Wiilliam Carol Heathcoat
William C. Heathcoat, son of John and Elizabeth Heathcoat, was born between 1827 and 1831. The 1870 Census reports that he was born in 1831 in Tennessee; however, the 1880 Census reports that was born in Alabama in 1827. This offers some evidence that is father lived in Alabama before 1830 and in Tennessee after 1830. William C. first appears in the census records in his father's household in 1840 in Marion County, Tennessee. In 1850 there are two William Heathcoats in the Franklin County, Tennessee Census. One was living with Eli Mills, age 20, at House/Family number 1372/203 and another is living with Paul Stevephson, at age 22 at House/Family number 1161/170.* Either one of these Williams could be William Carol, possibly both could be William Carol Heathcoat.3467

*Note added by Clayton Heathcock, 2 March 2017: Paul Stevephson at “House number 1161” was the superintendent of a work crew that was excavatiing the Cumberland Mountain Tunnel.  There were about 75 young men in this work crew, including Jasper Heathcoat and William Heathcoat.

By 1860 William Carol could have been living in Alabama for he is not found in the 1860 Census of Tennessee. The 1860 Census AL records have not been searched. It is known that he had married Julia Yarborough 22 December 1852 in Franklin County. Civil War Records indicate that he was a private in the Army of the Con£ederate States of America who enlisted 7 November 1862 at Ridgeville, now Moore County, Tennessee by Captain W. J. Awalt. He was later assigned to duty at Winchester, Tennessee. He was a member of Company D, 23rd Tennessee Infantry. By 1870 he was living in Franklin County, Tennessee. It has been reported that Julia died about 1868. By the time Juiia died they had at least three sons: John Allen born 15 October 1852, Jasper Rufus born July 1860, Thomas J. born May 1855, Margaret born 1867 and William born ca. 1869.3467

William’s first wife, Julia Tarbor (or Yarborough), appears to have died in the mid-to late 1860s and he married his second wife, Margaret Ann Bennett, in 1869. It is not known if the children Margaret and William, listed in the 1870 census were children of Julia or of Margaret.

1870 Census of Franklin Co TN
Family 16
Name Age
W Heathcoat 39
Martha Heathcoat 30
Margret Heathcoat 3
William Heathcoat 1
John Heathcoat 17
Thomas Heathcoat 15
Jasper Heathcoat 9

Family 17 is John Bennett, age 77, and family. These is likely the family of William C. Heathcoat’s second wife Martha Bennett.

By 1871 this part of Tennessee became part of Moore County.

1880 Census of Lynchburg, Moore Co TN

Name Age
W. C. Hethcoat 53
Martha Hethcoat 43
Margret Hethcoat 13
Willie Hethcoat 11
Ida Hethcoat 9
Henderson Hethcoat 6
Benjamin Hethcoat 4

The four youngest children, and possibly also Margaret, were probably all the children of William’s second wife, Margaret Bennett.

Her name was recorded in marriage book as Tarbo or Tarbor.