William Gwin
--believed to be the oldest son of Isham and Mary Canterbury Gwin and brother of John Gwin who married Jane Walker--
and
Susanah Beard
--believed to be the daughter of Henry and Kerranhappuch Nelson Beard / Baird

Page Updated 11 Jul 2008
to reflect the identification by Jan Thomas of two more
of their children, daughters "Happy" and Henrietta

Return to Genealogy Homepage -- Return to Isham Gwin's Page
We've known for some time that this person had to exist.
Tonight, 23 March 2004, we feel we have enough evidence to start his page.
And on May Day 2007, Jan Thomas found another piece of the puzzle--item 13 below!
Jan Thomas' new e.mail address: janthomasatcebridgedotnet
1.00--Richard Gwin, m. Sarah Chesley, lived near Jamestown, VA
2.00--Isham Gwin, m. Mary Canterbury, lived in sw VA; Crowson's Cove, Sevier Co., TN; and Harrison, Crawford, and Orange counties, Indiana;
3.01--Polly Gwin m. Thomas Walker
3.02--Elizabeth Gwin m. David Denton
3.03--William Gwin m. Susannah Beard
3.04--John Gwin m. Jane Walker
3.05--Virginia Jane Gwin m1. Mr. Tipton, m2. Benjamin Weathers
3.06--Isham Gwin II m. [Betsy Snowden?]
3.07--[Chesley?] Gwin m. (unk.)
3.08--Richard W. Gwin m. Nancy Watkins
3.09--Nancy Gwin m. Mr. Huston 1
3.10--Sarah Gwin m. Mr. Huston 2
3.11--Manervy Gwin m. Elijah Wright
Here's what we think we know
--and we're growing more confident with each new discovery!--about
William Gwin, son of Isham, brother of John:
3.03--William Gwin; b. ca. 1790 in VA or TN; d. 1833 in AL; m. bef. 26 Jun 1813 (probably in Blount Co. or Sevier Co., TN), to Susanah Beard (b. ca. 1790; d. 1837 in AL); at least 11 children (list of 11 taken from 1830 census of Dallas Co., AL, below with either #11discovered (listed here as 4.08, because the birth order is uncertain within age groups in this census) or #12 discovered and added in May 2007--see Item 13 below);
4.01--(son) Gwin, b. betw. 1810 and 1815--age 15-20 [John Gwin Note: We know this is the oldest surviving child because he is the only one in his age group. ]

4.02--(daughter) Gwin, b. betw. 1815 and 1820--age 10-15  [John Gwin Note: We don't know the birth order of either of these girls, only that one is second and the other third.]  [Jan Thomas Note: Either could be Happuch Gwin Noblitt Prigmore, b. 1812 in AL.]
4.03--(daughter) Gwin, b. betw. 1815 and 1820--age 10-15  [John Gwin Note: We don't know the birth order of either of these girls, only that one is second and the other third.]  [Jan Thomas Note: Either could be Happuch Gwin Noblitt Prigmore, b. 1812 in AL.]

4.04--(son) Gwin, b. betw. 1820 and 1825--age 5-10  [John Gwin Note: We don't know the birth order of any of the four children listed as 4-7, only that each of them falls into this age group.]  [Jan Thomas Note: Any of the three girls could be Henrietta Gwin Aaikin, b. 1824 in AL.]
4.05--(daughter) Gwin, b. betw. 1820 and 1825--age 5-10  [John Gwin Note: We don't know the birth order of any of the four children listed as 4-7, only that each of them falls into this age group.]  [Jan Thomas Note: Any of the three girls could be Henrietta Gwin Aaikin, b. 1824 in AL.]
4.06--(daughter) Gwin, b. betw. 1820 and 1825--age 5-10  [John Gwin Note: We don't know the birth order of any of the four hhildren listed as 4-7, only that each of them falls into this age group.]  [Jan Thomas Note: Any of the three girls could be Henrietta Gwin Aaikin, b. 1824 in AL.]
4.07--(daughter) Gwin, b. betw. 1820 and 1825--age 5-10  [John Gwin Note: We don't know the birth order of any of the four children listed as 4-7, only that each of them falls into this age group.]  [Jan Thomas Note: Any of the three girls could be Henrietta Gwin Aaikin, b. 1824 in AL.]
4.08--(son) b. betw. 1825 and 1830--age 0-5 
[John Gwin Note: We don't know the birth order of any of the four children listed as 8-11, only that each of them falls into this age group--but see note for #12 below.] 

4.09--(daughter) Gwin, b. betw. 1825 and 1830--age 0-5 [John Gwin Note: We don't know the birth order of any of the four children listed as 8-11, only that each of them falls into this age group.] 

4.10--(daughter) Gwin, b. betw. 1825 and 1830--age 0-5 [John Gwin Note: We don't know the birth order of any of the four children listed as 8-11, only that each of them falls into this age group.] 

4.11--(daughter) Gwin, b. betw. 1825 and 1830--age 0-5 [John Gwin Note: We don't know the birth order of any of the four children listed as 8-11, only that each of them falls into this age group.] 

[4.12]--Thomas F. Gwin?, b. 1831 in Dallas County, AL  [John Gwin Note: We know that either the son listed as 4.08 above or this 12th child is Thomas F. Gwin, b. 1831 in Dallas Co., AL, a colonel in the CSA who married Mrs. Nancy (nee Holman) Reeves, a widow, and lived in Arkansas.  We're just not sure in which place he goes in the birth order. If he were born before the 1830 census, he is #4.08 above and the youngest of 11 children; if he were born after the 1830 census, he goes here, the youngest of twelve. Since he and his siblings were orphaned (and likely split up) before 1840, he probably had no memories at all of his father and probably very few of his mother, learning what he did from older siblings or from whomever it was who adopted him. Therefore, it could be that he did not know about ALL his siblings and only THOUGHT there were 11 children instead of 12 (in which case he is this 12th child); on the other hand, perhaps he DID know of all 11 and that there were only 11 (in which case he is the third son listed above as #4.08).]

