Carol Lewallen - Feb 12, 2013
Alexander Lewallen and Prudence Sue Clark..
I got a note today from Countryblu (Shelia) and this is what she had to say.
Carol, many people have Alexander Lewelling who married Prudence Clark as a son of Anderson Grant Lewallen & Lydia Rice Lewallen & I was wondering if you have any of this information. Alexander was born in SC & is not the son of Anderson & Lydia Rice Lewallen, but is most likely a cousin. I have been trying for several years to get this info corrected. As well as the info about Prudence Clark's father, who is John Clark, but not the John Clark who became governor of GA. If you have anything that is connected to this I would love to hear from you. Thanks! Shelia
Could someone please help me out on this? I thought Alexander was the son of Anderson Grant and Lydia Rice Lewallen, if he isn't who is his father and mother.
Thank You,
Carol
Billie Harris - Feb 13, 2013
Carol,
If Alexander was born in 1793 South Carolina as the 1850 and 1860 censuses show, then he would not have been a son of Anderson's. In addition, one of the census records for John (his son) in Sevier shows his father (Alexander) as being born South Carolina. I think I've seen something that says he was born North Carolina but the only thing we have to go on now are the three census records indicating he was born South Carolina. There's no record of Anderson ever being in South Carolina. So yes, the information is out there that Alexander was the son of Anderson's and that is obviously wrong. How to get it corrected, I have no idea. Once erroneous genealogy is on the internet, it's difficult if not impossible to get it corrected because people repeat what they see written and never go back to check to see that the information is documented.
Alexander married Martha Haggard, daughter of Henry and Dorothy Haggard. Dorothy Haggard is the sister of one of my ancestors, James Randolph.
James Randolph moved from Albemarle County, Virginia, to Jefferson County, Tennessee (North Carolina at the time). Sevier was formed from Jefferson. James Randolph's daughter, Susannah, married Rev. Silas Witt, a Baptist minister. Silas and Susannah had several children. The first was born in Jefferson County, the last born in McMinn County. But their next to last son, Robert Wesley Witt was born 1822 in Tennessee and married Anita Lewallen in Alabama. Their last son, Isaac Martin Witt, was born 1828 in McMinn County and his daughter, Amanda (born 1851) married William Henry Lewallen.
It's very possible Alexander is connected to Anderson but we'd need a DNA from a male descendant of Alexander's to confirm the connection.
SUBSEQUENT NOTE: See below. Mary Haggard did NOT marry Alexander but instead married a Trotter.
Carol Lewallen - Feb 17, 2013
Thank you so much Billie...
Gina Fox - Feb 18, 2013
I need to make a correction. Alexander married Prudence Clark, not Martha Haggard.
Henry & Dorothy had a daughter named Mary whose husband was John Trotter. She died in 1803 from complications of childbirth with her third child Henry. John Clark died sometime between 1850-60 here in Sevier County. I believe the Lewellings here in the 1830-40 Census records were Alexander's mother & possible siblings. I descend from Alexander & Prudence on my mother's side. Henry, Dorothy, Mary, & John on my father's.
Billie Harris - Feb 18, 2013
You're right. Mary Haggard did marry a Trotter. I'll make a notation above in my posting to correct this.
Darlene Luallen Griffin - Feb 20, 2013
Gina, Carol, Billie, and anyone else who can add to this: if you all remember my Luallen male cousin's DNA matched with Davises and Sessions (and FINALLY he matched to those of you who descend from Zachariah Lewallen). I am in close touch with "cousins" who are looking for their Sessions line and how the Sessions/Davis/Lewallen connection came about. Several of us have done the Family Finder DNA test...Lewelling/Lewallen/Leuallen keeps popping up in their matches. One was Elizabeth Lewelling in Sevier Co, TN. I believe Elizabeth is the daughter of Alexander and Prudence Lewelling/Lewallens. Sessions seem to come from GA and SC. So my question is, have you found any Sessions in Alexander's line? I, too, think that Alexander and Anderson could have been cousins. My Mathew and Zachariah Lewallen are found in the Morgan/Scott Co area where Anderson settled.
Billie Harris - Feb 21, 2013
Darlene, I've looked and I don't find a Sessions connection at all. However, we do have the following in Sevier County. I point this out because John, son of Alexander and Prudence, had two children out of wedlock and I'm wondering if by some huge chance, Jane Romines might have married a Sessions and the children took the Sessions name. And note, too, the women named in Alexander's Will. Do we have any idea who they were? Were they possibly his daughters or daughters-in-law who married someone else? Any idea? I'm wondering if Sessions might have come in there.
1845 - ca John Lewelling (son of Alex and Prudence) married Martha Haggard, daughter of Atchley and Hulda (Hardin) Haggard. He had two children out of wedlock by Jane Romines, Tom and Julia Romines. Jane was buried in the Millican Grove Baptist Church Cemetery.
