Martha Philips

Martha Philips, who was born about 1758 in Edgecombe County NC, is the
daughter of Joseph Philips who was born 6 November 1726 in Surry County VA
and died in Edgecombe County NC about 6 November 1779.

She is the same Martha who married Joseph John Sumner about December 1779
and bore Joseph John Sumner Jr. who was born 14 August 1780.

After bearing eight children, Joseph John Sumner died about December 1793 and
she moved to near Nashville TN with some or all of her children to be near her
brothers, Joseph and Benjamin Philips.

She married Simon Williams near Nashville TN on 11 December 1803.

When her son John Joseph Sumner drowned in Louisiana in 1813 his body was
returned to TN and buried in the family cemetery at Sylvan Hall on the plantation
of her brother Joseph Philips about six miles north of Nashville.

Martha Williams wrote her will after 17 April 1855 and named three Sumner
grand-children, two Sumner executors, and the will was attested to by William
Duncan Philips, the only son of Martha’s brother, Joseph Philips, who was
deceased by that time.

If you have a subscription to Ancestry.com you can access Joseph Philips will
which was dated November 6, 1779, a section of which appears below.
http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/20249235/person/919490523/story/04ef06c0-cbff-
413f-8617-d99c41c04d20?src=search

You can also read this same information on my web page at

http://www.lfeldhaus.com/philipsfamily/id28.html

Joseph’s will contained the following for his daughter Martha “To his dauther
Martha, he left a negro girl and other property as described for Sarah, as well as a
horse, saddle, bridle, furniture, 2 cows, calves, 3 ewes and lambs, 2 sows and
pigs, 10 bbl or corn, also on her wedding day or when she turned 21.”

It is on this basis that the genealogist at DAR claims Martha, daughter of Joseph
Philips, could not be the same Martha who is the husband of Joseph James
Sumner as she was single when her father’s will was written on 6 November 1779
and Martha Sumner’s son Joseph John Sumner was born in 1778.

However, that is not the correct birth date of Joseph John Sumner. According to
his tombstone in the Sylvan Hall Cemetery in Nashville TN he was born 14 August
1780. That is almost 10 months after Joseph Philip’s will was written and time for
her to marry and carry a child for nine months.

I have been told that a Joseph Sumner witnessed the will of Martha’s father,
Joseph Philips, when he wrote it on 6 November 1779. If so, this would be further
proof of a close relationship between the two families.

The following story details the drowning of Joseph John Sumner, the son of
Martha Philips and Joseph John Sumner in Louisiana in 1813. I have excerpted
the part of Martha Philips story that deals with his death. Notice that she doesn’t
say that the three Sumner brothers are sons of her aunt Martha Sumner, she
does say they are “connections of mine” and because two of them ended up in
the Sylvan Hall cemetery on her father’s plantation, it’s likely that they are close
relatives.

http://www.lfeldhaus.com/philipsfamily/id27.html

The following was written by Martha Philips to record some of the history of her
life. Even though she was born into a wealthy family and married well, she lived a
strenuous life.
Reminiscences of a Pioneer in Louisiana

“The country was settled by French, Spaniards, and Indians principally, when we
went there. Very soon many from Kentucky, Tennessee, and Mississippi came
and purchased. Having plenty made quite a favorable change In our Bayou. Three
or four Irish families living near us, Mr. Martin gave the place the name of Irish
Bend, and it goes by that name today. Three brothers by the name of Sumner
from Tennessee (connections of mine) purchased a large plantation very near
ours the year after our arrival, also Dr. Henning from Nashville, which greatly
added to our society and the appearance of things in general. Our communication
with New Orleans was by small schooners, passing across Berwick Bay and up
the Lafourche to the Mississippi seventy-five miles above the city. We lived ten
miles from the Gulf and two from Grand Lake. Being just between them we always
had a fine breeze. By sending to the Bay we got oysters in abundance. Game of
all kinds was numerous and fish -- nothing to do but throw your line in the Bayou.
The red fish we often got from the Indians, and they were superior to any other.
They often brought us game......................

During our stay in Louisiana we raised cotton, sugar, corn, and, rice, which all
grew to perfection, finding a market in New Orleans for all we could make. Two
years after our arrival we were blessed by the birth of a little girl, whom I called
Jane. Of course we thought her beautiful and lovely, as all mothers are alike in
that respect.
During the War the planters often could not obtain certain articles that were
necessary for them to have. Mr. Martin, Mr. Sumner, Mr. Patten, Mr. Caffery and.
others concluded to take a schooner and go where they had heard they could
obtain those things. They purchased what they required and were returning
home. The second night a terrible storm came on. They dropped anchor and
remained until daylight. The pilot thought they might set sail with safety, but very
soon they found the vessel sinking. They threw a portion of iron out but still they
found there was no hope of saving it. Having a yawl and. being only half a mile
from land, all got in except three or four. Mr. Sumner, Mr. Patten, the pilot, and a
servant of ours remained on the vessel, a part of it being out of water. After
getting on the beach, Mr. Caffery and one of the sailors returned, and found Mr.
Sumner, his arms around a plank, drowned. Mr. Patten and, the pilot were not to
be found. The servant was hanging on the mast perfectly insensible. They were
brought ashore and Mr. Sumner was buried on the Island. The boy recovered.
They were all left ashore without any provisions and had only a small yawl in
which to get home............................

