Contributed by Jason Statum
Jason Statum
1998
Note: From information compiled by Christine (Paradise) Sumner, wife of William Parks Sumner Jr. and mother of Ann Elizabeth (Sumner) Shook and John William Sumner.
The name SUMNER is derived from the word "somenour" or "summoner" as one who summoned people to court in the early days. Today people are served with a "summons," a paper commanding them to appear in court.
The name Sumner first appears in the year 1199 in England where Robert le Sumonur is found in Leicestershire. It is believed that some early families called Summer may well have descended from the Sumner family but the name SUMNER is a more common one and records keepers may have changed the spelling in some cases.
The first Sumner known to have come to America was one William Sumner found in Dorchester, Massachusetts, in 1635. He came to this country from Bicester, Oxford, England.
A John Bird Sumner was Archbishop of Canterbury in 1848 and Congressman Charles Sumner was one of the opposing leaders who fought bitterly against slavery to the point that he was hated by many of his contemporaries and, indeed, was physically attacked by a Representative from South Carolina.
The Sumners of Jackson County, Alabama, and possibly most of the descendants by that name in the South, descend from William Sumner who came to America from England about 1690-91 just after William and Mary ascended the throne. William Sumner settled in Virginia and owned a "manor plantation" in Isle of Wight. (Another record says he settled on the Nansemond River). His wife's name is unknown. His parents are said to have been William Sumner and his wife Elizabeth Clemen (from a book on the Sumner family found in the Tennessee State Library and Archives by Walter Sumner of Mentone, Alabama). William had at least six children Jethro, John, James, William Jr., Dempsey and daughter, Barsheba. More on these children later.
The Sumners of Jackson County, Alabama, descend from JOHN Sumner, son of the above William. He was born about 1705 and died about 1754, married Elizabeth ____and had
John Sumner witnessed a deed in Chowan County, North Carolina as early as 1728. He was appointed a vestryman of St. Paul's Church in Edenton, Easter Monday, April 3, 1738, and Dempsey was appointed church warden. On July 10th, 1750, John Sumner and Dempsey Sumner were appointed Justices of the Peace for Chowan County, North Carolina. A Justice of the Peace in those days was a very important office in those days.
Nothing has been found on Jacob Sumner, son of John, except there was a Jacob Sumner in Davidson County, Tennessee, in 1812 that could have possibly been him (Minute Book 1809-1812, Records of Davidson County Court of July Sessions 1812, enumeration of free male inhabitants).
Nothing is known of John's children Moses, Samuel and William.
One Moses Sumner witnessed the will of Samuel Webb 24 May 1754 (Grimes, p. 194).
John Sumner witnessed a deed on April 3, 1732, when "Will" Sumner bought land in Nansemond County, Virginia, "on Fryer's Pocosin." This Will was probably his father or brother.
Abraham Odom and his wife Sebell of Edgecomb County deed to John Sumner of Chowan County 12 January 1746. Witnessed by Gregory Stallings, William Sumner, Joseph Sumner (Deed Bk. 3, p. 61, Hoffman, p. 79).
A John Sumner witnessed the will of John Jones in Chowan County, North Carolina 2 February 1735 (36?). October Court 1736 (Grimes, p. 194).
Chowan County, North Carolina, 23 February 1748, John Sumner witnessed the will of Edward Arnold (Grimes, p. 10).
Perquimans County, Virginia, 9 November 1753, April Court 1754, Will of Abraham Ballard. Sons Jethro, Redah; daughters Apsilla Ballard, Bathsheba Ballard. Wife Elizabeth. Executrix Elizabeth and John Sumner. Witnesses John Sumner, Sarah Norfleet and Phillisia Norfleet. Will of Francis Cambridge in Upper Parish of Nansemond County, Virginia, 2 February 1810. Wife and Executrix Elizabeth. Witnessed by Andrew Ross, James Howard and John Sumner (Grimes, p. 60).
The 1790 Census of Edgecomb County, North Carolina shows BATTLEBORO area John Sumner, Joseph Sumner, Hartwell Philips, Joseph Philips Benjamin Philips, Sara Philips and
others...
SWIFT CREEK, Tar River area
Etheldred Philips
SPEED area
Henry Philips
Edgecomb County was taken from Craven County, Granville from Edgecomb and Orange from Granville.
The 1790 Census of Edgecomb County, North Carolina shows:
The Battle family was one of great distinction. There is an Elisha Battle graveyard on Coolspring
Plantation, Edgecomb County, North Carolina on highway 95. In that graveyard is found this
stone (Williams & Griffin, p.11)
"Elisha Battle, born Nansemond County, Virginia, January 9, 1723, Settled on this plantation in
1747. Member, Clerk and for many years, moderator of Kehukee Primitive Baptist Ass'n. Member
for 20 years of Provincial General Assembly, member of State Senate and Constitutional Convention, Edgecomb's member of Commission of Safety during Revolution. Died on this plantation
March 6, 1799. Patriarch of the Battle Clan. This stone was erected in 1935 by George Gordon
Battle, New York."
This is the only stone found in this old graveyard.
More information on the Battle family with connections in Davidson County, Tennessee, can be
found in the manuscript section of the Tennessee State Library and Archives.
