The Tennessee Genealogical Society

  
Tennessee Genealogical Society, founded in 1952,  is located near Memphis, TN, and has offices and a lecture room in the Germantown Regional History and Genealogy Center, which houses a 14,000 volume library.
    

The Tennessee Genealogical Society mission:

• To acquire, preserve, and make available genealogical history and records.
• To publish materials relevant to Tennessee genealogy and history.

The TGS website also provides access to their quarterly periodical, Ansearchin' News, which is keyword searchable and allows viewing of the full text of each issue.

Ansearchin' News Archives

Knox County TN Genealogy Resources

Are you researching in East Tennessee?
Then be sure to check out these resources:

 http://knoxcotn.org/  has a collection of transcribed data, biographies, photos, maps, and other items that have been transcribed and donated by volunteers and fellow researchers.  They also have links to related genealogy & history sites relevent to East Tennessee.

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http://cmdc.knoxlib.org/  is a searchable online archive of compelling digital images and artifacts from East Tennessee's rich  history.

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http://www.knoxvilletennessee.com/cemeteries.html has numerous links for cemetery research in Knoxville, TN

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http://www.tennessee.gov/tsla/Collections.htm

This site has numerous resources including an Index to Tennessee Death Records 1908-1912

Happy Hunting!

Civil War Veterans Pension Index listing for John N. Bacon

                
Civil War Veterans Pension Index listing for John N. Bacon of Macoupin County, Illinois:
   

http://www.footnote.com/image/#91124

John N. Bacon

b. Nov 1846 in Washington Co., TN

son of Jeremiah & Susan S. (King) Bacon

Private in Company "C" 133rd Illinois Infantry Regiment

m. Lucinda Ribble 1875 in Carlinville IL

d. July 1936 in Macoupin Co,. IL

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Battle of Horseshoe Bend - War of 1812

Abednego Casteel (son of Abednego & Sarah; married Agnes Hensley) was a Private in the 2nd Reg't Mounted Gunmen - Brown's East Tennessee Volunteers Jan 1814 - May 1814 The Battle of Horseshoe Bend Col. J Brown commanded two separate regiments at different times during the war. The East Tennessee Volunteer Mounted Gunman was the second regiment that he commanded. With just over 200 volunteers in the unit, they were used primarily as guards for the supply wagons traveling through Creek territory. As part of Doherty's brigade, they were put under the command of Gen John Coffee at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend (27 March 1814) where they participated in the fighting. Their line of march took them from East TN through Lookout Mountain, Fort Strother, Fort Williams and Fort Jackson. In Mar 1814 - The East Tennessee Mounted Gunmen answered the call of General Andrew Jackson for a full-scale campaign against the Creek Indians. The Battle of Horseshoe Bend was fought during the War of 1812 in central Alabama. On March 27th, 1814, United States forces and Indian allies under General Andrew Jackson defeated the Red Sticks, a part of the Creek Indian tribe inspired by the Shawnee leader Tecumseh, effectively ending the Creek War. Although having nothing to do with the British or Canadians, the battle is considered part of the War of 1812. More specifically, it was the major battle of the Creek War, in which Andrew Jackson sought to "clear" Alabama for American settlement. After leaving Fort Williams in the spring of 1814, Jackson's army cut its way through the forest to within 6 miles (10 km) of Chief Menawa's Red Stick camp near a bend in the Tallapoosa River, called "Horseshoe Bend," in central Alabama, 12 miles east of what is now Alexander City. Jackson sent General John Coffee with the mounted infantry and the Indian allies south across the river to surround the Red Sticks camp, while Jackson stayed with the rest of the 2,000 infantry north of the camp. On the morning of March 27th, Coffee's Cherokees and cavalry began crossing the river and fought the Red Sticks on their rear.

