1833 - John L. Machen is born to John Machen and Leah Renwick, in Georgia [Laura Cleveland]

This is a rather old southern family that has its roots into South Carolina and Virginia. The only Machen family in Georgia in 1830 is John Machen but they leave by 1840. [1850 roll 55, Georgia , 108 Pike] John Sr. doesn't show up on the 1850 census in Georgia but do have a child born there John L. Machen born May,1833 Pike Co., Georgia ]

1850 - John L. Machen is listed as "junr" in the census for Chambers Co., Alabama under his father spelled "John Meachum" in Chambers Co. Alabama. He is 16 years old born in Georgia. He is here with his brother William (23), Nancy(18), Leonidus (14), Elizabeth Anderson (7, probable dau. of another child, Rosannah Jane who married Wm Hampton Anderson) [1850 Alabama, Chambers 269]

John L. "junr" oldest brother, James H. Machen (34), had already moved to Arkansas by 1850 with his first wife, Elizabeth(17) and no children. , [Dallas Co., 045 Princeton]

1856, Jan 21- John L. Machen applied for license for marriage on January 21, 1856 to Martha A. "Mattie" Burns in Tallapoosa Co., Alabama. He should be 23 years old and Mattie is 21years. [Early Alabama Marriages, vol.26,p.2. ]. They were finally married on February 7, 1856.

1859-1860 The family moves to Arkansas from Alabama along with several other relatives.

1860 - John Machen for any spelling doesn't show up in the US Census for Alabama although the later census says that this is where  the several children are born. 

1862 -30 June - J. L. Machen is enlisted in Co. A, 33 Arkansas Infantry in Magnolia, Columbia Co, Ark for a period of three years. He enters as a private and is paid $25 for the use of his rifle. on July 2, 1862.

1863- 29 Jan, J. L. Machen writes

"For commutation of rations, having been left behind, on the retreat from Van Buren, sick and unable to travel - from Dec 28th, 1862 to Jan 29th 1863, being 32 days at 35 cents per day. --------$11.20. "

"on account of disease of the heart."
He is described in this paper as being 30 years old, 5 feet 10 inches tall, dark complexion, dark eyes, black hair with an occupation as farmer.
[Confederate States Military documents]
This is probably where J. L. learned to be a physician. After the war he apparently uses his knowledge to try to make a living in Arkansas. His elder brother, James H. Machen b. 1816, is also now known as a "physician," where as before the war in 1850 he was a "merchant".

1870 - John L. Machen is listed in the census in Columbia Co. Ark. as a "physician". He is here with his wife and his first seven children including Eugenia(11f , Ala)  John W, Dora and the un-named son are not listed in the 1880 census and probably died.  [1870 US Census, Arkansas, Columbia Co., Calhoun Twp., p. 378-9]

Machen, John                 37 m w            Physician        800    200     Georgia
             , Martha A.        35  f w                                                         Alabama
            , James                13 m  w                                                       Alabama
            , Eugenia            11 f  w                                                         Alabama
            , Montgomery       9 m w                                                        Alabama
            , Francis                7 f  w                                                         Arkansas
            , John W.               5  m  w                                                      Arkansas
            , Dora                    3  f  w                                                        Arkansas
            ,(no name)            3/12 m w                                                    Arkansas

The life of a "physician" must not have been too easy in this era.

The Physician- The life of a physician is a life of contradictions. He is slandered, abused and derided: yet he is sought with avidity, and freely received into the bosoms of families. His opinion can blanche the cheek, or suffuse the eye with tears of joy; and his lips are as closely watched as if from them proceeded the issues of life and death. He lives by the woes of others; and while he would if constant health were the attribute of our race, he is endeavoring to banish sickness from among men, while success in his avocation would ruin him for ever. He is always engaged in war against his own bread and butter.
[The Pine Woods Planter, May 5, 1838, pub. in Liberty, Miss., Vol. 1, No. 13]

1880 - US Census, Arkansas, Ashley Co., Portland Dist. p. 141.  This census does not show the three youngest children from the 1870 census and probably died.  Also here we see a blank when it comes to the father of Martha.  Either the person giving the census didn't know or Martha didn't know who her father was or at least where he was born. 