Some Speculation on Who Their Other Children Might Be

4.01--(son) Gwin, b. betw. 1810 and 1815--age 15-20  (see also Item 12 below)
Looking for this oldest son (4.01 immediately above, name unknown) of Isom's oldest son, William, my search of the Ancestry.com 1880 census nationwide for any white male Gwins b. in TN ca. 1810-1815, whose fathers were b. TN, NC, or VA, yielded the following two hits (I consider the first to be most likely correct and list his family as well):
 
1880 United States Federal Census Record about William Gwin 
Name: William Gwin [II]
Age: 70
Estimated birth year: <1810>
Birthplace: Tennessee
Occupation: Farmer
Relationship to head-of-household: Self
Home: Bogue Chitto, Lincoln, MS
Marital status: Married
Race: White
Gender: Male
Spouse's name: Sarah Gwin
Father's birthplace: NC [TN was then NC]
Mother's birthplace: SCOTLAND
1880 United States Federal Census Record about Andrew Gwin 
Name: Andrew Gwin
Age: 62
Estimated birth year: <1818>
Birthplace: Tennessee
Occupation: Farmer
Relationship to head-of-household: Self
Home in 1880: Fourche, Pulaski, AR
Marital status: Married
Race: White
Gender: Male
Spouse's name: Susan Gwin
Father's birthplace: NC [TN was then NC]
Mother's birthplace: NC
1880 United States Federal Census Record 
about Sarah Gwin
Name: Sarah Gwin
Age: 68
Estimated birth year: <1812>
Birthplace: Mississippi
Occupation: Keeping House
Relationship to head-of-household: Wife
Home in 1880: Bogue Chitto, Lincoln, Mississippi
Marital status: Married
Race: White
Gender: Female
Spouse's name: William Gwin
Father's birthplace: GA
Mother's birthplace: GA
1880 United States Federal Census Record 
about Viola E. Gwin 
Name: Viola E. Gwin
Age: 28
Estimated birth year: <1852>
Birthplace: Mississippi
Occupation: Keeping House
Relationship to head-of-household: Daughter
Home in 1880: Bogue Chitto, Lincoln, Mississippi
Marital status: Single
Race: White
Gender: Female
Father's name: William Gwin
Father's birthplace: ---
Mother's name: Sarah Gwin
Mother's birthplace: ---

4.02--(daughter) Gwin, b. betw. 1815 and 1820--age 10-15
4.03--(daughter) Gwin, b. betw. 1815 and 1820--age 10-15
4.04--(son) Gwin, b. betw. 1820 and 1825--age 5-10
 

Looking for this second son (above), my search of the Ancestry.com 1880 census nationwide for any white, male, Gwins b. in AL or TN ca. 1815-1820, whose fathers were b. TN, NC, or VA, yielded the following hit:
1880 United States Federal Census Record about Carles Gwin 
Name: Carles Gwin
Age: 58
Estimated birth year: <1822>
Birthplace: Alabama
Occupation: Farmer
Relationship to head-of-household: Self
Home in 1880: Precinct 8, Collin, Texas
Marital status: Married
Race: White
Gender: Male
Spouse's name: Elisabeth Gwin
Father's birthplace: TN
Mother's birthplace: VA

4.05--(daughter) Gwin, b. betw. 1820 and 1825--age 5-10
4.06--(daughter) Gwin, b. betw. 1820 and 1825--age 5-10
4.07--(daughter) Gwin, b. betw. 1820 and 1825--age 5-10
4.08--(son) Gwin, b. betw. 1825 and 1830--age 0-5

Looking for this third son, my search of the Ancestry.com 1880 census nationwide for any white male Gwins b. in AL ca. 1825-1830, whose fathers were b. TN, NC, or VA, yielded no hits.

4.09--(daughter) Gwin, b. betw. 1825 and 1830--age 0-5
4.10--(daughter) Gwin, b. betw. 1825 and 1830--age 0-5
4.11--(daughter) Gwin, b. betw. 1825 and 1830--age 0-5

4.12--Col. Thomas F. Gwin, b. 1831 in Dallas Co., AL; d. aft. 1890; bd. unk.; m. 1866 in Little River Co., AR, to Mrs. Nancy (Holman) Reeves (b. in MO in 1822, d/o James Holman [b. KY; d. 1876 in Paris, TX] and Rebecca [nee unk., b. MD; d. 1857 in Paris, TX];

By her first husband, R. V. R. Green, Mrs. Gwinn had one daughter, Catherine, who is the wife of B. F. Forney, an attorney at Hope.  Since 1872, Col. Gwinn has lived in Sevier County, where he has a good farm of 160 acres near Ben Lomond.  In 1874 and 1875 he was superintendent of public instruction of Sevier County, and afterward held the position of justice of the peace for four years.  He was once special deputy of the Grange, and since 1887 he has been notary public.  In politics he is strictly Democratic, and his first presidential vote was cast for Franklin Pierce in 1852.  He has been a member of the A. G. & A. M. since 1861, but is now non-affiliating.  He has been a Royal Arch Mason since 1863, the Chapter being in Columbia County.  Mrs. Gwinn is a member of the Presbyterian Church.

