Lucy Ann Snowden Ellis Jernigan  by Harvey R. Jernigan
  Foreword: Lucy Ann's story took a certain amount of guesswork and is based on family legends, census records, old documents, and a few coincidences.  It is obvious, however, that she was a woman of character; courageous, determined, and strong-willed.  Her story begins with her father, Aaron Snowden, from his birth in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, to Georgia,  to  Alabama,  and to his death about 1847 in Santa Rosa Co., Florida.  Then the story will move to Cary Jernigan's father,  Benjamin W. Jernigan, Jr., from his birth in North Carolina, to South Carolina, Alabama, and Santa Rosa Co., FL, where he died in 1846.  Cary Jernigan, third son of Benjamin, Jr., was my great grandfather while Lucy Ann, first daughter of Aaron, was my great grandmother.
    Aaron Snowden was born 1767 on the Roanoke River, probably in Botetourt Co., VA.  There is a town named Snowden about 10 miles south of Lexington.  The family moved in the same year Aaron was born to Cheraw District of S.C., just south of the N.C. border.  In 1767 and at the age of 14 or 15, he volunteered in the Continental Army as Pvt. in Capt. Thomas Evan's Company attached to Col. Lemuel Benton's Regiment of General Marion's (known as the Swamp Fox) Brigade.  Aaron served 13 months and was discharged near Charleston in June 1782.  He appears in the 1790 Cheraw District census as head of the household of five members consisting of his mother and younger brothers and sisters. 
    Aaron married Ester Webster who was born 1778 in Maryland.  Ester was probably  the daughter of Solomon & Henie Webster.  Aaron and Ester were married in February 1797 at Rockingham Co., N.C.,  just south of the Virginia border.  A short time later the family moved to Georgia and then to S.C. around 1810 and finally returned to Georgia, probably Baldwin Co. which is about 30 mi. northeast of Macon.
    Aaron and Ester had seven children. (1) George Alexander was born 23 Feb 1800 in
Lincoln Co., GA, and across the Savannah River from Edgefield Co., S.C., where Benjamin Jernigan, Jr's.  family were located in accordance with the 1800 census.  (2) Thomas J. was born 1803 in S.C.  (3) John L. was born 1806 in S.C.  (4) Charles Walters was born 10 Apr 1810 in GA.  (5) Lucy Ann was born 22 Feb 1812 in GA unless the family was in S.C. for a short period of time.    Both the 1850 and 1860 census of Santa Rosa, FL, list her birthplace as Georgia as well as the 1870 census of DeWitt Co., TX, yet her son, W. W. Ellis, had S.C. placed on her gravestone at Smiley, TX.  (6) Harriet was born 1814 in GA.  (7) Marshall N. was born 1815 in GA.
    Aaron moved his family to Conecuh Co., Alabama Territory in 1819 and then to Escambia Co., Florida Territory, in 1821.  He remained in Florida counties of Santa Rosa and Walton until he died in Santa Rosa Co. in April 1847.  After his death Ester lived with sons, George, Thomas, and Marshall, until she died in 1850's.  All her sons except Thomas J. returned to Alabama after her death.

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