ragsdales

THE BIOGRAPHY OF JOHN MILLIGAN II

Arkansas Genealogy Trails

THE RAGSDALES

After they arrived at Reeds Creek, Eda Jeffery had met and married a man name of Ragsdale. We do not know this man's first name but believe he was a relation (maybe their father, also named Britian) of Ellis S. Ragsdale and Britian Ragsdale, who also show up in the Reeds Creek area in 1816. It is almost impossible to find any accurate information about Eda's Ragsdale husband, but we know that soon after their marriage, probably in late 1816/early 1817, he passes away and leaves Eda a very young widow. Now it's been said that Ellis S. Ragsdale originally settled on the parcel of land next to John Milligan's place before moving on to the Batesville area. So, with this in mind, the Ragsdale boys, Ellis and Britian, perhaps stepsons or brothers-in-law to Eda, get to watch her move on in life by marrying their good friends and neighbor, John Milligan II of Triadelphia, (West) Virginia. We know that John Milligan and Ellis S. Ragsdale struck up a very close friendship and later on not only would John Milligan marry Ellis Ragsdale to his wife, Zilphia Smith, 25 April 1830 but each of these men would go on and name one of their sons after each other out of respect of their friendship. John Milligan would name his 4th born child, a boy child, Ellis Ragsdale Milligan and later on Ellis S. Ragsdale would name his 4th child, also a boy child, John Milligan Ragsdale.

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