DOES THIS CLEAR THE "BURRIS" MYSTERY UP?

In recent years a mystery name has been added to various Terry family trees. A "plain" John TERRY who married Esther BROWN in Botetourt Co., VA suddenly became "JOHN BURRIS TERRY" and everyone jumped aboard the speeding train and added the name despite there not being any evidence offered or any rationales for the addition.

In trying to flesh out some trees and get some handle of lines, as well as helping someone see if they had a connection to John's line, I discovered what I believe to be the source of the confusion.  There is a Burris in a Terry tree BUT it has nothing to do with John and Esther at all!!

As seen in the earlier post on the line of Josiah Terry of Scott Co., Tn, eldest son of John and Esther Terry, it is noted his first wife and he had two children:

Joseph Terry and William Terry.  While William will marry Ithema Payton and move into Randolph Co., Missouri, Joseph will marry Minerva Stephenson and move into Kentucky.

It is from this union that the name BURRIS can be found and it comes from the mother of Minerva Stephenson,  Minerva was the daughter of Mary "Polly" Tribble and Joseph Stevenson/Stephenson.  Mary "Polly" Tribble was the daughter of a Baptist pioneer minister Rev. Andrew Tribble and his wife Sarah or Sallie Ann Burris (1753-1830), daughter of probably Thomas Burris of Orange Co., Va. The younger family migrated into Kentucky.

• John and Esther Terry have son Josiah Terry who marries Nancy Thomas #1 and Nancy Stephens #2
• Joseph Terry, s/o Josiah and Mary Thomas Terry, md Minerva Stephenson
• Minerva Stephenson, d/o Mary "Polly" Tribble and her husband Joseph Stephenson
• Mary "Polly" Tribble d/o Sarah Ann "Sallie" Burris and her husband Rec. Andrew Tribble
• Sarah Ann "Sallie" Burris d/o Thomas Burris and Francis Tandy.

There is an application for the Sons of the American Revolution on this Burris connection.

This appears to be the source of the confusion. Yes, there is a BURRIS name in the mix but down the line and in a descendant of one of John's sons!

BURRIS has NOTHING to do with John and Esther Terry according to anything found to date and with this additional discovery it appears clear that in a "click and add" family tree environment, it is best to check out and then add instead. It says everyone a lot of trouble.

Here is a link on this Burris line.

"Brother Josiah in Tennessee" : The Family of Josiah Terry (1782-1869)

 From a letter dated 7 April 1852 from William Terry (1785-1869) of Madison County, Arkansas to his son John Terry (1818-1898) in Red River County, Texas comes the statement that William had heard "we had a letter from brother Josiah in Tennessee...".

Josiah TERRY is believed to be the eldest son of John Terry and Esther Brown Terry. He would have been born about 1782 (based on the 2 February 1781 marriage of his parents in Botetourt Co., Va). His parents, along with other relatives and friends, are believed to have begun migrating out of Virginia between 1795 and 1800. Two sisters of his father John had already left the area, it is believed, and were moving into the areas of Northeast Tennessee accessed via the Cumberland Gap (an area known as the Territory South of the Ohio River that fluctuated between claimants to domain under such labels as Anderson County, Tennessee, the State of Franklin, and the Hawkins County of Tennessee.

Based on birthdates of children, Josiah married his first wife Nancy THOMAS in about 1805 in Anderson County, Tennessee. His father was also living in that area as court records of Botetourt Co., Virginia attest when he gave his brother-in-law Thomas Brown (wife Susannah Terry Brown) his power of attorney to sell his 1/8 share of his father's land in Botetourt County. William TERRY (c1724) probably October-November of 1792 as a December document in the courts notes him as deceased. His wife Rachel MANSON TERRY died sometime in 1803 as legal proceedings occur in 1804 indicating the estate was being settled through various means to divide the property up between his eight children.

Josiah and Nancy Thomas TERRY had two children.

1) Joseph, b. March 7, 1806, Tennessee and died Sept 17, 1863. He married Oct 11, 1832 Minerva STEPHENSON (1811-1894). They, in turn, had six children: Joseph, John, Jim, Edna, Jane, Louise.

2) William, b. October 20, 1808 and died 20 Nov 1881, Randolph Co., Missouri. He married Ithema Payton Dec. 24, 1831. They had children: Josiah, William Y., Nancy J., Mildred A. and Bailey Payton Terry (who went to Dewitt Co., Texas and had a son Bailey Payton Terry Jr. who died tragically after mere months of marriage in Gonzalez, Tx) 

Josiah next married Nancy STEVENS had several children:

1) Martin b.1820 md Nancy Thompson and then Sarah Davis

2) Rachel b. 1821 d. 1890 md. Richard Smith. had 17 children.

3)James Terry b. 1823 md Tilda or Matilda "Polly" Smith and had 8 children.

4) Alsey (or Alcie or Sarah Alsey) was born about 1827, Scott Co., TN and md Jonathan Phillips in 1847 and had five children. Her death date is unknown - as is her grave location - but she had to have died before 1859 when Phillips remarried Jane Chitwood and added several more children to his line.

5) Edmund b. 1830 md Bettie Hicks and had 4-5 daughters and three sons (Wm, Milton, James)

6) Milton, b 1834 d. 1904 and married Jane Thomas

7) Nancy b. 1836 d? md Ely or Eli Roysden (several will marry into this same family)

9. Ithema  (Themie) b 1838 md Jessie Roysden (and both their names will be terribly mangled in various census records!)

10. Malinda (or Mylinda) b 1839 d 1909 and md Jackson Smith. Josiah Terry, her father, is said to  have been visiting them in Wayne Co., KY when he died. That land was said to be the location of part of the current Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area. Also, to note that his brother William will make a similar trip to visit a daughter and her family in Greene Co., Missouri from Barry Co., Mo and die there and be buried. Odd coincidence.

11) Josiah Jr. b 1842 and d. 1911 md Johanna Roysden (1839-1925) and had 9 children.

The source for most of this the work of George A. Terry, a descendant of this group who put together a history in The Terry's of Scott Co.,Tn in 1984 which appeared in an issue of the Terry Family Historian.

The Challenge of Inconsistent Family Name Spelling: The Elizabeth Reed and William Guthrie Family

 The challenge of surnames spelled in a variety of confusing and often inconsistent ways can be mind boggling. One line is Van Scyoc and there are 27 different ways to spell that name!!!! People would sound out the name and then spell it (or try to spell it) phonetically, others just made wild guesses, and some, I think, had to be drunk when they filled in the forms! Often people did not write their own names, sometimes they could no do so and had to make a mark and have someone else enter the name as they pronounced it (add another wrinkle here because people mumble, people do not hear well and are reluctant to ask for repeated pronunciations, etc.)/ Ennis can be Innis or Enis or Ennes and all refer to the same family group. Hudson can be Hutson, Hodson, etc. So, you can see the issues at work.

The family of one REED daughter, Elizabeth "Betsey" REED who married one William GUTHRIE/GUTTERY/GUTRY/GUTHERIE....is a prime example.  It makes searching through census records, marriage records, etc. difficult and time-consuming.

The tale of Elizabeth and William is a stark and heartbreaking one demonstrating the suffering caused when the country split into factions and fought each other. Regardless of the nobility of cause - war is at its heart hell. On those who fight and those, the this family, caught in the whirlpool of conflict.

Like so many of the area of northern Arkansas and southern Missouri the family was uprooted as thousands of troops poised to strike from two directions. Some sons joined up to fight and others went to Kansas to escape the conflict and fighting.  Even when war was over the problems lingered on as outlaws - some with a political agenda and most just out for what they could get -  called "bushwhackers" and "renegades".

CharleneGuthery55William Guthery: William Guthery was killed by bush whackers after the Civil War.  He was in bed , sick when they came in demanding money.  They thought he had it hidden.  When he told them he didn't

have any money, they sat him up on the side of the bed and shot him. Probably about 1865.

