FOURTH GENERATION
42. Moses Wilson
(1) was born on 22 Feb 1819 in Overton
Co, Tn.(2) He died in 1895 in Overton
Co, Tn.(2) He was buried in 1895 in Rocky
Bar, Tn.(2) [Fitz.ged]
Moses Wilson called "Lone Bear" and "Spotted Buck" was born
in 1819 i n Overton County, to Joseph Wilson and mother's name is unknown at
th is time. Joseph Wilson did remarry a second time to "Fanny" Franci
s Key Wilson, as seen in the 1850 Overton County Census. Tennessee w as formed
in 1806 out of the territory from Sumner County. Sumner Co unty was created
by an act of the General Assembly of North Carolin a Territory in 1786, ten years
before Tennessee was granted statehood.
The Goodspeed Histories of Sumner, Smith, Macon, and Trousdale Counti es of Tennessee
published in 1887, page 800, gives as interesting acc ount of a Wilson family
in Indian territory that had been visited onl y by hunters and explorers in a
vast wilderness inhabited by buffaloe s, bears, panthers, wild cats, deer, etc.
From 1779 to 1786 many me n settled in the vicinity of Bledsoe Creek. One of
these men was nam ed Joseph Wilson,,,, Savages commenced attacks in 1787....In
June 178 6 Indians killed a young man by the name of Archie Wilson, wounded Jo
seph Wilson, who with his son, twelve years old were all that escape d of his
family - his wife and six children being taken and led int o capitivity. Mrs.
Wilson and her children were finally all returne d to her friends....
This story, in part, was interesting enough for me to consider becaus e we have
the given names of Arch and Joseph in our lineage - Uncle A rch and Joseph L.
(Uncle Fate). This is, of course, hypothetical, bu t it makes one eager to do
further research back in the 1700's. Yo u will notice that it was common in
this lineage of Moses Wilson to r epeat given names in the next generation and
following ones.
Moses Wilson married Celia Hays, and I'm sure the Wilson and Hays fam ilies lived
near each other. The 1850 Census verifies this. Moses o wned 600 acres of land
in the 9th District of Overton County, in 185 0 (Deed BK 0, page 433). He was
a hard working farmer, father of sev enteen children, ten sons and seven daughters
(two infant daughters d ied). He owned and operated a grist mill at Tyler Point
/ Rocky Ba r on the waters of the West Fork of Obed's River, Overton County,
Tn.
This true incident shows a distinctive characteristic of Moses when h e discovered
that his corn kept disappearing from the mill. He mad e a trap and put it in
the corn bin. Early the next morning he wen t to the mill and there was a man
with his hand caught fast. He free d him and took him to his house to eat breakfast.
They became friend s and thereafter the corn stayed at the mill. His sons continued
t o run the mill in later years, furnishing meal for the whole distric t as Moses
had done.
It was necessary for the old settlers to go hunting and be gone for w eeks.
Moses always brought back lots of wild meat to help provide fo r his big family.
It was said that Celia would cook a big ham or a b ig side of meat on any given
day. The land and the forest supplied e ssential needs.
Schools were hard to come by in the 1850's and 60's. Having school a ged children,
Moses deeded a parcel of land in 1868 by the forks of t he road for a public
school as long as it was used for that purpose . Deed BK, AE page 129 - Overton
County, Tn. Most rural schools wer e subscription schools. Parents "signed"
when the children could b e best spared from their farm chores. The school terms
were short, u sually about three months.
Research tells me that the social - economic order of our mountain an cestry
was based on "self sufficiency" and the worth of each individu al was
judged by his ability to work and earn an honest living for hi mself and his
family. Two skills were required - to wield a double-b laded axe and to shoot
straight. Cash was almost non-existent. Thes e pioneer exchanged work and borrowed
work stock from each other (oxe n). They worked long hours and hard, ate solid
food, slept soundly , and lent a helping hand to the needy.
Celia, a good wife and mother, was known to show compassion for other s, far
and wide, by attending to the needs of the sick, day or night . Some say she
was of Indian descent. We do know that she was brave , strong and skillful with
folk remedies - medicines made from herbs , roots, leaves, seeds, and bark of
trees. Her secret formulas resto red the health of many.
The religious feeling in this home was deep. I can quote from severa l sources
that Moses and Celia read God's word and taught their child ren to be God-fearing
and to love their fellowman. I'm sure this lar ge family sang ballads at home
and hymns at church and said a loud am en to the preacher's sermon. At least
once a year (usually after th e crops were in and before the cold weather) there
would be a "brus h arbor" meeting lasting from two to three weeks.
The young people w ould go to get better acquainted and when the preacher got
the congre gation stirred up, they would steal away from the open air meeting
t o "court" a little. A spiritual upbringing led some to marry preache
rs and some to preach the word as the years passed by.
Information handed down to us is that Archable, the oldest son of Mos es, went
to Missouri first. Following sometime later Louvernia (Lucy ), and Charlotta.
Francis was brave and eager enough to travel by cov ered wagon westward. This
is where they remained the rest of their l ife time.
The other children seemed satisfied to stay in Overton County becaus e Moses
had deeded them some land and they kept on farming, raising h ogs, logging, black-smithing,
operating molasses mills, stave mills , and running Moses "famous"
water powered grist mill.
