He was the son of John Cornett. While a resident of Buckingham County, Va., in 1779 he enlisted in the Revolutionary War and served six month in Capt. Anthony Winston's Company, Col. Scripps Va. Regiment. Jn 1780 he re-enlisted as a private, and served six months in Capt. Saunders Co. Col. attersons Va. Regiment.
He was allowed a pension on his application executed Aug. 12, 1833. (W6723)
(3) Lucy Comett married Woleary Eversole, son of Jacob Eversole. Jacob Eversole migrated to Ky. from N. C. He had six sons and Woleary Was one of them. To Woleary Eversole and his wife Lucy Cornett were born three sons and one daughter.
John Cornett married Bettie Holebrooks and settled on Masons Creek. To
them were born: Ran Cornett, Ben Cornett, Theopolis Cornett, Nancy Cornett, Mary
Cornett and Catherine Cornett.
Ran married Sally Brashear; Ben
marriedd Lucy Pratt; Theapolis married Nan Sturgeon, Nancy married Theopolis G.
Campbell; Mary married Nute Fields; Catherine was never married.
Robert Cornett married Peggy McNight and settled at mouth of Beech Fork of Big
Leatherwood. To them were born the following children: Basil Cornett, John M.
Cornett, Joe Cornett, Elisabeth Cornett, Susan Cornett, I. B. Cornett, Judy
Cornett, and Jerusia Cornett.
Basil married Jane Wilson; John M.
married Judy Griffith; Joe E. married Pollyan Brock; Elisabeth was never
married; Susan married Frank Cornett; I. M. married Huldah Fields; Judy married
Hiram Holebrooks; Jerusia married I. S. Horn.
Arch Cornett married
Elisabeth Creech, Jan. 6, 1851 and settled in Leslie County, Ky. To them were
born: William G. Cornett, Robert Cornett, Arch Cornett, Katie Cornett; Judy
Cornett, Rhoda Cornett, Betty Jane Cornett, Polly Cornett, Sally Cornett,
Clerinda and Rebeca.
Wm. G. Cornett married Martha Maggard. To
them were born: Adam, Belle, Carter and Laura.
Adam was never married; Belle married D. N. Asher; Carter married Dora
Cornett; Laura married Grant Asher.
W. G. Cornett's second wife
was Polly Griffy. To them was born Howard Cornett.
Hiram Cornett
married Jerusia Boothe. To them were born: Larkin Cornett, John B. Cornett
(Kezel), Kernel Cornett, Green A. Cornett and Sis Cornett.
Hiram
Cornett's second wife was Polly Griffy. To them were born the following
children: Lincoln Cornett, Lucinda Cornett, Judy Cornett, Sally Cornett, Bunion
Cornett, Boone Cornett, Kenton Cornett, Clerinda Cornett, Sylvania Cornett,
Betsyan Cornett and Columbus Cornett.
Elisabeth Cornett married
James Colyer; Polly Cornett married Manon Jenkins.
Anderson
Cornett, born Jan. 20, 1820, died Sept. 2, 1883. Susan Harris, his wife, born
Feb. 5, 1819, died June 29, 1886.
Anderson Cornett married Susan
Harris and the following children were born to them :
Susan married Ans Cornett.
To Judy Cornett and Mose Ison
were born: Grant Ison, Susan Ison, Anderson Ison, Jonah Ison, Granville Ison,
Gideon Ison, Arch Ison and Raehel Ison.
To Manon Cornett and his
wife, Lucinda Cornett, were born: Minnie, Dora, Bertha, Carrie, Marion and
Tina.
Maryan and her husband, Henry Singleton, did not have any
children.
Elisabeth Cornett and her husband, Monroe Young,
settled in Clay County, Ky., and raised a family of four or five children.
Arch Cornett and his wife, Martha Combs settled on Big Leatherwood
and to them were born: Isabell, Marion, Jane, Lizzie, Bauge or Samuel, Sophia,
French, Susan, Lucretia, May and Kirby.
Isabelle married George
Mayhew; Marion married Atha Shepherd; Jane married R. B. Caudill; Lizzie married
Frank Horn; Susan married Charley Beams; Hettie married Willie J. Caudill; Kirby
married Mallie Baker; Lucretia married Dr. S. P. Combs; French has never
married; Samuel H. (Gauge) and May died while young; Sophia married Richmon
Combs.
Granville R. Cornett married Hettie Hogg and lived most of
his time in and near Hazard, Ky. To them were born: Urban Cornett, Eli Cornett,
Cyntha Cornett, Ira Carnett, Folger Cornett, Arch Cornett, Floyd
Cornett, Anderson Cornett, James Cornett and Luther Cornett.
To him and his second wife, Ella Combs, were born: Miller Cornett,
Robert Cornett, Arthur Cornett, Edith Cornett, Lucy Cornett and Susan
Cornett.
Susan Cornett and her husband, Ans Cornett, settled
near, above the mouth of Rockhouse in Letcher County.
To them
were born: Anna Cornett, Grant Cornett, Arch Cornett, Gid Cornett. Lilly
Cornett, Blaine Cornett, Kinley Cornett, Nando Cornett and Granville
Cornett.