Sources:
War of 1812 Service Record; Roll Box 36, Roll Exct: 602
TNGenNet - Tennesseans in the war of 1812
http://www.tngenweb.org/1812war/muster.htm

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Footnote Finds: John N Bacon

Footnote’s Civil War Records on both Union and Confederate soldiers records are constantly being added to, and through the month of June they are available for free.  These records include:

• Union and Confederate service records for many states
• Widow’s pension files
• Emancipation documents and slave records
• Confederate amnesty papers and citizens files
• Lincoln assassination investigation and trial papers
• Civil War photos and maps

Our find:

Collection Title: Civil War Pensions

Civil War Pension Cert# 678280

•Name: John N. BACON •Birth: 19 NOV 1846 in Jonesboro, Washington, Tennessee
     Son of Jeremiah & Susan S. (King) Bacon

Camp Butler, Springfield, Illinois

Company "C" 133rd Illinois Infantry Regiment

Rank: Private

Mustered into service on May 31st, 1864. On June 3rd, the 133rd Infantry Illlinois Volunteers were moved to Rock Island Barracks and were assigned to duty, guarding prisoners of war.

•Married Lucinda A. Ribble on 21 OCT 1875 in Carlinville, Illinois
    Children:
1. Mary C. Bacon b: 10 MAR 1878
2. Elbert E. Bacon b: 01 OCT 1882
3. Rosa B. Bacon b: 08 SEP 1887
 
•Death: 19 JUL 1936 in Hettick, Macoupin Co., Illinois

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Underwood - Doing the Happy Dance

Finally - While researching Underwood on this Surname Saturday in an effort to identify the parents of our ancestor, Susannah (Underwood) Casteel, I was able to break down a long standing brickwall!!
Long suspecting Benjamin Underwood as the father of Susannah I was, over time, able to put together different facts the supported this theory - but at last, by changing the focus of my search to his wife named in the 1850 census as Mary, I have finally found my link.

I found Mary Underwood residing with one of the sons of James and Susannah (Underwood) Casteel in the 1860 Macoupin Co., TN census. (Joseph Casteel - mistranscribed as Castell)
This, together with the other information shown below, allows me to finally feel confident enough to make the parental connection of Benjamin & Mary Underwood to Susannah Underwood.

1830 Blount Co. Tennessee census
Underwood, Benjamin
males: 3 - 5-10yrs; 1 - 10-15yrs; 1 30-40yrs
females: 1 - 0-5yrs; 1 - 10-15yrs; 1 - 20-30yrs
(Susannah fits in the 10-15 yr catagory)

Also in Blount Co. TN:
Deeds 1819-1833 - abstracted by Jane Kizer Thomas
pg 161; 870. (3:194) Benjamin UNDERWOOD to Samual Henery and son:
30 Jun 1836, $75, 3 head of horse, 1 bay mare, 1 clay bank mare,
1 sorrell horse, 4 head of cattle, 35 head of hogs, 1 loom, 1 cart, 1
spinning wheel. Underwood shall pay Henry and sons the sum of
$75 within 12 months for redemption of the property. Sig:
Benjamin (X) Underwood. Wit: P. Nelson Morony, James Casteel
2 Jul 1836
(James M. Casteel is the spouse of Susannah - They were married in Knox Co. TN in 1833)

1840 Knox Co TN - Benj.Underwood

  Males: 3 15-20yrs, 1 20-30yrs &

           1 50-60 yrs

 Females: 1 5-10yrs, 1 10-15yrs, 1 20-30 &

           1 40-50

And finally, with names, in Hamilton Co. TN
1850 census
hh918 Underwood, Benjamin 62, M farmer NC; Mary 50 NC; Richard 29 M
farmer; Martha 17 F
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Tombstone Tuesday - Revolutionary War Veteran Thomas King

Thomas King

Born 17 Mar 1754 in Pennsylvania

Married Susan Ann Sharp

Veteran of the Revolutionary War

Died 18 June 1847

Buried in New Bethel Presbyterian Cemetery

in Piney Flats, Sullivan Co., TN
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Surname Saturday - Crouch

On this damp & chilly Surname Saturday I thought I would continue to highlight our Crouch line.

Crouch, from the Latin crux and Middle English crouch, Old English cruc ‘cross’ (a word that was replaced in Middle English by the word cross, from Old Norse kross), is applied as a topographic name for someone who lived by a cross.

It is English in origin with one of the earliest references being made to Thomas Crouch who is listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Essex (1329).

Some of the first Crouch settlers in the states were Richard, Nicholas, and Thomas Crouch who settled in Virginia in 1623.

