THE SHERWOOD AND PHEBE JOHNS(T)ON HATLEY FAMILY
OF GREENE COUNTY, TENNESSEE

Co-written by Stevie Hughes¹ and Virginia Stanton Cunningham

Sherwood  Hatley married Phebe Johns(t)on in Greene County, Tennessee on 1-15-1822. The couple was married by Joseph Holt, J. P.  Sherwood W. Hatley, born c.1794 in North Carolina, was one of seven children born to John (Junior) and Elizabeth Hatley.  Sherwood was a Soldier in the War of 1812, serving for the State of North Carolina in Captain Evan Wiley’s Company.  He arrived in Greene County about 1820.   Phebe Johns(t)on, born c. 1805, is believed to be the daughter of Zopher Johnston Senior, a Revolutionary War Soldier who may be buried at Kidwell Cemetery.

Sherwood and Phebe Hatley lived in the northern area of Greene County near today’s Hardin Chapel and Cross Anchor communities. When the Civil Districts were created in 1836, this area was in District 12.  The Sherwood Hatley Family is the only family of this surname found in Greene County at that time.  Sherwood and Phebe’s family were enumerated in the 1830 Census, living one household away from Zopher Johnston Junior, who is believed to be Phebe’s brother.   It is very possible that Sherwood and Phebe lived on land owned by Phebe’s father, Zopher Johnston Senior.  After eight years of marriage, Sherwood and Phebe had two young sons in their 1830 household, both under the age of ten.   After 1836 and before 1840, Sherwood and Phebe moved a few miles farther north and settled in the Romeo area where Sherwood was a farmer.  In the 1840 census, their two sons and now two young daughters were a in their household.   Phebe Johnson Hatley, died between 1845-48.   She is believed to be buried in the Old Cooper Burial Ground.   Sherwood and Phebe had six known children:

1.  William Calvin, born c. 1823.  He married Nancy Johnson on 9-9-1845, bond by William Ross; marriage by Christopher Cooper, Justice of the Peace.  Nancy, born 12-9-1830, was the daughter of William and Elizabeth Morgan Johnson of Middle Creek in the southern part of Greene County.   William and Nancy Hatley left Tennessee after the 1850 census and arrived in Missouri about 1854.  They had six children:  (1) Mary Elizabeth, born c. 1847; (2) William S., born c. 1849; (3) James M., born c. 1851;      (4) Martha Jane,  born 3-19-1854; (5) Nellie Ann,  born c. 1856; and (6) Nelson V.,  born c. 1859.  William Calvin Hatley served in the Civil War with the 16^th Kansas Cavalry, Company F.  He is described as 5’10” tall, with fair hair, blue eyes and dark complexion. For further information on this family, please refer to The Family of William Calvin and Nancy Johnson Hatley.  The great-great granddaughter of William Calvin and Nancy Johnson Hatley, Virginia Stanton Cunningham, is the co-author of this article.

2.   John H., born 1825.  John married Rachel Carter on 4-22-1847, bond by Isaac Harmon; marriage by George Kenney, J P.  John left Rachel and the children and migrated to Illinois in late 1859/early 1860.  In the 1860 census, John lived in Randolph County, IL, where he was a blacksmith.  Perhaps his family was going to join John in Illinois; however, the Civil War intervened.   He enlisted with the 56^th Illinois Infantry, Company C, and he died at Camp Clear Creek near Corinth, Mississippi on 7-12-1862.  In his enlistment papers John is described as 5’9” with dark hair, black eyes and dark complexion.  John gave his marital status as “single”.  John and Rachel had six children:  (1)  Martha J.,  born c. 1850; (2) Mary Ellis,  born c. 1851; (3) Honora,  born c. 1853; (4) Amanda,  born c. 1854;  (5) John Junior,  born c. 1858; and (6)  Zylphia,  born c. 1859.  John’s widow, Rachel, drew a Civil War pension for the children.  On 4-2-1864, a marriage bond was taken out for Rachel Hatley and E. Wallace, bond by V. S. Maloney.  No Justice of the Peace is stated on the Marriage Bond, and the marriage may not have taken place, since Rachel continued to draw a pension under the service of her husband, John H. Hatley.   In the 1870 Census, three more children are in Rachel Hatley’s household: (7) Abram, born c. 1863/4; (8) Martha, born c. 1865, and (9) Newton, born c. 1869.  In 1880, Rachel continued to use the Hatley surname and the younger children, Abram, is listed as a “son” and Allen N. (Newton), is listed as a “grandson”.  Three other grandchildren lived with Rachel, including William B., born c. 1872; James H., born c. 1874 and John M. Hatley, born c. 1877.   In 1890, Rachel Carter Hatley still lived in Romeo and drew a widow’s pension.  She died before 1900 and may be buried in an unmarked grave in the Carter Family Cemetery in Romeo.

