Charles S. Stuart was born unto Charles and Susan Arthur Stuart on July 2nd, 1808, in Knox county, Kentucky, and with his parents in early life moved to Henry county, Tennessee, where he gained his education from the common schools. His father died in Perry county, Tennessee, and afterwards his mother, Susan Arther Stuart, was again married to Colonel Miller, and the family removed to Yallabusha county, Mississippi, and settled near Coffeeville in the year 1833, where Charles S. Stuart was married to Martha Cox in 1836, and unto them were born eight children, five girls and three boys, and as told in this narrative he was killed in battle and buried at Round Mound.
.
Of his family, his widow, Martha Cox Stuart now [1901] lives with her daughter, Mrs. C.A. Smith, at Mt. Pleasant, Texas. ..Two others of the family still live - Mrs. S.J. Stephens, also at Mt. Pleasant, and Mrs. Nellie Stuart, of Ft. Worth, Texas.
.
Captain Stuart moved with his family to Texas in December 1841, and settled a farm in Red River district eight miles west from Mt. Pleasant, Texas, where he lived and raised his family, and from his enterprise and public spirit he became well known as one of those staunch pioneers of North Texas.
.
***********************************
.
Correct spelling of Charles S. Stuart's name? ..Below is the text of a Texas historical marker that mentions Charles S. Stewart, Col. James Bourland and Col. William Cocke Young.
.
1841 Ripley Massacre
now Mount Vernon, Franklin County, Texas
.
Ambrose Ripley and his wife Rachel Wood brought their family to Texas in 1837, settling near here in what was then Red River County. They established their home near the Nacogdoches Road [Cherokee Trace] and a stream now known as Ripley Creek.
.
On April 10, 1841, while Ripley was away, a band of Indians attacked his farmstead, killing first his eldest son who was plowing in the field. Mrs. Ripley and five children were killed trying to reach a canebreak and one infant died when the house was burned. Two of Ripley's daughters eluded the Indians and made it to a neighboring farm. Charles Black and Charles S. Stewart led a group of settlers north in pursuit of the band. Near the Sulphur River, they encountered Indians, who may or may not have been involved in the massacre, and attacked them, killing several.
.
The Ripley family massacre was an isolated incident in this area, but it proved to be a rallying point for increased frontier defenses and for support of the anti-Indian policies of Texas President Mirabeau B. Lamar. The attack also influenced the formation of a militia unit under the leadership of Gen. Edward H. Tarrant and Cols. James Bourland and William C. Young to rid the area of Indians.
.
...........Editor’s note: Texas Historical Marker., erected 1986 on US Hwy 67 at Ripley Creek Crossing, four miles east of Mount Vernon.
.
*******************************************
.
Patti, prochette@Juno.com
,