According to a letter in The Terry Family Letters, vol. 1, pg. 234 Elizabeth Reed Guttery wrote to John and Lucinda Reed Terry from Benton County, Arkansas June 16, 1867. As written in the original.

"Dear brother and sister, i received your kind letter of March the 31 and was glad to hear from you once more now sister you said you had heard that William was dead he was murdered on the 17th of September last at home by his bed side sick by three strangers there was no one present to witness the horrible scene but myself

I cannot with pen and ink tell you half the trouble I have seen during the war

the rebels robbed us of of all our property and our clothing and bed close only what I hid in the river bottom you said you had four children married and five living at holm with you

I have but one child a living that is Daniel and the rebles had a rope around his neck to hang him

my children all died at home but Samuel and Joseph they both died at Fayetteville they was both in the federal army but never was marked with a bullet myself but Danial is all the family that is alive w are living at home we are verry lonesome"

This would indicate William had died September 1866...Daniel Guthrie (Guttery, Gutthery, etc.) survived and married - still in northwest Arkansas. One has to wonder at the trauma and lasting impact that whole event must have had on the young man. To watch a loved father murdered, a mother terrorized and himself nearly hung to death... One account indicates he might have been shot as well as being stung up to die...

Samuel and Joseph both died in April of 1863 at the Battle of Fayetteville.

Finding graves for William, Elizabeth, and Daniel is challenging due to the variations of spelling the last name. If not for the letters shared between sisters preserved in the Terry Family Letters collections this heartrending story would be lost...and we would be less for never learning its lessons.

Dying Words: A Tradition of Hope and Faith in Early VIctorian Times

DYING WORDS: The Faith and Hope of Victorian Era Death Bed Statements./  By Marilyn A. Hudson, MLIS

A popular scene in early Victorian and religious writings was the last words uttered by a person. It was believed that in those moments the person stood poised on the border of a strange land he could see but others could only imagine. For good or bad, the dying were in a special place to see with eyes attuned to a new and rare dimension.

People of faith were expected to utter encouraging words of hope and faith.

April 7, 1852 in a letter from William Terry (1765-1869) of Madison County, Arkansas, to his son in Red River County, Texas, John Terry (Lucinda Reed Terry).

William’s daughter Mary Elizabeth “Betty” Terry had married one John Bohannon and in this letter William shares the news of the death of John and one of his daughters.

“He died 25 March 1852 at night half past one and on that night week and about the same time of the night his child died.

“He died of the measles and the child had the measles and hooping [whooping] cough and the balance of the children is laboring under the same disease…”

“Out of that interesting little family of seven three is deposited in the graveyard on my place. While four is left to mourn their loss but we sorrow not as those that have no hope for he died in his senses leaving perhaps as satisfactory evidence as mortals can leave that he was going to a better place.”

“On the night before he died he called all present to his bedside and bode them an affectionate farewell and exhorted them by all the love a dying friend to meet him heaven.

“I was there the next day and although he had lost the use of himself I found him calm and serene waiting his change. I left him not knowing his end was so near and was not there to witness his dying scene but I was there when it was obvious to all that death had struck him he reached his feeble hand to his wife and exclaimed Betty a long, long farewell and after his speech left him his father told him if all was well to raise his hand and he raised his dying hand and pointed upward as if pointing to his home on high and made one effort to clap his hands as to let them know he was in sight of the promised land but death had deprived him of the power to preform and he let his hands down and sweetly breathed his last.

“These are some of the advantages the Christian has that a cold unfeeling world can’t deprive him of but although we have such testimony that our loss is his eternal gain yet we see him die in the prime of life and see with what intensity his fond doting wife and loving parents and friends clung to him was one of the sorest trials I have had but I must drop the heartbreaking subject..”

Note: 
John Barnabus Bohannan (1824, TN – 1852 Huntsville, Madison, Ark) was son of Henderson Bohannon and Winnie Harp Bohannan.

Martin Terry Letter
From a letter dated 3 April 1862, near Rolla, Missouri from Martin Terry to his son John King Terry. Martin, his wife Mary Ann and children had fled advancing armies in July 1861 and finally found some sanctuary on a farm owned by Thomas Shockly on Third Creek there. In a rather derelict farm house, his terribly ill sons William Terry and Henderson Terry, lying beds of straw, the rest of the family ill the final scenes were played out...

"We left home July 23 and stopt in Gasconde County 40 miles from here the 10th of September. There we was nearly all sick and William and Henderson died. William on the 9th of October and Henderson on the 16th of November and the fever settled in your mother's rite eye and it went out. Our disease was considered to be low typhus We had the best medical help the county could afford, but no human help could avail. William said tell all friends I die in view of a blissful immortality and that is worth all the world to me and Henderson said he trusted the savior and was not afraid to die and he expected to get to Heaven and we have a sweet hope that they both are forever at rest..."

Note:
William Terry was born 11 January 1840 and died 9 October 1861. He was 21 years of age.
Henderson Lafferty Terry was born12 March 1844 and died 16 November 1861.He was 17 years of age. Later in life, Martin would become even more active in local church work and possibly became a lay minister. 

THE CIVIL WAR AND THE MARTIN TERRY FAMILY OF MISSOURI

 One of the saddest parts of the American Civil War was the fact that ideologies split families apart over issues of state's rights, federalism, and slavery. The Methodist Church had foretold the eventual confrontation in 1844 when they split over the issue of slavery into a Methodist Episcopal Church, South and a Methodist Episcopal Church (the North was implied but never used as they retained a sense they were still the only Methodist Church). In the Terry family of Northwest Arkansas and then Barry County, Missouri, two sons of William and Barbara Ennis Terry, married daughters of a Methodist, and sometimes Cumberland Presbyterian, minister named Joseph Reed.

Martin Terry (his father and family and legal records only used the name Martin, despite attempts to add a Francis Martin Terry as a first name in the late 1990's) married Mary Ann Reed. His brother John Terry married Lucinda King Reed. 

Joseph Reed has his eye on the opening lands of western Arkansas (present day Oklahoma and northeast Texas) and after just a few years in Arkansas, he moved his family into the new Republic of Texas. Going with them were family and friends, including John Terry and his wife Lucinda.

Through letters the family kept up on the "connections" - family and close friends as well as newsy information of crop prices, natural events, and social-political themes being talked about.

With the opening of the Civil War, father William Terry had remarked in a letter of the 1850's he did not see the slavery issue being laid to rest without violence, and he was proven right. The Arkansas and now Missouri based Terry's leaned toward the Northern side and the Union and most sons joined to wear the blue. Some, however, selected to wear the gray and all sides paid theultimate price with children, sons, fathers, husbands, friends, and lovers killed.

The last letter between the Missouri family and the Texas family was 1861 with talk of moving to Texas and leaving a struggling farm economy and restless politics. That would not happen.

Gathering together little more than the clothes on their back, some foodstuffs, weapons and other necessary items the family fled 22 July 1861. All around them were approaching armies and if they did not hurry they would be caught in a massive pincher move as Union forces moved south and Confederate forces moved northward.  As the saying goes in war, the best laid plans fall apart with the first shot fired and so, as the family fled, they had to scurry here and there as one force moved one way and then retreated and crisscrossed their enemy. The echo of cannon, the black smoke of fires, and the distant volleys of rifles could be heard as they tried to find respite from the conflict.  September they reached the shores of the Missouri River in Casconde County, Missouri and sheltered in a rough abandoned farmhouse. There the family took ill from low typhus; as hundreds of men, horses, dead bodies, and other waste drained into the rivers and water ways the water, the land and sometimes the very air was fouled. 

In a letter to her sister, the first in nearly seven years, she shared all they had endured. Hard feelings and hardheaded men had not been willing to resume the communications once treasured so dear but the women decided enough was enough and resumed the letters, setting the healing into motion.  

