Ragland Family History & Genealogy

I have traced the Ragland family from Wales/England to Virginia, USA, and Victoria, Australia.

I know the family or portions thereof moved west, Texas is mentioned as the place of death for James Walker Ragland.

I would like to find the connection from the Raglands of Danville, Virginia, USA to the Ragland families of Texas. Any help would be appreciated. Contact at [contact link]

From: John Martin
Campbellsburg, Ky

To: John L. Ragland
Bellcombrea Post Office
Ballard Co., KY

July 6th or 7th, 1851

Dear Friend,

I embrace this opportunity of informing you that I am well and all the ballence of Father’s family is enjoying the same health. John I have been lying off to write for sometime. I received your letter and I was very glad to hear of you all. John, I have but very little of importance to write you but the best news is we are all well and our crops looks fine. Some of neighbors wheat was very thin and they did not cut it but Father’s wheat was very fine. The corn crops looks very promising. John I enjoyed myself very well this last six weeks.

The twenty second day of May we had a great May walk at Newscastle and of all the ? there was there was a sight, Mr. Simmons female scholars and Mr. Williams male school schollars marcht out to Mr. Browns pasture, and there they all spoke and sang and the sixteenth day of June there was grate odd fellows and mason perrade and thear was too or three diff men spoke but that beat New Castle for pretty girls for Casra was thear. She can beat New Castle herself, not only that they had a brass band and thear was a good many ? from Cincinnate and Louisville and Madison and Tent and Vera. I forgot to tell you that we had brass bands at New Castle.

On the fourth day of July thear was a great barbacue at Silgo for the sons of temprance and thear is said thear was about 5,000 thear. Thear is a sons of tempreace lodge in our town now, and have about 30 members. Sam Thisle and Thomas Bery have joint them. I must tell you of our big day on the fifth day of July. We hat a great Pick Nick party witch beat all the others. We hat our table out in Mr. Bowlars woods pasture and we hat two swings out on the ground. John we hat one best tables you ever sat. We hat oranges, pineaples, ice cream, lemonade, floats, and kinds of candyes. All kinds of cakes and all kinds of meats and everything that is good. Then Mrs. Feris marched her school and all neighboring out there and all the girls were dressed in white with a reethe and blew ribbon on thear heads and we plaid all day.

John, it has rant nearly all day. Me and Mary Anne Lyda was going over to Canes Run and it rained so that we could not go.

John, I am not married yet, but I will the first chance I get. G. Bartlett and Miss Baker are married at last. John give my best respects to all my friends tell T.P. Lenes that I don’t think he would speak to me since his family has increased so. Jesse Scott has got home from Hannover College. I must come to close. You must write me as soon as you get my letter. I wish you well.

Your
John J. Martin

My name is Joi Dickerson and I am an African-American
decended from the Ragland family.

I have an ancestor John D. Ragland who was one of the
many children of a slavemaster named Ragland in
Petersburg, VA and his seamstress.

Please contact me for more info, I could use your
assistance.

My 92 year lucid grandfather told me that a plantation
owner left his planation to my Madagascan maternal
ancestor but she was denied the plantation due to the
fact that she was black. She took her children and
moved into the Smokey Mountains.

I have documents from John Davis, a sea capatain who
was abducted with Evan Ragland, the information is
below:


>
> According to George Gibson Dickerson and Ethel
> Dickerson, our family is
descendant of Malagasy Royalty of Madagascar.The
story goes that a Prince and Princess were abducted
from the seashore of Madagascar by a Scottish/English
Sea Captain. The Princess married the seacaptain and
he brought her to Virginia to his plantation. Ethel
Dickerson believes this was the Ragland
surname connection.

I, Joi Dickerson have found evidence through
Ancestry.com that an Evan Ragland was abducted from
England with a John Davis.

There was a famous Sea Captain named John
Davis-(sometimes written Davys) who published in the
1600's a book titled

The Voyages and Works of John Davis, the Navigator

I found this book in the New York PublicLibrary
(reference # 910.8 D.)

John Davis made more than one journey to Madagascar.
His first journey, under a captain or Baase (a Dutch
word for Master or Boss named James Lancaster and a
second voyage where he was the Captain.

