Washington County, Tennessee,was established in 1777 as Washington County, North Carolina. From 1784 to 1788,it was part of the State of Franklin.
John Cole was born about 1810.
He married Catharine Malone. Their children included:
William Paton Cole (1830, married Lizzie Smith),
Solomon Cole (1833, married Mary Cox),
George Cole (1834),
Mary Cole (1838, married George Washington Humphreys son of Nathaniel Humphreys),
John Cole. Jr. (1841),
Frances M. Cole (1844),
Harriet L. Cole (1846),
Martha Cole Lilly (1848, married John Lilly), and
Elkanah Cole (1848).
Know all men by these presents: that I John Cole of the county of Sullivan and the state of Tennessee do make this my last will and testament. First – that my wife Catherine Cole shall be taken care of and supported during her life time by Elkanah and Francis M. Cole my two youngest sons, and after the death of my wife Catherine Cole
it is my will and desire that my land on which I now live containing 56 acres more or less shall be equally divided between my two youngest sons, Elkanah Cole and Francis M. Cole.
And further it is my will that my wife shall have and hold for her own use all my personal property and all my stock during her life time and at her death the personal property and stock to be sold and divided equally between my sons William P. Cole, Solomon Cole, and George Cole and the heirs of John Cole Jr. deceased and the children and heirs of Mary Humphrey and Martha Lilly wife of John Lilly.
The above I declare to be my will: whereunto I have affixed my signature this 27th day of February 1875.
The American folk hero, David "Davy" Crockett (1786 – 1836), grew up in East Tennessee.
