Bailey Sutton's Connection

Many years ago, the journey into my Sutton ancestry research began. I learned of the connection between my third great-grandfather, Thomas Sutton, and a man living in the same area (Claiborne County, Tennessee) named Bailey Sutton. It was assumed these men were brothers who descended from John Sutton and Nancy Coleman (I've also seen Mary Coleman), but the documentation was lacking. In 2008, I learned that Family Tree DNA offered Y-DNA testing and after much grumpiness, my father swabbed his cheek and mailed off the kit. I was so excited as I had visions of matches to many Suttons with documented family trees but when the results came in, I was shocked. Not one match to another Sutton and a mention by another researcher in the Sutton Group Surname Project that perhaps there had been a NPE (non-paternity event) in my dad’s line. Groan! My quest for the elusive Suttons continued. One thing I did learn was the Sutton Project did not have a large number of Sutton males who had tested. Note to self and others – don’t assume that all men with the same last name descend from the same ancestor and share the same haplogroup, etc.. 

A few years later, while reading Roberta Estes’ DNAeXplained blog, I learned that a man named Smith Sutton lived in Lee County, Virginia in 1806 and was a member of the Thompson Settlement Church.  Thomas had also been a member of that church.  Lee County shares a border with Claiborne County, Tennessee and that find was worth further investigation. I began scouring the internet for more information on Smith and stumbled on some old messages about him posted by Greg Clark. We exchanged information and he provided me with some old Lee County, Virginia court documents. We recruited one of his male Sutton cousins for Y-DNA testing. Greg and his cousin descend from Zacheus Sutton who has been proven to be the son of Smith Sutton through Lee County, Virginia court documents dated February 28, 1815, "...John Mark one of the constables of this county having made return that he had executed the said attachment in the hands of James Gilbert and summoned him as a garnishee this day came as well one the plaintiff by their attorney as the said garnishee in his proper person to ho being sworn declared that he was indebted to the said Smith Sutton some time past in the sum of one hundred dollars and that at the request of the said Smith Sutton he executed his note for the said sum of one hundred dollars to Zachariah Sutton, son of the said Smith Sutton payable in good trade on the first day of January next...."   Zacheus and his wife, Susannah Applegate, left Lee County, Virginia in 1820 and settled in Scott County, Indiana. The DNA results arrived, and his cousin was a close match to my dad. Progress! Greg and I began to look for a male Sutton descendant of Bailey to participate in the Y-DNA testing to prove that Thomas, Zacheus, and Bailey were most likely brothers and the sons of Smith Sutton and Mary unknown. Finally, that day arrived (after several years of waiting) when his fourth great-grandson, through John Sutton and Sarah Pridemore, agreed to test. The results are in, and he is closely related to my dad and Greg’s cousin at 37 markers. 

Now I want to share with our new match what is known about Bailey’s connection to Smith and Thomas through the paper trail. The first record that connects Bailey to another Sutton is found in Lee County, Virginia’s 1813 Personal Property Tax List. The older man is Smith Sutton who is first recorded in Caswell County, North Carolina. We estimate that he was born about 1767 so he is old enough to be his father or uncle.

On March 30, 1815, in Lee County, Virginia a lawsuit was on the docket naming Joab Matlock, Smith Sutton, and Bailey Sutton as defendants and the plaintiff was Dennis Burnes.  The lawsuit appears to have been dismissed since Mr. Burnes was not a resident of the state.  

Bailey purchased 50 acres of land in Claiborne County, Tennessee on March 26, 1827.  This was very interesting to me since the assignee was Drury Lawson (Thomas’s father-in-law) and the chain carriers were Diadamma Sutton and James Dooley.  This discovery was a few months ago as I perused the Claiborne County, Tennessee land deeds on Familysearch.org.  It not only shows a connection to Thomas, but also introduces another Sutton, Diadamma!  Who is she?  Could she be a first wife as it is known from later records that Bailey’s wife was Sarah (she is believed to be Sarah Worley or Sarah Petitt).  Perhaps Diadamma is a sister?  Sworn chain carriers had to be of legal age (males had to be 21 years of age) so I assume she was at least 21 years old.  Also, who is James Dooley?  Further investigation or documents revealed he lived in Claiborne County for several years. His first land entry was recorded in 1815.  James Dooley continued to live near Thomas and Bailey until the 1850 census where he was enumerated as an 88 years old White male born in Virginia.  It is assumed he died before 1860 since he is not found on that census.  That is all to be discovered on the chain carriers.

Back to Bailey.  He is enumerated in Lee County, Virginia in the 1830 and 1840 census records and on the personal property tax there in 1831-1834, 1836, and 1837.  He was appointed as the Mulberry Road overseer from the Crocket Works to the Powell River in Claiborne County in 1834.  Two hundred acres was purchased by him in 1845 in Claiborne County from William Roark.  Bailey was enumerated in Subdivision 7, Claiborne County in 1850 along with his wife, Sally, and 10 children (he is believed to have had 14 children).  We also learn from this census that he was born in North Carolina (Thomas and Zacheus were also born in North Carolina) around 1795, his occupation is farmer, and his real estate property is valued at $400.00.  Bailey and the family aren’t found on the 1860 census, but he is taxed on 160 acres in Claiborne County in 1862.

 

In 1868, Bailey purchased a tract of land (196 acres) in Laurel County, Kentucky on the Laurel River for $125 from Jarvis and Francis Jackson.  Bailey and the family are enumerated in Laurel County in 1870. His household consists of his wife, Sally, and daughters Mary Jane (unmarried) and Mahala and her husband James Sulfridge and their five children.  Bailey’s real estate is valued at $100, and his occupation was wheelwright.  The 1880 Laurel County census would be the final enumeration for Bailey and Sally who are living in the household of his daughter Mahala Sulfridge and family.  

 

Sarah passed away in May 1886 and her obituary was published on May 7, 1886, in The Mountain Echo, London Kentucky, “Died on last Tuesday evening at the residence of H.C. Sutton, of general debilities, Mrs. Sarah Sutton, wife of Uncle Bailey Sutton. Mrs. Sutton was between 80 and 85 years of age and leaves quite a number of children and grandchildren to mourn her death.”  Soon after his wife passed away, Bailey sold his Laurel County land on October 18, 1886, to his son and daughter-in-law, Harvey C. Sutton and Mary Sutton (Justice), for $300.

