John Wesley Isom

Narrative:

     John Wesley Isom was born on 24 Dec 1830 in Alabama.^5,6,7
     He was probably the male age 5 to 10 listed in the household of his father, Jonathan Isom, in the 1840 Federal Census of Shelby Co., Tennessee.²⁰ He appeared on the 1850 Federal Census of Carroll Co., Missouri, in the household of his parents, Jonathan Isom and Martha Miles. His future wife's family was living close by as they are listed as the next household on the census record.^21,22
     John married first Sarah Jane Street, daughter of John M. Street and Mariah Brady, on 14 Aug 1851 in Carroll Co., Missouri, with A. B. Poindexter, justice of the peace, officiating. She was a sister of the man his sister Lucinda would marry two years later.^8,9,10

Buying Land --- Text Stolen from ReigelRidge.com !! ---

     On 15 Apr 1853 John was granted a patent for a 40-acre parcel of land about six miles northwest of Bogard, Carroll Co., Missouri, under the 1820 "Sale-Cash Entry" act. That act set the minimum price of public land at $1.25 per acre, with a minimum purchase to 80 acres, and required payment in cash, not on credit.²³
     On 2 Oct 1854 John was granted a patent for an 80-acre parcel of land about four miles west of the previous parcel. This parcel was granted under a warrant he had acquired that had been originally issued to Lieutenant James H. Stewart for service in the War of 1812, under the 1850 "Scrip-Warrant" act. That act provided for script or warrants redeemable for land for service in the War of 1812 and the Indian wars, with the amount of land offered depending on length of service.²⁴ The same day John was granted a patent for an 80-acre parcel of land five miles west of Bogard, and about three miles south of the last parcel. This parcel was granted under a warrant originally issued to private Tarlton Bailey for service in the War of 1812 also under the 1850 "Scrip-Warrant" act.²⁵
     John and Sarah appeared on the 1860 Federal Census of Morris Twp., Carroll Co., Missouri, enumerated 1 Aug 1860, reporting real estate valued at $1,200 and personal estate of $1,000. Their children James, William and Jonathan were listed as living with them, as was W. M. Appleberry, a 17-year-old farm laborer.³

Civil War Service --- Text Stolen from ReigelRidge.com !! ---

     The Enrolled Missouri Militia was created in Jul 1862 in response to a Confederate recruiting program begun that summer behind Federal lines in northeast Missouri. The previously established Missouri State Militia did not have the resources to address the growing guerrilla attacks. The new militia composed of part-time citizen soldiers was established to free the State Militia and Federal troops for field action. Most men in this militia served only a few weeks of active duty over the course of the next two and a half years.²⁶ John enrolled as a private in Co. A, 65th Regiment, Enrolled Missouri Militia 9 Aug 1862 at Chillicothe, Missouri. He was called into active service the same day and relieved from duty 6 Dec 1862, after 118 days in actual service. His wife's brothers Andrew and James W. Street had already enrolled in the same unit.^27,28
     The Provisional Enrolled Missouri Militia began organizing in May 1863 to replace the part-time Enrolled Missouri Militia. The new militia was composed of full-time troops, selected from the earlier militia. They were to be those "who could most easily be spared from their ordinary avocations, having but few if any others dependent upon their labor for support." They would become eligible for Federal pensions after the war.²⁶ He enrolled as a private in Co. E, 4th Regiment Provisional Enrolled Missouri Militia 7 Jun 1864, at Carrollton, Missouri, under Capt. Calvert. He joined his brother-in-law, James W. Street, who had enrolled three months before. He was ordered into active service the same day, and he was relieved from duty 1 Sep 1864.^29,30,31