3.    Mary Ellis, born c. 1830.  Mary married James T. Stewart on 4-3-185l, bond by Sherwood Hatley; marriage by John Sayler, Justice of the Peace.   Their children were:  (1) Theba Ann, born 1-20-1852, who married William Everhart.  Theba died in 1876.  (2) Mary Jane, born 11-4-1853; (3) Sarah M., born 12-29-1855; (4)  Malinda (or Malvina??) C., born 10-16-1858, died 1898; (5) William Nelson, born c. 1861; (6) Rachel L., born 2-14-1863, who died in 1869;  and (7) Martin Van Buren, born 4-1-1867, who died in 1903.   By the 1880 census, Mary Hatley Stewart had remarried to Jeremiah B. Clonch.  

4.    Sarah J., born c. 1838.  She married Samuel Lane on 6-9-1859, bond by Henry Carter; marriage by S. S. Babb, Justice of the Peace.  They possibly had four children.  One is confirmed:  (1) May N., born 2-12-1858.  The others are:  (2) Jimmy; (3) Rachel L. and (4) Ginny.  The family left Greene County by 1870.

5.    Martha, born c. 1840, for whom no further information is available. 

6.    Martin A., born c. 1844.  Martin enlisted with the 8^th TN Infantry, Company B and may not have survived the War.  There is no marriage for him, nor does he appear in any census after 1860.

After the death of his first wife, Sherwood remarried to Amanda Williams on 9-20-1849.   Sherwood’s son, William C. Hatley, and James Anderson served as the bondsmen.   The marriage was performed by Alfred Brown, Justice of the Peace, who is believed to be a cousin to Sherwood’s first wife, Phebe Johns(t)on.  No children were born to Sherwood’s second  marriage.  Amanda died before 1859.

Sherwood remarried a third time to Sarah “Sally” Clark on 10-24-1859.   Sherwood’s son, John Hatley, served as the bondsman.   The marriage was performed by S. S. Babb, Justice of the Peace.   No children were born to Sherwood’s third marriage.  Sarah died in the Spring of 1865 and is buried in the Old Cooper Burial Ground.

Sherwood remarried for a fourth and final time on 12-28-1865 to Bethena “Thena” Reynolds England, the widow of Thomas England who had been murdered by Rebel soldiers.  Thena’s brother, Joshua Reynolds, gave an affidavit for Thena attesting to her husband’s death when Thena filed for a pension under Sherwood Hatley’s War of 1812 service.  Thena died on 5-26-1897, at the age of 88 years.  She is buried with her Mother’s Family in the Malone Family Cemetery near the Ottway community.

Sherwood W. Hatley died on 3-17-1875 and is believed to be buried in the Old Cooper Burial Ground with his first wife, Phebe Johns(t)on, and his third wife, Sally Clark.  After Sherwood’s death, his surviving widow and fourth wife, Thena Hatley, filed for a widow’s pension under Sherwood’s War of 1812 service. 

