Martha Ann Bales

Other Events:

• Census: 31 Aug 1870, District 14, Sevier County, Tennessee

Notes:

Alfred and Martha Ann had a farm on Roaring Fork. Their homeplace is being preserved on the Roaring Fork Motor Trail by the National Park Service.
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Reference:
"Smoky Mountain Clans", Donald B. Reagan, 1978, p 31, 54, 61, 62.
"The Book of Ragan/Reagan", Donald B. Reagan, 1993, p 137, 141, 210, 236, 237.
"Mountain Ways", Gene Aiken, 1983, p 42, 108, 127, 170.

Martha married Alfred Reagan 6 Apr 1879, Sevier County, Tennessee. Alfred (son of David L. Reagan and Jane "Jennie" Ogle) was born 6 Nov 1857, Gatlinburg, Sevier County, Tennessee; died 14 Jan 1928, Sevier County, Tennessee; was buried Bales Cemetery, Sevier County, Tennessee. [Group Sheet]

1. Martha Ellen Reagan was born 2 Aug 1880, Sevier County, Tennessee; died 3 Jan 1887; was buried Bales Cemetery, Sevier County, Tennessee.
2. Giles P. Reagan was born Jun 1882, Sevier County, Tennessee; died 16 Sep 1933; was buried White Oak Flats Cemetery, Gatlinburg, Sevier County, Tennessee.
3. Louis Reagan was born Abt 1884; died Bef 1900; was buried Bales Cemetery, Sevier County, Tennessee.
4. Louisa "Eliza" Reagan was born 27 Sep 1886, Sevier County, Tennessee; died 7 May 1935; was buried White Oak Flats Cemetery, Gatlinburg, Sevier County, Tennessee.
5. Luther R. "Luke" Reagan was born 24 Jun 1887, Sevier County, Tennessee; died 10 Dec 1952; was buried P. A. Proffitt Cemetery, Sevier County, Tennessee.
6. Reagan was born Abt 1889, Sevier County, Tennessee; died Bef 1900.
7. Delilah Reagan was born 8 Apr 1891, Sevier County, Tennessee; died 14 Aug 1951; was buried White Oak Flats Cemetery, Gatlinburg, Sevier County, Tennessee.
8. Mertie Reagan was born 1 Aug 1894, Sevier County, Tennessee; died 21 Jul 1984; was buried Bales Cemetery, Sevier County, Tennessee.
9. C. M. Reagan was born Abt 1897; died 1899; was buried Bales Cemetery, Sevier County, Tennessee.
10. Wesley "Jake" Reagan was born 10 Mar 1900, Sevier County, Tennessee; died 4 Oct 1986; was buried James Campbell Cemetery, Sevier County, Tennessee.
11. Mae Reagan was born 6 Jun 1908, Sevier County, Tennessee; died 18 Feb 1978; was buried Pigeon Forge Baptist Church Cemetery, Pigeon Forge, Sevier County, Tennessee.

Other Events:

• AFN: BQLK-BR
• Census: 31 Aug 1870, District 14, Sevier County, Tennessee
• Census: 1900, District 11, Sevier County, Tennessee
• Census: 1910, District 11, Sevier County, Tennessee

Notes:

Caleb came to Gatlinburg from the 10th district of the county, first appearing in the census record of 1860 when he was in the household of Jacob Houser. He went to visit his folks in the 10th district of Sevier County where he died and was buried.

There is an Bales infant born 6 February 1831 died 19 February ?? in Bales Cemetery listed as son of J.W. and M. L. This infant may have been Caleb's brother thus making his parents J. W. and M. L. Bales.
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Reference:
"Smoky Mountain Clans", Donald B. Reagan, 1978, p 16, 31, 59, 61.
"The Book of Ragan/Reagan", Donald B. Reagan, 1993, p 137.
"Mountain Ways", Gene Aiken, 1983, p 42, 88.

Caleb married Elizabeth Margaret Reagan 16 Apr 1861. Elizabeth (daughter of Daniel Wesley Reagan and Nancy Ogle) was born 8 Jun 1837, Gatlinburg, Sevier County, Tennessee; died 28 Mar 1912; was buried Bales Cemetery, Sevier County, Tennessee. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Reference Number: 2DDT-DR
• Census: 1850, Sevier County, Tennessee
• Census: 31 Aug 1870, District 14, Sevier County, Tennessee
• Census: 1900, District 11, Sevier County, Tennessee
• Census: 1910, District 11, Sevier County, Tennessee

Notes:

Lived on Roaring Fork after her marriage.

Notes:

Aaron Ownby, JP performed Elizabeth and Caleb's wedding.