3.4--John Gwin, b. 1792; d. 1877; m. 8 Apr 1812 in Blount Co., TN, to Jane Walker; 9 (or 10) children

4.1--Mary Gwin, m1. Drury Hampton Roark; m2. a widower, Abel Turner;
4.2--Thomas Gwin, m. unk.;
4.3--Isom Gwin, m. Mary Burdine Wilson, who, widowed from Isom, m2. Rev. John Steadman;
4.4--William Gwin, m. Roseanne Carlisle Jones Wilson;
4.5--Sarah Gwin, m. Louis Basset;
4.6--MaryAnn "Ann" Gwin, m. Joseph Basset, who, widowed from Ann, m2. a widow, Mrs. Catherine Louisa High Blann;
4.7--Martha Gwin, m. a widower, Jesse Comelander;
4.8--Chesley R. Gwin, m1. Mary Frances "Fannie" Elizabeth Bell; m2. a widow, Mrs. Paralee (nee unk.) Blevins;
4.9--Louisa A. Gwin, m. William J. McKnight;
Thirteen Pieces of Information We Have
on William Arranged Chronologically:

1. 1805--William Gwin is first mentioned in an 1805 Wears Cove Baptist Church record in Sevier County, TN, where he and his parents are granted a letter of dismissal (possibly to start as pastor at Tuckaleechee Cove in nearby Blount Co.). [If my theory regarding his date of birth is right, William is about 15 years old at this time and not yet married.]

[I have this data on another page and will transfer it here when I come across it again...]
2. 1808--Three years later he is named as a witness in his sister's and brother's-in-law land grant assignment. [If my theory is right, William is about 18 years old at this time.]
TERRITORY SOUTH OF FRENCH BROAD--LAND GRANTS
http://www.sevierlibrary.org/genealogy/landgrant/tsfb.htm

#621--SUSANNA RICHARDSON-36 1/2 acres--Sevier County--Crowson's Cove waters of Waldens Creek--CC None Surveyed March 16, 1807 Assigned to DAVID DENTON consideration $200 January 6, 1808 Witnesses JOHN HILL and WM. GWIN [JMGwin Note: We now believe this David Denton to be the husband of Elizabeth Gwin, one of the oldest daughters of Isham Gwin and older sister to John Gwin (the John who married Jane Walker). David and Elizabeth moved to Indiana with Isham; John and Jane moved to Dallas Co., Alabama, with his brother William (above-named witness to the property sale and brother-in-law to David Denton).]

3. June 1813--Jan B. Thomas' transcription shows him in the minutes of the Millers Cove Baptist Church, Blount County, Tennessee, as joining the church with his wife, Susanah. [If my theory is right, William is about 23 years old at this time.]
 
On Satterday the 26 June 1813
Mete the Church of Christ and after
devine Serves procedes to Buseness
1. the matter Concerning Sis. Betsey Tate
Laid over till our next meeting in Corse

Pg. 16
2. The Case of Henry Davis laid over from last Meeting
he being Charged with Contradcetions Conserning the
trade between Brother Aaron Waller & Wm Tipton
& he not appearing to Sattisfy the Church the
Church Exclude him from fellowship
3. The Case of Sister Peggy Davis as
Charged with telling one thing two way at different

 times the Church refer it to a Committee of (five members)
Viz) Brethren James Tailor George Snider D Joseph
Tate John Snider & Thos Morrisson
The Committee Report that they did not Consider
that She had told an intended falshood and Consider
her acquited from the Charge (till-crossed out) they also report
that believe that Brother Richard Davis had good
reason for bringing the Charge against her
4. a Charg brought by Brother Rich(ard)
Davies against Sister Peggy Davies
for quareling and useing on becoming
language the Church Exclude her

Received by letter William & Susanah Guinn.
4. Oct 1815--Then they appear again in those minutes as leaving the church. [If my theory is right, William is about 25 years old at this time. Question: Is this when William moves to Alabama? We know that John and Jane Walker Gwin, who (I'm all but certain) is the brother of this William, will move there very soon, as their son Isom will be born there 17 Mar 1817. So do they travel there together, leaving Blount Co. on or after 7 Oct 1815? I'm betting that's what we'll find out soon...]
 
Satterday the 7 of october 1815
Met the Church of Christ in Millers Cove
& after devine Serves procedes to Business
1. application by Bor Davis for letter
for Wiliam Guin & wife the Church
grant it

Five years later in 1820, Sister 
Kerenhappuch Biard is mentioned 
in these same minutes applying for 
a letter of dismission as well 
(see next column). We believe this is the 
same Kerenhappuch whose probate 
settlement appears two years later in 
Dallas Co., AL, in which this same 
William Gwin purchases some of 
her possessions (see number 6 below).
 
 
September 28 1820
The Church of Christ in millers
Cove met and after prare to god proseaded
to Bisiness first Br henery
Biard Came to the Curch and
Confes of Drinking two much

Pg. 82
Licker for which he felt truly 
Sorry for the Same for which
the Church forgive him
2. Sister kerenhappuch Biard
moovd for a letter of Dismison the
Church granted it 3. Sister Davis
moovd for a letter of Dasemison the
Church grant it 4. Brother
henery Biard and his wife Jeney
moovd for a letter of Dismison the Church
grant it and appoint Br
Person Davis to rite the letters
Dismisd in order


5. 12 Jan 1819--Marilyn Davis Hahn's 1981 book, Old Cahaba Land Office Records and Military Warrants, 1817-1853, reports that a William Given (whom we believe to be this William Gwin) purchases land in Dallas Co., AL, Township 15, Range 7, eight days before a Person Davis (whom we believe to be the Gwins' scribe in Item 4 above) purchases land there in T16, R8. By comparing the date above and the date in Item 4 above (col. 2), one might say that the two Person Davises could not be the same; however, we know that some people made land purchases from afar (by mail? by proxy?), and this could certainly have been the case with Person Davis. [If my theory is right, William is about 29 years old at this time.]