1850 - Census shows:
Household 613: JOHN LEWALLEN 25 farmer, value of real estate - $200, born Tenn; Martha 25 born Tenn.; William 2, Hulda 6/12 (female) Neighbors were Haggards - Atchley Haggard, James Haggard, Thomas Atchley, etc.)
1880 - Alexander Llewellyn died in July at Sevierville. His wife was Prudence Clark . He's said to have been born Oct. 7, 1793 North Carolina, however, census records show him born South Carolina. It's also said he was a son of Anderson Lewallen but that hasn't been confirmed.
Will of Alexander Lewelling: Will in Sevier County gives Susan Maney "all lands except one tract known as the Maney tract or Pickens tract, the title calls for one hundred acres more or less, the title made to me by J. A. Pickens, administrator of Samuel Pickens, dec. after the death of said Susan Maney this tract shall fall to John and Calvin Lewelling heirs of said Susan Maney. This are the home tract that Susan Maney and John and Calvin Lewelling are to have." Third: "...give and bequeath to Elizabeth Jenkins and to the heirs of John Lewelling, dec. and to Catherine Rollings and to William Lewelling and to Sarah Tipton and to James Lewelling and to Ashley Lewelling and to Nancy Gibson - one tract of land the title calls for one hundred acres more or less known as the Maney or Pickens tract the title made to me by J. A. Pickens, administrator of Samuel Pickens, dec. the crop that are now on it shall be excepted." 4th "...give all personal property to Susan Maney. 5. "...Susan Maney to pay all debts out of her part of my estate..." 6. Appoint susan Maney executrix." Witnesses were William A. Baker and Joseph Baker
Darlene Luallen Griffin - Feb 21, 2013
Billie, Nathan Davis & Joseph Sessions are documented back to abt 1780. Mathew & Zachariah Lewallen were born 1821/22; Erasmus Sessions was born about the same time (Erasmus is the Sessions who spent time during the Civil War in Scott County, TN recovering from either illness or injury). It would seem that their common ancestor was born before 1780.
Billie Harris - Feb 21, 2013
From what I read tonight, Erasmus (born ca 1820) had several brothers and it appears they were all born in Georgia and lived in Georgia, Alabama, Florida.
Since you've been working on the Sessions, you've probably noted there's a Lewellyn (or other spellings) Sessions, too. I couldn't seem to find a connection of him to Erasmus or his brothers though. It appears Lewellyn Sessions was a son of George and Elizabeth Sessions.
Where is Nathan Davis and Joseph Sessions living about 1780?
The Davises that I found connected to the Sessions would have been born much later than the one you're looking at. I know Erasmus and his family lived in Georgia but the 1870 census for - Vermont I believe - shows a William Sessions born 1794 VT living next door to a James Greenleaf (1794 Maine) and on the other side of him, Henry Davis (32 Maine). The only ones in the William Sessions household was just his wife, same age. No help, I know.
Darlene Luallen Griffin - Feb 22, 2013
My Sessions "cousins" think that Erasmus' father is probably Varner Sessions but they cannot prove it yet. Yes, I found Llewellyn Sessions just this week. We all suspect that it is a family name but don't know where. One of the Sessions found the records of a Davis sea captain who sailed in the 1600-1700s. We have laughed that he could have populated the entire New England, Mid-Atlantic,and Southern coastlines!!!
Billie Harris - Feb 22, 2013
Yep, he could have done that.
Last night I did come across a William Varner Sessions born late 1700's as Erasmus' father but I threw my notes away after I had written what I did. I don't believe there was anything documenting it but just speculation. From everything I found the given name of Varner came from much earlier ancestors, probably handed down for generations.
Darlene Luallen Griffin - Feb 22, 2013
Right about the speculation. The Sessions that I am working with are fairly sure that he is Erasmus' father because of DNA, etc but they are not willing to say so for sure. I just found a Lewellin Davis born 1720 in PA, father Llewellyn Davis born 1670 in Wales (whose father is David Griffith...part of that strange Welsh naming system). The Welsh adopted the system of passing on the father's surname when they immigrated to England/America.
Darlene Luallen Griffin - Feb 22, 2013
Nathan Davis was born in NC 1775/84 and died abt 1822 in Dallas, Lincoln Co (now Gaston), NC. Joseph Sessions was born in 1788 in SC. He moved from SC to GA to AL to MS where he died. It appears that their common ancestor was earlier than 1775.
Gina Fox - Feb 23, 2013
Alexander seems to have favored Susan over his other children for some strange reason. I mean the guy had three sons of which to choose that he could have named Executor. Actually in all honesty Susan was not legally a Maney since Madison (Matt) was a
bigamist. Regarding Sessions connections, I will check my census records later today to see if there were any in Sevier County between 1830-70. Will let you know what I discover.