I (Marty Grant) am a 5^th Great Grandson of Joseph Tanner provided that he is indeed the father of my John Tanner (c1802).

Joseph Tanner was born ca 1765/74 per census analysis. He was listed as age 26-44 on the 1800 census (born ca 1755/74) and the same age (26-44) in 1810, or born ca 1765/84. Combine the two, and you get ca 1765/74 for his birth.

I dont know where Joseph Tanner was born. If my ancestor John Tanner (c1802) is a son of Joseph as I believe he is, then Joseph may have been born somewhere in Georgia, for Johns 1880 census entry gives his fathers birth place as "Georgia". I dont know where in Georgia, or if this is correct or not. I only have that one record to go on. If Joseph was born in Georgia, then where did he live, and when did he come to North Carolina? (He was in Burke Co, NC by 1800).

I did find records in Wilkes County, North Carolina in the 1770's through 1804 for a Joseph Tanner, but I dont think it is the same person, for that Joseph was dead by 1804 as proven by a deed from his son Thomas Tanner.

I do not know who Joseph Tanners parents were. I have no strong evidence. I have always been of the opinion (perhaps mistakenly) that Joseph was somehow related to the Michael Tanner family of Rutherford Co, NC, for he did reside fairly near them at one point. There were no Tanners in Burke Co, NC in the 1790 time-frame. The nearest Tanners to there were in neighboring Rutherford County (Michael Tanner Sr and Michael Tanner Jr) and Comfort Tanner in neighboring Wilkes Co, NC. Slightly farther away were the Tanners in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. It should be noted that the patriarch of that family was a Joseph Tanner who died in 1779. His son John Tanner (died 1811) moved to Oglethorpe Co, GA in the 1790's, and this John did have a son named Joseph Tanner of whom nothing else is known. John Tanners other children were of similar age to our Joseph Tanner, so is this our Josephs father? It is certainly possible. It shows both a North Carolina connection and a Georgia connection, and the names and dates are all compatible. A little more potential evidence here is that Joseph (of Oglethorpe) had a brother named Archibald, and our Joseph (of Burke Co, NC) may have had a son of that same name. All this is circumstantial, but it is the strongest evidence Ive found in connecting our Joseph Tanner to any other Tanner families. More research is needed to sort this out.

Joseph Tanner did not appear on the 1790 census. This census is lost for Georgia, so if there, we may never know. Like I mentioned above, there were Tanners in the Western part of NC in 1790, including the two Michaels in Rutherford, Comfort Tanner in Wilkes, and James (s/o of Joseph who died 1779) and Thomas Tanner in Mecklenburg.

Joseph Tanner married someone before 1800. I have not yet found any record of his wifes name. Census analysis of their 1800 and 1810 census entries shows she was born ca 1755/65. I did not find a marriage record for them in Burke County where they were living later on. I dont know which county they married in.

Sometime before 1800, Joseph Tanner moved to Burke County, North Carolina and apparently settled on or near the Second Broad River This is in present day McDowell County, but then was still part of Burke, and was on the Burke - Rutherford line. Of course that river flows south all the way through Rutherford County, but they apparently lived in the old border region for Joseph was found in both Burke and Rutherford County records at the time.

Joseph Tanner was listed on the 1800 census in Burke County. Unfortunately, this census was alphabetical, so I cant determine who his neighbors were, nor where he was living exactly.

1800 census analysis (based on available evidence): (Explanation of this census)

1800 Burke Co, NC pg 799 Joseph Tanner 00010-00010-0-0
Analysis:
1 Male(s) 26-44       (1755-1774)	Joseph TANNER (1765/74)
1 Female(s) 26-44     (1755-1774)	Wife? (1755/65)  

On 7 Jun 1806, Joseph Tanner witnessed a Burke County deed from Elijah Green to Henry Verner. Unfortunately all the early Burke deeds were destroyed in the Civil War, but the court records showing the recording of deeds have survived, and Joseph proved this deed in January 1811 Court. On the same date (7 Jun 1806), Joseph witnessed another deed, this one from Permenter Morgan to Henry Verner. It was also proven in January 1811 Court.  (From "Burke Co, NC Deeds Registered 1804-1813" by Kathy Gunter Sullivan, 1995)

Joseph Tanner was named as a "road hand" in the July 1808 Rutherford County Court as being in Mark Moores group for the public road from James Jones up Second Broad River to Joseph Goodbreads home with the following hands: Joseph Tanner, Thomas Plemmons, James Black, Daniel Black, Moses Black, Henry Varner, John Bradley and Samuel Pickrell.