In a letter dated 11 September 1867 from Mary Ann Reed Terry in Gadfly (Corsicana), Missouri to her sister Lucinda King Reed Terry in Red River Co., Texas, Mary Ann Terry wrote:

"William and Henderson died in a  ... old house on a pile of straw."

The entire family came down sick and Mary Ann Reed Terry lost the sight in her right eye.

After a time they went to Rolla, Missouri and then to Illinois and then back to Rolla.

Summer of 1863 saw them back in Green County, Missouri, as Mary wrote "a wreck".

In 1865 they moved on to Lawrence County, Missouri, ever edging closer to home, as the war winded down.

Finally in 1866 they returned home and all was a waste land. A huge curving swath had been carved out of Barry County Missouri in the war as both armies played a vicious tug-of-war. The entire area is much featured in the multi-volume set The War of the Rebellion as armies, want, and marauding bushwhackers all played havoc on the region. Huge miles of land and forest had been burned down to keep an opposing force from foraging and in the process family homes and farms were destroyed. 

Their son John King Terry was part of the Union forces, often under a Capt. Kelso, who chased those bushwhackers.  His own wife and in-laws had taken to caves and cabins in high isolated areas to avoid the devastation.

Martin Terry had been living and working a railroad land section and since it was all destroyed , and they had just been renting it, they decided to purchase a railroad claim and begin the task of improving it and starting over.

Marilyn A. Hudson

[Source for the historic letters were originally Ruth Terry Preston and Nell Wray of Texas (descendants of John and Lucinda Terry) and Harriet Wray of Pratt, Kansas, and Dennis R. Terry, Wellington, Kansas. These in turn led to Jed D. Terry collecting and publishing a vast collection of letters written by the family and its various lines from the 1840's to the 1890's in a two volume collection called The Terry Family Letters, available at various research libraries, check WorldCat. In addition, Ruth Terry Preston had given me permission to print and use the letters as well in sharing the history and story of the Terry family. They were donated to a Texas University for their northern Texas archives.]

The Terry Family Letters: Crucial History

 On another of my pages, on Wednesday, October 30, 2019, I posted an entry titled "JED DARREL TERRY: A LEAF DROPS FROM THE FAMILY TREE" when I learned of the passing of this cousin and fellow researcher. (See http://www.lawrencecountyrecord.com/content/jed-darrel-terry and at https://www.bennettwormington.com/obituary/jed-terry). 

"Jed Darrel Terry, 86, of Purdy and Springfield, passed away March 8, 2019, at Oak Pointe of Monett.  He was born Oct. 18, 1932, in Purdy to Homer Terry and Mellie Burg Terry. In 1958, in Bellflower, Calif., he was married to Norma Judith Lewis; she survives.

Terry grew up and received his education in Purdy, graduating in 1949. He attended California State University in Long Beach, Calif., graduating in 1959. He then graduated from American Graduate School of International Management in Glendale, Ariz. While in California he worked at the Union Pacific Railroad in Los Angeles. He served in the Air Force during the Korean War from 1952-1956.

He spent most of his career with Citibank/Citicorp in New York, Brazil and Chicago. While in Chicago he was named Who’s Who in the Midwest, was a director of Citicorp Savings and served on the presidents council of the Museum of Science and Industry.

His passion was family history and he wrote books on the Terry and Burg families. He was a member of the National Genealogical Society, Ozarks Genealogical Society and Barry County Genealogical and Historical Society. He also was secretary of Arnhart Cemetery Association. He enjoyed playing tennis and golf and was invited to play in the PGA golf tournament pro-am at Torrey Pines Golf Course in San Diego, Calif. He loved his farm and enjoyed making and riding trails on his ATV’s.

Surviving are: son, David Terry, of Ridgedale; daughter, Diane (Kevin) Bayly of Laurel, Md.; eight grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. Preceding him in death were: his parents; sisters, Lucile, Louise, Maxine; brothers, Charles, Famous, Eugene, Fulton, Ward, Ed; and one granddaughter.

Services were held at Bennett-Wormington Funeral Home March 16, 2019. Burial with military honors was at Arnhart Cemetery in Purdy. Arrangements were entrusted to the care of the Bennett-Wormington Funeral Home in Monett."

His two volume set, The Terry Family Letters include not just family trees researched and supported by evidence current to the publishing (1995-1996), but also copies of documents, original letters (some dating to the late 1840's) by family members to family members,  and photographs. These comprise historical and family tree information.

His historical books on the Terry family are vastly important works. They contain the photocopy images of original letters dating to the middle of the 1800's between Terry family members (and their Reed spouses) in Red River County, Texas and Arkansas and Barry County, Missouri. These are all annotated, have accompanying family group sheets and contain family information as well as social and historical details related to the time and setting of the writers of the letters.

They can be found in several university and family history library collections. Search for them using WorldCat to locate copies near to you.  See elsewhere this blog an index to letters. 

Significant for my line of William Terry and Barbara Ennis was a letter that referred to people in Anderson (both Anderson Co. TN and Anderson, Perry Co., Indiana applied to the residences of John Terry father of William, a mention of a brother Josiah in Tennessee and when a check was made only one fit the bill and was a son of John Terry). In addition, as other lines were connected their information fleshed out the lines with greater surety. 

BLESSINGS AFTER TIME OF TRIAL: THE DAUGHTERS OF JASPER AND MARGARET TERRY

The three unique names of the three daughters have been frequently misinterpreted and changed. Lacking Biblical literacy of their origins the names are swept aside.

Jasper Terry of Montgomery County, Virginia who names his wife as Margaret Terry in the 1819 will of that county specifically mentions the three daughters...

Keziah Terry who married Lawson Graham

Karon-Happuck Terry who married Joseph Rose

Jemima Terry who married Peter DeWeese (and will name a son  with a Terry middle name!)

In Job 42:14 (ESV):

"And he called the name of the first daughter Jemimah, and the name of the second Keziah, and the name of the third Keren-happuch..."

The line of William Terry and Rachel had a daughter named Jemima who married in 1796 an Ezekiel Boucher and then about a year later marries another woman (A Graham who may be related to the Lawson Graham above).

Depending on when they were born, Jemima of this line might have been named in memory of a relative or friend or merely named for an apt phrase of scripture that reflected the parent's own blessings after some time of trial.

This family group may be related to the Jasper Terry-Mary Morrison group or to the William Terry -Rachel group. It will all depend on the DNA as the two groups have very different  haplogroups.

Haplogroup I-02 : Some early lines

 An early line that has been recognized as sharing the Haplogroup of I-02 shared by Terry men of the line of Thomas Terry born 1653, Bucks Co., Pa and who died in Makefield, PA and my own line out of John Terry, son of William Terry of Botetourt Co., Va  (including my father).

A John Terry, b. 1379, Hampshire, England has been classified as having that same Haplogroup.

Also in the line is a Thomas Terry b/ 1607, Southold, Kent, England who married a Maria Bigge

A Daniel Terry b. 1647

A James Terry born 1695 in NY

A Richard Terry born 1791 in NY

A William Terry born in NY

a Pashall Terry born in CT.

Thus a clear line from England, to New York, to CT and to PA and into VA emerges with this Haplogroup.

Tracking a flow of migration through these areas might prove beneficial due tot he fact that so much of the eastern areas of Virginia reveal in influx of Haplogroup I-01 from the late 1690's into the early to late 1700's who apparently arrived from NJ, England and Scotland.

A DIFFERENT JASPER TERRY : Grouping the Jasper Terry Groups of Botetourt Co., Va

 One of the issues in research of the Terry family of Botetourt County, Virginia is the "problem" of so many Jasper Terry groups: are the all the same? Are they all related? How to sort them out?

One line is defined as follows:

Jasper Terry, born circa 1720/30, who married a Mary Morrison b. circa 1733.

