Eliza Ann Williams

Place of Birth

Johnson, Tennessee, USA
Place of Death

Johnson, Tennessee, USA

Father: ?
Mother: Emaline (Speculative)

Spouse: James C Emmert

Spouse: George Washington Wilson
Children: David Grant Wilson, Nancy Carolin Wilson, Mary Catherine “Kate” Wilson, Martha Ellen Wilson, Louisa Jane Wilson, Ida N Wilson, Una I Wilson

Relation to author: 3rd Great Grandmother

Find a Grave

Geneanet

Note: Eliza’s last name could have been Williams (based on first marriage certificate), but also could have been Emmet. Birth records have not surfaced into the public record to my knowledge.

The story goes that Eliza was fully Native American. Cherokee. As far as I’ve found from those that, including myself, have taken DNA tests this cannot be proven. However, other people, places, and circumstances, including photographs still lead me to trust that this is our heritage. DNA samples may just not be sufficient to provide the correlation needed to put it to paper. But if the First Nation doesn’t accept DNA as evidence for admittance, I’m not going to use it to rule out our ancestry.

Family lore says that after Eliza’s mother passed away on the Trail of Tears giving birth. She would be buried ‘along the rail’. At age 7, Eliza hid in mountains with the infant sister, escaping the forced migration; however, Eliza’s sister would not make it and be laid to rest while in hiding. Family lore says that Eliza would seek shelter from strangers.

Eliza would eventually find refuge. At age 16 the first hard record I find is her 1849 marriage in Carter County Tennessee to James Emmert. Here her maiden name is listed as Williams, however this is the only place I can find that name in public record so far.

1850

Later the 1850 census confirmed the marriage; Eliza is seen with a James Emmert, a ‘white’ farmer born in Pennsylvania, showing they had married the year before (Dec 13, 1849) when she was 16. The census also declares that Eliza was born in Tennessee, and ‘white’. It’s worth noting, however, that due to racial inequalities of the time it’s very possible that James could have declared that contrary to the truth, so we can’t take this as stand alone confirmation.

1860

The family story says that Eliza later found herself a home with the Hays family, John and Susan. The 1860 census does somwhat support this as it shows an Eliza A Emmert, 27, living with John and Susannah, their children James, Martha, and William. Eliza is listed as their housekeeper.

Not knowing the circumstances why Eliza ended up with the William’s family, the family story says he may have died as a Civil War POW at Camp Sumter, known at the time as the Andersonville Prison.

Records due show a Sgt James C Emmert of the Tennessee 4th Infantry, a Union soldier who enlisted January 12m 1863, died of disease on June 13, 1864 while being held at Fort Sumter. He rests at the Andersonville National Cemetery.

Chasing this thread though, Eliza may have been with the Williams family because James Emmert is on record marrying an Arzilla Brummit on August 8, 1860, so they had divorced prior to start of the Civil War.

J C Emmert, Plot 1886, Died 13 June 1864

The family story continues that once the Hays family moved on to Oregon, Eliza married into the Wilson family on January 27, 1861.

1870

The 1870 Johnson County census Shows Eliza with her husband George Washington Wilson, their first son David, and the twins Nancy and Mary. It’s said that the Wilson family disowned George for marrying an ‘Indian’.

The 1880 census had most of the family together (still identifying Eliza as ‘white’).

All public speculation says Eliza passed away around 1880/1882, however…

1890

I’ve yet to find Eliza in a 1890 census, but she and George would have separated by then as his first child with his second wife, Jane Nancy Daniels, was born 1884.

1900 ?…

1900 does have a census with an Elizabeth Wilson; only Elizabeth and Nancy are listed together at this time. Some of the information is incorrect as the age is off by 10 years. Perhaps the census taker heard ’59’ instead of ’69’. But the names, number of children, the fact that one had passed away already (Una) all lines up.

Now, why Nancy was there, seeing as she had 4 children prior to 1900 including my great grandmother Annie Caroline Wilson, and with Jackson still to come in 1903… that will be for future research.

Could this be a coincidence? Yes. But until death and/or burial records are found for Eliza we won’t be sure. If you have any information about the origins, and the final resting place for Eliza, there are many people who would be grateful to know. Please contact me.