The Josiah Lindsey Clan Family Annual Reunion

This is a letter from Fred Lindsey (our Genealogy Patriarch) on this years Reunion:

1. Alert for Reunion Date: As noted in last years reunion report, the
Year 2002 Event will be another "Step Back in Time, Exploring the Mysteries
of The History of Josiah & Eritty Lindsey and the Clan Families of their
ancestors and descendent." As is our custom, we will meet the last weekend
in April in TENNESSEE. The Thursday through Sunday dates are 25-28 April.
The site will probably be Nashville or nearby, depending upon what we learn
about the location of Josiah & Eritty's place where they lived from 1827 to
1837. Please mark your calendars now -- and spread the word.

For those of you who plan on attending, please send me an email at Ed@lindseyrelations.com and I'll keep Fred informed of all RSVP's.  Thanks.

2. Request for Help: Some of you have volunteered to help me put this
next reunion together. Well, this year I really need help. As we proceed
back in time of Josiah's history, things get more and more hazy. Last
year, we knew where Josiah owned lands in Mississippi. We even knew where
he had gone to church. Our visit to Tennessee offers more challenges. To
begin with, we will be researching and celebrating two different periods
of time that Josiah lived in Tennessee.

The earliest date on record is when Josiah appeared in the Will of 1810 of
John Lindsey Sr. in Maury County, TN. There are some mysteries to this
Will, including the possibility that the Josiah mentioned in the will was
not our Josiah. He was a listed as a minor, age unspecified, but his
listed siblings were all married. His mother's name was not mentioned, so
her family line of inquiry is in question.

We find no other records of John Lindsey Sr. descendants in the Maury
County area, except for his son John Jr., who has a recorded Will in 1848.
The next recorded date mentioning Josiah was his baptism in 1823 in
Lauderdale County, Alabama, just prior to his marriage to Henrietta
("Errity). Afterward, we have a clue that Josiah moved back to Lauderdale
County, TENNESSEE (yes, both states have a Lauderdale County.) Listed
below are excerpts from my book draft on Joshia for this early period.
Hopefully this will provide us with the clues to dig out the missing data
on Josiah in his two stays in Tennessee. Perhaps we can find the records
on the internet in state or county records. I have not looked in there for
the last six months, so something may have been added. Any little new
piece of information will be most helpful. Also any suggestions regarding
the site and schedule for the reunion will be welcome.


(Start of research excerpt) "We don't know exactly when John Sr.
moved his family into what is now Maury County, which was founded in 1807
from Williamson Co. It's first census was in 1810 - but only parts of that
census remain in the county archives. (Maury Co. library has copies of the
many census from 1820-1910, except the 1890 census which was burned.)
Present day Census books notes the following Lindseys: John, Book B, Vol.
I, page 1; John, Book B, Vol. 2, page 211 (1810); Edward M., Book X, Vol.
1, page 192; John, Book 2, Vol. 1, Page 330 (1848); and Caleb, Book F, Vol.
1, Pg. 283 (1856). (Footnote* From Book "Maury Co. Census.) (It is
confusing to figure out which records pertain to Josiah's father, John Sr.,
because there were two John Seniors there at the same time, both with sons
named John Junior.) (Town records show that a John Lindsey bought a town
Lot #68 in Columbia, TN. He may be the John with Col. Joseph Brown and
others appointed by Commissioners of Williamson & Davidson Counties to
build a brick court house for $6,999. A John Jr. was listed on the
application for formation of Maury Co., and the City of Columbia in 1807.
That John Jr. was one of the first Justices of the Peace and bought 666
acres of KY land. His father reportedly served as express rider and Indian
Scout with Capt. Thomas Woodward's company and Col. Williamson's express in
1778 and 1779.)

Meanwhile it is interested to note the movements of the three sons
of John Sr.'s brother, Ezekeil - Isaac, Edward and Ezekiel Jr. and their
families. These three nephews supposedly moved from South Carolina to
Maury Co., TN, where John Sr. was located. Also reportedly moving from SC
to Maury Co. with John Sr. are the two daughters of John's younger brother,
Isaac Sr., from his first marriage to Susannah - Jemimah and Ann.

