Person Page - 60

     Probably named in memory of Capt. William Linville (Nancy's father) who was killed along with his son John Linville a couple of years earlier by Indians. William Linville Boone was born on 22 February 1768 at NC. He married Nancy Grubbs on 6 August 1789 at Madison County, KY. William Linville Boone married Ann Bryan Perry in 1840. William Linville Boone died on 13 April 1847 at Shelby County, KY, at age 79.

     Probably named in memory of John Linville (Nancy's brother), son of Capt. William Linville, who was killed along with his father a couple of years earlier by Indians. John Linville Boone was born on 22 February 1769 at NC. He married Mary Morris on 5 December 1791 at Jefferson County, KY. John Linville Boone and Mary Morris appeared on the census of 1810 at Gallatin County, KY. John Linville Boone died on 13 April 1845 at Callaway County, MO, at age 76. He was buried at Mount Horeb Church Cemetery, Mineola, Montgomery County, MO.

     George Boone Jr. was born in 1770 at Madison County, KY. He died on 3 October 1810 at Shelby County, KY; Killed by a horse. He was buried at Boone Cemetery, Shelby County, KY.

     Squire Boone died at St. Charles County, MO. He was born in 1772. He married Mourning Grubbs on 18 May 1798 at Madison County, KY.

     Sally Boone also went by the name of Sarah Boone. She was born on 26 September 1775 at Madison County, KY. As of 26 September 1792,her married name was Sally Simpson. She married Solomon Simpson on 26 October 1792 at Madison County, KY. Sally Boone was buried at Boone Cemetery, Shelby County, KY. She died in 1820 at Shelby County, KY.

     Mary Boone was also known as Polly Boone. She was born on 2 April 1776. As of 8 October 1793,her married name was Mary Tribble. She married Peter Burris Tribble on 8 October 1793. Mary Boone died on 14 September 1831 at age 55. She was buried at Richmond Cemetery, Richmond, Madison County, KY.

     Suzanne Boone was also known as Susannah Hern. Suzanne Boone was also known as Susannah Boone. She was born on 22 April 1778 at NC. As of 8 April 1795,her married name was Suzanne Hearne. She married William Hearne on 8 April 1795 at Madison County, KY. Suzanne Boone died on 16 October 1804 at age 26.

     Mariam Boone was also known as Miriah Boone. She was born on 11 December 1786 at Madison County, KY. As of October 1805,her married name was Mariam Steele. She married Joseph Steele in October 1805. Mariam Boone died on 9 December 1833 at Warsaw, Gallatin County, TN, at age 46. She was buried at Stewert - Steele Cemetery, Napoleon, Gallatin County, TN.

     Capt. Samuel Boone was born on 15 January 1782 at Madison County, KY. He married Ann Simpson in 1804. Capt. Samuel Boone died on 19 September 1869 at Callaway County, MO, at age 87. He was buried at Simpson - Boone Cemetery, Callaway County, MO.

     Ed Boone married Dora White. Ed Boone was born in 1783. He died in August 1869.

     Nestor Boone moved at Hannibal, MO. He was born circa 1788; Identified as youngest sibling by Samuel Boone.

     Ephraim Whitesides was born in 1800 at Old Pine Grove, Clark County, KY. He married Louisa Linville, daughter of Morgan Linville and Sarah Bryan, on 31 May 1819 at Clark County, KY. Ephraim Whitesides was buried at Pine Grove Cemetery, Old Pine Grove, Clark County, KY. He died in 1830 at Old Pine Grove, Clark County, KY.

     Lucinda Whitesides also went by the name of Mary. She was born in 1807 at KY. She married Gova Linville, son of Morgan Linville and Sarah Bryan, on 30 April 1833. As of 30 April 1833,her married name was Lucinda Linville. Lucinda Whitesides and Gova Linville appeared on the census of 1840 at Clark County, KY. Lucinda Whitesides and Gova Linville appeared on the census of 1850 at Clark County, KY. Lucinda Whitesides and Gova Linville appeared on the census of 1860 at Clark County, KY.

     James Clark Davis was born circa 1802 at Clark County, KY. He married Sabrinia Linville, daughter of Morgan Linville and Sarah Bryan, on 17 September 1832.

     William Boone was born on 22 December 1797 at KY. He married Caroline Linville, daughter of Morgan Linville and Sarah Bryan, on 25 March 1822 at Clark County, KY. William Boone and Caroline Linville appeared on the census of 1850 at Shelby County, KY. William Boone died on 29 June 1857 at Shelby County, KY, at age 59.

