THE LUTHER FAMILY

OF

DICKSON COUNTY , TENNESSEE

BY

JOSEPH NEAL LUTHER

 

 

 

GEORGE LUTHER

1790 - 1858

 

GEORGE LUTHER was born in October 1790 in Frederick County, Maryland.  He was married in 1812 in Randolph County , North Carolina to Mary "Polly" Bowden, daughter of Travis "Westward" Bowden. See the Bowden group.

 

George Luther appears on the 1815 Tax List of Captain King's District, Randolph County , North Carolina , with 100 acres valued at $200.   In 1823, this family moved to Dickson County , Tennessee .  The family is next shown on the 1830 Census of Dickson County at #315.  He is shown on the 1839 Tax List of District # 2, Dickson County with 22 acres.  On the 1840 Census of Dickson County, George Luther is listed at page #197, no township listed.  This family appears on the 1850 Census of Dickson County at page 326, #1061. 

 

The History of Dickson County, at page 86, notes, "George Luther typified the small farmer of the County in wool production.  Luther owned scarcely 200 acres, yet produced in 1850, thirty pounds of wool for the market."   He won several blue ribbons at the county fairs with his purebred sheep and fine wool.

 

Deed #1502.  George Luther enters 500 acres of land in Dickson County on the barren fork of the Piney River, beginning at a red Oak on Moulton Dickson's east boundary line, running east, thence north, thence west.  October 1835.

 

On 13 October 1853 , George Luther deeded to Travis Luther 110 acres in Dickson County , District # 2, in the Bear Creek area. 

 

George Luther died in 1858.  He is probably buried on the land of Travis Luther in the Bear Creek area.

 

 

 

George and Mary "Polly" (Bowden) Luther had issue:

 

1.  Travis Luther.  Born in 1813 in Randolph County , North Carolina .  Was a blacksmith.  Married Lucy Myatt.  Travis Luther is shown on the 1839 Tax List of District # 2, Dickson County with 300 acres and 1 poll.  Listed on 1840 Census of Dickson County at page # 197, no township listed.   In 1848 Travis Luther sold Solomon Marsh 300 acres of land on Bear Creek in Dickson County District # 2.  On 13 October 1853 , George Luther deeded to Travis Luther 110 acres in Dickson County , District # 2, in the Bear Creek area.  In 1855, George Luther deeded to Travis Luther all his land and personal property.  See previous deed for George Luther.  Travis Luther listed in the 1860 Census of Dickson County, page 65, #471, with $1500 in real estate and $4500 in personal property.  His mother, Mary, was living with this family in 1860.  This family appears in the 1880 Census of Dickson County at 283.   Issue:  William Travis Luther, George Martin Luther, Newton Jackson Luther, Elizabeth Ann Luther, John R. Luther, Mary A. Luther, and Solomon D. Luther.


 

2.  Jacob Luther.  Born 14 August 1815 in Randolph County .  Was a blacksmith.  Married first on 25 October 1829 in Dickson County , Tennessee to Elizabeth "Betty" Anderson the daughter of John Anderson, Jr. and sister of Laura Anderson who married John Luther.   She was born in Dickson County on 25 October 1819 and died in 1878.  Jacob Luther married secondly Nancy -----, with no issue.  Shown on the 1839 Tax List for Dickson County , District # 2, with 239 acres and 1 poll.  Not listed in 1840 Census of Dickson County, but a Jacob Luther is shown on the 1840 Census of Fayette County.  Listed in the 1850 Census of Dickson County, family #433.  Moved in 1853 to Cuba , Graves County , Kentucky where he died in 1891.  Buried on the family farm two miles west of Cuba , Kentucky .  Issue by first marriage:  Harriett E. Luther, Elizabeth Ann Luther, William George W. Luther, Mary A. Luther, M. Tennessee Luther, Andrew Jackson Luther, John Benjamin Luther, Alice D. Luther, and Travis Newton Luther.