In this same book is found on page 25
Cavalry Churchyard (Episcopal), Tarboro, North Carolina
Mary Sumner Blount, relict of Gen. Thomas Blount, long a representative in Congress from this
District and daughter of Gen. Jethro Sumner, died December 13, 1822, in her 45th year.
Page 12, same book
Battleboro, North Carolina Cemetery. Dr. Robert H. Mariott, born September 10, 1819, died
September 7, 1873, wife Tempie Ann, daughter of Joseph. Sumner and Mary Horn Sattle, born
November 18, 1835, died October 21, 1913.
Joseph Sumner, son of John and grandson of William the emigrant, was born about 1734. His will was probated in Edgecomb County, North Carolina, March Court 1795, died April, 1795. This Joseph's wife was Anna____ and his three children at the time of his death were John, JOSEPH JR. and Charlotte. He named a grandson, Duke William Sumner (see later). Witnessing his will was Elisha Battle, Jethro Battle, Demsey Battle.
Joseph's son, JOSEPH JR. wrote his will 7 December 1793, and it was proved May term, 1795, in Edgecomb County, also. He named his wife Martha and the following children Duke William (named earlier in his grandfather's will), William, Tobias, Joseph, EXUM and Jacob. Witnesses to this will were Jacob Battle, Nathan (Barnett?) and Williamson Barnes.
In an old collection of Sumner letters (to be discussed later) there is a mention of "Tobe."
The wife of Joseph Sumner Jr. was Martha Philips, daughter of Joseph Philips and his wife Sara Exum, daughter of John Exum (DAR National No. 193125). John Exum's will was recorded in 1775 (Olds, p. 107). There was also an Etheldred Exum, 1779; Micajah Exam, 1785 and William Exum, 1795.
From the foregoing information you can readily see that the Jackson County Sumners descend from William, John, Joseph Sr., Joseph Jr. and Exam Sumner through his son James Exum Sumner Sr. who left Davidson County, Tennessee, and came to Jackson County, Alabama.
The children of Joseph Sumner Jr. and Martha Philips were Duke William, Tobias, Joseph, EXUM P., Jacob and Sarah.
Exum P. Sumner married Temperance Drake in Davidson County, Tennessee, 9 January 1816 . Exum P. Sumner died intestate in Davidson County, Tennessee, in 1852 or 1853 when his estate was settled. Jacob Battle Sumner, his oldest son, was appointed administrator. This litigation can be found in Davidson County, Tennessee, Wills 1853-1859, pp 100-201 Exum P. Sumner, deceased, Inventory of Estate. J(acob) B(attle) Sumner, Administrator. Among estate settlement, cash received from E. S. & R. C. Gardner returned in inventory $13.60, etc; cash received from Steamers JAMESTOWN and NASHVILLE...Mentions Joseph L. Ewing and J. (or G.) Scruggs, J. L. Williams cost of sale of judgment on farm of N. B. Hinton. C. Lanier on order from P. Knight for part of account filed by P. Knight. N. O. and R. S. Love executed note for $8.10...Thomas R. Jennings medical bill $128.00. Recorded December 20, 1853, Davidson County, Tennessee. William D. Phillips a/c. George W. Sumner (son of Duke W.), J. L. Williams, N. O. Love a/c. Note and interest on N. T. Wilkerson, etc. The foregoing settlement made by me Jacob B. Sumner, Admr. this 16th day June 1853, State of Tennessee Davidson County Court, July Term 1853.
Page 344 of this same book
Martha Williams, deceased, receipts received of Churchill Lanier, Admr. of Simon Williams, deceased, the sum of six hundred and nineteen & 66/100, etc. April Term 1855, Davidson County,
Tennessee.
Page 371, same book
Simon Williams, deceased, Churchill Lanier, Admr. Recorded September 21, 1854. Mentioned
Isaac Hunter, John L. Williams.
Page 372. The above settlement was made by me with Churchhill Lanier, adm. the 3rd day of
January 1854. F.R. Cheatham, Clerk.
The above Martha Williams was the mother of Exum P(hilips?) Sumner. After the death of her
husband, Joseph Sumner Jr., in Edgecomb County, North Carolina, she removed to Davidson
County, Tennessee, where she married Simon Williams on 11 December 1803. (Her will
later).
The known children of Exum P. and Temperance "Tempy" Sumner were (probably not in order of
their birth)
Jacob Battle Sumner
James Exum Sumner
Eliza P. Sumner
Martha Ann Sumner
Dorothy Jane Sumner
Maria(h) Sumner
More on this family later. For easier reading for the layman we are giving a brief outline of the line of decent first and will go into detail about each family later in this document.
James Exum Sumner married Sarah Catherine Parks. Their children were
James Exum Jr.
William Battle
Eliza Temperance
Sarah Parks
Ada Mariah
Joseph John
Notice the use of all the old Sumner names Exum, Battle, Temperance, Joseph and John.
James Exum Sumner Jr. Married Susan Mariah Wood. Woods Cove in Jackson County was
named for her family. Their children were
Annie Pearl
James Browder
Nannie Kate
Julia Stella
William Parks
Hugh Felix
Boyd Exum
Wallace Wood
More later on these children but for the record of Ann Elizabeth and John William Sumner, William Parks Sumner married Faye Beatrice Thompson and their son, William Parks Sumner Jr. was the father of Ann and John.