     Jesse Copher was born in 1760 at MO. He married Elizabeth Boone, daughter of George Boone Sr. and Ann "Nancy" Linville, in 1792 at KY.

     Nancy Grubbs was born in 1770 at VA. She married William Linville Boone, son of George Boone Sr. and Ann "Nancy" Linville, on 6 August 1789 at Madison County, KY. As of 16 August 1789,her married name was Nancy Boone. Nancy Grubbs died on 1 June 1840 at Fayette County, KY.

     Ann Bryan Perry was also known as Bryan. She was born in 1790 at NC. She married William Linville Boone, son of George Boone Sr. and Ann "Nancy" Linville, in 1840. As of 1840,her married name was Ann Boone. Ann Bryan Perry died on 21 January 1887 at MO.

     Mary Morris also went by the name of Polly. She was born on 2 August 1772 at KY. She married John Linville Boone, son of George Boone Sr. and Ann "Nancy" Linville, on 5 December 1791 at Jefferson County, KY. As of 6 December 1791,her married name was Mary Boone. Mary Morris and John Linville Boone appeared on the census of 1810 at Gallatin County, KY. Mary Morris was buried at Mount Horeb Church Cemetery, Mineola, Montgomery County, MO. She died in 1843.

     Mourning Grubbs died at St. Charles County, MO. She was born circa 1773 at Lee County, KY. She married Squire Boone, son of George Boone Sr. and Ann "Nancy" Linville, on 18 May 1798 at Madison County, KY. As of 18 May 1798,her married name was Mourning Boone.

     Solomon Simpson also went by the name of Sol Simpson. He married Sally Boone, daughter of George Boone Sr. and Ann "Nancy" Linville, on 26 October 1792 at Madison County, KY.

     Peter Burris Tribble married Mary Boone, daughter of George Boone Sr. and Ann "Nancy" Linville, on 8 October 1793.

     William Hearne married Suzanne Boone, daughter of George Boone Sr. and Ann "Nancy" Linville, on 8 April 1795 at Madison County, KY.

     Joseph Steele married Mariam Boone, daughter of George Boone Sr. and Ann "Nancy" Linville, in October 1805.

     Ann Simpson married Capt. Samuel Boone, son of George Boone Sr. and Ann "Nancy" Linville, in 1804. As of 1804,her married name was Ann Boone.

     Her married name was Dora Boone. Dora White was also known as Simpson. She married Ed Boone, son of George Boone Sr. and Ann "Nancy" Linville.

     Thomas Linvill was likely born before 1732 at Conestoga or Cordorus Creek, Pennsylvania. His father, Thomas Linvill (born c1703), was already exploring and establishing a homestead west of the Susquehanna near present-day Gettysburg. The family then moved to the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia by the mid 1730s. The birth date for Thomas (c1732) is developed from his appearance and disappearance on tax lists. In North Carolina taxable age was generally 16 for a male in their father's (or someone else's) household; at age 21 males were taxed on their own and able to buy land. Then, after 1784, the upper age limit for poll tax was left up to local areas. His father and uncle William Linville had established a 1500 acre enclave in Linville Creek, Virginia near present Edom, Virginia in Rockingham County. Until his early teens, there were few families around except those migrating down the Great Wagon Road from Pennsylvania to points south. He appears on the 1750 tax list for Dan River District, NC, Thomas, Jr. appeas first on a tax list for Dan River District in 1750 [filed under Granville Co], along with his father and brother, David. By the time Thomas had reached taxable age, the family was living in the Belews Creek area of North Carolina. The first extant tax for that area, 1751, encompassed only the Dan River watershed in, then, Rowan County. It placed him and younger brother William in the same household with their father Thomas Sr. Therefore, he would have been at least 16 by 1751, but almost certainly older. Because on 16 May 1753, Thomas Linville, Jr., so identified, acquired a warrant for a survey for a Lord Granville Land Grant as part of the distribution of western North Carolina land. He had entered a request for that a year earlier on 21 March 1752, which likely meant he was 21 by then. The survey of 200 acres fell on both sides of Great Meadow, Middle Fork of Belews Creek. His father Thomas Linvill Sr., who had land apparently adjacent, and his brother William Linvill were chain carriers for the survey on 16 May 1753. This is the land that Thomas Jr's family held until moving to western North Carolina in the 1770s. The official land file in the state archives indicates that a grant and deed were granted in "Orange County" (sic) 1 July 1760. If so, it has not been located in either Orange or Rowan county deed.

