James L. Cardwell

The Case for James L. Cardwell as a Son of John Cardwell & Mary Royall of Claiborne County, TN.

By Dorothy Phillips Bray - November 14, 2006

James L. Cardwell is the known direct ancestor of seven generations of over 300 descendants currentyl listed in one Family Tree. Most of the descendants are natives of the are in Southern Illinois which covers three contiguous counties: Franklin, Hamilton, and Saline.

The family orgins of my ancestor, James L. Cardwell, are not clear. There is no current documentation of the known ancestors of James L. Cardwell due to losses of critical historical records in his known hom area of Tennessee. His ancestry is an enigma. Several of his descendants have studied his family history with care. Their information, taken all together however, provides a plausible scenario of his hertiage which can be recontructed based on these fastors:

Similarity of historical family given names
Family members of this Cardwell tree, gepgraphically present at same time in ket historical areas.
Matching historical information to relevant family members which exists from wills, deeds, census records, etc.
Matching of dates of various Cardwell generations to family members.
Tracking emigration from Virginia to Tennessee to Illinois.
Oral history
Written history

James L. Cardwell was born on October 8th, 1796 in Virginia, and he died on October 14th, 1855 in GFranlin County, Illinois. He married Leah Saunders around 1817. This marriage probably occured in Claiborne County, TN. All the early marriage records for that county were destroyed by a fire at the County Courthouse. Leah was the daughter of Thomas Saunders and Elizabeth Rook. She was born about 1801 in Chatham County, North Carolina, and died after 1870 in Cave Twp., Franklin County, Illinois. She and James are both buried at Pleasant Hill Cemetery, which is located NE of Thompsonville, Illinois. *Note: James’ birthdate and place of birth are taken from his tombstone at Pleasant Hill Cemetery, Franklin County, Illinois. These were transcribed by Eric Jones, a descendant of James L. Cardwell. The tombstone states that James was a “Native of Old Virginia”. Additionally, the 1850 census of McNairy County, Tennessee states that James was born in Virginia.

Leah Saunders was the wife of James L. Cardwell. Her family was a distinguished pioneer family. Her sister, Sarah Saunders, married Hiram Cardwell in McNairy County, Tennessee. Documentation from the Saunders Family lists Hiram Cardwelll as the nephew of James L. Cardwell. Hiram being the son of William Cardwell of McNairy County, Tennessee. Hiram and Sarah move to Arkansas were he served in the Confederate Army during the Civil War.

The family name is most often referred to as Saunders, but is also found as Sanders. Leah was one of 17 children of Thomas Saunders & Elizabeth Rook. These two families are well represented in family research.
The Saunders and Cardwells migrated together to McNairy County, Tennessee from Claiborne County, Tennessee. A substanial number of Claiborne County families migrated, first to Warren County, Tennessee before moving on to McNairy County, Tennessee. Among them was Henry Lebo. One of his daughters married a Saunders and another married Francis Cardwell, documented son of John Cardwell and Mary Royall of Claiborne County, Tennessee. Franics, William and James Cardwell might have been brothers.

John Cardwell & Mary Royall

It can be theorized that John Cardwell and Mary Royall were the parents of our ancestor, James L. Cardwell. According to Rand Cardwell, his children knew James and family and some migrated to Illinois with him. The Royall family is linked to the Virginia Cardwells with the first known ancestor being Joseph Royall. He owned land on the James River in 1638. Mary Royall’s ancestry and relation to this family is not proven. cllick here for an article on Mary Royall

CLICK HERE for information on the family of John Cardwell and Mary Royall of Claiborne County, Tennessee.

John Cardwell of Claiborne County, TN & James L. Cardwell Connections

Oral History

Oral family history of the Cardwells in Illinois cites that “Leah said tht James’ mother was a Royal or Robal.” Source: Luella Cardin Logan III, great granddaughter of Leah Saunders Cardwell.
Oral history from John Auten on the Cardwells, based on Saunders family history, describes that James and Leah migrated to Illinois around 1850 “leaving his brother William and wife, Cecilia Harper in Tennessee.”
Hazel Snell, descendant of Hiram Cardwell, states that Hiram was the nephew of James L. Cardwell.

