Charles Willis Buck was the third son born to William CalmesBuck and his second wife Isabella Miriam Field Buck. He was born on September
26, 1835 in Woodford County, Kentucky "at 5 min. past 7 a.m."
according to the memoirs of his father, William Calmes Buck (I). He was named in honor of his grandfathers
Charles Buck and Willis Field.
According to the U. S. Census of
1850, Charles Willis Buck, age 14, was living with his parents and siblings in
Louisville, Jefferson County, Kentucky.
His father, William C. Buck, is shown as being a Baptist Minister. Charles was attending school.
Although his father was largely
self-educated (but even so, referred to as “Dr. Buck” later in his life),
Charles Willis received a formal education.
His early school years were in Louisville, Kentucky. At about age 14, Charles and his younger
brother Giddings were enrolled and boarded at Georgetown College in
Kentucky. Georgetown College was
chartered in 1829 and was the first Baptist college west of the Allegheny
Mountains. After a few years at Georgetown,
Charles and Giddings were enrolled and boarded at Union University in Tennessee
after their mother died in 1852. In fact, they boarded at the home of
the president of Union College, Dr. Joseph Eaton. Charles and his younger brother Giddings
attended Union College whereas their sister Emma attended the Female
Academy. Giddings graduated in 1857 and,
perhaps, Charles did as well.
On October 21, 1857, Charles’s sister, Emma, while visiting
in Front Royal, Virginia, noted in her diary “Hope Brother Charlie will succeed
in getting a situation very soon.” He
was 22 years old. On November 21,
Charles visited Front Royal and the surrounding area. Charles and Emma left Front Royal on December
9 for Washington D.C. where they visited the Capitol, Rotunda, Library, Senate
Chamber and House of Representatives.
They departed for Baltimore on December 11 to visit relatives. On December 18, they departed for Norfolk,
Virginia on the steamer George. They
used railroad and other steamers to travel to Selma, Alabama where their father
was living. In Selma, Emma noted that
she met Mrs. Croom (who would become Charles' mother-in-law).
Charles Willis Buck and Susan Croom Sparrow were married on
September 13, 1857 in Greene County, Alabama. Susan Croom
Sparrow, daughter of Robert J. Sparrow and Nancy E. Croom, was born on July 13,
1838 in Greene County, Alabama. The Sparrows were a well-to-do farming family
in Greene County, Alabama. In the census
of 1860, the Sparrow farm, run by her mother, Nancy, after the death of her
father, appears to be relatively valuable and in near proximity to other
valuable farms.
Charles Willis Buck and Susan Croom Sparrow had the
following children:
- William Calmes Buck II (1861-1924); married Martha Elizabeth Clardy, December 1, 1881. As my great grandfather, he gets his own post in this blog as well as this short summary.
- Frances Buck (1862-1863)
- Charles Willis Buck Jr. (1863-1883); married Martha Mahalia Clay
- Susan Croom Buck (1866-1906); married William Thomas Quarles
- Mary Emma Buck (1867-1872)
- Miriam Field Buck (1869-1936); married Charles Davis Stringer
- Robert Sparrow Buck (1870-1930); married Lenna Adams
- John Hickman Buck (1872-1956); married Annie Zerada Johnson
- Belle Sparrow Buck (1874-1964); married Abram David Quarles
- Katie Steiner Buck (1878-1957); married Haywood Johnson
- Elizabeth Davidge "Bessie" Buck (1876-1965)
(to be continued)
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