1870 Census, Knox County, Tennessee

I transcribed this census entry only for completeness in my search for data on my second great grandfather William Cole.  I do not believe there was any connection between Hase Cole age 47 and my second great grandfather William Cole.

I transcribed this census entry only for completeness in my search for data on my second great grandfather William Cole.  I do not believe there was any connection between this William Cole age 24 and my William Cole.

I transcribed this census entry only for completeness in my search for data on my second great grandfather William Cole.  I do not believe there was any connection between this Nancy Cole age 33 and my William Cole.  The members of this family were enumerated as mulattos, so they may have been slaves recently freed by the Civil War.

I transcribed this census entry partly for completeness in my search for data on my second great grandfather William Cole.  I do not believe there was any connection between this Cole family and my William Cole.  However, there is another connection between this Cole family and one of my families.

Sampson David Cole age 56 was the son of Alexander Cole who married a McNabb.  Thomas Lamar Cole age 4 was the father of Thomas Clyde (Clyde) Cole who married Ella Mae Peters.  I remember them as Uncle Clyde and Aunt Ella.  Aunt Ella was the sister of my grandfather Ernest Lester (Lester) Peters Sr.

Sampson David Cole was married three times.  None of the children of his first wife Eliza C. Anderson were still at home in 1870.  William, Eliza, Joseph, Rebecca, and John were children of his second wife Martha Jane Crawford.  Samual, James, Thomas, Laura, and Eveline were children of his third wife Nancy Jane Crawford age 39.

I believe James Bray age 26 was really Thomas P. Bray, son of Joshua J. Bray and Annie Hall.  Every thing else - his birth place, his age, his wife's name, and his wife's age - suggest that this was Thomas.  I know of no James Bray that this could have been.

Joshua J. Bray was the son of my fourth great grandparents John Bray and Jane, and the brother of my third great grandfather Edward Payne Bray.

Assuming this really was Thomas P. Bray, his wife was Mary Cloninger age 20, daughter of Daniel Cloninger and Mary (Polly) Wilson.

John Ingram's wife was Elizabeth Jane (Jane) Messamore age 45.  They were married on 28 Sep 1844 in Anderson County, Tennessee.

I believe that Jane was the daughter of John Messamore and Elizabeth (Betsy) Minton.  In some ways, Jane seems too old to have been John and Betsy's daughter because John and Betsy were married in 1827.  An age of 45 in 1870 suggests that Jane was born in 1825.  She was 24 years old in the 1850 census and 33 years old in the 1860 census.

The only other realistic possibility is that Jane was the daughter of James Messamore and Sarah (Sary) Heath (John and James were brothers).  However, I have accounted for all of James Messamore's children already, and Jane isn't among them.  Also, there was a female age 00-04 in the home of John Messamore and Betsy Minton in the 1830 census who is not otherwise accounted for.  So I believe that Jane was the female age 00-04 in the 1830 census.

Both John and James Messamore were brothers of my third great grandmother Anna F. Messamore, and the three siblings were children of my fourth great grandparents William/Wilhelm Messamore and Margarethe Elizabeth (Peggy) May.

Joseph A. Bray age 21 was my second great grandfather.  He married my second great grandmother Ferriba Salina (Salina) Moore on 17 Nov 1870 in Anderson County, Tennessee, just a few months after the 1870 census was enumerated.  Emilia (Emily) Bray age 36 was Joseph's sister.  Joseph and Emily were children of third great grandparents Edward Payne Bray and Anna F. Messamore.  Edward Payne Bray was living nearby in dwelling number 115.

John Daniel Wall age 40 was the son of Byrd Wall and Lucy Griffin.  Lafayette Jackson Wall age 15, Mary Jane Wall age 10, and Celecia Caroline Wall age 4 were children of John Daniel Wall and his first wife Ruth E. Dakin.

