The Mystery of Thomas Jefferson & John Robert Cross

For years I have seen some lineages where these two men are listed as the children of Jesse Cross and Celia Dover. I have not found anything which would pass the scrutiny of "proof". Even circumstantially. I am willing to concede these two as sons, IF there can be found some proof, ie. Bible Records, Will, Land Deeds, a family letter..something...anything....

According to the early census, in order for these two to be added, my ancestor William Stephen Cross (b. Oct 1826)  and his brother Henry (b. 1833), would have to be removed because the early census only show 1 child in each of these age groups.

Why I do not think that John Robert and Thomas Jefferson belong in the list of children for Jesse and Celia  --- (I do think they are kin...just not the sons of Jesse Cross & Celia Dover)  

1830 HABERSHAM CO, GA p 29
Jesse Cross
1 m  under 5  1825-1830  (Mitchell ca 1831 )
1 m  under 5 1825-1830   (unnamed male  ) [Wm Stephen] 
1 m  under 5  1825-1830  (Miles ca 1827 )

1 m  5-10 1820-1825        (Alsbury/Elsbury ca 1823)
1 m 30-40 -- Jesse Cross  1790-1800
1 f 5-10      1820-1825      (Rachel b ca 1820 )
1 f   30-40 -- Celia Dover    1790-1800
***********************
From the List of Poor School Students, Habersham CO, GA -- YEAR 1834.
Elsbury Cross
Miles Cross
Rachel Cross

1840 WALKER CO, GA
JESSE CROSS (page 63, line 31)
white
1 M   0-5    1835-1840 George Washington  ca 1837
1 M  5-10   1830-1835  unnamed male [Henry]
1 M  5-10   1830-1835  Mitchell ca 1831
1 M 10-15  1825-1830  unnamed male [Wm Stephen]
1 M 10-15 1825-1830   Miles ca 1827

1 M 15-20  1820-1825  Alsbery/Elsbury  ca 1823
1 M 40-50 --- Jesse Cross 
1 M  80-90 --- ?????  1750-1760
1 F   5-10  1830-1835  Mahala ca 1835

1 F  40-50 --- Celia Dover d/o Francis J Dover
1 F  70-80 --- ?????   1760-1770

NOTE: Who was the elderly couple living with Jesse & Celia (Dover) Cross?  Was it Jesse's parents John & Nancy Cross?  We haven't found them after they left Henry Co, GA.  

1850 Walker Co, GA p 357 A & B
218/218
Miles Cross  23  M W Farmer GA (1827)   -- s/o Jesse Cross
Elizabeth      18  F W   NC  -- nee WHITE
Margaret        1  F  W  GA
James C 1/12  M W  GA  -- James Calvin

(next door)
1850 Walker Co, GA p 357B
219/219
Jesse Cross      50 M W Farmer SC  1800
Cealey              51 F W  SC 1799   --- nee DOVER
Alsbury             27 M W GA  1823
Mitchell            19 M W  GA 1831
Mahala             15 M W  GA  1835
George W         13 M W  GA 1837

NOTE:  Wife Celia (Dover) died early 1850's.  Jesse Cross then married Nancy Ann Brown and had more children. JESSE CROSS  married Nancy Ann Brown 3 Sep 1857 Whitfield Co, GA  

1860 United States Federal Census > Georgia > Catoosa > Not Stated  IM 30 & 31 
207 / 209   (Tunnell Hill)  p 256B & 257A

J Cross  62  1797 South Carolina Male
N Cross 32 1827 South Carolina Female
M Cross 4 1855 Georgia Female
S Cross 1 1858 Georgia Female
       
1870 United States Federal Census > Georgia > Catoosa > Blackstock  IM 8

Post Office: Tunnell Hill
Roll: M593_140
Page: 302   533 / 536

Jesse Cross 67 abt 1803 South Carolina White Male
Nancy Cross  41 abt 1823 South Carolina White Female
Patsey Cross  15 abt 1855 Georgia White Female
Susannah E Cross 13 abt 1858 Georgia White Female
Thomas R Cross 9 abt 1861 Georgia White Male
       
1880 Census > Georgia > Catoosa > Blackstock  IM 6 & 7   
Family History Library Film  1254138
NA Film Number  T9-0138
Page Number  239B
197 / 203

Jessee CROSS Self M Male W 85 SC Farmer
Nancy CROSS Wife M Female W 50 SC Keeping House SC SC
Martha CROSS Dau S Female W 23 GA At Home SC SC
Susana CROSS Dau S Female W 21 GA At Home SC SC
Thomas CROSS Son S Male W 17 GA Farm Laborer SC SC
Dillie SIEGLER Niece S Female W 18 GA No Occupation  ---  AL

NOTE:  Jesse Cross died in 1881.  Martha "Patsy" was Nancy's dau before she married Jesse in 1857.  Susannah and Thomas were the children of Jesse Cross / Mrs Nancy Ann Brown.

Jesse & Celia's first child was Miles Cross who married Mary Elizabeth "Betty" White.  Their son, William Augustus "Gus"  Cross married Margaret Alice Bennett. Gus and Alice had a son, Robert Cecil "Bob" Cross. Bob wrote the following from his father Miles' knowledge of his father's (Jesse Cross) family. This is just a part of the file.

--------

FAMILY HISTORY OF CROSS NAME
(As dictated by William Gus Cross at his home near Waldron, Arkansas Nov 16, 1934)

Jesse Cross was born in 1797 in Habersham County Georgia, and later owned land in Catoosa Co, Georgia.  He died in 1881 near Winfield, Arkansas, and was  buried in the Seahorn Cemetery near Winfield.  Robert Cross, brother of Jesse,  had a son, James.  Thomas Cross, another brother of Jesse had a solid breast-bone down over his stomach.

Jesse Cross married Celia Dover (1st wife).  The family lived at or near Ringgold, GA.  The following children were born to this union:

1   Henry Cross, died in Texas
2   Steven Cross, died in Texas
3   Mitchell Cross, born 1835, died at Winfield, Ark in 19??.  He had 1 boy and 2 girls (Mrs Seahorn [? hard to read] and Mrs Patterson).
4   Mahaley Cross, died single about 19 years old.
5   Miles Cross, buried in Mt Ida Cemetery between D------? and Locksburg,Ark.
6   Elsberry Cross, died in Texas
7   Rachel Cross, married __ [no first name] Smith, killed in war: then married Drury Singleterry and lived in Ringgold, GA.
8   George Washington Cross, the youngest child, was a wagonmaker.  He had 3  boys & 3 girls.  He died in ___? [looks like probably a town, but not readable]

All the sons served in the Confederate Army except Miles who made shoes for the soldiers.

---------

It is my personal belief that the reason Henry and Wm Stephen came to Texas in the first place was to escape the brewing conflict of the Civil War. I say this because they show up in the 1860 census for Hardin Co TX and my grandmother told me stories of how the Cross men hid in the thicket with other men to evade the soldiers when they came. The women would bring food to the woods and leave it. They would hang a red rag out to let them know it was safe to come in.

But the point of Gus's note to his son is that Gus was speaking of his father's brothers and sisters. Surely Gus would have known if he had an Uncle Thomas Jefferson or John Robert!

Again, I do think these two Cross boys, Thomas Jefferson and John Robert, as somehow connected but not as the sons of Jesse Cross. If someone can produce something to show otherwise, I am always willing to make corrections and additions because my goal is to be factual, not right.

The only other way these boys could possibly be son's of Jesse Cross would be as illegitimate with another woman. This did happen so it is possible. How would we know without some document or letter?