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INMAN

INNINGS
Vol. 1; No. 5 Barbara Inman Beall, Editor May/June 1995

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Patriots, Citizens & Questionable Characters: Some Tennessee Inmans
Bearing False Witness, 1777 Style
Until September

PATRIOTS, CITIZENS & QUESTIONABLE CHARACTERS:
SOME TENNESSEE INMANS

Earlier issues of this newsletter contained articles concerning Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego Inman, who came to this country about 1765, settling first in Limestone, Virginia, and later in North Carolina and Tennessee. Also in earlier issues, I speculated upon the connection between that line of the Inman family with the Rhode Island line, from whom I am also descended.

According to Buis T. Inman:

Some of the first Inman immigrants to America settled in Rhode Island. Edward Inman lived in Providence, Rhode Island as early as 1646. John Inman, aged 25, arrived in America on the Ship Diana in 1618. Hugh Inman arrived in Virginia on [sic] 1650. Robert Inman was one of the first Inmans in the South; he received a land grant of 400 acres in Edgecombe County North Carolina in 1740.
 
Selection from conflicting information was often necessary to present what seemed most likely to be fact. For example, the first two names appearing in the listing of Inmans in America are somewhat confused; some sources give Robert Inman as the father of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego while others give Ezekial as the father. There were a number of Robert Inmans documented in Virginia and North and South Carolina. it is well documented that Ezekial lived in Burke County, North Carolina at the same time as the three brothers, and the general belief is that he was their father.
 
I am leaving the name of Robert at the head of the list for the present. Some sources also give Henrietta Hardin as Robert's wife. Robert was a prominent name among Inmans in England...(1)

Buis Inman goes on to say that Ezekial was the first Inman definitely associated with his family line documented in America.

An Ezekial Inman was recorded in August County, Virginia in 1754 and 1757 as an estate recipient. Ezekial Inman was an officer in the British regulars during a part or all of the period 1754-63. The name appears in the Albermarle County, Virginia records as having patented 398 acres of land. A Lazarus Inman appears also in the Augusta County, Virginia records as testee to a deed in 1760; but in the tax levy in 1779 Lazarus was listed as "gone to Rockbridge." His relationship to Ezekial is not known. it is doubtful that he was Ezekial's son Lazarus, by his second wife Fanny Wakefield, who married Ezekial in Blount County, Tennessee. There was still a Lazarus Inman in Thomson's Company in Augusta County, Virginia during a part, or all, of the period from 1775 to 1783.(2)

According to Allan L. Poe in letters written to William O. Inman December 26, 1978 and July 26, 1979:

"...the Inman family appears to have come to the western edge of present Burke County, North Carolina in the late 1760's, probably from Virginia. Ezekial and Hezekiah are the first to appear there in local records. Most of them moved on shortly after the Revolution. Samuel, son of Meshach, sold out in 1795, and Hezekiah was there as late as 1800, but subsequently left.(3)

According to William Graham Inman, great-grandson of Meshach, the brothers Meshach, Shadrach and Abednego Inman were raised in North Carolina. Meshach was killed by Indians when his son Samuel (grandfather of William Graham Inman) was an infant. meshach with fifteen others had gone into the territory west of the mountains to explore the country, and were surprised by the Indians and nearly all the party were killed. At the time of the ambush by the Indians, the ages of the three brothers were 15 years for Abednego, about 17 years for Meshach, and 20 years for Shadrach. Meshach left a young wife and two sons; the elder son, Lazarus, was just two years old and the other, Samuel, was an infant. Samuel married a Miss Graham in North Carolina and in 1801 he, his brother Lazarus, and their mother moved to Tennessee. After living near Nashville a short time, they moved to Williamson County. John Inman, the son of Samuel, was two years old when the move was made to Tennessee.(4)

I have been doing a considerable amount of research into the Inman name in Tennessee since I believe that I am descended from Meshach Inman, through his youngest son, Samuel, and Samuel's youngest daughter, Elizabeth (1809-aft. 1870), wife of Samuel Spence. My research has turned up a number of Inman patriots, citizens, and certain questionable "characters." Obituaries from Tennessee Newspapers, for example, gives the following:

