Thomas Littleton (abt. 1768 - 1860)

Born about 1768 in North Carolina

Ancestors

Husband of Mary (Matlock) Littleton — married 1797 in Hawkins, Tennessee, United States [uncertain]

Descendants

Died 1860 at about age 92 in Roane, Tennessee, United States

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Biography

Thomas Littleton was calculated the have been born in 1768 in North Carolina. 1,2 This information came from the 1850 federal census of Roane County, Tennessee which indicated that Thomas was 82 years of age and a native of North Carolina, as well as Thomas Littleton’s cemetery record. 1,2 NOTE: Although some researchers claim that Thomas is the son of William W. Littleton and Sarah Cottingham, this has not been verified beyond doubt, and appears to be in conflict with a number of other researchers.

Thomas was later married, possibly in Hawkins County, Tennessee in about 1797 to a woman named Mary “Poly” Matlock. 3,1 This year of marriage is primarily based upon the birth year of their eldest child, James Littleton, in 1799. 1 Mary, who was the daughter of William Matlock and Sarah “Sally” Shepherd, is believed to have been born in the state of Virginia in 1776. 1 Mary’s birth year was taken from the records of the Cave Creek Cemetery in Roane County, Tennessee. 1 As a young girl, Mary would have moved with her parents to Sullivan County in the Tennessee District of North Carolina. This county had been formed in 1779 from Washington County, North Carolina. 4

Thomas and Mary probably remained in Hawkins County, Tennessee for a few years before moving to Roane County, Tennessee, where they apparently resided for the rest of their lives. Mary later died in Roane County Tennessee in 1850, while Thomas died there in 1860. 1 Both Mary and Thomas were subsequently buried in the Cave Creek Cemetery at Cave Creek in Roane County, Tennessee. 1

In a court case filed on 24 September 1868 in Roane County, Tennessee (George L. Littleton vs. William Littleton) it is stated that “Thomas Littleton is now dead leaving ten children and heirs at law - four being dead.” 5 The names and some additional information was presented in this court case on all of Thomas and Mary’s children, living and deceased. 5 These children are listed below. 5

Issue: (Surname Littleton)

14. James - b. 1799 in Hawkins Co., TN. 1; m. 30 December 1819 to Katherine "Kitty" Brown in Roane Co., TN. 1,6; d. 1863 in Roane Co., TN. 1; bur. Cave Creek Cem., Roane Co., TN. 1

15. William - b. calc. 1800 in Hawkins Co., TN. 2; m. by bond dated 11 August 1825 to Martha Brown in Roane Co., TN. 6; d. last found on the 1870 census of Roane Co., TN. 7

16. Elizabeth "Betsy" - b. 1804 in Hawkins Co., TN. 8; m. 21 November 1816 to Samuel Stow in Roane Co., TN. 6; d. 1890 in Christian Co., MO. 8; bur. Mount Carmel Cem., Christian Co., MO. 8

17. Pleasant - b. 1806 in Roane Co., TN. 1; m. 23 July 1828 to Catherine Anthony in Roane Co., TN. 6; d. 1851 in Roane Co., TN. 1; bur. Cave Creek Cem., Roane Co., TN. 1

18. Mary "Polly" - b. calc. 1812 in Roane Co., TN. 2; m. (1) 10 September 1825 to Robert Stow in Roane Co., TN. 6; m. (2) 26 January 1847 to Hiram Wilson in Roane Co., TN. 6; d. (last found on the 1850 census of Roane Co., TN.) 2

19. Malinda A. - b. calc. 1815 in Roane Co., TN. 2; m. by bond dated 27 December 1834 to Elijah Heath in Roane Co., TN. 6; d. (last found on the 1870 census of Dickson Co., TN.) 9

20. Sarah "Sally" - b. ca. 1816 in Roane Co., TN.; m. by bond dated 21 March 1834 to William Mathis in Roane Co., TN. 6; d. Dickson Co., TN. 5

21. George L. - b. 26 February 1818 in Roane Co., TN. 1; m. 22 March 1847 to Rebecca Mathis in Roane Co., TN. 6; d. 29 June 1897 in Roane Co., TN. 1; bur. Cave Creek Cem., Roane Co., TN. 1

22. Emaline "Lena" - b. 12 February 1822 in Roane Co., TN. 10; m. 22 July 1841 to Ephraim M. Miller in Roane Co., TN. 6; d. 7 May 1899 in Whitman Co., WA. 10; bur. Oakesdale Cem., Oakesdale, Whitman Co., WA. 10

23. Minerva - b. calc. 1826 in Roane Co., TN. 2; m. 22 January 1854 to Samuel A. Preston in Roane Co., TN. 6; d. (last found on the 1870 census of Roane Co., TN.) 7

Sources

1. Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/43894135/thomas-littleton: accessed 19 April 2023), memorial page for Thomas Littleton (1768–1860), Find A Grave: Memorial #43894135, citing Cave Creek Cemetery, Cave Creek, Roane County, Tennessee, USA; Maintained by Barbra Keele Lloyd (contributor 47668971). 2. 1850 Federal Census, Roane Co., TN. (ancestry.com)

3. Wood, Melba. My Maternal Ancestry II. Information Presented On-Line by Winiford “Winnie” S. Bailey at Matlock-L Archives. Copy Also in Possession of Author. http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/MATLOCK/2004-03/1079532597

4. The Handy Book for Genealogists, United States of America. 8th Edition. Logan, Utah: The Everton Publishers, Inc., 1995

5. Abstract of Court Case From the Loose Leaf Papers in Roane County, Tennessee Involving George Littleton vs William Littleton and Others, Filed on 24 Sep. 1868 at Kingston, Roane County, Tennessee. http://news.rootsweb.com/th/read/LITTLETON/2000-01/0947612323

6. Tennessee State Marriages, 1780-2002. (ancestry.com)

7. 1870 Federal Census, Roane Co., TN. (ancestry.com)

8. Find a Grave - Mount Carmel Cemetery, Clever, Christian Co., TN.

9. 1870 Federal Census, Dickson Co., TN. (ancestry.com)

10. Find a Grave - Oakesdale Cemetery, Oakesdale, Whitman Co.,WA.

also

• Residence (1830) Roane, Tennessee, United States^[1]
• Residence (1840) Roane, Tennessee, United States^[2]
• Residence (1850) Roane county, part of, Roane, Tennessee, United States^[3]
• Burial Cave Creek Cemetery, Cave Creek, Roane, Tennessee, United States^[4]
• Census Records Destroyed 1810 and 1820 Census Records Roane, Tennessee, United States

Notes

• According to the book "The History of Roane County, Tennessee", Thomas was the son of William. Thomas moved to Hawkins County, TN in 1774. He later moved to Roane County.

• 1840 Census - Roane, Tennessee/ Living next to Robert Stowe who marries Mary Littleton

• All of Thomas's sons are living close by in surviving census records - William, Pleasant, James, and George (no Charles - I think he died early).

• The Littletons lived in areas where many records were lost due to fire. It is almost impossible to track their movements and relationships. It helps to understand when North Carolina and Tennessee and their counties were established. Hawkins County, Tennessee - 1786 (census records from 1790 to 1820 destroyed); Tennessee admitted as a state - 1796; Roane County, Tennessee - 1801 (census records from 1810 and 1820 destroyed).

• "Family Tree," database, FamilySearch (http://familysearch.org : modified 21 July 2020, 00:38), entry for Thomas Littleton(PID https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/4:1:9VHH-85M); contributed by various users.