Thomas was the key. Period. This post will be lengthy, since I will be quoting directly from the document I compiled to submit as a final for a class, but it is worth the read:
In a last ditch effort before moving on from the research objective of finding Mariah’s death date, perusing Fold 3 yielded a true treasure: the entire pension file for Thomas Randle’s service in the War of 1812: There were 57 pages of beautiful pages, containing a variety of information to shed light on the missing items for Mariah. Also, the researcher learned a wealth of information regarding Thomas Randle too.
As the widow of Thomas, she was legally entitled to his pension. From the early pages in this file, particulars about his service were provided. Prior to finding this file, his index card for the War of 1812 Pension Application Files revealed that his service was in Illinois under Captain J. B. Moore for the Illinois Rangers. The certificate for this pension was dated June 26, 1872, two years before Thomas’s death.[1] The pension was “consolidated with widow #15506,” October 25, 1878.[2] Thomas enlisted June 11, 1812, and was discharged on June 25, 1812; he served afterward from July 27, 1812 to October 15, 1812.[3] He enlisted at Fort Russell Illinois Territory; the fort was also the location for his discharge.[4]
Beyond the information for Thomas’s military service, this Pension File provided details relevant to Mariah, besides receiving pension payments. On Page 11 of the Pension File, there was a document titled “Service Pension, War of 1812, Widow’s Brief,” dated between 1878 and 1879. Henry C. Dean was one of the names on this document, providing proof of identity, based on affidavits provided.[5] Richard Shaffer, Mariah’s son-in-law, wrote up a deposition on Mariah:
Case of Randle Maria E.,
On this 7’aintenth day of April, 1888, at Raymond, County of Montgomery, State of Ills, before me W. H. McGuire, a Special Examiner of the Pension Office, personally appeared Richard R. Shaffer, who being by me first duly sworn to answer truly all interrogatories propounded to him during this Special Examination of aforesaid pension claim, deposes and says: My age is 59 years I am a farmer. My P.O. is Raymond Montgomery Co Ills.
I was acquainted with Maria E. Randle, a Pensioner of the War of 1812 as the widow of Thomas Randle I knew the pensioner about all my life.
The Pensioner Mariah E. Randle—died Aug. 13th 1887. I was present at the death.
Dr. Caldwell of Zanesville, Ills was the attending physician in Pensioners lo* sickness.
At the date of pensioners death She had in cash $178.80. And some personal effects that I think is worth about $8.00. I was offered $5.00 for the personal effect that I thought they were worth a little more.[6]
At last…Mariah’s death date and death place are provided, and this information is almost as detailed as a death certificate. Also, her place of residence was likely with Maria in Raymond.
The first time Mariah’s maiden name is mentioned, is on Page 9 of the file: “his wife’s name was Mariah E. Thornhill, to whom he married at Washington Co Ills, on the (?) day of June AD 1826.”[7] A more detailed record of her marriage to Thomas is provided in later pages. On Page 13, the following information is written:
She further states that she was married to the said Thomas Randle in the county of Washington, and the State of Illinois, on the 2nd of June A. D. 1825 by one W. C. Ballard, who was a Minister of the Gospel, and that her name before her said marriage was Maria E Dean (nee Thornhill); and she further states that her said first husband had been previously married to Rebecca Brown who died in Madison Co Ill about Jan’y 1825; and she further state that she [declarant] had been previously married to Jonathan Dean who died about Sept 1822 near Princeton Ky—and further that she has not remarried since the death of said Thomas Randle.[8]
This paragraph alone, contains more information than most documents at this point in research. The researcher learns about the marriages and former spouses of both Thomas and Mariah. The difficulty in locating the marriage records becomes evident according to one affidavit provided in the Pension File, provided as Page 15:
State of Illinois, Washington County J. H. F. Reuter, clerk of the county court
And for the county and state aforesaid, do hereby certify that, there is no record of marriage on file in this office prior to the year 1832, and that I have made diligent search for such record of marriages and cannot find the same
Witness my hand and official seal of the said court at Nashville in said county and state this the 18th day of Feb’y A.D. 1879
H. F. Reuter, Co. Clk.[9]
If the county clerk of Washington County, Illinois could not locate the marriage record in 1879, perhaps there was no record filed or it was lost.
To provide further information on the marriage since the official record could not be located, witnesses to the ceremony provided affidavits. Unfortunately, Washington C. Ballard had died already, so the first document was penned by his son, Thornhill Ballard:
State of Illinois, Washington County
Thornhill Ballard of said county and state being first duly sworn deposes and says that he was at the wedding of Thomas Randle and Maria Dean who were married at the residence of his father, Washington C. Ballard, on the 2nd day of June 1825 in the county aforesaid, and that said Washington C. Ballard was a minister of the Gospel and celebrated said marriage but hes since departed this life so that his affidavit cannot now be obtained—affiant further deposes and says that the above facts are derived from his own personal knowledge—that his age is 71 years—that his brother Geo. W. Ballard was also present at said marriage—that his (affiants) residence and Post Office address is Beaucoup, Illinois; that he is not interested or concerned in the claim of Maria Randle widow of said Thomas Randle for a pension. He (affiant) also deposes and says that as he is informed and believes no official record of said marriage can now be found in said county for the reason that the records of said county do not show any marriage earlier than the year 1832.[10]
As mentioned by Thornhill in his affidavit, his brother also provided one on Page 22:
State of Illinois, Madison County
George W. Ballard of the county and state aforesaid, age 58 years, being duly sworn according to law, poses and says that he was present at the marriage of Thomas Randle and Maria Dean on the 2nd day of June 1825. That his (affiants) father, Washington C. Ballard now deceased was the officiating clergyman—that, although he (affiant) was only about five years old at that time, he remembers the circumstances well—that the marriage took place in his father’s house and the fact that said Maria Dean at that time resided with his father’s family and that said Thomas Randle on the day of the wedding was so late coming his father and other present became somewhat anxious about the matter—that the affiant also remembers seeing said Randle on that day when he first came in sight on horseback—that Thornhill Ballard and older brother of affiant was also present of said Marriage the he (affiant) has no intent whatever in the claim of said Marie Randle for a pension and is not concerned in its presentation—that he resides near Edwardsvill and his Post Office address is Edwardsvill Madison County Illinois.[11]
This affidavit was the most informative for the circumstances around the marriage. Mariah was living with the Ballards, likely because Washington’s wife may have been Mariah’s older sister (still determining this relationship). Additionally, she may have met Thomas through Washington, since both were ministers of the MEC. Finally, the marriage took place at the Ballard residence.
After years of puzzling over this puzzle, the answer was through the second husband and stepfather, not even through records that should be located, namely a marriage and a death. Because both of these vital dates and places could not be easily found, it became necessary to reach outward to find what became of Henry’s father and who Mariah’s family was. At last, these objectives have been met, the hypotheses proved or disproved, and a whole new avenue of resources and family members have appeared as the story continues to unravel.
[1] “War of 1812 Pension Files,” digital images, Fold3 (https://www.fold3.com : accessed 22 July 2020), pension file for Thomas Randle and his widow, Mariah E. Randle; War of 1812 Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application Files, The National Archives and Records Administration, Washington D.C.; Roll RG15-1812PB-Bx2825.
[2] Ibid.
[3] Ibid.
[4] Ibid. this information concerning his military service was provided by Thomas.
[5] Ibid.
[6] Ibid.
[7] Ibid.
[8] Ibid.
[9] Ibid.
[10] Ibid.
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