RECORDED HISTORICAL FACTS
JOHN WILSON, SR. had three sons, John, Jr., Joseph and William. They joined the American Revolution forces against the British prior to December 1787, that being the time Petition Of The Inhabitants of the Western Country was signed to obtain self government. William was shown as one of the signers.
Prior to joining the American Revolution forces, they moved to the Roane Creek, VA area, the first settlement made about 1770 which was located in Carter County when Tennessee became a state.
The will of JOHN WILSON, SR. was dated August 1, 1806 and was called the "unrecorded" Will of John Willson because it lay in a metal box in the local courthouse without being recorded, until found by an ardent researcher. The will lists married names of chldren as follows: Elizabeth wife of William Widby, Nancy to Heatherly, Rhoda to Gentry, John Jr. to Ruth Lloyd 1805 and then Hannah Willhoit 1826, Joseph to Sarah Culbirth, Nancy to John Heatherly 1789, Rhoda to Benjamin Gentry, William to Rachel 1784, Garland to Mary (Polly) cook September 11, 1798 or 1799.
The ancestors of JOHN WILSON, SR. lived in Henrico County, Virginia as early as 1642.
WILLIAM WILSON is well documented on the generation of his father, John, Sr. During the September 1832 Term, Carter County, TN Circuit Court, the three brothers, John, Joseph and William gave affidavits for pension application for service during the Revolutionary War. Pensions were granted a follows: John, age about 76 #W6540, Joseph, age about 74 #S3569, William age about #W2218. The Wilson brothers were in many of the battles with Tarlton, Gen. Morgan at the Cow Pens, Gen. Francis Marion "Swamp Fox" in South Carolina and Col. Sevier.
TAPLEY WILSON is listed in the 1830 census in Carter County, TN. He was 21 years old.
He is also listed in the 1840 census of Johnson County, TN. No info given.
WILLIAM WILSON, son of John, Sr. is buried in Johnson Cemetery on the Laurel in Mountain City, TN with his wife Rachel and two sons and two daughters in Johnson County, TN. Daughters Delilah and Dicey, both married Johnsons, sons of Thomas Johnson, the founder of Johnson County, TN. After William died, Rachel applied for a pension and made her home with Delilah, probably until her death.
LIEUT. RICHARD L. WILSON, R.Q.M. (Regional Quartermaster) was born in the territory which is now Johnson county though at the time of his birth, January 7, 1819, it was part of Carter county. After the formation of Johnson county he was the first contable elected in it. He served as County Court previous to the Civil War. He held the eclection of June, 1861, when the vote was taken on Separation or No Separation. Being w well-known citizen and property owner, the notorious "Johnson County Home Guard", led by Capt. Parker, soon made it dangerous for him to remain at home. After witnessing the death of old Mr. Hawkins, who was shot down in cold blood because of his loyalty, he bade good-bye to his home and made his way to the Federal lines. Before leaving his home, however, Mr. Wilson was engaged in the Carter county rebellion - was at the Taylor's Ford fight and shared with the brave men of Johnson and Carter counties in the dangers and persecutions of those times. He joined the Thirteenth Tennessee Cavalry at Nashville, Tennessee. He was appointed First Lieutenant and Regimental Quartermaster and served with distinction through the East Tennessee campaigns. He had his horse shot from under him in the disastrous retreat from Bull's Gap. He was in the long and arduous campaign with Stoneman through Virginia, North and South Carolina and Georgia, and honorable mustered out with the Regiment at Knoxville, Tennessee, September 5, 1865.
