Wherever I could, I used the Federal Census up to the 1930 (last one available) to gather names and information on families. Ergo, if any children are missing from a particular family, it is because I didn't have the information or didn't remember the names. Also, I have used the enumerator's and/or transcriber's spelling from the Federal Census when I made my notes.

After almost ten years of research, I can safely say the Asbury's of Campbell County Tennessee are descendants of Crispin/Corspin and Prudence (Collins) Asbury of Claiborne County and later on from Grainger County Tennessee. Corspin's parents were James M. Asbury from VA (and I am assuming around Tazewell, Co or Lee Co., VA) and (unknown female--Dodson/Dotson) Asbury. Corspin had a brother named Spencer/Spenser and half-brother, Brison/Bryson Asbury who are the progenitors of many Asburys in East Tennessee and Kentucky. It is purely speculation on my part that James M. Asbury's parents may have been Wyatt Bolling/Bowling Asbury and an Elizabeth (maiden name unknown).

These statements are from the Grainger County Archives Records:

"In 1803 Elizabeth Asberry was ordered to bring her sons, James, John, Thomas and Spencer to court. This was still an issue in 1812 when she was again brought to court. The proceedings regarding the Asberry children was "quashed" on Nov 16, 1812." When children were orphaned or no father to care for the family, it was the practice to farm the children out to work for other people as apprentices.

One researcher's opinion is that Elizabeth was a Collins and when Wyatt Bolling Asbury died, she took the sons (don't know of any daughters) and moved to Grainger where there was probably kin (lots of Collins' in that area) to help raise the children. Crispin/Corspin Asbury married Prudence Collins in Claiborne Co., TN mid 1840s. To them were born James A., Sophronia, Brown Lee and Cornelius Asbury.

The only 2 children of Crispin/Corspin Asbury and Prudence Collins Asbury I can track are James A. and Brown Lee Asbury. These two brothers were born in Tennessee and became fatherless when Crispin/Corspin died between 1850 - 1859. I am a direct descendant of Brown Lee Asbury. The Asbury's that are currently in Campbell Co., TN area are descendants of him and his brother, James Aris Asbury. At one time, there was a Sophronia and an L.C. (Cornelius) shown on the census. I cannot track them after the 1860 Census for Whitley Co., KY.

According to the 1860 Whitley County Kentucky census, I find their mother (Prudy/Prudence) has married? (not documented as yet) to an Alex Collins and she and family are living in the South America area of Whitley County, Kentucky with Alex and his children. The census enumerator has some of their ages inaccurately recorded but I find that true in lots of census records as well as places of birth being recorded incorrectly.

In the 1870 Whitley County Kentucky Census, an Aris/Oris is found in 2 different locations at different times of the census year. Oris (James Aris) is found in South America, Whitley Co., Kentucky as head of household and then an Aris is found working on a farm (Bowman's) in Speedwell. It's probable these are 2 different Arrie/Orrie Asburys since an Arris married and remained in Claiborne County. Brown Lee isn't found on any 1870 Census.

James Aris and Brown Lee Asbury are next found in the 1880 Census of Smith County Tennessee where both are now married. James A. Asbury is married to Mary "Molly" Scott of Kentucky. Brown Lee married a Smith County girl by the name of Sarah Elizabeth Petty who was a cousin to Cordell Hull.

Sometime after 1881, both brothers and their families relocated to Anderson County and Campbell County Tennessee. Eventually they all end up in the Caryville and Jacksboro area of Campbell County.

James Aris Asbury and his wife, Mary, raised someone in the family named Samuel A. Scott. In the 1880 census of Smith County Tennessee, he is listed as a ward of the family. Since Mary was a Scott before marrying James A. Asbury, could be this is a nephew she is raising (and there is an S.A. Scott who is widowed living close by). The family rumor mill has it that Samuel Scott eventually adopted the name Asbury and was known as Sam Asbury from that point on and married Rebecca Smith (incidentally, she is my great-aunt Becky...as far as I know the only sister of my grandfather, William F. Smith who married Lillian Asbury). I guess you could say somewhere in there comes double-first cousins.

While researching at the Campbell County Historical Society in LaFollette, I had the great pleasure of meeting one of my cousins who is a direct descendant of James A. and Molly (Scott) Asbury. Maurice Asbury and his wife, Jane Dora, were absolutely delightful to meet and such a fountain of information. They in turn introduced me to a cousin-in-law, Alice (Boshears) Asbury who is the wife of J. T. Asbury and is in another line of Asbury/Smith family and is also researching the family.

For the purpose of this presentation, I am only going back to James M. Asbury. This is the only ancestor who can be documented. In time, I will publish notes that include theories/speculations for previous generations back to a Francicus b. ca 1590s. It is simply to be used as a tool, not as "gospel" or " written in stone". And no, we are not descendants of Bishop Francis Asbury...he was never married.

If you find any needed corrections/additions, please email Charlene Oliver Williams .