As noted in the 1810 Will of John Sr., Josiah was a minor child
when several of his seven older siblings were already married. (It is
possible that Josiah's mother, believed to be Mary, was a younger, second
wife of John Sr. John Sr. would have been about 64 years old when Josiah
was born in 1805). All of the known children were noted in the Will.
Josiah's siblings were: Ruth, Ezekiel, Jacob H., Abram, John Jr and Mary.
However, it is possible that Josiah had a baby sister, Sally, who may have
been too young to mention in the Will. As will be noted later, Sally
played a role in Josiah's marriage and married his brother-in-law, John
N.P. Harder.

Transcript of Handwritten Will of John Lindsey, Sr., dated 1810,
Maury County, TN.

(The Will is recorded in County Will Book, at pages 1 & 2, Book B.) The
original document had been folded in six parts and these creases caused
illegibility of certain words. The handwritting appears to be that of
another, possibly one of the witnesses, but definitely not that of John
Sr.'s signature.)

"In the name God, amen. I, John Lindsey of the State of Tennessee
and County of Maury, Planter, being sick but of perfect mind and memory
thanks be to God, for it calling to mind the mortality of the body in
knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die, do make and ordain
this my last will and testament, that is to say principally (illegible
word) of all I give and recommend my sould into the hand of god that gave
it me and my body, I recommend to the earth to be buried in decent
Christian burial at the discretion of my Executors, nothing doubting but at
the general resurrection I shall receive the (illegible) gain by the mighty
power of God and as tog such worldly estate where unto it has pleased God
to bells me with in this life I gave (illegible words) follow form and
manner.
First, I gave and bequeathe to my Dearly Beloved Wife one negro man
named Jam and a woman named Philis during her life or widowhood; one gray
horse, two cows and their calves and what is necessary of the house
furniture for her support which said property is to remain under the care
of my Executors.
Second, I gave and bequeathe to my son, Abram, one negro girl named
Moning, at the discretion of my Executors.
Third, I gave and Bequeathe to my son, John, one Negro girl named
Minie, a bay horse, and what (illegible words) , one cow and calf, all at
the discretion of my Executors.
Fourth, I gave and bequeathe to my son, Isaac, one negro boy named
Harry, at the discretion of my Executors.
Fifth, I gave and bequeath to my daughter Ruth Barnett one cow and calf.
Sixthly, I gave and bequeath to my daughter Mary Cunningham one
horse to be worth forty dollars in my (illegible).
Seventh, I gave and bequeath to my son, Josiah, one dollar.
Eighth, I gave and bequeath to my son, Jacob, one hundred and
twenty dollars which is my half of a negro named Nanie, that (illegible)
partnership.
Ninth, I gave and Bequeath to my son, Ezeckiel one negro boy named
Jam. The old stock of negros that I leave with my wife not to be parted
but to have choice which (illegible) will go to, namely my Executors, the
paying of others, and I further gave to Claborn Barnett, my waggon in
consideration for being security for Josiah. The loose property to be
divided at the death of my wife and do appoint Jacob Lindsey and Ezeikiel
Lindsey, my sons, my Executors of this my last will and testament.
I do utterly disalow, revoke & (illegible) all and every other
former testament wills, legacies, bequeaths and Executors by me in any wise
named wills & Bequeaths. Rathifying and confirming this and no other to be
my last will and testament (illegible) I have hear unto set my name and
seal this twenty second day of January in the year of our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and ten.
signature - John Lindsey
Signed Sealed Pronounced and Published & Declared to be the said
John Lindsey in the presence of us. Attest
signature Thomas Bartlett and Ruth Adair

(Note: the Typed Summary Abstract of the Maury County "Loose Records
Project" listed all of the people named in Will, but misread and mislabeled
Josiah as a "slave" instead of his son - which is clearly legible. Thus,
many researchers have probably overlooked this fact, unless they saw the
original handwritten document in the loose records file.)

