1850 Census, Sevier County, Tennessee

The George W. Evans family is of more interest for my Anderson County research than for my Sevier County research.  They moved to Georgia for a numbers of years, and then moved to Anderson County, Tennessee.  Two of George's daughters married into my Peters family in Anderson County.

George's wife Susannah age 25 was really born in North Carolina.  The census image contains a place of birth only for the head of household, and we are to assume that everybody else in the family was born in the same state unless otherwise indicated.  George and Susannah appear to have been married in about 1840.  We are unlikely ever to know Susannah's surname due to the Sevier County courthouse fire in 1856.

Martha Jane Catlett was the daughter of Samuel Catlett and Hannah.  As such, Martha was the niece of my fourth great grandfather Benjamin Catlett.

Martha's husband was James Jefferson Brock.

Franklin Bryan was not one of mine.  He lived in Wears Valley rather than Dumplin Valley, and he was out of North Carolina rather than out of Virginia.  I wonder if he was related to David Anderson Bryan, who also was from North Carolina and who also was not one of mine.

One might suspect that Franklin and Susannah were married about 1835 in Tennessee, probably in Sevier County.  But 1835 was before the courthouse fire and I have not found an alternative marriage record (a minister's record, for example) that would give us Susannah's surname.

Mary C. Lawson age 3 later married Peyton Lewis Bryan.  Peyton was the son of Franklin Bryan and Susannah.  Franklin was not one of mine.  He was from North Carolina and lived in Wears Valley.  My Bryan family was from Virginia and lived in Dumplin Valley.

Mary C. Lawson was the daughter of James Houston (Red Jim) Lawson and Elizabeth Mattox.  The 1850 census does not identify civil districts, but it is known that Jim Lawson's family lived in Wears Valley.

Alexander Carmichale Black (Alex) Nichols age 32 was the son of John Jesse Nichols and Esther V. Hetty Black, and the grandson of Flayl Nichols and Nancy Ann Hatcher.  Flayl Nichols is probably the most genealogically famous Nichols in Sevier County.  He was a Revolutionary War soldier who fought in the Battle of Kings Mountain.  Flayl's brother John James Nichols Jr. was my fifth great grandfather.

Margaret Cunningham Montgomery age 23 was the daughter of William H. Montgomery and Elizabeth (Betsey) Winton.

Elizabeth G. Nichols age 2 later married Joseph A. Bryan.  Joseph was not one of mine.  He was the son of Franklin Bryan and Susannah.  Franklin Bryan was from North Carolina and lived in Wear's Valley.  My Bryan family was from Virginia and lived in Dumplin Valley.

1850, Sevier County, Tennessee, page 414a

I have three generations of ancestors in this census entry.

Margaret (Peggy) Scantling age 49 was my fourth great grandmother.  In 1850, she was the widow of my fourth great grandfather John J. Nichols III.

Peggy's parents are not known, and almost certainly can never be known.  She was an orphaned survivor of the Black Tongue poisoning.  Many deer died, and the dead deer all had a black tongue.  Theories as to the cause varied from food, to water, to actual poisoning by Indians.  There are slightly different versions of how the little girl was found out in the woods, but in any case she was adopted and raised by a Judge Scantling.  Wyatt Nichols believed that Judge Scantling was Cain Scantling who was either a son or a younger brother of either Jeremiah Scantling or William Scantling. Jeremiah served in the Revolutionary War in the Virginia Militia. William was a Sergeant in the Continental Army and served with Washington.  William was with Washington at Valley Forge.

Peggy Scantling's daughter Sarah F. (Sally) Nichols age 25 was my third great grandmother.  Sally had three children with a Mr. Catlett.  There was a Nichols/Catlett feud and a Nichols/Catlett lawsuit.  One result of the lawsuit was that Sally and her children used the Nichols surname rather than the Catlett surname.  Records of the lawsuit were lost in the Sevier County courthouse fire in 1856, and Mr. Catlett's identity is not known for certain.  The lawsuit must have been shortly before the 1850 census.  I believe that the father of Sally's children was James P. Catlett.  See the census entry below for James P. Catlett for additional details.

Wyatt and Clarissa were Sally's brother and sister.  Mary, Nancy, and John were Sally's children.

