John Harpole

1792 - 1861  (69 years)

• Name	John Harpole
  Birth	14 Jan 1792	Virginia
  Gender	Male
  Death	12 Feb 1861	Obion County, Tennessee
  Notes	1792-John Harpole was born in Virginia [Harpole, John Thomas (1887) Recorded by him on the assumed questionaire form from which his "biography" was compiled for inclusion in; Goodspeed, W.A. (1887) HISTORY OF TENNESSEE pub. Goodspeed:Nashville, TN 1797-"John Harpole came from Virginia to Wilson County, Tennessee when a young man..." [Harpole, Andrew J. (1887) Recorded by him on the assumed questionaire form from which his "biography" was compiled for inclusion in Goodspeed]. A suggested hypothetical date might be later than 1797, however, we know that his father Solomon purchased land in Sumner County in 1797---when John would have been five years old 1808-Death of John's father, Solomon Harpole. John was sixteen years of age. John Harpole Sr was guardian of William and Polly, and may also have been named guardian of John. This close relationship indicates that John Sr. might actually have been another son of Solomon's, and not just a nephew. 1812-[The twenty year old John Harpole] was a soldier in the War of 1812. [Harpole, John Thomas (1887) Recoreded by him on the assumed questionaire form from which his "biography" was compiled for inclusion in; Goodspeed, W.A. (1887) HISTORY OF TENNESSEE pub. Goodspeed:Nashville, TN] John Harpole, Trumpeter, Major General Andrew Jackson, Capt. E. Kirkpatrick, Mounted Gunmen [Sistler, Byron & Barbara (1992) ENLISTED MEN, WAR OF 1812] 1813-Allotment to the heirs of Solomon Harpole. Heirs: William Harpole, Polly Patterson, John Harpole. 21 June 1813. Recorded in Deed Book E. 1814-On a receipt dated 25 Nov 1814, "Rec. from Wyatt Bettis the sum of ninety-six cents for the direct tax ont he property of John Harpole. [Harpole, Belma & Agnes TENNESSEE COUSINS] 1815-John Harpole...married Elizabeth Swigley...(of) Wilson County, TN [Harpole, Andrew J. (1887) Recorded by him on the assumed questionaire form from which his "biography" was compiled for inclusion in Goodspeed] This marriage took place on 26 January 1815 and the bondman was [John's first cousin] George Harpole. [Whitley, Edythe Rucker--compiler (1981) MARRIAGES OF WILSON COUNTY, TENNESSEE 1802-1850] 1815-John Harpole was bondsman at the marriage of George Bullard and Elizabeth Spradlin of 2 Mar 1815 in Wilson County, Tennessee 1815-Solomon Wesley Harpole [the oldest child of John and Elizabeth] was born in Wilson [County] Tennessee (later that same year of 1815) [Harpole, John Thomas (1887) Recorded by him on the assumed questionaire form from which his "biography" was compiled for inclusion in Goodspeed] 1816-"This is to certify that I, John Jr., heir of Solomon Harpole deceased do relinquish all claims to a tract of land to Thomas Patterson who conveyed it to Wyatt Bettes, Jr. Dated 30 July 1816." Recorded in Wilson County Deed Book G. "This is to certify that John Harpole, Sr., guardian for William Harpole and Thomas Patterson, heirs of Solomon Harpole reqlinquish their claims to land on Spring Creek to John Harpole, Jr. dated 30 July 1816." Recorded in Wilson County Deed Book G. Thomas Patterson and Polly, his wife, formerly Polly Harpole, daughter of Solomon Harpole, deceased, transferred ownership of 56 acres on Spring Creek to Wyatt Bettes on 16 August 1816. Recorded in Wilson County Deed Book F. Presumably this was the land she inherited from her father. "This is to certify that we John Harpole, Jr. and Thomas Patterson relinquish our claims to land on Spring Creek being a part of the dower of Christina Bettes, formerly the wife of Solomon Harpole to William Harpole. Dated 30 July 1816. Recorded in Wilson County Deed Book G. 1816-John Harpole was a soldier (again under General Jackson) int he Seminole war which was fought from 1816-1818 in the Florida Everglades. [Harpole, Andrew J (1887) Recorded by him on the assumed questionaire form from which his "biography" was compiled for inclusion in; Goodspeed, W.A. (1887) HISTORY OF TENNESSEE pub. Goodspeed:Nashville, TN 1817----Received this 21st day of Feb 1817 from John Harpole the sum of 92 1/2 cents for the direct tax of Wilson County for 1816. [Harpole, Belma & Agnes HARPOLE COUSINS] 1819-The first settler, Elisha Parker, was recorded in the Western District of Tennessee. This was the same area that John, and his brother William, were to settle a few years later. Obion County was eventually created from this Western District in 1832 from the Chickasaw Indian Cession and named after the Obion River. 1820-John Harpole and Jonas Swingley had 314 acres of land on Barton's Creek, Wilson County, transferred to them by Joseph Swingley on 25 May 1820. Recorded in Wilson County, Tennessee Deed book H [Partlow, Thomas E. (1984) WILSON COUNTY TENNESSEE DEED BOOKS C-M, 1793-1829 [An Index] page 252] 1822-Received of John Harpole Jr Four Hundred and Eighteen Dollars Thirty Six cents in full of my estate January 26, 1822. /s/ William Harpole [Harpole, Belma & Agnes HARPOLE COUSINS] William Harpole must have sold his share of their father's estate to John Harpole Jr. If this reference is to sixty acres, as is understood, John paid $7 an acre 1824-John's first wife, Elizabeth, dies in December in Wilson County, Tennessee. This was the same year their daughter, Milly, was born and the two events may well have been connected. [Acklen, Jeannette Tillotson compiler (1976) TENNESSEE TOMBSTONE INSCRIPTIONS Lebanon, Wilson County]. Extant Obion County marriage records start in this year and the first Circuit Court is held there in the home of W.M. Wilson. 1825-John Harpole transfers 200 acres of land in Wilson County to Jonas Swingley on 3 December 1828. Recorded in Wilson County Deed Book L. [Partlow, Thomas E. (1984) WILSON COUNTY TENNESSEE DEED BOOKS C-M, 1793-1829 [An Index] page 198] 1826-John Harpole marries for the second time, in Rutherford County, Tennessee. This county is next door to Wilson County on the southside. His wife, Mary Ann, is probably in ther late thirties based on the 1830 census. She is identified as Mary Ann McMinamy. She is not described as a widow. 1826-[John Harpole's military] services was acknowledged...by the [Tennessee State] Government granting him 160 acres of land in what was to become Obion County, Tennessee. [Harpole, John Thomas (1887) Recorded by him on the assumed questionaire form from which his "biography" was compiled for inclusion in Goodspeed] -John Harpole was listed, among others, as an early settler in the north-east of Obion County (later District No. 1 of Obion County). "Among other early settlers were Obidah Roberts, northwest of Union City; Benjamin Totten at Totten's well, in the northeast part of the county; also in the same locality Jethro L. Byrd, John Harpole and Thomas Sayles." [Goodspeed (1887) THE GOODSPEED HISTORY OF TENNESSEE pub. Goodspeed:Nashville, TN] It is recorded that John's son Solomon Wesley Harpole...."came to Obion County in 1826 (when he would have been eleven years old) and resided on the farm later owned by (his own son) John T(homas Harpole), for two years..." [Harpole, John Thomas (1887) Recorded by him on the assumed questionaire form from which his "biography" was compiled for inclusion in Goodspeed] "The first wheat planted in Obion County was planted by Lemuel Curlin and John Harpole. They cleared the land together. The forest was so very heavy, clearing land was no easy task." [Curlin, Thomas R. in convesation with his son R.T. Curlin. Extracted from Marshall's OBION COUNTY HISTORY and quoted in "Obion Origins" pub. by Obion County Genealogical Society in August 1986] 1827-Pamelia C. Harpole, the precise spelling varies, was born in March, and almost certainly in Obion County. There is no known contemporaneous record of this event. She appears to have been the first child born to John's second wife, May Ann McMinamy. She was incorrectly thought to have been born seven years earlier to John's first wife. This misunderstanding was recorded in HARPOLE COUSINS but this secondary record (original source unknown) is still an important source and in independant of Kenneth Harvey's family confirmation of her close relationship to John Harpole. Pamelia is listed as the wife of John M. Gentry on the 1850 Obion County, Tennessee census. William Harpole was once considered as her possible father, however he was ruled out because of the existance of a full listing of William's children in both the Obion County History [Obion County History Society (1985) OBION COUNTY HISTORY, VOL II Pub. Union City, Tennessee] and in HARPOLE COUSINS. -Received of John Harpole 25 cents in full of state and county tax for 1827. /s/ Joel S. Enloe [Harpole, Belma & Agnes HARPOLE COUSINS] -John Harpole of Obion County, Tennessee transferred 56 acres on Spring Creek, Wilson Co, Tennessee to Thomas Kindred on 23 July 1827. Recorded in Wilson County Deed Book 1828-[John and his family, including Solomon Wesley Harpole] ...then moved two miles north of that [original] farm...