John Franklin Carrell, my great-great-grandfather, was born in Greenbrier, Robertson County, Tennessee to Andrew “Jack” Carroll and Amanda Gainous. Jack’s last name was originally Bartholomew, but he changed it to Carroll for unknown reasons. John spelled his last name with an “e” instead of an “o”.

While searching through records on Ancestry, I found conflicting information about John’s birthday.

Death certificate: lists birthday at June 22, 1875
Gravestone: lists birth year as 1868 (no birth month or day) (photo of gravestone on FindAGrave)
1870 census: lists age as 5, born about 1865
1880 census: lists age as 12, born about 1868
1900 census: lists age as 35, born June 1864
1920 census: lists age as 57, born about 1863 (enumerated February 14, 1920)

His younger sister, Pearlie Bartholomew Carroll, was born 1868 according to the 1870 census and on her death certificate her birthday is March 22, 1868. Given this information, I’d guess John was born June 22, 1864. The year is supported by the 1870, 1900, and 1920 census records along with knowing he was older than Pearlie.

John had at least 9 full siblings and 3 half siblings.

According to the 1900 census, John married Nancy Jane “Nannie” Bullard in 1891. I have not found their marriage record.

The family isn’t on the 1910 census. However, by 1920, they have moved to Frisco, McCurtain County, Oklahoma where John is listed as doing “day work” on a farm. (History of McCurtain County, Oklahoma) Frisco doesn’t exist today, but at that time the family lived in the area described as: District 140, Frisco township (part of) excluding Haworth town. All of township 9 S.R. 25 E. Fl. township 10 S. Ranges 25 and 26 F. (Source) McCurtain is the county at the Southeast tip of Oklahoma and borders Arkansas and Texas.

John and Nannie had at least 9 children, not including 3 unnamed ones listed on the 1900 census:

Mary Emmon/Emma Carrell 1894–1975
Mamie Lee Carrell 1896–1932
William M Carrell 1898–?
Amanda Carrell 1899–?
Herschel McKinley Carrell 1901–1980
Lula Belle Carrell 1903–1987
John Franklin Carrell 1906–1985
Harvey Langston Carrell 1908–2002
Grace “Gracie” Carrell 1910–1970

Sometime between 1920 and 1926, the family moved back to Tennessee – this time to Nashville.

On January 29, 1926, John was walking down a Nashville city sidewalk, when he was struck by an ice truck. (Details of the truck and sidewalk provided by family members who were informed by his son, Harvey, my great-grandfather.) John passed away from his injuries. His death certificate lists that he was struck by an automobile, taken to Dozier Hospital and died of a brain hemorrhage.

At the time of his death he was working as a boiler maker. His family lived at 1109 14th Ave. N in Nashville.

I checked The Tennessean, the local newspaper, to try to find an article with more details, but all that ran about John was his obituary. He is buried in Spring Hill Cemetery in Madison, Davidson County, Tennessee.

I have not been able to hunt down any photos of John. If you also descended from him, and whether you have a photo or not, feel free to email me at downhomegenealogy@gmail.com.