From Tennessee To Texas
Cass County Cousins, By Kathy Peacock November 11, 1976

From Charles Steger of Longview this week comes information on our pioneers who trekked to Texas from the hills of Tennessee. Steger has extracted from the 1850 census those families who were living in Cass County which came from Tennessee. Some of these families came together in wagon trains, and are possibly related.

Some of the early pioneers to settle in the valleys and coves along the Little Pigeon River in East Tennessee were the Ogles (Oglesby originally), Reagans (O'Reagan from Ireland), the McCarters and Huskeys who came in 1795. In the same year, Jane Huskey Ogle, a 40 year old widow, came here from Edgefield, NC with her six sons and two daughters. One daughter married William Whaley and the other, James McCarter. The Reagans were led by Timothy R. Reagan who settled on LeConte Creek. His son, Daniel Reagan (1803-1892) was the father of John H. Reagan who pioneered to Texas and was elected to Congress in 1858.

By 1819, settlers were as far west in Tennessee as Memphis, and after the Texas Revolution, they began to come here mostly by way of the Old Military Road through Arkansas, entering Texas from Fulton on the Red River. Some migrated into Alabama and Mississippi and west to Texas on the Old Texas Road. By 1850, the following Tennessee fan-lilies were living in Cass County.

William and Mary Achley; J.H. and Jane Armsworth; Wesley and Louisa Bailey, who came by way of Alabama in 1845; John and Nancy Baker, parents of the notorious Cullen, who came in 1846; Ellen Bartholomew, a widow born in NC in 1817, who came in 1849 with five sons and two daughters; William and Cynthia Beaver in 1840; and Martin and Martha Beaver in 1845.

W.G. and Ann Blair in 1850; A.W. and Louisa Bryan in 1849; Michael and Jane BURKHALTER, born in NC, their children in TN, in the early 1840's; John and Martha Burkhalter by 1850; Nancy Cannon, a widow born in 1800; William and Susan Cobb; Wiley and Sarah Blackburn Core in 1843; J.H. and Sarah Darden; David and Lucy Davidson in 1847; W.J. and Elizabeth Dower in the late 1840's; Anderson and Charity Fitzgerald in 1846; Daniel and Laura Frazier in 1841; Charles and Anna Fitzgerald; Moses and Tempy Frazier in the early 1840's; Ebenezer and Jane Frazier in 1849; and Squire and Martha Frazier in 1849.

M.S. and Ollie Ford in 1849 by way of Alabama; William and Martha Gardner; Harvey and Ruth Glass in 1845; R.C. and Nancy Graham in 1843; T.W. and Jane Graham; Gen. Charles and Jane Graham in 1849; Isaac and Clarisa Guffie in 1849; Wiley and Elizabeth HAM in the early 1840's; James and Anna Hamilton in 1837; William and Mary Hancock in 1846; McNairy and Mary in 1844 by way of Alabama; William and Jane Hill by 1841 (daughter Martha married Alex Haynes).

B.W. and Emma Johnson in 1845 by way of Mississippi; William and Nancy Ledbetter; A.J. and Susan McAdams in 1849 by way of Alabama; Mortimer and Nancy McAdams 1850; William and Harriet (she was born in GA) in 1847 (Surname missing in column); William and Mary Nichols in 1848; William and Mary Norman in 1848 by way of Arkansas; William and Elizabeth Norwood in 1845; John and Elizabeth Price in 1844 by way of Alabama; William and Nancy Raynes; Sterling and Rebecca Robinson in 1848; James and Linvernia by way of Mississippi and Arkansas, and Edward and Lydia Patterson by way of Arkansas in 1849; F.P. and Susan Smith; and Henry and Mary Staly.

Joseph and Elizabeth Stephenson in 1837 (he opened the ferry on Sulphur River at the US 67 crossing in 1838); G.A.M. and Francis Stork; Edward and Emily Jane Story (he founded Linden); Daniel and Sarah Story here in 1844; Ben and Liddy Story in 1849; Mary Sutherland, a widow and four children were here in 1845; William and Edith Taggot, both born in NC, but three children born in TN; James and Martha Walker here in 1842; Louis and Mary Ward in 1849; Robert and Mary Wamel (Womell) from Kentucky in 1836 to Tennessee, and to Cass County in 1838; W.G. and Sarah Wamel in 1840; and Paul and ? Wamel in 1848.

William and Catherine Wetherfield, both born in VA, children born in TN, here by 1847; David and Mary Wiggins in 1848; P.M. and Mary Wood and six children came in 1844; and William and Ann Woodley.

Transcribed by: Carol Lee Colunga

As published (expect where formatting was web prohibitive) in Cass County Connections. Cass County Connections is a quarterly publication put out by the Cass County Genealogical Society of Cass County, Texas.