Emily Bray's first child Shadrack Edward Wall was born 1 Sep 1870 in Lenoir City, Loudon County, Tennessee, after the 1870 census enumeration.  So the Wall family apparently moved from Knox County to Loudon County between the time of the census enumeration and the time of the baby's birth.

Edward Payne Bray age 58 was my third great grandfather.  There are several records where is name was listed as Edwin.  Edward's first wife was my third great grandmother Anna F. Messamore who died about 1855, and Edward's second wife was Martha Patsy Sweet age 38.

Edward Payne Bray himself was born in Kentucky before the family moved to Tennessee.  However, I think of the family as being from Anderson County, Tennessee.  I do not know what occasioned the move to Knox County prior to the 1870 census, but Heiskell is in the north end of Knox County, just across the Anderson County line.  So the family may not have moved very far to get to Knox County.

The children listed in the 1870 census were children of Martha Patsy Sweet, all the children of Anna F. Messamore having become adults and already moved out.  The children's full names were Minerva Adeline (Adeline) Bray age 16, Elijah Walker Bray age 12, Samuel Judson Bray age 10, Malissa Jane Bray age 6, Hiley E. Bray age 4, and James Lafayette Bray age 1.  Greenburg (Rufus) Bray b. 1872, Martha C. Bray b. 1875, and Lily M. Bray b. 1879 were born after 1870.

Joseph D. Bray age 36 was the son of Joshua J. Bray and Anne (Annie) Hall.  As such, he was the nephew of my third great grandfather Edward Payne Bray.  Joseph's mother was living next door in dwelling number 117.  Joseph's father Joshua J. Bray had apparently died before 1870.

Eliza Louise Messamore age 32 was the daughter of James Messamore and Sarah (Sary) Heath.  As such, Louisa was the niece of my third great grandmother Anna F. Messamore.

Anne (Annie) Hall was the wife of Joshua J. Bray, and he had apparently died before 1870.  She was the daughter of David Hall and Obediance Braswell.  Joshua was the brother of my third great grandfather Edward Payne Bray.

The children were listed out of order, which can sometimes indicate that one or more of them or nieces were nephews or some such, rather than being sons and daughters.  However, I believe that all four children who were listed were children of Joshua J. Bray and Anne (Annie) Hall.

John H. Bray age 36 was the brother of my second great grandfather Joseph A. (Joe) Bray.  As such, John was the son of my third great grandparents Edward Payne Bray and Anna F. Messamore.

John's wife was Margaret Messamore, daughter of James Messamore and Sarah (Sary) Heath.  As such, Margaret Messamore was the niece of my third great grandmother Anna F. Messamore.

Therefore, John H. Bray and Margaret Messamore were first cousins who married.

Millia J. (Milly) Bray age 19 was the daughter of Joshua J. Bray and Anne (Annie) Hall.  As such, Milly was the niece of my third great grandfather Edward Payne Bray.

Abraham May age 40 was the son of Michael May Sr. and Catherine Detemer, and the grandson of my fifth great grandparents Thomas May Sr. and Maria Catherine Emerich.  As such, Abraham was the nephew of my fourth great grandmother Margarethe Elizabeth (Peggy) May.

Abraham's wife was Gilley Munday age 37.

I transcribed this census entry only for completeness in my search for data on my second great grandfather William Cole.  I do not believe there was any connection between James Cole age 28 and my second great grandfather William Cole.

Martha M. Key age 45 was the daughter of David Key age 78 and Nancy Bright age 70.

Martha married William Cole on 29 Oct 1867 in Knox County, Tennessee.  At the time of her marriage to William Cole, Martha was the widow of Warren J. Hyden.  The four Hyden girls in the census entry were Martha's daughters with Warren J. Hyden.

I believe that Martha was again a widow at the time of the 1870 census.  Which is to say that I believe that her second husband William Cole had died before the census.  I believe that George Cole age 38 was the brother of Martha's late husband.  I believe that William Cole age 24 was the first cousin of Martha's late husband William Cole and also the first cousin of George Cole age 38.

