Descendants of Richard Fenner

Robert Fenner Jr.

[b 1790–1794 in Halifax Co., NC; d 19 Sept. 1847 in New Orleans, LA] Robert Fenner Jr. served in the War of 1812 and the War with Mexico. He was commissioned as a Captain on 17 March 1814 with the Third Rifle Regiment, then was transferred to the Eighteenth Infantry on 14 May 1814, under Major General Thomas Pinckney. Robert was probably sent to a fort at Charleston, SC, and never saw military action. He was honorably discharged in 15 June 1815 and was apparently granted a brevet commission as Major in thanks for his service.

Robert m Lucy Maclin Saunders [b 26 Mar. 1798 in Brunswick Co., VA; d 25 Feb. 1862 in Madison Co., TN], daughter of Joseph and Martha Maclin Saunders, on 28 Feb. 1816. He was an executor of his father’s will in the fall of 1816. In the early 1820s, he had served as a justice of the county court in Halifax. He, like many others at the time, were wrestling with the financial depression brought about by the war and by population depletion from westward emigration. In 1820, he sold his share of his father’s property in Giles and Humphreys Counties in Tennessee, yielding $2000 for 1967.5 acres. In March 1822, he sold his share of his father’s land in Halifax, 236 acres, to his brother John for $705. In October 1822, he sold the rest of his property, including 12 slaves, to pay off his remaining debts, bought 150 acres of land in Giles Co., TN, from his brother, and relocated there, together with his wife’s parents and family. In spite of these attempts to clear his debts, several more cases were made against him from 1823 through 1827.

Around 1827, he sold his property in Giles and moved to Courtland, Lawrence Co., AL, but in 1830 he was counted in Franklin Co., AL. They apparently returned to Lawrence County in 1833 on account of her father’s injury and death in 1833 and remained there. In 1834, after the death of his brother Dixie, Robert sold his inheritance of Dixie’s land, 527 acres, to his brother John. In 1840, the estate in Lawrence was such that there were 59 people in the household, including 44 slaves.

On 26 June 1846, he was commissioned as Assistant Commissary for Subsistence for the 1st Regiment, Alabama Volunteers, with a rank of Captain. He reported to the Rio Grande, where he contracted a chronic diarrhea, which developed dysentery. He had a brief furlough with his family in Dec. 1846, then was sent to New Orleans barracks, where he died. 

According to Ruth Leslie Barrett, a single daguerreotype photo of Robert and Lucy, made ca. 1847, was in the possession of descendant Noble Freemon in 1978.

After Robert’s death, Lucy moved with her daughter Mary’s family to Madison Co., TN, near Jackson (where some of the Fenner cousins were located, especially Dr. Robert C. Fenner), arriving in March 1848. Later that year, Lucy applied for a military pension and was granted $25 per month. In 1850, Lucy owned 26 slaves. In 1860, she owned 7. After her death in 1862, her son Thomas became administrator of her estate.

  1. Robert H. [b Dec. 1816 in Halifax Co., NC; d 27 Mar. 1836 at Goliad, TX]. He had joined the Alabama Red Rovers, a corps of volunteers, and fought for the independence of Texas from Mexico, but was killed in a massacre of 350 men on Palm Sunday, 1836. According to one survivor, Robert’s last words were “If we have to die, let’s die like brave men.”

  2. Joseph Frederick [b 17 Nov. 1817 in Halifax Co., NC; d 5 May 1896 at Fannin Co., TX] m Mary M. Gossett [1834–1914] on 9 Oct. 1852 in Ripley, Tippah Co., MS. He was part of the revolution in Texas, escaping capture and death by way of being assigned to a mounted company of scouts. They had Lucy [1854–1926] who m John Leslie, Robert [1857–1892] who m Mary Hunt, Martha [1859–1901] who m Tom Traylor, Mary [1861–1936] who m Sam Reid, and Laura [1874–1907] who m — Harwell.

  3. Mary Howson [b 1 Sept. 1820 in Halifax Co., NC; d 5 Mar. 1900 at Jackson, TN] m Julius Johnson [1819–1880], a doctor, on 12 Dec. 1843 in Lawrence Co., AL. They had Robert [b 1844] who m Elizabeth Flowers, Margaret [b 1846] who m J.S. Swayne, Julius [b 1848], Eugene [b 1852], Erasmus [b 1855], and Joseph [b 1859–1932] who m Bessie Smith.

  4. Thomas Burgess [b 26 Feb. 1824 in Giles Co., TN; d 16 Jan. 1903 in Erath Co., TX] m Hannah Jane Pettus [1835–1892] on 26 July 1853 in Madison Co., TN. He was a Civil War soldier. They had Robert [1855–1917], William [1857–1930] who m 1st Nannie Williams and m 2nd Hannah Wilkins, Mary “Mollie” [b 1858] who m David R. McWilliams, Kate [b 1861] who m George Smith, Lucie [1863–1942] who m George Tribble, Hannah [1865–1948] who m T.M. Snellgrass, Maggie [1868–1869], Martha [1870–1957], and Dixie [1873–1943] who m Effie Bolm.

  5. Martha [b May 1826; d 25 July 1827].

  6. Richard H. [b 1827 in AL; d 1 June 1862 at Bardstown, KY] m Fannie Byrd Rogers on 30 Aug. 1853 in Madison Co., TN. In 1856, they were living in Tippah Co., MS, then to Yalobusha Co., MS. He enlisted in the Confederate Army in 1862, Mississippi Infantry, 37th Regiment, Company B. He died in the war, possibly from acute sickness, only two months later. They had William [b 1854], Laura [b 1855], Fannie [b 1856; d 1883], Margaret [b 1858], Dixie Houson [b 5 Oct. 1861 at Yalobusha Co., MS; d 3 May 1936 at Jackson Co., TN] who m Florence McDonald.

  7. Boy [b 1827–1830; d bef. 1840].

  8. Margaret Elizabeth [b 1832 in AL; d 1861] m J.N. Cooper on 17 Nov. 1859 at Madison Co., TN. They were living in Yalobusha Co., MS.

  9. Ann Matilda [b 1834 in AL; d 1876 at Hempstead Co., AR] Ann is probably the mother of Ida Lucy [b 28 Jan. 1858; d 16 July 1858], apparently born out of wedlock. She m Benjamin Rush Pettus on 6 Apr. 1866 in Madison Co., TN. After Ann’s death, Benjamin and four children moved to Fannin Co., TX. They had Charles [b 1867 in TN], George [b 1869 in AR], Thomas [b 1871 in AR], and Robert [b 1873 in AR].

  10. Lucy Maclin [b 1837 in AL] m Isaac D. Walton on 2 Mar. 1859 in Madison Co., TN. In 1860 they were living in Tallahatchie Co., MS, with a daughter, Lucy.

Lineage:
Richard | Robert | Robert

Sources:
1. Ruth Leslie Barrett, The Fenner Forebears of Samuel Fenner Leslie (Windom, TX: 1987): The Portal to Texas History
2. Lucy’s memorial at FindaGrave, no. 70604403