USA > Tennessee > History of Tennessee from the earliest time to the present : together with an historical and a biographical sketch of from twenty-five to thirty counties of east Tennessee, V.3 > Part 57
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J. J. Denton, a farmer near Newport. was born May 16, 1851, in Cocke County, where he has since resided. When nineteen years old he engaged in the grocery business. eight years, when he then engaged in farming, at which he has since continued. He began life a poor man, and what he is now worth is the fruit of his own industry and good maange- ment. He owns 270 acres of fine land. Ile was married in 1876 to Miss Lizzie Lloyd, &
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daughter of G. W. Lloyd. a native of Cocke County, now residing in Texas, and who is a tanner by trade. To this union four children have been born: George Lawrence, James Clarence, Dixie and Lloyd. Mrs. Denton is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. and Mr. Denton is a Republican in politics. Ile is the sixth of seven children born to Jefferson and Charity (Huff) Denton; natives of Cocke County. He was for many years justice of the peace of his district, and commanded a company in Longstreet's com- mand during the late war. His son, T. H. Denton, was in the Second Tennessee Cavalry during the whole of the late war. Mr. Jefferson Denton was a splendid farm manager. and accumulated considerable property, but owing to his paying security debts, was twice broken up, but each time regained his feet. He is a son of Thomas Denton, a native of England, and at a very early date immigrated to America, and settled at the mouth of Crosby Creek, being one of the earliest settlers. Mrs. Charity Denton is a daughter of John Huff, one of the earliest settlers, having previously resided at the present site of St. Louis, Mo.
L. W. Hooper, M. D., was born February 4, 1839, in North Carolina, and when twenty years of age came to Dandridge, Tenn. He received a good academical education. and read medicine with Dr. J. C. Cawood, of Dandridge. He thon graduated from Bellevue Medical College, of New York, and began his present successful career as a physician at Newport. Dr. Hooper, it should be mentioned, has earned the money to educate him ch' by his own efforts. He is the oldest settler on the site of Newport. On April 21, 1800. he married Sarah E., a daughter of William Norton, a native of North Carolina. Both are members of the Missionary Baptist Church, in which he has been a deacon since the church at Newport was organized. He is a Republican, and a Master Mason, and is the youngest of fourteen children born to John and Margaret (Ledbetter) Hooper, natives of Georgia and South Carolina, respectively, and of German-English and English origin. Absalom Hooper, the next ancestor, was a blacksmith, highly respected among the Indians, who gave him the name, "Steke Santone," i. e. "Little Keg." referring to his small stat- ure. He was seven years in the Revolution, part of the time as cannoncer at Charleston. S. C. Margaret Hooper's father was also a soldier of the war for Independence. Our subject's grandfather, Absalom Hooper, received two wounds in the Revolution, one in the knee which made him a cripple for life. His Grandfathers were the first settlers of western North Carolina, and were only permitted to stay among the Cherokees by their being blacksmiths. His Grandfather Hooper made several hairbreadth escapes.
. Capt. A. C. Huff was born in 1819, in Cocke County, where he has sinee resided. He is a son of Stephen and Elizabeth (Carson) Huff, his mother being a daughter of Andrew Carson, who was one of the early settlers, and an exemplary man. Capt. Huff's great- grandfather, John Corder, and grandfather, John Huff (both of Virginia), were the pio- neer settlers of Greene, now Cocke, County. They built a fort for the protection of the settlement from the Indians, who were quite hostile in those early days. In this fora Stephen Huff was born in 1796. He was of German and English descent, a substantial citizen and a man of fine judgment. The fort was afterward converted into a comfortable dwelling, in which Stephen died, at the age of seventy-three. Capt. A. C. Huff married. at the age of twenty, Narcissa, a daughter of Swan P. Burnett. To them were born twelve children: Stephen (deceased), Swan B., James T. (deceased), Frances J., John J. (deceased). Robert Jesse (deceased), Andrew F., Eliza C., William D. (deceased), Mary N., Flora G. (deceased) and Eva S. His wife, Narcissa, died in 1880. Capt. Huff, in 1983. commanded Company B, Second North Carolina Infantry (Federal), and was mustered out in March. 1865. In 1883 he married Mrs. J. R. Shackelford, of Lexington. Ga .. a daughter of William and Elizabeth A. Latimer. Capt. Huff cast his first vote for Gen. Harrison, for President. He served as a justice for two terms; once by electior. and once appointed by Gov. Brownlow. He is a member of the Missionary Baptist Church. He was a strong Union man, opposed secession, and has always voted with the Republicans.