It was several days before they reached home. My husband had lost his hat when
leaving the sinking vessel and Lafitte had supplied him with a cap and cape
attached, which was very acceptable in December. Mrs. Sumner, my next
neighbor was with me the evening before they arrived home. We were fearful
some accident had happened, as they were gone much longer than we expected.
It came soon indeed for her. I never witnessed greater grief and sorrow. Long did
she moan for her dear husband. She was the mother of two little boys. His
brother sent for his remains which were brought and buried at his home in 1813.”

The young Joseph John Sumners who drowned in 1813 in the story above was
brought back to Nashville and buried in the Sylvan Hall cemetery on the Joseph
Philips plantation six miles north of Nashville. The cemetery is still there and on
my web page http://www.lfeldhaus.com/philipsfamily/id23.html I have many
details about the cemetery, including an analysis of the various records that exist
as to the headstones in the cemetery, many of which are now difficult to read or
missing.

Following is what is available on this Joseph John Sumner who drowned in

Louisiana. His son, William Henry Sumner, and his brother, John Hudson
Sumner, are both buried in this same cemetery. These are the only Sumners
buried in this cemetery. Why else would they be buried here if they were not the
descendants of Martha Philips Sumner? All of the others buried here are close
family members.

Notice Joseph John Sumner’s birth date is shown by Source 1 as Aug. 14, 1780.
Source 1 is “From the Tennessee Records, Tombstone Inscriptions and
Manuscripts,Historical and Biographical, Volume 1, by Jeannette T. Acklen,
Nashville” which was first published in 1931 and is the oldest record I have of the
inscriptions in the Sylvan Hall Cemetery. You can read this book on Google
Books at

http://books.google.com/books?id=QfcnbIEcKHEC&lpg=PA170&ots=dO5CPwdZ
9P&dq=sylvan%20hall%20inscriptions&pg=PA170#v=onepage&q=sylvan%20hal l
%20inscriptions&f=false2

“Source 1 - 1931: Beneath this inscription lies the unfortunate Joseph John
Sumner who was born Aug.14, 1780, and perished in the Gulf of Mexico on the
morning of Dec. 28, 1813. Oh! Gulf of Mexico, why hast thou thus deprived us of
this our most affectionate friend. As the --- of spring fadeth away the leaves, etc.,
etc. Date

Source 2 - Unknown: Beneath this inscription lies the unfortunate Joseph John
Sumner who was born August 14, 1780 and perished in the Gulf of Mexico on the
Morning of December 28, 1813 ...."

Source 3 - 2000: SUMNER Front inscription: (BENEATH?) THIS INSCRIPTION

LIES THE UNFORTUNATE/JOSEPH JOHN SUMNER/ WHO WAS BORN AUGUST
THE 14TH, 17(8?)0 AND PERISHED IN THE GULF OF MEXICO/ ON THE MORNING
OF THE 28TH OFDECEMBER 1813/ OH! GULF OF MEXICO, WHY HAS THOU
THUS/ DEPRIVED US OF THIS OUR MOST AFFECTIONATE/ FRIEND/ AS THE
HERBACE OF SPRINGFADETH AWAY,/ THE LEAVES OF AUTUMN WITHER AND
DIE/ SO HAS THOU INLIKE MANNER/ CUT SHORT OUR HOPES AND BLASTED
OUR/ EXPECTATIONS INTHE DEATH OF THIS WORTHY MAN./WILLIAM HENRY/
SUMNER/ SON OF/ THEABOVE, SEPT. 24, 1813-JUNE 30, 1816

Source 5 – 2001: (Beneath?) this inscription lies the William H.)

unfortunate/JOSEPH JOHNSUMNER/who was born August the 14th, 17(8?)0 and
perished in the Gulf of Mexico/on the morning of the 28th of December 1813/ Oh!
Gulf.of Mexico, why has thou thus/deprived us of this our most
affecionate/friend/as the herbace of spring fadethaway./The eaves of Autumn
wither and die/so has thou in like manner /cut short our hopes and blasted our/
expectations in the death of this worthy man./WILLIAMHENRY/SUMNER/son of
the above was born William H. September/the 24th 1813and died June the 30th
1816/My little babe close to my (left?) doth he/Entombd without a mournful sigh:
Thus may you living Mortal see:/that all men were born to die.  (largeslab which
has fallen)”

