous Birdwell and Cynthia Anne Chism Hill, who settled in the Buda area in Hays County Texas. Sam married once before coming to Texas, to an Alice (Unknown- Hutchinson?) and they had one daughter, Lottie, who was killed in a fire. When Sam moved to Texas he married Sabra Carter in Falls County Texas. Sabra died in childbirth with a daughter, Sabra Jane. A marriage certificate from Falls County also shows Sam married to a Mary A Jordan. We find no other records relating to Mary Jordan.
Sam then moved to the Burnet County Texas area and married again, this time to a "mystery" woman we think named Aleta Bridges. They had 4 children: Nannie, James Arthur, Lizzie Aleta, and Dayton. When Dayton was about two years old, the legend goes that Sam "loaded up the mother and took her back to her father." During those times, very little was said about family problems of any kind. None of the children talked about the incident, and maybe they didn't know, but none could relate why mother was taken back. He listed himself as "widowed" in all censuses later. Sam raised all the children (5).
As of 7/3/2016: Through much research and years of frustration, and with the help of P Sidrow, we think we have finally solved the mystery: Elah Jane Bridges married Sam in Bell County 3 July 1890 as per document. She is shown on the 1900 US Census as with her parents, J H and Susan Bridges, in or near Brady/Mason Tx area. She is still with them and listed as divorced in the 1910 census, but her death certificate has her in a state hospital in Bexar County until her death in 1916.
When Sam was about 60, he left Texas to work on a ranch in Nevada, and then moved to California, supposedly to be near his youngest son, Dayton.
The memorial for Sam H Birdwell is a work in progress. When the memorial was transferred, a photo request was made for his marker. At least three fellows are trying to find this marker. The status is: "This marker is buried from the oil field runoff adjacent, which has carried dirt down and over several stones in that section. Daisy section is on a slope and many stones have simply vanished over the years. Daisy is at the extreme upper right of the cemetery and adjacent to the Municipal cemetery of Long Beach. This is an old section. Over the years the weathering of the hill has covered ALL the locator markers and several graves. Some have been recovered, but in the case of Mr. Birdwell we have failed."
Actually, all is not lost. Dave McDaniel in California has found the area where the marker should be and probably is covered up by the dirt runoff. The red flag in the photo to the right shows the approximate location as is marked on the cemetery plot map also shown. The Daisy Section of the map photo is courtesy of Duke Fuller of that area also. Many thanks, fellows. Every memorial should have dedicated people such as you guys.
Sam then moved to the Burnet County Texas area and married again, this time to a "mystery" woman we think named Aleta Bridges. They had 4 children: Nannie, James Arthur, Lizzie Aleta, and Dayton. When Dayton was about two years old, the legend goes that Sam "loaded up the mother and took her back to her father." During those times, very little was said about family problems of any kind. None of the children talked about the incident, and maybe they didn't know, but none could relate why mother was taken back. He listed himself as "widowed" in all censuses later. Sam raised all the children (5).
As of 7/3/2016: Through much research and years of frustration, and with the help of P Sidrow, we think we have finally solved the mystery: Elah Jane Bridges married Sam in Bell County 3 July 1890 as per document. She is shown on the 1900 US Census as with her parents, J H and Susan Bridges, in or near Brady/Mason Tx area. She is still with them and listed as divorced in the 1910 census, but her death certificate has her in a state hospital in Bexar County until her death in 1916.
When Sam was about 60, he left Texas to work on a ranch in Nevada, and then moved to California, supposedly to be near his youngest son, Dayton.
The memorial for Sam H Birdwell is a work in progress. When the memorial was transferred, a photo request was made for his marker. At least three fellows are trying to find this marker. The status is: "This marker is buried from the oil field runoff adjacent, which has carried dirt down and over several stones in that section. Daisy section is on a slope and many stones have simply vanished over the years. Daisy is at the extreme upper right of the cemetery and adjacent to the Municipal cemetery of Long Beach. This is an old section. Over the years the weathering of the hill has covered ALL the locator markers and several graves. Some have been recovered, but in the case of Mr. Birdwell we have failed."
Actually, all is not lost. Dave McDaniel in California has found the area where the marker should be and probably is covered up by the dirt runoff. The red flag in the photo to the right shows the approximate location as is marked on the cemetery plot map also shown. The Daisy Section of the map photo is courtesy of Duke Fuller of that area also. Many thanks, fellows. Every memorial should have dedicated people such as you guys.
