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.

Week 4 (2020) #52 Ancestors: The Name

 With each generation, parents get the opportunity to give their offspring their lifelong label.  For me, it was an important task at hand and one that did not come without arguments from my better half.  My children are of Polish descent through their father and choosing a first name that seemed appropriate for their surname was important to me but the middle name just needed to flow with the first and last name.  Perhaps you can relate?  At any rate, as I dabbled in genealogy during my twenties, then I turned to the names in our family lines.  My son could have been a Paul, Lewis, Oris, Stan, Boleslaus, or George if I named him after a grandfather or great-grandfather.  My husband was extremely opposed to naming our son Stan and Boleslaus was not used in the U.S. and the other names just didn’t seem right so we settled on Nicholas.  I was given permission to decide the middle name without much argument.  One name stood out as I learned about my family so I settled on Evan.  The name has been handed down many times by descendants in my maternal Watkins’ family.  It starts way back in this country's colonial period! 

It was about 1709 in Maryland when my 6^th great-grandfather, Evan Watkins, was born.  He was most likely a son of Peter Watkins and Mary Griffith and became the founder and operator of Watkins ferry on the Potomac River[1] located between Falling Waters, Virginia (now West Virginia) and Williamsport, Maryland.  He transported many travelers including General George Washington who was on his way to Fort Duquesne (Pittsburgh) in 1755 during the French-Indian War.

Source: 1778 map, Library of Congress

Evan was married to Mary Finnicum who gave birth to four sons named Evan, Thomas, David, and Peter and three daughters named Jean, Ann, and Eleanor.  While living at his house (built circa 1741) known as Maidstone-on-the Potomac, he expanded the original one-room house so beds could be rented to travelers and supplies could be sold. His ledger book listed ferriage rates, blacksmithing charges, and the costs for refreshments such as wine slings, toddies, and “ciderloy.”[2]    

 

Maidstone-on-the-Potomac is listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.  

Photographer: Debry Becker Jones Source: The Historical Marker Database

Evan’s land deed granted in 1762 as transcribed by me:

 

The Right Honorouable Thomas Lord Fairfax Baron of Cameron in that part of Great Britain called Scotland Proprietor of the Northern Neck of Virginia To all to whom this present writing shall come Sends Greeting Know Yee that for Good Causes for in consideration of the composition to me paid for the Annual Rent herein after Reserved I have Given Granted & confirmed & by these presents for me my Heirs & Assigns do Give Grant & Confirm unto Evan Watkin of Fredrick County a Certain Tract of waste & ungranted Land on Potomach River in the said County & Bounded as by a Survey thereof made by Thomas Rutherford Beginning at a Sugar Tree on the bank of Potomach corner to Maidstone Common thence along the One of the said Common (land coordinates) three hundred & sixty poles to three red oak saplings corner to the common extending thence (land coordinates) one hundrend & nintyeight poles to a chesnutt oak near the head of a spring corner to Jeremiah Jacks line thence with his line (land coordinates) forty poles to a hiccory on the bank of Potomach River extending thence down the same (land coordinates) sixty poles & thence (land coordinates) three hundred & twelve poles to the Beginning containing two hundred & fifty two acres Together with all Rights Members & Appurtenances thereunto belonging Royal Mines Excepted & a full third part of a Lead Copper Tin Coals Iron Mine & Iron Ore that shall be found thereon to have & to hold the said Two hundred & Fifty two acres of Land Together with all right profits & benefits to the same belonging or in anywise appertaining except before excepted to him the said Evan Watkin his heirs & assigns forever.  He the said Evan Watkin his heirs or assigns therefore yielding & praying to me my Heirs or assigns or to my certain attorney or attorneys agent or agents or to the certain attorney or attorney of my heirs or assigns proprietors of the said Northern Neck yearly & every year on the feast day of St. Michael the Arhangel the fee rent of one shilling sterling money for every fifty acres of land hereby granted & no proportionably for a Greater or lesser quantity provided that if the said Evan Watkin his heirs or assigns shall not pay the said reserved annual rent as aforesaid so that the same or any part thereof shall be behind or unpaid by the space of two whole years after the same shall become due if legally demanded that then it shall & may be lawfull for me my heirs or assigns Proprietors as aforesaid my or their certain attorney or attorneys agent or agents into the of one granted premises to render & hold the same so as if this grant had never passed given at my office in the County of Frederick under my hand & seal dated this twentyfourth day of May in the second year of his Majesty King George the third’s reign AD 1762.

