Thomas G. Elder

1798 - 1860  (62 years)

• Name	Thomas G. Elder  [1]
  Birth	28 Oct 1798	Washington County, Kentucky
  Gender	Male
  Death	Dec 1860	San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas
  Origins
  Person ID	I2535	1665 GOUGH/GOFF (US-MD-STM/US-VA-LOU) I-Y6902-A
  Last Modified	20 Oct 2023

  
  

  Family	Caroline Lavinia Clark,   b. 1798   d. Abt 1841 (Age 43 years)
  Marriage	18 Aug 1819
  Children	1. Rose Aletha Elder   2. Helen Ann Elder   3. Melvina Elder   4. Robert G. Elder   5. Catherine Elder   6. Felix G. Elder   7. Albert Elder   8. Thaddeus Elder
  Family ID	F1100	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	20 Oct 2023

  
  

• Notes

  Dr. Thomas G. Elder was born in Kentucky on October 28, 1798. Some say he was born near Fairfield, Shelby (now Spencer) County, Kentucky--others think he was born in the Hardin Creek Settlement (now the St. Mary section) of Washington (now Marion) County, Kentucky. He married Caroline Lavinia Clark, 1798-184x, daughter of Ignatius Clark and Aloysia "Allie" (Hill) Clark, of the Pottinger's Creek Settlement in Marion and Nelson County, Kentucky at Holy Cross, Kentucky on August 18, 1819. He and Caroline went to Garland, Texas with her brother, Rev. Fr. Edward Clark, 1794-1858, and Rev. Father George Hayden in 1837, the year after the February 23--March 6, 1836 siege at the Alamo, when Texas seceded from Mexico to become the Republic of Texas. They went to found the first English speaking school for boys in Texas. Father Hayden died right away. Thomas G Elder and Caroline (Clark) Elder were the parents of eight children: 1) Rose Aletha (Elder) Urban, 1818-185x, who married Dr. Anthony Urban, M.D, a Frenchman. They resided in Harris County, Texas in 1850; 2) Helen Ann (Elder) Devine, September 18, 1920--January, 13, 1881, who married October 31, 1844 to Jefferson Devine, a native of Halifax, Nova Scotia and an attorney and judge in San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas. Helen Ann is buried in Fernando Cemetery #1, in San Antonio, Texas. Her stone is still standing, see find a grave memorial #64244709; 3) Melvina (Elder) Nelson, who married G. H. Nelson; 4) Robert G. Elder, c.831-xxxx, was a merchant, living in the home of Dr. Anthony Urban in Harris County, Texas in the 1850 Census; 5) Catherine (Elder Mitchell,c.1833-xxxx, married Newton A. Mitchell and was a student at the Ursuline Convent in Galveston, Galveston County, Texas in the 1850 Census; 6) Felix G. Elder, c.1837-xxxx, with his brother Albert Elder, resided with Thomas Jefferson Devine in San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas in 1850; Albert Elder, c.1839-xxx; and Thaddeus Elder, 1841-184x. Caroline Lavinia died some time in the 1840's, perhaps in 1841 at the birth of Thaddeus Elder, who died in that decade also. Dr. and Mrs Elder were founding members of St. Joseph Catholic Church, the first English-speaking Roman Catholic parish in San Antonio. St. Joseph is located in the old historic district near the river walk. Thomas G. Elder came back to St. Mary, Marion County, Kentucky and married Miss Eliza S. Mattingly, daughter of Benjamin and Susan Mattingly. They had one son, Alphonsus Benjamin "Ben D." Elder, 1854-1889. He is my wife, Martha's great grandfather. Ben D. was less than one month shy of his seventh birthday when his father died on December 6, 1860 in San Antonio, Texas. Dr Elder left 400 acres of land on the Navidad River in Fayette County, Texas and three Negroes, Harriett, Sam, and Austin to his wife Eliza. He mentions his Negro, Eliza, who is to have the right to choose her master or mistress because of her faithfulness as a servant. He mention all of the eight above mentioned children of his first marriage except Rose Aletha and Thaddeus which indicates that they were deceased without heirs. This will was signed and sealed by Dr. Elder on November 6, 1858. He made his wife and son-in-law Newton A. Mitchell the executors of this will It was witnessed by John C. French and Louis Wank and proven by the oath of Felix G. Elder on February 7, 1961 and filed by Edward Miles, Deputy Clerk of Bexar County Court, Texas on the oath of Louis Wank Eliza and Ben D. returned to St. Mary, Kentucky. They resided on her brother Benjamin F. Mattingly's farm at the point where the L & N Railroad crossed the St. Mary--Loretto Turnpike (now Frogtown Road). She remained there until her death on August 7, 1882. She has a tombstone in St. Charles Cemetery, near St. Mary, Kentucky and so does Ben D. Elder. Dr. Thomas G. Elder is buried in a Roman Catholic Cemetery in San Antonio, Texas next to his first wife.

  
  

• Sources

  [S5119] Marion County - White Baptisms.