Glenda, A couple of other things....that will help you sort this out......and most folks aren't aware: a. North Carolina issued 'warrants' to over 23 million acres of what is know Tennessee. The 'warrant' holders had until December of 1820 to execute them. Look in the North Carolina archives for the warrants. They have a very good system. b. Even though a 'deed' is recorded in Henry County Deed Books, it doesn't "tell" you anything except who recorded it. Which is fine if that is all you want to know. However, if you want to know the actual description of the property, you have to look at the 'Surveyors Recording' of the property. Before a 'deed' could be recorded, it had to have a surveyor actually 'walk' the property and record it's physical description, 'warrant' or not. The surveyors records are held in Jackson & the TSLA for early West Tennessee (Henry County). You will find the physical description and neighbors of any 'warrant' there. Property surveyed and actually taken possesion of before Henry County existed and later, is entered in the Surveyor Records. They are entered under the early State Survey Districts and Ranges. You can find the actual Range on the TNGenWeb Map Page and on a big map in the Rhea Library in Paris. c. Research the County Court Minutes and accompanying Road Records for an idea of the actual location of any property. Early settlers were under the direction of the County Courts for construction of any roads thru out the county. The County Court specified, required and directed landowners to build and maintain the roads that 'ran' near their properties. The Court Minutes detail the names of the individuals, usually in the order that they lived on the road, who were to work on a particular road. You will find these Minutes and Road Records invaluable in determining where an early family actually lived and who their neighbors were. Hope this helps.......... Dave ============================================= At 10:23 PM 8/19/1999 -0500, you wrote: >David, thank you for your response. That is exactly what I had been able to >glean from the information I had. I am pretty sure that the land grant was >out in the area of the Sulphur Wells area. Thomas and Virginia's daughter, >Margaret (Peggy) and William Black McNutt are buried in the old part of >Sulphur Wells Cemetery. William had a school just down the road, Sulphur >Wells Academy. > >I had always believed that Thomas and Virginia were probably married in NC >or in East TN. There were at least 3 Thomas Gillespies in East TN at the >end of the 18th Century. > >Again thank you. > >Glenda Cook Melson > > >-----Original Message----- >From: David L. Snow <DLSNOW@worldnet.att.net> >To: TNHENRY-L@rootsweb.com <TNHENRY-L@rootsweb.com> >Date: Thursday, August 19, 1999 10:04 PM >Subject: Re: [TNHENRY] Gillespie and Vance > > >>Hi Glenda, >> >>Thomas and Virginia were NOT married in Henry County in 1790. The LDS >>records are wrong <which is not uncommon>. Henry County did NOT EXIST in >>1790, or 1800 or 1810 or 1818. The lands that eventually became Henry >>County were not open to 'white' settlement until 1819, actually 1820 but >>there were a lot of illegal 'River Jumpers'. In 1790, Henry County was >>part of North Carolina, but was actually 'owned' by the Cherokee Indians >>who eventually sold it in the 'Jackson Purchase' of 1818 to become part of >>Tennessee. 'Whites' were NOT allowed <by the Federal Government> into the >>area legally until 1819. >> >>However, North Carolina issued 'Bounty Warrant' land claims to any number >>of persons who served in the Revolutionary War for land in the area even >>though the Cherokee actually held possession of the land and actual 'white' >>settlement couldn't actually happen, kinda like, it's yours...but you can't >>live there, because somebody else already does. Most soldiers actually >>sold their 'warrants' to speculators. Who in turn resold them. It was big >>business at the time. The 'Jackson Purchase' was named after Andrew >>Jackson who negotiated the sale with the Cherokee chief who sold out his >>people <he pocketed most of the money>. Look elsewhere for a Henry County >>marriage record prior to 1820. Also, folks forget, Marriage Licenses were >>issued and performed in the county of the BRIDE and not the groom or where >>they would actually reside. Gives you a hint as to where a wife's parents >>lived. >> >>Dave >>--------------------------------------------------------------------------- >- >>-------------------------- >>At 06:26 PM 8/19/1999 -0500, Glenda Melson wrote: >>>Can anyone tell me the earliest recorded marriage records for Henry Co. >>> >>>I pulled off the LDS list that Thomas Gillespie married Virginia Gillespie >>in Henry Co. abt. 1790. Also, are there any land records showing a >>plantation that Thomas owned in Henry Co. at that time. His daughter >>Margaret (Peggy) Vance Gillespie McNutt inherited the land and she and her >>husband (William Black McNutt) moved there around 1830. >>> >>>Any help will be appreciated. >>> >>>Glenda Cook Melson >>>Lebanon, MO >>> >> >