Written History

Written history of Saunders and Lebo families cited by James Warren who lived in the home of Henry Lebo, neighbor of John and Thomas Cardwell of Lone Mountain in Claiborne County, Tennessee.”Refelctions: A History of McNairy Co.,TN in 1823” published in 1996

“Leah Saunders married a Cardwell”
Sarah Saunders married a Cardwell, nephew of the above.

An important written reference to James and William Cardwell being brothers is the following statement: “By 1840, James Cardwell and his brother, William, had migrated from VA to TN, married in TN. James and his wife moved to the Halltown area of Illlinois in the winter of 1853-53 (probably between harvest and planting.) They were probably attracted by the cheap land provided by the Bit Act.” Source: Eric Jones, descendant of James L. Cardwell. Eric indicates that this data is found in Franklin County, Illinois 1818-1997- published by Turner in 1996.

Simiarity of Historical Family Names

The unusual name of Pryor links James’ family with that of John Cardwell’s son, William.

Pryor is the first and middle name of several Cardwells.

Pryor Cardwell, son of William Cardwell and Cecilia Harper.
James Pryor Cardwell, son of James L. Cardwell and Leah Saunders.
Albert Pryor Cardwell, son of Hiram Cardwell, nephew of James L. Cardwell and son of William Cardwell.
James Pryor Cardwell, son of Marshall P. Cardwell, grandson of James L. Cardwell.

Geographic Proximity

James L. Cardwell was an active participant in the history of the migration of related Cardwell familes, establishing more probability for a claim that he is a son of John Cardwell and Mary Royall of Claiborne County, TN.

He and his family were geographically present with members of John Cardwell’s family over a long period of time.

Marriage of James Cardwell and William Cardwell within 3 years of each other. One in Grainger County, TN and the other presumed in Claiborne County, TN. These counties are divided by the Clinch River and that Lone Mountain area that the Cardwells lived in Claiborne County is right on the Clinch River.
James L. Cardwell and William Cardwell are listed in the 1850 census of McNairy County, TN. They are listed fairly close to each other and clustered with large numbers of Saunders.
Hiram Cardwell, identifed as the nephew of James L. Cardwell, remarries to Matilda Robinson in McNairy County, TN in 1853.
Circa 1852 - James L. Cardwell and family migrate to Illinois. Source: John Auten

Family Members Emigrated Together

Mary “Polly” Cardwell and her husband, Andrew Auten, migrated to Southern Illinois “before 1854.” Source: Eric Jones - “Winter of 1852-53, Polly Cardwell and husband, Andrew Auten, in in Illinois before 1854.”

Timeline

Many of the Cardwells migrated from Virginia to Kentucky and Tennessee after the Revolutionary War, drawn be free land offered to veterans. Typical of the time, several families migrated together and through inter-marriage formed large family clans whose members then moved to various counties in Tennessee seeking more free land. Three families became related by marriage in this branch of the Cardwell family. These were the families of Richard Harper, Thomas Saunders and Henry Lebo.

1791 - Great exodus after the Revolutionary War to Kentucky and Tennessee by Scotch-Irishand others from Virginia and North Carolina.

1794 - Richard Harper and family are found in Orange County, North Carolina

1796 - Tennessee becomes a state.

1796/1801 - Thomas Saunders and family move to Claiborne County, TN region.

1801/02 - John Cardwell and his wife, Mary Royall, and their family migrate to Claiborne County, Tennessee.

1810 - In this year, John Cardwell of Claiborne County, TN buys land near the mouth of the Ball Creek on the Clinch River. The deed mentions that “Thomas Cardwell lives on the land.”

1811 - The Harpers and Forrest families move from Orange County, North Carolina to Claiborne County, TN.

1813 - Perrin Cardwell, brother to John Cardwell of Claiborne County, moves to neighboring Grainger County, Tennessee. A few years later, Perrin settles in Knox County, Tennessee, which neighors Grainger County, but not Claiborne.

