by Bruce Whitaker

Part 1 was in last month’s issue. Below is a another section from George Aden Burgin’s “History of Broad River Township,” with dates, names and information that I have added in brackets. Punctuation has been left as in the original.

Uncle Benny Nesbitt [Benjamin Nesbitt 1820–1903] had four sons and two daughters, Tate Nesbitt [Thomas “Fate” Lafayette Nesbitt 1846–1903] married a Miss Pinkerton [Christina “Tinnie” Pinkerton 1844–1927], the daughter of Jim Pinkerton [James Pinkerton 1811–1893 and Nancy Garren 1808–1891] of Cave [Cane] Creek. Judson Nesbitt [W. J. 1850–1927] married Lonie Cooper [N.M. Cooper 1852–1944] from Fairview and settled on Flat Creek. John W. Nesbitt [1848–1890] married a Miss Pinkerton [Nancy E. Pinkerton 1848–1930]. She was a daughter of Jim Pinkerton [James Pinkerton 1811–1893 and Nancy Garren 1808–1891]. They settled on Sand Branch. Andy Nesbitt [Andrew Mann Nesbitt 1851–1928] married a Miss Harper [Elizabeth “Betty” Harper 1856–1874, who died in childbirth]. She was the daughter of Pete Harper [Peter Harper 1810–1891 and Mary Stroup 1813–1894] of Fairview. His second wife was a Miss Marlow [Nancy Drusilla Marlow 1857–1932, daughter of Benjamin Franklin and Isabella Clements]. He settled in the gap of the mountains between Flat Creek and Sand Branch. They had two girls, one married Doc Freeman of Bat Cave and the other [Lettie 1853–1884] married a Mr. Bass [John Bass 1849–1916] of Fairview.

Back to the Charles Fortune farm. At the lower end of his farm the hills seem to come together. Broad River goes over some shoals there. William Garrison had a grist mill on these shoals. He lived a little below there on the Fairview Old Fort Road, he had a farm in there. His wife was a Miss Murphy. They had four daughters and three sons.

On down the road to Tom Byrd’s Creek. Charles Westley White lived. His wife was Leander Fortune’s daughter. [Leander Lavender Fortune 1816–1892, his first wife was Mary Jane Ownbey 1821–1865]. Charles White lived within a few months of being 100 years old. [Charles Westly White 1845–1944]. His wife, Sarah lived past her 100th birthday [Sarah Fortune White 1852–1956. She is buried in the Fortune Cemetery, on the first road to the left as you start down Crooked Creek Road]. She was a wonderful woman, they have six children living.

Leander Fortune [1816–1892] was an old settler. [He was the son of Lavender Fortune 1792–1837 and Milly Mills Pittillo 1796–1886.] He and William Garrison owned all that land in that opening [the section called the straightaway on number 9 between Chestnut Hill Road and Crooked Creek Road] on Broad River. Leander Fortune and his first wife a Miss Ownbey [Mary Jane], they had six children three boys and three girls. [Washington Columbus 1850–1914, John Logan 1855–1938, Sidney Abartus 1860–1934, Sarah Joanna White 1852–1956, Louise Mills Fortune 1858–1939, and Mary Marentha Fortune 1864–1920], his second wife was a Miss Copening. [Mary Ann Copeland 1826–1896].

Down at the lower end of Leander Fortune’s farm the hills seem to come together and there, Broad River goes over some shoals. The Rev Thomas Plemmons had a grist mill, a saw mill and a shingle mill. They lived on the north side of the river. He had three daughters and two sons. On down the river was Tom Clingman Ledbetter’s farm. He married Uriah Owenby’s daughter. On down the river was the John Garrison [John H. Garrison 1845–1905] farm. He married a widow woman, a Mrs. Ledbetter. She was Ebby Freeman before she married a Ledbetter [Isabella Freeman Ledbetter Garrison January 19, 1833– March 17, 1895. She was the daughter of J. W. and Anna Freeman], and they had three girls and one son. John Garrison and Tom Ledbetter owned all the land in that opening in there at the lower end of the Garrison farm. There Broad River goes over some shoals. Garrison had a grist mill and a sash saw mill on these shoals.

To the Tommy Elliott farm, he owned all the land in that opening, he was an old settler. His wife was a Miss Murphy. They had two sons; his son Murphy married a Miss Freeman from Bat Cave. They had two boys and one girl. His other boy John Elliott married a Miss Simmons from Buck Creek. They had three children, two girls and one boy. Down at the lower end of Tommy Elliott’s farm the hills seem to come together and run that way down to Albertus Murphy’s; Granny Duck Murphy’s old home place. They had six children, five girls and one boy. On the shoal there he had a grist mill and a sash saw mill. At Albertus Murphy’s place, Broad River goes through a gorge to George Ledbetter’s place. Ledbetter owned all the land in that opening. His wife was a Miss Murphy. They had four daughters and two sons. George Ledbetter was killed by a deserter in the Civil War.

Part 3 will appear next month’s issue.