APPENDIX B - THE BRASSELL/BRASWELL FAMILY

APPENDIX B - BRASSELL/BRASWELL FAMILY

Egbert Hickman and Mary Louise (Baker) Brassell

Egbert Hickman Brassell
Born:7 January 1817 in North Carolina
Died:9 March 1899 in Putnam County, Tennessee
Buried: in an unmarked grave in the Brassell Graveyard, Putnam County, Tennessee
Parents:Orrendatus and Phereby (Evans) Brassell

Married:Mary Louise Baker on 14 July 1842 in Smith County, Tennessee. (FOOTNOTE)
Born:7 December 1823 in Tennessee
Died:18 March 1908 in Putnam County, Tennessee
Buried: in an unmarked grave in the Brassell Graveyard, Putnam County, Tennessee
Parents:George and Mary (Lail) Baker

Children:

  1. William E. "Bill" Brassell was born 21 September 1843 in Barren County, Kentucky and died 17 April 1930 in DeKalb County, Tennessee. He is buried in the Brassell Cemetery in DeKalb County, Tennessee. He first married Mary Elizabeth Baker Patterson on 20 September 1869 in Smith County, Tennessee. After her death in 1908, he married Sudie Catherine Yates on 10 October 1910 in Dekalb County, Tennessee.
  2. James Reuben "Jim" Brassell was born 27 November 1844 in Barren County, Kentucky and died 30 March 1826 in Putnam County, Tennessee. He is buried in the Odd Fellows Cemetery, Putnam County, Tennessee. He married Harriet Zenira Dowell on 3 March 1874 in Putnam County, Tennessee.
  3. Susan Tennessee Brassell was born in December 1847 in Barren County, Kentucky and died 8 May 1916 in Putnam County, Tennessee. She is buried in the New Home Baptist Church Cemetery, Putnam County, Tennessee. She married David Crockett Patton on 21 January 1869 in Smith County, Tennessee.
  4. Zachariah T. "Zack" Brassell was born about 1849 in Barren County, Kentucky and died between 1 December 1905 - 22 November 1907 in DeKalb County, Tennessee. He is buried in the Mount Holly Cemetery, DeKalb County, Tennessee. He married Eliza Louisa Coleman about 1872 in Putnam County, Tennessee.
  5. Mary Louisana "Lucy" Brassell was born 27 February 1851 in Barren County, Kentucky and died 7 April 1916 in DeKalb County, Tennessee. She is buried in the Presley Family Cemetery, DeKalb County, Tennessee. She married John Johnson Presley about 1876 in Tennessee.
  6. Joseph Lewis "Jo" Brassell was born about 1853 in Barren County, Kentucky and was hung for the murder of Russell Allison on 27 March 1878 in Putnam County, Tennessee. He is buried in the Brassell Cemetery, Putnam County, Tennessee. He was married briefly to an Unknown young lady who died of measles shortly after the birth of their son James P. Brassell on 20 August 1871. Young James died of inflammation of the bowels on 5 January 1880. He is buried in the Brassell Cemetery with his father. (See Photo of Jo Brassell, Newspaper Photo of Jo Brassell, Tombstone Photo )
  7. George Andrew "Teek" Brassell was born 18 December 1855 in Barren County, Kentucky and was hung for the murder of Russell Allison on 27 March 1878 in Putnam County, Tennessee. He is buried in the Brassell Cemetery, Putnam County, Tennessee. (See Photo of Teek Brassell, Newspaper Photo of Teek Brassell, Tombstone Photo
  8. Amanda Belle Brassell was born 19 February 1856 in Smith County, Tennessee and died 24 May 1934 in Putnam County, Tennessee. She was first married to Nathan Montgomery Cox on 25 December 1883 in Putnam County, Tennessee. After his death in 1919, she married James Prentice on 9 January 1922 in Putnam County, Tennessee. She is buried in the Odd Fellows Cemetery, Putnam County, Tennessee.
  9. Samuel G. "Buck" Brassell was born on 29 January 1861 in Putnam County, Tennessee and died 25 March 1939 in Putnam County, Tennessee. He is buried in the New Home Baptist Church Cemetery, Putnam County, Tennessee. He married Joseph Daughtery on 26 June 1883 in Putnam County, Tennessee

BRASSELL FARM

The Brassell Family Farm was located in the area of the Cornerstone Middle School. ( See Map of Location) . Jim Brassell's home was located about 1.5 miles from the Brassell Farm.

Living in the Brassell home in 1875 were Egbert H. Brassell, Mary Louise Brassell, Amanda Belle Brassell, Jo Brassell, Teek Brassell and Samuel G. "Buck" Brassell. In court records, the home is described as having at least two rooms -- possibly more. The first room had a bed, a lounge, a fireplace, and a petroleum lantern. The second room contained a couple of featherbeds. The windows had no curtains. Egbert and Mary slept in the bed in the main room; Amanda often slept on the lounge; and Jo, Teek and Buck occupied the other bedroom.

By November 1875, Jim and Harriet had been married about 18 months; and their oldest child, Robert Clay, was 8 months old. Their house is described as a one room house.

Located not far from the Egbert Brassell home was a graveyard with only one burial -- the grave of a soldier (the name of the soldier and which war was never reported). Prior to their hanging, Jo and Teek told their father that they wanted to buried under a specific old tree on the Brassell property - near the soldier's grave. As time went on, other family members would be buried in this graveyard.

BRASSELL FAMILY GRAVEYARD

Graves with visible tombstones
James P. Brassell 20 Oct 1871 - 05 Jan 1880 Son of Jo Brassell and Unknown
Nathan Montgomery Cox 17 Apr 1845 - 21 Sep 1919

1st Husband of Amanda Belle Brassell Cox Prentice

A broken Stone marks the shared graves of
George Andrew "Teek" Brassell 18 Dec 1855 - 27 Mar 1878
Joseph Lewis "Jo" Brassell 1853 - 27 Mar 1878

Unmarked Graves
Egbert Hickman Brassell 07 Jan 1817 - 09 Mar 1899
Mary Louise (Baker) Brassell 07 Dec 1823 - 18 Mar 1908
Unknown Soldier Died before 1878

BRASSELL HOMESTEAD AND LAND

When Egbert H. Brassell died in 1899, Mary and the surviving seven children divided up the family farm into eight lots - each assigned one lot. Lot assignments were

LOT #1:Assigned to Mary L. Brassell. Contained the homestead and the graveyard. On 22 November 1907, the Brassell children relinquished their claim to Lot 1 and deeded it to Mary (Registered in Putnam County, TN Deed Book Z, Page 505). Mary died 18 March 1908. During her later years, daughter Amanda took care of her. Mary requested of the other children that after her death, Amanda would receive this lot. On 22 July 1909, the Brassell heirs relinquished their claim to this lot and deeded it over to Amanda Cox (Registered in Putnam County, TN Deed Book 2, Page 179).

LOT #2:Assigned to Tennessee Patton, wife of Dr. David Crockett Patton. On 23 November 1907, Mary and the other heirs relinquished their claim to this lot and deeded it to Tennessee (Registered in Putnam County, TN Deed Book 4, Page 587). Tennessee sold this lot to Robert E. Coleman on 1 December 1905 (Registered in Putnam County, TN Deed Book 4, Page 588). [Author Note: The dates on these deeds are correct as recorded in the Putnam County, TN Deed books.]

LOT #3:Assigned to Lucy Presley, wife of John J. Presley, who lived in DeKalb County. On 22 November 1907, Mary and the remaining heirs relinquished their claim to this lot and deeded it to Lucy (Registered in Putnam County, TN Deed Book 1, Page 236). On 19 December 1908, Lucy sold this lot to M[erica] A[nn] Patton (Registered in Putnam County, TN Deed 1, Page 237).

LOT #4:Assigned to James Brassell. On 22 November 1907, Mary and the remaining heirs relinquished their claim to this lot and deeded it to James Brassell (Registered in Putnam County, TN Deed Book 10, Page 294).

LOT #5:Assigned to Samuel G. "Buck" Brassell. On 26 October 1909, S. G. Brassell and wife Josie sold that lot to J[oseph] M[arion] Bradford (Registered Putnam County, TN Deed Book 1, Page 611).

LOT #6:Assigned to Amanda Cox, wife of Nathan Cox. On 22 November 1907, Mary and the remaining heirs relinquished their claim to this lot and deeded it to Amanda (Registered in Putnam County, TN Deed Book Z, Page 249).

LOT #7:Assigned to William E. Brassell, who lived in DeKalb County. On 22 October 1907, William gave his lot to Amanda Cox (Registered in Putnam County, TN Deed Book Z, Page 248). On 22 November 1907, Mary and the remaining heirs relinquished their claim to this lot and deeded it to Amanda (Registered in Putnam County, TN Deed Book Z, Page 249).

LOT #8:Assigned to Zachary T. "Zack" Brassell, who lived in Simpson County, Kentucky. Zack died between 1 December 1905 and 22 November 1907 in Simpson County, Kentucky. Zack's heirs were his two sons George and Charlie Brassell. On 2 November 1907, Charlie and George gave their lot to Amanda Cox (Registered in Putnam County, TN Deed Book Z, Page 248).