My story on Candace Midkiff Bean has been compiled from research done by me with much love and respect for our pioneer women. My information comes from the following sources:
Republic of Texas Muster Roll
Affidavit of Isaac Thomas Bean on file at the Texas State Library, Austin Texas
The History of Bell County, Texas
Thomas Boon/Boone Immigrant by R. F. Thompson
Henderson King Yoakum's "History of Texas" written in 1855
"The Lives of Ellis Peter Bean" by Bennett Lay written in 1960
Texas History Biographical directory 1773-1849
Descendants of Ellis Peter Bean and Candace Midkiff Bean
Descendants of Issac Jesse Midkiff
Descendants of Emily Midkiff Turner
Personal Memoirs of Ellis Peter Bean 1800-1816
The Hills of Cherokee by Hattie J. Roach
Letter of Mary Ann Swinburne written 5 October 1944 to Miss Jessie Boone
Nacogdoches Archive Records at Barker History Center and Texas State Library - Austin Texas
Records of LDS
Letter Written by Ellis Peter Bean from Mexico shortly before his death to William Roark.
Census records of Texas
Various newspapers of Texas
State of Texas Historical Markers

Candace Midkiff was the sister of my great~great~grandmother, Emily Midkiff Turner. Candace was born 12 December 1800 near Nashville in Davidson County, Tennessee to Isaac Preston Midkiff and Susannah Howell Midkiff, daughter of Benjamin Henry Howell and Elizabeth Brooks. Isaac Preston was the son of Isaiah Midkiff, born ca 1760 in Halifax County, Virginia. Isaiah served in the revolutionary war for which he received a pension. He later moved to Grainer County, Tennessee. Isaac's mother was Mary Kimble. Candace had 3 brothers: Isaac Jesse, John, and Henry. Elizabeth Brooks was the daughter of Thomas Brooks and Elizabeth Cato/Catow.

In 1818 Candace married Colonel Ellis Peter Bean, born 8 June 1783 in Tennessee, the son of William Bean,Jr. and Elizabeth (Blair) Shaw. Ellis' grandfather was Captain William Bean, born in 1720 on the Pennsylvania Frontier. Captain Bean was the first settler of Tennessee. He was friends with Daniel Boone. In 1769 Captain Bean and wife, Lydia Russell, had a son they named Russell. He was the first white child born in the sacred land of the Cherokees, Tennessee. Other children of Captain Bean and Lydia were Joab, Elizabeth, George, Sarah, Jane, Robert, John, Jesse, and Edmund. In 1778 Captain Bean moved his family to a gap in the Cumberland Mountains on the Holston River and founded Bean Station in what was to become Grainger County, Tennessee. The Beans were known for making and repairing guns. In 1793 George Bean Advertised in the Knoxville Gazette that he had opened a jeweler and blacksmith shop at Bean Station and that he could make and repair guns. James, Baxter and Russell were also gun makers. They marked their guns by stamping "Bean" in the gold rings they put on them.

In 1799 Captain Bean's daughter, Jane, was killed by Indians as she went from the house to the spring. Lydia was captured during a British-inspired Indian attack. A neighbor of theirs was captured with her. He was burned at the stake. Undaunted, Lydia assumed a confident air and warned the Indians that the settlers had the strength to repel them. This boldness delayed the attack and saved the settlement. Nancy Ward, daughter of an English adventurer and granddaughter of the Cherokee Chief, Oconostos, interceded to save Mrs. Bean's life, and in gratitude Lydia Bean, according to legend, taught the Cherokee squaws the gentle art of making butter.

In October 1801 Ellis Peter Bean came to Texas with Philip Nolan to capture wild horses. Nolan was killed by the Spaniards and his men captured and held prisoner in Mexico over 10 years. Ellis joined forces with General Morelas in Mexico's revolution. Bean became associated with the pirate, Jean Lafitte and fought the British with him at the Battle of New Orleans under Andrew Jackson, an old family friend, 8 January 1814 while on one of his trips to seek funds from the United States.

In January 1815 Bean married at a small town in Mexico on his way to Vera Cruz, Magdalena Falfan de los Godos. After Morelas' death the revolution fell apart and Bean fled Mexico and returned to Tennessee leaving his wife behind. In 1818 thinking he would never return to Mecixo he married Candace, the 17-year-old daughter of Isaac P. Midkiff in White County, Tennessee. Isaac was one of the most respectable and prosperous farmers of White County. He was also a Justice of the Peace and a Bondsman.

In 1820 Candace and Ellis, along with Isaac, settled in Arkansas Territory and raised stock on land on Smackover Creek with their closest neighbor 30 miles away. There, a son was born 5 March 1821. They named him Isaac Thomas Bean. It is not clear at this time if Susanna and her children were with Isaac, Candace, and Ellis in Arkansas. Surely they were, for Emily was only 3 years old and Isaac Jesse was 11.

