A WORKING CHRONOLOGY OF JOHN TERRY (C1760-1842)

His birthdate - indeed all the siblings birthdates - are educated guesses. They are based on a working assumption that a man had to be 21 years of age to buy land or marry. The truth be told, in early Virginia, as well as other locations under British Common Law, there were exceptions. A youth of sixteen, for example, could be gifted land or permitted to marry (with someone or more standing surety for the cost of the marriage bond - which in some places and periods could be as low as 50 pounds or as high as 1000 pounds). So, the birthdates are approximations.  This has, I believe, been sadly misused of late as some fudge the numbers to support an early first marriage.  In truth, there may not be ANY problems with the birthdates and potential marriage dates - only in our thinking and our presuppositions.

POSSIBLE CHRONOLOGY OF JOHN TERRY   (c1760-1842)

1760-1764..........ca. born to William and Rachel TERRY, residents of Botetourt Co., VA. They married in 1759 and all the children, possible exception of Wm Jr., could fit within a post 1759 birth.

1781....................married Esther BROWN (Botetourt Co., Marriages, Bk 2, pg. 15)

1782.....................a John TERRY listed on the county militia rolls

1783....................a John TERRY sold land in Washington Co., TN (then part of NC)

1785....................son William born in Hawkins Co. region of Tennessee (region known as also Sullivan Co., NC; Hawkins Co., NC; State of Franklin; The Territory South of the Ohio River)

1787.....................a John TERRY still in Virginia Tax lists.

1788.....................son Haden born *

1788.....................son George born*

1790.....................son John Jr. born in Tennessee (some claim Campbell Co. but that may be questionable since it did not exist then; it did encompass Hawkins Co area)

1791.....................son Elijah born*

17--.......................son Daniel born*

17--.......................son Jasper born*

1792........................a John TERRY sells land in Hawkins Co., TN.

1793........................a John TERRY bought land in Hawkins Co., TN.

1798........................daughter Esther born*

1800........................a John TERRY sold land in Hawkins Co., TN.

1800........................a John TERRY sold land in Grainger Co., TN.

1803........................A John TERRY sold land in Anderson Co., TN.; that same year a John TERRY, Anderson Co., TN sold his share of his Botetourt Co., Va. inheritance. He identified his residence as Anderson Co., TN++

1804........................daughter Rachel born++

1807........................son Elias born++

1809........................son Miles born  (Wayne Co, KY?)

1814.......................son Thomas born

1815........................Moved by oxcart or pack mule to Perry Co., Ind.++

1834........................son Miles buys for father 40 acre homestead in Gibson Co., Ind. This may be part of the land WIlliam Terry, older son of John, had purchased as this is the window when he and brother John Jr. moved toward Missouri and then into northwest Arkansas.

1842........................John dies in Perry Co., Ind.++

 *------Chronology from mss by George Terry, Scott Co., TN.

++----Chronology from mss by Lula Terry Elliot, Clayton, NM.

(from unpublished manuscript of Marilyn A. Hudson)