Hi guys I have been communicating with cousins of mine from my Eliza Jane Smith Moore line about early migrations from the late 1700s to early 1800s of our families. In our discussion; I made note of an area in early Orange Co., North Carolina called the The Ridge. This area was heavily populated until the early 1800s with various tribes. We all know the story of White migrations and the eventual removal of the tribes? If my history is correct; parts of The Ridge was redistricted either formulating Sumner Co., Tennessee and later Carroll County or directly into the boundaries of Carroll County. Can't seem to remember which it was? Anyway..............I do have that my Elisha Smothers was found on the Tax List for 1821 Sumner County, Tennessee. I found this in my notes from an older correspondence and unfortunately did not save the author's name. Do you believe it? But, even in my early research, I just knew this information and the names of these gentlemen might prove to be instrumental in finding the birth name of Elisha Smothers' first wife; Sarah. She is my direct. <<My ggggrandmother Catherine Beaver(s) b.1789 in NC married John Stowers Jan 29 1810 in Caswell Co.NC. They moved to Sumner Co. TN shortly after that time. Stowers died @June 1819 and the following Beaver(s) were listed on the sale bill: Jessie, James and Sabra? Beaver. According to census records John and Catherine had 5 children. The only one I know of is John C. who was born the same year his father died. Catherine moved to Macon Co, TN and married unknown Canady. She died after 1850. Can anyone help me identify Catherine's family? Also the following people were listed on the sale bill: Daniel, Joseph and Owen Sullivan, John and James Carr, John Mills, Price Martin, Tandy Duncan, Elisha Smothers, Edward Williams, Lemuel and William Stubblefield, Jessie Flippin, and Ashley Alsop? Hughes. >> As you can see, Elisha is named on a Bill of Sale. Can anyone of you all interrupt what exactly this is saying to me? Aaah..........found this, too? Note regarding the early Smothers family: Carroll Co., Tennessee was formed in 1821 from Indian land. No one was allowed to settle in that area until after that date. There were four brothers, Jacob, John, Elisha and William that settled in Carroll Co., Tennessee in 1822. Jacob and John were born in North Carolina and Elisha and William were born in Tennessee. Tennessee was formed from North Carolina in 1796. So, Jacob and John were born before that date, 1796. Elisha and William, after that date, 1796. 1816 -Sumner County, Tennessee Record of Taxable Property and Polls in Sumner Co., Tennessee Ely Smothers 16 Goose Creek 1817 -Sumner County, Tennessee Record of Taxable Property and Polls in Sumner Co., Tennessee Eli Smothers 16 Goose Creek 1818 -Sumner County, Tennessee Record of Taxable Property and Polls in Sumner Co., Tennessee Elihu ? Smothers 40 Long Creek Ely Smothers 16 Goose Creek 1819 -Sumner County, Tennessee Record of Taxable Property and Polls in Sumner Co., Tennessee Eli Smothers 16 on the Ridge 1820 -Sumner County, Tennessee Record of Taxable Property and Polls in Sumner Co., Tennessee Smothers, Eli ----- # 177 ----- 200010-20010 Smothers, Elihu ----- # 177 ----- 100100-00100 Smothers, Elisha ----- # 177 ----- 000100-00100 1821- Sumner Co., Tennessee Record of Taxable Property and Polls in Sumner Co., Tennessee Eli Smothers 16 on the Ridge 1822- Sumner Co., Tennessee Record of Taxable Property and Polls in Sumner Co., Tennessee Elisha is not found on this 1822 Tax List. 1 January 1826 - List of Free Male Inhabitants Captain Dickeys and McGlothlin's Company's-Charles Watkins, JP Sumner Co., Tennessee-The importance of this document is tremendous due to the fact that it is one of the first (tax, census, etc.) lists that indicate groups of individuals who lived near one another. The 1820 Sumner County, Tennessee Federal Census was alphabetized and therefore did not indicate location in the county for the families listed. Elisha is not on this list, telling me that he had migrated to Carroll Co. by 1826. 1830 Carroll County, Tennessee Smuthers, Elisha ----- # 168 1832 Carroll County, Tennessee Smuthers, Elisha 1840 Census Carroll County, Tennessee Elisha Smothers ----- # 71 1850 Carroll County, Tennessee 23 July 1860 Marion Co., Arkansascensus, Page 658, Barren Creek Township, PO-Buffalo City ID #AR126239013: SMOTHERS, Elisha 60 m w farmer 1000/445 TN widower Note: Sarah died before the 1860 census, but family historians say that she made the migration to Marion Co., Arkansas with her husband and children. By 1870, Elisha has remarried to Rachel Elizabeth Stratton: 09 June 1870 Marion County, Arkansas, Barren Creek Township, PO-Whiteville, Page 473: SMOTHERS, Elisha 70 w m farmer 1500-300 TN NN #34/35 Elizabeth 27 f w keeps house AR 1880 Baxter Co., Arkansas, Union Township Note: Elisha dies in 1881. 1900 Baxter Co., Arkansas census, Barren Creek Township: SMOTHERS, Elizabeth Smothers head wf Dec 1842 57 widow 7-6 AR KY IL #67/67 1910 Baxter Co., Arkansas census, Barren Creek Township,p. 2-A: #21/21 Elizabeth Smothers head F W 68 wid 7-6 AR KY IL Note: Lizzie Stratton Smothers dies in 1916 and is believed to be the last burial in the OLD Fairview Cemetery. The land for this old cemetery was donated by Elisha Smothers for the use. So, I need a fresh perspective on my research. These years are important in attempting to verify what the birth name of Elisha Smothers' first wife; Sarah's was. Smothers researchers BELIEVE that they married circa 1820 in Sumner Co., Tennessee. Is she connected to one of the surnames in that Bill of Sale? Bernie Moore-Knowles Papa'aloa, Hawai'i "I have Indian blood in me. I have just enough White blood for you to question my honesty." ........Will Rogers