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These articles were taken from an old book called Tennessee, The Volunteer State, 1796-1923 by John Trotwood Moore and Austin P. Foster published by S.J Clarke Publishing Co., 1923.
This book is no longer in print.
William McDonald Vaught
William McDonald Vaught, educator and
business man, now in charge of the Elizabethton office of the Watauga Power
Company, was born in Johnson county, Tennessee, a son of Joseph L. and Louise
(Mast) Vaught. His ancestral line can be traced back through several
generations to John Vaught, who emigrated from Virginia and settled on Roane
Creek, a tributary of the Watauga, in Johnson county, then Washington county,
North Carolina. In the land office in Virginia is a record of a land survey to
John Vaught for three hundred and ninety acres on the south fork of Holston
river, dated February 28, 1775. There are also deeds in Jonesboro, dated July
17, 1792, conveying to John Vaught from Thomas Payne a tract of four hundred
and fifty acres on Roane Creek and another of four hundred acres located on
Flannery's Fork of Roane Creek, since known as Vaught's Creek. These lands were
granted to Thomas Payne in November, 1784. John Vaught also purchased other
lands adjacent from Reuben Stringer. He built and operated the first mill in
this section and the forge on his place was one of the first to be established
in the county. He donated land for the first schoolhouse in the community and
assisted in erecting a log school building, which became known as Vaught's
schoolhouse and in which the Pleasant Grove Baptist church was organized. John
Vaught was a soldier of the Revolutionary war and his great-grandson, John L.
Vaught, at the time of his death in 1907, had a part of the uniform which John
Vaught had worn in the service in the Continental Line. He was a justice of the
peace and member of the first county court of Carter county, which he had
assisted in organizing July 4, 1796. His wife's name was Esther and they had
two daughters, Elizabeth Heaton and Barbara Howard. His will, dated June 6,
1806, is on file in the courthouse in Elizabethton.
Joseph Vaught, son of John and Esther Vaught, was born in
what is now Smythe county, Virginia, in 1773, and went to Tennessee with his
father, from whom he inherited a large tract of farm land and a number of
slaves. He successfully cultivated his land and operated a mill, becoming one
of the wealthy men of his day and giving to each of his children a large farm.
He married Nancy Goodwin and they had two sons and three daughters. The father
died November 22, 1830, aged fifty-seven years, and was buried in the Roane
Creek Baptist churchyard at Shouns, Tennessee. This church was organized April
20, 1794–the first established in Johnson county.
John S. Vaught, son of Joseph and Nancy (Goodwin) Vaught,
was born in Johnson county, June 16, 1810, and became a large landowner and
slave owner, while he and his son, Joseph L., operated a forge, manufacturing
“hammered” iron. A public-spirited man, he donated the land for the Pleasant
Grove Baptist church, organized January 20, 1845, in Vaught's schoolhouse. He
was a prominent member of the church and provided most of the funds for the
erection of a new brick church in 1853. This building was torn down in 1912 to
clear the site for a larger and more modern building which was erected that
year, the material in the old building being used in the new. While he owned
many slaves, John S. Vaught believed in emancipation and used his influence in
that direction. He married Rebecca Shoun, who was born June 4, 1813, a daughter
of Leonard and Barbara (Schlemp) Shoun, the former born November 10, 1773, in
Loudoun county, Virginia, and the latter in Washington county, Virginia, May 3,
1775. The descendants of Leonard Shoun have erected a monument to his memory at
Shouns, Tennessee, which town was named in his honor. John S. and Rebecca
Vaught had three sons and five daughters, all of [p.419] whom married and
reared families save a daughter who died at the age of twelve. John S. Vaught
passed away May 18, 1885.
