She was named for the wife of Jesse Cross (father of "Black" Will and Jacob Cross), who was a prominent man in Sullivan County. He represented the county in the legislature.
Nancy married John Masengill, Sr. about 1840. John was born in September, 1816 in Sullivan County. His parents were Henry (Hal) Massengill and Elizabeth Emmert. He had been married before to Mary Scott who died a few months after their marriage.
John and Nancy lived in Piney Flats, Tennessee where John farmed and was frequently a deputy sheriff.
Nancy and John's children:
were James F. (Felty) Massengill (1841),
George Massengill (1842, died age 16),
Elizabeth Massengill (1843, died age 18), John David Massengill (1844, married Josephine Evans).
After Nancy died, her children were placed among the relatives. John was raised by his Grandmother, Catherine Smith and Aunt, Elizabeth Deck. Elizabeth was sent to Deborah Masengill Banner in Jefferson County, Tennessee. Elizabeth died in 1861 when she was 18. George died when he was 16 of diphtheria.
According to Samuel Massengill during the civil war, Felty was in Gammon's Company 19th Tennessee Infantry. He died of fever in camp at Iuka, Tishomingo, County, Mississippi before the battle of Shiloh. John David was a private in Company B of the 4th Tennessee Cavalry. Massengil recounted:
His brother John D. Masengill, who was a member of the 4th Tennessee Cavalry, C.S.A., was also in that section and heard of the serious illness of his brother. On account of the impending battle he could not get leave of absence but for sufficient time to be with him but an hour or two. He thought that he recognized him. Felty died a short while afterward and left no issue.
After the battle John D. again procured a pass to visit Felty, but found that he had died, and had been buried at Iuka with many other Confederate soldiers.
John Massengill married for a third time after the Civil War. He married Mary Jane Colbaugh. Mary was born in 1825 in Piney Flats and was the daughter of John Colbaugh.
John and Mary Jane's children included:
Debora Lucinda Massengill (1855, married Luke Sylvester Bayless and William Allen Massengill), and
Hiram Alexander Massengill (1866, married Kitty Ellen Shell).
Mary Jane died June 20, 1909 and was buried in the Massengill Cemetery.
John D. Massengill died on January 8, 1919 and is buried in the Blountville cemetery.
Sullivan County is in far northeast corner of Tennessee between North Carolina and Virginia and was originally part of those states. It was formed in 1779 when it was divided from Washington County.
Diphtheria is a serious contagious respiratory illness where a membrane attaches to the tonsils, pharynx, or nasal cavity. Diphtheria can lead to loss of motor control and sensation. Pertussis is also contagious and was known as whooping cough. It starts with a mild respiratory infection and the coughing develops into uncontrollable fits followed by a high-pitched "whoop" sound as the patient struggles to breathe. Tetanus was also called lockjaw and occurs when wounds are contaminated. As the infection progresses, muscle spasms develop in the jaw as well as other parts of the body.
The Confederate States of America (CSA), also known as the Confederacy, was a government set up by southern states during the Civil War. The states who left the Union were Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia.
The Massengills, Massengales and Variants, 1472-1931 by Samuel Evans Massengill, M.D. The King Printing Company, Bristol, Tennessee, 1931.
Nancy Ann Cross Smith m. John Masengill. She was named for the wife of Jesse Cross (father of "Black" Will and Jacob Cross), who was a prominent man in Sullivan County. He represented the county in the legislature.
p. 889 Nancy (Smith) Masengill, the wife of John Masengill, Sr., died and left a young family, and the children were placed among the relatives. Father, age 5 years was taken by his grandmother, Catherine [Humphreys] Smith, and his aunt Elizebeth (Smith) Deck, and a new home was established with Simon Deck, who was of Dutch descent and an excellent man of high character.