Bailey’s obituary was published in The Mountain Echo on May 10, 1889, as follows “The funeral sermon of Uncle Bailey Sutton will be preached at Slate Hill Church on the first Sunday in June by Elders Ewell and Cheek.  Everybody is invited to attend.”  Both were buried in Breastworks Hill Cemetery, which is also known as Cemetery Hill in Laurel County, Kentucky.

It is amazing to think that we now have three descendants of Smith Sutton connected from the states of Oklahoma, Indiana, and Tennessee. Thomas' grandson, Noah Sutton, left Tennessee around 1890 for Fannin County, Texas and his Y-DNA representative was my father who lived near Oklahoma City. Zacheus' Y-DNA descendant lived in Jackson County, Indiana.   Bailey's Y-DNA descendant still lives near where I began researching records in Claiborne County, Tennessee. 

 

If at first you don’t succeed, search, search again. That is why we call it re-search.

--Mary Harrell-Sesniak, Genealogy Humor

 The Hornes of Perry County, Alabama

I’ve often thought my second great-grandfather, Milo Washington Leonard (also known as Mack or Wash) was a bit of a mystery.  His parents were Levi A. Leonard and Mary Ann Horne and married on June 15, 1825, in Bibb County, Alabama.  Levi is one my few relatives that was born in Massachusetts but headed to the South as a young man without family.  I suspect his journey started through military service in the 1820's.  He was appointed as the Justice of the Peace in Bibb County in 1826, served in the military in 1849 Perry County, Alabama as an adjutant for the 3^rdDivision, 14^th Brigade, 32^nd Regiment.  Levi’s final census (1850) lists him with two sons (Silas, 12 and Alvin, 7) working as a penmanship teacher in Tuscaloosa County.  Of course, I wondered where his wife and Milo was.  Unfortunately, Levi passed away from consumption at the age of 60 as recorded on the January 1860 Perry County, Alabama mortality schedule.  

This ad ran for a few months in "The Independent Monitor" newspaper.  Source: Newspapers.com

Meanwhile in 1850, Mary Ann was enumerated with her parents, Jesse and Mary Horne (nee Duke), along with two brothers named Washington and Andrew.  She was found in Perry County, Alabama again in 1860 with her siblings Washington and Elizabeth but her mother had passed away.  Jesse died in 1861 and mentioned in his will that two of his heirs, George W. Horne and Mary Leonard, are of unsound mind.  A review of the 1860 census confirms this, but the enumerator wrote a comment for Washington Horn and Mary Leonard that said, “Idiotic studying morma”.   Strange.  Could “morma” be Mormon?  There were two heirs mentioned in her father’s will that were living in Utah territory – Thomas and Andrew Horn.  Now I am intrigued so onto see what can be discovered about these two brothers.

 

Thomas is the youngest of Jesse Horne’s children being born about 1831.  If this birth year is correct, then he married his bride, Sarah Carpenter, on November 29, 1848, when he was only 17 years old.  He is missing from the 1850 census but found in Utah with his family in 1860; however, he united his niece Louanna Leonard in marriage to Theophilus Nixon on November 4^th, 1852 in Perry County.  This document provides some great information!  It states that Thomas is an Elder of the “Mormon Church” and the marriage was performed in the presence of James and Lucindy Rhone (this couple is Louanna’s sister and brother-in-law), Andrew Horne (Thomas' brother), Martin Harrison (this gentleman is most likely the husband of his niece Malinda Carolyn Horne), and Washington Horne (Thomas’ “idiotic” brother).  

 

Now I am amazed at this point.  I have spent many hours at Family History Centers (branches of the Family History Library located in Salt Lake City, Utah that is operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) and peruse their digitized catalog on Familysearch.org.  I owe many thanks to the preservation of genealogy records to this organization.

Source: https://history.churchofjesuschrist.org/media/settlementmap

Back to Thomas Horne, he is found in the Church History Biographical Database as a “pioneer”.  To earn this designation means travel to Utah was completed by 1868 by wagon or handcart (Source: Mormon Pioneer Emigration Facts, Christine T. Cox, Manager of Visitor and Reference Services, March 2018).  He and his family traveled with the Moses Thurston Company that departed on July 3, 1855, from Mormon Grove, Kansas and arrived in Salt Lake Valley on September 19, 1855.  Thomas and his wife, Sarah, died just a few days apart in 1914:

 

Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Horne who were taken last August by their daughter Mrs. Matt McDonald to Butte, Montana, were brought here for burial last Wednesday.  They had been sick quite a while before they went to Montana, and Mrs. McDonald felt she could give them better care if she had them at her home.  They both passed peacefully away only a few days difference between their deaths.  Mrs. Horne was 83 years of age and Mr. Horne 82. (Source:  The Journal (Logan, Utah), 5 Feb 1914, p. 8).

 

Were more family members of Jesse Horne affiliated with this faith in Alabama?  Yes, his older brother Henry Horne was listed as an Elder of the Five Mile, Perry Alabama branch on 29 Feb 1844.  Given that Joseph Smith (founder of Mormonism and the Latter-Day Saints movement) and his brother, Hyrum, were murdered by an armed mob at the Carthage Jail in Illinois on June 27^th, 1844, then I wonder if many people abandoned this new faith for fear of being harmed.  Henry and his family remained in Alabama, and it is hard to ascertain if the Five Mile branch continued.

 

Now as this story ends, I must say that I would never have known that Levi Leonard and Mary Ann Horne were the parents of Milo Washington Leonard if it had not been for connecting with previous researchers on Ancestry.com.  He never appeared on a census record with his parents or siblings. I did find Washington Leonard listed as a 21 year old on the 1860 Tuscaloosa census which is most likely him since he enlisted for the Confederacy at Tuscaloosa, Alabama on September 13, 1861, as a private in Co. K, 20 Reg’t Alabama Infantry.   Returning to the probate records of Milo’s grandfather, there was an update of the heirs published on March 18, 1867 that includes a documented connection to his mother and some siblings, “…Silas Leonard living in Perry County, Mack Leonard supposed to be living in Texas, Lucinda Roane widow of James Roane dec’d living in Perry County, & Eliza Brelland wife of Arch Breland living in Mississippi in right of their deceased mother Mary Leonard and all twenty one years of age…].  Did I mention that Milo is known as Mack, Wash, Washington, and M.W.?!  

