I am browsing records and I came across WILLIE VESS in Van Buren County, Tennessee dated 1846.

There are land records for a WILLIS VESS dated 1831 and 1837 in White County, Tennessee on the “south side” of Caney Fork (Mountain side). In 1840, Van Buren county was created and Caney Fork became the boundary line between White County and Van Buren County; meaning, the Willis VESS property should now be in Van Buren County.

According to Van Buren County deed records, a WILLIE VESS (maybe Willis) sold 2.78 acres at the foot of the mountain to Zachariah T. SIMMONS. Is this Willis Vess property?

According to Ancestry.com, Zachariah T. SIMMONS married Mary Louisa DODSON. Mary’s parents are supposedly William “Bucky” DODSON and Martha Frances PECK. William “Bucky” DODSON is supposedly William DODSON in White County, TN living next to the Peter VEST family on Caney Fork.

I discovered a death record for a Sarah Elander DODSON, wife of Thomas Bryant SPARKMAN, whose parents are listed as William DODSON and Martha VEST. On Ancestry.com, Sarah Elander DODSON is supposedly the sister of Mary Louisa DODSON (wife of Zachariah SIMMONS), both daughters of William DODSON and Martha PECK.

Is Martha PECK and VEST the same person? Where did the PECK name come from? Also, could it be VEST, since her gravestone doesn’t have a maiden name on it?

Interestingly, I do have a handful of SIMMON, SPARKMAN, JOHNSON, and DODSON as DNA relative matches, all who share close matches with VESS relatives and all connecting to the SIMMON, SPARKMAN, DODSON families in White /Van Buren County, TN.

Is the connection through WILLIS VESS? Does this further support a VESS family connection in Tennessee?