[Harpole, John Thomas (1887) Recorded by him on the assumed questionaire form from which his "biography" was compiled for inclusion in Goodspeed] Presumably the homestead was relocated a few miles north. John most likely kept both farms, as a grandson of his was to be born on and inherit the southernmost property. It seems probable he received two land grant of 80 acres each, two miles apart. One of these pioneer log residences, presumably the second, was still standing until 1991, when it burnt down. It was known, at the time, to be the oldest house in north-west Tennessee. [Correspondence of Dr. David Harpole of Richmond, Virginia with Kenneth Harvey] -Received of John Harpole 37 1/2 cents in full of his state and county tax for the year 1828. [Harpole, Belma & Agnes HARPOLE COUSINS] 1829-John Harpole, J.P. is given as the officiant at the marriage of Joseph Scott to Martha Jackson on 2 September 1829. 1829--"Some Interesting Facts About Early Obion County and Union City, TN" by T.D. Ozment states: Lem Curlin and John Harpole cleared some land in about 1829 and planted the first wheat ever planted in the county. According to Marshall's history this was just a few miles northeast of Union City." 1830-Rec. of John Harpole $3 and 50 cents for Smith work done in the year 1828 and 1829 up to the present date. February 19, 1830 /s/ Jesse Thompson. [Harpole, Belma & Agnes HARPOLE COUSINS] 1830 Federal Census: John was listed in the first Federal census of the county and his household age structure was reported as one male between ages 5/10 (Wilson P, age 8), two males aged between 10/15 (Solomon W, age 14 and Albert C., age 12) One female between 5/10 (Millie, age 6) and one female, presumably Mary Ann, aged circa 45. It is puzzling that Pamelia is not accounted for, who would have been around three years old. Kenneth Harvey does not believe that Millie is a nickname for Pamelia, as both individuals are recorded in different households in the 1850 Obion County census. --Rec. of John Harpole two dollars and thirty seven and one-half cents in full for State and County tax. [Harpole, Belma & Agnes HARPOLE COUSINS] 1833-Rec. of John Harpole one dollar and 62 and 1/2 cents in full of State & County tax for the year 1832. [Harpole, Belma & Agnes HARPOLE COUSINS] 1834--Both John and James Harpole are summonded by the Sheriff to serve as Grand and Petty Jurors at the Circuit Court meeting in Troy in November 1834. [Minutes of the Court of Quarter Sessions of Obion County 1834-1836. Transcriptions of the County Archives of Tennessee 1941] The identity of James Harpole is unknown. Could this have actually been William? 1835-Rec. of Douglas and Ward by the hand of John Harpole five dollars and sixty two and a half cents in full of the state and county tax on 1,000 acres of land in Obion County for the year 1835. [Harpole, Belma & Agnes HARPOLE COUSINS] 1837-John Harpole was assessed as "W(hite) Poll 1" like all other 94 taxpayers in Obion County, District 1. He was recorded as owning 250 acres and no slaves. 1850-The 1850 census index for Obion County, Tennessee shows: John Harpole (59), born in Virginia, and those of his children at home; (Wilson) Page (28), Millie (26) and William (Alexander) (18). John's mother, the elderly (Anna) Christianna Bettes, born in 1770, was living in their home. 1857-John Harpole is recorded as possessing no slaves, three horses, one mule, eleven cattle, fifteen sheep, thirty five swine, 72 bushels of wheat and 250 bushels of corn. [Agricultural Wealth of the County of Obion 1857 (extracted from a book containing the statistics in the Registry of Deeds Office in Obion County] 1860-Not located in the 1860 census. 1861-Date of death cited in HARPOLE COUSINS was 12 February 1861. May actually have died prior to the 1860 census. The Harpole cemetery is located on land belonging to Tom Elam (as of 1986), east of Jordan Highway on the old Hickman-Dresden Road. No tombstones have been found but John Harpole and his two wives are buried to the east of the Log House, according to CEMETERIES OF OBION COUNTY, TENNESSEE VOL. ONE. This reference to John Harpole, and his two wives by a non-family source, confirms that John was known locally to have married a second time. The "second wife" referred to in this case was probably actually his mother, Anna Christina Dice. His real first wife, Elizabeth Swingley, was buried in Wilson County.
  Person ID	I6425	Strong Family Tree
  Last Modified	17 Aug 2014

