Marty and Karla Grant


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John Pack (c1770-aft 1840) and 1) Unknown and 2) Sarah Ellison of Lincoln and Rutherford Co., NC and McMinn Co., TN


[Pack Home] - [Table of Contents] - John Pack


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John Pack and his first wife are probably my 5 times Great Grandparents, though my connection to them isn’t entirely proven.


John Pack was born 1760/1770 per his age on the 1830 census or ca 1770/1780 per his age in 1840. Those can be reconciled to ca 1770. This is consistent with his earlier census records also:

∙           1790 census age 16+, born before 1774.

∙           1800 census 26-44, born 1755/1774.

∙           1810 census not found.

∙           1820 census age 45+, born before 1775.

∙           1830 census age 60-69, born 1760/1770.

∙           1840 census age 60-69, born 1770/1780)


John Pack may have been born somewhere in North Carolina. I base this on the 1880 census entry of his potential son Thomas Pack who reported his parents birth places as North Carolina. I don’t know what county they were born in.


John Pack is a son of Samuel Pack and Jean as proven by a 1787 deed in Spartanburg Co., SC.


On 15 Dec 1787, John Pack, lawful heir of Samuel Pack, deceased, and Jean Pack, his mother, deeded land to Thomas Davis, being 200 acres originally granted to Elisha Thomson 9 Apr 1768 then in Craven Co., SC, now Spartanburg Co., SC. Described as on the main north branch of the north fork of Tyger River joining David Davis. The same land deeded by Elisha Thomson and wife Rachel to Samuel and Jean Pack. John Pack and Jean Pack both signed the deed. Witnesses were Nevil Wayland, Rowland Burks, William Barton. (Spartanburg Co., SC Deed Book B, pp. 216-217.)


The above deed proves both of John’s parents. It also shows he was in Spartanburg SC for a time.


John Pack married someone, name unknown, likely in the late 1780s either in Spartanburg Dist., SC or perhaps in Lincoln Co., NC. I found no marriage record for them.



John Pack is listed on the 1790 census in Lincoln Co., NC, two houses from Elizabeth “Betsy” Pack (1755/65) who married Peter Rhodes in 1785 in Lincoln Co., NC. They could be brother and sister, or somehow closely related.


1790 Census, Lincoln Co., NC, Eighth Company

Page

Name

Males 16+

Males under 16

Females

Others

Slaves

119

Peter Rhodes

1

1

2

~

~

119

Jno Pack

1

1

1

~

~

My analysis (who each person *might* be):

1m 16+ (before 1774)        John Pack (c1770)

1m -16 (1774/1790)            Son? (1784/1790) * maybe Elias Pack (1780/1790)

1f (before 1790)                  Wife (1755/1774)


On 4 Mar 1790, John Pack witnessed a deed from Catherine Smith of Lincoln to William Bennett (who was near John in 1790) for land on waters of Big Long Creek joining John Pinner and her own land. Catherine Smith signed. Witnesses were James Millhouse and John Pack who signed with a mark. John Pack proved the deed in Spring 1791 court. (Lincoln Co., NC Deed Book 3, pp. 162-163.)


John Pack moved into neighboring Rutherford Co., NC in the 1790s. He lived there many years but left very few records, at least as far as I could find.


They are listed on the 1800 census in Rutherford. Benjamin Pack is also listed, but it’s alphabetical so I can’t say if they are near one another.


