County Quarterlies, Books & Newspaper Articles
From: Calendar of the Tennessee and King's
Mountain papers of the Draper Collection of Manuscripts; pub. State
Historical Society of Wisconsin; 1929
17DD26 (32-35): Octogenarian. A sketch of John Bishop. Bishop family fled from the British under Huck to Sumter's army; John Bishop became soldier at sixteen; captured by the Tories; mentioned battles of Friday's Fort, Thompson's, Big Savannah, Scape Hoar, Biggin's Church, Eutaw Springs where Capt. John Mills had three horses killed under him; was with Lacey on Edisto Island and near Orangeburg; married Mary Standifer; last surviving Revolutionary soldier of Chester surviving Revolutionary soldier of Chester County, S. C. Newspaper clipping. 4 pp.
Click
here to view article re. William I. Standifer published in the Chattanooga New on May 9,
1993
From Tennessee Cousins; A
History of Tennessee People by Worth S. Ray, p. 156:
"On December 15, 1802, Stephen Heard was elected the first Clerk of the County Court of Anderson County, an office he held from that time until 1812. Stephen Heard married Jemimah, the daughter of William Menefee, of Virginia who left a will in Knox County sometime during the 1790s, and long after his death Jemimah (Menefee) Heard emigrated with other members of the Menefee family to Texas, where William Menfee was one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence by the Texans against the rule of Mexico, and participated in the battle of San Jacinto.
Stephen Heard came to East Tennessee from Pittsylvania Co., Virginia, where his father Stephen Heard, SR. died leaving a will in 1774, in which he mentioned his wife Mary and children:
1. Jesse Heard 2. Stephen Heard 3. George Heard 4. Mary Heard 5. Ann Heard married Peter Gilliam 6. Susannah Heard who married Standifer."
Location of the County Seat of Anderson County: One of the commissioners appointed to locate the County seat of Anderson County: William Standifer
William Standifer was the brother-in-law of Stephen Heard, he having married Susannah Heard of Pittsylvania county, Virginia. Some of the Standifers later intermarried with the Menefee family.
p. 215: William Standifer was a witness to a William Menefee's will in 1797....William Standifer is the son in law of Jesse Heard, of Pittsylvania County, Virginia, and brother in law of Stephen Heard of Anderson County, who married Jemimah Menefee, daughter of the son John Menefee, mentioned in the will.
The Last Will and Testament of William Menefee in 1797:
"The last will and testament of William Menefee, dated December 6th, 1797, was admitted to probated and placed of record in Knox County the same years. The legatees mentioned in the will were: My son, John Menefee; Heirs of Son: William Menefee. Daughter: Jemimah Menefee; Daughter: Nancy Menefee; Son: George Menefee; Daughter Mildreth Menefee. Signed William Menefee. Witnesses: Patrick Sharley, William Standifer, Mitchell Childress."
From the book, Tennessee
200 Bicentennial History of Anderson County, 1796-1996, Action Printing, LTD,
Jacksboro, TN 1997:
(*Contributed by Jim Standefer.
"This William is the husband of Jemima Jones. The area where Clinton is presently
located, was originally part of Knox Co. When the records say he was in Knox Co in 1799
and Anderson Co in 1801,
he more than likely was in the same location.")
"On June 1, 1796, President George Washington signed the Tennessee statehood bill and Tennessee became the sixteenth state of the Union. On November 6, 1801, Anderson County was created from fractions of Knox and Grainger counties and became about the seventh county of the new state....
Before 1791 the Cherokee Indians claimed the land. It was not until 1805 with the ratification of the third Tellico Treaty that all Cherokee claims were extinguished. The Treaty of Holston in 1791 has extinguished claims of part of the area of Knox County was created in 1792 from portions of Greene and Hawkins as well as the cleared new lands extending into part of Powell Valley by 1799. A few settlers had started moving in illegally before 1792, but the area grew rapidly after then so that by 1800 some two hundred and fifty "inhabitants of Knox County humbly sheweth that their local situation is such as renders it very inconvenient for them to attend the usual place of holding courts, General musters, elections, etc. Some of us are having to travel, on generally very rough roads, having sundry large watercourses and ridges to cross. Your Petitioners humble conceive that their grievance might be much alleviated by a division of Knox County..."
