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There are two traditions which have been circulated in two different branches of this family which attempt to explain the
origin of this particular branch of the Francis family. One tradition is recorded in a book by W. C. Allen, entitled
The Annals Of Haywood County, North Carolina. Allen wrote that Daniel Francis came from England to
America in the early years of the eighteenth century. He settled briefly in Pennsylvania before migrating to Maryland
where he married and reared a family. One of his sons, according to Allen, went to Kentucky. His family became
famous in David Rowland Francis, Governor of Missouri during the mid nineteenth century (we know that Thomas
Francis was the ancestor of that family, and that he migrated from Henrico County, Virginia to Kentucky. This may, or
may not have been a son of Daniel Francis).
Another son, according to Allen, was named John Francis. He
migrated to Washington County, Tennessee where he married and reared a family. Allen named the children as follows:
Ephraim Francis, Daniel Francis, William Francis, Jacob Francis, and Agnes Francis.
The other tradition was
reportedly given to one of our relatives by her grandfather, William Francis, who was a son of John Francis. According
to this tradition, John Francis sailed from Cardiff, Wales with two brothers. His ship was wrecked at sea. He was
rescued and taken to America. He married a Miss Baity (? Beaty) who was reared on the banks of the Potomac River
near where "the old White House stands." The couple moved to Washington County, Tennessee where they reared a
family. The names of the children are as follows: Agnes Francis, Daniel Francis, Williams, James Francis, Ephraim
Francis, and Jane Francis.
It is possible that John Francis was in what is now Tennessee as early as 1780. There is a
reference to a John Francis that year in the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions Minutes. There is also a reference to a
Henry Francis that same year. John Francis was definitely in Washington County, Tennessee by 1796. In 1797 he was
settled on a 104 acre tract of land received from Mordecai Price. In 1822 he prepared a deed leaving his land to two of
his sons, Daniel Francis, and Ephraim Francis. In that deed he mentioned a third son by name. His name was John
Francis. He also mentioned younger children. He prepared another deed making provisions for his wife. He named her
in the deed. Her name was Jane Francis. John and Jane also had at least three other children. Their names were
William Francis, who migrated to Haywood County, North Carolina in 1828, Agnes Francis, who married Henry Jones,
and later moved to Haywood County, North Carolina, and Jane Francis, who married John Pressnell.
Contact Information: David Francis; Email: [email protected]
Website: Descendants of John and Jane Francis of Washington County, TN
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