THE VERNON FAMILY.
Among the early settlers on the Tygers in the present county of Spartanburg was Alexander Vernon, from whom has sprung a long and respectable line of posterity. He was born in Scotland January 24th, 1732, and emigrated to America when about twenty-one years of age, finally, in 1755, settling on North Tyger River at the present homestead residence of James J. Vernon. It was during this year (1755) that this section of country was thrown open to settlement by virtue of the treaty of Governor Glen with the Cherokee Indians. His wife was Margaret Chesnee, born also in Scotland. He brought with him evidences of high respectability and Christian character, both for himself and wife. On the 29th of May, 1755, he obtained a letter from the minister (Sam Brown) of his church in the parish of Tarrytown, stating that he had lived in said parish “from his infancy in an innocent and inoffensive manner in all respects”; that he had “ever been free of any public scandal or church censure,” and was “justly entitled to the privileges of any Christian society or congregation where Providence” should “order his lot,” the same beingsigned not only by his minister, but by Will Hannah and other elders. Another letter of a similar character, dated May 17th, 1760, was obtained for his wife Margaret Chesnee, and one for his brother James Vernon. The tradition in the.family is, that five years after he left his native parish in Scotland he .returned and married Margaret Chesnee. His old family Bible is yet in a state of preservation, being in the.hands of the family of Judge T. O. P. Vernon. He died at the age of 55 years, and his remains were interred in the cemetery at Nazareth Church. His will was recorded at ‘Ninety-six C. H.
Alexander and Margaret (Chesnee) Vernon had children as follows: John Vernon, "born 1758; Nancy Vernon, born 1761, married Michael Miller; Margaret Vernon, born 1763,. married David Jorden; James Vernon, born 176 5, married Margaret, daughter of James Jorden ; Mary Vernon, born 1767, married John Crawford.
Michael and Nancy (Vernon) Miller had children as follows: John V‘. Miller, born 1761; Margaret (Peggy) Miller, born 1786, married John Montgomery (see Montgomery family); Mary (Polly) Miller, born 1788, married James M. Anderson (“Tyger Jim,” see Anderson family); Hannah Miller, born 1793, married Theron Earle (see Earle family); Elizabeth (Betsy) Miller, born 1791, married David Dantzler; Henry Miller, born 1795; James V.'Miller, born 1797, married Mariah Hannon; Alexander Miller', born 1800, married Silvina Whetstone; Clarinda Miller, born 1803, married David Whetstone; and Catharine (Katy) Miller, born 1806, married Willis Benson.
The children of James and Margaret (Jorden) Vernon were as follows‘: Alexander Vernon,"bor1'i 1799, married Ann Gray; Nancy‘ Vernon, born 1802; Mary (Polly) Vernon, born 1804, married John Bomar, Jr. (see Bomar family); Jas. J. Vernon, born 1806,‘ married Ann Oeland (see sketch); John G. Vernon, born 1808, married Miss Gault; Elizabeth (Betsy) ‘Vernon, born 1810, married first Isaac Snoddy (see Snoddy family), and second Richard Ballenger; Andrew J. Vernon, first, born 1815; Andrew J. Vernon, second‘, born 1816, married Georgiana Moore; Thomas O. P. Vernon, born 1818, married Harriet Bomar (see sketch of Judge T. O. P. Vernon); and Henry Franklin Vernon, born 1822, married Letitia Blackwell.