Furthermore, I believe that William Cole age 24 was my second great grandfather.  In order for this to have been the case, my William Cole would have had to have been enumerated twice.  He was already enumerated in Dist. 19 on 20 Jun 1870, living with his wife Vesta Clay (Vestie) England and his two oldest daughters Cordelia Rene (Cordie) Cole and Ida Rhoda Cole.

I believe that the land where my second great grandfather William Cole was living in Dist. 19 was owned by Martha M. Key.  There were Cole deeds for two adjacent parcels in Dist. 19.  One deed was for 50 acres purchased by William Cole.  The other deed was for 25 acres purchased by Martha M. Key.  I can't totally eliminate the possibility that the 50 acres were purchased by my second great grandfather William Cole, but it seems more likely that 50 acres were purchased by the William Cole who married Martha M. Key.  If so, then because of the death of her husband, Martha would have owned all 75 acres in 1870.  The census reports that she owned land worth $1200.

George Cole age 38 and Elizabeth Ann (Ann) Key age 38 were married in 1864 in Knox County.  I believe Ann was the daughter of David Key and Nancy Bright, so that two Key sisters married two Cole brothers.  However, the female in the David Key household in the 1850 census who was the correct age to have been Elizabeth Ann (Ann) Key was named Nancy.  In the 1860 census, the person who was the correct age to have been Elizabeth Ann (Ann) Key was named Elizabeth.  So if Elizabeth Ann (Ann) Key was the daughter of David Key and Nancy Bright, then her full name was Nancy Elizabeth Ann (Ann) Key.  I cannot eliminate the possibility that David's daughter of that age was just named Nancy, and that Elizabeth Ann was David's niece instead of his daughter.

Wesley M. Key age 52 married Catherine Ward age 36 on 27 Dec 1854 in Blount County, Tennessee.  Wesley was the son of David Key and Nancy Bright.  Wesley and his family are included only for completeness in this grouping of these three houses.

I transcribed this census entry only for completeness in my search for data on my second great grandfather William Cole.  I do not believe there was any connection between Thomas Cole age 60 and my second great grandfather William Cole.

I do not know who this Thomas Cole was.  The 1850 census suggests that he was born about 1804 rather than the 1810 suggested by the 1870 census.  His wife was Margaret Tillery age 75.  Sarah, Lettie, and James L. were grown children who had not married by the time of the 1870 census.

Sarah Ann England age 33 was the daughter of my fourth great grandparents Titus England and Elizabeth.  As such, she was the sister of my third great grandfather John England.

Elijah Foster age 33 was the son of Samuel Wallace Foster and Rachel Adkins.

Elijah Foster's first wife was Martha D. Moore, daughter of Austin L. Moore and Mary Smith.  Austin L. Moore was the son of my fifth great grandparents James C. Moore and Susannah Epperson.  As such, Martha D. Moore was the niece of my fourth great grandfather George Washington Moore.

Mary age 10 was the daughter of Martha D. Moore.  The remaining children were children of Sarah Ann England.

Henry Peters Jr. age 75 and Jane England age 65 were my fourth great grandparents.

Henry Peters Jr. was the son of my fifth great grandparents Henry Peters Sr. and Mary Wiatte.

The parents of Jane England are not known.  There were many Peters marriages with an England family from Virginia headed by John England and Vesta Zipporah (Zipporah) Choate.  Perhaps this Jane England was descended from John and Zipporah.  Other census years report that Jane England was born in Tennessee.  This reference to Georgia is most puzzling.  Perhaps she was from a totally different England family.

Susan Peters age 31 was the daughter of Henry Peters Jr. and Jane England.  Susan Peters was born 30 Oct 1838, and her husband Gabriel Winston Holder was born 19 Apr 1839.  Susan and Gabriel were married on 4 Nov 1860 in Anderson County.

