Larry Wilson

David Wilson (1774 - 1851) and Jane Wear (Weir) Wilson (1775-1846)
My 4G-grandparents.
Married October 16, 1796, Greene County, TN. David is documented in Blount County between 1802 - 1817. Since Greene County was originally very large, it is likely that he did not move, but new smaller counties were developed from larger ones.

David and Jane Wilson are listed as number 3 and 4 on the list of original members of Mars Hill Presbyterian Church, Athens. The church record states that all original members had come to McMinn County from Blount County. The church record entry for David and Jane Wilson reads as follows:

WILSON, David - rc before 9/20/1832 and was ELDER at that time; dis 1/27/1840.
[David and Jane Wilson are Nos. 3 and 4 on 1832 list; were most certainly organizing members; moved to Meigs Co., lived with son George, and David died there 12/19/1851 in his 78th year.]

WILSON, Jane - rc and dis same as David, above.

There are other references to David Wilson and his church affiliation in an early Deed Book of McMinn County.
He and the other ruling elders of the Presbyterian Church purchased a site on which to build a new church.

Deed Book E. 30 Mar. 1837. William W. Anderson of Athens to David Reid, Wm. H. Deadrick, David Willson, W.W. Anderson, George W. Mayo, and Charles Bogart, ruling elders in the Presbyterian Church at Athens, said church known as Mars Hill Church; $300.; Lot No. 19 with its appurtenances to be used as a site for the erection of a house of worship. Deed Book F. 19 Jan. 1839. David Willson to J.W. Netherland - 101-1/4 acres R1 east of meredian, TS4,S17, part of SW corner.

In their old age, David and Jane went to live with their youngest son, George M. Wilson in Meigs County. They are buried in Beech Springs Cemetery near Cleveland.

James Wood Culton (1778 - 1863) and Margaret "Peggy" Weir (1782 - 1855)
My 4G-grandparents
James Culton - 1 son age 10-15 (James W.); 1 son age 15-20 (Alexander H.); 1 son age 20-30 (Hugh W.). McMinn County 1830/1840 District 3, 403 acres worth $1,600. Paid $2.40 in taxes.
Indenture (deed) signed August 13, 1837, transferring 97 acres of land from James Culton to "son James W. Culton."

From THE ATHENS POST, May 11, 1901 (special historical edition) James Culton came to the county and settled where Mrs. Netherland now lives, but later moved to Mouse Creek on the farm now owned by Charles Ensminger and from there he moved to the farm now owned by R. A. Ellis. He finally removed to Bradley County where he died in 1862, and was brought back to Mount Cumberland for burial, where he sleeps beside his wife, surrounded by a numerous posterity who have also fallen asleep. He was born in 1777, during the Revolution, and his wife was born in 1783.

Will proven April 6, 1863 (CR8 156) by Has Staples and John A. Thompson. (note: John A. Thompson is also my ancestor - 3g-grandfather) The Culton family belonged to the Mars Hill Presbyterian Church in Athens. James and Margaret are buried in the Mt. Cumberland Church Cemetery at Athens.