Other Events:

• AFN: 2DDT-XD

Notes:

Daniel moved with his parents to White Oak Flats (Gatlinburg) when he was about four years old. He lived all of his life here or on various other tracts of land in the area.

Listed as Ragan in 1850 Sevier County, Tennessee census as farmer with $1000 property unable to read or write.

An industrious man, Daniel began acquiring land before he married. In theTennessee State Library and Archives there are records of eight entries in his name, dating from 1824 to 1872. The state archivist says this was all purchased land. He is listed in the 1837 tax lists of Sevier County, Tennessee.

An 1859 grant, previously surveyed land, was resurveyed and entered probably because of Gatlin's extensive claim in the area and the Courthouse fire. This 1859 grant was for 600 acres up both sides of the river from Baskins Creek to the Two Mile Branch. In May 1866, he added another 640 acres to this holding. There are also grants for 1,000, 600, and 4,000 acres on Roaring Fork granted in 1839, 1868 and 1872. Most of this land was divided among his children - no will has been found. Daniel moved around and lived on several of his farms - his wife said after his death that she wanted to spend the rest of her years in one spot, she was so tired of moving. She spent her remaining years with her stepdaughter and her husband, Mariah and Thomas H. McCarter.

Daniel was a blacksmith as well as a farmer. Tradition says he built the first wagon in the settlement, making the wheels of one piece of split white oak. His son, Charles C. Reagan, built the first wagon that crossed the Smokies. Although no record has been found to verify it, Daniel probably served as a Justice of Peace. He did keep the community post office. When the settlement officially became Gatlinburg and the post office was established, Daniel and Joel Conner received the contract to carry the mail from Sevierville to Casher's Valley, South Carolina. Daniel's sons, Richard R. and Ephraim Reagan, served as postmaster in the village.

Definitely a Union man but too old to go to service during the Civil War, Daniel served as "muster" officer and drilled the men of the village out in the "Flats". He also served the community as food distributor. Because of his activities and his three oldest sons being in the Union army, he often had to hide out in the mountains to escape the Confederates. The youngest son, Charles C., often told of his father taking him to the woods and showing him the meat and food supplies he had hidden. Daniel didn't think the Rebels would bother the women and children and if he did have to hide out, then Charles must see that food was brought in for the people as it was needed---a big responsibility for a seven year old boy.

A civic minded man, Daniel furnished the meeting house for the village--the five sided building used for the school, church and "voting place". According to one of the land grants, this was located at the "mouth of the lane", now Reagan Lane, near the old River Road. Although he furnished the meeting place for the Baptist Church for many years, Daniel was not found on the membership roll of the church and did not give the land for the present building site, as has been stated by many sources.

Daniel Wesley Reagan did give the land for the oldest part of the White Oak Flats Cemetery (Gatlinburg Cemetery) to the community. This was originally a family plot on the farm of his father, Richard Reagan. The first burial there was a child of Daniel Milsaps, the first school teacher in Gatlinburg.
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Reference:
"Smoky Mountain Clans", Donald B. Reagan, 1978, p 6a, 15-16.
"Smoky Mountain Clans, Volume 2", Donald B. Reagan, 1983, p 51.
"Smoky Mountain Clans, Volume 3", Donald B. Reagan, 1983, p 45.
"The Book of Ragan/Reagan", Donald B. Reagan, 1993, p 37.

Daniel married Nancy Ogle 30 Jan 1830, Sevier County, Tennessee. Nancy (daughter of Thomas J. Ogle and Sophia Bosley) was born 24 Aug 1810, Sevier County, Tennessee; died 18 Feb 1844, Sevier County, Tennessee; was buried White Oak Flats Cemetery, Gatlinburg, Sevier County, Tennessee. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• AFN: 2DDT-ZK

Notes:

Listed in the 1830 and 1840 Federal Census of Sevier County, Tennessee.
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Reference:
"Smoky Mountain Clans", Donald B. Reagan, 1978, p 6a, 16, 167.
"Smoky Mountain Clans, Volume 2", Donald B. Reagan, 1983, p 51.
"The Book of Ragan/Reagan", Donald B. Reagan, 1993, p 37.

Other Events:

• AFN: BQLJ-VD

Notes:

The eldest son of Timothy and Elizabeth Reagan, Richard was born in Maryland or Virginia. He moved with his parents to Virginia, North Carolina, and then to Sevier County, Tennessee. Here he married circa 1796, Julia Ann Shults. Richard Reagan was one of the early settlers in the Emert's Cove, moving either with or very soon after Frederick Emert settled there circa 1800. They moved from there to White Oak Flats (now Gatlinburg) circa 1806.

