Hello and Help, Please. William Norwood of Giles Co. TN is my GGG Grandfather. I have discovered little information concerning his parents, birth date, marriage date or date of death. William Norwood is listed on the 1836 Tax List in Dist 15 Giles TN. We conclude that is our ancestor because he is in the same tax district as Aaron and Amos Grigsby, and this William Norwood was married to Amos Grigsby's daughter, Lucy Ann Grigsby. William Norwood is listed on the 1840 Census in Giles County. We conclude that is our ancestor because we have a copy of Inventory & Account of Sales--Estate of William Norwood Decs. Pat Pouge Recorded. It dates about 1841. Names of people making purchase at the sale includes Ruben White, William R Grigsby, Daniel Boatright, James W. Braden, and William Baily. These names appear next to and near William Norwood on the 1840 Census. William Norwood 1840 Census shows: 1 male 0-5, 1 male 20-30, 2 females 10-15, 1 female 20-30 William Norwood's son, John Preston Norwood was born June 12, 1834 according to our records. We do not know or understand about the two(2) females between the ages of ten(10) and fifteen (15) living with them on the 1840 Census. After William Norwood's death in about 1841, Two Norwood Females Roena and Jane show on the 1850 Census, in Giles TN, with Roena living with Nancy Ann Harwell and Jane living with Ambrose Harwell. They are near the same age group as the one's living with William Norwood in 1840. Lucy Ann Grigsby Norwood had no sister's in that age group, so I wonder if they are sister's of William Norwood. On the 1850 Census Jane P and Roena P Norwood list their place of birth as NC, as does Ambrose Harwell. On the 1880 Census Roena P. Norwood is listed as cousin of/living with James A Harwell, Dist 4 Lawrence TN. Also by 1860 Census, Jane P Norwood is no longer with Ambrose Harwell but in the household of James S Norwood of Giles Co TN. James S Norwood is on the 1850 Giles Census age 30 born in NC. There is a Martha age 21 TN, Nancy C age 17 NC and Margaret J age 15 NC also living with him. I can only guess that Martha is his wife, and the other's his sister's. On the 1860 Giles Census, all the females living with James S Norwood in 1850 are gone, and he has a John F(E?) age 8 TN, William J. W. age 7 TN, George W (F?) age 5, and Margaret E age 2, and Jane P Norwood age 37, NC. My guess is that in 1850 his wife was named Margaret and she died after Margaret E was born, and he named his last child after her. On the 1870 Giles Census James S Norwood 51 is remarried to Jensey 48 with Children, John E 18, William J. 16, George W 15, and Margaret age 12. I am unable to locate James S. Norwood after 1870. I believe he is on the 1840 Giles Census as J. Norwood living next to E. Norwood. That J. Norwood has 1 male under 5, One male 20-30 and one Female 20-30. The age would fit the 1850 Giles Census if he was 20 in 1840. The female E Norwood who is listed next to him on the 1840 Giles Census, I guess could be his mother. There are two females in the household that matches the age of the two Females living with James S. Norwood in 1850. E Norwood in 1840 Giles Census has 1 male under 5, one male 10-15, one male 15-20, one female 5-10, one female 10-15, one female 30-40. Without a first name, I do not know the relationship to James S. Norwood, but think they may be related. I am guessing that Jane P. Norwood who was in the Harwell family in 1850 is related as well and Roena P and Jane P. may be twins. As a side note to Jane P. and Roena P Norwood, it is possible that they are not William Norwood's sister's but his daughter's by another marriage. There is a William Norwood on the 1830 Henry TN census that has the two females listed in their age group. That William has no other children, and I have been unable to find further information on him. He is of interest because it takes me back to that region of TN and KY and the Bowden's. Information following on Bowden's. 1835 White Co TN: State vs William Norwood, Clerk W. G. Sims $8.81 1/4, Shff D.L. Mitchell $0.75, Shff J.T. Bradley $3.00, Shff Jno England $1.00, Witness W.G. Crawford for State $2.00. William Norwood's wife, Lucy Ann (Grigsby Norwood) Emerson is listed in Deed Book CC page 569 Oct 29, 1866 and states John P. Norwood (GG Grandfather) entitled to all of the share and interest of his mother, Lucy A. Emerson upon the death of her father Amos Grigsby. Amos Grigsby is son of Aaron Grigsby as stated in Deed Book P page 463 April 28, 1842, Give to Amos all of Estate of every kind. Lucy Ann Grigsby is Lucy Ann Norwood as stated in Deed Book R page 34 Feb 5, 1844, Lucy Ann Norwood deed to trust to Amos Grigsby. This indenture between Lucy Ann Norwood of the county of Giles of the first part and Ruben T. Emerson of the county of Maury of the second part and Amos Grigsby of Giles County of the Third part. The parties agree to make a conveyance of property of said Lucy Ann in Trust for her sole and separate use. Lucy Ann conveyed to Amos in Trust. We believe Lucy Ann Norwood married Ruben T. Emerson of Maury County during 1844. Also a Will written in 1859 by Amos Grigsby and Probated 1866 states All the portion of my estate of every kind at my death which would be descended to my daughter Lucy Ann Emerson shall go to her son