John Moon of Sevier County TN b. Oct 29 1774 d. before 1837

I've been building an online tree for the Moon family on Ancestry.com and going through all of the info I've accumulated on each person as I enter them into the tree.  It is really helpful to see it in a time line fashion.  As I waded through the references I've found to "John Moon" from Sevier County TN during his life time, I begin to wonder how many different John Moons there might be.

I know that my John Moon was born October 29, 1774 because of information from the Sharp Collection at the McClung library in Knoxville.  One of John's nephews, William Harvey Moon (son of Jonas Moon), wrote a letter to his brother Thomas J. Moon giving birth and death dates of their grandfather, father, uncles and aunts.  This letter was transcribed and is in the Moon folder of the Sharp Collection.

John Moon signed a 1799 petition of Sevier Countians to the TN legislature.  My John would have been 25 years old.  This could be him.

In 1803 there is a reference to John Moon owing taxes on 100 acres of land in Sevier County.  Not sure if this is my John or not.   His father William received a land grant in 1808, but not sure if John himself owned any land at this time.

In 1807 a John is listed as a member of the Forks of the Little Pigeon Baptist Church, along with Jonas (his brother), Lydia (Jonas's wife), Nathaniel Moon, Saffire Moon (possibly his mother Sophie), and Susanna Moon (his wife).  I am pretty sure this is the same John described in the letter.  In 1825 the church minutes related a dispute being settled between brothers John and Jonas Moon over their deceased father's estate.

However, other references to John Moon in the same church minutes are confusing.  In January 1826 the church granted John Moon liberty to preach.  In February 1826 John Moon and his wife Polly were granted a letter of dismission.  And in October 1826 the church granted John Moon leave to preach the gospel "where so ever his lot may be cast."  First, the wife's name is given as Polly and not Susannah.  And the dismission implies they were leaving this church, perhaps to go preach elsewhere.  Is this a different John Moon from the brother of Jonas?  Perhaps John's son, John Jr?  Is this the John Moon who married Perlina Haggard and moved to Missouri that other researchers are tracing back to Sevier County?

Next, John Moon receives a land grant in 1827 adjoining the land his father was granted.  This doesn't sound like someone getting ready to leave the area.

John Moon is listed in the 1830 census for Sevier County.  There is also a John Jr and a William Moon listed in Sevier County who are about the same age, married with small children.  I assume these to be John's sons.


By 1837, I believe John Moon b. 1774 has died.  The tax list for the 4th district lists Susannah (his wife) and William (his son).  Another John Moon is listed in the ninth district, perhaps John Jr.

Going backward a bit, in 1813 John Moon signed another petition to the TN legislature. This is most likely John b. 1774.

In 1820 the Manufacturers census lists a John Moon in Sevier County operating a still.  John b. 1774 would be about 46.  John Jr. would 15-20 years old maybe.  Or is this another John?

There is a Jasper Moon who received an early TN land grant on Flat Creek.  The minutes of Bethel Church, which I believe is near Flat Creek, has references in 1825-1827 to both a Jasper and John Moon.  This seems to be a third John Moon.