Cain, Francis D., Company C. 18th U.S. Infantry, sentenced to be shot at Murfreesboro, for mutiny; Cain to be shot on the 10th. Ezekiel Inman, 6 Kentucky, sentenced to be shot for desertion at Murfreesboro on the 14th; James Welsh, 40th Indiana, sentenced to be shot at Murfreesboro, on the 14th for desertion. (Nashville Daily Union, 8 April 1863.)(5)
 
INMAN, P. H., was killed in Rutherford County by a negro Wiley Kimbro to whose house Inman had gone in disguise to whip Kimbro. The negro was acquitted. (Columbia Herald, 17 March 1871.(6)
 
PRISONERS OF WAR - The following Union prisoners have been released from rebel prisons:
 
Capt. F. M. McCall, 8th Tennessee Cavalry
Maj. J. E. Deakers, 8th Tennessee Cavalry
Major Charles Inman, 2d Tennessee Cavalry
Lt. P. Aikens, 2d Tennessee Cavalry
Lt. E. W. Robbs, 1st Tennessee
Lt. Q. Fortz, 11th Tennessee Cavalry
Lt. W. L. Brown, 17th Tennessee Cavalry
Lt. J. J. Douglas, 10th Tennessee Cavalry
Lt. J. W. Lentz, 8th Tennessee Cavalry.
(Nashville Daily Union, 4 Mar 1865)(7)
 
WILSON. A man and a woman were shot dead Friday at the old Dickens Place, 3 miles northeast of Raleigh Springs, 12 miles from Memphis; were murdered outright. Col. Tom Dickens and his ex-slave Nancy and two other men while eating supper, and Green Wilson, who was riddled with eight shots and nearly cut in two and had five Bowie knife wounds. Nancy was killed. The murderers plundered the house of $200, stole a horse. There had been bad blood between Col. Dickens and his son Dr. Sam Dickens and a Capt. Patterson. (Memphis Daily Appeal, 21 Feb. 1869). Tragedy on Feb. 19 at old Dickens place. One Inman and Morgan had been paid to murder Green Wilson, Nancy Dickens, Col. Tom Dickens, and Tom Humphries. Inman's mother lived near Frankort, Alabama, and on Wednesday night two weeks ago, a band of disguised men took Inman and one Addison out of jail at Frankort and shot them on the Tuscumbia Road. Addison was killed and was also the same person as Morgan. Both were hired killers. (Memphis Daily Appeal, 17 June 1869)(8)
 
Colonial Soldiers of the South, 1732-1774 lists the following:
Muster Roll of Edgecombe County Militia, North Carolina, (1750's) (continued)
 
Number - Rank - Name
99- Soldier - Matthews, William
100 - " - Beckingham, William
101 - " - Screws, Benjamin
102 - " - Wall, Elijah
103 - " - Miller, Samuel
104 - " - Brammer, William
105 - " - Exum, Barnebe
106 - " - Hood, Thomas
107 - " - Culpepper, Ross
108 - " - Bell, Edward
109 - " - Harriss, John
110 - " - Ward, Francis
111 - " - Inman, Robert
112 - " - Cock__, Thomas
113 - " - McDaniel, James
114 - " - Nelson, John
115 - " - Underwood, Jacob
116 - " - Underwood, Benjamin
117 - " - Bindon, James
118 - " - Griffin, Joseph(9)

[Editor's note: I highlighted the Hood name along with Inman since the Hoods, Inmans, and Spences all intermarried.]

In the Cherokee Indian Agency Passports, the following notation appears:

Isaac Innman has permission to pass into the Cherokee nation to work at the Salt Petre Cave in the Vicinity of Chickamage.
 
SO West point                                                                  Return J. Meigs
26 Dec 1803                                                                      Agent War(10)
 
According to the Blount Journal:
 
July 8, 1795
Officers in the Jefferson County Infantry
John Inman a Captain
Moses McCoy, George McFarland, James McQueston, James Walker and James Moyars Lieutenants
Jesse Alexander, George Rogers, John Williams, Benjamin Longacre Ensigns, and five blank Ensigns Commissions.(11)

The Davidson County, Tennessee County Court minutes 1783-1792 states:

(p.48) Jurors to next County Court: Robert Thompson, Benjm. Castleman, Joseph Davis, JohnBosley, Francis Hodge, Zekial Inman, Jesse Evans, William Nash, Isaac Anderson, Patrick Campbell, Shadrack Williams, Jno Lain, William Ellis, James MLin, Robert Mitchel, Wm. Armstrong, John Marney, Jno Drake, Amis Heaton, Jas. MCrory, Benjamin Drake, Isaac Rounsavell, John Edmondson, John Blackamore, James Bryan, Andrew Davis, Thomas Sharp, Eleazer Titus, Daniel Fazur, Jno Hayes, John Motherall, David Rolston, Barnibus Boyles, James Hall, Robt. Kennedy, Robert McNight, Wm. Mitchel, Benj. Rutherford, Alexr. Moore, Samuel McCutchen, Jos. Love, Wm. Neely, Wm. Blackamore.(12)

The marriage index for Davidson County, Tennessee from 1789-1847 lists the following Inman marriages:

John Daly to Elizabeth Inman, Feb. 19, 1803.(13)
Samuel Spence to Elizabeth Inman, May 10, 1824.(14)
John Bridges to Katie Inman, Aug. 23, 1813.(15)
Lazarus Inman to Elizabeth Malone, July 14, 1821. Sol. July 16, 1821. D. A. Dunham, MG.(16)
William Alexander to Mary Inman, July 1, 1822. Sol. Levin Eduey, Min. (no date given).(17)
Brown, Hughly to Matilda Inman, Jan. 19, 1837.(18)
Thomas James to Pricilla Inman, July 9, 1804.(19)
Thomas J. Inman to Nancy Ann Greer, Dec. 27, 1838 by Wm. B. Hooten, Dec. 29, 1838.(20)
Peter Connolly to Polly Inman, Sept. 29, 1807.(21)

The 1820 Tennessee Census Index lists the following Inmans:

John Inman - Williamson Co. - n.p.
John Inman - Franklin Co. - p. 36
John Junior - Lawrence Co. - p. 12
John Senior - Lawrence Co. - p. 12
Kiah Inman - Williamson Co. - n.p.
Myluck Inman - Lawrence Co. - p. 12
Samuel Inman - Perry County - p. 6
Ezekial Inman - Davidson County - n.p.
Imarus Inman - Davidson County - n.p.
John Inman - Davidson County - n.p.(22)

Samuel Spence lived in Perry County, prior to his move to Missouri in the late 1830s. He and his family appear in Perry County on the 1830 Tennessee Census. Samuel, of course, married Elizabeth Inman, per the 1824 marriage record listed above. The 1820 Tennessee Census Index lists the following Spences:

Amos Spence - Perry Co. - p.8
Brent Spence - Davidson Co. - n.p.
Brittain Spence - Rutherford Co. - n.p.
Charles Spence - Smith County - p. 85
Charles Spence - Smith County - p. 89
Charles Spence - Smith County - p. 89
David Spence - Robertson Co. - p.9
Elisha Spence - Davidson Co. - n.p.
John Spence - Stewart Co. - p. 129
Joseph Spence - Rutherford Co. - n.p.
Jurden Spence - Perry County - p.8

William and Lazarus Inman both appear on the 1830 Census for Blount County, Tennessee.

The Williamson County Marriage records lists:

Inman, Benjamin to Jane Alexander, Jan. 11, 1825
Inman, Benjamin to Ann Givens, Aug. 10, 1843
Inman, Benjamin to Eliza Kelly, Jan. 4, 1845
Inman, Ezekiel to Cary Perkins, April 4, 1811.
Inman, Ezekiel to Lillie Edgar, Feb. 24, 1816.
Inman, Ezekiel to Eliza Branch, Aug. 5, 1824
Inman, Granville G to Barbara Pewitt, July 28, 1842.
Inman, James A. to Emiline Edmondson, July 7, 1846
Inman, John to Sarah Kearby, Sept. 2, 1816
Inman John to Parmelia Alexander, Jan. 6, 1820
Inman, Lewis D. to Nancy M. Goff, Aug. 1, 1833
Inman, Samuel to Hannah Little, July 10, 1813
Inman, Samuel to Mary Wilkinson, May 24, 1831
Inman, Wesley S. to Sarah Ann Cotton, Nov. 4, 1850
Inman, William to Rachel Kirbey, March 6, 1828
Inman, William B. to Jane Bird, Nov. 5, 1837.(23)

One Spence name appears on that list:

Spence, Daniel (X) to Polly Ann Pewitt, Dec. 9, 1828.(24)

The following names appear om the Davidson County, Tennessee minute book for 1809-1812:

In Captain Mullon's Militia Company
# 599. Ezekiel Inman
# 657 Samuel Inman(25)
 
In Captain Henry's Militia Company
#1197. Elisha Spence
#1130. Lauzures Inman(26)

Buis Inman lists the members of Samuel Inman's family as:

Samuel (1766 or 67) m. __________ Graham - Sold land in Burke Co., NC in 1795 m. in NC

  1. John 1799--1851 m. Permilia Alexander (1) m. Eveline Turpin (2) 1843
    Catherine -1859
    Diadama m. Dr. W. d. Robb
    Alexander T - 1846 Killed in Mexican War
    Jenny M. m. M.L.S. Robb
    William Graham 1836-  m. 1860 M.B. Haggard
       Jennie M. -1886 m. Earle Grace
       William H. died in infancy
    Patrick Henry - 1871 m. Sallie Cowan
       William E.
       Alice
       Samuel
       Maggie B.
       Eva
    Permilia Ann - 1874 m. Rueben Maddoux
       Emma Maddoux
       Blance Maddoux
       Susan Maddoux
       Inman Maddoux
       Ella Maddoux
       Eva Maddoux
  2. Samuel
  3. Lazarus C. ca. 1801 m. 1823 Susana Stover
    Isaac m. 1871 Hannah Inman 1825
    Thursa 1871-
  4. Ezekial
  5. Lewis D.
  6. Diane m. Mr. Benton(27)

LDS records list the following for Samuel Inman's family:

Ezekiel Inman b. 1788 North Carolina
Lewis D. Inman b. 1790
Diane Inman b. 1792
John Inman b. 1799
Samuel Inman b. 1801
Lazarus Inman b. 1803(28)

And to this list, I add Elizabeth Inman b. 1809 for the following reasons:

1. Samuel Spence and Elizabeth Inman named their children:

Lazarus
William David
Rebecca J.
Milly Catherine
Newton Jasper
Sarah Elizabeth
Lewis W.

The 1830 Census for Perry County Tennessee indicates three small boys in their household instead of two. Quite possibly they had another son named Samuel who died in infancy (named for Samuel Spence and Elizabeth's father.

2. Samuel Inman and Betsy Harvey had a son named Jasper Newton Inman, b. about 1857 in Tennessee, no doubt named after Newton Jasper Spence, Samuel and Elizabeth's child.

3. Elizabeth had a brother named Lewis D.; therefore, she named her youngest child Lewis W.

4. The name "Permilia" appears in both families.

5. Ezekiel, Elizabeth's brother, had a son named Samuel Inman (b. 1818 in Williamson,) who married Naomie Whitson, born 1819, Perry County Tennessee. This Samuel's son, Ezekial born 29 Jul 1841 Cedar Creek, Perry, TN, m. Rhoda Jane Keeling (b. 2 July 1871, Perry County). Their son, Robert Spence Inman was born 1 Feb 1880 Bee Creek, Perry County, Tennessee. Robert Spence Inman also had a sister named Millie Catherine Inman, born 16 March 1883, Perry County, Tennessee. Not only did Samuel Spence and Elizabeth Inman have a daughter named Milly Catherine, but Samuel Spence had a sister by that name as well.

Lazarus Inman, Samuel's brother, settled in Williamson County, Tennessee. LDS records list the following:

Lazarus Inman (b. abt. 1765, North Carolina) sp. Susan Stoval (b. [1765]
   John Inman (b. 1793, Williamson Co.,TN)
   Ezekiel Inman, b. abt 1796 Burke Co. NC
   Benjamin Inman, b. abt 1801, Davidson Co. TN.(29)

After carefully studying the names of Lazarus Inman's descendants, I can find no correlation between those names and Elizabeth's family. Instead, the similarities exist with Samuel's descendants and those of Samuel Spence and Elizabeth Inman. Lazarus' descendants remained primarily in Williamson County, while Samuel's family settled in Perry County.

And I noticed another interesting fact. Several of Samuel's descendants also married Grahams, no doubt distant cousins:

Amos Jackson Inman, b. 2 Jul 1871, Perry Co., Tenn. m. Martha Caroline Graham [b. 1871];
Ezekiel Inman, b. 29 Jul 1841, Cedar Creek, Perry, TN m. (2) Amelia Adeline Graham [b. 1841](30)

Samuel's wife was a Graham.

