Nancy DENNIS ¹

   Another name for Nancy was Nancy HILL.

  Birth Notes:

The birth information is derived from the 1850 Census. Sharon Neal's records indicate she was born 1804 in North Carolina.

  Noted events in her life were:

1. Estate Administration: 1840-1843, Grainger County, Tennessee. ^{1 4}

Nancy Hill nee Dennis was previously married to John Hill. The Will of John Hill, Dec'd, dated 5 Feb 1840, identified his children as Abel, Pheba, Nancy, William Ramsey and Perina Pallestine. The first three were married and were by his first wife, Catherine (James) Hill. William Ramsey Hill and Perina Pallestine Hill were minors and by his second wife, Nancy (Dennis) Hill. William Ramsey Hill was named the principal heir. John's widow, Nancy, was to have William's rights until he came of age, so long as she continued to be a widow.

The source for this event is for the Will of John Hill, Dec'd. Other estate administration documents include (page numbers refer to the same source):
1. Widow's Allowance dated 3 Mar 1841 (Page 144);
2. Inventory of Estate dated 8 May 1841 (Page 147);
3. Inventory of Property Left in Hands of Nancy Hill as of 31 Mar 1841 (Page 147);
4. Inventory of Notes dated 8 May 1841 (Page 148);
5. Inventory of Book Accounts dated 8 May 1841 (Page 149);
6. Account of Sale dated 8 May 1841 (Page 149);
7. Minor Heirs Guardian Report dated 8 May 1841 (Page 149);
8. Executors' Settlement dated 27 Oct 1842 (Page 229);
9. 2nd Settlement (indexed at Page 254, but not found);
10. 3rd Settlement dated 25 Aug 1843 (Page 267);
11. Guardian Report for Minor Heirs dated 17 Oct 1843 (Page 267);
12. Executors' 4th Settlement dated 14 Oct 1845 (Page 400);
13. Guardian Report dated 9 Sep 1845 (Page 401); and
14. Guardian Report dated 10 Jul 1846 (Page 401?).

Item 11 is of interest because it is an accounting for the sale of property on 20 Jan 1843, which was probably occasioned by the marriage of Nancy Hill and Andrew Bowers, which terminated her rights to the Estate of John Hill, Dec'd. At this sale, Andrew Bowers purchased: 1 bed and furniture for $4.00; 1 washing machine for $0.375; 1 pot trammel for $0.915; and 1 large Bible for $0.633. It would appear that Andrew bought these items at the behest of his new wife.

Item 14 is of interest because by that time Andrew Bowers was serving as the guardian of the minor heirs of John Hill, Dec'd.

2. Census: 1850, Grainger County, Tennessee. ⁵

1372/1430
Nancy Bowers, 42, F, $200, TN, Illiterate
William R., 16, M, Farmer, TN, Attended School
Jacob, 12, M, TN, Attended School
Permina P. Hill, 11, F, TN, Attended School
1372/1431
Thos Bowers, 15, M, Farmer, TN, Attended School
John Bowers, 13, M, TN, Attended School

It is unclear why Thomas and John were enumerated as a separate family. Perhaps this was an effort to distinguish between the Bowers and Hill children. But then, why wouldn't William have been identified as a Hill and why wouldn't Jacob have been grouped with Thomas and John? Ruth Bowers Dommestrup thinks this enumeration indicates that Thomas and John were forced to live in a secondary structure on the property. But, what of the fact they are assigned the same dwelling number? I hesitate to read too much into any census entry, let alone this one.

3. Deed: 1851, Grainger County, Tennessee. ⁶

By Deed dated 17 Apr 1851, Nancy Bowers sold 125 acres to Wm. T. Tate & Co. for $200. This represented her dower interest in all the lands owned by Andrew Bowers at his death.

Refer to Events for Andrew Bowers for other estate matters involving Nancy.

4. Deed: 1851, Grainger County, Tennessee. ⁷

By Deed dated 14 Aug 1851, Nancy Bowers bought 40 acres in District 13 from William Sharp for $75.

5. Tax List: 1851-1856, Grainger County, Tennessee. ⁸

1851 12th District: Bower, Nancy, 125 acres, $200

1852 13th District: Bowers, Nancy, 65 acres, $150

1854 13th District: Bowers, Nancy, 65 acres, $250

1855 13th District: Bowers, Nancy, 265 (65?) acres, $250

1856 13th District: Bowers, Nancy, 65 acres, $250

6. Deed: 1859, Grainger County, Tennessee. ⁹

By Deed dated 14 Oct 1859, Nancy Bowers sold 50 acres in District 14 to Eneas Acuff for $500. Wm. Sharp was a witness to the deed and his land is referred to in the legal description. This may be the same property she bought from him in 1851, even though the acreage and district differ.

As no later records have been found for Nancy Hill, it appears she may have left Grainger Co. following this sale.

Nancy married John HILL on 23 Nov 1830.¹ (John HILL died about 5 Feb 1840 in Grainger County, Tennessee ¹.)

Nancy next married Andrew BOWERS (Jr.), son of Andrew BOWER (Sr.) and Catherine, on 13 Sep 1842 in Grainger County, Tennessee.² (Andrew BOWERS (Jr.) was born on 6 Nov 1791 in probably Rockbridge County, Virginia ^{10 11} and died on 21 Nov 1849 in Grainger County, Tennessee ^{12 13}.)

  Marriage Notes:

James Howeth, brother of Andrew's first wife, Katherine, was the bondsman. The date of the bond was 31 Aug 1842. The marriage was performed by William Sharp, J.P.

Nancy Dennis was previously married to John Hill. See the Research Note for Andrew Bowers (Sr.) for a discussion of the likelihood the Bowers and Hill families were friends in Rockbridge and Grayson Counities, Virginia, and that the Hill famlies' move to Grainger County may have played a role in Andrew's (Jr.) decision to move there. ¹⁴