Sturgills in America

Sturgill, John

Events

Parents

Families

Narrative

JOHN STURGILL and his wife Jemima Wells made their first home in Ashe Co., NC near the forks of New River on land which his grandfather James then claimed. After the death of his grandfather in 1803, John sold his claim to his brother James in 1804. In 1806 John bought a tract of 156a in Grayson Co. VA which adjoined his father's land in Ashe Co., NC. This 156a was sold to Moses Halsey in 1812 at which time John is believed to have moved to Letcher Co, KY where he settled on the head of the Cumberland river. In 1816 he bought a farm in Lee (Wise) Co., VA from his brother James who had purchased the land in 1812 so it appears that the two brothers went there together in 1812. John later moved to Harlan Co., KY, then back to Wise Co, VA, then to Letcher Co, KY where Jemima died and was buried in 1856. John returned to Wise Co., VA during the civil war and settled in a small valley called "crackers neck". His descendants say that he died there soon after and was buried in the Robinett cemetery - no marker stone was found.

There is some question as to whether or not John married a second time after the death of Jemima, no marriage record was found. In the 1860 census of Letcher Co., KY John was living with a young woman named Jane who had a child age six named Araminda. Some of John's descendants say that Jane was also a Sturgill and John had hired her to help take care of Jemima in her last illness and that after the death of Jemima she continued to live with John as she had no place else to go. It is the opinion of the writer (DAS) that this story is essentially true.

Ancestors