There is also a possibility that despite being fully established in Belews Creek, North Carolina during 1750s, parts of the family moved up and down the Great Wagon Road to Virginia through the decade. Present-day Franklin County Virginia historical map lists "Linville Brothers" along the Carolina Road near "Lynville Creek," "Linville Ford" and "Lynville Mountain" near today's Hardy, Virginia. County deeds and tax records have yet to reveal exactly which Linville brothers this could be, but it seems most likely to be Thomas Sr.'s older sons -- either Thomas of this narrative and his younger brother William who were in his 1751 tax record or William and next youngest son David. Research on this possibility continues (2023). Thomas of this narrative likely married by 1754, possibly to a woman named Catherine or Jane, possibly someone whom he met along Carolina Road in Virginia; Present (2/20) DNA research suggests that Thomas may have had more than one wife. This is also reflective of the gaps in births of his known children. He had at least one child by 1754 (Jane, who lived to adulthood). Whether the family was living only in North Carolina or may have spent a short time in South Carolina (where some records suggest daughter Jane was born there) is not clear. There is no extant record of Thomas Linville in Belews Creek between 1754 and 1759, though he and his two brothers William and David may have been maintaining some foothold in land around Lynville Creek and Mountain in present-day Franklin County VA (near state highway 676 south of Staunton River) in the 1750s. Three sons named a daughter Catherine, which suggests a possible name for their mother and there is one record of a Catherine Linville in 1799 (see Thomas's bc 1732 timeline). The names of Thomas's known daughters were Jane, Rebecca and Sybilla. With the first daughter named Jane (possibly named for a mother or an aunt) and second son named Abraham, there has been a suggestion for a possible connection to the Vanderpool family, who used those names. These Vanderpools who appeared as neighbors in Belews Creek area by 1757 definitely intermarried with several Linvilles a generation later. But they appeared to still be in northern Virginia until about 1757. At this point the connection to these Vanderpools is speculative, but as this description of Thomas's life reveals, he was definitely closely allied with them. What the nature of their relationship beyond their children and grandchildren internarrying along the migratory trails from Belews Creek to Wilkes County, North Carolina, then Campbell County, Tennessee, western Missouri and on to Oregon. [See discussion on Thomas's descendants for additional information. Both families have incomplete genealogies between 1750-1800.] Although there are no extant tax records for Belews Creek between 1752-1758, Thomas Linville Jr. appears as a constable "in the room of Isaac Young" in the Belews Creek settlement in a Rowan court record when he was appointed constable 13 Oct 1754.
The first extant tax list for all of Rowan county was for 1759. There are two groups of Linvilles on it: one group at Belews Creek included Thomas Linville, Thomas Linville, Jr.(subject of this narrative), David Linville and Richard Linville (son William conspicuously missing); the second group was at the forks of the Yadkin on the other side of Wacovia settlement about 35 miles west- William Linville grouped in one household with his sons John and William, Jr. (therefore 16-21). He appeared in court presented a claim for killing several wolves along with his brother Aaron on 8 December 1764 at Rowan County, NC. Six years later after the probable death of his father Thomas by 1761, only one Thomas Linville, along with Aaron Linville and others, appeared on a Rowan County 1765 Rowan County list of men paid for killing wolves, panthers, and cats. Thomas Linville and David Linville were on a road jury 14 Jul 1767 to lay out a road from Capefear near New Garden Meeting House (today, Guilford County) in a direct line to Daniel Dillon's Mill to join the Town Fork Road near David Linville's. Abraham Vanderpool was an overseer for another road from David Linville's to the Moravian settlement in Salem. Later that year on 15 Oct 