A copy of the following stories, with graphics, charts and photos is available in a 100+ page paperback from the Hightower News/Dr. Paul Hightower 1701 S. 34th St.,Terre Haute, in 47803, for $30

Communities, Towns 8t Places:

Charnell Hightower was probably born in Clarke County, Georgia in 1796. He was only one of many Charnells_perhaps named after his grandfather Charnell. Little is known about Charnell's parents (see Chart links on page 2), except that his father was named Thomas Hightower and died around 1826 probably in Marengo County, Alabama. The connection between Charnell and Thomas is verified by two deeds. The first deed is dated February 2,1819, in Clarke County, Georgia. This deed willed nine slaves to Thomas Hightower as an inheritance from his parents, Joshua and Polly Hightower, in the event of their deaths. The names and ages of all of the slaves are given in the deed.

The second deed is dated February 4,1828, and it is recorded in Marengo County, Alabama. This deed gave one slave, Frank, to Charnell Hightower as his part of his father's and grandfather's estates. According to the deed, the slave was to descend to Charnell after the death of his grandfather, Joshua, because of the previous death of Charnell's father, Thomas. The slave was one of the same slaves deeded to Thomas by Joshua in 1819. Therefore, these two deeds verify the identity of Charnell's father and grandfather. At this time, according to the deed of 1826, Charnell was a resident of Walton County, Georgia.

It was said that Charnell served in the War of 1812, but no record of his service could be found. Therefore, the first actual record where Charnell is involved is his marriage to Elon Watts on December 22, 1816, in Morgan County, Georgia. The marriage record listed their names as, UCharnell Hightower and Ellon Watts."

Next, Charnell is found back in Clarke County, Georgia when he bought 730 acres for $250 on April 19,1819. This land was situated on the Oconee River. In October of 1820, Charnell and his family lived in Clarke County near many other Hightowers. By this time Elon had bore two children. (Thomas Preston Hightower born on December 3,1817 and an unidentified daughter born around 1819) Charnell once again bought land in Clarke County on November 27,1820 when he purchased 225 acres on the Oconee River for $600. Then on February 12, 1821, Charnell sold the 730 acres for $475, making $225 on the sale. This was the last record of Charnell and his family in Clarke County, Georgia.

By leaving Clarke County, Charnell began his life-long westward journey which would lead him through five states. His journey would end nearly fifty years later and over 800 miles from his birthplace.

In 1826, Charnell lived in Walton County, Georgia according to the previously mentioned deed from Marengo County, Alabama. Also Charnell's son John B. Hightower testified to have been born there, so we know that at least two of Charnell's children were born there. (John B. Hightower born in December of 1822 and Teletha Hightower Sanders born about 1825; also by this time another unidentified daughter had been borned about 1821)

Next Charnell is found in Newton County,Georgia where he participated in the Land Lottery of 1827. The birthplace of his next three children is uncertain, but some may have been born here.(Charnell Jr. born about 1827, William T. born 1828 and another unidentified daughter born about 1829)

The reason that three of Charnell and Elon's daughter's are unidentified is that the records of Chickasaw County, Mississippi, where these children were probably married, were burned in the Civil War, so their names from marriage records are lost forever. The only way to find the identity of these daughters is for their descendants to see the connection from old family records and legends.

It is uncertain what Charnell and his family did after leaving Georgia, for the family was not recorded in the 1830 census as far as has been determined. It is reasonable to assume that they quickly moved through Alabama, and by the end of 1830, they were settled in their new home_Chickasaw County, Mississippi. Due to the lost records of this county, Charnell's life there is almost a mystery. He lived there until about 1846 when he once again moved west. While in Chickasaw County, Charnell and Elon had their last four children. (Raleigh or Rolly-born on December 18, 1830, Joseph Watts born on March 26, 1832, Joshua born in 1833, and then Allexander G. or Allen born in December of 1837) Charnell was first recorded in Texas in 1848 in Cherokee County, Texas. He lived near his son, Thomas P., and his daughter, Teletha Sanders,(Mrs. Stephen) According to tax rolls, he also lived there in 1849 and owned 450 acres.