Catherine J. Lacey age 9 and Mary E. Lacey age 7 were the daughters of John A. Lacey age 49 and Rebecca Murray age 34.  Catherine married William T. Messamore in 1886.  Mary married George Henry (Henry) Messamore in 1885.

William was the son of James Messamore Jr. and Susannah/Susan Ann (Annie) Altum, and the grandson of James Messamore Sr. and Sarah (Sary) Heath.  Henry was the son of George D. Messamore and Nancy M. Bradley, and the grandson of James Messamore Sr. and Sarah (Sary) Heath.  James Messamore Sr. was the brother of my third great grandmother Anna F. Messamore.

Sarah J. Minge age 10 married Phillip Hancher Wells on 20 Jun 1886 in Knox County, Tennessee.  Sarah died on 16 Sep 1889, and Phillip married second Ida Rhoda Cole.  Aunt Ida was the daughter of my second great grandparents William (Will) Cole and Vesta Clay (Vestie) England.  As such, Aunt Ida was the sister of my great grandmother Sallie Jane Cole.

Sarah was the daughter of Elkanah H. Minge age 38 and Holly A. Harmon age 35.  Elkanah and Holly were married on 22 Aug 1856 in Knox County.

Salina Adeline (Adeline) Huffaker age 36 was the daughter of Henry Huffaker age 65 and Mary age 63.  In 1870, Adeline was the widow of Thomas C. Bryan Jr. who had died about 1867.

Thomas C. Bryan Jr. was the son of my fourth great grandparents Thomas C. Bryan Sr. and Nancy Cate.  As such, Thomas C. Bryan Jr. was the brother of my third great grandfather Peter Hubbard Bryan.

Adeline's sons were William F. Bryan age 6 and Charles T. Bryan age 4.  William and Charles were mentioned but not explicitly named in the 1867 will of Thomas C. Bryan Sr. as "heirs of T. C. Bryan deceased".

Malinda Pratt age 6 married Thomas P. Bray in 1881.  Thomas was the son of Joshua J. Bray and Anne M. (Annie) Hall.  As such, Thomas was the grandson of my fourth great grandparents John Bray and Jane, and the nephew of my third great grandfather Edward Payne Bray.

Malinda was the daughter of Calvin Pratt age 49 and Elizabeth Reed age 41.

Michael Cate age 34 was the son of Joseph Cate and Sarah (Sally) Bailey.  Many records list his name as Michael Cate Jr. as a way to distinguish him from his uncle, Michael Cate.

Joseph Cate was the son of John Cate Jr. and Mary Ann Koontz.  As such, Joseph was the nephew of my fourth great grandfather Joshua Cate.

Michael Cate Jr. married first Ruth Lemira Langford, daughter of Rev. James Langford and Ruth Gambol/Gamble.  Ruth Langford's sister Rebecca Adaline Langford married Robert Reedy Bryan, and there are many Langford records in the family bible of Robert Reedy Bryan.  Included in the bible is a record of the marriage of Michael Cate Jr. and Ruth Lemira Langford.  Robert Reedy Bryan was the brother of my third great grandfather Peter Hubbard Bryan.

Michael Cate Jr. married second Jane Henry age 28, daughter of Albert Henry and Nancy Routh.

Fannie E. Lea age 10 married James William (William or Wilburn or Bill) England in Anderson County, Tennessee on 14 Jul 1875.  Bill England was the son of my third great grandparents John England and Jane (Jenny) Peters.  As such, Bill was the brother of my second great grandmother Vesta Clay (Vestie) England.

Fannie E. Lea was the daughter of James Crofford (Crofford) Lea age 46 and Rebecca Adaline Starky age 44.  Fannie's exact date of birth is not known.  She was probably born in late 1860 because Mary A. Lea was the youngest child in the 1860 census entry for the family.

Michael May Jr. age 54 was the son of Michael May Sr. and Catharine Detemer.  As such, Michael Jr. was the nephew of my fourth great grandmother Margarethe Elizabeth (Peggy) May.

