The Vaughan Family of Wilson County, Tennessee

Before the main body of this analysis gets underway, a couple of preliminary facts are in order. There are two Thomas Vaughan: one lived 1785 to 1850+. The other lived 1780-1859. There is no evidence they are related. There are two Henry B. Vaughan: Henry Banks Vaughan (1797-1863), the son of John S. Vaughan of Halifax Co., Virginia, who lived across the Cumberland River in Sumner Co. He married for a third time in Wilson Co. The other is Henry Blanton Vaughan (1810-1875) who lived in Wilson Co. They likewise do not appear to be related. Melkijah Vaughan is said to be the son of Hundley Vaughan of Georgia, but he married and lived his adult life in Wilson Co., Tn.

Understanding pre Civil War Wilson Co. Tn. genealogy requires a study of the extant tax digests. At any given time, Wilson County is divided into 25 or more civil districts. From 1826 to 1830, the districts are numbered. From 1831 to 1833/34 the districts are identified by the commanding militia captain. This is followed by a gap until the 1842-1854 when the districts are again known by numbers, but the districts have been realigned. The 1854 tax digest is inexplicably dated 1834.

PRIOR TO AND INCLUDING 1834

Civil District 8 (1827 to 1834) / Civil District 4 (1842-1854)

This District includes the mouth of Spencer’s Creek at the Cumberland River. Thomas Vaughan settled there from Virginia and died early on in 1807. Thomas appears to be Thomas Vaughan, Jr. who owned 369 acres on Flyblow Cr. in Pittsylvania Co., Va. He left Virginia after the 1805 taxes were paid. His wife at that time was named Molly. He had a prior wife named Sarah. His children are well proven by his will and two deeds from adjacent Sumner County. There are many deeds by his descendants for land on Spencer’s Cr. Also there are two marriages by his descendants that appear to be first cousin marriages. However, each of these marriages have anomalies.

The first of these was the marriage of Melkijah Vaughan (b. in Georgia) to Sarah R. Vaughan (1798-1873). Her birth date and the fact they lived in this district makes it almost assured that she was the daughter of Thomas Vaughan who d. in 1807. Melkijah Vaughan and Sarah R. Vaughan raised their family in Wilson Co. Melkijah Vaughan is most likely a cousin. Melkijah Vaughan had some patent rights in Alabama which he assigned to Jacob Surratt. The Patent was issued for land in Township 7S, Range 1W, Section 6 of Morgan County, Al. on 1 May 1824 (https://glorecords.blm.gov/details/patent/default.aspx?accession=0116-346&docClass=CV&sid=qhblyydz.mqa#patentDetailsTabIndex=0). By 1824, he had moved to Wilson Co., Tn. Further research is warranted.

The second of these marriages is Henry (Blanton) Vaughan (b. in Georgia) to Susan C. Vaughan. Susan (b. in Alabama) was the daughter of Edmund W. Vaughan and the granddaughter of Thomas Vaughan who d. in 1807. It is known that Edmond W. Vaughan was living in Madison Co., Al. in 1819 (Sumner Co., Tn. Deed Book 09.318). He was back in Wilson Co. by 1831. It is almost certain that her husband Henry B. is related to Melkijah as Henry gave two sons the middle name Hundley and Melkijah named a son Hundley. Further research is warranted.

Civil District 11 (1827 to 1834) / Civil District 7 (1842-1854)

Abraham Vaughan and later his widow Margaret lived here. Early tax digests and other records suggest a relationship with James Vaughan who d. before 1832. Neither appear in the 1820 Census. Abraham is in the 1830 census records. It is possible James and his wife are the younger people in his family at that time. Per Revolutionary War Pension Application W610: Abraham was b. in 1764 in Amelia Co., Va.; he moved to Wilson County in 1807; and he d. 31 Jul 1836, survived by his widow Margaret, age 51 on 5 Jul 1853. This dovetails nicely with personal property tax digests of Va. showing Abraham moving from Dinwiddie Co. to Brunswick Co., to Lunenburg Co. and then leaving Va. in 1807. From his will we learn that he had a son Peter B. Vaughan and a grandson Samuel Eason.

Civil District 20 (1828 to 1834) / Civil District 6 (1842-1854)

The original reason for digging into Wilson County was to find out more about Daniel Vaughan. Only a little was found. James Vaughan lived in this district starting in 1828 until he d. in 1848. Daniel started paying taxes there in 1850. This is the slimmest of hints that James was the father of Daniel.

Civil District 2 (1842-1854)

James H. Vaughan started paying taxes in 1842 and continued through 1854.

Civil District 12 (1828 to 1834) / Civil District 10 (1842-1854)

Thomas Vaughan (1780-1858) lived here. He was from Halifax County, Va.

AFTER 1834

Some of the families discussed above are still around. By 1847 Daniel Vaughan and Lucy Mahon are living there. Specifically, I want to focus on Tax District 6. It looks like James Vaughan was living there prior to 1842. Then it appears that he died about 1847-1849. His apparent son Daniel paid taxes in 1850 and after 1853, while his apparent widow Margaret paid taxes in 1851 and 1852. [Now I realize these are inferences and do not arise to proof.]

Daniel Vaughan m. Lucy Mahon 10 Aug 1847. Various records show they had children: Laura F., William A., Thomas and Daniel Peter Vaughan. By 1860, Daniel had died and his widow Laura m. Robert William Jackson.

Compiled By: David H. Robertson, 159 Hickory St., Roswell, GA 30075 davidhr@hushmail.com