Col. William Jack, a farmer and stock dealer, was born in 1817, in the "Irish Bot- toms," opposite the mouth of the "Chucky " River, on French Broad River. Since about
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1825 he has lived on his present farm. In 1812 he married Elizabeth, a daughter of Rich- ard De Witt, of South Carolina, who was under Gen. Jackson, in the Indian wars. Their children are Samuel W., Harriet E. (now Mrs. Capt. George Stewart), Rowena (now Mrs. S. W. Cromer), Marcus D., Julia (a widow of the late John Young), William and Charles. His wife died May 14, 1864. He isa Democrat, a Master Mason, and, in doctrine, a Presbyter- jan. He is the fourth of seven children of Samuel and Nancy ( Rogers) Jack, the latter, a daughter of Alexander Rogers, a native of Ireland, and a pioneer of the "Irish Dottoms." where she was born. Samuel Jack, a native of Pennsylvania, of English stock, was the next ancestor. Our subject has succeeded, by his executive and managing ability, in acquiring 550 acres of fine land.
O. M. Kelley, farmer, was born in 1846, in Greene County, where he lived until 1875, since which date he has lived at his present home. His first independent work was in farming and milling, at which he continued until January, 1887, when he abandoned the latter. In 1866 E. C. Susong, a daughter of John Susong, a native of Greene County, became his wife. Their children are Effie J., Willard E., Carrie R., Lee H., Jennie E., George S., Essie V. and an infant (deceased). He and his wife are Presbyterians, in which church he has been a ruling older for sixteen years. He is a Democrat, and first voted for Greeley. His fine farm of 150 acres lies near Parrottsville. He is the fifth of seven children of Wylie and Eliza (Kelley) Kelley, natives of Kentucky and Greene County, respectively, the former serving as justice many years both in Greene and Cocke Counties, and both of English-Irish stock. The father, a miller and farmer, was worth about $20,000, and excepting a year in Missouri and one year in Indiana, he always lived in the two counties above mentioned, in which he served as justice. He died in 1877, aged seventy years. The grandfathers were John Kelley and Andrew Kelley, the latter the paternal one. John Kelley, Sr., the grandfather, came from Ireland at his majority, in 1771, and on account of the captain's pretense of having lost his bearings, but probably because he had an eye on the slave trade, their vessel drifted so far south that the heat was intense, and they were thirteen weeks in reaching their destination, and then only because, after fourteen days in such heat that the ship's chains would sizzle as they touched the water, they persuaded the captain with the rather forcible argument that they would throw him overboard if he didn't change his course. He landed on the North Carolina coast, taught school, and finally married Anna Hunter, by whom he became the father of three children: John, Joseph and Andrew. He crossed the mountains at Kelley's Gap, and settled in Greene County, where some of his descendants still live, and hold as a relic his old chest brought from his native land.
W. W. Langhorne, attorney at law at Newport, was born January 23, 1811, in Smith- field, Va. Hereceived a good academical and collegiate education. He studied law under Robert Whitfield, of Smithfield, and under Taswell Taylor, of Norfolk, and was admitted to the bar in 1866, at Lynchburg. He enlisted, April 19, 1861, in Company F, Sixth Virginia Infantry, and served until May, 1864, when he was disabled. After recovering, he served in different capacities until his capture at the fall of Richmond, when he was carried to Point Lookout, where he was retained until June 22, 1865. After his release he came to Newport and taught the first school ever held there. He is a stanch Democrat. He is a Master Mason. He was married October 8, 1868, to Julia R. Smith, a daughter of A. E. Smith, a native of Cocke County. Five children have blessed their union: Morris A., Willie D., Louisa (deceased), Julia E. and Lillian R. He is the eldest of nine children born to Maurice and Louisa (Drew) Langhorne. natives of Virginia, of Portsmouth and Smithfield, respectively. He was a minister of the gospel in the Protestant Methodist Church. Mr. and Mrs. Langhorne were of English descent.
