DescMarkBrindle
Submitted to Brendel Brendle Brindel Brindle Forum by Dorothy Bonar.
Transcribed exactly as written in original booklet by Lorraine Adams Douglass.
Brindle
By Luther Brindle
January - 1967
T h e
DESCENDANTS
of
MARK BRINDLE
Mark Brindle was born January 21, 1842, to John and Elizabeth (Huff) Brindle, in what
was then Surrey County, North Carolina. His father died when Mark was 5 years old-probably in
September, 1847-of typhoid fever. His father John was sick with typhoid in grape season, and
John liked grapes so well, couldn't refrain from eating more grapes than was good for him,
and this is thought to be the reason that he took seriously sick and succumbed to typhoid.
When Mark was 8 years old, his mother married again-to an Adams, and when Mark was 9, he went
to live with Joshua Reece, (probably his uncle), and it is assumed that other brothers and
sisters were placed in other homes as well.
Mark's father, John, lived near Boonville, North Carolina, in the vicinity of Mitchel
Chapel. Our late cousin, John Brendle, of Boonville, told us that the cemetery at Mitchel
Chapel used to be called the "Brindle Graveyard," and that Mark's father John had given them
land for this cemetery. John is buried in the "Brindle row" in this cemetery, and a new marker
has been placed at his grave. Mark's grand father Daniel, and grand mother Susannah are also
buried in this same row. So is Tandy Brindle, who was a nephew of Mark, and was the father of
Rosa (Brindle) Hobson, and Pearl (Brindle) Mustion, whom we know, and another daughter who has
visited Iowa.
Mark Brindle was called into the Confederate army when he was about 17 years of age.
He didn't know just why he was in the Southern Army, but his neighbors and buddies were going,
so when he was called, he went. Early in the conflict he was wounded by a rifle ball through
the wrist, and at first wouldn't admit him into the hospital because he was from the South.
As he was about to leave, they asked which Carolina he was from and when he answered "North"
Carolina -he was admitted. Then they wanted to amputate because of the danger of blood
poisoning, so he ran away from the hospital and saved his hand by bathing his wrist daily
in a flowing spring. They had told him he would die if it was not amputated, but he replied
that he had as well be dead as to try to make a living with only one hand. He served
throughout the war in various capacities in Company 1, 28th Regiment, under General Robert E.
Lee. After being wounded, he used a team, and took wounded to the hospitals. Later his mules
were shot by the enemy, Mark was taken prisoner, and was imprisoned near Washington where he
was very hungry for the short remainder of the war.
On his return home, the money in the South was worthless and Mark had a hard time,
but managed to save enough to have a suit of clothes made, and to buy a ticket to Iowa. On
the same train came some of his buddies--Lou Hall, John Carter, and Lou Veach. Also making
this trip on the "covered cars" was
Mary Frances Faris, Mark's future bride. Arriving at State Center (about 1868), they
were met by friends in a wagon, and there not being room for everyone to ride, the young men
walked along behind the wagon. His first job in Iowa was working for the Hockett's.
December 24, 1872, Mark Brindle married Mary Frances Faris, daughter of Nicholas and
Sarah W. (Stone) Faris, of near Steamboat Rock, and they lived in the Steamboat Rock area
some and moved about considerably. Some of the children were born here-Sadie, John and
probably Charles. John told that it was a miracle that he survived at all-he was born during
a blizzard, the doctor was drunk, and the lady who cared for him and his mother was the mother
of the famous or notorious Rainsbarger brothers, although individually she was a very good
woman. Mark's wife-Mary Frances-died in 1883 and was buried beside her father Nicholas, in
the Buckner cemetery, near Eldora.
In 1885, Mark married Sarah Clemons, and they lived in the Liberty area. They
gradually began to acquire property, Addie, Mabel, and Willie were born here, and they
prospered and retired in this community-after an unsuccessful attempt to retire in Union.
He made one trip back to North Carolina, with some of his old friends-saw his
mother again, and renewed old acquaintances. Coming back, while waiting for the train,
he stood watch over his friends suitcases while they looked for some liquor, but the train
came before his companions returned, and they were all left behind. His wife Sarah and
little daughter Addie met the train, and according to Addie, her mother cried and cried
because Mark and companions didn't arrive as planned.
Mark's mother, Elizabeth (Huff) Brindle Adams, died in the mountains some distance
from Hamptonville or Elkin, at the home of a daughter who was married to a White. She had
two daughters who married Whites. We have little information of the Adams Family, except
the names of the children. Addie has met Caroline, who married a Johnson, and lived in
Winston Salem. Addie also mentioned that Caroline resembled her half-brother Mark, was
slight in size, and very nice, also that Caroline had a son, of large rugged build-who
resembled Mark's son John P. Other children of Mark's mother by her second marriage
were-William, Mary (Adams) White, and Elizabeth (Adams) White, whose nickname was "Sis."
Mark was generally known for his good humor, fairness of dealing, and his friendly
disposition-and as a good old friend recently stated-"Mark was a very interesting fellow to
visit with". This friend was Floyd Hickman, age 84, now residing at Westwood Nursing Home
in Marshalltown, who knew Mark well, and enjoyed many visits with him. Floyd's father was
Henry Hickman, a Friends Minister at Chester, years ago.
Mark and Sarah are buried in the cemetery at Chester. So are Sadie, John, and
Willie. Charles is buried in the Union cemetery.
Children, grand-children, and some great grand-children cherish the memories of
the family gatherings and wonderful dinners at the home of Grandpa Mark Brindles, that were
a regular occassion, and so well attended by the descendants and relatives of Mark during
his later years. He liked to be proud of his family, and their families.
Brendel Brendle
Brindel Brindle Forum Web Site created by Lorraine Adams Douglass December 31,
1999.
Last updated: January 22, 2000.