Hunt Co., TX - Adoption of George B. Orr & Robert F. Pruitt *********************************************************** This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb by: Sarah Swindell USGenWeb Archives. Copyright. All rights reserved http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm *********************************************************** Dear Cousins, This is in reference to Catherine Hannah Roach (sometimes shown as Hannah Catherine Roach), daughter of William Buck Roach who married Charles S. J. Stevens (Jr.) The last lived in Oklahoma and are buried there. Adoption Certificate To the worshipful County Court of Hardin County, Tennessee, presiding at Savannah, Petitioner Charles S. J. Stevens, a citizen of Hardin County, Tennessee, respectfully states to your worships that George Bascom Orr, about eleven years old, and Robert Franklin Pruitt, about three years old, live in Hardin County, Tennessee, that they are both illegitimate children without means of subsistence, and without permanent and suitable homes. The mother of the former is dead, and he is wholly unprovided for. The mother of the said Robert Franklin Pruitt is unable to provide for said child and is not a suitable person to have the care and custody of him and she is willing that Petitioner should adopt him. Petitioner further states that he has no children of his own and he desires to adopt said George Bascom Orr and Robert Franklin Pruitt and make them his legal heirs, and is willing to do from them and treat them in all respects as if they were his own children. The premises considered Petitioner prays that he be permitted to adopt said children and that by a decree of your worshipful court the name of said George Bascom Orr be changed to George Bascom Stevens, and the name of Robert Franklin Pruitt be changed to Robert Franklin Stevens. And he further prays for such other orders and decrees as may be necessary to carry out the object of this petition, and as in duty bound petition will even pray to-- (I think the date is March 6, 1864, but it must be 1867.sss) Adoption Certificate The State of Texas County of Hunt: Know all men by these presents, that I, C. S. J. Stevens (Stephens ?) of Hunt County, Texas, have this day adopted George Bascom Orr, of Decatur County, Tennessee, aged twenty-six years, and Robert Franklin Pruitt of Hunt County, Texas, aged eighteen years, as my own children and I hereby adopt them and make them my legal heirs, that they may bear my name and inherit my estate at my death because of the fact that I have no children of my own. Witness my hand at Celeste, Texas, this the 18th day of August, AD, 1892. C. S. J. Stevens The State of Texas County of Hunt: Before me D. C. Kennedy, JP and Exofficio Notary Public in and for Hunt County, Texas on this day personally appeared C. S. J. Stephens known to me to be the person whose name is subscribed to the foregoing instrument and acknowledged to me that he executed the same for the purposes and considerations therein expressed. Given under my hand and seal of office this the 18th day of August, AD, 1892. D. C. Kennedy, JP and Exofficio Notary Public Hunt County, Texas Notary Seal State of Texas County of Hunt: I, E. W. Harrison, Clerk of County Court, in and for said County, do hereby certify that the foregoing instrument of writing was duly and correctly Recorded in my office on the 3rd of November, AD, 1892, in Record Book 72, Page 107, at 8:20 o'clock AM. In witness thereof, I hereunto sign my name and affix the Seal of the said Court at office in Greenville, this 3rd day of November, AD, 1892. E. W. Harrison Clerk, County Court, Hunt County, Texas By G. N. Seconds (?), Deputy 72 C. S. J. Stephens (Stevens) To: Adoption Papers George B. Orr and Robert F. Pruitt (Pruett) Filed for record on the 29th day of October, 1892 at 8:15 o'clock, AM, Recorded in Book 72 of Page 107 E. W. Harrison, County Clerk. Paid The above information came from Van Stevens, Oklahoma, in a letter to me and it reads as follows: "It took a while. Your information is correct. Grandma Stevens is buried in Oakland (OK) along side Charles S. J. Stevens and also Robert Franklin Stevens and Eura Imogene Grimes Stevens. All are in the same plot. I know nothing of the Roaches, you told me the name of my Grandma Stevens. (I didn't know her name.) G. B. is George Bascom Stevens. He lived in San Antonio, Texas and had two children, a boy and a girl of which one lives north of Arlington, Texas. Picture of Grandpa is all I have. I have enclosed it. I have copies of adoption papers from Hardin County, Tennessee, which was the first adoption. Second adoption was in Hunt County, Texas. I believe that the two were ten years older than the Hunt County papers stated. Am sure Dad was twenty-six years older than my mom. This is all that I can find. Van Stevens February 23, 2004 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------