BEARING FALSE WITNESS, 1777 STYLE

There has always been a troublemaker, even in 1777. And apparently, some jealous party attempted to make it hot for two Inmans and several notables of Burke County.

While in Pennsylvania last summer, I ran across an interesting item in The State Records of North Carolina:

March 4th

The court met according to adjournment. Joseph McDowell, Shadrich Inman, Abednego Inman, David McPeters, Charles McPeters, David Nelson, Zephania Crooke, Isaiah Rose, charged with having signed a certain Petition to Josiah Martin, injurious to the Independence of this State, and being examined touching the Premises, it appears to this County that the above named persons were not guilty of signing or sending said Petition, and being required by the Court, they and each of them took an Oath of allegiance to this State and were discharged.
Several Indictments returned by the Grand Jury, as per Docket sequent. Then the Court adjourned till Tomorrow 10 o'clock.(31)

The McPeters men mentioned in this write up were no doubt relatives of Mary Jane McPheeters (Shadrach Inman's wife). Mary's mother was a McDowell.

UNTIL SEPTEMBER...

This issue brings the first edition of Inman Innings to a close. It has been an interesting year. The end of May, I will be leaving for Pennsylvania to take my doctoral exams (English with emphasis in rhetoric and linguistics), and I will not be returning until mid-July. I plan to put out an index for the first edition of the newsletter upon my return.

Mid-August, we are expecting our second grand child, so we certainly have something to look forward to when we return to Colorado. My daughter has told us that it is a boy, and they are planning to name him Jason Edward Wall. Their other child, Joshua Brian, is two years old. He will be in for a great surprise when mommie comes home with that baby.

The new subscription begins in September, along with a rate increase. The new price will be $15/year (due to increased postage, paper costs, etc.); however, please be assured that I do not plan to raise it any higher than $15 per year.

Also, I am toying with the idea of making the newsletter available electronically to those who would like to receive it in that fashion. If you are interested, please let me know. I will, of course, continue mailing it to those who want to receive it by mail.

In the meantime, have a wonderful summer. I hope that you will send in articles and information so that I can make your material available to others. While on our trip this summer, we hope to return to Dandridge, Tennessee, where I plan to visit Abednego Inman's grave. We were there last year. It was late in the day, however, and we were in a hurry when we got there. I didn't realize that the Revolutionary War Cemetery was just off the town square! And I hope to stop in Cocke County to visit Shadrach Inman's grave as well. I understand that he and his wife are buried in a church yard.

I should have many stories to tell this fall.

1. Inman, Buis T. "Delving into the Ancestry and Progeny of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego Inman" 1980, p. 1.

2. Ibid., p. 2

3. Ibid.

4. Ibid.

5. Garrett, Jill L. Obituaries from tennessee Newspapers. 1980. Easley, SC: Southern Historical Press. p. 46.

6. Ibid., p. 182.

7. Ibid., p. 317.

8. Ibid., p. 426.

9. Clark, Murtie June. Colonial Soldiers of the South, 1732-1774, Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co. p. 666.

10. Potter, Dorothy Williams. Passports of Southeastern Pioneers 1170-1823. Baltimore: Gateway Press, 1982. pp 113-114.

11. The Blount Journal 1790-1796, n.p.

12. Wells, Carol. Davidson County, Tennessee County Court Minutes 1783-1792. Heritage Books, Inc. p. 164.

13. Whitley, Edythe Rucker. Marriages of Davidson Co., Tennessee 1789-1847. Baltimore, Genealogical Publishing Co. p. 17.

14. Ibid., p. 78.

15. Ibid., p. 30.

16. Ibid., p. 65

17. Ibid., p. 69.

18. Ibid., p. 160.

19. Ibid., p. 18.

20. Ibid., p. 170.

21. Ibid., p. 24.

22. 1820 Tennessee Census Index

23. Williamson County Marriages, p. 96.

24. Ibid., p. 176.

25. Whitley, Edythe Rucker. Pioneers of Davidson County, Tennessee. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co. 1979. pp. 20-21.

26. Ibid., p. 26.

27. Inman, Buis, n.p.

28. LDS Ancestral File 4.13, 03 May 1994.

29. Ancestral File, LDS Ver. 4.12, 17 Feb. 1994.

30. Ancestral File, Ver. 4.12, LDS, 17 Feb. 1994.

31. The State Records of North Carolina, Vol. XXII, p. 503.