Michael May Jr. and Nancy Caroline (Caroline) Gentry age 31 were married on 4 May 1870.  All the children listed above were the children of Michael's first wife Lydia Simmens.

1870, Dist. 19, Knox County, Tennessee, p 339b

William Cole age 23 and Vesta Clay (Vestie) England age 30 were my second great grandparents.

William Cole has been major brick wall.  I do not have proof positive, but there is substantial evidence that he was from Hawkins County and that he was the son of Martin Cole and Martin's wife Elizabeth Merritt.  Martin and Elizabeth therefore were probably my third great grandparents.

Vesta Clay (Vestie) England was the daughter of my third great grandparents John England and Jane (Jenny) Peters.

William and Vesta were married on 5 Dec 1865 in Anderson County, and they had moved to Knox County by the time of the 1870 census.

Ida Rhoda Cole age 1 and Cordelia Rene (Cordie) Cole age 1 were twins.  They are referred to as Aunt Ida and Aunt Cordie by many family members who remember them.  My great grandmother Sallie Jane Cole was born 29 Jun 1870, shortly after this census entry was recorded.

William Cole's land that was listed in the 1870 census as having been worth $300 was in the Beaver Ridge community on Plum Creek, just north of Beaver Ridge where Plum Creek flows through a gap in the ridge.  Modern day Lovell Road follows Plum Creek through the gap in Beaver Ridge, and makes a T-intersection with modern day Middlebrook Pike.  That is where William's land was, and is probably where Sallie was born.

However, I do not believe that my William Cole actually owned the land.  Rather, I believe the land was 30 acres out of 50 acres that had been purchased in 1867 for $500 by a different William Cole who was my William's first cousin.  I believe that the William Cole who had purchased the land had died before the 1870 census and that my William was living on 30 acres of it in return for paying the taxes on the 30 acres.  That's why he was paying taxes on land that was worth $300 rather than paying taxes on land that was worth $500.

The entire 50 acres appears actually to have been owned in 1870 by Martha M. Key.  Martha had married a William Cole on 29 Oct 1867 in Knox County.  She later paid taxes on the land and the land eventually was inherited by her four daughters.  Unless my William Cole was a bigamist who married Martha M. Key while still married to Vesta Clay (Vestie) England, there were two different William Coles involved in this story.  Martha M. Key appears to have been a widow in 1870, Martha M. Key appears to have been the owner of the land in 1870, her deceased husband appears to have been the William Cole who purchased the 50 acres in 1867, and my William Cole appears to have been paying taxes on 30 of the 50 acres in 1870.

The IGI has Ida and Cordie listed as having been born in the Concord community.  However, I suspect that the IGI information is based on the 1880 census, where Vesta, Cordie, and Mollie were enumerated in the Concord community.  Mollie was a younger daughter of Vesta, born about 1873.  I think it is much more likely that Ida and Cordie were born in Beaver Ridge than that they were born in Concord.

I transcribed this census entry only for completeness in my search for data on my second great grandfather William Cole.  I do not believe there was any connection between John Cole and my second great grandfather William Cole.

John Cole age 50 appears to have been living in a boarding house, and I have not transcribed the rest of the people in the household.  I do not know who John Cole was.

I transcribed this census entry only for completeness in my search for data on my second great grandfather William Cole.  I do not believe there was any connection between Martha Cole and my second great grandfather William Cole.

Martha Cole age 53 was living in the household of the Tillery family headed by Richard Tillery age 48.  I have not transcribed the rest of the census entry.  Because of the Tillery connection, Martha may have been related to Thomas Cole age 60 who has married Margaret Tillary.

I transcribed this census entry only for completeness in my search for data on my second great grandfather William Cole.  I do not believe there was any connection between Fanny Cole and my second great grandfather William Cole.

Fanny Cole age 81 was living in the household of the Nancy Ezell age 69.  I do not know how Fanny and Nancy were related, if at all, but this is the entire census entry.