~History of the 13th Regiment Tennessee Volunteer Cavalry, written by Samuel W. Scott and Samuel P. Angel, copyright 1903~
WILLILAM WILSON states in his Revolutionary War records, that in June 1779, he volunteered to the Company of Captain Ninian Hoskins, he was a citizen of Washington County, NC, now known as Carter County, TN. They joined Col. John Sevier on the Doe River about a half mile from Elizabethton to the French Broad River, crossed to Boyds___ where they were attacked by Cherokee Indians. He was acquainted with Capt. Robert B. Campbell of Virginia. With him were his two brothers John and Joseph, they fought many Indians before coming home for three months and then volunteered under Captain Roddy and came to Elizabethton served under Col. Sevier who had about three hundred men. The three brothers marched over Yellow Mountain through North Carolina into South Carolina where he joined General Francis Marion at a low point on the Santee River in the swamps. His Lt. was Ford; he knew Col. Charles Robinson and Capt. Bean. He remained with Gen'l. Marion fifteen days, Gen'l Pickens demanded assistance from Marion to march against the Tories and Indians who were ravaging in Savannah. Forty or fifty were sent under Captain Harrison. They joined General Pickens for two or three months traversing the country through Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina. Joseph and John (brothers) went on to fight the battle of Cowpens and new General Washington. William remained with General Marion in the Santee swamps over a period of two years; he volunteered again and again until the war was over.
William, Rachel, Banjamin, Delilah, Dicey, Alexander M. and wife Susan, with Delilah's husband Thomas Johnson, Jr. and Dicey's husband Henry Johnson are all buried in the Johnson Cemetery on the Laurel, Mountain City, Johnson County, TN which is being restored by Willson, Wilson descendents.
In 1791, at about age 17, Garland Wilson joined the Army and fought Indians at Fort Washington (in Ohio) with Captain Jacob Tipton's company of General Wayne's forces. For this service, he received a pension (#48489). Carter county records show that in 1811 he also received a land grant for his military service. Garland is buried in the Wilson Cemetery in Johnson County, TN. His wife, Mary cook, filed for a Land Bounty Warrant.
Garland, generally accepted as the third generation in Johnson County, TN, fought in the Indian Wars and probably the War of 1812. He married Polly Cook in 1795. They lived on the McGown Farm, part of which is now owned by Jack and Gertrude Shoun. Thomas McGown married a Mary Wilson and they bought and gave this farm to their son, Isaac McGown. Both Garland and Polly are buried on a hill near their home less than 2 miles from Mountain City.
This came from a penciled not written by Dr. E.C. Wilson approximately 1925 states that "Garland Wilson was trader in liquor, but he never got drunk." He was was not a chruch member but he was not wicked.
When he died, his property was all consumed in paying a security debt for a Dr. Joe Powell. Garland sold slaves (5 men and 1 woman) and all of the McGown farm for $400.00.
Garland had a son named Andrew. Andrew bought a large farm on the head of Doe Creek. He was referred to by Carl Neal in his book on the MQueen family as a wealthy land and slave owner. During the civil War his sympathies were with the Union. He was a member of the first county court in 1836 in Johnson County, Tennessee, which probably met in the Pleasant Grove Baptist Church. He built and lived in a rather large frame house in the Dewey community, facing the Doe Road. He died in 1881 and he and his wife are buried on the hill nearby, now a public burying place known as Wilson Cemetery.
Johnson Wilson and his wife, Maria(h) came to Fannin County, GA with her sister and her husband, Jeff Heaton (could be John J. Heaton). The first recorded date that I've found so far for Johnson in Fannin Co. is 1855 on some land records. Johnson started the Iron Works in the Forge Mill area of Fannin county. He was a collier (coal miner or a coal freighter). He also was commissioned with the government to make whiskey for troops and such. The whiskey was put into numbered 50-60 gallon barrels and taken to Cleveland, TN by wagon down the Old Copper Road which is now know as the the "River Road" that follows along the Ocoee River. From there it was sent up north by train.
In the 1840 census, Johnson Wilson was listed as living in Johnson County, Tennessee.
In the 1850 census, he was listed in Polk County, Tennessee.
In 1860, 1870, 1880 and 1900 he was listed in the Fannin County, Georgia census.
The 1890 census is unavailable as the courthouse records burned the the records were lost in the fire.
In 1900, Johnson was living with three of his children, Margaret, Joseph H. and John. Also living in the household was Thomas Byers, his nephew. Johnson was listed as an invalid.
Clinton Wilson, son of "Babe" Wilson, served in three branches of the U.S. military. He was in the Army, Navy, and Air Force. After that Clint became a Georgia State Patrolman, then worked for the Sheriff's Dept. in Fulton and Lumpkin Co.'s in Georgia.