In January 1823, after the death of Candace's father in December 1822, Bean moved his family to the Province of Texas, settling at Mound Prairie (present day Alto), 28 miles west of Nacogdoches. A daughter, Louiza Jane, was born 15 August 1823. Their last child, Ellis Midkiff Bean, was born 8 May 1828.

After about 5 years of marriage, Bean began to make extended trips to Mexico. By now Mexico had won her independence from Spain and Bean went to Mexico to seek his rewards for his services in the revolution. He was made a Colonel in the Mexican Army and an Indian Agent in Texas. He sought an appointment as land impresario. However, Mexico withheld this appointment while investigating his dual marriage. It was about this time that Ellis began to sign his name as Peter Ellis Bean.

During one of these trips in the winter of 1826, word reached Candace that Bean was dead. Two weeks later she became the 4th wife of Martin Parmer, a widower of 2 months. They were married by "Bond", as no priest was available. Parmer moved into the home of Candace. After only 4 to 5 days of marriage, word came that Bean was alive and on his way home. Parmer left Candace never to return. Within days of Beans return to Candace the Fredonia Rebellion took place in Nacogdoches. Bean, being a Colonel in the Mexican Army was sent to put an end to it. Parmer, being the leader of the Fredonias fled Texas to Missouri. He returned to San Antonio in 1831 with Jim Bowie. Later Parmer went to Washington-On-The-Brazos to help draw up the Constitution of Texas. He later was one of the signers.

Bean continued his trips to Mexico continuing to pressure the Mexican Government for an appointment as an impresario, living with his Mexican wife and building his fortune with Candace in Texas, where he was proprietor of a store and stage house in Lockranzie, Cherokee County, Texas.

When the war between Texas and Mexico broke out Bean did not take part on either side, choosing to handle his Indian affairs and kept them from attacking the Texans.

In 1837 Candace again tried marriage. A license was issued in Nacogdoches County 3 November to her and Isaac Newton Hix (Hicks). On 7 November a Justice of the Peace performed the ceremony. Hix was accused of horse theft and abandoned Candace and left Texas. It is believed Bean was behind this as he and Candace again lived together. Apparently Bean considered it was all right for him to have two wives, but Candace could have only one husband and it was going to be him!

On February 6, 1843 Bean made his will and filed it with the county clerk at Nacogdoches April 12, 1843. His worldly goods consisted of slaves, a league of land on the Trinity River, a 1,000 acre plantation, with home, cattle, hogs, horses, which included a stud horse named Bolton, household and kitchen furniture, a wagon, oxen, and farming equipment. He had sold his sawmill and salt making business shortly before making the will.

Soon after filing his will Bean left for New Orleans and bought passage on a ship bound for Vera Cruz. He died October 3, 1846 at the plantation of Magdalena in Jalapa, Mexico. Magdalena had become quite wealthy during her marriage to Bean. She and Bean had no children. However the Mexican records that I searched show that a daughter was born to them in 1816 and died in 1816.

Isaac Thomas Bean and his wife, Nancy, went to Mexico in search of his father. They arrived 3 weeks after his death. The widow, Magdalena, took them to the grave. She also showed them the horse, silver mounted saddle and bridle and gold tipped walking cane that belonged to Ellis. The saddle, bride and walking cane had been gifts from Jim Bowie. She also told them Ellis had told her of his children and Candace. They left Mexico, never to return.

Candace died 21 November 1848 at the home of her brother, Isaac Jesse Midkiff, near Douglas, Texas and is buried in Old Selman Cemetery at Linwood in Cherokee County, Texas. In 1936 during the Texas Centenial, a large Historical marker was placed at one of the homes of Candace and Ellis, located on the Trinity River. Unfortunately the house, which was over 107 years old and built by Bean in 1829 was destroyed a few years after the marker was placed there. A marker was also placed on Candace's grave in 1936.

Ellis' will was probated in 1850. Ellis acknowledged 3 children:
Isaac Thomas Bean ~~ married Nancy Alhmena Boone 4 August 1847in Rusk, Cherokee Co TX They had 13 children. Soon after their 2nd child was born they moved to Moffette Bell Co TX Isaac and Nancy are buried in Moffette.

Louiza Jane Bean ~~ married William Young Lacey 10 Jan 1841. Louiza Jane and William had 2 daughters that died at birth. Louiza died 11 Nov 1843 at 20 years of age and was buried beside her infant daughters. In 1845 William married Miss Anna E. Lindsay of North Carolina, daughter of Robert Lindsay of Alabama.

Ellis Midkiff Bean ~~ married Mary Ann Rainey 1 July 1848. They had one son that died as an infant. Records show that in 1850 Mary Ann filed for divorce due to physical abuse. Ellis died 13 April 1851 at 23 years of age and is buried in Cherokee Co TX

Here ends my write up of Candace, one of my most exciting relatives and one I am so very proud of. Her life story has taken me on a fascinating journey!

A copy of my story of Candace Midkiff Bean has been placed in the vertical files at the State Library in Austin Texas. A copy was also given to the Montgomery County Texas Library for their vertical files.∼Candace had children by Ellis Peter Bean