1900 Census, Knox County, Tennessee

George Steward (Steward) Bryan was the son of my third great grandparents Peter H. Bryan and Mary Ann (Polly Ann) Cate.  As such, Steward was the brother of my second great grandfather William Allen (Will) Bryan.

Steward's wife was Mattie Rymer.  I haven't yet figured out who Mattie's parents were.  I know that Mattie had a sister Laura and a brother Will.  Mattie died about 1904, and it has been very difficult to find records of the family after that.

I believe that William Peters was the son of a Henry Peters and Jane.  However, this was not Henry Peters Jr. and Jane England, and I don't know who it was.

William Edgar Peters was the son of George W. Peters and Saffronia J. from dwelling number 651 below.  His wife was Clara Regina (Claire) Schneider.  I do not believe that there was any connection between this Peters family and my Peters family of Anderson County, Tennessee.

George W. Peters age 59 was the son of Nathaniel Peters and Mary Elizabeth Sharp.  I do not believe that there was any connection between this Peters family and my Peters family of Anderson County, Tennessee.

In the 1880 census, George's wife's name was listed as Saffronia J. Peters age 40.

This is a correct transcription, but his name was almost certainly Charles H. Peters.  The soundex index misspelled the name.  In any case, I do not know who this Charles Peters was.

Martha Ella (Ella) Elmore age 24 married George Steward (Steward) Bryan in 1906 in Knox County.  Steward was the son of my third great grandparents Peter Hubbard Bryan and Mary Ann (Polly Ann) Cate.  As such, Steward was the brother of my second great grandfather William Allen (Will) Bryan.  Ella was born in Jefferson County and Steward was born in Sevier County.  It seems possible that they knew each other before they moved to Knox County.

Ella was the daughter of Thomas A. Elmore and Emily A. Renfroe.  Zuba Jane Elmore age 38 was Ella's sister.  Zuba's husband was David Milton Dinwiddie age 38.  However, I have not been able to transcribe his given name from this census entry.  I'm assuming that Roe Elmore age 20 was Ella's brother.  However, the 1880 census does not list a child named Roe.  Perhaps Roe was really born in 1880 rather than 1879.

This image was very faded and very difficult to read.  The parts that I have succeeded in transcribing should be taken with a grain of salt.

Joseph Daniel Bray age 31 was the son of John H. Bray and Margaret Messamore.  As such, Joseph Daniel Bray was the nephew of my second great grandfather Joseph A. (Joe) Bray, and the first cousin of my great grandmother Mary Mahala Jane (Mahala or Haley) Bray.  Because Joseph Daniel Bray's mother was Margaret Messamore, he also was Mary Mahala Jane (Mahala or Haley) Bray's second cousin through the Messamore side of the family.

Joseph Daniel Bray's wife was Julia K. Manning age 21.

Beverly Gillis Peters was the son of Abraham L. Peters and Sara Rachel Phillips.  Lula Bell Monday was the daughter of James E. Monday and Rebecca H. Luttrell.  There is no known connection between Beverly Peters on the one hand, and Henry Peters Sr. or Tobias Peters Sr. on the other hand.

Elizabeth M. (Lizzie) Lett age 7 later married George William Ralph (Ralph) Nichols Sr.  Ralph was the son of Robert Russell Wyatt Nichols and Sarah Louisa Ida (Ida) McAndrew.  As such, Ralph was the nephew of my great grandmother Clarissa Loretta (Retta or Rett) Nichols,  and Ralph was the first cousin of my grandmother Ruby Priscilla Cox.

I knew Mr. Nichols as I was growing up because he was a member of my church.  However, I had no idea at the time that I was related to him.

Elizabeth Lett was the daughter of William Henry (Billy) Lett and Martha A. (Marthy) Chesney.

James T. Bray was the son of John H. Bray and Margaret Messamore.  As such, James was the nephew of my gg grandfather Joseph A. (Joe) Bray.  Also, Margaret Messamore was the daughter of James Messamore and Sarah (Sary) Heath.  As such, Margaret Messamore was the niece of my third great grandmother Anna F. Messamore.

Minnie E. Ault was probably the daughter of James Ault who was living next door.  I do not know how Alice Hayes fits in to the family, but she was probably a niece from the Ault side of the family rather than from the Bray side of the family.

George D. Messamore was the son of James Messamore and Sarah (Sary) Heath.  As such, he was the nephew of my third great grandmother Anna F. Messamore.

Drucilla Ellen Conner was George's second wife.  She was the daughter of James V. Conner and Hetty Karns.

