Our Family Tree

her consent signed by Cunradh NeuMan and Anna NeuMennen, witnessed by Edmund Franklin (his mark) and Samuel Wilks (signature), both married to Newman girls; bondsmen John Wilks and Edmund Franklin (signed their marks)

BOND: "August 30, 1795; John Wilks & Barberry Numan; Edmond Franklin, Surety; Consent of Conrad Newman; Married by Alderson Weeks, September 3, 1795."

listed as John Wilks and Barbary Numan

deed between Joseph Powell of Grayson County, Virginia, and wife Hannah, sell to John Wilks of same, 400 acres on Wolf Glade Creek for 63 pounds current Virginia money

on tax list as John Wilks with 1 free poll, 1 horse; as well as brother Amous (1 white poll), father-in-law Conrad Newman, brother-in-law Edmond Franklin

of Grayson County sold to Anderson Melton of same for 50 pounds current Virginia money, 156 3/4 acres on waters of Crook Creek being part of survey patented to Joseph Powell bearing date 21 Nov 1782

Indenture this 6th day [no month stated] 1806 between John Wilks of Grayson County, Virginia, of one part and Anderson Melton of same, for $120 . . . on waters of Crooked Creek (acres not stated). John (X) Wilks
Witnesses: Edmond Franklin, Samuel Williams, Absolom Burnet, Anne Williams
Jan 1807, proved in court by Samuel Williams. Fully proven Sep 1808 by Enne Williams and Absolom Burnet and ordered to be recorded.

probably lived a few years in South Carolina where two sons said to be born

original grant No. 586 on federal land patent for 159 acres in Section 9, Range 11, West of Huntsville, about 6 mi. NNW of Florence, as shown in old Alabama Patents and Alabama Platte books in Lauderdale County court house. Today the land is site of Stony Point Church of Christ and Cemetery, which slopes sharply down in rear to a branch of Little Cypress Creek (graves in cemetery are more recent than John). Quite a distance off the road and almost inaccessible is Denson Cemetery, where John's son Philip was probably buried 1831; Jesse Denson was Philip's uncle

when Amos, John, and Jessee Wilks were original patentees of lands ceded by the Indians

in the first census taken there, John was 50-60, had one male 15-20, one male 20-30 and two females 15-20, and wife 50-60 and

when John and Barbary Wilks moved to the Chickasaw Purchase in Yalobusha County, Mississippi, they sold land to Jonathan Rhodes for $500 the S. 1/2 of W. 1/2 of N.E. 1/4 of Section 8, Twp. 2, Range 11 W., and S. 1/2 of E. 1/2 of same Section. Recorded 26 Mar 1836

along the Chickasaw (Natchez) Trace onto the Chickasaw Purchase, as nephew Ben Wilks wrote to his brother Henry in Bedford County, Virginia, dated 2 Aug 1835, "I can informe you that the new perchace of Land from the Chickasaw Indians part of that Land is Seeded to the State of Alabama and part to the State of Mississipa the sails of the Lands will Commence on the third Monday of January Next. If I can have luck I want to go to the Sales and if I like I Calculate to get a small tract of Land there but I don't Calculate to move there. Uncle JOHN Exspects to move there this fall all his children is their Exscept 2 of them and they Calculate to go. He is at me to go. I have good Land good water good orchard and Dwelling houses and I could not exspect to git them together again . . ."¶ Samuel Newman Wilks wrote to Henry on 18 Sep 1835, "I have bought Unkle JOHN WILKES land and give him $700, paid $250 down and $100 at June and therest Crismas come year. Unkle JOHN is going to move to Mississipia where his childrenis in the Chickasaw perches the 1st of Nov . . . Unkle JOHN has ben sick but is abut. The times is sickly but in places with jbilious fever but not in this nabourhood . . . I shall move home as soon as Igit done at Wilsomns it will be three or four weeks live in one room with Unkle tell he moves. The house is very large. I shall be lost when he moves with my little family. I shall keep entertainment fore there is a heep of people goes that road. Nothing more but our love to you all etc."¶ On 28 Oct 1835, Ben wrote to Henry, "Uncle JOHN WILKES starts to the Choctaw country this week and family."¶ No evidence was found in county records that Samuel Newman Wilks purchased John's land.

presumably in Mississippi. Samuel Newman Wilks wrote his father Samuel in Bedford County, Virginia, a letter dated 20 Jan 1836, "Dir father . . . Uncle JOHN and Aunt BARBY is both dead. Aunt died three days first. Neither one would take anything while they were sick."¶ Ben Wilks's daughter Betsy Ann Creasey died in 1835 of consumption, and family tradition is that John's family in Yalobusha County, Mississippi, with the exception of some orphan children, died of the same disease (tuberculosis).