Hugh Preston Wilson (1799 - 1890) and Nancy Culton (1802 - 1875)
My 3G-grandparents
Hugh Wilson was the second child of David and Jane Wilson. Nancy was the first born child of James and Margaret Culton. One source suggests that Jane Weir Wilson and Margaret Weir Culton could be sisters. Marriage records indicate that the father of each was Hugh Weir. Hugh Wilson is not specifically mentioned as an organizing member of Mars Hill Presbyterian Church, and may not have lived in McMinn County at that time. He is mentioned in the church record in the context of his son David Alexander Wilson. It says:
WILSON, David A. - rc by ex 10/22/1842 at Beth Salem Camp Ground; 5/8/1847, repents for not attending ch for several months and is forgiven; dis 9/20/1852 [son of Hugh Preston and Nancy Culton; grandson of James Culton and David Wilson; removed to Mo. 1852] There are frequent references to Hugh P. Wilson in McMinn County record books between 1833 - 1882. He is believed to be buried in Mt. Cumberland Cemetery, but apparently his grave was never marked. A plot in the cemetery contains the remains of one of his sons, a daughter-in-law, and his wife Nancy Wilson. A date of death has not been established. McMinn County tax records show that he last paid taxes in 1890. Taxes for 1892 where paid by Mrs. E. E. Wilson, his second wife.
This following article was published in The Athens Post on May 11, 1901.
HUGH P. WILSON was born in 1797, and was among the first to settle in the county. He lived 80 years ago in the fifth district, in the house now occupied by William Watson, near the farm of D.R. Isbell. He removed later four miles south of Athens, on the old Federal road, where for many years he kept a public house. He was impaneled on the first jury held in the first circuit court at Calhoun. He lived to be 95 years of age and died a few years since at his home in the eleventh district. He had four sons, who located in Missouri. His oldest son, Mat, married a daughter of Joel Triplett of the twelfth district. His second son, D.A. is yet alive at a good old age at Scholten, Mo. John and William were the other two that settled in Missouri. The youngest son, Frances, died at Natchez, Mississippi, during the civil war, while in the Federal army. He left a widow who became the wife of M.P. Long, who served the county so long and faithfully as register. Patrick Wilson, another son, was married to Nancy Barnett, of the sixth district, a sister to W.C. and Steve Barnett. Patrick, during his life, had the mis-fortune to lose a lower limb, it being ground off by a threshing machine. He and his wife have long since passed over the river and their mortality rests in the Mount Cumberland grave yard. This article appeared in the the Daily Post Athenian , May 18, 1964.

The following information concerning the early history of McMinn County was taken from the memoirs of the late Professor R.M. Burke, who was the first principal of McMinn County High School. The first circuit court was held in Calhoun in 1820, Charles F. Keith, who came from Jefferson County and settled three miles north of Athens, was the first circuit judge and served until 1844. Among the members of the jury empaneled at this court was H.P. Wilson, who outlived all the others and died at his home in the eleventh district of this county in 1888, at the age of 92 years.

John A. Thompson (1803 - bef 1880) and Joanna Pierce (1801 - 1855).
My 3G-grandparents
John and Joanna were married in McMinn County September 5, 1829. John was born in NC and was the son of another John Thompson (1788 - abt. 1880). I do not have a lot of information on the Thompson family. Their daughter Louisa J. Thompson (1834 - 1870) married Wilburn Hugh Wilson (1830 - 1901) in McMinn County January 7, 1851. Their first child Harlon Hugh Wilson was born there in November 1852 (my great grandfather). In the 1930's there was a Thompson cemetery in McMinn County. John, Joana and some of their children were buried there. The markers and the cemetery have since disappeared. the only record is the inventory done by the WPA. The information, most with dates of birth/death follow. The birth date for the first John Thompson in the cemetery list below is 1788 and is the father of John A. Thompson. Myra (Minerva) is the second wife and Joe Anna (Joanna) is the first wife.

SURNAME FIRST/MIDDLE BIRTH DEATH COMMENTS
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THOMPSON JOHN ABT 1788 DIED ABOUT 50 YRS. AGO (1880)
THOMPSON MYRA NO DATES 1ST W/O JOHN
THOMPSON JOE ANNA NO DATES 2ND W/O JOHN
THOMPSON MARY
THOMPSON MARGARET
THOMPSON ROBERT
THOMPSON JOHN (John A. Thompson, son)
THOMPSON 2 CHILDREN CHILDREN OF WM. THOMPSON

Wilburn Hugh Wilson (1830 - 1901) and Louisa J. Thompson (1834 - 1870)
My 2G-grandparents.
Born in McMinn County, married in McMinn County - first child, Harlon Hugh Wilson born in McMinn County in 1852 - he was my great grandfather. They migrated to Barry County, MO in 1853 along with a number of other families from McMinn County.

Larry Wilson

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