6. 10 Apr 1819--Hahn again reports that a William Gwin (whom we believe to be this William Gwin) purchases land in Dallas Co., AL, Township 14, Range 9. [If my theory is right, William is about 29 years old at this time.]


7. 1820--Next he appears in the 1820 census of Dallas Co., Alabama with a wife and seven children--two sons and five daughters. [For reference purposes, I've listed John Gwin's data as well.] [If my theory is right, William is about 30 years old at this time.] 
1820 U. S. Census, Dallas Co., Alabama
From the book
ALABAMA CENSUS RETURNS 1820
Reprinted from The Alabama Historical Quarterly Vol. 6, No. 3, Fall Issue, 1944
Published by the State Department of Archives and History
Reprinted for Clearfield Publishing Co., Inc.,
by Genealogical Publishing Col., Inc., Baltimore, MD 1996, 1999
ISBN 0-8063-0003-5
Page 52
NAMES
OF THE
HEADS OF FAMILIES
 (1) White males over twenty-one years
 (2) White males under twenty-one years
 (3) White females over twenty-one years
 (4) White females under twenty-one years
 (5) Total of white inhabitants
 (6) Total of free people of colour
 (7) Total of slaves
 (8) Total of inhabitants
Guinn, William
1
(William)
2
(2 unk.)
1
(Susanah)
5
(5 unk.)
9
0
0
9
Guinn, John**
1
(John)
2
(Thomas, Isom)
1
(Jane)
2
(Mary, 1 unk.)
6
0
0
6
**Name of the unknown daughter listed here may be tenth child who did not live past childhood.
8. 18 Dec 1820--We assume he is the namesake of nephew (son of brother John) William Gwin, who will marry Roseanna "Roe" Carlisle Jones Wilson and become my gg-grandpa.

9. 1822--Jan B. Thomas reports him as being in Alabama in 1822 as an heir at probate to Kerranhappuch Beard (Jan's research indicates that she is very likely William's late mother-in-law, the mother of Susanna Beard) at which the administrator is a Crowson's Cove neighbor, Person Davis (whom we believe to be the same Person Davis mentioned in items 4 and 5 above). [If my theory is right, William is about 32 years old at this time.]
[JMGwin Note: Person Davis is one of the next-door neighbors to Susanah Richardson in Crowson's Cove 15 years earlier--see no. 2 above.]

Here's the text of a long GenForum post by Jan Thomas located at:

http://genforum.com/gwin/messages/179.html

William Gwin/Guin 1820 Dallas AL
Posted by: Jan Thomas
Date: February 12, 2001...179 of 432

Interested in anybody who has information on William Guin who was on the 1820 Dallas Co. AL census. I think he married one of my Beard/Baird/Biard girls probably in Blount Co. TN around 1800+/-. He is listed as receiving an equal portion of my ggggg-grandmother's estate in Dallas Co. AL in 1822 and appears to be present at the sale of her belongings. Two Gwin girls were said to be cousins to our Biards, one being Henrietta Gwin who married John B. (Jack) Aiken, and the other was Kerrenhappuch Gwin who may have first married a Noblett and then married Robert Prigmore (Pridmore). These two girls married in Limestone Co. AL where some of my Biards lived. I have been wondering if William Gwin might be related to Isham (Isom) Gwin and/or John Gwin who may have also passed thru Blount Co. TN and Dallas Co. AL around the same time period. Any help with this William Gwin would be appreciated. Where did he go after the 1820 census. I notice a younger William Gwin there by the 1850 census.
1822 Probate, Kerranhappuch Beard/Baird
Posted by: Jan Thomas Date: June 28, 2000 at 21:00:09
   of 574 Go

Below is my transcription of the probate records of Kerranhappuch Beard, wife of Henry Beard/Baird/Biard who seems to have traveled from Buckingham Co. VA to Halifax Co. VA to Blount Co. TN and finally passing away in the Dallas Co. AL area. Some of the heirs listed confirm much of Maud Baird Smith's guesses in The Baird Family book printed in 1928 and again in 1954.

I believe "Happy" Beard was probably born around 1750 and is actually married to Henry Beard/Baird/Biard the 2nd. The first Henry Beard/Baird signed a deed in Goochland Co. VA in 1738. "Happy Beard is thought to be my ggggg-grandmother.

John Beard b.1780 d.1839, George Beard b.1777 d.1825, and Archibald Beard d.1833 below lived in Limestone Co. AL in the 1820's and 1830's; prior to that John lived in Bledsoe Co. TN and Blount Co. TN. Welcome Beard b.1788 below lived in Blount Co. TN and then Monroe & Bradley Co. TN.

Thomas Morrison was married to Francis Beard b.1796? and lived in Blount & Monroe Co. TN; Aaron Waller (a Baptist preacher) seems to have married a Beard girl, and they lived in Blount and Monroe Co. TN.

William Gwin was probably the father of Henrietta Gwin who married John B. (Jack) Akin; Henrietta came to TX with her Biard cousins in 1846.

Person Davis has a wife named Mary on census records in AL; I would assume he is married to a Beard girl as he has a daughter named Kerenhappuch Davis, but his relationship is unidentified at this time.