Milo Washington Leonard passed away on April 24, 1907 at the age of 64 in Fannin County Texas and is buried in the Gum Springs Cemetery in Carson.  His wife, Mahala Duke Patillo would outlive him 24 years passing away on September 5, 1931 and was buried beside him.  

Source: Milo Washington Leonard Source: Ancestry.com

Pioneer Settler Died Saturday in Carson Community

 

With the death of Mrs. Mahala Leonard last Saturday afternoon at 4 o’clock at her home near Carson, there was removed from our community one of the oldest as well as one of the best-known residents.

 

Mrs. Leonard was 83 years of age and had resided in Fannin County over 60 years.  She and her husband who died several years ago were identified with the activities of the county in its pioneer days.  Mrs. Leonard enjoyed a wide acquaintance over the county and in adjoining counties. She was the last charter member of the Baptist church at Carson having assisted in its organization over a half century ago.

 

She is survived by two daughters, Mrs. T. J. Welch of Carson and Mrs. Will Brewster of Lockney, Texas, and two sons, D.S. Leonard of Ravenna and T.E. Leonard of Carson.  Many grandchildren and great grandchildren also survive her.  Deputy Sheriff Jack Leonard of Bonham is her grandson.

 

Funeral services were held Sunday afternoon, being conducted by Rev. Thos. Reece, Baptist preacher. Interment was at Gum Springs, near Carson.  A large number of relatives and friends from various sections of Fannin County were present.

Mahala Duke Leonard nee Patillo (from my grandmother's photo collection)

 

Early East Tennessee Connections

Who is in my 4^th great-grandparent’s F.A.N. club (that’s short for family, associates and neighbors) that many people overlook?  Which grandparents you say?  Joseph and Jane (Walker) Epperson who lived near Thomas Epperson of Hawkins.  There are so many connections so why has it taken so long for me to realize this?  All I can say is if it was a snake, it would have bit me! Read about Thomas’ path to East Tennessee and if you are related tell me if you agree. There are some fascinating connections to early Tennessee history.  Yet Thomas is showing us where the family lived along the way.  First, there is some explanation as to why I call him Thomas of Hawkins (Hawkins County, Tennessee).

Source: Olddesignshop.com

He is often confused with Thomas Epperson of Charlotte County, Virginia because both served in the Revolutionary War and survived the war; however, Thomas of Hawkins served for the state of North Carolina as a private and died around 1848 in Tennessee while Thomas of Charlotte served for Virginia as a lieutenant and died in August 1805 in Virginia.  The proof is in the documents (a will and pension files).  

Thomas of Charlotte’s will was written on September 15, 1791 and proven in court on October 7, 1805.  He left 20 shillings to his sister Martha Wood and her heirs and 20 shillings to his nephew Carlos Wood.  His wife, Martha, inherited his real and personal estate.  Upon her death the estate is left to his nephews named Thomas and William Atkins.  The executors are his wife along with Quin and Jacob Morton (Source: W. B. 2, Pg. 316, Charlotte County Courthouse).  His pension application was filed by his widow on December 10, 1838 and we learn that Thomas and Martha, daughter of John Cardwell, were married on July 20, 1778 in Charlotte County, Virginia.  This is definitely not the Thomas Epperson who lived in Hawkins County, Tennessee!

 

Thomas of Hawkins’ pension was granted in 1834, Hawkins County, Tennessee.  He tells us he was born in Buckingham County, Virginia in 1760 and entered as a volunteer in 1779 under the command of Col. Joseph Williams, Capt. Pleasant Henderson, Lt. John Colbert in Surry County, North Carolina.  He was discharged at the Long Island of the Holston after serving four months.  He volunteered again in 1780 in the Regiment of Col. Henry Clark, Capt. Benjamin Clark, Lt. John Wheeler in Sullivan County, North Carolina “now Tennessee Broad River on the big island...” and served three months.  Thomas was living in Washington County, North Carolina now State of Tennessee when he volunteered in September 1782 under the command of Col. John Sevier (the future governor of the State of Franklin and State of Tennessee), Capt. Amos Bird (one of the first Justices of the Peace in Greene County, Tennessee and owned over 1,000 acres of land in Tennessee), and Lt. Gragg.  Thomas also mentioned that he moved to Greene County, Tennessee and then Hawkins County when questioned for his pension.

Thomas Epperson Pay Voucher 12 Jun 1783 Washington Sullivan, NC

He purchased 200 acres in Hawkins County, Tennessee while residing in Greene County, Tennessee on June 13, 1809, from Jonathan Hale of Hawkins County.  The tract is described as bounded on War Creek the waters of Clinch River.  The document one of the witnesses for this transaction was Jesse Epperson.  Who is Jesse?

 

Curiosity compelled me to read through the catalog of documents for Greene County, Tennessee.  There is a tax list for 1783 with the names of David and Joseph Epperson. Could that be one of the David Eppersons of Albemarle County, Virginia (The story of David Epperson & his family of Albemarle County, Virginia)?  A discovery of not one but two Joseph Eppersons was made in court records.  The entries were found in the May term Minutes 1784:

 

Joseph Eppison Junr Vs David Black, Henry Conway, Jno. Bird, James Gillasby, William Gillaspy, Saml Glass, and Adam Kuykendol } T.A.B. damage 5000 £ LB atts issd. and on the following page another entry for Joseph Eppison Senr. Vs The Same Adam Kuyl Exd}…

 

Source: Ancestry.com

Since Thomas mentioned Washington County then it would be interesting to see what can be found there.  A land record dated 3 Jul 1792 for 200 acres on Lick Creek for Joseph Epperson that was surveyed by Alex Outlaw (a veteran of the American Revolution, served in the assembly of the State of Franklin, delegate for North Carolina that ratified the US Constitution in 1789, and represented Jefferson County, Tennessee in the Tennessee Senate).  Fascinating!

