Nicholas Counts III
and Martha Hammers Counts

Nicholas Counts III was born October 6, 1790 in Orange County, North Carlolina, the sixth son and binth child of Nicholas II and Eve Lyde Counts.  His parents moved the family very shortly after his birth to what was then Hawkins County, Tennessee, near the outpost of Bean Station.  The area later became a part of Grainger County. 

It was in Grainger County on August 29, 1813 that Nicholas married Martha Hammers, daughter of Joel Hammers. Another of Joel Hammers' daughters, Ruth, married Nicholas' younger brother, Aaron.  Both families left Tennessee and moved west to the area south of St. Louis, Missouri, in the 1830's.  Aaron and Ruth settled in Ste. Genevieve County, Missouri and Nicholas and Patsy were across the river in Randolph County, Illinois. Nicholas died on August 15, 1841 and was buried in Chester, Illinois.  Patsy then moved her family across the river to be closer to Aaron and Ruth. Patsy was pregnant when Nicholas died and their youngest child Samuel Garrett Counts was born eight months after the death of his father.  Both families lived and farmed on Saline Creek near the hamlet of Avon.  Patsy died in 1868 and is buried in the Mayberry cemetery at Avon, near Aaron and Ruth.

Nicholas and Patsy had ten children:

     1. Ruth, born 18 September 1814, died 26 July 1893, married Thomas Anderson, 27 August 1838.
     2. William Parks, born 15 Jan 1816, died 21 February 1862, married Sarah Elizabeth Fortner, 17 February 1836.
     3. Joel Lyde, born 12 April, 1818, married Mississippi Daniel on 8 February 1842 and Caroline Daniel on 6 October 1861.
     4. Ellis, born 25 April 1820, married Elizabeth Jackson, 28 November 1858.
     5. David Houston, born 10 April 1822, married Mary Parkman on 29 July 1841.
     6. Aaron, born 13 August 1826, married Harriett Allen.
     7. James W. born 9 February 1828, died 22 May 1883, married Lydia Jane Daniel Moody on 27 May 1849 and Harriett E. Miller.
     8. Nicholas L IV, born 5 February 1832, married Mary Freeman.
     9. Martha M., born 3 August 1835, married Nathaniel Doyle.
    10. Samuel Garrett, born 13 April 1842, , died 2 November 1930, married Missouri Ann McFarland on 30 October 1964.