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I (Marty Grant) am a 1st cousin 5 times removed of James M. Grant.
James M. Grant was born ca 1824/25 in Rutherford Co, NC, presumably near Mountain Creek in modern Green Hill Township.
He is a son of Charles B. Grant and Mary Morris as proven by an 1841 deed from Charles to James referring to him as his son.
I've always assumed James' middle name was probably "Morris" after his mother, but never found any proof. Descendants of his, Darlene Grant Mosley and her brother James Martin Grant, thought it was "Morris" also, so that is how I'm listing it (Thanks to Darlene and Jim for that information). (They also gave wife Nancy's middle name as "Burnum".)
James was about 5 years old by the time of the 1830 census, and he seems to be home with his parents that year aged 5-9 (born ca 1820/25).
He would have been about 15 for the 1840 census, and he seems to be with his parents then aged 15-19 (born ca 1820/25).
On 21 Jan 1841, Charles Grant made a deed of gift to his son James Grant for a variety of livestock. He referred to him as his son in the body of the deed, so this proves that James was a son of Charles. (Macon Co, NC Deed Book C page 1246)
James Grant was listed in the Macon Co, NC Court Minutes for March 1843 on a road crew to help on the Nantahala Road from Franklin to Murphy. This was the only Grant mentioned in the Macon Co, NC Court minutes from 1828-1850. (Macon Co, NC Court Minutes 1838-1855 page 212)
On 1 Sep 1843 James M. Grant witnessed a deed from Peter Daves to William Morrison. (Macon Co, NC Deed Book D page 1697).
On 6 Dec 1845 James Grant obtained a marriage bond in Macon Co, NC to marry Nancy Mayfield. James Morrison was the bondsman. Nancy Burnum Mayfield was born ca 1826/27 in Macon County (then still part of Haywood County), daughter of Moses Mayfield.
By 1846 James and Nancy had moved to neighboring Cherokee Co, NC. I'm not sure precisely where they were living at this time, but I'm reasonably sure it was the Notla Township area based on who some of his neighbors were for the 1850 census.
1850 CHEROKEE CO, NC Page 57 House/Family # 741/ 745 GRANT JAMES 25 M W FARMER NC 1824/1825 GRANT NANCY 23 F W NC 1826/1827 GRANT MILBURN 4 M W NC 1845/1846 GRANT JOHN 2 M W NC 1847/1848
On 25 Nov 1850 James M. Grant received a state Grant (# 864) for 50 acres in Macon Co, NC, based on his entry dated 5 Sep 1847 (# 7471) recorded in Grant book 153, page 433. No details were given for the land.
On 22 Jun 1853 James M. Grant received a state Grant (# 1486) for 22 acres, recorded in Grant book 157, page 251. No details were given for the location of the land.
On 26 Aug 1854 James W. Grant "of Cherokee Co, NC" purchased 100 acres in Macon County for $200 from Mary Grant, administrator of Thomas B. Grant, deceased "of Macon Co, NC". Thomas was James' Uncle. The land was on Tennessee River and Millers Creek (previous deeds said "Mill Creek" instead of "Miller Creek"). The deed was witnessed by W. H. Grant, who was William H. Grant, James' brother. This deed clearly had "W" as James' middle initial, but I'm sure it is the same person. (Macon Co, NC Deed Book G page 529).
On 2 Oct 1856, James M. Grant received a state Grant (# 2016) for 20 acres in Macon Co, NC, based on his entry dated 28 May 1856 (# 7271) recorded in Grant book 160, page 556. No details were given for the land.
On 6 Aug 1858 Moses Mayfield of Macon Co, NC deeded land to James Grant "of Cherokee Co, NC". I don't have details of this deed just yet, but it wasn't a deed of gift (Moses Mayfield was James Grant's father-in-law). (Macon Co, NC Deed Book I page 328).
On 3 Jan 1859 James M. Grant of Cherokee Co, NC sold 17 acres to Julius Dean. The deed was witnessed by A. L. Dawson and Moses Mayfield. (Macon Co, NC Deed Book I page 423).
James and Nancy were still in Cherokee Co, NC for the 1860 census, but they had moved at some point between 1850 and 1860 and were now living in Murphy (the town). James was listed as a Merchant.
For the 1860 Cherokee County census, the census taker gave the actual county of birth instead of just the state. This is very helpful. The two people residing with them were not relatives as far as I know, but worked for James. William Dickey was a son of George and Jane Dickey and in 1850 they were neighbors to James and Nancy Grant in Cherokee Co, NC in the Notla area (where George Dickey still was in 1860). Polly McCoy might be a daughter of Milton McCoy and Judith Peek McCoy of Macon Co, NC as they had a daughter named Mary "Polly" about that age. I'm not entirely sure it is the same one though, but could be. I didn't see any other candidates in 1850 Cherokee or Macon County census. I know of no relationship between the Grants and McCoys.
