Dexter Bartlett was born about 1833 in Ohio to Jerry Bartlett and Almira Hillyer. He married Sarah A. Anderson? Williams. She was born about 1839 in Indiana. 5 children: Isaac Cornelius, Mary J., Allen B., Frederick and Alice. Sarah passed away between 1876 and 1880. Allen was adopted by James Hathcox and Alice was adopted by William V. Eskew. William's sister, Sarah Elizabeth was Dexter's next wife, marrying her in 1880.

More than likely buried in Eskew Cemetery where his wife's family was. Sarah E. remarries in Nov 1881. Dexter appears on Grayson Co., Tax for 1881. Thus insinuating that he died in 1881.

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So we know there were three siblings, Allen, Fred and Alice who were "orphaned".

Allen died 1953

Fred died 1921

Alice died 1964

Informant on Allen's death cert was a child and said his father was Alfred or Fred,

Informant on Alice's death cert was a child and said her father was Allen

(Obviously the children of the above knew very little about the Bartlett parents and they had probably heard the siblings name mentioned (Allen/Fred) and got them confused with who their father might be.

Now, on to Fred.

Frederick Bartley passed away Nov. 19, 1921 at the Vancouver home in San Diego. His death cert. list his father as Dexter and the informant was the Vancouver home...meaning they went by the paper work that was filled out by Fred upon his entry into the home (first hand account),

Now you can search high and low for a Fred or Allen Bartlett(Bartley) in Texas that could be the father of these kids, but you'll never find one. But what you do find is a Dexter Bartlett living just west of Dixie near the County line, right by the Eskew Family.

So for the book "From Dexter to Dixie" that I am writing I started doing some digging into the Eskew family. I had never researched them since they are not our blood line. Alice was adopted by William V. Eskew. His father was Preston Eskew...this family being what Eskew Cemetery is named for and where Alice's daughter, Mary Ann Stubblefield is buried. So I am slowly working down the list of Preston's kids, who they married their children etc., and then I get to his daughter, Sarah Elizabeth Eskew. She was born about 1848 in Kanahwa, WV, where the Eskew Family was from. On December 23, 1875 She marries in Grayson County to William Henderson Gibson. So I immedietly search for them on the 1880 census to try and get a list of their children etc...nothing. It's been 5 years since she married this man so I thought, well maybe he died and she remarried before the 1880 census.

Cooke County Texas Marriages-Sarah Elizabeth Gibson to Dexter Bartlett May 06, 1880...just before the census.

Now that this is established lets look at where the three kids are: Allen went to work on a farm in East Texas with the Hathcox family. Alice is living with Sarah Elizabeth's brother, WIlliam V. and Fred... No mention of Fred anywhere...however, living with Dexter and Sarah E. is Alexander Bartlett whose age matches Fredericks to a T. Looks like Alexander was Fred's middle name, thus keeping with the three A's, Allen, Alice and Alexander.

It looks like Sarah A., passed away and Dexter sent the children (Alice and Allen) to live with other people. Allen was around 8 so he could have been a good farm laborer. Alice was about 2 or 3 and the family she went to live with had no daughters. Fred stayed on with his father...thus explaining why he knew his father's name was Dexter as he stated to the Vancouver Home.

Now back to 1870 Fannin Co., Texas where Dexter and his first wife, Sarah A. Anderson Williams were living...they are not alone. There are two children I...C. (unreadable, but a male) and Mary J. The son is 10 and Mary is 04. I have not been able to find anything on Mary. She has either passed away by 1880 or has been adopted and possibly taken on a new name. The son, who is believed to be Isaac Cornelius appear in 1880 Montague County Texas as a laborer in the household of W. R. Fox. Isaac ends up around Purcell, Oklahoma, passing away in 1942. Need to order his death certificate and see what it says.

So it appears, Allen, Fred and Alice also had two other siblings, Isaac and Mary J.

Allen, Fred and Alice were all born in the 1870's. IT IS POSSIBLE, that Dexter's wife, Sarah Anderson Williams passed away 1870-1872 and Dexter remarried someone and had Alice, Allen and Fred, however there has been no marriage record found to prove this, so for now we must assume that Sarah A. Anderson Williams is the children's mother.

Dusty Williams

(September 01, 2013)