As noted in John Sr.'s will, he was a "planter", which means he was
either an overseer or leased or rented the land that he farmed. Not owning
the land, there are no deed records to give us further insight into when or
where John & his family may have settled in Maury County. (Therefore, we
need to check the Rent Tax Lists for evidence of John Sr.) We do not know
exactly what happened to Josiah in the 13 years after the death of his
father, John Sr. Josiah could have still been in the care of his mother or
he may have become a ward of his sister Ruth, or his other brothers. Some
of his siblings stayed in middle Tennessee; some went on north into
Kentucky and some went south into Alabama and eventually into Texas.
Josiah's elder brother, John Jr., was born March 30, 1768. He
married Elizabeth Hudson (Hutson) in early 1803. She was born in 1780.
They had seven children: William, Caleb, James, David, Lucinda (Howard),
Mary (Thompson) and Elizabeth "Betsy" (Richardson). John Jr. and Elizabeth
are recorded in the 1820 census of Maury County with all their children.
John Jr. remained in with his family in Maury County until his death on
June 2, 1848. His handwritten Will (filed Feb. 1848) was probated and
considerably contested, with ten estate settlement documents which were
dated from May 1848 to August 1855. At the time of his death, John Jr. had
a "plantation" as well as owning several pieces of land, and six slaves. .
(Insert typed will in small print and show document footnote.) John Jr.'s
widow, Elizabeth, died in September 1851 and her lands were divided among
her children.
(One of Josiah's brothers, John Jr. (Footnote * "Will of John
Lindsey (Jr.?), dated 5 Feb. 1848, plus numerous documents on estate
settlement, dated 5-1-48; 6-2-48, 12-4-48, 10-29-53, 11-25-53, 12-22-53,
6-5-54, 10-2-54, and 8-16-55. John d. 6-2-1848. His wife Elizabeth named
primary beneficiary to get all possessions, then upon her death for all to
be sold and balance equally divided among children: William, Caleb,
Lucinda, James, Polly (Mary), David and Betsey. Sons William and David
named executors. Estate was divided equally to children as of Oct. 22,
1853, therefore wife, Elizabeth died between Feb. 48 and Oct. 53. Noted
Lucinda m. to Robert B. Howard and Polly m. to Jesse G. Thompson and Betsey
m. to (?) Richardson. Children of Lucinda also were named in settlement,
as she apparently died during the settlement litigation. Betsey also noted
as "died intestate leaving no husband living". All children, heirs to John
Jr. & Elizabeth, were accounted for -except Caleb - in settlement document
dated 10-29-53. Court ordered to seize all goods & lands of William
Lindsey for sum of $64.67 owed in judgment to children of Lucinda and to be
settled by July 1855. Later document ordered guardianship to get $1,600
for care of Lucinda & Robert B. Howard's children named as Jesse C, Mary
E., Margaret A Delia, Hibbenia L., Eucebia, Adaline and Lefronia.)

The older of Josiah's married sisters, Ruth, and her husband -
listed as Nathaniel Maburn (Claiborne) Barnett were given compensation by
John Sr.'s will of one wagon "for going security for Josiah." We do not
know the birth dates nor date of the marriage of Ruth and Claiborne.
Claiborne's father was Nathan Barnett who came to GA before the
Revolutionary War. Reportedly, Nathan and his sons Claiborne, Mial, John
and Nathan Jr. had all served in the Rev. War. We do not know where
Claiborne and Ruth went after her father's death, nor when and where they
died. (Ref. Tupelo #21. DESCENDANTS OF JOHN BARNETT, B. 1689 VA & WIFE
KATHERINE FARRA, B 1700 VA. (May use to search for a Claiborne Barnett
mar. Josiah's sister Ruth - both noted in John Lindsey's Will of 1810 Maury
Co. Have not traced them after the Will?) (19 pages)

Josiah's younger sister, Mary, was married to a John Cunningham.
We do not have records of the date of her birth nor the date of marriage of
Mary nor John. It is believed that sister Mary and John Cunningham went to
Kentucky. When Cunningham died, she reportedly bought a farm in Jett, KY
from Elisha Lindsey (relationship unknown.) This farm later became the
home of noted American poet Vachel Lindsey.

