JAMES F.6 FANCHER
JAMES F.6 FANCHER (Richard5, David4, Richard3, William2, William1) was born in Stokes County, North Carolina, on 26 January 1790. He was the son of Sarah Jarnegan and Richard5 Fancher. He died in Osage, Carroll County, Arkansas 8 June 1866, and was buried on his homestead, in the "Old Cemetery" or what is now called the Fancher-Seitz Cemetery. He married Elizabeth Carlock (daughter of Isaac Carlock and Sarah Ruckman) on 8 January 1816 in Rock Springs, Tennessee. (Elizabeth Carlock was born 18 March 1800 in Stokes County, North Carolina, Died 8 June 1891 in Lead Hill, Arkansas, and is buried in the Fancher-Seitz Cemetery in Osage, Carroll County, Arkansas.)
In 1806 James F. Fancher moved with his parents from North Carolina to Overton County, Tennessee. James F. Fancher was a Private in Captain Miller's Company of Tennessee Militia in the War of 1812, listed with the Spies of 1812, and discharged at Fort Williams because of disability. He served a tour against the Creek Indians in 1814 and was in the Battle of Horseshoe Bend. His rank or designation as Colonel probably came from being a part of the Carroll County or Arkansas militia.
Later, sometime around 1837/8, he moved to Arkansas. "James Fancher, Thomas Sisco, and James M. Kenner were the earliest settlers upon the headwaters of Osage." In an 1845 deposition regarding a land dispute between Britain Smyth and George Sugg in Carroll County, Arkansas, James Fancher testified that "he was at Britain Smyth's house in 1837. He went to Tennessee and again was at the house of Mr. Smyth in the Fall of 1838". In the 1840 Census, James Fancher is enumerated in Upper Osage Township, in Carroll County. In 1841, he appears in the Upper Osage Township Tax List.Except for two years he spent in Texas during the end of his life, he remained in Carroll County, Arkansas until his death in 1866. James F. Fancher was a Carroll County representative in the Arkansas State Legislature in 1842.
James Fancher was a large land owner and prosperous farmer. He and his family, are enumerated in the Osage Township, Carroll County, Arkansas 1850 Census. The value of his real estate is shown as $6600.00. The 1860 Slave Schedule indicates that James Fancher owned 6 slaves: two females ages 40 and 10, and 4 males ages 25, 19, 18 and 15. In the 1860 Census, at age 70, the value of James Fancher's real estate is $6100.00 and his personal estate is valued at $14,735.00.
During the Civil War he lost most of his property and had to flee to Texas. By his own account, on 11 January 1863 the Jarnell Herns Brigade camped on James F. Fancher's homestead farm, burned about 6000 rails, took "a good many horses and foraged on my grain-killed hogs, cattle and sheep", causing damages of $2500. At the end of March the James Blount Command came to his home. "They went into every room and went upstairs in the garet loft and broke open every trunk and took my money and they made their headquarters at Carrollton, 8 miles from my house and they staid there 8 days and they were at my house every day foraging. They took my horses and cattle and hogs sheep geese poultry and everything that came in their way and when they were going to leave they burned all of my dwelling houses and all goods in and burned my barns and wheat fan and some grain and farming utencils and blacksmith shop and all it contained. The damage they did, that is both brigades, at the very least figers 22,500 dollars and I had to fly and leave to save my life and go to Texas."
James F. Fancher returned to Carroll County, Arkansas in 1866, and died there on 8 June of that same year.11 Children:
1. Asenath7, born 5 December 1818 in Overton County, Tennessee; died 1849 in
Carroll County, Arkansas, buried Fancher-Seitz Cemetery, Osage, Carroll County,
Arkansas. Married William Crittenten Morris. (Son of John and Rachel Morris. Born
1810 Overton County, Tennessee: Died 6 August 1871 in Johnston County,
Arkansas. His first wife was Eliza Maxwell, who died en route to Arkansas in the
early 1840's.) 4 Children.
2. Claborn7, born 4 February 1821 in Overton County, Tennessee; died 1822 in
Overton County, Tennessee.3. Arminta7, born 14 February 1823 in Overton County, Tennessee; died 16 March
1848 in Carroll County, Arkansas, buried in the Fancher-Seitz Cemetery, Osage,
Carroll County, Arkansas. Married William T. Coker (Born 1810 Sugar Loaf, Boone
County, Arkansas) 3 Children.