1817 - James L. Cardwell marries Leah Saunders probably in Claiborne County, Tennessee. No record of this marriage is known to exist. It is based on the brith year of their oldest child.

1820 - William Cardwell marries Celia Harper in Grainger County, TN

1820/1824 - Francis Cardwell, documented son of John Cardwell and Mary Royall, marries Judah Lebo, daughter of Henry Lebo. They, along with Henry Lebo, move to Warren County, Tennessee. Henry Lebo’s daughter marry into both the Cardwell and Saunder’s families.

1824 - John Cardwell of Claiborne County, Tennessee dies.

1834 - William Cardwell, probable son of John Cardwell and Mary Royall, moves to McNairy County, Tennessee. Also, James L. Cardwell and his wife, Leah Saunders.

McNairy County, Tennessee

McNairy County, Tennessee occupoes the watershed between the Tennessee and the Mississippi Rivers. The waters of the eastern slope flow into the Tennessee and those of the the western slope into the Mississippi. The eastern portion of the county is comaratively hilly, but interspersed with some excellent farming lands. McNairy County is located in the southeast corner of West Tennessee. The county is 90 miles east of Memphis and 165 miles west of Nashville.

Settlement in what was to become McNairy County, Tennessee began about 1819, in the northern part of the county, The terroritory at that time was part of the Hardin County, which had been established by Act of Legislature in 1819. Settlers, hearing of the desirability of the recently acquired lands from the Chichasaw Indians, came in ever increasing numbers to claim virgin wilderness west of the Tennessee River. The first settlers were chiefly from North and South Carolina, Virginia, Middle and Eastern Tennessee. In October 1823, McNairy County was formed and certified in 1839.

The Saunders and Cardwells migrated together to McNairy County, Tennnessee from Claiborne County. There was a good-sized number of Claiborne families that migrated, first to Warren County, TN. Among them was Henry Lebo. One of his daughters married a Saunders and another one married Francis Cardwell. Franics is the documented son of John Cardwell of Claiborne County, TN. Several moved on to McNairy County, TN from Warren County. Source: Rand Cardwell

1835 - William Cardwell and his family of 9, were living in McNairy County, TN area

1835 - James L. Cardwell and family are in McNairy County, TN area

1839 -McNairy County becomes an official county in the state of Tennessee.

1850 - William and James L. Cardwell listed in the 1850 census of McNairy County, TN

The 1850 census states that James L. Cardwell is 53 years of age (born in 1797) and that he was born in Virginia. Leah Saunders Cardwell is listed as 49 years of age and born in North Carolina. Six children are listed in the home. The older children had already married by the time that the census was taken. Additionally, the census reports that James L. Cardwell’s father was born in Georgia and his mother in South Carolina. This does not fit the historical information that is available on James L. Cardwell and may be a mistake on the part of the censustaker.

Migration to Illinois

1852/53 - James L. Cardwell and family migrate to southern Illinois. William Cardwell, his probabe brother, stays in McNairy County, Tennessee. Source: Eric Jones, a descendant of James L. Cardwell, cites this according to records in Halltown, Illinois.

1854 - James L. Cardwell is listed in the Franklin County, Illinois Tax Book

James and Leah migrated in late winter of 1852 to the border area around Franklin, Hamilton, and Saline counties, leaving his brother William, his wife Celia Harper Cardwell and their nine children behind--a common frontier version of the family breakup James and Leah settled in what is now the ghost village of Halltown in northwestern Saline Co with 10 of their 11 known children ( all born in Tennessee) “Franklin County, Illinois, 1818-1997,” published by Turner, 1996.”

Ten of 11 of James’ children migrated with him and Leah to Illinois. Terril Houston and James Pryor are found in the Franklin Co, Ill Tax Book of 1854. Some of the younger ones: Mariah, Malissa, Marshall, Leah Clary, Aaron, and Sarah Catherine were married between 1853 and 1857, including Terril Houston remarrying in 1855. The spouses of older children, married in Tennessee, accompanied the Cardwells to Illinois including Andrew Auten ( Mary Polly) , Caroline Sears ( James Pryor. Albert Sears ( Malina) Their daughter Elizabeth Betsy Cardwell married to Thomas Illiff did not migrate to Illinois.