John P. Norwood and that daughter Lucy be excluded from any share or interest in my estate. (We have a copy of the original will) In the Abstracts Of Giles County Court Minutes 1847 thru 1850 Clerk Reported in about 1849 Reuben T. Emerson Guardian of John Norwood a minor orphan of William Norwood Deceased. Another mention is Reuben T Emerson, Guardian of John Norwood returned an Account with his ward. On August 6, 1849 Clerk reported settlement with Reuben T. Emerson, Guardian of John Norwood. We believe William Norwood married Lucy Ann Grigsby sometime before the birth of their son, John Preston Norwood in 1834. That is not proven and Lucy Ann Grigsby could be William Norwood's second wife. In 1836 he was farming in Dist. 15 near the Grigsby's. In about 1841 his estate was sold due to his death. He shows on the 1840 Census. As a side note on Ambrose Harwell, he is listed on the 1810 census in Darlington SC, 1830 Montgomery Co. Al and the 1850 and 1860 in Giles County TN. Ambrose can also be found making land transactions in Cahaba AL in 1834 and Montgomery Co AL 1837. Samuel Harwell (listed as S. Harwell) is next to Amos Grigsby on the 1830 Census. I believe he is the son of Ambrose Harwell. Also of note: the Census Records of John Preston Norwood always list his father's place of birth as Tenn, except for the last two of his life(1910,1920) where AL is listed. Another note worthy clue is Reubin White who is listed next to William Norwood on the Giles 1840 Census. There is a marriage record of Reubin White and Jane Norwood in Madison AL married 7 Oct. 1824. It appears that Reubin and Jane (Norwood) White are on the 1830 Lawrence TN Census, 1840 Giles Census, 1850 Giles Census. In 1860 Giles Census she is living alone, and listed as Jane R White. On the 1850 Giles Census she listed her birth place as AL and Reubin is listed as NC. We can find no Norwood's listed in the 1830 census for Giles County. There is a William Norwood is listed in Giles Co Census 1820 with 310010-210010 but has been traced and belongs to another family. I am confident this is not the father of the William Norwood I seek. We find John Preston Norwood living with his mother Lucy Ann Grigsby Norwood Emerson, and guardian Ruben T Emerson on the 1850 Giles Census. One the 1860 Giles Census Lucy Ann and Ruben T Emerson are living alone. On the 1870 Census they have moved to Obion County TN, which is near Graves Co KY were her son John Preston Norwood is married to Nancy Ann Elizabeth Bowden. The Obion TN and Graves KY connection takes my research to that area of the country. I have wondered why John Preston Norwood married Nancy Ann Elizabeth Bowden. It is a long way to meet and marry and think there must be another connection to Norwood, the Bowden's. There are Bowden's showing on the 1830 census (Travis, William, James) in Maury TN, and 1840 census (Travis) in Union KY. NAE Bowden is the daughter of Westwood Bowden and I believe the Granddaughter of Travis Bowden. Travis is listed living with Westwood Bowden on the 1850 and 1860 census. Westwood Bowden was a 'minister' associated with the Baptist. I believe he was preaching in the area of Henry TN, Fulton KY, Weakley TN, Williamson TN, Christian KY and Obion TN. As a strange side note, I have found several people in those counties that named their children Westwood Bowden. They are Westwood Bowden Sizemore b. 10 Apr 1844 Christian KY, Westwood Bowden Hays b. 17 Dec 1846 Weakley TN, Ruben Westwood Bowden Moore, b. 4 Nov 1851 Henry TN, and Westwood Bowden Roper b. 11 Sept 1849 Fulton KY. Westwood Bowden is married to Sarah Webb. I believe Sarah Webb is the daughter of John Webb and Nancy Williams Buckley and b. 1821 in Henry TN. Her parents were married in Williamson TN 25 Dec 1815. Another side note is that on the 1850 Graves KY census, W A Bowden and Sarah have NAE Bowden as daughter but also William Webb living with them. This William Webb I believe to be a cousin of Sarah and son of Amasa P Webb and Susan Buckley. He was b. 9 Jan 1824 in Weakley TN. I think he is living with them after his release from prison and have the following information about him: William Webb, age 19, born in Tennessee; occupation: labourer; convicted of grand larceny by the court in Giles County, and sentenced to 3 years in the Penitentiary. Received Dec. 18, 1843 and discharged Dec. 15, 1846. Notes: Conduct not good. Ledger 86:693. Laine Sutherland Tennessee State Library and Archives That of course links me back to Giles TN the Grigsby's and William Norwood. I find it interesting that William Norwood named his son, John Preston. I can find no evidence of the name Preston in the Grigsby family. I wonder why they used that name? There is a Preston Norwood listed on the 1820 census in SC, but never shows again. He has on male in the age group of William Norwood listed in 1840 Giles Co TN Census. There are very confusing clues here. If James S Norwood, Roena P and Jane P are related to William Norwood, I don't understand them being born in NC. I think William Norwood came to TN from AL, based only on if Jane White is related to him, and the 1910/1920 Census where John P Norwood listed his father born in AL. I am trying to link this Giles Co. TN Norwood into one of the Norwood lines. Any help? Sincerely, Stephen Norwood