Tanner Genealogy - Western NC, North GA

Marty and Karla Grant

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Welcome to my Tanner genealogy pages. I am interested in the Tanner surname in Western NC and North Georgia. That area of interest may expand once I’ve learned more about my ancestors. For example, I know mine came from Chester Co., PA, but I haven’t done a great deal of Tanner research there yet.

The Tanner surname is generally of English origin, though the Germanic form, Danner, is sometimes Anglicized to Tanner. I believe mine were English, or perhaps Irish.

Tanner was the 675^th most common surname in the United States in 2000. By 2010 it had dropped to 709^th most common. Danner didn’t make the Top 1000 either time.

My most recent Tanner ancestor is my 3^rd great grandmother, Emily A. Tanner (1840-1875) who was born in Union (now Towns) Co., GA and died in Macon Co., NC. She married Jacob Jackson Waters (1842-1923) ca 1861 in Towns Co., GA. She is a proven daughter of:

John Tanner was born ca 1802 in Burke (now McDowell) Co., NC, and died after 1880 in Towns Co., GA. He married Susannah Stroud ca 1824 in Burke (now McDowell) Co., NC. They resided in Burke Co., NC for a short while after marriage, then moved to Macon Co., NC where they remained until ca 1835 when they moved to Union Co., GA. Their section became Towns County in 1856. Susanna died in Towns Co., GA in the 1860s. John married Rachel E. Potts (c1845-aft 1900) as a 2^nd wife, in 1866. I don’t have solid proof as to who John’s parents were, but my research has led me to:

Joseph Tanner was born ca 1765/74, in Mecklenburg Co., NC. He moved with his parents to Wilkes and Greene (later Oglethorpe) Co., GA ca 1790. He lived there until ca 1800 when he moved to Burke Co., NC. He married 1^st, to someone name unknown, in the 1790s, perhaps in Georgia or perhaps Burke Co., NC where he was listed on the 1800 census. He resided in the section very near the Rutherford Co., NC line, in a region that became McDowell Co., NC in the 1840s. Joseph was in records in Burke Co., NC through 1821. He may have still been alive as late as 1828. There is an apparent widow, Elizabeth Tanner in 1830 and 1840 Macon Co., NC (where son John Tanner went), who might be Joseph Tanner’s 2^nd wife. I don’t have absolute proof of that, but it fits rather well. She apparently died in the 1840s. Joseph Tanner is a proven son of:

John Tanner was born before 1755, perhaps in Mecklenburg (now Cabarrus) Co., NC. He married Margaret, maiden name unknown, before ca 1774 probably in Mecklenburg. She died ca 1788/89 in Wilkes or Greene (now Oglethorpe) Co., GA. He returned to NC in 1790 to marry widow Mary (—) Nixon. They immediately returned to Georgia where he died in 1811, she in 1817. John Tanner is a proven son of:

Joseph Tanner was born before ca 1726 in Chester Co., PA, East Nottingham Township. He married Ann ca 1750s. They were in Mecklenburg Co., NC by 1760 where he died in 1781. Their section (Coddle Creek) became Cabarrus County in 1792. Joseph is a son of:

Phillip Tanner was born ca 1693, perhaps in Pennsylvania or perhaps in England. He was in Chester Co., PA by 1722. He married Mary before ca 1716, whether in Europe or America isn’t yet known. They were in East Nottingham Township, Chester Co., PA from 1722 through his death in 1751, when believe it or not, he died from wounds inflicted during a cougar attack! His wife Mary died in 1761. They are both buried at the Old Stone Graveyard in Lewisville, Chester Co., PA. I don’t know who Phillip’s parents were.

Revised: March 15, 2026

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