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June 12, 1951

Rt. 4
Sevierville, Tenn.

Mrs. Van Frazier
Franklin, North Carolina

Dear Mrs. Frazier:

I am enclosing a copy of a letter received by Joshua Nichols, my great grandfather, in 1866. He lived near Sevierville, Tenn., on the Little Pigeon river. As you will note the writer of this letter was W. T. Anderson, who was living at that time in Icon (?) County, near Franklin. Apparently, his entire family, father, mother, brothers, and sisters, had moved there from this County (Sevier) sometime previous to the Civil War; I believe between the years 1840 and 1850.

I find from Sevier County land grant records that one Mansfield Anderson entered 100 acres on Walden's Creek in this County in 1835. He is also listed as the head of a family in the Sevier County census records of 1840, but has not been found in the census records of 1850 for this County; therefore, I believe that this family migrated during this ten year period. I believe, also, that this Mansfield Anderson was the father of W. T. Anderson, the writer of the letter to Joshua Nichols, since W. T. mentioned that he had named his young son, "Mansfield," which is not a very common given name. The letter proves that the Anderson family had lived in Walden's Creek in this County, and were neighbors there of the Nichols family and that the two families were related.

Recently, I have also found that Mansfield Anderson and wife, Harriet, were members of old Eusebia Presbyterian Church, located in Blount County, which joins this County. This Church was founded about 1795 and is one of the oldest churches in this locality. The family was listed as members in 1827, and the names of the children at this time were: James W., b. Jan. 11, 1828; Hannah C., b. Jan. 11, 1825; Joseph B., b. Oct. 7, 1829; William Thomas, b. Feb. 20, 1832; Harriet, b. Sept. 1, 1833, d. Aug. 14, 1836; Robert H. S., b. March 25, 1834. These names and dates were taken from an old record book of Eusebia Church.

I have corresponded with Mrs. Reby Tessier and Mr. Fred Shope in regard to this family, which I never knew existed until I found the old letter. From Mr. Shope I have learned that Mansfield Anderson's wife was named Black, he said "Huldah" Black. This was my theory and it accounts for the relationship with my Nichols family. Joshua Nichols father was John Nichols, my great-great grandfather, and the latter's wife was Esther Black, a sister of Anderson (Huldah) Black, the wife of Mansfield Anderson. The son, Joseph B. Black, was undoubtedly named for his maternal grandfather, Joseph Black, who settled in Blount County, Tennessee, about 1790.

Joseph Black, my great-great-great grandfather, was very prominent in the early days of this State. He helped found Blount County and the town of Maryville, and served in the first Constitutional convention of Tennessee, at Knoxville, in 1796.

Do you know of the existence of a Bible record or other record of Mansfield Anderson and family? If so, I would appreciate such information. I have other data on the Black family that might interest you since I understand that you are a descendant.

Sincerely yours,

[no writer's name in the text]