Audrey C. Tindell age 5 later married William Elmer (Elmer) Peters.  Elmer was the son of Robert Asbury Peters and Mollie Caroline Cole.  As such, Elmer was the double first cousin of my grandfather Ernest Lester (Lester) Peters Sr. who was the son of Alva Edward Peters and Sallie Jane Cole.

Audrey was the daughter of William Lafayette Tindell and Cordelia Weaver.

Caroline Samsel age 67 is a person of interest because she was the third wife of James Allen Samsel.  James was married four times, and his first wife was Mary J. Peters.  Mary was the daughter of my third great grandparents John W. Peters and Ruby M. Smith.  As such, Mary was the sister of my second great grandfather John Henry Peters.  Mary and James raised Mary's younger brother and sisters after Mary's parents died.

I have Caroline's maiden name recorded as Caroline Wyatt.  However, I suspect that her marriage to James Samsel in 1886 was her second, and if so then I don't know Caroline's maiden name.  James Samsel of Morgan County filed for divorce against Caroline Samsel of Roane County on 11 Mar 1896.  The filing was dismissed on 15 Aug 1898 due the the failure on the part of James to prosecute his suit.  Both of them were enumerated in the 1900 census, and both of them listed themselves as widowed.  However, they clearly were still legally married, even if they were no longer living together as husband and wife.

Over and above marrying into my Peters family, James Allen Samsel's name appeared on many documents associated with my Peters family, most typically as a witness.

Adda Jane (Addie) England age 26 was the daughter of James William (William or Wilburn or Bill) England and Fannie Lea.

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 England.

Elizabeth (Lizzie) Matheson age 12 married Lester (Buck) Lane on 10 Nov 1906 in Loudon County.  Lizzie died on 3 Sep 1914, and Lester married second Janette Hazel (Nettie) Peters. 

Nettie was the daughter of Robert Asbury (Robin) Peters and Mollie Caroline Cole.  Robert was the son of my second great grandparents John H. Peters and Hulda Asberine (Asberine) Cross.  Mollie was the daughter of my second great grandparents William (Will) Cole and Vesta Clay (Vestie) England.  As such, Robert was the brother of my great grandfather Alva Edward Peters, and Aunt Mollie was the sister of my great grandmother Sallie Jane Cole.  Alva and Sallie married, and as a result Nettie was the double first cousin of my grandfather Ernest Lester (Lester) Peters Sr.

Lizzie was the daughter of Henry H. Matheson age 63 and Nancy Catherine Bailey age 42.  It was the second marriage for Henry and the first for Nancy.  Henry's first wife was Nancy's sister Rachel Bailey.

I'm looking for information about Robert E. Lee who married Mary Edna (Edna) Bray.  Edna was the niece of my great grandmother Mary Mahala Jane (Mahala or Haley) Bray and the first cousin of my grandmother Lola Ethel Williamson.

Robert E. Lee was born about 1904/1906, and I believe he was the son of Riley Lee and Mary.

Robert Love Peters was the son of Newton J. Peters and Margaret Ann Lane.  There is no known connection between Newton J. Peters and my Peters family of Anderson County, Tennessee.  However, I am mindful of the fact that several descendants of Tobias Peters Sr. were named Newton Peters.

The widowed stepmother of Robert L. Peters was living nearby in dwelling number 338.  Robert Love Peters was enumerated twice in the 1900 census.  One enumeration was at the workhouse where he was the superintendent.  The other enumeration was at home with his wife.  I don't know why he was enumerated at the workhouse.  Perhaps he had sleeping quarters at the workhouse for occasions when he needed to work overnight.

Thomas L. Peters was the son of Newton J. Peters and Margaret Ann Lane.  There is no known connection between Newton J. Peters and my Peters family of Anderson County, Tennessee.  However, I am mindful of the fact that several descendants of Tobias Peters Sr. were named Newton Peters.

Gertrude M. (Gertie) Porter was the daughter of Stephen Porter and Lucina.  Maggie Porter was Gertie's sister.  Apparently, Bessie J. Porter was Maggie's daughter born out of wedlock because Maggie was single rather than being married or widowed, and her surname was still Porter.

Margaret R. Seaton was the daughter of James Seaton and Elizabeth Love (it was Elizabeth Love who was born in Pennsylvania).  Also, Margaret R. 8334904 was the widow of William Walker.

