Beyond our Elusive William Daniel

The family story says that the family left their property in Adamsville because the mother had asthma badly and they sought a better climate in New Mexico. We need to find this family or what happened to all of the children after the parent's death. Is this story true, or is it the correct wife? It might be the second wife.

Ellen may have been married prior to her marriage to Sampson. There is a marriage record for Thomas J. Frier and Ellen Lisenby in Clark County, Arkansas, 28 Oct 1847. (Ancestry.com, Arkansas Marriages to 1850) However, if so, she reverted to her maiden name before marrying Sampson. It is doubtful that this is the same Ellen, however, since there is a Thomas J. Frier aged 23 living with an Ellen aged 23 living next to a James Lisenby and family in Elkins township, Clark County, AR, household 316 in the 1850 census, p. 212. In fact, it appears that both the Lisenby family and the Frier family lived in the same dwelling since both had the same household number. That would appear to rule out that marriage possibility, as well as a possible connection between our Ellen and the James Lisenby family. They may be related, but James would be the father of a different Ellen.This family is documented in the following record:
In the 1850 census, ARKANSAS , CLARK, ELKINS TWP, Series: M432 Roll: 25 Page: 212 there is a James Lisenby and family (316/316, there are two households with this number). James was 55, a farmer, born in Georgia, married to Mary, age 50, f, born SC. There was a son, Jeremiah, 25, farmer, real estate valued $360, born AR and blind. Other children included sons William, 19 and Ansel W., 17, and daughters Amy 15 and Adeline, also 15. All the children were born in Arkansas, and Amy and Adeline appear to be twins. None of the children had attended school. Could this family be related? Apparently in the same household lived Thomas J. Frier and wife Ellen, James Frier 13, Isham Frier 9, and William 4/12 (all born in AR). On the same page there are three people named Lisenby listed in the household of Joshua Elkins. They included Thomas M., 12, AR, John M., 8, AR, and John M., 26, born in Illinois (hard to read, but this appears to be the location). The two children in this household attended school the previous year. There was also a Yearly (?) C. Lisenby 26, farmer, b. KY married to Polly Ann, 32, b. IL. Children were Lucinda Jane, 13, f, AR, John Monroe, 11, m, AR, Lewis Sevier, 9, m, AR, Albert Conway, 7, m, MO, Maria Adeline, 4(?), f, AR, and Finis Esper (?), 1, m, AR. None of the children had attended school the previous year. (ARKANSAS , CLARK, ELKINS TWP, Series: M432 Roll: 25 Page: 213) This James in family 316 is not father to our Ellen, but he and his family may be related. Some of the children from this family may be living with the Joshua Elkins family. Yearly may be a grown, married son. We need to find this family in other records to confirm information. Jeremiah Lisenby was on the Grand Jury of Clark County in April March term of 1842 (JOHNSON COUNTY COMMISSIONER'S RECORDS, BOOK B 16 MARCH 1818 - 2 JUNE 1828, by Jack K Sistler, GenWeb)

Check into the possibility that she is the daughter of Hezekiah Lisenby and Thirsey Gibins.

CLARK CO, AR COURT MINUTES
April Term 1848 Fees charged in cases of State of Arkansas vs. each of the following persons: John M Lisenby. . . William Elkins (for maiming), Petition for new township in county to be called Elkins (GenWeb)

CLARK CO., AR COURT MINUTES
p 242 Oct 14, 1850, Bond of Yearby C Lisenby as constable of Elkins Twp, with William Janes and William Elkins, securities was approved (GenWeb).