 

Fairfax

 

Evan Watkin’s deed

For 252 acres Frederich County

 

Ex of Thos Bry Martin

Just two years after receiving the land deed, Evan created his will on May 02, 1764. Proved, August 06, 1765. Frederick Co., Virginia.  Will Book # 3, Page # 298:

 

To wife Mary Watkins, 1/3 part of estate for her widowhood. To son Evan Watkins, all lands, paying to Evan Watkins, son of my eldest son Thomas, deceased, sum of 5 pounds. To son David Watkin, all my wearing apparel. Personal estate to be equally divided among my children, viz: Peter, Evan, Jean Watkin, Ann Lewis wife of Roger Lewis, and Eleanor Franks the wife of Henry Franks. Executor: Son, Evan Watkins. Witnesses: John Paul, Thomas Adams, John Champion.

 

The son named Peter was my fifth great-grandfather.  He and his wife Hannah (her maiden name is not proven and some say it is Lewis, Reynolds or Boone) settled in Berkeley County, South Carolina near the Tyger River and later moved onto Rutherford County, North Carolina where he died circa October 1801.  His will probated on 31 Jan 1801 lists the following children: David, William, Evan, Daniel, Esther, Nancy, and Ellanor.  

My 4^th great-grandfather is the son named Evan, born circa 1767 in North Carolina. He married Mary Ann “Polly” Dill about 1788 and the couple started their family in the Spartanburg district of South Carolina.  In 1810, they are enumerated on the Rutherford County, North Carolina census and finally settled in St. Clair County, Alabama around 1820.  Evan appears on the Early Land Ownership and Township Plat for Alabama, Huntsville Meridian (Northern Part of Alabama) along with Joseph Dill who is most likely a brother to his wife.

Source: U.S., Indexed Early Land Ownership & Township Plats, Alabama, Huntsville Meridian, Ancestry.com

Around his 74^th year of age, Evan passed away circa November 1840 in St. Clair Co., Alabama.  His last will and testament was found on thehennesseefamily.com website and transcribed as follows:

 

I, Evan Watkins, of St. Clair County State of Alabama, contious (maybe meant to be conscious) of the uncertainty of human life, and not willing to die intestate do now in the full possession of my faculties make this my last Will and Testament. I do hereby will and bequeath to my loving wife, Polly Watkins, all my real estate during of her natural life consisting of land and house where I now live, also one horse and two cows and all the house hold furniture and at her death to be divided between my five sons John Watkins, Philip Watkins, Evan Watkins, Jr., Bennet Watkins, and Green Berry Watkins viz the land at her death to be divided between my said sons as they may agree on and at the death of said wife, John Watkins, Philip Watkins, Evan Watkins, Jr., Bennett Watkins and Green Berry Watkins is to pay my son Willis Watkins each one severally of them the sum of twenty dollars which is to be his part of said land. I do further will and bequeath to my four daughters Rebecca Philips, Patsy Wesson, Frances Wesson, and Susannah Humphrey all my personal property and moveable effects to be sold and the money equally divided among my said daughters, at my death it is further my will and desire that my said wife, at or before her death, to give or dispose of all house hold and perishable property as she may think proper.

I do hereby nominate and appoint my two sons my executors viz Philips Watkins and Evan Watkins, Jr. of this my last will and testament. I testamony (unsure if "testamony" is correct) of the a will and testament I have set my hand and affix my seal this the 17 day of May 1834.

