The Dismukes Family in Tennessee, Part 1: Children of Elisha Dismukes from Virginia (in English)
Synopsis "The Dismukes Family in Tennessee, Part 1: Children of Elisha Dismukes from Virginia (in English)"
Explore the lives of four Dismukes siblings who migrated from Virginia to Tennessee using original documents and historical events. The stories of Elisha Dismukes' (c. 1725-1817) nine children with his second wife Ann (c. 1762-?) that began in Virginia Barrs' book "The Dismukes Family in Virginia," continue here. Four of Elisha's children: Susannah (1761-c.1846), Paul (1762-1838), Daniel (c.1771-1855), and Mary also known as 'Polly' (c.1771-c.1847) moved to Middle Tennessee when Nashville was a village of just a few hundred settlers surrounded by a vast wilderness. These Dismukes would witness the westward migration and arrival of the early steamboats that would build the city into a commercial powerhouse and eventually the state capital.Daniel Dismukes was the first of these four siblings to migrate west to Middle Tennessee sometime before 1808. He and his wife Nancy Townes traveled from Halifax County, Virginia nearly 600 miles with two or three of their children. Seven more children were born later in Tennessee. Daniel most likely inspired his older brother Paul Dismukes (1862-1838) and their married sister Susannah Coats to settle their families near him in the vicinity of Mansker's Creek, the border between Sumner and Davidson counties, Tennessee.Paul Dismukes, a veteran of the American Revolution, had married Sara Richardson and they settled near her family in Goochland County, Virginia where ten of their children were born. Paul was an adept businessman and landowner, who carefully avoided debt. He purchased land in Tennessee near his brother in 1810, but did not move his family there until late 1811. Paul bought more land on both sides of Mansker's Creek, and eventually operated a ferry at Gallatin Turnpike (Gallatin Pike). Most of Paul's children continued to live in Middle Tennessee and some of their descendants still live in the area.Susannah Dismukes married American Revolution veteran William Coats shortly after he returned home from the war to Spotsylvania County, Virginia. They followed her father Elisha Dismukes to Halifax County, Virginia. When Susannah and William decided to move west, some of their older children were already married and remained behind in Virginia. With a few of their younger children, they settled near her brothers in Middle Tennessee sometime before 1813.Revealed here for the first time are records of another sister who also moved to Tennessee: Mary Dismukes. She married Edmond Cook in Halifax County, Virginia where she was known as Polly Cook. After her husband died, Mary (Polly) and her four children apparently accompanied her Cook relatives to Williamson County, Tennessee. Settling in the town of Franklin, she remarried Armstead Boyd (c.1768-1815) in 1808 and with him had two more daughters. This volume is replete with sources and photos of documents prior to 1870. There are copious notes clarifying fact from fiction as well as offering suggestions for future research.