 

More Eppersons were found in Washington County Tennessee prior to 1800 (William, Peter, Samuel, Thomas, and Benjamin).  Apparently, Anthony Epperson was among the members of the Buffalo Ridge Baptist Church that was formed in 1779 and the pastor was Tidence Lane.  Joseph and Jane Epperson have a connection to Tidence Lane as he was involved in the organization of the Big Springs Baptist Church located in Claiborne County, Tennessee where they were listed as members in the Minutes of August 4, 1802.

 

Source: Piedmonttrails.com

One Joseph Epperson purchased 500 acres on Cedar Creek in Hawkins County, Tennessee on July 20, 1792.  He sold 200 acres to Jno. Rainey on April 3, 1793 and another portion (amount is not legible to Jno. Terry the same day.  Could this be my 4^th great-grandfather or is this Joseph Sr. mentioned in that Greene County, Tennessee lawsuit?  The land purchase on March 31, 1803 in Hawkins County was definitely my 4^th great-grandfather Joseph.  One hundred acres was purchased from Neal McCoy for 20 pounds and described as situated on Indian Creek on David McCoy’s line.  John Walker who was Joseph’s father-in-law was a witness along with William Paine.

 

Thomas, Jesse and Joseph Epperson appear on the 1811 tax list of Capt. Allen’s Company in Hawkins County, Tennessee.  My theory is these three men were brothers.  Jesse was also named as an executor in Joseph’s will dated September 26, 1814.  Was Jesse living nearby?  Yes, he purchased 200 acres from William Lea merchant of Leasburg, North Carolina on December 14, 1803, in Hawkins County “…in the valley between Clinch Mountain & the Copper Ridge in a part of War Creek…”.  This deed was witnessed by William Byrd and Jonathan Hale (connection to Thomas’ land purchase).  

 

After Joseph died, he left 100 acres to Jane (most likely the 100 acres purchased from Neal McCoy) and indicated that the land should go to his sons John and Thomas after her death.  After Joseph’s death, Jane purchased an additional 140 acres from Thomas Johnson on the waters of Indian Creek in Hawkins County.  This purchase took place on September 3, 1819 and was registered on January 26, 1824.  Jane Walker is enumerated within a few households of Thomas on the 1830 census.  

 

What else is known about Thomas of Hawkins?  His wife is said to be Mary Cross but I have not confirmed this; however, his wife was definitely named Mary (she was mentioned in the lawsuit of William Mills vs Jeremiah Sims and Peter Elrod in Hawkins County April, 1819).  Thomas and Mary’s known children are Shadrach M. Epperson, Esq. and Elizabeth Epperson. Possibly another daughter named Lydia Epperson. Shadrach married Jane (maiden name said to be Orick). Elizabeth married Walter Allen on April 29, 1802, in Greene County, Tennessee and enumerated on the same 1830 census page as Thomas in Hawkins County.  Lydia Epperson married John Hayes on March 14, 1818, in Hawkins County, Tennessee and died in 1888 in Indiana.

Source: https://tslaindexes.tn.gov/search-all-collections

Back to Jane and another connection to Thomas.  On June 6, 1853, his son, Shadrach M. Epperson, was a witness to the sale of a tract of land owned by Jane to her son-in-law Archibald McCoy.  This sale became the issue of a lawsuit, Claiborne Walker & Others Vs. Archibald McCoy & Wife, in 1859.  Claiborne was the son-in-law of Jane Epperson and administrator of her estate.  The heirs mentioned in this suit were Hester Walker (Claiborne) and Polly Walker (John A.) County of Hawkins, Nancy Bowman County of Grainger, Thomas Epperson who resided in Missouri, the children of her son John Epperson (my 3^rd great-grandfather) who was deceased (Calvin Epperson, Elizabeth Allen, Thomas Epperson, Nelson Epperson, Phamy Hipshear wife of Martin) all living in Grainger County except Elizabeth who resided in Hancock County.  

 

Thomas of Hawkins lived a long life and died around 1848 in Grainger County.  He has proven to be a great resource for connecting the whereabouts of my Epperson ancestors in the early development of the State of Tennessee.

 

Note to self:  Follow Ancestry genealogist Crista Cowan’s advice and don’t create your own brick walls!

 

A Murder in Kentucky

I suspect that Bailey Sutton is my 3^rd great-granduncle which makes him a brother to my 3^rd great-grandfather Thomas Sutton of Claiborne County, Tennessee, and Zacheus Sutton who settled in Scott County, Indiana.  A few descendants of Bailey shared a story on Ancestry.com about one of his sons.  It was published in many newspapers.  Before I share the sad details, please consider updating your family tree if it has John Sutton and Nancy Coleman as the parents of these men.  Ponder this, the 1813 tax list for Lee County, Virginia shows Bailey and Smith Sutton as the only two Sutton’s there. They are also defendants in a lawsuit in 1815.  Smith is also much older than Bailey.  So where are the sources for John Sutton and Nancy Coleman?  Hmmm…onto the story.

Bailey’s son, George Washington Sutton, age 16, appears on the 1850 Claiborne County, Tennessee census in subdivision 7 (p. 53 on Ancestry and Uncle Thomas is on p. 100) along with his parents and siblings.  The following year he became a married man as he wedded Martha England in Claiborne County.  The marriage was performed by James Cheek, J.P.  By 1860, he is employed as a laborer, head of his own household, and the father of six in subdivision 9, Claiborne County.  His personal estate is $125.  At the age of 27, he enlisted in the infantry for the Union during the War between the States.  George survived the war and mustered out on February 23, 1865.  Sadly, the 1870 census will be his last enumeration.  He and Martha have eight children in their household ranging from 5 to 18 (three girls and five boys). He is working in a shoe shop with a personal estate of $200.  He applied for a military pension on May 7, 1878.

The newspaper presses were turning and the hacks writing their stories on January 17, 1879, when the body of George W. Sutton, a native of Tazewell, Tennessee was found.  The story published in The Memphis Evening Herald wrote that his body was found about four miles from Hall’s Gap with a rifle ball through the skull.  Another story mentions that the body was found near the house of Mr. John Warren with a load of 10 d. nails in his head (I believe this was meant to be John Weaver who owned the tavern where George had spent the night).  The suspects names are Ike Stapleton and a man named Ferrill and goes onto say Sutton was a shoemaker by trade from Tazewell, Tenn. but goes out peddling liniment. They say he is an unoffending and sober man.

