Nancy Ann Mills Family
Paine Family History
The following family history was submitted by Mary Nell Bullard, 1916 23rd St., Snyder, TX. It was written by Eliza A. Paine Sanford (1837-1907), her great-grandfather.
“A history of our family as far as I can remember. My grandfather Daniel Paine was a native of Virginia and was a young man when the Revolution broke out. My great grandfather, whose name I think was Daniel also, came over from England. Just after Grandfather’s marriage he moved to McMinnville, TN. My father was born in McMinnville. While he was a babe (the family) moved to Blount County, Alabama. My grandpa lived in Alabama until after Pa was grown then he went to Illinois, settling in Hancock County. His youngest daughter was Aunt Alta Ivers. Pa’s oldest brother was Mason Paine, the next William, Merrel, hisself1, and Carrel which was the baby. His sisters Nancy Owen, Millie Pool, Sarah Wilson, and Betty who never married. My father had three half brothers—Thomas, Tarkus, can’t remember the name of the other one. My father’s mother’s maiden name was Silvy Combs. Pa said our family descent was English, Welsh, Scotch and Irish.
“My mother’s father, Mahlon Hall, was a native of Kentucky. He sold out his plantation in that state and moved to Illinois in the early settling of that state. He bought up a great deal of land in DeWitt and Macon Counties His home was in DeWitt County. My grandmother’s given name was Hanna. Boys were Ambros, Jerias, Henry, Calib, James, Read, John and Derias Hall. Their daughters names after marriage Betty Barnett, Eliza Hildreth, Susan Mills, and my mother Pollyann Paine. Aunt Susan Married my step-mother’s brother Bentley Mills.
“My pa was the father of eighteen children. The oldest Sarah e. Gary, Alta V. Hogeland, myself Eliza A. Sanford, Emma C. Gragory, Margret A. boon, Malissa O. Haslett, Silvy Ellen Hammit, Mary Murphy, Eddie Paine, Josephene Dorsey Allis Paine and Addie Paine. My father’s boys—oldest Mahlon Hall, William C., John H., Ruphus, Danial and Albert. My father helped drive the Blackhawk Indians from that state. Took an active part in all political questions, being county judge for several years; he was sent to the legislature two years; he was a physician by profession.
“My father built one of the first houses in Clinton and we lived there until 1845 or 6 when we moved to Iowa. Lived at Fort Maddison, then we went to Charleston, IA and lived and lived until 1849 at whick time my father became afflicted with rheumatism. He had a large practive and that being such a cold country he suffered so bad he decided coming south for fear of being disabled from his practice. In last day of October 1849 we took a steamer at Keokuk for Memphis, TN. We were eleven days on the water. After getting to Memhis decided going on into Mississippi as he had a brother there. He sent wagons for us so we got there a few days before Christmas the year 1849.
“Lived there until the year 1856 then came to Texas, first stopping in Falls County. The same year your Pa2 and I were married under a big oak tree three miles from Waco. The twelfth day of December we got back to Hill County. Pa going south to Grazos County, then he left there went to harris County, he moved to Denton County, and he and my step-mother died at Sunset, Wise County, TX.
“When are broke out you Pa took us to Harris County; he bought one acre of land in the town of Cypress, built me a house with two rooms down stairs, one upstairs, and a galary in front. I went to work to make a living for myself and four children. When they sent for your Pa to report at camp for duty oh it was a sad day. He had to report at a tannery; he only got thirteen a month—that equaled $1.50 in good money. I learned to make shoes. Made soap for sale, tookin sewing and patching. I made butter and sold it at the tannery for $5 a pound. Carded and spun one summer enough thread to make thirty yeard of lindsy to make you Pa and your children clothes for winter. Spun and wove me a cotton dress; made shoes for a lade to pay her to weave my lindsy. I had four ‘brother-in-laws’ in the army and two brothers. I prayed for them day and night that they might all b epermitted to get home alove and all got back alive.
“After Jimney died I rent a place in the one mile of the tannery so your Pa culd stay at home at night. They tanned sheep hides; the wool was full length on the hide. The Boss gave me all the wool I would shear off; they sent them to me by the wagon load. Your Pa and I would get up before day. While I got breakfast he would cut out one or two pair of shoes for me to make. I could make two pair a day if I didn’t line and lind them. If I lined one pair and did the workI got $1.50 in good money or from five to twenty-five in Confederate. I gave $50 for a set of common white pates, $15 for a common oak bucket, $17.50 a yard for a calico dress. I paid $5 to rede on train to Houston, $5 for bus. That was the cheapest of anything as government run all roads.
1Fleming G. Paine, 1807-1886
2B. O. Sanford
3a son
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Email: marcmills@hotmail.com