1860 CHEROKEE CO, NC Page 334 House/Family # 9/ 9 -- MURPHY Twp GRANT JAMES M 35 M W MERCHANT 7100 1000 RUTHERFORD CO, NC 1824/1825 GRANT NANCY 31 F W MACON CO, NC 1828/1829 GRANT MILBURN M 13 M W MACON CO, NC 1846/1847 GRANT JOHN A 11 M W MACON CO, NC 1848/1849 GRANT HARVEY D 9 M W CHEROKEE CO, NC 1850/1851 GRANT LENORA 6 F W CHEROKEE CO, NC 1853/1854 GRANT TEXANNA 1 F W CHEROKEE CO, NC 1858/1859 McCOY POLLY 18 F W SEAMSTRESS MACON CO, NC 1841/1842 DICKY WILLIAM 21 M W CLERK MACON CO, NC 1838/1839
During the Civil War timeframe, James M. Grant acted as Chairman of the Board of County Commissioners in Cherokee Co, NC (1864-1865) and was a Justice in 1865. By 1869 he had moved to nearby Monroe Co, TN.
James and family moved to neighboring Monroe County, Tennessee in the late 1860's.
On 8 Feb 1869 James M. Grant "of Monroe Co, TN" sold 92 acres in Macon Co, NC to Humphrey P. Caler for $200. This deed was witnessed by G. C. Grant (George Carson Grant, James' brother) and John M. Grant, James' son. This could be the three land grants he received in the 1850s for 50 acres, 22 acres and 20 acres. That totals 92 acres. (Macon Co, NC Deed Book L page 556).
Again on 8 Feb 1869 James M. Grant "of Monroe Co, TN" sold 50 acres in Macon Co, NC to Humphrey P. Caler for $100. This deed was witnessed by G. C. Grant (George Carson Grant, James' brother) and John M. Grant, James' son. (Macon Co, NC Deed Book L page 556).
James M. Grant and Nancy were listed on the 1870 census in Monroe Co, TN. His brother William and their mother were in the same county, but in a different district.
1870 MONROE CO, TN Page 12 House/Family # 158/ 158--DISTRICT 1 Twp GRANT J M 45 M W MERCHANT 6000 NC 1824/1825 GRANT NANCY 43 F W KEEPING HOUSE NC 1826/1827 GRANT WILBORN 22 M W NC 1847/1848 GRANT JOHN 21 M W NC 1848/1849 GRANT LENORA 17 F W NC 1852/1853 GRANT UGENIA 8 F W NC 1861/1862 GRANT JEANNIE 7 F W NC 1862/1863 GRANT LULA 4 F W TN 1865/1866 FOWLER MUGGER? 15 F W HOUSE KEEPING TN 1854/1855
By 1873 James and Nancy had moved to neighboring McMinn County, Tennessee.
On 2 June 1873, James Charles and his wife Caroline M. Charles deeded property to Nancy B. Grant, wife of J. M. Grant. The abstract didn't give much info, but the original might. (McMinn Co, TN Deed Book Q page 363).
In 1877 James M. Grant and sons were taken to court for debt. The following is what I transcribed from a published abstract of these records.
In the McMinn Co, TN Chancery Court Records, "J. M. Grant and sons" and others were taken to court by Chalfont, Cox and Company on 28 Feb 1877. Complainants were of Philadelphia, PA versus J. M. Grant and wife Nancy B Grant, James M. Charles and wife Caroline Charles, Wilbur Grant and John Grant, all of McMinn Co, TN. The case stated that Wilbur and John were sons of J. M. Grant and Nancy Grant and that their business was in Sweetwater. It further says that Grant and sons bought land from Charles and wife and had deed made to Nancy. J. M. Grant answered that in 1867 he bought stock of goods for which he sold land in NC which he had received from his wife's father as her marriage portion. J. M. Grant lost everything except house and lot which, he wanted to sell, but Nancy would not sign deed unless money came to her. Thus, Nancy bought the land in McMinn Co, TN. The final comment was that the Decree was found in favor of the Complainants, and it was appealed to the Tennessee Supreme Court. (Chancery Court Records of McMinn Co, TN by Reba Bayless Boyer, 1980, page 7)
James and family were listed on the 1880 census in McMinn County, Tennessee. They had several grandchildren with them, all of the children of Wilburn Grant, (all of whom were also listed with their parents in Meigs County, Tennessee.) ** I don't have this entry typed up yet.
I don't have them on the 1900 census yet, but I think they were still in McMinn County.
Data given to me by Darlene Grant Mosely and her brother James Martin Grant show that James M. Grant died 1904 in McMinn Co, TN. I don't know when Nancy died.
James M. Grant and Nancy Mayfield Grant's children are mostly proven by the 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880 census.