 

Halls Gap Station 1879
Source: shop.old-maps.com

The papershake.blogspot.com has posted a few more articles about the murder.  

 

January 24, 1879:

Sutton, Ferrell, and Stapleton spent the night at John Weaver’s (5 or 6 miles from Crab Orchard), “a frail damsel being the object of their visit.”  Hmmm…  Sutton left the next morning and Ferrell followed with the intention to kill and rob him.  The deed was done, and Sutton’s pockets were emptied, and his body dragged from the road to the woods.  Fortunately, the shot was heard.  Ferrell apparently returned to Weaver’s with blood on his coat and said it was from a rabbit he had killed.  Stapleton and Ferrell were arrested and questioned.  Stapleton admitted that he knew Ferrell was going to murder George.  Ferrell was held without bail.

 

Now picture this, the reporter writes of threats of lynching the prisoner as it was the most brutal murder that happened in Lincoln County, Kentucky.  The writer goes onto say that Ferrell acts like a wild man, pacing his cell ever and amen, apparently fearful that a moment’s rest would be too much for his over-burdened conscience as to leave but little doubt that he is not wrongfully accused.  Ferrell is described as a young man of passably fair exterior and not looking the person capable of such a deed.

 

An acquittal was published on February 7, 1879, for Jacob Weaver, Sarah Jane Weaver, Ike Stapleton, and Elizabeth Stapleton who were arrested as accessories to the murder of George.  Apparently, Ferrell told them he planned to kill Sutton and then informed them that he had done so, and they were afraid to report it.  Nice.

 

On Friday, May 2, 1879, John Ferrell was convicted of the murder of George Washington Sutton and given a life sentence.  It is thought he was given leniency for confessing to the murder.  However, another story was published on August 8, 1879, informing us that William Barnett, Moses, Barnett, and John Ferrell, life prisoners, and James Martin and Jos. Lambert, sentenced for five years, had escaped from the Penitentiary.  Moses, Martin, and Lambert were captured but the others were at large.  Still yet another story on August 15, 1879, describes John Ferrell’s conviction and blames the jury for the escape as it says, “Ferrell would have long since dangled from the end of a rope, instead of being loose, seeking whom he may destroy.”

 

September 5, 1879, a reward is offered by the Governor of $250 and another of $100 by the Keeper of the Penitentiary.  One-week later Ferrell is captured in Hawkins County, Tennessee and now in his “old quarters at Frankfort.”

 

Kentucky State Penitentiary in Frankfort 1846-1860
Source: Wikipedia

“July 2, 1897, Pardoned. – John Ferrill, who killed a shoemaker named Sutton in the East End [of Lincoln County] in 1879 and got a life sentence, has been pardoned.  The reasons given for his pardon are his long imprisonment, his bad health and his heroic behavior on the occasion of Fires and other disasters in the prison.”

 

According to the author of the papershake blog, Governor Bradley’s list of pardons indicated that Ferrell was pardoned on June 29, 1897, from the Eddyville Penitentiary.

 

It is such a shame that George survived the Civil Way only to be shot down by a thief.  For those who descend from this line, I would encourage you to order the court documents regarding his murder as they are probably available.  Also, if you are a male Sutton of Bailey Sutton's line, please consider submitting a Y-DNA kit to Family Tree DNA.  Thank you!

 

In remembrance of a life taken much too soon.

 

Researching the research

I've been trying to throw away unnecessary paper documents but when it's related to genealogy then that is hard to do. Can anyone relate to this? I have inherited some paperwork that my dad collected when he participated in the research of Thomas Sutton and Hannah Lawson. This group was led by Charlie Sutton of McPherson, Kansas along with Edgar Sutton of Oakridge, Tennessee, and Lillie Carpenter (nee Savage) of Pharr, Texas who are descendants of Thomas and Hannah. Charlie descended through their youngest son Thomas Jr. who married Matilda Brown. Edgar's line was through the couple's oldest son Nathan Sutton who married Nancy Virginia Dodson (parents of the infamous Henley Sutton). Lillie and my dad shared the same great-grandparents, James and Malissa Sutton (nee Wolfe through her stepfather Peter Wolfe). All but one member of this group has gone on to join their ancestors and learn the real story. 

Now I am not writing anything new in this story as I have mentioned some of this in previous blogs.  My dad must have had 10 draft copies of Charlie's book. I assume he was going to give copies to the relatives, but it was easy for me to put these in the recycle bin rather than share them. If anyone is using this book as a source for their research, then I suggest you find something else, but it is somewhat entertaining to read. His efforts did result in the discovery of a deed of the Sutton farm located in Claiborne County, Tennessee. He was assisted by Jim Lawson who also discovered an old will that was filed in May of 1870 in Claiborne County (Thomas didn't die until 1891). I believe Charlie also listed the children correctly but then he had to go and put the nonsense about the Sutton Native American ancestry. These stories will live on forever as people continue to copy and publish it on Ancestry.com. The next item I chose to look at was a letter dated 18 Nov 1992 from Edgar Sutton. He mentions sending Dad some information from the McClung Collection in Knoxville and that he paid a retainer fee to a woman who does research in Caswell County, North Carolina in hopes she can Thomas Sutton's father who is supposedly named John. Apparently, the letter was sent after a telephone conversation as Edgar replied to Dad's question about Henley Sutton. He said Henley was ambushed and killed by the Barnards in 1889 and even states that the Governor may have obtained money for the pardon of the Barnards. He obviously had not obtained a copy of the court documents. Included in them is a petition to Governor Taylor from about 500 men of the community who wanted the Barnards pardoned before their scheduled execution date of December 23, 1889. A sample of the signatures are listed below along with comments that were written beside a few names. Included are names of some of my distant relatives and those who have possible family connections:

Thomas Sutton (grandfather of Henley)

Isham Sutton (uncle)

James Sutton (first cousin)

John Epperson

McHenry Bray, Sr.