Maud thought one of the Beard girls married a John Blair, but here on the probate records we see William Blair.

Welcome Beard seems to have some relation with the surname Humphreys in Monroe Co. TN, but otherwise the surname is unknown as are the rest of the surnames.

Maud believed there were three unknown daughters. There was also some question in her book regarding the Henry Beards. I assume this is Henry Beard her son on the probate record. I think most of her children would probably have been born between 1770 and 1800 in Buckingham Co. VA or Halifax Co. VA or Blount Co. TN.

So, it is with great pleasure that I share this with everyone, and hope that it leads to many new discoveries. A special thanks to Bruce Baird Sr. for discovering and passing on the tip which led to this discovery, and to Jim Everett for sharing his Beard/Waller notes with me from Blount Co. TN.

Probate Minutes, Dallas Co., AL, Pages 6 & 7

An Appraisement of the estate of Happy Beard decd. agreeable to an order to us directed from the judge of the county court of Dallas this 2nd day of January 1822. When the following property was shown by the admr. And appraised as follows (viz)

1 Bed furniture 25$, 1 bed furniture 30$ 55.00
4 Bed Sheets 4$ 1 chest 3$ 2 Pewter Basin dishes &c 6$ 13.00
2 tin buckets cups & coffee Pots 1.00 ..............................................
1 Tackle? (looks like Heackle) & pr of cards 2.00
1 Lot of Books 6.50 1 Lugg? 1.13 7.62 1/2
1 Pot rack 2$ 1 pr Pot hooks & frying Pan &c 3$ 5.00
1 Cow bell 2$ 1 Side Saddle & Blanket 20$ 22.00
1 Looking Glass & bucket 1$ 1 Sorrel mare 50$. 51.00
13 head of Hogs 30$ 2 piggins? 1 tin dipper & 2? Cup .50$ 30.50

$187.12 1/2
1 Table Cloth $1

$188.12 1/2

Given under our hands and seals this 2nd Jany 1822. David McCord {seal} W. Wolds (or Woods) {seal}
John Kerida (or Kenida) {seal}
Sworn to this 2nd Jany 1822. J. H. Thorington J. P. D6
Recorded May 26th 1829 J. D. Craig clk

(page 16)
An Account of the articles sold at the sale of Kerinhappuch Beard decd. this 2nd Jany 1822. By Person Davis admr. (viz)

Person Davis 1 Sorrel Mare 60.00
Person Davis 1 Pot rack 2.25
Person Davis 1 Katchel? & bell 4.00
Person Davis 1 Tin bucket & dipper 1.12 1/2
Person Davis 3 Basins & plate & 2 spoons 4.00
Person Davis 2 Piggind & 1 pr cards 1.00
Person Davis 1 Bible & Hymn Book 9.00
Person Davis 1 Womans Saddle 23.50
Person Davis 1 Chest 2.00
William Gwinn 13 head of Hogs 32.50
William Gwinn 1 book 1.00
William Gwinn 1 Table cloth .81 1/4
William Gwinn 1 Bed & furniture 33.50
David McCord 1 pr Pot hooks .08 1/2
Henry Beard  Baker & Shovel .62 1/2
Henry Beard 1 frying pan 1.00
Henry Beard 1 Tin bucket & tin cups 1.00
Henry Beard 1 Pewter dish 1.25
Henry Beard 1 Lugg? 1.75
Saml Parsons 4 Sheets 5$ 1 bed & furniture 33.25 38.25
One note on Henry Beard
11.00
Person Davis 324 ? Pork? a 5$ 16.20
Person Davis
$236.63 1/4

Person Davis admr. Of Keronhappuch Beard dec. being sworn saith that the above is a complete inventory of the articles belonging to said Estate and sold by him at public auction this 5th Feby 1822.
Sworn before me N. Sargent J.CC. D6
Recorded 27th May 1829 James D. Craig clk

(page 17)
Person Davis admr. In account the Estate of Kerenhappuch Beard decd.
 
Person Davis To Amount of Sales as pr account
$225.43 3/4
Person Davis By Amt paid A. Waller as pr voucher No. 1 11.84
Person Davis By Amt paid William Blair No. 2 11.84
Person Davis By Amt paid C. Humphreys No. 3 57.50
Person Davis By Amt paid Henry Beard No. 4 11.84
Person Davis By Amt paid William Gwinn No. 5 11.84
Person Davis By Amt paid Welcome Beard No. 6 11.84
Person Davis By Amt paid Thomas Morrison No. 7 11.84
Person Davis By Amt paid William Boswell No. 8
By P. Davis Share of Said Estate
11.84
By Archibald Beards share in my hands
11.84
By John Beard Share in my hands
11.84
By George Beard Share in my hands
11.84
By Nelson McDowell Share in my hands
11.84
By charge for trouble expense
19.85 2/4
Advertising Settlement
3.50
Judge & clerks fees
4.75


8.25
Recorded 27th May 1829 J. D. Craig clk

[My transcription of some of the words & the amounts are undoubtably wrong, but they are close. Person Davis above may be Parson Davis, but it is definitely an "e" in these records. Apparently my tabulation gets lost as this posts, so I hope it is understandable. --Jan Thomas]

[John M. Gwin Note: Bill Webb of Pensacola FL noted in my guest book that "Kerranpauch Nelson Beard is my 5th great-grandmother." We welcome you, Bill, and hope you'll send in anything on K.N. Beard that might throw more light on William. And I'll bet Jan Thomas would like to hear from you, too!]

