James Reid Ralston
1781–1853
James Reid Ralston, second son of David Ralston and Mary Reid was born in Pennsylvania, April 20, 1781 and died January 22, 1853, Giles Co., Tennessee.  He was raised in the Cumberland Settlements near Nashville.  James married Esther Shannon (1774–1837) on May 7, 1808, in Davidson Co., daughter of Samuel Shannon and Jean Reid.  James and family moved to Lincoln Co. around 1811, then settled in neighboring Giles Co..  Giles Co. Tax records for 1836 show James Ralston with 136 acres of land.
James' son, Samuel, describes him as a large portly man, of grave aspect but very genial temperament and that he had the reputation of being a very pious good man.
DESCENDANTS, through great – great grandchildren:
James Reid Ralston (20 Apr 1781 – 22 Jan 1853)
m.   Esther Shannon (1774 – 20 Jul 1837)
A.	Samuel Shannon Ralston D.D. (11 May 1809 – 11 Oct 1890)
	[See Personal Recollections by S.S. Ralston A.D. 1867]
	Quote from The Centennial History of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church (1803 – 1903) Sketches of Ministers: Ralston, Samuel Shannon – Was the son of James and Esther Shannon Ralston, and was born near Nashville, Tenn., May 11th, 1809. His memory of his earlier days was remarkable. In his autobiography he mentions the earthquake shocks of 1811 – 12 as distinctly remembered. His parents were poor and he was very anxious to secure an education. At the age of eighteen he had never owned as much as ten dollars. At this age he left his father's and hired as a day laborer for nine dollars per month. He spent several months in school at Lebanon, Tenn., with his uncle, Rev. William Ralston, a Cumberland Presbyterian minister. About this time Rev. Henry Bryson, D. D., offered him free board and tuition in his school at Viney Grove, Lincoln Co., Tenn. This he gladly accepted and spent three years under Dr. Bryson's care.
	During that time he became a member of Bethel, one of Dr. B.’s churches. Two years were spent in college at Jackson, Tenn.  He afterwards spent a year or two in Maury Co., Tenn., studying with and assisting Rev. Robt. Galloway in his school. He now began studying Theology under Dr. Bryson, but after one year, went to the Seminary at Due West S.C., and completed his course and was licensed by the 2nd A. R. Presbytery, May 6th, 1837 and ordained by the Tennessee A. R. Presbytery in June 1838. His first preaching was done in S. C. in 1837. The winter of 1837 was spent in Alabama, Mississippi and West Tennessee, reaching Middle Tennessee in 1838.  He was in charge of Head Spring, Marshall Co., and Zion in Lincoln Co., until 1843 when he removed to the bounds of the Kentucky Presbytery and accepted a call from Mt. Zion and Buffalo Mo., and was installed as pastor over these churches May 30th, 1845, three – fourths of his time at Mt. Zion, and one – fourth at Buffalo. He demitted the Buffalo branch of his charge March 26th, 1852, though he continued as stated supply. Sept. 10, 1859, he asked to be released also from Mt. Zion, though formal action was not taken until Sept. 8th, 1860. At this time he was not only released from the pastoral relation, but was .also given a certificate to connect with the United Presbyterian Church. He removed to Le Claire, Iowa, where he died Nov. 1st, 1890. Mr. Ralston was moderator of the A. R. Synod of the South in 1852 and delegate from the M. P. church to our Synod in 1873. He was a man of more than ordinary abilities, and was held in high esteem by his brethren.
	Mr. Ralston was married three times. His first wife was Mary Ann Hill, of Maury Co., Tenn. who became the mother of four children, one of whom is Mrs. John G. McCain., of Idavil1e, Tenn. She died Aug. 28th, 1845. He was married June 6th, 1846, to Sarah Yeager, of Kentucky, who died April 10, 1873. He was married again Dec. 30th, 1875. to Mrs. Rebecca McGarvey, of Freeport, Ill., who is still living in Freeport, Ill. Neither of the two last had any children. Mr. Ralston published " Ralston on the Apocolypse" in 1858, and “Five Arguments for the Post Millenial Theory" in 1875. His views on prophecy being somewhat different from those ordinarily entertained, he hesitated to publish his book. While in this state of mind, he and his wife earnestly engaged in prayer for the divine guidance and when thus engaged there was a considerable shock of earthquake. He accepted this as the divine approval, especially as it was accompanied with a feeling of such calm assurance as he had never felt before.