On page 136 of his book he writes in Olde English;

(February 1599) The third wee anchored in the
same Bay(S.W. coast of Madagascar) where we saw many
peopleupon the shore, but when we landed they fled
from us: for the other Voyage ourBaase was in this
Bay,, where hee greatly abused the people, and tooke
one of them,bound him to a Post, and shot him to
death, with other shamefuldisorders.

After seven dayes by much meanes that we made, some
of them came to us, and after would no more abide us.


> SHIP NAMES: LION and LIONESS Page 139

The three and twentieth, we fell with
the islands of Maldivia, which are very low, close by
water, wholly covered with Cocoa trees, so that we saw
the trees but not the shore. Here we anchored and
refreshed ourselves:

Many of the Countrey Boats passing by us, but none
would come to us: whereupon our Baase (Ship
Master)sent out the ships boats to take one of them.

The foure and twentieth, they brought a Boat covered
with Mats, like a closed Barge.

In this Boat was a Gentleman and his Wife; he was
apparelled in very fine white Linnen, after
the Turkish manner. In his rings were rich stones,
his behaviour was so sweet and affable, his countence
so modest, and his speech so graceful. As that it
made apparent shewe he could not be less than a
Noble-man.
He was unwilling to have his Wife seen:
notwithstanding, our Baase went with him into his
Boat, to see her: he also opened her Casket, wherein
some Jewels and Ambergeese(used for perfume).

He reported that she sat with with mournefull modesty,
not using one word: what was taken from them I know
not; but in departing this Gentleman shewed a
Princely spirit. His color was blacke, with smoothe
hair, a man of middle stature.

Joi Dickerson

Charles Thomas Ragland was born, probably in 1844, in Henry County,
Kentucky..family moved to McCraken and Ballard Counties while the children
were still young. The following account was told to my grandmother, Thelma
Ioma (Ragland) Sanders while still a girl. The following is the ONLY thing Charleswould say about his family. He refused to talk about it any further, and until 5 years ago, we didn’t know the names of any of his family members. We found those in a book about the Raglands.

My Mother is an only child. Her mother went to heaven not knowing anything about her fathers family, and I would like to try to at least help my Mom find out who her distant cousins
are.

As told by Charles Thomas Ragland:

At a young age, probably late teens, or early 20's, he returned from
(somewhere..the war, we think) and his mother drew a hot bath for him.
After he had lowered himself into the hot water, she came in with a
broomstick and started beating him with it..yelling something about what he had "done". Charles had no idea as to what she was talking about, but he was given his inheritance,a horse, and told to leave the family. He was being disowned.

What we found out:

We don't know exactly when Charles left his home. He may have stayed in
Paducah for a short time at a boarding house, and that information is questionable but came from a friend that found a Charles Ragland in a boarding house listed on a census.

Charles traveled at some time to Arkansas, settling in Ozark. He took up
work as a book keeper in a store called Conatzers. Coincidentally, my Grandfather Samuel Sanders, who would some day be son-in-law to Charles,(but after Charles passes on), traveled down the mountain from his home at Mountain
Top, to sell goods in Ozark, and may have even met Mr.Ragland.

While working in Ozark, Charles met my Great Grandmother, Melinda Jackson
James, 1st cousin to Jesse and Frank James. They fell in love and married. In a strange twist to this story, a man named Edward Lingo JR. asked for the hand of Melinda from her father. He refused, saying it would not be right for Melinda to marry ahead of her older sister Tiny. Edward Lingo instead married Tiny, and became brother-in-law to Melinda. Remember Edwards name, you are going to hear it again in this
strange story.

After Charles and Melinda married, they moved to Tom Bean, Texas, where my
grandmother, Thelma Ioma Ragland, and her older sister Carrie, and brother
Ray were born. Charles ran a store there, and they were a very happy and
successful family during that time. He made it clear to his family that he
did not want to talk about where he had come from, or the circumstances
surrounding his loss of family. He only mentioned that he had a brother who was a Baptist Preacher, and a sister. He said that Thelma looked like his sister, and told the story of his mother whipping him.

