Bellenfant/Jones Ancestors

John S. Bellenfant III

Sallie Elizabeth Webb

Joseph "Joe Ab" Bellenfant

1.   Joseph Watson Bellenfant was born February 15, 1830 in Tennessee. He married Matilda Annie Seay, the daughter of Eli Seay and Polly Holstead who were pioneer settlers of Rutherford County, Tennessee. Joseph was a Confederate Civil War Veteran. Joseph and Matilta had six children: Ada Bellenfant, (1869-1948); Mollie Bellenfant; Pearl Bellenfant; Robert Payne "Bob" Bellenfant, (October 9, 1883 - January 13, 1959); Sam Jones Bellenfant, (May 17, 1885 - August 29, 1942); and Joe Billy "J.W." Bellenfant, (May 22, 1873 - October 27, 1964). Joseph Watson Bellenfant died on August 24, 1899 and was buried in the Bellenfant Cemetary in Bedford County, Tennessee. Maltilda Annie Seay Bellenfant died on February 24, 1938, and is also buried in the Bellenfant Cemetary.

2.   Margarett "Maggie" Bellenfant was born about 1873 in Tennessee. She married J.H. Elliot on April 29, 1924 in Hamilton, Tennessee. She was widowed relatively young and spent her later years living as a servant, or lodger, in other peoples homes. She died on March 11, 1953 in Chattanooga, Hamilton, Tennessee.

3.    Blanche Bellenfant was born in 1874 in Rutherford County, Tennessee. She married John Bell Taylor on December 23, 1888 in Williamson County, Tennessee. They had two children, Edgar Eugene Taylor, (1889-1959), and Alfred Taylor, (1899-after 1949).

4.    Lucy Bellenfant was born on December 25, 1877 in Rutherford County, Tennessee. She married Edd Pugh. She also married Thomas Jeff McClaran. She died September 11, 1962 in Murfreesboro, Rutherford County, Tennessee and is buried in Mt. Pleasant Cemetary in Rutherford County, Tennessee.

5.    Nicholas "Cedar Nick" Dalton Bellenfant was born May 13, 1872. He married Addie Haynes and had one child; Mary Ann Bellenfant, (who married Grady Watson Davis). Nicholas died June 26, 1942 at 70 years of age.

6.    John Benjamin Bellenfant was born February 5, 1881 in Rutherford County, Tennessee. He never married and died on March 11, 1956 at 75 years of age.

7.    Joseph "Joe Ab" Bellenfant was born April 11, 1886 in Rutherford County Tennessee. He married Ina Mae Johnson, the daughter of Matthew Simon and Martha "Mattie" Elizabeth Henry.

They had four children in Okaloma:

i.    Earl Easton Bellenfant (whose descendants settled in Texas, and include National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) Rider Hall of Famer Gary Bellenfant);
ii.   Lucille Bellenfant;
iii.  Frances Bellenfant;
iv.  Billie Joe Bellenfant, (whose descendants settled in the Imperial Valley area of California).

Joseph Bellenfant died October 2, 1965 in Riverside, California

8.    Granville L. Bellenfant was born on 28 Nov 1882 in Rutherford County, Tennessee. He married Annie Mae Cole, the daughter of William Glenn Cole and Mary Tennessee Manire. They had twelve children in Rutherford County, Tennessee: Robbie Lee Bellenfant; Virginia "Jenny" Bellenfant; Dessie Carlene Bellenfant; Mary Frances Bellenfant; Gran William "Buddy" Bellenfant; Margaret "Minnie" M. Bellenfant; Howard Cecil "Pete" Bellenfant; Clarace Lois Bellenfant; Ann Laura Bellenfant; Ivie Edward Bellenfant; Charles Leonard Bellenfant; Lawrence Allen Bellenfant.

Granville was twin to James "Jim" Larimore Bellenfant. He was a farmer. Granville Bellenfant died on July 6, 1881 in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

9.    James "Jim" Bellenfant was born on 28 Nov 1882 in Rutherford County, Tennessee. He married Laura Wilson and they had two children: Ruby Bellenfant and John Bellenfant. John Bellenfant married Flora L. Smith and he died on January 1, 2001 in Eagleville, Rutherford County, Tennessee.

