George Terry Family
England, South Carolina and Illinois


George Terry
b. May 1764 ?Yorkshire, England
d. 4 Sep 1838 Whitewater Twp., Franklin Co., Indiana,  "age 74 ys,  4 mo."

1st m. Elizabeth Guy
b.
d. 1800

2nd m. Mary (some think Taylor)
b. 1776 England

d. 1864 Franklin Co., Indiana

His father: ? JohnTerry
His mother: unknown/ perhaps Elizabeth Day

Children with Elizabeth Guy
John Terry b. c1795 in England d.
m.
George Terry Jr.                
b. c1796 in England d. in 1860 Indiana
1m. Nancy ?
2nd. (probably Margaret ? shown in 1860)
Thomas Terry b. probably in England     
d. before June 1831
m. Eleanor Mathews
(dau. of Thomas Mathews and Nancy Terry, granddau of Thomas Terry and Eliz. Harrison
Children with Mary (?Fair)
Jane Terry b. 1801 England d.  alive in 1850 census
m. Isaac Loper (moved to Franklin Co., Indiana by 1850)
Ann "Nan" Nancy Terry b. about 1803 England d. 17 May 1888 Franklin Co. , IN
m. Joseph Eldon (in Indiana 1860)
Elizabeth "Betsy" Terry b. 1806 (in S. C in 1860 census)
d. 10 Mar 1873 Greenville Co., S.C. buried-Fork Shoals Baptist Church Cem. , S. C.
m. Harrison Thompson
(in S. C. 1860)
Margaret "Mary" Terry b. 1808 Greenville Co., SC
d. after 1880 
m. she never married
Alice "Aley" Terry b. c1810 SC(in S. C in 1860 census) d. after 1870 Indiana
m. Harmon Long Miller (in Indiana 1860)
William Alexander Terry
(this may be the son of William Terry)
b. England d. before 18 June 1855 Lawrence Co., AR
m. Mahala (? possibly dau. of Thomas Graydon)
Sarah Taylor Terry b. 21 Nov. 1815 S. C. d. after 1870 census
m. John Miller

We have not been able to factually identify the father of Thomas and George Terry. There are many Terry's in the Yorkshire area of England that we suspect may be the origination of the family.

 

1785 - 1790- Of the two or more brothers,Thomas Terry came to the colonies shortly after the American Revolution. He seems to have come with the intent of setting up a ministry in the wilds of Fork Shoals, South Carolina. R. Y. H. Terry, Thomas' grandson, contends that there were four brothers Thomas, George, William and John. [Norfleet]

about 1805- George came over with his family. He was already married with at least one child, George.

1812, 10  Sept. - 17 Oct. -  George Terry is listed as an Alien from Great Britain for the War of 1812.  He has been in the US for 4 years and has 11 persons in his family.  They live in Greenville as a farmer.  [Scott  p. 355]

1820 - US Census, Greenville Co., S. C. roll 120, page 152

1833 - George Terry sells his property in South Carolina.

He moves his family to Franklin County, Indiana. The old "Carolina Trace" went through this area. It seems to have been the main way of travel out of the Carolinas and was very heavily traveled. George Terry Jr. and his married daughter Elizabeth Thompson stay in Laurens County, South Carolina. [Bolin, letter of 26 March 1996] 1834- March 14, Cripple Creek

The above letter was written by Gaston Terry, son of Thomas Terry, is thirty years old and married to a Mary. His mother who is ill would be Rebecca Ann McDowell Terry, who should be 70 years old. The other persons mentioned would be Gaston's brother Charles and his wife,Permelia McElroy Terry. Harrison and Elizabeth "Betsy" Thompson are George's daughter and son-in-law. Gaston is apparently living on the land that was registered to Rebecca Ann Terry, his mother, on Fork Shoals Road in 1834.

1836, Feb. 8 and 12 - George Terry purchases land that shows up in Indian Land Entries in Whitewater Township, Franklin County, Indiana, east of Brookville, described as the NW 1/4 and the SW 1/4 of the NE 1/4 Section 20, Township 8, Range 1 West.  Each date consisted of 37.20 acres.  [Terry Family Historian. vol., II, June 1983]

1838- the following letter is from his other niece Hannah (Terry) and Charles Davenport.

This letter is written by Charles and Hannah Davenport. Hannah is the daughter of Thomas Terry, George's brother. The fact that they call George Terry, "Dear uncle and ant" is an important statement and the letter itself seems to give the idea that they knew one another earlier probably while in South Carolina. They apparently later move to Dallas, Texas.

before 1838 - This undated letter was to George and Mary Terry in Indiana.

1838, 4 Sep - George Terry dies in Whitewater Twp., Franklin Co., Indiana at the age of 74. He is buried in a small cemetery on the farm he used to own.

1838, Sept 28, will recorded.   -    Will written June 1831. 
An interpretation of the will and probate records by Joana Baker on Genforum.com indicates that George Terry's daughter Mary is married to Gaston Terry. The other children of George may be Thomas Terry, deceased.  Thomas' wife and three children were to receive the money.  Others may be George Terry Jr., William Alexander Terry, Jane Soper wife of Isaac Soper, Ann/Nancy wife of Joseph Eldon, Elizabeth wife of Harrison Thompson, Alle wife of Harmon Long Miller, Margaret Terry and Sarah Taylor Terry.   Executors were William Mears, William Alexander Terry, son and John McDowell.    A condicil changed executors to wife, Mary Terry and John Wynn.
      [Joanna Baker, Genforum.com  April 05, 2004.]

