| Notes |
- 1870 Morgan County Census, Dist 1 pag 8
STONECIPHER, Ezra 28 M W Farmer Tenn
Elizabeth 30 F W HK Tenn
Juliana 15 F W At Home Tenn
Andrew 13 M W At Home Tenn
Vardeman 11 M W Tenn
Nathaniel 4 M W Tenn
Buena Vista 1 F W Tenn
1880 MORGAN COUNTY CENSUS
STONECIPHER, EsraMW38TNFarmer
ElizabethFW41TNKeeping House
William M.MW14TNFarm Work
Mary F.FW13TNHouse Work
July AnFW12TNHouse Work
SusanFW10TNHouse Work
Elizabeth J.FW8TN
Noah J.MW5TN
Ida M.FW2TN
The following is a transcript from a photocopy of the original letter.Photocopy now in possession of Elmer Thomas Stonecipher, 13102 RedMaple, San Antonio, TX
Coalfield, TN
July 24, 1902
Rev. J.F. Stonecipher
Easton, PA
Dear Sir:
In answer to yours of recent date - am glad to have the opportunity ofassisting you in what you propose, so far as I may be able to do so.I think it most probable that we descended from the same ancestors. Ithink any one of the name should be interested in what you propose.-- To the questions in hand.
My great-grandfather's name was Joseph. Came to Tenn about 1813.Died some years later (I don't know the date) in Morgan Co. Had abrother Michael here. Michael had no children.
Had sons, Ezra, Samuel, Benejamin, John, Daniel; daughters, Rhoda,Hittie, Sarah.
Ezra was born on Lewis Fork, Wilkes Co., NC, January 1, 1782. Wasmarried to Sussanna Curtis by Ezekial Baird, Esquire, on Watuga River,Ashe Co, NC, Sept 2 1802. Came to Morgan Co, Tenn about the year1813, buying land and settling on Beech Fork Creek. Was a gun smithby trade.
While on return from a visit to his people in Illinois, he becamesuddenly ill at Hopkinsville, KY, and died and was buried there, aboutthe year 1838.
It's my understanding the Stoneciphers and relatives came at or thesame time to Tenn. Samuel and Daniel as many others of the name livedto be very old. Samuel to be about 95 and Daniel about 83 or 84. Allthat generation are dead as far as I know.
Noah, my father, was brought from NC to Tenn by his parents when asmall boy. He helped to improve and till the farm his father boughtuntil he was grown. Then marrying a Miss Duncan he settled on a partof his father's farm as a farmer. Said part finally becoming his partof real estate. Remained on said farm till 1847, selling farm andbuying another about 9 miles east in Morgan Co. Remained on landmentioned until his death, caused by cancer on face, July 8, 1875.All his children except myself were by this first marriage. BecomingWidowed he married a widow Williams who became my mother. I have nowhole brothers or sisters. I have a number of half-brothers andsisters on both sides. One of the Williams half brothers died asoldier boy in Mexico in Mexican War. One of the same died a Federalprisoner of war on Belles Isle, VA.
Of my uncles and aunts -- most of them that went to IL, went at thesame time, 1841. Curtis had gone some time earlier, Noah, Thomas,Elizabeth and Lucinda remained here and died in Tenn.
Uncle Thomas married a Miss Goddard and lived and raised aninteresting family of six boys and six girls on a farm in the sameneighborhood as his father. Sold out, bought in West part of thiscounty and died there in the early 80's. In Federal Army. AuntLucinda married Thos. H. Davis of Morgan Co. Died 1861, leaving onlyone child, John M. He has a college education and was a noted teacherfor several years or so long as he followed it. Farming now. Hasconsiderable property.
Aunt Elizabeth raised a large family. Two of her sons died in theFederal Army.
You will notice from diagram that nearly all of Uncle Thomas' sons arein IL. They have been going from time to time since along in thegreat rebellion days. Two sons and their families went in 1898.
Four of his sons were in the Federal Army. All survived and returned.His sons were mainly farmers though some of them were handy at othertrades in the Mechanical World. Two, Jess and Timothy, followedteaching considerable both in Tenn, and IL. Several of Unclesgrandsons follow teaching.
