Samuel Gann of Winchester Va Family

From Phyllis Horsman, 1032 River Hills Circle, Chattanooga, TN 37415 (423)756-1924 8/31/96

On 1850 Hamilton Co, TN census with parents, age 27, farmer.

From the National Archives: On 12 Sep 1864, John joined the Union Army, Co. F, 6th Tenn. Mounted Infantry. At enlistment, he was 5'1" tall and had blue eyes, dark hair and fair complexion. He served under Capt. William Hughes. They headquarted at Chattanooga, scouting the Cumberland Mountains in TN and north GA after the numerous guerrilla bands which infested the region. On 21 Jan 1865, General Steedman reported he had sent Gowin's 6th TN Mtd. Infantry toward Summerville, GA via Lafayette. Col. Gowin reported the previous night he had attacked the guerrilla leader, Gatewood, with 76 men in McLemore's Cove, killing 14, and routing the remainder with the loss of most of their horses and arms. On 11 Mar 1865, the regiment was directed to report to Major General Steedman. In April, 80 men under Major Bean were reported as part of an expedition to Dalton and Spring Place, GA, and to the Cossawattie River, lasting from April 1-4, in the course of which there were several skirmishes with guerrillas. They were employed in scouting until the surrender of the Confederate army at Greensboro, NC, and then moved to Resaca, GA where its men were employed as couriers along the railroad to Atlanta. They mustered out of Nashville 30 June 1865. In 1891 John registered as veteran (and drew a pension) at Igou's Ferry and had rheumatism.

John and Amanda were married by Henry Barker, J. P.

John's land in Hamilton Co, TN was bounded by S. M. McGill on the north, Ross Clift on the east, Igou and Painter on the south, and by Andrew and Sarah Penney and the Brymer heirs on the west. Andrew Gann said that the land is "red [?] land and that which is cleared is worn out about it and that is not cleared has no timber much on it. It was all used up, it is all [?] land... If you was to divide the land up among them it would not be worth anything, the parcels would be too small."

According to Hamilton Co., TN, Chancery Ct. Record #9604 filed 24 Oct. 1903 in response to John's estate settlement, John married Martha Stidmore ca. 1847. John's sister Mary was about six years old and remembered the wedding, the first she had ever attended. "In what house did this wedding take place?" "It was not in a house but was in a road. I expect the woman Martha was dead before he [John} and Manda was ever married." "How long did Martha Stidmore stay in that county after she married John and where did they live while they lived together?" "They lived up on the river [TN] but I can't say how long they lived together. I was very small." "Is it not a fact that John and Martha just took up together as he had with other women?" "No they did not do that." "You say Martha was a delicate woman and left soon after she married John?" "Yes, sir." Mary Gann Billings also said this wedding took place "...a way up in Soddy in Hamilton County." When asked how long Martha and John were married, she said, "Well, I could not tell you that but not very long. I was little and did not pay no attention to it." With regard to what became of Martha, Mary said, "Sir, I don't know. She went West. I never heard of her after she left here." She also noted that John and Martha married in the fall, and Martha left him the next spring.

At his death, John's personal property consisted of about $600 on deposit at First National Bank, Chattanooga; a few household and kitchen goods; a note of $75 on Gilbert Smith; a few hogs, a cow and a calf. His real estate consisted of about 100 acres. This land sold for $250 at auction, 21 August 1905 to W. R. "Rich" Higgins, sold subject to the dower rights of Amanda Gann. Russ and Richard Gann received the dower rights and divested them to the purchaser. John's intent had been for his estate to be given to his wife, his brothers and sisters, and their descendants, as he had no children of his own, that we know about.