The pension file of Sherwood Hatley provided ground-breaking documentation on our intermarried Greene County Families.    On 9-2-1856, Sherwood applied for bounty land for his War of 1812 service.  He was awarded 160 acres of land warrants.    On 8-7-1871, Sherwood filed for a Pension, which was approved, Pension #6164.   Numerous persons affiliated with the Family of Sherwood’s first wife, Phebe Johnson, provided affidavits.  Among these affidavits was a written statement by James Graham dated 3-9-1878, attesting to the death of Sherwood’s third wife, Sally Clark, and her burial in the “Old Cooper Burying Ground”.  It was from this document that the existence of a Family Cemetery of the Christopher and Jane Brown Cooper Family was confirmed.   Attesting to Sherwood’s loyalty to the Union, were Matthew Cox and William Casteel who gave affidavits.   The affidavits by James Graham and Matthew Cox, clearly associate Sherwood Hatley, and hence, his first wife, Phebe Johnston, with the Family of Zopher Johnston Senior.  The 1878 affidavit by James Graham is transcribed in full and is included with the Chapter on the Family of Christopher Cooper Senior.

SHERWOOD HATLEY
Bounty Land Grant Declaration
Act of Sept. 28, 1850  

TRANSCRIBED BY VIRGINIA CUNNINGHAM

Spelling and punctuation unchanged

 “State of Tennessee

Greene County

                On this Twenty third day of June A. D. One Thousand eight hundred and fifty three, before me John Maloney, a Justice of the peace in and for said county, personally appeared Sherwood Hatley, aged Sixty two years past, a resident of Greene county in the state of Tennessee, who being duly sworn according to law, declare that he is the identical Sherwood Hatley, who was a Private in the company commanded by Captain Evan Wyley of North Carolina draughted (drafted) militia in the war with Great Britain declared by the United States on the 18^th day of June, 1812; but owning to the lapse of time and failure of his memory he is unable to recollect the Number of his reg’t or name of his Colonel, but that he was under the orders of General Graham.

                That he substituted for one Andrew Wecker, in Calbarras county in the State of N. Carolina in the latter part of the year of 1814, or beginning of 1815 for the term of Six months, and marched to Wadesboro in said state, the general rendezvous of the troops, and remained there for some time, and continued in actual service in said war for the term of near two months, as he now remembers, and was honorably discharged at Concord in said county of Calbarras, in the month of March, as he believes A. D. one thousand eight hundred and fifteen, in consequence of the news of peace having been received

                He further, states that, he received a printed on written certificate of discharge at Concord, and thinks probably he received his pay at the same time.  In proof of his said services he refers the Department to the muster or pay rolls of said company, and states that he wore out and destroyed his said discharge in his pocket.

                He makes this Declaration for the purpose of obtaining the Bounty Land to which he may be entitled under the Act granting bounty lands to certain officers and soldiers who have been engaged in the military service of the United States” passed Sept. 28^th 1850.  And further declares that he has not applied for or received, nor is he entitled to Bounty land under any former or other law.

                                          Sworn to and subscribed before me the day and year first within written.  And I hereby certify that the said Sherwood Hatley is well known to me; that I believe him to be the identical man who served as aforesaid and that he is of the age above states, I further certify that I am not concerned or interested in the prosecution or result of this claim.  

SHERWOOD HATLEY
 Declaration of Surviving Soldier for Pension
Act of February 14, 1871.

TRANSCRIBED BY VIRGINIA CUNNINGHAM

Spelling and punctuation unchanged.  This document was a pre-printed form in which the information was hand-written.  Places that are blank indicates the requested information was not included.

“State of Tennessee 

Greene County.

