Autobiography of Rev. Joseph Tarkington

Tarkington, J., Goodwin, T. A. (1899). Autobiography of Rev. Joseph Tarkington, one of the pioneer Methodist preachers of Indiana. Cincinnati: Curts & Jennings. Hathi Trust : https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/011805861/

The Tarkington family that migrated through Tyrell County in North Carolina is subject to much confusion. Beginning in 1690, multiple generations of poorly documented William, Joseph, John and Zebulon sons have resulted in many mix-n-match public family trees. My interest is in a later generation of Tarkington's that migrated to Lake County Tennessee. DNA evidence suggests that the door through my Powell brick wall is a Tarkington. In my effort to document this lineage in early America with some certainty, I chose as my starting point the autobiography of Rev. Joseph Tarkington, being as close to first hand evidence available.

The following information is from Rev. Joseph Tarkington as written in his 1887 autobiography.

Early Families

Rev. Joseph Tarkington was born October 30, 1800 in Davidson County Tennessee and married Maria Slauson on September 21, 1831. Joseph's parents were Jesse Tarkington and Mary Tarkington who were cousins. I am sure this fact added to the confusion among later researchers.

Rev. Joseph Tarkington's father Jesse was the son of Joshua & Zelphia (Alexander) Tarkington. His mother Mary was the daughter of Zebulon W. & Mary (Hassell) Tarkington. Zebulon W. Tarkington and Joshua Tarkington were brothers, the sons of William Joshua & Anne (Starke) Tarkington.

• Joshua Tarkington the immigrant arrived in the Carolina Territory from England.
  • William Joshua Tarkington married Anne Starke
    • Joshua Tarkington married Zelphia Alexander
      • Jesse Tarkington (Jesse Tarkington (Rev. Joseph's father)
    • Zebulon W. Tarkington married Mary Hassell
      • Mary Tarkington (Rev. Joseph's mother)

Blessed are the mothers, they are the disambiguation criteria. Anne Starke, Mary Hassell and Zelphia Anderson are three women I frequently find alongside their men.

After the death of Joshua Tarkington (h/o Zelphia Alexander), his sons Jesse & John along with their uncles Zebulon & William moved to Tennessee and settled in the canebrake in Davidson County.

Surnames

Tarkington

Alternate Spellings: Torkington, Talkington, Larkington, Tarkenton

Joshua Tarkington the immigrant was of two brothers who came when they were boys from England to the Colony of Carolina. The second brother was "stolen by Indians" and never again heard from. Rev. Joshua Tarkington does not mention the name of his wife. Upon arriving in America Joshua had 4 children who were born in Tyrell County, North Carolina.

1. Joshua Tarkington (Jr.) married Zelphia Alexander & had 6 sons and 1 daughter

1.1. Joseph

1.2. John

1.3. Jesse Tarkington, born in Tyrell County NC m. Mary Tarkington

1.3.1 Jesse Tarkington (2 years older than Rev. Joseph)

1.3.2 Rev. Joseph Tarkington m. Maria Slauson

1.3.3. Burton Tarkington - married the sister of Campbell Berry

1.3.4 Eli Tarkington

1.3.5 George Tarkington

1.3.6 Harden Tarkington

1.3.7 John Tarkington

1.3.8 Berry Tarkington

1.1.3.9 Mary Tarkington

1.4 Richard

1.5. William

1.6. Issac

1.7. Elizabeth "Milley"

2. Zebulon Tarkington married Mary Hassel in Tyrell County

3. William Tarkington

4. unknown daughter Tarkington

Slauson