>From the Whitley County Kentucky 1818-1993 History & Families: Samuel Wyatt, Sr. was born ca 1755 in Virginia, came to Kentucky via North Carolina and Tennessee, and was first registered on Knox County, KY, tax lists in 1805, along with a Thomas Wyatt. Isham and James Wyatt show up on the Knox County tax lists as early as 1803, but their relationship to Samuel is unknown. Samuel served in the Revolutionary War as evidenced by North Carolina Specie Certificate #603 of record June 12, 1783. He settled in Greene County TN for a while before removing to Knox County. Family tradition holds that Samuel was a descendant of Sir Francis Wyatt, first governor of Virginia. Samuel Wyatt built a Grist Mill in Knox County and also drilled wells for salt extraction. His mill was located on Brush Creek in 1814, in Knox County. He also operated a still. He married Rebecca Bennett, daughter of John Bennett who also served in the Revolutionary War for North Carolina, receiving North Carolina Specie Certificate #607 of record June 12 1783. John settled in Greene County, TN. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------- The following is from The Tracks by Mrs. Elizabeth Masterson. The source is Suits, box #65, Knox County Circuit Court Clerks Office. The commonwealth of Ky. to the Sheriff of Knox County Greetings: We command you to summons Franklin Ballinger, administrator of the estate of Samuel Wyatt, deceased, and Isaac Wyatt, Betsy Wyatt, Thomas G. Eve;John Wyatt, Vincent Wyatt; William Wyatt; James Coffet and Sally Coffett, his wife, late Sally Wyatt; Isaac Stewart and Elizabeth, his wife, late Elizabeth Wyatt, George Griffith and Rebecca, his wife, late Rebecca Wyatt; William Hicky and Patsy his wife, late Patsy Wyatt, John Lynch and Lucy, his wife, late Lucy Wyatt, Susanna Coffet(widow) late Susannah Wyatt, Valentine Gibson and Polly, his wife, late Polly Wyatt; Thomas Bailey and Frances, his Wife, late Francis Wyatt; and Samuel Wyatt; and Samuel gibson and Rebecca his wife; Children and heirs of Samuel Wyatt (????)deceased; and Davis Wyatt, Same Coffet and Rebecca his wife; Samuel Wyatt, Thomas Wyatt; Catherine Wyatt; and Polly Wyatt; Fanny Wyatt(an infant) Susannah Wyatt;(an infant; Patsy Wyatt(an infant)' Benjamin Wyatt(an infant), James Wyatt(an infant);children theirs of Thomas Wyatt deceased; and Vincent Morris, an infant; Hannah Morris and infant; Fanny Morris an infant; Lydia Morris, an infant and Julia Ann Morris an infant, children and heirs of Lydia Morris, deceased at Lydia Wyatt------heirs and representatives of the said Samuel Wyatt. The above were to answer a bill in chancery to be exhibited against them by Rebecca Wyatt; complaint dated October 5, 1835. Rebecca Wyatt stated as follows: That she is the wife and is now the widow of Samuel Wyatt, deceased, who departed this life at his residence in the county of Knox in the month of July last, intestate, and administration upon his estate has been granted by the Know County Court to Franklin Ballinger, Esq.. She states that her husbands estate consisted of 290 acres of land on the Cumberland River in the County of Knox where her husband lived and died. Also 5 slaves, one a man and the others a woman and 2 children and an old woman of little value; personal property and money. She states that the many named persons above are her children and grandchildren. She further states that her husband, the said Samuel Wyatt, for some time before his death, was not only weak in body but from old age and other causes, was infeebled in mind and was, in act, almost entirely deranged, so much so, that he was found a lunatic before his death by regular inquisition in the Knox Circuit Court by a Committee was appointed to take charge of his estate and person. The record of this proceeding, which took place at the last June term, is refereed to as an exhibit. She stated that for some time before the inquisition a foresaid, the old mans state of mind was as aforesaid and it was to her , on many accounts, the most painful period of her life but it was particularly sad on account of a cross and ill natured feeling the old man seemed to imbibe for herself. To appease this feeling, she agree with him that they should live separate and a contract was entered into whereby she was to have a separate maintenance of $80 a year paid to her during her life for that purpose and her son James Wyatt, was made a trustee to receive said money and he consented to the trust. The said contract reduced to writing and bearing date, ???? of January, 1835, signed by all the parties, is here exhibited. From the date on this contract until the death of her said husband, she lived part of the time with him and part of the time with her son James, the trustee. She has no doubt he was incompetent by reason of imbecility of the mind to make said contract, and she has no wish to claim any benefit under the same, and she desires the decree of the curt vacating and annulling said contract as if it had never been entered into. All she desires from the estate is her dower, etc.etc.. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------- The following suit was also found in old records--box #119, Knox County Circuit Court Clerks office. Plaintiffs; Elizabeth Wyatt; Fanny Wyatt; Susan Wyatt; Thomas J Baughman; Robert Hays and W.L. Tolbert, administrators of the estate of John Hays, deceased and Polly Wyatt. Defendants: James Wyatt, Samuel Wyatt, Thomas Wyatt; Davis Wyatt, Samuel Coffet, Rebecca Coffet, his wife, late Rebecca Wyatt, Chaplin Wyatt, Letitia Wyatt, heirs at law of Catharine Wyatt, and infants. The plaintiffs state that Thomas Wyatt died at Knox County, making and publishing a will which was never admitted to record. They believe the terms of the will devised all of his land in Know County, Ky. lying of Cumberland River and consisting of about 250 acres, to his wife Polly Wyatt; during her life and upon her death be equally divided amongst all of his children. That the said Polly Wyatt, widow, and children, lived upon the land several years after her husbands death and enjoyed it under said will and up to the time of her death. Sometime during he year 1851; they state that the said Thomas Wyatt, at the time of his death left the following children and heirs (is);Elizabeth, Fanny, Susan, Martha Patsy, Benjamin, Catharine, James, Thomas, Samuel, Davis, Rebecca and Polly. That the said Rebecca since the death of the testate, intermarried with a certain Samuel Coffet and they are resident of Missouri. The said Catharine never married, but left Chaplin and Letitia Wyatt, her heirs, being her illegitimate offspring who are now living; she having died in Knox County, Ky. intestate that the said Benjamin Wyatt sold and conveyed his interest in the lands of his father to Thomas J. Baughman for a valuable consideration. Taht the said Martha intermarried with Hugh Broughton and Patsy(Martha) having arrive at full age, conveyed her interest to James Hays. That the said James Hays departed this life intestate, and the plaintiffs, Robert Hays and W.L. Tolbert were appointed his administrators. That the will of said Thomas Wyatt is lost and cannot be found. The plaintiffs state that they own six twelfths of the estate aforesaid and that all of the heirs of said Thomas Wyatt, deceased, except ???????and the infant heirs of the said Catherine are non-residents of the Commonwealth of KY. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------ This William Wyatt and his brother James Wyatt were children of John Wyatt and Mary Francis Stewart who married 28 Feb 1810 in Knox or Whitley Co Ky. John was the son of Samuel Wyatt born about 1755 Va and Rebecca Bennett, daughter of John Bennett and Rachel Arendell of Greene Co Tn. Mary Francis was the daughter of Alexander Stewart and Catherine Sheets. Samuel died before 1835 in Knox Co Ky and according to the Rev J J Dickey Diary, it took 15 yrs to settle his estate. While I am not related to this specific family, I have gathered info on them for yrs trying to tie my gr gr grandfather Edward Kaymon Wyatt with them. Family history from both sides says they visited each other in the early days but so far, no connection has been found. Were the two Gregory girls married to the two brothers sisters?