Eli H. Cornett and his wife, Jane Combs, first settled
on Big Leatherwood and the following children were born to them:
Manon Cornett, Carrie Cornett, Joe Cornett, Roy Cornett, J. B. Cornett, Vincent
Cornett, Herman Cornett, Corbet Cornett, Callie Cornett, Worthy Cornett, Dovie
Cornett and Eddie Cornett.
Matilda Cornett (born Nov. 19, 1846,
died Nov. 18, 1917) and her husband, Jonah Ison, born April 20, 1840, died May
13, 1911. To them were born:
Judy, born May 13, 1856; Usley, Jan.
21, 1868; Maryan, July 27, 1869; Milly, Feb. 28, 1871; Susan, Oct. 22, 1872;
Rachel, Aug. 24, 1874; John, Oct. 10, 1876; Sally, May 29, 1878; Harvey, Feb.
26, 1880; Bessie, Sept. 29, 1881; Marion, Sept. 18, 1883; Cora, Oct. 3O, 1885;
Cinda, June 14, 1888; Charley, June 16, 1891.
Judy married George Hogg; Usley married Jack Callahan; Maryan married
John B. Cornett, 2nd time Urb Campbell; Milly, Dr. E. Kelley; Susan, Lee Daniel;
Rachel, J. Dick Cornett; John married Ann Hogg, 2nd., Lodoska Wilson; Harvey was
never married; Marion married Lucy Rollins; Sally married Jesse Morgan; Bessie
married W. C. Eversole; Cinda married Dave Wooton; Charley married Bertha
Shepherd; Cora was never married.
To Judy Ison and her husband,
George Hogg, were born Ira Hogg and Nora Hogg.
To Usley Ison and
her husband, Jack Callahan, were born: Cooly Callahan, Ora Callahan, Daw
Callahan, Dishman Callahan, Jonah Callahan, Manon Callahan and Cultie
Callahan.
To Maryann Ison and her husband, John E. Cornett (See
Charles L. Cornett's generation).
To Milly Ison,and her husband,
Dr. E. Kelley, was born Bertha Kelley.
To Susan Ison and her
husband, Lee Daniel were born: Allie Daniel, Dewey Daniel, Grace Daniel, Jonah
Daniel and Bess Daniel.
To Rachel Ison and her husband, J. D.
Cornett (See Charles L. Cornett's generation).
To John Ison and
his first wife, Ann Hogg was born George Ison; to him and his second wife,
Lodoska Wilson, was born Karl
Ethel, Tilda, Ted, Howard, Lonnie, Morine, Odet, and others.
To Marion Ison and his wife, Lucy Rollins were born Irene Ison and
Ruth Ison. Irene married Denver Miniard.
To Sally Ison and her
husband, Jesse Morgan, was born Maude Morgan. She married Gilmore Bobbitt.
To Bessie Ison and her husband, Wm. Cashus Eversole were born Karl
Eversole, Joe Eversole, Cashus Eversole, Ollie Eversole, Webster Eversole and
Edwin.
To Cinda Ison and her husband, Dave Wooton, were born
Elmer Ray Wooton, James Wooton and Earl Wooton.
To Charley E.
Ison and his wife, Bertha Shepherd, were born Pauline Ison, Mabel Ison, Denver
Ison and Quinten Ison.
Polly Harris had three daughters, Susan, Elisabeth and Tilda. Susan
and Elisabeth's father was a man by the name of Stamper. Tilda's father was an
Everge.
Susan married Anderson Cornett; Elizabeth married James
B. Brashear; Tilda married Henderson Holcomb.
Poliy Harris
married Elinza Holcomb after Susan, Elisatbeth and Tilda were born to her.
To them were born William Holcomb. John Holcomb, Harden Holcomb,
Hannah Holcomb, Polly Holcomb and Sally Holcomb.
Wm. married Jane Wilson, John married Elisabeth Turner; Harden married
Rebekah Shepherd; Polly married Ed Griffitts; Hannah married Silas Callahan;
Sally married Andrew Shepherd.
James B. Brashear and his wife
Elisabeth Harris, settled on Mases Creek and to them were born Robert H.
Brashear, Emanuel Brashear, Pollyan Brashear and Elzira Brashear.
Robert H. married Judy Pratt; Emanuel married Mary Brewer; Pollyan married
Elhanon Crawford; Elzira married Robert Combs.
To Matilda Harris
and her husband, Henderson Holcomb, were born Sol Holcomb, Martha Holcomb and
Liz Holcomb.
Sol Holcomb married a Frasier and settled in
Whitesburg; Martha Holcomb married Will Lewis and settled on Line Fork.
During the period of time extending from Jan. 12, 1789 to April, 1796
*William Cornett's first wife (Rhoda Gilliam) died and in April, 1796 in what
was later Washington County, or what was later Sullivan County, Tenn., he
married Mary Everage, born May, 1770, died Jan. 28, 1852.
Soon
after their marriage they came to Ky. and settled near the mouth of Bull Creek
in what was later Perry County, where they lived the remainder of their lives.
