Mary (Lewis) Rigsby (abt. 1790 - aft. 1850)

"The William Lewis massacre of 1793, in present day Temple Hill Section of Unicoi County, then Greasy Cove.The Cherokee War Chiefs had organized the task of destroying the John Sevier family to three different bands of warriors.One of those parties,consisting of twenty-eight braves,found the isolated home of William Lewis. His cabin and barn were located on the upper South Indian Creek,(a tributary of the Nolichucky river), some where near the present day Granny Lewis Creek."

Mrs Lewis and five of her seven children were killed, the cabin and barn were burned.One son escaped to the cane brakes along South Indian Creek and made his way to the Block House in the Temple Hill area. A 2-3 year old daughter was captured by the Indians and later ransomed for a musket and some powder. This was recorded in the Knoxville Gazette, 23 Nov 1793, Vol.2 No.25,pg 3, col.1-2, and in 2 Jan 1794, Vol.3 No. 2, pg 2, col.1-2. It has been stated that the raiding party mistook the Lewis homestead for the John Sevier farm.

Present day Granny Lewis Creek runs from the Eastside of South Indian Creek and transverses both sides of "No Business Knob", which is located in the Bald Mountains,and extends into an area close to Yancey,Co.,NC.This is north of Ernestville,Unicoi Co.,TN and the turn off through the gap at Spivey Mountains,and just south of the Temple Hill area of Unicoi Co.,TN.

++There is the Howell Cemetery located on the upper end of Granny Lewis Creek Road, Unicoi County,Tennessee. Cemetery notes and/or description: From "Cemeteries of Unicoi Co., TN" by Unicoi Historical Society, "Howell Cemetery: At end of Granny Lewis Creek Road, 3.5 mi. in from Rt. 19. Only 3 graves with unmarked field stones, but with "Howell Cemetery" sign by road."

Supposedly William Lewis and Thomas Howell had a shared a property line. Possibly the Cemetery was inclusive. There are no known records, so this is unsubstantiated. Only Oral History.

William Lewis and Solomon Lewis appear on the 27th-28th of June1806, at Thomas Howells Estate Sale++. This was recorded in the Wills and Inventories of Washington Co TN, pgs 179-180. William Lewis bought one old Razor and one old Bed Tick, while Solomon Lewis bought 5 Bushels corn. Charles Hutchins was there, his son John Hutchins married Elizabeth"Betsey" Lewis, William Lewis's daughter. Thomas Rigsby was there with son James Rigsby. Two of William Lewis's daughters married two sons of Thomas Rigsby: Canada Ribsby married Mary 'Polly' Lewis 1809, and younger brother John Rigsby married circa 1822 to Kessiah Lewis, the youngest daughter of William Lewis. By 1811, after George Clouse Sr died in Washington Co., TN, the Lewis's, Rigsby;s, Hutchin's and some of the Clouse family moved to Middle Tennessee, in the Cedar Creek area of White County. John Dillard and Robert Love were also at the Thomas Howell Estate Sale in 1806.The Hutchins ,Dillards and Loves had married into each others families and were very close. They were originally from the Culpepper Co. Virginia area, but records for them are found in several other parts of Virginia. I've been unable to link any concrete connection to these three families with William Lewis, until they all arrive in Washington Co NC(TN) in the 1790's.

The Lewis's were gone from Greasy Cove District in Washington Co., Tennessee after 1811. Granny Lewis Creek was named for someone of unknown origin. Possibly referencing William Lewis Sr.'s first wife who was killed in the Indian raid 1793. That is just a guess. The actual origin of the name is unknown at this time.