John H. Nichols age 8/12 was my second great grandfather.  He later married my second great grandmother Martha P. Reneau.  Their oldest daughter was my great grandmother Clarissa Loretta (Rett) Nichols.  Rett was named for her aunt, Clarissa Nichols.

Madison Cate age 24 was the son of my fourth great grandparents Joshua Cate and Elizabeth (Betsey) Wilhite.  As such, Madison was the brother of my third great grandmother Mary Ann (Polly Ann) Cate who married my third great grandfather Peters H. Bryan.

Martha A. Underwood age 16 was the daughter of George Underwood and Elizabeth Kymes/Kimes.  George Underwood was the son of my fifth great grandparents John Underwood and Mary Kirby.  As such, George was the brother of my fourth great grandmother Nancy Underwood.

Something is puzzling.  Madison and Martha were married 4 Nov 1847.  Their first daughter Elizabeth Cate was b. 30 Jul 1848, and Burl Underwood has Elizabeth's date of death as 8 Dec 1868.  So why wasn't Elizabeth enumerated in the 1850 census?  Allan Baumbach has Elizabeth's date of death as 4 Feb 1849, which seems much more plausible because that way she would have died before the 1850 census.

1850, Sevier County, Tennessee, page 416a

Thomas Simeon (Tom) Roberts age 7 married Nancy Elizabeth (Lizzie) Bryan on 15 Apr 1875 in Sevier County.  Lizzie was the daughter of my third great grandparents Peter H. Bryan and Mary Ann (Polly Ann) Cate.  As such, Lizzie was the sister of my second great grandfather William Allen (Will) Bryan.

Tom was the son of Phillip Roberts age 47 and Mary Odaire age 44.

William S. (Will) Catlett was born 3 Jun 1817, the son of my fourth great grandparents Benjamin Catlett and Nancy Lovelady/Loveday.  As such, Will was the brother of my third great grandfather James P. Catlett.  The fact that James P. Catlett was my third great grandfather is a bit of a guess, but there is evidence to support the guess.  See the census entry below for James P. Catlett for more information.  But even if James P. Catlett was not my third great grandfather, then surely one of his brothers was.  So in any case, it is extremely likely that Benjamin Catlett and Nancy Lovelady/Loveday were my fourth great grandparents.

Nancy Lovelady/Loveday age 50 was the widow of Benjamin Catlett.  Adaline age 17 was Will's sister.

Henry S. Catlett age 24 was the son of my fourth great grandparents Benjamin Catlett and Nancy Lovelady/Loveday.  As such, Henry was the brother of my third great grandfather James P. Catlett.  The fact that James P. Catlett was my third great grandfather is a bit of a guess, but there is evidence to support the guess.  See the census entry below for James P. Catlett for more information.  But even if James P. Catlett was not my third great grandfather, then surely one of his brothers was.  So in any case, it is extremely likely that Benjamin Catlett and Nancy Lovelady/Loveday were my fourth great grandparents.

Henry S. Catlett married Martha E. Andes about 1853.  What few documents I have been able to find about the Nichols-Catlett feud include references to the Andes family.

My third great grandfather James P. Catlett was the son of Benjamin Catlett and Nancy Loveday.

Sarah F. (Sally) Nichols was my third great grandmother.  She had three children with a Catlett man.  But there was a Nichols-Catlett feud, there was a Nichols-Catlett lawsuit, Sally and her children kept the Nichols surname, and a courthouse fire destroyed all the records.

Circumstantial evidence suggests very strongly that the father of Sally's children was a son of Benjamin Catlett.  Of Benjamin's sons, James P. Catlett seems most likely to have been the father of Sally's children.  There are two pieces of evidence supporting this conclusion.

One piece of evidence is the death certificate of John H. Nichols, which lists his parents as James C. Nichols and Sarah F. Nichols.  There was no James C. Nichols, and the reference to James C. Nichols was probably a reference to James Catlett Nichols who was really James Catlett.

The other piece of evidence is Sevier County warrant sworn out on 2 Aug 1851 by Sarah Nichols against James P. Catlett.  1851 is shortly after Sally Nichols and her Catlett man were broken up by the Nichols-Catlett feud.  That is, Sally's youngest child was born in 1849, and in the 1850 census she and her three children were living with her parents and using the surname Nichols.  I do not yet know why the record of the 1851 warrant was not destroyed in the 1856 courthouse fire.