Joseph L. Vaught, son of John S. and Rebecca (Shoun) Vaught,
was born in Johnson county, Tennessee, March 4, 1838. At the outbreak of the
Civil war he joined the Federal army, serving as sergeant in Company M,
Thirteenth Tennessee Cavalry, and when victory had crowned the Union arms he
resumed his agricultural pursuits in Johnson county. He also manufactured
wagons, farming tools and implements, supplying the people of his community and
surrounding districts. He served as justice of the peace and was on the school
board for a number of years. He belonged to the Masonic and Odd Fellows
fraternities and he took an active interest in the welfare and upbuilding of
the community, while of the Pleasant Grove Baptist church he was a faithful and
devoted member from December 24, 1853, until his death. He is survived by his
widow, who is living, at the age of eighty-five years, in Vaughtsville,
Tennessee, a place named in his honor. It was on the 29th of December, 1855,
that he wedded Louise Mast, who was born in Johnson county, January 20, 1838, a
daughter of Joseph C. and Celia (Campbell) Mast. She traces her ancestry in
direct line back to John and Barbara Mast. The former was born in Switzerland
in 1740 and came to America with his uncle, four sisters and his elder brother,
Jacob Mast, who later became a bishop in the Amish Mennonite church. The party
sailed from Rotterdam in the ship “Brotherhood,” John Thompson, captain, and
landed at Philadelphia, March 3, 1750. Soon after reaching the age of twenty
John Mast left his brother Jacob, then married and living near Elverson,
Pennsylvania, and started out to find a suitable location. He wandered as a
pedestrian through lonely forests and at length settled in Randolph county,
North Carolina, in 1764. Tradition says that he never communicated with his
relatives and it was not until 1898 that the relationship between the Masts of
Pennsylvania and North Carolina was established. The North Carolina branch
constitutes a large, substantial and progressive citizenship in that state and
this is equally true of the Pennsylvania and Ohio branches.
Adam Mast
Adam Mast, son of
Joseph and Eve (Bowers) Mast, was born in Randolph county, North Carolina,
March 6, 1784, and in 1807 married Elizabeth Cable, who was born March 15,
1785, a daughter of Casper Cable, who was a Hessian soldier and was captured by
Washington's forces at Trenton, New Jersey, on Christmas day of 1776. On taking
the oath of allegiance he was released and went to Pennsylvania, where he
married a Miss Baker, and with his wife and her brother, John Baker, he
emigrated to North Carolina, making a settlement on the Blue Ridge. Later they
removed to the present site of Boone, where a number of their children were
born, and in 1800 they took up their abode on a tract of land in what is now
Johnson county, Tennessee. Cable was a leading citizen.
Joseph C. Mast, son of Adam and Elizabeth (Cable) Mast, was
born
May 10, 1808,
devoted his life to farming and was a devout Christian man of the Baptist
faith. He married Celia Campbell, a granddaughter of Zachariah Campbell, of
Scotch-Irish ancestry, who emigrated from County Tipperary, near Cork, Ireland,
settling first in Virginia, where he married before removing to Carter county,
Tennessee, where he was very prominent in early days, being a member of the
county court when the county was organized July 4, 1796. He was one of the
commissioners appointed to locate the county seat of justice. He was present
and participated in the organization of the court of pleas and quarter
sessions, July 4, 1796. Previous to his removal to Carter county he had served
in the Revolutionary war. Two of his sons, Isaac and Jeremiah Campbell, were
also soldiers of the Revolution and Isaac likewise participated in the War of
1812. Isaac Campbell enjoyed the well merited reputation of being a good
citizen and just man. He married Susie Smith, daughter of Edward and Catherine
Smith and they settled on the Watauga in Carter county, Tennessee. It was his
daughter Celia who became the wife of Joseph C. Mast and the latter's daughter,
Louise Mast, became the wife of Joseph L. Vaught. They had a family of thirteen
children, William McDonald being the seventh in order of birth. Those who
