First Generation
The Harrington family tree has been traced back to Hamilton (Hamp) W. Harrington who was born in either Missouri or Mississippi, possibly in 1821 or 1830. The 1870 Arkansas census lists his age as 49, but the 1880 census lists his age as 50. He married Cornelia E. (surname unknown) who was born in Georgia and died 5 Oct 1920 in Clark County, Arkansas. According to the Arkansas census, their children were: John (b. March 13, 1860), Ella (b. ca 1865), William (b. ca 1872), Nellie (b. ca 1874), Callie (b. ca 1874), Franklin (b. ca September 1877), Frances [Mary J.?] (b. ca 1877), Louis (b. ca April 1883), and Macon (b. ca August 1886), all born in Arkansas. This information has been obtained from the web site of Bessie Van Tassel who has been researching the Harrington family tree.
Federal land records maintained by the Bureau of Land Management indicates that a Hamilton W. Harrington acquired land in Sections 23 and 27 in Township 16S Range 20W in what is now Columbia Co, Arkansas in 1859 and 1860.
Hamp served in the Arkansas calvary during the later part of the Civil War. In the 6th (Monroe’s) Arkansas Cavalry, Company K's muster roll, one can find the following entry: "Harrington, H W Private—Enlisted in Co. K, 6th Arkansas Cavalry, at Magnolia, Arkansas, March 5, 1863; present to June 30, 1863; widow Cornelia Harrington filed Arkansas pension application #8499 from Ouachita county, August 6, 1906."
The Arkansas census places the family in Ouachita County, AR in 1870; in Prescott, Nevada County, AR in 1880; and in Smackover Twp, Ouachita County, AR in 1900. The 1877 AR Land Patents includes the following entry: Harrington, Hamilton W.; Vol. AR1480.472, Land Ofc. Camden, 15-JAN-77, Doc.# 873, Misc. Doc. # 948, Homestead Original; Part # 1: NWSW, Sec. 2, Twp. 15 S, R 19 W, 40.000 acres.
Second Generation
John William Kimble Harrington, the oldest son, married Cornilia Sims on October 31, 1887. She was born October 25, 1873. John and Cornilia had 11 children, all born in Magnolia, Columbia County, AR. Their names and dates of birth were: William Henry ( b. November 16, 1888), Ella May ( b. May 08, 1890), Johnny Carl ( b. October 25, 1892), Jessie James ( b. July 13, 1894), Calvin Ward ( b. March 22, 1896), Charley Kimble ( b. March 20, 1898), Ervin Tomlinson ( b. June 10, 1899), Lillian Myrtle ( b. June 23, 1901), Denley Dean ( b. April 28, 1903), Walter Neil ( b. March 02, 1905), and J. D. ( b. September 09, 1907). Sometime after 1907, they moved to Choctaw County, OK. John died March 19, 1937. Cornilia died January 16, 1952.
Third Generation
Johnny Carl, the second son of John and Cornilia, married Bertha Beatrice Gaston on April 21, 1911. Bertha was born March 07, 1894 in Chickasha, OK, the daughter of John Gaston and Rebecca Bagsby. Johnny Carl and Bertha had 13 children: Alvie Neil (b. Private), Eugene (b. October 08, 1915), Irene (b. Private), Lorene (b Private), Louella (b. 1919), Melvin C. B. (b. Private), Marvin William (b. September 08, 1923), Lucille (b. Private), James Monroe (b. Private), Alfred Edward (b. Private), Retha Jean (b. Private), Eddie Orville (b. Private), and Hazel Louise (b. Private).
John and Bertha lived on at least two farms about 5 miles southwest of Boswell, OK. The first farm was located in the SE ¼ of Section 34, Township 6S, Range 13E. From there, they moved about a mile east to the SE ¼ of Section 35, T6S, R13E. No buildings remain on either farm today (April 2001). John's brothers lived nearby -- Henry and Mamie Harrington lived on a farm located in the NW ¼ NW ¼ of Section 36, T6S, R13E. Jessie and Florence Harrington's farm was in the SE ¼ SW ¼ of Section 35, T6S, R13E.
In the summer of 1940, John and Bertha moved to Arizona where they lived about two years moving frequently finding work picking cotton. They lived first on a ranch about 18 miles west of Chandler. Late that fall they moved to Buckeye, AZ. The next year, they moved several more times, from Buckeye to Lone Butte, then to a farm south of Chandler, and in November 1941 from the Casa Grande area west of Stanfield to the Fueque Ranch. After the cotton crop was picked, they moved back to Temple, OK, but they only stayed about one year before returning to Arizona. John worked for the City of Casa Grande until September 1961 when he retired. He died five months later from a stroke on February 23, 1962. Bertha died May 16, 1975 in Casa Grande, AZ and they both are buried in the Mt. View Cemetery in Casa Grande.
- Gene Maas with info contributed by Bessie Van Tassel, Pauline Harrington and Otis Vanderburg
rev. 5/4/02
BAGSBY (BAGSLEY), GASTON, HARRINGTON, PAUGH, SIMMS (SIMS)
