Beginning at Mooresburg located in the western end of the county - it adjoins Grainger County, Hamblen County and Hancock County. Areas located in the area were Mooresburg Springs and Galbraith Springs and the Rogers place where the 13th Tennessee Cavalry, USA, camped on December 26th, 1864. In this area were the Moores, Isenburgs, Proffits, Lovins, Carpenters, McNalleys, Johnsons, Mooneys, Orricks and Etters. Not too many miles away was where the Battle of Bean Station took place. On the lower end of Rogersville toward Mooresburg was also where the McCartys and Kyle families lived. Most of these men joined the 19th Tennessee Infantry, K Company, the first company to be organized in Hawkins County, and the 63rd Tennessee Infantry, C Company. This area seemed to be mainly Confederate.

Moving across the Holston River into another lower section of the county which joins Hamblen County is the area of

Price Ferry

Flora Ferry

Tarter - Kirkpatricks, Roarks, Mills, Cantrell, Cope, Horner, Stewarts

Persia - Everharts, Reynolds, McCoy, Persia Jct, Chestnuts

McCloud - Rowan Farm, Sanders Ford, Hauns, Lawsons,

Strahl - Haneses, Kites, Venables, Main Dodson Road,

Dodson Creek - Grigsbys, Dyers,Smiths,Wests, Hoards

St Clair - Burdines, Phillips, Gulleys, Harrises, Millers, Berrys, Shepherds,

Morristown Road

White Horn - Longs, Setsers, Coffeys, Wards

Bulls Gap - Huntsmans, Raders, Walkers, Beckners

Most of the men from this area seem to be mainly Confederate. There was also a Confederate Raiding Party called “Captain William Owen’s Scouts” who seemed to have riden in the area quite a lot. A lot of these men were in the 31st (39th) Tennessee Mounted Infantry, D Company, CSA. As one got closer to the county line of Greeneville, Tennessee, there more Union men.

Moving back across the Holston River into Rogersville, this town switched back and forth according to what troops were in the area - but, for the most part it was Confederate, and there were a lot of Confederates camped in the area. There was a large camp at Ebbing Flowing Springs where the Battle of Big Creek took place. Also in town, being the county seat, were the Fains, McCartys, Fulkersons, Prices, Spears and other slave-holding families. Most of these men went with the 19th Tennessee Infantry, K Company, and the 63rd Tennessee Infantry, C Company, CSA.

On the outer edge of Rogersville going toward Clinch Mountains and Hancock Countywas the area of Alumwell, Eidson, Stringtown, Lee Valley, Poor Valley, Devil’s Nose, Klondike, Manis, Pumpkin Valley, Little War Gap, and area which was later called Pressmen’s Home. Most of this area was Union. Many men from here rode with the 13th Tennessee Cavalry Regiment, USA. Some men of this area were at Greeneville when General Morgan was killed. Some of the men also rode with the infamous Union scout, or as many called him, Bill Sizemore, bushwhacker. Many of these men in this area were also later involved in the Greene/Jones feud. And some, were later to be called, “Melungeons”. Some of the names were Jones, Sizemore, Lawson, Davis, Berry, Price, Brooks, Manis, Yount, Hounshell, Burton, Abshire, Wilder,Smith, Rogers, Greene, Cope, Helton, Lype, Gibson, Willis. Many men from this are also went into Kentucky to join. This area adjoins Hancock County, Tennessee. Also men from this area joined the 8th Tennessee Volunteer Infantry Regiment, USA.

Further to the north and toward the state of Virginia and Sullivan County, Tennessee are the areas of Fishers Creek, Snow Flake, Churches, Wren, Starnes, Maudetta, Wildrose, Ecke, Skelton, Guyville, Cameron, Sivert, Hut, Cloudsford. Solitude, Rotherwood; stopping at the North Fork of the Holston River. Here you have the Vaughns, Brewers, Frosts, Bradshaws, Barretts, Larkins, Browns, Skeltons, Conants, Kinkaids, Housewrights, Coopers, Carmacks, Darters, Bellamys, Begleys, Winingers, Simmones, Christians,Calhouns, Clicks, Criggers, Lloyds, Williams. A lot of these men joined the 16th Tennessee Cavalry, F Company, and the 12th Tennessee Cavalry BN, A Company, and 2nd Tennessee Ashby’s Cavalry Battalion,CSA. There were also men in the 8th Tennessee Cavalry Regiment, USA from this area. This area would no doubt be widely split in CSA and USA.

Crossing the Holston River at the upper area and coming back south are the areas of McPheeters Bend, Mole, Blossom, Blairs Gap, Stacy, Van Hill, New Hope and Keplar Station where we see the names of Hamilton, Gardner, Christian, Long, McLain, Armstrong, Bailes, Bailey, Simpson, Harris, Bernard, Morelock, Mowl, Rakestraw, Burchfield, Hunley, Jones, Weems, Tunnell, Millers, Lights and Balls. This area had mostly Union men in the area which ajoined Greene County, Tennessee.The Van Hill area had the Union men of McLains, Weems, Jones, Tuckers. There was said to be a Confederate Hanging Gallows in this area. The Morelocks, however, seemed to be mainly Confederate. It seemed in areas where you had strong Revolutionary War vets such as the Joneses, there was a tendency to be more Union families there. This area was also where the Confederate Local Home Guards of Captain Jacob Miller’s Local Defense Troops were located. Also known as the “Beech Creek Jerkers” - maybe not so much because of their age, but because they “jerked a few necks” in their time.

As one gets closer to the Keplar, going towards Surgoinsville, there are more Confederates located here. Into Stacy and Blossom, then crossing the Holston River into Surgoinsville. At Surgoinsville there are the families of Lyons, Miller, Phipps, Rutledge, Henderson, Hamilton, Jones, Hagood, Christian, Barrett, Armstrong, Bellamy, Charles. These men at Surgoinsville mostly joined the 12th Tennessee Cavalry BN, CSA.

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Copyright © 1999/2000/2001 by Sheila Weems Johnston