Danner, John Mac 1846-1895

John Mack Danner

(1846 - 1895)

John M. Danner was born about 1846 and first appears in the 1850 Census of Watauga County, NC as the sixth child of Frederick and Susannah Danner. A sister, Ellen, is listed next to John at the same age of four so we may assume that John and Ellen are twins. There are five older brothers and sisters as mentioned in the chapter on Frederick and Susannah Danner, and a younger brother, Francis. By the 1860 Census for the Boone District of Watauga County, John M. and Nancy E(llen) are 14 and two additional siblings have joined the family, Susan (1853) and Rebecca C. (1855).

On Sunday, December 13, 1868, John M. married Martha J. Love, a daughter of Thomas and Catherine Love who was born on Wednesday the 29th of November 1843. She was the fifth of their nine children.

In the 1870 Census for Watauga County, Laurel Creek Township, John M. Danner and Martha are listed with their first child, Thomas who is 9 months old. By 1880 the other three boys that will complete the family are born. They are:

In addition a child named H.H. is listed in the 1880 Mortality Census for John Danner's family. H.H. died of "Malformation after living 2 days in May of 1880.

The 1880 census also shows Thomas Love, Martha's father, at age 74 living alone as the adjacent family to J.M. and Martha.

Martha Danner received 34 acres from her father Thomas Love Sr. in Deed book A, page 381 in 1884. Almost 40 years later, in Deed book 27, page 441, 34 acres are again listed to Martha J. Danner.

The will of Martha's father, Thomas, was proved in 1893 and provides some insight into his daughter, her husband and their son, Lloyd McNeal.

Will of Thomas Love 7 Mar 1893:
In the name of God amen. I Thomas Love of the state of North Carolina and Watauga County being of sound mind and memory and considering the uncertainty of this frail and transitory life do therefore make ordain publish and declare this to be my last will and Testament that is to say. First after all my lawful debts are paid and discharged the residue of my estate real and personal I give bequeath and dispose of as follows to wit, to my beloved daughter M.J. Danner and my beloved grandson Loyd McNeal Danner my land known and described as follows to wit in the Laurel Creek Township on the waters of Rush branch beginning on a chestnut and mahogany runs North with Moses [Nelson Moose's] lines to Dannis [J.M. Danner's] line then with Dannis and with Loves lines to the beginning containing twenty five and 1/4 acres. Secondly I give my blacksmith tools to my son in law John Danner also one hill side plow. The remainder of my farming tools I give to grand son L.M. Danner. I also give to said Loid M. Danner my cow and calf also I give to said LM Danner my gun and shot pouch. Likewise I make constitute and appoint G.W. Cable to be executor of this my last will and testament hereby revoking all former wills by me made in witness whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name and fixed my seal the 7th day of March in the year of our Lord Eighteen hundred & ninety three.
his
Thomas Love seal
mark

The above written instrument was subscribed by the said Thomas Love in our presence and acknowledged by him to each of us and he at the same time published and declared the above instrument so subscribed to be his last will and testament and we as the testators request and in his presents have signed our names as witnesses hereto and written opposite our names and respective place of residence

A.G Farthing Bethel
G.W. Cable Rush Branch [George W. Cable, Beaver Dam 1880 census]
J Cook Beaver Dams [Joseph S. Cook 1880 census]
North Carolina - Watauga County

You swear that you saw Thomas Love sign and publish and declare this paper writing to be and contain his last Will and Testament that at the time thereof he was of sound and disposing mind and memory and that he did it ___ by without compulsion to the best of our knowledge so help us God.
In presence of
Joe Budd CDC J Cook
July 14, 1894 AG Farthing
and into the Love family.

John Mack appears in Tax Lists for Watauga county from 1888 until 1894, owning 108 acres. In 1895, Martha J. abruptly appears on the Tax List owning 96 acres. She is listed between her sons, T.W. and L.M.

It seems that John Mack was suffering from some sort of mental disease. Raymond P. Danner, Sr., the author's father, thought that his grandfather had a mental breakdown or other mental problems and knew that his grandfather had been in a mental hospital. After calling the Director of The Broughton Hospital in Morgantown, NC, the author was told that John M. Danner was admitted to that hospital in the early spring of 1895 and died there on Sunday the 4th of August, 1895. John M. is buried in the cemetery (Grave 26, Row 6) at the Broughton Hospital. No written records have been obtained from the hospital to provide further insight into what sort of ailment John Mack suffered.

Ray

Surnames

Danners of Western North Carolina

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