1876-84 - This photo of Eugenia Machen would probably have been taken from about the age of 16 to 19 years old.  She marries in 1884 at about the age of  23 but looks much more like a teenager here.   She's a much more mature woman in the family photo  of about 1898-9 that I have on her family page.  This photo is in the collection of Ernest Hollaway Jr. of Tennessee. "  

Eugenia Machen about the age of 16-18. about 1884
photo courtesy of Ernest Hollaway Jr.

1890 - This census was destroyed by fire.

1900- US Census, Arkansas, Ashley Co., Buck Creek Twp. enum. 9, sheet 2.

Machen, John P.    head    w  m  Oct 1874  25   mar 2           Ark    Ala    Ala
"           ,  Hattie  J  wife    w  f   May 1882  18  mar 2  1  1   Ark    Ala     Ark
"           , James   A. son    w  m  Sep 1898     1   s                  Ark    Ark    Ark

1910- US Census, Arkansas, Jefferson Co., Virginia Twp. enum. dist 114, p. 17

1918, Sept 11  -    World War I Draft Registration Card, Pine Bluff #919

1920- US Census, Arkansas, Jefferson Co. Pine Bluff,  enum. dist. 141, p 3.

Columbia, Magnolia.  Series: T625  Roll: 59  Page: 225

Find a Grave, Ashley Co., AR lists Hilliard Montgomery Machen and Elizabeth Burns had the following children.

Oscar B. Machen   29 Dec 1884-15 Sep 1906  (age 21) buried: Portland
Alma Alice Machen Roberts  13 Jul 1888 - Jul 1975  mar. Ernest N. Roberts 1887 - 1971 buried: Portland
Hilliard Burns Machen 6 Jul 1890- 11 Mar 1983   mar. Cleo  ?  6 Jul 1905 - 15 May 1998 buried: Portland
Frank Leelan Machen 1892-1933 buried: Portland
Jessie Lee Machen Gulledge 1893-1955 mar. Alfred Huntley Gulledge 1891-1973 buried: Portland
Walter Madison 22 Feb 1896-28 Jun 1911 buried: Portland
Lizzie Blanche Machen  8 Nov 1897-31 Sep 1905  buried: Portland
Jeanie Garnett Machen Barringer 1899-1987  mar. Louie O. Barringer 1894-1962  buried: Portland
Hugh Montgomery Machen 2 Jul 1901 AR -10 May 1949 in Memphis, buried Portland, AR
Irma Barbara Machen Roberts  1903-1985 m. Sylvester Robert 1896-1976  buried: Portland
Roy Daniel Machen 17 Mar 1905 - 20 Apr 1995 mar. Marie ? 17 Feb 1915  - 28 Jun 1995 buried: Portland

sources:

Confederate States Military documents, U. S. Archives, Wa. D. C.
Edwards, Laura Cleveland, Three Centuries in America: Thomas Machen of Middlesex County, VA, 1999    4101 South Mountain Drive, Raleigh, NC 27603, 2014 email- ledwards6@nc.rr.com
find a grave, Ashley Co., AR
Kelly, Pamela C. Early Alabama Marriages, vol.26, p.2., Family Adventures, P. O. Box 290354, San Antonio, TX 78280-1754
The Pine Woods Planter, May 5, 1838, pub. in Liberty, Miss., Vol. 1, No. 13, reprinted in Family Trails, Hist. Society of Jackson, Miss., Vol. 7-3 p. 25, 1992
U S. Census,

See Early Scottish Convenanter Immigration | See Machen family Crest

The Machen Index || Elroy's Family Index || Return to Elroy's Ancestoral Chart #1

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