Early Settlers

of

Tipton County, TN

Below is a list of early settlers found in the book "Old Times in West Tennessee" by Joseph S. Williams, published in 1873.  Joseph came to Tipton County as a little boy when his father moved the family here from Mississippi in the early 1800's.  They had to travel through the Choctaw Nation and the Chickasaw Nation and had Indian guides to help them with their journey.  This family was one of the first settlers in the area.   The family consisted of Mr. Williams, his wife, and six children, the youngest an infant and the oldest but twelve years.  Joseph's mother was Martha Macon Sewell.  (Her husband was fond to call her "Patsy")  She was born in North Carolina, Dec. 26, 1790.  She was the 5th child of Joseph Seawell and Martha Macon Seawell.   She had 3 brothers, Harry, James and Nat and, and 2 sisters, Nancy (Ann) and Betsey (Elizabeth).   She married Joseph's father in the year 1806 at the age of 16.  (Joseph does not mention his father's given name).  She survived her husband by 30 years.  She was laid to rest in Elmwood, April 1867 having lived 77 years and 17 days.

The book is not in copyright and is available to download or read online at the American Library Website .  The book contains an abundant amount of information related to Tipton and  the surrounding counties.   I found the book at the Tipton County Library and later learned it was available online.   I have not included all of the names found in the book, only the ones I found relevant to Tipton County but I still may have missed some, so I do recommend that you read the book.  It is not indexed so you just have to read through it.   One thing, among many others,  I found so interesting was there really were bear here during those days.  I loved the bear hunting stories.

My list and excerpts from the book are in the order as they first appear in the book:

• Old Mrs. Seahorn & Family:   The Seahorn family is described as "squatters".   Joe Seahorn was her son and Bill Barnes was her son-in-law.  There is also a child named Nancy, but it's not clear who she is.  It's probable she is Old Mrs. Seahorn's granddaughter.   Bill Barnes was a good bee-hunter and he afforded the main support of the family.  There is a story in the book of Joe Seahorn stealing one of Mr. Williams's hogs.

• Thomas Durham:  First Militia Colonel in Tipton County, founded a settlement on the high hill (about 1829), where the village of Durhamville, which took his name, now stands.  (Durhamville became part of Lauderdale County in 1836 when Lauderdale County was formed from portions of Tipton, Haywood and Dyer County.)

• Johnny Bradford:  Honest Johnny Bradford (as Mr. Williams refers to him) found his way from Illinois, and settled below Durham's, on the head waters of Williams' creek, where he spent his last and best days.

• Thomas Thompson:  Thomas Thompson and the Russells moved in from North Carolina on the waters of Fisher's and Garner's creek.  He was the first magistrate in Tipton north of the Hatchie, and a member of the County Court for many years.

• David C. Russell: Came here with the Thompson's from North Carolina.  He built the first framed house in Tipton north of the Hatchie;  it was built in 1827 by the two Adams, who came to the settlement with William Turner and Parson Collins.   A few years later he sold the house to the Gillilands who came here from Pennsylvania. 

• The Gilliland Family:  Built a mill on what was then called Fisher's creek, which afterwards was called Gilliland's creek.  They established the first store of any note in Tipton north of the Hatchie.

• Captain Stephen Childress:  Settled in the thick woods six or more miles below the settlements on Williams' and Fisher's creeks on a creek, which took his name, where he opened a large plantation.  The Captain lived but a few years.  His widow, who was the sister of Thomas H. and Jesse Benton, with a large family, survived him many years. 

• Thomas Childress:  Son of Captain Stephen Childress, settled with his beautiful wife in the woods near his father's the same year.  (At the time when Mr. Williams wrote his book, Thomas Childress was still living near where he first settled.)

• Jacob Niswanger:  The following year, old man Jacob Niswanger, and his son-in-law, Joseph Wardlow, moved in from South Carolina, and opened up a large plantation on Garner's creek.  Jacob was a hatter by trade.  He brought old man Murphey with him from South Carolina, who was long noted for being the best maker of hats in West Tennessee.  (The author, Mr. Williams, remembers William Murphey and tells the story of being amused by his snakes.)  Mr. Murphey had snakes in his hat shop to keep the rats and mice away from his hats instead of a cat.   On a warm sunshiny day, you would see them coiled up in every crack and nitch in his shop.

• Larkin Gaines:  The same year and from the same state (South Carolina) came old man Larkin Gaines, and his sons, Pendleton, Powell and Abner.   Larkin Gaines became the first schoolmaster of the first school-house in Tipton, North of the Hatchie.  The school was built in 1827 in the Thompson settlement.  Mr. Williams (the author of the book), with Dr. Jacob N. Wardlow (who became the Clerk and Master of the Chancery Court of Lauderdale County) and Sam. A. Thompson, Esq., (who became the Chairman of the County Court of Lauderdale) were among Mr. Gain's first pupils.

