The Relationship of the Peters Family to the Growth and Development of Burrville and Morgan County

I found this manuscript at the library in Wartburg, Morgan County, Tennessee.  I believe that the manuscript was authored by John W. Peters.  Please contact me if this is incorrect, and I will give the proper attribution.

The John W. Peters who probably authored this family history was the son of Absalom Barton (Barton) Peters and Mary Jane Wright.

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The Relationship of the Peters Family to the Growth and Development of Burrville and Morgan County
 
Just a few years after the United States achieved independence from Great Britain, there was born to Tobias Peters, in what is now Anderson County, a son who was destined to play a tremendous part in the development of the neighboring County of Morgan.  James Peters was born near what is now known as Clinton, Tennessee, on August 25, 1798.  His father, Tobias Peters, was an exhorter, or a local preacher in the Methodist Church, and the Peters home was often the scene of religious services for the entire community.
 
In 1823 James Peters married Rachel McCart, a daughter of Robert and Hannah McCart, who lived in Morgan County on the headwaters of Emory River above the present town of Gobey.  In December, 1828, James Peters was granted sixty-two acres of land in the western part of Morgan County, on which he erected a log cabin home.  The site of this home was about 1.5 miles from Clear Fork River near where the Rev. John B. Peters now resides.  In 1836 he was granted 250 acres and in 1838 he and Housley Human entered 1000 acres of land adjoining his previous grant.
 
The nearest neighbor to this hardy pioneer and his wife lived at Nydeck, near Glen Mary, which was some twelve miles distant.  James and Rachel Peters reared a family of six boys and seven girls on this homesite, several of whom were the forebears of many prominent Morgan County people of today.  The children were as follows:

• Tim Peters, who married a Frogge and migrated to Kentucky, where he became a leading Methodist preacher.
• Ichabod Peters, who died at an early age.
• Releford Peters, who died in young manhood.
• Millie Peters, who married an O'Connor and migrated to Arkansas.
• Elizabeth Peters, who married a Hutchison and settled in Kentucky near Kings Mountain.
• Martha Peters, who was afflicted with blindness and who never married.
• Tobias Peters, who married Mary Jane Wright, the daughter of the Rev. A. B. Wright, a circuit rider.

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• Clark Peters, who was a Methodist preacher at Burrville.
• Henry Peters who married Frankie Young, a sister to Dan Young, who was the father of Daly Young.
• Hannah Peters, who married James Davidson.
• Rebeccah Peters, who married Menan Davidson.
• Talitha Peters, who married Ben Greer.
• Caroline Peters, who married Will Cromwell.

To show the influence of James and Rachel Peters as it relates to present day Morgan County, a brief genealogy will be given.

Henry Peters and Frankie Young reared four boys and four girls: Rev. John B. Peters of Burrville, who married Lizzie Phelps; Andrew Peters, who also married a Phelps, a sister to his brother John's wife; Mary Peters, who married Sam Galloway; Celeste Peters, who married John Rosenbaum; Rachel Peters, who married George Lyons; James Peters, who died early in his youth; Releford Peters, who died soon after the Spanish American War; Minnie Peters, who married a Langdoc and migrated to Indiana.

Caroline Peters married Will Cromwell.  They had three children, two boys and one girl.  Laura Cromwell married Jim Galloway and they were the parents of Nettie Griffith.  Clark Cromwell married Tiny Johnson, who was a sister to John and Jack Johnson.  Charlie Cromwell married Lottie Stowers, who was a sister to Bud Stowers at Harriman.

Hannah Peters married James Davidson and they reared a family of eight girls and one boy.  Kisar Davidson married Dan Jacks.  Mary Davidson married Jim Johnson, a brother to John and Jack Johnson.  Jim Davidson married Sarah Owens.  Roxyanne Davidson married Sam Alexander.  Millie Davidson married Charles Rosenbaum.  Buckie Davidson married a Jones.  Frances Davidson married Will Hull.  Fannie Davidson married Henry Shillings.  Nina Davidson married George Young.

Rebeccah Peters married Menan Davidson and they reared a family of four girls and three boys.  Paraelda Davidson married Thomas Boumer.  Mercy Davidson married

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David Summers.  Patience Davidson married Rufus Jones.  Regina Davidson married Tom Morris.  Wilburn Davidson married Mary Jacks.  Hilman Davidson married Buna Scott.  Balaam Davidson married Sara Jane Keith.

Clark Peters first married a Jett and reared a family of three boys and one girl.  Clark Peters, Jr., was killed in World War I.  Oscar Peters migrated to Oklahoma and Virgil Peters married Ann Sherman and migrated to Oklahoma.  Bertie Peters married Gilbert Young.

Clark Peters, upon the death of his first wife, married Nina Wright and reared a family of three boys and three girls, Tim, Delta, Vinson, Vonnie, Estelle and Alphonso, all of whom want west several years ago.

Upon the death of his second wife, Clark Peters married Clara Cloyd of Johnson City, and they had one son, Cloyd Peters.

Telitha Peters married Ben Greer, a veteran of the Civil War, and they reared a family of four girls and one boy.  James Greer married Mallie Price and after her death, married Emma Dayhuff.  Martha Greer married Jack Storie.  Cynthia Greer married John Lewallen.  Delevine Greer married Henry Clark.  Caroline Greer married John Henry Price.

It will be observed that from this marriage of James Peters and Rachel McCartt, there sprang a great nuther of persons who have had a tremendous influence in the history of Morgan County.  Many of the grand children, great grandchildren and great, great grandchildren are today taking an active part in the affairs, not only of Morgan County, but of communities elsewhere in the State of Tennessee and the Nation.