John Pierce (1797 - 1877)

Born 16 Jan 1797 in Tennessee, United States

Descendants

Died 11 Aug 1877 at age 80 in Craighead, Arkansas, United States

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Biography

Albert Pierce, of Jonesboro Township, is the oldest living settler, in point of location, in Craighead County and Northeast Arkansas. He was born in Giles County, Tenn., September 12, 1826, and is the son of John Pierce, also a native of Tennessee, who came to Arkansas in 1831, locating in Poinsett (now Craighead) County. He was one of the first settlers of the county, and took a deep and active interest in its early formation. Though a farmer by occupation, he hunted much in early days, and devoted much time to stock raising. He at one time owned 320 acres of land. His wife was Nancy Maguire, also a native of Tennessee, and of their ten children, seven are now living, four daughters and three sons, all residents of this county. The father is dead, but the mother is still living in full possession of all her mental and physical faculties. She is eighty-three years of age, and resides with her daughter, Mrs. Elizabeth Cacry, widow of John Cacry. Albert Pierce was but six years of age when he came with his father to this county, and has lived within ten miles of his present farm for almost sixty years. He had no educational opportunities in childhood, but has been an energetic farmer and stock raiser all his life, the result of which is a large farm of 180 acres, with 100 under cultivation. He is a member of the Agricultural Wheel, and is a Democrat. In 1844 he was married to Rebecca Simmons, a daughter of Joseph and Sarah Simmons, residents of this county. Of the ten children born to them nine are yet living. They are Mary, wife of Franklin Lee; Franklin, married Caroline Howell; David, married Mrs. Emily Smith; Samuel, married Jane Lusk; John, married Mrs. Harriet Smith; Joseph, married Sarah Smith; Nancy, wife of Thomas Sheffield; Calvin and George. Mr. Pierce is esteemed for his strict integrity, and has attained a reputation among his many friends which will live after him.

According to census records, tradition/book History of Craighead County, Arkansas, and other information--

John Pierce (1797-1877) born Tenn. and wife Nancy McGuire Pierce (1806-1889) born Georgia, left Giles County, Tennessee and came to Poinsett County now Craighead County, Arkansas in 1831. A 90-year-old woman Alsey Pierce born Virginia, presumed to be the mother of John Pierce was living in the household of John's oldest son Albert in 1860 Craighead County.

Based on a letter sent to John Pierce, it is known there was a brother Samuel Pierce. John Pierce does appear on the 1820 Giles Co., Tenn. Census.

Samuel Pearce (1800-1883) born Tenn, married Mary Elizabeth (Baumgardner) Pearce (1806-1849). Both are buried in the old City Cemetery in Pulaski, Giles County, Tennessee. Samuel's daughter Sarah married James Russell Bumpass. Samuel was living with them at the time the letter was sent to John Pierce in Arkansas.

There may have been another Pierce relation, Eliza Pierce Cook Lee. Eliza Pierce, born about 1820 Tenn (Was she a dau. of John or Alsey?) married a William Cook and then Charles Lee. The only source about the Cook marriage is "tradition" from the book History of Craighead County. Eliza Pierce had three Cook sons born in Mississippi. She married Charles Lee around 1843, possibly in Arkansas. Their first son, Benjamin Franklin Lee, was born in 1844 in Poinsett/Craighead Co., Ark. B. F. Lee married Mary Pierce, the daughter of Albert Pierce who was the son of John and Nancy (McGuire) Pierce.

http://genforum.genealogy.com/cgi-bin/pageload.cgi?Nancy,McGuire::pierce::6352.html

Sources

Source Information:Ancestry.com. Northeast Arkansas Biographies and Historical Memoirs [database online]. Orem, Utah: Ancestry, Inc., 1998. Original data: Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Northeast Arkansas. Chicago: Goodspeed Publishers, 1889

• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/94865965/john-pierce : accessed 12 February 2022), memorial page for John Pierce (16 Jan 1797–11 Aug 1877), Find a Grave Memorial ID 94865965, citing Martin Cemetery, Jonesboro, Craighead County, Arkansas, USA ; Maintained by 𝔍𝖔𝖘𝖊𝖕𝖍 (contributor 47832442) .