Moses SCRIVNER ²

  Research Notes:

I am indebted to Doris Scrivner Collier for much of the information on Moses and Nancy (Henley) Scrivner. Although she is a tough act to follow, I have tried to supplement her information with research of my own, particularly with respect to the records of Smith and Stewart Counties, Tennessee. I also plan to examine the records of Rowan County, North Carolina, in the hope of finding additional information.

Since my line (through Rebecca Scrivner Strong) lived in Illinois for only a few years in the early 1830s before setting off for Cole County, Missouri, and since the early records of Franklin County, Illinois were destroyed by a fire in 1843, I have not had the normal motivation nor the ability to extensively research the children of Moses and Nancy (Henley) Scrivner in Illinois. Instead, I have again relied on the information Doris Scrivner Collier included in her Scrivner family history. Doris told me that much of her information came from Albert Scrivner, a descendant of Joel Scrivner, who in turn got much of his information from paid researchers. Unfortunately, not all of the information provided by Albert was as well-sourced as one would hope. [See the General Note for Joel Scrivner for more information about Albert.]

I have tried to contribute to the documentation by including census information for each child of Moses and Nancy (Henley) Scrivner. In many instances, the census information is at odds with the data supplied by Albert Scrivner and included in Doris' book. That certainly does not mean such data is wrong. For example, the tombstone for Joel Scrivner clearly shows he was born 10 years earlier than census records would indicate. I will leave it to the descendants of each child to wrestle with the other census discrepancies.

During my review of the available data, I developed some thoughts and conclusions that differed from those in Doris' book. Doris has also rethought some of the relationships based upon information discovered after the publication of her book. Together, we have concluded the following corrections should be made: (1) that the unidentified daughter listed as being born 1803/1804 was per the 1820 census born 1804-1810, and that she was Rebecca Scrivner, my second great grandmother; (2) that Eli Scrivner, tentatively identified as a son of John, was probably another son of Moses and Nancy (Henley) Scrivner; (3) that Harriet Scrivner, who married William Britton and who was identified as a daughter of John Scrivner, was in fact Harriet Clark, who was married to a Scrivner, probably Eli Scrivner, prior to her marriage to William Britton; (4) that Harriet Scrivner, who married William Richardson and who was not included in Doris' book, was a daughter of John Scrivner; (5) that John Scrivner did not have a daughter named Samantha; (6) that James Riley Scrivner appears to have had more children than those listed in Doris' book; and (7) that Nancy Melissa (Scrivner) Richardson, thought to be a daughter of Moses and Nancy (Henley) Scrivner, was John's daughter and appears to have had another child in addition to those listed in Doris' book. Further explanation can be found in these person's notes.

My Strong family research has also resulted in a different family profile for Margaret Scrivner and Martin Strong than the account in Doris' book. Her information came from Strong Family of Virginia and Other Southern States, by James Robert Rolff. Since Doris did not personally research the Margaret Scrivner and Martin Strong family, she cannot vouch for my version of their family. I have shared my version with Jim Rolff and he has not disagreed with it. ⁵

  Birth Notes:

In her pension application, Moses' mother stated that when the Battle of Guilford Courthouse was fought, her oldest child could stand alone and walk a little. The Battle of Guilford Courthouse took place on 15 Mar 1781, which indicates Moses was born in 1780. Doris Scrivner Collier supports this correction to her book.

  Noted events in his life were:

1. Court: 1814, Smith County, Tennessee. ⁶

1 Jan 1814, Page 84
Moses Scrivener vs. William Chapman. Plaintiff did not appear and so court dismissed the case and ordered plaintiff to pay defendant's costs.

2. Military Service: 1814-1815, Tennessee. ^{7 8 9}

Moses Scrivner was a Private in Capt. Bethell Allen's Co., 1 Reg't (Dyer's) Tennessee Vol. Mounted Gunmen during the War of 1812, as was his brother James. He served from 28 Sep 1814 to 4 May 1815. Muster Rolls show he traveled 110 miles from Carthage to Fayetteville, where he was mustered in on 28 Sep 1814, and that he was in Nashville on 27 Apr 1815. He was paid $8.00 per month, which totaled $57.80 for the 7 months and 7 days he served. He also received two allowances: a traveling allowance of $1.75 and a horse allowance of $0.40 per day, the latter totaling $87.60 for 219 days. All total, his pay and allowances added up to $147.15. [I find it interesting that the pay for his horse exceeded the pay for his person.]