They are buried side by side in the Cornett graveyard near the site of their
home. His reason for
wanting to be buried in this particular place was that he dreamed that he
drove his wagon and team upon the hill to a large Sassafras tree and could never
drive them out from under it, so he requested his family to bury him under this
tree.
To him arrd Mary Everage were born the following named
children:
Buffalo Creek four miles above Hazard and the following children were born
to them:
Lige Cornett, Henry Cornett, John Cornett, Polly
Cornett, Sally Cornett, and Cinda Cornett.
Lige Cornett married
Cintha Griggsby and to them were born:
Combs settled on Buffalo Creek and to them were born the following children:
(VII) Nancy Cornett married Samuel Combs and settled below Hazard on the Ky. River. To them were born the following:
Nancy Combs married Bod Davidson.
Linda Combs married Jim
Cole.
(VIII) Rachel Cornett and her husband, John A. Caudill settled at the
mouth of Sandlick Creek one mile below Whitesburg and the following children
were born to them:
Wm. A. Caudill, born Feb. 1825, died Jan. 11,
1899. Married Marget Asberry.
Steven J. Caudill, Nov. 13, 1826,
July 26, 1906. Married Elizabeth Adams.
Mary Caudill, Aug. 4,
1828, Dec. 21, 1839.
Benjamin E. Caudill, Feb. 11, 1830, Feb.
11, 1889. Married Martha Asberry of Tazwell, Va. Col. in Confederate Army.
Sarah Caudill, Oct. 23, 1834, May 17, 1914. Married Joe S.
Fairchilds.
John Dixon Caudill, Oct. 6, 1836, June 27, 1917.
Married Mary Green.
David Jesse Caudill, Mar. 9, 1839, April 9,
1907. Married Marget Frizell. Lieutenant Col. in Confederate Army. Was wounded
in battle on Big Leatherwood a short distance below Clover Fork.
Nancy Jane Cauaill, Nov. 5, 1840, Nov. 12, 1922. Married John H. Craft. Lived in
Laurel County, Ky.
Elizabeth Caudill, Aug. 22, 1842. Married
Thomas Dotson. Dotson died in prison
at Camp Douglas. Her second husband, Wm. Green.
Pollyan Caudill, April 15, 1847. Married Enoch Craft (Chunk). He was
with General Morgan's men when Morgran was killed; he helped put Morgan's body
on the train; said it was not mutilated or his clothes soiled.
Watson G. Caudill, June 17, 1849. Married Sabina Caudill.
Joseph
and Nathaniel died in infancy.
End of Rachel Cornett's
family.
(XI) Joseph E. Cornett, youngest son of William Cornett. Married Sally Brown and settled on Dry Fork of Ky. River in Letcher County. He helped to lay out the town of Whitesburg and was elected Judge of Letcher County afterwards. The following children were born to them: Easter, Nathaniel and Roger died while young, John B., Bettyan, Samuel A., Rachel, Benjamin, Nancyan, Steven J., Wm. M. and Mary.
(IX) Samuel Cornett born Mar. 4, 1809, died Nov. 24, 1860. Married
Polly Adams, born July 8, 1813. They were married May 1, 1832. They settled on
Troublesome Creek in what was later Knott County, Ky. Hindman is situated on the
land they settled on. The following children were born to them: Maryan, Joe,
Walter, Wm. G., Mose, Liza, Margaret, Jane, Rachel and Sallyan. Maryan married
Campbell Pigman.
Wm. G. married Liza Howard. He was discharged
from the Confederate Army at the close of the Civil War and was never heard of
any more.
Margaret married Samuel Honaker.
Rachel married Paten Duke.
Joe died in Rock Island prison during the Civil War.
Mose
married Jane Maggard.
Jane married George Childers.
Sallyan was never married.
Liza and Walter died in
infancy.
End of Samuel Cornett's family.
(X) Nathaniel Woleary Cornett, born April 2, 1811, died Jan. 12,
1889. He married Lyddia Caudill, born July 19, 1816. Settled on Troublesome
Creek at mouth of Big Branch, Knott County.
To them were born
the following children:
(VI) Roger Cornett, son of William Cornett, born Jan. 6, 1805, died Sept. 27, 1885. Married Polly Lewis,born Oct. 23, 18-
09, died Mar. 20, 1873. They were married Jan. 23, 1827.
To them were born the following children: (a) Charles L. Cornett, born Oct. 20,
1828, died April 15, 1900. (b) Nancy Cornett born Aug. 16, 1830, died Sept. 30,
1857. (c) Wm. E. Cornett, born Jan 3, 1833, died July 12, 1909. (d) Maryan
Cornett, born Jan. 31, 1836, died while young (Aug. 10, 1836). (e) Sally
Cornett, born July 6, 1837, died Jan. 30, 1908. (f) Arch Cornett, born Jan. 5,
1840, died Dec. 16, 1845. (g) Samuel Cornett, born Aug. 4, 1843, died Oct, 12,
1857. (h) Nathaniel Cornett, born Dec. 14, 1845, died Oct. 16, 1857. (i) Audley
A. Cornett, born Nov. 18, 1848, died June 8, 1932. (j) Pollyan Cornett, born
June 24, 1852, died Jan. 31, 1932.