• Joseph Wardlow:  (Son-in-law of Jacob Niswanger) Joseph built his first house at the big spring, forming the head of Garner's creek, and afterward made his permanent settlement below his father-in-law's, near the same creek, where he resided until the county of Lauderdale was formed in 1836., when he fixed his residence at Ripley, the newly located county site, building the first house in the place.  He remained there until his death in 1863, in the 70th year of his age.

• The Fishers, Blackwells, Doctor Abner Phillips, and others worthy of mention, were contemporary in the Thompson-Russell settlement. 

• The settlement to the east and south of Durhamville was formed by Matthew Pickett, Johnny Stone, William Turner, Kent Penic, Estes and others.  Mr. Williams writes that many of these men's descendants yet cultivate the land and reside on the homes of their fathers.

• William Turner:  Reverently called "Uncle Billy".   In the spring-time of manhood, with his young and newly married wife, in company with several of his neighbors, cut loose their moorings from the shores of their native land, and floated out the Barron river into the Green, and down the Ohio into the Mississippi, landing at the mouth of the Big Hatchie, in the month of February, in the year 1827, in search of a home in a wild, and, to him, an unknown land.  His companions were Parson Reson B. Collins, Charles Cullin, and two young men named Adams.   They made their way to the Thompson and Russell settlement.  The year after "Uncle Billy" moved over and settled on Camp creek, a favorite camping creek with the Chickasaws.  His permanent settlement in Tipton County also became part of Lauderdale County when Lauderdale County  was formed.  Uncle Billy Turner was noted for his many Christian virtues.

• Parson Reson B. Collins:  Pioneer Preacher - After a severe spell of fever, his mind lost its balance, and his friends prevailed on him to move back to Kentucky, which he did, after remaining a couple of years.

• Arthur Davis:  Pioneer Methodist Preacher - Preached around the area of Denmark.  Wife's name was Drucilla.  Reverend Davis was known as being a courageous preacher with stories in the book being told of some of his courageous deeds.

• John C. Barnes:  He was the pioneer blacksmith in Tipton, north of the Hatchie.  His shop was on the waters of Fisher's creek.  Barnes was a good citizen, though a bachelor, and had the advancement and prosperity of the settlement very much at heart.   He later began to think it was not good to be "alone in the world".   He married Captain Stephen Childress's eldest daughter who was a widow.  The wedding took place at Captain Childress', some six miles below in the "thick woods".

• General Jacob Tipton:  He was among the first settlers south of the Big Hatchie, in the county which bore his name.  His place of dwelling was beautifully situated, four miles northeast of Covington, where he established a large plantation. 

• These men were all known as good or expert bear hunters in the settlement:   Cary Estes and his elder brother, Captain Albert and Pendleton Gaines (familiarly known as "Pet") and his brother, Ab.  Also mentioned is Steptoe Johnson. 

• Nathan Hartsfield:  The first court was organized and held at his house on the first of December, 1823.  He lived two or more miles southwest of where Covington now stands.   The first magistrates appointed for Tipton County by Governor Carroll, were Nathan Hartsfield, John T. Brown, Jacob Tipton, Andrew Greer, John C. McKean and George Robinson.    Once the court was organized, they went into an election for county officers, which resulted as follows:  Andrew Greer, Clerk;  John T. Brown, Sheriff; Nathan Hartsfield, Register;  William Henson, Ranger; George Robinson, Coroner.    The first grand jurors chosen for the first courts were: Owen Evans, Samuel P. Givens, Matthew Isaacs, Matthew Alexander, Alexander Robinson, Daniel Young, William Wright, William Henson, John Smith, N. Elliot, G. Yarbrough, Clarke Burdsall, M. Hutchinson, William Robinson, Samuel Robinson, A. R. Logan, Jubilee Gagin, G. Kenney, John Robinson, Jefferson Childress, and Addison D. Packston.

• Robert Sanford:  Succeeded Jacob Tipton, after his death, to the office of Clerk of the Circuit Court of Tipton.  He was called from the plow-handle and learned to handle the pen in the Clerk's office as deputy clerk.   He remained in that office for many long years.

• Major Armsted Morehead:  Was one of the early settlers and merchants of Covington.  He lived in Covington for more than a quarter of a century and then moved to the vicinity of Memphis where he was still living when Mr. Williams wrote his book.

