Eighth Generation

214. TABBERT TALBERT III was born in 1756. He lived in Watauga Settlement, North Carolina, BCA in 1773. The Watauga Settlement was the first community established in North Carolina's western frontier and holds the distinction of being perhaps the first American settlement west of the Appalachian Mountains. In the mid-1700s a mixture of English, Highland Scot, and Scotch-Irish pioneers came to the Watauga River Valley, bringing with them a strong sense of self-reliance and a fierce desire for self-government. In fact, these hardy settlers temporarily established one of the first self-governing political bodies to emerge in the American colonies. The settlers' energetic ability to defend their territory helped maintain the integrity of North Carolina's western border during the revolutionary period and advanced the cause of European settlement in the mountainous regions.

An enterprising Virginian named William Bean was the first recorded traveler to the Watauga area. Others followed his lead, among them Daniel Boone, who reputedly killed a bear in the vicinity. Political unrest in the Piedmont, including the Regulator Movement, brought an infusion of immigrants to the mountains. The nature of this migration led British colonial authorities to issue royal edicts forbidding settlement of the western lands by "absconded debtors, indentured servants, and outlaws," or "overmountain people," as they were generally called. Bean and James Robertson, who had come from Orange County in 1770, were not to be undone, however, and shrewdly began negotiations with the local Cherokee tribes to lease the land they had settled. Thus, in 1772 was born the Watauga Association, an independent political entity that constructed its own laws and enforced them by its own court system. Many historians have hailed this as a milestone event in American history, representing a pioneering effort at establishing self-government.
In early American History it was generally the "Indian Traders" who were the first to penetrate the Indian Country. Julius DUGGER and Andrew GREER have been awarded the honor of being the first white men to settle in the Watauga Country. They are said to have been about three miles above the present town of Elizabethton, and Dugger's not far from what was long called "Dugger's Bridge". Col. James ROBERTSON came across the mountains about 1770, from North Carolina; Valentine SEVIER, Sr. from up in the Valley of Virignia abou tthe same time, and Col. John CARTER in 1770-71.

These men were followed in a very short time by other settlers who found their way down into this then unknown country; Simon BUNDY, Matthew TALBOT, Baptist McNABB, Charles ROBERTSON, Michael HYDER, James EDENS, Thomas GOURLEY, William BOYD, Joseph HYDER, Col. John TIPTON, and Samuel TIPTON and other sons, including Isaac and Thomas; Edmund WILLIAMS , Johnathan and David PUGH, Isaac, Andrew, Abner and Nathaniel TAYLOR, Peter, John and Henry NEVE and John S. THOMAS and others. These men left their establised homes for the American wilderness and established the most remarkable government known to white people of the civilized world at the time - the Free Settlement of Watauga.

The Watauga Settlement was actually an independent state
In a 1774 letter to his superiors, Lord Dunmore said, after being advised of what had taken place on the Watauga, that the people there had, "to all intents and purposes erecte d themselves into, though an inconsiderable, yet a seperate State."

This was the status openly assumed by these adventurous but determined pioneers, when in the early part of 1772, they formed what they called an "Association", drew up Article s relating to their own government & established rules and regulations designed to make their own self-government a fact and not a theory, appointing officers and courts and constabulary necessary for that purpose.

This action in fact brought into full force and effect the first written constitution ever adopted by a community of American-born Freemen.

The organization of this "seperate state" on the Watauga, was born of necessity, since they found themselves beyond the reach and protection of any other government or state, or its administrative powers.

Control of the Watauga Settlement
To what State or Government did these pioneers owe allegiance? They did not know. In fact since no official boundary lines were darwn and no surveys made even the Governor of Vi rginia did not know who had control over the territory on the Watauga. The Governor of Virginia erroneously issued grants and patents to land that North Carolina had claimed but had not surveyed. No one was interested in the rugged pioneers who crossed the mountains and they were left to fend for themselves.

If the Watauga residents needed protection they had to furn ish it themselves because Virginia, North Carolina and the British Isles didn't care. Needing some form of government they formed their own in their own way and according to their own ideas. Thus they met and erected themselves into an inconsiderable, and yet a seperate State.

The First Watauga Government
The "Articles of Association" drawn up and adopted by the settlers of the new State in 1772 have long ago been lost. Their preceedings have not been preserved. But it is known that they proceeded to the election of thirteen "Commissioners" and those commissioners were:
One of the first settlers on Gap Creek was Simon BUNDY, who settled about 2880 below Clark's Spring. Henry LYLE received one of the first land patents on the east bank of Gap Creek in 1776. Matthew Talbot, Sr., a pioneer Baptist preacher from Virginia, was also an early settler here and built the first grist mill on Gap Creek about 1775. His son, Matthew TALBOT, Jr., who removed to Georgia, became one of the first governors of that state. Another son, Thomas TALBOTT, was one of the first sherifs of Washington County, then North Carolina, in 1783. He died in 1804 at the age of 48. Signed a will on 14 August 1804Description. The Last Will and Testament of
Matthew Talbot (III)

In the Name of God Amen

I Matthew Talbot of Davidson County State of Tennessee, bei ng in a low state of health but Sound mind and Memory; do m ake and Ordain this my last will and Testament.

First of all it is my will and desire that after my death m y Executors Expose to Sale all my landed property giving th ree years credit for the payment of the money taking bond s with good security if not punctually paid to bear Interes t from this date also to make sale in the like manner of al l my Stock and Household furniture except two beds a tabl e and some Chairs Also four horses at the discretion of M y executors all of which reserved property I give to my wif e Jane over and above her Common Share.

My Negroes Damon Isaac Grace and Amy to be hired or sold a s my Executors may think proper.

It is my will and desire that my Estate both Real and perso nal be Equally Divided between my wife Jane and my six chil dren (to wit) John Talbot, Matilda Talbot, Sarah Talbot, Ch ristianah Talbot, Permelia Talbot and Leticia Talbot. Bu t it is to be understood that my son John has Reserved a pi ece or parsel of land which I heretofore? deeded to him whi ch I request & it is my will that my Executors to Value an d be considered so much of his share as the Case may be acc ording to the Amount of My estate -- My wife Jane to have t he use of the plantation where Dooly lived and which I deed ed to John Talbot until shall come of age -- I do hereby co nstitute and appoint my Brother Thomas Talbot David Mc Gano ck and Robert Weakley my executors to this my last will an d Testament.

In witness whereof I Matthew Talbot do hereunto set my han d and Seal this 14th August 1804

In presents of M T (seal)
Asa Green
John McCormick
Thomas Talbot

The Execution of which Last will and Testament was in Cour t held for this County of Davidson October Session 1804 Per suant to the Act and [Will?] of the said Matthew Talbot b y the Oath of John McCormack and Subscribing Witness theret o. And the Executors Above named were Also Qualified at th e same Session of October 1804.

[Copied from the original will in the Metropolitan Nashvill e/Davidson County Archives, and from the Will book entry th ere contained in Roll no. 305-1. Book Dv Co Will Book 2, pa ge 394-MWTalbot] Jane QUARLES and TABBERT TALBERT III were married in 1792 in Campbell County, Virginia, USA.⁹⁶

215. Jane QUARLES was born in 1761. She died in 1811 at the age of 50.

Children were: