Overview of Transition 2

This transition attempts to prove that John H. Pyle migrated from Tarrant Co, TX to El Monte, Los Angeles Co, CA on the “Barnes” wagon train marrying his wife Amanda Barnes on the trail.

Importance of Transition 2

First, this transition accounts for how John J. Pyle was familiar (according to the 1924 newspaper articles - ref1, ref2) with the place names along the route taken by the “Barnes” wagon train. Also, this transition does, in fact, account for how John H. Pyle migrated to the west coast where he later became my Great-grandfather John J. Poill. Also, this transition accounts for when John H. Pyle married Amanda Barnes (i.e., to later be divorced by her after deserting his family because he murdered a man and fled to Oregon where he committed bigamy by marrying my Great-grandmother Mila Ann Eaton).

Summary

J. H. Pyle was living and working in Tarrant Co, TX for several years beginning in about 1855 (see T1: Transition: Shelby Co, AL to Tarrant Co, TX). At that time in Tarrant Co, TX, several Barnes families lived there too. In particular, the Larken Barnes family, and the Thomas and Mary Ann Barnes families were there. Amanda Barnes was the daughter of Thomas and Mary Ann Barnes. Then in 1859, Larken Barnes and several other Tarrant Co families including Amanda Barnes migrated from Tarrant Co, TX to El Monte, Los Angeles Co, CA on a wagon train which I refer to as the “Barnes” wagon train.

This transition will prove that J. H. Pyle was on this wagon train too. During the voyage, John H. Pyle and Amanda Barnes were married in Tucson, Arizona Territory on Aug 9, 1859, then settled in El Monte, CA.

Proof of Transition 2

1. Tarrant Co, TX

Proposed:

John H. Pyle was in Tarrant Co, TX in 1859, the date of departure of the “Barnes” wagon train.

Proof:

See T1: Transition: AL to TX. While there is no actual proof that John H. Pyle was still in Tarrant Co, TX in 1859, it is reasonable to assume he was. We know that he was there until at least 1857.

2. “Barnes” wagon train:

Proposed:

There was a wagon train which left the Tarrant Co, TX area in 1859 and made the trip across the plains to El Monte, CA. The wagon train carried several of the Barnes clan as well as numerous other families.

Proof:

Proof of this wagon train can be found in the biography of William Penn Barnes who was the son of Larken Barnes.

Proposed:

John H. Pyle migrated west on the “Barnes” wagon train.

Proof:

According to Amanda Barnes divorce deposition, she married John H. Pyle on August 17, 1859 in Tucson, Territory of Arizona. Tucson is directly on the Southern Wagon Route (see Butterfield Trail). Also, John H. Pyle ended up in El Monte, CA where Larken Barnes and many other families formally of Tarrant Co were located in 1860.

3. El Monte, Los Angeles Co, CA:

Proposed:

John H. Pyle and Amanda Barnes were living in El Monte, Los Angeles Co, CA in 1860.

Proof:

The couple is listed in the 1860 Census of El Monte. How do we know that this John H. Pyle in El Monte, CA in 1860 is the same person as the John H. Pyle, son of Nicholas E. Pyle and Mary Ann Westbrook? First, John H. Pyle and Amanda Barnes had a son named Everett (see, for example, the 1870 census). Everett, the first child of Nicholas E. Pyle and Mary Ann Westbrook, was John H. Pyle’s brother. It would be natural to name a son after a brother. Also, the California John H. Pyle later stabbed and killed a man in 1870 (see divorce deposition of Amanda Barnes). This matches exactly the Alabama John H. Pyle who stabbed a man in 1853 in Shelby Co, AL. (see court case). Thus, both were violent men who stabbed people.