They are usually said to have had one son:

Josiah Terry  b 12 April 1755, Botetourt County, Va. who married a Mary Lloyd, who as born 16 Oct 1756, Va . Josiah is said to have died 10 June 1839 in Kentucky.

Josiah's children were:

• Jasper Morrison Terry, b. 6 Jan 1777 who married Sallie Fuller. Jasper Morrison Terry died circa 1850 in Greene Co., Il.
• Elijah Terry b. 1778, Botetourt County, Va who md a Mary Wright in Montgomery Co., Va and d. Grayson Co., Kentucky. *
• Aaron Burr Terry born 12/7/1782 or 83.
• Josiah Terry Jr., b.1784 Botetourt Co., V, md Annie Sowder
• Martha Terry b. circa 1798, Montgomery Co., Va md in Kentucky Abraham Hart b, 1795, SC. Died in Grayson Co., Ky.
• William Terry md 1804? Jane Winters in Montgomery Co., Va
• Unknown Terry.

This group of Terry are listed among the DNA results of the Terry Surname Project at FamilyTreeDNA. They have very distinct DNA Haplogroup which should allow for male descendants to easily identified and connected.

Plus, from the same source they appear to also share that Haplogroup with a William Terry b. circa 1690 and who died circa 1754 in NJ.

Now, there is also another Jasper Terry found in records who is identified as a son of William Terry, he is serving as an administer of his estate, settling claims in court, and similar actions. He is identified as "Jasper Terry with wife Ruth" in records of 1793 and 1804.

There is also a Jasper Terry who leaves a will in Montgomery County, Va  in 1819 naming a wife Margaret, three daughters, and naming several male Terry's assumed to be sons. Numerous trees have conflated these two so that they are one man with a first wife "Ruth" and a second wife "Margaret,"  The question is "are they the same man?"  Are we seeing two different Jasper Terry men in these instances?  Only DNA will sort this out, apparently, because no marriage records for a Jasper and a Ruth or a Jasper and a Margaret have ever been located. Some attempt to insert "Ruth" to create a "Mary Ruth" or a "Margaret Ruth" but evidence for the families of the other groups, now coupled with the DNA differences, mean that is incorrect with solid evidence.

Theory One: The Jasper and Ruth group is a son of William Terry who assumes the administrator role and, like his siblings and friends leaves the Montgomery County area to head into TN, KY, etc. Any descendants of this line, via this theory, would no doubt join the Haplogroup of son's of John Terry, son of William and have a Haplogroup of I-02.

Theory Two: The Jasper and Margaret group is a son of William, and Margaret was a second wife he married post 1804, and the same would apply and his implied sons of Silas, Elijah (note the Elijah assigned to the above Jasper who appears to be the same one in this group), Jonathan, and a William (who looks to have married an Elizabeth). Their lines should be I-02.

Theory Three: The Jasper and Margaret Terry group with daughters Keziah Terry Graham, Karon-Happuck Terry Rose, Jemima Terry DeWeese, along with the Silas, Elijah, Jonathan and William comprise a second son of Jasper and Mary Morrison Terry, he being a brother to Josiah Terry and Mary Lloyd, uncle to Jasper Morrison Terry and Aaron Burr Terry. He and his male descendants would then share that different Haplogroup of G-02.

Which is correct?  Only time and additional DNA work will add enough knowledge to finally settle the question, unless someone finds a forgotten cemetery, lost records, or something similar that answer some of the marital and kinship questions. 

THE TERRY FAMILY OF BOTETOURT COUNTY, VA : SOME SOCIOLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS

One theory of origin concerning the line of William Terry and wife Rachel is that they connect back to a broad group of Quaker Terry's in Buck's County, Pennsylvania.

A Jasper Terry who married a Mary Hart, disappeared from Buck's County records as a group of Harts, Browns, and Terry's (along with some others) migrated southward into the frontier.  This Jasper was born 1715 and md in 1735 in Philadelphia.  His wife was the daughter and granddaughter of prominent Quaker leaders. The Brown family that came with them was also strongly linked to the Quakers. It is believed that this is the Jasper Terry who arrived about 1740 in the Augusta County region, attended a sale at Monahan's (along with Henry Brown and a William Terry) and acquired land abutting William Terry. 

This theory suggests that the William Terry may have been a cousin of Jasper Terry. It is noted that there is a William Terry who married an Eleanor Holmes in Philadelphia and seems to "disappear" and possibly fathered a son William who remained in Pennsylvania. It is noted that this couple may have married "out of unity" in other words they did not marry in the Quaker manner and under its permissions. It is unlikely this is the same man.

Another theory suggests that the brother of that William, one Abraham Terry, about which very little is known, might be the father of William Terry, b circa 1724.

It is interesting to also note that the father of both that William and Abraham, one Clement Terry Jr. chose to marry in a Presbyterian Church and not the Quaker Meeting Houses of that area. This would seem to infer that he too married "out of unity" and this may have introduced a non-Quaker tradition of marrying in churches such as the great Christ Church in Philadelphia or such as Abingdon Presbyterian.

Religious heritage is an often ignored aspect of family history. Religion, however, shapes lives, attitudes, values, and conduct - no matter how distant the influences might have been. The influence of people with a strong faith, especially a strong and positive influence, can be long lasting despite shifts in locality or religious beliefs or social /political attitudes.

For that reason, a look at the Terry family of William and Rachel is very interesting because of the apparent lack of one common factor of southern life - slaves.  Early tax records seem to indicate that most of the group associated with William and Rachel had no slaves, or if they did, their treatment of them was markedly different.

Miles Terry, 1783 Tax List, o slaves

Jasper Terry (believed to be a son) and William Terry , 1783 Tax List, both records showed o slaves

In comparison, the Terry groups along the eastern regions did own slaves, and when some of them appear in Botetourt County circa 1780's their records reflect slave ownership.

Of particular note is the WILL of William Terry Jr. in 1819, whose will proves a connection to Miles Terry above.  He referred to them in the common parlance of the day as "negros", but some documents would clearly identifying person held in slavery as slaves, and so his designation may be of note or merely custom. 

" All negroes at wife's deth be set at liberty which they are to have, two choice horses and gears and waggon and 2 plows and furniture sufficient to ceep house, one acre apiece and two best wheels.& provisions sufficient to take them to a free state and ten dollars apiece for all that is groon. To be taken out of my wife's estate at her deth. At my deth, the plantation where Frank lives to be sold to highest bidder and the money to my wife."

The influence of religion on one line of William Terry, his son John Terry, will include a long relationship to Methodism they encountered as they moved into Tennessee, Kentucky and then into Arkansas. Other lines also showed a long and strong relationship with the Church of Christ, Baptist faith, and others. A tradition of religious awareness and connectedness is something a family passes down through the generations. It can be interrupted but it can be seen. 

William Terry Grave Memorial

Since there is no known grave, and the information on Find-A-Grave has combined several trees, here is the memorial due William Terry.

William Terry, born circa 1824 in Pennsylvania or Virginia. 

Although his parents are unknown, it is unlikely they were a William and a Keziah ??. No evidence of this man or this woman have been found. Many family trees erroneously mix lines from groups in eastern Virginia with those in the Botetourt County area. Recent DNA research has revealed that the eastern group has a large representation of people with Haplogroup I-01; descendants of one of the sons of this William have showed a representation of I-02 and a marked potential link to Terry's in Buck's Co., PA.  The line of a Jasper Terry with wife Mary Morrison, son Josiah, grandsons Japer Morrison Terry and Aaron Burr Terry reflect a totally different DNA : G-02. As more add their DNA to the tabulations the lines of descent will become clearer.

Died: Late fall, 1792, Botetourt County, Virginia. He is mentioned as deceased and there is mentioon of his widow Rachel in a legal document of early spring 1793. 

