Frederick Danner was the first son of Peter Danner and his first wife. He was probably born in Surry County, NC in 1811. He married Susannah Hately, daughter of Moses and Catherine, in the mid 1830's. Frederick and Susannah had nine children:
- Elizabeth Caroline - 1838
- Mary J. - 1839
- Sarah - 1840
- Anderson Allen - 1843
- Nancy Ellen and her twin
- John Mac - 1846
- Francis Frederick - 1848
- Susan Melissa - 1853
- Rebecca C. - 1855
Birth years are approximate, surmised from census
records.
Frederick and his family first appear in the Ashe County, NC 1840 census on page 35. He is the lone male listed at between 20 and 30. His wife Susannah is also between 20 and 30 and their two youngest daughters, Elizabeth Caroline and Mary J. are under 5 years old.
The 1850 Census for Watauga county lists Frederick as a farmer, aged
36, his wife and seven children. The 1860 census for the Boone
District of Watauga county includes the entire family. By 1870 all of
the children have left Frederick's home except Susan M. and Rebecca
C.
Frederick was a Private in the Confederate Army, enlisted by W. R. Farthing at Boone, NC, serving in the 37th Infantry, Company E for the North Carolina Troops. He served from September 18, 1861 until February 5, 1862 when he was discharged at Newbern, NC for "Rheumatism and chronic disease of kidney." He is described as "aged fifty, 5 feet and 11 1/2 inches... Dark complexion, black eyes and dark hair..."
By 1870 Fredrick is listed as a 56 year old farmer with his wife Susan, 54 years of age. Daughters Elizabeth, Sarah C., Nancy E., Susan M. and Rebecca C. are also in the household. 105 year old Catherine Hately, his mother -in-law is also in the household as well as a 2 year old Sarah C. Hodges. Youngest son Francis F. is at the adjacent property with his wife, Martisha and daughter Margaret.
In the 1880 census for Watauga Township, family #115 is Frederick Danner (65) and wife Susannah (64). With them are [Elizabeth] Caroline (41), Sarah (38), Rebecca (26) and a divorced or separated 37 year old Anderson! Next to them are the family of Frederick's 3rd son, Francis Frederick who must have died before 1880. This family consists of mother Maritia (31) and children Margaret (10), John (8), [Thomas] Lloyd (6) and Addie (3).
Tax Lists for Watauga County and township have a 73 year old Fred Danner with 157 acres in 1887. In 1888, 74 is listed in the column for acres but in 1890 he is listed as 76 with 135 acres. Fred, at 77 and with 135 acres is still around in 1891, 78 in 1892, and 80 years old in 1894. In 1895, 81 year old Fred's property is down to 80 acres.
Frederick's tombstone says he died in 1888 but in John Heaton's EXTRACTS FROM THE WATAUGA DEMOCRAT, page 5 is the following:
"WATAUGA DEMOCRAT - FEBRUARY 16, 1899
Died: Mr. Frederick Danner, an aged citizen of Valle Crucis died at his home on last Saturday at 2 p.m. and was not buried until yesterday, Wednesday, owing to the severity of the weather and the frozen condition of the earth."
There is still more proof and documentation to uncover about Frederick Danner, and much reconciling of ages, birth and death dates. As with the probable progenitor Jacob, there are a lot of Fredericks in the Danners of Western North Carolina.
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Frederick is buried next to Susan at the Danner cemetery in Watauga county, NC. |
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