Robert Smith Kendall born 1827
Robert Smith was born 8 May 1827 in Tennessee. He had four wives. He married Eliza C. Simpson on 21 Dec 1848. He had at least 5 children with Eliza and they were:
Edward Newton Kendall - He was born in 1849 in McNairy Co., Tennessee. He married Margaret Niles who was born in 1855 and died in 1929. Edward died in 1936 and is buried in Obion Co., Tennessee.
Nancy A. Kendall - She was born in 1851 in McNairy Co., Tennessee. She married John O. Hutcherson. Nancy died in 1889.
William F. (Bill) Kendall - He was born in 1853. He married Mary E Niles in about 1878. She was born in 1850 and died in 1940. William died in 1940.
Robert A. (Bob) Kendall - He was a twin and was born in 1857. He married Martha ? who was born about 1855 and died after 1880. Robert died after 1880.
John Robert Kendall - He was a twin and was born in 1857. He married Harriet Welch. This was her second marriage. She had been married to Sam Hobbs and had a son named Marion Thomas Hobbs. She married a third time to John O'Connor and had a daughter Ella Agnes O'Connor. John Robert died sometime after 1880 in Obion Co., Tennessee.
Robert Smith married Mary Ann Taylor on 1 Sep 1859. He had at least 6 children with Mary Ann and they were:
George Kendall - He was born in 1860 in Obion Co., Tennessee. He died in 1939.
Martha Jane Kendall - She was born on 20 Oct 1861 in Obion Co., Tennessee. Her first husband was ? Hickman and her second husband was J. E. (Jake) Summers. Martha died 23 Dec 1937.
Wincie Kendall - She was born in 1864 in Obion Co., Tennessee. She married Emerson E. Brown who was born in 1860 and died in 1943. Wincie died in 1901.
Samuel Elmer Kendall - He was born 22 Jun 1866 in Obion Co., Tennessee. He married Janie Spring Sturgis who was born 12 Jan 1875 and died 16 Sep 1962. Samuel died in 1950.
David L. Kendall - He was born in 1868 in Obion Co., Tennessee. He married Alice Hope Sturgis who was born 1 Dec 1872 and died ?. David died 12 Oct 1891.
Isaac Crossnoe Kendall - He was born 15 May 1874 in Obion Co., Tennessee. He married his first wife Mamie Helen Tucker who was born in 1876 and died in 1920. He married a second time to Effie Goodman. Isaac died in 1964.
He also married Millie Travis and Meg Watson, but their marriage dates are unknown.
This information comes from a letter passed on by Ed Hudson. This letter says that Robert Smith was a colorful man and then tells this story to prove it. "He had eleven children and was married four times. He was a land owner in west Tennessee. During the Civil War he served on the side of the north as a Sgt. As the story goes, he was stationed at a small 20 man outpost in SE Missouri with orders to hold it at any cost. They received information that a large detachment of the Southern Army was coming that way and that their position was hopeless. One Sunday morning 10 of his men asked permission to go to a nearby creek to swim. Instead they deserted. He then also deserted and swam the Mississippi River and went home. Sometime later a detachment was sent from Hickman, Kentucky to arrest him. He was arrested while clearing land where Jim Kendall, his grandson, now lives and they all started back to Hickman. Close to Dixie School they stopped for lunch. The water bucket, wash pan, etc. were on a shelf on the front of the schoolhouse. After washing, the guards started in the door and Robert Smith stepped back to get a drink, but instead darted around the house and into the woods. He was never recaptured. He hid out around the home of his daughter, Nance, and her husband, John O. Hutcherson. Shortly after, the war was over and the Union Army never bothered him again."
These are excerpts from a writing by Brown Kendall. "The family name Kendall is considered a rare name by genealogists. However, this is no fault of this particular family. When all are counted, if ever, more than 1500 descendants of the parents of Robert Smith Kendall will be numbered. No other Kendall's live in Obion and Weakly counties. Parents of Robert Smith Kendall moved to Obion County before 1850, lived, died, and are buried in unmarked graves at Cobbs Chapel. His fathers name is believed to be Edward Nelums (Elms) Kendall and is definitely not Eli Kendall from Henry Co. as has been thought. He (Robert Smith Kendall) was a rugged, honorable, hard-working, strong-willed pioneer: raised eleven children, married four times, cared for his elderly and dependent parents. Because of his conviction against slavery, his courage was enough to be the only Kendall from Tennessee to fight on the side of the north against his own brothers from Arkansas with the south. It was brother against brother in that terrible war. He was brave enough to shame the hooded Night Riders, most of whom he knew, after they had killed the negro Ned. His tombstone stands at the S. E. corner of Cobbs Chapel Church (Cemetery) on which he worked many hours. and at which his son later preached. An early Obion County landowner, a real pioneer - noble, grand, and brave."
Robert Smith Kendall died 15 June 1891.
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