(b) Nancy Cornett married
Ezekiel Brashear; he was a soldier in the Confederate Army; killed in action at
Cynthiana, Ky. To them were born
linda Cornett, Elsabeth Cornett, Hiram H. Cornett, Wm. R. Cornett, Martha
Cornett, Mary Cornett, Roger Cornett and John Harlan Cornett.
(a) Lucinda married Manon Cornett.
Malinda married Samp Combs.
Elsabeth married Granville Holcomb.
Hiram H. married Lucretia
Hackworth.
Wm. R. married Gertie Johnson.
Mary married
Irvin Stacey.
John H. married Rebeca Francis.
Roger and
Martha never married.
(d) Audley A. Cornett married Elisabeth
Caudill. To them were born Henry C. Cornett, Sarah Cornett, Patsy Cornett, Judy
Cornett, Pollyan Cornett, Lucy Cornett, Mary Cornett.
Sarah,
Judy, Patsy, Walter, William and Robert died while young.
Henry
C. Cornett, Sept. 29, 1868, Sept. 30, 1937. Married Mary Barnett. Second wife,
Lucy Call.
Pollyan Cornett married Kelly Back.
Lucy Cornett married Thurman Brashear. Second husband, Bill Nickels.
Mary Cornett married Charley M. Nelms.
Sally
Cornett, daughter of Roger Cornett. Married George W. Morgan, Captain in Union
Army.
To them were born Lucinda, Logan, Pollyan and
Elizajane.
Lucinda Morgan born Sept. 26, 1861. Married Wm. B. Lusk
Logan
C. Morgan, born Jan. 2, 1864. Married Dora Bell Polly.
Pollyan Morgan
born Mar. 27, 1866. Married John M. Caudill.
Eliza Jane Morgan, born
Mar. 18, 1868. Married Tandy Martin.
(A) To Lucinda Cornett and
her husband, Manon Cornett were born Minnie, Dora, Bertha, Marion, Carrie and
Tina.
Minnie Cornett married Robert Gum; Dora married Carter
Cornett; Bertha married J. Miracle.
Pollyan Cornett, youngest
daughter of Roger Cornett, married Harvey G. Brashear and settled in Ark. To
them were born the following children:
Joe R. Brashear, born
Sept. 19, 1876, died Mar. 29, 1930.
Robert L. Brashear, born
Oct. 10, 1878.
George H. Brashear, born Nov. 10, 1880.
Lona M. Brashear, born Sept. 30, 1882.
Grover C.
Brashear, born Oct. 30, 1884.
Conner K. Brashear, Aug. 18,
1886.
Fannie J. Brashear, born Sept. 4, 1889.
(a) Charles Lewis Cornett, Oct. 20, 1828, April 15, 1900. Married Polly Creech,
born June 1, 1833, died May 24, 1886. They were married Jan. 10, 1850. Settled
on Bull Creek, Perry Cgunty, Ky. To them were born the following children:
Martha Ann Cornett, horn 1851 or 1852, died
Oct. 16, 1857.
(1) Wm. H. Cornett, born Jan 13, 1854, died
March 25, 1895.
(2) Susan G. Cornett, born May 7, 18.56, died
Nov. 11, 1908.
Rankin R. Cornett, born May 27, 1858, died July
5, 1888.
John B. Cornett, born Oct. 16, 1860.
Sampson S. Cornett, Feb. 23, 1863, died Nov. 8, 1884.
Caroline
Cornett, born Jan. 20, 1865.
Margaret Cornett, born Jan. 20,
1867.
Arminta Cornett, born Sept. 1, 1868.
J. D.
Cornett, born Dec. 10, 1871.
Charley M. Cornett, born Mar. 17,
1874, died Jan. 10, 1935.
Malinda Cornett, born June 12,
1878.
Wm. H. Cornett's first wife was Elisabeth Crawford, born
April 20, 1860, died Jan. 25, 1885.
To them was born one child,
Sampson Carlisle Cornett. His second wife, Ida Knottingham. To them were born
Bontie Cornett, Custer Cornett, and Hurst Cornett. Rankin R. Cornett was
never married.
(4) John B. Cornett married Maryan Ison and to
them were born Margaret, Georgia, Maud, Rankin, Eva and Madaline.
Margaret married Charley Tabor; Georgia married Eli Combs; Maud
married J. 0. Canon; Rankin married Esteva Webb; Eva married D. C. Long;
Madaline married Homer Perkins.
(4) John B. Cornett married second time to Carrie Sewel. To them were
born: Breck, Mildred, Ralph and Ruth.
Sampson S. Cornett was
never married.
(6) Caroline Cornett married David Caudill and
the following children were born to them: Susan, Milard, Watson, Willie, George,
Sam Ray, Lina, Jesse, Dixon and Vernia.
(7) Margaret Cornett
married G. P. Stacey. To them were born: Windom, Blanford, Burl, Cornie, Farlee,
Charles Blanford, James Burnam, Cornie, Chandler, Wm. Glanton.