1800 Census, Rutherford Co., NC

Page

Name
M0-9

 
M10-15

 
M16-25

 
M26-44

 
M45+

 
F0-9

 
F10-15

 
F16-25

 
F26-44

 
F45+

 
FPC

 
Slaves

 

135

John Pack

3

1

~

1

~

1

~

~

1

~

~

~

My analysis (who each person *might* be):

1m 26-44 (1755/1774)       John Pack (c1770)

1m 10-15 (1784/1790)       Son? (1784/1790) * maybe Elias Pack (1780/1790)

3m 0-9 (1790/1800)            1. Son? (1790/1800) * probably Jeremiah Pack (c1791)

                                               2. Son? (1790/1800) * probably Samuel Pack (c1792)

                                               3. Son? (1790/1800) * probably John Pack (c1794/1804)

1f 26-44 (1755/1774)         Wife (1755/1774)

1f 0-9 (1790/1800)              Daughter? (1790/1800)


I was unable to find John Pack on the 1810 census. He wasn’t in Rutherford, nor elsewhere as far as I could determine. There were John Packs in Harrison Co., KY, Sumter and Clarendon Dist., SC, and Monroe Co., VA, but none of those appear to be him. I’ve read and re-read the 1810 Rutherford census and kind find any Pack listed there.


However, John is still in Rutherford at that time, for he remarried in August 1810, his first wife apparently having died before then.


On 23 Aug 1810, John Pack and John Allison obtained a marriage bond for Pack to marry Sally Allison. Both men signed the bond.


Sarah “Sally” Ellison (the more common spelling) was born ca 1789/90 in Rutherford Co., NC, a daughter of John Ellison (1760/65-1836).


It is interesting that John Pack’s son, John Pack Jr, married Sally’s sister Nancy Ellison in the 1810s. A father and son marrying sisters isn’t all that common, but not unheard of.


Several of John’s children left North Carolina for western Tennessee (Sumner County) in the 1810s, most of them moving to eastern Tennessee (McMinn County) not long after, apparently not liking the frontier all that much. It isn’t clear if John went with them, though he did go to Tennessee later.


He is listed on the 1820 census in Rutherford three houses from John Pack Jr. They are also near John Ellison Sr and Jr.


1820 Census, Rutherford Co., NC

Page

Name

M

0

-

9

M

10

-

15

M

16

-

17

M

16

-

25

M

26

-

44

M

45

+

F

0

-

9

F

10

-

15

F

16

-

25

F

26

-

44

F

45

+

F

P

C

S

l

a

v

e

s

382

John Pack Jnr

2

~

~

1

~

~

2

~

1

~

~

~

~

382

John Pack Snr

3

2

~

~

~

1

1

1

~

1

~

~

~

My analysis (who each person *might* be):

1m 45+ (before 1775)        John Pack (c1770)

2m 10-15 (1804/1810)       1. Son? (1804/1810) * probably Thomas Pack (c1805)

                                               2. Son? (1804/1810) > gone by 1830

3m 0-9 (1810/1820)            1. Son? (1810/1815) * possibly William Pack (c1814)

                                               2. Son? (1810/1815)

                                               3. Son? (1810/1820)

1f 26-44 (1755/1774)         Sarah Ellison Pack (c1790) wife

1f 10-15 (1804/1810)         Daughter? (1804/1810) > gone by 1830

1f 0-9 (1810/1820)              Daughter? (1810/1820)


John and several of his children moved to McMinn Co., TN by 1830 and are listed there on that census. He is listed six households from son Thomas Pack who is next to James Henderson, John’s son-in-law. Jeremiah Pack was also listed, but a few pages away.


1830 Census, McMinn Co., TN

Page

Name

(Males first row, females on second)
0-4

 
5-9

 
10-14

 
15-19

 
20-29

 
30-39

 
40-49

 
50-59

 
60-69

 
70-79

 
80-89

 
90-99

 
100+

 

192

John Pack

~

2

1

2

~

~

~

~

1

~

~

~

~

 

 

~

1

~

1

~

~

1

~

~

~

~

~

~

My analysis (who each person *might* be):

1m 60-69 (1760/1770)       John Pack (c1770)

2m 15-19 (1810/1815)       1. Son? (1810/1815) > gone by 1840 * possibly William Pack (c1814)

                                               2. Son? (1810/1815) > gone by 1840

1m 10-14 (1815/1820)       Son? (1815/1820)