Thomas Roberts age 6 has been a candidate to have been the Thomas S. (Tom) Roberts who married Nancy Elizabeth (Lizzie) Bryan in 1875.  Lizzie was the daughter of my third great grandparents Peter H. Bryan and Mary Ann (Polly Ann) Cate.  As such, Lizzie was the sister of my second great grandfather William Allen (Will) Bryan.

Subsequent research has revealed that the Thomas S. Roberts who married Lizzie Bryan was the son of Phillip Roberts and Mary Odaire.  Thomas S. Roberts son of Phillip was about the same age as this Thomas Roberts age 6 who was the son of George Roberts age 40 and Rachel Huff age 34.  I'm not really a Roberts researcher, but I wonder if the two Thomas Roberts who were about the same age were first cousins.

Samuel Catlett was the son of my fifth great grandparents Reuben Catlett and unknown.  As such, Samuel was the brother of my fourth great grandfather Benjamin Catlett.

The surname of Samuel's wife Hannah is unknown.

Mary (Polly) Catlett was the daughter of Samuel Catlett and Hannah from dwelling number 563, and the granddaughter of my fifth great grandparents Reuben Catlett and unknown.  Wilburn Mayberry Cowden Sr. was the son of Leonard (Len) Cowden and unknown.

Wilburn's sister Jane (Jennie) Cowden married Mary's brother Loftus Henry (Loftus) Catlett.  A brother and a sister married a sister and a brother, and the children were double first cousins.  Lofty Catlett and Jane Cowden were living next door in dwelling number 569.

Some transcriptions list the three year old son as Levi, but it looks like Len to me on the micro-film, and the boy's grandfather was named Len.

Loftus Henry (Lofty) Catlett was the son of Samuel Catlett and Hannah from dwelling number 563, and the brother of Mary (Polly) Catlett from dwelling number 568 next door.  As such, Lofty was the nephew of my fourth great grandfather Benjamin Catlett.

Jane (Jennie) Cowden was the daughter of Leonard (Len) Cowden and unknown, and the sister of Wilburn Mayberry Cowden Sr. from dwelling number 568 next door.  A brother and a sister married a sister and a brother, and the children were double first cousins.

John J. Gaut age 19 later married Margaret Angeline (Angeline) Bryan.  Angeline was the daughter of my fourth great grandparents Thomas C. Bryan Sr. and Nancy Cate.  As such, Angeline was the sister of my third great grandfather Peter H. Bryan.

John J. Gaut was the son of Joseph Gaut and Delilah Jones.

John Catlett was the son of my fifth great grandparents Reuben Catlett and unknown.  As such, John was the brother of my fourth great grandfather Benjamin Catlett.

The surname of John's wife Mary is unknown.

George W. Catlett was the son of John Catlett and Mary from dwelling number 651.  Lavinia Hodges m. George W. Catlett 22 Apr 1837.  She was the daughter of Edmund Hodges and Sarah Pearson.  Their son was Calloway Wilson Catlett.

 

Rev. Elijah Cate was the son of my fifth great grandparents John Cate Sr. and Mary.  As such, he was the brother of my fourth great grandfather Joshua Cate.  Susannah Underwood was the daughter of my fifth great grandparents John Underwood and Mary Kirby.  As such, she was the sister of my fourth great grandmother Nancy Underwood.

Joshua Cate and Elizabeth (Betsy) Wilhite were my fourth great grandparents.

Joshua Cate was the son of John Cate Sr. and Mary.  Elizabeth (Betsy) Wilhite was the daughter of Adam Wilhite and Missy/Patsey Batey.

Payne England age 14 was the son of Alexander England and Rachel Cate.  Rachel was Joshua's sister.  The enumerator did not list Payne's surname correctly.

Priscilla M. Cate age 70 was Joshua's sister.  In 1850, Priscilla was the widow of Michael Koontz.

Perry was Joshua's son.  Perry was married to Sarah Underwood, daughter of George Underwood and Elizabeth Kymes.  Sarah married first William A. Henderson.  George age 8 was her son George Preston Henderson and William age 6 was her son William Alexander Henderson.  Sarah and Perry were married 8 Oct 1848, and Isaac was their first child.  I do not know who Delly Dotson was.