(8) Arminta Cornett married Hart Campbell. To them were born the following:
Dora, Thomas, Esquire, Cannie, Cassie, Lizzie, Little, Less, Troy and Julia.
(9) J. D. Cornett married Rachel Ison, born Aug. 24, 1874, died Oct.
7, 1936.
They were married Apr. 21, 1894. To them were born:
Mae, Feb. 28, 1895; Wm. Harry, Sept. 1, 1896; Fred, Nov. 30, 1897; Gracie, Sept.
29, 1899; Helen, Aug. 18, 1901; Breck, May 8, 1904; Maxie, July 1, 1906; Kirby,
Dec. 5, 1907, died Dec. 15, 1908; Rankin, Dec. 6, 1909; Eunice, Jan. 1, 1912;
Moodrow, Dec. 28, 1913; Hubert, May 27, 1916.
Mae Cornett
married Wm. Perkins and to them was born James Perkins.
Harry
Cornett married Alicia Brasllear and to them was born Wm. Harry Cornett,
(Billie) .
Fred Cornett married Mae Maggard and to them were born: Harold Lee
Cornett, Martha Rachel Cornett and Edna Mae Cornett.
Grace
Cornett married Stanton Hume Thorpe.
Helen Cornett married John
McIntire and to them were born Virginia Lee McIntire, Ella Rea McIntire, Dick
McIntire and Anna Sue McIntire.
Breck Cornett married Nora Asher
and to them are born Bobie Jene and Lavaughn.
Rankin Cornett
married Beatrice ................
Eunice Cornett married Waiter
McKeehan. To them is born Gall Cornett.
(10) Charley M. Cornett
married Ann Singleton. To them were born the following: Burnett, Winslow,
Arnold, Girtie, Alton (Buck), Otie, Custer, Leon, Malta, Alma, Vaughn,
Lorena.
(11) Malinda Cornett married Solomon Caudill. To them
were born: Mary, Charley, Terressie, Bennie, Mallie, Watson, Clarence, Curtis,
Allie and Viola.
Mary Everage had two daughters before she married "William Cornett,
(Rev. War vet.), Polly and Sally.
Sally married Thomas
McDaniel.
Polly married Robert S. Brashear and settled at the
mouth of Little Leatherwood; he owned the farm known as the Salt works farm
around the mouth of Leatherwood. To
them were born the following children: Joe, Ray, Thomas, William, Marinda,
Eliza, Martha, Mary and Peggy.
Joe married Caroline Baker; Ray
married Marthaan (or Maryan) Hogg; William married Malinda Edwards; Marinda
married Granville Combs; Mary married Alex Combs: Eliz married Bill Dykes;
Martha married Wes May; Mariah married Joe Newland; Peggy married Wash Landrum;
Thomas was never married.
Thomas and his mother were buried in
the Cornett graveyard near *William Cornett's grave.
*William
Cornett (Rev. War vet.) had a brot:ler Samuel Cornett, born May 7, 1759, died
Mar. 12, 1849. Married Polly Davidson and settled on Line Fork in Letcher
County, Ky. To them were born the following children: Clark Cornett, Wm.
Cornett, James Cornett, Samuel Cornett, Hiram Cornett, Joe Cornett, Katie
Cornett, and Linda Cornett.
Clark married Malvina Smith; William
married Nancy Lewis Jan. 6, 1830; James married Morning McKnight; Samuel married
Lucy McDaniel; Linda married Jarrit Lewis. Hiram, Joe and Katie were never
married. At least we have no record of them marrying.
WilliamCornett, born Oct. 5, 1809, died Aug. 23. 1871, son of Samuel Cornett
(1759-1849). Married to Nancy Lewis Jan. 6, 1830(?).
She was the daughter of John Lewis, second Judge of Harlan County. To them
was born John L. Cornett, April 2, 1821.
John L. Cornett was
married to Precious A. Eli, Apr. 28, 1851. She was born May 4, 1827. To them
were born the following children:
Wm. W. Cornett, born Jan. 28,
1852; Arthur B. Cornett, Nov. 11, 1855; Jonathan L. Cornett, Apr. 7, 1855;
George R. Cornett, Feb. 24, 1857; Nancy J. Cornett, Aug. 1, 1859; Robert N.
Cornett, Aug. 21, 1863; Bethel Cornett, Jan. 23, 1867.
To Samuel
Cornett (son of Samuel Cornett) and his wife Lucy McDaniel, were born:
Hiram Cornett, wife Genny McKnight; William Cornett married Sally Caudill; Dock
Cornett, married Susan Ison; Joe Cornett, married Louisa Breeding; Jonah
Cornett, married Arlena Fouts; Peggy Cornett, married Clabe Polly; Mary Cornett,
married Hen Day; Silas Cornett, never married; Martha Cornett, married Dick
Whisman.
A short record of the Everage generation as related by
Sally Simpson, daughter of (X) Nathaniel Woleary Cornett and granddaughter of
Mary Everage Cornett, wife of William Cornett (1761-1836).
There
was a man by the name of Abner Everage that lived in North Carolina; he enlisted
in the Army and went away and was never heard of any more. He left a wife
and four children, Joe, Solomon, Nellie and Mary.
