The Birdwell and Isbell families

A little information the Isbells and Birdwells, from various sources, some previously posted.

Sarah Birdwell Isbell was the daughter of John Birdwell and Mary Allen Birdwell who settled in 1805 in Madison County, Mississippi Territory, which became Alabama Territory in 1817 and the State of Alabama in 1819. She married Levi Isbell on Saturday, August 10, 1816, at Enon Baptist Church which then stood on the western bank of the Brier Fork of the Flint River, a few hundred yards north of the old terminal of the North Huntsville Executive Airport. This church is now known as the First Baptist Church of Huntsville. This is the marriage date in their son Elijah Miller Isbell’s bible. …

Levi Isbell married Sarah H. Birdwell at Enon Baptist Church in Huntsville, Madison County, Mississippi Territory (now Alabama), on Saturday, Aug. 10, 1816 (per son Elijah Miller Isbell’s Bible). (Madison County Marriage Book Vol. 1, p. 257. Index says Aug. 30; the license appears to read “3d day of August, 1816.”)

At least two of their sons came to Texas, John Birdwell Isbell and Allen Richardson Isbell.

ISBELL.—Timpson, Tex., Jan. 29—Rev. J. B. Isbell died after several weeks’ illness and was buried by the Masonic fraternity. The Galveston Daily News, Sunday, January 31, 1904, p. 6.

Allen Richardson Isbell

• Born 9 November 1821, Jackson County, Alabama
• Died 31 December 1897, Rusk County, Texas
• Buried Isabell Chapel Cemetery, Sand Hill, Rusk County, Texas

John Birdwell Isbell

• Born 14 February 1830, Alabama
• Died 28 January 1904, Shelby County, Texas
• Buried Woodlawn Cemetery, Timpson, Shelby County, Texas

Some have thought that John B. Isbell organized the Isbell’s Chapel Baptist Church, which existed for many years in the Sand Hill Community south of Mt. Enterprise. However, this appears to be in error (unless there was an older Isbell Chapel Church). Records show this church was organized November 25, 1900, and J. B. Isbell was not involved in the organization. The church and/or community was probably named for him or his brother (or both). 

John Birdwell Isbell was the grandson of John Birdwell, nephew of Allen Birdwell, first treasurer of the Mt. Zion Association, and cousin of G. P. Birdwell, first president of the B.M.A. of Texas. In 1874 he was a charter member of Pleasant Hill Church in the Bogg Community of Nacogdoches County. He lived in Mt. Enterprise and later Timpson, where he is buried in the City Cemetery. His brother Allen Isbell is buried at the above-mentioned cemetery in the Sand Hill Community.

John Birdwell Isbell married Martha Jane Jones January 1, 1852 in Jackson County, Alabama. She was born in 1835 in Alabama and died before 1859 in Texas. After her death, he married Martha E. Battle in 1859 in Nacogdoches County, Texas. Martha was born 1843 in Alabama and died in 1925 in Texas.

John’s occupation and calling was farmer and Baptist minister, Farmer. His estate was in probate February 12, 1904. John has no children listed, but Nellie Jane said he said that one child died on their trip to Texas. His second wife Martha said she had two children but none were living at the time of the census. He performed the marriage for his brother Lige and Liza Jane in Alabama in 1862. He performed the marriage for his nephew Dick in Texas in 1878. He was Justice of Peace, in Shelby County, Texas in 1900.

During the Civil War, he served in Company A, O. M. Roberts Regiment 11th Texas Volunteer Infantry.

Some marriages performed found in the following books:

East Texas Family Records, Volume 7, Number 1, Spring 1983
https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth38046/m1/1/zoom/
East Texas Family Records, Volume 3, Number 2, Summer 1979
https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth38061/m1/1/zoom/
East Texas Family Records, Volume 8, Number 1, Spring 1984
East Texas Family Records, Volume 8, Number 2, Summer 1984
East Texas Family Records, Volume 8, Number 3, Fall 1984
East Texas Family Records, Volume 9, Number 1, Spring 1985
East Texas Family Records, Volume 9, Number 3, Fall 1985

The Battle family (in-laws)

1860 Rusk County

• Isaac Battle 1205/1221 35 male farmer b. GA
• Elizabeth A. 51 female b. SC 
• Thomas I (probably J) 19 male b. GA
• Levi F. 17 male farm laborer b. GA
• George W. 14 male b. Ala.

By 1867 were in Nacogdoches County

1870, an Isaac & Elizabeth in Chireno, Nacogdoches County

(nearby was Thomas J/Susan M. Andrew J./Martha and Levi F./Sarah)

• Isaac Battles 66 b. GA
• Elizabeth Battles 59 b. SC