Beyond our Elusive William Daniel

Her twin brother was afflicted from the time of his birth, and lived with her after she married Straley. According to Alta Cole, although Henry Kirkham Brown had been his guardian, her husband applied to become his guardian in Sevier Co. on 21 Oct 1860. The request was granted. Alta Farris Cole says that records dated 17 Nov 1862, page 202, Book #8, Probate Court Record granted guardianship to A. J. Straley of William Tollett, a minor. Apparently this information is incorrect. A check of that actual record indicates that the case (case number 64) was actually continued until the next term of the court. I never found the continuation of that case. It might have been settled out of court. At the time of the settlement of David Tollett's estate, however, in 1855, there was a suit among the heirs in which Matthew Sorrels was named as the guardian of William. He was already in the Straley household in 1860. Apparently in 1860, according to court records, there was a case in which Andrew Jackson Straley filed to become the guardian of William Tollett, a person of unsound mind. It indicates that Rebecca had been the guardian of William, but had since married Andrew J. Straley, and thus she lost her standing as William's guardian. Another guardian had to be appointed. At that time, his estate was in the hands of Henry K. Brown as the administrator of the David Tollett estate. William's estate was valued at about $500. Ever since his marriage to Rebecca, he had been in charge of William's care, and was concerned about his welfare. After posting of bond, the court approved of the guardianship of William by Andrew J. Strailey. On 12 Nov 1861, A. J. Straley filed a report in the court that stated that he had not received any portion of the estate of his ward as of that date. It was stated as the matter of the guardianship of William Tollett a minor in the court documents. This appears to be what the 1862 court case referenced.

Rebecca appears on the 1860 census of Wood Co., TX, and in Red River Co., TX in 1870. In 1880 she and her youngest daughter were living with her son Joshua and his family (Donnelly, Mary Louise, Texas Trails of Our Tollett Family Donnelly, Mary Louise, P. O. Box 97, Ennis, TX 1994).

Census 1860, Rabecca P. Straley, Springville PO, Wood, Texas, Series: M653 Roll: 1308 Page: 349
85/85, Rabecca P. Straley, 36, f, farming, 200, AR
Green Sorrell, 12, m, AR
Joshua " , 10, m, "
David ", 9, m, "
Marcella, 6, f, "
Verginia Straley, 1, f, TX
Wm. Tollett, 40, m, AR, Insane
Her husband Andrew Jackson Straley is not with her on this census. Sampson Straley is not far away.

1880 Census 6-PCT, LAMPASAS, TEXAS , Series: T9 Roll: 1316 Page: 344
She appears in her son, Joshua's household with her daughter, Georgia Straley, who was 10 years old, listed as deaf and dumb, and unable to read.
108/116, Sorrell, Joshua, w, m, 30, married during the previous census year, farming, AR, AR, AR
-----, Elizabeth, w, f, 15, wife, married during the previous census year, keeping house, TX, IL, AR
Straley, Rebecca, w, f, 52, mother, widow, cannot write, AR, TN, ---
----, Georgia, w, f, 10, sister, single, deaf/dumb, cannot read or write, TX, IL, AR
Where was her husband, Andrew Jackson Straley, at that time, and why was she listed as a widow? Was she separated or divorced? They are buried together, so what is the real story? Even if he was away from home at the time, why would she say she was a widow? In 1870 and 1900 she was living with her husband A. J. Straley.