Norwood

JohnCharles Cavener JohnCharles Cavener was born in March of 1825, in Amelia County,Virginia, and died after the census was taken for 1900 in Texas. Hemarried Amanda Jane Swinford, March 12, 1847 in Lincoln County,Tennes see. She was born June 25, 1829 in Tennessee, and died in about1859 in Marshall County, Tennessee. 2nd. He married Rebecca B. HillDyer, January 22, 1861 in Marshall County, TN. She was born June 25,18 29 in Tennessee, and died January 27, 1902 in Tennessee. Inthe 1830 census of the 4th district of Marshall County, Tennessee,all were accounted for except William Patrick who was not yet born.Apparently they grew up in that area and John Cavener married Ama ndaSwinford, on March 12, 1847 in Marshall County, TN. He signedproperty documents in that county in 1849. He and Amanda resided inthat area until the census of 1850 was taken, it shows; John Cavener, 25, VA., Amanda, 19,TN., Wm. W. son 2, TN., and James PatrickCavener, 1, TN. The next account of John Cavener that we havedocumented is in the Christian County, Missouri census of 1860 onPorter Townsh ip, near Boaz. That census shows; John Cavener, 34, TN.,and a widow. Assessed valuation $500., WM. W. son 12, TN., James P.son 10 TN., Ellen, dau. 3, TN., and Martha, dau. 1. Born in Missouri.The youn gest child; Martha age 1, being born in Missouri tells usthat John and Amanda came to Christian County, in 1858 or 1859.

Amanda(Swinford) Cavener died before the census of 1860, she may have diedin child birth or shortly thereafter. We have no record of where sheis buried. It appears that John Cavener took his three you ngestchildren and returned to Marshall County, TN., where on April 22,1861 he married Rebecca (Hill) Dyer in that county.

WilliamWillis Cavener was only twelve or thirteen years of age when hisfather took the rest of the family and went back to TN. Wm. W. mayhave stayed with other Cavener family members. On January 24, 1 868,Wm. W. Cavener married Paulina Steele, according to records availableat this time. Wm. W. and Pauline (Steele) Cavener had a daughter;Mary Elizabeth Cavener, who was born October 1, 1867 in Missou ri. Johnbrought his 2nd wife, Rebecca (Dyer) Cavener and returned toChristian County, MO. in the 1880’s and purchased a farm south ofOzark in 1887, and made their home there for a few years.Then againre turned to Marshall County,TN., in the 1890’s still owning thefarm in Christian County, MO. John may have been in poor health anddecided to sell the land to his son; James Patrick Cavener. A deedwa s signed by John and Rebecca on April 14, 1899 in Marshall County,TN. The1900 census of Marshall County, TN., lists Rebecca Cavener as a widowand gr-mother in the home of her gr-daughter, Ann (Dyer) McAdams.That census shows that Rebecca was born June 3, 1830. Also th e censusof 1900 of Hunt County Texas, shows the Joseph C. Cavender familywith his father, John, listed as being born in March, of 1821, age79, NC. VA., but he probably died that year and buried in Hun tCounty, Texas, because Rebecca was shown as a widow in MarshallCounty, TN. that same year. Rebecca and her gr-daughter Ann(Dyer) McAdams, both died January 27, 1902 in the home of thegr-daughter, wi thin 2 hours of each other. They are both buried inthe Head Springs Cemetery, near Belfast, TN. Inthe census of 1870, it shows that John’s father was born inIreland. The known children of John and Rebecca (Hill) (Dyer) Cavenerwas (1) Amanda Alice Cavener, born in 1863 in TN. and (2) GeorgeThom as Cavener born in 1866 in TN. John Cavener has many descendantsscattered over several counties of Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee, andTexas. Rebeccawas born June 25, 1829 and died January 27, 1902 in Marshall County,Tennessee. She first married a Dyer and had 3 daughters; Ann (Dyer)McAdams. (2) Mary (Dyer) McKinney, and (3) Sue Ellen (Dyer ) Cummings,who was born October 28, 1853. (Fromthe records of Bob and Lil Steele, Geneve Faught and several otherdescendants of the Cavener family.) Haase, Dallas, Texas, 22grandchildren, 61 gr-grandchildren and 36,