The Golden Book of
Yoknapatawpha County

Died when Candace Compson was seven.

Aged 38 on 29 June 1929.

May be the Unnamed Marshal from RfaN, although their backgrounds differ.

Aged seven at the time of Narcissa Benbow’s birth, aged 43 in May 1929. Stayed in Europe for 16 months. Returned four months before Narcissa’s marriage. He and Belle moved into the bungalow a year after their move to Kinston. Temporarily left Belle three to four years before the autumn before 1929. In 1920, Benbow still collected shrimps for Belle every Tuesday (FitD).

At the time of his death, had been managing the estate of Goodhue Coldfield for forty years.

Died when Narcissa Benbow (born 1892–3) was seven and Horace Benbow (born 1885–6) fourteen; thirty years dead in 1929.

Died when Narcissa was 16 or 17.

Born in Haiti, although his gravestone proclaims New Orleans (AA). 33 years and 5 months old when he died, although also said to be 28 when he first went to university in 1859. AA also says his death happened seven months before January 1866. First became friends with Henry and appeared in a letter from Henry to his family in September (AA). AA implies the first battle of Bull Run (in July 1861) took place in April or earlier.

Born in 1882, although also said to be a few years older than Quentin Compson (II), who was born in 1891 (AA).

Aged five or six in June 1929.

Was married to Anse Bundren for ‘thirty-odd years’.

Was married to Addie Bundren for ‘thirty-odd years’. Lost his last tooth fifteen years prior to AILD. Hadn’t been to town for twelve years in AILD. But also in Jefferson in memory of Vardaman.

Broke his leg for the first time during the summer prior to AILD.

Seventeen in AILD.

Older than Dewey Dell Bundren, almost ten years younger than his elder brothers.

Curiously, is already named Mrs Bundren when she is first introduced in a section narrated by Cash, which at face value implies she was formerly married to a relative of Anse Bundren.

The events surrounding their death are said to take place in 1872 in FitD, but are described immediately after the Civil War in tU.

Born c 1800 based on the births of his daughters in 1817 and 1845. Betrothed his daughter Ellen two months prior to June 1838.

Last heard of two years before 1865.

Born c 1800–2 based on the births of her daughters in 1817 and 1845.

Moved to Sutpen’s Hundred seven months before January 1866. Moved back to Jefferson two months after April 1866. Entered a coma almost two weeks before her death. Died two days before 10 January 1910.

Aged 48 in 1940.

Left for dead a year before 1779. Overtook his father and son four years later.

Had acquired his first slaves within two years of 1833.

Had just married in June 1838, had not yet married in the Summer of 1834.

Born between Candace, who was 48 in 1940, and Maury, who was born on 7 April 1895.

Just married in June 1838

Aged eighty in 1779. Died four years after the year before 1779.

Born 1891 (tSatF, genealogy of AA), although also said in the Summer of 1909 to be twenty and in the Autumn to be a few months older than Shrevlin McCannon, when the latter was still nineteen (AA).

Aged 93 in the Spring and Summer of 1919.

Said to be aged not thirty yet in 1929.

Not a year old in May 1929.

Named only Eustace in FitD, this could in fact be two different characters.

Died four years after 1833.

Aged eight when he migrated in the late eighteenth century.

RfaN says both that she is Ikkemotubbe’s daughter and that she is a granddaughter of Issetibbeha, Ikkemotubbe’s uncle.

Still alive Christmas four years ago in the Summer of 1862, killed in battle. Possibly killed later than Gavin Breckbridge, that is not before April 1862.

Aged ten in August 1863.

Although at one point she calls John Sartoris (I) brother , she later explicitly states that her daughter is a blood-cousin of his late wife rather than of John himself.

At least ten years older than Quentin Compson (III) (born 1891).

Saved Bayard Sartoris six days prior to 9 July 1919.

Died six years after 1833.

In 1929, had been a suitor of Narcissa Sartoris until last Spring.