George Terry's will is recorded in Book 4, of Probate Court Records of Franklin County.  Heirs included George Terry Jr. for $80; Eleanor Terry to get $5, the widow of Thomas Terry, dec'd, he being the son of George Terry Sr. and Mary Terry; each of three children of Thomas and Eleanor Terry, when they come of age. 
       George Sr. left 1/3 of his estate to his wife, Mary.   The remaining 2/3 to be divided equally among his children after his youngest daughter became of age.   The youngest daughter being Sarah Taylor Terry.  She was 18 years of age on Nov. 21, 1843.  John Wynn was named executor of his will. 
       Later documents indicated that an agreement was made with all the beneficiaries including some in South Carolina rather shortly.  
       Mary, George's widow; George Terry Jr, son; and Jane Soper, Ann Eldon, Ella Miller, Margaret and Sarah Taylor Terry, daughter: all signed their mark except the last two.  Sons-in-law Isaac Soper, Joseph Eldon, and Harmon L. Miller signed their names. 
     On the separate agreement with heirs in Greenville Dist., S. C., are the names of William alexander Terry, Elizabeth thompsom, Harris Thompson, Mary Terry and Gaston Terry.  William Alexander and Gaston are presumably sons: Elizabeth Thompson and Mary Terry are presumably daughter.  Date of the signing by South Carolina heirs is given as Feb. 12, 1841.
     Disposition of the estate occurred after July 31, 1841, when daughters Margaret and Sarah Taylor Terry purchased the property for $200.  After payment of the bequests and costs of settlement, less than $200 remained for distribution to the heirs.  [ Terry Family Historian. vol., II, June 1983, #2, p53]

 1850- US Census, Indiana, Franklin Co., Whitewater Township. page 2

Isaac Soper             53m     farmer            700        Miss
Jane   "                  49 f                                          Eng.
Thomas                   22 m                                         S. C.
Debra                      20 f                                              "
Margt                      14 f                                           Ind.
next page
Jane Soper              12 f                                           Ind.
John "                       9 m                                           "
Salomal                     5 f        farmer  (probably should be with next person)  "
next door
Nathaniel Soper       26m       farmer                       S. C.
Mary          "            19f                                            Ind.
George Spencer       16m                                          Ind.


1860's - Mary Terry, the probable wife of George, is listed here with George Jr. .  I have not been able to find a record for Isaac Soper or Loper in the USA in this census.

US Census, Indiana, Franklin Co., Whitewater Twp. page 7.
Mary Terry                         84 f            farming        $1800   $400         born in England
George   "                           64 m          laborer                                       born in England
Margaret  "                        51 f                                                 $50              S. Carolina
William Miller                     20 m          farm hand                                         Indiana
Febeann                               10 f                                                                     Indiana

US Census, Indiana, Franklin Co., Whitewater Twp. page 8.
Harmon Miller                     44 m          laborer            $500     $50               Indiana
Aly         "                            50 f                                                                     S. Carolina
John       "                             16 m                                                                   Indiana
Elizabeth                              17 f                        
                                           Indiana
George   "                             14 m  
                                                                Indiana
Mary      "                             13 f
                                                                   Indiana
Hanna                                     6 f
                                                                   Indiana

US Census, Indiana, Franklin Co., Brookville Twp. page 2

Joseph Eldon                      65 m             farmer           $500    $100    born in England
Nancy "                             57 f                                                           born in England
next door is an apparent brother to Joseph
John Eldon                         63  m            farmer           $1650   $640   born in England
Margaret   "                        48 f                                                                       New Jersey
Thomas     "                        24 m                                                                     Indiana
Gilbert G.   "                       18 m
                                                                     Indiana
Rebecca A.                         16 f                                                                       Indiana

US Census, South Carolina. Greenville Co., Oak Lawn Division,  p. 458.
Harrison Thompson            49 m           farmer                                                S. C.
Elizabeth   "                       54  f           house keeper   
                                  S. C.
Harrison    "                         19 m          farmer  
                                              S. C.
John T.                                17 m           farmer 
                                               S. C.
Charles E                            15 m           farmer 
                                               S. C.
Mary E.                               10 f           
                                                            S. C.          

1870 - US Census.  Whitewater, Franklin Co., IL, page 32

Miller, Harman               53 m                farmer             800    275                  Ind.
"        , Aley                    59 f                  keepinghouse                                    S. C
"        , George                25 m                farmer                                                Ind.
Hamlen, Mary                  2 f                                                                            Ind.
John Miller, their son is living two houses away on the same page at age 28.

1880 - US Census.  Whitewater, Franklin Co., District 90. page 5, enumerator dist. 90.

Miller, William              w  m  40                            Farmer                Ind.              Ind.        S. Carolina
 "       ,  Mary A.             w  f   10     daughter         at home               Ind.               Ind.        Ind.
"        , Ella J.                 w  f     8      daughter         goes to school      Ind.              Ind.         Ind.
Terry, Margarette           w  f    72      aunt                keeps house       South Caro.   Eng.    Eng.

source:


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