J. C. La Rue, merchant and farmer, was born October 3. 1824, in Knox County, and came to Cocke County, when twelve years old. Up to his twenty-eighth year he was the main support of his father. In 1861 he married Margaret J. Parrott, a daughter of Samuel Parrott, a son of George Parrott, in whose honor the village was named. Our subject's children were Samuel B., Selma A., Frank D., Fannie K. (deceased). James H., Charles W., Horace L, Hugh F., and an infant (deceased). The third and fourth, and
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seventh and eighth were twins. His wife is a Methodist Episcopalian, and he is a Mas- ter Mason, and a Republican, and first voted for Taylor for president. He was a consta- Ule four years, and county clerk for a similar time. He owns a fine farm of about 450 acres near Parrottsville, besides another tract of 498 acres, and a saw and grist-mill two and a half miles southeast of Parrottsville. He was the third of seven children of Francis and Nancy A. (Young) La Rue, natives of Knox County. The father was a soldier in the war of 1819, and was in politics an old line Whig. He was a Christian man, and devoted to agricultural pursuits. The La Rues were of French and the Youngs of English origin. George La Rue. a native of Knox County, was the next ancestor.
W. J. McSween, attorney at law at Newport, was born May 3, 1848, in Cocke County, where he has since resided. He attended school at Emory and. Henry College, during 1866 -- 08 and then graduated in 1871 in the law department at Cumberland University, and began immediately the practice of law at Newport, Tenn. He practices in courts of adjoining counties, and in the supreme court. He was married in November, 1916, to Miss Florence Kidwell. a niece of Judge William McFarland and a daughter of William Kidwell, a native of North Carolina, and who when ten years old (1820) came with his father to Cocke County, Tenn. Three children have blessed their union: William K., Mabel and Lillian. Mr. and Mrs. McSween are members of the Presbyterian Church, and he is a stanch Democrat. He represented Cocke County in the Legislature of 1885 and 1836, being elected in a Republican county. He is a Master Mason. He is the youngest of five children of William and Catherine (Allen) McSween, natives of North Carolina and Cocke County respectively. Mr. McSween came to Cocke County in 1820, when ten years old. He was clerk of the county court and was circuit court clerk of Cocke County for twenty years, and was clerk and master of the chancery court for about ten years and represented Cocke County in the Legislature of 1810 and 1841. He was a son of Murdock MeSween, a native of North Carolina. His father was a native of Scotland, who after the battle of Colloden, came to America under the protection of Flora McDonald.
W. F. Morris was born October 15, 1825, in Cocke County, where he has since resided. He began for himself when about twenty-one years old, and has acquired a reasonable competency. He lives on the old homestead of 307 acres, and has other landed interest in the county, part of which is timber and mineral land in the mountains. In 1866 be married Elizabeth Josephine Montgomery, of Greeneville, S. C., a daughter of Chevis C. Montgomery who died in 1882. Their children are M. Bertie, Maggie A., Lillie Pauline, Katie Maudine. He and his wife are members of the Missionary Baptist Church ; in poli- tics a Democrat, and first voted for Taylor and Fillmore, in 1849. In 1853-54 he repre-
sented Cocke County in the Legislature; in 1860 was census taker for the county. He is a Master Mason. He is the eldest of five children of William and Mildred (Driskell) Morris. His father came from North Carolina, his mother was born and raised in Cocke County, Tenn. James and Martha Morris, his grandparents, were natives of North Carolina. The Morrises were of Welsh origin, the Driskells were of Irish origin.