My line is Mary Ann (Polly Ann) Cate who married Peter H. Bryan about 1847 and was no longer living with her parents Joshua and Elizabeth in the 1850 census.

Elizabeth Angelina Cate age 16 was the daughter of my fourth great grandparents Joshua Cate and Elizabeth (Betsy) Wilhite.  As such, Elizabeth Angelina Cate was the sister of my third great grandmother Mary Ann (Polly Ann) Cate.

Elizabeth Angelina Cate married Doctor Fuquary (Fuqua) Pollard on 9 Aug 1849 in Sevier County.  "Doctor" was his name, not his profession.

Thomas Aaron Hickman age 17 later married Margaret E. Bryan.  Margaret was the daughter of Ahaz Bryan Sr. and Mary J. (Polly) Webb.  Ahaz was the son of Thomas Bryan Jr. and Susannah.  As such, Ahaz was the nephew of my fifth great grandfather Peter Bryan.

Thomas Aaron Hickman was the son of John Aaron Hickman and Sarah Mulvaney.

1850, Sevier County, Tennessee, page 455a

George Underwood age 59 was the son of my fifth great grandparents John Underwood and Mary Kirby.  As such, George was the brother of my fourth great grandmother Nancy Underwood.

Elizabeth Kymes age 56 was perhaps the daughter of Mathias Kymes and a mother whose surname was Laudermilk, but I have not been able to confirm this information.  Elizabeth's surname was spelled variously as Kymes and Kimes.  Elizabeth and George were married on 16 Sep 1815 in Knox County.

Ira Cate age 19 was the son of Rev. Elijah Cate and Susannah Underwood.  Rev. Elijah Cate was the son of my fifth great grandparents John Cate Sr. and Mary.  As such, Elijah was the brother of my fourth great grandfather Joshua Cate.  Susannah Underwood was the daughter of my fifth great grandparents John Underwood and Mary Kirby.  As such, Susannah was the sister of my fourth great grandmother Nancy Underwood.

Malinda Susan (Lennie) Underwood age 19 was the daughter of George Underwood and Elizabeth Kymes.  George was the son of the aforementioned John Underwood and Mary Kirby who were my fifth great grandparents.  As such, George was the brother of the aforementioned Nancy Underwood who was my fourth great grandmother.  The net effect of these relationships is that Ira Cate and Malinda Susan (Lennie) Underwood were first cousins who married.

All other records for Elbert Cate age 6/12 spell his name as Albert Cate, and that's the way I record him in my database.

James T. Cate age 60 was the son of my fifth great grandparents John Cate Sr. and Mary.  As such, James was the brother of my fourth great grandfather Joshua Cate.

The conventional wisdom is that John Cate Sr. was from Orange County, North Carolina.  However, deeds have been found that prove that he lived in Washington County, Virginia before he moved to Tennessee.  The listing of Virginia as the birth place of James T. Cate is consistent with the Washington County deeds for John Cate Sr..  Also, DNA evidence has recently proven that John Cate Sr. was not closely related to other Cates from Orange County.  However, it is not possible at this time to eliminate the possibility that John Cate Sr. moved from Orange County, North Carolina to Washington County, Virginia before moving to Tennessee.

James T. Cate was probably not insane in the modern sense of the word.  Rather, Aurelia Cate Dawson reports that James had suffered something similar to a cerebral hemorrhage in his 50's, and that he was helpless for several years.  His brother Joshua invited James to share his home, but Joshua's wife Elizabeth Wilhite objected.

James T. Cate's wife was Elizabeth Lindsey/Lindsay, age 60.  James Baldwin (Baldwin) Cate age 28 was their son.  Some researchers report that Baldwin Cate's wife was also named Elizabeth Lindsey, but I have not found any evidence to support this assertion and I do not know what Elizabeth's surname was.  William Cate age 3 was the son of Baldwin Cate and Elizabeth.

Enyard Abraham Cate was the son of James T. Cate and Elizabeth Lindsey.  As such, Enyard was the nephew of my fourth great grandfather Joshua Cate.

Lavenia (Vina) Hickman was the daughter of William Hickman and Susannah Mount.

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 who was living next door in dwelling number 972.

Ahaz's wife was Margaret Callahan, daughter of Samuel Callahan and Milly Underwood.  Milly Underwood was the daughter of my fifth great grandparents Thomas Underwood and Mary Ramey.  As such, Milly was the sister of my fourth great grandfather Enoch Underwood.