	See Also:  Remembered Ralston Relatives
m1.	1838 – Mary A Hill (13 Jan 1818 – 28 Aug 1845)
	1.	Mary Jane Ralston (21 Apr 1839 – 31 Dec 1899) – born in Giles Co., TN, settled in Adams, IL
	m.	6 Nov 1855 Lincoln, MO, Thomas Shannon Wallace (26 Jan 1834 – 8 Jan 1914) – farmer, from Kentucky
		a.	Elizabeth Reed Wallace (6 Sep 1856 – 23 Apr 1903) – lived in Illinois – never married
		b.	Samuel R. Wallace (9 Nov 1858 – 21 Apr 1929) – lived in IL, MO, and MS – farmer and dairyman – m1. Edith E Whitaker, m2. Mary Black – no children
		c.	Infant Son Wallace (29 May 1860 – 29 May 1860) – died at birth
		d.	Mary A. Wallace (1 Sep 1861 – 28 Oct 1869) – died at eight years old.
		e.	Reid Wallace (6 May 1864 – 8 Jun 1939) – lived in IL, MS, OK, and CA – worked in oil industry and owned restaurant – married Sallie A Burge – had children William, Burge, Etta, Thomas, Dodge, Alice and Sarah "Peaches"
			See Peaches Wallace DeepStory Video
			and Peaches Wallace - Wikipedia article
		f.	Sarah Martha Wallace (23 Oct 1867 – 30 Nov 1899) – lived in IL – married salesman, Warren Hawkins England – one child, Jennie, who died at 2 years
		g.	Anna Margaret Wallace (7 Nov 1869 – 30 Aug 1951) – lived in IL and IA – never married
		h.	Shannon Wallace (5 Jan 1872 – 22 Dec 1925) – farmer, lived in IL – married Louise Caroline Steiner – had twin daughters Letha and Laura
		i.	Jennie Agnes Wallace (23 Jul 1874 – 2 Sep 1897) – lived in IL, died age 23 – never married
		j.	Thomas James Wallace (Sep 1876 – 22 Aug 1962) lived in IL, OK and TX – cattleman and land developer – married Rose Middlebrook – had children Minnie, George and Thomas
		k.	Fredrick Ralston Wallace (17 Jan 1879 – 18 Nov 1955) – lived in IL and IA – farmer – married Mary Ellen Fletcher – had children Neva, Edna, Ruthetta and Warren
		l.	Joseph Henry Wallace (16 Nov 1882 – Mar 1964) – lived in IL – farmer – married Margaret G Zeh – had children Frances, Verna, Dana, Leonard, Reta, Joseph, Lena. Thomas and Mary Jane
	2.	Martha Ralston (15 May 1841 – 26 Sep 1914) – born in Giles Co., TN, lived in Tipton Co., TN
	m.	1876, John G McCain (abt 1844 – 24 Feb 1934) – dry goods merchant
		a.	Sarah Ida Lee McCain (3 Sep 1869 – 18 Nov 1934) – lived in TN – married James Robison – no children
		b.	Anna May McCain (6 Jan 1878 – 1960) – lived in TN, married Dr. George Benjamin Brown – had children Helen, Evelyn and Ruby
	3.	Robert Shannon Ralston (15 Apr 1843 – 28 Nov 1862) – born in Giles Co., TN, died during the Civil War in the US Army, Greene Co., MO, of measles – never married
	4.	James Ralston (1 Jul 1845 – 19 Sep 1931) – born in Lincoln Co., TN, farmed in Scott, Madison, and Polk Counties, IA
	m.	in Iowa 1866, Margaret Jamison (May 1845 – 1930)
		a.	Mary Jane Ralston (18 Sep 1875 – 26 Nov 1962) – farmed in IA – married Alfred Ross Pattison – had children Joseph, Dorothy, Lilian, Ruth, Russell and Alice
		b.	David Shannon Ralston (24 Jan 1879 – 26 Jan 1972) – farmed in IA – married Bessie Mabel Kerr – had children Russell, Walter, Rosalie, Grace and Howard
		c.	Francis Nuzum Ralston, DDS (10 Dec 1882 – 30 Nov 1971) – dentist in IA – married Percy Lucinda Marsh – had child Virginia
m2.	Sarah Yagle (abt 1811 – 12 Mar 1874) – no children
m3.	Rebecca Ralston McGarvey (26 Aug 1828 – 24 Jan 1916) – no children [Rebecca was the daughter of John Ralston (a very distant cousin) and Mary Galbreath.]