[John M. Gwin Note: Today, 1 Aug 2006, Lisa Bartlett noted in my guest book that she was "doing research on Kerranpauch Nelson Beard and found this website. She was my gggggg-grandmother (6 greats). The info you had was really cool." We welcome you, too, Lisa! Let us hear from you from time to time, especially if you have more to add to the puzzle's solution.]

10. 1830--Eight years later he appears in the 1830 census of Dallas Co., Alabama with a wife and eleven children--three sons and eight daughters. [For reference purposes, I've again listed John's data as well.] [If my theory is right, William is about 40 years old at this time.]
 
1830 U. S. Census, Dallas Co., Alabama
CD Page 101a.tif--two selected lines only
[Numbers
assigned
by JMG]
NAMES
OF
HEADS OF FAMILIES
 0
-4
 5
-9
 10
-14
 15
-19
 20
-29
 30
-39
 40
-49
 50
-59
 60
-69
 70
-79
80
-89
 90
-99
100
&c
 0
-4
 5
-9
 10
-14
 15
-19
 20
-29
 30
-39
 40
-49
50
-59
 60
-69
70
-79
80
-89
  90
-99
100
&c




M
A
L
E
S

F
   E
M
A
L
E
S
18.
 John Gwinn
1
(Chesley)
1
(William)
1
(Isom)
1
(Thomas)
.
1
(John)
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
3
(Ann,
Martha,
Louisa)
1
(Sarah)
.
1
(Mary)
.
1
(Jane)
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
23.
 Wm. Gwinn*
1
(unk.)
1
(unk.)
.
1
(unk.)
.
1
(William)
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
3
(unk.)
3
(unk.)
2
(unk.)
.
.
1
(Susanah)
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
*This William Gwinn, b. betw. 1790 and 1800, is very likely the older brother of my ggg-grandpa John Gwin.  The evidence (if not proof) of this is listed in the items of this chronology. Please see the table at the top of this page for a more detailed accounting of William's andSusannah's children.
11. 12 May 1831--Hahn again reports that a William Gwin purchases 80 acres of land in Dallas Co., AL, known as the west half of the southwest quarter of section 8, Township 15, Range 10. [If my theory is right, William is about 41 years old at this time.] According to my map of Dallas County, his land is located on the west side of the Alabama River about a mile south of Cahawba. To get there from Cahawba, leave the park by the main gate on County Rt. 2. Take the first dirt road to the left due south. Follow this road about 1.5 miles to the Matthews Cemetery which you should see on the left side of the road. Walk across the road from the cemetery, then due south for about 200 yards.  You should be standing approximately in the center of the northern boundary of his land. Those 80 acres were in a rectangle a quarter mile wide east to west and a half mile long north to south.

12. 16 Oct 1850--Cousin Mike Walker found a William Gwin (whom we believe POSSIBLY, MAYBE, SPECULATIVELY, IN THEORY, COULD be the son of our William and Susanna) in the 1850 census of Macoupin Co., Illinois.  [John M. Gwin Note: A photo of the 1850 census page where Cousin Mike Walker found this William is located several clicks below. Mike suggests (and I concur) that the William on line 37 could be the firstborn son of William and Susanna for at least the following six reasons:

(1) his age, 38, is right, according to the above-referenced 1830 census;
(2) his name is right (e.g., to be a "William, Jr.");
(3) his state of birth, Tennessee, is right;
(4) his current place of residence would make sense if, for example, he had decided to "agree with Grandpa Isham and move north to avoid his dad's (and uncle John's) attraction to slavery;
(5) his children's places of birth all fit; and
(6) we still don't yet know if Darlene Almer's information is correct (i.e., that this William came from North Carolina and is the son of Elias Gwin, which data, she told me on 20 Jan 2007, was given to her by the Weatherford family).  Of course, if the Weatherfords are right, then Mike's theory is moot, and we're back to square one in the search for this son of of William and Susanna Gwin. But Darlene wasn't sure there was any hard documentation for this William being Elias' son, so the theory still stands while she investigates her material further.

There are indeed, however, at least three items that seem to support Darlene's information:

(1) the Weatherford family must have some good reasons for their claims and should get the benefit of the doubt;
(2) the name of William's and Jane's son is Elias, making him named for his grandfather; and
(3) the presence of the George Gwin family two doors away from this William; that close proximity suggests that George and William are related, yet we have no idea who these people are; their places of birth don't fit our theory; they fit nowhere in our William's family but clearly could fit Darlene's.

Nevertheless, Mike's theory seems plausible to me, and I think we should continue to pursue it.  Meanwhile, I have transcribed the GWIN entries on the following page from that
16 Oct 1850 U.S. Census of Macoupin Co., IL,
to allow web searchers to find these names.  Please forgive the following strikethrough lines and underlines; I put them there in error and am still trying to figure out how to delete them.]
Res/Fam
First Name
Last Name
Age
Est
YOB
Sex
Occ
Value of
Real Estate
POB
Other
John Gwin's Comments
5/5 George Gwin 62 1788 m farmer . Va . This person is currently unknown to us; however, because he is two houses away from this William Gwin, he is most likely a relative.

Laney Gwin 52 1798 f . . Ten . This person is currently unknown to us.

Rachael Gwin 23 1827 f . . Ind CNROW The "Other" data is "Can Not Read Or Write."

Nancy Gwin 11 1839 f . . Ind . .

George L. Gwin 8 1842 m . . Ind . .
7/7 William Gwin 38 1812 m farmer 620 Ten CNROW This is the William Gwin (Jr.--if Mike's right) whom Mike Walker has theorized could be the son of William and Susanna Gwin (and grandson of Isham and Mary C. Gwin) as explained above. His estimated year of birth, 1812, is the same year John Gwin and Jane Walker married and the year before our William and Susanna (theoretical parents to this William) joined the Miller's Cove Baptist Church (see item #3 above).

