Early Settlers of South Cheatham County (Davidson County pre-1856)
John Peter Pegram
John Peter Pegram
A biographical sketch of John Peter Pegram containing historical and genealogical information on many of the early families to settle this area of Southern Cheatham County.
The following information is from "Some Middle Tennessee Pegram's and Their Ancestors" by Dorothy Pegram Roland.
On December 3, 1838, he purchased seventy acres of land from Joseph S._____ , on Harpeth River. He was only twenty years old at the time. He married Pernina Emily (Nina) Ussery, August 22, 1841, in Davidson County, Tennessee, daughter of Maston and Elizabeth (Fowler) Ussery, who were from Muddy Branch, Tennessee. The Fowlers had come to Cheatham County from North Carolina, around 1800. Maston (Mastin) was born in 1800, in North Carolina. He and Elizabeth had married September 17, 1818. She was born in 1803.
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| Pernina Ussery Pegram, wife of John Peter |
On February 12, 1842, he received a tract of land on Harpeth River from his father. He built a two room and loft home, on what is now, Thompson Road, which still stands. On January 2, 1847, he acquired more land, two hundred and eighty and one half acres, from his father as part of his inheritance. This land was located in the Thompson Road area of, what is now, the town of Pegram, and lay on both sides of the Harpeth River.
John Peter was a farmer and became an extensive land owner in the Pegram, Tennessee area and elsewhere. On January 2, 1847, he was given more land, two hundred and eighty and one half acres, as part of his inheritance from his father, George Scott Pegram, Junior. By 1865, John Peter owned thirteen hundred and fifty acres of land in, what is now, Pegram.
(Click on the image below to enlarge and zoom in)
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| 1860 United States Census |
On August 23, 1865, John P. Pegram acquired land on Whites Creek Pike, in Davidson County, from Thomas J. Cole. On January 12, 1867 he obtained more land on Whites Creek Pike, from James A. Stewart. January 18, 1867, he bought lots on Smiley Street, in Davidson County. John Peter died May 24, 1867 at the age of forty-nine of "stomach trouble." He left the above mentioned Barclift tract of land to his daughter, Elizabeth, and the two hundred and eighty and one half acres in the Thompson Road area to his son, William Mastin. He divided his other land between his wife and children, but stipulated that at his wife, Pernina's death, or remarriage, her land would go back to their children.
He willed a one hundred acre tract of land to a nephew, William James Pegram, son of his deceased brother, Thomas Isles. This property bordered Joseph Kellam's and Benjamin Woodward's land. At the time of his death, he owned a general store on what is now, Thompson Road, in Pegram. His daughter, Bettie (Pegram) Walkup was clerking in it. He willed her four hundred dollars out of the proceeds of the store. He appointed Pernina and his son, Mastin, executrix, and executor, respectively, of his will. (John Peter Pegram's will is shown below)
At his death, he also owned four lots in the town of Edgefield. Edgefield was incorporated by the city of Nashville, and is now part of East Nashville. It is one of the older sections of the city, and is in the process of restoration by new owners of the property. These lots he willed to Pernina, with the above stipulation, that if she died or remarried the property would go back to their children. John Peter's son, John James, was left the land that is now part of the Anderson farm. He left Lydia (Pegram) Holt, his daughter, a tract of land in the Thompson Road area, also.
Janurary 20, 1868, Pernina, acting as executrix of her husband's will executed the transfer of two tracts of land in what is now, Pegram, totaling two hundred and eighty and one half acres, to their son, William Mastin Pegram. The first tract of seventy-nine and one half acres, bordered land belonging to his uncle, Roger Pegram, on the east Benjamin Woodward's on the west, and William Kellam's land on the north, and ran on to the Harpeth River. The second tract joined his brother's land, on the northeast corner, then ran south with his sister, Lydia Ann Holt's east boundary, on to Harpeth River, then south to the road. Part of this land later became the Greer-Graves Subdivision.
On the same date, Pernina, according to the directions in her husband's will, executed a deed to their daughter, Lydia Ann (Pegram) Holt, for a seventy-nine and one half acre tract which bordered a corner of John James's property, the Harpeth River, her brother William Mastin's corner, and Benjamin Woodard's south boundary." She also deeded her a tract containing one hundred and thirty-eight acres, which bordered the Kellam Road.
John Peter is buried in the family graveyard, near his old home, between Thompson Road and Carol Drive. (see my other blog post titled Pegram Post Office History for photos of this cemetery)
The burial place of Pernina is not known. Ellen, buried here, was the first wife of William Mastin. Mastin is buried by his second wife, Martha Ann (Cato) Williams, in Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Section 16, in Nashville, Davidson County.
After the death of John Peter Pegram, Pernina married Joseph H. Mays on August 28, 1870 in Davidson Co., Tennessee. She died in 1878 of complications from a hip fracture. She was riding horseback, side saddle, to visit her son, John James, and his family. The horse shied at the Harpeth River Gate, and she fell off, breaking her hip.
(Click on the photo below to enlarge & zoom in)
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The will of John Peter Pegram, dated 1867 |
Image of the US Census found on Ancestry.com
Image of John Peter Pegram original Last Will and Testament:
Ancestry.com. Tennessee, Wills and Probate Records, 1779-2008
Original data: Tennessee County, District and Probate Courts.
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