B.	David Ralston (22 Jul 1810 – 25 May 1881) – born in Davidson Co., lived in Giles and Maury Counties, TN (tax collector and farmer in Giles Co. – in the winter of 1840 sold his Giles Co. farm land to his mother-in-law, Susanna Lee, and moved to Maury Co., TN)
m.	c 1829, Giles Co., Mary Short Lee (1 Jan 1809 – 12 Jun 1840)
	1.	Calfernia Susanna Esther “Callie” Ralston (20 May 1834 – 24 Mar 1888) – born in Giles Co., lived in Maury Co., TN
	m.	1859 Maury Co., TN, Charles Strong Scott (24 Sep 1824 – 24 Dec 1888) – farmer in Culleoka
		a.	Mary Strong Scott (21 Aug 1860 – 13 Jun 1945) – lived in Maury and Marshall Counties, TN, and in TX – married farmer Rush Johnson – no children
		b.	David Lee Scott (19 Apr 1866 – 12 Jun 1916) – born in Maury Co., TN – dairyman in TX – married Jennie A Anderson – had children Jennie, Carter, Edith and Hallie – returned to TN (Giles Co.) before he died
		c.	Harriet Reid Scott (9 Jun 1869 – 8 Sep 1940) – school teacher – lived in Maury and Giles Co. – married farmer Wlliam Burr Harwell – had children Eulalia, Lizzie, Alla, Hattie, John and Fred
		d.	Andrew Edward “Ed” Scott (1873 – 7 Jul 1916) – from obituary: “A message was received here by relatives Sunday announcing the death of Ed Scott in California, supposed to be by drowning. Ed Scott was a brother of David Lee Scott who died rather suddenly at Lynnville only a few weeks ago.” “He was a bachelor and has been living in California for several years.”
		e.	Bertha Esther Scott (25 Nov 1876 – 29 Nov 1968) – lived in Giles Co., TN and TX – married farmer Frank Hardy – had children Lucious, Bertha, Louise, Oneida, Annie and Wallace
	2.	James Reid Ralston DDS (9 Apr 1836 – 9 Apr 1870) – never married, born in Giles Co., lived in Maury Co., TN, received dentistry degree at University of Nashville
	3.	John L. Ralston (17 Jan 1838 – 29 Jan 1852) – born in Giles Co., lived in Maury Co., TN – died age 14
C.	John Ralston (10 May 1812 – after 1880) – born and lived in Giles Co., TN (farmer and carpenter)
m.	Harriet Caroline Lee (abt 1813 – 1888)
	1.	Susan E Ralston (2 Sep 1834 – 9 Aug 1903) – born and lived in Giles Co., TN
	m.	8 Mar 1866 Giles Co., TN, farmer Thomas Coleman Marks (16 Aug 1827 – 4 Jun 1906)
		a.	C. Harriet Marks (1867 – unknown)
		b.	Sarah Lutie Marks (14 Apr 1868 – 7 Dec 1913) – lived in Giles and Obion Co., TN – married carpenter Charles Morgan Wheeler – had child Benjamin, and twins, Ruby and Rufus
		c.	John W Marks (28 Aug 1870 – 22 Oct 1922) – farmed in Giles Co., TN – married Annie E McCormick – had children Esther, Albert, Sue, Hallie, William, Annie and John
		d.	Anna Katherine Marks (Mar 1872 – aft 1940) – lived in Giles and Lincoln Co., TN and MI – married Thomas W Graves (died 1896) – had children Lois and Thomas – m2. Ernest Wilson – m3. William English
	2.	Esther A Ralston (6 Aug 1836 – 18 Apr 1882) – born in Giles Co. – moved to Colorado around 1874 with brother James and family, but returned to Giles Co., TN, before 1880.
