FIFTH GENERATION

24. Joshua IV HIGHTOWER was born in 1804 in Clark Co., GA. He died After 1800 census in c.Erath Co., TX. Was last Democrat elected State Representive to Randolph Co., AL before the Civil War. He was a Lt. then Capt. in the Home Guard. I have a copy of his record. There are interesting articles of him and his brother William, (first Sheriff of Randolph Co. AL), in HISTORICAL RECORDS OF RANDOLPH COUNTY, ALABAMA, Southern Hist. Press, 1985, P.O. Box 738, Easley, S.C. 29641-0738, or you can see them in my FROM VIRGINIA WITH LOVE,Tebsco, 1418 N. Binkley, Sherman, TX 75092-3560.
He was living (in 1880 in Erath Co., TX) with his dau. Mrs. Mark HERRING (Francis), along with his youngest son, Robert, and some say an even younger dau, (Ella Patterson) whom is said to have been reared as a Herring. (Aunt Ella later lived at Mead, near her brother (William M. Hightower and her nephew, William T. Hightower. It is said that she later moved back to Erath Co. and is burried there in the Hightower Cemetery.
A descendant of Mark and Francis Herring , Henry Herring, now deceased, then blind and over 90, said Joshua and wife were buried near Mark and Farnces Herring. There are two unknown graves near by with sandstone marker which would suggest they are the graves of Joshua and Nancy Collier Hightower, our ancestor.
Joshua was a member of Capt. J. Falkner's Randolph Co. Militia. He was listed as a 2nd Lt., age 61; Muster in roll Sept. 13, 1864; b. Clark Co.,GA, eyes blue, hair light, height 5'10", complection fair, home "Euaw". (Thomas E. Barton, 1 Jan 1998).
It is my belief that Gr. gr. grand parents Joshua & Nancy Collier Hightower are burried in the spot now where :"Little Grandma" Herring is burrried. See note on Mark Herring, provided by Vashite Williamson Keahey. Tom Barton 11-8-2000. He was married to Nancy Malinda COLLIER in 1843.

25. Nancy Malinda COLLIER was born in 1823 in NC. She died bef 1880 U.S.Census in c.Erath Co., TX. She was buried in c. Hightower Cem., Morgan Mill, TX. On 2-28-99, Tony Rockefeler called me in answer to a request about Nancy Collier, as to source and proof of the m.i. 'Malinda' and of her parents, Thomas and Sarah MORRIS COLLIER. He had Erba Sue PATTERSON Skinner, and her ref.'s as 1840-50, Randolph Co. AL. Since 1840 did not list the wife or children's name, I questioned how she arrived at the information. Tony explained, and read me the sourse she said she used. In included quote by Church of Jesus Christ of Later Day Saints, I believe from a letter, which quoted a Bible, stating Thomas and Sarah Morriss COLLIER were the parents of Sarah Malinda Collier who m. Joshua Hightower. Therefore I am listing her as such. The census, If I recall, in 1950-60 of Randolph Co. AL, listed both a Thomas and a John Collier, living near Joshua and Nancy Hightower. (Tom Barton 2-28-99)
NOTE: i AM NOT CONVINCED THAT Erba Sue Patterson Skinner is correct. I have reasons not to state here PLUS the following information sent by Sonya Sullivan from Etowah Co. N. C., by e mail. It gave 9 ch. which did NOT incl. Nancy, but a son Thomas b. 1824. Of course, it is possible she was born between 1818-1824, the birth of two ch. listed. For more proof should be found before we CONCLUDE THAT THOMAS & 'SALLIE' Morris COLLIER are her parents. Is probably more likely that JOHN COLLIER is her dad. Prob. bro to Thomas. Children were:

12 i. William Merrill HIGHTOWER.
ii. Melissa "Fannie" Frances HIGHTOWER was born on 17 Oct 1846 in Randolph Co., AL.. She died on 27 May 1928 in Erath Co., Tx. she m. Mark Herring, and they are b. in Hightwoer Cem. near Gleln Rose.

iii. Sara E "Sally" HIGHTOWER was born in Jan 1848 in Randolph Co., AL..
iv. Rebeca Eveline HIGHTOWER was born in 1850 in ca Randolph Co., AL.
v. R.L. HIGHTOWER was born in 1852.
vi. Joshua Warren (J. W.) HIGHTOWER was born on 12 May 1857 in Randolph Co., AL.. He died on 10 Dec 1918 in Maxwell, Pontotoc Co. OK.
vii. Nancy Minerva HIGHTOWER was born about 1861 in Randolph Co., AL..
viii. Robert HIGHTOWER was born in 1865 in TX, or MS. ⁽⁷⁾ 1870, U.S. Census.

