Transcribed from "Goodspeed's History of Tennessee" 1886 Cocke County, TN Biographies
(http://www.rootsweb.com/~tncocke/Goodsp.htm)
J.J. Burnett, a farmer in the First District, was born February 7, 1824, in North Carolina, near Ashville, and December, 1835, he moved to his present location. He began life for himself when of age as a farmer. He attended school at Holston College, Jefferson County, TN. He began with about $1,200, and what he is now worth is the fruit of his own industry and good management. He owns about 400 acres of land where he lives. He was married February 10, 1853, to Miss Mary E. Huff, daughter of Stephen Huff, who was a son of John Huff, who was a native of Virginia. Six children blessed the union: Jehu J., Stephen F., Jesse A., Frances E.C., Sissie Elizabeth J., Cynthia A. Mrs. Burnett died about 1863. He was married a second time October 10, 1867, to Miss Esther A. Lea, a daughter of Alfred Lea, a native of Jefferson County, or near the Jefferson and Knox County line. Five children blessed this union: Evalina, Henrietta M., Harriet C., Joseph J. and Swan A. Mr. Burnett is a member of the Missionary Baptist Church, and is a Democrat in politics. He was elected justice of the peace, and served six years. He cast his first presidential ticket for Gen. Taylor. He was eleventh of thirteen children of Swan R. and Frances (Bell) Burnett, natives of Virginia and North Carolina, respectively; Mr. Burnett coming to North Carolina when a boy. He began life for himself a poor man, and by his very successful farm management became quiet comfortably fixed. He was a son of Thomas Burnett, a native of Virginia. He was killed by a Tory, about the time of the battle of King's Mountain, in which battle his brother Joseph was killed while fighting for his country. Mr. and Mrs. Swan Burnett were of English and Irish descent respectively. Mr. J.J. Burnett and possibly a sister in Missouri are the only children now living of thirteen.
Capt. A.C. Huff was born in 1819, in Cocke County, where he has since resided. He is a son of Stephen and Elizabeth (Carson) Huff, his mother being a daughter of Andrew Carson, who was one of the early settlers, and an exemplary man. Capt. Huff's Great-grandfather, John Corder, and grandfather, John Huff (both of Virginia), were the pioneer settlers of Greene, now Cocke County. They built a fort for the protection of the settlement from the Indians, who were quite hostile in those early days. In this fort Stephen Huff was born in 1796. He was of German and English descent, a substantial citizen and a man of fine judgement. The fort was afterward converted into a comfortable dwelling, in which Stephen died, at the age of seventy-three. Capt. A.C. Huff married, at the age of twenty, Narcissa, a daughter of Swan P. Burnett. To them were born twelve children: Stephen (deceased), Swan B., James T. (deceased), Frances J., John J. (deceased), Robert Jesse (deceased), Andrew F., Eliza C., William D. (deceased), Mary N., Flora G. (deceased), and Eva S. His wife, Narcissa, died in 1880. Capt. Huff, in 1863, commanded Company B, Second North Carolina Infantry (Federal) and was mustered out March, 1865. In 1883 he married Mrs. J.R. Shackleford, of Lexington, GA, a daughter of William and Elizabeth A. Latimer. Capt. Huff cast his first vote for Gen. Harrison, for president. He served as a justice for two terms; once by election, and once appointed by Gov. Brownlow. He is a member of the Missionary Baptist Church. He was a strong Union man, opposed secession, and has always voted with the Republicans.
Charles Stokely, Sr., farmer and stock dealer, was born June 19, 1821, on the farm where he has since resided. Since he began for himself at his majority he has acquired a fine farm of 175 acres, his home, besides other tracts. About 1850 he married Sarah, a daughter of John Black, of South Carolina. Their children are Mary J., Sarah E. (deceased), Thomas (deceased), Rhoda E., Susan C., Royal J., Nancy A., (deceased), Steven D., John B.(deceased), James (deceased), Jesse, W.D., Cora B., Lilla (deceased). He and his wife are members of the Missionary Baptist Church, of which he has been a deacon for five years. He began with Henry Clay in his presidential voting, but is a Democrat. He is the seventh of ten children of Royal and Jane (Huff) Stokely, both of English and English-Dutch descent respectively. The father was a justice for twenty-one years, and the mother, a native of Virginia, when eighteen months old, came to Cocke County, where she died. The grandfather, Jehu, a native of England, was a sailor for seven years, and in 1747 settled in Charleston, S.C., and afterward lived in North Carolina and in Cocke County. the maternal grandfather, John Huff, a native of Roanoke County, VA, came to Cocke County about 1785. He was a soldier in the Revolution, and was a financial success as a hunter and trapper.
A.M. Stokely, a farmer in First District, was born in 1850 on the farm where he has since resided. He owns a fine farm of 450 acres. He was married, in 1881, to Miss Katie (Jackson) Murray, a daughter of J.C. Murray, a native of Greene County, but for the past thirty years has resided in Cocke County. To Mr. and Mrs. Stokely three children have been born: Jessie May, Hattie Evaline, Marvel Murray Jones. Mr. and Mrs. Stokely are members of the Missionary Baptist Church. Mr. Stokely is a Democrat in politics, and cast his first presidential ticket for Horace Greeley. He was elected trustee of Cocke County in 1878, and was re-elected again in 1850. He is the sixth of thirteen children of Nathan Huff and Evaline (Jones) Stokely, natives of Cocke County. The father was justice of the peace for several years of his district, and was trustee of Cocke County several years. He followed farming very successfully. He was the son of Royal and Jane (Huff) Stokely.
George W. Susong, farmer and stock dealer, was born February 2, 1835, in Greene County, Tenn., and in 1867 settled in the "Fork of Pigeon", but since 1870 he has been at his present home. A horse, saddle and bridle was the outfit his father gave him to begin his journey through life, and he now owns a fine farm of 1,700 acres in the "Dutch Bottoms," and known as the Carter farm. In 1868 he married Susan, a daughter of Jehu Stokely and wife (nee Burnett), natives of Cocke County. The former died February 26, 1885, and was a son of John Stokely, Sr., who, with two brothers, were among the earlist settlers of Cocke County. the children of our subject are Jacob A., Mary J., Addie, Georgianna, John B.S., Susan E., Louisa K. and Hester C. His wife is a Baptist, and in politics he is a Democrat, and is also a Master Mason. He was the ninth of thirteen children of Andrew and Susan (Ball) Susong, natives of Lee County, VA, the former an old resident of Washington County, Va., and a soldier of the war of 1812, and the latter a daughter of William Ball. Nicholas Susong, the next direct ancestor, with his brothers Jacob and Andrew, came to America with Gen. Lafayette during the Revolution, and fought with that great General. The brothers first settled in Virginia, and afterward near Bristol, where they reared their families.