Tiny, Melindas older sister who had married Mr. Lingo, became ill, and died.
Ed Lingo then started "bothering", (as my grandmother put it), her mother,
Melinda.

One day, Charles Thomas suddenly left for Oklahoma, taking his gun, which he
never used, with him looking for Ed Lingo. Charles went back home to Texas in a coffin, his pocket watch and gun gone. My grandmother Thelma was 14 years old when her father died.

Ed Lingo then married Melinda, so that they could combine both families,
since Melinda felt she needed to care for her sisters children. They moved the family to Durant, Oklahoma.

When Thelma was around 16 years of age, Samuel George Sanders (mentioned
above) came riding up, coming to visit HIS Uncle Ed Lingo! Samuel and Ed
were related through a Sanders/Lingo marriage.

Thelma and Samuel fell in love, and married in 1923. On a trip to their new
home, the train had a lay-over in Missouri. Samuel decided to get a haircut there at the station, and had Thelma wait outside on a bench for him. She noticed a woman walking back and forth in front of her on the walkway, and as the woman would pass, she would look at Thelma in the face. Finally the
woman approached Thelma, and asked just one question: "Would you be the
daughter of Charles Thomas Ragland?" When Thelma answered, "Yes!", the woman
burst into tears and ran off.
Apparently Thelma DID look just like Charles’ sister, or at least like her father.

Years later, when Thelma and her brother Ray were grown, and Melinda had
passed away, Ed Lingo called Thelma and asked if she and Samuel would come
and take him to see Ray, that he had something to give him. No one could
stand Ed Lingo, but at the thought of seeing her brother, she agreed. Thelma
and Samuel would drive to Ed Lingo’s house and spend the night, then drive
on to Rays house the next morning. Thelma and Samuel arrived at Ed’s house
and spent the evening talking with him. During the conversation, he
mentioned again that he had something to give to Ray. He decided to show it
to Thelma and Samuel. Imagine their surprise when it turned out to be
Charles Thomas' missing gun! Thelma was seething, but did not show it. Ed
didn't realize that she and her brother Ray were aware that their father
returned in a coffin without his gun!

That night, while Ed was asleep, Thelma went in and took the gun, hiding it
under Samuel’s "medicinal" whiskey bottle in the suitcase. The next morning when they were to leave, Ed couldn't find the gun, and thought
he had misplaced it. Thelma played her game, and acted as if she were trying
to help him find it, knowing all along that it was hidden in her suitcase.
When they arrived at Rays house, Thelma gave the gun to her brother in
private.

We have only one picture of Charles Thomas, and he is old in the picture. (see PHOTOS>FAMILY>RAGLAND

Charles Thomas' parents, and siblings are as follows:

James R. Ragland
wife: Agnes A. Abernathy

children:
Charles Thomas Ragland
wife: Malinda Jackson James

Sarah Elizabeth Ragland
husband: James Harper

Robert Luther Ragland (Baptist Minister)
wife: ? name died of Pneumonia Barlow Dec. 16, 1906

Melissa Ann Ragland
husband: William H. Simpson

Martha Alice Ragland
husband: P.O. Foree

William N. Ragland
wife: ?

Mary A. Ragland
husband: ?

I am asking that if anyone knows anything about this family, or has heard
any stories simular to what Charles told, please let me know!

Jacqueline Jeanne (Birchett) Schwenke

~As told by Georgene Jackson (Sanders) Birchett~

You asked about when Moma Jack and Uncle Ed Lingo moving to the Durant area.....Well I don’t really know when. It had to have been after C.T. Ragland died. Also, I don't know when or where Moma Jack and Uncle Ed got married.

So, Charles Thomas Ragland and Malinda Jackson (Jackie) James married in Ozark, Arkansas and moved to the Tom Bean, Texas area. (their store was in the town of Tom Bean, but they lived in White Mound) But Moma told me that when she was little, Aunt Carrie,(who was 14 years older than Moma), would walk to their store and that their father would give her a big Hershey Bar to take home and share among the 3 kids. So, if they were living in White Mound, how did Aunt Carrie WALK to the store. I just wish I had thought to ask Moma.