On this 20^th day of March, A. D. one thousand eight hundred and seventy one, personally appeared before me V S Maloney Clerk of the County Court of Greene County a court of record within and for the County and State aforesaid Sherwood Hatley, aged 80 years, a resident of County of Greene, and State of Tennessee, who being duly sworn according to law, declares that he is married: that his wife’s name was Thena Reynolds to whom he was married at in Greene County, on the_____ day of December 1866; that he served the full period of sixty days in the Military service of the United States in the war of 1812; that he is the identical Sherwood Hatley who was enrolled in Captain E. Wyleys Company, _____ Regiment_____ Brigade,_____ Division, at______________ in the State of North Carolina, on the______ day of January, 1812, and was honorably discharged at Concord NC on the _______day of_____________, 1813; that he served in the capacity of a Private in the State of NC; and was on our way to Florida and that the war closed before reaching destination, that I have Received a land warrant for 160 acres.

That he at no time, during the late rebellion against the authority of the United States, adhered to the cause of the enemies of the Government, giving them aid and comfort, or exercised the functions of any office whatever under any authority or pretended authority in hostility to the United States; and that he will support the Constitution of the United States; that he is not in receipt of a pension under any previous act;  That he makes this declaration for the purpose of being placed on the pension-roll of the United States under the provisions of the Act of February 14, 1871; and he hereby constitutes and appoints, with full power of substitution and revocation, Lewis F. Self of Greeneville Tenn, his true and lawful Attorney, to prosecute his claim and obtain the pension certificate that may be issued;  that his post office is at Greenville, County of Greene, State of Tennessee, and that his domicil or place of abode is in Greene County 10 miles north of Greeneville Tenn

THE FAMILY OF NANCY A. JOHNSON AND CALVIN HATLEY

Co-written with Virginia Stanton Cunningham

DIVORCE OF NANCY JOHNSON HATLEY
FRANKLIN COUNTY, ILLINOIS

TRANSCRIBED BY:  VIRGINIA STANTON CUNNINGHAM

(Spelling and punctuation unchanged.)

“Divorce: April Term 1865 Franklin County, Illinois

Your oratrix, Nancy Hatley, a resident of the County of Franklin and State of Illinois would respectfully represent unto your Honor that she has been a resident of said county and state for twelve months last past.  That on or about 185- she was lawfully married to one William C. Hatley, in the State of Tennessee.  That during all the time aforesaid your petitioner conducted herself as a kind, loving and affectionate wife.  That they continued to live together until April 1859 when the said William left your petitioner in the State of Missouri without any just cause, leaving her upon the cold charities of the world.  That after desertion your petitioner removed to the State of Illinois where she has since resided.  Shortly after her removal to Illinois she received a letter stating the said William Hatley was dead and that she never knew any different until a short time ago when she heard that he was living.  Believing he was dead your petitioner was married to Alexander Summers at Franklin County, Illinois on 21 March 1864.  Your petitioner would further show that she and William had three children:  Mary Hatley, Martha Hatley and Nelly Hatley who are residing with your oratrix and whom she prays she may have custody of.  May it please your honor on a final hearing of this cause to order that the bonds of matrimony now existing between your oratrix and the said William Hatley may be dissolved, annulled and for nothing esteemed and that the marriage between your petitioner and the said Alexander Summers be annulled and grant unto your oratrix such other and further relief in the premises as equity seem meet.”

“March Term 1865

Deposition of R. H. Johnson and Catherine Johnson who swears that William and Nancy Hatley lived together in the State of Tennessee as man and wife; that on 15 April 1859 he deserted Nancy and has remained away ever since; that he contributed nothing to the maintenance of Nancy or their children since his departure.”

Comment:  R. (Robert) H. (Henry) Johnson was a son of William and Nancy Morgan Johnson of Middle Creek in Greene County, Tennessee.  He was probably the first member of this family to arrive in Hamilton County, Illinois in the mid-1840’s.  Robert Henry Johnson was the brother of Nancy Johnson Hatley.  Refer to the 1842 Estate Settlement of their father, William Johnson of Middle Creek, naming his heirs.

Catherine Johnson was the wife of Robert Henry Johnson, nee Catherine Smith Johnson.