The legislature honored the petitioners’ request and in the act of 1801 provided for a court of pleas and common sessions and a commission to fix on a place for the new county seat. William Lea, Kenza Johnson, William Standefer, William Robertson, Joseph Grayson, Solomon Massingale, and Hugh Montgomery made up the commission and bought fifty acres from John Leib on the north side of Clinch River for the purpose of erecting a courthouse and jail. They named their county seat, Burrville after Vice-President Aaron Burr. (In 1809 the name was changed to Clinton).
The first court of pleas and common sessions was made up of James Butler, William McKamey, John McWhirter, John Kirby, Solomon Massingale, Fredrick Miller, High Montgomery, Robert Pollock, James Sinclair, William Standefer, William Underwood, and perhaps others. . . . . . .
The first taxes were levied for 1802 and were set as follows: Each l00 acres of land - 6 1/4 cents; Each white poll - 6 1/4 cents; Each black poll -12 1/2 cents; Each stud horse kept for mares - 25 cents; Each town lot - 12 1/2 cents
A white poll was any free male or male servant between the ages of twenty-one and fifty years. A black poll was any male or female slave between the ages of twelve and fifty years. . . . . .
Fifty-five men paid taxes on ninety slaves. Only eighteen men paid taxes on more than one slave: Robert Button, 3; Joseph English, 2; Joseph Denham, 4; William McKamey, 2; William Mankin, 2; John Sartin, 2; William Stinnett, 2; James Bair (?Baird), 2; Elliott Grills, 2; John Scruggs, 3; Thomas Jones, 2; Douglas Oliver, 3; Jacob Peak, 2; William Standefer, 3; Thomas Hill, 6; Luke Lea, 2; Hugh Montgomery, 8; and Thomas Wilson, 2. All male residents, of course paid the tax on white polls, and about two hundred of the five hundred taxpayers paid tax on one hundred acres or more. ....Most local landowners possessed anywhere from 100 acres to 1,000 acres, with only a few having 1,000 acres or more. . . . . .
With the basic instruments of government in place, including a taxation plan, Anderson County was ready to recreate, in so far as it could, the more settled areas of North Carolina or Virginia, Maryland, or Pennsylvania from where most of its people had come. Many of the early settlers had been active in their government back home so they had some experience in self-government. Schools had generally been available, so they had some education and skills, often a great many skills. They may not have thought of themselves as pioneers, but simply as people seeking to improve their lot for themselves and their children be acquiring more land than was available where they came from. Not all fit the pattern; a few were running away or seeking isolation or simple adventure wherever it might lead them. . . . . . "
From A History of Bledsoe County,
Tennessee 1807-1957 by Elizabeth Robbnett; pgs. 22, 27, 43
Pg. 22: James Standifer with his wife, Patsy Standifer, and William Standifer, a child of five years, came to Sequatchie Valley in 1806 from Virginia. James Standifer, born 1779, and Patsy, born 1783, were the parents of six children. Amos Griffith, born 1783, came with James Standifer and married Polly Standifer.
Pg. 27: First court...John Tollett, John Marramore, Jesse McKinney, Michael Rawlings, Jas. Hoge, James Standifer, Timothy Hixson, William Christian and John Durgin.
From Tennessee Cousins; A
History of Tennessee People by Worth S. Ray,
p. 473: Up to the time of
the beginning of the War between the States, Hamilton County had as her representatives in
the Legislature of Tennessee, in the State Senate: James Standifer,
1821; in the House of Representatives: William J. Standifer, 1839.
