I am a descendant of John BAYLES(S) and Ann PRICE of Washington Co., TN. I believe that John lived for a time in Knox Co. Some of his children lived in Knox and McMinn Cos. including his son Samuel P. BAYLESS, my ancestor, who lived in or near Athens. Kin to these people lived in Union Co., in Racoon Valley in a small town named Bayless which no longer exists. These folks were associated by marriage with the Rev. Hugh CALDWELL and his family who, I believe, lived in Bayless, TN, at least for a while. Other kin in the area included the family of James C. HAMILTON and possibly some of the HUMPHREYs. The family of Daniel BAYLESS of KY lived in Speedwell, TN. Most of these folks either did not live in Union Co. or lived there for a short time. I am always seeking information about those family members who did live or do business in Union Co. as I know little about them. Some of the BAYLESS of Racoon Valley are buried in a small family cemetery at Halls. They include Isaac BAYLESS, husband of Betsy Ann CALDWELL. Some MYNATT family members are buried in the same cemetery and I believe they also lived in Racoon Valley at Bayless or nearby. I know nothing about Bayless, TN, when or why it was founded, who lived there and for how long, if there is/was a cemetery there, why some of the residents are buried at Halls, etc. I would like to find answers to these questions. Bayless probably existed in the late 1800s. I don't know why it was abandoned but my best guess is that only a few families lived there and the children left to seek their fortunes elsewhere. Some of the people seem to have gone no farther than Halls or Knoxville or possibly Athens. Direct Descendants of John Bayles 1 John Bayles b: Nov 26, 1746 in Middlesex Co., NJ ...d: Feb 07, 1823 in Washington Co., TN ...+Ann Price b: 1750 in Loudon Co., VA m: 1768 in Loudon Co., NJ ...d: Aug 16, 1840 in Jonesboro, TN ...2 Samuel Porter Bayless b: Abt. 1787 in Washington Co., TN .......d: Abt. 1850 in TN ......+Sarah Hampton b: Abt. 1786 in TN m: 1810 in Washington Co., TN ......d: Aft. 1850 in GA ......3 John Porter Bayless b: 1816 in McMinn Co., TN. d: Abt. 1873 in GA. .........+Martha Jane Franklin b: Dec 25, 1827 in TN. m: Oct 30, 1845 in McMinn Co. TN .........d: May 23, 1911 in TX. .........4 William Clinton Bayless b: Jan 19, 1851 in GA. d: Apr 16, 1914 in Kilgore, TX ............(My Mother's Grandfather.) Descendants of Isaac Bayless 1 Isaac Bayless b: Dec 27, 1800 in Knox Co., TN ...d: Aug 05, 1867 in Union Co., TN ...+Betsy Ann Caldwell b: Unknown m: Nov 29, 1821 d: Unknown ...NOTE: During a visit to the Bayless Cem. in Halls in the 1940s, a family ...member recorded the grave of Isaac. When I visited in 1995 I saw no sign ...of his grave. ...2 William Bayless b: Nov 24, 1822 m. Rhoda Caldwell ...2 Susan Bayless b: Nov 16, 1824 m James Sellers ...2 Jefferson Bayless b: May 27, 1827 in TN d: May 04, 1914 ......+Luartha Ledgerwood m: May 01, 1851 in Knox Co., TN d: Jan 08, 1857 .....*2nd Wife of Jefferson Bayless: .....+Susan Lucy m: Sep 28, 1858 in Knox Co., TN d: Jul 19, 1904 in Macomb, IL ...2 Polly Bayless b: Apr 13, 1829 d: Apr 23, 1877 in Knox Co., TN .....+Hugh Caldwell, Rev. b: Unknown d: Unknown ...2 Harriet Bayless b: Nov 15, 1831 m. Samuel Hall ...2 Sally Bayless b: Aug 01, 1834 m. Thomas Burkhart ...2 Adaline Bayless b: Feb 14, 1837 m. James Elkins ...2 Martha Bayless b: Apr 04, 1839 m. Jacob Miller ...2 Minerva Bayless b: Oct 12, 1841 Lewis Miller ...2 Betsyan Bayless b: Aug 25, 1844 m. James Parker Barbara Ribling [email protected] http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Ranch/5456/