BIOGRAPHY: James was born about 1788 in North Carolina according to census records. He is undoubtedly the son of
Isaac Bynum mentioned in passing in Jasper E. Bynum’s book (q.v.). I must admit that it would not be clear
which of William Bynum’s children was his father were it not for Jasper E. Bynum’s book. He moved with his
family from Chatham County, North Carolina to Pendleton County, South Carolina, then to Tennessee, and
finally into northern Alabama..BIOGRAPHY: Much of our information about him is a result of his War of 1812 service. On 12 February 1851 James
Bynum, aged 62 and a resident of Jackson County, appeared in DeKalb County court and stated he was a
soldier in Captain Thomas Delany’s company in the War of 1812 [1]. He stated he was drafted about 20
September 1814 in Franklin County, Tennessee and was discharged at Mobile about 20 March 1815. He
received a warrant for 80 acres. Captain Thomas Delaney was a company commander of the 2nd Regiment
of West Tennessee Militia for about a year. This unit was stationed at various forts in the Creek Indian
territory and near Mobile. There is a muster roll for the company at the National Archives which contains
the names “Isaac Burnham, James [Benham?],…War Easley” and several others which are unreadable. The
muster roll seems to be dated in April 1815, after James Bynum says he was discharged. James Bynum
appeared in court again early in 1853 to swear that his written discharge paper was in the hands of Jesse
Bynum, but the paper was not found in Jesse’s effects after his death.BIOGRAPHY: On 26 May 1855, in Jackson County, Alabama, he received a second bounty land warrant for 80 acres. He
gave his age as 66 and swore he volunteered at Fayetteville, Tennessee [which is in Lincoln County] on 20
September 1814 and served six months as a private in Captain Delany’s company of militia.BIOGRAPHY: On 5 April 1871, Susanna Bynum, aged 78, applied for a widow’s pension[2]. She declared to the DeKalb
County court that she was the widow of James Bynum, who was drafted into Captain Delany’s company of
militia in Franklin County, Tennessee in September 1814 and was discharged near Mobile, Alabama in
March 1815. She stated she was married under the name of “Susana Childers” to James Bynum on 25
September 1810 by William Lusk near McMinnville, Tennessee[3]. (See CHILDERS writeup) She further
stated that her husband died at home in DeKalb County on 19 August 1868. The Pension Office requested
proof of her marriage, and on 2 October 1871 Solomon Easley, Martha Easley, and Kizziah Mitchell gave a
joint affidavit that they had known James and Susanna Bynum for fifty years and believed them to have
been married as Susanna testified. On 14 November, Solomon Easley separately stated that he was
personally acquainted with James and Susannah Bynum in 1814 and that the reason his full period of
acquaintance with them was not given in the joint affidavit was that the other two people “had known them
only for about fifty years.” On the same day, William Bynum added another affidavit, stating he was also
personally acquainted with James and Susanna Bynum in 1814. Susanna was granted a War of 1812
widow’s pension of $8 a month[4]. [The William Bynum, Martha Easley and Kezziah Mitchell who gave
testimony were all children of Jesse Bynum.]BIOGRAPHY: We find James Bynum in the 1812 tax list of Warren County, Tennessee listed consecutively with his father
Isaac Bynum. It appears they were enumerated in a district that was on the Franklin County line. James
Bynum evidently moved into neighboring Franklin County when he mustered out of the army. He was in
Franklin County when the 1820 census was taken, along with his brother-in-law George Glover, uncle John
Bynum, the above-mentioned William Lusk, and several Easley, Ellis, Childress, Stephens, and Murphree
families some of whom ended up in Jackson County, Alabama. James Bynum’s household consisted of
three males under 10 and one female under 10 in addition to James and Susannah.BIOGRAPHY: Sometime in the 1820s James Bynum and several other families crossed the county line into Jackson
County, Alabama. He appeared there in the 1830, 1840 and 1850 censuses. In 1830, he was one
household away from his presumed brother Isaac Bynum Jr. and a few households away from the other
Bynums and families who moved from Tennessee. He had four male children and four female children in
the household. In 1840, James Bynum, his sons Tucker and Jesse, and father Isaac were listed
consecutively, and his son John was listed a few households away. One son and five or six apparent
daughters remained in the household. In 1850, James Bynum was listed consecutively with his sons John
and Isaac. His age was given as 62, born in NC, and his occupation was listed as “mechanic”. Susannah was
listed as “Ann”, age 58, born in SC. There was a 32 year old David Bynum and a 22 year old Polly A.