Jane M. Gwin 37 1813 f . . NC CNROW Jane evidently married William in the early 1830's, no doubt in Alabama (as per her children's POB). If Rebecca is their firstborn, Jane would've been about 20 when Rebecca was born and therefore about 19 when she and William married (ca. 1832).

Rebecca L. Gwin 17 1833 f . . Ala ASWTY That this daughter is born in Alabama lends further credence to Mike's theory, since William and Susanna are in Alabama for the 1820 and 1820 censuses.
The "Other" data is "Attended School Within The Year."

James H. Gwin 13 1837 m . . Ill ASWTY That he is born in Illinois means--if Mike's theory is correct--that William and Jane moved their family north to Illinois between 1833 and 1837. The following is no doubt he in the 1880 census, the only questionable item being his mother's POB:
Name: James H. Gwin
Age: 44
Estimated birth year: abt 1836
Birthplace: Illinois
Occupation: Farmer
Relationship to head-of-household: Self
Home in 1880: Drywood, Bourbon, Kansas
Marital status: Married
Race: White
Gender: Male
Spouse's name: Eliza Gwin
Father's birthplace: TN
Mother's birthplace: AL
The "Other" data is "Attended School Within The Year."

Elias Gwin 8 1842 m . . Ill ASWTY The following is no doubt he in the 1880 census, the only questionable item being his mother's POB:

The "Other" data is "Attended School Within The Year."

Gwins Listed in the 1880 Census of Drywood, Bourbon Co., KS

Ref.
No.
Res/Fam
First Name
Last Name
Sex
Relat
to HoH
Mar.
Stat.
Race
Occ.
Age
Est
YOB
POB
Father's
POB
Mother's
POB
John Gwin's Comments
01 unk/unk James H. Gwin m self m w farmer 44 1836 IL TN AL I believe this could be the older son of the William Gwin (Jr.) who appears in Macoupin Co., IL, in 1850.
 
And voila, the 6 Jul 1860 census results of Twp. 9, Rng. 7, Macoupin Co., IL, seem to confirm this:
James H. and Eliza, both age 24, are living at #639/655.

Searching the 1875 Kansas State Census Collection on Ancestry.com, I've found a J. H. Gwin family living in Drywood, Bourbon Co., KS--who clearly must be this same person--as follows:
J. H. Gwin, 39, m, w, b. IL, moved to KS fr. IL;
 E. Gwin, 39, f, w, b. IL, moved to KS fr. IL;
 E. F. Gwin, 14, m, w, b. IL, moved to KS fr. IL;
 I. F. Gwin, 10, f, w, b. IL, moved to KS fr. IL;
 S. E. Gwin, 4, f, w, b. KS;
 Lewis Gwin, 2, m, w, b. KS;
 Oct Gwin, 17, f, w, b. IL, moved to KS fr. IL;
02
Eliza Gwin f wife m w keeping house 44 1836 IL TN TN
E. Gwin, 39, f, w, b. IL, moved to KS fr. IL;
03
Arrena Gwin f dau s w at school 14 1866 IL IL IL
I. F. Gwin, 10, f, w, b. IL, moved to KS fr. IL;
04
Sarah E. Gwin f dau s w at school 9 1871 KS IL IL
S. E. Gwin, 4, f, w, b. KS;
05
Lewis Gwin m son s w at school 7 1873 KS IL IL
Lewis Gwin, 2, m, w, b. KS;
06
Lee Gwin m son s w
3 1877 KS IL IL
07
Octavia Gwin f SOTADR s w works out 24 1856 IL TN IL
Oct Gwin, 17, f, w, b. IL, moved to KS fr. IL;
08 unk/unk Elias Gwin m self m w farming 40 1840 IL TN AL I believe this could be the younger son of the William Gwin (Jr.) who appears in Macoupin Co., IL, in 1850.
09
Sarah R. Gwin f wife m w keeping house 37 1843 KY KY KY .
10
Ida A. Gwin f dau s w at school 16 1864 IL IL KY Her POB places their move to KS between 1864 and 1867.
11
Elizabeth A. Gwin f dau s w at school 13 1867 KS IL KY Her POB places their move to KS between 1864 and 1867.
12
Nancy J. Gwin f dau s w at school 10 1870 KS IL KY .
13
Cora Gwin f dau s w at school 8 1872 KS IL KY .
14
James W. Gwin m son s w
3 1877 KS IL KY Jim and Mike, we need to search for this person in later censuses.
15
Allen A. Gwin m son s w
1 1879 KS IL KY Jim and Mike, we need to search for this person in later censuses.
16 unk/unk Elias F. Gwin m self m w works
on farm		 19 1861 KS IL IL I believe this to be the son and firstborn child of Elias Gwin who appears in this table, line 8 above. The only discrepancy is the POB of his mother--IL rather than KY.
17
Elizabeth Gwin f wife m w keeps house 18 1862 KY KY KY Nothing further known or speculated.
18
Lottie Gwin f dau s w
1 1879 KS KS KY .



Copy of the actual page from this 1850 census of the above Macoupin County, IL, question.





























































The unknown George Gwin family
appears here as family no. 5.












It is this William Gwin family no. 7
that is in question: Is he the son of
William and Susannah  Beard Gwin,
or is he the son of Elias Gwin?