ix. "ELLA"Trecy Luella HIGHTOWER⁽⁸⁾ was born on 17 Mar 1868 in Randolph Co., AL.. In the 1880 Texas Census, Her father, Joshua, and bro. Robert Hightower, were living with the Herrings, (her sister "Fannie"). Since Jacqueline Patterson Lyde, says she was reared by the Herrings as a Herring, one would assume that the census which listed Ella Herring, as being born TX was in reality Ella Hightower. It would seem that by her birth date, her family had left Randolph Co, AL, since her bro. Williiam was in MS, where his first two sons were born. Indications are that Joshua moved much the same as his son William and other children. )Tom Barton 10-4-98) She died on 13 Feb 1944 in Portales Roosevelt Co, NM. She was buried in Hightower Cem., Erath Co., West of Lipan, TX. According to Janet Ricke, "Hightowr Quest, v. III, Issue No. 1, Spring 1998, (taken from Jacqueline Patterson Lynde's Family Group record 11) she died in Portales, Roosevelt Co., NM. She is reported to be bur. in Hightower Cem. by Jacqeeline Lynde, gd.
Aunt "Ella" Patterson lived for a time in Mead, OK, near her bro., and one or two of her grand children were born in Mead, delivered by Uncle Doc. Jackman, husb. of her Aunt Della Hightower Jackman. (Tom Barton)
Jacqueline Patterson LYNDE, was at least one of these. She cleared up my question as to which of William Merrill Hightower's sisters was Aunt Ella. She says," my grandmother was raised by her older sister, Fanny Hightower Herring along with the (Mark) Herring children. Our 'story' says she was sent to Fanny when she was 2 years old. In 1885 she married Peter Donathan Paterson and is buried in the Hightower Cemetery as ELLA PATTERSON. besides 2 of her sons and a Woodward son. I am the dau. of Pete and Ella"s oldest son. Irvin Mack Patterson, and Ottis Blackwell, from Lipan. 'Doc' Jackman delivered me in 1928 in Mead, Okla. and his wife, Della, was the dau. of one of my grandmothers brothers, but I don't know which Hightower it was." This letter was dated 16 Sep. 1992 and forwarded to me by Shirley Joy.
I immediately picked up the phone and called her. Her address was 15707 Tillamock St., Portland, Oregon 97230. (503) 255-2148. Of course I advised her that her Aunt Della Jackman was dau. of William Merrill Hightower, and that Juanita Edelen McKinnis remembaered her family well. Juanita was dau of Lou Hightower and Bob Edelen of Mead, Lou being sister of Della. Juanita remembered going to school with the Pattersons.
She wrote, "Tracy Luella Hightower, b. 17 Mar 1868 in AL.--ELLA's sisters were: Melissa Frances--,Sally m.---Parnell, Evelene, m. Huffstedler, Nancy Minera, m. Webb, --. We have dates for Fanny, but --the other girls--we cann't match them up with 1860 census initials". (I must inject here that the 1880 TX census shows 'Lula Herring' at. 14, b. MS, TEB)
In the 1920, Bryan Co., OK Census,p. 122 sheet 15A & B, Feb. 20, shows ELLA PATTERSON, b. TX, was living with Charlie (Higgins 89 & Wife Clarnnll (31), her son Arvile (6) OK, Minnie dau 8 1/2 OK, GUY 8, Glenda dau. 4 1\2. Minnie prob was dau. of Higgins, since his wife was only 31. Elmer Higgins 38 lived next door, near Streetman, Underwood and Aden Colbert. (This would appear to be in area west of MEAD, OK) TEB
CORRECTION OR ADJUSTMENT: E mail from 'Jackie' 18 Jan. 2001, states"1920 ODd, Bryan Co-mixed up - you must read by Family Number - not page number. Ella was in the home of her son, Irving Mack Patterson, Family Number 256/262; Ella not raised by Herrings-research shows her in 1880 census in Stevevens, Co. in the home of her sister, Nancy Minervaand husband Henry J. Webb-next door to sister Sarah Elizabeth ^ husband Jesse M. Parnell and children, this would have been after the death of her mother,PROBABLY in Hightower Valley (Hood/Parker county) where Joshua shows up on Ell's mother is PROBABLY burried in one of the unmarked graves on the Hightower property in Hightower Valley, maned for Joshua. Please do correct your records-it will make life easier for the following researchers. JPL"
Note: I had to add this correction rather than erase the other information she had sent me. In so doing I trust the researcher will read the entire note. Thank you Jackie. I hope to place this on my WorldConnect.Genealogy.Rootsweb.bartont site soon as wess as on Family Origins and other sites soon. Tom Barton 18 Jan. 2001.