Bynum in the household.BIOGRAPHY: There are practically no public records remaining in Jackson County for the period James Bynum lived
there. Although there few available land records in Jackson County, it appears James Bynum owned no land
there. There is no record in Huntsville of his claiming land, nor was there a land valuation in the 1850
census. He evidently lived on someone else’s land. After claiming his War of 1812 service. he used his first
warrant in 1853 to claim 80 acres in the southern central part of Jackson County almost on the DeKalb
County line. His second warrant was used in 1856 to claim adjoining land. Despite his relatively advanced
age, he probably moved onto this land. Coincidently, the line between Jackson and DeKalb Counties was
redrawn in the 1858[5] and James ended up just over the line in DeKalb County.BIOGRAPHY: He was in the 1860 census of DeKalb County as a farmer, age 71, born NC. His land was valued at $200.
Susannah (listed that way this time) was 60, born SC. David Bynum, age 41, was still in the household,
along with Cynthia Morton, age 28, and her children. As noted above, James Bynum died in 1868.
Susannah was listed in the 1870 census but not the 1880. There are no probate records in existence in
DeKalb County for this period. It is possible that Susannah moved to Texas after the 1870 census, but she
was apparently deceased by 1880.BIOGRAPHY: James and Susannah had at least the following children, who neatly fit their census records.
BIOGRAPHY: 1. John W. Bynum (1811 – 1882) He was apparently the eldest. See below.
BIOGRAPHY: 2. Tucker W. Bynum (c1816 - ?) He appears to have been named after Tucker W(oodson?) Easley,
who lived in Pendleton and Franklin County, Tennessee at the same time as James Bynum. I am not aware
of any family relationship that would account for this[6]. He was called “Uncle Tuck” by John W. Bynum’s
son in 1864 [See Daniel Bynum write-up.] If we take that literally, he was apparently one of the children of
James Bynum. He was in the 1840 Jackson County census adjacent to his father James Bynum and brother
Jesse Bynum. By 1850 he had purchased land in, and moved to, Franklin County, Tennessee, which
bordered Jackson County, Alabama to the north. He appeared on the 1850 and 1860 censuses of Franklin
County, but moved to Illinois by 1864. Although there are no records for him there, two of his children
were married In Pope County, Illinois. His wife was named Nancy and, judging from the children’s ages, he
married her about 1835. Their children were: Hiram Stephen, Richard F., Mary C., Serena Adeline, Sarilda,
Isaac Newton., Nancy E., Sarah J., and Jesse A. His son Hiram Stephen Bynum was referenced in Daniel
Bynum’s letter as having married a Miss Holcom (sic) who lived in Titus County, Texas in 1864. She was
Martha Holcomb, whom he married in Arkansas.BIOGRAPHY: 3. Jesse Bynum (c1819 – 1873) He was also called “Uncle Jesse” by John W. Bynum’s son [see
Daniel Bynum write-up.]. He was apparently the Jesse Bynum adjacent to James and Tucker Bynum in the
1840 census of Jackson County, Alabama. He moved, apparently with Tucker W. Bynum, across the
Jackson line into Franklin County, Tennessee before 1850. He was in the 1850 census of Franklin County
three households away from Tucker. His wife was named Mary E. and they had a child named James H.
