William Pennington Quarles (abt. 1752 - 1814)

Born about 1752 in Orange, Caroline Cty, Virginia

Ancestors

Husband of Nancy Ann (Hawes) Quarles — married 1783 in Bedford, Bedford, Virginia

Descendants

Died 2 Apr 1814 at about age 62 in White Plains Plantation, Cookeville, Tennessee

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Donna Roberts [send private message] and Skip Young [send private message]

William Quarles has English ancestors.

Biography

William was born about 1752.

William was a 2nd Lieutenant in the Revolutionary War. He moved his family of 10 children, wife, and 4 sons-in-laws to Tennessee. Opened up a post office and named it white plains. Was murdered on road one night in 1814. Buried in Quarles Burton Cemetery. Original home burned and was standing where cemetery is. He was also a lawyer.

HIS CHILDREN WERE:

1. TABITHA TOMPKINS-1784
2. FRANCIS DOROTHY-1794
3. MARY GOODLOE-1786
4. JAMES TOMPKINS-1796
5. NANCY HAWES-1788
6. SALLIE WESLEY-1798
7. ELIZABETH JANE-1790
8. JOHN ADAMS-1800
9. WILLIAM HAWES-1792
10. CATHERINE BAXTER-1802

In 1783, William Quarles married Nancy Anne Hawes in Carolina Co., Virginia, after an engagement of 7 years. Their children were: 1. Tabitha Tompkins "Tabby" (b. 1784) married William Hawes, her first cousin. 2. Mary Goodloe "Polly" (b. 1786) married Harrison Irby Hughes. 3. Nancy Hawes (b. 1788) married William Burton. 4. Elizabeth Jane (b. 1790) married (in 1814) Charles Burton (14 Dec 1808). 5. William Hawes (b. 1792) married Ruth Hyder. 6. Frances Dorthy (b. 1794; died 1830) married William Little. 7. James Tompkins (b. 26 May 1796; d. 1879) married Mary Diana Simpson. 8. Sara Wesley (b. 1798) married Adam Huntsman. 9. John Adam(s) (b. 1800; d. 18 Jan 1877) married 22 Jun 1825 Martha Lampton "Patsy." 10. Catherine Baxter (b. 1802) married William Snodgrass.

There is an interesting relationship with John Adams Quarles and the family of Mark Twain. John A. Quarles married Patsy Lampton, a sister of Jane Lampton who was married to John Marshall Clemens of Jackson Co. Mr. Clemens is described in John Oscar Blackney's book, The Quarles and Some Collaterals, as "a good enough sort of fellow, a dreamer of dreams that never came true, and a financial and business failure."

John and Patsy Quarles moved to Florida, Missouri, about 1830. His record as a farmer and merchant marked him a notable man, full of humor, thoroughly reliable and resourceful. He was elected county judge of Monroe Co., Missouri.

The Clemens family joined the Quarles family in Missouri in 1832, and thus Florida, Missouri, became the birthplace of Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain). Samuel Clemens spent his boyhood summers enjoying the hospitality of his Uncle John's family. He hunted, fished, and engaged in all the sports of that era in a new country.

Many legends survive of John A. Quarles' whimsical humor, and some of his stories have been immortalized in the literature of his distinguished nephew. This association, together with the slaves on the Quarles plantation, provided the seed that was to produce ideas for some of Mark Twain's stories. This connection is probably why Samuel Clemens wrote some of his early works under the pen name "Thomas Jefferson Snodgrass."

Sources

• The Jackson Co. Family History Book: 200 Years of Memories (Jackson Co. [Tennessee] Hist. Soc.--1996) White Plains
• The events of William's life were either witnessed by Skip Young or Skip plans to add sources here later.

Acknowledgments

Thank you to Skip Young for creating Quarles-95 on 3 Oct 13.