UNSOLVED #1

Charlotte DICKENS (of 1830 Jackson Co., TN)

   

Who was the "Charlotte Dickens" that was enumerated in the 1830 Jackson County, TN Census as 40-50 with one male 10-15 in her household?

 

DISCUSSION:  Charlotte is very likely the female enumerated as 26-45 in Henry Dickens' household in the 1820 Jackson Co., TN Census (hereafter called Henry Sr.). Was she  a younger 2nd or 3rd wife of Henry Sr. who in his will did not specifically name his wife - instead, he simply states: "my well beloved wife"? Or was Charlotte the widow of another unidentified Dickens?

 

Although we may eventually find records that will prove or disprove if Charlotte was Henry Sr.'s wife, and while I admit that simple logic seems to indicate she was a younger wife of Henry Sr., there is other intrinsic Dickens related information that leads me to question who she really was. Part of the dilemma complicating the Henry Sr. and Charlotte scenario is:

 

Henry Sr.'s wife may have been the older woman in son Jesse's household in both the 1820 and 1830 Smith Co., TN Census.
 

Analysis of the early Smith and Jackson Co., TN census records seems to indicate  the presence of several Dickens or Dickens related orphaned children, and their parentage cannot be proven beyond doubt.
 

In the book: "Sketches of Prominent Tennesseans" by William S. Speer, 1888: in the biography about "Dr. James H. Dickens" Speer writes the following:

  
 

"Dr. James H. Dickens was born in Rutherford county, Tennessee, June 11, 1823. His father was B.B. Dickens, a farmer, in moderate circumstances, a justice of the peace and an elder in the Christian church. He was a native of North Carolina, and came with his widowed mother from that State when in his fifteenth year; lived in Warren and Bedford counties until grown; when he settled in Rutherford county. He was a man of firm character, of conscientious conduct and sterling integrity. He married in Rutherford county, raised a family of eight children, and died in 1860, at the age of sixty-five. Of these children, only three sons are now living, James H. Dickens subject of this sketch, and J.F. and W.B. Dickens; both the later farmers. Two of Dr. Dickens' paternal uncles, William and John Dickens, settled in Jackson county, Tennessee, as farmers. William Dickens, the grandfather of Dr. Dickens, was a farmer in North Carolina."
 
 

NOTE: Regarding the above, some researchers have attempted to connect B.B. Dickens to Henry Sr., and the biography above proves there was in fact some kind of connection to the Smith and Jackson Co., TN Dickens' - but, to who and how?
   

Regardless, Charlotte may or may not have been the mother of at least 1 of the 2 males that were enumerated as 10-15 in the 1820 census also living in Henry Sr.'s household (See Henry Dickens' Will,  Note #4). At least one of the 2 males may have been the John Dickens of 1840 Wilson Co., TN (see Unsolved #3); and the 2nd male may have been Jesse M. Dickens - also of 1840 Wilson Co., TN (see Unsolved #4).

 

POSSIBILITIES:

  

In 1830, Charlotte is enumerated in the Jackson Co., TN Census with 1 male 10-15 in her household. 

 

  • I believe the male in her household in 1830 may have been the 20-30 year old Jesse M. Dickens enumerated in 1840 Wilson Co., TN, or may have been the 20-30 year old John Dickens also enumerated in 1840 Wilson Co., TN

  • Charlotte may have been the older female 50-60 in John Dickens' household in the 1840 Wilson Co., TN Census

Charlotte is surely the "Shilotte" who married the widower "Joseph Stewart" in Wilson Co., TN.

 

  • Joseph Stewart m: "Shilotte Ables" on September 11, 1838 in WIlson Co., TN; Bondsman was: David McGarr; married by: George Donnell.

  • Thus we know her maiden name was "Ables"; ergo Charlotte (nee Ables) Dickens-Stewart.

A Wilson Co., TN Court Record shows that in 1843, a peace bond was ordered between Jesse Dickens, Joseph Stewart, and Charlotte Stewart. This indicates that Jesse may have been a close relative - and, it should also be noted that the John Dickens of 1840 Wilson Co., TN appears to have died at about this time (see John's info below).
 

Joseph Stewart left his will in Wilson Co., TN on 23 January, 1844. His heirs were: Wife Charlotte Stewart, and son William Hamilton.
 

Charlotte is again a widow by 1850, 68 years old in the Wilson Co., TN Census - born 1782 in North Carolina - and was living in William Hamilton's household.
 

Charlotte is in the 1860 Wilson Co., TN Census, 80 years old  - and was still living in William Hamilton's household (except it should be noted that William now uses the alias: "Hambleton"). This is the last time Charlotte appears in a census, and thus she died between 1860 - 1870.
 

Even though I have not found a conclusive link yet, Charlotte is also old enough to have been the mother of either:

 

  • the "William Dickens" who was enumerated in the 1830 Jackson Co., TN Census (age 30-40), who died about 1836 in Smith Co., TN - and was the father of Leighton, Henry, and Dixon (see Unsolved #6).

  • the "William Dickens" that may have been the male 10-15 enumerated in Jesse Dickens' household in the 1820 Smith County, TN Census (see Unsolved #8)? This William eventually married "Caroline Summersett" between 1830-1833 (she was the daughter of Joseph and Harriett Summersett). 

If ANY COMBINATION of:
 

  • John of 1840 Wilson Co., TN

  • William of Marina

  • William of Caroline

  • Jesse M. Dickens of 1840 Wilson Co., TN
 

are indeed Charlotte's son(s) - then Charlotte COULD NOT have been the wife of Henry Sr.
 

Charlotte CANNOT be a daughter of Henry Sr. - as he named all of his living children in his will - but  "Charlotte" is not one of them.
 

Based on William Speer's statement that two of Dr. Dickens' paternal uncles William and John Dickens settled in Jackson County, Tennessee, and although Charlotte would only have been 13-14 at the time, there is a remote possibility she may have been the mother of: Baxter B. Dickens of Rutherford Co., TN (see Unsolved #9). There are only two possible combinations for John and William as paternal uncles:
 

  • 1) The John and William - who were sons of Henry Dickens Sr.

  • 2) The John and either: William of Marina, or William of Caroline - who are candidate sons of Charlotte as discussed above.

  • However, if Charlotte was indeed Baxter's mother, Charlotte could NOT have been a wife of  Henry Sr.

 

 

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