From: Hamilton
Co., TN GenWeb
Following is a list of the members of the Legislature from Hamilton County
previous to the war: Senators ---- James Standifer, 1821; John
Billingsly, 1823; James Preston, 1825; James I Greene, 1829-31; Mills Vernon,
1833-35; Richard Waterhouse, 1841; J M Anderson, 1843; Isaac Robertson, 1845; J
M Anderson, 1847; James W Gillespie, 1851; John M Havron, 1853; J C Burch, 1857;
J A Minnis, 1859-61. Representatives ---- James C Mitchell, 1821; Thomas Kelly,
1823-25; Thomas J Campbell, 1831-33; Joseph M Anderson, 1837; William J
Standifer, 1839; Daniel R Rawlings, 1841; James A Whiteside, 1845-47; John M
Havron, 1849-51; John C Burch, 1855; J W White, 1857; Daniel C Trewhitt, 1859.
From Hancock Co., Tennessee and its
People, Vol. II (1989)
pgs. 170-171:
Submitted by Charles H. Stapleton, assisted by Will Stapleton and Clay Standifer.
Standifer. The name Standifer is English* for dweller by a rocky ford. There seems to be many different spellings of this name: Sandefer, Sandeford, Sanderfer, Sandifer, Sandiford, Standeford, Standford, Stanfor and Staniford. The spelling used in this article are as they appeared in Census, Marriage and other records.
My connection to the Standifers of Hancock County, TN is thru my father Will S. Stapleton (b. 4 July 1904 in Claiborne Co., TN) whose mother was Laura Elizabeth "Standifer" (b. 7 Feb 1877 in Lee Co., VA and d. 7 Feb 1908, buried in Payne Cem behind Cedar Flat Church in Claiborne Co., TN). Her parents were Reuben Standifer (b. 5 Nov 1845 or 1848 in Lee Co., VA-now Wise Co., VA and d. 31 Oct 1933 and is buried in Spadling Cem two miles from Hwy 33 on Snake Hollow Rd. in Claiborn Co., TN) and Roseana J. Short (b. 1850 in Lee Co., VA, daughter of J. T. and N. Short and died ca 1880 and is buried in Standifer Cem in Wise Co., VA). Will's father was Isaac Floyd Stapleton (b. 8 Feb 1878 in Lee Co., VA, son of James and Ursula Roberts Stapleton Ratliff and d.11 Apr 1966, buried in Oak Grove Cem at Oak Grove Church in Claiborne Co., TN).
Reuben was living in Howard's Quarter, Claiborne Co, TN when the Civil War started. Several of the Standifers joined the 63rd TN Vol Inf (Conf), but Reuben and his older brother joined "B" Co 1st TN LT ART BE (Fed) in 1864. Pvt Reuben "Stnaford" (Rubin Staniford) and Pvt Job "Standerford" served at Cumberland Gap from 1864 until they were discharged at Nashville, TN in 1865.
On 7 Sept 1869 Reuben "Stanafer" married Roseanah in Wise Co., VA. They had six children between 1871 and 1880: William 1871, Mary Evelyn 1873, Elisha M., 1874, Morgan L. 1878, Laura Elizabeth 1878, and Mela L.1880. After Roseanah's death, Reuben married an Eagle woman and they had two daughters in the middle 1880s. The family moved to Claiborne County, TN about 1890. In 1897 Reuben "Standefer" married Nancy Bull Howerton (b. 14 Mar 1878 and d. 27 July 1931, buried in Spadling Cem with Reuben). Nancy brought a son to the marriage and they had eight children together between 1898 and 1923. Slay Standifer is the youngest of these. On 6 June 1932, Rubin "Standifer" married his fourth wife, Lucy Cinnamon (he gave his age at 84, she as 65). In all Reuben raised about twenty children.