Past sixty in 1868, when Milly Jones was fifteen.

Aged 50 in December 1919.

Aged 52 in December 1919.

Aged 44 in December 1919.

Aged 44 in December 1919. Started trading with Mr Samson twelve years prior to AILD. May be the same character as Lafe.

Aged 16 in 1861, although later said to be aged 77 on 23 December 1919.

Aged 20 on 23 December 1919.

About thirty in November 1936, although, that is, she could be anything between twenty and forty (RfaN).

Last name changed from MacKenzie (tSatF) to McCannon (AA).

Over seventy at the outbreak of the Civil War.

Aged over seventy at the time of the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861.

Traveled to Alabama eighteen months before mid December 1864. The total number of requisitioned mules is given as 248, and Ab Snopes estimates the grand total before the requisition of the last 19 at either 225 or 275, so it seems to include the original 110. It is unclear whether the figure also includes the twelve horses requisitioned while returning from Alabama. Two of the mules were confiscated during the last requisitioning.

Had lived for fifty-six years in Mottson in AILD.

Aged thirty in June 1920 (FitD).

Before Thomas Sutpen (born 1807) ran away from home in 1820.

Tasked to deliver mail three years before 1833.

Bought Texas ponies from Flem Snopes 25 years prior to AILD. Laid out land and sold horse to Jewel Bundren when the latter was fifteen (AILD).

Died two years prior to May 1929.

Started trading with Stuart MacCallum twelve years prior to AILD. Maried fifteen years prior to AILD.

Maried fifteen years prior to AILD.

Aged 23 in August 1862, during the Northern Virginia Campaign, but died Prior to the second battle of Manassas. In the story as recounted by Virginia du Pre, it is April, but John Pope was not yet the commanding Federate General in Virginia at that time. (Also, General Jeb Stuart is said to have been thirty, but that is generous, given his February 1822 birth.)

Traveled to Alabama eighteen months prior to December 1864.

His car accident happened six days prior to 9 July 1919. His second wedding was reported in the newspaper of 27 August 1919 and took place three months before his departure and eight months before his death.

Eight years older than Bayard Sartoris (II). The Federate troops came to Hawkhurst sometime before eighteen months before mid December 1864. She disappered almost a year before and one month after six months after eighteen months before mid December 1864.

Moved to Jefferson six years after 1833 (RfaN). Informed his family that he was fighting in Carolina six months after eighteen months before mid December 1864 (tU). Sartoris’s killing of the Burden Brothers was first said to have taken place in 1872 (FitD) but is later described in the immediate aftermath of the Civil War (tU). Similarly, the first Jefferson train was said to have run in 1873 (FitD) or the year before 1873 (tU), and Sartoris is said to have been killed in a duel (tU) or ambush (RfaN) on 4 September 1876 (FitD, which quotes his tombstone), in October 1873 (tU) or on some unspecified date at least two years after 1876 (RfaN).

Aged 22 at the Christmas when Bayard Sartoris (II) was twenty (1869). Was to be married the June after the Christmas when Bayard Sartoris (II) was twenty (1869).

Aged 17 at the Christmas when Bayard Sartoris (II) was twenty (1869).

Aged 26 in Spring 1919. Her marriage was reported in the newspaper on 27 August 1919.

Aged 90 in May 1929 (RfaN), aged 30 in 1869 (FitD). Said to have moved either in 1869 at 30 (FitD), or in 1867, bringing with her calycanthus and jasmine (S), or in January, six years prior to October 1873, with the garden which she started already blooming in the Summer of 1869 (tU). Had a stroke five years before 1929.

That the information is beaten out of him by a Memphis lawyer working for Eustace Graham is argued very plausibly by Arnold & Trouard 1996.

Auctioned off Texas ponies 25 years prior to AILD.

Aged 21 in 1917 (FitD).

Although also said to look about four in March 1937.

Aged about fifty in November 1936. Lived together with Maggie, although RfaN also describes him as a ‘bachelor’.