Moses lived to the age of 77, and Celia died at the age of 75. Ther e were buried
on a beautiful spot at the home place known now as th e Moses Wilson Cemetery
at Rocky Bar.
We can safely say, that in 1981, the descendants of Moses and Celia W ilson extend
from the Eastern coast to the Western coast and from th e Canadian Rockies to
the Gulf Stream waters of our United States o f America.
Moses Wilson - 1850 Agricultural Record - Overton County
50 acres improved
800 acres unimproved
$200 cash value of farm
$20 cash value of machinery
2 milk cows
4 other cattle
100 swine
$200 value of livestock
280 bushes Indian corn
20 bushes of oats
1 bushes bean/peas
10 bushel potatoes
50 bushel sweet potatoes
40 lbs butter
$45 value of home made items sold
$65 value of animals sold
Moses Wilson and wife, 3 May 1875, have this day bargained and sold, and do hereby
transfer and convey to James Phillips for the consideration of one hundred and
sixty dollars to me paid a tract of land in the State of Tennessee, Overton County,
and District 8, containing two hunderd acres more or less, and bounded as follows:
Beginning on a Sealy Bark Hickory, the corner of Berry Willson, running south
with Berry Willson's line to Sugar Tree and two pins Oak Pointers, then eastwardedly
down the hollow as it meanders to a pin Oak and a Dogwood pointer, then South
with Willson's line to Chestnut and a buck pointer. Then west with Willson's
South boundary line to a Hickory and a Spotted Oak, thenceforth, Williams and
Berry Willson's corner, then South with Williams east boundary line to a white
Chestnut, Williams southeast corner, then with points north boundary line to
the Pine Hollow, then down said Hollow as it meanders to George Phillips west
boundary line, thence north with said line to white Oak and Cherry tree pointing
Phillips North West corner then east with said Hollow meanders to the pouring
Spring Hollow, and then westward with the said Hollow to a take, then north to
John Jackson south east corner, then westwardly with Jacksons line to a stake
to Ephram Vaughn north east corner with said line to the beginning to have and
to hold the same to the same James Phillips, his heirs, and forever. I do convenant
with said James Phillips, his heirs, heirs forever, I further covenant bind myself,
my heirs and representatives to warrant and forever defend the title of said
land to the said James Phillips, his heirs and assigns and to the lawful claims
of any person or persons whatever, this the 3rd day of may 1875.
X (mark of Moses Willson)
X(mark of Sely Willson
Overton County Land Deed, Page 277, 600 acres on the banks of Obed River to John
Wilson (son), dated 27 Sep 1849.
He was married to Celia Hayes on 11 Nov 1841
in Overton Co., Tn.(2)
Celia Hayes(1) was born on
1 Oct 1826 in Overton Co., Tn.(2) She
died on 7 Dec 1901 in Overton County, Tn.(2)
She was buried in Overton County, Tn.(2)
[Fitz.ged]
CELIA WILSON WAS THE WIFE OF MOSES WILSON. MOSES WAS THE BROTHE R OF BERRY
WILSON, OVERTON COUNTY. BERRY WILSON WAS THE FATHER OF OUGHT WILSON , AND OUGHT
WILSON WAS THE FATHER OF DAVID MONROE WILSON "ROE". AND ROE WILSON
W AS THE
FATHER OF DANIEL DELL WILSON. Moses Wilson and Celia Hayes had the following
children:
+93 i.
Rebecca Wilson.
+94 ii.
Archibald Wilson.
+95 iii.
Pernelia "Nila" Wilson.
+96 iv.
George F. Wilson.
+97 v.
John Wilson.
98 vi.
Sarah (Sary) Wilson(1) was born
on 6 Apr 1853 in Overton Co., Tn.(2)
She died on 29 Feb 1932.(2) She was buried
in Thompson Flat, Cemetery, Overton Co., Tn.(2)
+99 vii.
Caleb (twin) Wilson.
+100 viii.
Joshua W. (twin) Wilson.
+101 ix.
Joseph L. "Fate" Wilson.
102 x.
Charlotta E. Wilson(1) was born
on 28 Mar 1860 in Overton Co., Tn.(2)
She died on 20 Apr 1935.(2)
103 xi.
Levernia A. Wilson(1) was born
on 14 Apr 1862 in Overton County, Tn.(2)
She died on 9 Dec 1938 in Summersville, Missouri.
(2) She was buried on 12 Dec 1938 in Summersville, Missouri.
(2)
104 xii.
William J. Wilson(1) was born on
1 Mar 1864 in Overton County, Tn.(2)
He died on 24 Feb 1924 in Overton County, Tn.(2)
He was buried on 27 Feb 1924 in Wilson Cemetery.
(2)
105 xiii.
Abraham C. Wilson(1) was born on
22 Feb 1866 in Overton County, Tn.(2)
He died on 30 Nov 1942 in Overton County, Tn.
(2) He was buried on 2 Dec 1942 in Shady Grove Cemetery, Overton County,
Tn.(2)
106 xiv.
Francis M. Wilson(1) was born on
21 Jan 1868 in Overton County, Tn.(2)
He died on 11 May 1929 in Maud, Oklahoma.(2)
He was buried on 14 May 1929 in Springfield, Missouri.
(2)
+107 xv.
Wade N. Wilson.
Return to Table of Contents