reached adult age were Jacob S., Sarah C., Cordelia A., Celia Ella, William M.,
Nannie I., John M. and Edward J. Mrs. Louise (Mast) Vaught united with the
Pleasant Grove Baptist church, January 2, 1854, and [p.420] has lived a
consistent Christian life. She had one sister and six brothers and two of the
latter were Confederate soldiers of the Civil war. While her husband was giving
the best years of his young manhood to the Federal cause Mrs. Vaught underwent
many hardships. She had three small children to protect, feed and clothe. She
personally carried on the farm work and she raised flax and wool, from which
were made the garments that clothed her little family. She still lives on a
part of the original tract of land secured in 1792 by John Vaught, the pioneer
of Johnson county. The post office of Vaughtsville was named in honor of the
family and her husband was postmaster from the time of the establishment of the
post office in 1886 until his death, which occurred May 16, 1897, since which
time the daughter Ella has acted as postmistress. One son, Jacob S., is a
prominent farmer and stockman, interested in sheep and cattle. He is also
active in religious affairs, serving as treasurer of the church to which his
father and grandfather belonged. John M. was also a successful farmer and
business man, but met an untimely death June 16, 1912, having been kicked by a
horse. His funeral was conducted on the day he would have been forty years of
age. Another son, Edward J., attended the public schools of Johnson county,
also Holly Springs College and Carson and Newman College, graduating from the
last named with honors in May, 1897. After completing a course in the Lebanon
Law School he began practice in Johnson City, Tennessee, and has a large
clientele. He is also United States commissioner and he was presidential
elector in 1916, supporting Charles E. Hughes for the presidency.
As stated, the seventh child of the family was William
McDonald Vaught, who after attending the public schools of Johnson county
entered
Holly Springs
College at Butler, Tennessee, and was graduated A. B. in 1891, having the
distinction of delivering the first graduating address for the first graduating
class of that college. He was afterward professor of mathematics at his alma
mater from 1891 until 1892, after which he spent two years in the state of
Washington, teaching and attending the State Normal. Following his return to
Tennessee in 1894 he taught in the schools of Watauga valley for four or five
years and afterward at Elizabethton. In 1902 he was elected county
superintendent of education for Carter county and served most acceptably and
satisfactorily in that position for three years. He was then again teacher at
Elizabethton from 1905 until 1907, after which he withdrew from educational
work, taking up bookkeeping and office work. Since 1910 he has been connected
with the Watauga Power Company at Elizabethton, first as bookkeeper and since
1912 as manager of the local office. This company owns and operates a
hydro-electric power plant on the Watauga river, seven miles above
Elizabethton, and furnishes electric current for lights and power for
Elizabethton, Bristol and Bluff City. Mr. Vaught has proven a man of keen
executive ability and his close application to the thing at hand has been a
dominant factor in his continued success.
Mr. Vaught gives his political allegiance to the republican
party, and although he has never sought nor desired political preferment, he is
always interested in party affairs and never too busy to give his aid in
furthering any movement for the benefit of the community. He served as a member
of the board of aldermen from 1917 until 1919. Fraternally he is identified
with the Odd Fellows and represented the local lodge in the grand lodge of
Tennessee for two
years. He also belongs to the Junior Order of United American Mechanics, the
Modern Woodmen of America and the Patriotic Order of Sons of America. In
September, 1887, he united with the Baptist church and he has served as clerk
of the Watauga Baptist Association. For a number of years he has filled the
position of church treasurer and always takes an active interest in the various
lines of church work.
