Cocke County, TNGenWeb
Ford Family

Submitted by Brenda Schwall

THE FORD FAMILY

Our branch of the Ford family descends from John T. Ford who was born somewhere between 1770 and 1780 in North Carolina. His wife's name was Anna and census records have her born between 1780 and 1795, probably closer to 1790. John T. appears in what is now the Beaverdam Township (near Canton) in Haywood County, North Carolina in 1805. At the time, this was part of Buncombe County and before that it was part of Burke County. Early records can be found in all three. There is also a deed in 1801 in Buncombe for Benjamin Ford and others. John T.'s deeds were always for land on the Pigeon River which crosses the entire county from South to North. His will written 1 April 1833, registered Oct 5 1871, lists his children as Tipton, Benjamin Jackson, William C., George W., James W., and some minors not listed. Later deeds indicate that these minor children were Telitha, Jane E., Doctor Burton and Joseph and possibly a Sarah.

Tipton married Eleanor Howell in 1825 and moved to Cocke County, TN. Benjamin Jackson and James came too and married Mantooth girls from Cocke County. Doctor Burton, Joseph and Jane stayed in Haywood County with their mother through at least 1870. Joseph died there in 1897 and has descendants there today.

Children of John T. and Anna Ford:

  • 1. Tipton Ford (1804/1810 -) m. 21 April 1825, Haywood County, NC Eleanor Howell (1805 -) daughter of Henry Howell and the grand-daughter of Joseph and Margaret Garmon Howell.1830 census has 3 males and 1 female under 5.