Grave site is unknown but possibly on his acres along Black Run, a branch of the Roanoke River where he had lived since 1755.

His wife was Rachel.  She was probably Rachel Manson and they married 3 February 1759 in Christ Church, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

He left a widow, eight children, and a host of friends for his long life and active involvement in the region (as first Augusta County, then Botetourt County). He can be tracked in the county region from 1744 until his death in late 1792. He surveyed roads, land boundaries, worked on road crews with friends and family members, acted as constable, and supplies horses and supplies during the War of Independence.  These are all actions attested to through various historic documents such as Kegley and Chalkley's histories of the region, local court documents, and deeds. 

Court records identify his eight children who received 1/8 shares in his estate. Those same records attest he did intestate and that he lived and died in the county of Botetourt.

Children were:

William Jr. md Patience Cooper

Jasper Terry married Ruth LNU (he may not be the same man that married a Margaret and died in Montgomery Co., VA; more research is needed)

John Terry md Esther Brown

Susannah Terry md Thomas Brown

Miles Terry md Hannah Horton

Mercy Terry md Jonathan Harrison

Rachel Terry md John Martin

Jemima Terry md Ezekiel Boucher , she died 1797.

THE EIGHT CHILDREN OF WILLIAM AND RACHEL TERRY : BOTETOURT CO., VIRGINIA

 Various legal records in Botetourt and Montgomery County Virginia, family records, and other sources support the idea that William Terry had eight (8) children. In numerous records they are identified as a child of William Terry.

William Terry (b circa 1724 - Fall 1792). He married, most probably, Rachel Manson 3 February 1759 in Philadelphia at Christ Church. (Note, no other marries of a William and Rachel have been found despite years of searching) Church records identify William's wife's name as Rachel in Botetourt Co.

Since ALL birthdates are estimates based on an assumption of British Common Law requiring land and marriage to be undertaken by a man of 21 years, some have played fast and loose with assigning birthdates, often to support a theory of a first wife or something similar.  That need not be the case, however, when it is understood that there were exemptions to the 21 year requirement when involving gifts of land, parental permissions could allow a younger marriage, and marriage itself could be rather - fluid - in the frontier area with a local church or minister marrying without necessarily involving a civic entity and having said marriage recorded and fees paid to the state.  In addition, some cultures recognized a "social contract" and many early records of clergy traveling the wilds include marrying couples with babes in arms. One Quaker record found from the 1700's involved a couple who married in a non-Quaker church in March and, because it was not recognized as a marriage by the Quakers, they remarried in Quaker form in May. They had two legal marriage dates: one civil and one religious and both valid.

The "problem" of children then born before a 1759 marriage may not involve a "first" wife at all merely our perception of custom. It use of the estimate is helpful but should not be held to with firm conviction.

William and Rachel, therefore, had the following children:

• William Terry Jr., born circa 1755-1758, Augusta County, Virginia; md Patience Cooper, d. c1825 Montgomery Co.,Va. He was granted 100 acres in 1771 by his parents, "William and wife Rachel" along Black Run, a branch of the Roanoke (the area of William's 1755 land patent). He petitioned for the right to open an ordinary in his home in Montgomery Co., in about 1793. An ordinary was a pub/inn/resturant or a combination of the same. In his will he apparently had no children, but left funds to "Isaac Terry, son of Miles Terry" (thus supporting a familial relationship) and two nieces, daughters of his wife's brother, and former owner of some land William had acquired, Washington Cooper.
• John Terry, born circa 1760, married Esther Brown, 2 February 1781, Botetourt County, Virginia (Book 2, page 15). He left Virginia late 1700's and moved into Anderson Co. Tennessee and spent time in Wayne Co., KY before moving into Perry Co., Indiana. He had 14 children (see his entry elsewhere on this blog). A recent trend is to insert "Burris" as a middle name but there is no evidence of this presented or any evidence found, added to the recent addition of this fact, it must be held suspect until solid evidence comes along. [Note three descendants of this man have been identified with Haplogroup I-02; this will be helpful in providing additional evidence as to parentage of this line). He is identified as a son of William Terry and having a 1/8 share to his estate in court records.
• Miles Terry, born circa 1763, married Hannah Horton, possible daughter of a William or Joseph Horton in Botetourt Co. at the time of her marriage 30 January 1782 (Book2, page 18). About the time of his father's death in late 1792, Miles was advised by a lawyer to press his siblings to make statements as to a spoke last will; apparently, his father may have spoken aloud how he wanted his estate divided and now there was a need to address just how the estate would be divided. 
• Susannah Terry, born circa 1765, married Thomas Brown, brother to Esther Brown who married her brother John. They married 21 January 1783 in Botetourt Co., Va (Book 2, pg. 20). Later in a "bargain of indenture" (1818) it was stated that Susannah was the daughter of William Terry, one of his eight children, and located her inheritance as encompassing land William rec'd by patent in Sept of 1755. Her children signing it were named as Henry Brown, Keziah Brown Hannan, Mary Brown Thompson, and Esther Brown Blain, along with the female's spouses.  
• Mercy Terry, born circa 1766, married Jonathan Harrison, her relationship and marriage are affirmed through land sales identifying her as one of the eight children and through who the land was sold to and locations. They were identified as being in Claiborne Co., KY. There is no evidence this woman was named Mildred and may indeed have been confused with a Mildred among the eastern Terry groups (something that happens a great deal!)
• Jasper Terry presents a bit of a challenge, the shares of his deceased sister Jemina Terry Boucher went to him and he sold them. There is often some confusion as to who this man is since there are at least three Jasper Terry males in Botetourt County and Montgomery Co., Va. One Jasper Terry is mentioned in land records as "Jasper Terry and his wife Ruth" (1793,1804). Some trees say this is the man who married #1 Ruth LNU and # 2 Margaret Snidow and left a will in 1819 in Montgomery County, Va. The will, however, appears to name Margaret as the heir along with three daughters and several males presumed to be sons: Karon-Happuck Terry Rose, Keziah Terry Graham, Jemina Terry Deweese, Silas Terry (who md a Caty Rutrough, Elijah Terry (a Mar Wright or Right), Jonathan Terry (an Elizabeth), William Terry (who from records married an Elizabeth). The dating of the legal papers would imply that Ruth Terry died between 1804 and 1819 when Jasper died, having remarried a woman named Margaret. There are, apparently, no records of any marriages of a Jasper Terry to a Ruth ? or a Jasper Terry to a Margaret Snidow (she is only named as Margaret Terry in the will but her daughter from a previous marriage is labeled as Susannah Snidow; since no dating information had been found this may be the married name of the daughter since many Snidow families were in the area). A first marriage is possible, but maybe not as depicted. More likely, is that these are two DIFFERENT groups. One may be the son of Jasper Terry who md Mary Morrison, a brother to Josiah Terry who married Mary Lloyd. That is a possibility IF descendants of Silas, Elijah, Jonathan, or William  exhibit the Haplogroup of G-02, as descendants of Jasper-Mary Morrison Terry, Josiah-Mary Lloyd Terry, Jasper Morrison Terry and Aaron Burr Terry have (see DNA articles this blog). If they, instead demonstrate an I-02 they fall into the line of descendants of John Terry, son of William and Rachel Terry, and show a marked link to Terry's in Bucks Co., Pa. If they fall into the I-01 category the are connected to a large body of Terry's along the coastal and eastern areas into NC, SC and elsewhere. Since post-revolution some of that "eastern band" of the Terry's drifted into Botetourt County areas. Some even purchased lands once owned by William Terry. These "distant cousins" then muddy the waters of local research into the name. (A note on the names of his daughters in the will: names come from the Bible and refer to the blessings given to Job after his trials, and the inference in the will is that these were his blessings as well. Their marriage dates rule out them being the daughters of Margaret, so all children would then, if they are the same men, would be the children of that "first" wife. Also, simply adding "Ruth" to a known Mary or Margaret name simply does not work without supporting evidence.)
• Rachel Terry, born circa 1766, married John Martin (again relationship supported by local court records, additionally there is a John Martin on the tax roll of Hawkins Co., TN where John Terry lingered and his wife birth two or three children. Families of that name who came from Hawkins County, additionally, will move to Pea Ridge, Arkansas and be mentioned in a letter written by John Terry's son William. He will note they were the "old stock of Martin's." 
• Jemima Terry, born circa 1769, Botetourt County, VA, married Ezekiel Boucher, June 30, 1796, in Montgomery Co., VA (Book A, page 64) Father William Terry gave consent. She apparently died before the following summer as Ezekiel marries again at that time. Her 1/8 share went to her husband who sold it to Jasper Terry who sold it in turn to someone else.

