This is the pension file of John S. Nelson and his wife Lucinda "Cindy" Taylor. John was born May 30, 1836 in Washington County, TN. He died November 17, 1896 in Sullivan County, TN and is bured at Depew's Chapel in Kingsport, TN. John was the son of Levi and Elizabeth "Betsy" Ann Irvin Nelson. Levi born ca1803 was the son of Nathan Nelson.
Washington County, Tennessee Wills, 1777-1872 Page 21
Proven July Sessions, 1824, Nathan Nelson
Son, John received $300. Son, Isaac to have $300 and the mill until the youngest child comes of age. Daughter, Rachel, wife of Charles Deakins, youngest daughter, Hannah and sons, Nathan, Levi and James are under age, also daughters Thurza and Ruth.
Teste: William Smith, Benja. Jackson, Jacob Taylor (Jacob Taylor was Lucinda's grandfather).
Levi married first Elizabeth "Betsy" Ann Irvin on May 28, 1835. They are listed in the 1850 Washington County, TN census.
| Levi Nelson | 40 |  |
| Elizabeth A. | 33 | |
| Hannah C. | 13 | |
| William J. | 10 | |
| John S. | 08 | |
| Rachal C. | 05 | |
| Thursa C. | 03 | |
| Mary A | 01 | |
| Frances Irvin | 97 |
born in Ireland |
| Rachal | 75 |
born in Penn. |
I suspect Frances and Rachal are Betsy's parents. John S. named his only son William Frances Nelson (Uncle Bill) after his brother and grandfather.
In the pension file, John S. had his half-brother, Joseph M. Nelson, to testify for him along with his full-blooded brother, William J. Nelson. Calculating Joseph's age, he would have been born ca 1856.
I looked in the 1860 census and found Levi Nelson in Washington, Hoggards District 2.
| Levi Nelson | 50 | |
| Elizabeth G. | 39 | |
| John S. | 18 | |
| Mary A. | 13 | |
| Susannah C. | 12 |
(I suspect this is Thursa) |
| Joseph M. | 03 | |
| James A. | 02 |
Levi had married second, Elizabeth Gibson September 26, 1855 in Washington County, TN. I have not been able to find Levi in the 1870 census, yet. I am still looking, but in the 1880 census, he is in Sullivan County and married the third time to Martha Ann Short, they married September 12, 1867.
| Levi Nelson | 77 | |
| Martha A. | 45 | |
| Virginia T. | 17 | |
| Dulcena | 13 | |
| Thomas | 09 | |
| Rufus E. | 06 | |
| Sarah E. | 01 |
Lucinda "Cindy" Taylor was born ca 1841 and died April 18, 1913. Cindy's brother testified for her. They were James I. Taylor born ca 1843, J. O. Taylor born ca 1857. James and J. O. were residing in Washington County, TN at the time of their testimonies. Another brother W. M. Taylor born ca 1850 and John P. Taylor is mentioned in this file. In the 1860 Sullivan County, TN Census District 18, Yoakley's Store Post Office:
| HH # | 673 | |
| John Taylor | 31 | |
| Mariah | 28 | |
| Mary E. | 04 | |
| Anne E. | 06 | |
| David L. | 02 | |
| Mary Rutherford | 05 | |
| Sary F. | 6/12 | |
|
||
| HH # |
674 |
|
| David Taylor | 58 | |
| Sarah | 57 | |
| Mary M. | 21 | |
| Lydia | 15 | |
| William | 11 | |
| David | 13 | |
| Louiza | 09 | |
| Joseph O. B. | 07 | |
| Amanda | 02 | |
| Joseph Shiply | 02 | |
| James | 17 | |
Lucinda "Cindy" is listed in the household of Richard Yoakly as Domestic Servant and she is nineteen years old. Comparing the testimonies of Cindy's brothers and the 1860 census, I believe David and Sarah Taylor were Cindy's parents.
According to some researchers, David's parents were: Jacob and Lydia Taylor and David's wife was Sarah Hopkins.
John and Cindy's children were:
1. Sarah C. Nelson was born ca 1869.Sarah died after 1900 but before 1910. She married John Simpson born August 4, 1850 and died March 28, 1934. John Simpson married second Rachel Emaline Crawford, daughter of John and Hannah Archer Crawford, born July 2, 1876 and died December 6, 1921.
2. Margaret C. Nelson was born ca 1873. She married Abraham Fulwiler November 20, 1892.
3. William Frances "Bill" Nelson was born ca 1875. He died February 1953. He married Matilda Simpson, ca 1908. She was born February 22, 1891 and died August 22, 1980. She is buried at Liberty Hill Cemetery, Hawkins County, TN.
John Simpson's death announcement sent to me by Gladys Lovin:
SERVICE TO BE AT WALKER'S FORK CHURCH -REV. HOOD TO OFFICIATE-BURIAL THERE: John Simpson, 84, died at Lone Star at 2:30 p.m. yesterday following a lingering illness. He was born and raised in Sullivan County where he had resided all his life. Surviving are two daughters, Mrs. Donnie Persinger and Miss Minnie Simpson, both of near Kingsport; also nine grandchildren. Funeral services will be conducted at 2:00 p.m. tomorrow from the Walker's Fork Church with Rev. Lafayette Hood officiating. Burial will follow in a nearby cemetery.
Sarah C. Nelson and John Simpson's children were:
1. Susan Simpson born February 1894. I believe she died young. She shows up in only one census.
2. Frances (Dona) Simpson born June 1894 (census say 1896) died March 27, 1984. She married James Persinger, son of Thaddeaus and Molly Dykes Persinger.
3. Virgie Simpson born May 1897. She married Joe Carroll.
4. John W. (William) Simpson born April 1900. William was twenty-one years old when he died February 25, 1922. The informant was G. H. Crawford. He is buried at Walker's Fork Cemetery in Kingsport, TN. The death record lists his parents as John Simpson and Sarah Nelson. (My grandmother called him "Little Willy").
John Simpson and Emaline Rachel Crawford's children were:
1. George F. born August 1910. He is listed in the 1910 census with John and Emaline, but not in the 1920 census.
2. McKinley Simpson born 1911. He died after the 1930 census supposedly after eating a poisoned crab apple.
3. Minnie B. Simpson born 1912.
If anyone has any information concerning any of these people, please let me know. My e-mails are: gladowens@aol.com or gladysowens@hotmail.com
Introduction | Index | Pages 1- 15 | Pages 16 - 30 | Pages 31 - 45 | Pages 46 - 62 |
Thanks to Gladys Owens for providing these records. If you have any additional information on these people or have a Pension Record you would like to submit to be posted please contact me.
Created 09 Mar 2000