 

3.  Elizabeth Luther.  Born 1818 in Randolph County .  Married 8 June 1839 in Dickson County , Tennessee to John Welch, who was killed by Willis Johnson on 19 September 1839 .  Willis Johnson was the father of Mahala Johnson who was arrested with John Luther on the charge of aiding runaway slaves.  Widow Elizabeth Welch appears in 1860 Census of Dickson County at page 101, #720.  She married Joseph Hassum on 25 December 1861 in Dickson County , Tennessee .    Issue:  George W. Welch, John Shadrach Welch, Jr., Martha Welch, Westerd Welch, Louisa Welch, Wesley Welch, Travis Welch and James Welch.  This family left Tennessee after her marriage to Joseph Hassum

 

4.   John Luther.  Born 1820 in Randolph County .  Married 27 August 1838 in Williamson County , Tennessee to Anna Laura Anderson, the daughter of Robert B. Anderson, brother of John Anderson, Jr.  See the Anderson group.  Ancestor - see later.

 

5.   James Bowden Luther.  Born in 1822 in Virginia .  Married Candace ----.  Deed land in 1845 200 acres on headwaters of Nail's Creek, beginning at the Hickman County line.  Issue:  Louisa Luther, Solomon Luther, Lucinda Luther, James Luther, and Dillard Luther. 

 

6.  Sarah Jane "Sally" Luther.  Born 16 April 1824 in Dickson County , Tennessee .  Married 28 February 1841 in Dickson County to James M. Davidson.  Died May 1911 in Dickson County .  James and Sarah Davidson are each shown on the 1839 Tax List of District #4, Dickson County , with 785 acres and 5 slave polls. This family appears in the 1880 Census of Dickson County at 282.   Issue:  John W. Davidson, Sarah A. Davidson, Mary Anne Davidson, Nancy Davidson, Andrew J. Davidson, Alfred G. Davidson, August R. Davidson, Viney R. Davidson, Martha J. Davidson, Eliza M. Davidson, and James H. Davidson.

 

 7.   Patsy Luther.  Born 1825 in Dickson County .  Married 4 January 1846 in Dickson County to William Davidson.   Issue:  James McFarland Davidson, Lige Davidson, Monroe Davidson, Jeff Davidson, Sarah Ann Davidson.

 

8.   Mary Luther.  Born in 1828 in Dickson County .  Married 25 April 1846 in Dickson County to Anderson Tate (1803-1856).  Issue:  Dolly Tate, Mariah Tate, and Winney Tate.

 

9.   Margaret "Peggy" Luther.  Born May 1829 in Dickson County .  Married first John Squire Brown on 3 December 1949 in Dickson County . This family appears on the 1860 Census of Dickson County, page 65, #686.    Married secondly, Chris Meek. This family appears in the 1880 Census of Dickson County at #294.   Issue:  Dillard H. Brown, Martha Elizabeth Brown, S.E. Brown, N.W. Brown, John Morgan Brown, and Ruth Brown.  

 

10.   Nancy Luther.  Born in 1832 in Dickson County . Married 9 June 1852 to Sterling Ramsey.

 

11.  George Washington Luther.  Born 12 October 1834 in Dickson County .  Married first Sara A. Tate on 11 February 1854 in Dickson County .  Married second Anna Spears, with no issue.  Appears on 1860 Census of Dickson County at page 65, #470.  This family appears in the 1880 Census of Dickson County at #291.   Was a farmer.  Died 14 February 1894 in Dickson County , Tennessee .  Buried in Frazier Cemetery .  NSDAR # 599495.  Issue by first marriage: William Bowden Luther, Jake Luther, James Buchanan Luther, Newton J. Luther, George Anderson Luther, Amanda A. Luther, Thomas Wesley Luther, Sarah L. Luther, Martha Luther, and Sterling W. Luther.

 

 

 


 

 

JOHN LUTHER

1820 - ca 1890

 

 

JOHN LUTHER was born in 1820 in Randolph County , North Carolina .  When he was five years old, his family moved to Dickson County , Tennessee and was early pioneers in that area.

 

John Luther married on 27 August 1838 in Williamson County , Tennessee to Laura Ann Anderson, probably the daughter of Robert B. and Elizabeth (Mothershed) Anderson of Williamson County.  Laura Anderson's parents were both born in Tennessee .  See the Anderson group.

