It’s extremely interesting…Where there is a Souther there always seems to be a Vest/Vess family!

While the Souther family doesn’t appear to be close neighbors, they consistently pop up in Vess research…so, who is this Souther family and could they be related to the Vess family?

Frequent Appearances

Bill’s Creek Baptist Church Rutherford Co. NC
The Souther family first appear in the book, Bill’s Creek Baptist Church Two Hundred Year History, by Helen M. Lu, listed as members with Peter and Katy Vest (Peter Vess and Catherine Crook) between 1829-1836. They were received at Crooked Creek in 1828 and dismissed (no date).

Sarah Souther
Elizabeth Souther
Mary Souther
Jane Souther
John Souther
Joseph Souther

Buncombe Co. NC
After we discovered Catherine’s family, I noticed that Stephen Souther is listed next to Rachel Crook (Catherine’s mother) on the 1830 Buncombe County, NC census.

Rutherford Co. NC Deed
In 1846, Peter’s land (109 acres) was transferred to Joseph Souther to cover a $50 debt. If the $50 was paid, the contract would become null and the property would be reinstated to the Vess family.

Marriage
In 1854, Joshua Souther married Elizabeth Taylor, ex-wife of John Vess (son of Peter Vess).

Michael and Jesse Souther

The Souther families mentioned earlier include Michael and Jesse Souther from Wilkes County, North Carolina. They are the sons of Stephen Souther and Mary Polly Bussell. Their siblings include: Joel Souther, Elizabeth Gilreath, Sarah Hampton, Henry Souther, and Capt. Joshua Souther.

The Souther family lived on Hunting Creek in the Brushy Mountain community, near the Fletcher, Smoot, Gray, and Rose families and, interestingly, also the Vest family (Absalom and Jonathan Vest/Vess).

Michael U. Souther: Connections and Observations

Michael Souther eventually settled in Buncombe County, North Carolina, while his brother Jesse Souther eventually settled in Old Fort, McDowell County. However, prior to that, they made a stop in Crooked Creek, Burke County, NC (now McDowell County) and Rutherford County, NC.

Michael Souther obtained 30 acres of land on Crooked Creek in Burke County, NC in 1802, joining his own land. His brother Jesse doesn’t appear in Burke County until 1810.

Michael Souther is believed to have married a woman named Agatha; unfortunately, her maiden name is unknown.

Their son, Stephen Souther, husband to Nancy Gilliam, obtained land in Burke county in 1818 on Broad River next to his father-in-laws property.

Stephen later relocated to Buncombe County, and is the one listed next to Rachel Crook on the 1830 Buncombe Co. census.

Michael and Agatha’s other son, Joshua Calvin Souther, married Dicy Gilliam, and later married the ex-wife of John Vess (Elizabeth Taylor).

In 1810 and 1820, Michael Souther is living in Rutherford County, NC, before relocating to Buncombe County in 1830, where he passed away in 1834.

I noticed Michael and his son, Joshua, are listed next to Ambrose Ownsby on the 1820 census. In 1830, Joshua is still listed next to Ambrose Ownsby, but also with Minyard Gilliam, his father-in-law.

Small World: Ambrose Ownsby is the father of Zillah “Granny Duck” Murphy, the grandmother of Cora Nevada Moffitt, wife of Pinkney Vess (son of Andrew Logan Vess and Malinda Halford).

It is also interesting to note that Joshua Souther, has a son named William Haynes Souther. Could that be a reference to the late Rev. William Haynes, Rachel Crooks (Haynes) father? Is that why, we see Stephen Souther, Joshua’s brother, next to Rachel Crook (Haynes) on the 1830 Buncombe County census?

Jesse William Souther: Connections and Observations

Jesse Souther appears in Burke County via the 1820 census. He married Nancy Jane Combs in Wilkes County, NC in 1800. They live in the Crooked Creek area (now McDowell County), eventually settling in Old Fort.

It is Jesse’s family who appears on the Bill’s Creek Baptist Church member list with Peter and Katy Vest (Peter and Catherine Vess) between 1829-1836. 

In 1831, Peter Vess obtained land in the Broad River Township of Rutherford County, NC, which is located in between both Souther families of Crooked Creek (McDowell County) and Fairview (Buncombe County).

The Vess family disappear from the Bill’s Creek Baptist Church member list between 1836-1843.
In 1838, Peter (Vest) is listed as a member of the Bethlehem Baptist Church in Burke Co. NC, located outside of Old Fort, not too far from Davistown Freewill Baptist Church where Andrew Logan Vess (Peter and Catherine’s son) is buried.

Bethlehem Baptist Church in Burke County, NC would be much closer to Peter’s property than Bill’s Creek Baptist Church, but not sure if the Souther family was also a member of the same church.

Absalom & Jonathan Vest/Vess Wilkes County, NC

Absalom and Hannah Vest in Wilkes County, NC also resided in the Brushy Mountain community near the Souther, Fletcher, Smoot, Gray, and Rose families.

We find Absalom Vest listed with the Souther family (Joel and John Souther) via the Wilkes County, NC 1805 tax list and (his wife Hannah) on the 1830 census.

Abslaom’s daughter, Elizabeth Vest, married Wesley Dishmond (Dishman). His brother William, married Hilley Souther, who is the daughter of Joel Souther and Patsey Brown.

Jonathan Vess is also believed to be in the same area, as he is listed as a witness to a deed record (dated 1805) between the Duncan and Fletcher families, joining lines with the Smoot family in Brushy Mountain. The Smoot and Souther families have been long time neighbors.

The Fletcher family seems to have some significance, as Absalom is mentioned in Estate records for the Fletcher family. Furthermore, recent research has uncovered parts of Absalom’s linage, revealing a family connection to the Fletcher family, through his daughter Lucy Vest who married William Fletcher.

While I have not found any records to show a direct Souther -Vess family connection, it is extremely intriguing how close they are to both Vest/Vess families (Absalom and later Peter).

So, the question remains – is the Souther family related to the Vess family, are they close family friends, or is it just all mere coincidence? An even bigger question is…could we be on the right track of finding the parents of Peter and Willis Vess!