Ahaz and Margaret had two children.  Samuel Thomas Bryan was born in 1844 and died in 1845.  Sarah Elizabeth (Sallie) Bryan was born in 1857 and died in 1898.  So neither child appeared in the 1850 census.

Peter H. Bryan age 32 and Mary Ann (Polly Ann or Pollyanna) Cate age 22 were my third great grandparents.

Peter H. Bryan was the son of my fourth great grandparents Thomas C. Bryan Sr. and Nancy Cate.

Mary Ann (Polly Ann or Pollyanna) Cate was the daughter of my fourth great grandparents Joshua Cate and Elizabeth (Betsey) Wilhite.

William Allen (Will) Bryan age 1 was my second great grandfather.  His death certificate says he was born 8 Sep 1847.  His tombstone says that he was born 8 Sep 1849.  This census entry suggests that the 1849 date is correct.

Thomas C. Bryan and Nancy Cate were my fourth great grandparents (direct paternal line).

Thomas C. Bryan Sr. was the son of Peter Bryan and Elizabeth (Betty) Hubbard.  Nancy Cate was the daughter of William P. Cate and Mary Enyard.

Thomas and Nancy were the parents of Ahaz W. Bryan (dwelling number 971), Peter H. Bryan (dwelling number 972), and William Enyard Bryan (dwelling number 990).

1850, Sevier County, Tennessee, page 455b

Rachel Narcissus Bryan was the daughter of my fourth great grandparents Thomas C. Bryan Sr. and Nancy Cate from dwelling number 973 next door.  As such, she was the sister of my third great grandfather Peter H. Bryan.

I do not know who George Keener's parents were.  He died before the 1860 census, so this is the last census in which he appeared.

This is Elisha Cate (son of John Cate Jr.) and Mary Elizabeth Newman.  They were marred 21 Jul 1821 in Jefferson County, TN.  Sarah Adeline Cate was b. 8 Oct 1823 d. Feb 1886, never married.  Mary Catherine Cate was b. 10 May 1825, had a child Albert McClain with a Mr. McClain.  Apparently, she never married Mr. McClain and her son Albert took the name Albert McClain Cate.  Nancy Harriet Cate was b. 2 Feb 1827.  I don't have a marriage nor a date of death for her.  Nelson Newman Cate was b. 15 Apr 1830, m. Margaret A. Scruggs.  Elisha Porter Cate was b. 3 Jan 1832, d. 22 Jan 1911, m. Mary Jane Drinnen.  William Caswell Crockett Cate was b. 1833.  I don't have a marriage or a date of death for him.  Rebecca Emaline Cate was b. 14 Aug 1835 d. 13 Jul 1895 m. Hugh Henry Moore.  Bradley Kimbrough Cate was b. 26 May 1837.  I do not have a marriage nor a date of death for him.  Henry Clay Cate was b. 2 Sep 1841 d. 10 Oct 1892 m. Mary Jane Johnson (Thornburg).  Albert was Mary's son Albert McClain Cate.  Albert m. Ann Elizabeth (Betsy) Johnson.

Thomas Underwood age 80 and Mary Ramey were my fifth great grandparents.  Mary died in 1835.  In 1850, Thomas was living with his daughter Margaret and his son-in-law John Douglas.

Thomas and Mary's son Enoch Underwood was my fourth great grandfather.  Enoch married his first cousin Nancy Underwood.

Thomas Underwood was born in Surry County, North Carolina rather than in Tennessee.  The census enumerator for Sevier County in 1850 often left the place of birth blank if it was the same as for the previous person.  The enumerator left blank the birth place for all the Douglas children, allowing the birth place to default correctly to Tennessee.  The enumerator then left the birth place blank for Thomas Underwood, failing to note that Thomas was born in North Carolina.

Samuel Newton Douglass Jr. age 16 married Margaret Eleanor Newman on 19 Dec 1861.  Margaret was the daughter of Jared Campbell Newman and Mary (Polly) Bryan.  Polly was the daughter of my fourth great grandparents Thomas C. Bryan Sr. and Nancy Cate.  As such, Polly was the sister of my third great grandfather Peter H. Bryan.

Samuel was the son of Samuel Newton Douglass Sr. age 59 and Mary S. Sellers age 49.

