Kimberly,

It looks like we are from the same Tanner Line.

Samuel Tanner (The Elder) had: Samuel Tanner (The Younger) who had, among many others: 'Old' James; 'Old' Thomas, and 'Old' John Tanner.

These 3 Tanner boys married the 3 Jernigan sisters, daughters of Stephen Jernigan.

James married Nancy Jernigan. Thomas married Ailsey Jernigan. John married Albey Jernigan.

My line is from 'Old' Thomas & Ailsey. Your Jesse was in 'Old' James & Nancy's line.

James & Nancy's son Stephen was a busy fella. He had 3 children out of wedlock with the same woman before ever getting married, not to her. He was married twice, to the
wives that you have, producing that 'double ton' of kids.

His first wife, Louisa J. Harris, was the daughter of Richard Harris and Hannah (Tanner)Harris. Hannah was the daughter of Samuel Tanner (The Younger,) as was Stephen's
father, James Tanner. So both Stephen & his wife Louisa, were the grandchildren of the same Samuel Tanner.

Watching you search for the right connection, a light bulb started blinking when you made the hook from your mother, to your grandmother Lizzie, to Jessee, to Stephen, so I hunted for your people in my Tanner line.

According to what I have, Stephen & Louisa (Louysa) Harris's son Jessee, (your g-grandfather) married Louisa Emery Cagle, (your g-grandmother,) and their children were your grandmother Lizzie, and her siblings, Louis, Olive, and Mary.

I have Lizzie, Jessee, Stephen, et al, with the same dates/places/people in the research for my line. I had both of Lizzie's marriages, but didn't have anything for her children, or her grandchildren etc., so I was pleased when I saw your message search.

If everything connects, it looks like your Tanner line should be:
(Lizzie 1886/Jesse 1849/Stephen 1819/James 1780/Samuel 'The Younger,' Abt. 1758/Samuel 'The Elder,' Abt. 1738)

I will be happy to share info. (I have one child short of the number you list in each of Stephen's marriages, so we can fill in the blanks.) I have lots of documented Tanner research on most of Samuel (The Younger's) lines.

In fact, including myself and Russell Tanner who is on this post, there are 5 of us all sharing the same Tanner lines, who correspond regularly, trading research, or ganging
up on some particularly tough and/or fascinating problem.

You can reach me here, or contact me direct at: Spindazzled@aol.com

Always a pleasure to discover another Tanner cousin!

Ray Reese

Thank you Spindazzled, you have helped so much. I was confused about Jesse. Will be in touch to compare more of the story you can be sure. I need to check with my mother to see if she can remember anything, however not sure that she can. Did the Tanner's have any Cherokee down through their lines?
Oh, by the way my name is actually Kathy Earnheart.
Katy_Walker711@yahoo.com

Tanner is the English translation of the German word Gerber, which means "tanner" [of hides, etc.].