Descendants of James L. Cardwell & Leah Saunders

Mary Ann “Polly” Cardwell - born about 1818 in the Cherokee Nation (Henderson or McNairy County, TN area). She dies after 1880 in Franklin County, Illinois. According to her death certificate, she married Andrew Jackson “AJ” Auten in 1837. Source: Eric Jones and “Franklin County, Illionis: 1818-1997

Holloway F. Auten - born 09 November 1838. He married Melissa Elizabeth Perryman.
Margaret Ann Auten - born 16 March 1840. She married Andrew Jackson Vinson in April 1860.
Carroll L. Auten - born about 1841 and died in 1882. He married Louisa J. McLearin on 28 Nov 1861.
Leah Elizabeth Auten - born about 1842 and died in 1880 . She married Alexander Plasters on 26 August 1860 and to Isaiah B. Clark on 03 May 1864.
Terrell Houston Auten - born in March 1844 in McNairy County, TN and died in August 1910 in Cave Twp., Franklin County, Illinois. He marreid Nancy Ann Rebecca Knight on 20 July 1873.
Manila “Maniley” Jane Auten - born about 1846 and died in 1941. She married Thomas Heard on 10 January 1865.
Hannah Auten - born 20 August 1848. She married James F. Absher on 09 December 1877.
John A. Auten - possible - born about 1851
Oliver Auten - possible - born about 1854 and died in 1870
Sargent Wilson Auten - possible - born about 1854 and died in 1940.
Mary L. Auten - possible - born about 1858 and died in 1942.
Aaron Sanders Auten - possible - born 1861 and died in 1942

Elizabeth Cardwell - born about 1823 in Grainger County, TN. She died about 1892 in Giles County, Tennessee. She married Thomas Britton Elliff on 03 February 1839 in Giles County, TN.

James Elliff - born 1842/3 in Giles County, TN
Nancy Elliff - born 1844/45 in Giles County, TN
William Elliff - born 1846/47 in Giles County, TN
Malissa “Licia” Elliff - born about 1849 in Giles County, TN
James Thomas Elliff - born 12 May 1845 in Giles County, TN and died on 31 January 1913 in Cambria, Pittsburg County, Oklahoma. He married Sarah Jane Boran. After her death he married Mary Jane Smith on 24 May 1865 in Obion County, TN
Joseph P. Elliff - born 31 March 1863 in Giles County, TN
Ann Elliff -
Sarah Elliff -
Carolyn Elliff -
Lizzie Bell Elliff -

Terrell Hutson Cardwell - born on 14 December 1826 in Tennessee (probably in Grainger County, TN) and died on 07 November 1870 in Halltown, Saline County, Illinois. Terrell married Mary LNU about 1845 and after her death Missouri “Zuriah” Ann Anderson on 15 Sepetmber 1855 in Saline County, ILL. Terrel with Mary and young family can be found in the 1850 census of McNairy County, TN. He is listed as “T.H. Cardwelll” in that record. A close examination of the records shows his younger children.

Isaac P. Cardwell - born about 1846 in McNairy County, TN and died in 1916.
Elizabeth Cardwell - born about 1848 in McNairy County, TN. She is listed in the 1850 census of McNairy County as being 2 yearrs of age. No further information.
Almira Isabelle Cardwell - born about 1858 in Saline County, Illinois. She married William Summers, Jr. in Franklin County, Illinois.
Hirchell V. Cardwell - born about 1862 in Saline County, Illinois.
Christina Cardwell - born about 1864 in Saline County, Illinois.
Lodenia Cardwell - born in February 1870 in Saline County, Illinois.

James Pryor Cardwell - born 29 March 1828 in Tennessee and died on 23 October 1900 in Cave Twp., Franklin County, Illinois. He married Caroline Sears in 1848 in McNairy County, TN. She was the daughter of Clemon Sears and was born on 11 June 1825 and died on 22 March 1902.