The will of Martha Williams is available on the following web site and names three
granddaughters named Sumners, two executors named Sumners, and is attested
to by William D. Philips who is the only son Martha Philips’ brother, Joseph
Philips.
In addition, the fact that a Sumner family member had Martha Williams original
will indicates she had a close connection to the Sumner family and reinforces the
argument that she was the one who was first married to Joseph John Sumner.

http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~tnsumner/sumn4.htm

“When Sarah Catharine (Parks) Sumner, wife of James Exum Sumner Sr., died
she left her old trunk to Emmett Sumner who later moved to Amarillo, Texas. The
old trunk was full of old letters and papers dating back to the 1800s. I will always
be grateful to Emmett for sharing these old letters with me. From them I was able
to glean the names of James Exum's brothers and sisters and it gave me a good
foundation on which to build the Sumner family tree.

Contained in the old trunk was the original will of Martha Philips-Sumner-Williams

Last Will and Testament of

MARTHA WILLIAMS
The last will and testament of Martha Williams in the name of God Amen!

I, Martha Williams of the County of Davidson and State of Tennessee being in a

low state of health but of a sound mind and disposing memory do make and
publish this as my last will and testament revoking all others by me heretofore
made, Vis1st. It is my will that all my just debts and burial expenses including an
enclosure around my grave and such other things as may be deemed proper and
necessary about the same be first paid out of any monies that I may leave or out
of the first that shall come to the hands of my executors

2nd. It is my will that all my land together with my stock of every kind, my
household and kitchen furniture and farming utensils and crop of every kind that I
may leave on hand be sold by my executors on such terms as they may deem
best and the proceeds to be equally divided among all my grandchildren share
and share alike.

3rd. I will to my grandson Jacob S. Sumner the following slaves, viz--Aaron,

Daniel, Nancy and Sally and their future increase now in his possession..

4th. I will to my grandson James E. Sumner the following slaves viz--Henry, Anna,
Harriet and Nelson and their increase now in his possession.

5th. I will to my grand daughter Eliza P. Sumner the following slaves viz--Patty,
Anthony, son of Patty, John, Levi and Frank and their increase now in her
possession and also Mose now in my possession for and during her natural life
and at her death to her children if she shall leave any, but if she shall leave none
of the said slaves are to go to her brothers and sisters of their lawful heirs
6th. I will to my grand daughter Martha Ann Lanier, my slaves Celia, Ben, Sam
and Jessie and their increase now in her possession and also Edna and increase
now in my possession for and during her natural life and at her death to her
children and in case she dies without children the same is to go to her brothers
and sisters or their lawful heirs—

7th. I will to Grand daughter Jane Love the following Slaves viz Judy, Biddy,
Pompey, Henry and Randall now in her possession and their increase and also
Milberry now in her possession and their increase and also Milberry now in my
possession and increase for and during her natural life and at her death to her
children and if she shall die without children then the same is to go to her
brothers and sisters and their lawful heirs.

8th. I will to my Grand daughter Maria Hinton, my slaves Sterling and Betsy now
in her possession and their increase and also Ellen now in my possession and
increase for and during her natural life and at her death to her children and if she
shall leave no children then to her brothers and sisters or their lawful heirs

9th. I will to my Grand Daughter Susan Williams my slaves Hannah, Penny, Bob
and Cherry now in her possession and increase and also Jane now in my
possession and increase for and during her natural life and at her death to her
children and if she shall die without children the same shall go to her brothers
and sisters or their lawful heirs.

10th. I will the residue of my property consisting of slaves Cherry, Lucy, Sam,
Lizette, Nalinda, Rhoda, Rose, Davy, George, Bias, Peter, James, Taylor and
Jordan and any money or other things not hereuntofore specially bequeathed to
be equally divided among my seven grandchildren viz

1. Jacob B. Sumner
2. James E. Sumner
3. Eliza P. Sumner
4. Jane Love
5. Mariah Hinton
6. Martha A. Lanier
and
7. Susan Williams the portions falling to my Granddaughters Eliza P. Sumner,
Susan Williams, Jane Love and Mariah Hinton to be subject to the same
restrictions as contained in items 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, of this my will and that all the
property above given to my said Grand Daughters shall be to their sole and
separate use and free from the debts of their husbands.

11th. It is my will that a division of my property as above set forth shall take place
as soon after my death as possible. I do hereby ordain and appoint Jacob B.
Sumner and James E. Sumner executors of this my last will and testament and it
is my will that they be not required to give security Given under my hand and seal
this the 17th Day of April 1855.

Martha X Williams (Seal) Test William D. Phillips

S. S. Hall
A true copy attest
T. (F?) R. Chattam? Cheatam?) Clerk”