Ollen Tatom

Ollen Tatom was born 26 March, 1808. Through his bible records, Ollen is the proven son of Jesse and Charity Tatom of Sampson County and Bladen County. Ollen lived in the Turnbull region of Bladen County. He appears to have had 4 brothers. I believe those 4 brothers were Owen, Claybourne, Richard, and Theophilus Tatom. Ollen was a farmer by trade.

The spelling of his name has been found as Olen, Ollen, Ollin, Auten, etc. The name was undoubtedly pronounced 'ah-len'.

The above pictures of Ollen were obtained from my grandmother. The one tin type shown above was in a small picture album owned by Harriet Catherine Tatum McBride. Beside the picture was written Ollen Tatum.

Ollen's first wife was Sarah Ann Smith, a daughter of John Ginny Smith and Susan McLemore.
Children:
i. Richard W. Tatum, b. 12 May, 1831
ii. Jonathan S. Tatum, b. 05 March, 1834
iii. Hanson Tatum, b. 12 May, 1836
iv. Simeon L. Tatum, b. 26 August, 1838
v. Marshall Napolean Tatum, b. 01 August, 1841
vi. Nicholas Grey Tatum, b. 18 March, 1844
vii. Sarah Jane Tatum, b. 27 October, 1846

Sarah Smith Tatom died on 5 November, 1846.
Ollen then married Catherine McInnis, daughter of Thomas and Mary McInnis.
Children:
viii. Malcolm McInnis Tatum, b. 01 August, 1848
ix. John Wesley Tatum, b. 11 August, 1849
x. Owen J. Tatum, b. 13 November, 1850
xi. Ellen Catherine Tatum, b. 29 May, 1852
xii. Henry P. Tatum, b. 23 August, 1853
xiii. Alexander T. Tatum, b. 05 February, 1855
xiv. Mary E. Tatum, b. 19 January, 1856
xv. Albert D. Tatum, b. 18 July, 1857
xvi. Purley S. Tatum, b. 04 February, 1863

Ollen Tatom died 8 August, 1893.

It appears that Ollen's generation mostly used the spelling T-a-t-o-m.
The majority of the next generation used the spelling T-a-t-u-m.

Several family histories report that Ollen had 5 sons who died in the Civil War. This is incorrect. Richard, Hanson, Simeon, Marshall, and Nicholas all served. Richard and Marshall came home but Hanson, Simeon, and Nicholas all died. Jonathan Tatum is reported in Lionel Melvin's book to have died at Vicksburg on 21 May, 1863. I have been unable to find a service record for Jonathan. Alexander Tatum from Bladen County who served in the War is not Ollen's son. He is the son of Ollen's brother Richard.

Ollen and his wives are buried in a private cemetery at the back of a large field on Cain Loop Road near Ammon.

Contact Jason Bordeaux for more information.



Bladen County NC GenWeb

This page was last modified 24 June, 2008.


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