John Mills

Noah Mills

Peter Sutton (cousin)

Asa Purkey

Brownlo Epperson

Charley Epperson

George Epperson

Thom Epperson

Peter Jackson

George Barnard

Charlie Barnard

James Spradling

William Green

R.W. Greene

Excerpt from the Petition to Gov. Taylor in support of the Barnards

The final items I found in my father's genealogy collection was a letter from Lillie Carpenter dated 1 May 1994 and she had enclosed a summary of Sutton research she had received in 1985. Lillie is a second cousin to my father and descends from John Greenlee Sutton who was the older brother of Noah Sutton (my father's grandfather). Lillie grew up in Garland county, Arkansas and wrote about visiting Dad's Aunt Jessie Kelley. Apparently when Lillie began her research journey, she remembered a niece named Lydia Seals that had corresponded with her mother and knew she lived in Sneedville, Tennessee. However, she thought Lydia's brother, Henry, would be easier to find but she reached the wrong Henry Seals' household when she asked the operator to connect her to Henry Seals in Sneedville, Tennessee. The individual was kind enough to give her the name and address of a man who did genealogy research in the Sneedville, Tennessee area. His name was William P. Grohse and if anyone is reading this article who has researched their family in Hancock County, Tenneessee then you are probably familiar with this gentleman.  In fact, his collection was donated to the Tennessee State Library & Archives. In the summary he provided to her, I see many errors. The first error was the statement that Malissa Wolfe was the daughter of George S. Wolfe and Margaret McCoy--groan! The second error states Hannah Lawson is the daughter of Thomas Lawson--what?! The third error is partially true as he quotes information found in "Cherokee by Blood" which I assume is a reference to the many applications made by descendants of Drury Lawson. They claimed he was a half brother to Captain Benge (the son of a Cherokee woman and Scots-Irish trader). Unfortunately, all those applications were recorded as rejects. Yep. However, they contain great information on their families.

What is the moral of my story? Love the stories that are handed to you because there might be a bit of truth to it but put a disclaimer if you publish it. Get serious and verify what you can. After all, aren't you a little bit curious?  You never know what you may discover (wish I knew if Edgar gleaned any information from that retainer he mentioned).  Go one step further and consider buying a DNA kit so you can connect to others who may want to help you research (it's more than trying to figure out your ethnic background folks).  All you Sutton men could you please buy and submit a Y-DNA kit to Family Tree DNA? I would love to see more than one Sutton male in my dad's Sutton group cluster so we can connect to more Sutton ancestral lines. 

It is said that genealogy is the ultimate puzzle so enjoy the journey and gather kin along the way!

The Patillos of Warren County, Kentucky and Fannin County, Texas

As we approach the end of 2021, I thought it appropriate to write about some interesting religious discoveries I have made in my paternal line. Most of my Sutton line who lived in East Tennessee were members of the Baptist church with memberships found in the Thompson Settlement Church in Lee County, Virginia; Rob Camp Baptist Church in Claiborne County, Tennessee; the United Church of Christ at Providence in Grainger County, Tennessee; and the Baptist Church at Big Creek in Hancock County, Tennessee. However, there were some extended family members that joined the Methodist Church. I recently began to look over my paternal grandmother’s line (Trentie Alice Leonard) because of a DNA connection to my sister. I had forgotten that there were some very interesting stories in Grandma Trentie’s tree. 

My grandma’s paternal grandmother along with her siblings and parents hail from Kentucky. Her name was Mahala Patillo, born June 16, 1849, in Warren County, Kentucky to Davis J. Patillo and Mahala Duke Smith. Davis met his bride when he was hired to brick the home of William Smith – Mahala’s father. In fact, family researchers say Davis was raised in the South Union Shaker Community in Logan County, Kentucky where he learned the trade of a brick mason. The Shaker community called him Servateus and possibly Veet.

Apparently, his parents joined the Shaker community sometime after 1809 when the family was going through some hardships. A religious movement known as the Second Great Awakening was happening in Kentucky and other parts of the United States. According to Wikipedia, Camp meetings became part of the frontier ministries of the Methodists, Baptists, Shakers, Disciples and Cumberland Presbyterians. The Shakers began attending the camp meetings most likely in hopes of attracting new members. When they felt the Holy Spirit they would quiver and shake and speak in tongues. Their members lived a communal lifestyle in that all property was shared. In addition, men and women were considered equals, they opposed marriage, and practiced celibacy. According to the Smithsonianmag.com, there are only two Shakers left in the world (hmmm…I wonder why?). 

It is said his parents’ names were William Patillo and Sarah Davis and had supposedly divorced before joining the Shakers but I have not found a record of the divorce. I also can't definitely say these were his parents but it is definitely possible.  I decided to investigate the connection to the Shakers in hopes of validating the stories from previous research. 

William Patillo was a Revolutionary War soldier who filed his pension paperwork in Logan County, Kentucky on September 2nd, 1833. He stated he was born in Charlotte County, Virginia in May 1760 and enlisted in this county in the summer of 1780. His character witnesses were Thomas Porter and John Rankin. In researching John Rankin, I discovered he was a presbyterian minister who became dissatisfied with Presbyterian orthodoxy and became a member of the South Shaker Union Community (Source: Black, William R, “Went off to the Shakers: The first Converts of the South Union” (2013), Masters Theses & Specialist Projects, Paper 1243). The 1840 census of Logan County, Kentucky lists William Patillo as an 80-year-old blind Revolutionary War pensioner in the household of Eli McLean and U.E. Johns, trustees for the South Union (Shakers). 

Back to Davis and Mahala Patillo, they are located in district 2, Warren County, Kentucky, in 1850 and his occupation on the census does indicate that he was a brick mason and farmer.  There were nine offspring in the household named William B., Martha J., John D., Harriet, Thomas J., Elizabeth, Lannes, Trenton A., and baby Mahala Patillo (my 2x’s great-grandmother).  Researchers also state that Davis became a lawyer, and by 1860 the census would reflect this occupation in Warren County. The couple had been blessed with another daughter named Alice.  Checking the location of Warren County shows it borders Logan County, so they probably didn’t live far from the South Union Shakers.

