Onslow M. AIRHEART

1834 - 1883  (49 years)

• Name	Onslow M. AIRHEART
  Born	24 May 1834	Rhea County, TN
  Gender	Male
  Occupation	Ferry Owner
  	Farmer
  Died	2 Nov 1883	Trinidad, Henderson County, TX
  Buried	Trinidad Cemetery, Trinidad, Henderson Co, TX
  Notes	(1) "Airheart Connections," a WorldConnect Family Tree on rootsweb.com: Onslow M. AIRHEART was born 24 MAY 1834 in Rhea Co. TN, and died 1883 in Trinidad, Henderson Co. TX. He married Mary N. INGRAM 3 DEC 1871 in Navarro, TX. (2) http://www.trinidadtexas.com/trinidad_yesterday.html: Thursday July 6, 1972 Trinidad, Yesterday and Tommorrow By Noni Dean - Lake Shopper Editor The earliest settlers [of the City of Trinidad, Henderson County, TX] were probably the Airhearts, the Spivey's, and the Galinores. In these early years, ferries crossed the Trinity and one of the earliest settlers was Enos Spivey, who in the late 1840's bought a ferryboat operation from Mr. Brandenberg, who then operated it from the Navarro County side of the Trinity River. Spivey moved it to higher ground on the Henderson County side. O.M. Airheart came into the Trinidad area in the early 1850's and bought the ferry from Spivey. This ferry was in very active usage for many years as settlers of surrounding counties used it to cross at this point. Mrs. Burroughs who ran a boarding house in her later years in Denton recalled crossing with her family and 11 other families about 1858 after a huge overflow on the Tennessee had taken the lives of her two brothers. She also said they had to camp for three weeks before the Trinity fell enough to cross. Two other ferries were also used, one called the Achers ferry and Wildcat ferry. (3) http://texinfo.library.unt.edu/lawsoftexas/pdf/law07017.pdf: Special Laws of The State of Texas Passed at the Session of the Thirteenth Legislature Begun and Held at the City of Austin, January 14, 1873 CHAPTER CXXII. An Act granting a charter to O. M. Airheart, to create, keep and run a Ferry-boat at the Spivey Crossing, on Trinity River, in Henderson County and Navarro County. Section 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Texas, That O. M. Airheart, of the county of Henderson, is hereby authorized to keep and run a ferry-boat, at the old Spivey crossing, on Trinity river, on the road leading from Athens, in Henderson county, to Corsicana, in Navarro county. See. 2. That the said O. M. Airheart be subject to the general laws of the State of Texas, governing the establishment of ferries. Sec. 3. That there shall not be established any other ferry or other ferry-boat, kept or run for public use, within four miles above or below said ferry established by this act, except for private use, after said ferryboat shall be in running order, and the said Airheart shall establish and have a good and substantial ferry-boat completed and in running order within three months from the passage of this act; and shall then be ready at all times to convey passengers and property of all di[e]scriptions, and shall be responsible, as common carriers, for the same, except at such stages of the water in said Trinity river as in the opinion of the ferryman in charge it would [be] hazardous to cross the said river, and in such event he shall not be compelled to cross or run his ferry-boat. Sec. 4. That the said O. M. Airheart, his agent or attorney, shall be entitled to collect and receive the following tolls (to wit) : For wagon or any other vehicle drawn by four horses, or mules, or oxen, seventy-five cents; and ten cents for each pair of horses, mules or oxen in said team over the first number named; for each two-horse wagon or vehicle, drawn by two horses, mules, oxen or other animals, the sum of fifty cents; for one-horse wagon, buggy or cart, the sum of thirty cents; for each man and horse, the sum of fifteen cents; for each footman, five cents; for each loose horse, mule, jack, jennet, ox or cow, the sum of five cents each; for animals in drove or herd, of the stock kind, the sum of three cents each; for hogs, sheep and goats, the sum of two cents per head. Any other species of stock or property crossed at said ferry, and not enumerated above, a ferr[i]age fee in proportion as above. Sec. 5. Any person willfully damaging said ferry-boat, its tackle, paraphranalia [paraphernalia], or anything appertaining to the said boat, its landing, banks or crossways, shall be fined in double the amount of the damages proven, upon conviction, and same recoverable before any court of competent jurisdiction, and the same be due and payable to the party injured; and said fine and costs to be collected as other fines are. Sec. 6. This charter shall be in force for the period of fifteen years from and after the passage of this act; provided, said ferry shall be kept in good repair and condition to serve and answer for public use; otherwise, this charter shall be null and void. Sec. 7. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage. Passed May 6th, 1873. [Note.-The foregoing act was presented to the Governor of Texas for his approval on the eighth day of May, A. D. 1873. and was not signed by him, or returned to the house in which it originated, with his objections thereto, within the time prescribed by the Constitution, and thereupon became a law without his signature.