Where did James and Malissa Sutton live? I have pondered this many times but began to try and locate their property once again after my return from this year’s Tennessee trip. I was very intrigued after visiting the Wolfe-Bray Cemetery as it would seem they lived nearby. Looking through some of my genealogy books was helpful as I discovered a hand drawn map of Thorn Hill in Ramblings from the North Side of Clinch Mountain, Pictorial History of Some Early Families of Thorn Hill by Betty White Martin. Pam Epperson and I drove along Indian Creek Road a few times to get to our family cemeteries. This area lies in District 1 of Hancock County as depicted in another photo of Hancock County.
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| Indian Creek Road in Hancock County, Tennessee |
According to the 1870 and 1880 census, the Sutton property was located in District 7, Hancock County, Tennessee and Peter Wolfe’s property was in District 1. I discovered an old map in the book, Hancock County Tennessee and its people, Volume II, 1994 that provides the location of its districts. Going back to the lawsuit that occurred over James’ property, the description of the 50 acres in dispute says its location was near the top north side of the Caney Ridge and continued to the south side where the property line joined Isham Sutton’s land (his brother). Unfortunately, I don’t see a Caney Ridge but I do see Caney Valley and believe to have a general idea of where the land was located.
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| Edited Hancock County map showing Districts 1 & 7 |
As I look at the terrain then I realize the Clinch River separates these areas. How were the bodies transported to the Wolfe-Bray Cemetery? Being curious about some burial practices, I discovered a thesis by an East Tennessee State University graduate: Stansberry, Donna W., "Burial Practices in Southern Appalachia." (2004). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 965.
https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/965. I learned that McNeil’s Funeral Home was the first to be established in Sneedville and that wasn’t until 1936. Up until then, most families took care of their dead at home. Few people were embalmed so the body was bathed and dressed then laid out with a sheet draped over it until the coffin was completed. Deaths involved the community and that included digging the grave. Problems could occur due to the mountainous, rocky terrain and dynamite was sometimes used to break through the rock. Can you imagine? The body was loaded into a wagon where it was pulled by a steer or mules to the cemetery and family and friends walked behind the wagon. Once they arrived at the grave some hellfire preaching would begin. How did they cross the Clinch? Perhaps by ford or ferry as the map below reveals some historical crossing information.
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Source: The Role of Ferry Crossings in the Development of the Transportation Network in East Tennessee, 1790 – 1974 by Tyril Gilce Moore Jr., University of Tennessee – Knoxville
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Now I need to revisit Sutton Hollow and find out if James and Malissa's home was nearby. Another day, another time.
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| Sutton Hollow Road near Sneedville, Tennessee |
There was a ferry near Pawpaw Church on Pawpaw Rd. In the edge of Grainger County near Hancock Co it wouldn't have been a problem to move a body across the river in that area. I remember Mom telling me about the ferry being there in the 1920s when she was little. Acording to that district mmap all of our families lived fairly close together.
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