Another decade passes and the country has gone through many turbulent years due to the Civil War.  Davis is enumerated in Warren County, Kentucky once again and he is still a lawyer; however, he is no longer with his family.  In fact, he is listed in the household of Zachariah Keel and his family who is a Black lawyer.  Zachariah is blind.  Davis’ wife, Mahala, is enumerated in Fannin County, Texas along with their sons Thomas and Trenton.  What has happened?  Luckily, a family member in Fannin County, Texas (Mrs. John Welch) tucked away a couple of letters that her husband had inherited and shared the information with family researcher Patricia Edwards.  Luckily for descendants of this family, Patricia shared the information on Ancestry.com.

Readers, please keep an open mind as you read the following letters because they discuss race as and the War’s impact on this family’s way of life.

 

Nov. 6^th, 1869

Bowling Green

Warren County, Kentucky

 

To my family in Texas,

 

I now write to inform you that I am as well as common & all.  The children & grand children & the neighbors are generally well at present—but chilling [     ]  sickness has been common here this year.  I have no news of importance to state at present--.  As to John D____ we hear nothing from him.  I think it best to be at rest about him—so as to let prejudice dye away to some extent—all parties appear to be & perfectly still concerning [    ] at present…but if I were to make a move in his favor all the fat would be in the fire…for his enemies have their eyes on me & by my being perfectly still all things are going peacibly.  I intend [       ] visit him at the proper time—but I shall do nothing unlawfull about him.

 

We have had a very cold spell of weather here for 10 days in the latter part of October…it killed all the oak mast & injured the sweet potatoes.  Among the others Dr. Dorhorty had in 12 acres in sweet potatoes.  He lost all of his.  He has turned his hogs on them.  The corn crop in that country was cut very short by the drouth this season…

 

W.W. Johnson did not make more than 5 bu. To the sale but that was as much as the neighbors made generally—corn is worth one dollar per bu prk 9 & 10 Cts. Gross.  Other things in proportion except wheat—it is [      ] per bu.  The most of people here have not ½ enough to do them.  John L. Thomas & Billy Johnson will fall very short of supplies.  I don’t know what will become of them—but it won’t do to let them starve—as to John S. Thomas he keeps up pretty high & has the Missouri fever on him very high—it rises & falls with his steam—no satisfaction with him nor where he is.  He is trying to manage to force me to sell the land on which he lives & let him have the money to pay for land in Missouri as he [          ] but I say the money would [      ] for whiskey.  He would soon have nothing & then Patsey & her children will have no home at all.  But I think I will see to that-----  

 

I stated in a former letter that I would send you some tobacco…a sewing machine…  The Wel… (torn copy)….the tobacco sewing machine, brass kettle and some other little tricks ready for shiping but [         ] I have tried the Shakers & their factory here but can’t get them.

 

Now as to shiping the articles at present… I saw Charles Vanmeter the other day & he stated that if I shipped any thing to go up Red River when said river is low, that the articles would stay in the werehouse at New Orleans 4 weeks and then be sold for charges.  He says he knows that to be the werehouse laws & then the articles would be lost en… [      ] he also stated that to ship them when Red River is full navigation then the articles would go safe.

 

June 22, 1873

P.O. Box 164

Bowling Green, Kentucky

To Cousin Henry Philips, Hannah Philips, & to all inquiring friends,

Dear Cousins and friends,

 

This is the second letter I have written to you since I have been here – the first one was returned to me from the dead letter office long since.  I hope you get this one.

 

I am not well but I am able to sit up and get around a little & go to see my sick daughter, Harriet Johnson, occasionally.  She is mending well except Harriet.  All my grandchildren are well – I hope this will find you all well.  As I came to town I stopt in at your Aunt Prudie Smiths & took dinner – peas & snaps for dinner. She & her family wished to send their best respects to you all – would be glad to see you.  Her family consists of herself – her youngest son Jonathan & her oldest son John & his wife & three children & her son William his wife & children all well & doing well – her daughters all married – the oldest one Elizabeth first husband Pond died – she then married a man by the name of Tye Pock. They are gone to parts unknown – her daughter Artimesa married Henry Cotton – they have two children – her youngest daughter named Mary married Basel Edwards – they have three children.  Henry Cotton & Basel Edwards are living in this neighborhood on homes of their own & doing well…. There has been so much wet weather here for the last six weeks that the farmers are very much in the grass & weeds, corn is yellow which is very bad.

 

Well cousins I have seen two people from Fannin County Texas, who stayed all night with me lately – though they left Texas six or eight months since – they gave me much information from that section – some of which is too bad for me to speak of at present.  It is all concerning my wife -- & myself.  I will not at present say anything about my wife & her friend Mr. _______.  But I will speak of myself in as truthful as God rules the universe.  When the war began – I left all my land here as well as other property & went to Texas -- & when the war was over – at the request of my wife I returned to Kentucky -- & as I was old & sick & not able to work – all of the family thought it best for me to come here & try to save some of the earnings of ourselves made before the war – well when I got here I found that all my property was claimed by grabers & rong doers – nothing left for myself or children – of course I had to go to law for my rights -- & that was what I came for – to save something for my children.  Well now for what I have done since I have been here – first I have paid upwards  of sixteen hundred dollars as security for me son W.B.  $1600.00 (2) also for John D. Thomas upwards of $500 (3) also for W.W. Johnson the rise of $300.00 (4) also for fees – clerks, sheriffs -- & witness $872.00 besides current expenses for I have to eat $794.00 making the sum of $4166.00.

 

Besides all that, I expected to die this spring with my sickness & made a will disposing of what property I had left as follows 00 to wit I gave to my daughter Patsey the farm on which she lives worth $6000.00 also a house and lot in town worth $3000.00 & to my daughter Harriet Johnson a home worth $6000.00 besides the mill I gave to them & to my daughter Betsey’s children 376 acres of land in this county below Gaspar River – say $20 per acre & to the children of J.D. Patillo a house and lot in Bowling Green & 200 acres of land in Goshen in this county & to the children of W.B. Patillo town property $7000.00.  Besides this I have sold land to A. Hayes on time with interest from date to the amount of $3500.  But a part of this I am hindered from collecting – because – Williams’s widow goes among the Negroes & tells them that at my death she & the children will take their homes from them so they refuse to pay – the negroes are so ignorant they know no better – but the lots stand good for pay….

