Henry Tilley of Wayne and Hardin Counties, Tennessee
Compiled by Jerry W. Murphy.
Henry Tilley was born about 1798 in Logan County, Kentucky. He was the son of James Tilley, Sr. and his wife whose name is unknown. It is said the family had Cherokee Blood and it is suspected that Henry's mother may have been the source. The Tilley family was one of the first families to settle in Wayne County, Tennessee. This is evident by the fact that Henry Tilley was among the original signers of the 1819 Petition to establish Wayne County from the newly seceded Indian lands. He is not named on the 1820 Wayne County,Tennessee census but is accounted for in his father's household. He married about 1822, probably in Wayne County,Tennessee, to Mary Rose, born 1801 in North Carolina, daughter of Frederick Rose, Sr. and his wife, Eve Eulice.
Henry Tilley and Martin Cook witnessed a land transaction for John Cook on 10 September 1824 in Wayne County, Tennessee Old Book A page 291, no. 1180.
William Davis of Lawrence County, Tennessee sold for $100 to Henry Tilley 80 acres on Rayburns Branch of Indian Creek on 28 June 1826 in Wayne County, Tennessee Deed Book A page 200.
Henry Tilley and Reuben Garlick witnessed a land transaction where Daniel Pearle sold to John Rayburn 20 acres on Indian Creek on 15 March 1827 in Wayne County, Tennessee Deed Book A page 284.
Henry Tilley gave to David Cook for valuable consideration 27 acres and 8 poles on Rayburns fork of Indian Creek being part of an 80 acres survey entered in the name of Sivington and Davis. Dated 26 December 1829 and located in Wayne County, Tennessee Deed Book A page 380.
The next record found on Henry Tilley is the 1830 Wayne County, Tennessee census. He is found on page 290 with 2 males 0-5; 1 male 5-10; 1 male 15-20; 1 male 30-40; 1 female 0-5; 1 female 5-10; and 1 female 20-30. (210101-11001)
The 1836 Wayne County, Tennessee tax list has Henry Tilley residing in the 7th District with 52 acres of land. The 1838 Wayne County, Tennessee tax list has him in the 8th District without any property. Apparently the deed in which he sold the 52 acres was not recorded. The deposition of Mrs. Bettie House, dated 1 June 1920, from the Wayne County, Tennessee Chancery Court Loose Papers case of Lonnie Tilley etal -vs- Tennessee Valley Iron and Railroad Company etal states that her father, William "Grancer" Tilley, bought out Uncle Henry's land on Roanoke Creek in Wayne County, Tennessee.
John Copeland of Wayne County, Tennessee in his Revolutionary War pension application listed Henry Tilley as someone present in his neighborhood who could testify as to his character for veracity.
Henry Tilley is next located on the 1840 Hardin County, Tennessee census on page 241 with 2 males 10-15; 1 male 15-20; 1 male 40-50; 2 females 0-5; 3 females 5-10; 1 female 10-15; and 1 female 30-40. (0021001-231001)
Henry Tilley died about 1847 in Hardin County, Tennessee. No estate settlement has been found for him. His widow, Mary Rose Tilley, is listed as the head of the household on the 1850 Hardin County, Tennessee census. She is found in the 3rd Civil District on page 273B and two sons (John and Richard) are in the 5th Civil District on page 286B.
138/138 - TILLY, Mary 49, James 22, Sally 18, Zyephia 16, Eve 14, Jane 12, William 8, Mary E. 5, Elihu 5.
This is the last record found for Mary Rose Tilley. It is assumed she died but she could have remarried. The Hardin County, Tennessee marriage records are not available for that time period thus we can only speculate. Her youngest two children were in the households of "others" in the 1860 Wayne County, Tennessee census. One would think that if Mary had remarried her young unmarried children would be with her so I concluded that she died between 1850 and 1860.
The children of Henry Tilley and Mary Rose were:
1. John Columbus Tilley, born 1823 Wayne County, Tennessee; died 1864 Little Rock, Pulaski County, Arkansas; married about 1848 Hardin County, Tennessee to Nancy C. Bratton, daughter of Paul Bratton and his first wife.
2. daughter, born 1820-25 Wayne County, Tennessee; probably died young.
3. Richard Tilley, born 1826 Wayne County, Tennessee; died before 1880 Hardin County, Tennessee; married ca 1850 probably Hardin County, Tennessee to Fanny Bratton, daughter of Paul Bratton and his first wife.
4. James Tilley, born 1828 Wayne County, Tennessee; died 28 April 1887 Grandview, Hardin County, Tennessee; married ca 1853 Hardin County, Tennessee to Frances Crews, daughter of James Crews and Lydia Hulin???.
5. Elizabeth "Betsy" Tilley, born 1825-30 Wayne County, Tennessee; died before 1891; 1st married _______Dickson; 2nd married _______Puckett; she may have married a third time to _______White.
6. Sarah "Sally" Tilley, born 1831 Wayne County, Tennessee; died ca 1881 Hardin County, Tennessee; married ca 1857 Hardin County, Tennessee to Robert Jack Bratton, son of Paul Bratton and his second wife, Martha_______.
7. daughter, born 1830-35 Wayne County, Tennessee; probably died young.
8. Zyephia/Zilpha Tilley, born 1834 Wayne County, Tennessee; residing in Arkansas in 1891; nothing else known at present.
9. Eve Tilley, born January 1836 Wayne County, Tennessee; died after 1900 possibly in Wayne County, Tennessee; married 31 December 1878 Wayne County, Tennessee to John W. Burns.
10. Rebecca Jane Tilley, born 1838 Wayne County, Tennessee; died before 1891 probably in Hardin or Wayne County, Tennessee; apparently she never married.
11. William H. Tilley, born 1841 Hardin County, Tennessee; died before 1891 in Arkansas or Missouri; 1st married 31 May 1866 Wayne County, Tennessee to Mary C. Garner; 2nd married between 1870-1880 to Mrs. Rachel (Blackshear?) Gray.
12. Mary Emily Tilley, born 1845 Hardin County, Tennessee; died ca 1874 Wayne County, Tennessee; married 26 September 1860 Wayne County, Tennessee to William M. Franks, son of William Franks and Margaret "Patsy" House.
13. Elihu Mill Tilley, born 1845 Hardin County, Tennessee; he was still living in 1891 but his whereabouts was unknown.