The
widowed mother lived with her four children for a few years enduring much
hardship; one day the two boys, Joe and Solomon were out strolling about the
place and when they returned to the house they found their two small sisters
tied to the bed post and their mother was gone; she was never heard of any
more.
The neighbors learned about the cchildren being left
without anyone to care for them and took them into their homes and cared for
them until they were able to care for themselves.
Soon after the
girls were grown up, Mary Everage married *Wm. Cornett; (1761-1836) in Sul!ivan
County, Tenn. They soon moved to Ky. Joe and Solomon came to Kentucky with them.
Nellie married Ben Johnson of Raleigh, N. C.
Joe Everage married
Silver Griggsby and settled on Betty Troublesome Carrs Fork. Solomon Everage
married Katie Ison and moved to Rowran County, Ky. He had a son named Samp
Everage that came back to Perry County and married Mary Kelley, daughter of
Nathan Kelley and went to Ark.
A short record of the Creech
generation.
John Creech the oldest that we have any record of,
married Peggy Wells. To them were born: Stephen Creech, Enoch
Creech, Celia Creech, Tomie Creech, Sam Creech, App Creech, Lige Creech,
Lish Creech, Will Creech, Sim Creech, Bettie Creech, Pattie Creech.
To his second wife, who was an Armstrong, was born Emma Creech,
Charlottie Creech, Za Creech and Gib Creech.
John Creech had a
brother, Jonathan Creech; he was the father of Lee Creech and Lee Creech was the
father of Rev. John Creech.
Stephen Creech married Sally
Gilliarn, (born Dec. 8, 1808, died July 7, 1894).
She was the
daughter of William Gilliam who was a brother to William Cornett's first wife,
Rhoda Gilliam.
Stephen Creech and his wife, Sally Gilliam
settled on Clover Lick Creek in Harlan County Ky., near a large spring oh the
left side of the creek as one goes up the creek, about two miles from the mouth
of the creek.
To them were born three girls, Katie, Elisabeth
and Polly.
While Polly was very young, Stephen went to New
Orleans, La., and stayed there one year. When he came back home he brought with
him a negro slave, named "Jack."
In a short time he began to
arrange to go back to New Orleans and Gake Gilliam (his brother-in-law) decided
to go with him. Creech said to some of the folks, "If Gake
goes with me he will not know any more about my business down there when
he comes back than he does now."
So when they arrived in New
Orleans they went to a Hotel and registered. Creech was pretty busy most all the
time, going from place to place arranging to start back home on a certain day,
but he was careful that Gake Gilliam did not go about with him but little. So in
a few days they were ready to start back home. Creech had another negro slave in
possession and he asked Gilliam to keep the slave at a particular place until he
went a short distance to see a man on some business. Gake Gilliam waited for
such a long time that he decided that he was not comings back so he and the
negro started hunting for him but they could not find him; so Gake Gilliam told
the negro to go back to his master and he came back home.
Stephen Creech was never heard from any more.
The slave ("Jack")
that Creech brought home with him would never tell about how Creech got
possession of him. One time he said, "A nice man from this country can go down
there and marry well off some times."
Some of "Jack's"
generation are in Harlan County.
Sally Gilliam Creech stayed at
home and raised her three girls up to womanhood.
Katie married
Wm. B. Campbell; Elisa-
beth married Arch Cornett; Polly married Charles L. Cornett.
Stephen Creech's brother, Gib Creech, was a soldier in the Union
Army. He was accused of ambushing some of Major Chineworth's men and was
captured and brought into the Confederate Camp on Big Leatherwood Creek; Major
Chineworth asked him if he had been bushwhacking his men and Creech answered
"Yes, and I will bushwhack again". Chineworth's answer was, "It's damned
uncertain."
Creech was courtmartialed and shot on the lot where
M. C. Cornett's dwelling now stands. He was buried in the P. H. Hall
cemetery.
Gib Creech married Betsy Maggard and to them were
born: John Creech, Zay Creech, Sally Creech, Mary Creech, Charlotie Creech,
Cloie Creech, Nancy Creech and Rebecca Creech.
John Creech
married Cintha Creech; Zay Creech married ............Combs; Sally Creech
married Will Vanover; Nancy Creech married Jack Creech; Mary Creech married
Andrew Patrick ;Charlottie Creech married James Maggard; Cloie Creech married
Jonathan Hart; Rebecca Creech married Jason Fields.
(I) Gideon Ison migrated from Virginia to Kentucky about the year A.D., 1800.
He and (*) Wm. Cornett came to Ky. together on a hunting expedition before
they brought their families. He settled on Line Fork in Letcher County. We have
no record of his wife's name.
To him were born five children:
(a) Grid Ison, (b) George Ison, Polly Ison, Cintha Ison and Elisabeth Ison.
(a) Gid Ison married Rachel Stamper; (b) George Ison married
.......... Combs; Polly Ison married Kelly Hogg; Cintha Ison married Stephen
Hogg; (c) Elisabeth Ison married Talton Combs.