Then in the census of 1850, Charnell was in Anderson County, Texas. Living with him were his wife, Elon, his sons, William, Joshua and Allexander. Charnell must have been quite a businessman, as was evident from two deedS in Anderson County dated January of 1851. In the first deed dated January 3, 1851, he bought 400 acres for $800 from Frost Thorn. Then on January 9, 1851, he sold the same 400 acres to Barnett Hollingsworth for $2000, making a $ 1200 profit in just six days.

Charnell and Elon then moved to Henderson County, Texas near Tennessee Colony. Charnell bought 320 acres for $640 from John Stephens on January 30, 1852. According to tax rolls of 1852, Charnell owned twelve slaves valued at $4200, six horses valued at $300 and 75 cattle valued at $300. His son John B. Iived nearby. On September 25, 1853, Charnell bought 70 acres for an unstated price(valued at $ 160 in 1853 tax rolls) from John Stephens. This deed was witnessed by J. Hightower and J. W. Hightower. All of this land was located on the Neches River.

The family remained in the same area, and in 1856 death struck when Elon Watts Hightower, mother of twelve and Charnell's wife of 40 years, died. Her death was recorded in the family Bible of her son Joseph Watts Hightower. It reads, "Elon Hightower, August 20th, 1856, aged 59 years."

Only two months after the death of Elon, Charnell remarried to Mrs. Thomas Jefferson Morris of Cherokee County, Texas. Mrs. Morris or Glovina as she was called, probably met Charnell when he visited his son, Thomas P., who also lived in Cherokee County. Charnell and Glovina were married there on October 30, 1856, though they lived afterwards in Charnell's home in Henderson County. Several of Glovina's children from her previous marriage lived with them. Glovina was almost twenty years younger than Charnell, and on their marriage record her name was listed as "Lucretia Morris".

Charnell fathered two children by his new wife, when he was over 60 years old. Both of these children were born in Henderson County. (Sidney S. born in 1857 and Lucinda or Cynthia born in 1859)

Between the years of 1857 and 1859 Charnell disposed of eleven slaves. Only one record concerning this has been found. This record stated that on May 9,1858 in Henderson County, Charnell Jr. paid Charnell $400 for a slave girl named Harriet as his part of his father's and mother's estate. This deed was witnessed by John B. Hightower.

Oldham Hightower was born 17 Sept.1744. This date was taken from Bible Records. Through research it has been ascertained that he was the firstborn of Austin and Jane Oldham Hightower and they were residing in Brunswick County, Virginia about that time, on a 400-acre land grant south of Cedar Creek. It is interesting to note that there is an Oldham, VA which is near the North Farnhum Parish Church and near where the Hightower family lived in Richmond County, VA. That is most certainly the ancestors of Jane Oldham, wife of Austin.

There is no reference to Oldham Hightower in Brunswick County, VA. in the records of that time that were not destroyed. He was first mentioned in the land grant from John Earl Granville to Austin Hightower in 1762, in Orange County, North Carolina. He was a chain carrier on the survey of the granted land and would have been about 28 years old.

From bible records, we learned that Oldham Hightower married Sara Parker (b.12 April, 1745) in 1763, and in all probability it was in Orange County, North Carolina. Their first child, a son, Richard, was born 25 May of 1764. John Oldham, Jr. was born in 1766 and Joseph was born in 1768, all in Orange County, North Carolina, as the records show Oldham and Sara Parker Hightower still residing in Orange County, North Carolina in 1771.

Shortlythereafterhe is found in SurryCounty, North Carolinaand on the fax Lists for 1774 and 1775 (at that time this County covered Northeast corner of North Carolina).

Oldham apparently was moving westward toward Tennessee because in 1776 he was living in the Watauqua District, which is now in eastern Tennessee, but at that time was Indian Territory and not part of the United States or the colonies. He was one of the signers of the Watauga Petition. He was a Revolutionary Patriot.

