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Joel Wilson Weatherford was born about 1799, in North Carolina, the son of William Weatherford and Margaret Polk.
Joel's family moved to Wayne County, Tennessee prior to about 1815. The 1820 Wayne County census lists Joel as a male 18-26 years old, living at home with his parents and siblings.
Joel married Nancy Beckham. Nancy Beckham was born about 1800-1810, in North Carolina, the daughter of William Beckham and Rebecca Swinney.
Joel's family appears on the 1830 Wayne County, Tennessee census. The census shows one male 20-30; 2 males under 5; and one female 20-30.
Joel's name appears on an 1836 tax list of Wayne County. Joel paid one poll tax so he could vote.
The 1840 Wayne County census shows Joel's family living next door to his father William. The census shows one male 30-40 (Joel); 2 males 10-15 (Madison and Joel); one female 50-60 (unknown); one female 40-50 (either Joel's wife or an unknown female); one female 10-15 (Sarah); 2 females 5-10 (Mary and Caroline); and one female under 5 years old (Nancy).
After reviewing census records, I believe that Nancy was not the mother of Joel's children, although I believe she raised the children after their mother's death. I say this because, if indeed Nancy was born in 1815 as shown on the 1850 census, she would have been only about 13 when she gave birth to her first child, which is possible but not likely. More convincing still are the 1830 and 1840 census records which do not show Joel's wife to have been born around 1815. The 1830 census shows her to be in the same age bracket as Joel. If the woman listed as 40-50 on the 1840 census was Joel's wife, she could still have been about Joel's age and possibly just had her birthday that put her into a higher age bracket. I really believe Joel was married twice and Nancy was his second wife. It is my suggestion that Joel's wife died in 1841, or soon after giving birth to their youngest child and Joel then married Nancy who raised his children. I believe the older woman listed on the 1840 census may have been Joel's mother-in-law who was there for the birth of their daughter, Eliza. (Eliza is not listed on the 1840 census.) It is possible that Joel's wife was having difficulties during her pregnancy and her mother had come to stay and help out until after the child was born. All of this is speculation on my part and should not be taken for fact.
Joel moved his family from Wayne County to Hardin County between 1840 and 1850. That may have been about the time Joel and Nancy married, if indeed she was his second wife.
The 1850 Hardin County, Tennessee census shows the family in the 7th Civil District, living near Joel's brother Hill Weatherford. The census shows Joel, 51, a farmer, real estate valued at $800, born in North Carolina; Nancy, 35, born in North Carolina; Madison, 22, a school teacher, born in Tennessee; Joel W., 21, a farmer, born in Tennessee; Sarah A., 19, born in Tennessee; Mary J., 17, born in Tennessee; Caroline, 15, born in Tennessee; Nancy, 13, born in Tennessee; Eliza, 11, born in Tennessee; and John, 9, born in Tennessee.
Joel died in 1866, in Wayne County. Since I do not know that Nancy was not the mother of Joel's children, I am listing them as if she was their mother. I am convinced that Nancy raised the children and was the only mother that the younger children knew. If any of you readers have information on Joel and his marriage(s), please contact me.
Children of Joel Weatherford and Nancy Beckham
1. Madison Weatherford, b. abt 1828, TN
2. Joel Wilson Weatherford, Jr., b. 1829, Hardin Co, TN
3. Baby Daughter Weatherford, b. & d. abt 1830, TN
4. Sarah A. Weatherford, b. abt 1831, TN
5. Mary Weatherford, b. abt 1833, TN
6. Margaret Caroline Weatherford, b. Oct 12, 1834, TN; d. June 12, 1891; bur. Gillis Mills Cem, Hardin Co, TN; m. Alexander Lutts, b. Feb 3, 1828, NC; d. July 13, 1903; bur. Gillis Mills Cem, Hardin Co; son of Alexander Lutts and Mariah Martin. Children: Monroe Lutts, b. 1853; William Lutts, b. 1855; John A. Lutts, b. 1856; Adam T. Lutts, b. 1857; and Margaret Lutts, b. 1860.
7. Nancy Weatherford, b. abt 1837, TN
8. Sarayn Eliza Weatherford, b. Aug 22, 1839, TN; d. Jan 24, 1906, Wayne Co, TN; m. James Archibald Franks, b. May 15, 1823, Hardin Co, TN; d. Apr 16, 1913, Wayne Co, TN; son of Frederick Franks, Jr. and Nancy Harrison. Children: James Elihue Franks, b. 1854; Wilson Duckworth Franks, b. 1855; Nancy Elzura Franks, b. 1858; Eliza Isabelle Franks, b. 1860; and Abraham Lincoln Franks, b. 1862.
9. John Weatherford, b. abt 1841, TN