Josiah's second elder brother, Ezekial, married Elizabeth ___ and
they had seven children: Phebe, Polly, Josiah G., John W., Willima T.,
Isaac L. and Elizabeth. He moved to AL with brothers Isaac & Jacob in @
1820. They moved back with Isaac to Hardin Co., TN in 1824-25. Upon his
death in 1825, his brother Isaac and Ezekial's wife Elizabeth were named
executors of the probate of his will on 6-20-1825. On Dec. 19, 1825 Isaac
was appointed guardian to Ezekial's children (per Hardin Co. TN court
minutes, page 331, Book A.)

The next younger brother, Abram, evidently had stayed in North
Carolina when John Sr. moved to TN. There are records of Abram giving some
of his land on Pistol Creek (NC?) to following children - and a nephew, as
they became of age: Thomas in 1795, Edward in 1795, Edmund in 1799.
(Edmund was noted as being a nephew - the cousin of Tom & Edward) and
daughter Ann in 1815. There is no evidence that Josiah ever met his
brother, Abram, after leaving NC.

The next younger brother of Josiah was Rev. Jacob H. Lindsey who
was b. in 1784. He became a Minister and at one time lived with Rev.
Robert Stovall. There is no record of Jacob being married, although one
document does state he had a son John Adams Lindsey. There is evidence
that the Rev. Jacob had earlier lived in New Madrid, Missouri, at the time
of the big earthquake in 1811-12. (He is mentioned in a letter of the Rev.
Lorenzo Dow, who preached in new Madrid.)

Josiah's next younger brother, Isaac, was born in GA. He married
Mary Rosetta Taylor in 1808 in Maury County. Their children were Nancy
Melinda (mar. J.J. Hammonds), Ezekial (mar. Eliz Hunt), Docia (mar. Newell
Crane Hodges), Claiborne Barnett (mar. Candace Jones), Alfred M and
Bathsheba. Isaac and his wife and family were listed in the 1820 census of
Maury - they both listed as age 45. They lived for several years in AL and
moved back to Hardin Co., TN where Ezekial died. In 1830 Isaac moved
westward to Tumlinson township in Crawford County, Arkansas (just north of
present-day Fort Smith, AR.); and then on to Shelby County, Texas by 1834,
where he lived until his death in 1852.

Soon after the 1820 census, Isaac and two of his brothers (Rev.
Jacob and Ezekiel) moved from Maury Co., TN to AL. Josiah is thought to
have moved with them. We do not know when or where Josiah's mother, Mary,
was after her husband, John Sr. died, nor do we know when or where she
died. As noted earlier, Josiah's mother, believed to be Mary, may have
been a younger, second wife of John Sr. John Sr. would have been about 64
years old when Josiah was born in 1805). While John Sr may have fathered a
chlld at age 64, it is unlikely that his wife was the same approximate age.
Therefore, the assumption that Josiah's mother was John Sr.'s second wife.

It is possible that the Amos Thigpen family also move with the
Lindsey brothers from Maury Co., TN to the Lauderdale Co., AL area. There
is a record of the Lindsey, Thigpen, Moore and Mackey families living in
North Carolina - prior to the big migration push to the West. (Footnote
Tupelo 31) 31. "INDEX AND DIGEST TO HATHAWAY'S NORTH CAROLINA HISTORICAL
AND GENEALOGICAL REGISTER," Compiled and Edited by Worth S. Ray, 1956.
Excerpts relating to Lindsey, Moores, Thigpen, Cunningham and Wessons (no
material contained on Beavers, Blains, Harders or Stovalls). Book in Fred
Lindsey library. (six pages) Amos Thigpen married Berthina Elizabeth
Lindsey in Maury County in September 1812. Amos was born in 1790 in NC and
Berthina Eliz. was born in SC in 1795. We do not know the exact
relationship of Berthina to Josiah, but we later find one of her
grandchildren -- Zelphy, daughter of Berthina's son William C. Thigpen,
listed in the in 1860 census as living in Josiah's household.

