Matching family tree profiles for Elisha Fly, Jr.
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About Elisha Fly, Jr.
Flytown was located on the northern most section of Gibson County, Tennessee, a small area lying north of the Obion River's South Fork that will later be swapped to Weakley County for a portion of Weakley County situated south of the Obion River at China Grove. Well known by local historians as the Flytown-China Grove Exchange. However, the small community of Flytown got it's name from the Elisha Fly, Jr. family, being one of the pioneer families of the entire area.
His father Elisha Fly, Senior and other family members had fought in the "Battle of King's Mountain' (a Revolutionary War Battle) in 1780. Elisha, Jr. married Elizabeth Reed, a full-blooded Cherokee Indian in North Carolina. He and Elizabeth had lived in Northampton County, North Carolina on Kirby's Creek. They sold this property consisting of 85 acres of land to James Barnes of Southampton County, Virginia and it was proved in summer court of 1796. Then Elisha, Jr. purchased 180 acres of land in March of 1796 in Davidson County, Tennessee and sold parts of this tract to his brothers John and Jeremiah and others. Then Williamson County, Tennessee was removed from Davidson County in October of 1798 leaving his acreage on Mill Creek now in Williamson county. In the year 1807 John and Jeremiah sold out and moved from Mill Creek to the Duck River in Maury County, Tennessee. Elisha, Jr. sold 74 acres on Mill Creek to John Winstead prior to September 1803 and remained on Mill Creek in 1810, then he was listed as serving in the Militia Company of Captain Barnes in 1812. He remained in Williamson County, Tennessee until after 1820. He came to Gibson County (Now Weakley County), Tennessee (Flytown) between 1820 and 1830.
Elisha sold to his son-in-law, Henry Capps, 200 acres of the Flytown home place and sale was proved by Solomon Sedwick on January 22, 1827. In October of 1838 Elisha gave his son, John Richard Fly 84 acres and 11 poles on the north side of the Obion River's South Fork in the 12th Surveyors District. John Richard Fly later sold this tract of land to his brother-in-law, William Capps in 1840. Parcels of this land lay in Weakley County and Carroll County, and the bottom land consisted greatly of heavy virgin timber.
Jeremiah N. Fly, son of John Jesse Fly b. ca. 1789 resigned as Constable of Carroll County, Tennessee on April 1, 1839 and on April 5, 1839 he was released from overseer on road and William Capps was appointed to replace him. Jeremiah was preparing to move west to Barry County, Missouri where he later became Sheriff of said county.
Solomon Sedwick was deceased in August of 1839 when Elisha gave 185 acres in Weakley County, Tennessee to his daughter Fannie Penelope Fly Sedwick and her children.
Elisha Fly, Jr. made his last will and testament, signing it the 28th day of September 1840 and died before the end of that year. He was buried on the old Fly home place in a family cemetery later called the "Snellgrove Graveyard" for some unknown reason. (This land at a later date was owned by a man named Snellgrove.) Joe Stout
William Capps died in July of 1851 at the age of 55, his wife Lucy Fly Capps had preceded him in death in January of 1849. Their oldest son Henry Washington Capps died August 7, 1861 as a result of wounds sustained in the "Battle at Wilson's Creek" during the Civil War. He was also 55 years old, the same age his father when he died. He was survived by his wife Nancy Grooms Capps.
Before Elisha Fly, Jr. settled here the General Assembly of the State of Tennessee had already declared the South Fork of the Obion River navigable for river boats. This act of 1824 made it possible for Ray & Stafford to establish a profitable boat manufacturing enterprise. It soon became the leading (and only) industry in Flytown. John Ray and William Stafford built flat-boats where Bear Creek then flowed into the Obion River, this was an ideal place to locate their dry dock.
There was a Port-of-Call in this same area. Argument can and has been made as to whether it was called "Bear Port", "Fly Port" or "Capps Port". It seems to have been called "Capps Port" since Bear Creek emptied its waters at a place on William Capps property known then as the "Capps Slough".
It is said that Davy Crockett gave Bear Creek it's name. (About one mile north of Staffords store there was a beech tree that had the following carved on the trunk "D. Boone killed a Bar" followed by a year date. This tree stood until abt. 1950's.)Joe Stout. He (Davy) lived downstream from where Bear Creek intersected the Obion River, constantly hunting in the Obion River bottom. During one of his hunts he killed a bear on the bank of a little crooked branch, and always called this stream his little Bear Creek.
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Posted by James Whitney Fly
It would now appear that proofs are in hand that should be acceptable by our conservative interpreters of the documents in regard to the Cherokee blood in Jeremiah Fly and his descendants. Similarly, in this case, proofs that Jeremiah was "of the blood" (Cherokee) apply to Elisha, Jr. and "Rev." John his brothers. That those three were brothers of each other was never in doubt.
I have been in correspondence, and on the phone with, Sonja Dell (Sooter) Huffaker of Lubbock, TX, a descendant of Martha (Fly) Sooter and husband Rev. Edward G. Sooter. Cousin Sonja has obliged me, and through me all of us, with copies of several affidavits and references to existing (at one time) affidavits that were submitted to Chief Mays in 1896 by five Sooter sons of Martha and Rev. Ned. asking for recognition as Cherokees, based on the Cherokee blood of their mother Martha and their grandfather Jeremiah. The principal affiant in these papers was one Pricy Capps who, on 22 September 1882, stated that she was 75 yrs. old and had been personally acquainted with Martha and Ned Sooter and a list of the Sooter sons, matching known historical Sooters. She says the Cherokee blood derives from their grandfather Jeremiah Fly.
In another affidavit the Sooter sons state that they possess an affidavit supporting these statements from Ex. Chief John Ross (who died in 1866) It appears to be indicating that someone had been trying to establish Cherokee Citizenship, and accordingly assembling proof, during Chief John Ross' lifetime period. Chief Ross' document is NOT included in this sheaf, but that it existed should not remain in doubt. The 1880 Arkansas Census tells us that there was a Pricy Capps in Lee, Boon Co., AR. for that Census count. Her birth-year is given as 1804, born in Virginia. This is consistent with a Pricy 75 years old in Sept. 1882, the date of the affidavit.
I hope that these documents will prove persuasive to those who have attributed the Indian blood (if any) to an earlier generation than Elisha, sr. b. 1746 to Coastal Indian tribes in the tidewater country of Virginia and North Carolina. If Pricy Capps was personally acquainted with Jeremiah Fly and Martha (Fly) and Rev. Ned Sooter, and the Sooter boys, their descendants, THIS reasonably should settle this matter; and an affidavit by those who KNOW about a matter should be taken for TRUTH.
Family stated that he is half Cherokee.
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Elisha Fly, Jr.'s Timeline
| 1767 |
1767
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Northampton, Colony of North Carolina, British Colonial America
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| 1790 |
1790
Age 23
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Northhampton, North Carolina
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| 1795 |
1795
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North Carolina, United States
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| 1797 |
July 6, 1797
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Williamson County, Tennessee, United States
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| 1803 |
February 23, 1803
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Davidson County, Tennessee, United States
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| 1840 |
October 1840
Age 73
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Carroll, Weakley, Tennessee, USA
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