Category Archives: Families

Adams Family of Johnson County, TN

Posted on by

(Left to right): John Adams, Emma (Northington) Adams, Walter, Samuel, Wynn, Bruce, Jesse, Hattie (Brown), Edgar, (Mattie Pearl not in picture)

Benjamin Adams, father of John Adams, was born in Wilkes Co, NC in 1817. He moved to Johnson County in 1827. Benjamin married Rhoda Goodwin of Butler, TN in 1843 in Mountain City, TN. Nine known children were born to this union but only 3 lived to adulthood. They were Martha, Smith and John.

Martha married Thomas Blevins in 1873. Their children were Riley, Oscar Blevins.

Smith married Elizabeth Luttrell in Mountain City in 1875. Smith was a school teacher, blacksmith and wagon maker. Known children were Samuel (b.1877), James (b.1879), and Robert Stanley (b. 1881), Martha Ellen (b. 1884), Clinton Victor (b. 1888), Clyde (b. 1891), Annie (b. 1893), Glenn (b. 1895), Rhoda (b. 1899).

Glenn served in the US Army during WWI and was wounded in action and captured by the Germans and held prisoner for 5 days.

Rhoda was a telephone operator in Mountain City for many years.

Robert Stanley married Lillie Jenkins in 1902 and known children are Clarice (b.1904), Victor Kent (b.1906), Nellie Bryant (b.1909), Virginia (b.1909), Robert Stanley (b. 1915).

John was born in Mountain City in 1853. He married Elizabeth Northington, from Pandora, in 1873. John taught school in Johnson Co, for 43 years. The union yielded seven children.

Walter, b. 1879 who married Nora Wilson in 1904 in Mountain City and moved to Oregon. Their children were Ruth and Walter.

Samuel, b. 1881, married Mary Jenkins and moved to Kansas City, MO. Samuel was a railroad conductor for many years. Their children were Mary and Hazel.

Wynn, b. 1884, married Ina Underwood in 1906 in Knoxville, TN. He operated a grocery store in Appalachia, VA for years. His children were, John H. (b. 1907, d. 1923). Jesse (b. 1910, d. 1990), Wayne (b. 1911), Charles (b. 1913), Bertha (b. 1916), Hazel (b. 1917), Carl (b. 1919, d. 1988). Francis (b. 1921), Doris (b. 1925).

Mattie Pearl (b.1890, d. 1924 in Oakland CA). She married James Logan Gentry in 1905. They moved to Oakland, CA and their children were Gail (b. 1911), Gladys (b. 1913), Georgia (b. 1915), Grace (b. 1917).

Hattie (b. 1895, d. 1995 in Conyers, GA), married Robert Brown in Mountain City. Robert owned and operated the Mountain City Monument Works for many years. Their Children are Virginia b. 1914, Evelyn b. 1910, Earl b. 1923.

Jesse, b. 1893, went west and married Eve Franzen in 1916 in Tacoma, WA. Jesse worked for Union Oil Co. for years and bought a large fruit orchard. Their children are Ella Mae b. 1917, George b. 1919, d. 1964, Wayne b. 1924.

John Edgar (b. 1898), married Lucy Wilson at Mountain City, TN. Edgar served in the US Navy during WWI ans was in France. He and his brother Bruce operated a grocery store in Mountain City until 1946 and Edgar started to work for the Veterans Administration. Their children are Donnelly who resides in Blountville and Leon who retired from the California Department of Highways and now lives in Oregon.

Bruce M. (b. 1886, d. 1963) went to work on a wheat ranch in Washington and returned to Mountain City. He married Stella Mae Wills in Mountain City in 1917. Bruce bought the Benjamin Adams homestead and farmed it while operating a grocery store. In 1942 he sold his interest in the grocery store to his brother Edgar and continued to operate the farm. In 1945 he opened another grocery store and operated it until failing health forced him to retire in 1961. His children Mary Ruth and Lena Kate both died in infancy.