2m 5-9 (1820/1825)            1. Son? (1820/1825) > gone by 1840

                                               2. Son? (1820/1825) * might be Jackson Pack (c1822)

1f 40-49 (1780/1790)         Sarah Ellison Pack (c1790) wife

1f 15-19 (1810/1815)         Daughter? (1810/1815) * probably Lucy Pack (c1817)

1f 5-9 (1820/1825)              Nancy Pack (c1825) daughter


John Ellison made his Will in Rutherford Co., NC on 2 Mar 1835. He named:

∙           son John

∙           son William

∙           son Jonathan

∙           dau Judah Pack’s five children (not named individually)

∙           to Samuel Pack, 1 dollar.

∙           dau Delilah Newman

∙           step-son Moses Hall

∙           the rest divided between:

∙           Sarah Pack

∙           Jonathan Ellison

∙           Nancy Pack

∙           Lucy Halbird

∙           Delilah Newman

∙           & Judah Pack’s five children.

He named his son John Ellison as Executor.


He didn’t name the spouses of his daughters, though I think Samuel Pack was the husband of Judah Pack, deceased. Her being dead was probably the only reason he named Samuel. I believe Sarah was wife of John Pack Sr, and Nancy was wife of John Pack Jr.


In May 1836 McMinn court, John Pack was elected a Constable in District 13. This might be a younger John Pack instead of John Sr who was about 66 then. (McMinn Co., TN Court Minutes 1831-1841.)


Tennessee must not have suited John Pack for he was back in Rutherford Co., NC by the 1840 census. There were three men of that name listed, but it’s easy to determine which was John Sr by his age.


1840 Census, Rutherford Co., NC

Page

Name

(Males first row, females on second)
0-4

 
5-9

 
10-14

 
15-19

 
20-29

 
30-39

 
40-49

 
50-59

 
60-69

 
70-79

 
80-89

 
90-99

 
100+

 

323

Jno Pack

~

~

~

1

1

~

~

~

1

~

~

~

~

 

 

~

~

~

1

1

~

~

1

~

~

~

~

~

329

Jno Pack

~

1

~

~

1

~

~

~

~

~

~

~

~

 

 

2

~

~

~

~

1

~

~

~

~

~

~

~

334

Jno M. Pack

~

1

~

~

1

~

~

~

~

~

~

~

~

 

 

2

~

~

~

1

~

1

~

~

~

~

~

~

My analysis (who each person *might* be):

1m 60-69 (1770/1780)       John Pack (c1770)

1m 20-29 (1810/1820)       Son? (1815/1820)

1m 15-19 (1820/1825)       Son? (1820/1825) * might be Jackson Pack (c1822)

1f 50-59 (1780/1790)         Sarah Ellison Pack (c1790) wife

1f 20-29 (1810/1810)         Daughter? (1810/1815) * probably Lucy Pack (c1817)

1f 15-19 (1820/1825)         Nancy Pack (c1825) daughter


In Sep 1842 Rutherford Court, a list of Insolvent and Delinquent taxables for the year 1841 was returned by the Sheriff. On the list, side by side, were Alfred Pack and John Pack, with one white poll each. (Rutherford Co., NC Court Minutes 1838-1844 p. 382-383.)


I don’t know if the above is our John Pack for at his age he may have been exempt from the poll tax.


John Pack died in the 1840s, presumably in Rutherford Co., NC. I didn’t find a Will, estate, probate or court records or anything that would narrow down when he died, or name any heirs.


There is a Sarah Pack on the 1850 census that I believe is his widow residing with her daughter Nancy Pack Thompson.