1767, Thomas Lingwell (sic) and David Lingwell (sic) were on a road jury to lay out a road from Belews Creek settlement to Salem through the most convenient place to Cornelius Cook's in Dan River Road. The road had been ordered after a petition from the residents of Belews Creek. The following year Thomas appears on the 1768 tax list for Belews Creek, Rowan County, NC. Thomas Linville and his youngest brother Moses are listed together as one group; David Linville and "brother" Aaron are listed together in a second. That same year the Rowan County Pleas and Quarter Sessions records indicate that 15 Jan 1768 Thomas Linvill was an overseer for the road that was already laid out from David Linvilles to the river with the "hands living in Blews (sic) Creek settlement." During that same court, Abraham Vanderpool was appointed Constable for Belews Creek, and remained constrable through 1768. And again on 19 Apr 1768, Thomas, David, and Richard Linville were all ordered to appear to qualify to lay out the road from Cape Fear near New Garden Meeting House to David Dillon's Mill to Town Fork near David Linville's. These references to "Thomas" seem likely to be for Thomas bc 1732 and not his father, who appears to have died about 1761 (see discussion of his life) and all references to Thomas "Sr." or "Jr." cease after 1761 until the next generation reaches adulthood.
In 1771 Surry County was created from Rowan. This put the land of the two Linville brothers' -Thomas bc 1703 and William bc 1708 - in separate counties for the first time since moving to North Carolina. William's family was still at the forks of the Yadkin, still in Rowan County; Thomas's family was still at Belews Creek, but now in Surry County. His son, Thomas, was now living in the upper Yadkin valley near what is now Ferguson, NC. Sons, David, Richard, and Aaron were still in Belews Creek, Son William was no longer living, though he had offspring in the area. That year the first Surry County tax was taken and published alphabetically in the original. It included Thomas Linville, as well as brothers Aaron and Richard in individual households with only one poll each. He was ordered to appeared in court on 23 November 1771 at Surry County, NC, with John Brown, James Sams, and Benjamin Wilson at the February 1772 term to provide testimony regarding a petty larceny charge against David Preston. J.J. Benton was the County Clerk. The summons was served by Jonathan Stamper, constable, and returned by Matthew Armstrong. A year later in 1772, what was Rowan County is now divided into Rowan and Surry with both the Belews Creek area and the Upper Yadkin included in the county. The original alphabetical tax list of White and Black polls for Surry continued to included one Thomas Linville in Surry County and in separate households, brothers Richard, "Haren," Moses and David -- the last with 2 poles. Wynant, Jacob, Abraham (2 polls) and John Vanderpool were also listed. Although there is no distinction as to location in such a large county, from other records we know that the Thomas Linvilles and at least some of the Vanderpools are out west in the Upper Yadkin by this time. Then, on 10 Sept 1772, Benjamin Angel of Surry County sold two parcels of land (along with 3 horses and a note held on Charles B----; wit John Brown) to Hugh Montgomery of Salisbury, Rowan County - one parcel on Elk Creek and one on Thomas Linville's Mill Creek. This was in the Upper Yadkin Valley in western NC. Witnesses to the deed were John Brown and William Allison. At the time the land was part of Surry County until Wilkes County was created in 1777 and is now about 80 miles west of Belews Creek along Highway 421 to Wilkesboro and then south on Route 268 to near Ferguson, North Carolina, on both sides of the Wilkes/Caldwell county line. Elk Creek and what is now Laytown Creek (but was Thomas Linville's Mill Creek) are on the north side of the Yadkin, a short distance upstream and across the Yadkin from the later land indicated in a deed Thomas Linville recorded in 1788 on both sides of Beaver Creek (see below). This seems to have been a typical pattern for the Linvilles -- find some land that no one is on, settle it, make improvements, and then (if at all) record the deeds.

