Capps, Fly and Weakley County

It seems that I have now become the scapegoat for Joyce Ford's tirades.I am truly sorry that it has come to this.Today I received a U.S. mail letter in which she calls me an idiot, evidently because I do not agree with her every word.

I will agree that Joyce has much good work on the Capps family.James W. Fly has also done many years of work on the Fly Family.

There is a small corner of the world that I have lived in for my 69 years.The surnames of all four of my grandparents were early settlers of this small corner.

I do not claim to be an expert on the Capps and Fly families.I am not a direct descendant of either.

Much of my data on the Capps came from a local Capps book compiled and published by John Holt of the Skullbone Printing Co.John is still in business and is located 5 miles south in Bradford, TN.I realize there are errors in that book as well as in most any book of that type.

I do know that I am, without reservation, more knowledgeable on the history of what is now the 15th and 16th District of Weakley county and a small portion of the northwestern extreme of Carroll county than anyone.

I would like to address the facts concerning the Capps cemetery that is located on land that I own.The grave with the oldest death date in this cemetery is Lucy Fly Capps and her child that she died giving birth to.The date is 1/14/1849. THIS CEMETERY IS LOCATED AT LEAST 2 MILES FROM THE CARROLL COUNTY LINE.

I inherited this land through my father and he from his father Alvin M. Stout.This farm was called the Snellgrove place and was owned by a Snellgrove that I believe was married to a Capps.(No documents on my part, just things that my grandparents told me.When I was a young boy my grandfather told me that there was a house at one time in an open field that was about 300 ft. From the Capps cemetery which is in the woods.I remember plowing that area and turning up bricks that were probably from the chimney of that house.

Joining this land on the east is land that my mother was born on in 1900.This tract of land was inherited and purchased from his brothers and sisters by my grandfather, Charles H. Crabtree, from his father James E. Crabtree.These 2 tracts of land are now one farm that I own.

Joyce Ford has berated me for having information on William and Lucy Capps on the Weakley County Genweb site.The counties of Tennessee have been in constant change since the beginning of the state.For valuable information on the formation of counties go to this site:

http://www.rootsweb.com/~tngibson/Maps/Barry/counties.htm

Notice that Carroll county ran all the way west to the Mississippi River.A part of Gibson county was taken from this land and the 16th District later became part of Weakley county.I am aware that the census of 1840 and 50 shows William and Lucy in Carroll county.I am also aware that Williams will was probated in Weakley county.

There are many unanswered questions about William and Lucy as there is in any genealogy work.

I ask the following and would like to have anyone's input

Would you think that William would bury his wife and child on land where there are no other graves if it was not where his home was located?

Is it possible that he used Carroll county as his residence because that was where the land was in the beginning?

It might have been easier to travel to the Carroll county seat than the Weakley county seat.

Since I have not ever seen Joyce Ford's books, I ask if the following is from her book?

After the death of Cason Capps, William Capps' sister Mary "Polly" Capps and her husband Lemeul Stout, who was a full blooded Cherokee Indian, left their home in Randolph County, North Carolina to be near William Capps and James Rogers Capps.They settled near the Obion River near the land belonging to Elisha Fly.Elisha's daughter Anna Fly and her husband Henry Capps were also neighbors, along with Davy Crockett.Henry died in 1835 leaving his wife Anna a widow with eight children and a ninth on the way.William Capps was an executor of Henry Capps' estate.

Joyce, if this is from your book, I ask what documents you have to prove that Lemuel Stout was a full blooded Cherokee Indian.My understanding is that you claim this on stories handed down.If this is true would this be any different that my stories above.

Have you ever used the name Elisha Fly, Jr. in any of your writings or letters to others in the past?

Joyce you keep sending me messages to correct my information on the Capps cemetery.Here is how I have it from personally transcribing everything on the grave markers.

(North to South)

Lucy CappsBorn 2/23/1803Died 1/14/1849

Infant Child of William and Lucy Capps

William CappsBorn Feb. 14, 1796
W.A. CappsDied Jan.6, 1851

(on one marker with line down middle)
ErasmusInfant
BornDied
Dec. 18, 1857
Died
Apr. 25, 1867April 25, 1867
Children of W.A. and I.R. Capps

Irreny R.
Wife of W.A. Capps
Born 10/13/1839died 4/29/1867

W.A Husband of M.A. Capps
Born 1/7/1837Died 4/29/1876

Eva dau. of E.E. and B.F. Cantrell
Born and Died June 10, 1891

Please follow very carefully.William Capps marker has the name William Capps in an arch style at the top.In a straight line just beneath this it reads W. A. Capps.Then it reads Born Feb. 14, 1796, beneath that it reads Died Jan. 6, 1851

I clearly understand that W. A. Capps was William Rogers Capps son.In fact his marker is 3 graves south.

Here again is a mystery for speculation.I suspect that William Alexander Capps placed the marker at his father's grave.Could it be that he wanted people to know that he had placed the marker there and had his name placed on it.Could it be that he was planning to use the marker for his grave also.Regardless; once again MY CEMETERY RECORDS ARE CORRECT.

You state in your letter that Henry Capps was William Rogers Capps 1st. Cousin.Where is your proof?

You state that Elizabeth Reed is not proven.How do you know it is not proven?

There are many other ramblings in your letter that I would like to address but I can't make any sense of them.

You state in your letter that you will get my Capps information off the internet if I don't.All I can say is more power to you.In another thread on these forums I have stated that I would have Paula Thompson remove it if the majority of Capps researchers thought it was garbage as you state.So far I have received only 2 emails and both urge me to keep it on the Weakley county site.

I suggest 2 possible solutions.

1. Copy and paste any material that is your copyright and send it to Paula Thompson at: pj@apex.net and request that she delete it.Send any other documented changes where there are errors for her to correct.

Or better yet:

2. Send your own history of the Capps and Fly family for her to enter on the Weakley county site.

There is no way in the world for me to know what is your writing.If information is not to be shared why write it?

Once again I'm sorry it has come to this.

Respectfully,

Joe Stout