Individual Details

Francis Apperson, called Frank, was the third child of William and Elizabeth Kerr Apperson.
About 1807 in company with some North Carolina neighbors, which probably included the families of Levi Spears, Eli Mitchell and his brothers John Peter and Doctor Alexander Apperson, Francis Apperson headed west with a wagon train bound for Kentucky. He is found on the US Census of Cumberland Co, Ky with his wife and a son under the age of ten years living on land adjoining that of his brother John Apperson and his family. The same census shows Levi Spears, father of Francis' wife Nancy, living nearby. Eli Mitchell, father of Celia - the wife of John Apperson, had left the wagon train when it reached Overton County, Tn and settled on Kettle Creek. We do not know how long Francis stayed in Cumberland Co., Ky but we do know that he and his family, with his brother, Doctor Alexander, returned to Overton Co., Tn., where Doctor Alexander married Mary Ruth Mitchell, daughter of Eli Mitchell. Frances' daughter Mary or Polly was born there January 15, 1817. The family may have returned to Monroe County, Mo, Where they remained until moving to Cooper Co., Mo. near Pisgah in 1819. They were active in the organization of the Pisgah Baptist Church there that year.
Francis Apperson was to spend the rest of his life at his home place near Pisgah, Mo. He became a successful farmer and business man. Some of his land was patented and other tracts were bought outright. Eventually he owned about twelve hundred acres of land. Near his residence he set aside several acres for a family burying ground where Appersons and neighbors were buried. His wife, Nancy, was buried there in 1842, and Francis, who died in 1857 or 1858 was buried beside her. His will, dated March 27, 1857, was recorded December 15, 1858. There are no markers locating their graves in the old part of the cemetery, but we feel there must have been at one time. They were probably uprooted, as were many others, by a storm years ago and not replaced but piled with others in a large pile now located in that part of the cemetery. Therefore, because of this, we do not have exact death dates of Francis and Nancy Spears Apperson, nor her exact birth date.
In addition to many of his farming interests, Francis Apperson acted as a banker for many of his neighbors, loaning money out to them on interest for which he took their personal notes. From information furnished for a History of Cooper County, MO, by their son Gilbert Apperson, we know that Francis and Nancy Spears Apperson were the parents of seven children. As only four children were named in the his will, were assume that three died in infancy or early youth. Those named are as follows and data on the family of each of them has been obtained from the present day descendants. We assume that the child under ten years of age shown on the US 1810 Census referred to above, died young, as the oldest one on which we have information was not born until 1812.
(Taken from the Book The Apperson Family in America by Vera Apperson English 1977)

Will of Francis Apperson
To my daughters: Mary Jones and Milly York...
To my sons: Gilbert Apperson and William Apperson
Written: 27 March 1857
Witnesses: Thomas Harris, Stanton Harris and Thomas A. Harris.
Recorded 15 December 1858

Birth	7 May 1785 or 9 May 1785	Surry County, North Carolina
Death	1858	Cooper County, Missouri

Father	William Apperson (1754 - 1826)
Mother	Elizabeth Kerr (1763 - 1850)
Sibling	John Apperson (1783 - )
Sibling	Peter Apperson (1784 - 1853)
Sibling	Richard Apperson (1786 - )
Sibling	William Apperson (1788 - )
Sibling	Thomas Apperson (1790 - 1854)
Sibling	Doctor Alexander Apperson (1792 - 1865)
Sibling	Mary P. Apperson (1794 - 1838)
Sibling	[Child] Apperson (1796 - 1796)
Sibling	[Child] Apperson (1796 - 1796)
Sibling	Bennet Apperson (1798 - 1822)
Sibling	Elizabeth Apperson (1799 - 1851)
Sibling	George Apperson (1801 - )