Clearly, given the reference in Angel's land, the Linvilles had a presence in the area before 1772 though no other land purchases or aquistions appear to have been recorded.
His new land in western North Carolina, where they lived through the Revolution, was taxed in Surry County until 1777 when Surry was split to create Wilkes County. In the 1774 Surry County tax returns Thomas Linville's name appears next to Abraham, Wynant and John Vanderpool. The Vanderpools not only had lived near by in Belews Creek, but became neighbors at Elk Creek, in Surry/Wilkes County, and later at Cove Creek in now Watauga (originally Wilkes) County.
In 1777 the lands west of Surry and Rowan were used to create Wilkes County that included the Thomas Linville land around Beaver Creek, as is evidenced by his appearance in Wilkes county records. On 12 June 1778, Thomas Linville was living and working in the Thomas Linville's Mill Creek (now Laytown Creek)/Elk and Beaver Creek areas in Wilkes County when Abraham Vanderpool entered 150 acres on the south side of the Yadkin along a line made by Thomas Linville, including the improvement where Abraham Vanderpool Sr., and Jr., lived. The two deeds following that one also indicate Linville's Mill Creek - which would have been on the north side of the Yadkin. Thomas Linville was summonded by the Wilkes County sheriff to appear before a jury to tesitfy for Ruth Barton's claim against John Brown's land entry involving a land dispute involving neighbors in the Beaver Creek/Kings Creek area. on 1 December 1778. The next spring on 3 Mar 1779, Abraham Vanderpool sold to Micajah Bennett the 150 acres on Beaver Creek in Wilkes County he had previously entered and just obtained rights to on the south side of the Yadkin adjacent to Simpson's and Linville's lines. And 8 June 1779, Thomas Linville, John Vanderpool, and Thomas Holeman were among the men chosen on jury to view a road from near Thomas Johnson's up the Yadkin River into the other road near "Linvilles old Meeting House." Whether this is on the north side of the Yadkin (Linville's Mill Creek) or the south side (Beaver Creek), it is clear that there was a meeting house - probably Baptist in this area before 1779. Records or any other notice of this meeting house appear not to have survived. Parts of both the Linville and Vanderpool families were involved in the origin of Three Forks Baptist Church (at Cove Creek) 20 years later. Thomas was chosen as member of a Wilkes County road jury to view most convenient way around John Kees, Sr. (Keese?) plantation on 9 July 1779. A printed transcription of Wilkes County court records cites lists a "William Linville" as appearing on a jury. However, the original, when viewed clarifies that this is a transcription error and the entry refers to William Smith. By 1782, when Thomas Linville appears on the Keese District tax list of Wilkes County he was reaching the upper limits of age for poll taxes. Others in the district included people whose names have already been mentioned as interacting with either the Linvilles or the Vanderpools: Micajah Bennett, Edward Smith [Thomas's daughter Jane's husband], Thomas Brian, John Bradley, Ann Wisdom, Thomas Harbin, Thomas Holman Sr. and Jr., William Allison. Thomas was taxed for 60 acres and two slaves - one 1-7 years and 1 50-60 years - no names indicated. Thomas Linville appears on the 1784 tax list for Wilkes County, NC. It is also the first tax list on which any of Thomas Linville's sons start to appear with him. Thomas "Lenvil" was taxed for 130 acres and 2 polls, suggesting that his first son (who would then be the Thomas Jr.) had just turned at least 16 since the last tax (1782) -- old enough to be taxed, but not own land or pay his tax himself (age 21). Later Wilkes County tax lists continue to suggest the birth order and ages of Thomas Sr.'s sons. Others who were also in the 1782 Keese Dist tax list continue to appear in 1784, this time with locations noted: Thomas Bryan and Edward Smith (Jane Linville's husband - Thomas Linvlle's son-in-law) on Kings Creek [now Caldwell County] - one creek upstream from the Linvilles on Beaver Creek at the time; Thomas Harbin on the Yadkin itself; John Vanderpool 1 poll and 50 acres also on the Yadkin. In April 1784, Thomas Harbin reported in court that he had sold 170 acres on both sides of Beaver Creek south of the Yadkin to Thomas Linville, although the actual deed appears not to have been recorded. It is a later deed chain when Linville sold this land that it is identified as on Beaver Creek. In addition, Wilkes deeds record Thomas Harbin also sold 230 acres of land on Beaver Creek on south side of the Yadkin joining Thomas Linville to Elinor Triplett, being parts of 400 ac tract deeded Harbin by Elijah Isaacs 27 Feb 1784. Next, Thomas Linville appears on the 1785 tax list for Wilkes County, NC. In addition to his 270 acres, he was again listed with 2 polls, suggesting that Thomas Jr. had still not turned 21 or acquired land.
Three years later in 1787-8, the family appears to be on the move again - leaving Beaver Creek and moving farther west in Wilkes County to Cove Creek near the Tennessee line. Part of Wilkes County became Washington County, State of Franklin, but was reconstituted as Washington County, North Carolina in 1788 right before the land was ceded back to North Carolina. Since Thomas Linville Sr. sold his Beaver Creek land and moved to Cove Creek during the tax year, he appears on the tax lists for two jurisdictions in 1787. This is also possibly the reason he is not on the 1787 extant state census for Wilkes County. The first tax listing was in Washington County, Tennessee tax list that includes both Thomas Linville (Jr) with 100 acres and 1 poll and a second Thomas Linville (Sr) with 100 acres and 1 poll. Since Thomas Linville Jr is listed in a household of his own, this is an indication that he turned 21 since at least by the previous tax year (1785) and was old enough to own land. The second tax listing for Thomas Sr. in 1787 was for Wilkes County where there is only one Thomas Linville with no polls and 270 acres. This latter would be for the Beaver Creek land that wasn't sold until 1788. Thus, he was taxed on land he still owned but where he was no longer living. Thomas Sr. never appears again as paying a poll tax for himself-- only land tax, certainly suggesting he was at least 50 by then.
Wilkes County deeds indicate that on 11 Oct 1788, Thomas Linville Sr. of Washington County, North Carolina sold 50 acres in Wilkes County to John Norris, in the presence of Thomas Linville, Jr. This is the first of two deeds disposing of Thomas (Sr.'s) land in Beaver Creek. A month later, on 12 Nov 1788 Thomas Linville of Washington County, North Carolina sold the remaining 120 acres on both sides of Beaver Creek, descrbied as "part of the 400 acre grant of Elijah Isaacs to Thomas Harbin." Isaacs's original deed to Harbin had been recorded 23 Oct 1782.