Sanford L. Cardwell - born about 1849 in McNairy County, TN
Marion Cardwell - born about 1850 in McNairy County, TN.
Louisa “Liza” Cardwell - born in June 1853. She married Z.T. Baskin in 1870 in Benton, Illinois.
Vianna Cathern Cardwell - born 21 January 1854 in Illinois.
Leroy H. Cardwell - born about 1855 in Illinois.
Leah Caroline “Carolina” Cardwell - born 30 May 1858 and died on 01 April 1935. She married Richard E. Parker on 05 August 1880 in Franklin County, Illinois.
James T. Cardwell - born about 1860 in Illinois.
Florence Cardwell - born about 1864. She married Lewis Monroe Williams on 17 August 1884.
Anna Jane Cardwell - born about 1868 in Illinois and died in 1945. She married Reuben F. Rotramel on 27 September 1885 in Benton, Illinois.

Malina Cardwell - born about 1830 in McNairy County, TN area and died in 1860 in Halltown, Franklin County, Illinois. She married Albert Sears in 1847 in McNairy County,TN He was the son of Clemon Sears and was born about 1828.

Thomas Sears - born about 1858
Nancy Sears - born about 1859

Mariah Cardwell - born on 16 September 1832 in McNairy County, TN area and died on 27 November 1888 in Cave Twp., Franklin County, Illinois. She married Abner Oliver Perryman on 01 September 1853 in Franklin County, Illinois. He was born about 1824 in Kentucky and died in Franklin County, Illinois.

Abner Oliver Perryman, Jr. - born about 1853 in Illinois.
Julia Perryman - born about 1856 in Illinois.
Elizabeth Perryman - born about 1857 in Illinois.
Anderson Perryman - born about 1856 in Illinois
Leonia Perryman - born about 1863 in Illinois.
Oliver C. Perryman - born about 1865 in Illinois.
Charles Perryman - born about 1868 in Illinois.
Mariah Perryman - born about 1870 in Illinois
John M. Perryman - born about 1872 in Illinois.

Malissa “Malcey” Cardwell - was born on 28 September 1834 in McNairy County, TN area and died on 05 February 1907 in Cave Twp., Franklin County, Illinois. She married William “Buck” Perryman on 19 December 1853 in Franklin County, Illinois.
Marshall Phylander Cardwell - was born on 28 September 1836 in the McNairy County, TN area and died on 11 April 1894 in Saline County, Illinois. He married Melvina McFarland on 10 January 1856 in Saline County, IL and after her death he married Nancy Melton on 20 February 1870 in benton, IL. Click here for photo of Marshall P. Cardwell and wife.