Benjamin and Nancy Mantooth Ford1

This photo is of Benjamin and Nancy Mantooth Ford.
  • 2. Benjamin Jackson Ford (1805 - 6 Sept 1890) m. 24 May 1836 Nancy Mantooth (1817 - 1907)
    • A. John Tipton Ford (12 Mar 1837 - 18 Sept 1924) m. (1) 12 Aug 1856 (Cocke County, TN) Rhoda Raines (14 Aug 1837 - 18 Sept 1888) 11 children (2) 13 Dec 1891 (Cocke County, TN) Elizabeth Willis (1872 - 1938) 4 sons
    • B. Sarah Ford (26 Oct 1838 - 28 Oct 1929) m. Reuben Black (?/26/1833 - 18 Mar 1907)
    • C. Anna Jane Ford (12 Nov 1840 - 18 Sept 1920 m. Joel Smith
    • D. James Lillard Ford (229 Dec 1842 - 13 June 1911) m. Mary Jane Cates
    • E. Nancy Eveline Ford (15 April 1845 - 4 Nov 1923) m. Isaac Abiga Cates, Sr. (25 Jan 1846 -)
    • F. Margaret Ford (27 Oct 1847 - 8 Feb 1908) m. Clark Shelton
    • G. Mary Polly Ford (7 Jan 1852 - 29 Oct 1922) m. Nathan Davis
    • H. Lettie C. Ford (19 Dec 1853 - 3 April 1947) m. Will McGaha
    • I. William Burton Ford (10 Mar 1856 - 5 Nov 1837) m. Ellen Teague (6 Aug 1862 -)
    • J. Reuban Turner Ford (8 April 1858 - 1 Mar 1898) m. (1) Harriet Hopkins (6 Dec 1860-20 Nov 1909) (2) Nola Clark
    • K. Joseph Tipton Ford (30 April 1860 - 9 Sept 1887) m. 18 Oct 1882 Cynthia Jane Clark
    • L. Isaac Greenville Ford ( 25 Jan 1865 - 18 April 1954) m. 6 Jan 1884 Cynthia Jane Smith (11 Mar 1887-6 April 1956)
  • 3. William C. Ford (1810/1820 -) m. 22 Sept 1841 Sarah Best
  • 4. George W. Ford (1810/1820 -)
  • 5. James W. Ford m. Elizabeth Mantooth. See his separate section
  • 6. Joseph P. Ford (30 May 1818 - 30 May 1897) m. 30 March 1842, Haywood County, NC Eliza Roberson (11 Jan 1822 - 26 Feb 1908). 1900 census states that Eliza Ford, 78, living with her son-in-law, Richmond Harris, had given birth to ten children, eight of whom were still living.
    • A. Charity M. Ford (1843 -)
    • B. Henry E. Ford (1846 -)
    • C. William P. Ford (1848 -) m. Sarah Wines c. 1872. 1900 census states they had been married for 28 years and had given birth to 14 children, 13 of whom were still alive.
      • 1) Julia Ford (20 Oct 1871 - 20 Mary 1913) m. Manson Harris
      • 2) Rhonie Ford? (15 Dec 1873 - 14 Feb 1934) This is based on tombstone in Old Thickety Cemetery. The 1880 census has a 6 year old female whose name is illegible.
      • 3) William G. Ford (1876 - )
      • 4) James M. Ford (1878 - )
      • 5) Joseph Ford (Oct 1879 - )
      • 6) Sophia Ford (1 Jan 1882 - 5 Sept 1944) m. Robert Ellis Cowan? (5 Jan 1870 - 22 Feb 1967)
      • 7) John Thomas Ford (5 June 1883 - 2 Mar 1946)
      • 8) Albert L. Ford (Oct 1885? - )
      • 9) Pearl L. Ford (20 Feb 1887 - 25 April 1955) m. Albert W. Warren? (9 Feb 1882 - 7 Jan 1928)
      • 10) Floyd A Ford (Apr 1890 - )
      • 11) Benjamiin H. Ford (23 April 1892 - 18 Oct 1946)
      • 12) Bertha Ford (15 July 1895 - 20 Sept 1912) never married
      • 13) Lora R. Ford (29 Mar 1898 - 25 Nov 1970) m. George Dewey Holland? (11 May 1900 - 16 July 1935)
      • 14) ?
    • D. Mary A. Ford (1851 - E. James M. Ford (1853 - ) m. Mary G. (28 Mar 1867 - 25 Oct 1909). 1900 census states they had been married for 15 years and had given birth to 7 children, 6 of whom were still living. There are probably others.
      • 1) Yasonia? (f) (May 1888 - )
      • 2) Ellern T.? (f) (Feb 1891 - ) (there is a tombstone for an Allen Ford (10 Feb 1891- in the Old Thickety Church Cemetery, could this be the same person?)
      • 3) Jerry Bob (Robert?) (13 Dec 1892 - 2 Sept 1911)
      • 4) Jesse Luther (9 March 1895 - m. Ethel Carl
      • 5) Neeley Vian Ford (13 Mar 1897 - )
      • 6) John P. Ford (Aug 1897 - (
    • E. (Note: no entry submitted here)
    • F. Caldonia Jane Ford (April 1856 - m. 1875 Richmond Harris (June 1853 - ). 1900 census states that Caldonia had been married 25 years and had given birth to 9 children all of which were still living.
      • 1) William P. Harris (Dec. 1876 - )
      • 2)
      • 3)
      • 4) James A. Harris (Apr. 1882 - )
      • 5) Nancy A. Harris (Oct 1884 - )
      • 6) Sarah L. Harris (Sept 1889 - )
      • 7) Corey L. Harris (f) Jan. 1891 - )
      • 8) ? female (Mar 1894 - )
      • 9) Jiney Harris (Nov 1897 - )
    • G. Rachal R. Ford (1858 - )
    • H. Sarah Ford (1861 - )
    • I. Cordelia Ford (1863 - ) m. Calvin R. Clark son of Levi Clark and Louise Cole of Buncombe County, NC, grandson of William Clark who came from Lincoln County about 1830 to North Hominy Creek. Calvin was first married to Nancy Haynes and had 9 children.
      • 1) William Levi Clark m. Julia Reno
      • 2) Thomas A. Clark m. Zora Crawford. He was an attorney in Canton, NC.
      • 3) Alden C. Clark m. Elsie King
      • 4) Rosa Clark (died young)
      • 5) Elva Clark (died young)
  • 7. Doctor Burton Ford (1824/25 - ) m. 7 Dec. 1850 Haywood County, NC Rachel Robe(r?)son (1833 - D.B. (Burton) was Justice of the Peace in Haywood from 1850 - 1860. He is no longer there after the 1870 census. His mother, Anna was living with him in 1850. In 1860 there was an Ann Bugg (age 60) living with him. The age keeps getting younger, but this could still be his mother. His sister Jane E. was living with him in 1850, 1860, and 1870.
    • A. Martha A. H. Ford (1852 - )
    • B. Sary F. Ford (1853 - )
    • C. Eliza C.A. Ford (1856 - )
    • D. Jane E. Ford (1857 - )
    • E. Joseph H.L. Ford (1860 - )
    • F. Mary Ford (1862 - )
    • G. Nancy Ford (1863 - )
    • H. Soph(ia?) Ford (1866 - )
    • I. George Ford (1869 - )
  • 8. Jane Ford (1828 - ) Never married. Lived with her brother Burton until 1870 census at least
  • 9. Telitha Ford - Mentioned as an heir in the deeds
  • 10. Sarah Ford? m. Griffith McMullin? Listed as heir in the deeds

A Nancy Jinkens bought some of the Ford property, the Lovinggood tract, 100 acres on Clarks Branch, for $18.00 at a Sheriff's sale from the Ford heirs in March of 1859. Six months later, 22 September 1859, she married a J.T. Ford. They do not appear in the census records. Could he be a son of William or George?

All Rights Reserved. The information contained within this web site, may be used by individual researchers, libraries and genealogical societies, however, commercial or for-profit use of this information is strictly prohibited without prior permission. If copied, this copyright notice, must appear with the information. The copyright of the actual information, documents or images contained here is held by the submitter.
RETURN TO TOP