(signed) Evan Watkins (seal)

In the presence of
John F. Dill (nephew of Mary Ann "Polly" Dill)
Lorenzo Dow Whisenant (s/o Henry Whisenant, and brother of William Jenkins Whisenant)
Nanny Dill (wife of John F. Dill)
The State of Alabama Personally appeared before me, James Rogan, Judge of the County Court for said county, John F. Dill and of the subscribing witnesses to the forgoing
St. Clair County forgoing will who being duly sworn sayeth that he did see Evan Watkins, whose name appears to said will, sign, seal and deliver the same on the
day and date therein mentioned and that he did also see the other two witnesses attest and sign their names as such sworn to before me this 21^st day of Sept 1840.
James Rogan John F. Dill
Judge of CC
Recorded November 9th 1840 Joshua W. Hooper

 

Moving onto my 3^rd great-grandfather, Evan Watkins, Jr., born July 3, 1811 in Rutherford County, North Carolina and married Margaret Ann Brown on December 28, 1837 in St. Clair County, Alabama.  

Source: Familysearch.org

According to the Broadaway Family Facebook page, the couple remained in Alabama until 1850 or so then departed with a wagon train of 11 families who were headed to Arkansas. They settled near an area now known as Jonesboro. Evan Watkins of Big Creed Township was awarded the contract for clearing away the brush and trees for the townsite” (Mr. Harry Lee William’s “History of Craighead County,” page 179; published in 1930 copyright 1932).  

 

As with many southerners of large farms during this time period, Evan is on the 1850 slave schedule that listed a male and female, and the 1860 slave schedule listed one 28 year old Black female.  The outcome of the Civil War may have affected their way of life in many ways such as the loss of two sons who fought for the Confederacy.  Miller Watkins born in 1843 died at Ft. Pillow in Tennessee and John born circa 1840 and died July 4, 1863.  In addition to these sons, there were an additional 11 offspring named James, Eliza, Joseph, Nancy, David, Marzee, Ross, Payton, Unity, Marion, and Cordelia.  Whew!

 

Evan’s investment in a cotton gin turned out to be profitable as his fee to his neighbors was one pound of lint for every ten pounds of lint ginned.  He often had enough bales to ship his cotton to the New Orleans Market via Jackson Port located on the White River in Arkansas.  It is said he sometimes accompanied his goods to New Orleans.

Source: Jacksonhistory.net

Evan died on February 28, 1891 and I have not located a will but his son Payton Ryan Watkins handled the sale of his land to pay debts owed, etc.  Evan was laid to rest in the Herman Cemetery in Jonesboro, Arkansas. 

Evan Watkins, Jr.  Source: Photo provided by Jvhyde-1, member, Ancestry.com

David Watkins was the seventh child born to Evan and Margaret on June 3, 1847 in St. Clair County, Alabama and my 2x’s great-grandfather.  He followed in the footsteps of his father making a living as a farmer in Craighead County, Arkansas and married his first wife, Sarah Ellen Burns, around 1867.   They had seven to eight children that included a son named John Evan but he was not my great-grandfather.  

Their firstborn son James Andrew Watkins (known as Andrew) was my great-grandfather.  His other siblings were Missouri Emma, Elbert Houston, William Autman, Joseph Warner, Mary Ollie, and Pearl Victoria, and maybe a daughter named Zina.  After the death of Sarah in 1886, David married Mrs. Susan Gambill nee Harden who gave birth to another daughter named Cora Caldonia.  David lived most of his life in Arkansas then moved to Wall, Stephens, Oklahoma and lived with his daughter Pearl and her husband Ben Horn.  He died April 10, 1934 and is buried with many family members in the Marlow Cemetery in Stephens County, Oklahoma.

David Watkins  Source: Photo provided by Allanfain54, member, Ancestry.com

Great-grandfather Andrew came into this world on January 18, 1870 in Craighead County, Arkansas and did not marry until the age of 30.  Edith Ellen Puckett became his wife on December 23, 1900 in Jonesboro, Craighead, Arkansas.  Around 1910, the couple moved their boys named Lloyd Everett, Nathan Francis, and Oris Lavell to Wall, Stephens, Oklahoma to farm in the newly formed state of Oklahoma.  The 1910 census recorded that Andrew and Edith were renting the farm.  The couple had another son named Audie Brent who died while they were living in Arkansas.   Five daughters were born after the move to Oklahoma named Odell Vivian, Burnice Susan, Loda Deola, Venita Florence, and Lois (my mother’s namesake who, I believe, died very young).  

