Carriger, Lenoir, and Welcker Family Papers
This collection contains letters, land grants, financial papers, announcements, speeches, reports, and magazines documenting the Carriger, Lenoir, and Welcker families in Tennessee and North Carolina during the late 18th, 19th, and early 20th centuries.
Dates
- 1783 August 1-1917 September 27
Conditions Governing Access
Collections are stored offsite and must be requested in advance. See www.special.lib.utk.edu for detailed information. Collections must be requested through a registered Special Collections research account.
Conditions Governing Use
The UT Libraries claims only physical ownership of most material in the collections. Persons wishing to broadcast or publish this material must assume all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any claimants on www.special.lib.utk.edu for detailed information. Collections must be requested through a registered Special Collections research account.
Extent
0.2 Linear Feet
Abstract
This collection contains letters, land grants, financial papers, announcements, speeches, reports, and magazines documenting the Carriger, Lenoir, and Welcker families in Tennessee and North Carolina during the late 18th, 19th, and early 20th centuries.
Biographical/Historical Note
Godfrey Carriger (spelled Kercher in the original German) was born in Wuettemberg, Germany on March 7, 1732. His family was Lutheran and immigrated to Pennsylvania in 1738 to escape religious persecution. Godfrey Carriger married Anna Margaret Anspach in Pennsylvania and the couple had eight children: Johan Nicholas (1761-1827), Johan Michael (1764-), Johan Lenhart (1766-1780), Gotfried (1769-),
Elizabeth (Carriger) Nave (1771-), Johan Heinrich (1774-died young), Johan (1777-1848), and Christian (1779-1846). Both Carriger and his son Gotfried served in the American Revolution. In 1779, he moved his family (along with his slaves, their families, and $32,000) to the Watauga Settlement in Carter County, Tennessee. Carriger was a prosperous man in both states, where he owned land, operated mills, and owned slaves. He died in Carter County, Tennessee on October 8, 1811.
Godfrey Carriger's seventh child, John (or Johan) Carriger, married Margaret Elliott (1786-1854) in Washington County, Tennessee on March 30, 1809. The couple had at least six children:
Nancy Jane, George Miles (1811-1891), Godfrey (1812-1838), Christian Elliott (1815-1885), Michael (1818-1884), and John (1825-). John Carriger farmed in Carter County, Tennessee until his death in 1848.
John Carriger's son Michael married Sarah Ann Jack (1825-1902). The couple had seven children: James Alison (1845-1930), Margaret Elizabeth (Carriger) McCanless (1847-1910), William Pinkney (1850-1886), Mary Jane (1855-1866), Sarah Cornelia (Carriger) Jones (about 1857-), John Stonewall (1863-1931), and Mary Aurelia (1866-1915). James Alison Carriger married Julia Lenoir (1850-1892), daughter of Albert Sobieski and Catherine Frieling (Welcker) Lenoir and granddaughter of William Ballard and Elizabeth (Avery) Lenoir. The couple had seven children: Sara (1873-1961), Albert Lenoir (1875-1957), Mary Kate Kitty (1878-1958), Adelaide Lenoir (1880-1952), Paul (1883-1953), James Michael (1886-), and Julia Lenoir (1892-1892).
Acquisition Note
Sara Carriger donated these items to the University of Tennessee on June 2, 1959.
Repository Details
Part of the Betsey B. Creekmore Special Collections and University Archives, University of Tennessee, Knoxville Repository