-James P. Newcomb, Secretary of State.] (4) O. M. AIRHEART is listed in the 1860 census of Huntsville, Walker County, TX. O. M. is listed in the 1860 census as a TX State Penitentiary guard who was then 29 years of age; therefore, according to the 1860 census, he was born in about 1831. According to the 1860 census, he was born in TN. (5) A household headed by Onslow M. AIRHEART is listed in the 1870 census of Precinct 2, Henderson County, TX. Onslow M. is listed in the 1870 census as a farmer and ferryman who was then 36 years of age; therefore, according to the 1870 census, he was born in about 1834. According to the 1870 census, he was born in TN. Listed with Onslow M. is Nancy J. AIRHEART, who was then 15 years of age; therefore, according to the 1870 census, she was born in about 1855. According to the 1870 census, she was born in TN. The relationship between Onslow M. and Nancy J. is not listed in the 1870 census, but Nancy J. is believed by the compiler to have been a niece of Onslow M., and a daughter of Onslow M.'s brother, Moses AIRHEART, and Moses' first wife. Also listed with Onslow M. is Catherine AIRHEART, who was then 12 years of age; therefore, according to the 1870 census, she was born in about 1858. According to the 1870 census, she was born in TN. The relationship between Onslow M. and Catherine is not listed in the 1870 census, but Catherine is believed by the compiler to have been a niece of Onslow M., and a daughter of Onslow M.'s brother, Moses AIRHEART, and Moses' first wife. Also listed with Onslow M. are several other persons who are apparently unrelated to Onslow M. (6) http://www.rootsweb.com/~txnavarr/biographies/collections/sheriffs.htm : Sheriffs of Navarro County Texas NO SHERIFFS DURING 1868 and 1869 From the middle of 1867 until the middle of 1870, Navarro County did not have a sheriff. The principal reason was that Federal troops were in power and overruled the sheriffs in their official capacities. Also, crime and disorder was rampant. Any official duties were performed by precinct constables by Negro officers of the Union army. JAMES A. NELMS, July 16, 1870 - August 1872 Texas was readmitted to the union March 30, 1870 but was still a police ruled state. On July 16, 1870, Gov. Edmond J. Davis appointed Nelms sheriff and his $30,000 bond was signed by Jacob Eliot and O. M. Airheart. Without a sheriff for three years, county law and order was in bad condition. The District Clerk, W. B. Johnston, killed by a deputy sheriff, William Smithy, Dec 4, 1870 and two days later killed a town saloon keeper H. R. Morrell, then went to Austin where he was protected from prosecution by Gov. Davis. Nelms resigned his office in August 1872 and Gov. Davis appointed James H. Brent sheriff. Nelms later served as a policeman, a gin repairman, a farmer, a commission merchant and an auctioneer according to The Corsicana Observer. (7) O. M. AIRHEART is listed in the 1880 census of Precinct 2, Henderson County, TX in a household headed by Dophous? Copelin?.7 O. M. is listed in the 1880 census as a farmer who was then 45 years of age; therefore, according to the 1880 census, he was born in about 1835. According to the 1880 census, he was born in TN, and both of his parents were born in TN. No relationship between Dophous? Copelin? and O. M. is listed in the 1880 census. (8) Documents filed in the County Court of Henderson County, TX indicate that O. M. AIRHEART died intestate in the Fall of 1883, leaving the following heirs: • Henry AIRHEART of Hickory County, MO, a full brother of O. M. AIRHEART • John AIRHEART of Collin County, TX, a full brother of O. M. AIRHEART • Alexander AIRHEART, whose whereabouts were unknown, a full brother of O. M. AIRHEART • Moses AIRHEART of Henderson County, TX, a full brother of O. M. AIRHEART • James AIRHEART of Fort Bend [sic; should be Barton] County, KS, a full brother of O. M. AIRHEART • Charles W. AIRHEART of Henderson County, TX, a half-brother of O. M. AIRHEART • Mrs. N. J. GROSS of James County, TN, a half-sister of O. M. AIRHEART • Mrs. E. A. CHILCUTT of Bradley County, TN, a half-sister of O. M. AIRHEART • Mrs. M. COWDEN of Bradley County, TN, a half-sister of O. M. AIRHEART W. T. EUSTACE was the administrator of the estate of O. M. AIRHEART.
  Person ID	I4619	Frost, Gilchrist and Related Families
  Last Modified	17 Feb 2021

  
  

  Father	Peter AIRHEART, Sr.,   b. 1800, Blount County, TN ,   d. 1868, Bradley County, TN  (Age 68 years)
  Mother	Nancy GULLATT,   b. 1796, Loudoun County, VA ,   d. 12 Jul 1851, Bradley County, TN  (Age 55 years)
  Married	2 Sep 1819	Rhea County, TN
  Notes	(1) Tennessee Marriages, 1787-1866, Marriages of Rhea County, TN 1808-1859 [database online], Genealogy.com: Peter Airheart to Nancy Gillott, Sep. 2, 1819. F. David, J.P. (Sep. 2, 1819).
  Family ID	F2613	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Mary N. INGRAM,   b. 18 May 1838,   d. 24 May 1874  (Age 36 years)
  Married	3 Dec 1871	Navarro County, TX
  Last Modified	17 Feb 2021
  Family ID	F2635	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart