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The identity of Nancy Trewhitt

The discovery of the likely identify of Nancy Trewhitt, the second wife of Judge Levi Trewhitt of Cleveland, Tennessee
By Robin Richmond

Discovery of the (likely) identity of Judge Levi Trewhitt's wife Nancy

Judge Levi Trewhitt of Cleveland, Tennessee, was married to Harriett Lavender from 1819 through 1855, when she died. She is buried next to him in Fort Hill Cemetery. The 1860 census show him married to 54 year-old Nancy Trewhitt. Within two years, Judge Trewhitt was unjustly arrested by the Confederate authorities in East Tennessee, and sent to the Confederate military prison in Mobile, Alabama, where he soon died. Nancy is also buried next to Judge Trewhitt in Fort Hill Cemetery, with a large marker that gives the name "Nancy Trewhitt", with the inscription "Wife of Levi Trewhitt". (The tombstone gives her birth and death dates as 18 May 1806 - 19 Jun 1885)

I tried for several years to find out who this "Nancy" was. I did find a "Nancy Trewhitt" living in Cleveland with James A Hassell and his wife Mary in the 1870 and 1880 censuses. In 1880, she is recorded as James Hassell's mother, but I couldn't figure out a way that Nancy could have been married to James Hassell's father, W.D Hassell.

I ultimately decided that Nancy Trewhitt was probably not the mother of James, but rather, of his wife, Mary, but I was still stumped, because I couldn't find any information about Mary's origins.

Finally, in 2017, I came upon the image of an old tin-type photograph posted on Ancestry.com by Barbara Myers Morgan of Mobile, Alabama. The photo was of Barbara's great-great Grandmother, Mary Brackney Womble, who was the wife of James Hassell. The key to solving the mystery was a note on the inside cover of the folder. Barbara wisely uploaded a scan of that note, which reads:
Mrs. Mary Brackney Hassel
First Mary B Womble
Then Mary B Bower

That string of names could suggest that Mary was married to a Brackney, then to a Womble, and then to a Bower, but I just don't think that's the case. Mary's daughter Lucretia Bower was born to Mary and Isaac Bower in 1841 or 1842, when Mary was only 16, so Mary just didn't have time for a marriage to a Womble. I believe that Mary was born Mary Brackney Womble, and that she married Issac Bower in about 1841, and then married James Hassell some time between before 1860.

I'm guessing that Mary's middle name was her mother's maiden name, thought I don't have any evidence for grandparents named Brackney, or of a "Nancy Brackney".

Evidence supporting my conclusion:
  1. Isaac "Bowers" (28), a blacksmith, wife Mary B (24), and 3 children are in the 1850 Bradley County Tennessee Census.
  2. John "Wamble" (45), a blacksmith, and wife Nancy (44) are listed immediately adjacent to Isaac and Mary Bowers in the 1850 Census (in a separate dwelling).
  3. Isaac Bower, husband of Mary Womble, died in 1852 in Cleveland, Tennessee, according to his FindAGrave record, and he is buried in Fort Hill Cemetery like his mother-in-law.
  4. James "Hassle" (24) and wife Mary (34) are in Cleveland, Bradley County, Tennessee, in the 1860 Federal Census, along with four children named "Bower", including the three who were listed with Issac and Mary in 1850.
  5. I've found no record of John Wamble/Womble after 1850, so it appears that he died in the 1850's, freeing Nancy to marry Levi Trewhitt.
Also
  1. A John "Wamble" was in the Claiborne County, Tennessee Federal Census in 1840, with a female between 30 and 40, and 2 children under 5. The age range would be correct for Nancy, but are high for John and Mary. I'm not sure what to make of this records but it is plausible that it represents our John and Nancy.

Robin Richmond
Cleveland, Ohio
April, 2018. All Rights Reserved
Permission is granted to repost or reuse this article only with attribution, and this page's "permanent" web address www.robinrichmond.com/family/showmedia.php?pid=52



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