Typed by: Kay Cunningham
McCALEB, ZILL HARRINGTON
Surnames: McCALEB, HARRINGTON, McCLEB, CUDE, ALSTON, HARLAN, CHAMBERLAIN, SHARP,
KILLINGSWORTH, ALDRIDGE, SMITH, SNIDER, MARTIN. (see note on bottom of this bio
for McCLEB)
Zill Harrington McCaleb, b March 24, 1798 in North Carolina, d April 25,
1871 in Blue Ridge, Falls County, Texas and buried in the Blue Ridge Cemetery
-- was a son of Reverend James McCaleb, Jr., b ca 1769 in North Carolina, d
June 1828 in Hickman County, Tennessee (and his death reported June 7, 1828, in
The National Banner and The Nashville Whig), and his wife, Mary ("Polly"
Harrington) McCaleb, b ca 1774 in North Carolina, d July 1840 in Hickman County,
Tennessee. Both were buried in the McCaleb Grave Yard (also called "Old Peach
Orchard Cemetery") -- located on what later became the Beard Farm near little
Lot, Hickman County, Tennessee. Reverend James McCalebJr., a Primitive Baptist
Minister, and a son of James McCaleb, Sr., b in North Carolina, d in Hickman
County, Tennessee, who served as a Private in the Revolutionary War. On
December 19, 1804, James McCalebSr., 274 acres of land for his service. The
land was located in the territory which became Tennessee, and soon thereafter,
James McCleb Sr., and Jr. had moved their families to Tennessee. They settled
in Hickman County in 1811, where they, and their wives, died.
In 1820 in Hickman County, Tennessee, Zill Harrington McCaleb was married to
Mary Elizabeth Martin, b 1803 in Tennessee, d 1883 in Blue Ridge, Falls County,
Texas and buried in Blue Ridge Cemetery -- a daughter of George Washington
Martin, b ca 1771, date of death unknown, but alive in 1830 in Hickman County,
Tennessee, who served as a Lieutenant in the 43rd Tennessee Regiment in the war
with England in 1812 - 1814 (recorded on the roster dated January 3, 1814), and
his wife, whose name has not been located, who was born ca 1777. George
Washington Martin was in the Tennessee Territory prior to 1803.
Zill Harrington and Mary Elizabeth (Martin) McCaleb left Tennessee for Texas
a short time after his mother died, and were settled in Montgomery County, The
Republic of Texas before the birth of the tenth of their twelve children in the
fall of 1840. Nine children were born in Hickman County, Tennessee; the three
youngest children were all born in Montgomery County, Texas.
A daughter McCaleb, b 1821 -- no further information.
A son McCaleb, b 1823 -- no further information.
George Washington McCaleb, b September 30, 1825, d November 11, 1890 and
buried in the Powers Family Cemetery in southeast Falls County, Texas -- married
July 4, 1848 in Montgomery County, Texas to Mary Cude, b December 7, 1831 in
Alabama, d September 7, 1872 and buried in Powers Family Cemetery -- a daughter
of Timothy and Serena Cude -- natives of Tennessee and Georgia, respectively,
who settled in Texas before 1836 and were living in Montgomery County in 1850.
Jesse D. McCaleb, b 1827 -- married Movember 29, 1847 in Montomery County,
Texas to Darcus Cude, b 1829 in Alabama -- a daughter of Timothy and Serna Cude.
By 1850, they had two children: Alfred Jackson McCaleb, b ca 1848; and Zill
McCaleb, b 1850. In 1856, Jesse purchased land in Falls County, but died before
he moved. His gather served as administrator of his estate, and apparently
purchased the land and moved to Falls County. Jesse's widow, Darcus (Cud)
McCaleb, did not move to Falls County, and they probably had other children
before Jesse died in 1856; however, the two named were the only ones named in
the estate settlement, so no others apparently survived.
Mary Elizabeth McCaleb. b ca 1828 -- married November 7, 1848, in Montgomery
County, Texas to Henry Alston, b 1810 in New York, d December 15, 1872, and
buried in Blue Ridge Cemetery, Falls County, Texas.
Pauline Jane McCaleb, b November 5, 1830, d November 30, 1889 and buried in
Blue Ridge Cemetery, Falls County, Texas -- married July 29, 1859 in Montgomery
County, Texas to George Harlan, b February 2, 1835 in Mexico - Texas, State of
Coahuila, d December 30, 1919 and buried in Blue Ridge Cemetery -- a son of Dr.
Isaiah and Nancy (Henry) Harlan, who came to Mexico - Texas in the fall of 1834.
Sophia McCaleb, b 1832 -- no further information.
James McCaleb, b 1834 no further information.
Frances McCaleb, b ca 1836 -- no further information.
Eliza McCaleb, b ca 1840 -- no further information.
Luisa McCaleb, b ca 1844 -- no further information.
Zill Harrington McCaleb, Jr., b 1847 -- married May 20, 1883 in Falls
County, Texas to Mrs. Frances Tucker (Chamberlain) Sharp, b March 30, 1849 in
Choctaw County, Mississippi, d November 24, 1934 in Los Angeles, California -- a
daughter of Alexander hunter and Temperance Killingsworth (Aldridge)
Chamberlain, and the widow of Henry H. Sharp, by whom she has two children:
Molly Killingsworth Sharp who married December 16, 1892 in Falls County, Texas
to Silas Elias Harlan -- son of James Henry and Sarah Ann (Smith) Harlan and had
Malda, Frances Tucker, and twins, Eugene and Erwin Harlan; and Robert Lee Sharp,
who married Eddie Snider and had Dessala, Madge, and Velma Sharp.
Many descendants of Zill Harrington and Mary Elizabeth (Martin) McCaleb
continue to reside in Marlin and Falls County, Texas.
Copyright Permission granted to Theresa Carhart for printing the biographies of
these Falls County Families to this Web page.
"Families of Falls County", Compiled and Edited by the Falls County Historical
Commission, page 288 Column 1 and page 289 column 1 and 2.
Member of Falls County Historical Commission.
NOTE: I believe the name McCaleb was misspelled on JAMES McCLEB. I believe it
to be spelled McCALEB.