| Notes |
- There is much confusion about Richard Messick, some believe that Leonard and Richard Messick (sons of John Messick are the same person, possibly Richard Leonard Messick??
The two sons of John Messick, according to records, are George and Leonard, but nothing is found of this Leonard. There are only 5 years difference in ages of George and Richard, both born in Deleware, and both arriving in the same area of Surry Co., North Carolina in the the same time period being 1790.
Custom was for a man to name a son after his father and his brothers and himself. Richard names a son George (after his brother) and a son Richard, after himself. He also had a son named Chrisley, ( which is a name not known in the Messick family.)
This makes me wonder if Richard wasn't married twice. Catherine is 10 years older than
Richard, this makes me beleive she is not the mother of his children, but actually a second wife and stepmother to his children.
Richard owned 400 acres in Surry County, North Carolina. No record has been found for a sale from Richard to a new owner, he left soon after the 1800 Census was taken, due to the fact that his daughter, Ruby Catherine had met a man and had a child in Kentucky by 1814. He may have left North Carolina due to sever drought in 1813. Richard's first wife had died and he left imediately for Kentucky. Both of Ruby Catherine's children gave their birthplace as Kentucky in later Census years.
1800 Surry Co., North Carolina Census
Richard is shown with:
2 males under 10, 1 male from 26-45 years of age,
1 female under 10, 1 female 10-16, 1 female 26-45 ( this female could be his first wife, and mother of his children, she is shown to be very close to his age) Catherine the wife he shows in his elderly years is 10 yers older than him.)
1810 Surry Co., North Carolina Census
Richard is shown with:
2 males under 10, 1 male 10-16, 1 male 26-45
1 female 10-16, 1 female 26-45
Richard and his family arrived in Warren Co., Tennessee about 1819-1820. Later it was known as Coffee County,. He purchased 100 acres of land on the waters of the Barren Fork of Duck Creek pn December 19, 1826. He already owned 170 acres at this time according to land records. This document was signed by Samuel Houston the govenor of Tennessee, on March 10, 1828. Daniel Graham, Secretary of State was a witness. On Jan. 22, 1829 he purchased another 100 acres in the same area. Richard paid 1 cent per acre for his early land purchases. His sons George and John bought another 450 acres shortly agter thier fathers purchase, in the same area.
The descendants of Richar Messick who remain in Coffee and Middle Tennessee are the descendents of John and Chrisley. Most of Richard Jr. and George's children migrated to Cedar Co., MO. Ruby Catherine's children went to Arkansas and Oklahoma, Elenor's children went to Arkansas.
Legend and family stories go on to say that some of Richard's descendants married ito the family of Davie Crockett, the pioneer. Carrie Messick Jennings, does not agree with this.
From her research of the family of Crockett's he was born in Greene Co., Tennessee, married Mary Finley "Polly" there and had 3 children. They moved to Lincoln Co., TN. After Polly's death in 1815, he married a widow, Elizabeth Patton, who was born May 22, 1788 in N.C. They lived in Beans Creek, Franklin Co., TN. This storie comes from the fact that Richard's
grandson's were Richard Crockett Messick. Who wouldn't want to named after the famous Davey Crockett. But if this actually was true, wonder why there wasn't some David Crockett Messick's?
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1767 - Yes, date unknown