Since Joseph was listed in Burke County in both 1800 and 1810, I wonder if he temporarily moved over the line into Rutherford, or if the line was not well defined, or if Rutherford County just "borrowed" him for this road work. Of these other men, Thomas Plemmons was in Burke in 1800. James Black and John Bradley were in Rutherford in 1800. Daniel and Moses Black and Henry Varner and Samuel Pickrell were not listed on the 1800 census. In 1810, I couldnt find Thomas Plemmons, Daniel Black, Henry Varner or Samuel Pickrell in 1810. James and Moses Black and John Bradley were in Rutherford in 1810. This all leads me to believe that the Burke - Rutherford border was not well defined in the area where they lived or else it kept changing.

I found confirmation of the above theory about the border, for in 1807 part of Burke County was annexed to Rutherford and the description included Second Broad River and mentioned James Jones and Joseph Goodbread, the very men mentioned in the 1808 road record. However, this annexation was amended in 1809 modifying the line in such a way as to put Joseph Tanner back in Burke County. ("The Formation of the North Carolina Counties 1663-1943" David Leroy Corbitt, Raleigh, 1950 pages 44-45).

The above county descriptions given helps show where Joseph Tanner lived. It is in present McDowell County somewhere on the west side of Second Broad River between there and Hickory Nut Mountain or in that general area.

Joseph Tanner was listed on the 1810 census in Burke County. He was listed between a widow Eliza Smith and Samuel Johnson Sr. He had two children in this census who were both born before 1800, but who were not listed on the 1800 census. This probably shows that this census (or the 1800 census) was in error. I think this one (1810) is in error.

1810 census analysis (based on available evidence): (Explanation of this census)

1810 Burke Co, NC pg 331 Joseph Tanner 11010-01001
Analysis:
1 Male(s) 26-44       (1765-1784)	Joseph TANNER (1765/74)
1 Male(s) 10-15       (1794-1800)	John TANNER (1801/02) son
1 Male(s) 0-9         (1800-1810)	Son? (1804/10)
1 Female(s) 45 & up (before 1765)	Wife? (1755/65)
1 Female(s) 10-15     (1794-1800)	Daughter? (1794/1800) * Not in 1800

Joseph Tanner was listed on the 1815 Burke County Tax list. He was taxed for 150 acres on Second Broad River, and for 1 poll (himself). This shows he owned land. Unfortunately the early deed records of Burke County are lost, so no details can be found.

Joseph Tanner was listed on the 1820 census in Burke County. His immediate neighbors were John Hogan and Samuel Haney. He was obviously still in the Second Broad River area. Michael Tanner (1759) was also in Burke that year, but not listed nearby.

1820 census analysis (based on available evidence): (Explanation of this census)

1820 Burke Co, NC pg 105 Joseph Tanner 211101-121101
Analysis:
1 Male(s) 45 & up   (before 1775)	Joseph TANNER (1765/74)
1 Male(s) 16-25       (1794-1804)	John TANNER (1801/02) son
1 Male(s) 16-17       (1802-1804)	*
1 Male(s) 10-15       (1804-1810)	Son? (1804/10) 
2 Male(s) 0-9         (1810-1820)	Son? (1810/15)
					Son? (1815/20) 
1 Female(s) 45 & up (before 1775)	Wife? (1755/65)
1 Female(s) 16-25     (1794-1804)	Daughter? (1794/1800)
1 Female(s) 10-15     (1804-1810)	Daughter? (1804/10) * Not in 1810
2 Female(s) 0-9       (1810-1820)	Daughter? (1810/15)
					Daughter? (1815/20)

I did not find Joseph Tanner on the 1830 census in Burke County. I suspect he was dead by 1830 though he could have moved away. His presumed son John Tanner (c1802) was in Macon Co, NC in 1830. An apparent widow Elizabeth Tanner (c1780/90) was also in Macon in 1830, but she is too young to be Josephs widow, unless his first wife died and he remarried in the 1820's.