Isaac and brother Ezekiel lived in either Lauderdale or Limestone
counties but there is no record of them having land ownership. Jacob
evidently acquired some land in Limestone County, just east of Lauderdale
Co. AL, where he lived before dying in 1823 in Lauderdale County, AL. When
Josiah's brother, the Rev. Jacob died in 1823 he left a Will. Evidently he
had property in both Lauderdale and Limestone counties. Josiah & Eritty
and her dad, Rev. Harder, reportedly tried to settle the Jacob estate in
Limestone County (Pg. 97, Book 5.) (We need to get the documentation of
this involvement by Josiah. This is be the first documentation of record
to tie in our Josiah, as kin to this Jacob, his brother Ezekiel and his dad
John Sr., since the John Sr.'s Will of 1810!). It is also surprising that
the Rev. Jacob had five slaves. Evidently he was continuing the role of a
"Planter" , similar that of his father, John Sr. in Maury Co.

(Footnote: * Jacob's will 3-3-1823, noted in (LHL Book 8) Will Book #4,
1821-1825, Judge of Orphan Court of Lauderdale Co., AL.. Granted letters
of administration to John Chisholm to administer the estate of Jacob
Lindsey-deceased. He owned 5 negro slaves: female Phillis, male George,
female Eliza, female Nance, all left to Jacob and brother Ezekiel by their
father John Lindsey-deceased, being valued by Jacob Byler, Duncan McIntire,
Wilson Griffin and Benjamin Davis: commissioners appointed by the court and
agreed to by Ezekiel Lindsey.) (page 12, July 19, 1823 lists claims against
Jacob's estate by his brother Ezekiel, in total amount of $98.00; Page 13,
negro slave sold to highest bidder sold 3-3-1824 in the town of Florence,
AL, woman- Phillis, for $125, by order of the court; Aug. 20, 1824 claim
due Ezekiel for claim on Jacob for cash loan and Dr. bill for slave Jim,
amount in full. Account of Robert Pogue and John Chishom administrators of
Jacob's estate paid in full, per John H. Cornish, Attorney, signed Ezekiel
Lindsey.) (We need to research this will document more, there is no record
of land.)

Chapter VII - Josiah & Eritty - the Early Years

The first event of record of Joshia since he was mentioned in his
father's will at age 5, was as a young adult when he was christened in Old
School Baptist (Mill Creek Church) in Lauderdale County, near Florence, AL
in August 1823. A month later (on October 10th) he married Henrietta
(Eritty) Harder in Florence, when he was 18 & 1/2 years old. They were
married by Rev. David Lancaster and the official witnesses were Sarah
"Sallie" Lindsey and John N. P. Harder, Eritty's brother. (Sallie's
relationship to Josiah is unknown at this time). Sallie was born about
1807 in NC. Sallie & John P. Nicholas Harder married each other several
months later in Lauderdale County, and would later move with Josiah &
Eritty to Mississippi.

Henrietta was known in her adult life by her nicknames of "Eritty"
or "Rittie." She was born on March 3rd, 1807 in Sumner Co., TN. It was
there that we believe her parents and Josiah's parents may have first known
each other. Her parents were both born in NC: father James in 1777 in
Hillsboro, Orange Co.; and her Mom, Elizabeth Pitt was born in Edgecomb
Co., NC. James Harder was the last of eight children of John Nicholas
Harder and Mary Perry. Elizabeth's parents, Henry Pitt & Zilpha Coleman
went to Sumner County about 1796. James Harder & Elizebeth Pitt were
married in Gallatin, Sumner Co., TN, in May 1804. According to her later
obituary, "Eritty" was about age 12 when they moved from TN to AL about
1819. Eritty was baptized by her father, Rev. James Harder, in May 1823
at the Mill Creek Baptist Church." Many of the Rev. Harder's siblings and
other family relatives went on west from Sumner to settle in Williamson and
Hickman Counties in middle Tennessee.