 

Watkins’ Family 1^st row (left to right): Oris, Venita, Loda, Odell.  2^nd row (left to right): Lloyd, James Andrew, Edith, and Nathan. Taken before 1947 as their daughter Venita passed away that year.

Although Andrew eventually owned his farm in Wall, Oklahoma, he lost it during the Great Depression.  Andrew lived to be 95 years old and his obituary was published on September 5, 1965 in 

The Lawton Constitution & Morning Press:

 

Marlow (Special) – Services for James Andrew Watkins, 95, who died Thursday after a year’s illness, were Saturday 2 p.m. in the Callaway-Smith Funeral Home chapel.  Rev. Richard Moody, pastor of the First Baptist Church, officiated.  Burial was in Marlow Cemetery.

 

Mr. Watkins was born Jan. 18, 1870, in Jonesboro, Ark.  He had lived in Marlow since 1907.  He married Edith Ellen Puckett in Jonesboro Dec. 23, 1901.  He was a retired farmer.

 

Survivors include three sons, Lloyd and Orris of Marlow, and Nathan, Oklahoma City; three daughters, Mrs. Frances Etier, Marlow; Mrs. Roy Barnes, Oklahoma City, and Mrs. M. R. Fisher, Chattanooga; a brother, W. A. Marlow; two sisters, Mrs. Ollie Fain, Michigan, and Mrs. Cora Hill, Marvel, Ark.; 24 grandchildren and 35 great-grandchildren.

Oris, my grandfather, married Clellie Ruth Winchester on January 2, 1923 and began struggling with mental health issues in his twenties as he suffered from schizophrenia.  My grandfather tried to work but it was a struggle for him.  The family eventually moved away from the Marlow area and settled near Tinker Air Force Base in Midwest City, Oklahoma only to have their home demolished by a tornado on April 12, 1945.  The tornado claimed 8 lives and injured 200.  It was an F4 rated tornado that started near the Cleveland county line and destroyed over 160 homes in the communities of Valley Brook, Del City, and Choctaw.  Most fatalities were family members of military personal at Tinker Air Force Base (Source: April 12, 1945 tornadoes).  That day became known as the tornado outbreak of April 1945 and was overshadowed by the death of President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

 

My grandmother Clellie’s health was failing by 1947 and Oris checked her into the Capital Hill Hospital where she died at the age of 44 from uterine cancer.  This was a turmulteous time for my mother and her siblings and their father was not capable of caring for them.  Oris lived to be 74 years old but most of those years were spent in a Marlow nursing home.  Lloyd Watkins, Oris’ older brother, was able to get monetary assistance and health care for grandpa.  Mom took me to see my grandfather once at the nursing home when I was 13 or 14 years old.  I doubt he knew we were there but he was awake and sitting “Indian style” on his bed while smoking a cigarette.  He passed on July 9, 1979 and his children met at the Marlow Cemetery to reflect on his life and enjoy each other's company.

Oris' children arranged from youngest to oldest (left to right): Larry Dean, Coy Lynn, Cleta Joy, Benny Lavell, Hazel Loree, Mary Alice, Lois Maurine, and Melba Fern (Source: LBposse, member, Ancestry.com)

This group added another generation of men named Evan.  So what does the name mean?  According to Wikipedia, it is a Welsh name derived from "lefan", a form of John and means "Yahweh is gracious";  "Young Warrior" in Gaelic; "Right-handed" in Scots; and "Good messenger/Good man" in Greek.  

 

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[1] A Newcomer to Maryland Discovers his Deep Family Roots in the Old Line State, Brent Evan Newton.

[2] “The Great Wagon Road”, Parke Rouse, Jr., p. 68-69