4. Martha Jane7, born 10 August 1825 in Overton County, Tennessee; died 25
October 1900 in Carroll County, Arkansas. Married William Boatright, Jr. in 1845,
Carroll County, Arkansas. (William Boatright, Jr. was born 1 March 1814, Grainger
County, Tennessee; died 4 September 1884 in Carroll County, Arkansas) 7 Children.
5. Hampton Bynum7, born 9 January, 1828 in Overton County, Tennessee; died June
1909 in Berryville, Arkansas. He married Eliza O. McKennon on 26 July 1858 in
Carroll County, Arkansas. (Eliza O. McKennon was born 1838 in Lincoln County,
Tennessee; Died 1892 in Boone County, Arkansas) 8 Children. Hampton Bynum
Fancher was a Captain in Company C, 4th Regiment, Arkansas Infantry, Confederate
States of America, during the Civil War. He was a farmer and a member of the
Osage Masonic Lodge and a Chartering member of the Yell Lodge in Carrollton.
Christopher ("Kit") Carson8 Fancher and Triphenia8 Fancher, the only children of
Captain Alexander7 Fancher to survive the Mountain Meadows Massacre in 1857,
were raised by Hampton and Eliza Fancher. On 12 September, one day after the
third anniversary of the Mountain Meadows Massacre, the 1860 Census for
Osage Township shows Kit Carson, age 7, and Triphenia Fancher, age 3, living in
Hampton Bynum Fancher's household. The children are recorded as orphans and
as "Survivors of M. Meadow Massacre UT" on this record.
6. Sarah Amanda7, born 26 August, 1830 in Overton County, Tennessee; died 1899
in Carroll County, Arkansas. Married (1) Matthew Owens (Born ca. 1830; Died 7
February 1857, Buried in the Fancher-Seitz Cemetery, Osage, Carroll County,
Arkansas.) (2) Amos Gray Kendall 1862 in Alabam, Madison County, Arkansas.
(Amos Gray Kendall was born 22 April 1842 in Tennessee: Died 9 March 1924
Berryville, Carroll County, Arkansas.) 4 Children from first marriage, 6 Children
from second marriage.7. Thomas Washington7, born 24 January 1855 in Overton County, Tennessee;
Died Osage, Carroll County, Arkansas 31 August 1892. Married Elizabeth Sneed,
daughter of Charles Sneed and Jane Coker, on 9 June 1857 in Carroll County,
Arkansas.(Elizabeth Sneed was born 123 November 1839, Osage, Carroll County,
Arkansas; Died 20 December 1916.) 10 Children. Thomas Washington Fancher was a
Lieutenant in Howells Battery, Confederate States of America, in the Civil War. He
was a farmer and Mason in Osage.8. Margaret Catherine7, Born 6 August 1835, Overton County, Tennessee; Died
1909 Carroll County, Arkansas. Married James Wick Kenner. 8 Children.9. Henrietta7, Born 23 January 1838, Overton County, Tennessee. Married Dr.
Robert Temple Dickson, 23 January 1857 in Osage, Carroll County, Arkansas.
(He was born 18 July 1831, Bedford County, Tennessee; Died 7 November 1867
Thorps Spring, Texas.) 5 Children.
10. James Polk7, Born 13 October 1842 in Carroll County, Arkansas; Died 16
October 1924 in Berryville, Arkansas, buried in the Fancher-Seitz Cemetery,
Osage, Carroll County, Arkansas. He married Susan E. Crump 2 July 1869
in Boone County, Arkansas. (Susan E. Crump was the daughter of John G. and
Eliza Crump, born 22 February 1845 in Mt. Pleasant, Kentucky; Died 11 April 1884,
Buried in the Fancher-Seitz Cemetery.) 7 Children. James Polk Fancher was a
Sergeant, Company E, First Arkansas Battalion, Cavalry and Infantry in the
Confederate Army during the Civil War. He was known as "Polk" or "Black Polk"
because of his black hair. He was elected Circuit Clerk 1872-1876,
Representative in the State Legislature in 1885, Special Indian Deportation
and Disbursing Agent in 1888 and 1889, County Clerk 1892-1898, amd County
Judge in 1920. He was an attorney and active in the Masons, and community
affairs.11. George M. Dallas7, Born 9 November 1846 in Carroll County, Arkansas, Died
9 September 1847, Buried in the Fancher-Seitz Cemetery in Carroll County,
Arkansas.