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Descendants of Samuel Brashers

Generation No. 1

1. SAMUEL⁸ BRASHERS (ISAAC⁷ BRASHEAR, ROBERT SAMUEL⁶, ROBERT C.⁵, SAMUEL⁴, ROBERT³, BENJAMIN², ROBERT¹) was born March 16, 1798 in North Carolina, and died September 26, 1865 in Decatur County (or Perry Co.) In Brasher Cemetary, close to Lafferty Cemetary. He married (1) NANCY BARBER 1843. She was born January 26, 1810 in North Carolina, and died September 09, 1883 in Decatur County Tennessee. He married (2) HANNAH TUTEN February 29, 1916 in Roane County Tennessee. She was born Bef. 1800, and died October 16, 1840 in Perry County, Tennessee.

Notes for SAMUEL BRASHERS:
Samuel Brashears (March 1798-September 1865) was the son of Isaac Brashears. He was born in Roane County, TN, kept a trading post and owned a considerable amount of property on Brashears Creek (a branch of Clinch River in Roane County).
After the Chickasaw Indians were pushed out of West Tennessee in 1818, Isaac and at least five of his children moved across the Tennessee River. They immediately began to take up land. Samuel's land was southwest of Decaturville (near Bath Springs). At one time he owned as much as seven sections.
Samuel Brashears and Hannah Tuten were married Feb. 9, 1816, in Roane County. To this union 12 children were born. Hannah died Oct. 16, 1840. Soon after Hannah Brashears' death, Samuel remarried. His second wife was Nancy Barber. To this union six children were born. Samuel Brashears was the father of 18 children.
A literate and intelligent man, Samuel was a leader in establishing Decatur County. He helped to lay out the county boundaries and was one of the first county commissioners and trustees. Along with Daniel McLoad, Balam Graves, David Funderburk, Samuel Brashears purchased 35 acres from John McMillian for $50 for the purpose of organizing Decatur County. 1846 Decatur County was established and Samuel Brashears was recognized as the county's first judge.
Prior to the Civil War, Samuel was the owner of approximately 20 slaves. He freed a favorite slave named "Uncle Bill" for whom he purchased a wife of his choice. Samuel did not think of "Uncle Bill" as a slave; he, in fact, gave him one dollar for a marriage license and insisted the couple legally marry. This marriage was the first Negro marriage in West Tennessee.
When the war broke out Samuel deeded land in Hardin County to his slaves. He told them they could settle on this land and farm or they could leave; but if they left, they could not return.
The cause of Samuel's death is not clear. One description depicts an attempted hanging by Civil War fugitives which was foiled by "Uncle Bill" This attempt was not fatal. The other account does not include "Uncle Bill" but cites the hanging as a factor contributing to Samuel Brashear's death.
Martin V. Brasher (b. 1848) was one of Samuel's sons by his second wife, Nancy Barber. It was from Samuel's generation to Martin's generation that the spelling of Brashears changed to Brasher. Martin married Lindy Orr. Her name may have been Melinda since her tombstone in the Lafferty Cemetary is listed M. G. She was born November 1851. They lived close to the old home place which is located just north of Lafferty Cemetary. They had eight children, the eldest being William Riley Brasher, born 1870 (named for one of Martin's brothers). Martin and Lindy are buried in Lafferty Cemetary, as are several of their children and grandchildren. Their tombstone reads "How desolate our home bereft of thee".
William Riley and his wife Mary Cordelia (Molly) for several years lived near the home place in Decatur County. Many of their children were born here. The house is still standing (1999).

More About SAMUEL BRASHERS:
Fact 1: 1830 Census in Perry County
Fact 2: 1850 census in Decatur County

Children of SAMUEL BRASHERS and NANCY BARBER are:

	i.	JAMES N.⁹ BRASHERS, b. June 01, 1842.
	ii.	SARAH CARLIN BRASHERS, b. September 28, 1843; d. May 03, 1877, Decatur County Tennessee.
	iii.	JEFFERSON P. BRASHERS, b. October 18, 1846.
2.	iv.	MARTIN V. BRASHER, b. May 12, 1848, Decatur County Tennessee; d. July 04, 1908, buried in Lafferty Cemetary, Decatur County, near Bath Springs.
	v.	BENJAMIN F. BRASHERS, b. April 12, 1850; d. January 30, 1852, Decatur County.
	vi.	WILLIAM RILEY BRASHER, b. November 09, 1851; d. December 13, 1927, buried in Lafferty Cemetary, Decatur County.

Children of SAMUEL BRASHERS and HANNAH TUTEN are:

	vii.		ELIZABETH ISABELLA⁹ BRASHERS.
	viii.		ELENDER BRASHERS, b. January 13, 1819.
	ix.		ISAAC BRASHERS.
	x.		ZACHARIAH BRASHERS, b. May 28, 1823.
	xi.		JOHN BRASHER.
	xii.		HIZIER M. BRASHERS, b. February 26, 1827.
	xiii.		WILEY T. BRASHEARS, b. May 09, 1829; d. Crowley's Ridge, Greene County, Arkansas; m. DELILAH CRAWFORD ?; b. 1825; d. Crowley's Ridge, Greene County, Arkansas.

More About WILEY T. BRASHEARS:
Fact 1: 1855, Trustee at founding of Gray's Chapel Methodist Church
Fact 2: 1850, census Decatur Co. Tennessee
Fact 3: 1880, Census Greene Co. Arkansas

	xiv.		MARY BRASHERS, b. February 08, 1831.
	xv.		LAVINIA BRASHERS, b. May 29, 1833.
	xvi.		HANNAH EVELINE BRASHERS, b. May 11, 1836.
	xvii.		SAMUEL JASPER BRASHERS, b. August 16, 1840.

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