The Linvilles clearly left Beaver Creek areas in southeastern part of Wilkes County and moved west to Cove Creek near the Tennessee line by 1788. No wife signed either deed and these are the only two deeds located regarding the disposal of any of Thomas Linville's land. After 1784 and until mid-19th century, North Carolina stopped the common law practice of dowers' rights, meaning Thomas was not required to get his wife to sign off on her rights. The lack of a wife signing provides no information about who she was or whether she was still living and therefore, there is no evidence from land records as to Thomas Linville, Sr.'s wife or wives.
Maps of Linville Creek and Vanderpool Creek in present-day Ashe County mark the location of the warrants for North Carolina Land Grants that eventually fell to both father Thomas Sr. (subject of this narrative) and his oldest son Thomas Jr. This move also brought an association with the Campbells and Younts in the next decade, who provided wives for four Linville children. Daughter Rebecca Linville married James Campbell in Washington County, Tennessee 23 Feb 1789. James and his bondsman, Jeremiah Campbell (possible father or brother) managed the bond although it may not have been as steep a price as that paid by John Mynatt for his marriage to Rebecca's sister, Sybilla Linville n 1794. Thomas Linville Jr. married James's sister Jemimah Campbell about the same time, and place, though there is no official record. The information is prominent in family bible records of several descendants.
On 29 July 1789, Thomas Linvill, "Senr" of Washington County, North Carolina finally recorded the deed for the 50 acres he previously sold in Nov 1788 to John Norris on the east side of Beaver Creek on the corner of Linville's line, which was part of Elijah Isaacs, state grant of 400 acres. Witnesses were Thomas Linville, "Jr" (clearly over 21 now), David Magee and Andrew Welch.
Just to be clear, during the late 1770s through 1790s, there were a number of land jurisdictional changes in the western part of North Carolina. Thomas Linville lived in only two places geographically after leaving Belews Creek - the Elk and Beaver creeks area in southeastern Wilkes County and Cove Creek area in western Wilkes County near the Tennesse line. The ownership of the Beaver Creek land put him in Surry County, Washington County, and Wilkes County records during the time period. By the time Thomas Linville died in North Carolina about 1798, the Cove Creek land he had owned fell into Ashe County North Carolina, today's Watauga County. Tax information together with the first federal census of population in 1790, bring into focus a clear picture of the family constellation. In Wilkes County's 1790 8th district, both Thomas Linvilles are listed. Thomas (Sr.) in listed with 3 males over 16 and 1 male under 16, and 1 female. Presumably these males are himself, and sons Abraham, Richard over 16 and Aaron the male under 16 and 1 female. Thomas Linville (Jr.) was in his own household with 1 male over 16, 1 male under 16, four females, and 1 slave. The two households are separated by two Whittendon families and an Estepp. Both surnames have been "around" the Linvilles in various documents. Thomas Linville Sr. recorded a transfer of Joshua Curtis's warrant for 100 acres on Cove Creek in Washington County Tennessee as a North Carolina grant on 4 Sept 1790. The warrant for survey was issued and survey carried out 27 Jul 1791 with both Abraham Linville and Richard Linville chain carriers. The warrant file indicates that the original Curtis grant was for 100 acres "above" Baker King on the creek. Thomas Linville (Jr) and Baker King are listed next to each other on the 1790 census with Thomas Sr. a four lines earlier. Thomas Jr.'s land is discussed under his narrative.
The 1793 tax list for the (then) 12th district of Wilkes County included a number of families who began or continued long associations with the Linvilles. Thomas (Sr.), clearly over taxable age, was listed in 1793 as owning 400 acres with 1 poll, presumably his son Richard who was over16 but not 21, which fits with his birthdate. Thomas Jr. had 1 poll and 64 acres. Abraham was then old enough to be a poll on his own (age 21) although he only had a horse, no land. Abraham's wife's family was likely nearby as by 1800 when the census was taken he was married and had children. On 30 Jul 1793, Thomas Linville, "Senr" was on a jury to view a road from Rich Mountain to Lewis Stephens on the Watauga River and a bridle way from Cove Creek to the top of Stone Mountain. In 1794, District #12 (Cove Creek) in Wilkes County belonged to a Dyer. Whether he was related to the Zebulon Dyer who figured in land dealings with Thomas's son Richard in Tennessee is not known. In that year, there were no polls in Thomas Sr.'s household but he was taxed for 400 acres. Given North Carolina tax laws, this would certainly suggest he was beyond taxable age. There were two polls, though, in Thomas, Jr.'s household. Perhaps brother Richard was living/working with his older brother. Abraham had 1 poll but still had no land. That would mean that son Aaron was still living at home and not 16 in 1794.