Darius Neas, M. D., was born January 5, 1849, in Greene County, Tenn. He gradu- ated at Mosheim College, Greene County, May, 1873, and then taught in the high school at Parrottsville and at Caney Branch, also reading medicine at the same time. In 1877 he graduated from the medical department of Vanderbilt University, and in 1878 from the University of Nashville, and has since had an excellent practice at Parrottsville. April 7, 1SS1, he married Ida MI., a daughter of Dr. B. F. Bell, of Greene County, now of Cocke County. Their children are Vernie E., U. Roy, and Brent. He and his wife are Luther- ans, and he is politically a Republican. He is the tenth of eleven children of Philip and Elizabeth (Bowers) Neas, natives of Greene County, and of German descent; the former died March 2, 1873. and the latter in April, 1880. The grandfather, John Neas, Jr., a native of Greene County, was a farmer, and the son of John Neas, Sr.
Hon. J. H. Randolph, lawyer, was born October 19, 1825, in Jefferson County, Tenn. When two years old his father died. and his mother then moved to Grainger County, where
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he received his boyhood's education. His mother then moved to New Market, Tenn .. and there he and his only brother entered Holston College and through the energy of his mother and his own industry, they obtained their education. Shortly after this be read law by himself, and was admitted to the bar, after being examined by Judge Robert M. Anderson and Chancellor Thomas L. Williams, and began the practice at Newport. Tenn. He was elected to the Legeslature in 1857-61 and to the State Senate in 1865-66. He bitterly opposed the secession of the State. He was elected circuit judge in 1910. over James M. Meck, and Walter R. Evans, and re-elected in 1872 over J. P. Swan, resigning at the end of seven years to become a Republican candidate for Congress, to which he was elected, and that is a Democratic district. He was identified with the remonetization of the silver dollar, making greenbacks equal to gold, repeal of the bankrupt law, and the repeal of laws unfavorable to the widows of soldiers, and making laws favoring them. In 1818 he married M. J. Robinson, a daughter of Maj. William Robinson. formerly a resident of Kentucky. Their children are William II. MI. (deceased), Rolfe M. and Town- sella. James M., his father, a native of Jefferson County, died early in life. the son of Henry, of Roanoke, Va., who was a pioneer of Jefferson County, Tenn. Welsh, Ger- man aud Indian blood flows in the Randolph veins.
A. W. Thea, M. D., a prominent citizen of Newport, Tenn., was born in 1838. in Blountville, Sullivan County, Tenn. When small he was taken by his parents to Wau. tauga Bend, in Washington County. He attended the academy at Jonesboro, and also attended Washington College for some time. He studied medicine with Dr. Carson, of Jonesboro, and received his medical education at the University of Virginia. He began shortly afterward the practice of medicine at Newport, where he has since been when permanently located. He was surgeon during the late war for the Sixty-second Ten- nessee Confederate States Army serving during the war. He has an extensive practice and ranks with the best physicians of the country. He was married in 1861 to Miss Mary E., daughter of Gen. A. E. Smith, natives of Tennessee, two children have been born : Lucia M. and Archie W. Mr. Rhea is a Democrat in politics. He is the eldest of four children of Joseph S. and Sarah F. J. ( Williams) Rhea, natives of Sullivan and Carter Counties, respectively. He was a son of Samuel and Nancy (Braiden) Rhea, natives of Scotland. Mrs. Sarah Rhea was a daughter of Archibald Williams, a native of Carter County, Tenn.