  
  

  Father	Solomon Harpole,   b. 11 Jan 1769, Virginia d. Between 1807 and 1808, Wilson County, Tennessee (Age 37 years)
  Mother	Anna Christina Dice,   b. 2 Jun 1770, Pennsylvania d. 17 Aug 1852, Obion County, Tennessee (Age 82 years)
  Marriage	Bef 1792	Virginia
  Family ID	F1122	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family 1	Elizabeth Swingley,   b. 1 Apr 1792, Virginia d. 28 Dec 1824, Wilson County, Tennessee (Age 32 years)
  Marriage	26 Jan 1815	Wilson County, Tennessee
  Children	1. Solomon Wesley Harpole,   b. 1815   d. 1880 (Age 65 years)   2. Albert Carroll Harpole,   b. 1818   d. 1889 (Age 71 years)   3. Wilson Page Harpole,   b. 1822   d. 1895 (Age 73 years)   4. Milli(Cent) Harpole,   b. 1824   d. Aft 1850 (Age 27 years)
  Family ID	F3185	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	9 Dec 2006

  
  

  Family 2	Mary Ann McMinamy,   b. 20 Jun 1788   d. Bef 1850 (Age 61 years)
  Marriage	21 Sep 1826	Rutherford County, Tennessee
  	1826-John Harpole marries for the second time, in Rutherford County, Tennessee. This county is next door to Wilson County on the southside. His wife, Mary Ann, is probably in ther late thirties based on the 1830 census. She is identified as Mary Ann McMinamy. She is not described as a widow. (Lucas, Silas Emmett-compiler (1981) 35,000 Tennessee Marriage Records and Bonds 1783-1870)
  Children	1. Pamelia C Harpole,   b. 20 Mar 1827, Obion County, Tennessee d. 19 Jul 1903, Alma, Chickasaw Nation, Indian Territory (Age 76 years)   2. William Alexander Harpole,   b. 1832   d. 1856 (Age 24 years)
  Family ID	F165	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	9 Dec 2006

  
  

  Family 3	Malinda Patterson,   b. Bef 1822   d. Yes, date unknown
  Marriage	29 Dec 1842	Obion County, Tennessee
  Family ID	F2933	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	9 Dec 2006

  
  

• Event Map

  Birth - 14 Jan 1792 - Virginia Marriage - 26 Jan 1815 - Wilson County, Tennessee Marriage - 21 Sep 1826 - Rutherford County, Tennessee Marriage - 29 Dec 1842 - Obion County, Tennessee Death - 12 Feb 1861 - Obion County, Tennessee  = Link to Google Earth