My sister Martha is nearly 77 years of age. In very poor health.Raised five daughters and one son. The son was in the Federal Army.She is a widow and lives in Roane Co, Tenn with one of her daughters.My brother Henry lives at Wheat, Roane Co, Tenn. Is feeble. Is 71years of age. Twice married. First wife a Miss Goddard. Three sonsand five daughters to first marriage. Became widowed and married aMiss Richmond, two sons and three daughters to this marriage.
Ezra, his oldest, was in the Federal Army. Noah died with a family.Lucinda went with her husband to Washington and there died.
Henry -- continued. I do not know where David is. His is living sofar as I know. The other girls are living in Roane Co, Tenn as arethe younger boys not yet grown. The older girls have raised or areraising averagely large families. The oldest two girls of the youngerfamily are married.
My brother Silas C. is 74 years of age. Married a Miss Reese. Wentto MO and raised his family. Died in MO July 27, 1889. My brotherJeptha G. is 70 years of age. Never married. Died in insane asylumat Knoxville, Tenn. January 11, 1888. Said to be a amn above averageintelligence. Well informed for his opportunity. Went to CA in timeof excitement over gold there, in about 1852.
Returned to Tenn. in 1865, it was seen somewhat out of balance. Leftthis part, rather wandered for the next five years. Finally gettinghim back to Tenn there was no other alternative but to send him to anasylum. We have no certainity of the cause. My sister Malinda, born705 years ago died when small. As regards myself - I am 60 years ofage. Married Elizabeth Black January, 1865. Have five daughters andtwo sons ranging in age from 36 to 24. Four daughters are married andlive in Morgan Co. The other died unmarried. The two sons are notmarried. My occupation has been strictly that of a farmer exceptthree years as a soldier in the Federal Army. In the First Tenn InfVols.
I do not live on the "old homestead" spoken of in your letter, butmerely a mile from it, on a farm bought from non-relations. The oldhomestead was sold by the heirs to coal and Iron Co. Houses and fenceare gone.
The history of the Stoneciphers you are acquainted with or have beenacquated with, as intimasted in your letter, is very much on the sameline with those I am acquainted with. They are mainly farmers, seemto be content to be such, honestly plodding their way.
They are rather religiously and educationally inclined. Dating backwithin my remembrance they have produced many teachers, mainly of thecounty schools. So far as I know they were all Baptists, in practiceand in principle up to a generation or two ago. A feww of the younger"took" after mamma I suppose, ha ha. None of them in this part havebeen preachers, strictly speaking. Some were public men in thechurch. Brother Henry is such a one at this date.
They were almost singularly free from violent deaths. I can't saythat I know of such a death among them here. They seem to have butlittle use for the law. That is they get along without resorting toit very much. Although, they are generally men of mettle and have intime, so of them, resorted to their fists to resent things they didnot want to bear in silence.
As to property -- They are about average here with other people. Mostof them in the past owned a home. The same is generally true now. Mygrandfather owned a good farm for this section of country. The titlehas been to another name since the heirs sold it along from 1840 to1850 some buying here but the majority of them going to IL. Incle(great) Daniel owned more land than anyone else of the name here. Itwould be valued at some thousands at this day.
Politics I don't deal in. We are nearly all Republicans. My Uncles(great) Samuel and Daniel decidedly leaned to the "Southern Cause."They were too old to fight for their belief, and none of their sons orgrandsons took a more active part than to render themselves obnoxiousto the opposite by talk and certain acts common along a contendingline between the North and the South. One of Daniel's sons serves inthe Federal Army. Samuel's sons and grandsons are Democrats, withoutexception, so far as I know. Alvin, Samuel's son, was a Republican.His sons also. Reverend J.A. in MO has took after so many new partiesthere that I guess he is now a "mugwump." Don't tell him I said so.
If these few scattered fragments of family record helps your purposeany I will be glad. If you know of anything I can assist you further,command me. I will doi the best I can. Hoping to have the pleasureof hearing from you some time again.
I am
Yours respectfully,
Ezra Stonecipher
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1841 - 1910 (69 years)
Siblings
d. 8 Jul 1875 (Age 71 years) 
