First Families of Sullivan County ~ A New Page

This First Families section is for ancestors that lived in Sullivan County prior to 1862. If you have ancestors you would like to have posted, send the County Coordinator the information. [Email link below in "Contact Us" block.] The file can have a .rtf, .txt, .doc, .html extension. (Usually Family Tree Maker and other similar programs use .rtf files.).

If you have a genealogy web site of your County Ancestors, let the County Coordinator (CC) know and a link will be added to coming "Personal Genealogy Sites" so that others may visit. You MUST let the CC know that you are sending a file prior to sending it. Attachments from unknown sources are never opened.

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Use these family pages as a springboard for your research. No attempts are made to verify the accuracy of the information submitted. If you find what you believe to be errors, please contact the submitter and cc the County Coordinator.

Please do NOT submit any information on living people. Information relating to living people are *not* posted. It is too dangerous to post names of living folk, even if the information listed says "Private". The year 1920 is used as the cut-off year for births.

The County Coordinator email is at the bottom of the page under "Contact Us".

Known First Settlers To But Not Including 1850

Main Locust Creek / Scottsville Settlement

• Dr. Jacob Holland & Robert W. Holland: The first permanent white settlers, arriving in 1836 or 1837.
• John Hatcher: A farmer who arrived shortly after the Hollands.
• Hawkins Harrelson & Hazael Harrelson: Arrived in the late 1830s.
• Mrs. Charles Read & Henry Dell: Arrived in the late 1830s.
• John Dennis & Family: Moved into the settlement with his wife and four children in 1838.
• B.T. Dennison: Resident present in the late 1830s.
• Matthew Kidd: Lived near the present site of Kiddville in the late 1830s.
• John McCullough & Family: Arrived from Boone County in 1840.
• James Murphy: newly married man who arrived in 1840.
• Jacob Weaver, John Weaver, & Elias Hudnall: Arrived around 1840.

West Locust Creek Settlement

• Daniel Wilhite & Family: Arrived from Tennessee in 1840.
• Thomas Spencer & Family: Arrived from Monroe County in 1840.
• Gabriel Jones & Family: Arrived from Monroe County in 1840.
• William Eaton & Family: Arrived from Monroe County in 1840.
• Hiram T. Elmore: A single man from Kentucky who arrived in 1840.
• Jefferson & Harrison Elmore: Settled near present-day Reger in the early 1840s.

Pharsalia (Milan) Settlement & Surrounding Areas

• William Sevier: Arrived in 1839. Born in Kentucky.
• Jeremiah Gore Smith: Arrived in 1839 from Boston.
• Rev. John Curl: Arrived in 1839.The first Baptist preacher in the county; lived about twelve miles north of present-day Milan. Left the county in 1840.
• Rev. Jesse Goins: Arrived in the county in 1837.
• Armstead C. Hill: One of the earliest prominent settlers of the Milan area.
• Thomas Lane, John Baldridge, Esom Hannon, William Talley, Joseph Couch, Francis Drake, Donnel Doyle, & Ira Sears: All arrived between 1840 and 1841.

Jackson's Corners (Jacksonville)

• William Jackson & Branson Jackson: Settled in the area prior to 1840.
• Samuel Rodgers: Settled prior to 1840.
• Jacob Mealman, John Needham, & Hawkins Harrelson: Settled prior to 1840.
• Jefferson & Harrison Elmore: Settled near present-day Reger in the early 1840s.

Other Notable Early Settlers (1841–1849)

• Martin Berry: A native of Ireland who purchased a farm in 1841.
• Patrick North: Arrived around 1841.
• Peter McKernan & John McKernan: Irish brothers who arrived in 1841.
• Patrick Finan & John Kline: Settled the area in 1841.
• Levi Dennis, Martha Hale, William Walker, Samuel Darr, John Constant, Oliver P. Phillips, & Peter Groves: Recorded as pioneer landowners and residents prior to 1850.

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