On
the 16th of June,
1896, Mr. Vaught wedded Elizabeth C. Carriger, daughter of Jackson and Edna
Carriger and a descendant of Gotfried Kercher (Godfrey Carriger, Sr.). The name
was originally Gotfried Von Kaercher, but afterward the “Von” was dropped and
later Godfrey Carriger, Sr., dropped the “a” from the name. The German
pronunciation of “Kaercher” is “Carriger” and all deeds and other written
documents, including his will, bearing date March 30, 1808, are signed in his
own handwriting “Gotfried Kercher,” while in the body of all said deeds,
documents and will his name is written “Godfrey Carriger, Sr.” He was born
March 7, 1732, in Stuttgart, Germany, and in his seventh year came with his
parents, brothers and sisters to Burks county, Pennsylvania, sailing on the
vessel “Friendship,” Henry Beech, commander. They landed at Philadelphia,
September [p.421] 20, 1738, and at that time the father, Michael Kercher, was
forty-six years of age. He took the oath of allegiance to the province of
Pennsylvania and he left his native land on account of religious persecution,
being a Lutheran. His son, Gotfried Kercher, signed a memorial in 1779 against
calling a convention for the purpose of aiding British rule, he being strongly
in favor of American independence. His wife was Margaret Hanchpaugh, or
Anspaugh, a very devout Christian woman. Their children were: Johan Nicholas,
who was born February 28, 1761, and married a Miss Millard and emigrated to
Middle Tennessee; Johan Michael, who was born April 26, 1764, and wedded
Elizabeth Worley; Johan Lenhart, who was born January 3, 1766, and who was
killed by the Indians in 1780; Gotfried, whose birth occurred May 13, 1767 or
1769, and who married Elizabeth Lovelace Crawley; Elizabeth, whose natal day
was May 12, 1771, and who became the wife of John Nave; Johan Henrich, who was
born February 26, 1774, and died in early life; Johan, who was born February
24, 1777, and wedded Margaret Elliott; and Christian, whose natal day was July
28, 1779, and who married Levisa Ward. Gotfried Kercher bought land in
Brunswick township, Berks county, Pennsylvania, in 1760 and also in 1765. In
1779 he sold his eight hundred and twenty-five acres and the following year
removed to the Watauga settlement in Tennessee, traveling with four six-horse
covered wagons, bringing his family and ten negro men and their families,
together with thirty-two thousand dollars in money. He brought also the first
cook stove ever used in the Watauga settlement, and it was such a great
curiosity that the settlers came for many miles to see it. His son Leonard,
while the family were en route to Tennessee, left the camp with his gun to hunt
game and was killed by the Indians. Gotfried Kercher became the owner of much
land on the Watauga and built and operated the first mill in the eastern part
of the settlement. Legal documents show that he and his sons owned and operated
a number of forges in upper East Tennessee. The Carrigers were leaders in
church and school work and after coming to Tennessee united with the Baptists.
Godfrey Carriger, Jr.
Godfrey Carriger,
Jr., a son of Gotfried Kercher, was born May 13, 1767 or 1769. (The old German
record is very dim and it is difficult to tell whether it is 67 or 69.) He was
about thirteen years of age when the family home was established in Carter
county, Tennessee. A soldier of the Revolution, he received a grant of land
issued on a military warrant. He held the rank of major and was always known as
Major Carriger. He acted as register of his county from July 4, 1796, to May 6,
1827, the date of his death, a period of thirty-one years, having the
distinction of serving his county in this capacity longer than any other man.
He was justice of the peace and member of the school board and took great
interest in educational affairs. He and his brother Christian built the first
schoolhouse east of Elizabethton in the territory including Johnson county and
extending to the Virginia and North Carolina lines. This was built for school
purposes and as a meeting house, according to the deed conveying the land which
was donated by Godfrey Carriger, Jr. Five generations of his descendants have
attended school here. The original building of brick was torn down in the year
1912 to give place to a new and larger building, but some of the material of
the first building was used in the foundation of the new. Godfrey Carriger,
Jr., married Mrs. Elizabeth Lovelace Crawley on the 27th of October, 1803, and
they had seven sons and three daughters, all reaching adult age and marrying,
save one daughter who died when young. The two-story log house which Godfrey
Carriger, Jr., built in 1796 and in which he reared his family is still in good
state of preservation. It was considered a mansion in that day, being the best
residence in the Watauga settlement. His wife departed this life February 27,
1826.