10.    Nora Bellenfant was born April 26, 1877 in Rutherford County, Tennessee. She married John Bell Taylor and they had two chlidren: Cleatus Taylor and Christoper Taylor. Nora Bellenfant died July 24, 1940 in Nashville, Davidson County, Tennessee.

1880 Census

1910 Census

Nora Bellenfant
Death Certificate

10. William Glenn "Pape" Cole, son of James Henry Cole and Mary Francis Taylor, was born on 3 Mar 1857 in Versailles, Rutherford Co. Tenn. William Glenn drove a school wagon and was a farmer, as well as operating a grocery store. During the Civil war "Pape" extended so much credit to folks that couldn't afford groceries that he eventually had to close his store. William Glenn died on 22 Jul 1948 in Murfreesboro, Tenn at age 91.

11. Mary Tennessee Manire, daughter of David Crocket Manire and Martha M. Read,³ ^,4 was born on 5 Feb 1866 in Rutherford Co., Tenn and died on 27 Aug 1913 in Rutherford Co., Tenn at age 47.

William Glenn Cole

Mary Tennessee Manire

Adelaide Frances Cole & Annie Mae Cole

William G. Cole & Robert M. Cole

Annie Mae Cole; Adelaide Cole; Ruth Cole; William Glenn Cole; Robert M. Cole; Mary T. Cole holding Martha Francis Cole

1. Minnie Lou Cole was born on September 16, 1888 in Rockvale, Rutherford, Tennessee. She married William (Willie) Bell Sudberry, (son of Richard Pitts Sudberry and Sally "Sarah" Jane Williams), on December 22, 1907 in Rutherford, Tennessee. William Bell Sudberry was born July 29, 1885, and died October 2, 1969 in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, (from head injuries suffered in a pedestrian auto accident). They had no children. Minnie Loe Cole died January 6, 1973 in Murfreesboro, Tennessee at age 84 and is buried with William Bell Sudberry in Simpson Cemetary in Bedford, Tennessee.

Willie Sudberry WWI Draft Registration

Sudberry Headstone

Willie & Minnie Sudberry

Ellis Cole Death Certificate

Mattie Cole Death Certificate

2.    Ira Edward Cole was born in 1893 in Versailles, Rutherford, Tenn and died on 17 Feb 1895 at age 2.

3.    Clarence Glenn Cole was born before 1895 in Versailles, Rutherford, Tennessee and died November 13, 1887.

4.    Annie Mae Cole was born on Oct. 28, 1895 in Versailles, Rutherford, Tennessee. She married Granville Lipscomb Bellenfant and they had twelve children. Annie Mae Cole died August 22, 1977 in Rutherford Tennessee.

5.    Cora Adalaide Cole was born in 1890 in Versailles, Rutherford, Tenn and died on 16 Jan 1916 at age 26.

6.    Robert Marvin Cole was born on 7 Aug 1900 in Versailles, Rutherford, Tennessee. He married Mary Irene Hill on March 21, 1926 in Midland, Rutherford, Tennessee. He also married Lorene Wilson on June 1, 1950. Robert Marvin Cole died on July 7, 1979 at age 78.

7.    Ruth Esther Cole was born on 26 Feb 1903. She married Frank "Babe" Williams before 1925. Ruth Ester Cole died about 1973 in Franklin, Tennessee.

8.    Martha "Mattie" Frances was born on 10 Aug 1903 in Versailles, Rutherford, Tennessee and died on 17 May 1925 at age 19.

9.    Ellis Reace Cole was born in 1908 in Versailles, Rutherford, Tenn and died on September 13,1908 at 4 1/2 months of age.

*The great majority of the information and photos regarding the Cole family was researched and provided by Aubrey Cole & Alan Freeman and additional information regarding this family
is available at: www.ifreeman.com