Ancestor Top 10 for 2008
A long time ago, back when I was really actively working on my genealogy, I would post a list each month of my most popular ancestors according to number of page views each had. I think I’ll do that again. This time for the year 2008. Here we go:
10. John Hiram Layne (1768 – ~1840): Born in Virginia and moved to Marion County Tennessee sometime before 1800. If your last name is Layne and you’re from the middle Tennessee area you’re probably related to this guy. He was my 4 x great grandfather.
9. David Pickett (1858 – 1910): Born, lived and died in Daus, Tennessee. Struck in the head and killed, by a rock which fell from a chimney he and two of his brothers were building. He was my great-great-grandfather.
8. Daniel Lafayette Layne (1871 – 1946): A well respected man born in Sequatchie County Tennessee. He not was not only a teacher for fourty-four terms in several one room school houses, but also a deputy sheriff, a member of the Sequatchie County Court, and a Justice of the Peace representing the Third District for forty years. He was my great-grandfather (my mother’s paternal grandfather).
7. Daniel Lee Layne (1907 – 1992): Better known as Leander Layne. He was born in Daus, Tennessee. Something of a trouble maker in his youth. He found religion sometime after the death of his brother Ulys in 1939. Like many in the 50s he moved the family to Detroit, Michigan to work in the automobile factories. Several years later he moved back to Tennessee. He served the community as pastor of church in Beersheba Springs until he passed away in 1992. He was my maternal grandfather.
6. Francis Adam Goodman (1827 – 1898): One of only two (as far as I know) ancestors that have found themselves worthy of a wikipedia entry. Francis immigrated from Germany in 1830 and eventually made his way to Salem, Allegan County, Michigan in 1855 after having lived some time in Baltimore, Pennsylvania, and Ohio. During the Civil War, he served as a private in the Ninth Michigan Infantry, Company D. After having served the local community as Supervisor of Salem Township, Commissioner and Justice of the Peace, he was elected as a Republican, representing the Second District, to two terms in the Michigan state Legislature in 1881 and 1883. He was my 3 x great grandfather.
5. Major James Tate (1778 – 1849): Born in Virginia, he along with several brother settled in, what would become, Warren County, Tennessee around 1806. James served in the War of 1812 at the rank of Captain and was later promoted to Major. He would be known as Major from that time on. Although I wonder if the title wasn’t given in recognition of his 18 children! He served as Justice of the Peace for Warren County and other public roles. The Major accumulated as much as 26,000 acres (that’s 40 square miles!) of land in and around the area now known as South Cumberland State Park. He was my 4 x great grandfather.
4. Colonel John Tate (1743 – 1828): John was born in VA and settled on Big Moccasin Creek on a spur of Clinch Mountain on the Holston River in November 1772. He is referred to in my documents variously as Lieutenant and Captain but his headstone reads Colonel. It is said he served under Colonel William Campbell in the Washington County Militia during the American Revolution and fought at the Battle of King’s Mountain. In 1787, John was appointed Captain in the upper Militia of the Moccasin Valley. In 1802, James Monroe, the Governor of Virginia, later President, appointed John Tate to become Lieutenant Colonel Commander of the 72nd Regiment, 3rd Division of the Virginia Militia. Later, as the senior Justice among 31 present for a special meeting in Lebanon in 1825, John Tate helped start Emory and Henry College. Colonel John Tate was my 6 x great uncle.
3. Robert Tate, Sr. (1725 – 1794): Robert Tate, Sr. is the oldest of the Tate line contained in my genealogy. There are over 1000 Tates in my database that can be traced back to Robert Tate, Sr. He was my 6 x great grandfather.
2. Henry Miller Layne (1846 – 1917): Apart from a brief time spent in Company “C” Tennessee Union 6th Mounted Infantry Unit during the Civil War, Henry spent his days as a farmer in Sequatchie County Tennessee. He was my great great grandfather.
1. Robert Tate, Jr. (1745 – 1806): Robert Tate was not quite so active in public service as his brother Colonel John Tate, so less is known of him. In 1781 he and his brother, John swore allegiance to the United States in Washington County, VA. On April 20, 1784 he received a land patent of 250 acres in Washington County, VA on both sides of Big Moccasin Creek on a spur of Clinch Mountain on the Holston River some three miles from Colonel John Tate. He was an Ensign of the Militia in 1786, while his brother, John was a Lieutenant. He was my 5 x great grandfather.
Today I was doing some work on my cousin house, she said to me that she had a family bible and a marriage certificate that she wanted to show me of Henry M Layne and Martha Pickett.” my great-great-grandfather. “The layne`s reunion date is in July 2017 at Sulphur Springs Methodist Church Marion county tn.
David Pickett (1858 – 1910): Born, lived and died in Daus, Tennessee. Struck in the head and killed, by a rock which fell from a chimney he and two of his brothers were building, My mother told us kids many times through the years about a man got killed by a rock while working on our house. the rest of the story she told us every night you could hear something on the house top. “that maw-maw story!
I have my great grand father bible and marriage certhicate Henry M layne and Martha Pickett Layne I will bring to the layne`s reunion this year.