WATAUGA COUNTY, NC - HISTORY - A History of Watauga County, North Carolina Sketches of Prominent Families, Part 8 ==================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Sharon Williamson ==================================================================== A History of Watauga County, North Carolina John Preston Arthur Sketches of Prominent Families NOTE: These family histories are from the last 75 pages of A History of Watauga County, North Carolina, with sketches of prominent families by John Preston Arthur, Copyright 1915 John Preston Arthur. Page 350 Tugman Family --Micjah Tugman was born about 1820 and married Nancy Greer in 1843. They had six children, five boys and one girl, all of whom lived to be grown, except one boy, who did not survive his fourteenth year. James M. died at Ricmond in August, 1862, in the Confederate service, unmarried; Benjamin married Carolina Miller and died in January, 1900; William L., who died at fourteen; Thomas J., who married Anzonette Davis, was born on Riddle's Fork March 5, 1851; Mary married L. Frank Ragan and died August 31, 1910; Marshall E., who married Neomi Miller and is still living. Micajah Tugman's father was William and his mother Mary Hawkins, both of Mecklenburg County, while William's father was James and his mother Elizabeth _______, both of whom came from England to America. Micajah Tugman had a brother, James, who married Lemmedy Hendrix, and two sisters, Nancy and Jennie. Nancy married Ben. Brown, father of Rev. Asa Brown and Jennie, who married Wilburn Groman. Of these, James lived in Wilkes, Jennie in Caldwell and Nancy in Watauga. Van Dyke Family.-- A widow Van Dyke came from Pennsylvania to Catawba County with her parents and her one child, a son, named William, where, after rearing him to manhood, she died. This son moved to Watauga in 1846, after marrying Sarah Herman, of Catawba County, and settled where George L. Van Dyke, his son, now lives, one mile from Three Forks Church. William's children were: Demarcus, born in Catawba about 1834; Emanuel, born about 1837; Luvina, born about 1840, and George L., born January 17, 1843. George L. married Mildred Morris April 4, 1867. He was a sergeant in Company I, 58th North Carolina Regiment, having enlisted in November, 1862, remaining in the service till the close of the war. His children are: Ada Cornelia; Alice Delona, who married John C. Brown; William Thomad, who married Nevada Page 351 Elrod, and Clara Ella, who married Leonard Cook. For fine housekeeping, this family is rivaled only by those of John K. Perry and J. J. T. Reese, of Beaver Dams. Vannoy Family.-- Jesse Vannoy married Elizabeth Fairchild. Their children were: Ann, who married, first, Adam Greene, and , second, Reuben Isaacs; John M., who married Martha Byers; Melvin, who married Amanda Eggers; Matilda, who married George Younce; Clarinda, who married Jacob Norris; Elizabeth, who married Jonas Winebarger. Ward Family.-- Among the first to settle on lower Watauga at what is now called Watauga Falls Postoffice (thought the actual falls are just across the border in Tennessee), was Benjamin Ward, who had seven sons; Duke, Daniel, Benjamin, Nicodemus, McCaleb, Jesse and James. He also had three daughters, one of whom was named Celia. Benjamin Ward, Sr., was a most enterprising and worthy man, and his widow lived to be 105 years of age, while their son, Dan, lived to be 110. Duke married Sabra, widow of Andrew Harmon, and moved to Illinois. Ben., Jr., went to Cumberland Gap, and his son, Duke, came back and married Lucy Tester, while amous, son of Duke, Sr., came back from Illinois and married Sally, sister of Lucy Tester. They had two sons, L.D. and John, the latter having been killed before Richmond in 1863. Watson Family.-- David Watson was a soldier of the Revolutionary War, and on a retreat escaped because his horse jumped a ditch which his pursuer's nag could not get over. David probably came from Scotland, but it is certain that he married a Miss Hamby and settled in Wake County, where twelve children were born, moving afterwards to the old Davis Place, near Holman's Ford. Their children were: Elizabeth, James, Gillie, Thomas, Bedie, John, Elihu, Mary, Sarah, David, Willis and Daniel. Of these Elihu married Celie Sherrill, of Burke, she having been born in June and hi in August, 1803. Their Children were; Mary, George, Nancy, Melinda, Susannah, Ann, Lucy, John, who died in the Civil War; Smith, Sarah, Elizabeth and Catharine; Of these George W. Watson was born in 1823 and married Keziah Morphew, who was born March 10, 1831, June 7, 1849. Page 352 Their children were: Isaac S., John, Sarah and Celie. Isaacs S. was born October 4, 1850, and married Mary C. Proffitt April 20, 1873, Twelve children having been born to them. Welch Family.-- William Welch, of Ireland, married Elizabeth Roper about 1820, and of this marriage Wm. P. Welch, of Deep Gap, was born, October 22, 1837, at High Point, Guilford County, N.C. Wm. P. Welch moved to Deep Gap in 1863 and married Margaret Bradley about that time. They had eight children. Solomon Greene had lived where W. P. settled, and his house hadlong been a famous stand or stopping place for travelers and stock drovers from Tennessee to Kentucky. But he sold out to his son-in-law, Larkin Greene, and W.P. Welch bought him out and has remained ever since. The country was all in woods when Welch came, and with the exception of the Murphy old place at the foot of the mountain, where Wilson Bros. have a store and house now, and the old David Greene place, Welch's home was the only house in that section. Wilson Family.