Walter Gail (b. 1920) married Eula Howard in 1942. He served in the US Army during WWII at Camp Lee, VA. He graduated from the University of Tennessee and worked for the US Government in AL, NC, and Ohio. He is retired and living in Fairborn, OH. Their children are William b. 1945, Joe b. 1950, Trudy Kittle b. 1952, and Greg b. 1953.

Paul (b. 1921, d. 1976) married Edna Rambo in 1949 in Mountain City. He went into the Merchant Marines in 1944 and was released in 1947. He worked for Tri State Growers and with his father in the grocery and feed business. Their children are Paula b. 1953 and Donna b. 1955.

Irene b. 1923, married James E. Shoun Jr. in 1941. James served in the US Navy in the South Pacific during WWII. He graduated from the University of South Carolina as a pharmacist and operated drug stores in Columbia, SC where Irene worked for the Gas and Electric company until retirement and now lives in Greenwood, SC.

Johnnie (b. 1927) married Margaret Coym in 1953 in Wheeler, TX. Johnnie went west in 1945 and enlisted in the US Air Force and served in Germany during the Airlift. While attending the University of Colorado he enlisted in the Colorado Air National Guard and reitired in 1987. Their children are Bruce b. 1958, d. 1980, John b. 1966, Rodney b. 1955, Brenda b. 1970.

Samuel (b. 1929, d. 1994) married Lois Ann Howard in Mountain City. Sam went west in 1947 and returned in 1949 and started working at Farmers State Bank. He enlisted in the Air Force in 1953. After discharge he worked again at the bank and retired from there in 1991 as Vice-President. Their children are Ronnie b. 1955, d. 1996, Samuel Jr. b. 1965.

Lucille b. 1930 married Ralph Glenn Apple in Cincinnatti, OH in 1953. Lucille graduated from Miligan College and taught elementary school for 35 years. Their children are David Apple b. 1955.

Elizabeth (Betty) b. 1931 married Raymond GArland, grandson of Matthew Garland, in Mountain City in 1954. Betty graduated from Miami University in Oxford, OH and taught in the elementary school system in Butler County, OH until her retirement. Raymond was Vice-President for a large machinery company until his retirement.

Worley (b. 1933) married first Jean Wheatley (b. 1936, d.1999) in Cincinnatti, OH. He married second Ann Hill in 1985. After high school and attending Tennessee Tech he served in the US Army at Ft. Gordon, GA. He was discharged in 1956 and moved to Cincinnatti and became an engineer for the Kroger Co. He also worked for Stroh Brewing and Belcan Corp. By his first marriage he had two sons, Steve b. 1960 and Ken b. 1962. He retired and moved back to Mountain City in 1998 where he and Ann operate a craft supply store.

Eva (b. 1935) married Max Brannon in Mountain City in 1955. Max served in Korea 1950-1952. He taught school in Florida for several years and became an Industrial Engineer for several companies. Eva works in school administration in Greenwood, SC. Their children are Michael b. 1957, Susie b. 1961, Bruce b. 1963.

Sources: Family Records, USD Census Records, TN Marriage Licenses

Contributed by:

Johnnie Adams

1837 24th Ave. Ct.

Greely, CO 80634

RAMBO Family – James Tipton and Elva (Shoun) Rambo

Posted on by

James Tipton and Elva (Shoun) Rambo: Born in Johnson county, his family having been among the pioneer settlers of this county, coming from Virginia. He was a farmer. During the Civil War he enlisted in the Federal army, serving as a corporal in Company F, Fourth Tennessee Infantry. He married Elva Shoun, who died June 25, 1910, in a train accident, at the age of seventy-five years. She was born in Johnson county and was a member of an old family of this state. They had three children.

Isaac Stacy Rambo was born in Doeville, Tennessee, on the 24th of July, 1871 and died at his home there June 29, 1923. He was the son of the above James and Elva Rambo. He was married in Butler, Johnson county on the 26th of October, 1898, to Margaret Coffey, a daughter of Captain Thomas Coffey of Watauga county, North Carolina. They had one son, Justin C., who married Willie McQuown Sutherland of Mountain City.