The Children of John and Esther Brown Terry, Perry County, Indiana

This line is very substantiated and verified due to early work by descendants Lula Terry Elliot, New Wray, Ruth Terry Preston, Dennis Terry and others. The descendants of the Perry Co., Indiana group of younger children were especially detailed in their history.  The older children, as they often did in that time, launched off and led lives often distant to their parents in that pioneer era. Yet, they retained some connection with their extended family and friends through letters and visits.

            John TERRY (1760-1842) married Esther BROWN 2 Feb. 1781 in Botetourt Co., VA. The first two or so years of their marriage was in Botetourt County, Va. At the time of his father's death it believed that several family members were making a move (1793) and by the time the estate is being settled and all eight children are settling their shares of land circa 1804-1809, John identifies his residence as Anderson Co., Tennessee. A John Terry can be found on Hawkins County, TN records for 1789,1793,1800, and 1801 (as can records of a John Martin, who it is believed was the spouse of John's sister Rachel Terry Martin). Various other court records of the county and time reveal the presence of a John Terry.

It is believed their children were:

                a.      Josiah TERRY (b.1780-1868) (Proven via DNA; I-02). He opted to return to or remain in Tennessee. He had 13 children. He was born in Va and died in Wayne Co., Ky. He md #1 Nancy THOMAS. Apparently were living in Anderson Co., TN when they had son Joseph (1806-1863) md Minerva Stephenson; William (1808-?) md Ithema Payton and had 4 children (Josiah, Wm, Nancy J, Mildred A. . He md #2 Nancy STEVENS (d/o of Edmund Stevens), they had 11 children: Martin (1820-?) md Nancy Thompson, 2 sons; md #2 Sarah Davis and had three sons; Rachel (1821-1890) md Richard Smith and had 17 children; James (1823-?) md Tilda (Polly or Pop) Smith d/o Isaac and Matilda Elliot and had 8 children; Esther (1825-?) md Thomas L Phillips; Alsie (1827 - 1871) md Jonathan Phillips had five children with Esther; Edmund (1830-?); Milton  1834-1904) md Jane Thomas and had 10 children; Nancy (1836 - md Ely Roysden; Themie (Ithema) 1839-1909, md Jackson Smith; Josiah Jr. (1842-1911) md Johanna Roysden, and had 9 children.

               b.     William TERRY (1785-1869) md Barbara ENNIS (Proven via DNA; I-02). William  and John Jr. apparently followed the parents into Indiana, with William possibly moving into Gibson Co. on land originally purchased by Miles for his father and then later William purchased his own land, as did John. When they leave in the 1830's it appears they may have sold the land back to family.

               c.      John TERRY  Jr(1790-1848) md Nancy ENNIS (Proven via DNA:I-02). see above

               d.     George Freton TERRY (twin- 1788-c1865)

             e.     Haden TERRY ( twin-1788-?after 1809). He is listed on the 1809 tax list of Wayne Co., TN.

             f.      Elijah TERRY (1791 TN-?). Left Wayne Co., KY with brother Josiah around 1815 when their father went to Perry Co., Ind. Found on the 1850 Scott Co., TN census with a wife Sary, sons ELijah Jr., Marion, and Calvin (who became a Baptist minister). He had daughters Helen, Naomi, Emily, Easter and Serepta. According to divorce records of Wayne Co., Ky (1828) Elijah left that county one night with one Sally Rice Foster, wife of a Charles Foster. They went to Scott Co. and lived.

               g.      Daniel TERRY (1791-?)   . He was listed on the 1818 Campbell Co., TN tax list along with Josiah, Elijah and a John Jr. It is the general area of earlier Hawkins, that became Campbell Co. and contains the area where Onieda, Scott Co., now sits.      

              h.    Jasper TERRY  (b. TN/KY (some question about him; reference to notes about him being a brother but so far the text of those notes or the rationale are unclear)

                i.      Esther TERRY (John WHITE) (1798-?)

                j.      Elisha TERRY (7 Jan 1816 -?) md Salley Small.

                k.     Rachel TERRY (1804-1867) md Thomas Sandage April 15, 1821.

                l.      Elias TERRY (10 Sept 1807-?) md Eleanor Sandage, September 18, 1826.

               m.     Miles TERRY  (11 March 1809- ?) md Nancy A. Baswell.

                n.    Thomas TERRY (1814-1853) md Polly Bradshaw.

        This John TERRY during his life is in the area of Montgomery-Wythe Co., Va.; Hawkins Co., Anderson, Knox, counties in TN; Perry County, IND.   This is surmised from the presence of a John TERRY in the locales associated with various births and wills.   Also, letters from the period indicate that William TERRY (1785-1869) did indeed have brothers named John and Josiah.  In addition, William will make reference to a family named Martin living nearby being of the “old stock of Martin” – those Martins came from Hawkins Co., Tennessee (where William was born) and there were was   Aunt Rachel who married a John Martin. 

            These all tie together to provide logical areas in which to find the migrating family as they left Virginia. The family figured in areas out of which other counties were formed: Augusta into Botetourt Co. into Montgomery Co. into Wythe Co., all a southwest movement toward the Cumberland Gap and Holston Valley areas which were major entries into the wilderness. T entrance into the area William Terry, son of John, always claimed as his birthplace, the Sullivan-Hawkins Co. areas of Tennessee.  

Following known trails of the day, they would have angled back northwest heading across Kentucky toward the Louisville area and Adair Co. (where it is believed William may hay married Barbara Ennis and they had their eldest son, William.

Finally, they traveled through the area known as Anderson and Knox Counties in Tennessee into those areas when they became Indiana and then to settled in Perry Co., IND.    There is a John TERRY in Hawkins Co., Tennessee the known birthplace of William (1785-1869) in the 1790’s according to deeds of the period. [1]

              This same John TERRY was in Anderson County, Tennessee in 1792 when his father in Botetourt County, VA died.  John subsequently sold his inheritance to his brother-in-law, Thomas BROWN.  This land was in Botetourt County, Virginia, on “Murray Creek” that had been formerly known as Black Creek and was land where William TERRY “deceased” had lived.[2]  

            Earlier origins are hinted at by noting the oral history of the TERRYS of Perry Co., Ind. and those of Barry Co., Mo.     In Lula Terry ELLIOT’s work A Partial History of William Terry and his descendants, 1724-1981, one descendent, Bertha Terry BEATTY cites stories in their family that two brothers immigrated to America in the 1600’s.   One brother stayed in the New England area and the others headed south into Virginia.[3] .  

Interestingly enough, the Terry line in Bucks Co., Pennsylvania, descending through one Thomas Terry has links to a man who died in early New York State and has probable links back to three men (two brothers and a likely cousin) who came from England. The men (Thomas, Richard and Robert? arrived in 1635 aboard a ship called The James in the time of the Great Migration when people were leaving England and Europe as “dissenters” to the religious persecution and economic hardships at home.

              

[1]      Hawkins County, Tennessee Register of Deeds, vol. 1-2, 1787-1906.[microfilm].  In this and the Sullivan County Tennessee records only one TERRY is found, a John TERRY in 1792-1800 in Hawkins Co.

