Arena (Huff) Childs (1814 - 1856)

Born 23 May 1814 in Virginia or Tennessee, United States

Ancestors

Died 20 Mar 1856 at age 41 in Bethel, Harrison Township, Delaware, Indiana, United States

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Biography

Arena was born in 1814. She was a daughter of Charles Huff. Whether her birth name was Arena or Irena is as yet unclear; her gravestone name appears as Irena. Her birth apparently was calculated from the gravestone, which indicated that she was 41 years, 9 months, and 28 days old when she died. She was likely born in Virginia or may have been born in Tennessee. The 1850 census indicate Virginia but her daughter, Sarah's death record indicated her mother's birth location was Tennessee. Checking others of the children's records may assist in settling which was the state of birth.

On 30 Dec 1832 in Lee County, Virginia, Arrena [sic, Arena or Irena] Huff married James Childs (27 Sep 1813 – 16 Jun 1875). James was adopted by Roling Allison Childs (1790–1852) and Amelia "Millee" Wallace Childs (1792–1863); his former name was James Mitchell and since a middle initial M appears in some records, it seems that he may have used Mitchell as a middle name).^[1] James M. Childs married 2) on 29 Nov 1856 in Delaware County, Indiana, to Ellender Ratliff [sic, standardized as Eleanor Ratliff, her name appears spelled various ways in other records e.g. Eleanor, Ellener Ratlif], nickname or aka Ellen Childs (1826-1889).^[2]

Children

Draft list of children from 1850 census, 1860 census, and Find a Grave

1. Rollin Childs (c 1838 Kentucky - )
2. George Childs (c 1839 Kentucky - )
3. Mary J Childs (c 1841 Kentucky - )
4. Amelia A. (Childs) Hackman (1843 Kentucky–1917)
5. Elizabeth Childs (c 1845 Indiana - )
6. Juliann Childs (c 1845 Indiana - )
7. Sarah E Childs (1846–1902), unmarried.
8. William Childs (c 1847 Indiana - )

Sources

1. ↑ "Virginia Marriages, 1785-1940", FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X5BM-TM2 : 29 January 2020), James Childs, 1832. Also: Virginia FHL Film No. 32441
2. ↑ "Indiana Marriages, 1811-2019", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XXTK-6Q2 : Sun Mar 10 09:34:33 UTC 2024), Entry for James M Childs and Ellender Ratliff, 29 Nov 1856.

• "United States Census, 1850", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MHVG-QS2 : Fri Mar 08 13:11:29 UTC 2024), Entry for James Childs and Arena Childs, 1850. In Harrison Township, Delaware, Indiana.
• "United States Census, 1860", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M4NP-HH7 : Sun Mar 10 11:35:31 UTC 2024), Entry for James M Childs and Ellen Childs, 1860. In Mt Pleasant Township, Delaware, Indiana.
• Spouse's Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/189385641/james_mitchell-childs: accessed April 26, 2024), memorial page for James Mitchell Childs (27 Sep 1813–16 Jun 1875), Find a Grave Memorial ID 189385641, citing Hawk Cemetery, Yorktown, Delaware County, Indiana, USA; Maintained by R Weeks (contributor 48532921).
• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/82240343/arena-childs: accessed April 26, 2024), memorial page for Arena Huff Childs (23 May 1814–20 Mar 1856), Find a Grave Memorial ID 82240343, citing Miller Cemetery, Bethel, Delaware County, Indiana, USA; Maintained by Gone Gravin ❀ (contributor 47532541).
• Death Certificate, Sarah E. Childs [Arena's daughter], Indiana State Board of Health Record No. 463 dated 1902, states mother's birth location as Tennessee^[3]