PIERCE Family

Posted on by

Isaac Pierce was born in Johnson county and was a farmer.  He married a daughter of John H. Stourt in Mountain City in 1878. They had seven children.

John H. Pierce was a son of the above couple. He married on the 14th of October, 1916, Ethel Snelson, a daughter of Ambrose Snelson, resident of North Carolina. They had at least two sons Lloyd and Franklin.

Miller Family

Posted on by

The Miller family which settled in the Johnson County area were originally from North Carolina. John and Martha Miller were the first of the Miller family to settle here. John was a farmer in North Carolina and the couple were married there and had one child, Haggai M. Miller.

Haggai Miller was born in Obids township, Ashe county, North Carolina, on the 10th of December, 1881. He became a teacher and was a postmaster of Mountain City, TN. Haggai married 25th of October, 1905, at Crandull, to Maude Shoun, a daughter of McClellan Shoun of Mountain City. They had at least two children, Haddon and Homer.

DELOACH, Samuel Carter

Posted on by

Posted by Javan Michael DeLoach on Fri, 26 Feb 1999
Surnames: DeLoach, Arnold, Arrendell, Garrison, Moody, Williams

Samuel Carter DeLoach, the son of Nathan and Margaret Atkins DeLoach, was born in the Siam Community of Carter County, Tennessee on 1 April 1844. He married his childhood sweetheart, Margaret Louisa Garrison, daughter of John and Eliza “Dicey” Loving Garrison. He was named after Samuel Powhattan Carter, a Civil War hero from Carter County who is the only U.S. military officer to hold the ranks of Army General and Navy Admiral.  Samuel and Louisa moved to Campbell Holler in Johnson County in about 1890. Their home and small farm was located at the mouth of the holler. He was a farmer, a carpenter, and a Baptist minister. Samuel preached at the Sugar Grove Baptist Church in nearby Butler. He was also a minister at the Pleasant Home Baptist Church near Laurel Bloomery. He was among a number of church members who built a new church when the first one was destroyed by a storm in 1893.

Samuel and Louisa’s home was a small, four roomed house, in which they raised their six children. Margaret, 25 May 1867-4 Jan 1916, married first David W. Campbell and second Millard Filmore Moreland. William Valentine DeLoach, 12 Mar 1870-21 Mar 1929, married Easter Elizabeth Grindstaff. Sara Fine “Sally“, 29 Jul 1874-17 Sep 1827, married John Linville “Jack” Church. Celia Abbie, 23 Jan 1877-15 Aug 1928, married Johnny Alvin Heaton, and they lived with Samuel and Louisa for several years with their children. Julia, 1 Oct 1879-13Jul 1910, married Winfred A. Chambers. Their youngest son, Joseph Alexander DeLoach, 6 Dec 1884-28 Feb 1961, left home in about 1905 and went to Oregon, where he worked on a cattle ranch near Dallas, Oregon. After several years there, he returned to Johnson County. At the age of 28, he met and married Dove Cleo Williams Arnold, 15 Aug 1894-2 Dec 1988, the daughter of David W. Arnold and Josephine Williams. They moved into the house with Samuel and Louisa, where their twelve children were born. Following the death of Samuel and Louisa, they inherited the small farm. Joseph and his family left Johnson County in 1933 and moved to Washington County, Tennessee. The property is now owned by the Stamper family.

Behind that small, four roomed house, there is a small hill which overlooks the entrance to Campbell Holler. This lovely site was chosen by Louisa to be the burial place for her husband Samuel, and she was later laid beside him.

Laws Family – James S. and Rosa Elizabeth (White) Laws

Posted on by

James S. and Rosa Elizabeth (White) Laws. They were married in Carter county in 1880, and had four children, two sons and two daughters. This was one of the first families in this area (Butler, Tennessee). James was born in Johnson County and was a farmer there. Elizabeth was the daughter of T. C. White, who served throughout the Civil war as a first lieutenant in the Thirteenth Tennessee Volunteer Cavalry, Union Army. The White’s were also among the first settlers in the area.