Lee Cate was the son of my fourth great grandparents Joshua Cate and Elizabeth (Betsy) Wilhite/Wilhoit.  As such, Lee was the brother of my third great grandmother Mary Ann (Polly Ann) Cate.

Nancy Elder age 23 was the daughter of Charles Thomas Elder and Elizabeth Underwood.  Elizabeth was the daughter of my fifth great grandparents Thomas Underwood and Mary Ramey.  As such, Elizabeth was the sister of my fourth great grandfather Enoch Underwood.

William Enyard Bryan was the son of my fourth great grandparents Thomas C. Bryan Sr. and Nancy Cate. As such, William was the brother of my third great grandfather Peter H. Bryan.  William was named for his Grandpa and Grandma Cate -- William P. Cate and Mary Enyard.

Amanda Keener was the daughter of George T. Keener and Margaret (Peggy) Harris.  "Eener" is a correct transcription, but George's surname was Keener.

I do not believe that Elizabeth Bryan connects to my Bryan line.  Given that she was born in North Carolina, she might have been a descendant of Morgan Bryan and probably was not related to the other Bryans in Sevier County.

It seems likely that her husband Joel Acuff was the son of Spencer Acuff age 75.  It also seems likely that she was the sister of David Anderson Bryan living next door in dwelling number 1014, and that her husband Joel and David's wife Fanny were brother and sister (see below).  One thing that looks strange in that regard is that Joel was born in Virginia and Fanny was born in Tennessee.  I would suspect that the birthplace for Fanny is incorrect, and that she was really born in Virginia.

David Anderson Bryan does not connect to my Bryan line, or at least not very directly.  He was enumerated in the 1840 census in Hawkins County, Tennessee.  I believe that he may have been the son of Alfred B. Bryan.

Given that David was born in North Carolina and that Alfred B. Bryan was from the same area of North Carolina as were descendants of Morgan Bryan and Martha Strode, David may have been a descendant of Morgan and Martha.  It is an open question whether Morgan Bryan and my seventh great grandfather Cornelius O'Bryan were related back in Augusta County and Rockingham County, Virginia.

Frances (Fanny) Acuff age 36 was the daughter of Spencer Acuff and Polly Simmons.  Fanny's brother Joel Acuff married David's sister Elizabeth Bryan.

James age 8 was James William Bryan.  Westley age 2 was John Wesley Bryan.

Enoch Underwood and Nancy Underwood were my fourth great grandparents, and they were first cousins who married.

Enoch was the son of Thomas Underwood and Mary Ramey.  Nancy was the daughter of John Underwood and Mary Kirby.

Margaret age 31, Nancy age 28, Ira age 22, and Joanna age 17 were daughters of Enoch and Nancy.  I don't know who Pleasant Smith was, but he married Margaret in 1862, notwithstanding their age difference.  Also, I do not know who Andrew J. Underwood was.

Sarah C. Bryan age 22 was the daughter of my fourth great grandparents Thomas C. Bryan Sr. and Nancy Cate.  As such, Sarah was the sister of my third great grandfather Peter H. Bryan.

Luke Lee (Lee) Henry age 24 was the son of Major Hugh Henry and Mary Upton.  Sarah and Lee were married about 1845, probably in Sevier County.  However, the Sevier County courthouse burned in 1856, so records from the time Sarah and Lee were married are not extant.

Samuel H. Henry age 13 was Lee's brother.

Leonard C. (Len) Cowden was the father of Wilburn Mayberry Cowden Sr. and Jane (Jennie) Cowden, both of whom married into the Catlett family.  Wilburn married Mary (Polly) Catlett.  Jane married Loftus Henry (Lofty) Catlett.  Polly Catlett and Lofty Catlett were both children of Samuel Catlett and Hannah.

Mary Catherine Thomas was Len Cowden's second wife.  She was the mother of Hannah and Malinda.  All the older children were the children of Len's first wife whose name is not known.

John Underwood and his first wife Mary Kirby were my fifth great grandparents.  Mary Evans age 64 was John's third wife.

John was one of four Underwood brothers who moved to Tennessee from Surry County, North Carolina.  They were all sons of my sixth great grandparents John Underwood and Margaret Jackman.  The elder John Underwood and his wife Margaret Jackman never moved to Tennessee.