There was a 17 year-old named John Bynum in the household who couldn’t have been his son. According
to Daniel Bynum’s letter, he moved to Arkansas in 1859 and was still there in 1864. He bought land in Pope
County, Illinois in 1866 and died there in 1873. (Although Daniel Bynum’s 1864 letter says Jesse’s son
James was serving in the CSA, another of Jesse’s sons, Isaac Bynum, served in the Union army.)BIOGRAPHY: 4. Isaac Bynum (c1827 - ?) He was also called “Uncle Isaac” by Daniel Bynum. He married a woman
named Elizabeth Jane and moved in the late 1850s, with his older brother John W. Bynum, to Titus County,
Texas. From census records we can identify several children: Jesse G, Mary A., William C., Martha Ellender,
Solomon M., Sarah F., Cynthia A., James W., Martin L., Susannah, and a female named “L.J.”BIOGRAPHY: 5. Mary Isabel Bynum (c1816 - ?) Her son stated in 1911 that his mother’s maiden name “was
Isabel Bynum, she was the daughter of James and Susan Bynum who lived at Alabama[7].” She married an
Evans about 1833 in Jackson County and had two daughters, Susannah and Belinda S. Evans died in the
late 1830s and she remarried to John Shelton and had six more children: Levi, Isaac Bynum, John Allen,
Nancy Matilda, James, and Mary. She and her husband moved to Titus County along with her brothers John
and Isaac. They were in the 1860 Titus County census, and in the 1880 Morris County, Texas census. (They
were in Arkansas for the 1870 census, and some children apparently stayed there.) One of her children,
Susannah Evans, married Jesse Bynum Easley.BIOGRAPHY: 6. (dau) Bynum (? - ?) Evidently the wife of Allen Baggett. I am unable to find Allen Baggett in
Tennessee or Arkansas after 1840, therefore do not know his wife’s name. She may have been a sister of
James Bynum, not a daughter.BIOGRAPHY: 7. Sarah Bynum (? - ?) Possibly a daughter, she was the wife of William Messer, enumerated next
door to James and Susannah in the 1850 census. She had children named James and Susannah.BIOGRAPHY: It appears from census records that James and Susannah had at least six daughters. It is possible that other
daughters were Nancy, wife of William Coots, Cynthia Morton, and the Polly mentioned in the census.
BIOGRAPHY: [1] This item from Alabama Records, Vol. 229 (DeKalb County), Jones & Gandrud, p34-36.BIOGRAPHY: [2] Widow’s Application for Pension Under the Act of February 14, 1871, No. 1536
BIOGRAPHY: [3] McMinnville was in Warren County, but very close to Franklin County, so it’s not clear exactly where the
marriage took place.BIOGRAPHY: [4] War of 1812 Widow’s Pension No.1222
BIOGRAPHY: [5] The line ran to “Bynum’s Mill”
BIOGRAPHY: [6] Tucker W. Easley was an uncle of the Solomon Easley mentioned above. Tucker Easley was several
years younger than James Bynum.BIOGRAPHY: [7] Arkansas 1911 Census of Confederate Veterans, Bobbie J. McLane and Capitola Glazner.
All: NOT CERTAIN THIS IS THE FATHER OF MOSES BROADUS (# 1206).
BIOGRAPHY: Nathan was born in Hardin County, Tennessee.
All: Nathan applied for and received land in 1841 in Nacogdoches County, Texas. He received 320 acres after he proved that he had arrived in Texas on, or before March 1, 1836. Nathan received a grant from the Board of Land Commissioners on March 3, 1845. During this time, he "read medicine," following the old tradition of learning from a mentor. In 1845 in Nacogdoches County, he received a certificate to practice medicine. When Angelina County formed, he was the first physician at Marion. In 1846 Nathan W. Gann was elected Justice of the Peace in Precinct No.1 in Angelina County. He was a Methodist and also held membership in the Masonic Lodge at Homer. Nathan had a large farm in the western part of the county. When the county seat was moved from Homer to Lufkin, Nathan moved to Lufkin, and from 1890 until 1923, he served as postmaster at Lufkin. He died Sept. 22, 1895, in Lufkin. He was buried in Naraway Cemetery just west of Lufkin in Angelina County ["Nacogdoches County Families",vol 1, page 296, Nacogdoches County genealogical Society; Dallas, Texas: Curtis Media Corp., 1985]
CENSUS: 1850-Angelina Co., Tx. Federal Census Index-page 65
1880-Angelina Co., Tx. Federal census Index-page 240 E.D. 9
BIOGRAPHY: Lived about 88 years.