I have not stated all the items in my will.  But all I have stated I have saved by coming here.  Also I have land yet in law worth $4000.00 & if I keep able to attend to the cases I will gain them & if not may loose them….

 

Now I think it my duty to stand & attend to winding up this business that is what I came to do … if I had not come back all of my children & grandchildren here would be renters or worse.

 

Now I think it pretty tough to have so many hard things said of me by the mother of the children I am at work for – I have made myself a slave for her & the children ever since the 10^th of January 1828 -- & have never received nothing but hard & bad words for my services.

 

P.S.  Now as the report that I won’t let her come here – or that I am not willing for her to come – that is all false, for I have frequently written to her to come – and especially when I finished my framed house in Bowling Green.  I then wrote to my wife to come & stay with me until I was ready to go back to Texas – I stated to her that I had finished the house 3 rooms the front room & middle room had good carpets on the floor – good stove in front room & the other rooms had good fireplaces – that if she should had choice of rooms either in the brick house or framed house – stay in town or in the country – or first one place then the other, as suited her best – that she need not wash nor cook, nor do any work of any kind – that I would get a nice buggy for her to ride in – that she might go to the store & get anything she wanted.  I would pay for it & give her money to put in her pocket to spend, & that I would furnish her a good servant to wait on her – that she should not lack for anything she wanted as far as I was able, & she answered she was coming.  I waited 2 years & she never came.  I now have taken up the carpets – rented out the rooms to negroes – they are now in said rooms.

Well Cousin Henry, I will say something about my late sickness – on the first of last February I was taken with the colic & a chill & went to throwing up & it took the doctor 3 days to stop the puking.  I was nearly dead when it stopt & I have had several very bad spells of it for two months – then I got better.  I was in town then, & got a woman to wait on me there until the first of April, then she went to Shaker Town to live & I went to the country & was again attacted with colic & had 3 or 4 more severe spells of it.  I went to your Aunt Prudy Smiths & she & Patsey waited on me but I have missed them for 4 weeks & hope to get clear of it – but if I get sick again I will try to get to Prudy Smiths to be taken care of.  I am in town again & have no person to wait on me there but Negroes & they don’t understand nursing bad cases of sicknesses & when I am sick, I am sick all over.  I live in the parlor of the brick house – Negroes in all the other rooms, but they pay slowly.  I will close for this time.  Write to me & let me know how this world trouble serves you, then I will answer.

Yours as ever,

 

D.J. Patillo 

 

Reading those letters just makes me sad that Davis no longer had the companionship of his wife.  Moving forward with the research, I discovered Survetus in records through the Library Special Collections at Western Kentucky University.  The following is a transcript of the South Union Shaker Minutes that mention him:

 

Thursday, 6 Jun 1822: Stone cutting The stone cutters began to cut stone for the cellar story of Center House - viz: Jesse McComb, Matthew Houston, Herban(?) E. Johns, Robt Wittiston(?), Davis Barnett & Survateus Patillo.

 

Tuesday, 8 Feb 1825:  Shingle making Taken from the South Union Shaker Community minutes:  Shingle making: Brethren went to Mill Point Camp to make shingles for the new office. Viz: John McComb, William Rice, David Barnett, Aaron Nash, Wm Small, Survateus Patillo, Milton H Robinson, Solomon Rankin & Casey Barnett.  Cooks David Smith, Magy Naylor & Fanny Lacy went up on the 11th to cook for them.

 

Wednesday, 22 Jun 1825: Backsliding Survetus Patillow runs off.

 

Tuesday, 19 July 1825:  Brot him back -- Samuel Whyte went in a Dearborn yesterday for Survateus Patillow who is lying very sick about 40 miles distant -- brot him back today.

 

Monday, 12 Sep 1825: Backsliding -- Surveteus cured of his sickness goes off again.

 

10 May 1866: Re-Admitted, Some two or 3 weeks since, Survetus Patillo was admitted.  He left here when about 16 years old - has raised a family is worth in property & money about $20,000.

 

Listed on the membership list: Jan 1867, Jan 1868, Jan 1869, Jan 1870, Jan 1873, Jan 1875, Jan 1876, Jan 1877.

 

19 Oct 1874: Returned home - Survateus Patillo who returned on the 15th instant -- has been some years trying to get all his wordly business settled -- went up to see to some matters in Bow Green -- got him this morning.  We hope he may, as he wishes to do -- spend the remnant of his days inside the fold.  He left here when he was a boy -- was considered one of the best boys of the whole flock -- I think he helped to lay the brick walls of the centre house before leaving has some property he wants now to the cause.

 

According to the family bible, Davis Jackson Servetus Patillo died November 4^th, 1877, and his estate was inventoried in Warren County, Kentucky in 1878.  If he was buried in the South Union Shaker cemetery then his remains were desecrated along with the 425 people buried there between 1810 and 1921 when the 4,000-acre farm was auctioned off to a new owner in 1922.  This individual destroyed years of the South Union Community history by razing several of the buildings including the 1818 Meeting House.  He then removed the fence to the cemetery and had the stone markers ground into lime for use on the fields and built barns over much of the cemetery.  The rest was used for crops.  A non-profit named South Union Shaker Village purchased the property in 1997  and removed the barns.  In 2009 the cemetery was surveyed by archaeologists at the University of Kentucky that revealed the original perimeter and used ground penetrating radar to identify individual grave shafts.  A new fence has been erected and a single grave marker erected to honor the individual buried there (Source: South Union’s Shaker Cemetery Grave Marker to be Dedicated, Kaelin Veron, The Logan Journal, April 2011).

 

Mrs. Mahala Smith Patillo died on August 7^th, 1889 and is buried in the Fairview Cemetery located in Savoy, Fannin County, Texas along with her son Trenton Patillo and his family.

 

Find a Grave image by Gary Hancharik

 He did not think when sowing those wild oats in his youth how uncomfortable the gritty oatmeal would prove to be for his aged teeth.  

Source: Shaker Sayings for Shaker Stories by Ann H. Gabhart, October 21, 2018.