In 1778, Oldham Hightower paid one poll tax and owned 0- 100 acres of land in Washington County, Tennessee (this county covered the entire state)_taken from the records of Hardy Hightower, the fourth child and son of Oldham and Sarah Parker Hightower, he was born 28 December 1779 in Buncombe County, North Carolina (formerly Rutherford County). Their only daughter and last child, Jane (Jincy) was also born in Buncombe County, North Carolina about 1786.

In 1800 Oldham was recorded as being in Christian County, KY, perhaps visiting a family relative there or a preleminary to his move to Giles County Tennessee. Oldham was one of the first settlers on Bradshaw Creek, east of Pulaski, Tennessee in 1808. He raised corn and wth his son, Hardy, built the first grist mill on the creek. According to the 1820 Census_Oldham and his wife was living in the home of their son, Hardy. About 1821 Hardy moved the family to the Hickory Flat Plantation near Florence, Alabama where Oldham died, 23 October, 1823. Sarah Parker died at the plantation 31 December, 1836.

Epaphroditus Hightower was the youngest son of Joshua and Susannah Tavenor Hightower, born in Richmond County, Virginia about 1741. His birth was not recorded in the Farnham Parish Register, however verification that he was their son is taken from Joshua Hightower's will made 12 May,1770. He married Eleanor Hightower, daughter of Joshua Hightower, of Amelia County, VA in November 1771, in Amelia County, VA

He was one of the earliest residents of Caswell County, NC., by 1780 he entered a deed for land on Country Line Creek and in 1783 he was in county court records as a road overseer. He was reported on tax records and the Federal census through 1810.

Epaphroditus moved to Buncombe County, NC in 1809. In the files of the County Court Clerk, we find and "Epaphroditus" bought and sold land twenty times until the year 1834, but some of those transactions could have been his son, Epaphroditus, Jr. (The will of the Senior Epaph was probated in 1832). We don't know exactly when he moved to Tennessee, but he served as a private in Bunch's Mounted Regiment, East Tennessee Volunteers in the War of 1812. He served from 12 October, 1813 to 12 January, 1814. Epaphroditus lived in Grainger County, Tennessee according to the U. S. Census in 1820 and 1830.

Epaph and wife Eleanor had the following children:

1. Frances A. married Herndon Lea.

2. Joshua married Delialah Slade and had one child: Deveraux. A second marriage was to Eunice Lea. The two moved from Grainger, TN to Bloomington, IN about 1830. Joshua died before 1843, Eunice died in 1863.

3. Agnes, married John Kersey. She was living in Granger County, TN as late as 1852. 4. Lettice married James Paul.

5. Sally, married Benjamin Walker.

6. Susannah married John Tyre Curl.

7. Elizabeth married Jeremiah Jarnigan.

8. Epaphroditus, Jr. married Nancy Clay.

Epaphroditus died in Grainger County, TN about 1832 and his wife Eleanor died in 1848.

Hightowers in the Indian Wars

D.C. Hightower, Pvt, Creek War, Company 1, Beall's Georgia Mounted Volunteers.

Inhe American Revolution the British, as the French had done earlier, made extensive use of Indians to fight the colonists. After the war, settlers pushed west of the mountains, and newfighting erupted. North of the Ohio River, in 1790 and 1791, LITTLE TURTLE led warriors of the MIAMI, SHAWNEE, and other tribes to victories over U.S. troops. The Shawnee chief, TECUMSEH, carried on, striving to forge a grand alliance of tribes west of the mountains. His dream was shattered by the Indiana Territory Governor William Henry HARRISON at the Battle of TIPPECANOE in 1811. Tecumseh fell in battle during the WAR OF I 812, in which Indians once again aided the British. In the South, Indian resistance collapsed after Gen. Andrew JACKSON smashed the CREEKS in 1814 at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend, located in present-day Alabama.In the three decades following the War of 1812 the U.S. government evolved a policy of moving eastern tribes to new homes west of the Mississippi River in order to clear the way for white settlement. For the most part, Indian removal was accomplished by nonviolent though coercive measures. Notable exceptions were Florida's SEMINOLE WARS (181 7- 18, 1835-42, 1856-58) and the brief BLACK HAWK WAR (1832) in 111inois.

