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Ouachita County ArArchives Biographies..... CHIDESTER,  John Thomas 1816 - March 5, 1892
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   COLONEL   JOHN   THOMAS   CHIDESTER 
 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~   


John Thomas CHRIDESTER was born 6 December 1816, reportedly, tenth of eleven known
children in Cooperstown, Otsego county, New York to Daniel and Susannah CHIDESTER,
moving south to or near Tuscumbia, Franklin, now Colbert county, Alabama near
Tennessee river, married twice had six known children before moving west to Camden,
Ouachita county, Arkansas where second wife birthed three more known children and he
became the nation's second largest stagecoach operater before death in 5 March 1892,
interned at Oakland, Confederate cemetery. 

h/o 1st Sarah G Gallaher, 2nd Leah Minerva Crocker. 

Birth: Cooperstown, Otsego county, New York 

  Known mostly as moving family to Camden, Ouachita county, Arkansas from Tuscumbia,
Franklin, now Colbert county, Alabama, reports say he in 1857 (but Federal census
lists two kids born in Alabama, 1861 & 1862, bought Arkansas house 1862 (my guess
(?) is moved family in 1862). Startd stagecoach compay known as; Chidester, Repley,
Manger, and Company, subcontracting from the Butterfield Overland Mail carring U S
Mail, peaking as reportedly the nation's 2nd largest stagecoach company, with 60
Concord stages, 2,000 horses and 300 men employees, serving some 1,560 miles, in
north Louisiana, southern Arkansas and Texas, later to Yuma, Arizona from Fort
Worth, Texas. 

  Reportedly born in the north with maternal grandfather a Revolutinary War veteran,
however, he's known as a dedicated confederate and slave owner, during Civil War
passing select Fed's mail to Confederate army. His Camden home, now at 926
Washington street, was built 1847 by Peter McCollum (1804SC-1871AR) on land granted
under president James K Polk (1795NC-1894TN), for which in 1862 he reportedly paid
$10,000 in gold, then expanding it. It had housed both Gen Sterling Price
(1809VA-1868MO), CSA then Gen Frederick Steele (1819NY-1868CA), USA. Its said that
spring 1864 when Gen Steele pushed into Camden he was sought as a traitor, but not
found, escaping to Texas where he spent remaining days of Civil War. 

  Now the McCollum-Chidester Home is a museum with much of original furniture bought
in New Orleans, transported by river, most brought back to be placed within the
seven room downstrairs with five fireplaces and its 12 foot ceilings, including one
of first sewing machines in Arkansas. This home also served as the hub of his vast
stagecoach operation, home now owned and operated by Ouachita County Historical
Society. 

Census: 1850, age about 34 Franklin, now Colbert county, Alabama with one male &
female under 21, one male over 21 one male between 18 and 45 and seven slaves. (1st
wife may have died before 1850)
 
Pardoned by USA 19 October 1865. 

Census: 1870, age 52 Camden, Ouachita county, Arkansas with 2nd wife & 
six kids. 

Census: 1880, age 63, Camden, Ouachita county, Arkansas with 2nd wife & 
four kids. 

Death: cause currently unknown, in Camden, Ouachita county, Arkansas. 

Father: Daniel CHIDESTER b: 1776 in New York. 
Mother: Susannah (currently unknown) b: 1787. 

Mariage 1 Sarah G Gallaher 
Married: 9 OCT 1845 Tishomingo county, Mississippi. 

Known Children 

  Louise G Chidester b: about 1847 Franklin, now Colbert county, Alabama. 

  Daniel Poindexter Chidester b: about 1848 Franklin, now Colbert county, Alabama. 

Marriage 2 Leah Minerva Crocker b: 10 OCT 1828 Athens, Lawerence county, South
Carolina. 
Married: 1854 in Aberdeen, Monroe county, Mississippi. 

Known Children 

  John Thomas Chidester b: 5 OCT 1855 in/near Tuscumbia, Franklin, now Colbert
county, Alabama 

  William P Chidester b: 13 JAN 1857 in/near Tuscumbia, Franklin, now Colbert
county, Alabama 

  Frank Barclay Chidester b: 15 MAR 1861 in/near Tuscumbia, Franklin, now Colbert
county, Alabama. 

  James Crocker Chidester b: 6 APR 1862 in/near Tuscumbia, Franklin, now Colbert
county, Alabama. 

  Mary Leah Chidester b: 4 AUG 1864 Camden, Ouachita county, Arkansas. 

  George Wicks Chidester b: 16 MAY 1867 in Camden, Ouachita county, Arkansas. 

  Joseph Byrd Chidester b: 13 APR 1870 in Camden, Ouachita county, Arkansas. 




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