Monterville G. Cardwell - born on 13 November 1856 in Saline County, Illinois. He married Mary A. Wilson. He died on 1896 in Franklin County, IL.
Amanda “Mandoney” Cardwell - born on 06 March 1858 in Saline County, IL. She died in 1949. Amanda married John R. Cock.
Martha Jane Cardwell - born on 06 March 1859 in Saline County, IL. She married James R. Fox on 23 December 1877 in Saline County, IL.
Sarah Elizabeth Cardwell - born on 23 November 1860 in Saline County, IL. She married Harvey J. Harrison on 31 January 1888 in Franklin County, IL. Sarah died before 1894.
Elizabeth “Lizz” Cardwell - born about 1861 in Saline County, IL. She married Henry J. Harris. Elizabeth died before 1900.
Marshall Frank Cardwell - born 11 February 1864 in Saline County, IL. He died on 11 February 1906 in Plumfield, Franklin County, IL. Marshall married Gaile McFarland.
James Pryor Cardwell - born 06 February 1862 in Franklin County, IL. He died on 15 February 1945 in Stoddard County, Missouri. he married Martha Hall.
Pryor Cardwell - born on 10 February 1864.
Aaron Cardwell - born about 1866 and died in 1868.
Stanford Cardwell - born 12 February 1868 and died in August 1870 at the age of two years and six months.
Caldonia”Doney” Cardwell - born 19 August 1871 in Saline County, IL. She died of Typhoid Fever in July 1897 in Saline County, IL. She married Ellias Kinshebe.
Terril Houston Cardwell - born 28 Sept 1872 in Illinois. He died on 07 Jult 1897. Never married. Family history states that he went out west and returned with Typhoid Fever, which took his life and several of his siblings.
Flordia Paralee Cardwell - born 22 Dec 1875. She married William Shaw and died on 23 Mar 1948.
Sampson Cardwell - born in Feb 1876 and died before 1894. Never married.
Joseph Sherman Cardwell - born 28 Dec 1877 in Saline County, IL. He married Anna Phillips and died on 20 Sept 1968.
John Arvel Cardwell - born 05 Mar 1880 and died on Typhoid Fever in August 1897. Never married.
Marissa Cardwell - born 12 May 1882. She died on 23 August 1897 of Typhoid Fever.
Mamie L. Cardwell - born 21 Dec 1882 and died on 21 Dec 1902. She never married.
Oscar Phylander Cardwell - born 20 Jan 1884 and died 07 Feb 1966. He married Viola “Ola” McGhee.
Rannel “Barnell” Cardwell - born 19 Jan 1886 in Saline County, IL. He died on 20 Jun 1889.
Luella Cardwell - born 02 April 1886 in Saline County, IL. She died on 07 February 1986 in Benton, Illionis. She married Henry Phillipps.

Leah “Clary” Cardwell - born on 20 November 1838 in the McNairy County, TN area and died on 12 May 1868 in Halltown, Saline County, Illinois. She married William G. Jones on 21 Dec 1856.

Marshall S. Jones -

Aaron S. Cardwell - born about 1841 in McNairy County, TN and died on 25 December 1862 in Corinth, Mississippi. He married Sarah Catherine Clark on 27 January 1857 in Franklin County, Illinois. She was the daughter of Jerdon Clark and Betsie Burer and was born on 25 Feb 1843 in Tennessee. Sarah died on 09 June 1936. Aaron serverd in Company C, 15th Illinois CAV. He died on fever near Cornith, Mississsippi during service in the Civil War.

Narcissus S. Cardwell - born on 15 May 183 in Saline County, Illinois. She died on 05 Oct 1924.

Sarah Catherine Cardwell - born about 1843 in McNairy County, TN and died on 25 April 1869 in Cave Twp., Franklin County, Illinois. She married James Plasters on 15 Oct 1857 and then Marcus Duncan McLearin on 12 Apr 1863.

Marcus Dorin McLearin - born about 1867 in Monroe County, Kentucky. He married Mary Sarah Sanders on 13 May 1869 in Franklin County, Illinois. After her death he remarried to Loving White on 19 May 1884 in Franklin County, Illinois.

SUMMARY

We conclde that James L. Cardwell was the son of John Cardwell and Mary Royall of Claiborne County, Tennessee based on the information from a variety of sources including:

The notes of Luella Cardin, Logan, Illinois, ggrandaughter of Leah and James who cites Leah as listing James’ mother as a Royall.
John Auten’s history of the Cardwells, based on Sanders Family History which repeats that James left brother William behind when he migrated to Illinois. (John is descendant of Mary Polly Cardwell and Andrew Auten).
The repetition of the unusual name of Pryor in both James’ and William’s families. The James Warren description of the Saunders Family in McNairy Co which lists Hiram Cardwell as James’ nephew in “ Reflections: A History of McNairy Co, TN in 1823,” published in 1996.
The oral history quoted by Hazel Stell, descendant of Hiram Cardwell, citing Hiram as James’ nephew.
The Written History of Franklin Co, Illinois 1818-1997, published by Turner, 1996 which states that James and his brother William were in Tennessee together and married around same time in Tennessee
Other Cardwell family researchers included: Eric Jones (James Pryor) Katie Kammler ( Leah Clary Cardwell) and Artie Phillips ( Ella Cardwell Phillips, Marshall).
Two written sources are quoted by researchers frequently. They are:

Pendegraft Research of 1973
History of Cardwell Family of Robert Cardwell of Campbell Co, Va, compiled by Robert Cardwell of El Paso Texas, copyright 1980.

