John S. Sutphen and Matilda W. Crisman
John S. Sutphen was born June 01, 1805. John's parents are currently unknown. 1850 census records from Franklin County, Tennessee state that he was born in Ohio, but he may have been born in New Jersey.
John married Matilda W. Crisman June 13, 1833 in Williamson County, Tennessee.
(Early Tennessee Marriages, Vol. 2, Brides, pg.103)
Matilda was born on February 18, 1815 in Tennessee, and was the daughter of David and Jemima Chrisman.
John and Matilda had 12 children, 9 surviving to adulthood. One child was born and died on January 10, 1850, and was buried in Coffe County, Tennessee, near Tullahoma. The family moved to Texas later that same year, settling first in Rusk County, and later in Nacogdoches County in East Texas.
Nacogdoches County tax rolls show that in 1852, John owned no land, 5 Negroes (value$1800), 6 horses (value $200), and no cattle. in 1853, he owned 320 acres in the original Raymond Norriss Spanish grant (value $500), 5 Negroes (value $500), 5 horses (value $250), and 4 cattle (value $20). In 1854 he owned the same 320 acres (value $700), 5 Negroes (value $1800), 5 horses (value $250), and 18 cattle (value $90).
John died of congestion October 7, 1858 in Nacogdoches County, TX, and was buried in Greenwood Cemetery.
Matilda died of pneumonia on February 15, 1860 in Nacogdoches County Texas, and was buried in Greenwood Cemetery next to John. See their headstones on the Cemeteries page.
At the time of Matilda's death in 1860, 9 of the children were under the age of 18, the youngest being only 3 years old. Only the oldest child, William Crisman Sutphen, was married. He petitioned for guardianship of the minor children.
Five of John and Matilda's sons served in the Confederate Army. William died at Little Rock, and George was killed at the battle of Mansfield, Louisiana. David, Samuel, and Jack survived the war.
From a letter to Curtis Sutphen from Mayme Sutphen Vanecek:
"Land deed records, 25 Feb. 1835. indicate that John S. Sutphen and his family were in Franklin County, Tenn., on 30 acres of land on the Main Rock Creek. They lived here until after the 1850 Census, moving to Rusk County, Tex. that year. The Rusk County land was about 20 miles northwest of Henderson on the waters of the Sabine River. This land sold in 1856 to Mr. John Behry. On 1 May 1852, John S. Sutphen bought of Lewis Knight A certain tract of land lying on the waters of Naconeach Bayou, being a part of Norris Grant. This tract of land was situated about 13 miles northeast of the town of Nacogdoches. Raymond Norris, of English descent, enterd upon actual possession of the land about year 1806. Four leagues of land confirmed to him by the Spanish Government, revalidated and confirmed by Mexican Government,1824. Mr. Norris lived upon the land until his death except at short intervals, when owing to the incursions of savage Indians,he, in common with other settlers were compelled, for a time to flee to the state of Louisiana for safety, but immediately after danger aforesaid, again resumed possession of his home and premises."
From the same letter:
"John S. Sutphen moved to Nashville, Tennessee to learn the carpenter trade. In Williamson County, June 13, 1833, he married Matilda W. Crisman. They moved to Nacogdoches County, Texas in 1850, settled near the town of Garrison. John and Matilda brought to Texas ten slaves Matilda's parents had given as a wedding present. Mr. Crisman was a wealthy Tennessee planter. to this union was born thirteen children (three still born). John S. died of congestion on Oct. 7, 1858, Matilda died on February 15, 1860. William C. petitioned for the Guardian of his minor sisters and brothers and their estate at the death of Matilda. At the time William took Guardian, the Estate was valued at $3, 055.00; this was stock animals, farming utensils, household furniture, cotton crop, 320 acres of land, @ $4.00 per acre - this divided in 1/8 among the children. I have a photocopy of the amount of claims against the estate paid out by William up to April 1861. It shows a T. G. Greer collecting for board and clothing on George, Samuel, Andrew, Maria, James, Mary, Martha, and John W. I do not know why this Mr. Greer had those children .... There are many records in Nacogdoches on the Sutphen family I would like to copy...
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