After Colonel Robert Dyer's 1st Regiment was formed in Fayetteville, Tennessee, it proceeded to New Orleans, where it became part of Coffee's Brigade during the Battle of New Orleans and participated in the famous night battle of 23 December 1814. Most company muster rolls show casualties from this battle, indicating these were front line troops. Presumably, Moses and his brother, James, fought in this battle.

3. Deed: 1817, Smith County, Tennessee. ^{10 11}

Dated 10 Sep 1817, Registered 13 Apr 1817, Vol. F:510 [see first source]
Elias Elston to Moses Scrivner, $200 for tract of land. Metes and bounds description references Hugh Bradley's NW and NE corners. Witnessed by Joshua Lykes and David Wallis.

8 Feb 1819, Page 313 [see second source]
Elias Elston to Moses Scrivner, 250 acres. Proven in open court by the oaths of Joshua Lykes and David Wallace, witnesses thereto.

[Notwithstanding the date discrepancies, these entries probably refer to the same deed.]

4. Census: 1820, Smith County, Tennessee. ¹²

Family 1873
Scrivner, Moses:
3 males under 10, 1 male 10-16, 1 male 26-45;
4 females under 10, 1 female 10-16, 1 female 26-45.

[Moses is presumed to be the male 26-45.]

[Note: Although the 1820 census is partially alphabetized, it may still be a good indicator of how close the various Strongs and Scrivners lived to one another.]

5. Court: 1826, Smith County, Tennessee. ¹³

27 Feb 1826, Page 475
Moses Scrivner ordered to pay a single tax on a white poll and 75 acres of land for the year 1825. Taxes were paid.

6. Deed: 1829, Smith County, Tennessee. ^{14 15}

Dated 3 Aug 1829, Registered 11 Nov 1831, Vol. K:459
Moses Scrivner to William Bailiff, $400 for 235 acres on or above the head of Walker's Creek of Smith's Fork. Legal description refers to the old NW corner and NE corner of Hugh Bradley's tract and Esq. Tubbs line. Atttested by Wilson Tubb and Asa Grizzel. Proven in open court on 22 Aug 1831 by the oaths of the attesting witnesses. [Moses did not appear in court to prove the deed, which may indicate he had already moved to Stewart County, Tennessee.]

[This land is now part of DeKalb County, Tennessee.]

7. Census: 1830, Smith County, Tennessee. ¹⁶

Family 1892
Moses Scrivner:
2 males 5-10, 1 male 10-15, 1 male 15-20, 1 male 40-50;
2 females under 5, 1 female 10-15, 1 female 15-20, 1 female 40-50.

[Moses is presumed to be the male 40-50.]

8. Tax List: 1833, Stewart County, Tennessee. ¹⁷

Capt. Gorin's Company: Scrivner, Moses, 550 acres.

[No earlier entry for Moses was found. Since Jerusha Lucy Scrivner is reported to have been born in Stewart County in 1832, Moses probably moved to Stewart County from Smith County, Tennessee after the date of the 1832 tax list. Note that his land was recorded in the "new entry" column, while the "old entry" column was blank, indicating 1833 was the first time he was taxed on the land. Moses' son, William, also appears on this tax list with 72 acres.]

[The years 1834 and 1835 are missing. While William appears in the tax lists for 1836-1838, Moses does not, indicating he moved to Franklin County, Illinois before 1836.]

9. State Census: 1840, Franklin County, Illinois. ¹⁸

Page 56: Moses Scrivner

10. Court: 1842, Smith County, Tennessee. ¹⁹

In a proceeding to determine the heirs of Mary Scrivner, Moses Scrivener was identified as one of her surviving children. See Events for Mary Cox Scrivner for the full text of the court's determination.

11. Census: 1850, Franklin County, Illinois. ⁴

Dwelling 101, Family 104
Household of Michael Bowyer: Moses Scrivner, age 75, male, farmer, born in NC, cannot read or write.

[Michael Bowyer was married to Jerusha Lucy Scrivner, Moses' youngest daughter.]

Moses married Nancy HENLEY, daughter of Darby HENLEY and Sarah, on 30 Sep 1802 in Rowan County, North Carolina.²⁰ (Nancy HENLEY was born in 1782 in Rowan County, North Carolina ² and died in 1845 in Franklin County, Illinois ².)