1850 Census, Rutherford Co., NC, Polk District, House 180, Family 180

Name

Age

Sex

Race

Occupation

Real $

Birth Place

David Thompson

50

M

 

Farmer

 

NC

Nancy

25

F

 

 

 

“

Charlott

5

F

 

 

 

“

Celena

12

F

 

 

 

“

M. J.

3

F

 

 

 

“

Buddy

1

M

 

 

 

“

Sarah Pack

60

F

 

 

 

“

In 1855, Polk County was created from Henderson and Rutherford Counties, including Polk District where the Packs resided.


Sarah is on the 1860 census in Polk Co., NC listed as a Pauper. She was a few houses from daughter Nancy whom she’d been with in 1850. I don’t know how she’s related to the family she’s residing with in 1860.


Sarah is listed as 83 on this census, which pushes her birth date back to ca 1777. Possible, but it doesn’t match her ages in 1830 and 1840 or 1850.


1860 Census, Polk Co., NC, Columbus Division, Columbus PO, House 135, Family 127

Name

Age

Sex

Race

Occupation

Real $

Pers $

Birth Place

Malachia Newman

35

M

 

Farmer

100

167

NC

Sophia Foster

36

F

 

 

 

 

“

Martha

15

F

 

 

 

 

“

Viny

12

F

 

 

 

 

“

Sally Pack

83

F

 

[Pauper]

 

 

“

Sarah Ellison Pack appears to have died in the 1860s, presumably in Polk Co., NC.




Children


I’ve found no Wills, probates or other records that name the children of John Pack. He does appear to have had numerous children by both marriages. I’d say only one is proven. That would be Nancy Pack Thompson (c1825) who widow Sarah was residing with in 1850. That isn’t 100% proof of parentage, but it’s close enough. The rest are based on census analysis, proximity and other circumstantial evidence. I think the list I’ve come up with is reasonably accurate, but primary evidence would be welcome.

 

1.         Son (1784/1790). Home in 1790 aged under 16 (1774/1790), and home in 1800 age 10-15 (1784/1790). I believe this is Elias Pack (1780/90) primarily because he was also in Rutherford Co., NC (in 1820). He was found in Cocke Co., TN in 1830 and Greene Co., TN in 1840. I didn’t find him in 1850, so probably dead by then.

 

2.         Son (1790/1800). Home in 1800 aged under 10 (1790/1800). I strongly suspect this is Jeremiah Pack (c1791). Jeremiah was also in Rutherford Co., NC, and also in McMinn Co., TN, so that ties him to John and other likely children of John. He was also in Cherokee Co., NC near Thomas Pack, who is also likely a son of John. Jeremiah Pack married Mary Gregory in Rutherford Co., NC ca 1809.

 

3.         Son (1790/1800). Home in 1800 aged under 10 (1790/1800). I strongly suspect this is Samuel Pack (c1792). Samuel was in Rutherford Co., NC, Sumner Co., TN and McMinn Co., TN while other members of this Pack family were in those places. He was bondsman for the 1818 marriage of Jane Pack to James Henderson in Sumner Co., TN. They all went from there to McMinn Co., TN right after that. Can’t be a coincidence. He resided in Tennessee awhile, then returned to Rutherford Co., NC by 1831. Samuel married 1st to Judah Ellison before 1820. He remarried ca 1850/51 to someone unknown.

 

4.         Son (1790/1800). Home in 1800 aged under 10 (1790/1800). I believe this is likely John Pack Jr (1794/1804) who married Nancy Ellison before 1820 in Rutherford Co., NC. John died in the 1820s in Rutherford. His widow Nancy died after 1835 (when named in her father’s Will). There is a widow Nancy Pack 60 NC in the 1850 census in Marshall Co., TN. That might be this same Nancy, but I’m not sure.

 

5.         Daughter (1790/1800). Home in 1800 aged under 10 (1790/1800). I haven’t yet determined who this might be.

 

6.         Jane Pack (c1804) married James Henderson in 1818 in Sumner Co., TN. Both Jane and James had migrated to Sumner TN from Rutherford Co., NC so that’s one point linking them to John. Two, Samuel Pack was the bondsman for that marriage, and he’s also a likely child of John Pack. Jane and husband moved to McMinn Co., TN near John Pack before they moved to Union Co., GA with Thomas Pack. We don’t have John Pack on the 1810 census to confirm that he had a daughter Jane’s age, but I’m reasonably sure she is his daughter.