There is a very good correlation between Josephs 1820 census household and Elizabeths 1830 household. Ive seriously considered the theory I mentioned above, that Josephs wife (1755/65) died in the 1820's, and that he remarried to Elizabeth (1780/90) in the same time-frame, and then he died before 1830. Since this is based only on the slimmest of circumstantial evidence, Im only partly convinced that my theory has merit, however for the sake of all possibilities, here is the census correlation between Josephs 1820 household and Elizabeths 1830. Before I do that though, I should mention that I have not yet found any other possible origin for widow Elizabeth Tanner.

Ive marked the compelling census entries with an asterisk (*).

Joseph had a male age 16-17 (1802/04) with him in 1820. Elizabeth had no one this age in 1830. This is probably John Tanner (c1802) who was head of household in 1830, also in Macon Co, NC.

Joseph had a male aged 10-15 (1804/10) with him in 1820. Elizabeth had no male this age in 1830. Could be on his own somewhere by then.

*Joseph had two sons "under 10" (born ca 1810/20) in 1820. Elizabeth also had two boys this age in 1830, one of them born 1810/15, the other 1815/20.

Joseph had a female age 45+ (bef 1775) in 1820. This is his wife (first wife).

Joseph had a female age 16-25 (1794/1804) in 1820. Elizabeth had no one this age. This could be a daughter who had already married by 1830.

*Joseph had a daughter age 10-15 (1804/10) with him in 1820. Elizabeth had an apparent daughter this age in 1830 (1800/10).

*Joseph had two apparent daughters "under 10" (1810/20) in 1820. Elizabeth also had two daughters this age in 1830, one born 1810/15, the other 1815/20.

It all lines up perfectly. The older children with Joseph in 1820 were not with Elizabeth in 1830, which is perfectly natural since they had all probably married and were on their own by then. The younger children with Joseph in 1820 were perfectly matched with the younger children with Elizabeth in 1830.

Since I am reasonably sure that my John Tanner (c1802) is a son of Joseph, and that it is clear that John moved from Burke to Macon in the 1820's, then it stands to reason that Elizabeth Tanner of 1830 Macon is related to him somehow. Further evidence connecting them is found in their locations. Although John and Elizabeth were not listed near each other in 1830 (John was east of Franklin, Elizabeth was west of there, as much as 7 miles away, not too far), Elizabeths neighbors (she lived on or near Burningtown Creek) were the Waters family who married into John Tanners family.

For years I though that this Elizabeth Tanner of 1830 and 1840 Macon Co, NC was the same person as Elizabeth Pope Tanner (1795) of Rutherford Co, NC (There in 1850 and 1860), for she and her children do match age-wise. However, researchers of that line connect her to a Benjamin Tanner of Nash Co, NC.

My case is entirely circumstantial, but it is a reasonable theory that Elizabeth Tanner, apparent widow of 1830 Macon Co, NC, is the second wife of Joseph Tanner of Burke County who apparently died in the 1820-1830 time-frame. However, since I cant prove what Im saying with anything stronger than census analysis and circumstantial evidence, Im open to other possibilities. For the record though, here are Elizabeths census entries. In 1830 she was in Macon County, and based on her neighbors she was in the Burningtown area (west of Franklin).