(a)Gid Ison and his wife Rachel Stamper settled at the mouth of
Defeated Creek of Line Fork and to them were born the following children:
George Ison, John Ison, Lige Ison, Bony Ison, Mose Ison, Jonah Ison,
Dock Ison, Ursley Ison, Gid Ison.
(1) George Ison married Hannah
Hall and settled on the Ky. River below the mouth of Kindgom Come Creek in
Letcher County, and to them were born Harvey Ison, Eli Ison and others.
(2) John Ison married Nancy Hall and settled on Kingdom Come
Creek.
(3) Lige Ison married Peggy Hogg, and settled on
Rockhouse Creek.
Bony Ison married Lethyan Ingram and settled on
Defeated Creek of Line Fork.
Mose Ison married Judy Cornett and settled on Ky. River above mouth
of Rockhouse Creek. (See Anderson Cornett's generation).
Jonah
Ison married Matilda Cornett and settled on Big Leatherwood in Perry County.
(See Anderson Cornett generation).
Dock Ison married Anna Creech
and settled on river below Whitesburg.
Ursley Ison married
Stephen Adams and settled on the Adams Branch above Doty Creek of Rockhouse.
Gid Ison married Mary Banks and setlled at the old home at mouth of
Defeated Creek. To them were born, Susan, Dock, Bird, Hettie, Marcum, Boyd,
Judy, Tilda, Riley, Crissie, Maggie and Mattie.
(c) Elisabeth
Ison and her husband, Talton Combs, settled near the mouth of Carr and to them
were born, Rev. Ira Combs, Harrison Combs, Carlo Combs and others.
About the year A.D. 1796, William Cornett and Gideon Ison came from Virginia to Ky., on a hunting expedition, as game had become scarce in that part of Virginia in which they lived. They had been informed that there was lots of bear, deer and other game in Ky., so they decided to come and see; though they were a little fearful as they often heard that
there were still roving bands of Indians in that part of Ky. where they
had heard that the bear and deer were; but the temptation was so great that they
could not resist, so they began to prepare to make the trip.
After gathering their equipment which consisted of corn meal, ax, long-handle
skillet, hunting knife, powder, bullets, pouch, flints, blanket and flintlock
rifles they put their packs on their horses and started for the "Happy hunting
ground."
When the two hunters crossed over the Big Black
Mountains into "Kaintuck" they became more fearful of the Indians as the name
"Kaintuck" made them think more about what they had heard, of the "Dark and
bloody ground" but they were too much determined to make the trip to back out so
they kept on their way.
After two or three days travel they came
to the mouth of Beech Fork on Big Leatherwood, Perry County, Ky. At this point
there are some twenty or thirty acres of level land which was covered with the
finest timber they had ever seen and they saw signs of plenty of game, so they
decided to set up their first camp in Ky.
While preparing their
supper the hunters talked of the beautiful level land and of the feasibility of
bringing their families and living in Ky.
Their only question
was whether or not corn, potatoes, beans and other vegetables
would mature in this country.
They felt pretty sure that
all their native crops would mature but to be sure they decided to cut down a
beech tree and come back the next month of June and if the bark on the tree had
bursted from the effect of the sun that would be a sure sign that all their
native crops would mature.
Early next morning the hunters arose
very much enthused with the prospects of the new country. One of them decided to
cut down the beech tree while the other prepared their breakfast.
After breakfast they decided to make an extended hunt for bear and
deer as this kind of game was the cause of their coming to Ky.
After hitching their horses securely to Leatherwood bushes which were growing
thick in the Beech Fork bottoms they started out for the days hunt; one going up
the creek and the other down the creek in order to explore all the country
possible on that day.
Gid Ison had not traveled more than two
hours when he came upon a smouldering fire. After investigating the surroundings
it was obvious that Indians had encamped there the previous night.
So the first thought that entered Ison's mind was the danger of
being scalped and killed by the Indians, so he did not hesitate but retraced his
steps as fast as he could
back to his horse as he put great confidence in his horse carrying him out
of danger.
After returning to his horse he began to think about
his friend and companion; he knew that he was fleet footed and alert; in everly
respect able to compete with most any redskin single handed, but this thought
did not relieve him of the great fear he was under; he was fearful of the
Indians capturing him or murdering him in any way they could; he finally decided
to wait for him at the camp until dark and if he did not come by the time the
first star appeared in the sky he would mount his horse and start for his home
in Va. So he tramped about his horse the remainder of the day; such a day of
worry he had never known; waiting, watching and hoping that he might see his
companion coming into camp.
At last the dark shadows of night
began to gather around him, he slowly unhitched his horse and leaped upon his
back; he thought that his companion could be lost in the thick wooded country so
he decided to leave his horse and all the camp equipment and go home. So
the time had come that he had set to start back to his Virginia home; he could
now see the first star. He turned in his saddle to scan the direction that he
was expecting his companion to come and to his great pleasure he saw him coming
toward him some distance away so he dismounted and
hitched his horse the way he had left him that morning and acted as if he
had suffered no uneasiness; he did not want his companion to know he had acted
so silly; he never would have acknowledged it had he not been caught up in
it.