 

This family is shown on the 1840 Census of Dickson County at page #207.  John Luther does not appear on the 1839 Tax List of Dickson County.

 

John Luther, as with his ancestors, was a blacksmith.  He is noted as having a blacksmith and wagon shop in White Bluff, Tennessee .  (Goodspeed, 1886, pp. 945)

 

John Luther is reported to have married secondly Margaret Butler after 1880, but I have found no documentation of this marriage.

 

John Luther had been sentenced to four years in prison for "harboring runaway slaves."  Records of this trial are incomplete but may be found in the following documents:  Dickson County Circuit Court Minute Book "C", June 1855 term - "State vs. Luther"  pp. 111-114;  Book "CC" continued, June Term 1855 - John Luther, pp. 7,9 10 and 23.  He was prisoner # 1553 at the Tennessee State Penitentiary.  He was received at the prison on 3 July 1855 at age 37.  He was pardoned by Governor Johnson and released on 23 December 1856 .

 

 


 

 

 

This family appears on the 1860 Census of Dickson County on page 79, #706.  At that time, John Luther was a blacksmith with $800 in real estate and $1,285 in personal property.

 

John Luther appears to have served in the Civil War in Company H, 7th Tennessee Infantry, and also 8th Tennessee Infantry of the Union Army.  According to army records, he joined in December 1862 for a period of 3 years.

 

John Luther does not appear in the 1870 Census of Dickson County.

 

He appears in the 1880 Census of Dickson County at #394, with his entire family.  At this time, he is 61 and his wife, Laura, is age 56.

 

There is no will of record for John or Laura Luther in Dickson County between 1849 and 1907.  Nor is there any cemetery record.  He is probably buried in the Welch/Luther Cemetery near Burns.

 

 

John and Laura Luther had issue:

1.   Mary A. Luther.  Born 1841 in Dickson County , Tennessee .  She was living with her parents in 1860.  She married on 30 August 1862 to William Ladd.  He was living with this family, as a farmhand, in the 1860 Census.   This family appears in the 1880 Census of Dickson County at 295.  Issue by 1880 included:  William Ladd, John Ladd, Henry Ladd, and A.G. Ladd (male).

 

2.   John Marshall Luther.  Born 6 February 1844 in Dickson County .  Married Virginia Kendall Porter.  Died 7 January 1914 in Burns and buried near Bon Aqua in Dickson County .  This family appears in the 1880 Census of Dickson County at 291.  Issue:  John Turner Luther, Howell Adams Luther, Marshall Kendall Luther, Sarah Elizabeth Luther, Missouri Clark Luther, William Calvert Luther, Delbert Gordon Luther, Elbert Farmer Luther, Raymond Givens Luther, and Grover Earl Luther.

 

3.   William Bowden Luther.  Born 1846 in Dickson County . Married Martha Ladd.  This family appears in the 1880 Census of Dickson County at 282.  Issue by 1880 included:  D'Abre D. Luther.

 

4.  Andrew Jackson Luther.  Born 27 August 1849 in Dickson County .  Married first on 8 October 1872 to Mrs E.K. Anderson.  Married secondly on 4 October 1876 to Mrs Amanda Emino Tate Tidwell Gentry.  Married for a third time to Dolly Williams, with no issue.  Shown on the 1880 Census of Dickson County at page 10, dwelling 93.  Winnie Tate, sister-in-law, was also living here at that time as was Matthew L. Gentry.  Died 7 January 1923 in Dickson County .  Issue by first marriage:  William "Willie" E. Luther and   Jonnie Anne Luther.  Issue by second marriage:  Romanus Herman Luther, Herman Luther, Minnie Edith Luther, Amanda Ethel Luther, and Evalena "Evie" Luther. 

 

5.   Sara E. Luther.  Born 1853 in Dickson County .  Married William Hall.  This family appears in the 1880 Census of Dickson County at 297.  Issue by 1880 included:  Laura Hall, Virginia Hall, William Hall, and James Hall.