Research by Rand Cardwell
Gravestones, census records, tax records, death records

CONCLUSION

Several elements contribute to the mystery and complexity of identifying our ancestors:

Lack of standard spelling of names causes different versions to be recorded.
Children sometimes are listed with brothers and sisters and other family members and were not recorded in historical documents.
Certain names appear in every generation and in overlapping branches of the family, making it difficult to identify which fits where. Overlapping names include: Richard, Thomas, William, George, James, John among others.
Discrepancies in dates:

Many key dates of the Cardwell family are dissimilar, depending on the source of information.
Most of the dates are taken from family recollections of births, marriages, deaths, ages, etc. and appear in deeds, census information, data on gravestones, etc. Only later generations are represented in birth certificates, death certificates and other modern sources of family information.

To offest the problems with historical documentation, we relied on a review of the following information to reach our conclusions about the ancestry of James L. Cardwell:

Aimilarity of historicla family names.
History of Cardwells gepgraphically present in same historical time and place.
Matching existing historical information which exists in wills, deeds, gravestones, etc. to family members.
Matching of dates of various Cardwell family activities to family members.
Tracking Cardwell emigration from Viginia to Tennessee to Illinois.

If James L. Cardwell is the son of John Cardwell and Mary Royall of Claiborne County,TN, we his descendants, can claim a rich legacy since John Cardwell’s ancestors were prominent land-owners and planters in early Colonial Virginia. Our ancestor, James L. Cardwell, could hardly have known of any distinguished ancestry except by distant tales of family history. Based on this lineage, James L. Cardwell was a 6th generation descendant of Thomas Cardwell I who came to America in 1638 and settled near the Jamestown settlement in Virginia. His family, the Virginia Cardwells were planters, landowners, and slaveowners. The family shifted from wealthy gentry to poorer frontiersmen as they began to emigrate from Virginia to Kentucky, Tennessee and Illinois.

Through John Cardwell of Claiborne County, TN, we can claim membership in the Descendants of Sons and Daughters of the American Revolution, since John was a Revolutionary War veteran [Note: John Cardwell died prior to receiving any penison for his service. By reviewing the rosters of men that served from Virginia, it can be determined that there was a John Cardwell that is is a different man from the John Cardwell of Kentucky.] From Mary Royall, we can trace an ancestry back to the brother of the last Plantagenet king of England, Richard III. The Royall family of Colonial Virginia through marriage became linked to many famous names of early American History including Thomas Jefferson, Robert E. Lee and the family of Geroge Washington.

Today, our family includes the 12th generation of descendants of Thomas Cardwell I and the 6th generation of descendants from James L. Cardwell.

______________________________________________________________________

NOTE from Rand Cardwell- The strongest evidence for James L. Cardwell being a son of John Cardwell and Mary Royall of Claiborne County, TN is the statement of Luella Cardin. She stated that James L. Cardwell’s mother was a Royall or Robal. Other theories exist concerning the relationship between James L. and William Cardwell. They both moved to McNairy County, TN from East Tennessee. There home area can be calculated from the marriage that is documented in Grainger County, TN between William Cardwell and Celia Harper in 1820. This coupled with the written history of the Saunders family points to a close relationship between the two men. The possibility does exist that William and James L. Cardwell are the sons of Thomas Cardwell of Claiborne County, TN. He appears to be the brother of John and there is very little documentation on him in the records of Claiborne and neighboring Grainger Counties, TN. The Cardin statement concerning the mother of James is pretty convincing.

One thing that would help the research on this line is finding a living Cardwell man from this branch that is willing to take part in the Cardwell DNA Project. click here for details Given that we have already established a DNA sequence for the Claiborne County Cardwells, a match on 37 markers would be conclusive. In light of the general lack of documented records, this might be the only method to establish the connection to John Cardwell of Claiborne County, TN. ~ RC

Visitors Since 2003

DONATE to the CARDWELL DNA PROJECT