Charles Stokely, Sr., farmer and stock dealer, was born June 19, 1821, on the farm where he has since resided. Since he began for himself at his majority he has acquired a fine farm of 175 acres, his home, besides other tracts. About 1850 he married Sarah, a daughter of John Black, of South Carolina. Their children are Mary J .. Sarah E. (deceased), Thomas (deceased), Rhoda E., Susan C., Royal J., Nancy A. (deceased), Steven D., John B. (deceased), James (deceased), Jesse, W. D., Cora B., Lilla (deceased). He and his wife are members of the Missionary Baptist Church, of which he has been a deacon for five years. He began with Henry Clay in his presidential voting, but is a Democrat. IIe is the seventh of ten children of Royal and Jane (Huff) Stokely, both of English and English-Dutch descent respectively. The father was a justice for twenty- one years, and the mother, a native of Virginia, when eighteen months old, came to Cocke County, where she died. The grandfather, Jehu, a native of England, was a sailor for seven years, and in 1747 settled in Charleston, S. C., and afterward lived in North Carolina and in Cocke County. The maternal grandfather, John Huff, a native of Roanoke County, Va., came to Cocke County about 1785. He was a soldier in the Revo- lution, and was a financial success as a hunter and trapper.
A. M. Stokely, a farmer in First District, was born in 1850 on the farm where he has since resided. He owns a fine farm of 450 acres. He was married, in 1881, to Miss Katie (Jackson) Murray, a daughter of J. C. Murray, a native of Greene County, but for the past thirty years has resided in Cocke County. To Mr. and Mrs. Stokely three children have been born: Jessie May, Hattie Evaline. Marvel Murray Jones. Mr. and Mrs. Stokely are members of the Missionary Baptist Church. Mr. Stokely is a Democrat in politics. and cast his first presidential ticket for Horace Greeley. He was elected trustee of Cocke
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County in 1878, and was re-elected again in 1880. He is the sixth of thirteen children of Nathan Huff and Evaline (Jones) Stokely, natives of Cocke County. The father was justice of the peace for several years of his district, and was trustec of Cocke County several years. He followed farming very successfully. He was a son of Royal and Jane (Huff) Stokely.
George W. Susong, farmer and stock dealer, was born February 2, 1835, in Greene County, Tenn., and in 1867 settled in the "Fork of Pigeon," but since 1870 he has been at his present bome. A horse, saddle and bridle was the outfit his father gave him to be- gin his journey through life, and he now owns a fine farm of 1,700 acres in the " Dutch Bottoms," and known as the "Carter farm." In 1868 he married Susan, a daughter of Jehu Stokely and wife (nee Burnett). natives of Cocke County. The former died Feb- ruary 26, 1885, and was a sou of John Stokely, Sr., who, with two brothers, were among the earliest settlers of Cocke County. The children of our subject are Jacob A., Mary J. Addie, Georgiana, John B. S., Susan E., Louisa K. and Hester C. His wife is a Baptist. and in politics he is a Democrat, and is also a Master Mason. He was the ninth of this teen children of Andrew and Susan (Ball) Susong, natives of Lee County, Va., the former an old resident of Washington County. Va., and a soldier of the war of 1812, and the latter a daughter of William Ball. Nicholas Susong, the next direct ancestor, with his brothers Jacob and Andrew, came to America with Gen. LaFayette during the Revolu- tion, and fought with that great general. The brothers first settled in Virginia, and after- ward near Bristol, where they reared their families.
W. R. Swagerty, farmer and stock dealer at Newport, was born August 3, 1842, on the farm where be has since resided. IIe began life for himself when twenty-two years old, and excepting some property received from his father, what be is now worth is mostly the fruit of his own industry and good management. He owns a fine farm of 296 acres near Newport. He was married in December, 1866, to Miss Lydia Allen, a daughter of James Allen, a native of Cocke County. He was a farmer, and served in the Mexican war. To Mr. and Mrs. Swagerty the following children have been born: Lors Anna, Fannie Dale, James M. (dead), Nannie Laura, Hattie Murray and Eunice. Mr. and Mrs. Swagerty's oldest and third daughters are members of the Missionary Baptist Church. and Mr. Swagerty is a Democrat in politics. and cast his first presidential vote for Horatio Seymour. He was elected justice of the peace in 1882, and he is a Master Mason. He is the sixth of ten children of James and Nancy (Clark) Swagerty, natives of Cocke County. He was for many years justice of the peace, and was "High Constable " of the county for many years, and was a very successful farmer. He began life for himself a poor man, and before the negroes were freed be was worth about $200,000, the fruit of his own; industry and good management. Mr. and Mrs. Swagerty were of German descent. He was a son of James Swagerty, a native of Virginia, and was among the earliest settlers of Cocke County. He was for many years justice of the peace. His first wife's name was Delilah, who died March 22, 1844, aged about seventy-one years. He was married again November 22, 1844, to Nancy H. Johnson. He was born in 1223 and died about 1868. Mr. James Swagerty, Jr., was born in 1800 and died 1885. Mr. W. R. Swagerty enlisted June, 1861, in Company C. Second Tennessee Infantry. Confed erate States Army, and served until 1864, when. after the battle of Mission Ridge, he was captured and kept as a prisoner of war at Sevierville jail until the close of the war. He was wounded at the battles of Murfreesboro and Chattanooga.