Three or four years older than Temple Stevens. Had attended University for three years in 1929 (RfaN). Had started suiting Narcissa Sartoris last Spring in 1929 (S). Simultaneously dated Temple Drake if we accept the identification by Arnold & Trouard 1996 of Drake with the red-headed jelly mentioned by Benbow Sartoris in October 1928 (S). Had been a customer of Lee Goodwin For three years in 1929 (RfaN).

Aged seventeen in May 1929, aged eighteen in June 1929.

Went to Alabama eighteen months before mid December 1864.

Aged three in the Summer of 1863.

Born in 1838, aged 74 in September 1909, aged over eighty in December 1909 (AA).

Came to Sutpen’s Hundred almost four years before September 1909 (AA).

Born in 1807, still 25 upon his arrival in Yoknapatawpha County in June 1933, although already 59 in January 1866 upon his return from the war (AA), or over sixty at the end of the Civil War (tU). Said to have left for the West Indies in 1823 at fourteen or fifteen, which is contradictory, and it appears it also happened more or less immediately after running away from home in 1820. Divorced Eulalia 28 years prior to the Christmas he saw their son Charles again (AA). Arrived in Jefferson on a Sunday in June (AA) / in Spring (RfaN) with twenty (AA) or thirty-odd (RfaN) Caribbean slaves. Had his plantation running within ten years of his wedding with Ellen Coldfield. Departed to fight in the Civil War a few months after 24 December 1860.

Likely older than Kate, based on the fact that they had an eye for Darl and Jewel Bundren, respectively, who were nearly ten years apart.

Around nine years older than Bayard Sartoris (II), died nine years prior to 1873.

Said to have been 34 or 35 years old at the time of Will and Julia Benbow’s marriage, whose first child Horace Benbow was born in 1885–6.

Named Wyatt in the earlier version of FitD.

Servant at the Compson Place? Mistake? Short for ‘I declare’?

‘Old’ in 1929.

Likely younger than Eula, based on the fact that they had an eye for Jewel and Darl Bundren, respectively, who were nearly ten years apart.

Dewey Dell Bundren was two months pregnant at the time of AILD. This may be Stuart MacCallum, the twin brother of Raphael (Rafe). Stuart is never mentioned by name in AILD, because Samson cannot recall his name, despite being well acquainted with him. One possibility is that Lafe is a deliberate cover.

The Lorraine from tSatF and S could also be two separate characters.

Same age as Quentin Compson (II). May be the same person as Luster (II) from tSatF, but their ages as stated are as much as a generation apart.

Called A man, aged 14 in the appendix of tSatF, but that cannot have been true in 1928. May be the same person as Luster (I) from AA, but their ages as stated are as much as a generation apart.

May be Cassius Q Benbow from tU, although their backgrounds differ

In 1929, claimed not to be forty yet, but didn’t know his exact age.

During his attempted escape, he disappeared in broad daylight (AA) or at midnight (RfaN). He left for good two years after their arrival (AA), or he had returned to whatever place he came from six years after Jefferson’s founding as a town (RfaN).

The appendix of tSatF claims the square mile was still intact in 1840.

The main house was burned down sometime before eighteen months before mid December 1864.

AA lists also the courthouse among its description at the time of Thomas Sutpen’s arrival in 1833, whereas RfaN describes in detail the construction of the courthouse after his arrival (and with the help of his slaves). According to the appendix of tSatF, the Federal troops that occupied Jefferson were led by General Andrew Jackson Smith, according to tU they were led by Grant. RfaN states the occupation happened in the Spring, nine months before New Year’s day 1865.

The jail was described in the first draft of RfaN, as reproduced in …

The first train drove the year before 1873 (tU), whereas FitD says 1873.

The main house was burned down sometime before eighteen months before mid December 1864.

The first flowers grew four years after two years after 1833 (AA).

Whiteoaks cut two years prior to AILD.