It has been often stated that Richard's son, Daniel Wesley Reagan, was the first white child born in White Oak Flats but this seems to be an error. A granddaughter said that Daniel Wesley was about four years old when the family moved to the Mill Creek site in White Oak Flats. The land records indicate this to be correct. Daniel Wesley was born in 1802 in Emert's Cove area and this makes the date of the family settling in White Oaks about 1806.

Most of Richard's adult life was spent in Sevier County, Tennessee and since the early records of the county have been lost only a few official records for him have been found. There are four land grant records in the Tennessee State Library and Archives, Nashville, Tennessee. The first of these four land grants, dated 1808 reads:

"...being in the county of Sevier and District South of French Broad and Holston on the East fork of Little Pigeon.... corner to Frederick Emmett....running with meanders of said river.... Then with the land of John Roberts on said river bank."

Richard paid 12 1/2 cents per acre for this land and although by the date of this grant it is known he had moved to the Mill Creek site in White Oaks, he retained this land and made the final payment in 1819.

The second grant in 1813 is for ten acres, part of an entry that had been assigned to Robert Wear. This was "in the county of Sevier in the White Oak Flats." This land ran up the river, crossed the same, and joined other lands of Richard Reagan, which indicates earlier land entries that have been lost.

The third land grant in 1813 was for fifty acres "...in the county aforesaid in the White Oak Flats on Stoney Creek..." From courses and directions in this grant, Stoney Creek must have been the name used for Mill Creek in the earlier days. It is now called LeConte Creek. The first is a very appropriate name.

The fourth land grant in 1828 reads: "...containing twenty-five acres, lying in the County aforesaid, on Mill Creek in the White Oak Flats." This land joined the land of Isaac Ogle, and Daniel W. Reagan as well as Richard's own lands.

In 1837 Daniel Wesley Reagan, Richard's son, had a grant surveyed for the purpose of joining the lands surveyed in Richard Reagan's name. It is apparent from this record that several of Richard's early records are missing. This grant for 100 acres included a narrow strip of land on both sides of the river from Mill Creek to Baskins Creek. (The grant is in a very legible handwriting and it is spelled BASKINS) At a line running along the upper side of the cemetery from Baskins Creek to "the lane" (Reagan Drive now) his land joined Thomas J. Ogle. From the lane to a point near Mill Creek, he joined lands of William and Isaac Ogle. Their land included what was once called the Airport Field.

Here on this farm in the heart of Gatlinburg, Richard's grandson, John H. Reagan, of Texas fame, was born in 1818. In the letter to his children written in 1865 while he was imprisoned after the Civil War, he said that his grandfather, Richard Reagan was of "....medium stature and good appearance, a very religious man, and member of the Methodist Episcopal church from his youth until his death...." He also said that Richard "owned the neighborhood mill and blacksmith shop; was justice of the peace for his precinct...." Richard was the class leader of the Methodist Society which met in his home before there was a meeting house built. He also kept the post office for the community. His grandson might have been writing his epithet when he said of Richard, "He was an upright good man....a contented and happy man, whose faith was in God and whose hope was in Heaven.."

Family records say that Richard died of a fractured skull in 1829. A family story handed down through the generations tells that "Richard Reagan died when as he was taking his horses from pasture to the barn, a limb flew off a beech tree and struck him in the head." Another family story tells the same thing at the same time - "A few days before the accident, a bird flew into the porch where he was sitting, smoking his pipe, and lit on his head. He sprang from his chair, declaring it was his 'death sign' and was greatly disturbed. Whether or not it was a warning, he thought it was. The accident happened and he died a few days after that."

Most sources say that Richard and Julia Ann Reagan had three sons and four daughters - it is possible there were others. One is thought to have been a son, Aaron Reagan, and a daughter named Barbara who died as a young girl. The other two daughters are unknown.
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Reference:
"Smoky Mountain Clans", Donald B. Reagan, 1978, p 2a, 5-6.
"Smoky Mountain Clans, Volume 2", Donald B. Reagan, 1983, p 6, 51.
"The Book of Ragan/Reagan", Donald B. Reagan, 1993, p 31-44.

Richard married Julia Ann Shults 1796, Sevier County, Tennessee. Julia (daughter of Johan Martin "Martin" Shults and Juliana Stentz) was born 1775, Tryon County, North Carolina; died 23 Apr 1845, Gatlinburg, Sevier County, Tennessee; was buried White Oak Flats Cemetery, Gatlinburg, Sevier County, Tennessee. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• AFN: BQLJ-WK

Notes:

Julia Ann Shultz came with her mother, Juliana Shultz, and her brothers and sisters to Sevier County, Tennessee circa 1794/1795 from Sullivan County, Tennessee.

It is said that Julia Ann used a German Bible and hymn book and spoke German as easily as she did English.

