Scenario of Emeline Cobb Rowland/Roland of Saline and Faulkner Co., Arkansas

Jefferson Davis Roland is listed on Jeremiah's probate as being born in 1862, along with other named children. I will list the siblings named on the probate record, and two other children of Emeline not mentioned on the probate, of her husband Jeremiah Roland, in the future.

Emeline is named as the widow of Jeremiah on that probate record.

On the 1850 Mississippi, Pontotoc Co., US Census she is listed as the daughter of William and Prudence Cobb.

And, she is the daughter of William and Prudence Cobb on her marriage license in Saline County, Arkansas.

In 1856 she was 17 years old when she married Jeremiah Rowland, as attested by her father since she was a minor.

Emeline's father, William Cobb died in Saline Co., Ark., on May 23, 1859, as stated in his probate records. His widow, Prudence, and children are listed, and it includes his daughter Emeline and her husband Jeremiah Roland.

Prudence Cobb married J.J. Langley after she became William Cobb's widow. .

Prudence Langley and J.J. Langley moved to Faulkner Co., and are members in "The History and Records of Oakland United Methodist Church Holland, Faulkner County, Arkansas" by Charles David Parsons 1993, in 1862-1863.

In 1863 J.J. Langley is listed as dead and Prudence Langly is a widow.

In 1870, back in Saline Co., Emeline Roland has become the executor of the probate for Jeremiah Roland because Joel Whitten, "has up and gone to Texas".

That is why she has not moved to Faulkner Co., to be near her mother. But, she has moved there by 1875, according to church membership records in the Oakland Methodist Episcopal Church at Holland.

Anyway, I have copies of all the papers that are in that brown manila folder of what she went through to settle Jeremiah's estate. She had to sell their farm because she was unable to pay the taxes. It was sold on the Courthouse steps to settle and pay her creditors.

She was appointed the executor of that probate even though she can not read or write and signs her documents with an X as her mark.

In the 1880 Census for Ark., Faulkner Co., Matthews Twp, it says that she cannot read or write. If this is the same Emeline she would have had a difficult time being an executor of Jeremiah's probate since the 1880 Census says she can not read or write.

In 1875, "Widow Emeline Rolen" (name spelling has changed, could be because she can't read or write) is attending church with her Mother and daughter at the Oakland Methodist Church at Holland.

I am going back to check the census and records to see if there could have been more than one Emeline Roland. It is very unlikely as the Emeline Roland that I am speaking of is surrounded with the same people down through the years.

The census records give different ages for my GGrandfather John Henry Roland. However, going by his marriage record and license in 1884, he was born in 1863. The month of his birth is listed as July on the 1900 Ark., Census, Saline Co., Matthews Twps.

If he was born in July 1863, it was possible for Emeline to conceive John H. during the time that Jeremiah was at home according to his military records stating his service began in Jan. 1, 1863. His Company Muster Roll states "appears on Company Muster Roll of the organization named above for Dec. 31, 1862 to April 30, 1863, dated Aug. 17, 1863 When Jan 1, 1863, Where, Benton, Ark., By Whom Col Vance, Period, War. Remarks: Died at Port Hudson March 8, 1863.

Therefore, Emeline could have been 3 or more months pregnant when the probate listed Jeremiah's children and heirs. Was it common to list children that were not yet born?

It is strange, but, not inconsistent that on the military records Jeremiah is listed as Jeremiah Roland. And, on the probate record stating his place of death and date it is the same as his military record, but his Probate names him as Jeremiah Roland. And, the land records in this Probate name the Jeremiah M. Roland that I found paid taxes and bought land in Saline Co., later changed to Grant Co.

On the 1860 Census, Jeremiah Rowland/Roland of Saline Co., Ark. is named Jeremiah E. Rowland with Emeline and their first two children.

It seems to me that the same person is named in these different documents as Jeremiah E. Rowland, Jeremiah M. Roland, and Jeremiah Roland. How could such errors be made on official documents? These names and documents are all named or listed in his Probate records as being the same person as Jeremiah Roland that was killed on March 8, 1863 at Port Hudson, La., in the Civil War.

This is still a work in progress and nothing is set in stone for me until I am satisfied that all facts and records of proof are in. I will be asking Professional Genealogist to check my work and facts to help me consider all possibilities that my records and research is accurate.

Thanks for taking time to ask me questions and to help me to "think" about how, where, when etc, in the lives of the people whom I am researching.

I wish I could find the church records for the Methodist Episcopal Church South in Saline Co., as Prudence Cobb Langley was possibly a member there before moving to Faulkner Co.
Carolyn