Supporting a Growing Family --- Text Stolen from ReigelRidge.com !! ---

     John and Sarah appeared on the 1870 Federal Census of Morris Twp., Carroll Co., Missouri, enumerated 30 Jun 1870, reporting real estate valued at $1,600 and personal estate of $1,616. Their children James, William, Jonathan, George, John, Walter and Sylvester were listed as living with them.³²
     John and Sarah appeared on the 1880 Federal Census of Morris Twp., Carroll Co., Missouri, enumerated 22 Jun 1880. Their children George, John, Walter, Sylvester and Wesley were listed as living with them. Their son James and his wife and daughter were living close by or with them as they were listed as the previous household in census record. Her brother and his sister and their family were still living nearby, as they were listed as the third preceding household.³³
     John attended the sale of personal property from his father-in-law's estate on 15 Aug 1887. He purchased a reaper and mower for $9.³⁴
     His wife died on 18 May 1894.³⁵
     John applied for an invalid pension 20 Dec 1894, based on his Civil War service. The pension was denied, though the reason why has not been discovered.³⁶
     John married second Charity A. Vanhorn on 13 Feb 1896 in Carroll Co., Missouri, at the residence of Charles H. Smith, her son, with Rev. Marion Shirley officiating.^11,12
     His second wife died on 21 Nov 1897.³⁷
     John married third Sarah Frances Meador, daughter of Thomas Meador and Mary W. Craigg, on 17 Jul 1899 in Bogard, Carroll Co., Missouri, with Rev. F. C. Richards officiating.^13,14,15
     John and Sarah appeared on the 1900 Federal Census of Leslie Twp., Carroll Co., Missouri, enumerated 13 Jun 1900, reporting they owned their farm, free of mortgage. His grandson, Alva, son of his late son John, and Caro Willis, her daughter by her prior marriage, and Mary W. Craigg, her mother, were listed as living with them. His sons James and Wesley and their families were apparently living close by, as they are listed as the following and preceding households in the census record.³⁸
     John and Sarah appeared on the 1910 Federal Census of Leslie Twp., Carroll Co., Missouri, enumerated 26 Apr 1910, reporting they owned their farm, free of mortgage. His grandson, George, and Caro Willis, her daughter by her prior marriage, were listed as living with them.³⁹
     He was a farmer, continuing to operate his farm into his 80s, by 1910 hiring some of the work done.^{3,32,33,38,40}
     John and Sarah were divorced before their deaths in 1918.¹⁶
     John died on 27 Jun 1918 in Leslie Twp., Carroll Co., Missouri, at age 87.^17,5 He was buried on 28 Jun 1918 in the Streets Family Cemetery, Bogard, Carroll Co., Missouri.^18,19

Probating His Estate --- Text Stolen from ReigelRidge.com !! ---

     John died intestate (without leaving a will) and letters of administration for his estate were issued on 6 Jul 1918 in Probate Court, Carroll Co., Missouri, to William M. Isom, his son. He posted a $5,000 bond, with brothers James, Sylvester and George as securites.⁴¹
     The administrator filed an inventory of the estate on 12 Jul 1918. It listed two parcels of land in Carroll Co., one of 160 acres and a second of 40 acres. Household goods were apprised at $16.50, consisting of bedroom furniture and bedding. There was a deposit of $1,171 in one bank and $1,002 in a second. There were three notes, one for $200 from M. O. Robertson, and two for $100 each from his sons James and Wesley.⁴²
     The administrator filed his first settlement 13 Feb 1919. He reported assets collected totally $3,027, including in addition to the inventoried value, the sale of household goods for $3.50 more than their appraised value, and $487 collected for rent on the farm. He reported debts paid, probate expenses, and taxes totaling $310.⁴³ He filed a final settlement on 14 Aug 1919. In it he reported collecting $24 in interest on the notes and an additional $158 in rent for the farm. He reported disbursing $90 for the tombstone, $166 as his own fee, and $15 in other expenses. He had made a first distribution the heirs of $250 to each of the surviving sons and the same split among the five children of the deceased son. This left a balance of $744 to be distributed, $93.03 for each son.⁴⁴