Samuel H Birdwell, born in Illinois, was the son of Henry Landrous Birdwell and Cynthia Anne Chism Hill, who settled in the Buda area in Hays County Texas. Sam married once before coming to Texas, to an Alice (Unknown- Hutchinson?) and they had one daughter, Lottie, who was killed in a fire. When Sam moved to Texas he married Sabra Carter in Falls County Texas. Sabra died in childbirth with a daughter, Sabra Jane. A marriage certificate from Falls County also shows Sam married to a Mary A Jordan. We find no other records relating to Mary Jordan.
Sam then moved to the Burnet County Texas area and married again, this time to a "mystery" woman we think named Aleta Bridges. They had 4 children: Nannie, James Arthur, Lizzie Aleta, and Dayton. When Dayton was about two years old, the legend goes that Sam "loaded up the mother and took her back to her father." During those times, very little was said about family problems of any kind. None of the children talked about the incident, and maybe they didn't know, but none could relate why mother was taken back. He listed himself as "widowed" in all censuses later. Sam raised all the children (5).
As of 7/3/2016: Through much research and years of frustration, and with the help of P Sidrow, we think we have finally solved the mystery: Elah Jane Bridges married Sam in Bell County 3 July 1890 as per document. She is shown on the 1900 US Census as with her parents, J H and Susan Bridges, in or near Brady/Mason Tx area. She is still with them and listed as divorced in the 1910 census, but her death certificate has her in a state hospital in Bexar County until her death in 1916.
When Sam was about 60, he left Texas to work on a ranch in Nevada, and then moved to California, supposedly to be near his youngest son, Dayton.
The memorial for Sam H Birdwell is a work in progress. When the memorial was transferred, a photo request was made for his marker. At least three fellows are trying to find this marker. The status is: "This marker is buried from the oil field runoff adjacent, which has carried dirt down and over several stones in that section. Daisy section is on a slope and many stones have simply vanished over the years. Daisy is at the extreme upper right of the cemetery and adjacent to the Municipal cemetery of Long Beach. This is an old section. Over the years the weathering of the hill has covered ALL the locator markers and several graves. Some have been recovered, but in the case of Mr. Birdwell we have failed."
Actually, all is not lost. Dave McDaniel in California has found the area where the marker should be and probably is covered up by the dirt runoff. The red flag in the photo to the right shows the approximate location as is marked on the cemetery plot map also shown. The Daisy Section of the map photo is courtesy of Duke Fuller of that area also. Many thanks, fellows. Every memorial should have dedicated people such as you guys.
Sam then moved to the Burnet County Texas area and married again, this time to a "mystery" woman we think named Aleta Bridges. They had 4 children: Nannie, James Arthur, Lizzie Aleta, and Dayton. When Dayton was about two years old, the legend goes that Sam "loaded up the mother and took her back to her father." During those times, very little was said about family problems of any kind. None of the children talked about the incident, and maybe they didn't know, but none could relate why mother was taken back. He listed himself as "widowed" in all censuses later. Sam raised all the children (5).
As of 7/3/2016: Through much research and years of frustration, and with the help of P Sidrow, we think we have finally solved the mystery: Elah Jane Bridges married Sam in Bell County 3 July 1890 as per document. She is shown on the 1900 US Census as with her parents, J H and Susan Bridges, in or near Brady/Mason Tx area. She is still with them and listed as divorced in the 1910 census, but her death certificate has her in a state hospital in Bexar County until her death in 1916.
When Sam was about 60, he left Texas to work on a ranch in Nevada, and then moved to California, supposedly to be near his youngest son, Dayton.
The memorial for Sam H Birdwell is a work in progress. When the memorial was transferred, a photo request was made for his marker. At least three fellows are trying to find this marker. The status is: "This marker is buried from the oil field runoff adjacent, which has carried dirt down and over several stones in that section. Daisy section is on a slope and many stones have simply vanished over the years. Daisy is at the extreme upper right of the cemetery and adjacent to the Municipal cemetery of Long Beach. This is an old section. Over the years the weathering of the hill has covered ALL the locator markers and several graves. Some have been recovered, but in the case of Mr. Birdwell we have failed."
Actually, all is not lost. Dave McDaniel in California has found the area where the marker should be and probably is covered up by the dirt runoff. The red flag in the photo to the right shows the approximate location as is marked on the cemetery plot map also shown. The Daisy Section of the map photo is courtesy of Duke Fuller of that area also. Many thanks, fellows. Every memorial should have dedicated people such as you guys.
Gravesite Details
Date of Interment: December 23, 1932; previous death date unavailable until a recent California death index came available. 11/2013. ab
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