Reuben's parents were William "Sandifer" (b. 1788 in NC) and Mary Ann (Polley) last name unk (b. 1807 in KY). They were married in the late 1820s and had six children from 1830 to 1845 or 1846: John 1830, Susan 1833, Loucinda 1836, Samuel 1840, Joab 1842 and Reuben 1845-48. William and Mary Ann "Stanifer" were both members of the Mulberry Gap Church in Hancock Co., TN as also were William and Mary (Polly) Gilbert "Standeford". The "Standeford" spelling was used by Mary Gilbert's mother, Nancy Ann ___Cheek Gilbert in her will, where she lists Mary's children as Nancy, Susan, and Rosanna in 1828 (the will shows that Mary (Poll) is not alive in 1826). Mary's father was Joseph Hirman Gilbert who married the widow Cheek on 8 May 1784 in Shenendoah County, VA. Virginia deed records show that William and Mary (Polly), b. 1788 in VA, were married before 1811. Also death records of VA show a Joseph "Standerfer" 77 yrs, 1 mon, died on 29 Mar 1887 and was the son of William and Mary Standerfer.
William's parents could have been William Standifer who married Jemima Jones on 24 June 1779 in Henry Co., VA. More probably is John Standifer who appears in the Orange County, NC Census in 1800. John's family consisted of 1 males under 10 yrs (Samuel?), 1 male 10-15 yrs (William?), 1 male 16-18 (Elisha?) and 1 male 26-45 (John). Females: 3 are 16-18, 2 are 19-25 and one is 26-45 (John's wife).
*English was brought to "England" in 450 AD by the Anglos, Saxons and Jutes (Anglosaxon) raiders from Northwestern Germany.
[Another article by Mr. Stapleton with updated information appears in the Bicentennial History of Lee County, VA 1791-1992. See VA Quarterlies.]
From Ansearch' News, Vol. 47, No. 1, Spring 2000:
p. 27:
In a (Civil War) claim (#5515), testimony is given by Elizabeth A. Standifer
Campbell, who was born in Marion Co., Tenn., and was the widow of Eli Campbell, whom she married June 6, 1860. Eli filed the claim June 14, 1871 in Cherokee County and died October 16, 1873. In testimony given February 18, 1878 at Gadsden, Elizabeth identified their children as: Sarah A. C., age 26; Amanda J., age 23; Wm. H., age 20;
Robert A., age 18; Julia E., age 16; Jepe/Jese A., age 12; and George F. Campbell, age 12. She testified that her father, husband, and brothers were all Union men. One brother,
Lemuel J. Standifer, age 60, was an attorney in Gadsden in 18178, Among Eli's list of witnesses to be called was Rudolphus Norton of Beech Grove, Coffee Co., Tenn. The claim was disallowed.
Elizabeth's brother Franklin H. Standifer, born in Bledsoe Co., Tenn. also filed a claim (#5522). He was 64 and a resident of DeKalb Co., Ala., when he testified 23 Dec 1878. His claim was also disallowed.
From The Sandifer
Family. Marshall County Historical Quarterly, Vol. 10, #1 (Spring, 1971), p. 25:
Richard and William Sandifer
are found on the 1800 Dinwiddie County, VA Tax list, along with William Woodward James and
Thomas Moore. Will of Richard Sandifer written 22 Nov 184(0)?:
Witnesses: David Yancy, Stephen Porter, Jerman Woodward. Probated January 1842, Marshall
County, TN. To Lucy (Woodward) Sandifer; Three children: Lucy Ann E.; Parker
C.; and Virginia A Sandifer. Wife Lucy and John McAdams,
executors.
1850 census (Marshall County, TN) lists:
Lucy Sandifer, age 53, b. VA (1797)
Parker, age 12, b. TN (1838)
Virginia, age 9, b. TN (1841)
Living in District 4, Marshall County, TN near Stephen Porter. Richard Sandifer is probably buried in Porter-Sandifer cemetery at Arbor Hill, TN. (Submitted by Mrs. Thomas A. McAdams)
From:
History of Oliver Springs, Tennessee
*Contributed by Cheryl Coppock
Children of William C. & Susannah Jones Griffith:
Amos Griffith (b. 24 August 1783, VA) married Mary "Polly" Standifer (b. 1790; d. 1864), daughter of his old friend William Standifer. Amos and Rachel Standifer Griffith lived near Amos' father in Poplar Springs and by 1806 had settled in the Sequatchie Valley, six miles north of Dunlap where he was among the first white settlers. Issac and William Standifer families made the trip with him. Amos became the first Register of Deeds in Marion County and served in that capacity from 1819 to 1836, when his son James was elected to the same position, which he served for eight years and later served as postmaster of Cheekville, now Cedar Springs for ten years, as well as Justice of the Peace.