	m.	1862, Logan D. Harwell (18 May 1817 – 6 Aug 1899) – farmer and minister in Cornersville, TN1
		a.	Harriet H. Harwell (20 Feb 1865 – 25 Apr 1942) – lived in Giles Co., TN – married Henry Aymett, grain dealer, magistrate, justice of the peace – had children Annie, Henry and Kate
		b.	Sarah M. “Fanny” Harwell (27 Jun 1867 – 22 Sep 1949) – lived in Giles Co., TN – married farmer William Mortimer Montgomery – had children William, Lacy, Pink Fields, Elsie, Logan and Esther
		c.	Mary Edmonds "Mamie" Harwell (1868 – 1934) – lived in Giles Co., TN – never married
		d.	Kate P. Harwell (13 Sep 1871 – 29 Nov 1904) – lived in Giles Co., TN – never married
		e.	Margaret Lou Harwell (6 Sep 1873 – 6 Nov 1897) – lived in Giles Co., TN – died age 24, four months after birth of her last child – married farmer David Colston Elder – had children Frank, Douglas and Arthur
		f.	Mattie Harwell (5 Sep 1876 – 5 Jun 1957) – born in Colorado, lived in Giles Co., TN – married concrete contractor Neil Cowan Birdsong – had children Adalade and Logan
	3.	James Alexander Ralston (1 Jul 1845 – 19 Mar 1907) – farmer and school teacher – born in Giles Co. – moved to Colorado with sister Esther and family around 1874, but returned to Giles Co. after 1880.
	m.	1867, Giles Co., TN, Cornelia Adeline Harwell (18 Sep 1842 – 26 May 1920) – niece of Logan Harwell, James’ brother-in-law.
		a.	Mary Sicily “Minnie” Ralston (26 Jul 1869 – 20 Jul 1946) – lived in Colorado (briefly) and Giles Co. – married farmer Glen Wert Westmoreland – had children Halley and Mary
		b.	John Reed Ralston (24 Apr 1870 – 30 Mar 1907) – lived in Colorado (briefly) and Giles Co. – farmer – died 10 days after his father James – married Lula Thompson – had children Mildred, James, Ester, Clarra and John, Jr
		c.	Hattie O Ralston (5 Jun 1872 – 12 Jul 1880) – born in Giles Co., TN, died eight years old in Colorado.
		d.	James I. Ralston (14 Nov 1874 – 8 May 1894) – born in Colorado, died 19 years old in Giles Co., TN – never married
		e.	Susan E. Ralston (1879 – 1964) – born in Colorado – lived in Colorado (briefly), Giles Co. and Maury Co., TN – married Richland Jerry Ragsdale – no children
		f.	Rosa E. Ralston (Oct 1879 – 1968) – born in Colorado – lived in Colorado (briefly), Giles Co. and Maury Co., TN – never married
D.	Jane Ralston (1813 – 29 Nov 1838) – born and lived in Giles Co., TN – never married
E.	Mary Ralston (27 Dec 1815 – 27 Oct 1905) – born in Giles Co., lived in Lincoln Co., TN
m.	1855, widower, Physician Thomas Urban Stephenson (15 Nov 1813 – 13 Aug 1901)
	1.	James Ralston Stephenson (22 May 1860 – 17 Jan 1934) – farmer in Lincoln Co., TN
	m.	1881, Lincoln Co., TN, Cordelia Hamilton (27 Nov 1861 – 6 Sep 1945)
		a.	Ernest Ralston Stephenson Sr (13 Apr 1883 – 6 Nov 1956) – farmer and school teacher in Lincoln Co., TN – married Harriett Combs Nichols – had children Frances, Ernest, Jr and James
		b.	Ofelia L Stephenson (10 Oct 1885 – 1 Jul 1971) – lived in Lincoln Co., TN – married farmer Milton Moore – had children William and Virginia
F.	Catherine Ann Ralston (abt 1820 – 13 Aug 1857) – born and lived in Giles Co., TN – never married
1	Cornersville was named for its location near the corner where Giles, Maury, Bedford and Lincoln counties came together.  It was part of Giles Co. at the time of incorporation, but county boundaries have changed, and since 1870 has been in Marshall Co..