-- Charles Wilson came to North Carolina from Pennsylvania about the time of the Revolutionary War. His wife is said to have been a sister of Gen. Nathaniel Greene, of Rhode Island. Charles was in General Greene's army and was killed at Guilford. Hiram Wilson married a Miss Smith and they settled on Cove Creek about 1815. Their children were John, who married Mary Mast; Lucretia, who married Isaac Wilson, a distant kinsman; Sarah, who married Dudley Farthing; Isaac, who married Miss Caroline Greer; Ellen, who married Reuben Farthing; Albert P., who was born April 14, 1826, and married Elizabeth Councill, a daughter of Jesse: Clarissa, who married George Younce; Hiram, who married Alex. Baird, and Wm. Carroll, who married a Miss Adams, a daughter of Alfred Adams. Hiram, Isaac and Carroll were killed in the Civil War, and Albert P. was wounded twice, John having died just prior to the Civil War. Another Wilson Family.-- A.J. Wilson was the head of this family, and it is said that he "came over in the Mayflower." Isaac Wilson, a son of A.J. Wilson, is said to have been killed at Lexington, N.C., in the Revolutionary War. His children Page 353 were: Boyd, Isaac, John and Hiram. Boyd went to Middle Tennessee; Isaac settled at Sutherland and was killed by a tree falling on him; John married and lived on Sawyer's Creek, as did Hiram, who lived lower down that creek. Hiram's children were: John, Crissy, Sarah, Albert, Clarissa, Hiram and Carroll. John's children were: Betsy, Hannah and Susan, William, Alexander and John. This family of Wilson's came about 1817, when John Wilson, who was born in 1815, was two years old. Lemuel, John and Hiram Wilson came from Rowan and Lemuel settled at Sutherland and John and Hiram near John Mast's present home. Lemuel Wilson liven near the Tnnnessee line and near the dividing line between Watauga and Ashe. His children were: Andrew, who is yet living in that neighborhood, and Alexander, who was in the Civil War. Lemuel had two daughters, one of whom married Alfred and the other joseph Thomas, sons of William Thomas, of that section. Rev. Leonard C. Wilson, of Beaver Dams, is a son of Lemuel Wilson and grandson of Lemuel Wilson. William Thomas was a school teacher on Sharp's Creek, just below T. P. Adam's present home. He had a number of rules, among which was one that no scholar should nickname another scholar, but this rule did not apply to the pedagogue himself. He nicknamed T. P. Adams when he was six years old because he said he reminded him of pictures of President John Tyler. This nicknamne clung till T. P. was grown. Isaac Wilson, son of hiram , known as Little Isaac, was "bushwhacked" during the Civil War and killed. His son, Rev. W.A. Wilson, a missionary of the M.E. Church, South, has been stationed at Huoshima, japan, a number of years. George Wilson, of Fork Ridge, was the father of Lucky joe Wilson, but not related to the other Wilson Families. Jacob Winebarger.-- married Sallie, daughter of John Moretz; lived on Meat Camp Creek and reared a good sized family. He was a good carpenter and millright and owned a good grist and sawmill. He came from Lincoln county, and was a good citizen, and was about sixty years old when he died about 1895. John, Page 354 Hiram, Levi and Able Winebarger also came from Lincoln and settled on Meat Camp and New river about 1850, where their descendants still reside. These were carpenters and farmers and excellent citizens. Joshua Winkler.-- was born in Wilkes County and in 1856 bought the farm two miles south of Boone on which his son, George, now lives. He married Carolina Pearson, and they reared ten children, five boys and five girls. He kept a grist and saw mill on what is now known as Winkler's Creek, the same stream that was formerly called Flannery's Fork. He introduced the first burrs into his mill for grinding wheat. he was a good farmer and stock raiser and a most estimable citizen. His death was caused by a hurt received from a cow, followed by measles. Woodring Family.-- Lincoln also gave Watauga another good citizen of German Blood in the person of John Woodring, who settled on Meat Camp. He and his sons were farmers and hard workers, and accumulated much wealth. The boys were Daniel, Joseph, Alfred, Lawson, Rufus, Noah and Marcus. All have died but Marcus, who yet lives on Riddle's Fork. His one daughter was named Kate, and she married Ephriam Miller, but died in childbirth. Yountz Family.-- According to Phillip C. Yountz or Younce, of Mabel, N. C., Phillip was the first of the name to come to America, he having emigrated from Holland about 1700. He settled in New York. It is said he had one noted son, John, born in 1748, a blacksmith who shod horses for Washington's army during the Revolutionary War, was twice captured by the British, and twice rescued. After the war he moved to Germantown, near Winston, N. C., coming thence to what is now Watauga, at the head of the New River. He married Rhoda Foutz and died while crossing Elk Ridge on a very cold day whenhe was about 100 years old. Their Children were: Andrew, who moved to Macon County; Phillip and John, who settled in Miami County, Ohio; David and Elijah remaining in Ashe, while Solomon came to what is now Watauga. Solomon was born August 19, 1798, and married Sallie Rollen near Jefferson. She Page 355 was born in 1802. Their children were: John, born December 15, 1818, married Hannah Lowrnce, and to them were born Twelve children; Abrham, born December 10, 1820, married Betsy Lewis, four children. After the death of his first wife, Solomon married Louisa Lewis, whose children were: Charlotte, born August 2, 1823, married Franklin Greer, seven children; Phillip, born October 3, 1825, married Margaret Musgrave, six childen; Pollie, born March 11, 1828, married David Roten, ten children; George, born March 19, 1830, married Clarissa Wilson, eight children; Barbary, born August 19, 1834, married Isaiah Greer, five children; Sabra, born July 26, 1836, married Hugh Reese, eight children; Hannah, born July 10, 1838, married Henry Grogan, five children; William, born August 1, 1840, died when a small boy; Rhoda, born August 6, 1842, married Elijah Grogan, five children; Nancy,, born November 18, 1845, married Rev. E. F. Jones, seven children. This family is very musical, pious and independent in thought.