In 1795, Thomas Linville Sr. finally entered the warranted land that he had been living on and taxed for at least five years. Two entries were made: one for 200 acres on the waters of Brushy Fork of Cove Creek beginning in Joshua Curtis's line and running up the Creek to include Linville's plantation; the second for 70 acres lying on Vanderpool's creek beginning at Abraham Vanderpool's line and running up the creek, including the improvements where Thomas Linville, Jr. was living. This group of Vanderpools had apparently disappeared to Pendleton County, South Carolina for a year after leaving Beaver Creek (see 1790 Census) before rejoining the Linvilles at Cove Creek. These land entries are reflected in the tax record for 1795 except that Thomas Linville, Jr. and Abraham Linville were listed a delinquents. Thomas Sr. was recorded with no polls and 373 acres of land. Nearby were Abraham Vanderpool and his 200 acres and 1 poll, John Yount with no land and 1 poll (whose two daughters married two Linville brothers), and James Campbell who was married to Thomas Linville Sr.'s daughter, Rebecca. A year later in 1796, the only change in the Linville households was that Abraham Linville finally had 100 acres and 1 poll, Thomas Linvill, Jr. had 64 acres and 1 poll. Thomas Linvill, Sr., had 400 acres and1 poll again. This was likely son Richard was back home again with his father - with youngest son Aaron not yet 21. At some point around this time, the surname Linville began to be spelled consistently with the final "e" for all descendants who had left Pennsylvania in the first half of the 18th century. Thomas Linville, Sr. appeared in Wilkes County court on 19 May 1796 to present an inventory for the estate of Peter Parkinson that was sold by the widow, who was then married to James Jones. Included in the inventory was a note from Thomas Linville for $28.33 1/3 and one from Zachariah Campbell for $18.33. John Carter was the administrator for the estate. The 1797 tax list is the first one for Wilkes County clearly taken by visitation instead of recorded alphabetically. A Whittendon, neighbor of the Linvilles, was tax collector for the district. Thomas Linville Sr., so identified, had 400 acres, making him the third largest land owner in the district. He also had 1 poll. This time the poll cannot be Richard because Richard was in his own household with 1 poll and no land. This poll, then, has to be Aaron in Thomas Sr.'s 1797 household, which means he was not yet 21 but over 16. Thomas Jr., had 64 acres and 1 poll. Abraham still had his 100 acres and 1 poll. James Campbell, Abraham Vanderpool, and John Yount were all nearby. Today, a drive through the Vanderpool and Linville creek areas in Cove Creek vicinity gives one a sense about the conclave nature of the convergence of the creeks. These families were definitely close neighbors. The Cove Creek land was finally certified 3 Oct 1797 after which it seems likely that Thomas Linville Sr.'s offspring left North Carolina for Tennessee, as only Abraham Linville remained in the area for the 1800 census. Thomas Linvill Sr.and sons Thomas Linvill Jr, Richard Linvill, Aaron Linville, and Abraham Linvill all signed a petition to the General Assemby of NC to claim the rights to their land in Watauga Cove area follow the cession lands. NC had put the area in a part of what had been Washington Co TN (and later Washington Co. TN). Their land in Cove Creek (near today's Vilas NC west of Boone) was perviously registered in Burke County because there was no closer land office to them at the time. Then, NC attached this small piece of land cutoff from the former Washington Co., was finally attached to Wilkes Co. The petition was asking the legislature to pass a law establishing the rights to their land in the fall of 1797. Others signing the petition were Abraham Vanderpool and Cutliff Harman (related to the Younts) as well as a number of names found on the 1795 and 1797 tax lists for that small district. And still, in Mar 1798 back in the Beaver Creek area where Thomas Linville's Mill Creek and old meeting house had existed, a deed for the 50 acres continued to use the "Thomas Linville line" as reference points in deeds even though the family was clearly no longer there. Thomas Linvill Sr. apparently did leave a will; however, no will or estate records are extant for him in either Wilkes (before it was split to create Ashe County) or Ashe County NC. The last court record for Cove Creek area in Wilkes County would have been Oct-Nov in 1798 and Ashe County's first court was January 1799. However, Ashe County court records before 1806 and one book of deeds have apparently not survived. An Ashe County NC deed for "heir and legatee" of Thomas Linville submitted by son Richard (4 Oct 1800) who was already living in Grainger(later Anderson, then Campbell) County TN