The Fouty Family of Navarro County
Written by Mary Leonard Haston ca 1967
Copyright John C. Berry, Jr.
Used by permission

Montraville Fouty, my grandfather, was born in 1830 near Springfield, Illinois.  His brother was Clinton Fouty, two years younger than he was, his father died in Ill., and his mother remarried a Henry [Eleazar] Clay Nash, they had four children.  Names: Henry Clay Nash, Mirvera, Lucinda, Mary Florence.  The youngest was a baby when they left Ill. And came to Texas.  My Grandfather was 14 years old and he drove the covered wagon all the way with his mother and children, which hurt him as his brother, Clinton got to ride horse back with the stepfather which they loved very much.  They had slaves or bought them on the way because they had three or more wagons.  They were joined by the Dixons, the Dollheights and Tranwells, they were joined in Tennessee by the Carrolls, more of them later on, the Ross, the Leonards, Tanklesly and the Newnans, in all about 56 wagons.  There were no bridges no roads.

They landed in East Texas near Nacogdoches in 1845 before Texas a State, the Republic was covered with prairie grass, knee high, praire chickens and wild birds, and a few Indians, around, they had to ford the rivers, the Dixons, the Carrolls and Tanklesly Rosses and Foutys all settled near Corsicana in Navarra [Navarro] County near Richland, part of the Carroll near Kernes, My grandfather married Mary Ann Carroll in 1857, her father was Abner Carroll, [mother Ann Kuykendall] there were six [nine] children, John, Joe, Mary Ann, Jim, Sarah and Lula [Sarah E., Abner M., Rachael L., Jesiah M., Mary Ann, John W., Samuel P., James Y., and Martha T.], they lived near Tehuacana, near Mexia, for a while, the Carrols were very wealthy and had lots of land, but they all fought for the South and lost their wealth, Grandfather was station at Galveston Texas under Captian Dick Dowley, Uncle Clinton was with Johnson, who retreat from Sherman when he burned Atlanta, Ga., Uncle Clinton had two sons, Tom and Mack Fouty, who lived near Eureka, close to Corsicana. [Records show that as a 20 year old, Montraville was with Moss's Company, Company E, 13th Texas Infantry Regiment.]

Grandmother Fouty had a sister Sarah who married a man Tarver and they left Texas before the Civil War was over, going to Bazil South America, She had six sons married girls there and forgot the English language, I saw her once when I was a small child. Aunt Mollie Carroll was borned near Nacogdoches before Texas became a State She lived to be 94 years, Grandfather and Grandmother had six children [seven]:

Cora Fouty my mother borned June 18, 1858

Addie Fouty [m. Dixson]

Cyrus Fouty [b. 7 Nov 1861]

Mollie Fouty

Sallie and Henry (twins)

[May Fouty, m. Bill Murray of Oklahoma fame.]

Grandmother died in Feb 20 1877, my father and mother were married in Oct. 25, 1871 my father was James [Adna] Leonard born near Little Rock, Ark, in 1850, after the War they moved to Texas. Grand mother is buried near Richland in the Old Love Cemetery nar [near] Pizard [Pisgah] Ridge Grand father is buried at Wortham my father and my mother had six children as follows:

Annie Leonard borned Aug. 8, 1878, died Sept. 18, 1879

Jay Leonard borned Dec 6, 1879, died April 1, 1881

Maude Leonard borned Mar 1, 1882; died Sept 18, 1883

Rebecca Leonard borned Nov 25, 1884 and died Mar 24, 1946

James Leonard borned Jan 22, 1887 and died Oct 4 1961

Mary Leonard born Oct 4, 1889 [died June 1 1969. Grandmother was born four months after her father died; reportedly from being shot in a holdup of his store.]

I hope Johnnie and his family enjoy the family tree as much as I do writing for him, love and good wishes

Note: Grandfather Fouty remarried a widow Mrs. [Mary] Patterson in 1878 [1886] they had twins a boy and girl both died at birth 1879 [both born 20 May 1887, Montraville Jr. died Aug 1887; Emma died 26 July 1887] the wife also died a few days later [same day, 20 May 1887].  Grandfather Fouty then live with us [in Wortham, Freestone Co.] until his death.  He was 6 ft 4 inches tall, well groomed? And well like by all, he died in [25] July 1895 and he is buried at Wortham Texas.

Grand Father and Grand Mother Leonard are buried in the old Love Cemetery near Richland, Texas: William Marshall Leonard, Rebecca Ross Leonard near to Grandmother Fouty grave

Fouty Bible Record

Minnie Francis Patterson was born Oct the 27th 1884 [Mary’s daughter from her prior marriage.]

Montraville & Emma Fouty Son & Daughter of Mary J. & M. Fouty were born May 20th 1887

Montraville Fouty Jr., son of Mary  & Montraville Fouty Died Aug 1887.

Emma Fouty, daughter of Mary  & Montraville Fouty Died Aug 1887.

M. Fouty and Mary Patterson were Married August 4th 1886

Note: Grandmother wrote the above, totally from memory at age 79, at the request of my son John Berry for use in his fourth grade genealogy assignment. The items in brackets were inserted by me and represent the actual situation based on research in family records and the records in the Family History Library of the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints in Salt Lake City, Utah.  Spellings and punctuation were left as grandmother wrote them.

John C. Berry, Jr.