[2]      Botetourt County, VA, Deed Book 8, pg. 602, June 1805. I’m not sure who first proposed the possible connection between the Terry’s of Botetourt Co. and those in Indiana, Tennessee, and Missouri, but I suspect some of the earliest were Nell WRAY and Ruth Terry PRESTON.  As early as 1984, Lulla Terry ELLIOT was noting a connection between her Anderson Co., IN Terry’s and the Virginia group.

[3]       Elliot, Lula Terry. A Partial History of William Terry and his Descendants –1724-1981. (Self-published, no date): 7,9,29-30,130.

[4]       This motif appears in many family tales across a wide range of family lines and may represent the contemporary equivalent of a modern car crash or cancer as mortality factors.

SEE THE ELLIOT AND GEORGE TERRY SOURCES FOR MORE INFORMATION (bibliography entry this blog.)

William Oliver Hudson (1828-1867?)

Since people keep attaching this man to a William Hudson in a family line I research, I thought to get this information some additional exposure. 

WikiTree states: 

"William was born in 1828. He is the son of Abner Hudson and Elizabeth Mason. [1] He is recorded in the 1850 Census, Culpeper County, Virginia, living with his widowed father, Abner Hudson. In 1855 he is listed in the Perry County, Alabama Census alone. 

The census of 1860 in Uniontown, Perry, AL, shows his profession as Physician. (William O Hudson, in will filed in 1869 leaves the custody of his daughter, Aurelia, to John L Chambers of Perry County, AL. ).

He was married about 1859 to M E Chambers, daughter of John and Mariah. They had a son Jack born in April 1860, and a daughter Aurelia, born 1862. 

In July 1869 Probate records of his father's estate, ABNER HUDSON, names him as deceased, and survived by his wife M E Hudson, and daughter Aurelia, left in the custody of John L Chambers, of Perry County. Aurelia's residence is substantiated by the 1870 census records" .

[William Oliver Hudson (1828-) | WikiTree FREE Family Tree]

An Odd Coincidence: Minerva A. Terry

 The daughter of John King Terry in Barry County, Missouri (son of Martin, son of William, son of John, son of William) had a daughter, Minerva Ardella Terry (1880-1898), who died tragically at age 17 when she and her brother Granville "Bud" Terry (1877-1898) crashed on a mountain road in a motorcycle he had built himself in 1898 in Barry Co., Mo. 

Searching for other records for the young woman I ran across a marriage record for another Minerva A. Terry , this one in Breathitt County, Kentucky. Looking closer at the record, I was amazed to see her father was a Miles Terry. 

Since there are "miles" of Miles Terry (and other surnames from daughters naming sons) I was intrigued. Since the name can be found going right back to a son of both John and the first William (to date) had Miles who moved into Kentucky.

Then I saw the name of the man that Breathitt County, Kentucky Minerva A. Terry married : surname was Jett.  

In the line of William and Rachel Terry of Botetourt County, Virginia is a son named Miles who married a Hannah Horton, probable daughter of a William in the county circa 1780. She may have had brothers there as well as a Joseph is listed.

This Miles and Hannah had a son, Isaac Terry, and they all moved into Kentucky.  Miles may have lost Hannah and remarried. 

This Isaac Terry may be the one listed in early 1800's land grant for Breathitt County, Kentucky.

Is the name just a coincidence? Did John King Terry have contact with cousins in Kentucky? Was Minerva A Terry or Minerva Ardella Terry just a happenstance selection based on "hot baby names of the 1870's"?

I think it might deserve a little research....especially those seeking to untangle the Terry, Jett, Horton trees.

P.S.

To further confuse things: 

A Madison, Arkansas grave is for a Minerva Rebecca Jett Grigg/ Minerva Rebecca Jett Grigg, 1846, Arkansas, USA; DEATH 12 May 1926 (aged 79–80); Madison County, Arkansas, US  A  Minerva Rebecca Jett Grigg (1846-1926) - Find A Grave Memorial

A Breathitt, Kentucky grave for a Minerva A. Terry Jett adds another coincidence due to the name of her husband, Granville Jett.  21 Nov 1878, Breathitt County, Kentucky, USA;  DEATH 19 Oct 1944 (aged 65), Breathitt County, Kentucky, USA  Minerva Ann Terry Jett (1878-1944) - Find A Grave Memorial  (The photo on this entry reveals a very familiar Terry face to my way of seeing things).

TRANSCRIPT OF "INDENTURE OF BARGAIN" HEIRS OF SUSANNAH TERRY BROWN, 1818

 INDENTURE OF BARGAIN

BOTETOURT COUNTY, VIRGINIA

20 APRIL 1818

The following is full and complete transcription of the above identified document located in Deed Book 13, page 276, Botetourt Circuit Court. Botetourt County, Virginia. All spellings, spacings, and punctuations have been retained. - - Marilyn A. Hudson

“This Intention of bargain and sale made and entered into this 20^th day of April in the year of 1818 between Henry Brown and William Blain and Easter his wife – John Hannan & Kezechiah his wife and Mary Thompson of the one part and Thomas Brown of the other part witnesseth that the said Henry Brown William Blain Easter Blain John Hannan Keziah Hanna and Mary Thompson for and in consideration of the sum of 100dollars to them in land paid out & before the sealing and delivery of these presents the receipt where by these presents grant bargain sell and confirm unto the said Thomas Brown and his heirs forever all their right title and interest in and to one eight part of a tract of land containing  Three Hundred Acres lying in the County of Botetourt on Black River a Branch of the Roanoke River being part of a large Tract of four hundred Acres Patented to William Terry by Patent bearing date the  day of September in year 1755 which was said three Hundred Acres the said William Terry was [unclear: three words ]: the said William Terry died lieft eight children one whom Susannah Terry married Thomas Brown and became the mother of eight Children. The said Henry Brown  Easter Blain formerly Easter Brown Mary Thompson formerly Mary Brown & Keziah Hannan Formerly Keziah Brown being four of them the said Susannah Brown departed this life without making any disposition of her eighth part of the said three hundred acres. The said Henry Brown William Blain Easter Blain John Hannan Keziah Hannan and Mary Thompson For themselves and their heirs do for ever by these presents warrant and defend the title of the one eighth part of the said three hundred Acres of land to the said Thomas Brown And his heirs for ever against the claim of themselves and their heirs and all & every person claiming by through or under them the said Henry Brown William Blain Easter Blain John Hannan Keziah Hannan and Mary Thompson do by these presents bind themselves and each of their heirs to make  any other deed or deeds or to do any other and that  [said?] Thomas Brown or his counsel his heirs or their counsel may Devise or require in order to convey more fully to the said Thomas Brown and his heirs all their right title and Interest in and to the said three hundred acres land which has been attempted to be conveyed – In testimony where of the parties have here unto set their Hands & affixed their seals this day and year first above.

Written

Botetourt County to Wit

W.Elyah, W Clanahan & Nathaniel Burwell magistrates in the said County do hereby certify that Henry Brown William Blain Easter Blain John Hannan Keziah Hannan & Mary Thompson parties to the within conveyance personally appeared before us in our County afore said on the 20^th April in the year 1818 duly acknowledgement to the clerk of the county court of Botetourt  in order that the said Conveyance may be recorded as Witness our hands & seals this 20^th day of April in the year 1818

Botetourt County Court Clerk

Officer 4^th May 1818

This [  unclear  ] together with a certificate of acknowledgement…”

Signatures were
Henry Brown

Wm Blain

Easter Blain

John Hannan

Keziah Hannan

Mary Thompson

[Each seal was denoted by a written word “seal” with a squiggly bubble around the word.]

 

Witnesses were:

E. Mclanahan

N Burwell

[Same style of seal designated.]

