Studies in Hill-Moore-Jones-Halbert and Related Families

What was in the pine box?

PART 1

(In the Study of the Hill, Moore, Jones, Halbert and related families, a pine box was mentioned. This is the first segment of what was in that box.--typist)

Lying apparently unnoticed at the bottom of an old trunk in the home of
Henry Hill and his son E. Q. Hill on Lost Creek, Union County,
Tennessee, was a hand carved pine box 8x3x3 inches laboriously whittled
and polished, inside and out, and fitted with a grooved sliding lid.
This receptacle was filled with deeds dating back to the year 1813 and
with tax receipts and other scraps of paper which people of the long ago
deemed worthy of preservation.

I am in this year of Grace 1962, making a copy of these papers so that
posterity may be reminded of the changes which time has brought to us.
If our forebearers cared enough to save such materials, then we, out of
respect for their industry and frugality, ought to take the time to pass
such along to those who follow us.

We do not know who carved out this little pine chest. It might have
been a treasured heirloom brought from Stokes County, NC by Matthew
Hill, or he might have made it from a pine sapling cut from the primeval
forest on Clinch River when he came there about the year 1812-1813.

In this manuscript, I will quote verbatim these ancient papers found in
the box but will comment about them in parentheses. Archaic expressions
and faulty spelling will be preserved in quotations.

Keep in mind that when Matthew Hill came to settle on Clinch River, that
area was then a part of Campbell County, Tennessee. Once it had been
Greene, later Hawkins, then in 1792, Knox, in 1801 Anderson, in 1806
Campbell and when Union County was created in 1856, the region became a
part of Union County.

DEED FROM JOHN HANCOCK TO MATTHEW HILL

"This indenture made this tenth day of August in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and thirteen between John Hancock of Campbell
County of the one part and Matthew Hill of the said county of the other
part, witnesseth that the said John Hancock for and inconsideration of
the sum of one hundred dollars current money of the United States to him
in hand paid, the receipt thereof he doth hereby acknowledge, hath
granted, bargained, sold and by these presents doth grant, bargain,
deliver, and confirm unto Matthew Hill one certain tract or parcel of
land containing one hundred acres more or less lying in the said County
of Campbell on the North Side of Clinch River and bounded as follows:
Beginning at a Spanish oak and locust, thence south forty five west, one
hundred thirty poles with Henderson and company line to an ash and
cucumber on the North bank of said river, thence up meanders of the
river to the beginning, together with all the privileges and
appurtenances there unto belonging or in ways appertaining. To have and
to hold the said tract or parcel of land with all the appurtenances to
the said Matthew Hill, his heir and assigns forever, and the said John
Hancock for himself and his heirs do warrant and defend (broken and
illegible)....In witness whereof the said John Hancock hath here unto
set his hand and seal the day and year above written. Sealed, signed
and delivered in the presence of us.

(Witnesses were Jason Cloud and Thomas Ready. Sealed with John Hancock's
seal. Registered in the September session, 1813 and is in Book "B" page
154.)

(Commenting upon this deed from Hancock to Matthew Hill, it is known
that this land was at or near Cloud's Ford between Loyston and Walnut
Grove. it was to this place that Matthew Hill came and first settled.
He later bought another tract further up Clinch River. It was while
living near Cloud's Ford that he fattened, slaughtered and carried a hog
on horseback to the little town of Knoxville. He kept buying land up
the river until he bought two tracts lying from Lost Creek down toward
Big Spring. He finally built a home and moved to the place where his
grandson, Harvey Hill lived up until 1935. Here he died and rests in an
unmarked grave in the vicinity of Oakes Chapel. His oldest son Elijah
Hill married Mary Sharp, daughter of Conrad and Sarah (Gibbs) Sharp and
lived some two miles up from the mouth of Lost Creek. His son Oliver
lived where Harvey Hill lived. His sons Matthew and Green lived down
near Big Springs. His son David lived near the Bledsoe store. WHT)

(The Henderson and Company line mentioned was surveyed by Stockley
Donelson in 1783. Judge Richard Henderson and his associates were given
a two hundred thousand acre tract in lieu of the Transylvania Purchase.
This so-called "Consolation grant" estended down Powell's River from Old
Town near cumberland Gap to a point below present Norris Dam and was to
be twelve miles wide on one or both sides of Clinch River below the fork
of Powell and Clinch. The Henderson Line ran by way of Tom Bridges Knob
through the Pond Hollow section and crossed the Clinch a few miles above
the forks and ended on the bank of Bull Run Creek in present Knox
county. From that corner, the line ran across the Clinch just below
Norris Dam and cornered at Vasper, below present Cove Lake Park. WHT)

DEED FROM SUGAR JONES TO MATTHEW HILL

(Excerpts from deed. Old documents are difficult to type word for word.--typist)

This deed dated January 27, 1817 between Shugar Jones and Matthew Hill,
both of Campbell Co. It was for 100 acres in Campbell Co. being a part
of the 5000 acres owned by Stokely Donalson and Samuel King from 1795.
The name James Glasgow was deleted from the deed and Shugar Jones was
inserted. Henry Mims and John Hancock witnessed. It was signed with
Sugar Jones' seal. Shugar and Sugar are used. It was registered in the
book "C" on page 71.

(Comments on this Sugar Jones Deed. This tract was also near Cloud's
Ford and apparently adjoined land sold to Matthew Hill by John Hancock.
The late historian, Worth S. Ray, wrote that akinship existed between
Rev. William Hill of Stokes County and Rev. (Maj) Green Hill of Franklin
County, NC, and later of Williamson County, TN. Since it is claimed
that this Matthew Hill was a descendant of Rev. William Hill
(1710-1787), this deed appears to prove a definite kinship. William
Hill, chaplain under Gen. Greene had a brother named Green Hill b. 1714
who married Grace Bennett and had a son Green Hill b. 1743. He was a
Major in the Revolution and a Methodist minister. Green and Grace
(Bennett) Hill had a daughter Mary Hill who married Edward Jones and had
a son named Sugar Jones who was a Colonel in the Revolution. This
Edward Jones was a son of Edward Jones, Sr. who wife was Abigail Sugre.
This French name was Anglicized into Sugar, so Col. Sugar Jones
inherited his first name from a Huguenot family in Virginia. It is most
probable that the Sugar Jones of this deed was a son or a grandson of
Col. Sugar Jones. Joel Halbert of Stokes County, NC married into this
same Sugar Jones family and two sons and a daughter of Rev. William Hill
married into the family of Joel Halbert. It is likewise significant
that this Matthew Hill named a son Green Hill in honor of his
distinguished kinsman.

Stockley Donelson, brother-in-law to Andrew Jackson entered or patented
any unclaimed land adjoining the Henderson "Consolation" grant. His
wife was a Glasgow. It would appear that the James Glasgow whose name
was deleted in this deed had been a land agent for Donelson and had
employed a capable penman to draw up deeds, this being one of them. The
writing is so beautiful that I had photostatic copies made of this
deed. WHT)

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