Josiah and Eritty had their first two children born near Florence,
in Lauderdale County, AL. In October, 1824, daughter, Winnie; and then in
November, 1826, son, James Monroe was born. We do not know exactly where
Josiah & Eritty lived in Lauderdale County. Later, Josiah's brothers
-Isaac & Ezekial - after about 5 years of living in AL, moved back to TN.
Ezekiel died in 1824/25, leaving his widow Elizabeth in Hardin Co. TN -
just north of the MS border. We have no records that show Josiah owned any
land during their first three years in Alabama. There is also no record of
Rev. Harder owning land there at that time.

Then in about early 1827, we believe Josiah & Eritty followed his
brothers back to Tennessee, then moved on Northwest to Lauderdale County,
Tennessee (in the far west central part of the state, bordering on the
Mississippi River). What enticed Josiah to move to this area is unclear.
It had just been cleared of Indians. Perhaps its was the availability of
the inexpensive Indian lands that was the attraction, because the frontier
officials made a big effort in getting pioneers to move in quickly and
occupy the land, in order to help force the Indians to leave.

At any rate, it was in Tennessee that Josiah & Eritty's next four
of their children were born: daughter Elizabeth Ann, born July 1828;
daughter Nancy Jane in December 1830; daughter Mary Adeline in December
1832; and son King Lemuel born in September 1835. There is a record of
Josiah paying taxes when? (how much and on what date?) on 160 acres in
Lauderdale County, TN. (Put in Footnote 7-1 here with ref. on When and how
much and on what date. and change other following footnote numbers.) It
is possible that his acreage was from the receipt of a land grant for his
service as a "Tennessee Volunteer" in support of the Texas Revolution. (If
his taxes were for land, We need to find the deed for Josiah's land. What
did he pay for it and also the deed and amount for what he sold it for when
he moved to MS. This would then become new Footnote 7-2).

The James Harder family stayed fairly closely connected Josiah &
Eritty. Her brother John N.P married Sarah "Sally" Lindsey on Feb. 19,
1824 in Lauderdale Co., AL. They had both been witnesses at Josiah &
Eritty's wedding. Eritty's sister Zelphia - at age 14, married John Albert
Mackey on February 13, 1828 in Lauderdale Co., AL. They had one son,
James, in @1833. (Check for the birthplace of their son James, to see if
maybe they moved to TN with Josiah & Eritty.)

Several years after Josiah moved back to Tennessee, his brother
Isaac and his relatives, Joseph Hodges and John J. Hammonds, had moved
westward, where they were found to be in 1830 in Tumlinson, Twp., in
Crawford Co., ARK. Then they continued further west into Texas, where by
1834, they were living in Teneha District (now Nacogdoches), Shelby Co. -
which was adjacent to the Louisiana border. This territory was then still
under Mexican rule when they were listed in a census (put in footnote ref)
, along with Isaac's daughter Nancy Malinda (Lindsey), age 23, and her
husband John J. Hammonds, age 44 and a Justice of the Peace, and their 3
children. Also there was Isaac's daughter Docia and her husband Newel
Crane Hodges; and Isaac's son Alfred (age 15 or 16), daughter Bathsheba,
age 7.

The massacre at the Alamo fanned patriotic passions far and wide.
Many volunteers from Tennessee answered the call, including Josiah. Josiah
served as a Volunteer with Capt. Love's Company I, lst Regiment, 1st
Brigade, in the Texas Revolution during the period of _________ to
_________183?. 7-2 (Later on his son James Monroe would also serve in
Texas. Sometime after his return to Tennessee from the War in Texas, in
1837, Josiah moved his family from Tennessee to the area of Tremont, in
eastern Itawamba County, Mississippi."