Amos and his wife "Polly" had the first white male child born in the county (William S. Griffith, b. September 1807; d. 1906), born sixteen miles north of Jasper in what later was part of Marion Co., TN. Other children of Amos and "Polly" Griffith were: Frances "Fanny" (no dates married Joseph P. Kelly; Isaac Griffith (no other info.); Jehu (b. 21 Sept 1809; d. 09 July 1849) buried in Smith Cemetery, Marion Co., TN; Jessie Jones Griffith (b. 1814; d. 1858 in TX) maried a Violet Hendrix; Naomi Griffith (b. 1823; d. 1887) married Phillip L. Daniel; Joel Griffith (b. 1828; d. 1913); Gemima Griffith (b. 1832; d. 1875); Susan Griffith (b. 1833; d. 1887) married Alexander W. Price; Pollyanna Griffith (b. 1835; d. 1837).
From: Sequatchie County by Henry
R. Camp, Robert B. Jones, Editor, p. 19:
"During these years when present-day Sequatchie County was part of Marion and Bledsoe counties, she made a number of important contributions not only to their development, but to the country in the form of some early military and political leaders. One of these men was James Standifer, an early settler and leader of Bledsoe county where he served on the first county court at "Old Madison" and was one of the three county commissioners. Standifer, born April 19, 1779, lived in the community of Mount Airy, which is now in Sequatchie County. He was education in the so-called common schools and was a graduate of East Tennessee College which later became the University of Tennessee. Standifer was elected to the House of Representatives of the United States from 1823 to 1825 and later as a Whig from 1829 to 1837. The Whigs were that part of the Republican Party that split with the forces of Andrew Jackson. Many Tennesseans felt deserted by Jackson because of his stand in the nullification crisis with South Carolina over states rights and his stand on the the tariff. Congressman Standifer died suddenly on his way to Washington on August 30, 1837, and was buried in the Baptist Cemetery in Kingston, Tennessee."
Douthat, James L.; Sequatchie
Families; p. 97
Isaac and William Standifer
migrated from Virginia into Sequatchie Valley at the earliest of times. Along with Amos
Griffith, who married William's daughter, these two men helped to shape the beginnings of
the valley settlement. Amos Griffith's son was William Standifer Griffith, the first white
male born in the valley. When Isaac and William entered the
Valley in 1805, they came via the Walton Road through Kingston and then came into the
valley. By the time of the first census in 1830, only William H. Standifer
is mentioned in Marion County, but James, Benjamin and Israel
Standifer were in Bledsoe County, TN.
James Standefer entered land east of Dunlap
in 1806 on Indian land. He later moved to the present Bledsoe County. In 1816, he
purchased 923 acres of land for which he paid $1.17 per acre for the mountain land and
$2.04 per acre for the valley land. James was born on April 19, 1779,
probably in Virginia and he married a woman by the name of Patsy born Jan 19, 1783. To
them were born six children; William S. b: 1801 was five when his parents
came into the Valley; Luke C, b: Nov 3, 1810 was in the United States Army
when killed by Indians, supposedly; Jesse H, b: Sep 3, 1812; Skelton
Carroll b: Apr 12, 1815; James M. b: Oct 6, 1817 and Eliza Ann b:
Aug 31, 1820. In 1815, James was elected to the 11th General Assembly of Tennessee to
represent Bledsoe, Anderson, Rhea and Roane Counties. He served in the 11th, 12th, 13th
and 14th General Assemblies. On Sep 30, 1813 he was enlisted as a Captain in the War of
1812 and served until Dec 30, 1813, he reenlisted on Jan 20, 1814 and on Mar 11, 1814 was
promoted to Lieutenant Colonel serving under Colonel John Brown in the East Tennessee
Volunteer Mounted Gunmen. He was a member of the first county court of Bledsoe; selected
the site of the courthouse in Pikeville and in 1823 was elected to serve in the 18th
Congress. He was elected again for the 21st Congress and next four succeeding Congresses
thereby serving until his death on Aug 20, 1837 while on his way to Washington, DC. He
died in Kingston in Roane County and is buried in the Baptist Cemetery in that city.