 

7.         Son (1804/1810). John Pack had a son this age with him in 1820, aged 10-15 (1804/1810). He was gone by 1830. This is almost certainly Thomas Pack (c1805). He married in the 1820 to Mary Hawkins. They were in McMinn Co., TN in 1830 near John Pack. By 1840 they’d moved to Union Co., GA with sister Jane Pack Henderson. By 1850 they’d moved to Cherokee Co., NC with brother Jeremiah Pack. Thomas married 2nd to Eliza, maiden name not known, and 3rd to Elizabeth, maiden name unknown. He was last found on the 1880 census in Clay Co., NC.

 

8.         Son (1804/1810). John Pack had a son this age with him in 1820, aged 10-15 (1804/1810). He was gone by 1830. I don’t know who this son might have been. He could be the unidentified husband of Rebecca Henderson, sister of James Henderson who married Jane Pack in 1818. It would be logical for siblings to marry siblings.

 

9.         Daughter (1804/1810). John Pack had a daughter this age with him in 1820, aged 10-15 (1804/1810). She was gone by 1830. I haven’t found out who she was yet.


This would be the last of the children from the first marriage. The rest would be Sarah Ellison’s children as they married in August 1810.

 

10.       Son (1810/1815). John Pack had a son this age with him in 1820 aged under 10 (1810/1820) and still home in 1830 aged 15-19 (1810/1815). He was gone by 1840. This might be William Pack (c1814) who was in McMinn Co., TN in 1840 and to Buncombe Co., NC after that. I don’t have anything to link him to John other than him fitting in this available slot and being in McMinn Co., TN, albeit after John had left there.

 

11.       Son (1810/1815). John Pack had a son this age with him in 1820 aged under 10 (1810/1820) and still home in 1830 aged 15-19 (1810/1815). He was gone by 1840. I haven’t found any likely matches for this son yet.

 

12.       Daughter (1810/1815). John Pack had a daughter this age with him in 1820 aged under 10 (1810/1820) and still home in 1830 aged 15-19 (1810/1815). She was still home in 1840 aged 20-29 (1810/1820). Though the age is off slightly, this is very likely Lucy Pack (c1817) who apparently never married. She was with Nancy’s daughter in 1870 listed as Aunt, so that fits.

 

13.       Son (1815/1820). John Pack had a son this age with him in 1820 aged under 10 (1810/1820) and still home in 1830 aged 10-14 (1815/1820). He was still home in 1840 aged 20-29 (1810/1820). I don’t know who this was. This could be Alfred Pack (c1817 TN) but I’m not certain at all.

 

14.       Son (1820/1825). John Pack had a son this age with him in 1830 aged 5-9 (1820/1825). He was gone by 1840. I don’t know who this was. This could be James Pack (c1825) who was in Macon Co., NC in 1850, unmarried. I’m not certain of it at all though.

 

15.       Son (1820/1825). John Pack had a son this age with him in 1830 aged 5-9 (1820/1825). He was still home in 1840 aged 15-19 (1820/1825). This is probably Jackson Pack (c1822). He was living next to Nancy in 1880.

 

16.       Nancy Pack (c1825). Nancy was home in 1830 aged 5-9 (1820/1825). She was still home in 1840 aged 15-19 (1820/1825). She married David Thompson in 1848. In 1850, her mother Sarah was residing with her. She died after 1880 in Polk Co., NC.





For Family Group Sheet and other notes see my database pages for John Pack and 1) Unknown and 2) Sarah Ellison.




Revised: January 29, 2026


Copyright © 1996-2026 Marvin A. Grant, Jr. All Rights Reserved.


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