THE EIGHT CHILDREN OF WILLIAM TERRY (1725-1782) OF BOTETOURT CO., VIRGINIA

William Terry  ( was born. commonly agreed on date is 1724 and the date of death based on legal documents in Botetourt Co., VA inferring a late 1792 death date) lived in Botetourt from about 1744 until his death and had a wife named Rachel. He died in Botetourt County, Virginia (a legal document indicates Botetourt was the county of his death). It is inferred he was buried in a small or private cemetery, perhaps on family land, that may now be lost to time or destroyed by creeping civilization or natural elements.

There may or may not have been a "first wife" - since almost all birthdates are estimates and based on a formula assuming British Common Law applied strictly than a man would have to be 21 to marry or buy land. Records indicate that in some cases that could be circumvented and in some cases young men as young as 16 were gifted land, with a guardian and , as with militia duty, local friendships, needs or circumstance might see a person younger than normal marrying, buying land or taking up arms. That being said, it is possible that there are no children born outside a probable marriage date of 1759 of William Terry and Rachel Manson in Philadelphia.

 a.      William TERRY Jr. (c 1755-59 – 1824) ,wife Patience Cooper (named in Will). He apparently had no children but left money in his will for Isaac Terry, son of Miles Terry who married Hannah Horton, who was his brother.

 b.      Jasper TERRY, (c1758 -  ) and a Jasper TERRY (c1758 - ?). Some merge the two without any evidence and what evidence there seems to conflict with such a merger. One set of records lists a Jasper Terry with wife Ruth, apparently selling his share of the Terry estate of William in 1793 and 1804.  Then, there is a an 1817 land record of a Jasper Terry and his wife Margaret; then in 1819 there is a will of a Jasper Terry of Montgomery Co., Va mentioning a wife Margaret, implied sons of Silas, Elijah, Jonathan, William and daughters of Keziah Terry Graham, Karon-Happuch Terry Rose, Jemima Terry Deweese. The question is are they the same? If so Ruth Terry had to have died before 1817 and surely at that late date the memory would be in some family tree, some cemetery, some church record, or somewhere. It is vital these descendants add their DNA to the ongoing research to see if these are the same person, if one is a descendent of another group (such as a son of Jasper or Josiah Terry of the Jasper Morrison Terry group with a G-02 Haplogroup).

               c.     John TERRY (c 1760-1842) md Esther BROWN, 2 Feb 1781, Botetourt Co., Virginia. Both died in Perry Co., Indiana.

               d.     Susannah TERRY (c1761-c1830) , md 31 January 1782, Thomas BROWN Jr. Their heirs are listed in a court document as a Keziah Brown Hannan, Henry Brown Jr., Esther Brown Blain, and Mary Brown Thompson.

               e.      Miles TERRY (c,1762 – c1824), md Hannah Horton. Son Isaac Terry.

               f.       Mercy TERRY (c1765-c1830), md Jonathan HARRISON

               g.      Rachel TERRY, (c1767-c1830) , md John Martin

               h.      Jemima TERRY, c1770-1796 (md 30 June 1796, Ezekiel Boucher and he remarried the following year).

THE RESEARCH CHALLENGE OF 2021

 Here are some of the research challenges for serious Terry researchers this year:

1. Find the proof that there was a William Terry (b c1700) who married a Keziah in Virginia or anywhere. Locate the resource, transcribe the text, and post it here, on Ancestry, on any online source.

2. Find any marriages of a William Terry and a Rachel fitting the time span of  his life (1724 to 1792). Locate the resource, transcribe the text, and post it here, on Ancestry, on any online source.

3. Find any marriage records or death records for a Ruth Terry, wife of a Jasper Terry or a Margaret Terry, wife of a Jasper Terry. Montgomery County, Virginia but spread out because one couple may have left Virginia and if they are the same couple (a man with two wives) find the evidence of marriages or deaths for the women. Locate the resource, transcribe the text, and post it here, on Ancestry, on any online source.

4. Find the evidence of the death of Jasper Terry and wife Mary Hart Mills, born in Bucks Co., Pa and were in Augusta County, Virginia from 1744-1760. Mary's father and some brothers went east to Union Co., SC. Did this couple follow? They are believed to have had just one son, sent to Jasper's brother John in Bucks Co. in raise. Locate the resource, transcribe the text, and post it here, on Ancestry, on any online source.

5. Find descendants of  the children listed in the will of Jasper Terry with wife Margaret : Silas, Elijah, Jonathan, William (wife Elizabeth?) or daughters Keziah Terry Graham, Karen-Happuck Terry Rose, Jemina Terry DeWeese. Encourage them to have their DNA done and contribute it to a database such as Ancestry or Family Tree DNA/Terry Surname Project. Locate the resource, transcribe the text, and post it here, on Ancestry, on any online source.

ELMWOOD REVISITED. Marilyn A. Hudson

ELMWOOD PLANTATION. An image that, I believe, first cropped up in Lula Terry Elliot's book on the descendants of William Terry, . She includes a letter from the library in Roanoke in her work.

According to many researchers this house was the home of the Terry's in what is now Roanoke, VA. It served as the recreation offices of the city in 1944 and later the main library but was demolished in 1964 as the and the libraries grew ( public library). The area is known as Elmwood Park.

The last Terry to reside there on South Jefferson Street was the town's first millionaire, Peyton L. Terry. According to one source, Peyton acquired "Elmwood" in 1868 after the Civil War. This seems to be where the history of the house, from the library, begins its journey. If the name "Elmwood" referred to a plantation (lands as well buildings) it is unclear when that name was first applied. Additional evidence has to be found to answer the question as to when it became "Elmwood." It appears, at first glance, as if the structure could date to the post civil war era and thus the name may have arisen then as it was occupied by the millionaire Peyton Terry.

I tend to believe that the name and the house probably came much later than the 1700's and the life of William and Rachel Terry and their eight children: William, Jasper, Miles, John, Mercy, Susannah, Rachel and Jemima.

In the late 1700's there is evidence that this "eastern" group of Terry's were migrating into the areas of Botetourt and Montgomery Co., Va. After the death of William Terry in 1792 and his wife in 1803 - the heirs largely sold their 1/8 shares and many left to head to Kentucky, Tennessee, Indian, and Illinois (and beyond).

Other sources indicate he was the son of a Stephen Terry and there had been a "Elmwood" in Pittsylvania Co.. Continuing research will clarify the connection as valid or just a really good story.

Peyton Leftwich Terry of the Pittsylvania Co. Va area, was the descendent of Steven (1805-), son of William (1777-1815), son of Stephen (1750-1802), son of Zachariah (1725-1767 and all in the same Pittsylvania Co., Va area) who may have been the son of a James Terry (dates and location unknown). His wife, Mary Terry, wrote a book, "Big Lick Homefront: 1861-1865" written in 1898. A group whose descendants appear to reflect Haplogroup I-01.


Descendants of John Terry, recognized through court documents as the son of William and Rachel Terry, have DNA that reflects I-02. This means the two group are related - far back on the tree - and not a closer relationship.



Although connection to this home is still possible due to many unanswered family history questions. from the information about the last Terry resident (who may or may not have named it), it would appear that there is no clear connection to the Peyton L. Terry of Elmwood and the line of this page.


The TERRY line of this page goes back to William (b. PA?) and Rachel Manson Terry (early pioneer and Rev. War Soldier in Botetourt Co., VA and the Big Lick/Black Creek area). He owned land there at least as early as the mid-1700's. His son John Terry (wife Esther Brown) who settled in Perry County, Indiana and was also a Rev. War soldier, to William and Barbara Ennis Terry, Martin and Mary Ann Reed Terry, John King Terry and Mary Ann Riddle Terry, and Wesley Sartin Terry and Edna Maggie Boyd Terry.


The family tended to be very prolific and to be westward bound - with many lines being the first settlers in numerous locations, from Kentucky to Texas and beyond.