Elizabeth J. (Betsy) Walker was the daughter of William Walker and Margaret R. Seaton.  Also, Elizabeth Walker was the widow of Newton J. Peters.  Newton and Elizabeth were married in Knox County, Tennessee on 13 Mar 1872.

Newton J. Peters was the son of Landon C. Peters and Amie Bennett of Carter County, Tennessee.  Elizabeth Walker was Newton's second wife.

There is no known connection between Newton J. Peters and my Peters family of Anderson County, Tennessee.  However, I am mindful of the fact that several descendants of Tobias Peters Sr. were named Newton Peters, that the father of Landon Peters was Christian/Christopher Peters, and that there was a Christian Peters in Greenbrier County, Virginia at the same time as Tobias Peters Sr. and Henry Peters Sr. (before Tobias and Henry moved to Anderson County, Tennessee).  Finally, Carter County is in upper East Tennessee and is on the immigration route from western Virginia into East Tennessee.  You probably wouldn't go through Carter County to get to Anderson County from Virginia (Carter County is too far up in the mountains), but you would go just past Carter County.

William Daily (Will) Peters was the son of my second great grandparents John Henry Peters and Hulda Asberine Cross.  As such, he was the brother of my great grandfather Alva Edward Peters.  Cordelia A. (Delia) Weaver was the daughter of George Weaver and Malinda Hunter.  Living family members who remember Will and Delia remember them as Uncle Will and Aunt Delia.

Mary Effie Oakes was the daughter of William H. Oakes and Myra Ellen Weaver.  Myra was Delia's sister.  Myra died between 1874 and 1880.

I don't know who Bettie Peters was.  Given her birthplace of Kentucky, it seems unlikely that she was a part of my Peters family.  The birth places of Bettie's parents were not listed.

Jane Henry was the daughter of Albert Henry and Nancy Routh.  Jane was the second wife of Michael Cate Jr., and in 1900 she was his widow.

Michael Cate Jr. was the son of Joseph Cate and Sarah (Sally) Bailey.  Many records list his name as 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 H. Bryan.

Joseph Ephraim (Ephraim) Cate was the son of Michael Cate Jr. and Jane Henry.  Jane and and several more of her children were living next door in dwelling number 45 (see above).

Ephraim's wife was Bertie Campbell.

Asbury Monroe (Monroe) Cate was the son of Michael Cate Jr. and Jane Henry.  Jane and and several more of her children were living two houses away in dwelling number 45 (see above).

Elizabeth Smith m.(1) Squire Joseph Sanders and m.(2) Ahaz W. Bryan.  The marriage to Ahaz W. Bryan was a very late marriage for both of them, with Ahaz W. Bryan being 69 years old at the time.  Ahaz W. Bryan was the son of my fourth great grandparents Thomas C. Bryan Sr. and Nancy Cate.  As such, Ahaz was the brother of my third great grandfather Peter H. Bryan.

The fact that Elizabeth was listed as having been married 3 years looks a little strange, but it is correct.  The 3 years refers to her marriage to Ahaz W. Bryan.  They were married in 1890, and he died in 1893.  Elizabeth continued to draw Ahaz's pension for his Civil War service (Union) until her own death in 1916.  Curiously, Squire Joseph Sanders had died in 1863 as a Confederate soldier.

Thomas P. Bray age 68 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.  It seems extremely likely that Thomas was 65 or 66 years old in 1880 rather than 68 years old.

Anna M. (Annie) Crowder age 33 was Thomas's third wife.  I have not been able to identify Annie's parents.  She died in 1910, so there is no death certificate available that could identify her parents.

Thomas married Annie Crowder on 25 Mar 1886 in Knox County, so the last three children are all hers.  Indeed, the census explicitly says that Annie had borne three children of whom all three were living.  The census correctly states that Sam and Lucy's mother was born in Virginia, but it says that the mother of James was born in Tennessee.  That alone would suggest that the mother of James was an earlier wife of Thomas.  But given the date of the marriage in 1886, the birth of James in 1888, and the fact that the census says that Annie had borne three children all of whom were still living, I believe that James must have been Annie's son.  Therefore, the places of birth for James should read TN KY VA just like for his younger siblings.

Robert Love Peters was the son of Newton J. Peters and Margaret Ann Lane.  There is no known connection between Newton J. Peters and my Peters family of Anderson County, Tennessee.  However, I am mindful of the fact that several descendants of Tobias Peters Sr. were named Newton Peters.

Hallie Winfield Prater and her brother Robert Edwin Prater were the children of George William Prater and Elizabeth Sara Brooks.