Resa Miller - May 16, 2009
Does anyone know why John Lewallen moved to Texas? Was it after Delilah died? Where is Delilah buried?
Margery Ray Morgan - May 20, 2009
Resa
i have never found any one who knows where she is buried at
i think lots of Lewallens and other people went West for a better life, like jobs, what do you think ?
Mary Hubbell - May 21, 2009
My records say that Delilah died 24 May 1865 in Wayne County, KY. John married Emley in 27 Nov of the same year in Scott County, TN. She was a Civil War widow. He brought his new wife back to KY so I would assume that D. is buried there in Wayne Co.
One biography I found says "In 1874 this Lewellen family migrated to Bell County from Wayne County, Kentucky. They came in a train of covered wagons pulled by oxen and mules. Some of the wagons bogged down as they tried to cross the Brazos River. The Lewellens settled in the eastern part of Bell County in the communities of Little Flock, Old Howard and Troy. Most of them purchased land.
It goes on the say:
"Life was hard, the soil poor, national conditions had not improved. In 1873 the country was in the midst of a depression, there was panic in New York with inflation, bankruptcy and suicide taking place.
The Lewellen families began planning to go to Texas. Isaac, who had married Nancy Jeffries circ 1855 had left with his wife and three children. They stopped in Arkansas where a son was born in 1866. Then they continued their trip to Texas where they lived for a time at Fayette County, Texas. Another son was born there in 1868. Two years later they were in Bell County, Texas where they bought land and prepared to settle down. Isaac bought land about six miles east of the present city of Temple. Their sixth child there in 1870. Nancy had four more children, before she died on 13 April 1888. Isaac's second wife was Saphama Davis and she had 4 children.
Anderson S. (Cash Up), John's second son and his family planned to make the trip. He had married Sarah McDonald and they had 8 children. But, Sarah died in 1869 and Anderson married her sister, Nancy McDonald who had one child before she left Scott County, Tennessee. Letters received by Campbell, another son of John's sounded as though Anderson had a crop by the time the rest of the families arrived in Texas. There were three more children.
With plans completed for the trip to Texas, the families loaded their prized possessions, clothing, bedding, cooking vessels and dishes into their covered wagons. Some rode horseback, some walked to lighten the loads and some looked after any stock they were taking with them.
The caravan left from Rock Creek, near Bell Farm, Kentucky with their covered wagons over loaded, with backward looks at the homes they were leaving and the friends who wished they too were going along. The Mississippi River was so wide, they had to cross on warfts. Mules, horses and oxen pulled the wagons. Some of the men on horse back let the way. At the Brazos River near the present City of Waco they had trouble fording the river and one oxen as lost.
They arrived in Bell County, Texas on July 23, 1874. There was a great reunion with the family already in Texas. Columbus bought land in the Little Flock community, the McDonalds and the Bells built homes not to far from the others and John, with Emely and their family chose the Cyclone community which is in the south east part of Bell County.
According to the grand-daughter of Texas, they were happy there. However, John was not satisfied with the land. In 1879 the family moved to the Shep community, which is about 30 miles west of Abilene. John bought 160 acres on which he made a dug-out where they lived. The house was added later.
Evidently they missed the other members of the family for they returned to Bell County in 1886. John farmed some of Isaac's land. He and his family lived about six miles from Andrew and about the same distance from the others."
Since they were farmers, I don't think jobs entered into it. Moving to TX was all about land. I once wondered why some of my ancestors moved from TN to IL until we drove their immigration trail. In TN it was more humid, trees everywhere. You probably had to constantly clear your land. but in IL it was drier and the land opened up - flat. I imagine the same was true with TX. If you read the letters from the time, they carry on about the great crops they grow there and tell the others to come on down.
Resa Miller - May 21, 2009
Thanks for the information, very interesting.
Larry White - May 29, 2009
Several years ago when I was in Scott County researching my family (Anderson S. Lewellen was my gg grandfather) I was curious as well as to why they would have left Scott County when they were so well established. I found county records that showed while Justice of the Peace, Anderson was implicated in a murder, while being investigated the family moved to Bell County. Campbell County who had stayed behind resolved the matter and Anderson was cleared of the crime. I made xerox copies of the account, but I would have to dig them out to be more specific.
