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From Jo Davis:
From Virginia, a number of Sullivans migrated to Kentucky. Owen's father was raised in Kentucky. With his wife, children, and a neighbor McPherson), Owen's father (Jeremiah) moved to Williamson County,Tennessee. They claimed land, about 1200 acres, and homesteaded. They built two room houses with a fireplace in each room, and a loft. The houses were made of split log and mud.
Owen Jefferson Sullivan was born March 10, 1802, and died December 28, 1878 at the age of 76 years. He is buried in the Sullivan Cemetery on Old Cox's Road, Williamson County, Tennessee.
Owen remained in Williamson County most of his life, while his four brothers, Jeremiah, Zachariah, Joseph, and Oni(Ode) migrated to White River, Arkansas. Owen did move to Kentucky with several of his children just before the Civil War. They remained there until about the time of the first hostilities, then most of them returned to the home place in Tennessee. Owen, Jr was one of the children who remained in Kentucky. (This could possibly be why Owen, Sr left Owen, Jr nothing in his will.)
Owen, Sr married Elizabeth Cynthia Lampley (b.December 20, 1810) in 1825. She was the mother of 12 of his children. Elizabeth died after August 21, 1850.
On April 8, 1851, Owen, Sr married his second wife, Sarah Jane Tidwell (b.March 29, 1829). She and Owen had 10 more children, for a total of 22 that were Owen, Sr.'s. He also raised two grandchildren, John W. Sullivan (b.May 31, 1849) and Martha Jane Ragsdale(b.December 22, 1849).
I visited the cemetery where Grandma and Grandpa are buried, in October. It was situated on a hill over looking Spring Creek. It is fenced in, and the Sam Franklin's have kept it beautifully. It was cool and cloudy that Sunday afternoon, with the leaves and the countryside in full Fall coloring. As I looked out over the valley, I could not help but remember the lines penned by Mrs. John Gibbs:
"When I see and touch some lovely thing that my grandparents owned or grew in their garden, that they were fond and took care of, and lived with, then I feel as if they and we who are here now, are not separated by the accident of our different eras of existence, but are near and, in a sense, contemporary in our common love of beauty and of life."
Wanted to share this with you.
From Char:
Tennessee Census Records state Owen's place of birth as Tennessee.
The 1850 Census of Dickson County, TN, (taken on August 21, 1850), has Owen, wife Elizabeth, and children. I am inclined to believe they lived and died in Dickson County,TN, not Williamson Co.,TN.
The Census shows:
#602 Owen Sullivan 48 M Farmer 600 acres TN (born) cannot read or write
Elizabeth 40 F NC cannot read or write
Nancy 18 F TN
Jeremiah 16 M Farmer TN
Elizabeth 14 F TN
Owen 12 M TN
Martha 10 F TN
Joseph 8 M TN
John 6 M TN
Lucy C.J. 4 F TN
Cintha 2 F TN
#601 William M. Sullivan 24 M Farmer TN
Artimissa E. Lull 24 F TN
John M. 1 M TN
#538 John Sullivan 22 M Farmer TN
Mary 23 F TN
Catharine 12 F TN
(Thought: If Owen and Elizabeth could not read or write, who kept the Family Bible? Must have been Levi Wilson, as his wife and family are on there.)
