By David A. Ralls, Genetic Genealogy GuidePost (http://www.rallsdna.com)
📜 Research Objective
This study sought to determine when and how the children of Willis Ralls—namely William B., Nathaniel, and Charles M. Ralls, along with daughter Sarah (Ralls) Cook—left Obion County, Tennessee, and where they ultimately settled by 1850. The analysis also investigates the migration motives, travel companions (FANs), and historical context of their journey westward.
🧭 Historical Setting
In the decades following the Jackson Purchase of 1818, settlement expanded rapidly across western Tennessee. This land deal—negotiated by Andrew Jackson and Isaac Shelby—opened vast tracts between the Mississippi, Ohio, and Tennessee Rivers to non-Indigenous settlers.
Willis Ralls, a chain carrier for surveyor William Owen in early Hopkins County, Kentucky, was among those who migrated southward into this new frontier.
👨👩👧👦 The Ralls and Cook Families in 1840
By 1840, census and tax evidence placed the extended Ralls family in Obion County, Tennessee:
| Household | Head of Household | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Willis Ralls | Age 60–70 | Patriarch; probable widower by 1849 |
| William B. Ralls | 30–39 | Married Mary Ann “Polly” Conner |
| Nathaniel Ralls | 30–39 | Married Mary “Polly” Garrett |
| Levi Cook | 30–39 | Married Sarah Ralls |
| Isom Conner | 40–50 | Father of Mary Ann Conner (in-law), already in Pike Co., AR by 1840 |
(Table adapted from U.S. Census, Obion Co., TN, 1840.)
🚚 Migration Timeline: 1840–1850
By the 1850 census, the family had dispersed across Arkansas and Missouri. Tax and census data yield the following timeline of departures:
🧾 Table 1. Timeline of Migration Events (Simplified)
| Year | Individual | From → To | Key Record or Event |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1839–1841 | Isom Conner Jr. | Obion Co., TN → Pike Co., AR | Early Arkansas tax rolls |
| 1842–1843 | William B. Ralls | Obion Co., TN → Sevier Co., AR | Daughter Elizabeth born in AR by 1843 |
| 1842–1843 | Nathaniel Ralls | Obion Co., TN → Carroll Co., KY → Sevier Co., AR | Daughter Harriett born KY, then AR |
| 1844 | Levi Cook | Obion Co., TN → Stoddard Co., MO | Appears in MO by 1850 |
| 1849 | Charles M. Ralls | Obion Co., TN → Sevier Co., AR | On 1849 Sevier Co. tax roll |
📈 Chart 1. Ralls Family Migration by Year (1839–1850)
1839 | Conner → Pike Co., AR
1842 | William → Sevier Co., AR
1843 | Nathaniel → KY then AR
1844 | Cook → MO
1849 | Charles → AR
1850 | Families established in AR & MO
🌽 The Arkansas Years
By 1850, William B., Nathaniel, and Charles Ralls lived as neighboring farmers in Madison Township, Sevier County, Arkansas, suggesting they migrated together or followed closely. Their father-in-law, Isom Conner, also resided nearby.
Meanwhile, Sarah (Ralls) Cook and Levi Cook had settled farther north in Stoddard County, Missouri.
⚖️ Socioeconomic Context
Several factors likely influenced the migration:
- New opportunities for cheap land after Arkansas statehood (1836).
- The decline of small farming viability in western Tennessee by the 1840s.
- The family network linking the Ralls, Conner, and Cook families provided safety and familiarity during relocation.
The timing—1842–1844—aligns with regional westward trends and early settlement waves into southwest Arkansas and Missouri.
🧬 Genealogical Synthesis
| Family Line | Migration Pattern | Confirmed By |
|---|---|---|
| William B. Ralls | TN → AR | Census, tax rolls, birthplaces of children |
| Nathaniel Ralls | TN → KY → AR | Census, pension affidavit, children’s birthplaces |
| Charles M. Ralls | TN → AR | Tax rolls, census |
| Sarah (Ralls) Cook | TN → MO | Census, tax rolls |
| Isom Conner Jr. (in-law) | TN → AR | Tax records, census |
🧩 These coordinated migrations demonstrate a FAN (Friends, Associates, Neighbors) network centered on kinship—particularly the Conner family connection.
🪔 Conclusion
The children of Willis Ralls departed Obion County, Tennessee between 1842 and 1844, joining the westward movement into Arkansas and Missouri. Their migration was likely influenced by family ties, land availability, and the economic promise of frontier settlements.
By 1850, three Ralls brothers were established in Sevier County, Arkansas, while Sarah and Levi Cook had built their home in Stoddard County, Missouri. Willis himself remained behind, passing away in Obion County before 1850.
🔍 Future Research Suggestions
- Local history study of Obion County, TN, for events prompting migration.
- Land and probate searches in Carroll County, KY (Nathaniel’s interim residence).
- Stoddard County, MO archives for Cook family documentation.
- FAN analysis of neighboring Obion County households for potential kinship ties.
Citation
David A. Ralls, “Migration to Arkansas,” a working file last updated 21 November 2024.
Genetic Genealogy GuidePost 