certainly marks the last possible date for his father's death. If the Catherine Linville who joined Three Forks Baptist Church for a month in July 1799 was, indeed, his wife, and Thomas did not join, we could surmise that Thomas died before the and between late 1798 and early 1799 and it just took a while for Richard to return to his father's "old claim" in (then) Ashe County NC to sell a part of his portion of the inheritance. Thomas Sr.'s son Thomas (bc 1760) was in Carter County TN at the time, having sold his own 60 acres of land 12 Nov 1798, but did not call himself "Jr." in the deed, again suggesting late 1798 as the death of the father. Son Aaron didn't sell his apparently inherited part of his father's 300 acres until 1801 and isn't on the 1800 census (4 Aug 1800), so seems to have been in the process of moving to join Richard; and Abraham stayed in Ashe - likely on the "old claim" until after1810 when he, too, joined his brothers in Tennessee before they all moved to Missouri. All three of Thomas's known daughters were married and had moved elsewhere by 1799. For these reasons, it appears that Thomas Linville born by 1732 died before 12 Nov 1798 near what is now the town of Vilas in Watauga County NC. In 1980, an oral history from the then owners of Howell's farm in White County, Tennessee, adjacent to land that had been owned by Moses Linville, claimed that Thomas Sr. - they called "Old Tom" - and a Moses Linville were the first two graves on their farm. However, Moses would have been a nephew, son of Thomas Sr.'s brother, Richard. As indicated above, further research has now established that Thomas Sr. (bc 1732) died in North Carolina by 1799 before the family migrated.
By the time the 1800 census was taken, all of the Thomas Linville Sr.'s offspring with the exception of son Abraham and daughter Rebecca had moved on to Tennessee, as determined from Tennessee land records and discussed under each of Thomas Sr.'s children. Thomas Jr. married Jemimah Campbell and moved to Little Doe River near Elizabethton, TN (Carter County) where they were members of the Sinking Baptist Church (14 June 1802-20 June 1812), after which they moved to White County TN. Neighbors of theirs in Carter County had included sister Rebecca (Linville) Campbell. Sister Jane (Linivlle) Smith was also likely in TN and another sister, Sybilla (Linville) Mynatt, moved to Knox County, TN. Richard became a land owner in Grainger, then, Anderson and Campbell counties with substantial dealings; Aaron and (eventually) Abraham followed him. Initially only Abraham and Rebecca stayed in the North Carolina with land and census appearance in Cove Creek area along the Linville and Vanderpool creeks until about 1813. All of Thomas's (bc 1732) sons and daughter Rebecca eventually moved to Missouri, most before it became a state. Jane and Sybilla lived the rest of their lives in TN. There were possibly other daughters not yet identified. (Details on each of his children are included in the Linville database.)
An ongoing DNA project using Thomas's descendants is focused on trying to identify his wife or wives. There is only one possible reference found for someone who could be a wife. A Catherine Linville appears in the same Baptist Church records as do Abraham Linville and his wife Margaret in the summer of 1799. She was received by experience the same Sunday in July as Margaret and others, but a month after joining, Catherine "being about to move away" requested a letter of dismissal in August 1799, which was granted. Presumably, this move was to Tennesee where her apparent oldest son Thomas Linville's family had settled in Carter County, Tennessee, since her possible husband (or father), Thomas, died before July 1799.

This also means that the previous oral history about "old Tom" being buried in 1817 at Howells farm in White County TN is not accurate. The oral history more likely just applied to his younger brother Moses's family.

     Richard Linville Sr. was born circa 1740. He was Richard owned a large plantation in Surry Co. (later Stokes) NC. He was very active in civic life in Surry Co. as indicated by court records. He appeared in court The first reference to Richard in the Rowan Court records is on 19 Apr 1768, when Thomas, David, and Richard Linville were all ordered to appear to qualify to lay out the road from Cape Fear near New Garden Meeting House to David Dillon's Mill to Town Fork near David Linville's. on 19 April 1768 at Rowan County, NC. He was appointed overseer of the ford at Belews Creek to the Moravian Road instead of Cornelius Cook on 18 November 1769 at Rowan County, NC. Richard (Sr.) was evidently infirm and hard of hearing late in life. In the court records, it is estimated that he was between 80 - 90 years old. He was said to have liked to talk about "childish things" for as long as most people could remember. Hunting and his "tomahawk" were his favorite subjects. He died in 1821 at Stokes County, NC.

     James P. Parker married Katherine Romey on 2 May 1922.