1830 census analysis (based on available evidence): (Explanation of this census)

1830 Macon Co, NC pg 22 Elizabeth Tanner 1111000000000-0011101000000
Analysis:
1 Male(s) 15-19        (1810-1815)	Son? (1810/15) --> gone by 1840
1 Male(s) 10-14        (1815-1820)	Son? (1815/20)
1 Male(s) 5-9          (1820-1825)	Son? (1820/25) --> gone by 1840
1 Male(s) 0-4          (1825-1830)	Son? (1825/30)
1 Female(s) 40-49      (1780-1790)	Elizabeth ___ Tanner (1780/90) widow of Joseph?
1 Female(s) 20-29      (1800-1810)	Daughter? (1800/10) --> gone by 1840
1 Female(s) 15-19      (1810-1815)	Daughter? (1810/15) --> gone by 1840
1 Female(s) 10-14      (1815-1820)	Daughter? (1815/20) 

Elizabeth Tanner was still in Macon for the 1840 census. She was still in the Burningtown vicinity based on her neighbors, including my ancestor Jacob Fouts who was just a few houses away, and my ancestor Emelia Stewart Waters just a few houses away also.

1840 census analysis (based on available evidence): (Explanation of this census)

1840 Macon Co, NC pg 153 Elizabeth Tanner 1010100000000-1000101000000
Analysis:
1 Male(s) 20-29        (1810-1820)	Son? (1815/20) or (1810/15)
1 Male(s) 10-14        (1825-1830)	Son? (1825/30)
1 Male(s) 0-4          (1835-1840)	Grand-Son? (1835/40)
1 Female(s) 40-49      (1790-1800)	Elizabeth ___ Tanner (1780/90) widow of Joseph?
1 Female(s) 20-29      (1810-1820)	Daughter? (1815/20) or (1810/15)
1 Female(s) 0-4        (1835-1840)	Grand-Daughter? (1835/40)

I did not find Elizabeth Tanner on the 1850 census, nor were any other Tanners in Macon Co, NC in 1850. By 1860, two of Johns children had returned to Macon County and were living in the Burningtown area. This is further proof that Elizabeth is somehow connected to John Tanner (c1802), and by default, to Joseph Tanner (1765/74).

There is a listing for an Elizabeth Tanner who died July 1849 in Union County, Georgia as listed on the 1850 census Mortality Schedule. She was listed as age 60 (born ca 1789/90), born in NC. I had always assumed this was George Tanner's wife Elizabeth Wood, for she did die in the 1840's in Union Co, GA, but there is certainly a possibility that it is Elizabeth Tanner of Macon Co, NC instead, having come to Union Co, GA to join her step-son John Tanner, or other relatives who were there. There is no way to tell from the Mortality Schedule for it does not give any information about who reported the death, or what household she was living in before she died.

Children

Joseph Tanner and wife had quite a few children per the various census records. None of them have been positively identified. I am reasonably confident that my John Tanner (c1802) belongs in this family, but I have no concrete proof. If Elizabeth Tanner is Josephs second wife, they may have had a couple of children together as well.

Unknown Son (1794/1800)

Unknown Daughter (1794/1800)

Unknown Son (1804/10)

Unknown Daughter (1804/10)

Unknown Son (1810/20)

Unknown Son (1810/20)

Unknown Daughter (1810/20)

Unknown Daughter (1810/20)

This child may have still been at home in 1820 age 16-25 (born ca 1794/1804), but Im not sure if it is the same child, for only one male was listed in that category, and yet one male was also in the age 17-18 category (born ca 1802/04). The census instructions said to include anyone aged 17-18 in both categories, so unless the census taker messed up, the 17-18 year old is the same person enumerated in the 16-25 age group. This means that person is not the 1794/1800 son from the 1810 census. In either event, this child was not with Elizabeth Tanner in 1830, so probably married or dead by then. I currently have no suspects for who this unknown son might have been. If his 1810 age was off slightly (which would explain why he was not there in 1800), then I would suggest that this is my ancestor John Tanner born ca 1802. That makes him fit the 1820 census entry very well, and explains the apparent census contradictions.

There is a Macon County marriage bond dated 27 Aug 1836 between "Jane Tanner" and Matthew Haney with Ruds Morgan as bondsman. This could certainly be this unknown daughter of Joseph Tanner. Apparently Jane died shortly after marriage, for Matthew Haney married again in 1838. Jane Tanner could be the identity of the next daughter born ca 1810/15 instead, as she also was gone from home by 1840.