Aunt Carrie and her husband, Sam Bruce, came to visit Moma and Daddy while we were in Berlin, and Moma and Daddy were living in our house in OKC. They all took a drive out to Frontier City, and saw the skit where the outlaws stage a holdup, and the LAW arrests them. Of course there is a shootout. Moma said that Aunt Carrie laughed and told Moma that it was just like when they lived at Tom Bean. That was where Moma Jack got rid of the drunk cowboy who was on his horse, waving his six-shooter around threatening to kill C.T. Ragland and demanding to know his whereabouts. Moma Jack quietly asked him to wait; went into the house and got a teakettle of boiling water, came back out and poured it on the horse. Of course, the horse bolted, running away at a full gallop with the cowboy hanging on for dear life. Moma Jack was some nervy lady.

Well, back to the move to Durant. C.T. Ragland died 1916. Malinda J. (James) Ragland married George E. Lingo and moved to the Durant,Ok. area. I would say that the move had to be pretty soon after C.T. died. Moma was 14 years old when her Dad died, and she continued to go to school after moving to Durant. They lived in the Lone Oak school district. It's on the map, near the Blue River, just a little way from Durant.

Moma was about 16 when Daddy came to visit his uncle Lingo, and saw Moma for the first time. They were married when she was 18 years old, in Feb.1923. That sounds like an error, but Momas birth date is Nov. 25, and depending on the dates of the events might make it sound like that. I have no idea how long Moma Jack and Uncle Ed lived there, or when they made the move to West Texas, as I told you in as earlier E-mail, it had to be before about 1930.

Monterey, Owen County

To: Mr. John L. Ragland Esq.
Bellombora Post Office
Ballard County, KY

Jan 30, 1854

Dear Brother J.L. Ragland, I embrace the present moment to redeame my promise. I told you that I would write to you as soon as Penelope was confined. I hope you and Rebecca landed home safe and I hope you found all the friends well. Penelope was confined the 25th day of January.


She has a fine daughter and she is doing as well as she can. The rest of the family are in tolerable health. Bills hand is not much better. He will not be able to do any work this winter. I have nothing new to write to you. The Captain is very proud of his find daughter. He staid with her from Sunday until Friday. They have named the child Sally Dulcena Sanders. It had name enough to kill it. You must give my respects to old man and the Lady. To Sally, Edmund and Mary, to James and Agnes. I would be glad to sea them all. Tell Rebecca that I miss her very much. Tell her that Penelope say that she will write to her as soon as she gets abel.

John, you must write to me as soon as my letter comes to hand and let me know how you are. Don’t fail to right. I am anxious to hear form you. Tell Edmund I shall expect him to come and sea me when he comes up to Louisville with he tobacco. I would be glad to come and sea you all this spring, but I don’t know wheather I can or not having done nothing this winter. I have a great deal of work to do. James is compeled to go to school and I have to work.

When you right give me all the news.

Yours in hope of immortality
James E. Duvalt

From: Simeon Haggard
Hendronsville, KY

To: Mr. John L. Ragland
Belle Ombre, Ballard Co., KY

July 26th, 1850

Dear Cousin,

Though we are many miles apart and cannot see each other face to face yet we can communicate our thoughts to each other in writing. We are all well except myself. I have not been well this summer though I am going about now. The docktor says that it is caused by confinement in the shop. I expect I should quit my trade entirely. I hope when these few lines reaches you, they may find you all enjoying good health.

John, we have sold our place and are going to move to Missouri this fall, we got 14.75 per acre. The Cholera has been tolerable bad in this neighbor hood though there is none here now. It is very bad in Louisville. Catherine was married the 27th of May to Limuel Whiteley. Hote was married the 7th of March to Miss Lucy Fletcher and I had to dance the in the hog trough. They are all well. I got a letter from George Hinton last mail. They are well. He moved to Missouri. If you want to write to him, direct your letter to Ridge Prairie, Saline Co. Missouri. We shall go to Randolph County. We have a very cool election. Dr Green and Capt Augden are the Democrat candidates to represent the county. McConnell is the Whig. Commander Ballecnee and Bill and Caleb Meettiss for the Senate.

