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- Diocleasan Stafford (Known as "Dock" and/or "D" Stafford) left a will and wrote a brief history of his life. History of My Life Dioclus Stafford was born January the 1st on Demoss Creek and lived in the county of Carrol and district No. 2 until his Deth Except on yere in the fall of thirty 39 Misuria and Caintucky. Diocles Stafford lived with his father and mother
Joab and Nancy Stafford untill the Deth of his parents hous Deth yers 52 and 53 his mother died December 23 and his father died January 14, of the yer 53 and lefte a larg family 10 children and many grate trobles Diocles made a professhion of religion about the yere 1847 and joind the Mishionary Baptist and has lived a tolerable consistent member until his
Deth Dioclus marid shortly after the Deth of his parents to Rebecca L. White a Doter of L B White ho came from North Carroline and lived in Carrol County and State of Tennessee Dioclus and Rebecca L Stafford had 4 childrin the first name Amandy Methinia She died at 9 months old and 2 name Armsed the 3 name James Henry the 4 name Sary Tennessee Dioclus was stout boy and don a heep of hard jobes for his parents and Brothers and
Sisters till he was twenty one yers old and then raised 2 of his Brothers and one of his Sisters Dioclus while very young got a nicke name of Docke and went By that name the most of his lief Dioclus has bin aflicted a grate poshon of his lief from the time of marey till his Deth has had evey form of hard sickness that is common in the State of Tennessee first had a
spell of the Bilous fever 2 a spell of the scarlet fever 3 a spell of the conjestive fever 4 a spell of tiphoed and phenewmoney fever 5 the meesels 6 information of the Stommic and Bowls 7 a spell of the remitent fever 8 bronchitus and consumption wher we set and golden moments passing By what more can i do or say that i long Sens have don i pray my time is well ni
out i know my lungs now hurts so aflicted set and lye and waite till deth comes By and lais this body down in the long and silant grave thar to return Bac to the Earth from which it is taken and Sprit to God he gave it --the Body Sole and Sprit and deth will desolve -- Lord save my Sole Body and Sprite in they Kingdom. (the above is a holographic history as he
wrote it with pencil on five small memoranda sheets, March 23, 1885, a cold day with snow.)
OBITUARY FROM A MARTIN TENNESSEE
NEWSPAPER...................................1887 Doc Stafford, father of A. Stafford of our town, died in his home in Carroll County, December 2nd of consumption. His funeral was preached at the Baptist Church in Trezevant by Rev. W.J. Flellen of McKenzie, after which he was buried in the City Cemetery. Mr. Stafford was one of Carroll County's best citizens, and was highly esteemed by all who knew him. His death is mourned by a host of friends.
D. STAFFORD'S WILL: Sep. the 16th 1884 Know all men by these presents thatI D. Stafford am in bad helth and have ben for two years and dont tink can live long. think it best to make and rite my will which is set fourth in this document. I wont my wife Rebecca L. Stafford to have all my efects and property to use for hur soport as she may stand in kneed of it during hur lief time. or widderhood. when she dies or maries, then I want an equel
devisson betwen by children her namimed Armsted Stafford James Henry Stafford Sarah Tennessee Stafford I want my family to live together as long as the can and and the boys to help maneg for ther mother and sister and try to control Auther Harvell. i want Auther to have all the schooling you can giv him and if he will stay at home till a man, giv him a hors and
sadel D. staffords will Thare is one more itume thate I have forgote I wonte Tennie to hav the plce at town I wonte it valued and whot it of being equel with -- the boys in the place at home, I wante Jim to have the home place as thare is not a nuf to make theme both goode homes I want Jimm to pay Armp half what the place is worth as Armp is not a farmer and
it mite sute him beste.
D. Stafford State of Tennessee
I Jo R. McCall Clerk of the county Carroll County of Carroll Co.
Tennessee do hereby certify that the foregoing is the true full and perfect copy of the last
will and testament of D. Stafford deceased. As the same was produced in open court and duly proven by the oaths of G.J. Holmes and Thomas Singleton when the same was declared at the June term, 1887 to be the holographic will of the said D. Stafford decd and ordered to be recorded and filed. Witness my hand September 13, 1887 Jo. R. McCall, Clerk
COPY OF OLD LETTER FROM DIOCLEASAN TO HIS UNCLE LARKIN STAFFORD: January
10 1854 State of Tennessee, Carrol County Dear Uncle Lark it is witth much peasure that I taken pen in hand to informe you that we ar all well at this time and hopes these lines may find you and yours will and in health and prosperity I hant much to rite at present Things is tolarby good tho most every thing is I get a letter from uncel robbin and doing well We ar
all living to gether in the same house and i reccon we will remain so as long as we can agree and as long as we do stay together on the same land I do expect to explain my care over them and try to manage them tho I do expect the land and property will be sold and if this is the cace I will cast my lot uncl James and the connection on the creek tho are all well
and doing well as far as I no tho I am afraid to say much about them I rote a letter last Spring to you and Zora and take it to Garner holmes to take to the next post office and said to Zora that I had rather live in Christmasville than to live among Southeners and broke Holmes unfolded the letter and read it to sister homes and sister homes told the nabors and some of them dont like me rite much and don't blame them you have seen the letter ther might have been more in the letter than that and you do believe I'd sat that I'd rather live in purgotory than in Christmasville and I didnt say that I ought not to have done it I am sorry for hit I
didnot mean all the south Carolinens except a few of the brothers and you know how the most of them is. A word to Zora Zora if send me the letter back I wll sen plenty for hit again i rote the letter in Febourary and mite have sed more than watt those sed our family was not in Cristmas. (the next few lines are not readable) Uncl Larkand Aunt Bety me and Rebecca is coming out to see you in that country this fall if no accedent hapens Rite to me as soon as you get my letter tel uncel Henry Stafford and Uncel Isaac to rite to me if tha plese.
Diocles Stafford to L M
Stafford Farwell this nite
Census:
- Listed as Dolclis Stafford with wife Rebecca. Children Armsted and James H.
- Listed as Diocles Stafford, a farmer, with wife, sons Armsted & James and daughter Tennessee. Parents born in TN.
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1833 - 1887 (54 years)