An interesting comment from the librarian at the county library in Oneida when I was there and proudly announced that I was there to do research into my ggg grandfather John "...who was the first sheriff of Scott County." She replied, "Oh, he musta been one of the killer sheriffs". I didn't find any evidence that he killed anyone. He did arrest Allen McDonald for "bastardy".
Billie Harris - May 29, 2009
Larry, if you can ever find the account about Anderson S. implicated in a murder, would you please post it. It makes for interesting reading and information to pass on to the descendants.
Mary Hubbell - May 30, 2009
The murder is discussed in the book.
Mary Hubbell - May 30, 2009
Knoxville Daily Chronicle Sunday 14th July 1872
A Man Killed in Scott County
On the evening of the 10th, Meshack Slaven and Daniel Pennington, brothers in laws and near neighbors, had a personal difficulty. Slaven came up to Pennington's house and rested his rifle upon the fence and fired upon Pennington in his own home, but without effect. Pennington returned the fire with a pistol, the ball taking effect in Slaven's shoulder, whereupon Slaven fled. Pennington walked out a short distance from his home and set in the bushes, and a few minutes later he was shot by someone, supposed to be the brother of Mr. Slaven, who was near by when the difficulty occurred. Pennington died the next day.
Scott County Call 24th June 1887
In July 1872 a man by the name of Dan Pennington was killed in the Third District of this county. A bill was found by the Grand Jury against Steward Slaven, who left the immediately after Pennington was killed. In a year or so, Anderson Lewallen, who was then living in that part of the county, moved to Texas. Last month, Mr. Lewallen, in company with his brother in law, Elihu McDonald, came to this county. After they had been here some time Lewallen was arrested, accused of murdering or helping to murder Dan Pennington. Monday the 20, the case was called, Esqrs Sharp and Griffith presiding. Both sides announced ready for the trial. A number of witnesses testified. Among them was the then wife of Dan Pennington, who said she was a sister of Steward Slaven and that he was the man who killed her husband. Before her husband died he told her he saw Steward Slaven run after he (Pennington) was shot, and knew him. Other witnesses testified that before, or as Steward Slaven was leaving the country he said they need not bother his brother for he (Steward) killed Dan Pennington. Mr. Lewallen testified with a good countenance that he had nothing to do with the killing of Dan Pennington, that he said in that country for a year after the killing and was never accused of it. It was very clear that Lewallen was innocent. The decision of the Court was "not guilty as charged in the warrant." The prosecution must be satisfied, after hearing the evidence, that Lewallen was wrongfully accused.
Billie Harris - May 30, 2009
That was interesting. Thanks for posting it, Mary.
By the way, it said Anderson came to this (Scott) county the previous month. Where in Texas did he live before moving there?
Mary Hubbell - May 30, 2009
From the sounds of it, Allen McDonald couldn't keep his hands off the Jeffers girls.
Resa Miller - May 30, 2009
Evidently there was a lot of that going on. Not getting arrested but, a lot of "sleeping around" as we now call it.
Melba Boyd - May 25, 2009
I was given information by another cousin that Delilah Reed Lewellen is buried in the Reed Cemetery south of Oneida, Scott Co TN on top of a large hill. This is about 15 miles south of Oneida east Robbins, TN.
Dorothy Campbell - May 26, 2009
Melba,
Did the cousin say if Delilah has a headstone or not? I have been to this cemetery and did not see her headstone stone. There was six of us cousins looking at the time for headstones and no one saw it. It does make sense that she would be there since she was a Reed.
Melba Boyd - May 26, 2009
The information given to me was that the Cemetery was so over grown at the time and they couldn't get up to the Cemetery. Was it over grown when you were there?
Dorothy Campbell - May 26, 2009
Unless it is a different Reed Cemetery. No it was not overgrown. I know there is more than one Reed Cemetery.
Resa Miller - May 26, 2009
There are 4 in the Scott Co. cemetery book, she isn't listed.