In a message dated 10/3/2002 10:32:23 AM Eastern Standard Time, emurray1@mindspring.com writes: > I have a John Neece who does not fit in with the Neece/Neese families > that came from Germany to Jefferson and Green Cos., TN. John married > Hulda Ellis in May of 1800 in Jefferson Co. John was also asssociated > with the Riggs family in Jefferson Co. > Regarding Neas/Nees, etc. This is a good news; really, really bad news situation. I noticed you avoided saying he didn't fit into Jefferson and Greene Counties, but there was obviously a large Neas family in the county standing between Jefferson and Greene -- Cocke (burned). They appeared to mostly live on Clear Creek which flows through Parrotsville into the French Broad River about 5 miles (eyeballing) from the Jefferson Co border. I don't know anything about them, but here are references to Neas and Ellis in the 1830 census. It is online in a household by house hold and index (poor index) version at the website below. In addition at the Sevier Co (also burned) website, there is a wonderful online copy of the first extant Survey Book for the County, and I have shown below just a few of the references you will find there). I say bad news, because if you are looking for ancestors of your John who married in 1800...well....you better hope that one of their brothers stayed in a county in VA and left all his worldly goods to his brother in Cocke Co...OR that there are Rev. War pension files :-). Also, because of Indian issues, there were virtually no NC or TN Land grants in Cocke until about 1809, when everybody came in and filed. Patents were granted based on possession. I am told that the Survey Book descriptions below are mirrored in patents...assuming that after the survey a decision was made to go ahead. Hope this helps some....I recommend you scrutinize the website thoroughly..including the church minutes. Good Luck. Janet Hunter (more..... http://www.rootsweb.com/~tncocke/Index.html 1830 Cocke Co census: Neice, George; Niece, Adam; Niece, John; Niece, Joseph; and Ellis, James; Ellis, John; Ellis, Moses; Ellis, Nathaniel Cocke County Tn.== Survey Book "A"1822-1854 W.P.A. Transcription http://www.sevierlibrary.org/genealogy/cockeco/ccsurvey.htm There is an INDEX (missing some) Here: http://www.sevierlibrary.org/genealogy/cockeco/surindex.htm Here are just a few of the Neas References. GEO. NEAS 25 ACRES State of Tennessee Cocke County By Virtue of an entry made in the entry makers office for the aforesaid county at Newport of No. 181 dated the 5th day of July 1824 I have surveyed for GEO. NEAS twenty five acres of land on the waters of Clear Creek. Beginning at a chesnut grub corner to a fifty acre tract of said NEAS running thence with same North fifty Eight West one hundred and seventy two poles to a stake on the line of a four hundred acre tract of said NEAS then with the same south fifty one West three and one half East sixty Eight poles to a stake thence a direct line to the beginning. Having such form as is represented by the above platt. Surveyed the 22nd day of December 1824 HENRY OTTINGER) By Jonathan Wood SAMUEL NEAS ) C.C. Principal Surveyor of Cocke County 121 HENRY OTTINGER 25 ACRES State of Tennessee Cocke County By Virtue of entry made in the entry takers office for the above said county at Newport of No 182 dated the 5th of July 1824 I have surveyed for HENRY OTTINGER twenty acres of land on the waters of Clear creek Beginning at a stake at the end of a line of a two hundred acre tract of land Granted by the state of Tennessee to GEO NEAS running thence with COOKS line-running-thence last eight poles to a stake near a black Oak on HENDERSON'S line then with Ditto South forty eight poles to a stake West eighty four poles to a stake on GEORGE NEAS line then with the same forty eight poles to the beginning Having such form as is represented by the above platt Surveyed the 22nd day of December 1824 by GEORGE NEAS) Jonathan Wood SAMUEL NEAS) C.C. Principal Surveyor of Cocke County NATHANIEL POTTER 50 ACRES State of Tennessee Cocke County By virtue of an entry made in the entry takers office for the aforesaid county at Newport of No. 131 dated the 13th day of January 1824 I have surveyed for NATHANIEL POTTER fifty acres of land between the head waters of Clear creek and long creek. Beginning at a stake on NEAS line near a white Oak on the south side of a 400 acre tract of said NEAS running thence with ditto fifty eight and an half East sixteen poles to a Spanish Oak south seventy five East thirty one and an half poles to a chesnut POTTERS corner then with his line south sixty two and an half deg. West twenty eight poles to a stake south ten West twenty one poles to a red Oak south eighty East one hundred poles to a white Oak south 15 West fifty two poles ro a black Oak thence North eighty West Ninety six poles to a stake on HICKEYS line thence with his line North five West Nine poles to a white Oak West twelve poles to a white Oak south Nine poles to a sycamore North eighty west twenty poles to a stake then a direct line to the beginning Having such form as is represented by the above platt surveyed the 21st day of January 1825 by BENTLY POTTER) Jonathan Wood SAMUEL POTTER) C.C. Surveyor of Cocke County 145 DAVID ESLINGER 50 ACRES State of Tennessee Cocke County By Virtue of an entry made in the entry takers office for Cocke County at Newport of No 200 dated the 5th day of July 1824 I have surveyed for DAVID ESLINGER fifty acres of land in said county on the