The following reminiscences of the past were furnished by one of our old colored friends, Jim Polk Hightower, here in Sardis, AL in 1875.

"After so much has been written about the town of Sardis by its white citizens, I thought I would try to give a little history of the old time white southern gentlemen, and as times are so fast carrying all of the old time whites and old time colored into that unknown world, and myself as one of the old time slaves I thought it but right that I should give to the world some of the ways of the old time white men and old time white women. They was as a general thing kind to the slaves and only correct them when it was needed. The slave was treated much better than the present generation can imagine. It seems that it was the highest ambition of Master and Mistress to teach them to be honest and to have manners and I want to say right here that most of our race that are yet living have not forgot the first lesson, that manners and good behavior will carry you farther than money. On the plantation the white boy and the niger boys would play together, fight and make up before going to the house for if the father and mother were told of the fighting, both would get the rod. And when the old time southern gentleman and lady would fix to go to see some entertainment, you would see the gentleman with his trock tail broadcloth coat and his white lining shirt, they did not think of themselves being dressed up if they did not have on a frock coat. Such a thing as a white gentleman going to church or to a wedding with a short coat on was not known with oldtime aristocrates. And the good white lady would have on her silk dress and her bonnet, and the carriage driver would dress up and be as proud as the old Master.

Then come the white young lady and she was just as obedient to mother and father as a child. She would not say a cross word to them for anything, and I must say, I grew up right there in the yard, with the white people and had a good chance to know something of their ways.

And when any slave on the plantation was sick you would see the old mistress going in the night to the house of that sick slave to give the medicine and some of them was as good a doctor as some of them that practices medicine.

And I must say that the mothers and fathers of the boys that grew up in the sixties ( I 860's) were the best people that the world will ever see. So to the few old boys of the Lost Cause(Confederacy), let me say that you are the sons of some of the purest mothers and fathers that ever lived. And I want to say right here that I belonged to one of the best owners that lived in the day of slavery. Mr. J.D. Hightower and his little wife thought so much of their slaves. We were always kindly treated. If one of the slaves on the term got into trouble with the overseer in the absence of the master, he would go to the house, the mistress would take him into her room and have him stay until his master came home.

All of us Hightower slaves with bear witness of the love we had for Miss Dollie and Master John as we call them. Then in 1861 came the War between the States and how sad it is to me jest to look back and see such a band of noble young men, just in the pride of life go out to the cruel war. Some of them never to return home anymore. Yet the father and mother gave them up freely to go out and fight for what they thought was their right. They did not go out to fight to hold the negroes in slavery, for that was not the question when the war commenced. They fought for prinicple. They put that ahead of dollars and slaves.

Then after the war was over and the poor old South was beat, and the camp-tevered, worn-out soldier returned, and as he came in sight of home he would look and see the black smoked chimney as the only remaining thing to point him where the manson of his father and mother stood. What a cruel war! Then the poor fellow would start a new life without a dollar. I think if more of the old time slaves would write and give the world the true facts of our relations to the old slave owners it would better our condition. Now let us live together in peace and die in the full triumph of the Christian faith.

Following the king's grant of another charter to the Virginia Company in 1609, Robert Johnson, a London alderman and official of the company, printed this promotional pamphlet entered for publication on February 28, 1609. The author pleaded for colonists, called planters to come to Virginia, this "paradise on earth." It may have been a flyer such as this that led our first liightower family to tidewater Virginia. Of course it was not the paradise defined by the pamphlet, it was an extremely difficult life on the Northern Neck of Virginia in the seventeenth century.