All: Isaac, Sr. BYNUM-352 is the 3rd great grand uncle of Jabe Joseph FINCHER Jr.-1. Their common ancestors are William , Jr. BYNUM-807 and Mary -813.
TimeLine: Isaac was living in Old Pendleton District, NC when daughter Rebecca married George Glover.
CENSUS: 1805-1812-listed on Tax List Franklin Co.,TN.
1787 census-Chowan Co., NC.
MILITARY: Served 7 years in the Revolutionary War
All: Sally married Volley Allen, Feb 2,1915.
All: Fred Fincher is half-brother to Mike Fincher; Henry Baker is half-brother to Mike Fincher. >>Mike's new home, his family and his three children, the eldest four years old.--Mike Fincher's description at his death was 5'9" tall, 180 lbs, blonde sandy hair, mustache--his mother was alive at his death>>> Mike Fincher's elder brother was Tom Fincher and was 10-15 years older than Mike--Mike assaulted Mary Jane Taylor (Lula??). Mike killed Calvin Taylor, Mary Jane's father.>> all this (above) from Mobile Daily Register newspaper articles around July 5, 1893.
All: Mike Fincher shot a man (Calvin Taylor, June 1891) through a window with buckshot (killed him). This happened in Wheelerville, Ala. Mike raped Taylor's daughter and Taylor was about to go to the grand jury that was in session. To stop him, Mike shot him the night before. Some people took the daughter to the jury and a sentence of 20 years imprisonment was fixed for Mike. He started serving his time in the coal mines and another indictment was brought to him for killing Taylor. (2 charges-total 119 years). He served 4 years but escaped by tunneling out of the coal mine. He went home without being caught. His relatives helped keep him out of sight for a while, but he got bold and began to build a house. Judge Wittner (the author of the booklet: Wittner's Wheelerville Tribulations) came upon him by chance when Wittner was visiting someone else. Fincher put a scare in Wittner (without even trying to). There was a reward for Fincher ($400). John Wesley Thomas, a one-armed deputy sheriff, determined to capture Fincher. He camped out in the woods where he was sure Fincher would pass by. On July 3, 1893 Mike and his brother, Fred, went near the Thomas camp. Wesley shot Mike (killing him). Fred ran off. Mike's half-brother Henry Baker brought him to the Wheelerville cemetery the next day.
The booklet did say that Thomas was a friend of Wittner, who was a justice of the peace. Henry Baker, Mike's half-brother was also a justice of the peace for Wheelerville.Alabama Dept. of Corrections State Convict Record, Vol.3 (1889-1895), p. 269-lists Michael Fincher (No. 807) Descriptive List taken: July 26, 1891; Weight:170; Age:28; Hair: Light; Eyes: Blue; Occupation: gardener; Married; No. of Children and residence of: 2 with wife; Other relatives: Mother, 3 Brothers, 1 half-sister; Pecularities: light eyebrows; COURT HISTORY- Crime: Assault to ravish & Murder: Date of Sentence: July 21, 1891 and April 1, 1892: Terms of Sentence: 10 years & Life. PRISON HISTORY-Bad Conduct: Escaped: June 28, 1892: Recaptured: killed by a deputy sheriff of Mobile in July 1893.
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EMMA E.4 TANNER, b. Bet. 1866 - 1867; m. MIKE FINCHER, May 09, 1888, Mobile County, Alabama.All: Michael Fincher was granted a land patent on 23 February, 1895(???)-Homestead Certificate #12162; Application # 17994/-374)signed by Pres. Grover Cleveland. Description of land: West half of the South west quarter of section twenty-four in township four south of Range three, west of St. Stephens meridian in Alabama containing eighty acres and twenty five hundreths of an acre.
Census: 1870 Mobile Census, beat 5 , page 50 (375B) house # 419-Michael is age 7 in house of Sarah Fincher (age 41)-also shows a John age 7 (twin to Michael).
All: Emma Tanner's sisters--Sufronia Tanner and Fannie M. Tanner both married Fred Fincher
Suphronia (Fronie) Tanner m. F.F. 7 July 1889; Fannie M. Tanner m. F.F. 12 July, 1909.