Asa Hardison

Marriage, birth and death dates taken from Hardison family Bible, as transcribed by his granddaughter, Mary Lou. According to Mary Lou, Asa left each of his 12 children 25 acres.

Married 4-1-1841 in NC to Clara or Clarissa (aka Clarissy) Robeson, according to Hardison family Bible. 1848-49 is when Asa moved from NC to TN with Owl Cox (Al?) who helped him clear the land. Mary Lou recalled her grandmother talking about the trip over the mountains by wagon, and how they washed their clothes in the streams. Also recalled her great uncle Dave coming in from NC to visit his brother, Asa. First four children born in NC, rest in TN.

Moved to TN between 1845-1848 to vicinity of Friendship in what is now Crockett County (but was then Dyer County).

11-6-1849 Dyer Court Minutes: ordered by the courth that the Sheriff summons the following good and lawful men of the Body of Dyer to be and appear at the Court House in the the town of Dyersburg on the 2nd Monday of February next then and there to serve as a venira at said Court to wit: William H. Powell (etc, for first district)...Andrew J. Page, Asa Hardison, and John Nash for the second district... (and so on).

3-4-1850 Dyer County Court Minutes: ordered by the court that William F. Nash be appointed overseer of that part of the Jackson Road on which Richard Staggs was formerly overseer and that he have the same hands...and Thomas Nash's hands, James M Craig and Asa Hardison in addition to work on said road.

(they are on the last page for the district. The previous page has Clarry's sister, Cyntha Stallings, right next to a Leggett family. Their neighbors are a Nash family, mentioned because there is a photo of GW Hardison with Maggie Nash).

1852 Asa Hardison bought 316 acres for $772. (from Deed Book H pg 342-43 some punctuation added to simplify reading): (box upper left) Deed 316 23/100 acres Francis B. Fogg to Asa Hardison, Registered July 3rd 1852 Stephen D Whitten RDC. (Main text) For and in consideration of the sum of seven hundred and seventy two dollars to me in hand paid by Asa Hardison of Dyer County State of Tennesee, the receipts whereof is hereby acknowledged, I Francis B Fogg native of Davison County Tennessee do hereby bargain sell alien transfer convey and confirm unto the said Asa Hardison his heirs and assigns a certain tract or parcel of land situate lying and being in the county of Dyer, State of Tennessee, being a part of Benjamin Smith's 5000 acre Grant No. 416. Beginning at a Stake with Poplar, Dogwood and Ironwood pointers in the East boundary line of the original Grant, running thence west 361 and 2/3 poles to a Sweet Gum and pointers in the edge of a lick. Thence North 140 poles to a Stake with White Oak and Hickory pointers Thence East 361 and 2/3 poles to a Stake and pointers in the East boundary of the Grant. Thence South with said line 140 poles to the Beginning containing three hundred and sixteen acres and 73 and ?/3 poles be the same more or less, To have and to hold the said land with all and singular the rights profits emolu..tenements (not sure of words) and hereditaments and appertenances of in and to the same belonging or in any wise appertaining to the only proper use behoof and benefit of him, the said Asa Hardison, his heirs and assigns forever. And I hereby covenant and bind myself to warrant and forever defend the title of the aforesaid land and bargained premises unto the said Asa Hardison his heirs and assigns against the lawful claims of all persons claiming by through or under me as trustee and or my heirs and assigns. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 3rd day of July AD 1852. In the presence of FG Sampson ~ Received July 3rd AD 1852 @ 1 o'clock PM ~ FB Fogg Trustee (with little drawn seal) by Thos J Connell Agent and Attorney in fact. State of Tennessee Dyer County ~ Personally appeared before me Robert M Tarrant, Clerk of the County Court of said County, Thomas Connelll Attorney in fact for Francis B. Fogg, the bargainer before named with whom I am personally acquainted who acknowledged that he executed the foregoing deed of conveyance for the purposes therein contained. Witness my hand at office this 3rd day of July AD 1852. Robert M. Tarrant, Clerk, ByWC Doyle, Deputy Clerk.

Hardison, A, age 40, born in NC with real estate valued at $9400 and a personal estate of $1100.

Hardison, C, age 39 born NC, and there is a check in the column for "cannot read or write"

(the kids 8 and up are checked as able to read and write, with no mark at all for the ones under 8).

(neighbors are the Leggetts). These initials match the ages and names with the exception of LA for Louisa Risabell.

5-2-1869 Deed recorded for 1 acre from Thomas Ward to JH Parker and other trustees (rec'd 2-3-1870) saying in part, "I, Thomas Ward, for the love and affection that I entertain for the Primitive Baptist Church that assembles at the meeting house called Mount Moriah have this day given...unto Asa Hardison, JH Parker, and JL Leggett, trustees to said meeting house...a lot of land in Dyer...wherein said Church House now stands containing one acre...from margin of Chestnuts Bluff and Eaton Road....Witnesses RA Moore and John Ward.

(note: this census does not list relationship, which is exasperating given the extra male in the mix)

Something mysterious goes on here. There is a child between James Henry and Jessie Hyman, listed as "Jr." The child born between those two was Asa Biggs Hardison, who might reasonably have been called Jr. The problem is that he died in fourteen years before this census was taken. There is a possibility that Mary Lou, in transcribing her father's Bible, marked down the wrong date of death for Asa Biggs. However, there is another mystery in this census. The youngest three children are Artemesia Frances (Mattie), followed by George Washington, followed by Alonzo Edwin. GW was born in 1860 and Alonzo Edwin born 1863. Abner must be Alonzo Edwin, but then where is George? Who is Jr, and where is George?

Wife Louise, age 20, born in TN with a line through instead of a state of origin for her parents birthplaces.

Hardison, Elonza E., head of household, single, age 36, born Sept 1864 (should be 1863), born TN, farmer.

Sister Mary Hardison, age 50, born Jan 1850 (way off--should be April 1845), single, born NC, no occupation listed

Father Acey Hardison, age 81, born July 1818 in NC, widowed, occupation: retired farmer

Brother Jessie H., single, age 47, born Feb 1853 (should be May 1854) in TN, farmer.

Head of househould, AE Hardison, age 47, born TN, occupation farm--general farm, in marriage one for eight years.

Wife Edna, age 30, born TN of parents born in TN, mother of three of whom three are alive, in marriage one for 8 years.

Son age 7 name transcribed as Hael, might be Noel? (according to Mary Lou, maybe Sylvester)

Mother-in-law (looks like "mother in taken") Alise Williamson, age 61, TN-TN-NC, widow, mother of one, one surviving.

Brother Elonza E Hardison, age 47, single, farm labor (see note below in italics)

Strange as it sounds, I think AE, Head of household, and Elonza E, "Brother," both age 47 are both Alonzo Edwin, somehow listed twice. Alonzo Edwin's wife was Edna.