Fourth Generation


46. Rhoda WALTERS12 was born on 29 January 1780.8 She died on 11 October 1839 at the age of 59 in Grainger County, Tennessee.8

Found in post to [email protected]: Feb 2008:
Rhoda Jane Walters, b. 29 Jan 1780; died 11 Oct 1839, Grainger Co TN.

Rhoda WALTERS and John WALTERS were married on 7 July 1799 in Pittsylvania County, Virginia.8,12 John WALTERS11,166,167, son of Thomas WALTERS, was born on 30 April 1779 in Pittsylvania County, Virginia.167 He died on 12 December 1860 at the age of 81 in Union County, Tennessee.167

The Pittslyvania Co Land Tax lists of 1782 show a John Walters with 200 acres. Thomas Jr.'s father restated in his will that 200 acres had been given to John as the child of the deceased Thomas Jr. There was another John Walters in Pittsylvania at that time, but he was called Capt John in the tax list. I suspect that Thomas Jr was already deceased in 1782, since he does not appear on the tax list.

John Walters married Rhoda Walters, dau of John Walters. Sur: Ezra Walters, her brother. John and Rhoda were 1st cousins.

1830 Census, Grainger Co TN
John Walters. 1m 5-10 [Lewis], 2m 10-15 [William & James], 3m 15-20 [Joel, Pleasant & Abner], 1m 50-60 [John, age 51], 1f 50-60.
Thomas Walters, probably Thomas Spiers Walters, was next door. Braxton and John also were listed.

1840 Grainger Co TN
John Walters, 1m 15-20 [Lewis], 1m 60-70. 1f 50-60

I believe John Walters may have married again in his old age. His son Thomas Spiers Walters was living in Grainger Co TN in 1850, and on the previous page was a John Walters, age 70, b. Virginia, with wife Rebecca age 73, also b. VA.

Union Co TN Deed Book B, p.85-85 #8320494, img 384-385
24 Aug 1858 John Walter to Irvin McDowell. For $8. tract in Union Co SE side of Bee Branch. 150 acres. signed: John (X) Walters. Wit: C. Lilly, John Hill. John Walters acknowledged 3 Mar 1860.
DB B, p.159-160, #8320494, img 421-422
25 Oct 1859 John "Watter" to T. P. Graham and W. A. Blackburn. for $900. A Slave women Louise and her infant child, Lucy. They are sound, healthy, sensible and slaves for life. Louise not more than thirty years of age and child Lucy not more than six months old. signed: John (X) Watters. Attest: John David Nathan S. Davis. Acknowledged by John Watters, 13 Jun 1860.
DB B, p.176-177 #8320494, img 431
6 July 1860 Power of attorney. John Watters, Senr. to John Watters, Junr. To bring suit in my name again John Lince in Circuit Court of Union County upon an action of Ejectment. signed: John (X) Walters. Test: J. A. Blackburn
Acknowledge by John Senr 6 Aug 1860.


1860 Union Co TN, Dist 3, Hh 288
John Walters Sr. age 81, b. VA. Rebecca 90, b. VA

An online site does list a second marriage for John to Rebecca Bowman, 17 May 1840, Union Co, TN. This site also lists additional children for John and Rhoda. URL no longer exists.


Maynardville, TN. Union Co. courthouse. Division of the Estate of John Walters lists his children as Thomas Spiers, Braxton, John, James, Pleasent, Joel, William, Abner, Lewis, Nancy, and Eleanor. Will # 4 on page 20 dated 8-13-1857,
NOTE: This cannot be correct - no such reference found unless lost in the courthouse fire and John Walters apparenty died intestate, A. J. Brock appointed adminsitrator, Thos. S. Walters, successor. See LDS Film #4776381, img 51-53 for letters of admin and inventory.

Union County Court Minutes, p.206 LDS #8264697, img 321
4 Feb 1861 Will of John Watters Sr having been brought into Court & proved by Callawya Whitted & Lucinda Bowers - ordered to record
Report of Commissioners to lay one years support to Rebecca Watters, widow of John Watters, deceased. All corn on hand, 100 busheles, four hundred pounds of pork, 300 pounds of flour. $20 to purchase salt, coffee and leather. Twenty pounds of tobacco, all the dried fruit. submitted 9 Jan 1861. William beeler, John Lynch, Gideon Chesney
Ordered recorded 5 Feb 1861.

Union County Court Minutues, LDS #8264697
p.219, img 330
1 Apr 1861 Rebecca Walters Executrix enters her descent to the nuncupative will of John Watters, dec'd, which wa granted by the court.
p.225, img 333
8 May 1861 Ordered by the Court that John Walters be released of his portion of the bill of cost in the case of the Insanity of Rebecca Walters.
p.259, img 350
2 Dec 1861 Thomas S. Walters - indenture child Jesse Brewer, age about 11 years, until the age of 21. Signed: Thomas S. Walters, Alvis Whited, Alfred Sharp, Chairman.
p.272, img 357
3 Feb 1862 A. J. Brock tenders his resignation as Administrator of the estate of John Walters, dec'd. thereupon, Thomas S. Walters comes into court and takes upon himself the administratorship of the estate of John Walters.

Union County Probate Records LDS #4776381, img120-121
Court, 3 Feb 1862. Thomas S. Walters takes upon himslef the administrratorship of John Walters, dec'd, in plce of A. J. Brock. John A Smith was security. Lists account made 4 Sep 1865 and 23 Apr 1870.

Deed Book B, p.266 #8320494, img 477 Also in Court Minutes, p.207. #8264697, img 321 & 324
10 Jan 1861 Rebecca Watters vs. Thomas Watters & others – Petition for Dower
Dower to Rebecca “Watters” from estate of John Watters, dec’d, her husband. Tract on Eastern Bank of Clinch River, NE of mouth of Dotsons Creek. 50 acres. Includes meanders of the River. Also free access to the Spring. Commissioners: William Beeler, John Linch, Gideon Cheney. Includes plat – tract was 172 acres. Recorded 8 Feb 1861.

In 1868, son Thomas S. Walters sued his siblings for title to his share in the land division of his father - names the heirs:
Deed Book C, p.319 #8320495, img 165 & 166
Thomas Walters vs. John Walters & others
In the cause the Clerk & Master filed his report of the sale of the lands, mentioned in the decree 10 Feb 1862, no exceptions having ever been filed. After giving notice required the lands were sold on 31 Jan 1862 to Thomas S. Walters for $2010.00. Order that title in said tract including reversionary interest in the widows dower be and the same is divested out of the said Braxton Walters, James Walters and Pleasant and other children and heirs at law of Joel Walters, deceased whose names are unknown, and William Walters, Abner Walters, Lewis Walters, Pleasant Walters, Nancy Walters, and William Kean and wife Eleanor Kean and John Walters – and be vested in the said Thomas S. Walters. Deed issued 5 Oct 1868.

Rhoda WALTERS and John WALTERS had the following children:

226

i.

Braxton WALTERS.

+227

ii.

Nancy WALTERS.

228

iii.

Thomas Spiers WALTERS.

229

iv.

John WALTERS.

230

v.

Eleanor WALTERS.

231

vi.

Joel WALTERS.

+232

vii.

Pleasant WALTERS.

+233

viii.

Abner WALTERS.

234

ix.

William WALTERS.

235

x.

James WALTERS.

236

xi.

Lewis WALTERS.