 

[John M. Gwin Note: Is this Eliza (Mrs. James H.) Gwin, ca. age 70.]

http://skyways.lib.ks.us/genweb/bourbon/biography/R170_Redfield_Herald9.html#Gwinn

Redfield Herald -- November 1906 - February 1907

The Redfield Herald of Bourbon County, KS, was a weekly newspaper. The first issue, dated April 8, 1905, was published on Saturdays, with W. E. Stockmyer [referred to as Edd], as Editor. In October 1905, when Mr. and Mrs. Stockmyer left Kansas for New Mexico, publication changed from Saturdays to Fridays and J. Frank Pool replaced Mr. Stockmyer as Editor. At that point, the paper was considerably expanded; in addition to community news, coverage also included courthouse news and property transfers/deeds. Another editorial change occurred in October 1906 when Mr. Pool retired and Harry E. Luman became Editor. These extracts have been copied as accurately as possible, but errors may still occur. Minor printing errors have been corrected, but otherwise the information is presented as it originally appeared. Please consult the individual reel to verify an item. I do not have any further information about these individuals or families. Contributed by Ellen Knowles Bisson (thebissons@worldnet.att.net)

Dec 28, 1906 -- pg. 2, col. 1
Died: Mrs. James Gwinn died at her home west of town and was buried Tuesday at the Large cemetery. She had a very severe attack of pneumonia fever. She leaves an aged husband, three boys and two girls - all married.





13. 1890--In his book, Southern Arkansas Biographical and Historical Memoirs, the unknown author thereof lists Col. Thomas F. Gwinn, b. 1831 in Dallas Co., AL, as the son of William and Susan Beard Gwinn, with his paternal grandfather being Isham Gwin. [John M. Gwin Note: Jan Thomas found this on Ancestry.com in May 2007. We're convinced this is our William's and Susana's (note her maiden name!) son. There are, however, four discrepancies of note: William and Susan are listed as natives of Alabama (not Tennessee); Isham's place of birth is listed as Ohio (not Virginia), with his place of death being Alabama (not Indiana); and William and Susan are said to have had only 11 children--3 sons and 8 daughters (not 12--4 sons and 8 daughters). Nevertheless, because Thomas was only two and six years of age, respectively, when his dad and mom died, there is a lot of room for error on Thomas' part, who almost certainly had to rely on at least second-hand and at best somewhat old (and evidently sometimes incorrect) information. My transcription of the text of this article follows.]

From "History of Arkansas" in Southern Arkansas Biographical and Historical Memoirs, 1890, p. 224
discovered (on Ancestry.com) and sent in by Jan Thomas in May 2007
(color and other emphasis by John Gwin--RED = confirming data; GREEN = disputed data--see above):

Col. Thomas F. Gwinn, farmer and notary public, Ben Lomond, Ark.  Of the many thoroughgoing and enterprising sons of toil now residing in Sevier County [AR], none are more deserving of mention than Col. Thomas F. Gwinn, who was born in Dallas County,  Ala., in 1831. His parents, William and Susan (Beard) Gwinn, were natives of Alabama, where they were married and spent their entire lives, the father dying in 1833 and mother in 1837. The father was a farmer, and also followed merchandising for many years. The paternal grandfather, Isham Gwinn, was born in the Buckeye State, and was of Irish descent.  He died in Alabama. The maternal grandfather, John Beard, a native of Tennessee and of English descent, also died in Alabama.

Col. Thomas F. Gwinn, the youngest of eleven children--three sons and eight daughters--, divided his time in early life between assisting on the farm and in attending the common schools, where he received a good practical education. He then attended college at Elton and Tuscaloosa, and afterward taught school for twenty years. He was also a merchant, and sold books, etc. In 1856 he went to Bossier Parish, La.,  spent two years there, and then went to Southwestern Arkansas, where he has lived in Lafayette, Hempstead, Little River, and Sevier Counties. 

In 1861 he joined Company E, Eleventh Arkansas Infantry, and spent the first year in Missouri and Kentucky. He was captured at Island No. 10, and spent about seven months in prison at Camp Douglas, Chicago, Ill.  After being released he served in the mounted infantry, and was judge advocate and postmaster of the regiment, operating in Louisiana and Mississippi.  He surrendered at Lewisville, Ark. 

In 1866 he was married in Little River County, to Mrs. Nancy Reeves, a native of Missouri, born in 1822, and the daughter of James and Rebecca Hohman [Holman], who were born respectively in Kentucky and Maryland.  In 1828 her parents came to Hempstead County, Ark, and from there moved to Sevier County, where they remained until 1843, and then moved to Paris, Tex.  There Mrs. Hohman [Holman] died in 1857, and Mr. Hohman [Holman] in 1876, at the age of ninety-six years.  He once represented Hempstead County in the Legislature.  By her first husband, R. V. R. Green, Mrs. Gwinn had one daughter, Catherine, who is the wife of B. F. Forney, an attorney at Hope. 

Since 1872, Col. Gwinn has lived in Sevier County, where he has a good farm of 160 acres near Ben Lomond.  In 1874 and 1875 he was superintendent of public instruction of Sevier County, and afterward held the position of justice of the peace for four years.  He was once special deputy of the Grange, and since 1887 he has been notary public.  In politics he is strictly Democratic, and his first presidential vote was cast for Franklin Pierce in 1852.  He has been a member of the A. G. & A. M. since 1861, but is now non-affiliating.  He has been a Royal Arch Mason since 1863, the Chapter being in Colunbia County.  Mrs. Gwinn is a member of the Presbyterian Church.




Jan also sent me this article she found in a Rootsweb search:

William T. Holman --