Julia Ann was living with her son, Daniel Wesley, at the time of her death. It was thought that she had recovered from a spring cold but when she didn't arise as usual on the morning of April 23, 1845, the family found that she had passed away in her sleep.
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Reference:
"Smoky Mountain Clans", Donald B. Reagan, 1978, p 2a, 6.
"Smoky Mountain Clans, Volume 2", Donald B. Reagan, 1983, p 6, 51.
"The Book of Ragan/Reagan", Donald B. Reagan, 1993, p 407.

Notes:

Thomas went with his parents to Ninety Six District, Edgefield County, South Carolina from Wilkes County, Georgia.

Tom was named with his brother, Hercules, as coexecutor of their father's will in 1803 in Edgefield District, South Carolina. He also signed the 1811 deed of conveyance which disposed of the land left by William Ogle to his "four boys". Another deed, dated in 1825 and disposing of land in Edgefield District, South Carolina, was signed by Thomas and Sophia Ogle. They had apparently rented out this land after moving to Sevier County, Tennessee.

No Tennessee land grants prior to 1824 were found for Tom Ogle but it is known that he was in Sevier County as early as 1805. He and Hercules Ogle deeded 48 acres of land at the mouth of Walden's Creek to William Murphy in 1807. According to the deed, found in the Tennessee State Library and Archives, they held title to the land "by virtue of seizure and occupancy". The exact date of Tom's settlement in Gatlinburg is not known but he was one of the first settlers there.

Records of Tom's service in the War of 1812 were found in the National Archives. He served in Captain Andrew Lawson's Company of East Tennessee Drafted Militia Regiment, commanded by Colonel William Johnson, and fought against the Creek Indians. In 1850 and 1855, Tom received bounty land grants as a result of his service.

In December of 1817 when the White Oak Flats Baptist Church was formed as an arm of the Sevierville church, Tom Ogle and his wife were listed as charter members. The first church building was started in 1855 on Tom's land. It was located where the Arrowcraft Shop stands now. A deed conveying title of the land to the church by Thomas Ogle was executed on 8 April 1861. This is found in Sevier County Courthouse in Deed Book M, page 211.

Thomas J. Ogle has three land entries, which are dated from 1 May 1824 through 23 Jan 1826, in the Surveyor's Book No. 1 of Sevier County, Tennessee. These land entries were granted by the state of Tennessee. All these were located in the White Oak Flats community and Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Tom left a will dated 27 Sep 1861 and probated in County Court in February of 1862. It is recorded in Will Book I, p 74-75. William T. Ogle is mentioned as Tom's eldest son and is named executor of the will. Also Tom mentioned "my son Thomas Ogle... my Sons, to wit., Preston, Levi and Caleb..." In the Court records, Thomas Ogle's will was admitted for probate 3 Feb 1862. On 3 March 1862, Caleb Ogle and Wilson Duggan were appointed administrators of the estate of Thomas Ogle. (Court Minutes Book I, page 747 and 752)

There is a list of "Inventory of the property belonging to the estate of Thomas J. Ogle, Dec'd., late of Sevier County, Tennessee in the Inventory Book, page 190/92.

In the GUARDIANS, EXECUTORS and ADMINISTRATORS Settlement Book for Sevier County, Tennessee, there is a record for the estate of Thomas J. Ogle. From this book, the following list of the living heirs of Thomas J. Ogle is quoted: "the above Settlement shows that there is in the hands of the administrators the sum of $187.23 to be equally divided among twelve heirs, to wit., Levi, Hercules, Isaac, Rebecca wife of Preston, William T., Celeb, Thomas, Esther Trantham, Hichols Ownsby, Jacob Evans, Andrew Conner, and David Owensby & wife."

The family appears in the Federal Census records of Sevier County from 1830 through 1860. The census and other records found show that the second generation of Ogle sons in Gatlinburg began using their father's initial in their names when there was confusion created by the same names.
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Reference
"Smoky Mountain Clans", Donald B. Reagan, 1974, p 47-48.
"Smoky Mountain Clans", Donald B. Reagan, 1978, p 154-155, 211.

Thomas married Sophia Bosley Abt 1804. Sophia was born Abt 1789, Maryland; died 13 Jul 1857, Gatlinburg, Sevier County, Tennessee; was buried White Oak Flats Cemetery, Gatlinburg, Sevier County, Tennessee. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Sophia is spoken of as the "red-headed woman" in the family stories. It is said she hoped and prayed for a church and minister of their own in the community. Her hopes were realized when their son, William T. Ogle, became a minister of the Gospel, as did a younger son, Caleb Ogle.
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Reference:
"Smoky Mountain Clans", Donald B. Reagan, 1974, p 47-48.
"Smoky Mountain Clans", Donald B. Reagan, 1978, p 154-155, 211.