OLD HOMES AND FAMILIES IN NOTTOWAY
By W. R. TurnerTranscribed by Thomas Walter Duda
ELEVEN OAKS, also known as Robertson's Tavern, was situated just on the
outskirts of Crewe, on the old road to Nottoway Court House. John
Robertson, whose wife was Sarah Jennings, daughter of William Jennings of
Jennings Ordinary, was the first Robertson to live here of whom we have any
record. His son, William Archer I, known as "Lame Archer", next lived here,
whose wife was Nancy Knight. Their children were,[page 76]
Eliza; Martha, who married Major Hezekiah Anderson; John Archer, of Rock
Castle; James, Mary, Malloy and William Archer II. William Archer Robertson
II married Eliza Davis, daughter of Dr. John Davis and Eliza Durant of
Violet Bank, near Petersburg, and lived at Eleven Oaks until the house was
burned by Yankee soldiers, during the latter part of the war. He then moved
to Hollywood across the road from Eleven Oaks. His son, William Archer III
married Elizabeth Henry Southall, and lived at Nottoway Court House until
his death.
From "Pioneers of Wiregrass Georgia", Volume 1, Hubard
Thompson Harris was born 1784 in North Carolina. He moved to Georgia about 1800. It is not clear if his parents came with him. Thompson had a brother, Hampton and a sister, Frances called Fannie.Thompson married Nancy Ursey about 1808 in Burke Co., GA. After her death in the 1840s, he remained a widower until about 1855. He then married Mrs. Lavina West, a widow lady whose daughter of the same name married Thompson's son Hampton. Mrs. Lavina West Harris was born about 1816 in GA. Thompson and Lavina had no children.
It appears Thompson and family lived several years in Laurens Co., GA prior to 1825 when they moved to Appling Co., GA. After living in Appling Co. for about 20 years, Thompson along with sons William, George, and Stogner and son-in-law Joseph L Morgan moved to Lowndes Co., GA and settled on the east side of the Alapha River in the present Stockton Dist. of Lanier Co. In 1850 they were cut into the new Clinch Co. out of Lowndes Co. A few years later Thompson returned to Appling Co, where he spent his last years, dying about 1866.
Thompson was a skilled chairmaker and was also skilled in making many household items and farm tools, harness, wagons, and carts. His reputation along these lines was well know for miles.
Children are listed as they are listed in "Pioneers of Wiregrass Georgia"
According to "Pioneers of Wiregrass Georgia", Lavina was a Mrs. West when she married Thompson Harris with a daughter of the same name who married Thompson's son Hampton.