Corn crops look tolerable well here. Oats was very short. Wheat was not very good. They will not raise half crops in the upper counties. They have had no rain there. I sold our hay for 2.50 per hundred. Uncle Bob I should like to see you very well and spend a day in your company. John, I want you to give my love to Edmund and family and to James and Family, and tell them I would be glad to see them all. John I want you to come up this fall and see us and bring your wife with you for I expect you will be married by that time as that is such a place to marry at. I am going to wait until I go out to Missouri where they say there are 2 girls to one boy and they do not have to get license out there and I can pay the preacher there with coonskins. John I expect you will marry some widow with about six children or some old maid. Enough on that subject.

John, mother and I want to go to Clark before we go and see them once more. Mother sends her love to Aunt Zeoba and Sally and Sech. She would be glad to see them all for we will pass close to you as we go. she also sends her love to you all. The railroad is finished nearly to Hendrensville. Cattle is very high. Sheep is also good. Horses and mules are high. I was at town and saw Wm. Wilkison. He said that his mother was well. Uncle Obed passed through New Castle in March with a drove of hogs but he never stopped to see us.

I got a letter from Obed. Him and his family was well and Silas. He said that Dillard was well. I expect Dillard will come in this part. they are all well pleased with the country. I find that I am past finding for something to rite, so I must now come to a close. So nothing at present but remains your affectionate cousin until and if we should never meet again on earth, let us try to meet in heaven where parting will be no more. So farewell, farewell.

Simeon Haggard

From: Simeon Haggard
Hendrosville, Henry County, KY

To: John L. Ragland
Haselwood, Ballard County, KY

February 4, 1850

Dear Cousin,

I now set down to write you a few lines to let you know that I am well at present and hope that these lines may find you enjoying the same kind blessing of heaven. I received your letter and was glad to hear that you all was well and well pleased. John I should be glad to see you all very much. I was sorry to hear the Edmund lost his baby on the road. You say you can see a deer through the woods. John, when you kill a dear, write me a letter and I will come down and take a small snack with you. I was glad to hear that Aunt Zoeba and Sally was pleased. I hope that you and Sally will marry shortly as you wrote to Eliza and Catherine if they would come down there could marry. John you wrote you did not have a very fine Christmas. I had a fine time. There was several parties in neighborhood. I got a letter from Silas yesterday. They was all well and well pleased with the country. Casandra has a fine daughter it was born on the 24th of December. If you should write to Obed or Dillard, direct letters to Hilton, Randolph County. George Henton and Elizabeth and John Hinton is a going to start to Mo. the first of March, Elizabeth has a fine son. It’s name is John Morton, it was born the 26th of Dec. John Harrison Whitely was married last Thursday and I was at the wedding and infare and I saw a fine time. I tell you and the worst of all is that my girl is married. Catherine Dodd. I should like to see Uncle Bob and hear him tell some long tales. Eliza sends her love to you all, but says that she cannot come down there to marry as she thinks she can marry here. They have had several weddings since you left here. John you wanted me to come down there, but I cannot come without you have lots of pretty girls down there.

Mother sends her love to you and said if she does not go to the Missouri, that she is coming to see you all in that country. You wrote that you did not have much cold weather downthere. Mother said tell cosin Mary to kiss Littl James for her. John I shall start to owenborough tomorrow and I shall mail this letter there. I must come to close so nothing at present, but remains your affectionote till death. So farewell.

Simeon Haggard

As told to me by my Mother, Georgene Jackson (Sanders) Birchett, about her mother, Thelma Ioma (Ragland) Sanders when she was a girl in Texas.

Uncle Ray (Ragland) called Moma "Carrot Top," just to get her going. His big tease was to chase her with a dead mouse. He paid for it every Sunday though, Moma played the organ in church and she was too short to reach the pedals, so it was Uncle Rays job to get behind the organ and pump it with the
lever on the back. Moma knew all the songs by heart and she played by ear while she sang alto.

Moma said that every Sunday morning, their father, C.T. Ragland, would
hear their Sunday School lessons while he worked on their fingernails. He
insisted on proper dress and behavior.

They were a quality family, belonging
to the Baptist Church.

~Georgene Jackson (Sanders) Birchett