And while we do not know exactly when the Hightower family first arrived in America, We think it was after 1650 (llightower IYews, p. I 1, 1993). From 1645 to 1665, the population of the Virginia colony multiplied more than threefold. And more than 75% of the immigrants came as indentured servants. In order to pay for the passage, the young adventurer would enter into a contract with a planter to pay his way. To repay the planter, the youth would agree to work for the planter for a certain period of time, and at the end of his service he would have a trade and some supplies to get started in housekeeping. Starting in 1642, servants 21 years of age and older had to serve their masters for four years.lt has been speculated that the first llightower in America was one of those indentured servants_ from a book by Samuel Hales published in 1975, we read, "Mrs. Blanche Williams was a daughter of William Flavius Joseph Hightower. Mrs. Williams said that her father told her that his great-great-great grandfather llightower came to America as a bound boy," or indentured servant. Indeed that may be the reason that we are unable to find evidence of a land grant or deed for land prior to 1700 in the Hightower name. The first mention in court records of the Northern Neck is a suite settled against Joshua llightower in which he has to pay the sum

John Hightower

The birthdate of John Hightower has not been proven but through years of research it has been accepted as about 1692 and that he was the oldest child of Joshua and Eleanor Hightower, first Hightower's of Virginia, and that this family was residing in Richmond County prior to the 1700's. Our story on John Hightower has been taken from the court records of Richmond and Amelia Counties of Virginia, and the Farnham Parish Register Richmond County, the Lunenburg Parish Register, Richmond County, Virginia.

He was about 26 years of age when he married Mary Bryan, daughter of Thomas Bryan and Eleanor Winniford, also of Richmond County Virginia and their first child, WILLIAM, was born 20 July 1720. A total of eight children were born of this union, the last, twins, Richard and Rebeckha were born 27 December 1737 and all the children's births were recorded in the Farnham Parish and Lunenburg Parish Registers with the sole exception of Rebeckha, and her birth was recorded only in the Episcopal Church Records of Richmond County, Virginia. There has been no further information found on this child and it has to be assumed that she died at birth.

It is evident that John llightower was a profitable farmer and grower of tobacco. In one court reference he paid 5000 Ibs. of tobacco for 180 acres of land on Turks Branch of Totuskey Creek in October 1726. As early as 1612, John Rolfe had planted a commercial tobacco crop in Jamestown and the Virginia settlement quickly became a center for the trade of tobacco. Tobacco cultivation spread through colonies.

Court records reflect that John Hightower was a slave owner in Richmond County in 1729 and by August 28, 1745 he and his wife Mary owned 290 acres of land and at this time they sold it to Nicholas Flood for 50 pounds of Virginia money.

Also from the court records we learn that John llightower was a surveyor and was appointed as the surveyor of highways as prescribed by law June 18, 1739. (It might be pointed out at this time that this chosen line of work was found in the descendants of not only John, but of his brothers as well.)

The Hightower families began to migrate around 1748 and JOLIN and his wife, MARY moved too. They stayed in Virginia their entire lives and their only move was to Amelia County. Between 1748 and 1756 John had acquired 1600 acres of land in Amelia County.

The 1600-acre plantation in Amelia County was on Tommihitton Creek, and there were a number of slaves.

September 21, 1757 JOHN HIGHTOWER filed six deeds in Amelia County Virginia, deeding acreage to his six sons as follows: John Hightower, Jr.,250 acres, 10 shillings; Thomas Hightower, 100 acres, 10 shillings;George Hightower,200 acres, 10 shillings; William Hightower,400 acres, 10 shillings; Richard Hightower, 200 acres, 10 shillings.

John Hightower was about 20 years old, living in Richmond County, Virginia, and in all probability in the homestead of his parents, Joshua and Eleanor, when he married Mary Bryan, the daughter of Thomas Bryan, Jr. and Eleanor Winniford, in 1718 or 1719. Their first child was born in Richmond County, Virginia, and his birth was recorded in the Farnham Parish Register. They named him William and he was born 20 July 1720.