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HAMBLEN COUNTY.
Asa Bayless, a farmer in the Seventh District, was born in IS13, in Washington County, Tenn., and after his marriage moved to Greene County, where he lived seven years. He then moved to his present location in 1875, where he has since resided. He was married in 1840 to Miss Delila Good, a daughter of Manuel Good, a native of Wash - ington County, Tenn. Eleven children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Bayless: Reuben F., deceased; Nancy J., deceased; Elizabeth, now Mrs. Peters; Asa A .; Minerva A., now Mrs. Penland; Zach. T .; Amanda, now Mrs. Winifred; Sarah A., deceased; Mary E., now Mrs. Moser, and William D. Mr. Bayless is a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and is a Democrat in politics. He cast his first presidential vote for Martin Van Buren. He began doing for himself with only $1,000, and the balance he is now worth was gotten by his own industry and good management. He now owns 225 acres of land where he lives, and 100 acres in another tract. He was broken up by the war, and has accumulated his present wealth since the war, and besides has paid consid- erable security money. He was the third of twelve children of Reuben and Betsey (Moore) Bayless. Mr. Bayless was a native of Washington County, and Mrs. Bayless was a native of South Carolina. Mr. Bayless was a soldier in he war of 1812. He was a farmer by occupation. and was a son of Samuel Bayless, a native of England. He first settled in Washington County after coming to America, being among the earliest settlers of that county.
J. W. Bewley, a farmer in the Twelfth District, was born November 26, 1826, on the farm where he has since resided. He began doing for himself when of age, engaging in farming, at which he has since continued. He was married in 1862, to Miss Ellen Atkinson, a daughter of H. Atkinson, a native of Virginia, who came to Russellville in 1835. To Mr. and Mrs. Bewley one child has been born -- Thomas L. Mr. and Mrs. Bewley are members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Mr. Bewley is a Republican in politics, casting his first presidential vote for Gen. Taylor. He was elected justice of the peace in 1877, and has been re-elected at each election since. He was the eldest of six children of George and Mahala (Crider) Bewley, natives of Greene and Jefferson Counties respectively, at the mouth of Lick Creek and near Dandridge respectively. Mr. Bewley was a soldier in the Creek Indian war, and followed farming as an occupation. He was the eldest of twelve children of John and Sallie (IIunter) Bewley. Mr. John Bewley was a strong Abolitionist, and was a minister of the gospel in the Methodist Episcopal Church. His son, Rev. Anthony Bewley, a minister in the Methodist Episcopal Church, was, on account of his views on abolitionism, hung in 1858, in Texas, by a mob, after being cleared by a jury. Like old John Brown, he was a martyr to his views of abolitionism. Mr. John Bewley was one of nine children of George Bewley, a native of Ireland. who, after coming to America, settled first in Virginia, and afterward was one of the earliest settlers of Greene County. He had six sons, all of whom were Methodist preachers, excepting Mr. Jacob Bewley, who was quite an active politician. Mr. J. W. Bewley owns a fine farm of 450 acres on the Holston River, the fruit of his own industry and good management.
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