I am also descended from the younger John Underwood's brother Thomas Underwood.  Thomas's son Enoch Underwood married John's daughter Nancy Underwood.

Joanna age 16 was the daughter of John Underwood and Mary Evans.  Hugh L. Underwood was the grandson of John Underwood and Mary Kirby.  I believe that Hugh was really 18 years old in 1850, rather than being 28 years old.  Hugh's parents were John Underwood and Jane Susan Guinn.  That makes three generations of John Underwoods.

Elizabeth McSpadden age 63 was the daughter of Samuel McSpadden and Sarah Key.  She was born on 10 May 1876 in Virginia.  In 1850, she was the widow of Allen S. Bryan Sr.

Allen Bryan was married twice.  His first wife was Elizabeth Hubbard and Elizabeth McSpadden was his second wife.

Allen was the son of my sixth great grandparents Thomas Bryan Sr. and Elizabeth.  As such, Allen was the brother of my fifth great grandfather Peter Bryan.

Elizabeth Bryan age 33 was the daughter of Allen S. Bryan Sr. and Elizabeth McSpadden.  Elizabeth Bryan age 33 was listed as Elizabeth Bryan Jr. in the Allen S. Bryan Sr. family bible because she had an older half sister named Elizabeth.  The elder sister Elizabeth was the daughter of Allen S. Bryan S. and Elizabeth Hubbard.  In 1850, Elizabeth Bryan age 33 was the widow of Harvey Underwood.

Malinda Bryan age 24 was the daughter of the daughter of Allen S. Bryan Sr. and Elizabeth McSpadden.  She married Robert Sneed 1850/1860.  The census enumerator failed to switch the surname back from Underwood to Bryan after listing Elizabeth Bryan Underwood age 33.

Similarly, the surname of Ashly age 21 was Bryan rather than Underwood, and she was Alcy Keziah Darcus Bryan, daughter of Allen S. Bryan Sr. and Elizabeth McSpadden.  The census enumerator misspelled her name as Ashly rather than as Alcy.

1850, Sevier County, Tennessee, page 461a

Dr. William M. Bryan was the son of Allen S. Bryan Sr. and Elizabeth McSpadden.  As such, William was the nephew of my fifth great grandfather Peter Bryan and the first cousin of my fourth great grandfather Thomas C. Bryan Sr.

Eliza Aramantha Caroline (Caroline or Carrie) Huffaker age 25 was the daughter of Wesley Huffaker and Frances Gist Randles.  The oldest daughter was Frances Elizabeth Bryan who married J. H. Kennedy.  The one year old was James Bolivar Bryan.

1850, Sevier County, Tennessee, page 461b

The enumerator misspelled the Clifton family's surname as Cliften.

Nancy Ann Clifton age 5 later married Hamilton Harvy (Ham) Cate.

Ham Cate was the son of Rev. Elijah Cate and the grandson of my fifth great grandfather John Cate Sr. As such, Rev. Elijah Cate was my fourth great granduncle and Ham Cate was my first cousin five times removed.

Nancy Clifton has been a bit tricky to research. Her father Thomas Clifton died shortly before the 1850 census. Her mother Susan Lowery age 29 remarried about 1854 or 1855 to Samuel Conner. The Sevier County courthouse burned down in 1856. As a result, there is no extant record of the marriage. The family was enumerated in 1860 with Samuel Conner as the head of household. But Susan's children with Thomas Clifton were enumerated in 1860 with the Conner surname rather than with the Clifton surname. As a result, many researchers have listed Susan Clifton's surname incorrectly as Susan Conner.

The main reason we can be fairly sure of this family history is that the 1927 death certificate for Thomas Perry Clifton age 3 lists his parents as Thomas Clifton and Susan Lowery.

William Ramey Underwood age 34 and Martha Langston age 30 were my third great grandparents.  Their daughter Malissa E. Underwood was my second great grandmother. She was not enumerated in this census because she was not born until 1855.

William Ramey Underwood was the son of my fourth great grandparents Enoch Underwood and Nancy Underwood (first cousins who had married).

Martha Langston was the daughter of my fourth great grandparents Jesse Langston and Fanny Martin.

The full name of Pleasant Underwood age 12 was Enoch Pleasant (Pless) Underwood.  He was named for his grandfather Enoch Underwood.