Wilburn Moses Grant was born ca 1845/46 in Cherokee Co, NC, probably in the Notla area. He was at home with his parents in 1850 ("Wilburn" age 4), and 1860 census ("Wilburn M." age 13), and still home in 1870 ("Wilburn" age 22).
He was apparently a business partner with his father in "J. M. Grant and sons" in McMinn Co, TN in the 1870's.
Wilburn married Callie --- between ca 1870 and 1873. They either married in, or soon moved to Meigs County, Tennessee, where they were listed on the 1880 census. Strangely, all of their children were also listed with Wilburn's parents in McMinn County that year. ** I don't have either of these entries typed up yet.
John A. Grant was born ca 1847/48 in Cherokee Co, NC, probably in the Notla area. He was at home with his parents in 1850 ("John" age 2) and home in 1860 ("John A." age 11). He was still home in 1870 ("John" age 21) and still home in 1880 ("John M." age 30).
He was apparently a business partner with his father in "J. M. Grant and sons" in McMinn Co, TN in the 1870's.
Harvey D. Grant was born ca 1850/51 in Cherokee Co, NC, probably in the Notla area. He was at home with his parents in the 1860 census ("Harvey D." age 9). I did not find him in 1870, so he may have been dead by then.
Lenora Grant was born ca 1853/54 in Cherokee Co, NC, probably in the Notla area, or possibly in Murphy. She was at home with her parents in the 1860 census ("Lenora" age 6) and still home in 1870 ("Lenora" age 17), but gone by 1880, so probably married or dead by then.
Texanna Grant was born ca 1858/59 in Cherokee Co, NC, probably in Murphy. She was at home with her parents in the 1860 census ("Texanna" age 1), but gone by 1870. Since she would have only been 11 then, it seems likely that she had died.
Eugenia Grant was born ca 1861/62 in Cherokee Co, NC, probably in Murphy. She was home with her parents in 1870 ("Ugenia" age 8, born NC), and in 1880 ("Eugenia" age 17, born NC).
Joanna Grant was born ca 1862/63 in Cherokee Co, NC, probably in Murphy. She was home with her parents in 1870 ("Jeannie" age 7, born NC), and in 1880 ("Joanna" age 14, born NC).
Ida Grant was born ca 1867/68 in Monroe Co, TN. She was home with her parents in 1870 ("Lula" age 4, born TN), and in 1880 ("Ida" age 12, born TN).
James B. Grant was born ca 1870/71 in Monroe Co, TN. He was home with his parents in 1880 ("James B." age 9).
Persons researching this family (click here for data on how to get on or off of this list:
1. James Morris1 Grant, born 1824/25 in Rutherford Co, NC; died 1904 in McMinn Co, TN, son of Charles B Grant and Mary "Polly" Morris. He married on 6 Dec 1845 in Macon Co, NC Nancy Burnum Mayfield, born 1826/27 in Haywood Co, NC (now Macon Co, NC); died aft 1880 in McMinn Co, TN, daughter of Moses Mayfield
Children of James Morris Grant and Nancy Burnum Mayfield were as follows:
+ 2 i Wilburn Moses2 Grant, born 1845/46 in Cherokee Co, NC; died 1901 in Meigs Co, TN. He married Callie (---).
3 ii John A2 Grant, born 1847/48 in Cherokee Co, NC.
4 iii Harvey D2 Grant, born 1850/51 in Cherokee Co, NC; died aft 1860 in Cherokee Co, NC.
5 iv Lenora2 Grant, born 1853/54 in Cherokee Co, NC; died aft 1870 in McMinn Co, TN.
6 v Texanna2 Grant, born 1858/59 in Cherokee Co, NC; died aft 1860 in Cherokee Co, NC.
7 vi Eugenia2 Grant, born 1861/62 in Cherokee Co, NC.
8 vii Joanna2 Grant, born 1862/63 in Cherokee Co, NC.
9 viii Ida2 Grant, born 1867/68 in Monroe Co, TN.
10 ix James B2 Grant, born 1870/71 in Monroe Co, TN.
Generation 2
2. Wilburn Moses2 Grant (James Morris1), born 1845/46 in Cherokee Co, NC; died 1901 in Meigs Co, TN. He married in 1870/73 in Meigs Co, TN Callie (---), born 1849/50 in GA.
Children of Wilburn Moses Grant and Callie (---) were as follows:
11 i Glennie3 Grant, born 1872/73 in Meigs Co, TN.
12 ii Harvey3 Grant, born 1874/75 in Meigs Co, TN.
13 iii Hugh3 Grant, born 1877/78 in Meigs Co, TN.
14 iv Florence3 Grant, born 1878/79 in Meigs Co, TN.
+ 15 v James Morris3 Grant, born 1879 in Meigs Co, TN; died 1964. He married Lucy Catherine Shelton.