Our ancestor was  Jesse Crouch (b.1760 in Stafford VA) who married Mary Sarah Nance.

Their daughter, Martha "Patsy" Crouch ( b. May 1797)  married William Isaac King on 2 Aug 1819 in Washington Co. TN. 

 

Tombstone Tuesday - Old Fall Branch Baptist Cemetery

Located in Washington County, Tennessee, Old Fall Branch Baptist Cemetery (also known as Hopper Cemetery) is where our Crouch ancestors lie.

Jesse Crouch, b. 25 April 1760 in Stafford Co. VA ;  died 22 Dec 1841 in Washington Co., TN.

Buried with him is his wife, Mary Sarah (Nance) Crouch, b. 30 May 1770 in Mechlinburg, VA; died soon after her husband in Jan 1842.

Additional cemetery information can be found at:   http://www.tngenweb.org/washington/cemetery/cemOldFallBranch.htm

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Tombstone Tuesday - Susan Sharp King - Needs Love

Time has taken it's toll on this ancestor's tombstone.

Susan Sharp was born Mar. 1756, daughter of John Sharp & Jane Hamilton.

She married Thomas King.

Susan Sharp King died 3 April 1822, in Tennessee

and is buried at New Bethel Presbyterian Church in Sullivan Co., TN

Tombstone Tuesday - James M. Casteel

James Monroe Casteel
Born 24 Feb. 1812 in Tennessee
Son of Abednego Casteel & Agnes Hensley
Married Susannah Underwood on 8 Aug 1833 in Knoxville, TN
They had 11 children.
James M. died 19 May 1886 in Macoupin Co. IL and is buried at Charity Baptist Cemetery in Bird Township.

Who's Your Daddy?

I have been seeking the parents of Susannah E. Underwood (b. May 1816 TN) since Feb 1998.
I am hoping someone might give me a fresh insight or lead to our Susannah.
Census records indicate her parents were born in the Carolinas.
She married James M. Casteel on 8 Aug 1833 in Knox Co. TN (featured on 3/17/09 Tombstone Tuesday).
Although she died 07 July 1903 the Macoupin Co. IL records office could not locate a death certificate for her. Her obituary referred to her only as Mrs. James M. Casteel aged 87 yrs of Bird Township and made no reference to her parentage or sibs.
In July 1903 - Just before her death there was a note in the local newspaper where she resided:
"E.H.Nix & mother are called to Susan Casteel's bedside. "
I have no idea who EH Nix is (or even if EH is male or female...).
I believe this person is related to Susan though. I am guessing they would be connected through her Underwood line because EH doesn't fit any of our Casteel connections...

Over time I have come to suspect Benjamin Underwood to be her father.
I have located the following records referring to a Benjamin Underwood. Perhaps someone is familiar with any of them:

1830 Knox Co. Tennessee census
Underwood, Benjamin
males: 3 - 5-10yrs; 1 - 10-15yrs; 1 30-40yrs
females: 1 - 0-5yrs; 1 - 10-15yrs; 1 - 20-30yrs
Yes - she fits in there....

Also in Blount Co. TN:
Deeds 1819-1833 - abstracted by Jane Kizer Thomas
pg 161; 870. (3:194) Benjamin UNDERWOOD to Samual Henery and son:
30 Jun 1836, $75, 3 head of horse, 1 bay mare, 1 clay bank mare,
1 sorrell horse, 4 head of cattle, 35 head of hogs, 1 loom, 1 cart, 1
spinning wheel. Underwood shall pay Henry and sons the sum of
$75 within 12 months for redemption of the property. Sig:
Benjamin (X) Underwood. Wit: P. Nelson Morony, James Casteel
2 Jul 1836
well, there's a definite link

And in Hamilton Co. TN
1850 census
hh918 Underwood, Benjamin 62, M farmer NC; Mary 50 NC; Richard 29 M
farmer; Martha 17 F
I like their place of birth... but I do not know if these all refer to the same man.

To be honest I have let this pursuit of Susannah's parents lie low for quite awhile as I climbed other branches of our tree. Maybe something new is out there that I haven't connected to yet.
Thank you for any help/suggestions.