DAN M. LAWS youngest son of the above James S. and Rosa E. Laws. Born in Butler, Johnson County, Tennessee. He married Anna Kate Worsham on 25th of October, 1916, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W. L. Worsham. Mr. Laws was a Republican and a Baptist.

Robert C. Laws, Born 17th of January, 1884. In 1921 he was appointed postmaster of Butler On the 15th of September, 1907, he married Bessie Reece, a daughter of W. B. Reece.

Keys Family – A. E. Keys and Florence Hutchinson

Posted on by

A.E. was born in Johnson County, TN. He married Florence in Mountain City. She was also born in Johnson County (see correction below). They had seven children.

THOMAS R. KEYS: Fourth son of the above A.E. and Florence Keys. Born in Glade Spring, Virginia, 25 January 1898. He was Cashier and eventually Director of the Erwin National Bank. He claimed his political affiliation to be the “Independent “.  His religion was Methodist Episcopal.

Martha Keys added this correction to the Keys Family on Oct.2, 2003.

On the Keys Family page: Florence Hutchinson Keys was born in 1858, in Jefferson, Ashe Co., NC. Her father was William Waugh Hutchinson and her mother was Elizabeth Needham Hutchinson. I know this to be true because Florence and AE were my great-grandparents. My grandfather was George Graham Keys, b. 1888, in Washington Co., VA.

Thanks.

Martha

Thomas Jefferson Shonn and Amanda (Wagner)

Posted on by

Thomas was born in Johnson County, his family having come from VA when he was young. Amanda died in 1883. She was of German descent and also born in Johnson county of a family that were among the first settlers. They were married in 1870, in Johnson county. They had four children, three sons and one daughter.

JOHN BELL SHONN, M. D.: Born in Neva, on the 17th of August, 1874 the second son of the above Thomas and Amanda. He had a mercantile business in Butler, TN. and then went to medical school from which he graduated in 1908. He was married in Butler, on the 4th of August, 1898, to Rosa A. Stallings, a daughter of W. P. Stallings. They had at least three children: Anna Bell, Beatrice, and Mary Evelyn.

John enlisted in the Medical Corps of the United States army for service in WWI. He was discharged 26 May 1919 with a rank of Captain. He then returned to TN (Elizabethton) and set up a medical practice there. He was a Republican and a Baptist.

Butler Families of Johnson County

Posted on by

Roderick Random Butler was born at Wytheville, Virginia, 8 April 1830. His father died when he was very young. He came to Johnson County, Tennessee at the age of 19. He married Emiline Donnelly in Taylorsville.  Emiline was born in Johnson county, and her death occurred at the age of seventy-five years.  A brother of Mrs. Butler, Captain A. T. Donnelly, served in the Federal army throughout the Civil war.

Roderick studied law, and was admitted to the bar in 1853. Elected to the Legislature in 1859 and voted against the secession of the state in 1861. He was arrested by the Confederates three times for treason. In 1863 he became lieutenant-colonel in the Thirteenth Tennessee Cavalry. He served in Congress from 1867 to 1873 and 1887 to 1889. He also served twenty-two years in the State Legislature. He died in 1902 and is buried at Mountain View Cemetery.

Son of Roderick R. Butler: EDWARD E. BUTLER.; Mayor of Mountain City and a member of the law firm of Butler & Grayson. Born in Mountain City, on the 6th of February, 1864. Edward was the tenth of the eleven children of Roderick and Emiline Butler. He was married in Dresden, North Carolina, on the 6th of November, 1892, to Ella M. Baker, a daughter of John Baker of Ashe county, North Carolina.  Their children are : Delilah Emaline (died at the age of 4) ; William Edward, farmer in Johnson county; ;Roderick R., ;and Margaret, wife of Foster C. Brown (they resided in Georgia). ;Edward was the first mayor of Mountain City.; His religious affiliation was Methodist Episcopal.