 

6.  Alice S. Luther.  Born 1855 in Dickson County .  Married Hiram Baker.  This family appears in the 1880 Census of Dickson County at 262.   Issue by 1880 included:  L.E. Baker (female), Hiram Baker Jr., James W. Baker, and John J. Baker.

 

7.   Aris Bowden Luther.  Born 1 March 1858 in Dickson County .  Married Mary Eudora "Dora" Thompson.  See the Thompson group.  Ancestor - see later.

 

8.   Laura A. Luther.  Born 1861 in Dickson County .  Married Pink A. Rotaree. No further record.

 

9.   Campbell Luther.  Born 1867 in Dickson County .  Did not marry.  Died circa 1907 in Tennessee .

 

 

 

 

ARIS BOWDEN LUTHER

1858 - 1926

 

ARIS BOWDEN LUTHER, my great grandfather, was born 1 March 1858 near Burns, in Dickson County , Tennessee .  He married on 13 January 1878 in Dickson County to Mary Eudora Thompson, daughter of Silas A. and Ann (Gentry) Thompson.  See the Thompson group.

 

Like his forefathers, Aris Bowden Luther was a blacksmith.  He had a blacksmith shop in Burns, Tennessee .  (Goodspeed, 1886, pp. 946)  The History of Burns, Tennessee notes:  "Aris B. Luther purchased the site for his blacksmith shop in Burns from Mr. Seals in 1914.  Here, Aris and his sons operated a planing mill from 1914 to 1916."    Then, "after some seasons, Mr. Luther built a new shop immediately north of his residence (which is the residence of the Johnson sisters). The building still stands.  It is slightly to the north and to the rear of the present Johnson residence.  Mr., Aris Luther was assisted in his business by his sons Norman and Fate." 

 

 

This family is shown on the 1900 Census of Dickson County in District # 12, Vol. 16, E.D. 13, Sheet 6, Line 66.  By this time they were living in White Bluff.

 

 

Aris B. Luther died, at age 68, on 28 December 1926 and is buried in the Williams Cemetery near Whitebluff , Tennessee .

 

Mary Eudora "Dora" Thompson Luther died 2 December 1935 at age 77.  She is buried with her husband at Williams Cemetery near White Bluff.  At the time of her death, she was living at Burns.

 

Aris and Dora Luther had issue:

 

1.   William Herbert Luther.  Born in Dickson County , Tennessee , 5 Nov 1878 .  Not shown with parents on 1900 Census.  Married Sallie E.  Died 17 May 1947 .  Buried in White Bluff Cemetery .

 

2.   Silas Emory Luther.  Born 31 July 1886 in Dickson County .  Married Lillie Petty, daughter of Richard and Alice Petty.  Died 22 March 1940 .  Buried near parents in Williams Cemetery . 

 

3.  Lillie Luther.  Born 1881 in Dickson County .  Not shown with parents on 1900 Census.  Married J.M. "Bud" Larkins.  Died 26 February 1922 at age 41.  Buried with husband in Dickson Union Cemetery , 

 

4.  Lela Luther.  Born 29 September 1883 in Dickson County .  Living with parents in 1900.  Married J.M. "Bud" Larkins as his second wife.  Died in September 1963.  Buried in Dickson Union Cemetery with husband and sister. 

 

5.  Horace Norman Luther, Sr.  Born February 1889 in Dickson County .  Married 1908 in Dickson County to Nellie B. Jordan.  See the Jordan group.  Ancestor, see later.

 

6.  Annie Laura Luther.  Born 21 July 1891 in Dickson County .  Living with parents in 1900.  Married Charles Judd Carillion.  Buried in Southerland Cemetery near Whitebluff , Tennessee . 

 

7.  Lafayette "Fate" Luther.  Born October 1893 in Dickson County , Tennessee .  Living with parents in 1900.  Married secondly Claytie Grey.  Died 24 September 1939 in Hamble , Tennessee . 

 

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT

Dr. Joseph Luther

Old School Research

9101 Whispering Wind Road

Lincoln NE   68512

jluther@neb.rr.com

"Far away is close at hand in images of elsewhere."