waters of Oven creek. Beginning at a white Walnut near the mouth of a branch corner to said ESLINGER running thence with a conditional line xxxxxx xxxxxxxx south fifty two deg. West sixty three and one fourth poles to a black Oak grub on the side of a ridge North thirty Eight deg. east one hundred twenty six and an half poles to a white Oak on the top of a high ridge thence south fifty two degrees east sixty three and one fourth poles to a stake on the line of a tract of land whereon the said ESLINGER now lives thence with the same south thirty Eight west one hundred twenty six and a half poles to the beginning having such form as is represented by the above platt. surveyed the 11th day of May 1825 By IVY GAMMON) Jonathan Wood JOHN NEAS ) C.C. Surveyor of Cocke County PHILIP NEAS 50 ACRES State of Tennessee Cocke County By Virtue of an entry made in the Entry Takers office for the aforesaid county at Newport of No. 229 dated 13th July 1824 I have surveyed for PHILIP NEAS fifty acres of land on the waters of Clear Creek Beginning on at a black Oak corner to JOHN OTTINGERS on said NEAS line running with thence with said lines North seventy six poles to a white Oak East forty eight poles to a pine North twenty Eight East twenty poles to a black Oak and post Oak North sixty poles to a stake on SMELCERS[?] line then with same West one hundred and ten poles to a hickory South sixty eight poles to a white Oak and poplar near a cove seventeen poles to a Walnut south six poles to a stake near OTTINGERS line thence a direct line to the beginning Having such from as is represented by the above platt. surveyed the 29th day of August 1825 By JOSIAH REN[RIN, RICE?]) Jonathan Wood FREDRICK SMELSER ) C.C. surveyor of Cocke County 152 SAMUEL STUART 50 ACRES By Virtue of an Entry made in the Entry takers office for the said County at Newport of No 342 dated the 23rd day of August 1824 I have surveyed for SAMUEL STUART fifty acres of land on the waters of long Creek Beginning at a White Oak corner to said STUART and GEORGE NEAS running thence South one fourth of a degree East one hundred and twelve poles to two White Oaks corner to HUGH STUART near three springs thence with said HUGH STUARTS line North fifty four East thirty four poles to Two White Oaks and a poplar East thirty eight poles to a red Oak North fifteen East ninety eight poles to a black Oak then a direct line to the beginning. Having such form as represented By the above platt. surveyed the 30th of August 1825 WM McROY ) By Jonathan Wood SAMUEL STUART) C.C. surveyor of Cocke County WM GRANT 500 ACRES State of Tennessee Cocke County By Virtue of an entry Made in the entry takers office at Newport of No. 436 dated the 10th of January 1826. I have surveyed for WILLIAM GRANT five hundred acres of land in said county. On the waters of Meadow Creek. Beginning at a dogwood on GEORGE NEAS line and on the line of a fifty acre tract entered in the entry takers office for COCKE runing thence West with NEAS line two poles to three chestnuts near McMURTREYS line then with or nearly GRANTS line south one hundred and sixty poles to a stake in the fiels West One hundred and seventy one poles to a stake near a chestnut Oak and White Oak and blackgum, on the side of a rocky ridge then along the same south fifty six West one hundred and sixty four poles to a black gum south fifteen East two hundred and eighty five poles to a stake North sixty eight East one hundred and Ninety poles to a stake North fifteen West one hundred and twenty five poles to two gums and a dogwood North thirty two East one hundred and seventy poles to a chestnut then with conditional line with JOHN WILEYS North Nineteen West twenty three poles to a poplar North sixty one East forty four poles to a stake near a black Oak North thirty west forty one poles to a stake East thirty six poles to a sourwood North one hundred and seven poles to a stake West sixty three poles to the beginning. Having such form as is represented by the above Platt. Including the place whereon WILLIAM HANCOCKE now lives. Surveyed the 19th day of February 1827. JAMES GRANT) Jonathan Wood JOHN NELTY ) C.C. SURVEYOR OF Cocke County GEORGE NEAS 150 ACRES State of Tennessee Cocke County By Virtue of an entry Made in the entry takers office for said county at Newport No. 117. dated the 26th day of June 1824. I have surveyed for GEORGE NEAS One hundred and fifty acres of land on the waters of Clear Creek. Beginning at a black Oak stump corner to said NEAS runing thence with his lines south twenty five west forty seven poles to two spanish Oaks south thirty one East thirty six poles to SHORTS corner the same course with SHORTS line in all one hundred and thirty one poles to a large white Oak then with vacant land west one hundred poles to a stake near a chestnut on COOPERS line then with the same North fifty three and an half poles to a stake south sixty seven and an half thirty six poles to a chestnut corner to the HEIRS OF JAMES WILLIAMS DEC. then with their lines North sixteen East one hundred and eighty poles to a hickory North eighty seven West one hundred and twenty poles to a stake North eighteen East Ninety six poles to a stake on a conditional line with BLAZER then with the same North three East fifty poles to a stake on said NEAS line then with the same a direct line to the beginning. Having such form as is represented by the above Platt. surveyed the 23rd day of December 1824.[sic] DAN BLAZER) Jonathan Wood SAM NEAS ) C.C. surveyor of Cocke County