MALINDA WADE

James Wade and Louisa Spradling Wade had one daughter they named Malinda Wade, who married Daniel Carden March 2, 1862. Daniel died in the “Battle of Chickamauga” in 1863, the same year his daughter Sarah Louise was born.

Malinda then married William C. Wattenbarger April 2, 1866, and was living in Celeste, Texas, when her mother died July 14, 1897. The following month she wrote the following letter to her brother Silas concerning the division of her mothers “things”.

Dear brother,

I seat myself to write you a few lines this morning. I have just received a letter from Mary stating to me the division of mother's things. I am not satisfied with the divide. I do not think they have treated me right. There is not but one way to do business and that is the right way.

I want you to have two good disinterested people make the division and if they cannot agree they can call in a third person and I will abide by the consequence. If they cannot agree put them all up and sell them and divide the money equally.

I will itemize the things they wrote me I got:

Father's counterpin, three quilts, two or three sheets, one blanket, one coverlid, two table cloths, two undercoats, one dress, they say the clothing went against the dishes, one shawl, one pair of stockings, one bonnet and some piller slips.

Silas, I do not want any hard feelings about those things and all I want is a fair divide. Right is right and it don't wrong noboddy. If I get enough for my part I will pay the express charges.

Well Silas, I close for this time hoping to hear from you soon.

Linny Wattenbarger

The letter evidently has reference to her half sisters born to Louisa and her stepfather, Hyram Brandon. Malinda’s brothers James and William were deceased and brother Granville was living in Rhea County. Silas purchased part of the Wade farm and Levi Wattenbarger the remainder.

Malinda bore six children to William C. Wattenbarger, the last being Carmenia who was called ‘Minnie”. Carmenia married Lee Carl Owens March 26, 1906, in Utica which was in Indian Territory at that time. They named one of their three sons Alvis Edgar who later became Alvis Edgar Sr. when he named his son Alvis Edgar Jr. Junior was known as “Buck” Owens and starred in the Hee Haw television series of the 1980’s. This was confirmed in a letter to Debbie (Wade) Brooks a few years before Buck’s death.