William Cornett or "Billie", as he was called by his family
and friends, came into camp with a small deer on his back which he had killed
that evening.
Usually when a hunter killed a deer they would
skin one front leg and one hind leg from the ankle to the knee and take the
bones out and tie the legs together and carry them shot-pouch fashion so this
was the way "Billie" was carrying the little deer.
Soon after
"Billie" Cornett came into camp he began to prepare the venison for supper. Ison
stood by not having much to say, the great strain that he had labored under for
the last six or seven hours had left him almost speechless. At last Billie
Cornett broke the silence by asking this question. "Gid what was you on that
horse for awhile ago? Gid Ison then knew that Billie Cornett had seen him on his
horse and he then began to talk freely, telling about the Indian sign and that
he had imagined that they had killed him and that he was aiming to start for
home soon as he saw the first star; then Billie Cornett broke into the
conversation saying "Damns to hell if I didn't see one's head stuck over a log
today". He said that
the Indian was in front of him as he was coming toward the camp and that
he walked straight ahead pretending that he did not see the Indian until he
passed him, then he started to run; after running a short distance, he looked
back to see if the Indian was after him and saw him running at high speed in the
opposite direction.
So they prepared and eat supper very quietly
and then began to pack their camping outfit preparatory for an early start for
home next morning.
The thought that the Indians might attack
them during the night was so impressed on their minds that they did not try to
sleep but sat quietly by their packs all night and when the light of day began
to show on the eastern sky they mounted their horses with their scanty
belongings and were immediately on their way back to their Virginia home.
We have no history of their returning to the Beech Fork bottoms to
see if the bark on the Beech tree which they had cut down had bursted but we do
know that they soon came back to Kentucky and that Gid Ison settled on Line Fork
in Letcher County and William Cornett settled at the mouth of Full Creek in
Perry County.
During the last few years of William Cornett's first wife's life Mary
Everage lived near their home with her two little girls. She was very
industrious and was always ready and willing to help Mrs. Cornett with her work,
so they became good friends.
When Mrs. Cornett became sick
(which was unto death) Mary Everage stayed with her and cared for her all the
time that she could.
After Mrs. Cornett had been sick for some
time she decided that she could never recover so one day she called her husband
to her bedside and said to him:
"Billie, it looks like I am
going to die. When I am gone you will have a hard time raising the children by
yourself. I think that it would be well for you to get you another wife to help
you raise them. Mary Everage is a good woman and would make you a good wife; you
and her could raise your children up together and get along all right. I think
it would be the best for you". "Billie" Cornett could not speak for some time.
Finally he said, "Rhoda, I don't think that I will ever want another wife. I
cannot consider that now."
She said, "Well, I think that it
would be well for you to consider it."
It was not long after her death that Billie Cornett began to see the
need of a mother's hand; there was no one to cook his meals, no one to take care
of the children while he was working in the field or out hunting, no one to wash
their clothes or clean the house; he felt that life was not worth living under
such circumstances though he was determined not to marry any more.
One Saturday morning Mary Everage learned that "Billie" Cornett was
compelled to be away from home that day on particular business and would be gone
all day, leaving the children to take care of the home, so she decided to take
her two little girls and go up to his home and stay with them that day.
When she arrived at the house she readily saw that Billie Cornett
was a bad housekeeper, so she began to work, the larger children helping her; by
late evening she had cleaned the house, washed the children's clothes and had
everything looking like it did in Rhoda Cornett's days when she was able to
work.
She ironed the children's clothes and had them to wash
themselves and put on the clean clothing. After this she cooked their supper and
departed for home.
She felt very tired as she walked toward home but at the same time
felt enthused over the thought of having done one more days work for her good
friend and neighbor, Rhoda Cornett.
Billie Cornett arrived at
his front gate just as the shadows of night began to fall on the threshold of
his home, one of his little girls came running to meet him, crying out, "Look
here I am all cleaned up, Mary Everage has been here with us all day. She left
just a few minutes ago."
Billie Cornett walked on into the
house. When he beheld his children in their clean clothes, the house cleaned and
everything looking so much like he had so often seen it during his wife's life,
he almost felt that a mother's hand had been there.
The children
had many things to tell him about Mary Everage having them to help her about the
work and their many experiences during the past day; but their father did not
have but little to say to them. His thoughts were running on the council that
his wife had given him, "Mary Everage would make you a good wife."
He did not sleep but little that night, his mind seemed to be taking
a new lease on life. He could see in his visions Mary Everage going about the
duties of a mother in his home, directing and counseling his children and the
thought of his dead wife's advise had turned him up side down.
He arose early next morning and cooked a hurried breakfast. After
eating breakfast he instructed his children as to their work for that day, told
them that he would be back home that evening and then started with quickened
step down the road toward Mary Everage's home.
When he arrived,
she met him at the door and asked him to come into the house. He answered "No, I
just came to see you about a little matter." "All right," she said, "what is
it?" His heart seemed to choke him; finally he said, "Mary, I never courted but
one woman in my life and I never expect to court another, but if you will marry
me and help me raise my children, I will help you raise yours and I will go and
get the license today." She agreed to the proposition and they got
married.