• Marcus Calmes:   Owned and kept the only tavern in Covington.  He had been elected Sheriff of the county; the duties of office of the office conflicting with his tavern keeping, he offered to sell or lease his tavern.  (The writer's, Mr. Williams, father leased the tavern).  The old log tavern was situated on the north side of the public square in Covington.  It was in built in 1824 or '25 of hewed logs, sixty feet long by twenty wide; two stories high, a frame shed in the rear its full length, and a broad front gallery, with sleeping apartment overhead, containing ten rooms, including the dining room and ball room.

• Other leading merchants of Covington were Booker, Clarkston, Holmes, Adams, Clarke, Smith and Morehead.   The doctors were Stone, Green, Fisher, Hall and David Taylor Woodward Cook, the latter a capital good fiddler.  The lawyers were Robert G. Green, Tom Taylor, "an old widower", and Grandville D. Searcy, young and sprightly.  Phil Glen and Yankee White were added to the list a few years after.

• Among the men of wealth and personal merit, who early settled in the vicinity of Covington were the Tiptons, Dunhams, Garlands, Browns, Robersons, Hills, Harpers, Pryors, Lauderdales, Cowards, Cottons, Taylors and many others whose names are identified with the early settlement of the Big Hatchie country.

• Dr. Charles G. Fisher:  One of the early settlers in Covington.  Mr. Williams states in his book that Dr. Fisher still resided in the same house he had built over forty years ago. 

• Nathan Adams:  One of the first settlers of Covington who later moved to Memphis. 

• William Coward, Esquire:  "Starting in the world a poor boy" he began his life in Jackson, Madison County, 1924-5, with Armour & Lake, clerking and running keel boats down the Forked Deer and Mississippi, carrying cotton to New Orleans.   Aiming to be a tiller of the soil, the rich lands of Tipton attracted him to where he settled in the woods near Covington.  At the time when Mr. Williams wrote his book, Mr. Coward was still living where he first settled, and in the house he first built, where by his industry and probity, he had amassed a large fortune. 

• Major James Sweeney:  Kept a house of entertainment on the road from Covington to Randolph.    Few men were better or more favorably known in the county.  He was noted for his excessive laughter, often when alone he was known to break out in a horse laugh at some humorous thought of his own. 

• Rufus Garland:  A most excellent good citizen, of good family and high respectability.  He lived about 4 miles northeast of Covington.  Mr. Williams paints Mr. Garland as pretty colorful character.   He would often go on a "spree" and mount his horse, with fiddle and bow in hand, and ride, as on a race, all around the square playing.

• Grandville D. Searcy:  Was a highly respected lawyer in Covington.  As a criminal lawyer he had no superior-he was the lion at the bar on "State days".     Colonel Searcy was a native of Tennessee, his father was for many years Clerk of the Federal Court at Nashville, where he read law.  Admitted to the bar in early life, he began his career in the practice at Covington upon the organizing of the the first courts in the county.  He removed to Somerville in 1840, and soon afterward fixed his residence in Memphis, where he died in 1854.

• James Holmes, D. D. :   Founder and principal of the "Mountain Academy".  Mr. Holmes was a native of Pennsylvania, his birth-place Carlye.  His father died when he was in his childhood, leaving him to the tender care and training of a pious mother.  He graduated at Dickinson College before he was twenty-one.   In 1824 he was teaching among the Chickasaws, opening a school for the teaching and training of the red children of the forest.  He married Miss Sarah Van Wagenon, of Newark, N. J., who cheerfully exchanged the luxuries and comforts and braved the perils and hardships incident to life in a savage territory, to live with the man she loved.  Mr. Holmes was born on Aug. 21, 1801 and died in February, 1873 at the age of 71. 

• Jessee Benton:  Settled below Randolph on the Mississippi, before 1824, as in that year we find him a candidate on the Pesidential electoral ticket as a Crawford elector.  Memphis was the nearest post office.  Implacable, with singularly strong personal prejudices, he became a law unto himself, and soon migrated, when menaced by settled neighborhoods, to a more frontier country -- Texas. 

• Orvil Shelby:  A generous, kind-hearted, genial companion and neighbor, became the owner of, and fixed his place of residence upon the "Benton place" and contributed to the interest and advancement of society in and around Randolph.

• The Alstons:  In whose veins coursed the best blood of the "Old North State" established a large plantation several miles back, and became , by their native courtesy and good manners, an acquisition to the society of the village and vicinity.

• Colonel Tom Robertson:  Lived a happy life "up on the hill", the "latch-string" of whose door was always on the outside.  Generous and most hospitable, full of anecdote and passionately fond of a good joke, he entertained gloriously.  One good laugh of his would dispel the ennui of the village.

• Frank Latham:   The pioneer newspaper man of Tipton.  He early settled at Randolph, and published the Randolph Record.

(Compiled by Rita Morgan)

Were your ancestors early settlers of Tipton County?  If you would like to share their story send me the information in an email.

Email