Jackson D. Carriger, son of Godfrey Carriger, Jr., was born
March 8, 1821,
and at the age of five years was left an orphan. He supplemented his public
school education by study in the Duffield Academy and at the age of seventeen
years took charge of the property which he inherited and afterward managed his
own affairs in a very successful manner. He was sworn into a company in the
secret service of the United States known as the East Tennessee Bridge Burners
during the Civil war, under the order of Colonel Dan Stover, and assisted in
burning the bridge at Bluff City, Tennessee, November 8, 1861. He was
suspicioned as a bridge burner and had to seek refuge in the mountains, there
suffering many hardships and exposure, from which he never fully recovered. He
was finally captured and taken to Taylorsville, now Mountain City, Tennessee,
for trial and would have been hanged but for the fact that one of the men
before whom he was tried was a brother Mason [p.422] who interceded and saved
his life. He was a trustee of the county, was gauger under federal appointment,
justice of the peace for ten years and a member of the school board for many
years. He took an active interest in public affairs, especially everything
relating to the advancement of education and Christianity. He married Edna G.
Dugger, who was born in Carter county, near the present site of Butler, April
8, 1838. She was a member of the Baptist church and her Christian spirit found
frequent expression in her aid of those in distress. Her favorite passage of
scripture was: “Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the
poor and needy.” Edna G. Dugger was a daughter of Samuel Dugger, who was born
January 16, 1806, and died June 12, 1890. He married Hannah Potter, a
descendant of John Potter, who was born and reared on the Catawba river in
Mecklenburg county, North Carolina, and by grant received hundreds of acres of
land in both Tennessee and North Carolina. He was a soldier of the
Revolutionary war and according to the records the land came to him in
recognition of his services. The ancestry in the Dugger line can be traced back
to Julius Dugger, who was of Scotch-Irish descent, and there is a strongly
supported tradition that the first American ancestor of the family was Hackney
McDuggen. The prefix “Mc” was dropped and the final “n” was changed to “r.”
Julius Dugger had a brother Ben and one of his descendants, William Dugger, had
in his possession a book printed in the Scottish dialect, upon the fly leaf of
which appeared the name of the owner, Hackney McDuggen. The Dugger family was
established near Petersburg, Virginia, and Julius Dugger emigrated to Tennessee
with four brothers, and possibly others, and one sister who became Mrs. Mary
Smith. Julius Dugger settled near what was later known as Dugger's Bridge and
afterward removed to Wilkes county, North Carolina, but later returned to
Tennessee. His brother Ben settled in western North Carolina, while Daniel went
on to Kentucky and William took up his abode below Dugger's Bridge. Julius
Dugger arrived about 1766 in company with Andrew Greer and they are believed to
be the first white men who settled south of what was afterward the Virginia
line. Family tradition has it that he served in the Revolutionary war and he
was also in the War of 1812, serving two different times. He married Mary Hall
of Rockbridge county, Virginia, believed to be an only daughter, but she had a
brother Sam who left descendants (the Daugherty family) and a brother George,
who was killed by the Indians. Julius Dugger owned slaves and land at the foot
of Dugger's mountain, in Caldwell county, North Carolina, the mountain and
creek there being named for him and his kindred because they hunted in that
locality. He seems to have been alone loyal to the country in the midst of a
Tory neighborhood and to avoid trouble he returned with his family to Tennessee
and helped to clear the land where Elizabethton now stands. He and his
descendants are spoken of as men of intelligence and of notable foresight.
All information contained in this site has been generously donated and is owned by the submitter, it is for personal use and is not to be used for profit.
This page was created and is maintained by Carol Turner, Johnson County TNGenWeb Coordinator.
The graphics used on these pages, with the exception of the USGenWeb, TNGenWeb logos & the map, unless otherwise noted are of my own creation and are not to be used without my permission.
The
Tennessee Iris & Tulip Tree are from Microsoft Office Design Gallery.
Copyright 2003 by Carol Turner.
