Stanton Pierce Family
(Photo) = link to images; (Family) = link to children and images of children

Stanton Pierce b: 03 Jan 1821 in Wayne Co., KY d: 03 Jan 1911 in Crittenden, KY
     + Mary A. Bettis b: 12 Apr 1825 in Jefferson, TN m: 15 Feb 1841 in Jefferson, TN, USA d: 04 Jul 1902 in Crittenden, KY

Children:

1.  James Perry Pierce (Photos)(Family) b: 16 Dec 1841 in Dandridge, Jefferson, TN d: 17 Jan 1916 in Marion, Crittenden, KY
+Emeline F. Rolston (Photos) b: 06 Jan 1840 in Trigg, KY m: 08 Nov 1860 in Marion, Crittenden, KY d: 21 Jul 1895 in Marion, Crittenden, KY

*2nd Wife of James Perry Pierce:
+Ella J. Cox (Photos) b: Abt. 1861 in Hopkins Co., KY m: Abt. 1898 in Crittenden Co., KY d: 10 Jul 1928 in Crittenden Co., KY

2.  Jacob Ayhart Pierce (Family) (Photos) b: 16 Dec 1842 in Jefferson, TN d: 14 Aug 1930 in Crittenden, KY
+Elvira Oliver b: 28 Dec 1845 in Trigg Co., KY m: 08 Nov 1863 in Crittenden, KY d: 15 Jan 1929 in Crittenden, KY (Pinckneyville, Livingston Co., KY Cem)

3.  Mary Jane D. Pierce b: Oct 1846 in Jefferson, TN d: Bef. 1910
+James K. P. Greenlea b: Bet. 1839 - 1843 in TN m: 05 Mar 1869 in Crittenden Co., KY d: Bef. 1900

4.  Elizabeth Frances Pierce b: Abt. 1846 in Jefferson, TN d: Bef. 1860

5.  George Washington Pierce (Photos)(Family)b: Oct 1854 in Jefferson, TN d: Aft. 1930 in September 30, 1943
+Sarah J. Taber b: 10 Sep 1857 in Crittenden Co., Kentucky m: 28 Dec 1876 in Crittenden Co., KY d: 04 May 1911 in Paducah, McCracken, KY

     Stanton Pierce was born in Russell Co., KY, where his father was probably a farmer. His father had died by 14 Dec 1840, when the will of his grandfather mentions the heirs of Jeremiah Pierce. At this date, he was probably already located in Jefferson Co., TN, since he married Mary A. Bettis there in 1841. He might have been apprenticed to Andrew Gass, a local blacksmith, since Stanton is listed as a blacksmith in the 1850 census. Andrew Gass, a Baptist lay-minister, married the young couple.

     It seems odd that Stanton would leave most of his kin in Russell Co., KY to move to Jefferson Co., TN as a 20 year-old.
-There are other Pierces were in this area earlier - were they cousins or uncles? No, they are actually no relation, being haplotype R1B1, whereas Stanton's line is I1a.
-There is a Stephen Hall is in Jefferson Co., TN by 1840, and in the 1850 census, Stanton's sister Mary (Polly) is in the Stephen Hall household.  It is hypothesized that  Stephen Hall is the brother of Stanton's mother, Jane (Hall) Pierce.  Stephen is a saddler, and could have known that Andrew Gass needed an apprentice blacksmith.
-Stanton's mother remarried on Jan 15, 1844 in Jefferson Co., TN to Andrew Blackburn McFarland (1792-1873).  She lived there until McFarland's death, then came to Crittenden Co., KY with Stanton.

After about 20 years in Jefferson Co., TN, Stanton & family moved in about 1860 to Crittenden Co., KY, where his brother-in-law Jacob W. Bettis had already located by at least 1857.


 

047 Four Generations,  c.1900

Thanks to information from Michael Pierce, these gentlemen can be firmly identified.  On the far right is Stanton Pierce.  His son, Jacob Ayhart Pierce is on the left.  His grandson, Willis Champion Pierce, is in the middle, holding his great-grandson, Willis Conway Pierce.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

049 Stanton F. Pierce and Mary (Bettis) Pierce, c.1900

This is a cabinet photo having a Stewart & Garrity, Marion, KY mark.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

048 Stanton F. Pierce, c.1900

A closeup from an oval, textured photo.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

005 Probably Mary A. Bettis c. 1860

This is one of the few photographs having an inscription on its back.  Strangely enough, the inscription is Anna.  But there doesn't seem to be anyone who was named Anna in the family.  Mary Bettis' middle initial is A, and so she might have been called Anna by those close to her.  The is another carte de visite, but was not toned, and now is faded and soiled.  Considerable contrast enhancement has been done just to see the shadow of an image that remains.  She leans on a professional posing chair, such as those sold by the photographic supply houses of the time, e.g., E. & H.T. Anthony.

Mary was the daughter of Eli Bettis and Dorthula (Dolly) Lewis of Jefferson Co., TN.  Eli was in the area at least by 1807, when he helped maintain a road.  The Lewis family was in TN prior to 1800.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

074  c.1894.  Standing in back, right to left: Willis Champion Pierce (1864-1941), his wife (married 1893), Jennie Peay (1869-1946), Jacob Marion Pierce (1878-1968).  Seated, right to left: Jacob Ayhart Pierce (1842-1930), his wife Elvira (Oliver) Pierce (1845-1929), and his mother, Mary (Bettis) Pierce (1825-1902).  James Boyce Pierce (1881-1954) is on the grass. 


 

074 Close-up of Mary (Bettis) Pierce c. 1894