William Varnell Family
South Carolina, Tennessee, & Alabama

William Varnell
b. probably before 1770 ?Virginia
d. before 1848, possibly before 1830,Tennessee

m. c1790 Lydia ?
b. ?
d. ?
her parents: unknown

his father: Richard Varnell
his mother:Mary

Children
John Varnell b. 8 Apr 1791 Sevier Co., Tennessee d. 24 Feb 1832 Calhoun, Tennessee m. Elizabeth Nelson* (b.20 Oct 1796 - d24 Feb 1865) sister of other Nelsons (dau. of David Nelson)
William M. Varnell (preached among Indians in Cherokee Co., AL) b. 1 Jan 1795 Tennessee d. 18 Nov 1863 Goodsprings, TN
bur.-Presbyterian Cem., Calhoun , TN		 m. Margaret Nelson* sister of other Nelsons (dau. of David Nelson)
Richard B. Varnell b. 22 Dec 1797 Tennessee d. Nov 1880 Millers Grove, TX. m. Arty Macy Fowler
James Varnell (preached among Indians in Cherokee Co., AL) b. 18 Jan 1799 Tennessee d. 12 Jul 1869 Tennessee m. Lavinia Nelson 13 Oct 1824 sister of other Nelsons (dau. of David Nelson)
Isaac Varnell b. Abt 1800 Tennessee d. m. Margaret*
Josiah Varnell b. 1803 Tennessee d. m. Margaret*
Sarah Varnell b. Tennessee d. m. William Brookshire
Thomas Varnell b. d. m.
Lydia Varnell b. 30 Oct 1812 Tennessee d. 12 Aug 1882 Tennessee m. Pleasant Pierce
*marriages according to Morton Rose

Most of the information below has been provide through the extensive research, lengthy coorespondence and generosity of Morton Rose.

1806- Land entries were made to Richard Varnell, William's father who was deeded 138 acres on Gists Creek. William was deeded 84 acres just north and adjacent Richard.

1813- Peggy Nelson, Richard and William Varnell join the Forks of the River Baptist Church, Sevierville, TN.[Forks of the River Baptist Church records, Sevier Co. TN]

1817, April - William Varnell is installed as deacon in the church. [Forks of the River Baptist Church records, Sevier Co. TN]

1818- Richard Varnell requests a letter of dismissal. He moves to Franklin Co., TN.

1819 - John Varnell requests dismissal for himself and his wife from the Forks of the River Baptist Church. Along with him is also request of dismissal for his brother William and his wife and David Nelson and his wife. They apparently are moving on to Rhea Co., TN at this time.

1822 - Sarah Varnel Brookshire requests her letter of dismissal. They move to McMinn Co., TN. and are listed there with other Varnells in 1830.

1830 - William is not listed in the Tennessee census with his wife Lydia and probably dies after 1812 and before 1830.

1832- John Varnell dies and his brothers James and William Varnell moved to Cherokee Co., AL to "minister to the Indians" along with David Nelson, their father-in-law. The David Brookshire family, their sister moved to Boone Co., Missouri.

1836 - Isaac and Thomas Varnell moved from Sevier County the Bradley County. [ROSE]

1840 - Lydia is listed in the Tennessee census of Sevier Co, TN.

"In 1855 the court house of Sevier Co. burned and most of the primary records were lost. Deed Book H which spanned 1847 to the fire in 1855 for some reason was not in the court house and we are thankful for this. In this deed book H and the next book J the land grant of William was sold and there are various deeds of the children transferring the land grant of 84 acres to a third party. As in the case of Richard his deed in book H page 472 it states "I Richard Varnell by virtue of my attorney and being a heir of William Varnell I sell my interest in the two following tracts of land. Signed Josiah Varnell, attorney (brother of Richard). Tract #1 of 84 acres was the grant of his father, William. The other deeds were similar. "
[Morton Rose email 4/7/98]

"These deeds prove that the nine children were the children of William except for John. John died in 1832 in McMinn Co., TN and naturally could not have issued a deed. There is no doubt about John being a son of old William. James, William Jr., and John all married Nelson sisters. They left Sevier County and went to Rhea Co., TN together and later they went to McMinn Co., TN. John died in McMinn but James and William Jr. went Cherokee County AL to minister to the Indians and returned to Tyner, TN about 1843 where they belonged to the same church and lived next to each other.

