1870, February - Julia A. Salts was born to parent Allen and Sarah Erwin Salts
1870 to 1873 - Between the 21st of June in 1870 and the 19th of September in 1873 - Sometime during this period Allen’s first wife, Sarah Erwin Salts, died. This is based on the date the 1870 census was taken, and the date for Allen’s second marriage.]
1872, February 10th - James Tesnear and Rebecca McMackin were married on the 10th of February in 1872. They lived next door to Allen and Sarah Salts. As the story has been passed down, after the death of Sarah Erwin Salts, the last two children were taken to the neighbors. Over time, both Salts children took started using the Tesnear name and continued with to do so throughout the rest of their lives. To date, no records have been found showing adoption.
Over time - Whether forgotten over time, or kept as a secret, no one really knows. It was only at the death of Lura Tesnear [daughter of George] that the truth was told. As told by the Teasnear family - After Lura’s death, her husband called the children together and told them their mother’s name was actually Salts.
1873, September 11th - Allen Salts married second to Martha Gibson
1880, June 21st - United States Federal Census, District 15, Greene County, Tennessee
TUSINEER, James w m 26 laborer NC NC NC
TUSINEER, Rebecca w f 26 wife keeping house TN TN TN
SALTS, Julia A. w f 12 step daughter at home TN TN TN
SALTS, George w m 10 step son at home TN TN TN
TUSINEER, Martha w f 8 daughter TN NC TN
1761897, March 8th - On this date, Julia Alexandria Salts Tesnear and Alexander E. Salts [her first cousin once removed] registered for marriage in Washington County, Tennessee. Julia registered under the surname of Tessneer.
1903, July 12th, Sullivan County, TN -
Author’s Note - On the 2nd of February in 2008, Layton Stout, who descends from Allen Salts’ line through George Tesnear’s line, wrote to me to tell me of Julia and her brother George. He said: “Allen Salts had two other children that you did not know about with Sarah Erwin. They are: George W. Salts born April 13,1868 died March 3,1950 and Julia Alexendra Salts born 1870 died July 12 1903. He continued to explain.
After the death of their mother, these two Salts children were raised by the neighbors James (Jim) and Rebecca McMackin Tesnear. The two children did not show up on the Washington County Census because they were in Greene County. The county line divided the two family lands, and that is why they were recorded in another county. George and Julia ended up using the Tesnear name. [Lineage from Layton Stout - George W. Salts Tesnear married Mary Ethel Whitaker. Their daughter was Fannie Louise Tesnear had a daughter named Wanda Faye Tesnear. She was my mother.]
In mid January of 2012, I contacted the T. Elmer Cox Library in Greeneville, TN. They contacted Layton Stout to find out where he got the information regarding the 1903 date from and if he could pass on supporting documentation. In the conversation, it was said that the name and date came off of a gravestone that was found in Sullivan Co, TN from Layton’s cousin.
Recently, two death certificates have been released on
Ancestry.com. One is for Julia Salts Reed and the other is for Esther Salts Bales. Both indicate that Julia Salts Tesnear married Jacob Reed. Her death certificate states that she died in 1927. Julia’s name is also identified as Tesnear on her daughter’s death certificate.
1920, January 19 & 20 - United States Federal Census, District 84, Civil District 15, Greene County, Tennessee
On the 1920 census, Jacob and Julia Reed can be found living one house over from Julia’s brother George Tesnear.
REED, Jacob head m w 52 TN TN TN Blacksmith / private shop
REED, Julia wife f w 50 TN TN TN
1178On the 1910 census, Jacob Reed can be found living with two of his children. He has been identified as a widower.
1923, November 15 - Death Certificate of Hester Salts Tesnear Bales
On Hester’s death certificate, it states that her mother was Julia Tesnear and her father was unknown.
1927 - Death Certificate of Julia Salts-Tesnear Reed
On her death certificate it gives her father as Allen Salts. But, it gives her mother as Rebecca Dickenson, which is confusing. This may be an error.
First explanation - Rebecca McMackin Tesnear was the woman who adopted and raised Julia and her brother George. But the name Dickenson, is also the name of Julia Salts-Tesnear’s sister-in-law.
Second explanation - There are many marriages between the Salts, Dickenson, Bales and Tesnear families. It is a very complicated link and must be researched further. Vicki Tesnear is currently working on this line.