The first reference to John Hightower was in May 1719,, p. 166, Richmond County, Virginia. Elizabeth Whittle vs. John llightower. 794 Ibs. of crop tobacco due on account. Again in May 1719, p.166, Richmond County, Virginia, Anthony Sidney, assignee of John Bryan vs. John llightower. This case was dismissed. OB8, p. 110, Richmond County, Virginia. Newman Brackenbrough, plaintiff and John llightower and Mary his wife, defendants. Pay out of estate of Thomas Bryan to plaintiff. This is the first record that offers proof that John Hightower is married and that his wife's name is Mary. In the above reference, the 'Thomas Bryan' is the late father of John Hightower's wife, Mary Bryan Hightower. Taking this date, it has been established that this couple was married about 1719. The case of Whittle vs. LIightower continued on into Mary 1720 at which time John Hightower was found guilty and required to pay damages. Also on p.189 of May 1720, the claim of John llightower for taking up one runaway servant named James McCall belonging to John Lomax of Essex County be certified. The second child of John and Mary Bryan Hightower was born: 10 January 1722, Eleanor, and her birth was also recorded in the Farnham Parish Register, Richmond County, Virginia. Through research, it has been established that John and Mary Bryan Hightower had established their domicile near the homestead of John's parents, Joshua and Eleanor Hightower, in Richmond County, Virginia and thatJohn's brothers, Joshua, Charnell and Thomas were living at the homestead. All of these children had been born prior to the 1700's with the sole exception of Thomas and he was born 20 March 1712 and his birth was recorded in the Farnham Parish_ Richmond County,Virginia.

Further research of the Richmond County, Virginia court records reveals John residing in the county at the time of his father's death in 1726. Also, their third child, JOHN, JR. was born 13 November 1725 and his birth was recorded in the Farnham Parish Register, Richmond County, Virginia.

In August 1727 John HIightower was appointed surveyor of highways for coming year. This profession was carried down through generations and it is interesting to

Another son, Joshua, was born 12 September 1728, and his birth was recorded in the Farnham Parish Register, Richmond County, Virginia. This boy was named for his grandfather Joshua, who died in Richmond County, Virginia in 1726. It was established and the records of Richmond County, Virginia reflect that John Hightower was a slave ownerin 1729.

The fifth child, another son, Thomas, was born 24 May 1731; the sixth, George, born 28 September 1733; and the last two, twins, born 27 December 1737, Richard and Rebeckah. Births of the three boys were recorded in the Farnham Parish Register, Richmond County, Virginia but the birth of Rebeccah was recorded in the Episcopal Church Register. It has to be assumed this child died at birth, or shortly thereafter since no further information has been found to this date.

The court records reflect John and Mary Hightower still residing in Richmond County, Virginia up to and including August 28, 1745, at which time John and Mary Hightower sold to Nicholas Flood 290 acres for 50 pounds Virginia money. This was the last reference of this couple being residents of this county. May 20, 1748, Amelia County, Virginia we find Wood Jones selling to John Hightower 600 acres in Tommihitton Swamp. Again in 1750, Thomas sold John Hightower 400 acres for 35 pounds in the Tommihitton Swamp. May 2, 1754, Charles Williams sold John Hightower 50 acres for 10 pounds, Tommihitton Creek.

In 1755, September 10, John Hightower was granted 400 acres in Lunenburg County, Virginia and in August 7,1756, John Ornsby sold to John Hightower 550 acres of land at the head of Tommihitton Creek. This gave John Hightower 1600 acres in the Tommihitton Swamp and 400 acres in Lunenburg County a total of 2 ,000 acres and a number of slaves. Then in March 1758, John Hightower, Sr. deeded to his son, Thomas, the 400 acres in Lunenburg County, Virginia, thus leaving 350 acres in the Tommihitton Swamp known as the plantation.

John Hightower died in 1764, Amelia County, Nottaway Parish, Virginia leaving a will dated October 16, 1761. This will was probated September 27, 1764 in Amelia County, Virginia and it is recorded in Will Book 2X. In his will, John Hightower gave each of his surviving children, six sons and one daughter, his slaves, reserving slaves for his wife, Mary, to be given to John, Jr. upon his mother's death, along with the plantation lands and another small tract. His wife, Mary, to remain at the plantation with her three slaves until her death.