A listing of William and Lydia children are as follows: Lydia Varnell Pierce by Deed Book H-166; Sarah Varnell Brookshire by H-355; Isaac Varnell by H-155; Thomas Varnell by I-325; James Varnell by H-177: William M. Varnell by H-154; Richard Varnell by H-472; Josiah Varnell by power of attorney of Sarah Varnell Brookshire and by a letter from Josiah to Richard in TX that was signed my dear brother; and finally John information in the first part of this paragraph. In 1819 John request a letter of transfer from the Sevier Co., Church for himself, his wife, William M. Varnell, his wife, David Nelson and his wife. We must assume that James Varnell , now 20 years old, was not a member of the church because he had never been mentioned in the church minutes and did not get a letter of transfer. This whole group went to Rhea Co., TN and James married the third Nelson sister in Rhea Co., TN in 1824. At the time they left Sevier the last Nelson sister was only 13 years old. "
                                                                            [Morton Rose, email 7/4/98]

1860- US Census, Tennessee, Hamilton Co., 15 Dist. Sugarville.  Series: M653  Roll: 1253  Page: 146
James Varnell             60 m                    farmer                 $300                 Tennessee
Vina                                53 f                                                                                  "
William                          25 m                                                                                "
Margaret                        18 f                                                                                   "

US. Census, Tennessee, Hamilton Co., 15 Dist. Series: M653  Roll: 1253  Page: 143
William Varnell           63 m                    farmer           $2000  $2000     Tennessee
Margaret         "               60 f                                                                               "
G. W. Varnell                 26 m                                                                              "

US Census, Tennessee, Sevier Co., Cannons Store. Series: M653  Roll: 1270  Page: 375
Josiah Varnell            55 m                    famer                   $200                 Tennessee
Margaret                     56 f                                                                                     "
Elizabeth                    28 f                     spinster                                                  "
John                             26 m                   farmer                   $500                        "
Martha                         22 f                     spinster                                                  "
Albert                          18 m                   farmer                                                     "
Margaret                     16 f                     spinster                                                  "
William                       14 m                                                                                   "
Mary                            12 f                                                                                     "
Harriet                          10 f                                                                                     "
Josiah                             8 m                                                                                   "

US Census, Tennessee, McMinn, 16 Dist., Calhoun P. O., Series: M653  Roll: 1262  Page: 336
Elizabeth Varnell        64 f                  farmer                   $3000  500       Tennessee
H. F. Varnell                 32 m                farm laborer                                       "
Mary Jane Pearce        14 f                                                                               "
Zacariah Pearce           12 m                                                                              "
John F. Pearce                9 m                                                                              "


William M. Varnell was a Baptist minister at the Goodsprings Baptist Church at Tyner, Tennessee where he died in 1863.

John Varnell and Elizabeth Nelson had nine children before he died at the age of 41.

1870-US Census, Tennessee, Hamilton, Harrison PO. Series: M593  Roll: 1532  Page: 558

Varnell, Margaret                71 f   w            Keeping house  (widow of William Varnell)
"           , William                  32 m  w           farmer                 11000     355     Alabama

Tennessee, McMinn Co., Athens PO. Series: M593  Roll: 1549  Page: 182
Crouch, L. W.  (Larkin W.) 48m              minister                 1000   270         Tennessee 
"           ,  Mary(Varnell)       37 f               keepinghouse                           "
same page
Varnell, D. N.                        56 m w         farmer                    6000  1120        Tennessee
"           , Mary S.                    35 f              keepinghouse
page 182, top of page
Varnell, Susan                     19 f  w                                                       Tennessee
"          , James                       16 m w                                                       "
"          , William                    6 m  w                                                       "

Source:

Forks of the River Baptist Church records, Sevier Co. TN , included in the Heritage of Sevier County, TN.
Morton Rose, 3510 Taliluna Ave., Knoxville, TN 37919 email - dmrosejr@aol.com
US Census records,

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