From: Sequatchie - A Story of the
Southern Cumberlands by J. Leonard Raulston and James W. Livingood
p. 252: Among the first people to seek land in the Sequatchie Valley were Isaac and William Standifer (Standefer), who came to the valley from Virginia. An associated in this enterprise was Amos Griffith, who married the daughter of William and became the father of William Standifer Griffith, the first white male child born in the valley.
Another early member of the family who settled in the region was James Standifer, born April 19, 1779. James and his wife, Patsye, had six children: William, born 1801, who was five years old when his family moved to the Sequatchie Valley; Luke C., born in 1810; Jesse, born in 1812; Skelton Carroll, born in 1815; James M. born in 1817; and Eliza Ann, born in 1820.
James Standifer, whose home was near Dunlap, was a graduate of East Tennessee College. In 1807 when Bledsoe County was organized, he was appointed one of the three county commissioners. He was elected as Whig to the 18th Congress and served from March 4, 1823, to 1825. He was again elected to Congress and served from March 1829 until his death near Kingston Tennessee, while on his way to Washington on August 30, 1837. He was buried in the Baptist Cemetery in Kingston.
One son, Luck C., is believed to have been killed by an Indian. Skelton Carroll, who served in the Florida and in the Mexican wars, married Nancy Kane in 1869. Their children were: Martha, who married a Hornsby and went to Arkansas; Pernina, who married J. P. Milton; Sarah, who married Josiah Jones; Polly who married John Johnson; Lucy,. who married Patrick Lamb; William; Tabitha, who married Cass Bice; Thomas; and Alfred K., who married Julia Elliott.
Alfred K. and his wife settled on a farm on Cumberland Mountain. At the time of Julia Standifer's death, October 28, 1893k she was survived by thirteen children: Jane, Mattie, John, Margaret, Lila, Pernina, Myrtle, Carroll, Ada, Ida, William A., Nancy, and Florence. Alfred K. later married Polly Monnahan and they had two daughters, Phoebe and Rachel.
From Tennessee Cousins; A
History of Tennessee People by Worth S. Ray
p. 208: In a discussion
about John Clack, justice of Sevier County: .....John Clack married Sallie
Standifer, daughter of James Standifer in November,
1799. He was brother in law of Mark Renfroe, who had married Naomi Standifer,
her sister, April 22, 1779. Both the Renfroes and Standifers moved to Tennessee. Their
wives were related to William Standifer, who married Susan Menefee
& settled in Anderson County. All three families including Stephen Heard may have made
the trip together.
From American
Biographical Notes, p. 374:
Colonel James Standifer,
a member of congress from Tennessee from 1823 to 1825, and again from 1829 till his death,
which occurred near Kingston, Tennessee, August 20, 1837.
From Tennessee Cousins; A
History of Tennessee People by Worth S. Ray
p. 641: The wife of Edmund Allen was Mary Sanford (Sandford, Standford, and even Samford, as the name is variously transcribed from the old records) of Richmond County, Virginia. She was evidently a direct descendant of that one time wealthy and prominent early day colonial planter, Vincent Standford who patented several thousands of acres in Lancaster, Westmoreland, and along the Rappahannock, was a close intimate of David Fox, Thomas H\Bushrod, Edward Grimes, Dr. James Williamson, the Gaines and Catlets & Hawkins families......One of the grand daughters of Vincent Stanford was the wife of Edward Jones, who died in Richmond County, VA. in 1715. A son Edward Jones was father of Vincent Jones.
